The Rancher Next Door

In Texas cattle country Rebecca Carrigan opens up an alpaca ranch. Her next door neighbor Trevor McCabe is appalled with what he considers a waste of good land and offers to buy her spread. Rebecca refuses. Upsetting Trevor more than her alpaca nonsense is his detestable rival Vince Owen knows Rebecca and is spending an exorbitant amount of time with her. Trevor rejects jealousy as his motive although he is attracted to his new neighbor with a fierceness that frightens him; instead he fears Vince has plans for her and her ranch as expendable pawns to get back at him for some alleged disagreement. Making him even less successful with persuading her he needs her is her matchmaking family who just drive her to Vince by choosing Trevor for her. Although Rebecca's obstinacy can prove frustrating to Trevor and the audience, fans of contemporary Texas romances will enjoy the battles between the alpaca and cattle ranchers. Trevor is a fabulous hunk who has fallen in love, but the object of his regard thinks he is a bully out to steal her spread. Whereas villainous Vince wants vindication by harming Trevor through using Rebecca; readers will root for the ranchers next door to one another to merge their properties into one happy family spread. Harriet Klausner