Kelly and Mace have a history, one they have both never forgotten, and now they have a present and a future. I enjoyed seeing them circle around each other and try to figure out where their friendship/relationship would head. There wasn’t really any doubt as to how or where it would go for me but it was fun to see them reconnect.

The story is about Mace and Kelly discovering their feelings for each other and working toward their happy ending. Yet, the real story is the family. Both characters have a wonderful supporting family. Mace’s brothers manage to share all his embarrassing stories while growing up and still show him the support and love he needs to figure out what he needs for his future with Kelly. Kelly’s sisters do the same when Mace meets them. The family love is one of my most favorite things about Forever a Hero.

The Carsons of Mustang Creek is a series but each book can be read all alone. I recommend checking them all out.

Miller's novels are getting too formulary, nothing new or exciting, just the same old story line and plot. I keep reading because she used to be a favorite. I enjoy the back stories and the series in general but the story is just blah

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

Review: Forever a Hero is book three in The Carsons of Mustang Creek series and it was a fast paced read that reunited me with the Carson family and the residents of Mustang Creek. This is Mace and Kelly’s story and takes place in both Wyoming and California but it involves everyone we’ve met before. Kelly and Mace crossed paths when he was her hero on their college campus. They didn’t keep in touch since they were both in relationships but clicked again when their paths cross now, ten years later, and Mace again is thrust in the role of hero.

Kelly was hard for me to like and it took a while for me to warm up to her. She was always throwing out mixed signals but wanted to play both the professional and personal roles when she and Mace were together. It doesn’t help that her professional life is going to be upended and not in a good way. She and Mace would take a step or two forward and then a few back especially since Kelly seemed to only give out information on an as needed basis that she felt needed to be shared. Everyone at the ranch could see what was going on between them except for Mace and Kelly. I loved that Mace tried to get her to love all things Western and that he tried to immerse her into ranch life. His mom plays a pivotal role in several story lines as did his two brothers who he has great relationships with. They may tease each other but if one of them were ever in trouble the others would have their back. The vineyard, the winery and his future plans for his business are all front and center.

The descriptions of the lands, the mountains, the ranch house, the ranch, the cabin and the animals were so vividly depicted that I felt that I was there. There are family and friends, lots of pets and children, good food, sadness, anger, fear, hurt, injuries, accidents, crimes committed, businesses, happiness, tears, laughter, romance, loving and love. There was nice closure and a happily ever after on several fronts. I for one would love to see more stories involving the Carsons, maybe a novella or two in the future to catch us up on their lives, hint, hint!

Miller is one of my favorite authors of western romances. She makes her characters real and always keeps me coming back for more.

I enjoyed this book although at times I thought it was a bit slow. I enjoyed visiting the Carson family and Mace's story. Mace saved Kelly in Collage from a would be attacker and then again 10 years later in a car accident that could have been deadly,

Forever a Hero is the third book in the Carsons of Mustang Creek series, and having read the previous two novels because I've been a fan of Ms. Miller's for decades, I must admit that this was my least favorite among them for a number of reasons, and I can only give it 2.5 stars.

Forever a Hero focuses on the youngest of the Carson brothers, Mace, a Wyoming vintner, who owns and operates the small but highly regarded Mountain Winery. As the novel opens, he's driving back to the ranch in the pouring rain and watches the car ahead of him fishtail and nearly slide off the muddy edge of the road where there's a 50-foot drop. He manages to free the driver seconds before the car drops down the incline, landing upside down in Mustang Creek below, where it soon bursts into flames. The damsel in distress is Kelly Wright, who is in Mustang Creek on business for her company--she's there to convince Mace to sell the winery to her employer, CGI, and she recognizes Mace immediately, although he doesn't recognize her. Ten years earlier, he rescued her from a crazed attacker on her college campus, testified at his trial and helped send him to prison for a decade.

While Mace has no intention of selling the winery he so loves, Kelly, a city born and bred career woman who is all business, all the time, and has one failed marriage behind her, is nevertheless attracted to Mace, and could use a fling.

Mace, like his brothers before him, clearly wants more than that from Kelly. Sadly, although Ms. Miller tries to develop the chemistry between these two characters, this reader just didn't feel it at all. The novel is well-written, and the words were there on the page, but I didn't see any real depth to their relationship, which, in the course of this novel, happens in one week. While I enjoyed the witty banter between these two, I didn't particularly like Kelly's character, and aside from her looks, didn't quite get what Mace saw in her that attracted him so easily. Every time Mace tried to draw her in, all she talked about was business, and never missed an opportunity to try to sweeten the deal and convince Mace to sell in the hope that her landing the winery would mean a promotion and stock options at her company. Even when she discovers that her boss, Dina, is leaving the company, and that Dina's replacement is going to be Kelly ex-husband, Alan, she still cannot stop trying to close this deal--her attempts became more than a little tiresome, and really bogged down this novel.

Also, since the sex between these two was more perfunctory than explicit, and although it's mentioned that Mace is a talented lover, all of the author's attempts to go for the sizzle and create some serious heat between Mace and Kelly ended up feeling rather flat. Kelly's previous marriage ended because her husband wanted children almost immediately after their wedding, and Kelly didn't want to give up her career. Throughout much of the novel, she's still unsure about whether or not she wants children, but it's clear that Mace does.

When Kelly learns that her former attacker has been released from prison, having served his sentence, and when she gets a text message purportedly from him, I hoped the drama of him possibly coming after her or Mace would amp up the action and suspense--it didn't. Yes, Mace and everyone else on the ranch go into protective mode, but what should have been an action-packed manhunt for Kelly's attacker simply wasn't.

While the theme of the novel, career-minded city gal meets Wyoming cowboy/vintner was an intriguing, if somewhat familiar trope, the novel seemed over-long, bogged down by business minutia, and the romance and suspense were underwhelming. Yes, there's an HEA ending, but despite Ms. Miller's attempts to inject real feeling into this novel, it's my least favorite in this series, and possibly my least favorite of all her novels.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book and received no compensation for doing so. The opinions expressed are my own.

Mace Carson is surprised when he witnesses a car accident and the lady in the car is the same one he saved from a rapist in college ten years ago. Kelly Wright is the lady he saved all those years ago but she was actually on her way to his ranch and winery to see him when she slides off the road is a rainstorm. Sparks fly between them immediately. As soon as Mace sees her he's drawn to Kelly. I enjoyed parts of this books and parts were just ho hum for me. I loved the Carson family. Mace and Kelly were great. The personal stuff between then them was good and engaging but the business stuff with the winery kind of fell flat for me. I just didn't like that conflict between them. Once they figured that all out though it was much more enjoyable.I loved how they acted as a team on things and Kelly was good for trying new things.There is some conflict from her past that is kind of a side note but enough to make it work. This was not one of my favorite Linda Lael Miller books but it was a good one still.

Find out more about Linda Lael Miller and this series here www.lindalaelmiller.com

Linda Lael Miller’s Wyoming romances are warm and comfortable, offering straightforward relationships without a lot of angst, spiced with humor and an occasional soupcon of danger. Forever A Hero is the third book in the Carsons of Mustang Creek trilogy, and features the youngest Carson brother, Mace, and California businesswoman Kelly Wright.

It’s impossible not to like Mace; he’s confident, comfortable with who he is, direct about what he wants, and he’s got a great sense of humor. He combines the best of traditional Western masculinity with modern attitudes (and sensitivity) toward women. Mace is a gifted and dedicated winemaker; running the winery is his contribution to the ranch.

Kelly arrives in Wyoming to persuade Mace to partner with her employer, a wine conglomerate. The two of them have a history, but not the kind you’d expect — Mace saved Kelly from a sexual assault in progress ten years earlier, when they were both in college, dragging her assailant off her and subduing him before calling the police. They haven’t seen each other since the trial, but she knew who he was when she set up the meeting. In her professional persona, Kelly is a powerhouse; she’s smart, capable, and determined. In fact, she’s just as likable as Mace, but less confident when it comes to her personal life. She worries about how fast their feelings for each other are growing — understandable, since her first marriage ended in divorce, but I did occasionally get annoyed at how much she dwelt on it. However, Kelly is more courageous (and more smitten) than she realizes, so their relationship develops fairly quickly, without too many hiccups or setbacks.

Their story isn’t trouble-free, however. Kelly’s assailant is released from prison and he’s out for revenge. An author like Jayne Ann Krentz or Nora Roberts would emphasize the danger and suspense, perhaps even more than the romance, but for Miller, it’s only one thread in a novel that is mainly about Kelly and Mace’s relationship. I appreciated that; I enjoy romantic suspense, but sometimes I just want a nice, comforting romance with just a hint of danger, and that’s what Miller delivers.

As I mentioned above, Mace and Kelly’s relationship, both personal and business, develops a little too quickly, especially given Kelly’s reasons for holding back. It worked for me anyway, mainly because it fits who Mace is, but once in a while I felt as though the two of them, and the story, were skipping a step here and there. However, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the book!

Beyond the Mace-Kelly story, I love the relationships the Carson brothers have with each other: good-natured teasing and rivalry on the surface, but absolute loyalty and support underneath. And I love the whole Carson family milieu: their wise, indomitable mother Blythe; their feisty, all-knowing cook/housekeeper Harry; and Red, the old ranch hand, whose colorful turns of phrase are almost too Western to be true. Plus, of course, the various spouses and children who have joined the family in the previous two books: Grace and Luce, Ryder, and Daisy. The novel is set in the fictional town of Mustang Creek, where Miller has set at least one previous trilogy and a Christmas novel. Characters from those four books wander in and out of the Carson brothers trilogy as well, giving the fictional town enough depth and history to feel real.

I’m sorry to see the end of the trilogy, and hope Linda Lael Miller will set future novels in Mustang Creek. I’d particularly like to see Raine’s story; she doesn’t appear in person in Forever a Hero, but she’s referenced several times, and did appear in Once a Rancher. Meanwhile, I’ve enjoyed reading about the Carson brothers, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting Miller’s next book.

So back when I was in middle/high school I used to read a lot of romance novels, the cheesier the better. I know, so clichéd, right? As I got older my tastes matured and mysteries and thrillers took over and I tend to mostly grab a romantic comedy if I’m looking for something on the lighter side. When the lovely Claire at Little Bird Publicity asked if I wanted to review Forever a Hero I was immediately nostalgic and figured that reading a straightforward romance novel may be fun for a change.

This is definitely a good old fashioned romance complete with a cowboy. Admittedly I’m a sucker for a good looking man in a cowboy hat (has anyone else been watching the new season of DWTS? Bonner is swoon worthy) and though parts of this were pretty cheesy, Lael Miller is a talented writer even if the plot was pretty typical.

This is the third book in a series, each one follows one of the Carson brothers who live in the picturesque town of Mustang Creek, Wyoming. Mace Carson runs a winery, which is another point in the authors favor for me because I’m an even bigger sucker for a great bottle of wine. Kelly is a successful business woman and the company she works for sends her to visit Mace’s winery because they want to purchase it. He saved her from an attacker ten years ago and I’m sure you can guess what I’m about to say next, but he’s out of prison and out for revenge.

The plot itself was pretty predictable but the characters made up for it, plus everyone once and awhile it’s nice to know what to expect. The Carson family is large, rowdy and friendly and the town they live in is the same. Kelly and Mace had an easy banter and this was a quick and fun read for me. I doubt I’ll ever go back to reading straight up romance novels all the time anytime soon, but this was a nice change of pace and an enjoyable read.

City girl falls for a cowboy.

Kelly has met Mace before back in college when she is attacked after dark while walking back home alone. Mace happens to be around, saves her and with his help lock up the man that almost raped her.

Now years later, their worlds collide again.

Kelly is in Mustang Creek with a business proposition for Mace and his winery, something he apparently wants no part of – but never really stop her from flying from California to Wyoming?

I wanted to like this book. I did. I love my cowboy romances. I even kind of liked Mace and his passion for his winery.

I couldn’t stand Kelly and by the time I came to terms with her it was a bit too late. The whole business side of this story was downright annoying. Like the guy didn’t want it, and she kept pushing and not understand why he didn’t want a corporation taking over basically his passion and something he worked on so hard to build.

The romance itself was a bit flat. I did not feel it at it, could not connect.

Of course, there had to be an unnecessary suspense drama that also was kind of bland.

What I did like is the secondary characters. I absolutely loved Mace’s big and loud family. I loved the banter and I loved how close knit they were. The back and forth had me giggling.

I almost gave this 3.5 stars, but then the whole thing with the condom happened and dear god could it have been anymore predictable? Like I was waiting for something different than the usual to happen and nope wasn’t in favor… Oh well.

Forever a Hero is my first read by Linda Lael Miller, and I definitely see myself reading more books by her. This book is a third and final installment in this series and I really liked this book so I am gonna go back to book 1 and read the other two books.
Mustang Creek is a small town in Wyoming and Carson brothers are a major part of the town as we follow their stories in this series. This is a story of the youngest brother, Mace Carson, the wine mogul and Kelly Wright, the not-so-damsel in distress.

Kelly is out to meet Mace and help him grow his business by offering him some deal, but little did she know she would be the one needing his help as soon as she reaches in the town. Her car goes hydroplaning nearly killing her but Mace our hero and a knight in shining armour, saves her. Just like he did once upon a time back in college when Kelly was in need of saving from an assailant.

Kelly is in town for business with Mace but soon both of them want things on a personal level too. Kelly is confused as she meets Mace's family, the town people, they're the kind of people she will never forget, the town itself has its own charm and most importantly Mace, they all make her want to stay and not return back to the life she has built for herself.

Kelly and Mace are just sorting their story, her nightmare, her assailant, Lance Vreeman arrives into town with vengeance on his mind. I really liked how they handled Lance Vreeman situation too. Because even though this is a spoiler I have to say it, he gets a very deserving and funny end, I loved it. It was really a sweet and kind of an insta love story. The whole family was charming. I loved seeing all the side characters and can't wait to back to read their stories.

The last Carson of Mustang Creek meets his match in the third book of the Carson series. Kelly Wright and Mace Carson have a history that goes back 10 years. It seems that Mace just can't quite saving Kelly as it happens again when she comes to Mustang Creek. I loved how Mace knew right away that Kelly was the one for him and how he tried very hard to take it slow. Kelly has some hang-up about marriage and long term relationships as her first marriage went very wrong. Add the danger from someone that attacked Kelly getting out of prison (Mace saved her 10 years ago) and you have added tension. A great way to end each of the Carson boys getting their HEA.

I received a free copy of Forever a Hero in return for an honest review.

Extremely fun book from LLM. The dialogue and banter between Mace & Kelly was awesome! I'm surprised a little at how quickly their relationship progressed, but I guess when you know, you know. Mace was a bit old-fashioned, but I liked that. I also just knew he was going to tap her knowledge to expand. Great overall story.

Linda Lael Miller is an old favorite who can be counted on to deliver a great romance and this is no exception. The third book in The Carsons of Mustang Creek series gives us the story of Mace and Kelly. Fans of LLM are sure to enjoy this sweet romance!

Mrs. Miller created another good read. While I didn't particularly care for this book as I have her others, it's still well written and filled with heart capturing characters.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: This is the 3rd book in Linda Lael Miller's The Carsons of Mustang Creek series and I enjoyed it so much! They are just good, fun, light-hearted reads with the sweetest romances and some really hot cowboys - what's not to love? And they are the perfect palate cleansers after the heavy psychological thrillers that I've been reading lately - not that I'm complaining, but it's nice to pick up a lighter read every once in a while.

So this book is about the third Carson son, Mace, the youngest one. If you've read the two previous books, you've already met him. Right in the first chapter, he meets up with Kelly - yes, meets up with her because they already have a past. Ten years ago, Mace rescued Kelly from a brutal attack and now he's rescuing her again from a car mishap. It seems as if it's fate that has put them in each other's path again - though in truth, she is on her way to meet him for business purposes.

I love these two together. They have such great chemistry, even though Kelly isn't quite as eager to move forward romantically as quickly as Mace initially. You know they are going to end up together - it's the journey of how they get there that is what makes up the book. They end up dealing with the stalker, of course! And have to deal with both his rowdy family and hers - oh how I love both these families, both people and pets, after all it wouldn't be a Linda Lael Miller book without some animals!

I really enjoyed this series and went into it thinking it was the final book, but was pleased to see that there is going to be another book - a Christmas story! Though there isn't too much information about the book out now, I believe I have a feeling I know who it might be about and I couldn't be happier - this character deserves their own story!!! Plus I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to these characters - the Carson family has definitely grown on me and I want more of them :)

Forever a Hero by Linda Lael Miller is part of the Carson’s of Mustang Creek series. I had not read the other two in the series and didn't feel like I missed out as the story stands alone. The couples from the other books in the series are a great compliment to the story. I absolutely love the interactions between the brothers.
Mace saved Kelly from an attempted rape 10 years ago and helped send the perpetrator to prison.
Kelly is excited to see Mace after 10 when she is sent to convince him into selling his business to her company. Kelly is now a successful business woman in the wine industry. Mace is a cowboy who also creates wine.
I think you'll fall in love with Kelly. I could relate to how she tried to be strong at work and that carrying over into your personal life.

Mace was a very fun and romantic character. I like that he didn't try to lead her on about the winery. He was very upfront that he didn't plan on selling. Their interactions were fun flirty and believable. I love the chemistry between them.
It was thought provoking as to whether you think he should sell or not. Because it does help out the people that work for him but you lose so much control.
Linda has a gift for developing characters to fall in love with.
Sexual content: some detail in the first few scenes, then less details
Violence: some discussion about the attempt in college, then someone tries to come after her in the present

Forever a Hero is the third, but it looks like not quite final, book in the Carsons of Mustang Creek series. The series has followed the lives and romantic adventures of the Carson brothers, beginning with Slater, who was Once a Rancher but is now a documentary filmmaker. Second up was Drake, who is Always a Cowboy, and had a difficult time finding a wife until his mother secretly fixed him up.

This is youngest brother Mace’s story. So far, the love of Mace’s life has been the Mountain View Winery. It’s his brainchild and his contribution both to the ranch and to the community. It’s his personal vision, and he has a genius for blending new wines.

But there’s a conglomerate out there who wants to change all that, and they’ve sent their best agent, Kelly Wright, to negotiate a distribution and management deal for GGI with Mountain View Winery. Her promotion to vice-president, with all the stock options and other fabulous perks, is riding on her successful completion of the deal.

On her way to Mustang Creek, her car goes hydroplaning and nearly off the road into a canyon. She’s rescued from certain death by Mace Carson. But Mace has always been Kelly’s hero. Once upon a time, ten years ago when they were both in college at UCLA, Mace rescued Kelly from an attacker. Mace testified at Lance Vreeman’s trial, and he was sent to jail for a long and much deserved sentence.

Ms. Wright may have come to Mustang Creek to negotiate with his winery, but Kelly is there to see Mace again, even if she hasn’t completely admitted that to herself. Back then was not the time for them to even think about a relationship, but now is much, much different.

The chemistry they had all those years ago is still very much there. And suddenly, so is Lance Vreeman.

Escape Rating B+: This series, and The Brides of Bliss County series that it spun off from (and the Parable, Montana series that IT spun off of), has been lovely all the way.

Each book features a hero who is a good man, but who is alone for reasons that seem right – not because he needs to be reformed or grow up. And they all come from a marvelously functional family – albeit one that gets bigger with each book!

The heroines in their turn are smart, independent and also alone for reasons that make sense. In Kelly’s case, it’s because she has spent her 20s having a career instead of a life. Whether a woman can do both is an open question, but Kelly hasn’t even tried. Her trip to Mustang Creek provides her with the time, and changes at her work give her the motivation and the opportunity, to take a step back and decide what she really wants out of life.

There’s also no misunderstandammit in this story, or the series. While both Mace and Kelly are initially reluctant to pursue a relationship, it’s for reasons that, again, make sense. Their shared history is a bit traumatic, and Kelly is there to attempt to negotiate a deal that Mace has no intention of taking. It is difficult not to get the personal and the professional mixed together, or worry that they are too mixed together.

And they have the same problem that Drake and Luce (in Always a Cowboy) also had. Mace’s life is tied to his Winery, the ranch, and his family. He can’t leave Mustang Creek, and he doesn’t want to. Kelly’s life is in LA, and a long-term relationship with Mace means a lot more change for her than it does for him.

The way they negotiate this issue is one of the strengths of the book. It’s about compromise, and two adults working out a way to be together, that makes allowances for what both of them want and need and doesn’t make one feel like they are giving up something truly important to them. I liked the way they figured things out. A lot.

Remember what I said yesterday about stalkers? This is another book that looks like it might go into stalker territory, but again, marvelously doesn’t. Lance Vreeman does get out of jail, and does come back, with, as the saying goes, a vengeance. And while he terrifies pretty much everyone, he’s not after Kelly so much as he is after Mace. And everyone acts like a sensible adult, as they did in Once a Rancher. Kelly does not act stupidly, and she doesn’t need to be rescued. She and Mace work together, along with Mace’s brothers and friends, to keep everyone safe.

In the end, Lance gets the best serving of just desserts that I have ever seen. And possibly the funniest, courtesy of a stubborn, ornery and very protective bull. It’s a perfect ending to the book.

But not to the series, we have one last trip to Mustang Creek to look forward to. There’s still A Snow Country Christmas coming just in time for the holidays.

It was fun to return to Wyoming and to see what was new with the Carson family in Forever a Hero. Linda Lael Miller’s stories about three brothers connected to the family ranch had me from the start. And it drew to a fitting close with this book.

It had to be fate ten years ago when Mace Carson rescued Kelly Wright from an attacker on their college campus. But because of circumstances there was no chance to have more of a relationship at that time. He’d be remembered by Kelly as her hero. They both moved on with their lives. One failed marriage and ten years later Kelly is working for a company that wants to buy Mace’s wine – all of his wine. He may not want to sell but he’d like to get to know Kelly more and maybe convince her to work for him. All bets are off when the man who attacked her is released from prison. Could he possibly be the person who sent her a menacing text? Once again, Mace is ready to step up and keep her safe.

This book is typical Miller in that the romance is so nice, it’s filled with funny people and pets, and the setting is spectacular. Those reasons are why I keep picking up her books and look forward to the next one. Recommended to fans of Linda Lael Miller and contemporary romance.

Linda Lael Miller revisits the Carsons of Mustang Creek, this time focusing on the youngest Carson brother: Mace. In Forever a Hero, Kelly Wright is on a mission to persuade vintner Mace to sell his small but successful winery to Great Grapes International. Despite their former acquaintance, Kelly the maiden in distress and Mace her knight in shining armor, Kelly is determined not to mix pleasure with business.

I love western romances and Forever a Hero is one of the best I've read so far. The story takes off after Mace saves Kelly from an unfortunate accident, yet again. The tension between the two characters is palpable as they try to figure out how to proceed. Mace is determined not to sell, but he's willing to keep Kelly around to explore their personal connection. Mace and Kelly are two intellectuals with a passion for wine. While Mace focuses on perfecting the taste and tone of each of his wines, Kelly is the marketing guru. She knows just the right words to use to convince others of her ideas. The two are an obvious match and its fun to see them come around to the same conclusion.

A bit of suspense is thrown into the mix of this storyline when Kelly's attacker is released from a ten year stint in jail. The big question is whether or not he's willing to risk going back to jail for the sake of getting revenge. This part of the plot rounds the story out a bit, but I actually would have liked to see it expanded upon. This character was mostly a shadow that caused Kelly and Mace to watch their backs, and it didn't make a strong impact until the end of the novel. Even then it was over and done with in a matter of paragraphs.

The plot is fast paced but leaves enough time for readers to experience the fresh Wyoming landscape. I even feel like I went to the Mountain Winery vineyard myself and walked among the rows and rows of growing grapes. Linda Lael Miller has a way of writing characters who are so in tune with their surroundings that their stories feel authentic. Their desires and goals are so believable and realistic which adds a rich layer of drama when plans don't work out quite in the way they expected. Fans of the Carson brothers will revel in this latest installment, and readers unfamiliar will be itching to visit Mustang Creek!
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*