GRR Reviews Set Free: Second Chance Series Book 1: S by Kelly Collins

Set Free is a second chance romance for an abused girl finding her way and her real love. Except for two factual problems that feel problematic, the story was both sweet and tense when needed.

Mickey Mercer walked out of Denver Women's Correctional Facility, having served a year for... slashing tires?!? (of a vengeful fiancee who slept around on her AND broke her ribs). She returned to her ranch, having gotten a ride from a cop, Kerrick McKinley, and found her ranch to be empty of cattle AND horses, and her bank account drained by her ex-fiancee. Kerrick wanted to help... by being bossy and irritating, but he's also right... She can't have a ranch without horse or cattle... There is no income. And let's just say, Kerrick is handsome and hunky, and she really missed a man's touch, having gone without for at least two years. And Kerrick knew Mickey is trouble... but Kerrick is willing to take the chance... but how about Mickey?

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD

There seem to be two factual problems...

1) there are some inaccuracies about the definition of equity. Legally, equity when it comes to business, means assets minus liability. So when the FMC thought "I never questioned the word 'equity'. I took it to mean ownership, but in reality it meant his share of earnings, provided he produced". NEITHER definition made sense. The will mentioned nothing about "share of earnings". It says that so-and-so is entitled to 20% equity IF he keeps the ranch profitable and good standing and increases herd numbers. He didn't, so he gets NOTHING. There's no need to mention profit. The guy thought he would get 20% if he can force sale of the ranch by gutting the ranch. That made not a lick of sense, since he'd be destroying his own share, not that he would get any due to conditions. Even if there are no conditions, a ranch w/ no cattle or horse is not worth much.

Which brings up an additional point: how can the family lawyer not understand this? And it took a cop (who's NOT a lawyer) to see it?

2) the reason why the FMC was put in jail in the first place seems to be extremely improbable. According to the story, FMC slashed the tires on her psycho fiancee's truck... AFTER he busted her ribs and her spleen. For this, she gets 1 YEAR in jail? WTF?!

Still, the story is fine, and with some factual revisions novel will work just fine, as these are background details, not the story itself, but the motivations didn't work.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman out of jail meets the cop who wanted to help her get a second chance... she fell for him...

Tropes: evil ex, law enforcement, enemies to lovers

Overall Rating:  4/5