Book Review: Liz: The Montana McKennas by Jan Scarbrough

LRH Liz

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

LIZ: THE MONTANA McKENNAS (The Montana Ranchers #7) by Jan Scarbrough is a wonderful read to wrap up the blended McKenna family series of romances. I enjoyed reading James’ children and stepchildren’s romances and was very happy Ms. Scarbrough has also written a HEA for his widow.

Liz McKenna has watched her children and stepchildren fall in love and start to live their own lives after the death of her beloved husband James eighteen months ago. She has taken up hobbies, moved into a smaller cabin, and run the dude ranch for the season, but she still has a deep feeling of unhappiness.

Liz’s daughter-in-law, Stephanie’s ebook “Under Montana Skies” is semi-autobiographical about everyone’s lives on the ranch since James death and has become a best seller. Her agent wants the best screenwriter/producer in Hollywood to turn it into a movie or cable TV series. The girls conspire to get Charles Kingston to read the book and visit the ranch.

Charles “Chaz” Kingston has become fed up with the Hollywood lifestyle. His ex-wife is trying to get their daughter on her reality TV show and his younger brother has committed suicide after his divorce and declining career. He wants a change and the offer of two weeks in Montana on a closed for the season dude ranch sounds perfect. What is he is not expecting is the beautiful and down to earth widow who runs the ranch.

I loved Liz and Chaz! A mature romance always has so much extra baggage, both mentally and externally, that can complicate the story and Ms. Scarbrough added just the right amount of both. As in the other books in this series, it is short and yet not short on romance. I truly enjoy all of these books for a quick, but heartfelt romance read. The sex is behind closed doors, but the affection is not. Another wonderful addition to the series.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Mercer:The Montana McKennas by Jan Scarbrough

LRH mercer

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MERCER: THE MONTANA McKENNAS (The Montana Ranchers, #5) by Jan Scarbrough is an overall enjoyable, short contemporary cowboy romance. Part of a series, each book is based on one of the blended family McKenna children, but they can also easily be read as a standalone without confusion.

Mercer McKenna is the youngest child and is always trying to be the peace maker in her blended family being the only child of both James and Liz McKenna. Everything in her world is changing. The death of her father has left everyone devastated, but has also brought everyone back home and face to face with their true loves. Mercer always had a childhood crush on her brother’s best friend, Drake and when he comes to the ranch to be Brody’s best man, Mercer is all grown up and feeling more than an adolescent crush. Mercer takes a chance on love, but Drake may not be ready.

Drake Hawkins is a professional bull rider on the downside of his career, but he doesn’t know anything else to do for the money he needs. He has a secret that could derail his chance for Mercer’s love and believes he is not ready for the responsibilities of a permanent home and relationship. Drake has some life changing decisions to make if he wants Mercer’s love.

Mercer’s story is another entertaining addition to this series. Even though each book is short, Ms. Scarbrough brings her characters and their emotions to life. The plot includes extended family dynamics, but the H/h are always the focus. The sex scenes are well written with mild heat. A solid contemporary cowboy family romance series. I’ll be looking forward to reading more in this series.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.