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Montana Brides #1
Forever Dreams
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780994105455.
She came to Montana looking for answers...and found forever.
When Gracie Donnelly, a school teacher from New Zealand, arrives on a Montana cattle ranch, she has more on her mind than mending fences and feeding chickens. She's secretly searching for her father and answers to questions that could destroy a family.
Just one look at the fiery five-foot-one redhead and Trent McKenzie knows Gracie is going to be trouble. Ever since the failure of his first marriage, he promised never to listen to his heart again. Especially when his heart is saying he's falling in love - and the one thing Gracie's searching for is the one thing that could take her away from him forever.
She came to Montana looking for answers...and found forever.
When Gracie Donnelly, a school teacher from New Zealand, arrives on a Montana cattle ranch, she has more on her mind than mending fences and feeding chickens. She's secretly searching for her father and answers to questions that could destroy a family.
Just one look at the fiery five-foot-one redhead and Trent McKenzie knows Gracie is going to be trouble. Ever since the failure of his first marriage, he promised never to listen to his heart again. Especially when his heart is saying he's falling in love - and the one thing Gracie's searching for is the one thing that could take her away from him forever.
ebook
First published April 12, 2014
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About the author
Leeanna Morgan
63 books507 followersLeeanna Morgan is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in New Zealand surrounded by green hills on one side and the ocean on the other. She enjoys going for long walks, especially if she can convince her husband and two children to go with her!
Leeanna writes contemporary romances set in Montana. Her books contain all of the things that are important to her; good friends, family, a strong sense of community, and a happy ending.
Leeanna writes contemporary romances set in Montana. Her books contain all of the things that are important to her; good friends, family, a strong sense of community, and a happy ending.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
September 9, 2015
I was pleasantly surprised by the beginning of this book. Within the first few chapters the hero and heroine disclose to each other their true motivations. She is visiting from New Zealand to track down her father. He is looking for a wife so he can have children so his brother won't inherit his ranch. It's so refreshing when conflict isn't generated by relatively innocuous secrets that could be cleared up with a simple conversation. I figured their separate missions would be more than enough to move the plot and their relationship along.
Nope. The overwhelming majority of the conflict in this book was generated by the "hero" acting like an asshat. !!!SPOILERS AND RANTS FOLLOW!!!
So for some reason or another our couple finds themselves in Vegas. Up until now they were behaving like rational adults. The heroine has no interest in marriage or children and has made that position clear to the hero. They are sharing his home like roommates with an attraction to each other that they are smart enough not to act on. Once in Vegas, they act on it. I'm still okay with things at this point I mean they have to end up together somehow, but then things take an abrupt left turn...
The heroine gets black out drunk and says "Let's get married!" Rather than take her back to her room to sleep it off, the (perfectly sober) "hero" takes her to the nearest wedding chapel. This is despite our heroine stating at numerous points that she doesn't want to marry him and in fact tries to help him find a wife.
Having sex with a woman who is blackout drunk is rape. What do you call it when you marry her instead? Entrapment? Fraud? The dodgy consent issues from here on out turned a pleasant surprise into a hate read. I kept yelling at the heroine to return to New Zealand and leave this dipshit behind.
So they return to the ranch and cut a deal. She'll pretend to be his wife to keep his matchmaking mother at bay or a few weeks and in return he'll help her find her father. She sets some ground rules: 1) no touching and 2) if they start getting swept up after breaking rule number one, whoever has a clear head has to put the brakes on.
Within a week of this arrangement our "hero" figures out who her father is, but doesn't tell her for WEEKS because he doesn't want her to leave. He also takes every opportunity he can get to break rules 1 and 2, when he isn't grumbling at the heroine for talking to another man.
The heroine meets her father and his wife who burned the letter informing her husband that he has a child on the other side of the Pacific. How does our heroine react to this news? She's worried her appearance has put a strain on their marriage. WTF? That bitch ensured you never had a chance at the monetary or emotional support of a father growing up and you're worried about her marriage? In my mind the heroine went from a nice woman trying to help others to doormat with that sentiment.
No wonder she winds up marrying this jackass of a "hero." Not only has he manipulated and lied to her for his own ends while disregarding her desires, he shows very little remorse. This is a disturbing pattern of behavior that seems unlikely to change. I shudder to think what he'll do when he decides he wants children and she doesn't.
Nope. The overwhelming majority of the conflict in this book was generated by the "hero" acting like an asshat. !!!SPOILERS AND RANTS FOLLOW!!!
So for some reason or another our couple finds themselves in Vegas. Up until now they were behaving like rational adults. The heroine has no interest in marriage or children and has made that position clear to the hero. They are sharing his home like roommates with an attraction to each other that they are smart enough not to act on. Once in Vegas, they act on it. I'm still okay with things at this point I mean they have to end up together somehow, but then things take an abrupt left turn...
The heroine gets black out drunk and says "Let's get married!" Rather than take her back to her room to sleep it off, the (perfectly sober) "hero" takes her to the nearest wedding chapel. This is despite our heroine stating at numerous points that she doesn't want to marry him and in fact tries to help him find a wife.
Having sex with a woman who is blackout drunk is rape. What do you call it when you marry her instead? Entrapment? Fraud? The dodgy consent issues from here on out turned a pleasant surprise into a hate read. I kept yelling at the heroine to return to New Zealand and leave this dipshit behind.
So they return to the ranch and cut a deal. She'll pretend to be his wife to keep his matchmaking mother at bay or a few weeks and in return he'll help her find her father. She sets some ground rules: 1) no touching and 2) if they start getting swept up after breaking rule number one, whoever has a clear head has to put the brakes on.
Within a week of this arrangement our "hero" figures out who her father is, but doesn't tell her for WEEKS because he doesn't want her to leave. He also takes every opportunity he can get to break rules 1 and 2, when he isn't grumbling at the heroine for talking to another man.
The heroine meets her father and his wife who burned the letter informing her husband that he has a child on the other side of the Pacific. How does our heroine react to this news? She's worried her appearance has put a strain on their marriage. WTF? That bitch ensured you never had a chance at the monetary or emotional support of a father growing up and you're worried about her marriage? In my mind the heroine went from a nice woman trying to help others to doormat with that sentiment.
No wonder she winds up marrying this jackass of a "hero." Not only has he manipulated and lied to her for his own ends while disregarding her desires, he shows very little remorse. This is a disturbing pattern of behavior that seems unlikely to change. I shudder to think what he'll do when he decides he wants children and she doesn't.
April 28, 2014
It was ok. I liked the characters. It was a little long in places such as descriptions of preparing for the dance and shopping. I can typically over look little grammar and word use issues that seem to bother other people, but there were a couple of issues that bugged me. 1). Mixing up the names of Karen and Kristina was confusing. 2). The book constantly mentioned how tiny Gracie was. So tiny she had to shop in the girl's clothing section. Then near the end of the book, this tiny little woman has a double D bra size! Where the heck did that come from and why? Overall, it was worth reading since it was free.
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February 29, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/29/2020)! 🎁
February 26, 2016
This was a Free Friday book from B&N. I love Free Friday books because they are a good way to try a new author or a new series that I might not try otherwise. After reading this book, I can genuinely say I'm glad I read it and tried this author out... and I'll never read another book.
If you've gotten to my review you know the synopsis. I don't want to give away details, but the whole "the one thing she's looking for could take her from him for ever and ever and ever and ever..." isn't an exaggeration, it just isn't true. I don't think the person who wrote the synopsis actually read the book.
The story started out well enough, it was cute, funny. The character's seemed likable and were refreshingly honest. I get so tired of the books where characters hold back basic information for stupid reasons only to create an author generated misunderstanding. So that these characters were up front was nice. They get along great and early on they seem perfect for each other.
And then they go to Vegas...
After the Vegas trip it all goes down hill (ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD!!) From that point on, all the honesty that I loved so much about them is out the window for the whole rest of the book.
From Vegas on, the book feels like a twilight zone twist from what we'd come to expect. It's at this point that the author seems to throw in every romance book cliche she can get her grubby little hands on. The Hero becomes a bull-headed neanderthal. The heroine seems to become double minded. They spend most of the rest of the book mad at each other, until another romance cliche is thrown in and they suddenly get their HEA.
I read romances for the happy endings. If I didn't want a happy ending I would read non-fiction! This time around I really wished she had hurried her tiny butt onto a plan back to New Zealand, leaving Montana and the hero behind forever and ever and ever and ever!
I couldn't recommend this book. I won't read another in the series. I was going to give it 3 stars but after writing this review I realize 3 is way too generous.
If you've gotten to my review you know the synopsis. I don't want to give away details, but the whole "the one thing she's looking for could take her from him for ever and ever and ever and ever..." isn't an exaggeration, it just isn't true. I don't think the person who wrote the synopsis actually read the book.
The story started out well enough, it was cute, funny. The character's seemed likable and were refreshingly honest. I get so tired of the books where characters hold back basic information for stupid reasons only to create an author generated misunderstanding. So that these characters were up front was nice. They get along great and early on they seem perfect for each other.
And then they go to Vegas...
After the Vegas trip it all goes down hill (ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD!!) From that point on, all the honesty that I loved so much about them is out the window for the whole rest of the book.
From Vegas on, the book feels like a twilight zone twist from what we'd come to expect. It's at this point that the author seems to throw in every romance book cliche she can get her grubby little hands on. The Hero becomes a bull-headed neanderthal. The heroine seems to become double minded. They spend most of the rest of the book mad at each other, until another romance cliche is thrown in and they suddenly get their HEA.
I read romances for the happy endings. If I didn't want a happy ending I would read non-fiction! This time around I really wished she had hurried her tiny butt onto a plan back to New Zealand, leaving Montana and the hero behind forever and ever and ever and ever!
I couldn't recommend this book. I won't read another in the series. I was going to give it 3 stars but after writing this review I realize 3 is way too generous.
Read
October 22, 2014I fell asleep reading this. Not the best recommendation.
November 26, 2015
predictable love story. I got tired of hearing how tiny she was.
June 17, 2018
She brought four suitcases to work on a ranch… and now she’s buying up a petite store… why? Her luggage is not lost, just misplaced; it’ll get there eventually. She’s had two showers in ten hours and they’re in a drought. And horses do NOT purr.
She’s looking for her father and all she has is rodeo rider, name of J Green. *frowns* she doesn’t even have a photo or a DOB.
Three suitcases and a carry on to go to Vegas for a weekend? This woman is a disaster.
This book is a bit of a mess. It’s as if the author decided to put a whole lot of things together: cowboy, stranger in town, search for bride, search for father, Vegas marriage, fake marriage, bed sharing, ticking clock and none of it works. It’s just all strung together with no reason.
And I really dislike the heroine.
They kiss at the dance and then she freaks out. They have sex and she’s more than fine with that. They go to Vegas and SHE suggests the wedding. Then in the morning she’s angry and furious with him when she STILL remembers it all and tries to pretend that she doesn’t and tracks around trying to get an instant divorce. Whiplash. She’s giving me whiplash.
Exactly, Trent.
And it makes no sense that they would go back and tell everyone they got married, when they don’t even have rings, and THEN decide not to have sex. That horse has bolted, people.
And his hugely family oriented mother will freak at not being invited to the wedding. AND Grace will be entitled to a chunk of his property that he allegedly is trying to save, not carve up. They just both shat all over their OWN characterisation.
Whiplash…
I’m at 60% and I’m gonna skim.
1 star
She’s looking for her father and all she has is rodeo rider, name of J Green. *frowns* she doesn’t even have a photo or a DOB.
Three suitcases and a carry on to go to Vegas for a weekend? This woman is a disaster.
This book is a bit of a mess. It’s as if the author decided to put a whole lot of things together: cowboy, stranger in town, search for bride, search for father, Vegas marriage, fake marriage, bed sharing, ticking clock and none of it works. It’s just all strung together with no reason.
And I really dislike the heroine.
They kiss at the dance and then she freaks out. They have sex and she’s more than fine with that. They go to Vegas and SHE suggests the wedding. Then in the morning she’s angry and furious with him when she STILL remembers it all and tries to pretend that she doesn’t and tracks around trying to get an instant divorce. Whiplash. She’s giving me whiplash.
“ What the hell’s gotten into you woman ? Last night you were all over me like a good dose of poison ivy . Now you’re acting like you can’t even stand the sight of me . (Kindle Locations 1531-1532).
Exactly, Trent.
And it makes no sense that they would go back and tell everyone they got married, when they don’t even have rings, and THEN decide not to have sex. That horse has bolted, people.
And his hugely family oriented mother will freak at not being invited to the wedding. AND Grace will be entitled to a chunk of his property that he allegedly is trying to save, not carve up. They just both shat all over their OWN characterisation.
He disappeared into the kitchen and Gracie sighed. It hadn’t felt the least bit satisfying lying to Karen, let alone lying to herself. Pretending Trent was the sun, moon and stars all wrapped up in one amazing package hadn’t been hard. Because if she was really honest with herself, he was amazing. Totally drop-dead-in-your-face amazing. And so not the person she needed in her life. (Kindle Locations 2348-2351).
Whiplash…
I’m at 60% and I’m gonna skim.
1 star
July 18, 2017
So when I started reading this book, I thought that it was interesting. Assumed that they wld go down the path of these two falling in love and not knowing until the end of the book. Tried and test trope.
But then the twist they introduced was just so utterly wrong. The reactions to it was also very mild and not realistic. And this book overall tanked for me with the insensitivity of that.
But then the twist they introduced was just so utterly wrong. The reactions to it was also very mild and not realistic. And this book overall tanked for me with the insensitivity of that.
May 12, 2015
For full review go to
http://pearlcr.blogspot.in/2015/04/fo...
There is so much happening and so many elements that it takes away the focus from the actual love story. And we all know that the best love stories are the simple ones. Moreover there is hardly any romance, like next to none and cowboys are the epitome of wooing. There is a ball, a dance, a trip to Vegas and nothing connects. Yes, you know as well as I do how it's going to end, but it just doesn't make any sense. I was hoping for a whirlwind romance and instead all I got was disappointment. -_-
I would definitely NOT recommend this book. But as it is available for free on Amazon, you may just check it out.
If have any comments on the book, mention them here
http://pearlcr.blogspot.in/2015/04/fo...
To find out about more great books to read, follow my blog
http://pearlcr.blogspot.in/
http://pearlcr.blogspot.in/2015/04/fo...
There is so much happening and so many elements that it takes away the focus from the actual love story. And we all know that the best love stories are the simple ones. Moreover there is hardly any romance, like next to none and cowboys are the epitome of wooing. There is a ball, a dance, a trip to Vegas and nothing connects. Yes, you know as well as I do how it's going to end, but it just doesn't make any sense. I was hoping for a whirlwind romance and instead all I got was disappointment. -_-
I would definitely NOT recommend this book. But as it is available for free on Amazon, you may just check it out.
If have any comments on the book, mention them here
http://pearlcr.blogspot.in/2015/04/fo...
To find out about more great books to read, follow my blog
http://pearlcr.blogspot.in/
December 17, 2015
Fell short
I enjoyed elements of this book but it just didn't come together enough for me. I liked the characters, the story, and enjoyed the banter. However, the relationship developed suddenly and I was a little perplexed how close the characters became when I didn't witness it. Similarly, the fights felt like I was reading the cliff notes version. The story itself was a little far fetched, but I think it would not have been as disruptive if the timeline and relationship development felt more solid.
I enjoyed elements of this book but it just didn't come together enough for me. I liked the characters, the story, and enjoyed the banter. However, the relationship developed suddenly and I was a little perplexed how close the characters became when I didn't witness it. Similarly, the fights felt like I was reading the cliff notes version. The story itself was a little far fetched, but I think it would not have been as disruptive if the timeline and relationship development felt more solid.
July 3, 2016
Irritating
Maybe it was just me, but I found Gracie to be really childish and irritating. She was off and on, hot and cold. She behaved more like she was 17 instead of 31.
I did like Trent, and think this book would have been much better if he had been paired with an adult. I actually liked everyone but Gracie.
I have a couple of the other books in the series, but I am almost afraid to read them. This book wasted a lot of time harping on her shortness and her wishy-washy attitude towards Trent.
Maybe it was just me, but I found Gracie to be really childish and irritating. She was off and on, hot and cold. She behaved more like she was 17 instead of 31.
I did like Trent, and think this book would have been much better if he had been paired with an adult. I actually liked everyone but Gracie.
I have a couple of the other books in the series, but I am almost afraid to read them. This book wasted a lot of time harping on her shortness and her wishy-washy attitude towards Trent.
May 19, 2017
At 5'1" have never been called a Pixie in my life. Also have never had to buy kids clothes because they do have women's clothing in Petite sizes especially geared toward those of us who are vertically challenged.
Other than that particular peeve that kept being thrown out there about Gracie's height and size, which also by the way being described as having womanly curves did not quite jibe for me with her being childlike in appearance age wise, I actually enjoyed the match up with she and Trent.
The fun of a friends-to-lovers romance mixed in with fantastic descriptions of the beautiful MacKenzie ranch home and it's oh so lovely Montana setting was part of a formula used by other writers that have enjoyed before but it never gets old to me.
Gracie and Trent's story set the tone for the series and it was very pleasurable reading from start to finish.
Other than that particular peeve that kept being thrown out there about Gracie's height and size, which also by the way being described as having womanly curves did not quite jibe for me with her being childlike in appearance age wise, I actually enjoyed the match up with she and Trent.
The fun of a friends-to-lovers romance mixed in with fantastic descriptions of the beautiful MacKenzie ranch home and it's oh so lovely Montana setting was part of a formula used by other writers that have enjoyed before but it never gets old to me.
Gracie and Trent's story set the tone for the series and it was very pleasurable reading from start to finish.
October 31, 2019
as a New Zealander I wondered if this would work. It did which was surprising as the cultural references were light but accurate in my opinion. I liked the characters, their flaws and the styles they exhibited. The characters were pretty simple but I think that worked with the backdrop and the story. It was an enjoyable if predictable story. I think it makes perfect holiday reading but I admit it may not be my favourite by this author but I do like the writing style. There were a few too many references to characters from other books which doesn't work for me but I get that others like this sort of thing
June 19, 2020
Cute book!
New author for me. A cute modern day cowboy romance. Will look into the rest of the series. A little steamy and dreamy.
New author for me. A cute modern day cowboy romance. Will look into the rest of the series. A little steamy and dreamy.
October 12, 2021
Gracie and Trent story was so sweet. I just adored their story.
November 15, 2020
Predictable, and the story doesn't flow very well. If people in real life communicate as terribly as the two main characters, the human race is doomed
September 26, 2014
Gracie was a second grade teacher who went to Montana from New Zealand to teach there for 2 weeks. After that she was to go to a ranch for 6 weeks to help out even though she has never been on a horse. The teacher that was to meet her when she got to Montana was suddenly called away so she was met by the rancher and started her time at the ranch instead of the school. Even though the rancher, Trent, was a sexy cowboy, Gracie knew she was only there for a short time so she ignored the attraction she felt. Trent's only thought was to keep his ranch going and was not happy to have Gracie staying at the ranch. Her visit was arranged by Trent's mother who had been trying to find him a wife.
This was a enjoyable book about a city girl from another country trying to become a cowgirl so she could tell her students about her experiences. I can't say I loved Gracie. She was very critical of Trent and belittled him way too often for my liking. Trent was a typical 'cowboy' and very sexy. His social skills were lacking - actually nonexistent. He was great at running the ranch but had a one track mind about how it should be done.
Even though this was a light entertaining book there were a few things that I found annoying. One was the use of the word cowboy. Not only did Gracie call Trent Cowboy all the time, but the ranch hands were also referred to as cowboys constantly. Then there were the comments about how small Gracie was. That was over done. Also, if she was so small, how does she have DD breasts? With Gracie's need for regular retail therapy it made me wonder if she really was such a good match for Trent.
This was a enjoyable book about a city girl from another country trying to become a cowgirl so she could tell her students about her experiences. I can't say I loved Gracie. She was very critical of Trent and belittled him way too often for my liking. Trent was a typical 'cowboy' and very sexy. His social skills were lacking - actually nonexistent. He was great at running the ranch but had a one track mind about how it should be done.
Even though this was a light entertaining book there were a few things that I found annoying. One was the use of the word cowboy. Not only did Gracie call Trent Cowboy all the time, but the ranch hands were also referred to as cowboys constantly. Then there were the comments about how small Gracie was. That was over done. Also, if she was so small, how does she have DD breasts? With Gracie's need for regular retail therapy it made me wonder if she really was such a good match for Trent.
April 11, 2015
This was a light, sweet read but also very typical of so many romance stories. I would have liked the author to go more into depth about Gracie's father and develop that relationship more and to also have some interaction with her half brothers. Gracie's trip to Montana was to search for her father and yet the story didn't really give us a lot of detail of how this added family dynamic worked out for her and them. I felt this area could have been developed a great deal more and would have added interest to the story rather than have it be so much about "sexual occurrences" with the hot Montana cowboy,Trent. Romance stories are a 'dime a dozen', and in this day and age where there are so many blended families, this book would have been an ideal situation to develop this very common family dynamic. This description from the preview : "Especially when his heart is saying he's falling in love - and the one thing Gracie's searching for is the one thing that could take her away from him forever.", isn't really accurate in the sense that if she should find her father and other family members in Montana, and build a good relationship with them, the likelihood of her staying there and also building a relationship with the cowboy who picked her up at the airport would be more certain, as opposed to being the thing 'the one thing that could take her away from him forever'. Overall I was disappointed with the story being too much about sex and not enough about real relationships.
March 9, 2015
This is a different western romance than what I typically read. The heroine, Grace Donnelly, is from New Zealand and comes to Montana to get the real cowgirl experience of working on a ranch so she can tell her 8 year old students what it was like when she returns home. She also has another motive for being in Montana--looking for her biological father.
Other reviewers have pointed out some editing issues and mistakes. I won't go into that although it was clear the author wasn't from the U.S. While the story was a good read it was easy to put down. I guess my biggest complaint was the story was so predictable. I kept reading not because of the romance but to find out what happened with her father.
I liked Trent McKenzie better than Gracie. He was an all around good cowboy although he had a thick head. Most men don't want to admit they are in love so what's new? The whole marriage debacle got on my nerves. It started out as interesting when Gracie learned Trent was on the wife hunt but I didn't like how it progressed.
Gracie's need for retail therapy made my own pocketbook cringe. How could a schoolteacher have such a big bank account? She was short and sassy and sometimes got on my nerves. I doubt I'll read more of this series. Still, it was a good read just not one that really pulled me into the story.
Other reviewers have pointed out some editing issues and mistakes. I won't go into that although it was clear the author wasn't from the U.S. While the story was a good read it was easy to put down. I guess my biggest complaint was the story was so predictable. I kept reading not because of the romance but to find out what happened with her father.
I liked Trent McKenzie better than Gracie. He was an all around good cowboy although he had a thick head. Most men don't want to admit they are in love so what's new? The whole marriage debacle got on my nerves. It started out as interesting when Gracie learned Trent was on the wife hunt but I didn't like how it progressed.
Gracie's need for retail therapy made my own pocketbook cringe. How could a schoolteacher have such a big bank account? She was short and sassy and sometimes got on my nerves. I doubt I'll read more of this series. Still, it was a good read just not one that really pulled me into the story.
August 14, 2014
This was a free book on B&N. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I laughed so much while reading it, and I couldn't put it down until I finished the book. I will be reading more of Leanna Morgan's books, she is a very good writer. However, if she is going to write books that take place in America, she needs to learn the terminology we use here, a trolley in NZ ... is a cart here ... so Trent wouldn't use the word trolley to describe a grocery cart. I highly recommend this book ... you won't be disappointed.
August 16, 2015
I picked up "Forever Dreams" as a free book on Kindle. What an absolute waste of time! The book was poorly written with numerous typos, incidents of incorrect grammar, misspellings, and phrasing that was reminiscent of something a junior high student might use. I'm not certain why this was published, but it desperately needed a good editor. The storyline was utterly predictable and the characters were stereotypical. This book was awful (and I rarely dislike books to this extent). I cannot recommend this book for any reason!
August 18, 2015
The book had potential but it fell short. Parts of the book were confusing and I didn't know who was the one talking. There were some inconsistencies with the characters that were a little hard to overlook. For most of the book Gracie was short with ok boobs then all of the sudden she was wearing a Double D cup bra. I liked the book because it was free but wouldn't want to pay for it. It also seemed like there wasn't much character development and that they just jumped in to things.
September 24, 2019
New Zealand meets Montana
What a beautiful beginning to this story. She comes to Montana for two reasons, one to teach and the other to find her father. He's the ranch owner who's ranch she is suppose to work at. What follows help you understand the rest of the story.
What a beautiful beginning to this story. She comes to Montana for two reasons, one to teach and the other to find her father. He's the ranch owner who's ranch she is suppose to work at. What follows help you understand the rest of the story.
April 19, 2014
Not bad for a free book. A lovely love story with good strong characters. I think I might even continue with the series.
August 20, 2018
There were so many things wrong with this book, but it was the unrealistic wolf attack that was my breaking point.
October 16, 2022
Gracie Donnelly is a Kiwi primary school teacher who travels to the picturesque town of Bozeman, Montana, on a mission to find her long-lost father. Trent McKenzie is the handsome cowboy who works the ranch she's arranged to stay at while she's in town and as soon as he picks her up from the airport to bring her home, the sparks begin to fly.
As it turns out, Trent is also searching for someone special; a new wife. Despite her attraction to him, Gracie makes it clear that she's not interested in filling that role. Until, that is, the couple end up in Vegas together, Gracie gets rolling drunk and they decide that the best way to ice the cake of their Vegas experience is with a spontaneous wedding.
In the cold light of the morning after, that decision doesn't seem so clever, but rather than letting what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas, they compound the calamity by bringing it back to Bozeman. The pair forge a deal; Gracie will continue with the marriage charade so as to get Trent's meddling matchmaker of a mother off his back in return for his help in finding her father. If that seems like an unnecessarily complicated arrangement, it gets worse. Despite their utter failure to keep their hands off each other up until this point, they instigate a no-touching rule in their shared marital bed.
It's a preposterous setup and it's not helped by having a hero and heroine who are somewhat clichéd — she's a feisty, red-headed city girl who doesn't know her ass from a donkey while he's a strong, silent country boy who struggles to communicate his innermost feelings — but it's an easy, breezy read with some genuinely amusing touches and a smattering of steamy moments. Besides, who doesn't love cowboys? And descriptions of wild, Montana mountain scenery? After reading it, I know I wanted to have a holiday in Bozeman.
As it turns out, Trent is also searching for someone special; a new wife. Despite her attraction to him, Gracie makes it clear that she's not interested in filling that role. Until, that is, the couple end up in Vegas together, Gracie gets rolling drunk and they decide that the best way to ice the cake of their Vegas experience is with a spontaneous wedding.
In the cold light of the morning after, that decision doesn't seem so clever, but rather than letting what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas, they compound the calamity by bringing it back to Bozeman. The pair forge a deal; Gracie will continue with the marriage charade so as to get Trent's meddling matchmaker of a mother off his back in return for his help in finding her father. If that seems like an unnecessarily complicated arrangement, it gets worse. Despite their utter failure to keep their hands off each other up until this point, they instigate a no-touching rule in their shared marital bed.
It's a preposterous setup and it's not helped by having a hero and heroine who are somewhat clichéd — she's a feisty, red-headed city girl who doesn't know her ass from a donkey while he's a strong, silent country boy who struggles to communicate his innermost feelings — but it's an easy, breezy read with some genuinely amusing touches and a smattering of steamy moments. Besides, who doesn't love cowboys? And descriptions of wild, Montana mountain scenery? After reading it, I know I wanted to have a holiday in Bozeman.
June 22, 2017
I enjoyed myself while reading this book and I am happy to say that this cowboy made me swoon. I read this book fairly quickly and it is a page turner for sure. It had a dose of heat, humor, and heart that made this story well rounded. Grace, a teacher from New Zealand, visits the small town of Bozeman to teach some students with whom she has skyped with and she has traveled half-way around the world to meet these students. Trent, a cowboy all the way to the bone, gets the honor of picking up Grace from the airport and the sparks fly. Grace is on a special mission to find her father and Trent is on a mission to keep hold of his ranch and pass it on to his future children.
As I mentioned before, I generally enjoyed the story and the characters. The plot was solid, the story had heart, and the pace was steady. The small town aspect of this story works and the Cowboys are tough. Grace was a strong and feisty character and she knew what she was worth and what she wanted. Trent was a cowboy who has had his heart broken before.
The one thing that I did not like was the fact that Trent did something drastic to try to make Grace stay. I do not want to give any spoilers, but this major detail pulled me away from the story. This detail could have been left out of the story and it just made the story convoluted.
The sex scenes in this story was lame and I just could not get into it. The scenes ends in about 3 sentences and no, I am not exaggerating.
A good read about a cowboy finding love again and a heroine looking for her father, but finds love instead.
Visit Tea, Blanket, &my book blog
As I mentioned before, I generally enjoyed the story and the characters. The plot was solid, the story had heart, and the pace was steady. The small town aspect of this story works and the Cowboys are tough. Grace was a strong and feisty character and she knew what she was worth and what she wanted. Trent was a cowboy who has had his heart broken before.
The one thing that I did not like was the fact that Trent did something drastic to try to make Grace stay. I do not want to give any spoilers, but this major detail pulled me away from the story. This detail could have been left out of the story and it just made the story convoluted.
The sex scenes in this story was lame and I just could not get into it. The scenes ends in about 3 sentences and no, I am not exaggerating.
A good read about a cowboy finding love again and a heroine looking for her father, but finds love instead.
Visit Tea, Blanket, &my book blog
March 7, 2020
Cute except for one thing
No warning.
Not one sentence in the description of this book told me I would be subjected to another version of the Not Physiologically Possible Pornographic Sex How-To Manual.
Several times.
Ruining my appreciation for what was otherwise an excellent story...one that stood quite well on its own merits. It didn't need the sex part.
I do know how to have sex. I'm pretty sure that, in this day & age, anyone over the age of 8 has been thoroughly educated in sex at school as well as in the schoolyard, & anyone over 10 has at least done some serious snogging.
So no one needs the "manual." And no man needs the impossible expectations of sex that the "manual" encourages women to demand. No wonder so many relationships go down the tubes so fast! No wonder there are men of college age getting prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs...so they can meet these unrealistic expectations.
And yet another potentially sweet love story is ruined by the "manual" & I am left to wonder...will anyone other than a Christian writer ever write a book about pure romance & save the sex for marriage?
I have seen it done...but its
rare.
How about a compromise? You writers put a note on the synopsis that there is graphic content. You let the reader determine if they think the book is still worth skipping over pages of physiologically impossible sex to read the real story. You'll get higher reviews.
No warning.
Not one sentence in the description of this book told me I would be subjected to another version of the Not Physiologically Possible Pornographic Sex How-To Manual.
Several times.
Ruining my appreciation for what was otherwise an excellent story...one that stood quite well on its own merits. It didn't need the sex part.
I do know how to have sex. I'm pretty sure that, in this day & age, anyone over the age of 8 has been thoroughly educated in sex at school as well as in the schoolyard, & anyone over 10 has at least done some serious snogging.
So no one needs the "manual." And no man needs the impossible expectations of sex that the "manual" encourages women to demand. No wonder so many relationships go down the tubes so fast! No wonder there are men of college age getting prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs...so they can meet these unrealistic expectations.
And yet another potentially sweet love story is ruined by the "manual" & I am left to wonder...will anyone other than a Christian writer ever write a book about pure romance & save the sex for marriage?
I have seen it done...but its
rare.
How about a compromise? You writers put a note on the synopsis that there is graphic content. You let the reader determine if they think the book is still worth skipping over pages of physiologically impossible sex to read the real story. You'll get higher reviews.
January 18, 2019
I picked up "Forever Dreams" as a free book on Kindle, and reading it was an absolute waste of time. The book was poorly written with numerous typos, incidents of incorrect grammar, misspellings, and phrasing that was reminiscent of junior high school level: this novel desperately needs a good editor.
The story itself was a little far fetched, the storyline was utterly predictable and the characters stereotypical and inconsistent in their behaviour (e.g. loving, matchmaking mother is not mad about not being invited to the wedding).
I found the main characters very annoying, especially Gracie. She seemed very immature and irresponsible, and behaved more like she was 17 instead of 31. It was hard to believe someone on a teacher's salary could happily go out and buy an entire new wardrobe, and then continue to spend throughout the book. As far as the reader knows she lived happily with her mother in NZL assuming her dad was dead. Just before her death her mother gave her a name, a profession, and a vague address of the spermdonor, and now Gracie feels abandonned and blames her failing relationships on abandonnement issues. In Montana she hesitantly looks for her father and once she finds him, she feels bad because of the impact it might have on his marriage. What a doormat.
The HEA comes very fast, but there are many questions left unanswered.
The story itself was a little far fetched, the storyline was utterly predictable and the characters stereotypical and inconsistent in their behaviour (e.g. loving, matchmaking mother is not mad about not being invited to the wedding).
I found the main characters very annoying, especially Gracie. She seemed very immature and irresponsible, and behaved more like she was 17 instead of 31. It was hard to believe someone on a teacher's salary could happily go out and buy an entire new wardrobe, and then continue to spend throughout the book. As far as the reader knows she lived happily with her mother in NZL assuming her dad was dead. Just before her death her mother gave her a name, a profession, and a vague address of the spermdonor, and now Gracie feels abandonned and blames her failing relationships on abandonnement issues. In Montana she hesitantly looks for her father and once she finds him, she feels bad because of the impact it might have on his marriage. What a doormat.
The HEA comes very fast, but there are many questions left unanswered.
August 5, 2020
The book starts off with full of promise, but the characters are irritating at times and the story itself is a little farfetched. The repetitions about certain characteristics get old after a while.
Trent is a hardworking cowboy and is only looking for a wife to give him heirs. He doesn't believe in love as it's a sore topic for him.
Gracie is a schoolteacher who has come all the way from New Zealand to Montana to find a father she never knew.
At the begenning, Trent and Gracie appear to hit it off, but as the story develops, they start to clash with each other. They have feelings which contradict the way they act. They are both stubborn and neither is prepared to admit to what they really feel. The Vegas episode is farfetched. They made a mistake, well that's what they try to convince each other. Can they settle their differences and acknowledge what's right in front of them?
I quite like Trent, despite his grumpiness. Gracie is kind, but takes immaturity to the extreme. The descriptions of the farm and its surroundings are vivid. The ease amongst the family members and the community is very engaging. It's a good concept that could have been portrayed with a better attitude from the characters.
Trent is a hardworking cowboy and is only looking for a wife to give him heirs. He doesn't believe in love as it's a sore topic for him.
Gracie is a schoolteacher who has come all the way from New Zealand to Montana to find a father she never knew.
At the begenning, Trent and Gracie appear to hit it off, but as the story develops, they start to clash with each other. They have feelings which contradict the way they act. They are both stubborn and neither is prepared to admit to what they really feel. The Vegas episode is farfetched. They made a mistake, well that's what they try to convince each other. Can they settle their differences and acknowledge what's right in front of them?
I quite like Trent, despite his grumpiness. Gracie is kind, but takes immaturity to the extreme. The descriptions of the farm and its surroundings are vivid. The ease amongst the family members and the community is very engaging. It's a good concept that could have been portrayed with a better attitude from the characters.
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