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Home to Montana
Where The Heart Leads Staying in one place was never Nick Carbini's plan. When his troubled past leads him to Bear Lake, Montana, single mom Alisa Machak makes him consider putting down roots. Alisa doesn't have a problem letting Nick work in her diner, but when he starts edging his way into her heart, she has to draw the line. He reminds her too much of her son's father, another drifter who abandoned them both. Nick wishes he could be there for them, but believes he's not fit to be a husband. When his worst fears come true one night, it's up to Alisa to show him the perfect recipe for a forever romance.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
7 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Carter
20 books25 followersCharlotte has authored more than 50 books for Harlequin, Dorchester, Guideposts Books and Love Inspired. She lives in Southern California with her husband of 50 years. They have two married daughters and 5 grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 29, 2013
Alisa Machak’s life revolves around helping her mom run her diner and raising her son, Greg. She doesn’t have time for men, especially not those who are drifting aimlessly through the small town of Bear Lake, Montana, like Greg’s father. Having her heart broken once was enough to make Alisa swear off dating, but even she can’t help but be intrigued when Nick Carbini, an old classmate, returns to Bear Lake for a spell. No one knows what happened to Nick after his mom died and his father took him away from Bear Lake. Alisa doesn’t want to get involved with a man who looks like he might up and leave at any moment, but when an accident occurs that prevents her mother from working in the kitchen, Nick steps in to help. Nick slowly opens up to Alisa, revealing that he worked as an army chef in Afghanistan. Greg is excited to be in the presence of a real war hero, especially one who can take him fishing and play football with him. Alisa is worried that her son might get too attached to Nick, especially since he has no plans to stay in Bear Lake long-term. But Nick is battling his own problems—namely, the PTSD that has stuck with him since his time in Afghanistan. Nick doesn’t like to talk about his experience, and no one seems to be able to stop the nightmares from plaguing him. As soon as they return, he starts to run again—but Alisa and Greg make him consider staying and fighting his demons. Can he face his past and start a new life in Bear Lake with Alisa?
I’ve wanted to read one of Charlotte Carter’s novels for a while now, simply because she’s an active member of a writing forum that I frequent, and I really appreciate the advice she gives to aspiring writers. When Home to Montana became available to review, I jumped at the chance, and I’m only sorry that I wasn’t able to fit it into my reading schedule until now. On the whole, I really enjoyed this romance. It was a light, easy read, which is what you’d expect from a Love Inspired romance. But despite the sheer number of romances that Love Inspired publish every year, Home to Montana didn’t feel predictable.
One of the unconventional aspects of this novel was Nick’s character. Plenty of contemporary romances feature war heroes, but Nick isn’t your standard soldier—he served in the army as a chef. I feel like men like Nick often get overlooked or are less appreciated because they aren’t serving their country in the conventional way, but as shown by this storyline, sometimes the after-effects of their experience are just as serious as those who saw combat. The exploration of Nick’s PTSD seemed pretty realistic from what I know of the subject, and it was particularly heart-breaking to read about Nick’s difficulty with talking about his experience. It’s so easy to acknowledge someone’s sacrifice when they’re missing a limb or have lost their sight, since these are immediately recognisable signs, but you don’t automatically notice if someone’s suffering from PTSD. I think this works for any mental illness or “invisible” condition. For men who are heralded as “war heroes”, it can be difficult to admit that you’re struggling mentally and emotionally because these troubles don’t fit the typical mould of a “hero”. I wished we'd had more time to see how Nick overcame his difficulties, but there was only so much that could fit into such a short novel.
The setting of Bear Lake, Montana and Mama’s diner immediately drew me into this novel, and I could see how Nick was drawn back to the place. Charlotte has written several other novels set in Bear Lake, and I’m definitely going to have to go back and learn the backstories of all the secondary characters who appeared in this novel. Although it’s hard to introduce background characters into such a short novel, each of the characters that Alisa or Nick ran into at the diner or in town enriched the story in their own way. And as for the diner—the descriptions of Mama’s Czech food made me incredibly hungry! I could smell the lingering scents of garlic and paprika whenever Alisa or Nick visited the kitchen. I’ll definitely be looking up some Czech recipes and attempting to recreate some of Mama’s specialities. Perhaps a recipe at the back of this book would be a great addition? Especially considering how all the customers raved about Mama’s chicken and dumplings.
Alisa's son, Greg, was really cute, but then again I love romances about single parents. I’m not sure what it is that draws me to romances that include children as secondary characters, but this one definitely hit the spot. I did wish that we could have learned a little more about Alisa's ex-boyfriend, the drifter who left her on her own with Greg. This backstory was continually alluded to but never explained in detail, except to say that Alisa had been very hurt by the experience.
Rags, the dog, also became a pretty important character in the story—I'm not usually a dog fan, even in novels, but this one won me over. I feel like this book ticked all the right boxes—Cute kid? Check. Cute dog? Check. Tasty descriptions of food? Double check!
As for the romance, I liked the slow-moving nature of Nick and Alisa’s relationship. Their cautious hesitance felt realistic considering both their pasts, but the way in which they were thrown together and forced to work alongside each other at the diner allowed for the relationship to develop at a believable pace. However, I wasn’t a big fan of the ending—considering that they had only known each other for a couple of weeks and still had a lot of issues to work through, it didn’t feel terribly realistic for them to be talking about marriage already! This is the second Love Inspired romance I've come across that's ended this way and I'm not a big fan of proposals occurring quite so soon. I'd much rather have an open ending where it's suggested that the characters will get married in the future, but they need more time getting to know each other. Or a more stretched-out romance set over a longer period of time where a proposal would feel more believable. But I’m afraid that a two-week romance followed by a proposal and a wedding epilogue isn’t my ideal romance. Especially considering Nick's struggles with his PTSD, this felt really rushed. I still really enjoyed this romance, but the ending felt a unnecessarily rushed.
Although the ending wasn’t entirely to my taste, the only thing I feel that the novel could have improved on was the length, so that I could have learned more about Alisa and Nick’s backstories and problems! Considering that this book is a mere 224 pages, Charlotte Carter managed to pack in a great romance with an appealing setting and cast of characters. Home to Montana was uplifting and made me smile, which is just what I'm looking for with a Love Inspired novel. I'll definitely be checking out more of Charlotte Carter's Montana novels.
Review title provided by Love Inspired Books.
I’ve wanted to read one of Charlotte Carter’s novels for a while now, simply because she’s an active member of a writing forum that I frequent, and I really appreciate the advice she gives to aspiring writers. When Home to Montana became available to review, I jumped at the chance, and I’m only sorry that I wasn’t able to fit it into my reading schedule until now. On the whole, I really enjoyed this romance. It was a light, easy read, which is what you’d expect from a Love Inspired romance. But despite the sheer number of romances that Love Inspired publish every year, Home to Montana didn’t feel predictable.
One of the unconventional aspects of this novel was Nick’s character. Plenty of contemporary romances feature war heroes, but Nick isn’t your standard soldier—he served in the army as a chef. I feel like men like Nick often get overlooked or are less appreciated because they aren’t serving their country in the conventional way, but as shown by this storyline, sometimes the after-effects of their experience are just as serious as those who saw combat. The exploration of Nick’s PTSD seemed pretty realistic from what I know of the subject, and it was particularly heart-breaking to read about Nick’s difficulty with talking about his experience. It’s so easy to acknowledge someone’s sacrifice when they’re missing a limb or have lost their sight, since these are immediately recognisable signs, but you don’t automatically notice if someone’s suffering from PTSD. I think this works for any mental illness or “invisible” condition. For men who are heralded as “war heroes”, it can be difficult to admit that you’re struggling mentally and emotionally because these troubles don’t fit the typical mould of a “hero”. I wished we'd had more time to see how Nick overcame his difficulties, but there was only so much that could fit into such a short novel.
The setting of Bear Lake, Montana and Mama’s diner immediately drew me into this novel, and I could see how Nick was drawn back to the place. Charlotte has written several other novels set in Bear Lake, and I’m definitely going to have to go back and learn the backstories of all the secondary characters who appeared in this novel. Although it’s hard to introduce background characters into such a short novel, each of the characters that Alisa or Nick ran into at the diner or in town enriched the story in their own way. And as for the diner—the descriptions of Mama’s Czech food made me incredibly hungry! I could smell the lingering scents of garlic and paprika whenever Alisa or Nick visited the kitchen. I’ll definitely be looking up some Czech recipes and attempting to recreate some of Mama’s specialities. Perhaps a recipe at the back of this book would be a great addition? Especially considering how all the customers raved about Mama’s chicken and dumplings.
Alisa's son, Greg, was really cute, but then again I love romances about single parents. I’m not sure what it is that draws me to romances that include children as secondary characters, but this one definitely hit the spot. I did wish that we could have learned a little more about Alisa's ex-boyfriend, the drifter who left her on her own with Greg. This backstory was continually alluded to but never explained in detail, except to say that Alisa had been very hurt by the experience.
Rags, the dog, also became a pretty important character in the story—I'm not usually a dog fan, even in novels, but this one won me over. I feel like this book ticked all the right boxes—Cute kid? Check. Cute dog? Check. Tasty descriptions of food? Double check!
As for the romance, I liked the slow-moving nature of Nick and Alisa’s relationship. Their cautious hesitance felt realistic considering both their pasts, but the way in which they were thrown together and forced to work alongside each other at the diner allowed for the relationship to develop at a believable pace. However, I wasn’t a big fan of the ending—considering that they had only known each other for a couple of weeks and still had a lot of issues to work through, it didn’t feel terribly realistic for them to be talking about marriage already! This is the second Love Inspired romance I've come across that's ended this way and I'm not a big fan of proposals occurring quite so soon. I'd much rather have an open ending where it's suggested that the characters will get married in the future, but they need more time getting to know each other. Or a more stretched-out romance set over a longer period of time where a proposal would feel more believable. But I’m afraid that a two-week romance followed by a proposal and a wedding epilogue isn’t my ideal romance. Especially considering Nick's struggles with his PTSD, this felt really rushed. I still really enjoyed this romance, but the ending felt a unnecessarily rushed.
Although the ending wasn’t entirely to my taste, the only thing I feel that the novel could have improved on was the length, so that I could have learned more about Alisa and Nick’s backstories and problems! Considering that this book is a mere 224 pages, Charlotte Carter managed to pack in a great romance with an appealing setting and cast of characters. Home to Montana was uplifting and made me smile, which is just what I'm looking for with a Love Inspired novel. I'll definitely be checking out more of Charlotte Carter's Montana novels.
Review title provided by Love Inspired Books.
August 12, 2020
I truley am rating this a 4.5 star. The plot and story was great! Sometimes with the love inspired books they can be a hit and miss. I loved the story. The ending felt rushed . That is the only reason it didn't get a full 5.
April 7, 2021
Really loved this book!! My favorite character was the grandma. She is such a strong person and really caring. I like how ended. This was a wholesome book and not my usual read. It was a refreshing and great read.
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December 15, 2020First book by this author I've read. Smoothly written, somewhat believable.
February 19, 2013
Single Mom Alisa Machak has been burned before, and she's not eager to repeat the experience. So she stays away from men who present any danger of upsetting her life in any way - in other words, she avoids true love like the plague. Nick Carbini has become a drifter, with no place to truly call home since he was a kid and his Mom was alive. So he returns to the only place he can get that feeling - Bear Lake, Montana. Working in Alisa's family diner, Nick and Alisa immediately feel sparks fly. But not willing to risk her heart or her son's Alisa hardens herself against the new-found possibility of a relationship. Especially with a man who reminds her of her son's Father, a deadbeat drifter. Can Nick move away from the demons of his past and convince Alisa that they have a future together? Or will both of them end up with a broken heart? Not realizing this book was Love Inspired and not a Harlequin Super Romance, I requested it from NetGalley. I wish that I hadn't. While the characters are relatable and fairly well written, this book was downright depressing. Alisa is a woman who loves her son, her Mom and her town. But she is a complete shrew and not a very interesting character to me. Oh poor baby, had a bad experience in love. So now she treats this veteran with major issues like he's Jeffery Dahmer reincarnated or something! And every time he shows any interest in her son (who is starved for male companionship of any kind at all, as he has no Dad or Grandpa in his life) she freaks out and acts like Nick's trying to kidnap him from her. Any excuse not to be nice to Nick and Alisa will take it, no hesitation. I loved Alisa's Mother, who was an absolute gem of a woman, especially dealing with such a bitter daughter. Nick had issues, but he saw the shades of grey in the world order which endeared him to me a LOT more than Alisa as a character and romantic interest. While being a Christian romance, it managed to avoid the preachy overtones for the most part, until the second half of the book which was saturated in religion. I got extremely annoyed with having it shoved in my face and was glad when the book was over. My overall opinion is that people who like a predictable bland romance will like this one. If you're not super religious avoid it like the plague.
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published February 19th, 2013.*
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published February 19th, 2013.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2013
This book tells the story of Alisa, a single mother with a son, is running her family owned diner and Nick who returned to his hometown after out of the prison. Nick is suffering from PTSD, went to Alisa’s diner asking for scrap of food for his dog and in return, he will Alisa to cut the wood. Alisa, who being deserted by the father of her son, did not trust drifter and in her eyes, Nick is one of them. When her handyman is not around to help her in the diner, she have no choice but to ask Nick for help and in return, she provide lodging and food for him and his dog. Being a drifter doesn’t mean that Nick have no money. He is an ex –army who is a chef for Arghanistan’s troops and because of his experience at war, he is having nightmares and imagination which have cause him to be in the prison for bashing up other peoples.
Both the main character of this story have issues with trust; Alisa for her mistrust in a drifter and Nick for his inability to control himself. And because of this, they are unable to commit to each other. I felt for Alisa, when Nick decided to leave her and the town when he attacked her when he was overwhelmed with his imagination. This is a heartwarming story and I enjoyed reading this book!
Both the main character of this story have issues with trust; Alisa for her mistrust in a drifter and Nick for his inability to control himself. And because of this, they are unable to commit to each other. I felt for Alisa, when Nick decided to leave her and the town when he attacked her when he was overwhelmed with his imagination. This is a heartwarming story and I enjoyed reading this book!
March 25, 2013
3.5 stars
If you love romance but like it more on the sweet side than the hot side, the Love Inspired romances by Harlequin will be perfect for you. Romantic and sweet is exactly how I like them. I want to feel the tension and I love the sizzle kissing. When I'm in the mood for a good romance, Love Inspired is where I go.
Home to Montana was a great story of two people trying to deal with the past and wanting better for their future. Nick is a war vet. He's dealing with some PTSD on top of a rough childhood. His heart is good and he knows how to work hard.
Alisa has loved before. Then she was left with a son to raise on her own. She guards her heart and her son carefully. Trusting is hard and trusting Nick is even harder.
This is a heart warming story and I was happy reading it. It is what I like to call brain candy. There isn't a lot of deep thinking or intense action just a simple love story that will take you away for a little while and leave you feeling good.
My thanks to Harlequin for allowing me to read and review this book.
If you love romance but like it more on the sweet side than the hot side, the Love Inspired romances by Harlequin will be perfect for you. Romantic and sweet is exactly how I like them. I want to feel the tension and I love the sizzle kissing. When I'm in the mood for a good romance, Love Inspired is where I go.
Home to Montana was a great story of two people trying to deal with the past and wanting better for their future. Nick is a war vet. He's dealing with some PTSD on top of a rough childhood. His heart is good and he knows how to work hard.
Alisa has loved before. Then she was left with a son to raise on her own. She guards her heart and her son carefully. Trusting is hard and trusting Nick is even harder.
This is a heart warming story and I was happy reading it. It is what I like to call brain candy. There isn't a lot of deep thinking or intense action just a simple love story that will take you away for a little while and leave you feeling good.
My thanks to Harlequin for allowing me to read and review this book.
May 15, 2013
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through NetGalley for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
Really interesting tale that had my attention the whole time. The pace was wonderful and the characters engaging. Great dynamic in the relationship that made it very believable. Beautiful storytelling that entertained the whole time!
It had really great flow and did the job of making me think at times. I love a book that taps into my emotions. I am a real sucker for a sexy romance!! I laugh, I cry and I wish the hero were real so he could be mine! LOL
I would love to see more from this author! Definitely one to watch in the future.
Really interesting tale that had my attention the whole time. The pace was wonderful and the characters engaging. Great dynamic in the relationship that made it very believable. Beautiful storytelling that entertained the whole time!
It had really great flow and did the job of making me think at times. I love a book that taps into my emotions. I am a real sucker for a sexy romance!! I laugh, I cry and I wish the hero were real so he could be mine! LOL
I would love to see more from this author! Definitely one to watch in the future.
September 26, 2013
I really enjoyed how the author wrote this developing romance. The characters were unique in that they both have issues from their past they were dealing with. How she writes their conversations and inner thoughts is very entertaining. I gave this book 5/5 stars. I liked how quickly the story moved and how you grow to like the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick romance that deals with real issues in an entertaining way.
I would like to thank the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
I would like to thank the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
August 3, 2014
Pleasant story. Great setting and good enough characters. Alisa is a let down. She is so annoying with her fears. She makes Nick look normal. It's Christian lite with some church going and so calling on the Lord.
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December 29, 2014Category: Inspirational Romance
April 7, 2021
Great book. Had me on the edge of my seat. Really loved the characters. I think Mama was my favorite!
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July 17, 2017I enjoyed reading this book every much.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews