I’m currently reading Montana Homecoming, a five-story romance anthology. So far, I’ve only read two of the five stories, and I’m all in.
The first story I read, Her Montana Hero, by Roxanne Snopek, had a lump in my throat by the end of the first chapter. That lump only got bigger, and my eyes more tear-filled, with each succeeding chapter…
Fourteen years after her abrupt departure, Samara Davis is back in Marietta, Montana. Now a widow, all she wants is to give her anxious four-year old daughter, Jade, a happy, stable home. Unfortunately, the heritage house she purchased is nowhere near ready for occupancy. And the man responsible for the delay is none other than high-school golden boy and love of her life Logan Stafford, available, interested and just as swoon-worthy as ever.
But this single mother has one priority. She’s all Jade has, and she’ll do anything, make any sacrifice, for her child’s future. And getting distracted by a long-lost boyfriend is not on the agenda.
Logan Stafford never forgot the lonely girl from the wrong side of the tracks who broke his heart. Not only is she as irresistible as ever, but her delightfully odd little girl has him wrapped around her finger in no time. Believing they’ve been given a second chance, Logan’s determined to pull out all the stops on the house to prove to them both that he’s a guy they can count on.
But, despite how easy it is to love Logan, second chance is still a gamble Samara can’t afford to take.
The heart and depth of this story, given is shorter length, is phenomenal. Snopek evokes strong emotion via fully-realized and believable characters, and a realistic portrayal of an emotionally challenged child, her over-protective mother, and the man that manages to help them both learn to trust—and feel safe—again.
**
The second story in which I indulged, Hometown Hero, by Dani Collins, features an injured MLB player whose reluctant—if temporary—return to his hometown to rehabilitate and recuperate, is hi-jacked by his feelings for a former high school crush…
Skye Wolcott planned to marry, have children, and live happy ever after in her hometown of Marietta, Montana. Then her marriage imploded in a cloud of scandal. Now she¹d be happy if people would just stop talking about her.
Chase Goodwin worked hard to get away from Marietta, where poverty colored his past. Living his dream as a major league baseball player, he has no reason to return beyond helping his half-brother escape as successfully. The last thing Chase would consider is staying.
Then he sees Skye Wolcott, a girl he always had a thing for in high school. They get off to a rough start, but are soon carrying on like high schoolers. Chase wants her to join his fast-paced, larger than life world, but Skye¹s a small town girl at heart. Can she convince him that Homecoming is more than a game, and he’s back where he belongs?
The characters in this story collide like flint and steel—oh, the sparks! Yet, despite the fast-pace, and steamy friction between the main characters, there’s a solid, and emotional under-story developed through each character’s fragile history that has created in each, a strong (stubborn?) moral code—and desire for something found only in the other: true passion, want, and forever love.
Check out all five stories here:
Deborah
Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. ~Kahlil Gibran