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Montana Sky #7

Singing Montana Sky

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Singing Montana Sky:
Book Two of the Maxwell Sisters Trilogy
By Debra Holland, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Beautiful, wealthy, and sophisticated, opera star Sophia Maxwell is living the life of her dreams. As the Songbird of Chicago, she’s lauded for her pure, rich voice and has a constant circle of admirers vying for her jaded attention. Then she loses her voice during a performance. Her doctor warns her to rest her larynx, or she’ll never sing again. Devastated, Sophia retreats to the frontier town of Sweetwater Springs to stay with her sister. She’s determined to recover and once again take the stage by storm.
An injury to logger Kael Kelley forces him to return to his parents’ home outside of Sweetwater Springs until he can heal enough to return to the logging camp he manages. He’s impatient to recover and concerned about his men, who’ve been left to work under the incompetent overseer who was responsible for his accident.
When Sophia and Kael meet, they have an immediate attraction. The handsome logger is as different from Sophia’s sophisticated suitors as can be. She decides a summer flirtation is the perfect way to enliven her boring convalescence. Then the unthinkable happens, and the Songbird of Chicago falls in love.

MONTANA SKY SERIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:
Sweet historical Western Romance

1892
Beneath Montana’s Sky

1886
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Trudy
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Lina
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Prudence
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Bertha

1890s
Grace: Bride of Montana

Wild Montana Sky
Starry Montana Sky
Stormy Montana Sky
Montana Sky Christmas
A Valentine’s Choice
Irish Blessing
Painted Montana Sky
Glorious Montana Sky
A Rolling Stone (preorder)
Healing Montana Sky
Sweetwater Springs Scrooge
Sweetwater Springs Christmas
Mystic Montana Sky
Singing Montana Sky (August 2017)

2015
Angel in Paradise


314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2017

1080 people are currently reading
117 people want to read

About the author

Debra Holland

65 books318 followers
USA 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.

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5 stars
768 (63%)
4 stars
308 (25%)
3 stars
113 (9%)
2 stars
11 (<1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,430 reviews497 followers
September 3, 2017
Singing Montana Sky by Debra Holland

Seventh in the Montana Sky series. Can be read as a standalone.
Lovely, touching, sweet and heartening. The small and growing town of Sweetwater Springs, Montana is the heart of these historical romance stories. Each is filled with love, friendship, grief (it is the old west where modern medicine is not available) and dependable neighborly support.

The scene where Sophie is questioning the 12 year old maid Fanny about school is so touching. Sophie is generous in helping Fanny and her family and then the little girl cries because she's happy. Fanny doesn't understand why she's crying, but Sophie assures her "it's what women do." Adorable. I was crying myself at that point.

Friendship lightens grief. A powerful message.

I alternated between a paperback version and audible. Loved both. The audio version is soothing with a slight accent. Very pleasing to the ear.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,128 reviews54 followers
August 26, 2018
A beautifully written tale of love and loss …

Montana Sky is the seventh touching installment in Debra Holland’s Montana Sky historical sweet and clean romance series. It is an emotional story of love and loss for both the hero and the heroine which will most assuredly give your own heart a stringent workout. This is the story of diva Sophia Maxwell, aka the Songbird of Chicago, and logger Kael Kelley. Sophia has appeared as a supporting character in some of the previous books. Kael and his family are introduced herein and make wonderful additions to the series.

Do not fret for an instant if you’ve not yet enjoyed any of the previous books as each story in this series works perfectly well as a stand alone. That said, long-time fans of the series will enjoy catching up with previous favorite characters in the small western town of Sweetwater Springs, Montana.

As the story opens in 1896, with a disquieting feeling of dread, Sophia has taken on the arduous role of Brünnhilde, favorite daughter of the god Wotan in the Die Walküre opera in Chicago, Illinois. When she stunningly collapses on stage, her recovery demands that she rest her voice. She elects to visit her sister, Lily, in Sweetwater Springs to be out of the public eye while taking the recuperating sojourn she requires.

In a bit of a second chance at love scenario, the two had a short, but sweet, summer flirtation on a previous trip a few months before when Sophia sang at Reverend Joshua’s and Delia’s lavish society wedding. Regretfully, with their lives being worlds’ apart, nothing could come of it. That fact, though, didn’t keep the two from dreaming about the other.

Serendipitously, Kael just happens to also be out on medical leave due to a logging accident AND staying at his parents’ homestead which is situated near to Tyler’s and Lily’s ranch. Readers will enjoy traipsing along with the couple as they spend quality time getting to know each other. Sadly, their time together is still limited as each has responsibilities that will keep them apart. Regardless, I couldn’t help pulling for them to find their HEA!

Following please find a few of my favorite lines from Singing Montana Sky:
“They sang to his father as he crossed that last dark river, heading to the distant land of light where the Creator of all waited in welcome.”
---
“On the worst day of my life, I can still find blessings.”
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“Gratitude tempers sorrow.”

Lara Asmundson excellently performs Singing Montana Sky. After listening to her voice the previous audios, I cannot imagine anyone else filling her shoes. Her voice is pleasant and clear and she skillfully and consistently differentiates between the characters. Her inflections are faultless and both her female and male voices sound realistic. Her polished performance makes the audio easy to follow and a joy to listen to.

Singing Montana Sky is an inspirational and beautifully written affirmation to the power of love and music. The characters are well-developed, the plot is fully-fledged, and the amazing ending will make you want to break out in song! You can’t go wrong with any book by Debra Holland and Singing Montana Sky is no exception!

Next up is Montana Sky Justice which will feature K.C. Granger’s tale. She is the sheriff of Sweetwater Springs and I’ve looked forward to her story for a long time!
668 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2018
This story pulls you in from the first paragraph. You don’t need to read the previous books, but I do encourage it. I feel like I’m a part of Sweetwater Springs. This book lets you catch up with the characters from the other books. I loved getting to know about Sophia Maxwell in this book beyond her being the “Songbird of Chicago” and Kael and his family are a wonderful addition to the Sweetwater Springs family. This book made me laugh and cry. I didn’t want to put it down.

I switched between audible and the book.
Profile Image for Dorothy Roller.
480 reviews3 followers
September 10, 2017
Wow, this is not just another fantastic read from Debra Holland, it is epic. Up until now I thought Mystic Montana Sky was my favorite in this series but it's now a close second. The Songbird of Chicago collapses during a very hard roll she knew she wasn't ready for after an already gruelling schedule already. She concerns family and friends when she becomes so ill they aren't sure she will ever come back to them. She ends up going to Sweetwater Springs to recuperate at her sister Lily's and her husband's ranch being accompanied by Blythe her best friend.
She had briefly met Kael Kelly, a lumberjack, at Reverend Joshua and Delia's wedding months before in Sweetwater Springs and found him rather attractive. Now on her trip to her sisters she realizes she had been thinking about him.
He loves to sing and does so regularly for his men on his crew at the lumber camp. That is until an accident and the loss of two good men that never should have happened. With a broken arm he has to go and rest at his parents homestead which isn't too far from Tyler's and Lily's ranch.
He has been in love with the Songbird of Chicago especially after meeting her at the town's big wedding she sang for months before her collapse.
The emotional ups and downs for them both are so compelling you will cry and laugh, hope and think no this is an impossible match. Both know that they their lives are worlds so far apart from each other. This is one of Debra Holland's finest stories and as she tells it is was to be a novella that just kept writing itself practically. It is probably the biggest book in this series that she has written and well worth the time to read it.
I highly recommend this story to all who have followed The Montana Sky series and I hope everyone reads it. It is beautifully written and very memorable. If you haven't read any of the books in this series start at the very first compelling story as this is one town who's characters who will love and you need the background for each consecutive story.
739 reviews1 follower
September 15, 2017
In Singing Montana Sky we take another trip to Sweetwater Springs and find out what all the characters have been up to since the previous book. I love catching up and seeing the changes going on in the town and with the people. Sophia Maxwell is a performer known as Songbird for her outstanding talent as a singer. When she becomes ill and has to rest her voice she takes a trip to visit her sister in Sweetwater Springs to rest and hopefully get her voice back. Once there, she becomes reacquainted with Kael Kelly who she met on a previous trip to town. Their attraction was immediate especially for Kael. After a logging accident makes it where he’s out of work for a while, he and Sophia are able to spend lots of time together and get to know each other. When the time comes for Sophia to go back to Boston and performing the reader is left wondering how in the world things could work for Sophia and Kael.

This story has a really strong plot, a good balance between the H&H’s characters and wonderful ending pulling the story together quite nicely. Singing Montana Sky is another great addition to this series.
5 reviews
April 14, 2023
I do love this series as a whole but I do not think this book lived up to the quality of the first few. I found the abrupt ending unsatisfying. I am so glad Kael and Sophia found what would make them happy but what about the other story lines? We get no update about the opera? Little Fanny? Her sister and father in Chicago? The potentially poisonous dye in her dresses? What about the men at the camp? I feel like there were too many less ends not addressed at the end of this story. I wanted a bit more for Sophia since she is a character in so many of the books. Overall it felt unfinished. I only gave it 3 stars because I really enjoy the series, but 2 stars would’ve probably been more accurate for this book by itself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jeene Hobbs.
558 reviews1 follower
September 19, 2017
The Songbird of Chicago finds a mate

I always enjoy returning to the world of Sweetwater Springs, Montana. And with this installment, Sophia, the Opera singer, who has played a secondary role in many previous stories finally gets her HEA.

This is a very much a story of loss for both Sophia and Kael. But realistically so. The West was a hard place in their time. Those with strong constitutions overcame and persevered. It is also a testament to the power of music, especially that made by the human voice.

"They sang to his father as he crossed that last dark river, heading to the distant land of light where the Creator of all waited in welcome."

268 reviews
September 2, 2017
Singing Montana Sky

A wonderful written story I am so pleased kael finally finds love with the woman he idolized when first hearing her sing. I love this series and Debra never disappoints I felt everything from sadness to cherished love. Kael and Sophia it's seems are destined to be together, but how sad when a wonderful characters in the book becomes very ill and sometimes die just like everyday life. I look forward to more of The Montana sky series, I can't wait to read the next book
104 reviews
July 19, 2020
The lumberjack and the Opera star

This is a story of a famous opera star suddenly struck down by exhaustion and exertion and nearly at deaths door, who travels to Sweetwater Springs to recuperate in secrecy with her sister and her family. Only she begins to see all that she has missed in her busy life when she meets a handsome lumberjack who shows her the more precious things in life. What she begins as a summer fling turns into much more! Excellently written and is almost impossible to put down.
Profile Image for Ed Burke.
126 reviews3 followers
August 26, 2017
Binge reading

OK, why a 4 and not a 5 star rating? I never found Sophia to be a compelling character though the male love interest and his backstory and family were interesting. By the middle of the book Sophia started to grow on me.

When I got the announcement that #7 was available I made myself finish another book first. Such control. Then I gobbled this one down. I even ordered pizza so I didn't 'waste time' cooking. Can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Tammy Rolle.
360 reviews6 followers
August 28, 2017
Sweet Music

I can't imagine not liking a Debra Holland novel. My only complaint would having to wait so long between new releases.
Sophia and Kael' s story is filled with sorrow and joy. I found myself thinking just one more chapter. When I realized I had reached their final pages, it was late into the night, or maybe I should say early morning. Two voices met to rise in song, yet so opposite, find each other and discover harmony in each other's arms.
16 reviews
September 12, 2017
This has been my least favorite of this series.

Not this author's best in my opinion. It started out as I slowly that I almost didn't continue reading it. The characters were not as believable as Holland's usual. It did finally pick up and became more interesting but seemed to have holes in the story. I still ended up enjoying most of the story. It was okay but just not the quality I have learned to expect from this author.
Profile Image for Sheri.
252 reviews1 follower
May 13, 2020
The past 3 books seem to have ended abruptly. This was a good story, but I did not enjoy all of the opera "stuff." I can't imagine that opera was popular in the wild west. I also did not really like the character of Sophia Maxwell. She was a spoiled brat. I did like Kael and his parents. They were down to earth characters like most of the people in Sweetwater Springs. I don't know if I will read anymore books in this series because of the abrupt endings.
Profile Image for Annie.
372 reviews
August 26, 2017
Today, Painted Montana Sky has been moved to my second favorite of the series.

Be prepared with a box of tissues while you read or listen to the audio-book version of Sophia and Kael's journey. Singing Montana Sky is a beautifully written love story that will touch your soul and move you to tears.
1,191 reviews
August 29, 2017
Sweetwater Springs has brought to us so many wonderful couples and this novel is not the exception. Sophia Maxwell's story is so compelling and for some reason this novel really struck me. I cried more than once as the story unfolded and was enthralled to learn that what she wanted to be a Summer Flirtation with Kael Kelly became a love for a lifetime.
33 reviews
September 11, 2017
Another wonderful Montana Sky book

It's was great to go back to Sweetwater Springs, to meet some new folks and visit old friends. Debra Holland has a way of bringing the characters to life. Everyone seems so real. At always I was completely taken in by the first page! The story was wonderful. Can't wait for the next book!
Profile Image for Deborah E. Robinett.
28 reviews
September 18, 2017
A very good unexpected love story, I love the ending never expected it.

I love how it keeps all the characters still together. I loved this book because it made the unexpected romance can happen, two people that you never thought could be together, loved it can't wait for 2018 for number 8
18 reviews
February 20, 2021
Nope!

I've liked every book in the Montana Sky Collier, but I couldn't get into this book at all. I kept skipping pages, and finally gave up altogether before I was even a third of the way through. I doubt I'll pick it back up again. I'm so glad that I read here other books before trying this one.
Profile Image for Annie.
226 reviews
April 24, 2022
I cant explain whats different about this one, I've listen to all of the other Montana Sky by Debra Holland and absolutely loved them, but this one is just boring, I feel like its all over the place and maybe trying to hard.
I couldn't finish it, I returned it after the 10th chapter (so I did give it a try).
I really wanted to like it but I just couldn't follow the story.
4 reviews
March 21, 2023
A Tale To Remember

I am not usually an emotional person but your story written so well and combining music and romance so seamlessly has caused me to lower my Kleenex reserve greatly. Thank you for sharing you talent in such an inspiring tale. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Ronald Sills
Profile Image for Anita Rohn.
1,964 reviews9 followers
August 25, 2017
Charming

Dealing with life changing developments whether illness or accidents the story of characters who learn to deal with whatever chaos happens and find strength in themselves and love of family and what truly matters in life. Very well told.

Profile Image for Kathy Driggers.
183 reviews2 followers
August 25, 2017
Another Winner!

This is another great book by Debra Holland. I've read all of her books and I think this one my be her best. I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to go back to Sweetwater Springs in her next book.
Profile Image for Clara E Hisaw.
41 reviews
August 30, 2017
On the edge of my seat.

Once again MS Holland delivered a spellbinding read. I was so ready for one of her refreshing, sweet and salty books. She did not disappoint. I am anxiously awaiting Constance's story.








Profile Image for Carri Kelsey.
198 reviews
September 6, 2017
Amazing

Another amazing book in this series, this book wonderful will make you want to laugh and cry, your heart will feel pain and joy, and you will love every chapter. This is a must read series.
Profile Image for Nana.
390 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2017
The healing of her singing voice brings changes.

Spending a summer away from performing in the city, brings more than healing to her voice. Must read sequel and thoroughly a hard to put down novel.
417 reviews
May 10, 2018
Great Story

After loving the previous book I wasn't sure if this book would be as wonderful. But Debra did it again! She developed a unique storyline with unique characters, some new settings and some previous characters. She created a great story that I enjoyed very much!
9 reviews
December 19, 2018
Good Reading

This book was so enjoyable, the characters,the settings and the descriptive writing. The fact the there was no foul language was also a big plus!
Bringing in the faith of these chars only added extra depth to the story.
,
Profile Image for Gabriella.
499 reviews3 followers
December 11, 2019
Not the best in the series, but it was nice to come back to water Springs, Montana. It felt a little rushed in some parts. I had a hard time connecting with the h, whom I had liked in previous books.
I love the series and will be moving on to the next book.
2,292 reviews83 followers
April 24, 2022
Sweet Historical Romance

A very emotional story of joy, tragedy, love, healing, fear, celebration, singing, and loss.
I loved every minute of it! Whether laughing or crying, this story will touch you deeply! So dream, dream big, because YOUR story isn't written yet!
3,603 reviews16 followers
May 15, 2022
Maybe the best yet in this series!

I almost skipped this book as I can't stand opera, but I am so glad I didn't! What a beautiful story that reaches out and grabs your heart! Loved the ending!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews

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