Reviewer: Holly Montana Dawn by Caroline Fyffe
Series: McCutcheon Family #1, Home in the Heartland #1
Publication Date: September 30th 2011
Genres: Fiction, Westerns
Pages: 295
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MONTANA DAWN - The McCutcheon Family Series, Book 1
2011 VCRW Laurel Wreath Winner, 2010 Maggie Finalist, 2010 Gayle Wilson Finalist , RWA Golden Heart Finalist (Western Historical Romance)
Montana Territory, 1883
When Luke McCutcheon finds Faith Brown about to give birth in her rickety wagon, his first instincts are to ride for help. Instead, he stays and delivers a beautiful baby girl. Unable to leave the pretty young widow and her little son and newborn unprotected in the Montana wilderness, he brings them along on his family's cattle drive, to the absolute delight of the other friendly cowboys.
"I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF THE BOOK AND THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD AS A BOOK CAN GET!"--Philosophy of Romance
Luke, third son of Montana's wealthy McCutcheon family, is different from his brothers. As the offspring of a Cheyenne warrior, he carries a chip on his shoulder for all to see. His flashing eyes and handsome face make Faith feel she's stepped into some long-ago tale where men cherish their women--and keep them safe. If only she could trust him! Faith is on the run, and although she's pampered and protected by Luke and his family, she just can't risk the consequences of sharing the details of her past--one that's hunting to take her back to the nightmare she's just escaped. Happy-ever-afters are for fairytales, she reminds herself sternly as her heart feels the warm pull of his. Still, she can't help but dream of a loving family, a home to call her own, a beautiful and bright...Montana Dawn
READ MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT AMERICAN WESTERN HISTORICAL ROMANCE FAMILY IN ORDER: Montana Dawn Texas Twilight Mail-Order Brides of the West: Evie Mail-Order Brides of the West: Heather Moon Over Montana Mail-Order Brides of the West: KathrynMontana Snowfall
Watch for more McCutcheon Family Novels to come...Western historical romance, Western historical romance books, western romance, western romance books, historical romance, Pioneer fiction, western fiction, historical western romance books, romance series, series, sweet western romance, frontier romance, novels, fiction, bestsellers, western novels,
I’m not a huge fan of Westerns. I know Wendy and Sybil adore them, but the time period just isn’t one I care for. That isn’t to say I don’t love Cowboys, because hello…but the Old West has never been my cup-a. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the occasional story, however. Montana Dawn was a sweet novel and I fell right into it.
Luke McCutcheon is surprised when he finds a broken down wagon while he’s out on a cattle drive in the middle of a terrible storm. He’s even more surprised when he finds a young woman inside, about to give birth, with no one to help but a 9 year old. Though he has no experience with childbirth, he knows he has to help her. The experience forms a bond between them, one Luke wants to explore more. But Faith is hiding something from him, and he’s done with lies and deceit.
Faith is a widow and she’s running from her husband’s family. Since his death, they want her to marry her brother-in-law so they can gain ownership to her family farm, which her father willed to her when he died. If her husband was a cruel man, his brother and father are the devil incarnate. Terrified over what might happen to her children, she runs, but she knows they won’t give up until they find her and drag her back home. Which is why she can’t allow Luke close. He’s kind and considerate, and everything she ever hoped to find in a man, but it’s too risky to bring him into her life.
Luke has hangups about his heritage, because he’s a half-breed. His mother was abducted by Indians and he was the result of her being captured. He’s always felt like an outsider and stands apart from his family because of it. But that seems to be his only flaw. He’s kind and considerate, strong and protective. I really loved watching him come to care for Faith. I understood his reasons for feeling separated from the rest of his family. Especially considering how half-breeds were looked upon then. I also understood his reasons for being suspicious of Faith, and wanting her to be honest with him about her past.
In the beginning, Faith was a strong woman who was fighting for her life and those of her children. I really respected her need for independence, but as the novel progressed I felt she took it too far. With her husband’s family hot on her trail, she knows she can’t afford to stay in one place too long. Even though I understood why she felt that way, it was hard not to become frustrated by the way she constantly pushed Luke away. She would lean on him, then clam up and push him away. The back-and-forthing got old.
I also didn’t understand why Luke kept letting her get away with telling lies. He’d catch her in them, but then would back off as soon as she started getting angry at him for pushing. I think their issues could have been cleared up sooner if he’d pushed a little harder. The good news is that Luke figured out what was shadowing her on his own, and was able to help her move past it.
I really adored Luke’s family. They were a tight, close-knit group who obviously cared for one another. It was good to see such a strong family written in such a positive way.
Although I had some problems with both Luke and Faith, I still truly enjoyed this novel. It was a sweet romance, filled with strong characters and true love.
3.75 out of 5
The series:
Montana Dawn
Where the Wind Blows
This book is available from Leisure Books. You can buy it here
