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Montana
MOVING TO MONTANA —
Her grandfather wants her to move home, and Molly thinks she just might. His ranch will be a good place for her sons to grow up, a place to escape big-city influences. Then she learns -- from a stranger named Sam Dakota -- that her grandfather is ill. Possibly dying. Molly packs up the kids without a second thought and makes the long drive to Sweetgrass, Montana.
Once she arrives, she immediately has questions about Sam Dakota. Why is he working on her grandfather's ranch? Why doesn't the sheriff trust him? Just who is he? Despite everything, Molly can't deny her attraction to Sam -- until her ailing grandfather tries to push them into marriage.
Moving to the state of Montana is one thing; entering the state of matrimony is another! Some borders aren't so easy to cross....
Her grandfather wants her to move home, and Molly thinks she just might. His ranch will be a good place for her sons to grow up, a place to escape big-city influences. Then she learns -- from a stranger named Sam Dakota -- that her grandfather is ill. Possibly dying. Molly packs up the kids without a second thought and makes the long drive to Sweetgrass, Montana.
Once she arrives, she immediately has questions about Sam Dakota. Why is he working on her grandfather's ranch? Why doesn't the sheriff trust him? Just who is he? Despite everything, Molly can't deny her attraction to Sam -- until her ailing grandfather tries to push them into marriage.
Moving to the state of Montana is one thing; entering the state of matrimony is another! Some borders aren't so easy to cross....
299 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
999 people are currently reading
2258 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Macomber
895 books20.8k followersDebbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
March 15, 2021
Debbie Macomber is one of my favorite author, and she did not let me down with this one. This book is one of her older books that I just now picked it up. I loved the characters in this book. (*)
January 1, 2021
Montana by Debbie Macomber
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is the first audiobook I have ever listen to. I gave Montana 🌟🌟🌟 for the story line and an extra 🌟 because I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook. There definitely will be more on my reading list. It was actually a very good story line, interesting, romantic and of course with trials and tribulations. I definitely enjoyed the voice of the person who narrated it.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is the first audiobook I have ever listen to. I gave Montana 🌟🌟🌟 for the story line and an extra 🌟 because I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook. There definitely will be more on my reading list. It was actually a very good story line, interesting, romantic and of course with trials and tribulations. I definitely enjoyed the voice of the person who narrated it.
November 11, 2013
Debbie Macomber is one cheesy author. This is the second book I've read from her, and when you encounter that much cheese twice, you have to accept it as an established pattern.
She's not a terrible writer, it's just that her plots come across as both weak and entirely ludicrous. I mean, we've got a single mom whose ex husband is in prison for fraud, an ex rodeo champ ex-con love interest, a hooker with a heart of gold, and a secret militia hell bent on acquiring massive amounts of land for a training ground. At any cost. This is like a Lifetime Movie of the Week. On the one hand, it's giggle-inducing and entertaining as all hell, but on the other, it comes across as quite dull. The heroine is the classic stereotypical mom, too, which never fails to irritate the hell out of me. She's the mom who gets all indignant when her son gets in a fight and gives her husband the stink eye when she feels he's not behaving properly. Heaven save us from insufferable women. I can't stand it. She hates violence? Give me something different! For the love of sanity, show me one original character! She doesn't trust men, and she's "independent" (i.e. stubborn to the point of being a completely impractical, irrational moron), jumps to conclusions, wusses out any time something might be difficult to talk about... Where have I read all this before? Oh, right, from nearly every other chick lit author out there.
The most confusing aspect of this book, however, has to be the ages of Molly's sons. They're supposed to be 14 and 11, but the way they're written, they come across as much younger. If ages hadn't been made clear, I would have guessed them to be 12 and 8. I have three brothers and a fourteen year old son, I know what behaviors and mannerisms are appropriate for such ages... I can't help but wonder if Macomber can say the same.
For anyone who likes Macomber's work, this would probably be a much more enjoyable read. I don't mind a little corny dialogue here and there, but I'm tired of reading about love shining in people's eyes and hearts near to bursting.
She's not a terrible writer, it's just that her plots come across as both weak and entirely ludicrous. I mean, we've got a single mom whose ex husband is in prison for fraud, an ex rodeo champ ex-con love interest, a hooker with a heart of gold, and a secret militia hell bent on acquiring massive amounts of land for a training ground. At any cost. This is like a Lifetime Movie of the Week. On the one hand, it's giggle-inducing and entertaining as all hell, but on the other, it comes across as quite dull. The heroine is the classic stereotypical mom, too, which never fails to irritate the hell out of me. She's the mom who gets all indignant when her son gets in a fight and gives her husband the stink eye when she feels he's not behaving properly. Heaven save us from insufferable women. I can't stand it. She hates violence? Give me something different! For the love of sanity, show me one original character! She doesn't trust men, and she's "independent" (i.e. stubborn to the point of being a completely impractical, irrational moron), jumps to conclusions, wusses out any time something might be difficult to talk about... Where have I read all this before? Oh, right, from nearly every other chick lit author out there.
The most confusing aspect of this book, however, has to be the ages of Molly's sons. They're supposed to be 14 and 11, but the way they're written, they come across as much younger. If ages hadn't been made clear, I would have guessed them to be 12 and 8. I have three brothers and a fourteen year old son, I know what behaviors and mannerisms are appropriate for such ages... I can't help but wonder if Macomber can say the same.
For anyone who likes Macomber's work, this would probably be a much more enjoyable read. I don't mind a little corny dialogue here and there, but I'm tired of reading about love shining in people's eyes and hearts near to bursting.
August 6, 2016
Molly relocates from California to Montana to help her ill grandfather run his ranch. She's angry and sad about the demise of her ex-husband. Her ex is in prison for swindling old folks out of their funds. When she arrives, she meets Sam Dakota (her grandfather's foreman). Sam has a few secrets of his own. Molly is at odds about the way she feels about Sam. He's nice to her kids, especially her wayward son, so, he has a few good attributes.
But, trouble appears. Mysterious acts of vandalism and a mysterious disappearance make this story so intriguing. This was a great book. There was an unexpected slightly suspenseful twist that added a layer of danger to the story. This book was also about how to learn to trust after being hurt by someone that you love.
March 27, 2024
I loved this book! I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down! The only problem is figuring out the ending. I wish I'd been wrong, but it worked. Love, love, loved the book!
November 10, 2020
I liked the characters a lot and the whole premise. My only problem with the book was the bad language and sex scenes. 🥺 It was a great book otherwise.
July 7, 2022
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve become a bit of a book snob over the years, so I had to chuckle when I was gifted this particular book by a student of mine. The title and cover looked totally cheesy and it’s not the type of book that I would ever buy, but I thought to myself “what the heck? I’ll give it a go.” I figured I owed it to the kid to at least give it a shot.
Well, well, well. Three days after picking it up and I’m already done and I’m surprised to say that I actually enjoyed reading it. Was it cheesy? Yes. Predictable? Absolutely. Unrealistic? Definitely. Riddled with gender stereotypes and outdated? For sure! At some points I found myself literally rolling my eyes or muttering “yeah right”. However, the plot was interesting with more depth than I could have imagined and I genuinely wanted to know what would happen. There is a time and place for a book like this and I recommend it to those looking for a light and easy read.
Well, well, well. Three days after picking it up and I’m already done and I’m surprised to say that I actually enjoyed reading it. Was it cheesy? Yes. Predictable? Absolutely. Unrealistic? Definitely. Riddled with gender stereotypes and outdated? For sure! At some points I found myself literally rolling my eyes or muttering “yeah right”. However, the plot was interesting with more depth than I could have imagined and I genuinely wanted to know what would happen. There is a time and place for a book like this and I recommend it to those looking for a light and easy read.
January 28, 2013
just needed a little easy reading as my weekend was full of "hurry up and wait" things so i had little spurts of reading time. I took it with me to the Winterjam concert Friday night and whipped it out and read when one of the bands was not capturing my attention. It was like talking with a friend during class and getting away with it!
I forget how early in Macomber's career this was written; it had plenty romantic fluff and a scarely mysterious plot twist. Couple things i love about Macomber - her characters are either bad or good and it's easy to tell the difference and there's always that happily ever after ending. Comfort food for my brain.
I forget how early in Macomber's career this was written; it had plenty romantic fluff and a scarely mysterious plot twist. Couple things i love about Macomber - her characters are either bad or good and it's easy to tell the difference and there's always that happily ever after ending. Comfort food for my brain.
July 26, 2013
Montana by Debbie Macomber
Molly is not only going through a divorce but her husband had dragged her name through the court trials when he took money from others.
Now that she's moved back home to her father's ranch in Montana she has a lot on her plate. No job but taking care of everything on the ranch.
Sam Dakota is the hand that has not only taken care of the ranch but her father's ailing health. She finds out other tidbits about how desperate things really are.
There are so questions as to why things are breaking and other incidents that don't sit right with her. The lawyer wants her to sell everything when her father Walt dies.
As she has no outside income she has to keep the ranch for her and the boys. The fences are now down and the cattle is moving. What next..
She thought Sam was different than other men but he had asked another ranch for a job - after her father was dead...
The story also follows the woman next door, Pearl. She has many hardships and others are threatening her..
Walt has an idea for Sam and Molly to get married-that will secure the ranch.
Cattle rustling, fires, killings and then being shot at, lots of action in this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Molly is not only going through a divorce but her husband had dragged her name through the court trials when he took money from others.
Now that she's moved back home to her father's ranch in Montana she has a lot on her plate. No job but taking care of everything on the ranch.
Sam Dakota is the hand that has not only taken care of the ranch but her father's ailing health. She finds out other tidbits about how desperate things really are.
There are so questions as to why things are breaking and other incidents that don't sit right with her. The lawyer wants her to sell everything when her father Walt dies.
As she has no outside income she has to keep the ranch for her and the boys. The fences are now down and the cattle is moving. What next..
She thought Sam was different than other men but he had asked another ranch for a job - after her father was dead...
The story also follows the woman next door, Pearl. She has many hardships and others are threatening her..
Walt has an idea for Sam and Molly to get married-that will secure the ranch.
Cattle rustling, fires, killings and then being shot at, lots of action in this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
August 13, 2015
I'm rather surprised that I liked this book by Debbie McCumber. Not that I don't care for the author, as a matter fact the opposite is true. It just didn't seem like this was her standard storyline from what the back of the book said. However I was very pleasantly surprised and found myself drawn into the story. You could see a lot of the plotline coming, but that did not make it any less entertaining or fun. I found that I liked Sam a lot more than I thought I would originally though I would've liked more of his backstory. In any case it was a great vacation read and I enjoyed just be able to sit back relax and get into the plot
November 2, 2012
I've been a Debbie Macomber fan for some time now and just discovered this little gem of a book. It's quite different from most of her novels in that this one gives as much attention to the development of the leading male character as it does with the leading female. I'm more used to Macomber's books being mainly about women and the relationships that bind them to other women. This book delves into the coming together of a family amidst the many struggles of running a ranch and staving off outside forces who want their land. Good character development and a plausible storyline.
March 10, 2010
I have read many books about the west and after traveling there and living in Missoula, MT for 2.5 years I appreciate the fact that she didn't go into too much detail about the area although some of her descriptions would be more accurate to Eastern MT. There is nothing I hate more than an author putting animals in environments they aren't or mountains where there are none, I found none of these mistakes. MaComber also does a great job with the story.
Read
September 15, 2018So many lovable and wonderful characters that you will fall in love with , I certainly did. Going home is sometimes hard to do, but is important. Family reunites to help out on a farm that is having many problems. But yet there's a young man who is there that's helping to save it , but he's falling in love with the girl. They come together to help each other try to save the farm. But there is some mystery going on that they have to keep fighting.
December 6, 2011
Quick read and another Macomber goodie.. Short and to the point story about a girl who moves in with her grandfather, who just wants to see her happy. She marries one of the ranch hands that her grandfather suggests and they fall in love and save the ranch.. Happily ever after after the rough life they lead to that point..
May 27, 2008
This book was great. It was easy to read and an exciting mystery that keeps you guessing. I couldn't read it fast enough to try figuring out all the twists and turns. Right down to the last page.
October 13, 2009
good read.
February 24, 2013
This was like the troubles of Job. One major problem or crisis piled on after another...which needless to say makes her question the male interest. That says it all.
June 25, 2018
So many lovable and wonderful characters that you will fall in love with , I certainly did. Going home is sometimes hard to do, but is important. Family reunites to help out on a farm that is having many problems. But yet there's a young man who is there that's helping to save it , but he's falling in love with the girl. They come together to help each other try to save the farm. But there is some mystery going on that they have to keep fighting.
February 28, 2019
Montana is a great place to start over. Both Molly and Sam are doing that. They just didn't expect to be doing it together. But when a dying grandfather arranges an advantageous marriage to take care of his granddaughter and her kids, what is a man to do? The wrench in the works is that there is opposition. A fun read from Debbie, as always.
March 20, 2023
This was just okay. There was too much trying to happen and I think something got lost in the chaos. Also, it has been a long while since I found a female MC as positively annoying as I did Molly. For being a mom who had been down on her luck, she was a hella judger.
September 29, 2023
I usually love books by Debbie Macomber but this one had a side story to the love story that didn’t work.
By the time it got resolved I didn’t care anymore about who the bad guys were and what they did.
By the time it got resolved I didn’t care anymore about who the bad guys were and what they did.
July 16, 2025
3.5 stars!!!
A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery, a little bit grief, a little bit of joy, a decent amount of anxiety. It had it all! Truthfully, I needed to skip to the epilogue to make sure some character made it because I was stressing.
A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery, a little bit grief, a little bit of joy, a decent amount of anxiety. It had it all! Truthfully, I needed to skip to the epilogue to make sure some character made it because I was stressing.
July 7, 2020
Another good read by this author.
January 15, 2026
3⭐!
They really had the universe against them every chapter
They really had the universe against them every chapter
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2019
The story is about Molly who is a divorcee and has 2 sons. She will be struggling in life when one day she got a call from Sam Dakota regarding the grandfather's health. She will then decide to move from San Francisco to Montana, her grandfather's place in order to spend some time with him. Upon reaching she will get to know just how bad was her grandfather's health and also the finanicial crisis he is facing.
At the same time she will also meet the foreman of the ranch, Sam Dakota who she will have physical attraction instantly. Eventually the grandfather will force them to marry for convenience for both of them. Soon they will love each other and face the troubles of their ranch.
I really like the story and for me the feelings Russell and Pearl share was also good despite they are side characters. For me the turning point was discovering the villain and I must agree I never thought it was him. It was really nice and I am sure the story will be entertaining enough for anyone who reads it.
At the same time she will also meet the foreman of the ranch, Sam Dakota who she will have physical attraction instantly. Eventually the grandfather will force them to marry for convenience for both of them. Soon they will love each other and face the troubles of their ranch.
I really like the story and for me the feelings Russell and Pearl share was also good despite they are side characters. For me the turning point was discovering the villain and I must agree I never thought it was him. It was really nice and I am sure the story will be entertaining enough for anyone who reads it.
September 28, 2021
Ms Macomber deserves praise and handclaps for the many good books she has written. This book does not warrant praise from me, however, as I found it outstandingly trite, full of cardboard characters, ridiculous stereotypes of ranchers and ranching, older ranchers, divorced women, a malevolent sheriff and crook of a banker. The narrator did not enhance the book, unfortunately. After the 7th chapter, I began skimming through the story keeping myself from simply shutting it down and deleting it from my iPad. A true waste of my time and money.
August 10, 2016
I give this book 3 1/2 stars. Not my favorite Debbie Macomber book but it was enjoyable. There was one crisis after another which kept it interesting but was a little over the top for what I was expecting. Still I enjoyed it.
January 31, 2015
This story was a little long and the characters especially Molly were somewhat boring and she kept referring back to the ex. It took me a long time to finish this story. It didn't hook me until the last 70 pages.
August 17, 2016
Loved loved this book! I love Debbie's writing style and this book had romance, suspense and danger all rolled into one. I would love to see this book become a movie...hint hint Hallmark. Great read and it keeps you captivated until the very end.
June 28, 2021
Easy read romance and felt like the cover pulled me in more than the plot if honest.
I had a few issues with the storyline where things just didn't seem realistic or fit with how the character is portrayed.
I had a few issues with the storyline where things just didn't seem realistic or fit with how the character is portrayed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews