ARC Review: Saddle Up by Victoria Vane

Saddle up for another hit by the talented Victoria Vane! The fourth in the Hot Cowboy Nights Series stars Keith (Two Wolves) Russo, the sexy horse whisperer who has a talent for flare and bedding the ladies. For years, he spends his time on the road as an Equine Behaviorist, using his Native American background, and his undeniably good looks to draw in the crowds. By doing so, he is able to teach people about proper handling and interaction with horses. What he didn’t expect, however, is that his interests in fame, women, and power would come back to bite him in the ass.

Enter: Miranda Sutton. She’s a sweet girl, an aspiring filmmaker, and one who wants to make a difference. Under the direction of her boss, she films Keith during one of his clinics, only to find out that said boss Bibi decided to use the recording to her own advantage. Once Keith loses all credibility, he is forced to go back to the beginning. He’s angered his family through his exploitation of his heritage, and is trying to find himself again. Keith is a drifter, a wild, yet simple man. However, he has no intentions of falling in love for the woman who comes back into his world unexpectedly. Especially the one who he feels helped destroy his reputation.

Miranda may have filmed Keith, but she wasn’t the one doing the editing or videography. The thing is, Miranda is tired of feeling useless, of not helping anyone, or making any changes through what she actually gets to film. Bibi uses her, and Miranda wants to prove her worth. So she sets off on her own, determined to make a documentary about Wild Mustang roundups, hoping to make a difference and possibly establish her career. She heads to Nevada to do her own work, and take a risk. Guess who’s there? Keith, the Mustang Wrangler, the former Native American Gigolo (as he was dubbed after his fallout thanks to Bibi), and he has no intention of making Miranda’s life or attempt at filmmaking any easier after her part in his demise.

These two clash. They fight. They have a fire between them that is undeniable. A huge triumph for Victoria Vane and her ability to make passion and connection steam up the pages no matter the circumstances. Keith shot to the top of my list as my favorite cowboy read this year. I love the Native American references, and I love his gift with the horses and how well the author presented them to the readers. Miranda, I couldn’t get enough of either. Why? Well, because she has heart. Heart is at the core of any character that any reader may fall in love with. If I can love the male and female lead, then I get to experience a wonderful story by watching them grow together.

Keith changes. He learns. He grows. He finds himself, and Miranda finds where her heart belongs. Their adventure in the desert was fun, steamy, and oh-so-sexy. Once Miranda sees and learns about the issues surrounding Wild Mustangs and how these Wranglers and Ranchers are trying to save them, she becomes a lover of horses more than she ever thought possible. She also finds that being a part of helping and saving them is what she is meant to do. Keith realizes that while Miranda might be stubborn, a little naïve, and a lot sweet, she really is just a great woman with a big heart.

The two of them embark on a journey that brings them together while saving the Mustangs, and tears them apart through their differences of beliefs, only to help them mend and find one another in the end. Keith realizes that as a Horse Whisperer, he will always be happy, that he is meant to help them, and guide them. The way they come together to build a sanctuary is remarkable. I applaud Victoria Vane for the whirlwind of emotions she creates throughout the book. I also applaud her ability to be detailed, honest, refreshing, and factual. I learned interesting facts about my home state that I never knew. I also enjoyed every minute of reading the book and seeing the story unfold.

Every character was rich, and played their part perfectly. The villains in the book were nasty (as not just because some of them were relatives of Miranda), and I had no idea what to expect. Tonya and Huttsi, and Kenu (Keith’s family) always had his best interests at heart and gave him great advice that he needed, even when he wasn’t sure how to interpret their wise words at the time. Jo-Jo, Miranda’s grandmother was a firework, and I just loved her. I honestly cannot wait to see what’s next. Maybe we will get a spin-off? Maybe we will see some of these wonderful characters again? I don’t know, but one thing is for sure, I will always be attached to each and every one of them. I even had the waterworks drawn from me at the conclusion of this story. As usual, the author gave me another reason to love her work.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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