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The Bachelors of Three Bend Lake: Brian and Cora: A Montana Sky Series Trilogy: Book Two
BOOK TWO OF THE BACHELORS OF THREE BEND LAKE TRILOGY, PART OF THE BESTSELLING MONTANA SKY SERIES BY Debra Holland, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
Curmudgeonly Brian Bly’s hermit life is just the way he likes it—his own snug cabin isolated in the mountains by Montana’s Three Bend Lake—with two good neighbors, who always have his back, one raising a sweet little girl to dote on, and no other people, especially women, around to interact with. His dime novels sell well, and his eastern publisher eagerly awaits the next one.
The only problem… Brian’s once-vivid imagination has dried up, becoming more parched than a desiccated bone in an arid desert.
His solution… Join the sheriff’s posse riding out after the McCurdy gang who robbed the bank, killing one deputy, injuring the bank clerk, and terrorizing the citizens of Sweetwater Springs.
But… Brian is shot playing the noble hero—not the plot development he’d envisioned.
After accomplishing the first part of her plan to convince her aunt Rose to move from New York to Sweetwater Springs and live with Rose’s former beau, Cora Collier needs to work on part two—following her dream of becoming a nurse.
The only problem… No one will take the lovely, vivacious young woman’s career choice seriously.
Her solution… nurse Brian Bly, the hero of the shootout at the outlaws’ hideout, back to health.
But… Brian, even grumpier from pain and disability, doesn’t want anything to do with being cared for by a nurse. He just wants to retreat, sort through his experiences to craft his next book, while, somehow, magically, healing on his own.
Until well-meaning meddlers foist a woman, on him—the worst kind of woman, a pretty, far-too-smart one, whose stubbornness matches his own.
MONTANA SKY SERIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL
By Debra Holland,
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Sweet historical Western/Prairie Romance
1882
Beneath Montana’s Sky
1886
Mail-Order Brides of the Trudy
Mail-Order Brides of the Lina
Mail-Order Brides of the Darcy
Mail-Order Brides of the Prudence
Mail-Order Brides of the Bertha
1890s
Bride of Montana
Wild Montana Sky
Starry Montana Sky
Stormy Montana Sky
Lawwoman's The Making of Sheriff K.C. Granger (August 2025)
Montana Sky Christmas
Painted Montana Sky
A Valentine’s Choice
Irish Blessing
A Rolling Stone
Glorious Montana Sky
Healing Montana Sky
Sweetwater Springs Scrooge
Sweetwater Springs Christmas
Mystic Montana Sky
Singing Montana Sky
My Girl
Bright Montana Sky
Montana Sky Justice
A Late-Blooming Rose
Beyond Montana’s Sky
The Gift of Seeds
The Bac
Curmudgeonly Brian Bly’s hermit life is just the way he likes it—his own snug cabin isolated in the mountains by Montana’s Three Bend Lake—with two good neighbors, who always have his back, one raising a sweet little girl to dote on, and no other people, especially women, around to interact with. His dime novels sell well, and his eastern publisher eagerly awaits the next one.
The only problem… Brian’s once-vivid imagination has dried up, becoming more parched than a desiccated bone in an arid desert.
His solution… Join the sheriff’s posse riding out after the McCurdy gang who robbed the bank, killing one deputy, injuring the bank clerk, and terrorizing the citizens of Sweetwater Springs.
But… Brian is shot playing the noble hero—not the plot development he’d envisioned.
After accomplishing the first part of her plan to convince her aunt Rose to move from New York to Sweetwater Springs and live with Rose’s former beau, Cora Collier needs to work on part two—following her dream of becoming a nurse.
The only problem… No one will take the lovely, vivacious young woman’s career choice seriously.
Her solution… nurse Brian Bly, the hero of the shootout at the outlaws’ hideout, back to health.
But… Brian, even grumpier from pain and disability, doesn’t want anything to do with being cared for by a nurse. He just wants to retreat, sort through his experiences to craft his next book, while, somehow, magically, healing on his own.
Until well-meaning meddlers foist a woman, on him—the worst kind of woman, a pretty, far-too-smart one, whose stubbornness matches his own.
MONTANA SKY SERIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL
By Debra Holland,
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Sweet historical Western/Prairie Romance
1882
Beneath Montana’s Sky
1886
Mail-Order Brides of the Trudy
Mail-Order Brides of the Lina
Mail-Order Brides of the Darcy
Mail-Order Brides of the Prudence
Mail-Order Brides of the Bertha
1890s
Bride of Montana
Wild Montana Sky
Starry Montana Sky
Stormy Montana Sky
Lawwoman's The Making of Sheriff K.C. Granger (August 2025)
Montana Sky Christmas
Painted Montana Sky
A Valentine’s Choice
Irish Blessing
A Rolling Stone
Glorious Montana Sky
Healing Montana Sky
Sweetwater Springs Scrooge
Sweetwater Springs Christmas
Mystic Montana Sky
Singing Montana Sky
My Girl
Bright Montana Sky
Montana Sky Justice
A Late-Blooming Rose
Beyond Montana’s Sky
The Gift of Seeds
The Bac
- GenresRomance
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2025
About the author
Debra Holland
184 books322 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Debra Holland is a three-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist and one time winner. She’s the author of the award winning Montana Sky Series, sweet, historical Western romance. Book Two, Starry Montana Sky, was selected by Amazon as one of 50 Greatest Love Stories. Debra is also the author of The Gods’ Dream Trilogy, fantasy romance. Painted Montana Sky Christmas is her latest book.
Debra has written a nonfiction book, The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving from Alpha Books (a subsidiary of Penguin). She has a free ebooklet available on her website, http://drdebraholland.com: 58 Tips for Getting What You Want From a Difficult Conversation.
Debra has written a nonfiction book, The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving from Alpha Books (a subsidiary of Penguin). She has a free ebooklet available on her website, http://drdebraholland.com: 58 Tips for Getting What You Want From a Difficult Conversation.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 2, 2025
It's a great story! Nothing like a good book, cup of coffee and time to sit down and read. In an earlier book, we met the three bachelors by a lake with swans and beautiful woods. It's time to revisit those men and the people they care about. Loved the storyline with Elsie and her family of farmers along with Ms. Taylor the dressmaker. Thanks for including the delight of Jewel and the tenderness these strong men feel toward her. I loved the book and encourage fans of this author to take time to enjoy this read. Also, thank you Ms. Debra, the author and therapist that you are in helping fire victims of Los Angeles.
May 6, 2026
Finding love when least expected
Loved the story of Brian and Cora. Brian had been grumpy and shy and secluded from society for a long time. So when he needed help when he was injured, Cora arrived to nurse him back to health. While spending time together and getting to know each other they fell in love.
Loved the story of Brian and Cora. Brian had been grumpy and shy and secluded from society for a long time. So when he needed help when he was injured, Cora arrived to nurse him back to health. While spending time together and getting to know each other they fell in love.
September 8, 2026
curmudgeon
That is how Brian Bly’s friends describe him. A bachelor writer who likes the quiet and privacy of ThreeBend Lake. But the town is robbed and he shows up for the posse and gets shot. Enter Cora, a nurse in training arrives in Sweetwater Springs with her Aunt Rose who is to set up a library for the town.
That is how Brian Bly’s friends describe him. A bachelor writer who likes the quiet and privacy of ThreeBend Lake. But the town is robbed and he shows up for the posse and gets shot. Enter Cora, a nurse in training arrives in Sweetwater Springs with her Aunt Rose who is to set up a library for the town.
August 29, 2025
I love Sweetwater Spring! Everyone is like family to me!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews