Friday, November 5, 2010

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.

Montana Destiny Montana Legacy Montana Glory

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   

Monday, November 1, 2010

October Winners!

October was a fun month full of ghouls and giveaways and now.....



The winner of our $65 CSN Stores Giveaway is:

Theresa
(Theresa has already been notified & confirmed.  Congrats!)

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The two lucky winners of their own copy of A Season of Seduction are:

J. L. Jackson


Alexa

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Two more lucky winners each get a copy of the audiobook Earth:

Patsy

Cheryl F.

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And finally, the big winners of Forever Books October Paranormal Romance Giveaway:

Simply Stacie

Linda Henderson

JoAnna

Congratulations to all of our lucky winners and a huge THANK YOU to Hachette and Forever Books for sponsoring these great giveaways!

Winners will be notified by email, but if you see your name here before I get to it, please contact me with your mailing address!

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~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl


TITLE:    Prisoners in the Palace: How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    Michaela MacColl
INFO:    Hardcover, Fiction, 362 pages
PUBLISHED:   Chronicle Books, 2010
ISBN#:   978-0-8118-7300-0
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from the Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS: 
London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?   

Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

MY TAKE:   I enjoy historical fiction and this book is a lovely addition to the this genre as well as that of young adult reading.  It is listed as an appropriate book for ages 12 and up.  I think young readers and adults alike will find this a very satisfying look into Queen Victoria's young life.

Liza is mercilessly thrust into the life of a servant after being catered to and pampered her entire existence.  She is 16 years old and doesn't know how to undress herself!  When she lucks into a position as a maid to Princess Victoria at the run-down Kensington Palace, she must learn to do everything for her lady that she was used to having done for herself.

There are several colorful characters that are introduced in the telling of the tale.  Several are people that you instinctively dislike such as Victoria's mother, the Duchess and her ally, Sir John.  The author writes their personalities in such a way that you can't help but root against them in favor of Liza and the Princess.  In contrast, Will and Inside Boy are two of the supporting cast that you immediately like.  

I always enjoy when an author incorporates real people and real events into a fictional story.  It gives these historical figures a much more human appeal and a reality to them.  Ms. MacColl wove fiction and fact into a lovely tale of two young ladies in different circumstances who are thrown together to make their way as they can.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this debut author. 
      
MY RATING:    4/5

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

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~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.