The Montana Brothers Series, Alison Ryan

From the beginning I liked Belle.  She was confident yet scared and she knew how to handle herself...sick episode in the bar notwithstanding.  There's something quirky, vulnerable, and appealing about this woman with a spine of steel and yet a soul so soft.  I did find her contradictory at times and had a bit of a hard time with how little she actually go to know Huck overall.  Their relationship could have used A LOT more page time to be believable and to achieve greater depth.  From the synopsis giving two perspectives I was expecting an alternating POV in the story but we only got Belle's mind.  There's a lot of emotional frustration coming from and with Huck but we get pretty much nothing.  Despite the level of phenomenal hotness together I found the stamina, size, and intensity to be a little over the top.  Overall, though, the story was a nice, sweet, hot pairing that bodes well for the rest of the series.  3 stars.

Second chances are never guaranteed.  When life crashes around Sarah and she runs from everything that reminds her of her pain, she also runs away from her heart.  Hayes is by no means a monk, but his heart is saved for Sarah and Sarah alone.  Knowing she'll one day return, he's determined to either convince her to stay or run with her.  These two are well-formed and well-matched.  I enjoyed Sarah.  Yes, she ran because of cowardice, a lack of strength to face the pain of loss, but she didn't cower in the rest of her life.  She became a strong woman who had a couple well-earned vulnerabilities.  Her commitment to family despite the distance and her willingness to do what needed to be done was admirable.  The family's struggle was touching.  Having the ever-positive, sweet, and super hot Hayes not just waiting in the wings but actively seeking out more, better, deeper connections with Sarah was awesome.  I do wish we got to have his perspective, but Sarah was really the one that needed the page time for her acceptance of her past, change and growth, and reconciliation with everything.  Overall their story was tender, sweet, and definitely passionate.  They were made for one another and I enjoyed reading their story.  3.5 stars.