Montana Actually by Fiona Lowe
Contemporary Romance
January 6, 2015
Berkley
Reviewed by Helyce
From Goodreads: City doctor Josh Stanton and his sports car don’t suit the country, but with his medical school debt about to bury him, Josh has to make the best out of a bad situation. Adjusting to his new job and life in the middle of nowhere isn’t easy, but at least the views of the mountains—and one distractingly attractive local—are stunning…
After eight years away, Katrina McCade is back in Bear Paw for a break from her life, bad choices—and men. But when a broad-shouldered stranger bursts into town, she finds herself unexpectedly saddled with the town’s sexy new doctor as a tenant. Katrina doesn’t need a man to make her happy, especially a disgruntled physician. But try telling her body that…
I have to admit, the whole small town vs. big city doctor theme presented in the blurb drew me in, and from the first scene with Josh Stanton arriving in the middle of nowhere town of Bear Paw, Montana, I knew that it was going to be interesting and humorous. And it was! We also get a secondary bonus romance in this one.
Dr. Josh Stanton and his fiance had a plan which she seemed to be on board with, until it was time to execute a move to a town in the middle of nowhere. The plan would allow Josh to work as the doctor in a small town where they’d have minimal expenses and be able to pay off the mountains of debt from medical school. Unfortunately, when the time to move to said small town came, his fiance decided that she wasn’t okay with the plan anymore and after 3 years together their relationship ended. So, Josh moves to Bear Paw on his own and from the moment he arrives, he hits one obstacle after another.
Katrina “Kat” McCade left Bear Paw as soon as she could get out of the little town she grew up in. She’d been working as a nurse and in a long term relationship with a doctor there – until she found out that he was in fact married with children. Feeling all kinds of stupid and swearing off men for the foreseeable future, Kat returns home to take some time and get herself together. Unfortunately, her ban on men doesn’t last long once she meets the new doctor in town.
Josh and Katrina’s road to love was very entertaining as they traverse every obstacle. From the moment they meet, things seem to just go wrong and though there is attraction they fight it. Kat wants nothing to do with another doctor and Josh is determined to just get through his commitment to the town and get the hell out of there. But fate has something else in mind for these two.
After several meetings where their attraction to each other becomes undeniable, they agree to give in-but with rules and boundaries-the biggest one, no falling in love. Josh is clear that he doesn’t plan to stay in Bear Paw, and Katrina seems to be okay with it all–until she breaks the biggest rule and falls in love.
While all of this is going on, the author throws in a secondary story which features Kat’s older brother Beau and her boss at the diner, Shannon. Shannon has a teenaged son who is dealing with moving to the town by acting out and getting in trouble. Beau is man who himself struggled as a kid with a horrible stutter which took years for him to get under control. Beau takes Shannon’s son Hunter under his wing, letting him work at the ranch and forming a bond. But Beau also wants very badly to form a bond with Shannon. And they do; unfortunately, they do it in secret and when Hunter finds out it puts their budding relationship in jeopardy.
I have to admit that I actually enjoyed Beau and Shannon’s story just a bit more and am a little sad that they won’t get their own book. I think their story could have been expanded to include more of their backstory and how Shannon came to be in Bear Paw. Josh and Kat’s story was a bit predictable and Josh came off as very superficial at times. The conflict that causes their rift and short time apart was kind of silly. Having said that, the author does a nice job of having Josh come to his senses and he redeems his previous stupidity well.
The author does a really good job of giving us both stories without taking away from Kat and Josh’s journey. Intermixed with all of it are some heavy emotional moments that Kat and her family have to deal with. This is a well rounded contemporary that hit all the points I look for in a romance including a good combination of humor and emotional content. I’m already looking forward to book 2, Truly Madly Montana coming in July 2015.
Rating: B
Thanks for the review! This looks good!
You’re welcome! I enjoyed it. Only wish Beau had his own book!