The Rancher’s Secret Love is the second book in Paula Altenburg’s Montana McGregor Brothers series. The story takes place at the same time as the first book, The Rancher Takes a Family. As a result, this can be read separately.

After his younger sister, her husband, and both his parents are killed in a plane crash, Luke McGregor takes a leave of absence from his college teaching job. His older brother Jake has been given custody of their nephews and niece, as well as the family farm. Luke returns to Grand, Montana to temporarily help out. In choosing to be with his family, his girlfriend chooses to end their relationship. Mara Ramos is the best friend of Lacey Anderson who eventually becomes Luke’s sister-in-law. Mara is a former dancer, who now teaches dance and owns a dance studio in Grand. They initially start to spend time together when Luke takes one of his nephews to her studio.

As the two start to spend more and more time together, their relationship grows. Things progress but hit a snag when Luke’s ex shows up and announces she’s pregnant. From this point, things with this story get interesting. It seems there is absolutely no way there’s going to be a happy ending for anyone. Paula has written good characters and a plot twist I don’t think anyone will see coming. She made Luke and Mara work to be together. Fortunately, that work really paid off.

Could home be ‘on the range’? After teaching at a prestigious university, Luke McGregor is headed home to his family’s ranch in Grand, Montana, to help his brothers raise their baby niece and nephews and to help save the struggling ranch. His long-time girlfriend wants no part of playing cowgirl and dumps him fast. Luke commits himself to being home for at least a year and throws himself into family and ranch life. A chance meeting with a beautiful and free-spirited woman and a promising first date makes him wonder if his place is necessarily in a big city. Plucky Mara Ramos has lived much of her life on the road as a performer, but a dance injury, that permanently sidelines her professional career and ends her fling with a famous pop star, strands her in the middle of Montana. She likes the friendly small town and soon opens a dance studio intent on building a new life for herself. She enjoys inspiring her young students, but she can’t help but feel she needs more. A casual date with an enigmatic, flirty stranger, who is so much more than a cowboy, teases Mara with the possibility of putting down roots and finding a happy every after. When Luke’s former girlfriend announces she’s pregnant, he’s faced with the decision of a lifetime. If he’s all about family, can he make a decision that will keep Mara in his life?
This was a pretty good story. Everything was decently written. Both characters are likable and I was happy with the ending even though I was a bit skeptical. I recommend
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Luke and Mara have both had life changing situations. Mara, a dancer, whose injury causes her to have to change tracks. This is compounded by her heart being broken by her former love - a famous pop star. Luke deciding to leave behind his college professorship to move home to share the responsibility with his brothers of the family ranch and their sister's children. His choice makes his former girlfriend give up on him.

How these two broken hearts get together, keep resisting each other and then are drawn into a relationship that is tested by another twist in the tale, makes a very good read. I liked both the characters and the choices they made.

This was a nice quick read. There wasn't anything that really stood out, I think the unneeded drama of the second half overshadowed the book. I mean isn't it enough for the hero to lose their parents and sister, have to help their brothers now raise kids, and deal with a almost fiancee that leaves him when he has to go do that. Then the heroine has an injury that ends her career just when it was starting and a very public breakup.

Luke and Mara’s love story is such an awesome read. I love when the author throws in a completely unexpected curve ball in the game, and just when you think your going to break down it tears the author hits it out of the park with a completely wonderful fix. Paula Altenburg stole my heart with this one, cannot wait to read her next one.

This is the second book in a series but it can be read as a stand alone.

That said, I've now read both books in the series. The only thing I didn't care for is that both books seemed to happen at the same time. Because of that there were some repeated information (the accident, the children, the ranch, etc). I skimmed over those parts.

I really enjoyed this unique story and I will say the end surprised me. I wasn't thrilled with the ex with a baby story plot and couldn't see how it was going to work out. But then it did! Loved it!

** ARC received from Netgalley **

This was a very good book, although Luke is not your typical cowboy. The storyline had a lot of tragedy that made the relationship between Luke and Mara much more heartfelt. This is the second book in the series, and I didn't read the first book, but the author does a lot of reminders so you don't have to read the first book, I would recommend this book especially if you want something a little different

This is the second book in the MacGregor Brothers series. I think I would have liked to read the first book before this. The character building was pretty much done before. The story played out nicely. I don't think life works out that easily. My opinion is the book came together too easily. Boy and girl break up; boy meets other girl; first girl comes up pregnant; first girl gives baby to boy and second girl. There was no angst; everything was just too simplistic. Even though it was a HEA ending, I didn't feel there was enough meat in the story.

This book was gifted to me by the publisher for an honest review.

Luke returns home to the family ranch to help his brothers raise their niece and nephews and save the struggling ranch. His longtime girlfriend wants nothing to do with it and dumps him. Mara runs the dance studio in town. Once a famous dancer now an injured dance instructor. They hit it off and become serious fairly quickly. They are talking about the future. Then his former girlfriend comes to town to announce that she is pregnant. What choice does Luke have? Family is everything. Great read!

The second book in The Montana McGregor Brothers, The Rancher's Secret Love is a heartfelt read. Tragedy, betrayal and finding your way back, I enjoyed Luke and Mara’s story and will definitely be reading more of this wonderfully engaging series.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

It was interesting to see Luke and Mara get closer and closer and their casual attachment started to become more. As all good romances stories go, the road to the HEA needs to be a little rocky as they overcome barriers and work to make their love work.

I did not see how Luke was going to be able to resolve the problem that they faced as he was set on returning to Seattle (with good reason) and Mara did not want to give up her new life in Grand.

Throughout the book, you could see that Luke and Mara belonged together and you just wanted them to find the right path to their HEA. I loved all the brothers and their love interests included in the story. I want to read the other books and see what happens with Jake and Zach.

Luke has returned home to help raise his nephews and niece. Luke is a professor at a university, where he thought he was happy with his girlfriend, until he asked her to move to the family ranch.

Mara has arrived to Grand, Montana to open a dance studio for young kids after a debilitating injury ending her professional dance career.

Neither are looking for a relationship but they can’t deny the chemistry between them. Will it last after, Luke has a surprise from his ex-girlfriend.

Loved this book. The banter between Luke and Mara was so much fun. This story is all about the importance of family.

This is the second book in the series, but can be read as a stand alone. Can’t wait to read the next book!!

Rating: 4.5/5

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more in this series!

Luke McGregor was always the quiet, studious brother - something of a nerd, he's continued his studies and is now teaching at University. However, the tragic death of his sister and her husband means the surviving brothers, including him, are now responsible for bringing up their nephew and niece. He returns home to help, planning to stay for at least a year, but his long-term girlfriend definitely doesn't see her future on the family ranch and the two split up with her heading home again. He's definitely not looking for another girlfriend or commitment but fate is going to intervene!

Mara Ramos was seriously injured whilst skiing, putting an end to both her professional dance career and her relationship with a famous pop star. She's moved to this small town to set up a dance studio out of the glare of publicity and loves working with her students - though she wishes there were more of them! When she and Luke meet, their attraction is mutual but will they resist temptation?

This is a lovely, heartwarming contemporary romance with great characters and a real twist! It is about learning to trust, healing your heart and trusting love. The children included in the story are delightfully portrayed, I could easily imagine them and their antics. The dilemma that could force this couple apart is horrendous and heart wrenching, leaving you on tenterhooks about just how everything can be resolved.

I have no hesitation in highly recommending this story to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances with family at its heart. It is another fantastic story by this highly talented author.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Really fun, quick summer read that was just the right level of different. I have read many romantic books in the cowboy genre and I felt like this was still good enough to not make me feel as if I had read it 1000 times.

What a sweet emotionally inspiring story. Luke McGregor was back in Montana for his family when his brother Jake took custody of his sisters' children after the plane crash that took her, her husband and their parents. All the brothers were in this together. Luke didn't think that after his fiancee Denise bailed when he told her he wanted them to stay there a year to help, that he would meet someone. That, someone, was Mara Ramos a former dancer who settled in Grand after a career-ending accident.
The book is definitely a page-turner that through in some surprise as well.

The Rancher's Secret Love by Paula Altenburg is the second McGregor brother to find love in the mist of tragedy. This book could easily read as a stand-alone but I promise you that is you meet this family of brothers you will want to know all their stories.

I honestly thought when I began reading Luke, the middle brother’s story that it would be a fairly predictable story. It was not. It does start exactly at the same time Jake’s story did but the viewpoint and focus is on Luke. So just when I think I know what will happen it has a major turning point I did not see coming. It really kept me reading this well-developed story to see how this would all work out. I must say it does come to a satisfying conclusion even if it is one that is may run a bit smoother than real life might.

As for the characters, I love “Dr. Pretty” as Mara called Luke but I also love Mara too. These two both had seen dreams changed. Mara is also so compassionate concerning the family loss and the three brothers trying to do what was best for their sister’s children. They deserved to find their HEA. Recommend the series but especially The Rancher's Secret Love.

The Rancher’s Secret Love by Paula Altenburg
Could home be ‘on the range’?
After teaching at a prestigious university, Luke McGregor is headed home to his family’s ranch in Grand, Montana, to help his brothers raise their baby niece and nephews and to help save the struggling ranch. His long-time girlfriend wants no part of playing cowgirl and dumps him fast. Luke commits himself to being home for at least a year and throws himself into family and ranch life. A chance meeting with a beautiful and free-spirited woman and a promising first date makes him wonder if his place is necessarily in a big city.
Plucky Mara Ramos has lived much of her life on the road as a performer, but a dance injury, that permanently sidelines her professional career and ends her fling with a famous pop star, strands her in the middle of Montana. She likes the friendly small town and soon opens a dance studio intent on building a new life for herself. She enjoys inspiring her young students, but she can’t help but feel she needs more. A casual date with an enigmatic, flirty stranger, who is so much more than a cowboy, teases Mara with the possibility of putting down roots and finding a happy every after.
When Luke’s former girlfriend announces she’s pregnant, he’s faced with the decision of a lifetime. If he’s all about family, can he make a decision that will keep Mara in his life?
This is Mara Ramos and Luke McGregor's story.
Mara Ramos spotted the newcomer the minute he walked through the automatic sliding glass doors.
He was so very pretty, no one could miss him.
She’d traveled the world for many of her twenty-six years, and spent almost two of them as a dancer for one of the hottest new names in pop music—the bastard—so she was no stranger to good-looking men.
His mother had converted the former nursery into a sewing room twenty-five years ago, after the youngest McGregor graduated to a big boy bedroom. Now her sons were converting it back.
Fat pink blobs of paint speckled the drop cloth Luke and his brother Zack, the big boy in question, had spread to protect the honey-colored hardwood floor. The sewing machine, plus their mother’s sewing supplies—the reams of fabric, the hundreds of buttons, the dozens of spools of thread—had been boxed up and donated to the local ladies’ auxiliary.
Luke swallowed around the lump in his throat. Cleaning out this room was the hardest thing he’d ever done. It really drove home the fact that she wasn’t coming back.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
The Rancher’s Secret Love by Paula Altenburg is a 4 star book.
Paula's Books with Tule:
Her Sweetheart Brand
A Sweetheart Brand
Starrs of Sweetheart, Montana
Branded with a Kiss
A Sweetheart Brand
Branded by Firelight
A Sweetheart Brand
The Rancher Takes a Family
The Montana McGregor Brothers
The Rancher’s Secret Love
The Montana McGregor Brothers

I really loved The Rancher’s Secret Love: the story, the characters, and the writing. It flows perfectly through the emotions and tense situations that arise for the main characters, Luke and Mara. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. I also loved the first book in the series. It is a terrific family saga that features one of the McGregor brothers in each book. Book 2 features Luke and Mara. We know that Luke’s parents, sister and brother in law recently died in a plane crash, leaving the 3 children to his brother Jake as guardian. Luke left his job as a professor in Seattle to come to Grand, Montana for a year to help Jake and Zack get the children acclimated. Luke was engaged til his fiancée dumps him prior to the memorial service and heads back to Seattle expecting him to return to her. Luke meets a new woman in Grand, the dance teacher Mara Ramos. Neither one is looking for a relationship but somehow they connect. He fights his attraction to her and she does the same. She’s worried it’s too soon after he broke up with his fiancée. In spite of it all, they fall for each other. Then Luke’s ex shows up to tell him she’s pregnant. This forces Luke to step back and revisit the plans he’s made to stay in Grand. The book is very romantic and full of heartfelt moments. I highly recommend it.

The Rancher’s Secret Love is a sweet romance. If you love cowboys this is a perfect book for you. I recommend reading the entire series to enjoy the storyline of the family. I especially enjoyed the Montana setting.