Will is opening up his families guest ranches a bit early when a series of accidents and a blizzard heads his way. To make things even more complicated his cook broke his leg and ends up getting a childhood friend hired as his temporary cooks, turns out shes grown into a stunner and he might end up with his heart it knots over her. To top things off a death occurs and the blizzard got them trapped with the killer.

Such a great book I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing the reasoning behind Poppy was gonna stick around after having her heart broken by Will. While reading its clear the guests of the ranch are a bit iffy and got the Will and the others wondering whats up because clearly there was tension going on with the employees. I loved watching the mystery unfold, and wondering who was going to die and wondering why they are being killed off in the first place. Oh and of course I was curious who was behind everything. I enjoyed getting to see the quirks of one of the characters. Another thing I really loved getting to see was that romance that was unfolding with Will and Poppy. Overall pretty great book I really enjoyed it.

Stroke of Luck by B.J. Daniels is book one in her brandnew Sterlings of Montana Series. Stroke of Luck is a standalone without a cliffhanger.
Meet Will Sterling. He and his brothers own the Sterling Ranch and he needs help. A group of tourists is about to check in and he needs a cook, desperatedly.
He asks Poppy Carmichael and she agrees to help him out. Only they have unfinished business and Poppy is determined to win Will over. Her cooking skills are her secret weapon.
Til this point it's a rom/com, but that changes pretty quick and becomnes a nailbiting, page-turning crime-drama.
I liked the pace of the story, the excellent writingf and theunique story. I give 4,5 scorching hot stars.

3.5 Stars

Will is opening his guest ranch earlier than he’d like as a special request for a long-time customer, Big Jack, the owner of a fly-fishing gear company. He wants to take a few select employees for this trip, and it was clear from the beginning this group was going to be trouble. Normally Will wouldn’t open in March since Montana weather can still be pretty brutal, and snowstorms are not uncommon. His ranch is off the beaten path so a storm could potentially strand everyone up there, so yeah, you know where this story is going.

Also, Will is minus a cook, since his regular one broke his leg, so he needs someone on short notice. This is where Poppy comes into the story. Will wouldn’t normally ask her since they didn’t part ways in such as nice way, but she was twelve and he was fifteen, would she really hold a grudge? The answer to that is yes!

Poppy does hold a grudge, because Will broke her twelve-year-old heart, but the job cooking for the lodge gives her the perfect opportunity to show Will what he’s missing now. So, this was sort of a revenge plot, but nothing I ever took very seriously. It seemed a bit juvenile, IMO, because, hello, she was twelve and he was fifteen, and what did you expect at that age?!! Also, Poppy is in her 30s now(!!), but I let it slide since she never seemed all that serious about her revenge plot.

Stroke of Luck is my first experience with B.J. Daniels, but I’ve been wanting to try her books for some time since I love romantic suspense. I enjoyed the story for the most part, but I will say the romance fell a little short, because I felt the history between Poppy and Will was glossed over. Had I got a memory from the past that showed a bond between the two, that was then crushed when Will rejected Poppy, I would’ve felt a deeper connection. While Poppy said her heart was crushed and Will knew he treated Poppy badly, I didn’t witness it. It was more of a telling instead of showing which didn’t really stir my emotions. I’ve since read in a few other reviews, stating that the character development here wasn’t quite up to Ms. Daniels’ usual quality, so maybe this is a fluke. At any rate, I hope for more in the next story. Still, I had fun with this Stroke of Luck, and I was rooting for Poppy and Will to solidify their attraction into a HEA.

Plus, the romance wasn’t the only thing happening here. The guests at the lodge are quite the hot mess, and one of them ends up murdered. And that isn’t the end of all the danger that just keeps coming! Getting to the bottom of the mystery while staying alive must be the center of our hero and heroine’s focus.

I read the excerpt for the next story, Luck of the Draw, centering on Garrett Sterling, Will’s brother, and it sounded good! I’m in!

Will Sterling and Poppy Carmichael have a history. Poppy had a massive crush on fifteen year old Will when she was a young girl. Like most fifteen year olds, he was only interested in the younger Poppy as a friend. Flash forward twenty years. Will runs his father’s vacation ranch and Poppy has started her own catering business. When Big Jack Hanson, a friend of Will’s father, requests that Will open the ranch before the season begins for a company retreat, he is hesitant, but caves in to the request. With his cook out with a broken leg, Will’s brother Garrett recommends Poppy. She is more than willing to take the job. This will give her the opportunity to get “revenge” on Will as he broke her heart. As the people from On The Fly arrive, Will gets a bad feeling. Soon things begin to happen. There was a reason that Big Jack had these workers, including his two sons, come up for this retreat, Big Jack is determined to find out who is trying to use his company for their own purposes.
Once again, BJ Daniels has spun a suspenseful story with many twists and turns. There’s murders, explosions, deceit, and subterfuge. Just when I thought I knew who committed the murders, a wrench was thrown into the works. Along the way, Poppy and Will discover their feelings for each other. There are many interesting characters in this book including Dorothea who constantly complains about all of the bad vibes from this group. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to other books in this series.

Stroke of Luck is more mystery than romance, and there is some decent suspense at its core, but it's a little more cozy mystery-ish than I prefer. I like my mystery with a bit more grit than this one. That said, I did enjoy the suspense more than the romance here. It all hinges on Poppy holding a twenty year grudge over a broken heart. I might've bought it had the elapsed time been shorter or Poppy been older when the said heart breaking occurred, but the fact that she was twelve is just a little too out there for me. There were also a few turns of phrase that just didn't mesh with a rugged cowboy and only served to pull me out of the story. I do think many will find this one more enjoyable than I did, but all in all, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Will has taken over running the Sterling Guest Ranch and is looking to make the changes that he always wanted but could never get his father to agree to. Opening early as a favor to a family friend was probably not his best course of action especially when he finds himself without a cook.

After 20 years Poppy has recently moved back to her hometown to open a catering business. When Will needs a cook she takes the job with the intention of showing him what he missed when he broke her teenage heart so many years earlier.

Guests are being murdered and with the approaching snow storm there is no way out. Will and Poppy must uncover the truth of who is behind the crimes before they become the next victims.

This is a slow burn romance filled with suspense and twists. I enjoyed the first book in this new series and look forward to Garrett’s story which is coming up next. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

BJ Daniels and her series, Sterling's Montana, is one filled of intrigue, lies and love in between. We have Poppy who has never forgotten about Will Sterling and the little crush she had. As adults now she is determined to make him see how mature she is and getting her true love. Will is trying his best to make the ranch a sucess as a place to have fun away from all the technology but so far luck is not on his side. Holding a retreat right now might not seem like a good idea but he's trying really hard to juggle everything. BJ Daniels sure did a good way tempting Will into love and making him see Poppy in a different light. The first in the series starting of good filled with secrets, love and hello some really good food in this book.

"I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own."

I have read many books by B.J. Daniels over the years but I haven't really reviewed any on my blog.



I usually enjoy her books very much but I found this one lacking in the romance part. There was just a tiny bit of romance but the suspense was good. I did like the main characters.



Would I read the next book? It was good enough for me to read the next book in the series.



I am going to give this 3 out of 5.

Wil has been waiting to prove himself by running the family's ranch like his father had. He definitely got more than he bargained for after opening early for an old family friend. Jack is the owner of On The Fly and he wanted a business retreat for key employees. He got more than he bargained for also.

When Boots, the ranch cook broke his leg Wil had to find a replacement quickly. When his brother recommend Poppy, their old childhood friend that was back after 20 years who had started her own catering business, Wil asked her. The only problem with that was Poppy had a childhood crush on him way back when and has never forgot him, is she out to make trouble for him now that he needs her help.

Will they have time to see what could be between them before everything else happens at the ranch? They only have 4 days but a LOT can happen in that time frame. Will Wil fall for her and will her plan work or does it backfire on her?

This book has suspense, action, twists and turns and danger.

I think this is going to be a great series. I enjoyed this book very much. Great story line, engaging characters. It was hard to put it down. I look forward to reading the others in this series.

With a great mix of Romance and Suspense, Stroke of Luck let you at the same time wanting to cheer for Will and Poppy romance and discover about all the weird thing that are happening on the story. Will is your typical charming cowboy and Poppy is the feisty heroine bend on revenge. It’ll keep you guessing what comes next!

This is my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. Will is in desperate need of a cook for his lodge that he inherited. He is hosting a corporate retreat and his cook has a broken foot. He hires Poppy his ex and she is out to prove that she can win him back through her cooking. The weather in Montana is unpredictable and it is March and they are snowed in. Will these two rekindle their teenage love? How will a murder at the lodge impact them? Pick up this book if you like a little murder mystery with your western.

Je ne connaissais pas la plume de l'auteur mais j'avais envie de découvrir cette histoire car le résumé m'a donné envie d'en savoir plus. BJ Daniels nous a concocté une romance avec une pincée de suspense et une grand dose de thriller . Le style est addictif et les personnages semblent tous cacher une faille.

Will Sterling est à la tête d'un ranch qui lui a été légué par son père et alors qu'il va ouvrir plus tôt à la clientèle, son cuisinier se casse une jambe et le met dans la panade. Big Jack , le patron de Over the fly a décidé d'emmener en séminaire 9 de ses employés et ce séjour ne sera pas de tout repos. Sur les conseils de son frère Garrett , il va donc faire appel à Poppy, une jeune femme qu'il n'a pas revu depuis 20 ans mais ils ne se sont pas quittés en très bon terme. Mettant son ego de côté , il va devoir affronter ses erreurs passés et ne penser qu'à son ranch. Mais l'arrivée des clients et de la jeune femme va déclencher des événements en chaîne . Le jeune homme ne s'attendait pas à ce que Poppy soit devenue une superbe femme , capable de lui couper le souffle. Si dans le passé , il n'avait pas le temps pour une histoire d'amour, qu'en sera t-il à présent. Quant à ses clients, la tension est clairement palpable entre eux et la tempête va sévir au sens propre comme au sens figuré?

Quand un meurtre survient, les doutes éclatent au grand jour et tout le monde semble être un suspect potentiel. Big Jack semble avoir imposé ce fameux séminaire à la toute dernière minute et cela a donc engendré de vives tensions. Ce patron semble aussi avoir des suspicions sur ses employés et ce huit clos semble être le moment parfait pour dénouer les mensonges et les trahisons. Ses fils ne sont pas en reste. Lamar est le plus présent dans les scènes car il veut reprendre l'entreprise familiale afin que cette dernière ne s'effondre pas. Il a noté des défaillances mais son père semble mettre tout en oeuvre pour ne pas entamer un dialogue approfondi avec lui. Son frère Mick semble lui plus se soucier de certaines conquêtes que des affaires ou de ce séminaire. On a dû mal à se faire une idée de ses intentions car telle une anguille , il nous file souvent entre les doigts. Lexi est une des employés et son attitude est dès le début suspicieux. Elle semble craindre quelqu'un ou quelque chose mais pas moyen de savoir ce qu'il en est. Elle ne s'ouvre à personne et seules les expressions sur son visage trahissent ce qu'elle ressent. D'autres suspects potentiels , tels que Ruby, Kirk, Channing, Allison et Dean , seront aussi de la partie et tous les doutes sont donc permis.

Poppy Carmichael a espéré en revenant sur ses terres natales pouvoir revenir dans le ranch où elle a connu des jours heureux . Malgré une fin douloureuse qui lui a brisé le coeur, elle pense tenir sa vengeance quand un coup de fil lui apprend qu'on a besoin de ses services. Elle se lance dans un service de traiteur avec sa meilleure amie Kara et elle accepte bien évidemment de venir faire la cuisine pendant 5 petits jours. Il s'en passera des choses en si peu de temps et si son plan de départ impliquer une vengeance, il se pourrait bien que son coeur se rappelle à elle. Elle sera une cuisinière hors pair et Dorothea la soupçonne même de faire preuve de "sorcellerie" pour apporter le mauvais oeil sur le ranch. Elle devrait être sur ces gardes car la femme de 50 ans ne compte pas la laisser sans surveillance. C'est à la fois marrant et inquiétant car évidemment , elle n'a aucun pouvoir magique si ce n'est celui de ravir les palais de ses convives. Face à Will, elle va de nouveau perdre ses moyens et sombrer encore plus sous le charme de cette homme qui l'a pourtant blessée. L'amour n'est pas prévu au programme et les meurtres ne vont rien arranger.

Bref, je découvre un roman de BJ Daniels et j'ai été conquise par la plume de l'auteur. Stroke of luck est un roman aux multiples facettes qui saura nous tenir en haleine que ce soit pour la romance ou pour le thriller. La tempête fera rage et l'enquête sera palpitante jusqu'à la révélation finale.

Stroke of Luck

**received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️

A good romantic suspense book that will have you interested from the beginning. You are introduced to a few different characters but are immediately drawn to Poppy and Will. They have known one another for years but it didn’t end well. Now Poppy is back and ready to change things. But is Will the same as he was back than or has he changed? And does Will finally see Poppy in a different light?

As they try an navigate their feelings, they also must figure out what is happening at the ranch. Strange things continue to happen and threaten the group who is staying there. Will they be able to figure who is behind everything and find a way to be with one another?

I really loved the plot in Stroke of Luck. I was in the dark about who did what and who was who for most of the book. The two main characters (Will and Poppy) have a history that is playing out as danger, tension and death stalk the Sterling Montana's Ranch season opening. This is a great start to a new series with Luck being a big part of the story. There is a small touch of the paranormal in the story line as there is one character who believes in curses.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review

I have an affection for cowboys that knows no boundaries, so when I saw this book available for request at Netgalley, I jumped on it.  If you could look at my Netgalley shelf (and well, honestly, my physical bookshelf at home), you'd see exactly how much this appeals to me.  Also, I've heard a ton of good things about B. J. Daniels over the years and I thought that I should finally check her out for myself.

Anyway, I'm not sure where to start this review.  So much happened in this book!  I went in expecting a straight forward romance, had no idea there was a mystery angle to it.  Somehow, I must have completely missed 'killer' in the blurb.  Note to self: read the whole description, please and thank you!  However, this is a good thing because romantic suspense has become a favorite genre of mine.

The author does an excellent job of keeping the tension tight and keeping the reader from figuring out exactly who the bad guy is.  I went back and forth between suspecting two or three people the entire book.  Admittedly, I was not expecting it to be who it was in the end, either.

On the romantic side, the tension was high as well.  Loved the back and forth between Poppy and Will.  Poppy is such an upbeat and fun woman, exactly the kind of person I'd want to hang out with.  Especially with the way she cooks!  Will is a total cowboy, through and through, but he's not completely immune to Poppy's charms either.  They are definitely meant for each other.

Okay, and I have a confession: I love a good cover and this one is gorgeous.  All dark and broody with a handsome cowboy, can't get any better, right?  But is it just me or does the cowboy look like Zachary Quinto in a Stetson?  Not that I'm complaining, but I was curious to see if anyone else thought the same.  Now, on to the next in the series because I can't wait to see what else the Sterling brothers got up to while I was away.

Will and Poppy have a history where he broke her heart at a young age and she never got over it. He knows he did her wrong, but doesn't know how to fix it. When he calls on her for help, twenty years later, he hopes that they can be friendly and professional. Poppy accepts his job offer, but plans retribution for him hurting her when they were younger. Little do either of them know that a sinister plan is set in motion and they might not make it out alive.
A romance that is long in the making, and just when they think they can be more, the retreat she is cooking for and he is responsible for throws all the guests and staff into a mysterious plot of whodunit. When people start getting murdered and buildings start burning down, they all have to try to stay alive and wonder if they are safe. Whether Will will be able to keep himself and Poppy, who he finally realizes that he has feelings for, safe is the question.
Mystery, intrigue, suspicion and romance all play a huge part in this story. The supporting characters in this book made the intrigue that much better. The plot twists, while some were expected, others were pleasantly surprising. I can't wait to read more books in this series and find out what happens in the future with Will and Poppy, as well as his brothers.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Captivated yet again by another suspense filled getaway that has romance woven through it. I also noticed it a bit more this time too that it came at just the right points with the melting part at the end in a fashion that did not have to have it told in pages that luxurious moment. What was supposed to be sweet revenge persay turns out to be something else and bites both Poppy and Will. Something else goes down that pulls the reader to the edge and keeps them poised there tighter and tighter as each page is turned. Devoured from beginning to end I will look forward to the next one and see where that brother ends up.

3 1/2 stars

B.J. Daniels is known for her line of romantic suspense with Harlequin, and I have enjoyed past books of hers. Stroke of Luck, which begins her new Sterling’s Montana series, misses the mark in two respects for me.

First off, the characterization frequently felt “off.” When I read a rugged cowboy thinking that a meatball is “divine,” I figure that someone in the publication of this book wasn’t paying attention. I don’t know anyone in my life who would say “divine” about anything without it being mockingly said, women as well as men. Also, there’s some confusion as to how he felt about 12-year old Poppy when he was 15. He makes comments that seemed a little out of character, which made me scratch my head.

Secondly, and this is something I’ve mentioned before if you’ve read any of my reviews or followed my blog, is how difficult it is to pull off romantic suspense/thrillers/etc. If you are in danger are you really going to fool around? If your barn is on fire, your horses in the barn, are you really going to stand there trying to figure out whether you want to continue having sex or are you going to save your horses and see if you can save your barn? That is really a non-question for me, but not so for our hero.

Likewise, if you’re in a room of potential murderers, where are your thoughts going to be? Hopefully on self-preservation.

All of that said, the mystery and suspense element was great. The mystery felt a little like that Agatha Christie story, And Then There Were None, in which people are in a secluded area where they can’t escape and begin dying. It’s such a great plot that it’s fun to see it in different settings.

This was one mystery that I didn’t guess right away and that’s why I don’t want to be too hard on the book. The writing and characterization = meh, but the mystery = so, so good.

Stroke of Luck is told in multiple povs. I’m not usually a fan of this for the reason that I think it detracts from characterization as it does here, but for the mystery aspect, I let it go.

On a side note, a very, very side note, I wasn’t thrilled about Poppy’s menus. The elements sounded good on their own but put together all sounded too sweet: sweet meat glaze, sweet glaze on veggies, sweet potatoes, dessert. Yikes.

This is recommended for die-hard Daniels’ fans, readers who love Montana, readers who will overlook the romance aspects in order to enjoy the mystery. Don’t read this if you tend to eye-roll when romance is placed above the mystery and makes the hero and heroine stupid because your eyes could get stuck that way.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a while since I read a BJ Daniels book and I wasn't disappointed with the start of her new Sterlings Montanna Series. Poppy and Will first met when he was 15 and she was 12. He was her first love and for a 15 year old boy this was overwhelming and he's always regretted how he treated her. Fast forward 20 years and she's recently moved back to town and started a catering business. He and his brothers run the family business, running cattle and guest dude ranching. He's responsible for the guest ranch and his cook has just broken his leg so with his housekeepe Dorothea's recommendation he hires Poppy to take over for an early season group. It's only for 4 days and Will figures no big deal. For Poppy it's the opportunity she's been waiting for.

Unbeknownst to either, the group visiting (run by a former guest) is riddled with financial and personal issues. The son's who work in the business with their father are at odds about a variety of things. The employees ordered to attend this Spring retreat aren't happy to be there. One thing leads to another and a murder happens, then a second followed by a third murder! The guests along with Will, Poppy, Dorothea and the staff are all on edge. A quick-,oving Spring blizzard strands them and there is no access out for them and in for law enforcement.

There is murder, suspense and romance packed in to the 4 days that Poppy and Will are reunited. How it all plays out and who's responsible for the murder and mayhem keeps you on the edge of your seat. All in all, a great read and I'm excited to get to the next book in the series.

I received a free ARC Ebook from NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for my honest review.