Review – Meant to Be (Whisper Creek #5) by Maggie McGinnis

Two lost souls find one another under the big sky of Montana, through their love of music, and a friendship that turns to more. I loved this sweet and emotional story. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures 

Description:
At twenty-eight, Shelby Quinn’s already a has-been. Scooped off a country stage at sixteen and remolded into glittery pop princess Tara Gibson, she toured the country for a decade, playing to sold-out stadiums while slowly losing her soul. Now her sales are waning, and when her beloved father dies in a fiery plane crash, she finally comes apart at the seams. Alone and brokenhearted, she hides away at Whisper Creek Ranch, never expecting to meet a man who understands her in a way no one else ever has.

Cooper Davis was one of Boston’s top detectives—until a bogus investigation cost him his badge, his family, and almost his life. Now he’s wrangling horses and guests at Whisper Creek Ranch, while keeping one eye firmly on a super-secret VIP holed up in a private cabin—a beautiful, soulful singer who knows what it’s like to lose everything. Cooper and Shelby both have ample reason to guard their hearts. But if they can learn to trust each other, something magical awaits them under the big skies and bright stars.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review

From the very first book in Maggie McGinnis’ Whisper Creek series, I’ve been hooked and love the fictional dude ranch that seems to cast a magic spell on those who visit making them fall in love or as some of its newer residents say, it is in the water. What I loved about Meant to Be is the hero is fairly new to the ranch after leaving his hometown of Boston and the police force after a series of events that not only cost him his job but his family and the heroine is a pop star whose roots are in country music and has suffered several big personal blows and whose professional career is on a downturn. Two lost souls find one another under the big sky of Montana, through their love of music, and a friendship that turns to more. I loved this sweet and emotional story.

Cooper Davis’ life has been turned upside down and one drunken night he threw a dart at a map and that led him to Carefree, Montana and the Whisper Creek ranch and for a city boy he has found he loves the slower paced country life, but more than that he loves the people who gave him a job and a home and have become his friends. So when he is assigned to be the buddy or “babysitter” to a celebrity guest that no one knows the identify for he isn’t exactly thrilled to be removed from trail rides and horse training, but for the people who gave him a chance he’ll do anything.

Since she was sixteen years old Shelby Quinn has been known at pop sensation, Tara Gibson and with each year that has passed she feels less and less like her old self and with her father dead, she has a huge hole in her heart. Fearing she’s at the breaking point her label and her assistant assigned by the label send her to Whisper Creek ranch for a month of rest and relaxation with the instructions to stay out of the limelight and out of trouble. What they didn’t tell her is to not fall in love with a sexy cowboy whose life is as messed up as her own.

If ever two people deserved some happiness in their lives it is Shelby and Cooper. Cooper impressed me with his ability to read Shelby and to know when to push and when to let her be and in doing so she began to trust him and let him in little by little. As their friendship grew so did their growing attraction, and despite Cooper knowing Shelby’s stage persona he fell for the broken young woman with far too much on her plate and far too people in her life she could trust. Shelby fell for the man who treated her like a princess, but also saw all the way to her country roots and encouraged her to do what made her happy.

There is a bit of drama, but the feelings these two have for one another never fade and figuring out a way to make it work between them means making decisions that while at times seem harsh are necessary.

I have loved every book in this series, but there was something extra special about Meant to Be making it a fast favorite in this series.

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