Merry Christmas, Baby Maverick! - Brenda Harlen (HSE #2445 - Dec 2015)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding (Book 6)

A GIFT HE WAS NOT EXPECTING

RUST CREEK RAMBLINGS

There's no place like home for the holidays. But Trey Strickland's house is about to become a bit more crowded than he anticipated. Merry Christmas, Baby Daddy! The sexy Thunder Canyon rancher has no idea he will soon be a father.

But just who is carrying Trey's baby? Dear readers, the answer may shock you! Let's just say that it is someone well-known to this reporter. Our mystery mama can't figure out how to tell Trey she is in the family way after their one night together. What will happen when the truth comes out? Will her cowboy crush race off for parts unknown, or will he deliver the perfect Christmas proposal in a tiny velvet box?

Good conclusion to this year's Montana Mavericks series. In the previous book, The Maverick's Holiday Masquerade, we discovered that Kristen's twin sister Kayla also had an encounter with the infamous spiked wedding punch, and is pregnant. She has kept the secret for five months, not sure how to tell Trey what is happening. She isn't even sure that he remembers it.

Trey was a little fuzzy about the events when he woke up the next morning, especially since Kayla was no longer there. Finding her earring has him pretty certain about what happened, but when he sees Kayla again she pretends nothing happened and he follows her lead. He heads back home to Thunder Canyon, unaware of what's in store.

I liked Kayla a lot, but I also got a bit frustrated with her. Trey had been her brother's best friend and she had had a huge crush on him when they were younger. Their encounter at July's wedding had been a fantasy come true for her. Once she gets over the shock of finding out she's pregnant, she knows she has to tell Trey. She doesn't feel right about breaking the news over the phone, so she puts it off until he returns to visit his grandparents for the holidays. She happy and nervous to see him again. Happy because it's obvious to her that the attraction from the wedding wasn't just the punch, and spending time with him is a dream come true. But the need to tell him about the baby weighs heavily on her mind. Rather than come right out and tell him, she tries to sound him out on his views of kids and families, and isn't happy with what she hears back. She doesn't consider that there could be a difference in his opinions about an abstract idea and a reality.

I really liked Trey. He's a nice guy who realizes that he's interested in his best friend's little sister, a big no-no in the "bro-code". But the spiked punch lowers inhibitions and his feelings overcame his common sense. I loved the way he was so careful the next morning to make sure that no evidence remained that would damage Kayla's reputation before leaving to go home. It was sweet to see how much he was looking forward to seeing her again when he came back for the holidays. 

I liked the development of their relationship as they spend as much time together as they can. Kayla quickly realizes that she is in love with Trey and becomes even more nervous about telling him about the baby. She doesn't want to lose what is growing between them. It was frustrating at times to see her chicken out of telling him so many times. Trey is really getting into spending time with Kayla. I loved the part where he realizes that he's not interested in the women who come onto him at the bar, and that with Kayla is where he wants to be. He's a little thoughtless in his remarks about families and babies, but he's still young and not really thinking about that part of his future. I completely understood his anger and hurt when she finally told him. 

I thought Trey's reactions were pretty realistic, and liked the way he worked through them pretty quickly. Being the honorable type of guy he was, his proposal was also understandable, but not what Kayla was looking for. She doesn't want "the right thing", she wants to be loved the way that she loves Trey. The question then becomes one of whether Trey can convince Kayla that he really does love her. I loved his big moment at the end. 

The series also concludes with two surprise revelations. First, the culprit in the punch spiking makes a confession in an unusual way. The story behind it is pretty amusing. Second, the identity of the Rust Creek Rambler is revealed. That too was pretty interesting, as is the contents of the Rambler's final column as shown in the epilogue. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for the people of Rust Creek Falls.

The Maverick's Holiday Masquerade - Caro Carson (HSE #2438 - Nov 2015)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding (Book 5)

UNDERCOVER COWBOY

RUST CREEK RAMBLINGS

Greetings, merry readers! As the holidays approach in Rust Creek Falls, we are marveling at the number of couples who have been brought together by this summer's infamous wedding punch. And then there is Kristen Dalton, our town's resident actress/romantic. Since July, she has been pining over the "perfect cowboy," Ryan, whom she met at the wedding. But he left town soon after -- for good, or so we thought.

Now Ryan has returned, and folks are betting he and Kristen will be engaged before we can hang the holly. Not so fast, romantic revelers! Our out-of-town cowboy may not be exactly as advertised. Will they still meet under the mistletoe when Kristen finds out who Ryan really is?

Very good book. It begins at the summer wedding when Kristen meets Ryan. He had been in town for a brief visit with his sister, and had stopped by the wedding reception to meet up with her. He had changed into casual clothes, like so many of the other attendees and blended in with them. He and Kristen catch each others eyes, meet and begin to talk.

Kristen has just come off a bad relationship with a man who lied and cheated on her. She's decided she's done with "city slickers" and will stick with cowboys like the ones she's grown up with. The man she meets at the wedding seems to fit the bill. He admits he's not from around there, but is looking at relocating. His kisses are hot, but he's not pushy, even though she's ready to melt in his arms. He doesn't have much to say about himself, but Kristen thinks she's got him all figured out. She's got him pegged as a rodeo cowboy who's ready to settle down, and is determined to show him what Rust Creek Falls has to offer. 

Ryan is actually a high-powered entertainment lawyer from LA. It's true that he's become somewhat jaded with his life. He's tired of the women who just want what they can get from him, and the hectic, superficial life he has. The beautiful brunette is just one more positive thing in the appeal of Montana. He's not sure what it is, but being with her just feels right. He'd like to get to know her better, but he has to be back home the next day.

I loved seeing the two of them together the day of the wedding. The immediate connection was awesome. It was great to see Kristen trying to sell life in Rust Creek Falls, and how fascinated Ryan was with it all. Ryan felt so right with her that he even told her about his early life, and being abandoned by his mother. He has never told any other woman about any of it. I also liked the way that he was so into Kristen, and paid such close attention to everything she said. I really liked the way he was such a gentleman at the end of the evening. By the time it was done, he knew he wanted to spend more time with her, but getting back was going to take some doing. He meant it when he promised to come back.

After he left, neither he nor Kristen could forget each other. Ryan wanted to go back, but things kept getting in the way. Then he convinced himself that Kristen would have forgotten him by then and moved on. Meanwhile, Kristen keeps looking for him and has made up a whole life for him in her head. She gets more and more sad the longer he's away. Ryan's sister overhears her talking about Ryan and figures out who she's talking about. Ryan is stunned to hear from his sister about who he supposedly is. 

His return to Rust Creek Falls is quite eventful. He desperately wants to see Kristen again, but he's also afraid to tell her the truth about who he is. His mother's abandonment of him has part of him believing that he's unlovable and that Kristen would also walk away from him if she knew the truth. I loved their reunion and how it was so obvious that they belonged together. But I ached for Ryan as, instead of just coming out with it, he chose to reveal small pieces of the truth at a time. Every time that Kristen spoke of what she believed he felt worse. The time they spent together drew them closer together, but the truth was a sword hanging over Ryan's head. 

I loved Kristen's pride in her hometown and the way she wanted Ryan to share it with her. I was a bit frustrated with the way she created a life for Ryan without having anything to base it on. She does have a sensitive and loving heart, and it really showed when Ryan told her about his past. I loved her joy when he came back, and how she scooped him right into her life. The only thing she hadn't told him about was going to be a surprise for him, since she gave him the credit for her motivation.

I hurt for both Kristen and Ryan when the truth came out, because it got all tangled up in Ryan's fears. He said some horrible things in the middle of his own pain, hurting Kristen even more. Seeing what he went through afterwards, as he realized what he had done was great, as I felt he deserved every minute of it. He made up for it quite well with his "go big" moment at the end. It was sweet and romantic and showed just how much he had changed.

Betting on the Maverick - Cindy Kirk (HSE #2432 - Oct 2015)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding (Book 4)

Rust Creek Ramblings

You heard it here first: Good ol' boy Brad Crawford left that raucous Fourth of July card game with legal possession of Boyd Sullivan's Leap of Faith Ranch. Never mind that Brad took advantage of an old man under the influence. The handsome and cocky Crawford has always had a "me first" philosophy.

Now we've learned that Boyd's long-absent daughter Margot Sullivan has returned to Rust Creek Falls and is living with Brad at the Leap of Faith! It seems unthinkable that the strong-willed, sassy rodeo rider would allow Brad to take advantage of her. So just what is going on behind those weathered fences? Place your bets, savvy readers. Could the right woman finally have reformed Brad the cad?

Very good book. The fallout from the spiked punch at the wedding in July continues with the story of Brad Crawford and the ranch he won at the poker game. Brad had no intention of keeping the ranch, which he feels that Boyd only bet because he was drunk. But he hasn't been able to give it back because Boyd disappeared, leaving Brad responsible for the ranch. He had been driving back and forth between his home and the ranch, but recently decided it made more sense to move into the ranch house. 

Margot hasn't been back home in awhile, thanks to a falling out with her father. But a recent rodeo injury has her coming home to recuperate. She's shocked to find her father gone and Brad living in the house, and quite certain that there's something fishy going on. She's not about to concede defeat until she finds out for sure what happened.

I loved the sparks that flew between Brad and Margot from the beginning. They may have been at odds over the ranch, but there was also an attraction that kept pulling them together. I liked seeing them work together on the ranch, and how that began to lessen the hostility that Margot felt. She also discovered that Brad was just as determined to find her father as she was. 

I enjoyed seeing the relationship build between Brad and Margot. They start it out as just enjoying the physical side for as long as Margot is going to be there. They both know that she plans to return to the rodeo circuit as soon as she's healed. But that relationship starts to change, though neither one wants to admit it. Brad had been married once before and is cautious about committing again. The more time he spends with Margot, the more he realizes that the two women are very different, as are his feelings for Margot. I loved his protectiveness, and also his worry about their age difference. He has a really romantic side that comes out when he's with her. Margot has spent so much time on her rodeo career that she hasn't made much time for relationships. I loved seeing the way she came to trust Brad, and shared her issues with her father with him. His sensitivity toward those feelings made the ones that were growing for him even stronger. I also liked the way that what she feels for him makes her look at her dreams differently.

Both of them have trouble expressing those feelings to each other, and that lack of communication creates some problems for them. Brad makes a decision about the ranch and goes off to take care of it without talking to Margot about it. Because he's obviously keeping something from her, it leaves Margot feeling that he doesn't trust her, and that their relationship is over. Rather than stick around and confront him, she makes her own plans, her pride not letting her take a chance on being rejected by another person. I loved the ending as both of them faced their fears and decided to take a chance. It was sweet and romantic. The epilogue was lovely.

An Officer and a Maverick - Teresa Southwick (HSE #2425 - Sept 2015)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding (Book 3)

The Curious Case of Detective Dreamy

Rust Creek Ramblings

By now, you've all heard about Lani Dalton, everyone's favorite Ace in the Hole bartender. Observed singing and dancing fully clothed in the park fountain on the Fourth of July, she was hauled off to jail dripping wet by dashing detective Russ Campbell. Readers, what would you do if you found yourselves in the strong arms of the law?

Since then, Lani's been reluctant to revisit the Case of the Spiked Wedding Punch. Because helping the arrestingly handsome Russ crack the case could risk breaching family confidentiality -- and Lani never breaks a promise! So why does Russ keep showing up at the Ace? We at The Gazette would never kiss and tell, but reports of Lani and Russ's mutual distrust are greatly exaggerated…

Very good book, one that was funny, frustrating and emotional. Lani has had her eye on Russ for a couple months, ever since he started helping out the town sheriff when he was shorthanded. But he never seemed to pay her any attention - until the Fourth of July and the big wedding reception in the park.

Lani is generally pretty straightforward, and not one to break the rules. The night of the wedding reception, after having some of the punch, she found herself a little the worse for wear. Russ had just come to her aid, when they both noticed two of her brothers getting into a fracas with another man. Lani has inside knowledge on her brother that tells her getting in trouble with the law would not be a good thing for him, so she goes to work distracting Russ. Fueled by the punch, her antics are pretty funny, especially when she manages to get both herself and Russ locked inside one of the town's jail cells. There she discovers that Russ isn't as indifferent as she thought.

Russ had returned to Montana after several years in Denver. He left Denver with his trust in other people badly damaged, after discovering the his partner was on the take and that his fellow officers didn't appreciate him turning in one of their own. On top of that, his fiancee didn't stick around to support him. He's drawn to Lani, but really doesn't want to be, especially since he can see that she is hiding something from him. 

When the sheriff asks Russ to investigate the problem with the spiked punch, he also suggests that Russ ask Lani to help, since she knows everyone. This enforced togetherness has the intensity of their attraction heating up, but also emphasizes their obstacles. First, neither was really looking for a relationship. Russ because of the earlier mentioned failed relationship, and Lani because she'd recently had her heart stomped on by a guy who was just using her. Second, Russ's past makes it very hard for him to trust Lani fully. They have moments when they are fully in sync and everything is looking wonderful, and then something happens to mess it all up. I loved seeing things progress to where Russ finally opened up to Lani about what had happened to him, but when her family loyalty keeps her from returning that trust, things go bad in a hurry. It was hard to see the pain that both of them were in thanks to their rift, and I kept hoping they would find a way through it.

One of the strongest themes in the book is the love and loyalty found among family and friends. There were some fun scenes involving Sunday dinners with both families and the dynamics found among the various members. I thought it was great to see how well they fit in with each other's family. Lani's niece's comments were especially fun. There was also tremendous support shown for Russ by his family. I particularly enjoyed seeing the way that Lani's brothers Anderson and Travis teased her, but were there for backup when they felt she needed their support. I especially loved the way that Anderson went to Russ, when he discovered what had caused the trouble in the first place. One of the best scenes in the book is at the end, when it seems everyone has something to say about Russ. I loved how that turned out.

The mystery of the spiked punch is ongoing. Knowing that such a thing has happened has put most of the town on edge, wondering if it could happen again. Russ and the sheriff are frustrated by their inability to find out who did it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses through the rest of the series.

Do You Take This Maverick? - Marie Ferrarella (HSE #2419 - Aug 2015)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding (Book 2)

The fallout from last month's wedding-to-end-all-weddings continues. Did you hear that Claire Strickland and her oh-so-handsome husband, Levi Wyatt, have called it quits? Everyone thought these two were the perfect couple with the most perfect baby. One minute they were together, the next there was a poker game and then… What could have possibly steered these two young lovebirds off course?

Even though they are on the outs, rumor has it that Claire and Levi have both taken up domicile at Strickland's Boarding House. We find this behavior highly suspect -- and everyone in town is weighing in, too! So don't pack your suitcases yet, dear readers -- we have a feeling this love story is far from over!

Good book, a little different than most. In this case, Claire and Levi are already married, but have run into problems. During July's big wedding, Levi got involved in a poker game and stayed out all night. Claire was especially angry, as she had arranged to leave their 8 month old daughter with her grandparents so that she and Levi could have a night out. Now she's taken their daughter and is staying with her grandparents, leaving Levi wondering what the heck happened.

I felt bad for both Levi and Claire. They've been married for two years and have an eight month old little girl. Levi works long hours to make sure that he can support his little family. He has some security issues resulting from his father walking out when Levi was young. He has always felt that it was somehow his fault. He worked hard to help support his mother and brothers, but still feels that he isn't good enough to have someone stay with him. Having Claire walk out on him reinforces those feelings.He truly loves her, and I felt sorry for him when Claire went off on him. He had no clue why she was so mad. 

I was frustrated with Claire a lot of the time. I understood her anger when Levi went to the poker game, but she did a terrible job of telling him why. She simply expected him to understand. Even when he asked her straight out, she didn't really explain in ways he could understand. It felt like she was too ready to give up on them. Claire had her own security issues. She had always been very conscious of the way she looked, and made sure that she always had her makeup on when she was around Levi. She didn't believe that she was pretty enough for him to stay with if she didn't. She believed that his long work hours were because he was getting tired of being with her.

I liked the fact that Levi didn't give up on them. He decided that he would go where she was and try to find a way to work things out. I liked seeing the way that Claire's grandfather was determined to help Levi however he could, even though it ticked off Claire's grandmother. There were times when I wasn't sure if her grandmother wanted Claire and Levi back together or not. I did like her no nonsense attitude, and the way she told Claire to stop feeling sorry for herself. Claire knew that she still loved Levi, but didn't think he wanted her any more. Their time at her grandparents' gave them a few chances to clear things up. They would make some progress, but then Claire would freak out again. I liked seeing her grandmother finally make Claire see a different way of looking at her marriage. The ending was good, as they finally learned how to actually talk and listen to each other.

The Maverick's Accidental Bride - Christine Rimmer (HSE #2413 - July 2015)

Series: Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding (Book 1)

Married by Mistake?

Rust Creek Ramblings

Welcome back, faithful readers The Rust Creek Rambler has an exclusive for you: Jordyn Leigh Cates has gotten married That's right, our innocent Jordyn, who came to town a few years back with the Rust Creek Falls "Gal Rush," tied the knot on July Fourth in what appeared to be a very impulsive ceremony.

No one could blame the blushing bridesmaid for saying "I do" to Will Clifton. The sexy, blue-eyed rancher is six feet of pure muscle and charm. But are these two merely love-struck friends who got swept away at someone else's wedding? Our sources suggest otherwise. Stay tuned to find out the true story behind these surprise spouses--and see if they can make it past their honeymoon.

Christine Rimmer opens this year's Montana Mavericks series with a story of friends to lovers. Jordyn and Will, both from Thunder Canyon, are now living in Rust Creek Falls. Jordyn has been there for a couple years, having arrived after the Flood to help rebuild. She's settled in well, and is happy, except for the lack of romance in her life. Will is a new arrival, having just purchased a ranch nearby. Both are at the wedding reception in the park, Jordyn as a bridesmaid and Will as a guest, when they run into each other for the first time in years.

Jordyn and Will grew up together in Thunder Canyon. Will remembers Jordyn as his little sister's best friend, and is stunned at what a beautiful woman she has become. He still feels a bit protective of her, and swipes the cup of possibly spiked punch she's been drinking, then asks her to dance. He enjoys the dance so much that he keeps dancing with her, and they keep drinking the punch. At one point he lays a kiss on her that leaves him gobsmacked. Jordyn was surprised to see Will in Rust Creek Falls, and to learn that he's moved there. She can't believe he's still trying to boss her around, taking her punch from her and frowning at the cowboy she'd just been dancing with. Sure, she'd had a crush on him when she was a kid, but she's past that now, isn't she? Until he kisses her, and suddenly that crush isn't so far in the past. Continuing to dance with him seems like a swell idea.

That is, until she wakes up in bed with him the next morning with no idea how she got there. Worse yet, it seems that they are married and neither of them can remember actually doing it, though they have the license to prove it. To top it off, most of the town witnessed the wedding, so they have to continue the marriage, at least for awhile, until they can figure out how to end it discreetly. To do that, Jordyn moves into Will's new ranch with him.

I loved seeing the two of them move from friends to lovers. At first they're horrified by what happened, but it isn't too long until the marriage starts to grow on them, though neither is quite ready to admit it. Will feels guilty because he thinks he took advantage of her. He tells her they should stick it out for a couple months to make sure she isn't pregnant, then they can get divorced and go on with their plans. The problem is, he likes her, and he likes having her there with him. And he really likes kissing her, and wishes that he could keep on doing it. That makes him feel even guiltier and he can't make up his mind whether to push her away or drag her even closer. 

Jordyn is just as unnerved by what happened. She had been holding out for true love to take that final step, and now she can't even remember it happening. She feels guilty that he's trapped in a marriage with her when he hadn't planned to get married just yet, and she's determined not to hold him to it any longer than necessary. But she is sure enjoying the kisses that they share and is beginning to wish for more. Every time that she thinks that will happen, he pulls back and that really confuses her. She starts trying to think of ways she can get him to follow through. 

I loved seeing how easily they slipped into living together. It was obvious that they really belonged together. Will was so worried about taking advantage of her that he frequently was rude to her. I loved that she didn't let him get away with it. When Will finally realized that he was in love with Jordyn he was reluctant to say anything because he didn't think she felt the same way. By the time Jordyn admitted her feeling to herself, it was almost too late. I loved the final scene where they finally got together, it was so perfect for who they were.

*copy received in exchange for honest review