Book Review: The Ranch Boss (Love at Steelgate Ranch #2) by Leigh Andrews

About the Book:

Thomas Steel had no intentions of partnering with his brother-in-law’s former peer, but when it comes down to risking his future or his family’s, he’s all in. As he and Mississippi build a wedding venue on his ranch’s property, he finds himself building a relationship with her as well. But a ranch that’s barely getting by is no place for a wife, right?

Steelgate Ranch is perfect for Mississippi Davis’s dream wedding venue, but she still has no idea how she got its confusing owner to agree to the partnership. In between his shifting moods and resting scowl face, though, she finds he’s more of a Southern gentleman than she’d expected. But is it another long shot to think they could be more than business partners?

Will Thomas and Mississippi let go of the past and trust God with their future, or will regret and grudges keep them from healing?

| Goodreads |

My Review:

The Ranch Boss by Leigh Andrews
Rating: 4/5
Pages: 219
Published: August 14, 2025
Series: Love at Steelgate Ranch

From the start it’s clear that Mississippi & Thomas are quite a dynamic pair. That and the story’s rich themes of hope, faith, and family make this a delightful read! The book can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone, but for those who have read The Ranch Hand it’s not hard to guess that Thomas’ brooding ways are about to be challenged in this anticipated sequel in the Love at Steelgate Ranch series.

Mississippi is the perfect choice to bring some needed change to the Steelgate ranch, and the idea of a photography business and wedding venue? Who would have guessed that’s exactly what Thomas needs to shake him up a bit? The story opens with Thomas on the phone with his sister, Vivie. Within a few lines,  it’s clear that things aren’t going well, and that Thomas is about to get a surprise visit, whether he’s willing to admit it or not. Mississippi is a wonderful character and I found that I really liked her from the start. Her spunk and determination, paired with an unparalleled compassion for others make her impossible to resist. So when she meets the broody and aloof Thomas Steel, things get interesting pretty quickly! From day one, there’s resistance and a pull between the two. These two are equally strong-willed at times and it’s fun to see that balance of their reluctance and stubbornness tempered with the more caring and steadfastly determined sides of their personalities as the story goes on. The other characters also add to the entertaining mix of emotions as they share light-hearted hints and good-natured teasing Thomas’ way from time to time about some of the changes happening at Steelgate Ranch. Their friendly banter and occasional dose of wisdom were perfectly timed, and added to the overall enjoyment of this exciting read.

The Ranch Boss by Leigh Andrews is an immensely enjoyable and entertaining read! The tone is slightly different from the first book in the series, but no less satisfying. The characters were once again relatable and beautifully complex, having that exciting balance of personal growth and unexpected set-backs that make their story so compelling. The story is well-written and difficult to put down. I just had to know what happened next! This was a quick read and a great book for fans of clean romances with ranch settings, found family, slow-burns, and faith-filled reads.

Love at Steelgate Ranch is a well-written series and a delightful read. These characters are like family, and seeing them learn, and grown, and overcome, and eventually find love is such a joy. This beautiful little family has been through a lot, and I’m so glad to have met them! With The Ranch Boss we get a close look at what goes into running Steelgate, and a little more about Thomas’ experiences as a young man trying to juggle family obligations with the responsibilities of owning the ranch. Whereas The Ranch Hand looked a little more at the tours and visitor’s side of things. In this stunning sequel, we get a little more of this close-knit found family’s backstory, and also get a glimpse of what’s to come as the story unfolds. With the addition of a wedding venue on the ranch things have taken an interesting turn and I’m now curious to see what other surprises are in store for these characters in the next one!

(I received an eARC from the author via Reedsy. Therefore, a slightly shorter version of this review was first posted on Discovery Reedsy. This does not affect my review and these thoughts are my own. This review was given voluntarily.)

Other books in the series:
_{(Below is a list of the other books I’ve read & reviewed for this series)}

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