Midnight Wrangler

Johnson expertly tugs at the heartstrings with the second Midnight Cowboys contemporary (after Midnight Ride), a touching story of a lonely widower and the high school love he never forgot. It’s been five years since Rohn Lerner’s beloved wife died, and his ranch hands are trying to convince him to get back in the dating game—but he’s trying to avoid it. That is, until his high-school sweetheart unexpectedly arrives back in town. Twenty-five years have passed since Bonnie Martin left Oklahoma for Arizona, escaping her abusive father and leaving behind her first love. When she comes back to Oklahoma to settle her late father’s estate, she falls for the handsome cowboy all over again. But will Rohn ever forgive her when he finds out about a bombshell from the past that could irrevocably change their relationship? Johnson, who toggles through decades to give engaging backstory, sensitively paints a sweet and sizzling contemporary romance that will have widespread appeal, particularly among those who, like the protagonists, are over 40. (Dec.)