This Cowboy of Mine

A dubious suspense plot bogs down Ryan’s otherwise charming second Wranglers of Wyoming romance (after My Kind of Cowboy). Kirby Regan arrives in Devil’s Door, Wyo., hoping to buy her late uncle’s ranch. While waiting for the paperwork to go through, she focuses on her job tracking the local wildlife populations. She’s hiking the Teton mountains collecting data on mustang herds when two catastrophes strike: a sudden snowstorm and news of an escaped convict in the area. After twisting her ankle on the trail, she takes shelter in a cave—but finds it’s already occupied by veterinarian Casey Merrick. After an initial confrontation when Kirby mistakes Casey for the escapee, the pair amicably wait out the snowstorm. By the time they make their way down the mountain, a powerful attraction has blossomed between them. It takes very little convincing to get Kirby to stay with the wealthy Merrick family as she rehabs her ankle. Ryan excels at developing family-driven westerns set in gorgeous locations, but the extraneous subplot about the escaped convict grows only less believable as the man starts to target Kirby. The result is a sweet but uneven romance. This edition includes a bonus novella by Carolyn Brown not seen by PW. Agent: Susan Ginsberg, Writers House. (Dec.)