Montana Mavericks (Book 131)
We all need somebody to trust
WHAT NOBODY EXPECTED
Flirty rancher Morgan Dalton is all about keeping things casual…until Erica Abernathy moves back to Bronco. She's sweet, sexy -- and about to have a baby all on her own. Morgan steps up to be a shoulder she can lean on, telling them both it won't lead to more. But when he offers to be Erica's labor coach, the charismatic cowboy finds it hard to be a man of his word…
Very good book. Erica came home to Bronco to regroup after ending a relationship, deciding to have a baby on her own, and losing her job. She left home twelve years ago for college and has only returned a few times for visits. Her return was a little rough as her parents were not as supportive as she had hoped. To escape the tension at home, Erica visited a local restaurant where she met Morgan Dalton.
Morgan and his family are relatively new arrivals in Bronco. He and his brothers agreed to work the ranch with their father to support their mother. There are hard feelings between father and sons because he cheated on their mother. They also feel like outsiders in Bronco because the local "old-timer" ranching families have not been particularly welcoming.
I liked the first meeting between Erica and Morgan. Morgan was drawn to Erica as soon as he saw her. I loved how easily they could talk to each other, even after he realized she was pregnant. After being away for so long, Erica also feels somewhat like an outsider, so it is easy for them to band together. I loved seeing how their relationship progressed from friendship to love. I especially enjoyed Morgan's support of Erica, from taking her to doctor's appointments to offering to be her labor coach. I loved so many of the scenes of them together. There are also sparks of attraction that both try to ignore, but they grow along with their deepening feelings for each other. I ached for them both when a moment of intimacy ended in a misunderstanding. I wanted to shake Erica for allowing her insecurities to send her running without letting Morgan explain. I hurt for Morgan, who realized the depth of his love for Erica and didn't know what to do. Thanks to advice from an unexpected source, his big moment at the end was fantastic. I loved the epilogue with their next steps into a future together.
A big theme of this book was family and expectations. Erica arrived home feeling that she was a disappointment to her parents. This was apparent to her in their reactions to her pregnancy. I ached for her and her reluctance to share the truth with them. I liked the eventual repair of those relationships, especially the one with her mother. Her brother, Gabe, irritated me at times with his attitude toward Morgan. I expected better of him, having read his story in In Search of the Long-Lost Maverick. Morgan had his own family issues. His problems with his father were a result of his love for his mother and anger at his father's actions. It was easy to see how Morgan held on to his anger and was hesitant to trust Neal again. I liked how Erica's influence helped Morgan work past his anger and alter his relationship with his father.
Also part of this book is the ongoing search for Josiah's daughter, Beatrix. At the end of the previous book, the investigation had stalled as they ran into dead-ends. However, hope returns thanks to an unusual clue. I look forward to seeing how it works out.
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