Review: Big Sky River by Linda Lael Miller

Big Sky River
by Linda Lael Miller
Series: Swoon-Worthy Cowboys #3
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: December 18, 2012
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Small-town
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

The "First Lady of the West," #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller, brings you to Parable, Montana-where love awaits. Sheriff Boone Taylor has his job, friends, a run-down but decent ranch, two faithful dogs and a good horse. He doesn't want romance-the widowed Montanan has loved and lost enough for a lifetime. But when a city woman buys the spread next door, Boone's peace and quiet are in serious jeopardy.  With a marriage and a career painfully behind her, Tara Kendall is determined to start over in Parable. Reinventing herself and living a girlhood dream is worth the hard work. Sure, she might need help from her handsome, wary neighbor. But life along Big Sky River is full of surprises...like falling for a cowboy-lawman who just might start to believe in second chances.

I am in love with the townsfolk of Parable Montana. Big Sky River is book three in Linda Lael Miller’s Swoon-Worthy Cowboy series and yea-ha it was good to return. Each can be read as a standalone, but if you are like me and want to know all of the side characters and their stories go for book one first. This book focuses on Sheriff Boone Taylor and his city-born neighbor Tara Kendall. Since the first novel Big Sky Country these two have butted heads and it was lovely reading their story. As always once I started reading, I could not put it down and consumed this in a few hours.

Boon Taylor has loved and lost. Right now he needs to focus on his two fragile young sons and his career as the local Sheriff. He has friends, a double wide and is not looking for romance. His next door neighbor Tara Kendall, a city slicker determined to reinvent herself after a divorce that left her mourning the loss of her step-daughters but not the man who fathered them. She and her neighbor Boone have butted heads more than once and his run-down property is an eye-sore to her view of the river. If you told her she’d be thinking about kissing the man, she’d call you crazy; but fate has different ideas. The tale had suspense, tragedy, a little romance and a few hot moments.

I have come to love the characters in this small town and their sense of community. I have always been interested in quite reserved, Boone Taylor and was delighted to get his story. He is noble, loves hard and is completely swoon-worth. We get to see the softer, damaged and fragile side of him. His hurt felt so real. Tara is delightful and has made good friends in town. Despite her initial fear of her chickens she has made a success if not unique living off them. Her snarky interactions with Boone were hilarious and when she realized she was attracted to him, her inner thoughts had me giggling. Opal the town matchmaker is up to her usually tricks and of course other lovable characters from the first two books are threaded into this tale and I loved reading about the developments in their lives. Boone’s kids were adorable as were the twins. Several events happen in town and as always I enjoyed these side stories.

The romance in Big Sky River was sweet, but I wanted more scenes with this couple. I loved the tension and awkwardness these two felt around each other. It was precious and sometimes downright hilarious.Their relationship felt genuine and I enjoyed watching it unfold. Other threads in their storyline were suspenseful and kept me turning the pages. While I felt assured I would get my happily ever after, the ride there was fun and full of twists. Miller has created a town in Montana that reminds me of Robin Carr’s Virgin River series with flesh out characters you want to visit time and time again.

I recommend Big Sky River and the entire Swoon-Worthy Cowboys series to fans of small-town romances and yummy cowboys. I have long been a fan of Miller and look forward to Big Sky Summer the next book in this series scheduled for release in June of 2013. I am also looking forward to The Man from Stone Creek which will publish in March of 2013.

I want to thank Harlequin for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Three and half open campfire cups of coffee out of five

My reviews of :

Big Sky Country

Big Sky Mountain