Review + Giveaway - Montana Glory by R.C. Ryan

TITLE:     Montana Glory
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    R.C. Ryan

INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 376 pages

PUBLISHED:   Forever, 2010
ISBN#:   978-0-446-54864-9
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Hachette Books for Review & Giveaway
 

FROM GOODREADS:  The last thing in the world Zane McCord wants is a wife. But after returning home to the family ranch in Montana to help his cousins search for the lost treasure that is their legacy, Zane can't help notice that love and marriage seem to be contagious. Both his cousins have succumbed, but he refuses. Determined to stay a bachelor till he dies, Zane wants to devote his time to filming documentaries and taking care of the ranch...and then Riley Mason walks into his life.

The last thing on Riley Mason's mind is romance. Sent to the McCord ranch to save the family's accounting problems, she only wants to impress her firm in Helena and be on her way. Life as a single mother isn't easy and she needs to impress her bosses for a raise. But when Zane McCord opens the door, her breath catches in her throat and a desire she's never experienced before takes over her. When the McCords insist that she and her daughter, Summer stay at the ranch, she's forced to give in and before long, she's pulled into their search for the long lost treasure. But she absolutely draws the line at getting involved with Zane McCord, playboy and heartbreaker extraordinaire.

But as they all get closer to finding Coot's lost treasure, a dangerous series of accidents target Riley and her daughter Summer. Can Zane keep her safe while trying to win her heart?

MY TAKE:   I am always up for a book about cowboys!  This one was no disappointment either.  This is the final installment in the trilogy that includes  Montana Legacy and Montana Destiny.  Montana Glory can definitely be read as a stand alone novel but I also think readers will enjoy the stories of Zane's cousins Jesse and Wyatt to get a full picture of these yummy Montana men and the women they love.

The characters in this novel are very well written.  I was really impressed with the character of Riley.  She is an outstanding mom who will stop at nothing to protect her daughter.  She is willing to give up her own happiness for little Summer's benefit.  Zane is one tall drink of water!  Cool mountain water.. He is quite the hero as he goes from a confirmed bachelor and ladies' man to someone who is thinking of the future.  Probably one of my favorites though is Cal, the crusty old ranch foreman.  He is the glue that holds the whole ranch and its inhabitants together.  His story is integrally entwined with that of the McCord family from the start.

This book moves along at a fast clip.  It is full of the required elements of love, adventure and intrigue.  A very enjoyable read that I finished in an afternoon.   I highly recommend Montana Glory along with the previous two books of the series.

  

You can read more about the author R.C. Ryan at her website.  But for now, here are FIVE FUN FACTS directly from the lady herself:

1. As a girl I used to love reading my father's old Westerns. His favorite author was Zane Grey. No surprise, then, that I had to name a character Zane.

2. In my original plan, Riley's child was going to be a boy. I could envision these three tough cowboys having lots of fun with a miniature wrangler. But then I realized how much more fun I could have watching the interplay between three tough cowboys and a little girl who had never set foot on a ranch before. That's how Summer was born in my imagination.

3. Don't you just love when characters take on a life of their own and lead us along paths we never expected? This is what happened with Cal Randall, ranch foreman. I thought I knew everything there was to know about him. After all, I created this life-long friend of Coot McCoy. But single-mother Riley's presence on the ranch taught me some things about Cal that I hadn't known. Midway through this story, I realized why Cal had such empathy for Riley.

4. I had always planned on having a sweet, gentle love story develop between Cal and Cora throughout the series. But again, Riley was the catalyst that made their story even sweeter. I actually cried when they finally realized what the rest of their family had known for such a long time.

5. I love the idea of searching for lost treasure. I know that my readers want answers to the quest that has teased and taunted this family for generations. But I also believe, as Zane declares, that the only real treasure is family. I hope my readers will let me know if they're satisfied with the ending in this third and final book in the series.

Thank you R.C. Ryan for the insight into Montana Glory.

MY RATING:    4/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, The Book Depository, Powell's Books, IndieBound

Thank you to R.C. Ryan and Hachette Books for generously providing TWO of the lucky readers here at One Book Shy with their very own copy of Montana Glory.

The rules are quite simple:

• Already be or become a follower of One Book Shy
• Leave a comment on this post and tell us your favorite piece of cowboy attire
• Open to US and Canada residents
• Only one prize per household.  Even if you win in another contest, you will only be sent one copy of the book.
• No PO Boxes.
• Contest will close at midnight PST on November 22nd, 2010.
• Winners will be randomly chosen and will have 48 hours to reply with their mailing information.

Good luck and