The characters in Big Sky Mountain were first introduced in book 1, Big Sky Country. This series takes place in the small town of Parable, Montana. Everyone in town knows each other, they grew up together, their parents knew each other, and they support each other. This story takes place about nine months after Big Sky Country and both Kendra and Hutch have come to some milestones in their lives. Hutch was about to get married, but decided he couldn't marry a woman who was not Kendra, and left the bride at the altar. Kendra has adopted her ex-husband's illegitimate daughter and is now a single mother. Wanting to raise her daughter where she grew up, Kendra is changing her life in Parable to fit her new circumstances which includes selling the mansion she had thought would make her happy. Kendra is afraid of being hurt romantically again, but Hutch has always had a piece of her heart.

As much as I enjoyed book 1, I liked Big Sky Mountain better. I'm not sure why exactly, I think it's because Hutch has grown so much as a character and person since that first book. For someone who used to resent his half-brother and father, he has matured enough to begin to let go of the negative feelings and start to grow up. He is ready to settle down on his ranch, and he proves to be a really good man. Both Hutch and Kendra both have misconceptions about what exactly went wrong with their relationship when they were younger, and they never quite fully hash it out. However, they both come to the place where they are ready to let the past go, and they have great chemistry between them.

The pacing in Big Sky Mountain is similar to the first book, it's not very fast. The story and the romance is slow to build, but the colorful secondary characters and stories kept me engaged in the book. There is more to this story than the romance, it's more Kendra's story. Kendra who is now a single mother and re-establishing her life to take care of her daughter. She has re-prioritized her life and she matures into a strong woman, ready to settle down as well. I would describe the story and the romance as more on the sweet side (more mainstream). The romance is not over the top or overtly sexual, but the characters develop a believable relationship, and as I said, they have chemistry.

With a swoon-worthy cowboy, a charming small town setting, and a tender-hearted romance, Big Sky Mountain is a great read. Romance readers, if you like small town settings and cowboys, I recommend reading the Swoon-Worthy Cowboys series by Linda Lael Miller.

*I received this book for review*