On Common Ground – Book 1 in the Grounded Series

WESTERN:  After a nasty divorce and then a fatal shooting, Trevor returns to the Diamond D Ranch to help out the owner, Rocky Dillinger.  He plans to get his head on straight, avoid the press, and most importantly stay away from women.  After being physically attacked, Ketra has spent the last two years secluded at her uncle’s ranch where she trains horses while keeping her distance from men. As fate would have it, there is an instant antagonistic attraction between the two of them when Trevor arrives at the ranch. While trying to mend their self-esteem and protect their broken hearts, the two of them begin an undeniable spark-filled two step romance that fulfills a love connection destined for their two families. 

Ms. Schmidt does a great job capturing the frustration of two people who don’t want to get entangled but cannot deny the pull of their attraction to one another. Readers will enjoy characters who are relatable, feisty, sexy, conflicted, and compelling. The descriptions of ranch life feel so real they will make one’s muscles twang and noses twitch. The Arizona landscape is depicted in such enchanting in-depth detail one feels as if they are actually there.  The story has just the right amount of mystery and humor to keep one turning the pages. Readers who enjoy westerns and romance will be taken on a slightly suspenseful ride filled with snappy dialogue, inner turmoil, beautiful scenery, and enough sexual tension to make a frosty bottle of beer a must!

Tonya Mathenia