Montana Darling

This almost broke my heart with Zia. She was so strong and yet so fragile that I cried for her. Loved that she took a chance first with a fling and then with love. Ryker was almost too good to be true as a hero, but his own legacy made him strong enough to help Zia. Loved it and would recommend it to anyone.

4.5 stars! I’ll admit it took me a while to warm up to Mia. She’s so fierce and angry at the start, uptight and unwilling to bend. Yet she has her reasons and as the story progressed I really started to admire her – for what she’d done, what she’d gone through and what she was trying to achieve. Ryker is just gorgeous. True, to some extent he’s lived a charmed life until recently, but I still loved the way he looked at life and the way he wooed Mia even when they should have been adversaries. His whole relationship with his mother, though. Wow, was that ever sticky.

In all this was a lovely romance set in the midst of struggles with grief, family troubles and love, and learning to live with yourself whoever and wherever you might be. I really enjoyed this fresh trip to Marietta and I will definitely be looking out for more about this family. Can’t wait to read Meg’s story.

Great story!! This is Mia Zabrinski and Ryder Bensen's story and it is an excellent one! Mia has had a rough year. First breast cancer than her marriage disintegrating and she doesn't think she can handle much more so she's moving back home to hide out and heal. Ryder Bensen is just looking for a little quiet to recover from the devastating loss of his fiance. Problem is, the piece of land he cherishes doesn't appear to be his anymore. It belongs to Mia. As they work through the details of how Mia came to own the land the two become close but can they put their pasts behind them??? It's a good one! I highly recommend it.

5 Personally Perfect Stars * * * * *

Sometimes when we see a review with 5 stars we may wonder... what is the deal... is the book really this great or is it a review which may have a bit of knee jerk reaction to it...If I sound a little harsh...it is only because we all have different ways of rating books...

I mention this because a little book, which was part of a series I have been enjoying through Tule Publlishing via NetGalley, hit a personal chord with me. It touched on issues many of our loved ones have had to deal with; Breast Cancer and what is left in the wake of the battle. Those who have been there either personally or through loved ones have read many stories with this at their core... only to skirt over some of the real issues women deal with. This book did not do that. This book built a story around a woman who experienced much... dealt with it and then was released from the personal restrictions she had placed on herself.

Confronting her self image with the help of the love interest Ryker Bensen, Mia becomes who she needs to be. Ryker also is able to heal his own pain and loss through the process of loving Mia.

This book had so much insight, heart and just feelings... you wanted to become part of the community and family friends...It is a credit to the author to take many real, serious experiences we all have been touched with, bring them to a romance novel and have us willingly and happily work through the process. It takes a deft hand and courageous heart. It is also necessary to address things which are not comfortable but need to see the light of day.

There was, of course, much more to this tale with characters from the past books populating the community of Marietta, Montana; all were intertwined and gave a type of grounding and depth. I have developed a sweet fondness for this Marietta, Montana Community... it draws me in and I always want more...

Not all of the books cover difficult subject matter... I highly recommend this book and the others for your reading experience.

A gifted copy was provided by Tule Publlishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Debra Salonen has written another warm, tender, captivating story in Montana Darling. Despite its short length, this book is well rounded and flows beautifully from start to finish. Mia and Ryker meet over the plot of land each thinks they own and despite their very different approaches to life they feel an instant attraction to each other. Mia has survived breast cancer and divorce from her husband of 15 years and is in Marietta to rebuild her life. Ryker has lost his pregnant girlfriend in a bike accident and is also in Marietta licking his wounds. Neither wants a relationship yet some things are meant to happen. Montana Darling is fun, family, love and laughter and a book i look forward to reading again. Recommended!

What an awesome book! I considered this book very inspirational. I was at times both laughing and crying.

Women can be idols of strength, courage and tenacity. When encountered with worst of situations, they either come back kicking butt or let the circumstances make them a victim.

And Mia Zabrinski definitely fought back not to become a victim of cancer and she had succeeded. But her fight with cancer was a costly survival as she’s lost her marriage and is now trying to rebuild a relationship with her teenage children. Moving back to Marietta, Montana and building a house on the land that was given to her by her ex-husband supposedly is the plan to start a new life. But that gets tossed out as she discovers a squatter on her land, claiming the land to be his.

Ryker Benson is back in Marietta, camping on his land as he comes to terms with the death of his fiancée and his unborn child. Coming back to his roots to decide the next step of his life goes awry as he comes face to face with Mia and he gets punched in the heart. Not to mention, his land is in a legal mess as Mia claims to have the deed for it. A renowned photographer and well travelled, Mia freezes all his thoughts, as he can’t control his feelings for her.

Montana Darling is a courageous story of a woman trying to find herself and be peace with her surgically acquired body. This is a charming story of a man who loves a woman unconditionally and wanting to help her find her inner beauty and confidence. This is an emotional story of a couple as they battle past pain and insecurities, to make a future with each other. And this is a charming story of a wonderful family, supporting, encouraging and motivating each other with patience, understanding and love.

Debra Salonen does a fine job of etching Mia and Ryker full of warmth, love and understanding as they deal with their emotions for each other and the chance they take with each other. Ryker was just the sweetest and most understanding man a person can fall in love with, and Mia as a cancer survivor and mother is just the perfect half of Ryker with her energy, positivity and zest.

A charmingly sweet read!

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They both had lost so much, had gone through such a difficult time. And they both were healing, in their own ways. But was there enough things in common to make a relationship, or was it just a rebound fling? Or was it serendipity? I adored that the author wrote about such an important issue, as a breast cancer survivor. How Mia was healing, dealing and living with it, came through loud and clear. I would give the author a big hug of thanks for just that.
But Mia wasn't the only one who had faced a battle of life, Ryker had lost his love and child, so heartrendingly young. But together they come to life again. You can sense the fun, the spark, the attraction between them. It is beautiful, how Ryker takes time to teach Mia how to love her body again. The relationship between them moves fast, it is like a lightning. I would have loved more insight, and more details on that. The way their path had crossed before, as children, was endearing, the whole story uplifting, and inspiring. No matter what you go through in your life, there is the possibility of a new chance, if you are brave enough to grasp it, embrace it and go for it. Seize the day, Carpe diem

Following the tragic death of his fiancé and their unborn child, Ryker seeks refuge camping on the land he should inherit shortly, on his thirtieth birthday. He has happy memories of visiting here with his father and hopes to come to terms with events by staying her to give himself time to recover and recoup.

Mia has undergone drastic treatment for breast cancer, been divorces by her two-timing ex-husband and moved back to live with her parents until she can have a home built for her and her two children on the land she owns as part of her divorce settlement.

The problem? They both think they own the same stretch of land! Mia hears about Ryker camping so goes to throw this unwanted squatter off 'her' land and is surprised to not find the 'ecosquatter' she had anticipated, instead she finds a troubling, attractive stranger - sparks fly!

Can the two help each other heal? How can they both own the same land? What's the history between them? You'll just have to read this delightful story to find out. It is well written, traumatic, heart-warming and engaging with great characters in a beautiful setting, add in a well paced story line and you've got a great place to escape into! Highly recommended.

This was a delightful read. Loved Mia, ADORED Ryan. He's one of those heroes that you wish you could find for yourself. My only complaint is I wanted more! Thanks for a great read!

This is a really cute book. Two people both seem to be running from there past and running towards they same thing. I love the raw emotion in the book but I also liked how it was not so over powering. The book goes really quickly into some strong language but its off and on through out the book but not so much that it turns the book off or away from the story. I can't wait to read the finally book in this series. I just may have to get the first 2 as well to catch up. The storyline is very cute and the author did a good job keeping the readers attention through the whole book.

A wonderful, heart warming story of moving forward from the past. Mia, is survivor of breast cancer, a divorce and now moving back home with her two kids. Ryker, has come to Montana, to his land that his dad left him. Ryker has lost his fiance recently. Ryker and Mia meet over the property that they both think they own. The sexual chemistry is there immediately, Mia tries to fight it off for many reasons. Can Ryker win Mia's heart.

I could not put this book down. Even though it is a short story, it is packed with a wonderful story of moving forward in life. The most important thing is, every woman needs a Ryker in their life. Ryker made Mia feel beautiful and whole again.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone but you will enjoy so much that you will want to read the whole series. I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

Montana Darling was the first story I read by Debra Salonen and I really enjoyed it. Mia Zabrinski is a cancer survivor who moved home to Marietta, Montana so she can build a house on the land she got in her divorce. When she gets there she meets Ryker Bensen because he is staying on the land, believing he will get it in a trust on his 30th birthday. Despite how they met, Mia and Ryker fell in love. My favorite part of the story was how Ryker helped Mia see herself as beautiful. She had a mastectomy & hysterectomy because of the cancer and viewed herself negatively as a result. This story showed depth and lots of emotion. I give this story 4.5 stars and will definitely be reading more by Debra Salonen.

When I started reading Montana Darling, I thought this is a bit different from the usual Marietta, Montana books. There is not a cowboy in sight. Still it is a wonderful read, reminding me that it takes people from all walks of life to make a community prosperous. Lawyers and photographers are also needed as in the case of this story.

The main character, Mia Zabrinski is a smart, rather angry, and cynical, tough mother with two teenage children. Just like one would expect her to be after the fight for her life that followed on the heels of her divorce. I liked her even though she could be brash. Ryker Bensen is the perfect opposite as her love interest. I could easily see why she thought him to be to zen-y in the beginning. Both have suffered loses that must be faced before they can have a future. It is the working through this issues that make the story so interesting.

The fight over the land is what makes their path cross but is not to me the driving force of the story. I really liked that it is a deeper story than just land rights. Montana Darling deals with the harsh reality of life. For the amazing way that Debra Salonen deals with life after breast cancer for a single woman I applaud her. Nothing is sugar coated but neither is it a pessimist viewpoint either. All around good read. 4.5 stars

I loved this! Mia was such a strong heroine. She survived breast cancer, lost her husband and her home, and was just trying to make it. She was brave, but there was this underlying vulnerability about her that I immediately identified with. The scenes where Ryker (hot, younger, photographer guy) tried to make her see herself as he saw her had me sobbing. I love that he got her to open up and be herself again.

I'll definitely read more by this author. And I can't wait to read Meg's story :)

This was a nice and heartwarming story. I enjoyed the characters connection and even though I haven't read the first two books in this series, I didn't feel as though I couldn't understand the relationships of the side characters.

I am going to start with saying I loved and felt every minute of this story. Debra Salonen did an absolutely amazing job developing Mia's character, and Ryker's right along with it. I just hope this review can do justice to this book.

Mia Zabrinski has been driven and focused all her life, not letting anything sidetrack her from her goals. She was a successful attorney, had a family and a beautiful home. Then it imploded. First she was diagnosed with breast cancer, then her husband decided to move on and start a new family. Mia goes after the cancer just like everything, choosing the most aggressive treatment to make sure it is truly gone. With treatments over, she moves back to her hometown of Marietta with her children, planning to start over and be an integral part of her kids' lives. She has a plan, but won't thing she is sure will never be a part of it is a man.
The last thing she wants or needs is the squatter who has set up camp on her land, and she plans to move him quickly, so she can start getting a house built.
Ryker Benson has his own baggage, not the least of which is that he thought he was camping on his own land. He is stunned when the beautiful Mia claims his land, but also by his reaction to her. A photographer, Ryker is adept at reading people, and quickly realizes that Mia has a more going on, including her diminished self-image.
As they work to unravel the land issue and start their relationship, Ryker, knowing their is possibly no future, embarks on a quest to help Mia see herself as she is and how he sees her, not how she sees herself as a result of the cancer.
This book made me laugh and brought me to tears. Both these characters dealt with huge tragedy in their lives. The way they grew and realized they had to face it and put it behind them to move on, had me teary. I love Mia and that she was written as such a strong, beautiful character. Ryker was the perfect person to help her move on. I really enjoyed the previous stories in the series, and while it is nice to see what is going on in the characters' lives, it is not necessary to have read them first. I enjoy Salonen's writing style. She has a wonderful way of developing characters and setting, as well as injecting humor and other emotions. I am waiting, with bated breath for Meg's story and finding out what kind of situations she will face.

I really enjoyed this heartfelt book! This is the first book I have from this author and this is the first book I've read in the series! I ended up going back and purchasing the first two books in the Big Sky Mavericks Series! I really fell in love with Mia's strength and how she comes in and turns Ryker's world upside down! I felt like this was a really good read.

***This ebook was provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Montana Darling is the third book in the Big Sky Mavericks series and it was another amazing book in the series!

Montana Darling is about second chance in life for the both the heroine Mia and the hero Ryker.

Mia beat cancer but in the process she lost her husband, her job and her body image and now she is ready to rebuild her life in her hometown of Marietta, Montana.

Her plan is to build a house on the land she got in the divorce but in order to start building her dream house she first needs to tell the stranger that is camping on her land that he need to find a new place to camp out.

When Mia first meet Ryker she is surprised to realize that he's not a squatter- he has expensive camera and bike and he's super smart. On top of that he's hot , sexy and too young for Mia and it looks like he believe that the land belong to him.

Ryker is trying to hide from the world after losing his pregnant girlfriend is a bike accident last year he's looking to live a simpler life and being in Montana where he used to spend every summer with his dad and brother bring back good memories until it looks like the land he believe is his maybe isn't his anymore.

Both Mia and Ryker aren't looking for a relationship but the attractions between them is too strong to ignore and they both help one another live again and get over the past and move forward.

I really enjoyed reading about Mia and Ryker, I loved how Ryker was trying to help Mia love her body again after her double Mastectomy. I love reading books about second chances in life and in Montana Darling Debra Salonen gave us readers 2 characters that are not perfect but they are perfect for one another.

I can't wait to read book #4 in the series.

SO this book hit home a little more than I cared for. Not because it wasn't good. The opposite actually, the book is VERY well written and I loved every page. But breast cancer, like autism, is part of my life. My brother was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over 3 years ago. He has a clean bill of health today. But cancer is a dirty dirty word that quite frankly, unless you live it, you think you know, but you just don't. I think that's actually for any, shall we just call them out of the norm circumstances, and leave it at that (disease is another one of those words I just really dislike). SO, as I read this book, and read the struggle Mia was dealt with, I was just a little overwhelmed. Debra Salonen did an excellent job of making sure that us as readers were told the story in a way that we lived it with Mia. It was a beautiful thing to read.
Ryker, our hero and Mia's hero :) did not come without his own demons. Together and thru each other, they found a way out of their baggage into freedom. Again, it was a beautiful thing to read!
I loved that the community of Marietta was involved in the book. I guess a way of putting it is intertwined. Past characters from different books played a role in the story and that has actually been the case with most of the books based in Marietta. That is why I have loved this setting from the start. Every author that has written a story taking place in Marietta has done a great job of involving the community, past couples of different books! Every single time I see the setting Marietta, Montana I jump at it! LOL SO overall, this was a sweet poignant story of two people who desperately needed each other to find their future. Give it a try, I guarantee you wont be disappointed!

ARC provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

I've enjoyed reading the Big Sky Maverick Series. Mia's story is another great book written by Debra Salonen. Mia and Ryker are both dealing with loss, Ryker the loss of his pregnant girlfriend and Mia a different kind of loss, her body image due to cancer, her husband because he could not accept it. Neither looking for love or a relationships. They help each other overcome the past but are they willing to go further! A great love story

Mia and Ryker were beautifully developed characters by Salonen - I forgot for most of the book that I was even reading. She drew me into the story and I felt that I was living this one with them. I laughed, I cried, and I rooted for them throughout. I absolutely loved this story and her writing style.

Montana is a popular setting for romances lately. While I would love to visit in summer, a winter in the state, with the snow and the cold and the wind, holds no appeal for me. Therefore, I choose to complete my travels to the 41st state through books. Sorry, large, northern state, but Michigan winters are far too long for my liking; I hate to think what a Montana winter would be like!

I typically pick up a romance set in Montana for cowboys. While Ryker wasn’t a cowboy, he was still an engaging hero. He’s a prize winning photographer who has lost his way since the death of his fiancée and his unborn child. Needing some solitude, he’s pitched a tent on the 10 acres that his father left to Ryker and his brother. The piece of land is the brightest spot of his childhood, the place where he and his father and his brother spent their summers camping, fishing, and hanging out. After his father’s fatal heart attack when he was a senior in high school, a rift between Ryker and his mother drove him away from home, and he’s been globetrotting since. Until the accident that robbed his fiancée, he had been blissfully happy. Now, a year later, he’s still mourning and not ready to deal with people yet.

Imagine his surprise when Mia turns up outside his tent, accusing him of squatting on her land. She and her ex-husband purchased the property, and after moving back home from Cheyenne, she wants to pour the foundation for her new house as soon as possible, but Ryker is holding up the show. Mia is also grieving; her husband cheated on her, she had a battle with cancer that left her scarred and broken, and she just wants to start over with her two kids. Ryker’s claim that the land belongs to him has put a wrench in her plans, and she’s not going to go down without a fight.

I really liked this story. Both Ryker and Mia are hurting and they need each other to heal and become whole again. After undergoing invasive surgeries and chemo, Mia is understandably struggling with her sense of self. The thought of being intimate with anyone is a no-go, and she can’t believe that Ryker would really be attracted to an older woman. Ryker, on the other hand, is easy going, but he never wants to be hurt again, so he’s vowed to never put himself in that position again. So, no falling in love. Of course, both Ryker and Mia break every one of their rules and rediscover the power and strength of love.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style, and am thrilled that she has a large back list. I liked the supporting cast of her Big Sky Mavericks series, and would like to get to know the characters better. All in all, Montana Darling is a sweet romance with two likable protagonists.

Grade: B

Good but not for me

I must admit, it took me awhile to pick this book from my kindle line-up because I thought it would be a fluff piece...and to my surprise, it is certainly not.

A slow ride through love, loss and hope for both main characters that take you along with them through every emotion, frustration, wonder and recovery. Deep issues of cancer, loss, grief and finding yourself again made this a very emotionally engaging read for me. You felt like you were there, rooting for Mia and Ryan, together and as individuals you'd like to call our friends.

Supporting cast is as engaging as the main characters.

A definite recommend.

Great! I love all the Montana books.