A friend sent me this in a box of books. I haven't read the previous two books in the series. This can be read as a stand-alone but I do admit to being lost part of the time as to who was who and how they were related to the Hubrecht family. (Cooper, Timmy, Jesse, Jilly, etc.) At one point, I'd even forgotten Jacob was the father! (The rancher in the series title!). So you might be less confused if you read the previous two entries in the subseries.

What I liked:
-the close knit Hubrecht family
-Donovan's realization of his loneliness and his comparison of the Tates to the Hubrechts and why he felt differently around the two families.
-Emily's passion for Native American history and wanting to preserve it and pass it down.
-The author doesn't feel the need to have an official engagement or wedding at the end of a book where the couple hasn't known each other that long. Yes, they do agree to date and even seem to be agreeing to go steady or be planning a future engagement, but that's not quite the same as an official engagement being announced to others.
-That Donovan is encouraged to reconnect with his parents by his interactions with others in the story. (Not by them telling him to call his parents but by his realizing things by watching what happens to others.)

What I didn't like:
-Donovan and Emily don't really know each other that long (see note under what I like)
-The issue that comes up between them for the Pearl land ends up being dismissed/settled very quickly. Emily is blind-sided by Tucker's purchase of the land she was hoping to get for the museum. She goes off by herself rather than meet Donovan as promised. Yes, perhaps the time to think on the situation did make her realize she was more disappointed than angry, but reading it, it seems like Donovan appears on the scene and she just forgives him. It just all wraps up a bit too quickly. ( )