Douglas Rawling

The Bronc Stomper Douglas Rawling

As a hazy red sun sinks to the bleached hills, Jake Sullivan rides through the front gate of the Anchor D. A big man, trail-hardened and powdered in dust, his arrival is not mere chance. Planning to find work breaking a string of young horses, he comes with a shadowy past and a mission known only to him. He reins in to survey the scene before him and likes what he sees - a solid, well-run, here-to-stay outfit Things are not what they seem, however, and Jake soon realizes the ranch holds secrets of its own. Dark currents run deep beneath the surface, and the apparent calm is only a quiet simmer before the boil. Old wounds fester in the minds of ranch owner Abe Daniels and his son Nathan, and as the rift widens between them, vultures gather, eager to pick the carcass clean of the once proud ranch. Jake's arrival proves to be the finger on a hair trigger that sends hard men and strong wills on a collision course in what becomes a fight for survival and redemption. Hope grows in unlikely places, however, and Jake soon finds he is fighting not for himself, but for a chance to be near the woman he loves.