Entrepreneur Wade Conrad is called home to act as a temporary guardian for his teenage half-brother, who’s acting out and needs strong guidance. Wade feels they are both floundering, so he seeks help for Brent at Healing Heart Acres, an equine therapy center. Erin Chase has been working as an equine therapist since her fiancé called off their wedding with no explanation three years ago. She personally enjoys the peace found through animal therapy and believes in passing on the gift. When Erin meets Wade, she’s instantly drawn to his concern for his brother, as well as his kindness and charm. Wade treasures time spent with Erin. They both long for more, but Wade’s leaving for California soon and his brother’s needs come first. Will he take a chance on love before it’s too late?
USA Today Bestselling author, Lynne Marshall, used to worry she had a serious problem with daydreaming until she realized she was supposed to write those stories. A late bloomer, Lynne came to fiction writing after her children were nearly grown. Now she battles the empty nest by writing books which always include a love story and often medicine. She is a Southern California native, married to a New Englander for a long, long time. She is an adoring mother and grandmother, a dog lover, and an optimistic participant on this wild journey called life!
I loved writing the third installment of my sweet-romance, Charity, Montana series for Tule. Set in fall, my favorite season, Wade and Erin have a lot to figure out before Wade has to leave Montana for California. In the meantime, there is equine therapy for the moody teenage half-brother, a harvest festival with hayrides, horses, and a chili cook-off, a secret job, and finally, a very romantic public declaration of Wade's intentions. Think Hallmark! I'm excited Sweet Home Montana is now available for pre-order.
If you are looking for a sweet, gentle romance to curl up with on a cool fall evening, then look no further. This book has all the feel good elements with likable characters and a believable story line.
Erin and Wade are both nice people. I loved that their relationship moved in a realistic way from first attraction to friendship to more. It all felt very normal and natural. I thought the chili cook-off was a fun element and loved how it brought Wade and his brother closer together. There was a great feeling of community.
This is an easy reading, gentle story.
Content: kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
SWEET HOME MONTANA (Charity Montana Book 3) by author Lynne Marshall is a September 2018 release by Tule Publishing.
Erin Chase worked as an Equine Therapist at Healing Heart Acres. And in walked Wade Conrad with a sulky teenager. He was in desperate need of the Therapy Center and Erin’s help for his half-brother.
Erin felt attracted to Wade but she had lost trust in relationships after being left at the altar. She kept fighting her attraction. But what she didn’t know was Wade also was attracted to her. And so was Wade’s teenage brother. So what would Wade do now? Would he act on the chemistry flaring between them? Could he hurt his brother’s feelings?
SWEET HOME MONTANA (Charity Montana Book 3) is a sweet romance. I loved the setting. And I loved reading about the warm relationships between everyone. Author Lynne Marshall’s superb story-telling would hook a reader and keep them riveted in the story till the last page.
First, can we all just appreciate that cover for a moment?!? love it!
Next, Sweet Home Montana is a cute, sweet, and clean romance with engaging characters and some definite romantic chemistry at play. Erin is adorable – though perhaps her three-year-old niece Rosie has her beat in the cuteness department – and she’s the kind of heroine readers will instinctively want as a friend. She’s the kind of character we root for and immediately feel invested in. Wade is swoony and ‘real’ – meaning, he’s not one of those perfect book boyfriends who does everything right and never says something stupid. Instead his realistic flaws make him even more likable, in my opinion. And, while their romance build-up had a few too many moments where their gazes met and held meaningfully (in my opinion), the pacing felt realistic and was just so tender and sweet.
I enjoyed watching the gradual transformation in Wade and Brent’s strained brotherly relationship, especially the way that Brent’s volunteer work began to give him purpose and direction. Brent is typically teenage-moody and doesn’t make it easy for Wade, but neither does he make it impossible for him. Their chili cookoff preparation was fun to read about, too, and kept me grinning – especially at the ‘man’-ness of how they went about it all
Bottom Line: This is a sweet & cute romance set in more than one delightful small town with gorgeous scenery and a quirkiness apparently inherent to Montana. There is more ‘telling’ than i like (rather than showing me) and some of the Montana-isms felt a bit awkward with the flow of the story. But overall these characters will quickly win you over, and so does their story – thanks to Marshall’s warm writing voice and sweet plot. If you’re a fan of Hallmark movies, this is a great pick for your reading list!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
Sweet Home Montana is book three from the Charity, Montana series. I enjoyed this sweet story. I felt connected to Erin Chase from the start. I love that she worked at a horse therapy center. What a unique profession! I love it when she was interacting with Wade.
I give Sweet Home Montana four and a half stars. I want to go back and read the other books in the series in the near future.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
He's only supposed to be home for a couple of months to be guardian to his half brother. She's healing from a broken engagement and a wedding called off at the last minute. His brother needs help and she's a counselor at the Healing Heart Acres. When they see each other its instant attraction. Can they over come their emotional hurts to fall in love?
Erin has been working at the therapy ranch since going there to heal from what her fiance' did just before their wedding. Wade needs to connect with his half brother and build a realationship. When he brings him to the Healing Heart Acres both are immediately smitten. Erin hasn't felt these type of feelings for a man in along time. Since Wade and his brother are basically strangers because of the age difference and Wade putting distance between him and their father. Wade must disconnect from being so focused on his business. He volunteers along with his brother. His brother has a crush on Erin and they try to discourage him because of the age difference and its against the rules. They're very attracted to each other and try to ignore it. Erin confides in her sister and also applies for a virtual assistant job with Wade. She get the job. The brothers enter a charity chili cook-off and place second. This leads to Wade and Erin's first kiss. It kind of freaks Erin out. His bother doesn't like it. As they exchange emails for the job. His brother doesn't take the advice about the crush. As they spend more time together Erin and Wade reveal their pasts. As a thank you for keeping an eye on her niece he's asked to dinner. Her sister's family and Wade get along well. He gives Erin a gift and asks about a date. He goes to his pastor and asks advice. He talks to his brother about selling the chili for charity and dating Erin. When his brother freaks out about Erin they decide to not date. Erin checks out an apartment and she's Wade on the street kissing another woman. Her old insecurites surface. Wade begins to suspect that his virtual assistant and Erin are the same person. When their parents return and he decides to stay for awhile in Montana. Wade needs to talk to Erin especially after its revealed his brother's crush is no more. He's going to talk to a friend and sees Erin at the cafe'. He decides to test his idea of Erin and the virtual assistan are the same. He realizes they are and asks the assistant for help with a personal problem. He comes into the cafe' and they make up revealing their feelings and setting up that special date.
Sweet Home Montana continues the stories of the residents of Charity, Montana. They fall in love and believe in God. These are very sweet emotional stories that tug at your heart and fill you with joy when the characters come together and find the answers to there problems and their attraction becomes true love. Lynne Marshall writes from the heart and with emotion. I look forward to the fourth book in the Charity, Montana series.
Lately I have been in a phase of reading sweet romances that take place in a more country environment. There's just something so warm and inviting about those. This one was no exception. You start with that cover of the couple cuddling along the shoreline in their blanket, and you're already feeling warm and fuzzy. And then meeting all of the characters at an equine therapy center just adds to the warmth and beauty of the story that you know is going to come.
Erin is getting over a failed romance and is learning how to trust again. She's working as an equine therapist, as that helped her through her life turmoil of being left before her wedding. She is also helping to care for her young niece, as her sister has been injured and is on crutches with a full-leg cast. Walt has never forgiven his parents for getting divorced, especially not his father for moving on and starting a new family. His little half-brother Brent has a chip on his shoulder from being essentially abandoned by his parents so that his mother can fulfill her dream of being a star actress. Walt is forced into acting as his guardian, and the two barely know each other at this point. Teenagers are already a tricky breed, let alone having this wrinkle in their relationship.
Erin is 25, adorable, seemingly independent with a good head on her shoulders, and right smack in between the two brothers age-wise. Naturally both of them develop a crush on her. And of course, because a relationship between a 25-year-old and a 15-year-old is completely inappropriate, she inadvertently breaks Brent's heart as he has a huge crush on her. Not helping is the immediate attraction between Erin and Walt.
The two of them come from two different worlds. Not only is there a decade of difference in their ages (which really isn't a factor in good relationships in the adult world), but also he has not been a part of the small town life for a while and works mainly online with his internet business. She is a more hands-on kind of a person, though she was a part of the business world in her former life. And she is aching to get back to what she considers a sense of normalcy.
As Erin and Wade's lives weave together, there are naturally some bumps along the road. It's all about how they work through those struggles to understand each other and to nurture the relationship they find themselves embarking upon, in spite of their personal struggles.
This was the perfect book to curl up with on a cold and rainy fall day. I also kind of wish I would have had one of those Montana Mules to sip while reading along. Perhaps I shall make some when I check out the rest of the series, because now I want to know more about Charity, Montana.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There is an abundance of scenes in SWEET HOME MONTANA which are stirring because of believable circumstances and appealing characters. Lynne Marshall excels at creating situations that could actually occur in real life, and the events in this story can be moving or induce a big smile. I constantly felt as though I was watching a couple go through convincing highs and lows in their relationship, where feelings are sometimes hidden for the greater good. But as days pass and a timeline grows closer, some decisive choices will have to be made.
When Erin Chase first came to Healing Heart Acres, she needed the emotional assistance offered to anyone who was a client at the center which used horses for therapy. Three years later, she is helping others in their quest to be a more confident person by picking out activities personally chosen for them. One of the people with whom she will be working is the half-brother of Wade Conrad, who is in charge of the teenager for several weeks. Hopefully, taking Brent to the center will make a big difference in his surly attitude and perhaps bring the two closer. What Wade did not count on was for him to want more time with Erin, too.
From laugh-filled events to touching dilemmas, I was pulled into the lives of two people who find themselves unexpectedly captivated with one another. After her engagement suddenly ended, Erin had a hard time having faith in other people, and may still doubt her current decisions. Meeting Wade brings some cheer into her life, but being able to fully trust him will be difficult. Neither has he experienced many bright spots lately, but his brother’s therapist has him seeing things differently. I really enjoyed discovering if Wade and Erin could work through any problems that would keep a relationship from ever forming.
Wade only came back to his hometown in order to carry out his father’s wishes, never thinking his life would change so much in just a few weeks. His half-brother is practically a stranger, and they face a large number of hurdles before feeling like a family. The author certainly made the behavior of Brent come across as genuine, regardless of what was occurring. Some of the local residents make an appearance from time to time, and the fall festivities made me wish this delightful location could really be visited. What takes place at Healing Heart Acres was depicted with realism plus often insightful moments, and I was intrigued by many of the happenings related to the center. I was entertained at all times by SWEET HOME MONTANA, the latest story in the Charity, Montana series.
I voluntarily reviewed the book, and all comments are my honest opinion - 4.5 Stars
The power of forgiveness is strong on this return trip to Charity, Montana! With the next in her beloved series, Lynne Marshall brings us the story of two hearts who each have had their share of despair and disappointment in their lives but who both happen to be at a point where they can see that it's time to move past the bitterness to see how bright the future is on the other side. The characters spend time together connecting with his brother, and in turn confide in each other about the past. Their courtship only officially starts at the end of the book, but we're left believing they've found their soul mate. Subtle, sweet and satisfying!
Wade Conrad didn't really expect to find himself back home in Montana right about now. He left the turmoil of home when it was time to head to college and basically never looked back. Years have passed and he's held onto his grudges, right or wrong. When his father reaches out to him to see if he can home and spend a little time with his little brother, he finds it hard to resist. He doesn't really know Brent, and the more time they spend together, the more he realizes he needs some help connecting with him. A recommendation to the Healing Heart Acres equestrian therapy center turns out to work wonders!
Erin Chase has been volunteering at the center for a few years now. She was drawn to the area when her fiancee unexpectedly called off the wedding and left her feeling lost and overwhelmed. She enjoys the comfort of the country air, the gentleness of the animals and the satisfaction helping others brings to her. When she meets Wade and his brother, the attraction between them is quick to flare, but he's returning to California soon. Is there any hope for a future if they give in to temptation?
Erin and Wade are likable characters. Wade, an entrepreneur, is acting as a temporary guardian for the much-younger half-brother he hardly knows, and things aren't going well. On a suggestion from his pastor, he brings Brent to an equine therapy center, where of course he meets Erin. Erin was *this* close to her business degree when a failed relationship threw her life off track. Her boss at the therapy center has been trying to gently push her back to her chosen vocation with little success. Then Wade shows up at the center, tempting her in more than one way--with the possibility of a relationship, and with a new job. Can she manage both? Should she?
I haven't read the other two books in the series (yet!), but Sweet Home Montana worked just fine as a standalone. I really enjoyed Erin and Wade's story, and was rooting for them to work things out from the very first page. The complications along the way were believable, and though resolved a bit easily, everything was still plausible. The secondary characters--including Brent, Rosie, and Diana--made the story feel well-rounded and Charity, Montana seem like a place I'd love to visit--and eat some pie. And maybe a bowl of chili...
Rating: 4 stars / B
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Book three in the Charity Montana series, Sweet Home Montana is a heartwarming small town contemporary romance. The story is largely set at the Healing Heart Acres farm run by volunteers and offering a place for people to learn about themselves and how to develop relationships with others through animal therapy. Erin Clark is a volunteer at the property, helping to care for the animals, supervising clients and helping them learn how to relate to the horses they are there to groom. She started as a client after being jilted by her fiancé just before their wedding and is still feeling a little uncertain about men as this story opens. Wade has come back to Charity for a few weeks to look after his teenage half brother while his father and new wife are overseas for work. Wade hasn’t had a good relationship with his father for a long time, having resented him for divorcing his mother and subsequently marrying a much younger woman. He hasn’t ever had a chance to get to know his brother Brent and there is a degree of distrust and resentment between the two as the story opens. As Wade and Erin begin to fall in love and Brent learns how to interact with the horses he is grooming we see broken relationships healed and the importance of family stressed, but this story also strongly encompasses the “love thy neighbour” theme. It is definitely a Christian romance and while Christian values are prominent throughout they are not thrust down the reader’s throat. The result is a pleasant, feel-good story which I enjoyed.
"Sweet Home, Montana" (Charity, Montana Book 3) is a very romantic story with an appealing, compassionate heroine and a most swoon-worthy hero! With her typically stellar storytelling skills, author Lynne Marshall takes us once again to Charity, Montana, a community that embraces its own and makes newcomers feel right at home. Erin Chase is doing her best to leave past hurts behind and make a fresh start as a certified equestrian therapist at Healing Heart Acres, the equestrian therapy center. Wade Conrad has come home to the area to watch over his teen-aged half-brother, Brent, while their father and his second wife are out of the country. Wade had left home at a young age when his father divorced his mother and remarried. Now he has come full circle--it's time to mend fences and move forward. Involving Brent in the equestrian center seems like a good idea. Animals have a way of bringing what's really important into clear focus. Wade has no idea that he will not only bring a much-needed closeness to his relationship with Brent, but he will meet a sweet, pretty young woman named Erin who will quickly change the beat of his businessman's heart. I really became involved with following these characters and reading on to see how this engaging story line would resolve itself. Lynne Marshall always adds such interesting details, and the thoughts and emotions of the characters are so real that you are right there with them in their lives. This is contemporary romantic fiction at its best. Be sure to read the first two books in the series: "Her Baby, His Love", and "Their Christmas Miracle".
I can really picture this book becoming a movie on the Hallmark channel. There is the pretty, compassionate girl who offers troubled people help and hope through an equestrian therapy program, a handsome man who reluctantly agrees to spend a few months with a younger half-brother he barely knows and a troubled teenager who initially balks at receiving attention from his half-brother. Include a teenage crush on this pretty but older therapist with the older brother's interest in the same woman and you know that trouble is guaranteed. Add the two adults who both have been hurt by past relationships, stir in their undeniable attraction for each other and you have the perfect recipe for a wonderful romance until.... the older brother puts his feelings on hold so that his relationship with his brother isn't jeopardized. Suddenly, nothing is easy and the road to romance and happiness becomes filled with many bumps along the way and perhaps a dead end!
I truly enjoyed watching Erin and Wade progress from friendship to something more. Wade's initial reluctance to be with his half-brother was the result of his own parent's divorce and it was heartwarming to watch the relationship between Wade and Brent evolve. Author Lynne Marshall has an amazing talent of creating characters who are likeable and believable, she puts them in situations that are intriguing but realistic and places them in settings that make you want to visit. Sweet Home Montana is a romantic, feel-good story and it may make you wish that Charity, Montana was your own home sweet home!
I received a complimentary digital copy but a positive review wasn't required. These are my honest opinions.
If, like me, you enjoy small town community setting for delightful, heartwarming romance, look no further - go grab yourself a copy of this lovely book to read! Set in Charity, Montana, Erin Chase returned there after her fiancé called off their wedding, leaving her heartbroken and with everything to sort out. She’s working as an equine therapist at Healing Heart Acres and, although she’s there to help others, it has also helped her to heal, too. When Wade Conrad brings his sullen teenage half-brother, Brent, to the centre Wade is so relieved when she actually manages to break through to the teen and encourages him to join in events and activities at the centre. There’s attraction between them but Wade’s only there for a couple of months to look after Brent, is it worth taking a chance on love?
This is a splendid story involving half brothers getting to know each other, sibling rivalry, horses, therapy, healing and romance. It is an engaging read with laugh out loud moments, a cooking contest and plenty of wariness and uncertainty before the dramatic confession and possibility of a HEA. I have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys reading of family dramas and healing as well as romance.
I requested and was given a copy of this book, via NetGalley. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.
Thank you NetGally for allowing me to read this copy of "sweet home Montana" but Lynne Marshall. I'm pushing my self to read different Genres lately that i don't normally go too, and recently historical romance was one, paranormal romance now its contemporary. I always thought it wasn't my thing, but this book proved me wrong! I Loved it! I give this book a 4.5 out 5, it made me feel good from beginning to end. It had so many elements to it that made me like it so much, from wade coming back to his home town and working on his relationship with not only his bother but his father also who hes holding a grudge about after many years. You see him do a lot of growth in this book from the beginning the book right till the end, and he just keeps on getting better and better. Erin was also so likable and i feel like she did more of her growth in her back story with the animals and the therapy they offered. But it made it just right for her to push her self out of her comfort zone and to help others along the way. This book should been made in a hallmark fall movie, i think it would be perfect. i would for sure recommend this book to someone if there looking for feel good love.
"Sweet Home Montana (Charity, Montana Book 3)" by Lynne Marshall is a great, clean romance that reminds me of what a romance book is all about. The way the author writes this story it makes you feel like you're part of the community, and these people are friends. Wade Conrad has come home to be a temporary guardian to his 1/2 brother Brent. They do not know each other since Wade's father divorced Wade's Mom and married someone 2 years older than Wade. For therapy they were told about 'Healing Heart acres' and meet Erin Chase. Brent takes a shining to Erin but he's 15 and she's 25 so she put the reins on it right away. It doesn't stop Erin from wanting to be with Wade but she is dealing with her ghosts of the past. Just a feel good book that has keeps you enthralled from start to finish.
Beneath the big Montana sky, two unlikely people are brought together by a moody teenager and a home for abused animals. Their connection is almost instantaneous but they live in different worlds (not to mention different states).
Wade is the temporary guardian in charge of his brother—the one he barely he barely knows since he’s found excuses to stay away from home—for a couple months. Erin is stuck in her humiliating experience, stalled in living her life to its full potential.
Lynne Marshall gives readers a taste of small-town Montana life (and made me crave some huckleberry pie in the process) in this sweet romance. As both Wade and Erin ease from the grasp their pasts have on them, their futures stretch brightly before them if they are willing to take the risk.
Sweet Home Montana is a read to snuggle up with in front of a fire or under that plaid flannel blanket. Get ready for a little romance this fall.
Disclosure statement: I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Sweet Home Montana is such a really good read. Author Lynne Marshall gives us a wonderful clean romance that touches the hearts of reminds us that we need to gather our family together if possible. Wade and his half brother haven't grown up together and now he is needed to help the 15 yr old while their dad and the step mom is out of the country. The boys end up meeting a gal who they both have eyes for. Let's just say there is lots of story there. I enjoyed so much of this book from the critters to the chili cook off ... and even the way the siblings interacted. Really good read. It's plumb.
I voluntarily read a advanced reader's copy of this book for a honest opinion.
Sweet Home Montana by Lynne Marshall. A great addition to The Charity, Montana series. I enjoyed the small town, the connection between the characters, dialogue and storyline. A heart-warming story that pulled me in.
This is another really good read from Lynne it is the third book in the series but can be read as a standalone. If like me you love a good sweet small-town romance then you will really enjoy Erin and Chase's story it is really well written with good likable characters that just you cannot help but like it was also a lot of fun and had me chuckling at times I really liked this book.
Awww what another great read from Lynne. Wade and Erin's story is sweet and full of healing and young crushes also finding there way back to family and that’s always a good read in my book. Brent who is Wade's young half-brother is 15 going on 30 lol but I like him despite his sullen outlook he brings out the next in Wade I think as well as Erin, I loved Rosie she's Erins young niece. Don’t know if this is the last of this series I hope not
If you're ready to swoon and sigh, pick up Sweet Home Montana.
Wade and Erin were easy to root for and the complications standing their way felt real and believable. This is my first book by this author, but definitely not my last.
Very enjoyable sweet read. It has a pleasing storyline and it's well written. Loved all the characters especially Wade and how hard he tries with his brother. Erin and Wade's romance is slow and sweet making everything completely believable and fun to read. I definitely recommend.
The story of Wade and Erin was very sweet and believable. Also, the back story of Wade's family was interesting and well developed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
"Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review" “Sweet Home Montana” is the third book of Lynne Marshall’s series set in Charity, Montana, and is another heartwarming story about romantic love and family bonds. It’s a surprisingly different tale about half brothers taking a step towards bonding, a young man – the hero, Wade - assuming the big brother role and letting go of old grudges in a new family after divorce. I loved Lynne Marshall’s depiction of Brent, the sullen teen with a chip on his shoulder. His volatile temperament and personality, his stubbornness and endearing and irritating crush on Erin are so typically adolescent and sweet. The siblings’ relationship development is wonderfully portrayed, as was the healing between Wade and his father. The romance between Wade and Erin was not as alluring to me as the previous stories in this series. Wade is endearing as a common, steady hero, and while I loved him while he was rebuilding the relationship with his 15-year old brother, he lacks the edge I usually like in my heroes. I liked Erin but the secrecy about the job was something I couldn’t totally understand. I really enjoyed the small-town ambience and the glimpses on Hunter, the fabulous hero in the previous story, whom I’ve loved, Tracy, and their small family. I'm grateful to the publisher, Tule Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
Sweet Home Montana is just that: sweet. The story is wrapped around the hard reunion of an older half-brother, Wade, with his younger half-brother, Brent, who barely knows him. Their local chaplain suggests having Benton volunteer at a local ranch which works with kids who need to learn trust. Wade exited the family after his parent’s divorce and now has a ton of work to do in order to gain Brent’s trust and a relationship. Working at the ranch is Erin, who not only catches Wade’s eye but also Benton’s (even though she is ten years older). Erin has her own story to tell that tempers her life. Brent stymies Wade and Erin’s budding romance but time can change everything.
I really enjoyed this story but it stopped too soon! Beautiful setting, good people, a therapy ranch and romance made an enjoyable story come alive. Less repetition of the dilemna causing drama would have been better but characters like Erin/Lucinda and Wade made it work. All three Charity, Montana books have been a pleasure to read.
Sweet Home Montana by Lynne Marshall Charity, Montana, Book 3 Entrepreneur Wade Conrad is called home to act as a temporary guardian for his teenage half-brother, who’s acting out and needs strong guidance. Wade feels they are both floundering, so he seeks help for Brent at Healing Heart Acres, an equine therapy center. Erin Chase has been working as an equine therapist since her fiancé called off their wedding with no explanation three years ago. She personally enjoys the peace found through animal therapy and enjoys passing on the gift. When Erin meets Wade, she’s instantly drawn to his concern for his brother, as well as his kindness and charm. Wade enjoys time spent with Erin. They both long for more, but Wade’s leaving for California soon and his brother’s needs come first. Will he take a chance on love before it’s too late? This is Erin Chase and Wade Conrad's story. Erin Chase took the day’s schedule from her work cubby in the office and perused it. Dr. Anderson had assigned Erin to giving the next tour for new visitors again. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the job, or that she didn’t understand the importance of explaining the purpose of Healing Heart Acres to potential clients and volunteers. It was because of a little-known fact that Dr. Anderson knew about her and chose to overlook. Erin had become an introvert, who preferred to be alone, working with the animals, not schmoozing with guests. Or humans in general. Except for maybe her three-year-old niece. There was something Dr. Anderson didn’t know though—Erin hadn’t always been that way. She had been volunteering at the acres, as the crew called it, for three years, and Dr. Anderson insisted it was time to move on. To finish that degree in business. Get a job that paid more. In the real world. For Erin, Healing Heart Acres was as real world as she wanted to be. Because it was the place that helped put broken people back together. A flashy silver sedan drove up and parked in the lot, and a father-son duo straight out of the pages of Gentleman’s Quarterly magazine got out. The son was sullen, casting a suspicious gaze, as if thinking this was the dumbest idea he’d ever heard of. Breaking with GQ chic, he wore a silly knit cap that stood out for two reasons; it wasn’t that cold and there was a moose face on it. It took confidence to pull off the look. The father seemed determined, as many parents were when they arrived, usually after having Healing Heart Acres recommended by someone in the professional community—a teacher, therapist, or pastor. The parents often arrived hoping to find the magic solution to help their kid. Erin knew the look, even though it was on an exceptionally young-looking father’s face. She concentrated on the teen, the reason for them being here. According to the guest list, he was coming for equine therapy. Would Healing Heart provide what they needed? “I’m Wade Conrad. Grew up in Charity, around an hour from here. Heard about Healing Heart Acres and wanted to check it out.” I highly recommend reading. "I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book." I am looking forward to reading more books by Lynne Marshall. Sweet Home Montana by Lynne Marshall is a wonderful well written 5 star book. Lynne's Books with Tule: Her Baby, His Love Charity, Montana Their Christmas Miracle Charity, Montana Sweet Home Montana Charity, Montana
Sweet Home Montana brings three people together who are each broken in their own ways by life and circumstances. They each have a good chance at happiness individually, as a couple and as part of a larger family. But in order to find that happiness they’ll need to learn to trust, and let go of the past… and that’s not always easy to do. Erin lost her ability to trust when the man she was to marry left her basically at the altar with no explanation. She’s found peace working with equine therapy both for herself and for others. Healing Heart Acres has done wonders for her and she strongly believes that it can help others. She may not be completely whole yet, but she is far better than she once was. Which is why when Wade brings his half-brother, Brent, to the center for help Erin is convinced they can help them both. She couldn’t have known how tightly bound their futures were about to become
An emotionally powerful story, Sweet Home Montana slowly unfolds layers in Erin, Wade, and Brent’s lives to allow for healing to begin. There’s no magic, there is understanding and facing what happened in the past and dealing with it realistically. It is a compelling story as we watch these characters grow, learn, and let go of their pasts and begin to let trust, acceptance and even hope have a place in their hearts. It’s not easy, anyone who has dealt with a teenager in rebellion knows that — but it is possible with the right words, tools and compassion.
Wade and Erin work as a couple, they have a rocky road to their happiness but the attraction and respect is obvious. Brent has some growing up to do, he can’t have things his way always and that lesson is part of the growing pains of youth. Watching the brothers form a relationship was emotional as well – there is a lot of pain in this trio, and seeing them at the ending as happier, more secure people was worth what they had to go through to get there.
I enjoyed this story. It touches on deeper issues in a realistic way, yet also allows for lightheartedness and some truly fun moments as well. I would recommend Sweet Home Montana to any Romance reader who enjoys going a bit deeper into the issues that cause our reactions, and watching that moment of happiness emerge like a battle well fought.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I read book one in the series last year and enjoyed it. This too was a terrific read. We meet Wade and his half brother Brent who was suggested to go to Healing Acres for therapy and volunteer work as he has been acting out. Wade and Brent’s father and his wife have to go where she is making a movie in Croatia for a few months. Wade and his family have been estranged since his parents divorced. Wade’s father asks him to come stay with his 15 year old brother. Wade is much older. At Healing Acres they meet Erin who works there and both are drawn to her. Erin came to the camp after her fiancé cancelled their wedding a few years prior. Wade and Brent bond over the activities at the camp and Wade is drawn romantically to Erin. It appears the feelings are mutual. Wade needs to hire a virtual assistant for his computer company and Erin applies under a dummy name and gets hired. The book goes into more detail about the interactions between the main characters and other secondary characters in the book. I wished the book had been a little longer and more detailed on the relationship between Wade and Erin. I recommend this enjoyable series.