Page turning western romance with suspense, absolutely adorable little boys, strong family ties, and a sexy hero and his equally sexy heroine. I thought this was even better than the first one, THE MAVERICK OF COPPER CREEK. Griff was the kind of rugged and protective hero that throws himself right into danger in order to remove any threats from Juliette and her young sons. He makes their safety his number one priority. He's the kind of guy that slays dragons. And Juliette was independent without losing her femininity. She is a loving mother, and a loyal widow to her husband's memory. But the best part of this book is the children, Casey and Ethan. Reading their heart breaks, and their strengths and courage, their innocence and their willingness to love, and be loved was a warm and endearing tug on the heartstrings. Casey's chatter as he stumbles over words and meanings was so cute. And Ethan's sadness and attempts to rediscover the belonging he lost were so touching. It was nice being a part of the MacKenzie clan again. Their devotion and willingness to help, helped save others. The villains in this story were very easy to despise. The action was suspenseful, the romance was passionate, and the love of family members for one another was sincere.A great escape for the reader. And a pleasant bed time read.