I enjoyed this modern day cowboy story with its mix of fun characters, romance, danger and suspense. Jane Day is really Ellacyn Jane Hayes, a runaway bride escaping from the conman/hit man fiancé she has learned is planning to kill her after the wedding. She runs into Nellie Luckadeau at the bus station, who hires her to work as a cook at her cattle ranch, despite the protests of her grandson Slade, who thinks Jane is a shifty character out to dupe his grandmother. Jane just needs to lay low for six weeks, until she reaches her 25th birthday and comes into her inheritance. Sparks fly as both Jane and Slade try to resist their attraction to each other, but the more time they spend together, even though they fight constantly, there is definitely chemistry between them. When danger arrives in the form of her ex-fiance and his fake sister, she hatches a plan to stay on the run until her birthday arrives, and Nellie and her sister Ellen insist that Slade accompany her. The two matchmaking old ladies and their friends add a touch of light humor to the story and it was fun to see the connections made at the conclusion of this delightful tale. I knew this was a Sourcebooks and new that I needed to temper my expectations. Thank goodness I did or who knows the vitriol I'd be spewing, when in reality the tale at least showed promise. Jane/Ellencyn is on the run from her murderous fiance and stepfather, who intend to benefit from her death. She runs and lands on Slade Luckadeau's ranch. It's hate from the start, which can only mean fighting their attraction, despite the interference of well-meaning older relatives. Intrigue and banter should result in a fast paced novel, but this pacing sputtered like a well-used car.The absurd "chase" scenes dragged, weren't realistic, and didn't add to the suspense of Jane being on the run. Occasionally, there were great scenes like Jane with a bullied child or telling Nellie and Ellen (elderly sisters) a bedtime story, but Slade and Jane's relationship comprised of stilted banter that vaguely reminded me of older styles of romance writing and didn't feel authentic. As a draft, I would be pleased with the read, but as a published novel, I am less so.
