Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey starts with Meredith. She’s been the perfect trophy wife to her husband Andrew with their seemingly perfect LA life. That is until she up and leaves him and flys to small-town rural Texas and begs her sister for a job at the ranch she works at. Her sister Helen is traveling while her house is being renovated so she’s forced to turn to the owner and operator of Blue Stone Ranch – Jack.
Jack decides almost instantly that this city slicker is here for the short term until she decides to run back to her cushy life. He doesn’t take it easy on her and the two of each other find themselves at each other’s throats more often then not. Slowly but surely Meredith begins to make her way into the hearts of all the other locals and they can’t stop raving about her; especially his grandmother Edith. He doesn’t understand what everyone else sees and he’s determined to protect his heart and keep her away.
The two battle an increasing attraction that is continually thrown off tracks because they can’t go longer than a few words without bickering and fighting again. Will Meredith adapt to small town life or will this arrogant devil Jack drive her out without ever really giving her a chance?
I really really loved this one. It tackles some heavy subject matter (TW: emotional abuse, domestic violence) but there is still levity and laughter along the way. I loved watching Jack and Meredith go back and forth. In a town where everyone is afraid of Jack, Meredith isn’t afraid to dish it right back. Underneath the surface of their banter, anger, fighting, flirtation and frustration are scars. This one dives much deeper into how they’ve been hurt before, their biggest fears and greatest insecurities. It had everything I love in a romance: small town, rugged ranch hands, hate to love, emotional depth and character development, witty banter and some SLOWWWWW-BURNNNNN-but-it-pays-off-in-the-end-steam!
