Nathan's Big Sky by M.L. Buchman (review)

Nathan's Big Sky
by M.L. Buchman



Blurb:
-a Henderson’s Ranch romance-

When Emily Beale and Mark Henderson retire to the family ranch in Montana, they enter a whole new world. Meeting all new people.

Chef Nathan Gallagher’s escape from New York City lands him in the most unlikely of places: Montana. With his past dumped and his future unknown, he seeks something new. If only he knew what.

Julie Larson, former rodeo star and born-and-bred cattle rancher, loves the prairie and the horses. The cattle ranch work with her three brothers? Not so much. The local cowboys labeling her as a Grade-A Prime catch? Even less. When she rescues Nathan from a near-death experience, her future and her heart alter past all imagining.
The only place a New York chef’s future and a Montana cowgirl’s heart can thrive? Under Nathan’s Big Sky.



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My review:

4.75 out of 5 stars

Nathan's Big Sky by M.L. Buchman is part of the “Henderson’s Ranch” series and details the challenges of Cordon Bleu chef Nathan Gallagher, who has made a radical change in his life and fled from his prestigious job in New York and retreated to rural Montana, ostensibly to visit his brother. His determination to find a niche for himself is complicated by his attraction to the heroine who ‘saves’ him from a longhorn cow named Lucy. Can this city boy make a home for himself in the wilds of Montana?

I loved the contrasts in this story, and the way perception is so deftly portrayed by the author. The opening scene is priceless, with the juxtaposition of Nathan’s desperate attempt to defend himself with a tire jack against the ‘vicious’ animal, let alone deal with the unfamiliar weather and confusing geography, and the ‘heroic’ rescue by a beautiful and capable but disdainful cowgirl. As with most of M.L.’s stories, the action starts immediately with characters who catch one’s attention and the more the tale unfolds, the more fascinating it becomes.

Nathan’s first encounter with Ama, whose striking appearance is…enhanced…by her bunny slippers, Lucy’s sometimes dangerous propensity to be somewhere she doesn’t belong (causing Mark’s showoff piloting to be extra exciting), and, best of all, Mark’s version of fly fishing as complicated by the eoose/melk/mook family unit kept me enthralled (and laughing maniacally) throughout the story. The beautiful romance that slowly flourishes is icing on the cake and of course, it was delightful as always to get glimpses of Mark and Emily and their remarkable capacity to excel and enjoy life. This was another excellent story from an impressively prolific author who never fails to entertain, and I look forward to reading other stories in this series!

 

I received a copy of this story for review

(and yes, I DID ask why it was Henderson's Ranch rather than Hendersons' Ranch, lol)

Amazon link