A Fair to Remember

A Fair to Remember by Barbara Ankrum

On her eighteenth birthday, up and coming equestrian Olivia Canaday stood beneath the Big Marietta Fair Ferris Wheel and made a pinkie promise to her best friend, Jake Lassen.  If neither of them were married on her thirtieth birthday, they would meet back here and be each others' fall-back.  Twelve years later, divorced and still feeling the effects of a career ending accident, Olivia is back in Marietta, and she can't believe that Jake actually remembered the promise.  Unfortunately, Olivia doesn't want a fall-back.  She has sworn off men and marriage and just simply wants her best friend back.

Jake Lassen has left the Army behind, but he can't seem to shake the nightmares that still haunt him.  Back in Marietta for both business and pleasure, Jake is in dire need of soothing from the woman who was never really a fall-back to him.  But as he becomes reacquainted with Olivia he soon realizes that her accident left her more than just scarred, and some damage just can't be fixed by anyone else.

While this story is emotional, it leans mostly toward the coping and healing end of tragedy, rather than the initial suffering.  All of the tragic elements are presented in a past-tense and very little empathy is required to like these characters.  They are survivors and very much in command of the decisions being made.  Even Deke, whose decision led to his seclusion owns that decision and has made his peace with it.

The few scenes in the book that allow for a possibility of weakness for any of the characters also present an opportunity for a cheer inducing resolution.  The camaraderie between all of the characters, main and supporting alike, is very enjoyable to read.  You can tell that they really have each others' backs.  Even a few characters that only have one or two scenes are shown to be compassionate and supporting.  There are only two extremely unlikable characters in this book, and that is necessary because you can't like everybody, it just isn't possible, even if one character is an integral part of Marietta.

One thing that I have come to love about all of the Montana Born books is the feel that the town is real and that if you can just find it you will recognize the people and places as you walk down the street.  In a previous connecting story about Marietta (A Cowboy for Christmas by Katherine Garbera) the Main Street Diner is under "new management".  This story explains why.  A few other characters that have traversed multiple stories show up in this one, too: Carol Bingley, Flo from the Diner, Beck Hartnett, and Eleanor Styles.

Another element that just HAS to be mentioned is the description of the food in the story.  Somehow I ended up reading two stories in a row where food plays a big role in the plot.  Every time I opened the book I had to stop and write down another recipe that I was reminded that I wanted to try.  And the mention of churros had me salivating like Pavlov's Dog.  Talk about tempting fare.

Overall, this has been one of my favorite books in this series.  It is well written and flows superbly.  It is no small feat to be able to plot a book that doesn't lag or rush through key situations.  Ms Ankrum has done just that, and I applaud her for it.  One of my rare perfect scores!

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 5 

Characters – 5

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5

Her Summer Cowboy

Her Summer Cowboy by Katherine Garbera

After years of a self-imposed exile, Hudson Scott is heading home, if only as security for country music legend Alan Jennings's Farewell Tour.  As the tour winds its way toward the Big Marietta Fair, however, Hudson will be forced to answer the question of whether he wants to continue his travels after the tour, or if it is time to mend fences and settle down.  The decision could be a lot easier if he had someone to settle down with.

The entire world knows Ella Wells's name and story, even if they haven't actually met her personally.  Thanks to her grandfather and father both writing and singing songs about her as a child, she has lived most of her life in the glare of the spotlight.  After her father's tragic death, however, Ella left the Nashville and the music industry far behind, preferring the anonymous life of a school teacher to the lure of the stage.  Now that her grandfather has decided to retire from the road, he is calling in a promise she made to him years ago: to tour with him one final time.  Putting aside her fears and insecurities about living up to her family's legacy, Ella embarks on a life changing adventure with her grandfather and the sexy cowboy he has hired for the summer.

The Scott Family are full of strong characters, and Hudson definitely lived up to his part.  There is so much to love about this family.  From their touching tradition of Wednesday dinners at the Diner, to their tendency to butt in to other family members' business, there is no doubt that they love each other.  I am really looking forward to reading more about them...hopefully Lane gets his story soon, because no one can resist a wounded soldier hero.

As far as Ella's contribution to this story, I loved the hints of country music history.  Everything from the naming of characters (odes to Waylon Jennings and Keith Whitley), a character growing up in the spotlight due to her family's fame (a la Rosanne Cash and Carlene Carter), and a tragic death caused by an inability to cope with fame (though this could be many, I am going with Keith Whitley due to the character's name).

Overall, I would have loved for this story to have been longer.  The story was intriguing and fun.  Personally I want to know what happened to Ella's mom, and would have loved to have heard more about her dad.

Continuity/Flow – 4

Sex – 5 

Characters – 5

Storyline – 4

Overall – 4

For Love of A Cowboy

For Love of A Cowboy by Yvonne Lindsay

After losing her mother to breast cancer, Willow Phillips has decided to travel America in her mother's footsteps.  Using a twenty-five year old diary as a guide, she maps a route through Marietta, Montana, timing it for the Big Marietta Fair in hopes of meeting her father for the first time.  Unfortunately, things aren't always as easy as they are planned.

Booth Lange is a cowboy with a chip on his shoulder and protective streak a mile wide.  The minute he meets free-spirited Willow, and discovers that she has a bit in common with his sister, his hackles go up and all he can think about is getting her as far away from his vulnerable sister as possible.  After learning the name of her father, however, he has a whole new reason for wanting her out of Marietta.  Can he reconcile his growing attraction for this little sprite with the damage she could do to the people he loves?

This book left me conflicted.  Mainly because the hero was a jerk.  Yes, he had a reason.  Yes, that reason was justified.  Yes, he got over it.  But he was still a jerk.  The heroine on the other hand was saccharine sweet.  She accepted everything a little too readily and her personality left me a little dazed with her constant change of direction.  The supporting characters were enjoyable, but not a focus.  I really hope that Ness gets her own story, because I like the potential there.

The story was really good, though.  I liked the concept of protecting your own from outside danger, but having to admit that sometimes your protection can hurt them more in the end.  It is a real problem that most people have to deal with at some point in their lives.  Especially if they have children.

Overall, I liked the story, and thought the steamy scenes were well played.  I just wasn't crazy about the characters.  It is a preference thing and, thankfully, didn't stop me from liking the story.

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 4

Sex – 5 

Characters – 3

Storyline – 4

Overall – 4

Cowgirl Come Home

Cowgirl Come Home by Debra Salonen

At the age of eighteen Bailey Jenkins was cursed by her broken-hearted boyfriend at the top of a Ferris Wheel.  Told that if she went through with the gut wrenching decision that she was about to make, then he would call down his grandmother's gypsy curse on her for the rest of her life.  Unfortunately, it seems like the curse might have been real, because Bailey has had nothing but bad luck ever since.

Fifteen years later there is nothing Paul Zabrinski regrets more than cursing his first love...whom he has never really gotten over.  But how can he still love a woman that made a decision that affected them both all by herself?  Now that she is back in town, broken in every sense of the word, to help her mother care for her cantankerous father, can both of them find it in their hearts to forgive each other and move on?  Or is the curse too strong to allow love to win?

This was such a refreshing book.  Not exactly a "feel good" book, it transcends its own concept and comes out as a shining example of great writing and masterful character building.  With its heavy subject matter, it was always going to be an emotional book.  You can't discuss subjects like abortion, addiction, theft, grief, and recovery and still remain shallow and lighthearted.  But this book takes those subjects and removes the melodrama, making them raw and powerful without making them sob-worthy.  In a word, they are honest.

The main characters are both flawed and broken by a life that proved that life itself is not fair.  However, they are both strong and willing to pull themselves up by the boot straps and keep trudging along.  These are admirable qualities and very well received in this book.

The supporting characters are where the true magic in the story lies.  Ms. Salonen took a character who is basically an abusive bully on a power trip, and is candidly described as "the town drunk", and completely makes him likable.  She is actually quite fearless when it comes to making unlikable characters sympathetic.  That kind of gumption is just too admirable not to recognize and applaud.

Overall, I needed this story.  I had been rather disappointed with my own opinion of the last few books I had read, and was actually worried that I was burning out.  This book revived my soul and gave me a reason to keep on reading and reviewing.  Thank you, Debra Salonen!

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 5 

Language – 4

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5

Beauty and the Cowboy

Beauty  and the Cowboy by Nancy Robards Thompson

After ring shopping with her long-term boyfriend, Charlotte Morgan knew that a proposal was just around the corner.  Unfortunately, so did everyone else in Marietta, Montana.  Uncomfortable with the gossip, and unsure about the distance she has been feeling from Tom, she calls him up to get some reassurance.  Instead she gets some news she didn't see coming by a long shot.

Jesse Guthrie has always hated Tom Tucker.  Everything always came easy to Tom.  The career Jesse wanted, the notoriety, and the girl.  Neighbor and playmate Charlie Morgan was the one thing from his childhood that he cherished more than anything, but the timing was never right, so Tom was able to swoop in and take her away.  Now Charlie is showing signs of a possible opening, and Jesse knows that he would be a fool to ignore those signs.

This was a super sweet story.  Humorous and poignant at the same time, it gives a slight peek into the world of beauty pageants, and proves that not all pageants are Toddlers in Tiaras and Stage Mom fodder.  There is also the aspect of "always a bridesmaid" that appeals on many levels in this story.

I think my favorite thing about this story was that Charlie was actually learning her lessons from herself as she helped Maddie through the motions of pageant life.  It's one thing to hear advise from other people, but when you realize that you are spouting off wisdom that applies to you as well, the moment is literary gold.

Overall, this is a feel good story that leaves you realizing that there is no shame in finishing second in a contest, but settling for second best in life should never be an option.

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 4 

Language – 3

Storyline – 5

Overall – 4