Diane Portman-Ray

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨.5

First Impressions
Montana Lone Rider is a western standalone and this is my first book by this author. I admit that when seeing some neat reels on instagram for this book, that I gave into temptation and grabbed up this book here. I had high hopes for it and while it was a solid experience and delivered some fun times, I just wasn't able to fully connect with the story. I am not sure if its because I haven't read much this week or if it was the book itself. I did find it an easy read, I just wasn't able to connect with the romance and didn't quite feel the chemistry as I was expecting to. Also it has a weird third act conflict and the ending felt rushed. It would have been nice to have seen that drawn out a bit more. It gave the feeling of too much being unresolved.

First Line
The five-inch heel of my Valentino sandal got caught between a plank of wood and something metallic and I had to fight to free myself.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Jax Maverick
Rugges, Raw, Tortured, Playboy and afraid to love

The Heroine: Caroline Douglas
Independent, Socialite, Intelligent and Sassy. Looking to find connection but afraid to get hurt.

Summary
Caroline Douglas when her grandfather dies and passes to her his ranch out in the state of Montana, and she has to find out what to do with the land her grandfather left to her, she is out of her element. She is used to high society, figuring out financial statements and not learning how to ride a horse or dealing with snakebites or rides out under the stars with a sexy cowboy....but Jax will make her want to experience life in a way she has never opened herself up to before. Jax Maverick was rescued by Caroline's grandfather, given a purpose in life and a second chance to really make something of himself. He keeps himself closed out to women, never risking himself. But when he meets feisty Caroline, he is in for a world of new changes because she will alter his perspective. But can these two opposites attract find the common ground to make a go at their HEA?

What I Loved
There are many elements to the story that I really enjoyed. The first being the opposites attract angle. These two couldn't be more different from each other. But in the ways that truly matter, they have so much in common. The way that they both yearn for something real in their hearts makes them more than compatible. But they both have ego's and tend to let those get in the way which makes for some delightful interactions. The humor that comes off in this story is lively and will have you barking out loud in laughter. There are some solid friendships that we see implemented in this story. This is also a standalone, so you don't need to invest in a series to enjoy this book. There is also some spicy moments between these two. So if you need some steamier moments between a couple, then you will definitely be satisfied with the chemistry that this author handles in this story. There are also a great focus on animal loving in this one, so if you love seeing animals in romance then I highly recommend this one. There is also a grovel, if you need that in your romance. It definitely checks that box.

What I Struggled With
This book is far from perfect. So let me lay out the issues that I had with this story. The first is the writing. Its not the most polished, and could have used a more fleshed out style to it. The pacing was a bit off in parts. The spice felt too rushed for the chemistry level we feel from this couple. There just seemed to be a disconnect between the sexual chemistry and the relationship building aspects. Almost like they were two different couples at times. And then the third act could have been executed more smoothly. There was way too much rush feeling to it and little details and questions that go unanswered. The ending was also way too quick. Especially for a standalone, it honestly had more of a HFN feel to it over a HEA. I just had a feeling of disappointment with this one as I had high expectations and it felt like a bit of a let down overall.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Cowboy/Rancher, Socialitite, Business Owner
Themes: Small Town, Tear Jerker, Western
Tropes: Opposites Attract, Fling, Forced Proximity

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict

Song This Book Inspires
Loved by Lucy Hale

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.… (mais)