Starting Over with the Maverick

Montana Mavericks: The Anniversary Gift #5

by Kathy Douglass

The cowboy she hadn’t counted on

After losing her husband, Elizabeth Hawkins is happy to be reunited with her rodeo-riding sisters and extended family, even if she expects her time in Montana may be brief. But she's thrown when Bronco native Jake McCreery ambles into her heart…and even more when it looks as though the commitment-shy cowboy wants to stay! The rugged rancher is also a widower with three kids; she has two. Together they could make a beautiful life, but only if they can find the courage to take a second chance on love—with each other.


From Harlequin Montana

Book 1: Sweet-Talkin' Maverick by Christy Jeffries
Book 2: Maverick's Secret Daughter by Catherine Mann
Book 3: The Maverick's Marriage Deal by Kaylie Newell
Book 4: The Maverick's Thirty-Day Marriage by Rochelle Alers
Book 5: Starting Over with the Maverick by Kathy Douglass
Book 6: A Lullaby for the Maverick by Melissa Senate

Don’t miss a Harlequin original Montana Mavericks!?

Introducing the first ever podcast from Harlequin! Experience the iconic Montana Mavericks like you’ve never heard before. Listen now wherever podcasts are available.

Genres: Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published May 21, 2024

About the author

Kathy is a born reader who as a child always had her nose in a book. That love of reading grew with her. She often would finish one book and immediately pick up another. She went from reading Bobbsey Twins to long, lush romance novels. One day she stumbled upon the Shining by Stephen King and was hooked. She turned her back on romance and became a serious Stephen King fan, reading every word he wrote. When she caught herself checking under the bed and looking in the closet for monsters or worse, she knew it was time to put down the horror stories and pick up the romance novels.
Her return to romance novels was short lived. She’d started law school and soon her reading was limited to legal opinions. Then one happy day her younger sister handed her a Harlequin romance. They were just what the doctor ordered. The books were short enough to read in a week and still get her required reading done. Best of all she knew there would be a happy ending and she wouldn’t have to search her room before she went to bed each night.
When her first child was born, she stopped practicing law to become a stay at home mom. Her second child followed nineteen months later. With two little ones in the house, reading suddenly became limited to Dr. Seuss and other children’s books. Any free time was spent trying to catch up on sleep or laundry.
All too soon her kids were attending pre-school two hours a day. She spent those few precious renewing her relationship with romance novels. After a while she felt the urge to write a book of her own and she began writing the stories she wanted to read. She spent many years writing some really terrible books and learning her craft. In 2014, Kathy participated in Brenda Novak’s online auction to raise money for a cure for Diabetes. She was the highest bidder for a critique by editor, Charles Griemsman. He did not buy that book immediately, but requested another which became her first book in the Sweet Briar Sweethearts series.

Reviews

[Michelle E.]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a second chance at love story without being sappy or high drama. If I had to give it a rating, it will be PG. Nothing risqué, which is a departure from the books I have been reading lately. Ha! This is definitely a sweet story that makes me want to find my own cowboy.

[Aly]

Elizabeth and Jake both have kids and lost a spouse. She's temporary living in Bronco, Montana, at her sister's house, and plan on going back to Australia. Meanwhile, she decided to do a Pony Club day, an equestrian event for kids and that's where she meet Jake and his three children. The next day, Elizabeth's twins ask her to set a playdate with Jake's daughter.

I know that kids take all the space and time in a parent's life, but there was not much left in this novel for the romance part.

[Becky Tatar]

Widowed Elizabeth Hawkins is visiting Bronco on a vacation from her home in Australia, bringing her twin girls to visit their family. But she meets Bronco native, Jake McCreery, and his family. The problem? Elizabeth is only planning on staying a month. Can Jake and his three kids and Elizabeth's girls persuade Elizabeth to stay in Bronco?

[Linnie Thompson]

Linnie

Kathy Douglas, your books only get better and better every time I read a new one. I love the Montana Mavericks, and your version of the Hawkins sisters is a blessing. Love this book and the entire series. Happy reading. Linnie

[Geri Evans]

Enjoyable Read! 🤗

This was a great story! They both deserved second chances at love and family!! I loved how they all just jelled together! It was nice seeing the Hawkins again!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it!! Kudos, Kathy!! 💜

[Harlequin Books]

Contemporary Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Western Fiction, Western Romance
Miniseries
Montana Mavericks: The Anniversary Gift (Book #5)

[Rochelle Alers]

I like how the writer did not allow the children to become scene stealers. They complemented the adults while adding to the romance between the hero and heroine.

[bexbooklover]

This was a very quick emotionally packed read. The characters were delightful and all of their kids were so sweet and cute. But it was a little more heartbreaking than I was expecting it to be

[Brenda]

Story of two people who lost their first love unexpectedly. Both had children. I love how the families interacted. The children realized they were a family before the parents did.

[Carla Foster]

Good story even though had not read previous

[Joyce M. H.]

If you’re looking for a good romantic read that is entertaining, witty, widowed rancher, widowed rodeo performer with 5 rambunctious children this the perfect read. Liz is a widow and mom to five-year-old twins Lucy and Gianna. She is a member of the famed rodeo Hawkins family. She and her twin daughters Lucy and Gianna lived in Australia and find themselves returning to the United States. The four travelled the rodeo circuit until 2 years ago when her husband Alro died of an unexpected heart attack. Jake is a sexy rancher with three children ten-year-old Molly (aka mother hen), eight-year-old Pete and six-year-old Ben. Jack lost his wife Maggie after the birth of Ben. Jake is a member of the Burris family with Liz being a member for the Hawkins family. The two families have competing against each other on the rodeo circuit. This is one book you will not want to miss out. The children are hilarious with Liz’s girls wanting a father and Jake’s children wanting a mom. Liz nor Jake were not looking for romance, love or a ready-made families but they found so much more in each other.

Can’t wait to see what Kathy Douglass has in store for her readers next. Hope to get more on the Hawkins and Burris rodeo families.

I received an ARC via the author Kathy Douglass and I am leaving my review voluntarily.