In THE RANCHER young Maddie Lane is desperately trying to keep her ranch up and active after her father's untimely death, with the help of her Great-Aunt Sadie. Part of her plan to stay solvent is to raise chickens and supply free range eggs to neighbors and businesses in town. Part of the problem is the rooster she named Pumpkin, he is suppose to be a gentle, sweet bird but on the contrary he is a feathered hellion. He is an attack bird and has unfortunately taken a special dislike to her neighbor Cort Brannt, going out of his way to find Cort and attack him.

Cort, the wealthy neighbor who she has been in love with forever, but who considers her nothing compared to the lovely Odalie Everett. He has been infatuated with Odalie forever and is impatiently waiting for her to come to her senses, while she is training her voice for the opera in Italy. In the meantime he has to deal with life on the ranch and a blasted rooster from the pesky neighbor.

After a confrontation with Maddie, Cort feels guilty especially after he is told what almost happened to her in high school with Odalie's instigation. He tries to help her with learning more about running her ranch and in doing so finds she really is a special young lady. Before he can decide what to do, Odalie returns and immediately expects Cort to be at her beck and call. In an attempt to make sure that Maddie knows Cort is hers, a near tragedy occurrs that changes three people's lives. Close to losing the ranch Maddie must depend on two people she never expected would be there for her.

I love books by Diana Palmer; she has a way of taking the reader away to a world where the good guys always win out and the bad guys get theirs. THE RANCHER is no exception, it is warm, funny and deeply touching as the couple learns that everything they believe isn't necessarily the truth. I own a number of her books and re-read them whenever I need a lift and this one will join that group.