When Mitch Grady goes to a saloon to help his brother, he finds that his brother’s horse isn’t the only thing being offered in a poker game. Heather Curtiss’ brother has bet her as well. Vowing an innocent woman won’t be forced to give up her virtue to a disreputable gambler, Mitch joins the game. With luck, he wins and frees Heather.
Seeing this as her chance to get away from her brother, Heather appeals to Mitch’s kindness. She proposes marriage and offers to help him care for two children and his ailing mother. He accepts, but Heather’s brother hasn’t gone away. And Mitch might find that keeping her is going to take more than a poker game.
What's to say? I write a lot. I read often. I sleep little. Once in awhile, I've been known to clean the house. A number of kids live in my house and there's this guy they call dad and I call husband. All in all, it's a pretty good life. :-)
I really liked it. This is an older one from RAN, and the writing is a little rougher, but still good.
Perfect hero and strong heroine my favorite combination. The hero is not either alpha nor beta, just a good mix of both.
The pace was steady but the end resolved way too fast as easily.
I am glad to say that even though the hero had been in love with a woman before, he was not hung up over her. By the time he met the heroine, he was over it. There was little mention of her except that he and his brother were both in love with her and she chose his brother over him. He had only ever kissed her once and that was to say goodbye. The woman died in childbirth and it devastated his brother.
The hero loves the heroine, and is grateful that things worked out the way they did.
The heroine is a sweet woman, who is also a hard worker who loves children. She has no problem helping to care for the hero's niece and nephew as well as his sick mother.
I did feel this book could have been longer and I would have liked to know more about Patty, but I suppose she will get her own book, and I look forward to it.
Safety:
Hero & heroine both virgins. They are each others first only and last. Cheating-No OW/OM- no Violence- mild cursing-No abuyse, adultery, rape-no Marriage/baby- yes and on the way ILY/HEA-Yes Sex-yes, nicely done.. a bit spicy but not too much.
Loved this book. Hero and heroine are both virgins despite the heroine thinking he has two children. Sweet story. Breadcrumbs dropped for future books. No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine. No cheating. No other woman drama other than some stories of previous women the Hero was interested in. Jo details. HEA.
Love Ruth Ann Nordin's books! Appears a first in a Montana series (1st time I've started one I hers without others available yet).
If you enjoy: love, 1800s, some excitement & love-making (just between a man & his wife) that helps show the feelings between the characters without swearing, this one might be for you...
Definitely read in order: Ruth Ann Nordic’s Montana collection
1 - Mitch’s Win: Lewistown, Montana May 1896 2 - Boaz’s Wager: July 1897 Just south of Circle, Montana (but ends in Lewiston) 3 - Patty’s Gamble: July 1897 Lewistown, Montana (but later says “it’s August”) - overlaps with book 2 4 - Shane’s Deal: September 1897 Five miles south of Lewistown, Montana. - day after book 3 ends
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1 - Mitch’s Win: Lewistown, Montana May 1896
Heather Curtiss - 17, parents pasted recently, long brown hair, brown eyes, Abe Curtiss (older brother) - 18 years older, gambler, not around when Heather growing up, loved in Bozeman, Montana
Mitch Grady - 25, dark brown hair, blue eyes Boaz Grady - 20, gambler, drunk, lost wife to child birth & hasn’t handled it well Mother - Gertrude/Gerty
Boaz’s & Hannah’s kids Leroy is three Hannah is two - wavy golden hair & green eyes (like her mom)
John Meyer - leader of the group of gamblers Preacher Higgins - in 40s, Mitch’s ranch hand - Clark - comes out 3 days a week Patty Dixon - around Heather’s age, determines to marry Greg Wilson, brunette Matthew Dixon - Patty’s Dad Greg Wilson - friend of Mitch’s & ranch owner Some towns people: Evelyn/Eve - in early 30s Ellie - tall blonde with twin babies, around Mitch & Heather’s age Zach - has horses & Boaz used to work for him Elliot - Boaz’s friend Eugene - another poker player
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2 - Boaz’s Wager: July 1897 Just south of Circle, Montana (but ends in Lewiston)
Boaz Grady - 21 now, goatee, Eva Connealy - 21, from Omaha, Nebraska, was going to be a school teacher, taught there for 4 years, youngest of 6 growing up, Leroy - 4 Hannah - 3, wavy golden hair & green eyes (like her mom)
Greg Wilson - ranch owner
Herbert (Herb) Allen - Boaz’s friend, brunette, work 2 part time jobs: livery stable and Greg Wilson’s ranch Rachel Larson - 18 years old, teacher was Eva Connealy for 3 years, learn more about her in Nebraska series.
McCormick - ranch owner Jafferty - hired Boaz & talkative Bull - scrawny & nick name because “I once stayed on one for a couple minutes” Conner - ranch owner, wife likes to cook for people, Otis Mills - Boaz beat out for Eva Madeline Thompson - robbers looking for her money
Herb and Rachel’s infant daughter Edna
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3 - Patty’s Gamble: July 1897 Lewistown, Montana (but later says “it’s August”)
Patty Dixon - around Heather’s age, determines to marry Greg Wilson, brunette Matthew Dixon - Patty’s Dad, 23 when she was born, so maybe 46-ish now?
Greg Wilson - ranch owner, Dark hair, a strong jaw with a hint of a beard, piercing blue eyes, broad shoulders, mother left to go back to Boston (told everyone she was ill) when he was 16, Boaz’s age (21?) but more in common with Mitch Grady Bill Wilson - Greg’s pa & died of broken heart
seven ranch hands: Marv - cook for ranch hands Herbert (Herb) Allen - Met in Book 2, brunette Archie - dark-haired Randy - older (could be with a widow) Lyle - there was something about him that bothered her. She took note of his blond hair, skinny frame, and tall height. It wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on him.
Jill Edwards - widow who was living with her brother and his wife, 3-year old son, Walter (husband) died 2 years ago
Evelyn Heiser - mean to Patty & even bully’s her husband, married for 5 years, know from church Gracie - Jill’s sister-in-law Stella Hudson - thirty-five and lived by herself on a small ranch
John Meyer - leader of the group of gamblers, terrible person Zeke - stealing with John Mayor White
Marshal Taft Madeline Thompson - mentioned in book 2 (robbers looking for her money)
1 year later: Greg & Patty’s 1 month old daughter, Angie. Heather & Mitch’s 6 month old son, Ian Archie married Jill Edwards Romance between Matthew Dixon & Stella Hudson
———
4 - Shane’s Deal: September 1897 Five miles south of Lewistown, Montana
Madeline Thompson - mentioned in book 2 (robbers looking for her money), well off all her life, from Kansas City, where husband was murdered
Mitch’s Win by Ruth Ann Nordin Montana Romance Series Book 1 Heather Curtiss was rather sheltered. She took care of her parents until both of them passed and then met a brother who had left home before she ever knew him. Now she wishes Abe never came home. Circumstances changed from Heather being sent out East to an aunt to suddenly get thrown into a kitty so her brother could continue to gamble!
Mitch Grady was not going to continue to bail his brother, Boaz, out. For two years now Boaz had been drinking and gambling, not taking responsibility for his life. Including his two children who were in Mitch's care until Boaz cleaned up his act. Mitch was done, no matter how much his mother pleaded with him. Who knew that this one last bail-out would end so well for Mitch.
The beginning of another good series from Ruth Ann Nordin. Mitch was at the right place and the right time to rescue Heather. And in the end, she rescued him. Once again these characters come to life and latch on to the readers heartstrings. Boaz is so lost after his wife dies and gets caught up a lifestyle he can't escape. Looking forward to Boaz’s Wager and Patty’s Gamble. You meet both of these characters in Mitch’s Win. **Sexual content within marriage **Historical Western Romance Rated R http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
This was a fantastic book. I loved every minute of it.
Mitch's mother believes he should bale his brother, Boaz, out of every thing he does wrong. But, Mitch feels that is the wrong move. His bro needs to suffer the consequences of his actions so he can learn a lesson. Boaz is deep in grief as his wife passed away two years ago while giving birth to their second child, a girl. He can't bear to even look upon his children because all he sees is his wife in their little faces. He is an absolute wreck and is drunk on a daily basis.
When Mitch finds out brother dearest is about to bet his horse on a poker game he goes to see what he can do one final time. When this happens he sees that a young man is trying to bet his sister on the game, a young, virgin woman in her late teens. Mitch joins the game and wins. He was offering this gal her freedom but she knew her brother would procure her again and use her as his bet. She asks Mitch to marry her and so they tied the knot.
Now here is what was so great. They were both virgins. He was an anxious man past ready for his wedding night. They fell in love and she helped his ma raise Boaz's young children.
There were a couple more books in this series that were quite good as well!
I had the pleasure of being a beta reader for this book and I LOVED IT!!! This is the start of a great new series by Ruth Ann and you will not be disappointed.
You will fall in love with Mitch Grady.
Mitch finds Heather being gambled by her snake in the grass brother. He is determined to save her virtue and wins her at cards. He offers to let Heather go but she appeals to Mitch's kindness and convinces Mitch to marry her to help him care for two children that he is guardian off.
Reluctantly Mitch accepts but it was the best decision that he ever made....
Check out this book to find out the ups and downs they had to get to their happily every after.
Heather can't believe where her brother Abe has brought her, a saloon of all places and now since he thinks he has a sure winning hand he has added her to the pat! Oh no what is she going to do? Thankfully even though her brother doesn't win, neither does the horrible man John Meyer who has been leering at her ever since her brother revealed her. Mitch had only come to get his brother Boaz to stop and think about what he was doing and to bail him out of another jam,but when he sees the lovely lady and with John Meyer in the hand he knows there's no way he can walk away and not try to win just so he can let her walk away. Only he does win and when he divides up the pot between his brother Boaz, the fool who put his sister in the pot Abe and himself the last thing he expected was for her to come to him and ask if there was any way she can go with him and help his wife with the children he mentioned so she can escape her brother. Only he tells her he isn't married so instead of sending her away they get married! Will they be happy together? Will she be able to really escape her brother? Will Boaz be able to clean up his life and be the father his children need? Read this great story by Ruth Ann Nordin to find out.
Heather’s brother Abe tells her he is going to play cards and win the money to send her back east, she has no other family left. She is somehow put up for a bet, but Boaz is in trouble and his brother Mitch has come to help him and finds out that Heather is part of the bet.
Gerty is the mother of Mitch and Boaz. Hannah decided to marry Boaz and Mitch was heart broken, he thought he loved her but a year later Hannah has Leroy. He see’s the love his brother and his wife have and he is okay with it. She has another baby but didn’t live. This crushed Boaz he named his daughter Hannah after her mother. The children went to live with Mitch and his mother Gerty. Mitch tried to get a mail Order bride but it didn’t work for him. He needs someone who will help with the children and his mother she suffers with I guess arthritis.
When Mitch goes to town to rescue his brother from a card game, he is shocked and disgusted to his core when he learns a young lady is being used to pay her brother's debt. After he rescues her, she begs him to take her with him. She explains about her parents deaths and she doesn't trust her brother any longer. He completely understands but also doesn't want to taint her reputation. He proposes marriage as he needs a wife who can take care of his niece and nephew. After agreeing and being Wed, they head to his home and she settles in. It's not all sunshine and rainbows as her brother kidnaps her. Dive into this adventure~
The book was ok. The writing was really superficial emotionally. Like, words were said but there wasn’t much emotion behind those words. So I guess the “love” and/or “affection” for the main characters have for each other wasn’t really believable. There was spice frequency but it was not explicit or descriptive. You’re just kind of told it happens and neither seem to really enjoy it lol But it was interesting enough for me to finish it and not DNF so there’s that.
Not a very annoying moment. Finished it in one seating.
What bothered me was, how did Boaz (Mitch's brother) able to find Heather when Abe (Heather's brother and kidnapper) started out northwest but changed course to the east. Anyone who could have seen them will lead Mitch and Boaz to the wrong direction.
This was an interesting read. Heather has the worst brother ever. To be put up as part of a gambling game. Not cool at all. Thank the lord for Mitch. He needs the love and plain goodness that Heather gives to his house. Raising your brothers children is a lot with only your elderly mother as help. Their wedding night was a surprise too.
Interesting character-driven romance plot line. Enjoyed the primary characters as watching them evolve as the story unfolds. Nice twist that they are both virgins and this is what makes this romance adorable. Appreciated the suspense Ms. Nordin used to add interest to this tale that actually keeps the reader riveted.
Mitch is a wonderful man. He's a man that is always wanting to help. Trying to keep his brother out of trouble seems to be a full-time task. Meeting Heather he steps in. Giving her safety and a home. Heather is a sweet wonderful woman that figures out quickly that Mitch is the best thing that has happened to her.
Mitch- oldest brother very responsible Heather- parents died brother came to hell but a very selfish and greedy. I enjoyed reading this captivating story that is fantastically written with lovable characters. Their story has a sweet HEA
This was great story. Really held your interest. Will definitely read the other books in the series. Have read other books by her and always enjoyed them.
Ruth Jordon has written another great book. I could not put it down once I started reading it. I will start reading Boaz book now. That is going to be great also.
Well this was just an okay read for me. The characters were just super young for me. I mean for pete’s sake the girl was only 17. Yeah I just couldn’t get over that an enjoy the story.
I don't think this book deserves a 2 but... It's my 1st time reading this author and it was disappointing. I won't bother with the others in the series.