Dakota Holden gave up medical school when he learned his father was ill and trying to hide it from him. Someone needed to run the family ranch and he was it. So back home he went--and back into the closet--only getting away for one week each year. On one of these trips he meets Phillip who eventually decides to take a vacation of his own to visit Dakota and brings along his friend, Wally. Dakota and Wally hit it off, but Wally presents his own challenges for Dakota: Can he be out and still have the respect of his friends, family, and employees? And Wally's need to help all animals--including the wolves preying on the area ranches' livestock--can only serve to make it that much harder for him to fit in if Dakota somehow convinced him to stay...

There is a lot going on in this book. It's just over 200 pages, but by the end of it, you feel like you've just read something much longer. Andrew Grey has constructed this story very well and he really brings these characters to life. I wanted to reach into the book and shake Dakota on more than one occasion and I would love to invite Phillip over for coffee. These guys are great! ( )

This is the second time round reading this book (first time was late 2011 sometime, before I actually kept proper records lol). Partially because I'm trying to read further in the series and I wanted to refresh my memory, but also because I do enjoy Andrew Grey's books in general.

I would rate this book the same the second time around. It's a fun, easy read. The MC's are very likeable and the 'supporting cast' are just that, supporting the book without taking over the main event. Yes, there's more than just a touch of insta-love going on here, but they don't declare their undying love for one another straight off the bat. And there's definitely the idea that behind it all they still definitely need to work on their relationship.

I love the setting of the story and the descriptions given of the surrounding, the smells, sounds etc put me right in the middle of it (even if I have never set foot in the States yet!). ( )

I really enjoyed Dakota and Wally. Dakota is such a man of duty to his father and to his ranch. I loved the struggle of Dakota and Wally getting to know each other and trust being able to say what they needed to each other in order to have their HEA. Very sweet. ( )

3.5 ( )

This is another great book by Andrew Grey. A sweet story with normal, everyday characters that are both driven by a need to do what is right. Except, what each believes to be right, puts them into opposition where the discussion 'farm animals versus wild wolves' is concerned

Dakota is easy to like. He is incredibly dedicated to his father, and making the the family farm a success. He hardly ever even takes a vacation. I loved his sense of loyalty and the care he takes with Wally, even though Wally has a very different point of view where the wolves that have been attacking the farm are concerned.

Wally was just adorable. His determination to save the wolves, his love for the wild animals was clear, but he also began to see how a cattle owner might look at them. His growing love for Dakota didn't stop him from fighting for the wolves, and I was very relieved to see that they were able to work it all out in the end.

I love how Andrew takes average people and shows how they can become extraordinary, given the right situation. His stories are never flashy, but always about the deeper human condition. I love that about them, and A Shared Range was no exception. ( )