The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch by Julia Brewer Daily
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book I have picked up by this author and this makes the second book by this author that I have enjoyed. You have Emma, heir to The Thorn Ranch, young Emma, and Josie, Emma’s moms point of view throughout the book. The Thorn is a ranch that has been in Emma’s family for decades, and while it’s not your typical line of succession, this ranch is passed down to the only child in each generation, always a daughter. As a strong willed, smart, well rounded, independent woman Emma’s makes a great main character. The Thorn is so big that no one has ever been able to properly explore the land because there is an entire community existing below ground, and in caves on the property. Emma accidentally stumbles upon these people who call themselves The People, and desperately trying to protect their secret refuse to allow Emma to return home. After Emma accepts that she will be their awhile and starts to work closely with them I began to appreciate and even enjoy Chatpa, and Kai, and hoped that when competition for Emma’s hand began he would enter the competition, compete, and he ultimately won. In the process of wowing her Emma begins to fall for Kai and is torn by if she really wants to return or stay with The People until other males bring back a group of woman for wives and introduce a grave sickness into the community and everything begins to turn bad. I was a little confused when Emma began referring to the ‘sickness’ as Covid immediately although she had been kidnapped almost a year at this point and couldn’t have known what it was unless the woman that were brought into the fold said so but I don’t remember that happening. I appreciated having both Emma and Josie’s point of view because that keeps you up to date on what’s happening in the real world vs in the caves. Although I was sad at first with how I assumed the book was going to end the author surprised me and set the ending up beautifully to maybe continue with another book for a series but ultimately thrilled Emma seemed to be remembering Kai and she was starting to see a future between the two of them with him helping her with the ranch. Who knows maybe some of the traditions are due to change in the future.

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