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Mountain Man
Tom only made the four-hour drive from his claim to Keno City once a year, and he was only stopped at the mercantile long enough to load up his supplies before he got back on the road and tried to beat Winter in a race home. The good news was, he made it back to his cabin just as the storm that would seal him up for the next six months touched down.
The bad news was, there was a woman tucked in the trailer right between the coffee and the canned peaches, and Tom was pretty sure she hadn't been on the shopping list when he was reading it off at the store. Blonde hair, blue eyes, too much spirit and not enough sense Nora was everything a placer miner did NOT need complicating his life. Tom had six months before the snow melted and he could take her back to town and find someone else's doorstep to dump her on...six months to take feisty Nora in hand...if his hand didn't tire out first.
The bad news was, there was a woman tucked in the trailer right between the coffee and the canned peaches, and Tom was pretty sure she hadn't been on the shopping list when he was reading it off at the store. Blonde hair, blue eyes, too much spirit and not enough sense Nora was everything a placer miner did NOT need complicating his life. Tom had six months before the snow melted and he could take her back to town and find someone else's doorstep to dump her on...six months to take feisty Nora in hand...if his hand didn't tire out first.
119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2009
54 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Maren Smith
153 books1,130 followersFortunate enough to live with my Daddy Dom, I am a Little, coffee fanatic, dog and cat mom, was an administrator for six years at my local BDSM dungeon, and have since become a Utah resident and submissive to the love of my life. An International and USA Bestselling Author several times over, I have penned more than 160 novels, novellas and short stories, and am the author of the Masters of the Castle and Daddy’s Little series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 9, 2019
Not only snow melts in the spring
Nora runs from her abusive boyfriend and get stuck in the middle of nowhere, Canada with a gruff and grumpy Tom. Talking about out of the frying pan into the fire!
Now Nora must survive the unforgiving Canadian winter and the dangers of the wild.
Tom doesn’t like people and he sure as hell never ask for ‘naughty Nora’ to sneak into his trailer. He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened to his younger brother, so he uses his all to keep Nora safe until he can get her away from his mountain and out of his life.
Both characters are well developed and they grow during their journey. The story is entertaining and kept me turning the pages.
Nora runs from her abusive boyfriend and get stuck in the middle of nowhere, Canada with a gruff and grumpy Tom. Talking about out of the frying pan into the fire!
Now Nora must survive the unforgiving Canadian winter and the dangers of the wild.
Tom doesn’t like people and he sure as hell never ask for ‘naughty Nora’ to sneak into his trailer. He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened to his younger brother, so he uses his all to keep Nora safe until he can get her away from his mountain and out of his life.
Both characters are well developed and they grow during their journey. The story is entertaining and kept me turning the pages.
August 6, 2025
An interesting book that had me engaged, also, thinking about some of the author's choices!
MMC is a legit mountain man. He's not a recluse, or a rich guy that wanted to stay alone in a state of the art cabin. No, he's an old fashioned miner with an outhouse for a bathroom, no electricity or inner plumbing. He have been leading that life for 15 years since he has been a teenager.
Once a year: precisely before winter hit he would go town and buy his yearly provisions. A town that has a 25 people as locals. And I very much liked the realness of those dire and semi-primitive conditions.
While in town getting his provisions, he sees two tourists who are a couple. The man is verbally abusing his girlfriend who's the FMC. MMC did not intervene and when he got back to his secluded cabin barely escaping a sudden wild winter storm he found out that FMC is hiding in his truck with a split lip, one swollen eye shut and close to hypothermia.
His first instinct was to get rid of her because he likes his routine, and it's a really pain in the ass to take care of a human so used to city life. But he knew she wouldn't survive and was obliged to take her in for 6 months until winter is over.
The dynamic between MCs was genuine in regards with their conditions and upbrings. The romance was not full-blast. In a way: this is a clean romance because there are no detailed sex scenes. You just know, and that was well done, I appreciated it.
Going into the novel: I discovered that the author is into spanking as a discipline devise not as a sexual kink or a prelude to foreplay. The spanking scenes were many and detailed with screams, tears and pain. I was seriously astonished in regards to the author's choice not going into sex scenes but detailing discipline authoritarian scenes so much. That was not for me.
A month and a half later, FMC discovers she's pregnant. She's in shock because she's stranded no where and MCs didn't talk about any future relationship. We're told as readers about the pregnancy but the MMC didn't know and I got excited about the future reveal.
Fast forward, months later, MMC gift FMC a cradle made by him with wood and the author explains that's the first time they acknowledged the oblivious fact that she's pregnant. And I deflated because that was anti-climactic.
Then I got confused because he asked her "it is mine?" and she never gave a clear answer. I thought the baby is his but apparently not and FMC knew that and said that at the very last chapter. I didn't like that choice at all.
And let's get back to the spanking obsession again: it's used as the finale to the book: when FMC's mother tries to swat MCs with a wooden spoon because they lived together out of wedlock and MMC tells FMC growling "she has no right spanking you".
FMC hugs him saying "No, it's only your duty and job to do that and don't ever forget it."
Now, I try to delve a bit into the mindset of people or romance authors who appreciate discipline through belting or spanking or whatever. I think it's a cultural Christian thing. And hear me out before yelling that I'm a racist anti-Christians twat.
The story of Adam and Eve is classically told by the church as following: It is Eve that tempted Adam. She needs to be guided with a firm yet loving hand to differentiate right from wrong. A man must honor his wife but she must obey him. Thus, a husband shouldn't shy away from disciplining his wife or his flock when she strays from the narrow path. Indeed, that's his job as a shepherd.
(In the book it's told many times how MMC advises her not to do something that would ultimately put her life in danger. She does it and when he saves her, he needs to spank her so she wouldn't do it again)
In the 1700s and 1800s America was a wild place, morals were definitely loose, men (miners, rail-road constructions, hunters) were hungry wolves, women often resorted to prostitution as a survival mode. With that, there were families and righteous people and people of the church that preached family values.
In response to all the wildness of "the new world" they needed to build a strong family unit. The man needs to be strong and an authority figure. The woman needs to follow in his guide and to care so lovingly about the kids.
From that cultural/ religious stand point was born the idea of wife, also, kids discipline. Years later, some people romanticized the idea by sexualizing that modus and ladies and gentlemen that's how BDSM is born! (no kidding, BDSM existed since the dawn of humanity with repressed kings and rich fucks taking violent pleasure in the flesh)
MMC is a legit mountain man. He's not a recluse, or a rich guy that wanted to stay alone in a state of the art cabin. No, he's an old fashioned miner with an outhouse for a bathroom, no electricity or inner plumbing. He have been leading that life for 15 years since he has been a teenager.
Once a year: precisely before winter hit he would go town and buy his yearly provisions. A town that has a 25 people as locals. And I very much liked the realness of those dire and semi-primitive conditions.
While in town getting his provisions, he sees two tourists who are a couple. The man is verbally abusing his girlfriend who's the FMC. MMC did not intervene and when he got back to his secluded cabin barely escaping a sudden wild winter storm he found out that FMC is hiding in his truck with a split lip, one swollen eye shut and close to hypothermia.
His first instinct was to get rid of her because he likes his routine, and it's a really pain in the ass to take care of a human so used to city life. But he knew she wouldn't survive and was obliged to take her in for 6 months until winter is over.
The dynamic between MCs was genuine in regards with their conditions and upbrings. The romance was not full-blast. In a way: this is a clean romance because there are no detailed sex scenes. You just know, and that was well done, I appreciated it.
Going into the novel: I discovered that the author is into spanking as a discipline devise not as a sexual kink or a prelude to foreplay. The spanking scenes were many and detailed with screams, tears and pain. I was seriously astonished in regards to the author's choice not going into sex scenes but detailing discipline authoritarian scenes so much. That was not for me.
A month and a half later, FMC discovers she's pregnant. She's in shock because she's stranded no where and MCs didn't talk about any future relationship. We're told as readers about the pregnancy but the MMC didn't know and I got excited about the future reveal.
Fast forward, months later, MMC gift FMC a cradle made by him with wood and the author explains that's the first time they acknowledged the oblivious fact that she's pregnant. And I deflated because that was anti-climactic.
Then I got confused because he asked her "it is mine?" and she never gave a clear answer. I thought the baby is his but apparently not and FMC knew that and said that at the very last chapter. I didn't like that choice at all.
And let's get back to the spanking obsession again: it's used as the finale to the book: when FMC's mother tries to swat MCs with a wooden spoon because they lived together out of wedlock and MMC tells FMC growling "she has no right spanking you".
FMC hugs him saying "No, it's only your duty and job to do that and don't ever forget it."
Now, I try to delve a bit into the mindset of people or romance authors who appreciate discipline through belting or spanking or whatever. I think it's a cultural Christian thing. And hear me out before yelling that I'm a racist anti-Christians twat.
The story of Adam and Eve is classically told by the church as following: It is Eve that tempted Adam. She needs to be guided with a firm yet loving hand to differentiate right from wrong. A man must honor his wife but she must obey him. Thus, a husband shouldn't shy away from disciplining his wife or his flock when she strays from the narrow path. Indeed, that's his job as a shepherd.
(In the book it's told many times how MMC advises her not to do something that would ultimately put her life in danger. She does it and when he saves her, he needs to spank her so she wouldn't do it again)
In the 1700s and 1800s America was a wild place, morals were definitely loose, men (miners, rail-road constructions, hunters) were hungry wolves, women often resorted to prostitution as a survival mode. With that, there were families and righteous people and people of the church that preached family values.
In response to all the wildness of "the new world" they needed to build a strong family unit. The man needs to be strong and an authority figure. The woman needs to follow in his guide and to care so lovingly about the kids.
From that cultural/ religious stand point was born the idea of wife, also, kids discipline. Years later, some people romanticized the idea by sexualizing that modus and ladies and gentlemen that's how BDSM is born! (no kidding, BDSM existed since the dawn of humanity with repressed kings and rich fucks taking violent pleasure in the flesh)
July 29, 2020
I wish I can give less than 1 star!
November 12, 2020
Unique Adventure
This story has soo much possibility to be one of my favourites, but the romance doesn't include lovemaking, it happens but the author chooses to focus on the spankings more than even mention the way they created a baby... I greatly loved what was in this story, from the Bear attack, the snow storm, the sickness, and the self defence and flight into the snow on a snowmobile... I just really wish the author had chosen to give equal attention to the physical lovemaking as was given to the spankings and paddling. Even the one time he was going to show her how spankings didn't always have to be punishment for interrupted by an uninvited guest... I reduced the start by one because honestly if the lovemaking had been included rather than an afterthought I'd have offered it 5***** with ten stars being more accurate... Hopefully there will be more stories from this author but with a bit more focus on those nice spankings and the physical lovemaking.
This story has soo much possibility to be one of my favourites, but the romance doesn't include lovemaking, it happens but the author chooses to focus on the spankings more than even mention the way they created a baby... I greatly loved what was in this story, from the Bear attack, the snow storm, the sickness, and the self defence and flight into the snow on a snowmobile... I just really wish the author had chosen to give equal attention to the physical lovemaking as was given to the spankings and paddling. Even the one time he was going to show her how spankings didn't always have to be punishment for interrupted by an uninvited guest... I reduced the start by one because honestly if the lovemaking had been included rather than an afterthought I'd have offered it 5***** with ten stars being more accurate... Hopefully there will be more stories from this author but with a bit more focus on those nice spankings and the physical lovemaking.
August 24, 2021
The Mountain Man by Maren Smith is a delightful contemporary romance set in a remote Canadian province. Destiny brings together, Nora and Tom. Nora and her abusive ex-boyfriend were in the remote small town of Keno. His beating of her caused her to flee and seek refuge in the back of Tom’s trailer just as the winter storms begin. This is their story of how two complete strangers stranded together adjust to living together and falling for each other. I enjoy Ms. Smith’s writing style. Her plot is an ideal character-driven one. Readers witness how both Nora and Tom evolve. She struggles with trust issues and he with having another person in his home since he has lived by himself for years. I appreciate Ms. Smith’s use of dialog, both conversational and internal monologues, to help readers understand these two characters. I liked the way she interjects suspense into her plot with the greedy actions of Will, an unsavory miner. Nicely done, Ms. Smith!
June 17, 2022
So much potential but such a let down. Closed up in a mountain cabin for the winter months with a hunky bear? Yes, please, sign me up. What we get are (I'm guessing) six - eight disciplinary spanking scenes that are boring but NO sex scenes. Not the first, none in between, not one at the end. Some kissing and cuddling, but otherwise it might as well have been the PG version of a Harlequin romance. And while I am not all that much into DD it can be entertaining when done right but in this case it was just boring. Serious editing and re-writing could have improved this story to a superb guilty pleasure read. As it was, I am just disappointed. D-
PS: and what about the pregnancy? They never talk about protection and only admit her being pregnant when she is showing? WTF.
And, that's just a personal preference, but I like my heroes t0 be more experienced. A 35 year old man whose number of sexual encounters is summed up with one night is just too disappointing.
PS: and what about the pregnancy? They never talk about protection and only admit her being pregnant when she is showing? WTF.
And, that's just a personal preference, but I like my heroes t0 be more experienced. A 35 year old man whose number of sexual encounters is summed up with one night is just too disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2021
3.5 star rating. An okay read
No plot spoilers
No real potential triggers although there is reference to domestic abuse
There are a couple of errors but nothing to irritate.
The characterisation is quite good, although the H, Tom, is skirting with being the typical surly mountain man.
The female lead, Nora, is only a little irritating with her borderline stupidity concerning living in the wilds during a harsh winter.
There are some parts that felt unfinished, in particular the episode with Will, and also her return home. They felt marginalised and skipped over.
There is a fair bit of domestic discipline with spankings and paddling, some sex scenes and little swearing.
There are a couple of cringe worthy pages too, most notably the part where Tom provides his sexual experience.
The DD was forced onto her, which I totally dislike, but overall the book is worth reading.
No plot spoilers
No real potential triggers although there is reference to domestic abuse
There are a couple of errors but nothing to irritate.
The characterisation is quite good, although the H, Tom, is skirting with being the typical surly mountain man.
The female lead, Nora, is only a little irritating with her borderline stupidity concerning living in the wilds during a harsh winter.
There are some parts that felt unfinished, in particular the episode with Will, and also her return home. They felt marginalised and skipped over.
There is a fair bit of domestic discipline with spankings and paddling, some sex scenes and little swearing.
There are a couple of cringe worthy pages too, most notably the part where Tom provides his sexual experience.
The DD was forced onto her, which I totally dislike, but overall the book is worth reading.
October 10, 2020
Stuck in a cabin with a gorgeous mountain man! Be still my heart! I loved this book .Tom lives in Yukon, Canada after a trip into town for supplies he finds Nora hidden in his truck. Tom, to say the least, is not happy with his stow away but he can't send her back home till the snow melts. Over the months they fall in love but Nora isn't always obedient to Tom's rules and finds herself with a warm backside a few times. When the weather warms will Tom be able to take her home where he believes she will safe? I really enjoyed this book especially Tom's struggle with his feelings for Nora. I recommend this book!
September 1, 2019
Sickening story about a man thrashing a woman.
I don't like this book at all because it justifys the hero using violence towards a woman and the woman encouraging him to do it. For the record hitting a woman on the backside until she's bruised isn't ok in any context.If it were possible I would give no stars whatsoever.
I don't like this book at all because it justifys the hero using violence towards a woman and the woman encouraging him to do it. For the record hitting a woman on the backside until she's bruised isn't ok in any context.If it were possible I would give no stars whatsoever.
March 26, 2021
Liked it
Tom's perfectly content on his mountain. Nora's an uninvited, unwanted guest for half a year due to a snowstorm. Now what are a male and female to do all alone in the middle of nowhere in the dead of winter? A good read from beginning to end, especially when we meet Mom. She wields a mean on spoon.
Tom's perfectly content on his mountain. Nora's an uninvited, unwanted guest for half a year due to a snowstorm. Now what are a male and female to do all alone in the middle of nowhere in the dead of winter? A good read from beginning to end, especially when we meet Mom. She wields a mean on spoon.
August 5, 2022
no epilogue?
I’m reading this totally fun story and just as it gets really good and I can’t wait to see what happens…. It ended!!!! What the heck? Where did they end up living? What happened to the ex? How was the delivery? Come on Maren Smith- let us know! Almost made it 3 stars instead of 4 because of that. Great story that ended too soon
I’m reading this totally fun story and just as it gets really good and I can’t wait to see what happens…. It ended!!!! What the heck? Where did they end up living? What happened to the ex? How was the delivery? Come on Maren Smith- let us know! Almost made it 3 stars instead of 4 because of that. Great story that ended too soon
May 9, 2019
As good as Kindred Spirits
With a mountain setting added into the storyline, made it even better! I love mountain man stories anyway, so this was right up my alley! HIGHLY recommended.
With a mountain setting added into the storyline, made it even better! I love mountain man stories anyway, so this was right up my alley! HIGHLY recommended.
July 19, 2020
It's a love story that I don't think the characters had a happy ending, although the author let us want to believe in the end. I thought there was unnecessary violence that make me discomfortable. It was not that easy to read, but you get used to it.
January 24, 2020
Just for spanking freaks
It is really all about spankings. I'm sure it works well for spankers and spankees but I'm looking for something more...
It is really all about spankings. I'm sure it works well for spankers and spankees but I'm looking for something more...
December 18, 2020
A little too much
Not great there's a fine line between a spanking and a beating no woman wants that kind of bossy violent man.
Not great there's a fine line between a spanking and a beating no woman wants that kind of bossy violent man.
March 8, 2022
City girl meets mountain man
Maren Smith is one of my favorite authors. This was an entertaining story about a gruff mountain man and an out of her depth city girl.
Maren Smith is one of my favorite authors. This was an entertaining story about a gruff mountain man and an out of her depth city girl.
March 15, 2022
Good story
This is a good story but it ended too abruptly. No closure on any of it. What happened to them? To the body?
This is a good story but it ended too abruptly. No closure on any of it. What happened to them? To the body?
November 16, 2020
A fantastic romance with lots of mystery and suspense and a baddie who got his just desserts.
March 23, 2013
This book had a great cover....and much potential. Unfortunately it just didn't make it further than that. I liked the premise, and Tom seemed like a good character. The girl was annoying and her character shift wasn't quite believable....maybe this was because I felt like the important parts of the story were left out. There was a huge focus on spanking, and none on the sex....which was somewhat odd to me. I felt like if I understood that dynamic I would have bought her submission. I also thought the part when she brought the paddle with them to be stranger than strange.
September 13, 2012
This was a great story about a miner who goes into town to get supplies for the winter that is nipping at his heels and when he finally gets home he finds a woman tucked in with his supplies. Boy his two room cabin feels much smaller when he has to share it with a fiesty blond woman who he doesn't need or want. Their relationship definitly starts off rocky but by the end of the six months they find they really don't hate each other after all.
January 4, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Nora and LOVED Tom. I couldn't put the book down, especially as the end neared. The chemistry that builds between Nora and Tom when they are stuck in the cabin together is great. This is a romance with lots of spanking and sex (and a very nice plot), so if that's your thing, you'll probably like this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2012
An interesting and pretty well written story of an unsocial miner that by chance picks up a stowaway on his last supply run before the winter storms cuts off his cabin from the world.
It's an okay read. My only gripe about the story is the part about her naivety and his solution for it; spankings. It just seems to be the author's way to add some kink to the story.
It's an okay read. My only gripe about the story is the part about her naivety and his solution for it; spankings. It just seems to be the author's way to add some kink to the story.
September 13, 2015
Mountain man
He's not social, he's not even very nice, but he is going to keep Nora for 6 long months. Can her bottom handle it and can he say good bye when it is time? Maybe, but they love each other and love is supposed to conquer all, right? Right.
He's not social, he's not even very nice, but he is going to keep Nora for 6 long months. Can her bottom handle it and can he say good bye when it is time? Maybe, but they love each other and love is supposed to conquer all, right? Right.
October 8, 2012
This wasn't a bad book, just wish the author would of given more details in the story. No real background on the characters. For a short read though it was worth it.
April 2, 2013
Overall, a good love story. I did feel at times though that Tom was too heavy-handed. Also, the sex scenes were too fade-to-black for my preference.
December 5, 2014
Lots of spanking!
Read
July 26, 2021I can't believe I wasted my time on that.
March 8, 2014
This was a book on my TBR list for a long time, and I really should have read it a lot sooner! Loved it.
April 11, 2014
I read this year's ago and I remember it like it were yesterday ah so sexy and great story line♥♥ I will definitely reread.
September 10, 2016
A very hard, strong and sweet man, she is less good than him. A little weak and fragile
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews