Member Reviews
Dawn M, Reviewer
Enjoyed this return to Montana for Mitch and Melissa's tale. Like the characters and setting along with the storyline.
Ebook from netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.
Emma S, Reviewer
A Gambler’s Pleasure by Michelle Beattie
Frontier Montana, Book 4
Ten years after strolling out of Marietta without a backward glance, Mitch McCall wins a land deed in a game of poker that has him returning to his hometown, ready to collect his winnings. A few weeks later, he’s surprised when he doesn’t want to leave. Not only is he working a saloon and unknowingly putting down roots, he’s also trying to convince the town’s good girl that he’s not the rake she believes he is. But love isn’t a game and if the successful gambler wants to win, he’ll have to bet it all.
Melissa lives her life to please her parents. Suffering from their son’s abandonment, Melissa puts her own desires and dreams aside to save them more heartache. But a late night encounter with the completely unsuitable Mitch McCall changes everything. With one night becoming many, Mitch helps her uncover the woman she really is and dares her to chase her dreams. But when shocking news arrives about her brother, will Melissa retreat back into her peacemaker role or will she fight for the man she loves?
this is Melissa and Mitch McCall's story.
Melissa lives her life to please her parents. a late night encounter with the completely unsuitable Mitch McCall changes everything.the town’s good girl that he’s not the rake Melissa believes he is. With one night becoming many, Mitch helps her uncover the woman she really is and dares her to chase her dreams. But when shocking news arrives about her brother, will Melissa retreat back into her peacemaker role or will she fight for the man she loves?
Splaying his cards for all to see Mitch said, “Three sevens, jack high.” Smug, he crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair as though it were impossible Mitch could better him.
Mitch McCall wins a land deed in a game of poker that has him returning to his hometown, ready to collect his winnings.
will Melissa retreat back into her peacemaker role or will she fight for the man she loves? read this book to find out.
A Gambler’s Pleasure by Michelle Beattie is a 3 star book.
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Michelle's Books with Tule:
Her Pirate to Love
Sam Steele
In the Arms of a Pirate
Sam Steele
A Rancher’s Surrender
Frontier Montana
A Cowboy’s Temptation
Frontier Montana
A Sheriff’s Passion
Frontier Montana
A Gambler’s Pleasure
Frontier Montana
Shelagh M, Reviewer
I’ve just finished A Gambler’s Pleasure, the fourth book in Michelle Beattie’s Frontier Montana series. Set in nineteenth century Marietta, a tiny Montana copper mining town, this story works equally well as part of the series or as a stand alone book.
The stories in this series give a glimpse of a society where women were generally regarded as extensions of the men in their lives, their fathers and brothers until they married and after that their husbands. I love that Michelle Beattie has presented women who successfully challenge the stereotypes of their time and prove just how ably they can perform both their roles within their families and their chosen careers. I love that these strong women complement the men they’ve chosen as their life partners and that their men value them for everything they are.
A Gambler’s Pleasure sees Mitch McCall, a professional gambler and essentially a drifter over the previous ten years, question his priorities in life after returning to the town where he grew up. Mitch has always been a decent man though he’s lived a self centred life, intent on making enough money to ensure that he wants for nothing.
Melissa Lake, on the surface, is just about as wrong a choice for Mitch’s love interest as it is possible for a woman to be. She’s the good daughter, caring for her parents and trying as hard as she can to make them happy after her brother left home. She’s also got a bucketful of prejudice and she’s not afraid to let Mitch know what she thinks of gamblers.
Watching these two discovering feelings they never expected to have, watching them challenge their beliefs and grow both within themselves and as a couple, and watching their future unfold has been a real pleasure. Their story is well told and well paced, ensuring that while it is a reasonably long novel, my interest was held throughout. I’m hoping there’s another book in this series because Mitch’s brother Logan has just returned to town.
Elisabeth R, Reviewer
A Gambler's Pleasure by Michelle Beattie is such an entertaning and fascinating historical romance story. It's part of a series and I for one have read them all. I sure hope we will have one more, so that we also will have a chanche to hear the third brothers story.
I have enjoyed reading this one and following along the history of the fictonial town of Marietta in Montana and how it grows and how the families establies. So if you love historicals and romance this is one you don't want to miss.
R J, Educator
I found this book very heavy going. I actually gave up after a while. The descriptions of each move of the poker game and the cleaning of the boarding house where the heroine works were too detailed and irrelevant to the progress of the story. This is supposed to be a romance not a "how to" book about poker and cleaning. Sorry to be negative but I prefer to be honest.
Paula W, Reviewer
A Gambler's Pleasure is another historic Marietta story by Michelle Beattie. I liked these characters who seemed to be at their heart good people. Mitch makes his living in ways that some people looked down upon, while Melissa is one of those people. It is a lesson in looking at the person and their actions before quickly judging them. Ms. Beattie gets the point across without being preachy.
The story flows smoothly bring in characters from past stories. They add to the plot without it causes the reader to be confused if they had not read the previous books in the series. There are issues to be dealt with, along with family considerations and personal prejudices. I found it to be a sweet slightly steamy enjoyable story, certainly one worth taking a gamble on reading.
Donna Jo P, Reviewer
A Gambler's Pleasure by Michelle Beattie, Bk #4 in the Frontier Montana series. A great addition to the series. I enjoyed how the books goes back and we see how different characters in the story are doing plus this book tells the story of Mitch and Melissa. This book might have taken me longer to get though but I still enjoyed the book in the end. I look forward to reading more in this series and books by Michelle Beattie.
Bonnie G, Reviewer
The characters this writer writes are so real they almost come off the page and shake your hand.
Melissa, the town good girl is so sweet and naive, yet she taught me a lesson on not judging others and it was fun watching her get some backbone and stand up to get what she wants.
And if you have read the earlier books of the series you will enjoy catching up with the McCall brothers and you won’t want to miss Melissa and Mitch’s steamy sweet romance.
Sandra B, Reviewer
I found this western romance very enjoyable. The writing was excellent and the characters were well done. Melissa the towns good girl wants to please everyone, especially her parents. She is always putting everyone else first. When Melissa meets Mitch a gambler, she right off despises him. She fights hard not to be drawn to him as she learns more about him. Their relationship is like two polar opposites attracting. Through their relationship Melissa realizes she has not given other people in town a chance. She has let previous prejudice and peer pressure taint her opinions of others. Realizing we are more than a job title or what we may do for a living, she makes new friends. She becomes a stronger, better woman. Mitch left town ten years ago never to look back. Due to unforeseen circumstances he returns. He has to work through his past and figure out what he really wants and what will make him happy. Mitch realizes he wants Melissa. She is different than any other woman he's met before. He is drawn to her goodness and naivete. As their love develops, they both realize they make each other a better person. What ever it is going to take, they do not want to ever be without the other. I thank Net Galleys and Tule Publishing for a copy of this book. I freely give my honest opinion in this review and thank they for this opportunity.
Kaye T, Reviewer
When Shane finally found the backbone to go after Silver, the woman he loved, he left Melissa crying over what might have been. Luckily, Shane's brother Mitch shows up and the sparks fly like neither have seen before. At times I found her attitude a little tiresome, but the story slowly progresses with her starting to see herself in a different light. I also like how other characters in the book are shown as well, but not overly much, so if you haven't read the others in the series you shouldn't be too lost. The series is worth reading though, so I encourage you to check out the other books as well. Fun reading, and I highly recommend this book and author.
