A Montana Sky Series Boxed Set by Debra Holland, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
In 1895, three sisters leave Ireland for life in Sweetwater Springs, Montana.
Book One: A Valentine'S Choice Book Two: An Irish Blessing Book Three: A Rolling Stong
A VALENTINE'S CHOICE
Bridget O’Donnell left Ireland, dragging along her reluctant twin sister Alana, to create a better life in the new world. The sisters travel to Sweetwater Springs, Montana, intending to live with their uncle’s family. Upon arrival, their plans are derailed by news of their aunt’s illness. James Whitson, a cowboy on the Thompson ranch, is in town to drop off a letter at the train station. When he meets the twins, he’s immediately smitten with Bridget. Hearing their dilemma, he offers to drive the sisters to the ranch to stay with their cousin who’s married one of the other cowboys.
Also visiting the ranch is horse breeder Patrick Gallagher. Bridget is attracted to Patrick, for his dark, handsome looks and magnificent black stallion, but is also drawn to down-to-earth James for his kindness and understanding.
Valentine’s Day is coming, and soon Bridget will have to choose between her two suitors.
AN IRISH BLESSING
Healer Alana O’Donnell travels to her uncle’s home on the prairie outside of Sweetwater Springs to nurse her ailing aunt, leaving her twin Bridget behind at the Thompson ranch.
After Bridget rejected his marriage proposal, horse rancher Patrick O’Brian visits Alana, thinking one twin would probably be as good as the other. But Alana’s already in love with another man. After a second rejection, Patrick retreats.
An attack by outlaws leads to a second chance at love. But only if they can overcome the hurts of the past and open their hearts again.
A ROLLING STONE
Abandoned by the father of her illegitimate baby and pretending to be a widow, Catriona O’Donnell leaves Ireland to find her twin sisters in America. She intends to put her wild past behind her and, once united with her sisters, establish roots and make a home for her unwanted child.
Moss Callahan has a bad case of wanderlust, drifting from job to job on a quest for new horizons and interesting adventures. On the point of moving on from Sweetwater Springs, Montana, he encounters Catriona, who faints into his arms, forcing him to return to the Thompson ranch where the doctor is attending the wedding of the twins.
Moss feels responsible for the beautiful widow and her baby, and his attraction to her grows. But his wooing won’t be easy, for Catriona is bitter and wants nothing to do with men, especially handsome rascals who won’t settle down.
THE 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
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.
I listened to the audible version this weekend. It was sweet. A feel good book. I liked the scene from the first book of James and the children making Valentines as well as the romances for the other sisters. Alana’s bravery and strength in healing was empowering.
A Valentine's Choice by Debra Holland A lovely historical novella. Love at first sight or just practical arrangements in the old west when women were not plentiful? I say love and this author portrays those feelings in the hero and heroine in this story. Instant attraction. So lovely.
Excerpt "There's the smile I was hoping for. He liked how Bridget called him Jamie, the word taking on a different cadence when uttered in a musical Irish accent. Although he might have to beat up a man who called him Jamie, the name coming from her seemed intimate. With a sense of longing, he wondered if he would ever hear whisper his name while they were together in the dark of night." Excerpt from A Valentine's Choice by Debra Holland
An Irish Blessing by Debra Holland What started out as practical in Patrick's eyes, one twin being as good as another to marry, soon turns into protectiveness, admiration and then love. This love story has a lot of depth. Both Patrick and Alana have been rejected in the past. They have to learn how to get past the rejection and live up to their current relationships. What's especially fun is well-off Patrick doing household work like laundry and washing windows and acknowledging that perhaps women should be able to vote and perhaps even running the government.
A touching and thoughtful historical romance. Plus indoor plumbing is a huge selling point to Alana. I have to agree. And weirdly, this is the first time I want to look ahead fifty years or a couple of generations to find out what historical impact this couple had on changing patterns in society.
A Rolling Stone by Debra Holland Sweet historical romance. This is the third in a trilogy which is also part of the Sweetwater Springs, Mystic Sky series. The third sister travels to Montana thinking the three will live together and make their own family. Surprised to walk in on the weddings of her two sisters, she must make alternate decisions. And although she has given up in men, she finds Moss Callahan quite charming.
I didn't like Catriona initially. She seemed self centered and vain. At one point she actually thinks to herself that she doesn't want to marry a "poor" cowboy. It actually took the hero Moss to put her behavior in perspective. She was grieving for her mother and felt left out to of the twins close connection. She certainly grew emotionally in the story and the fact that she helps with all the chores redeems her a bit. In the end it's a sweet romance that leaves you contented with the "happily ever after".
I don't think Debra Holland is my cup of tea. The first two stories in this book were sweet but dull and I disliked the sister in the third one so much it was a dnf. I'll avoid her in the future.
This was a sweet story about the twin O'Donnell sisters who have come to the Montana frontier. Bridget has taken responsibility for moving with her sister from Ireland to be with her uncle's family near Sweetwater Springs, Montana. After a long journey, they learn illness has befallen their aunt, so Bridget stays on a neighboring ranch with her cousin while her sister Alana goes to nurse their aunt. This gives Bridget a change to get to know handsome, kind cowboy James and wealthy, confident horseman Patrick better. With Valentine's Day coming up and a shortage of ladies on the frontier, can a proposal be on the horizon?
I enjoyed all the details of the traveling methods of the day and life on the ranch. I felt like I was getting a glimpse of life on the frontier. The romance was sweet, and it was neat to see how each man tried to put their best foot forward for Bridget.
An Irish Blessing:
Alana reluctantly left Ireland with her twin sister Bridget after her parents died, but she left her heart behind. The twins had planned on staying with their uncle's family, but when they learn their aunt is sick, Alana, the healer, is sent to help her aunt, while Bridget stays with her cousin on a neighboring ranch. Before leaving, Alana meets Patrick, a confident, wealthy horse rancher, who looks to be making a play for her sister. As she nurses her aunt back to health, Alana tries to accept her new life in Montana, but she still pines for her Irish sweetheart. When Patrick shows up at her uncle's place, claiming just to want to share the news of her cousin's health and her sister's upcoming wedding, Alana is a little suspicious. Since Bridget rejected him, does he think she'll do just as well as a wife? Spending a little more time with him, Alana has to admit he's not such a bad guy, but that doesn't mean she's ready to forget her heartache or her fear of horses.
I enjoyed this sweet romance that had both the hero and heroine putting aside their past prejudices and getting to know each other better. The details about Alana's healing methods and knowledge and the workings of a frontier household were also very interesting. I'm also intrigued by the female sheriff in the story, so I hope there's more about her in another book in the series.
A Rolling Stone:
This was a nice conclusion to the Irish Sisters Trilogy with the absent Catriona finally making her way to America to be with her sisters. She has made a lot of mistakes in the past and is hoping to put them behind her and make a new life for herself and her baby. She's pretending to be a widow to hide her shame, and she wants nothing to do with men, especially handsome, sweet-talking, cowboys who are prone to wander from ranch to ranch. Even though Moss had decided to leave the ranch to get away from "wedding fever," the minute he sees Cat, he's smitten. It's only right he take her back to the ranch to be with her sisters on their big day.
I liked the sweet romance between Cat and Moss, as they both learned to put their past behind them. I thought it was a little unrealistic and annoying that the wedding was delayed for hours at one point. I am interested in all the other characters in this Montana community, so I'll probably be reading more in this series.
I listened to the audiobook version of this trilogy. The novellas moved along at a good pace and took about 3.5 to 4 hours each. The female narrator did a good job with the characters, but I am just not convinced by her Irish accent.
THE IRISH SISTERS TRILOGY of Novellas: A VALENTINE’S CHOICE, AN IRISH BLESSING, and A ROLLING STONE
This is a well-written set of novellas that, together, make up a sweet story of three sisters from Ireland and their new home in Montana at the end of the 19th century. Because they are short, the love between the hero and heroine comes pretty quickly. I would love to read a full-length novel by this author. I think you will enjoy these short reads!
Book #1- A Valentine’s Choice
Set in 1895, this is the story of Bridget O’Donnell who left Ireland along with her twin sister, Alana, to create a better life. The sisters travel to Sweetwater Springs, Montana, and their uncle’s family. Because of their aunt’s sickness, they are diverted to the nearby Thompson ranch.
James Whitson, a cowboy on the Thompson ranch, is in town to drop off a letter at the train station when he meets the twins. He’s immediately smitten with Bridget and decides to court her. Also visiting the Thompson ranch is horse breeder Patrick Gallagher, owner of a magnificent black Thoroughbred. He, too, thinks to snag Bridget. She will have to choose between them.
Book #2 – An Irish Blessing
Bridget’s twin sister, Alana, a healer, leaves her sister for her uncle’s home on the prairie outside of Sweetwater Springs where she is needed to nurse her ailing aunt. After Bridget rejected Patrick Gallagher’s marriage proposal, he visits Alana, thinking one twin would probably be as good as the other. But Alana rejects his suit and Patrick retreats, realizing he really likes Alana. An attack by outlaws on his way to town gives them a second chance at love.
Book#3 – A Rolling Stone
Meanwhile, back in Ireland, Bridget and Alana’s sister, Catriona, has been abandoned by the father of her illegitimate baby. Pretending to be a widow, she leaves Ireland to find her twin sisters in America, intending to put her wild past behind her. Once united with her sisters, she wants to establish roots and make a home for her child.
Moss Callahan has a bad case of wanderlust, drifting from job to job on a quest for new horizons and interesting adventures. On the point of moving on from Sweetwater Springs, he encounters Catriona, who faints into his arms, forcing him to return to the Thompson ranch where the doctor is attending the wedding of the twins.
Moss feels responsible for the beautiful widow and her baby, and his attraction to her grows. But Catriona is bitter and wants nothing to do with men, especially someone like Moss who won’t settle down.
I love this trilogy. Bridget and Alana O'Donnell leave Ireland and make the long trip to America to stay with their uncle and his family. They left Catriona in Ireland. Not by choice, but because she has run away with a peddler and they didn't know where she was. As Bridget settles into life in Sweetwater Springs, she is being courted by two men, James and Patrick. James is a cowboy and Patrick well off so James thinks Patrick will have a leg up on him. He has to do something to make sure that Bridget will be his. He doesn't have much to offer except his love.
Alana goes to stay with her uncle to help nurse his wife back to health. She does help her aunt, but she also is in need of healing. She really didn't want to leave Ireland because she would be leaving her true love behind. As she spends more time with her family and Patrick, she realizes that she is healing. Will she be able to let her love and Ireland go so that she can make a new live in America and maybe with Patrick?
Surprise! Catriona shows up in Sweetwater Springs unannounced. She is feeling so alone and ashamed. She is pregnant and has no husband. Her sisters will be happy to live with her and the baby and make a nice life together. Won't they? As she gets to the station, she faints in Moss' arms. He is a cowboy from the ranch where her sisters are living. He will not be caught in the wedding trap like the other men, but once he sees Catriona, he is sure his wandering days are over. Catriona is so done with men and even though Moss seems like a good man, she doesn't want anything to do with him. The more time they spend together, the more she likes him. What will he think when he knows the truth about the baby? She has been telling everyone that she is a widow and is sure that she will be shunned once everyone knows the truth. How can she move on in this strange land?
Oh, I've missed Sweetwater Springs! This is the first book in the Irish Sisters mini series set into the Montana Sky series! I loved the immediate comfort and draw these two had for each other! And that proposal was awesone!
An Irish Blessing
Her goodbye poem to Timkin, is one of my favorite songs I remember from High School! The Irish have such a beautiful way with words! I loved the encouragement of her Aunt and Uncle, without their pushiness! I hope they decide to move to Sweetwater Springs!
A Rolling Stone
A Prodical Sister returns to her family, but not her childhood home in Ireland, her remaining family, which is her twin sisters, who moved to Sweetwater Springs, a few months ago, and her extended family in Montana, which includes amongst others, a few brothers in law all welcome her with open arms! Especially her groom, only they both fight it tooth and nail! A delightful tail of running from your past and running towards your future! I just wish we finally had the answer of where everyone would finally live!
I was not totally sure I wanted to read about Irish girls coming to America but all it took was the first chapter and I was hooked. This kept my attention to the point that I took my Kindle with me everywhere. I waited for my great grandson and read, go to the doctor's office and read. I have been disappointed is some Irish stories but this was the best one I ever read. She kept my imagination busy with the story of the twins. I could see the area they settled in and the adventures they had in my mind.
The Irish sisters is three terrific stories about three interesting sisters who immigrated to America to escape impending poverty and unpleasant memories. Within a short time of their arrival in Sweetwater Springs, each had their lives turned upside down. In a good way!!! It was a joy to spend a few days reading these books. I'm sure you too will enjoy your time with Bridget, Alana and Citriona.
Especially for those readers who are familiar with Sweetwater Springs and its denizens, this is an enjoyable read. Three sisters find new lives and love in Montana after leaving Ireland.
If you aren’t familiar with this set off characters, I encourage you to start at the beginning.
Sweet romance featuring sassy Irish lasses. Very quick read with characters you root for. The stories do not really go into any real depth, but it is a compilation of novellas. The O'Donnell sisters are very close and yet ready for love. Now I want to read the entire series.
If you're looking for a tale to make you all mushy and teary eyed, this is it. There's plenty of heartbreak, love, and happy endings. I loved that these were all related stories of the sisters. If you want complete historical accuracy, read a biography. This is fiction, and any inaccuracies are fine with me. Loved it.
Three lovely novellas about three sisters who left Ireland in search of a fresh start. While these can be enjoyed on their own, I highly recommend that you read the rest of the Montana Sky Series, you'll fall in love with the characters and become invested in their lives.
The Irish Sisters Trilogy: Box Set ( Montana Sky Series)
The love stories of the O'Donnell sisters. Three sisters come from Ireland to Sweet Water, Montana and find love with the three cowboys. The twin come first then the older sister. Great stories.
Some authors have the ability and insight to not only spin a good story, but to make the people so real that it draws you into their hopes and dreams. This trilogy has that effect. Enjoy 👍👍👍💜
Loved the characters. The story was exciting and didn’t drag. The authors descriptions were so well done I could feel the emotions, smell the food, and think with an Irish accent!