Snow in Montana

Montana #4

by R.J. Scott

An actor in the closet, a sheriff in love, and memories that won’t stay hidden.


Jordan Darby is known as the King of Christmas. The star of eight made-for-TV Christmas movies, the leading man who always gets his girl. Filming at Crooked Tree Ranch in Montana, in the ice and snow, Jordan is fighting to make a go of his new company and dealing with fears of exposure over one huge secret. After all, who the hell would buy into him being a romantic straight lead if rumors about him being gay were proven to be true?


Sheriff Ryan Carter is advising on the new movie being made at Crooked Tree. He hoped this would be one day of work and nothing more. Until, that is, he meets the hero. But while Jordan is sexy, he’s also very much stuck in the closet—everything that Ryan doesn’t need in his life. And then lust becomes part of the equation, and Ryan’s quiet life is thrown into turmoil.


Their story unfolds against the chaos that overtakes the ranch, with Adam regaining memories that terrify him and make him look at Justin differently, and Justin leaving the ranch to make things right. Only through trusting in love and friendship can Justin and Adam learn to look to the future instead of letting the past destroy everything. But will they ever see clearly enough to do that?

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Westerns, LGBT, Christmas, Holiday

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 2016

About the author

RJ Scott writes heartwarming, passionate MM/gay romance stories where every man finds his happily ever after. When not writing, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, spending time with her family, following Formula 1 (Forza Ferrari!), and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Email her here: rj@rjscott.co.uk

Find RJ here: Amazon | BookBub | Facebook - Also, Never miss a release

Reviews

[Erth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book as a continuation of the Montana series. Not only do we get a book that gives us two new main characters—Sheriff Ryan and Jordan, the actor who is on set at Crooked Bend to make a Christmas movie—but we also get more follow up and resolution from Adam and Justin and the storyline of the first few books in this series as well. All of the characters from the previous books are seen in this one, so it really shouldn’t be read as a standalone. But I was, as always, impressed with how well the author keeps the characters’ lives entwined with each other as each book goes further along into the series.

Sheriff Ryan is totally adorable, sweet and shy, and Jordan is not quite sure of himself yet, he’s just really nervous about being “out” and how that will affect his acting career. I loved that it wasn’t really an instant love with them and that they actually get to know each other a bit first, but you can still see and get the impression that they have a pretty instant and deep connection with each other. They both make each other feel safe and at ease. I had fun reading this book and seeing all the different things these guys had to go through, Jordan being on the movie set and having to deal with acting and the movie production process, and Ryan having to deal with some harder cases being the sheriff in their smaller town. I also liked the family aspect in this book. We get to know a little bit about Jordan's twin, but we get a larger look into Ryan's family and four brothers, who I hope we will be seeing more of in the future. This book was great and I really would love if we could get an audio version of the book as well, definitely one I wouldn’t mind listening to.

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I really hate Goodreads. I wrote a review for this which expounded on all the clever planning which went into the narrative and the great way in which RJ managed to pull them all back together into a cohesive storyline which was brilliant and it's lost it.

So I'm not doing that again - this book is excellent, Sherrif Ryan is gorgeous and he gets his Happy Ever After with the lovely Jordan - read it!

#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snow in Montana is book 4 in the Montana Series and although it states it can be read as a standalone, I think you would be lost if you skipped the other books in the series. Each book builds on stuff that happened in previous story's so it might get quite confusing, should you try to read it alone.

This is the story of Ryan and Jordan. Jordan is a B list actor who specializes in Made for T.V. Christmas movies, his company he owns with his twin has set up production of this year's movie "Snow in Montana" to be filmed at The Crooked Tree Ranch. Ethan, is sheriff of the area and long time family friend of all the Crooked Tree families, and is on site when Jordan arrives to help with security and other safety issues surrounding producing a film. When Ryan first meets Jordan - he is not impressed. However, after a few interactions the two develop a palpable spark between them that is just begging to be explored.

In true R.J. fashion she makes these two work for their HEA however their is a sense that it will always happen. No real angst in this story. The sex was pretty much all fade to black or use your imagination with limited information shared. In addition, this story had a lot of other characters fighting for the spotlight which sort of took away from Ryan and Jordan's love story. There simply whatnot enough about them to get into their head space and form that connection that makes a book go from good to excellent. I am not sure why this story had so many storyline all thrown together, maybe it's the end of the series and RJ wanted to wrap them all up..whatever the reason, I feel it took away from our two MC.

Overall, 3 stars a cute story.

[Elsbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel a bit let down by this. Ryan and Jordan's story was meh. Nothing really exciting happened. No relationship angst and most of the sex scenes were fade to black.

And Adam and Justin's troubles were



I really expected something big as Adam slowly regained his memory. But no.

Glad everything is good again with the boys though.

I wonder if we'll get another Montana book?

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook review

It was a while ago since I read the first three books in the series, and I freely admit to not remembering them much. There has been too many books, stories and characters in between the keep them all in my head. Because of that I felt very confused in the beginning with lots and lots of people showing up at once, and many without a brief explanation or reminder of who they were. There was also a lot of the story building on the previous books, which is why I would say it doesn't really stand on its own, it's more of a continuation of a larger story where Snow in Montana just introduces a new couple.

B-movie actor Jordan Darby, known for making sweet Christmas romance movies (straight ones) arrives at Crooked Tree Ranch to film his latest movie. He’s hoping that this will be the movie that will make his company take off. What he doesn’t need is bad publicity or rock the boat in any way. So when the attraction between him and sheriff Ryan Carter flairs up he hopes he can keep them a secret. A secret Ryan isn’t so happy about, but willing to go along with for now.

I’m not a fan of too much head hopping. Between the main characters sure, but that’s it. Sadly (in my opinion) we also follow the characters from the previous books. Where past events comes back to haunt them, destroying the peace they’ve built. I’m not a fan of this, it makes the story too jumbled too put out of focus and makes me disconnect from it and the characters. Add to that the feeling that drama was added for dramas sake and I was not a happy girl.

I normally like Sean Crisden’s narrations. There’s no doubt that he is very talented at what he does. Unfortunately I never warmed to this book in any way, not even the narration. It felt uninspired, there was no feeling to it. And I don’t mean that Crisden was just narrating the book, because those can be good as well, not my preference, but still able to draw you in. This book, this time Crisden sounded bored. Sure, he might have given the impression that he was performing, adding feelings – but to me it really sounded false. There was no genuine feeling to it, only uninterested and boredom. Sadly that was the main feeling I had while listening to this story.

If you recently read the first books, or intend to go back and start from the beginning, this might be a book you’d enjoy. Sadly I can’t say the same for me and I think I might just bow out of this series going forward.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** I really enjoyed this book #4 in this series !***
I understood the characters and the plot flowed along nicely.
Closeted Jordan, 30, star of sappy Christmas movies

is on location at the Crooked Tree Ranch. He longs to produce an M/M Christmas movie.

Ryan, 33, big, tall, muscled cop

is making sure everyone is safe. He's gay, but just hasn't found his "one" for a true connection.

Our previous book's cast are all here. Adam is recalling some memories and Justin still feels guilt. The movie set is bustling and our men find time to get together.
They sizzle in bed, and their feelings are solid.


There is a death that shakes Ryan up; a sneaky reporter, and a camera bug.



As always, we get a deep story with lots of action. RJ Scott's characters are vivid and we are happy. Great series ! I would suggest reading the previous book, A Cowboys Home, first, because the book's trail into each other, you'd have more depth of the plot, but they can stand alone.
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
==================

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fourth book in the ‘Montana’ series has the many characters of the Crooked Tree Ranch come full circle, and that was a great thing for me to witness. While a lot of the emotional drama and the suspense about what happened to Justin and Adam was resolved in the previous volume, there were a few details that needed sorting out. Adam’s memories and his relationship with Justin are the most important, and I was happy to find out that both men, as well as Adam’s lover, Ethan, and Justin’s lover, Sam, continued to play a prominent role in the current novel. The focus of this story, however, was Jordan and Ryan and they are a great couple to add to the Crooked Tree Ranch family.


Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Agla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok, I liked the couple in this one and the relationship development was better than in the previous one but still lacked depth. I wish we had seen more of the filming: Jordan (one of the MCs) is an actor and making a movie that's how he meets the sheriff. Speaking of the sheriff, he does not do that much "sheriffing", he does a bit but I wish that storyline had been explored more. There was also side drama with Justin and Adam that was really unnecessary and didn't add anything. It annoyed me because their storylines were settled in previous books and now we had added drama coming out of nowhere that did not serve to deepened their respective relationships so really, what was the point. I'm taking a break from this series but will get back to it because I like the feeling of found family on the ranch even though it does not seem to make financial sense as a business venture.

[Nerea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* I loved all the previous books, but I think this one wasn´t as good as the others.



The Ryan / Jordan story is beautiful, they are lovely BUT all the secondary plot with the Adam and Justin drama... buff too much angst for me :( Makes a bit messy the main plot and makes me feels a bit anxious in some parts :(

[Christelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A follow-up on all the guys from the Dude ranch in Montana. This is the 4th of this series (not a standalone, imo) and it was OK for me. It was sweet to see Ryan, the sexy sheriff, and Jordan, an actor, romantic at heart, fall for each other. Nothing pretentious nor big.

This book was also about Adam and his dealings with the past. I felt it was stalling a bit on that part.

Nothing bad, nothing great. Let’s go to the next instalment with the focus on Justin’s former “colleague”.

[Pianka *call me PIU* · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Snow in Montana” is the forth book in the “Montana” series by RJ Scott. This book includes important events related to two other couples of the series along with the featured romance, so it would be best if it’s not read as a standalone.

The story revolves around the “Crooked Tree Ranch” as always. This time our MCs are Sheriff Ryan Carter and actor, Jordan Darby. Jordan’s film company chooses the ranch as the filming location for their new romance movie. Ryan is roped in for overseeing the security and that’s how the lovebirds meet for the first time.

Jordan has a plan where he will strengthen his brand-new company in five years before coming out to his fans for real. He is an actor who plays straight leads in romance movies so he needs to keep his sexuality under wraps if he ever wants to further his career as a romance actor. Jordan is attracted to Ryan almost from the very start. The cake-loving cop is a temptation Jordan cannot resist and they start a “casual” relationship which quickly turns more intense and meaningful to both.

Ryan is out and proud with very supportive and loving family and friends behind him. He has never been in any serious relationship but he wants to be in one very much. He falls in lust with Jordan and despite the fact that Jordan is in the closet; he develops feelings for him quickly. He is mindful of Jordan’s need to hide and was very understanding of his dilemma.

There is no angst in the actual romance between Ryan and Jordan. The angst comes from the sub-plot of Justin and Adam. They both are MCs of book two and three of this series. Justin and Adam are best friends who go through a lot before they settle in their lives in the ranch with their respective partners. Adam has lost significant part of his memory and now he is remembering bits and pieces which confuses him and gives him reason to doubt Justin. Justin already blames himself for his past deeds and feels himself responsible for Adam’s latest problems. There is a lot of emotional angst going on between the friends in this book which kind of forms a backdrop for Ryan and Jordan’s budding romance.

This story has a lot of secondary characters which included both family and friends. Ryan’s family was super awesome as where his “extended family” which comprised of everyone else related to the ranch. Jordan’s twin brother, Micah and his girlfriend were also very supportive and champions of his and Ryan’s relationship from the beginning.

I loved this mellow romance with its magical and picturesque setting of Montana, blanketed in snow. Fans of this series will love this installment. I enjoyed this romance very much!!

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just didn’t like these books very much. I don’t know just too much angst and inner monologue. Oh well, they were ok.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Snow in Montana’ brings back to not just the ‘Crooked Tree Ranch’ but we get more about someone who’s been floating around on the fringes if previous stories…Sheriff Ryan Carter. I have to admit I haven’t really been overly intrigued by Ryan but ‘Surprise, surprise!!!’ that’s what happened here. Ryan went from a secondary character who’s a friend to the families at ‘Crooked Tree Ranch’ to a fully fleshed out person for me and damned if I don’t really, really like him and I loved the story that he got.

We were introduced to Ryan’s brothers…the oldest owns the local bar, ones a firefighter and another one’s an accountant…I think…yeah, I’m pretty sure he’s a number cruncher. I really enjoyed Ryan’s interactions with his brothers and when he does some security advising for a file that’s being shot at Crooked Tree Ranch his world gets thrown into chaos pretty much from the minute that he meets the films star one Jordan Darby and for whatever worked or didn’t with this one I just really, really enjoyed the whole relationship between Jordan and Ryan. It was fun and sweet…generally just adorable.

Interspersed with Ryan and Jordan’s story we also given more about Adam and Justin as Adam begins to recover what he thinks are lost memories amidst the turmoil and confusion of trying to figure out just how real some of his memories are relationships are tested…Adam & Justin’s friendship, Justin & Sam’s love…which I’m happy to say is rock solid, but as Adam tries to figure things out Ethan and Justin begin to feel the strain as brothers and Ethan’s torn Justin’s his brother but Adam’s the man he wants to share his forever with. I loved the ending for this one it’s not hearts and rainbows all tied up with a bow but it’s a group of men who have been through hell and back and while they may not know all the answers what they do know is they’ve got each other’s backs…no matter what they’re family.

I’ve really been loving this series so far and I know there’s at least one more book to come and I for one am so looking forward to it. I don’t know who’s story comes next but I have little doubt that like the previous books we’ll at least get a peek at how everyone’s doing and maybe if we’re lucky at least one of the MC’s will be Ryan’s oldest brother…I admit he intrigued me and I’d love his story if not the next book something soon…I’ll just cross my fingers and hope in the meantime.

[SoCalBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I really liked this book as a continuation of the Montana series. Not only do we get a book that gives us two new main characters—Sheriff Ryan and Jordan, the actor who is on set at Crooked Bend to make a Christmas movie—but we also get more follow up and resolution from Adam and Justin and the storyline of the first few books in this series as well. All of the characters from the previous books are seen in this one, so it really shouldn’t be read as a standalone. But I was, as always, impressed with how well the author keeps the characters’ lives entwined with each other as each book goes further along into the series.

Sheriff Ryan is totally adorable, sweet and shy, and Jordan is not quite sure of himself yet, he’s just really nervous about being “out” and how that will affect his acting career. I loved that it wasn’t really an instant love with them and that they actually get to know each other a bit first, but you can still see and get the impression that they have a pretty instant and deep connection with each other. They both make each other feel safe and at ease. I had fun reading this book and seeing all the different things these guys had to go through, Jordan being on the movie set and having to deal with acting and the movie production process, and Ryan having to deal with some harder cases being the sheriff in their smaller town. I also liked the family aspect in this book. We get to know a little bit about Jordan's twin, but we get a larger look into Ryan's family and four brothers, who I hope we will be seeing more of in the future. This book was great and I really would love if we could get an audio version of the book as well, definitely one I wouldn’t mind listening to.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

We return to Crooked Tree ranch with Snow in Montana by RJ Scott. However, this installment deviates slightly from the last two, where Adam and Justin’s disappearance and resettlement were the theme. We do visit with the rest of the ranch hands, and more closure is given to them, but the blossoming romance between Ryan and Jordan is featured.

As this edition further develops the characters in this series it’s important to have read the collection in order.

Sheriff Ryan Carter is hired as a security advisor on the set of Jordan’s movie production. He is out and proud with supportive family and friends. Loyal, strong and dependable he is a catch for any man, but he just hasn’t found that special someone yet. There is a strange pull to the “straight” leading man, but… wait… is he “straight?”

Jordan Darby, the King of Christmas, along with his twin Micah, have chosen Crooked Tree Ranch as the location for their first production, “Snow in Montana.” Jordon is a B-List actor specializing in made-for-TV Christmas movies. Being gay is not an option when he has to “get the girl” during his performances. He has set himself on a five-year plan before he can star in his premier male/male role.

When he first meets Jordan, Ryan is not impressed. However, as time passes, he learns that first impressions are not always what they appear. There is a reason for Ryan’s actions, cocky aura, and typical celebrity vibe. Then a spark develops. Although Ryan is out, he respects Jordan’s need for discretion.

What starts out as something temporary for Jordan and Ryan, quickly morphs into much more. Sadly, they can’t seem to get out of their own way. Supported by those around them, readers would think they would recognize what they have and nurture it. Instead, they continually remind themselves that it will be over soon.

The rest of the ranch hands are present as Adam continues to recall memories, Justin is still plagued by guilt, Ryan is rattled by a death, Jordan gets stalked by his reporter nemesis, and when an on-set candid is taken, the pot is stirred creating the potential for “disaster”.

Most of the angst in Snow in Montana is captured within in the subplot between Adam and Justin, while they work though the residual issues from their past. The ranch continues to thrive on dramatic, complex characters, as they build and rebuild relationships.

What’s next? Only time, and RJ Scott, will tell. Several things were brought to a “resolution,” but I can’t shake the feeling that there is more to come for these guys. One thing is certainly clear. There is more romance on the horizon for Crooked Tree ranch.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much!

Snow in Montana is the fourth book in the Montana series. It is such a great book but I do think you need to read the first three books in the series to really appreciate this one fully.

The story is primarily about Sheriff Ryan Carter and actor Jordan Derby, but it also contains a lot of scenes about couples who were the MCs (main characters) in the previous books. In particular there’s a lot of information about best friends Adam (book 2) and Justin (book 3).

Jordan is known as the King of Christmas. He’s a B-list actor who has starred as the leading man in eight, made-for-TV Christmas movies; he is also gay and pretty deep in the closet. He feels that Hollywood will no longer accept him as a romantic lead if he reveals that he is gay.

Ryan is hired to consult on a film that Jordan’s company is filming on location at Crooked Tree Ranch. He’s gay and out but has never really had the kind of romantic relationship that he longs for. He feels a pull towards Jordan and when he realizes that Jordan is gay that pull becomes even stronger.

This story had a lot of things going on in it. I have absolutely loved all of the books in this series, including this one, but I would have to say that there were so many different things happening, involving so many different characters, that I did have just a bit of trouble keeping track at times. I suspect that part of the reason is that it had been a few months since I’d read the last book [note: I usually read about 5 books per week and even when I love a book it is usually a little difficult for me to remember all of the details a few months later.] and I also have to admit to being sleep deprived when I read this one.

It’s a testament to RJ’s writing that her books have the ability to keep me engrossed in the story, invested in the characters and stay up all night reading. She always manages to invoke all of my emotions. In this story I really felt for Jordan because he wanted to be out and openly gay but he was afraid of the consequences not only to his career but also to the lively hoods of other people who depended on him and his company for their jobs.

The secondary storyline of Adam and his difficulty coming to terms with the things that happened to him, and his best friend’s involvement, was also the cause of more than a few tears shed.

This book seemed like it was a wrap up for the series (I don’t know if more are planned or not); there was a nice epilogue where we get additional information about Jordan and Ryan and also about best friends Adam and Justin.

If you’ve read the other Montana books you will absolutely not want to miss this one. If you haven’t read the others I highly recommend them as they are very compelling reads with interesting and complicated characters.

A review copy was provided by the author but my review is given freely and was not influenced by the author.

Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 out of 5 stars


I have enjoyed this series and getting to know all of the guys at Crooked Tree Ranch. This story centers on Sheriff Ryan and B-List Actor Jordan, but all of the favs made appearances as well!


Ryan, the sheriff of the town closest to Crooked Tree, is out and ready to settle down, but Jordan is still in the closet for the most part trying to build a new movie company. With the chance at a hot encounter for the time of filming, they agree to see each other and see what happens.


In the background of the story, Adam and Justin are still trying to come to terms with everything that has happened to them since they were kidnapped from Crooked Tree as teenagers.


I enjoy this series and love the way Ms Scott is able to bring the characters to life and give me a glimpse at the different aspects of Montana life.




*** I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy for review ***

[Bitchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars for Ryan and Jordan, - 1 star for detracting from their story with all the Adam and Justin drama left over from the last book. I truly think that this story would have been better served as two separate novellas, one just for Ryan and Jordan, and another to wrap up Justin and Adam's story. Every time the story switched back to their bits, it just pulled me out of the romance growing between Ryan and Jordan, and it was frustrating. Especially frustrating that the Justin and Adam bits didn't add anything to the main romance at all, it just felt tacked in there to finish up their plot, which, IMO, ripped off both pairings.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

while the backbone of this story is about closeted b-list actor Jordan, at Crooked Tree to film a schmaltzy Christmas TV movie, and Ryan the local Sheriff it also touches on the stories of the other couples at the ranch and expands on the mystery of what happened to Adam and Justin in the years they were missing.

All in all an enjoyable story but with a very much ensemble cast whose stories and points of view often overtook the main pairings story

[Dani Elle Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author RJ Scott worked her magic
where i was a bit dissapointed with part 3
she hit this one totally out of the parc
what a great way to sum up this more then awesome series
Fabulous ending bringing all points together
Very recommended!

[Pjm12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Ryan and Jordan's romance, but I also liked having some closure on the Justin/Adam story, as that was left unfinished.

I am glad it wasn't hurried.

Can there be more of these? I would read them.

[Marthea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zdecydowanie najsłabsza do tej pory część.

Największym problemem było to, że autorka, oprócz historii Ryana i Jordana, dorzuciła wątek i kilka POVów Adama z dwójki i Justina z trójki. I, jeżeli mam być szczera, to oddałabym bez wahania historię głównych bohaterów tego tomu, która była bezjajeczna, za porządny, cały tom o Adamie i Justinie oraz ich zmaganiach po powrocie - z przeszłością bądź jej brakiem, z relacjami między nimi i całą resztą rodziny i przyjaciół, z poczuciem winy, z bólem, z zaufaniem...

A tak? Historia Jordana i Ryana była nijaka, do niemalże natychmiastowego zapomnienia, zaś Adama i Justina niewystarczająca, rozbudzająca tylko apetyt na coś większego i lepszego...

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the publisher/author for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*

Snow in Montana is Book 4 in RJ Scott's Montana series. This book cannot be read on its own! If someone tells you otherwise, they're crazy. ;) Though this is a novella, it's chock full of drama, something I think is a specialty for RJ's books! This novella doesn't feature just one, or two, or three POVs. Oh no, it is full-up on POV's and was a great look into the lives of all the characters and couples from the first three books!

Crooked Tree Ranch has been booked for a made-for-tv Christmas movie. The lead actor, Jordan, is not new to this kind of Christmas movies but is considered the king of them. He's been cast in eight previous ones, but this one is the first one for the new production company he has created with his brother. Jordan and his twin have a long history of being in tv; their father was an actor and they were used as babies on the set until they were old enough to have their own Disney tv show. His brother had enough of acting and has moved to the production side of the business. Only a select few know that Jordan is gay and they are very supportive, but he has a five-year plan and doesn't plan on outing himself before then until he meets Ryan, the sheriff who is consulting with them.

Ryan is the local sheriff and has been out of the closet since he was a teenager thanks to one of his big mouth brothers. He's good friends with all the various people on the Crooked Tree Ranch and finds himself out at the ranch mediating the ongoing tensions between Adam, Justin, Ethan and Sam. Ryan is attracted to Jordan from the first moment he sees him but can't imagine that Jordan could feel the same away about a small town sheriff. He would like to find love, and when he unexpectedly does, he has to work with Jordan to figure out how their lives are going to come together.

We know from the previous books that things are still unsettled with Justin and Adam and this book will see some resolutions. Adam's still trying to get his memories back and is fighting to figure out what's real and not. He isn't getting any answers from Justin who is all too willing to allow all blame and abuse to be heaped on his shoulders. Ethan is caught between his love for Adam and his love for Justin, but he knows he'll always be on Adam's side. Sam and Justin are as strong as ever, and Sam continues to be one of the strongest characters in this series. We get to see a wedding, a kind of proposal and a pregnancy in this novella! And all of the previous characters are dragged into this story, in one way or another!

There was a lot packed into these pages that made me simultaneously want to keep reading and take a break! It's packed full of love, fighting, drama and friendship. I really liked Ryan's brother's and I really hope as this series continues that I get to see them find the rest of the guy's HEA, especially Saul's!

Rating: 5 stars!

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth installment in the Montana series, it’s now Sheriff Ryan Carter’s turn to find love, and not just the one-night-stand kind of love he’s used to. When he meets Jordan Darby, a child star now known as the King of Christmas for all the holiday made-for-TV movies he’s starred in, something stirs in Ryan’s heart, even before he realizes Jordan is gay.

Closeted for years, Jordan fears coming out, not just because it will lose him jobs as a romantic lead, but also because it may upend the fledgling production company he and his twin have started. This first year they are filming their Christmas romance in Montana and have sold it to a family network so the fear is real. His coming out right now could cause that network to negate their contract, and he and his brother could lose all the money they’ve invested from both their own savings and from their deceased actor father’s estate.

But RJ Scott delivers a very feasible story to create a world in which Jordan, only a Hollywood B-list actor, can leak the story slowly and move on with his life. Without flaunting it, he manages to find a way to make a romance with Ryan work, even after he returns to LA to finalize the film.

What makes this story different is that the mystery, which surfaced in the first book involving Adam and Justin, remains strong and is interwoven throughout this book. So much so, in fact, that at times I felt that it detracted from the developing romance between Ryan and Jordan. Instead of this story being 80% Jordan and Ryan, 20% other series’ characters, it felt like at least 50-50, and if anything, it may have even been tipped the opposite way. I guess that’s my way of saying that I would have liked more of Ryan and Jordan, more conflict, more slow burn, more loving, and more romance, so I was ultimately disappointed in this book. I’m ready to move on from the mystery, and I’m at the point where Adam is more annoying than anything, and Justin comes across as a drama queen. I hope the end of the series is near and that future books don’t focus so much on either of the former books’ characters or else just focus on them and be done with it.

So overall? Jordan and Ryan—great couple, beautiful setting, sweet romance; and the ongoing mystery—complex, annoying, ready to draw to a close. If that’s something you’d like, this would be a great series to pick up. I would not recommend this book as a standalone.

**3.5 stars**

ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.

[Carra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love returning to this series again and again. At this point, I really am deeply invested in the characters, so any glimpse back into any of their lives is pretty sweet. Adding another couple to the mix just makes the series even better to me.

Ryan is strong, dependable, loyal, dedicated to his family, and also very secure in who he is and the fact that he is out. He seems very comfortable in his own skin, and his kind and giving nature made me want for him to find his own happiness too. At first, Jordan might seem like a typical Hollywood type, but the more I read the more it was obvious that this is very far from the truth. He's sweet and driven to make sure he and his brother succeed, but has his reasons for staying in the closet to the general public. The sparks between Ryan and Jordan are quite evident from the start, and their chemistry only gets stronger the further into the story I read.

One thing I really loved about this story is that we get more development of the stories for Ethan, Adam, Justin and Sam. It was tremendously satisfying to find out more about the things that happened while Adam and Justin were gone, and to see Adam discovering more of his memories. The unwavering commitment of Ethan and Adam as well as Justin and Sam is reinforced again and again, making me feel like their relationships were solidifying even more.

There's a bit of drama, tension and of course a just-right dose of heat. So much story is packed into this book, but nothing ever feels rushed or glossed over. I am so firmly entrenched in this series and with these characters that I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when these stories end. I loved Ryan and Jordan together, especially how Jordan was drawn more and more toward staying with Ryan and less and less being in LA.

Snow in Montana was an excellent, 5-star read for me, and I do highly recommend it. I do strongly recommend that it be read as part of the series in order as there is a lot that goes on in this story that builds on everything that came in the first three books of the series. If you're a fan of the series, you DO NOT want to miss this one. If you haven't started the series yet, you're really missing out on an amazing group of characters! This is one of my favorite M/M romance series, and it is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and M/M sexual content.

[Susan65 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 3.5 Star review by the The Blogger Girls

The struggle is real. This book, though written well, and followed the story line from the previous books, was hard for me. I had a hard time jumping from Justin and Adam’s “issues” to the budding romance of “Jordan and Ryan”. Maybe because the names Jordan and Justin were too similar? I don’t know, I just know that I had to keep looking up to figure out who was speaking with those two. Blame it on the reviewer, because I love the Crooked Tree world, and was annoyed that I kept getting thrown out of the story over something so inane as a name.

What I did love was the easiness of Ryan and Jordan. They are so different but easily fall into step with one another. It wasn’t always that way, and with Jordan being a B list actor, and closeted, it was no walk in the park trying to have a love life while being a public figure. Ryan is just a great guy. I wanted to be his best friend. Who wouldn’t want a six and half foot tall teddy bear for a bestie?

Justin and Adam just drove me crazy with all the tip toeing around Adam and his memories. I also wanted to knock Ethan upside his head. Ethan’s entire book was focused around the premise of spending his life finding his missing brother, Justin, but now that he has Adam, I felt that Justin became collateral damage. I don’t know what I wanted, but Justin being made the bad guy (even in his own head) after knowing what the two of them went through, and knowing they were victims, just didn’t sit too well with me. I wanted to beat whiny Adam in the head, I wanted to kick Ethan’s ass, and I wanted Justin to just get over himself and his self sacrificing ways. Ugh, I’m getting frustrated just thinking about him. And that is a good thing people…it means the story resonated with me…that I cared. That is the sign of a good story teller.

I just wish that Ryan and Jordan were the only stars. I am not a fan of multiple story lines running simultaneously and this was a case where that needed to happen, but I don’t like it. Yes, their stories needed to be told, I just hope if there is another book that the focus is one couple only. So yeah, I love the Crooked Tree world, but this story wasn’t my favorite.

[Cee Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

ღ´¨)4 Star snowy goodness.
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•` ღ Welcome back to the Crooked Tree Ranch where excitement is likely to follow.

Sheriff Ryan Carter was not impressed. At first he thought ill of B lister actor Jordan Darby, known as "the King of Christmas", only to realize he had had the wrong impression.

With the actor making another Christmas film this time set at the crooked ranch, Ryan was in charge of security and safety. But who would keep him safe from the advances of the spectacular man who held captive his attention, even sick as a dog?

Theirs was an easy affair, and even with not knowing what would happen once filming ended, they both weathered the storm and tried to right the wrongs.

Meanwhile, Adam is still struggling with what happened and his lost memories and Justin remains mysterious. The story within the story tried to bring a conclusion to the last two books. With Adam and Justin struggling, things come come head and it seemed as if life would never be the same again.

The author wove tales of forgiveness, understanding and love conquers all, even with minimal angst.

I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from Love Lane Books Limited.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

Whew. This is a very busy book with several subplots building from earlier stories in the series. To fully appreciate it, this book really must be read immediately after reading the first three books. It doesn’t stand alone and even though I read the third book less than a month ago, I found myself desperately trying to remember details from earlier books that led up to the events and relationships in this one.

The central romance between actor Jordan and sheriff Ryan is very sweet and relatively angst free. The main conflict is Jordan’s closeted existence as a straight star in the conservative Hallmark Channel’s made for TV movies. Both men are incredibly easy going and both have supportive friends and families. I enjoyed both of these men but we didn’t quite get the depth of character development or angsty grit that we experienced in the earlier books.

I enjoyed watching Jordan and his brother producing their film on location on the ranch. The film details were fascinating. The complicated but supportive relationships between Ryan and his brothers was lovely.

Overall, I enjoyed the romance between Jordan and Ryan but the rest of the book was quite complicated and a bit of a whirlwind.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads Review Team~
I love this series, was soooo excited when this book came out, couldn’t wait to read it. Man, I was disappointed when I read it. It felt thrown together, too many scenarios going on and just didn’t click with me like the other books in the series did. I didn’t feel the sizzling connected between Jordan and Ryan, I wanted more focus on them and it was always drawn away and given to the other characters. Just didn’t hit the mark for me this time.
Characters: well written
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: yes
Genre: M/M
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

As expected, this book was just as meh as the last. I honstly have no idea what the author was trying to do here. there's this new couple of characters we don't really know that well or care about, and instead of spending the book selling us on them, half the book is taken up by weird-ass drama between Adam/Jamie that felt entirely unnecessary and like it was dragging out something that felt like it had already been wrapped up in the previous book. Never managed to care about the supposed main pairing, and was less than interested in the manufactured Jamie/Adam drama. :/