I'm not usually a fan of romance novels but this one caught my interest early on, possibly because of the setting, and I enjoyed it. I looked on Google Maps and Sweetgrass (where this is set) is almost at the Canadian border, south of Lethbridge and Taber Alberta. As I said in my first journal entry, I have been to Montana. We went to the Bitterroot Valley 4 years ago and we also have been to Glacier National Park and the northwest corner of the state. It's wonderful countryside and quite sparsely settled.

The romance between Molly and Sam is a little far-fetched but I would say the rest of the story is plausible enough. I found the plot about the liberation movement chilling. I'm sure most people in Montana are not of that inclination but I couldn't help but think of the Unabomber who lived in a remote part of Montana prior to his arrest. ( )

"RABCk bookbox from dg7500; One of the better Debbie books. Broke, divorced with the ex in jail for fraud, Molly moves back to grandpa's ranch in Montana, with her two tween age boys. The ranch is in dire straits, and the foreman is trying to keep things going, but there's a military faction in town, that will do whatever they need to for that land. Molly marries the foreman, Sam, as a marriage of convenience to help keep the land when Grandpa dies, but the militants are getting more and more troublesome. And the marriage isn't going quite for convenience any more. ( )

Montana by Debbie Macomber
Molly is not only going through a divorce but her husband had dragged her name through the court trials when he took money from others.
Now that she's moved back home to her father's ranch in Montana she has a lot on her plate. No job but taking care of everything on the ranch.
Sam Dakota is the hand that has not only taken care of the ranch but her father's ailing health. She finds out other tidbits about how desperate things really are.
There are so questions as to why things are breaking and other incidents that don't sit right with her. The lawyer wants her to sell everything when her father Walt dies.
As she has no outside income she has to keep the ranch for her and the boys. The fences are now down and the cattle is moving. What next..
She thought Sam was different than other men but he had asked another ranch for a job - after her father was dead...
The story also follows the woman next door, Pearl. She has many hardships and others are threatening her..
Walt has an idea for Sam and Molly to get married-that will secure the ranch.
Cattle rustling, fires, killings and then being shot at, lots of action in this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )

I love, love, loved this book. I love how Sam and Molly are so great together despite why they ended up marrying. Mystery and surprising things make it a quick read for me. Was really surprised that we had known the 'bad guy' all along, and I hadn't put together that they were the same person. Great Read! ( )

Molly Cogan single mom of 2 boys Clay and Tom living in CA in the big city was under the stress of her ex-husbands being in jail no child support his trial, her son’s disobedience and then a phone call from a Sam Dakota a foreman on her grandfather’s ranch in MT the Broken Arrow, to tell her his health is bad and has little time.

With no money, Molly decides to sell everything she owns and moves to Montana. When she arrives at the ranch she is shock to see the beloved home she once loved run down. Her grandfather was never the same after her grandmother Molly (who she was named after) died. Her grandfather who also looks bad does not let on anything is wrong with his help.

Molly soon discovers that some things have been damaged on the ranch and the sheriff is pointing fingers at Sam. She is not crazy over Sam anyway but her grandfather and boys adore him. Molly does not believe her grandfather looked into his references enough before he hired him, but he assures her he is a fine man.

In town there is a prostitute named Pearl who is having a private affair with a lawyer Russell, but she unfortunately involved with some shady characters, the same who are also wrecking havoc over at the Broken Arrow.

Molly is shocked when her grandfather insists she marry Sam, he even offers him a type of dowry land and cattle. Molly is furious that he would suggest marriage to a man she barely knows.

Enjoyed the mystery of the story, the storyline between Molly and Sam was lacking in the love department. Pearl and Russell what little was mentioned had a much better love story, enjoyed the twist at the end was not expecting that. ( )