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Montana Sky
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts surpasses herself once again, with a novel as sweeping and extraordinary as the Montana sky itself…
When Jack Mercy died, he left behind a ranch worth nearly twenty million dollars. Now his three daughters—each born of a different mother, and each unknown by the others—are gathered to hear the reading of the will. But the women are shocked to learn that before any of them can inherit, they must live together on the ranch for one year. For Tess, a screenwriter who just wants to collect her cash and get back to Hollywood, it’s a nightmare. For Lily, on the run from her abusive ex-husband, it’s a refuge. And for Willa—who grew up on the ranch—it’s an intrusion into her rightful home.They are sisters…and strangers. Now they face a challenge: to put their bitterness aside and live like a family. To protect each other from danger—and unite against a brutal enemy who threatens to destroy them all…
When Jack Mercy died, he left behind a ranch worth nearly twenty million dollars. Now his three daughters—each born of a different mother, and each unknown by the others—are gathered to hear the reading of the will. But the women are shocked to learn that before any of them can inherit, they must live together on the ranch for one year. For Tess, a screenwriter who just wants to collect her cash and get back to Hollywood, it’s a nightmare. For Lily, on the run from her abusive ex-husband, it’s a refuge. And for Willa—who grew up on the ranch—it’s an intrusion into her rightful home.They are sisters…and strangers. Now they face a challenge: to put their bitterness aside and live like a family. To protect each other from danger—and unite against a brutal enemy who threatens to destroy them all…
438 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 1996
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,765 books55k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,344 reviews
December 4, 2013
I read it all the way through, but I hated it. There were so many ridiculous factual inaccuracies that I could write a novel on this novel! How incredibly annoying to someone who actually lives this life that she would butcher/romanticize it to this extent! Booo! Boooo!
Most notably:
In the very beginning, the main character's love interest hears a shot and goes running to find the main character butchering a bear she just shot. Apparently, she shot it because it was attacking her. First of all, you can't just kill things outside of legal hunting seasons. Secondly, she was riding a horse, and there has never been a bear attack of someone riding a horse in Montana. Horses aren't stupid, they'll just run away. Lastly, if you do kill a bear because it's attacking you, as unlikely as that is, at VERY least you have to report it!
And MOST ANNOYING INNACCURACY I HAVE EVER READ:
At one point, Sister is flirting with Love Interest over the round pen fence as he "puts a yearling through it's paces." Scene ends with Sister climbing up behind Love Interest, and galloping around bareback... on a YEARLING!!! I'm not even going to explain it further. If you don't know horses, don't write books about them!
And for those of you readers that don't know horses: a yearling is the equivalent of a 6-year-old child, small, undeveloped, and much too young to be doing geometry (or galloping around with TWO people on its back!).
Most notably:
In the very beginning, the main character's love interest hears a shot and goes running to find the main character butchering a bear she just shot. Apparently, she shot it because it was attacking her. First of all, you can't just kill things outside of legal hunting seasons. Secondly, she was riding a horse, and there has never been a bear attack of someone riding a horse in Montana. Horses aren't stupid, they'll just run away. Lastly, if you do kill a bear because it's attacking you, as unlikely as that is, at VERY least you have to report it!
And MOST ANNOYING INNACCURACY I HAVE EVER READ:
At one point, Sister is flirting with Love Interest over the round pen fence as he "puts a yearling through it's paces." Scene ends with Sister climbing up behind Love Interest, and galloping around bareback... on a YEARLING!!! I'm not even going to explain it further. If you don't know horses, don't write books about them!
And for those of you readers that don't know horses: a yearling is the equivalent of a 6-year-old child, small, undeveloped, and much too young to be doing geometry (or galloping around with TWO people on its back!).
February 13, 2017
“Men didn't respect beauty...they used it.”
A disliked bastard of a man is a successful ranch owner who owns millions in property. Cursed with the inability to bear son offspring rather than those silly women seeds, he kicks out two ex-wives who curse him with daughters, never having anything to do with his children until Willa, who sticks by his side devotedly until he keels over. Once dead, his frustrating will dictates that his three daughters must live together on the ranch for a year to evenly inherit.
Overly long and by-the-books predictable, the three women are severe stereotypes. Willa is the tomboy who is loyal to the ranch, always griping about having too much to do to relax or have fun. Tess it the cityslicker from LA who turns her nose up at the farming life. Lily is the abused, fragile flower of a woman who is so breakable she's unreal.
I could tell within the first two chapters which men each woman would end up with, that they all would come to bond together, they would end up living happily ever after at the ranch, etc. This isn't spoilers, it's the formula you can guess from this story trope.
The three men blended together into the same personality types.
Can't say I enjoyed the romances since they were simply sweet and nothing much else. No real tension that couldn't easily be brushed aside. I think the author put her sympathy more toward Willa since she had more characters get on to Tess for not having enough sympathy or seeing things from her point of view, but really I was team Tess all the way. Willa started most of the crap and acted snobby and superior from the get-go. Tess definitely didn't fit in right away but at least she wasn't uptight. Willa mentally thinks Tess's career is one of the most worthless ones possible from the start, and the two only start eventually bonding because Tess - as the bigger woman - makes more of an effort. Bess the housekeeper is also disdainful toward Tess. Trust me, put me in that position and I would have been an even bigger bitch to deal with than Tess was.
There was tension of a serial slayer who mauled animals and women and left them for dead on the ranch, but I really didn't care much about that side-mystery. All was alright at the end, of course.
As far as Nora Robert's novels go, this one is rather flimsy, formulaic, and downright dull - especially for a length of almost 500 pages.
A disliked bastard of a man is a successful ranch owner who owns millions in property. Cursed with the inability to bear son offspring rather than those silly women seeds, he kicks out two ex-wives who curse him with daughters, never having anything to do with his children until Willa, who sticks by his side devotedly until he keels over. Once dead, his frustrating will dictates that his three daughters must live together on the ranch for a year to evenly inherit.
Overly long and by-the-books predictable, the three women are severe stereotypes. Willa is the tomboy who is loyal to the ranch, always griping about having too much to do to relax or have fun. Tess it the cityslicker from LA who turns her nose up at the farming life. Lily is the abused, fragile flower of a woman who is so breakable she's unreal.
I could tell within the first two chapters which men each woman would end up with, that they all would come to bond together, they would end up living happily ever after at the ranch, etc. This isn't spoilers, it's the formula you can guess from this story trope.
The three men blended together into the same personality types.
Can't say I enjoyed the romances since they were simply sweet and nothing much else. No real tension that couldn't easily be brushed aside. I think the author put her sympathy more toward Willa since she had more characters get on to Tess for not having enough sympathy or seeing things from her point of view, but really I was team Tess all the way. Willa started most of the crap and acted snobby and superior from the get-go. Tess definitely didn't fit in right away but at least she wasn't uptight. Willa mentally thinks Tess's career is one of the most worthless ones possible from the start, and the two only start eventually bonding because Tess - as the bigger woman - makes more of an effort. Bess the housekeeper is also disdainful toward Tess. Trust me, put me in that position and I would have been an even bigger bitch to deal with than Tess was.
There was tension of a serial slayer who mauled animals and women and left them for dead on the ranch, but I really didn't care much about that side-mystery. All was alright at the end, of course.
As far as Nora Robert's novels go, this one is rather flimsy, formulaic, and downright dull - especially for a length of almost 500 pages.
July 6, 2024
3.5 stars
This was fun! I definitely think it hit a bit of a lull in the middle, but I loved the farm setting and following sisters who didn't really get along have to live on a farm together for a year. There were definitely a lot of characters that were hard to keep straight a bit, but I did love how the mystery unraveled throughout the book (Nora is tricky!) and the twist at the end!
This was fun! I definitely think it hit a bit of a lull in the middle, but I loved the farm setting and following sisters who didn't really get along have to live on a farm together for a year. There were definitely a lot of characters that were hard to keep straight a bit, but I did love how the mystery unraveled throughout the book (Nora is tricky!) and the twist at the end!
March 26, 2011
The death of her father took Willa Mercy by surprise - he hadn't even told her he was sick. Finding out that the cold man who she'd tried her entire life to please had left a will that took away the home she'd grown up in and the ranch she'd worked on for her entire life and split it between herself and two half-sisters she'd never even met, demanding that to get anything, they all had to live together on Mercy ranch for a year, is a betrayal that she can't even process. Then, still reeling from that affront, Willa stumbles across the butchered carcass of one of her cattle. And the only animal who would do something like that...is man. As three strangers struggle with each other and the legacy of the unbending, frigid man who was their father, a psychotic killer stalks Mercy and threatens them all.
It was 1997 when I first read Montana Sky. I'd never read anything quite like it, and it turned me on to the exquisite blend of romance and suspense and mystery that Roberts is so acclaimed at writing. Since then, I've read almost every book Roberts has published, regardless of genre.
Montana Sky is, at its core, a story about the bonds of family - those shared through blood and those born and nurtured through affection, dedication, and love. Three sisters first meet, then spark off each other as they start to know each other, eventually like each other...mostly, then love each other - unquestionably. As those tentative family bonds are laid, so too are the bonds with three impressive men who love them. It's heartwarming and horrifying at turns, and despite its age, has a timelessness that keeps it from feeling dated. It's still one of my favorites of Roberts, despite having a few issues with it as a whole.
It's quite long, first of all, and despite Roberts using that length to develop every aspect of the plot sufficiently, I still felt like there were some parts that could have been trimmed down and streamlined in the plot and in the narrative. A few superfluous scenes bogged down the pacing from time to time. I would have also preferred to have Willa and Ben be the sole romance, as the relationships between Adam and Lily and Tess and Nate were quite clearly not the focus of the story and weren't given enough room to really expand into three dimensions, either. And despite the fact that Willa and Ben's relationship is the backbone of the romantic aspects in the book, the conclusion of that relationship arc felt a little less satisfying than those of Lily and Tess and their loves. That's personal preference and opinion, of course.
Despite those few issues, Montana Sky is a compelling, sweeping saga - still a compelling and sweeping saga, actually, and is rich and decadent with the benefits of Roberts' lyricism of prose and her unparalleled ability to draw a reader into the scenes of the book so completely that you can smell the snow on the mountain peaks after a blizzard and feel the trickle of sweat down your spine when the characters are stringing the fences. I loved revisiting this book after so many years and so many fond Roberts' memories.
A caution to sensitive readers: there are scenes that dip into the deranged psychosis of a killer's mind and detail the savagery of his crimes - not to gruesome levels (though that's subjective), but definitely far more than just glossing over them. This is not simply a contemporary romance and does have brutally dark edges more commonly found in romantic suspense or thrillers. It may be too graphic in some places for some readers.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
It was 1997 when I first read Montana Sky. I'd never read anything quite like it, and it turned me on to the exquisite blend of romance and suspense and mystery that Roberts is so acclaimed at writing. Since then, I've read almost every book Roberts has published, regardless of genre.
Montana Sky is, at its core, a story about the bonds of family - those shared through blood and those born and nurtured through affection, dedication, and love. Three sisters first meet, then spark off each other as they start to know each other, eventually like each other...mostly, then love each other - unquestionably. As those tentative family bonds are laid, so too are the bonds with three impressive men who love them. It's heartwarming and horrifying at turns, and despite its age, has a timelessness that keeps it from feeling dated. It's still one of my favorites of Roberts, despite having a few issues with it as a whole.
It's quite long, first of all, and despite Roberts using that length to develop every aspect of the plot sufficiently, I still felt like there were some parts that could have been trimmed down and streamlined in the plot and in the narrative. A few superfluous scenes bogged down the pacing from time to time. I would have also preferred to have Willa and Ben be the sole romance, as the relationships between Adam and Lily and Tess and Nate were quite clearly not the focus of the story and weren't given enough room to really expand into three dimensions, either. And despite the fact that Willa and Ben's relationship is the backbone of the romantic aspects in the book, the conclusion of that relationship arc felt a little less satisfying than those of Lily and Tess and their loves. That's personal preference and opinion, of course.
Despite those few issues, Montana Sky is a compelling, sweeping saga - still a compelling and sweeping saga, actually, and is rich and decadent with the benefits of Roberts' lyricism of prose and her unparalleled ability to draw a reader into the scenes of the book so completely that you can smell the snow on the mountain peaks after a blizzard and feel the trickle of sweat down your spine when the characters are stringing the fences. I loved revisiting this book after so many years and so many fond Roberts' memories.
A caution to sensitive readers: there are scenes that dip into the deranged psychosis of a killer's mind and detail the savagery of his crimes - not to gruesome levels (though that's subjective), but definitely far more than just glossing over them. This is not simply a contemporary romance and does have brutally dark edges more commonly found in romantic suspense or thrillers. It may be too graphic in some places for some readers.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
December 17, 2020
Quick review....
Overall, I liked it. I would go with 3.5 stars for the story; 2 for the voice actor (I listed to it on Audible). It's hard to enjoy a love scene when there is:
1. Only 1 voice actor for the whole story (thankfully, most romance authors are employing at least 1 male and 1 female for recordings these days!)
2. There are THREE male love interests (with 3 female mcs)
3. The voice actor barely lowers her voice for the male voices that I am trying to envision as the tough, macho cowboys (2 of those) + 1 sensitive yet fierce Native American Hs they are supposed to be in the story. If you can't tell which character is saying what during a sex scene, it doesn't really work well. Just saying.
BUT the story was good --- there are 3 half sisters with the same a-hole father who leaves them the ranch with a catch: they each will get 1/3 of it if they live on the premises for the next full year. He sets this up knowing that these ladies have never met each other, have 3 different mothers, and the youngest has lived her whole life on the ranch working it and now running it. So he basically expects it all to go to hell in a hand basket pretty quick bc no way is the eldest (a Hollywood writer who has a lot of diva in her), a shy and skittish middle girl, and his youngest who expected to be given the ranch completely will be able to handle living under the same roof in a rough part of rural Montana for that long. If they fail to make it for the year, the whole ranch goes to some charity organization that their father hated when he was alive. So that tells you what a nice guy he was.
It is pretty clear which sister is hooking up with which guy in the story early on, and each of the relationships develop at different paces over the course of the book based on the different personalities and experiences the women have. In general, the romances were a satisfying aspect of the story and made for a steamier book than many of Nora Roberts' books I have read lately (which made it worse that I was listening to a woman read it who didn't change her octave for male voices --- I may as well have been listening to a lesbian love story x 3 if it weren't for the fact that the characters had very clear male personas and mannerisms).
There is a mystery/suspense edge to the story that keeps you interested, and while it seems clear who is behind the evil doings, things aren't quite what they seem. Once I reached that point in the story, I was able to figure out the who and why pretty quickly (there weren't really any hints about it; I just figured it out in terms of what made sense - the why - and process of elimination on the who). I don't like it when it is that easy for me.
Overall, a decent story line with some steamy goodness (if you are reading it) and elements of intrigue.
Overall, I liked it. I would go with 3.5 stars for the story; 2 for the voice actor (I listed to it on Audible). It's hard to enjoy a love scene when there is:
1. Only 1 voice actor for the whole story (thankfully, most romance authors are employing at least 1 male and 1 female for recordings these days!)
2. There are THREE male love interests (with 3 female mcs)
3. The voice actor barely lowers her voice for the male voices that I am trying to envision as the tough, macho cowboys (2 of those) + 1 sensitive yet fierce Native American Hs they are supposed to be in the story. If you can't tell which character is saying what during a sex scene, it doesn't really work well. Just saying.
BUT the story was good --- there are 3 half sisters with the same a-hole father who leaves them the ranch with a catch: they each will get 1/3 of it if they live on the premises for the next full year. He sets this up knowing that these ladies have never met each other, have 3 different mothers, and the youngest has lived her whole life on the ranch working it and now running it. So he basically expects it all to go to hell in a hand basket pretty quick bc no way is the eldest (a Hollywood writer who has a lot of diva in her), a shy and skittish middle girl, and his youngest who expected to be given the ranch completely will be able to handle living under the same roof in a rough part of rural Montana for that long. If they fail to make it for the year, the whole ranch goes to some charity organization that their father hated when he was alive. So that tells you what a nice guy he was.
It is pretty clear which sister is hooking up with which guy in the story early on, and each of the relationships develop at different paces over the course of the book based on the different personalities and experiences the women have. In general, the romances were a satisfying aspect of the story and made for a steamier book than many of Nora Roberts' books I have read lately (which made it worse that I was listening to a woman read it who didn't change her octave for male voices --- I may as well have been listening to a lesbian love story x 3 if it weren't for the fact that the characters had very clear male personas and mannerisms).
There is a mystery/suspense edge to the story that keeps you interested, and while it seems clear who is behind the evil doings, things aren't quite what they seem. Once I reached that point in the story, I was able to figure out the who and why pretty quickly (there weren't really any hints about it; I just figured it out in terms of what made sense - the why - and process of elimination on the who). I don't like it when it is that easy for me.
Overall, a decent story line with some steamy goodness (if you are reading it) and elements of intrigue.
August 21, 2024
When three sisters - complete strangers to each other - try to live and work together on a ranch in Montana, sparks are bound to fly.
The Wounded Deer, Hollywood and Cowgirl will have to put their differences aside and perhaps become the family they were meant to be.
A perfect read for a rainy day. You'll get to sigh at tender moments and chuckle or even laugh out loud at funny scenes and witty dialogues.
I highly recommend it for all lovers of romance with a bit of thriller and mystery thrown in the mix.
Best with a cup of hot coffee and some great chocolate chip cookies ready on the side! You'll be bound to get hungry while reading this as those people seem to be constantly eating something or the other in every single chapter. :)
A great story I truly enjoyed!
The Wounded Deer, Hollywood and Cowgirl will have to put their differences aside and perhaps become the family they were meant to be.
A perfect read for a rainy day. You'll get to sigh at tender moments and chuckle or even laugh out loud at funny scenes and witty dialogues.
I highly recommend it for all lovers of romance with a bit of thriller and mystery thrown in the mix.
Best with a cup of hot coffee and some great chocolate chip cookies ready on the side! You'll be bound to get hungry while reading this as those people seem to be constantly eating something or the other in every single chapter. :)
A great story I truly enjoyed!
November 29, 2016
I read this when it first came out and then again a few years back. And I've seen the Lifetime movie as well. My rating is based on the enjoyment from years ago and I'm not sure what my reaction would be if I read it today. I did enjoy it enough to add it to my personal library when it initially came out.
April 11, 2023
TW: Cruelty to animals, Domestic Violence, Racism towards a Native American character
Originally published in 1996, Montana Sky is a Nora Roberts standalone romance with some suspense elements. Tess, Lily, and Willa have gathered to say goodbye to their biological father. All were born to different mothers, but only Willa grew up on the family ranch. A ranch that she hopes to inherit. But no one is quite prepared for her father's terms. All three daughters must live on the ranch for one year or the ranch and all its land will be donated away.
This book reminded me of the Australian movie and television show McLeod's Daughters as these three adult sisters try to navigate living on a ranch together. Willa is the tough ranch gal who bristles at the idea that she must work with her two sisters on the farm. Lily is fleeing an abusive ex-husband and is glad for the safe haven the ranch provides. Unfortunately, her ex-husband has followed her to Montana and he vows revenge. Lastly, is Tess, the L.A scriptwriter who is more city gal than fresh mountain air living. All three will find love and find out what it means to be family.
As with any Nora Roberts read, I just kept turning the pages. The suspense portions really worked in this book and I couldn't wait to find out who was committing all these crimes on the ranch. The romance that Roberts wrote for Willa and Ben( enemies to lovers) was perhaps the best developed in the couples. Lily and Adam didn't command much presence on the page but they had a sweet love. Tess and Nate took me a little by surprise and I didn't really believe in them at all. But the NR formula demands all characters get a happy ending.
To further readers, I will caution that the book does have some outdatedness as Willa's half-brother, Adam, a Native American is referred to by many characters as "the noble savage." I lost count of how many times the phrase was used.
Overall, I read it fairly quickly and enjoyed how lost I got in that world BUT the book did have some issues that I cannot overlook.
Goodreads review published 11/04/23
Originally published in 1996, Montana Sky is a Nora Roberts standalone romance with some suspense elements. Tess, Lily, and Willa have gathered to say goodbye to their biological father. All were born to different mothers, but only Willa grew up on the family ranch. A ranch that she hopes to inherit. But no one is quite prepared for her father's terms. All three daughters must live on the ranch for one year or the ranch and all its land will be donated away.
This book reminded me of the Australian movie and television show McLeod's Daughters as these three adult sisters try to navigate living on a ranch together. Willa is the tough ranch gal who bristles at the idea that she must work with her two sisters on the farm. Lily is fleeing an abusive ex-husband and is glad for the safe haven the ranch provides. Unfortunately, her ex-husband has followed her to Montana and he vows revenge. Lastly, is Tess, the L.A scriptwriter who is more city gal than fresh mountain air living. All three will find love and find out what it means to be family.
As with any Nora Roberts read, I just kept turning the pages. The suspense portions really worked in this book and I couldn't wait to find out who was committing all these crimes on the ranch. The romance that Roberts wrote for Willa and Ben( enemies to lovers) was perhaps the best developed in the couples. Lily and Adam didn't command much presence on the page but they had a sweet love. Tess and Nate took me a little by surprise and I didn't really believe in them at all. But the NR formula demands all characters get a happy ending.
To further readers, I will caution that the book does have some outdatedness as Willa's half-brother, Adam, a Native American is referred to by many characters as "the noble savage." I lost count of how many times the phrase was used.
Overall, I read it fairly quickly and enjoyed how lost I got in that world BUT the book did have some issues that I cannot overlook.
Goodreads review published 11/04/23
March 16, 2018
Gripping suspense plot, character to fall in love with and a slow burn romance all click in this story. Just a wonderful book. I would love it if the three sisters would take Jack's portrait and make a bonfire with it. The man should have never procreated, but then there wouldn't have been Willa, Lily and Tess. They were truly better than the SOB deserved. Maybe it was a good thing he could have cared less about them while he was alive. It was truly sad that Willa strived all her life for a kind word and never got squat.
Jack Mercy is dead, break open the champagne! The SOB is trying to control his three estranged daughters by three different wives from beyond the grave by the terms of his will. A ranch worth twenty million is at stake. To cash in the sisters have to live together on the ranch for a year.
Tess, the oldest sister, is a Hollywood screen writer and all she wants is the money so she can return to Hollywood.
Lily, the middle sister, is on the run from an abusive ex-husband and is delighted to have a safe place to hid.
Willa is the youngest sister and Jack's loss has hit her the hardest. She was the only one to be raised on Mercy Ranch, which she loves with a fierce passion. That she has to share it with strangers is a bitter pill to swallow.
They have all decided to put their bitterness aside and live like a family in order to fulfill the terms of the will. It isn't easy for any of them and it just gets harder when animals and people turn up dead and mutilated on the ranch. But these three daughters of Jack Mercy are made of some really gritty stuff. They must have gotten that from their mothers.
Jack Mercy is dead, break open the champagne! The SOB is trying to control his three estranged daughters by three different wives from beyond the grave by the terms of his will. A ranch worth twenty million is at stake. To cash in the sisters have to live together on the ranch for a year.
Tess, the oldest sister, is a Hollywood screen writer and all she wants is the money so she can return to Hollywood.
Lily, the middle sister, is on the run from an abusive ex-husband and is delighted to have a safe place to hid.
Willa is the youngest sister and Jack's loss has hit her the hardest. She was the only one to be raised on Mercy Ranch, which she loves with a fierce passion. That she has to share it with strangers is a bitter pill to swallow.
They have all decided to put their bitterness aside and live like a family in order to fulfill the terms of the will. It isn't easy for any of them and it just gets harder when animals and people turn up dead and mutilated on the ranch. But these three daughters of Jack Mercy are made of some really gritty stuff. They must have gotten that from their mothers.
May 14, 2019
Three stories in one, about three half-sisters who are forced to live together for a year if they want the inheritance their awful late father left them.
Tess, the oldest, is an L.A. screenwriter who wanted to get what little money her father left for her and return home. Lily, the middle sister, had been abused and was moving from place to place, always looking over her shoulder for her ex-husband to find her again. Willa, the youngest one, grew up in the farm, working hard at the ranch to gain her father's approval.
All three of them are beyond surprised by the stipulation for their inheritance. Tess has no idea how she'll survive a year away from civilisation, Lily is relieved to be in such a remote place where she feels safe, and Willa is feeling beyond betrayed by her father, who even after death didn't acknowledge any of her hard work.
The will stated that Willa, who would be running the ranch, would be under supervision by their closest neighbour and competitor, Ben, as well as Nate, another neighbour and the lawyer who is handling the family's legal affairs. Adam, who is in charge of the ranch's horse breeding side and is also Willa's half-brother rounds up the cast.
Adam is drawn to wounded Lily, who learns to trust men again through his gentleness and patience, Tess learns that there's more to life apart from the "civilisation" she's left behind, and finds happiness with Nate, a man whose contradictions surprise her, and Willa eventually succumbs to the attraction between herself and Ben, whom she'd been arguing and competing with all her life.
A mystery helps in bringing them all close as well, since someone is mutilating cattle, before eventually escalating to people, and they seem to have it out for the Mercy sisters, while .
The mystery was very well done, since .
A satisfying story with solid, evolving relationships both between the sisters and the couples, and happy endings all around.
Tess, the oldest, is an L.A. screenwriter who wanted to get what little money her father left for her and return home. Lily, the middle sister, had been abused and was moving from place to place, always looking over her shoulder for her ex-husband to find her again. Willa, the youngest one, grew up in the farm, working hard at the ranch to gain her father's approval.
All three of them are beyond surprised by the stipulation for their inheritance. Tess has no idea how she'll survive a year away from civilisation, Lily is relieved to be in such a remote place where she feels safe, and Willa is feeling beyond betrayed by her father, who even after death didn't acknowledge any of her hard work.
The will stated that Willa, who would be running the ranch, would be under supervision by their closest neighbour and competitor, Ben, as well as Nate, another neighbour and the lawyer who is handling the family's legal affairs. Adam, who is in charge of the ranch's horse breeding side and is also Willa's half-brother rounds up the cast.
Adam is drawn to wounded Lily, who learns to trust men again through his gentleness and patience, Tess learns that there's more to life apart from the "civilisation" she's left behind, and finds happiness with Nate, a man whose contradictions surprise her, and Willa eventually succumbs to the attraction between herself and Ben, whom she'd been arguing and competing with all her life.
A mystery helps in bringing them all close as well, since someone is mutilating cattle, before eventually escalating to people, and they seem to have it out for the Mercy sisters, while .
The mystery was very well done, since .
A satisfying story with solid, evolving relationships both between the sisters and the couples, and happy endings all around.
February 4, 2018
3.5 / 5
August 3, 2017
Woohooo! This was LOOONGGGG but I loved every minute of it. I think this was one of the best Nora Roberts books I've ever read/listened to.
Want to read
May 24, 2017In 2004, there was an Egyptian movie called "حب البنات" aka Girls Love that I absolutely loved, it's still one of my favorite movies.
A few years later, I went into a DVD store to find a Nora Roberts movie titled Montana Sky, released 2007. I bought it on the spot and watched with amazement. The arabic movie was based on Nora's novel, and both movies became one of my favorite that I watched many times over.
After the death of their father, three half sisters Willa, Tess, and Lily Mercy (ندى، رقية، غادة أبو حجر) must live on his ranch (apartment) for one year to collect their inheritance. This is similar in both movies.
Willa is the one her father raised in the ranch, but she is so lonely and incapable of love. I think her father wanted to make amends and give her a family when he left. Tess is successful, outspoken and very sexy, but can't have real relationships. Lily is broken, sensitive and physically hurt from her abusive ex husband.
The only relationship I didn't get was Adam, who I thought was Willa's half brother, so he's the girls half brother as well, but in the movie he and Lily fall in love and end up getting married. So I hope he isn't related to her because they are my favorite.
I bought the book last March, with many other Nora Roberts books.
A few years later, I went into a DVD store to find a Nora Roberts movie titled Montana Sky, released 2007. I bought it on the spot and watched with amazement. The arabic movie was based on Nora's novel, and both movies became one of my favorite that I watched many times over.
After the death of their father, three half sisters Willa, Tess, and Lily Mercy (ندى، رقية، غادة أبو حجر) must live on his ranch (apartment) for one year to collect their inheritance. This is similar in both movies.
Willa is the one her father raised in the ranch, but she is so lonely and incapable of love. I think her father wanted to make amends and give her a family when he left. Tess is successful, outspoken and very sexy, but can't have real relationships. Lily is broken, sensitive and physically hurt from her abusive ex husband.
The only relationship I didn't get was Adam, who I thought was Willa's half brother, so he's the girls half brother as well, but in the movie he and Lily fall in love and end up getting married. So I hope he isn't related to her because they are my favorite.
I bought the book last March, with many other Nora Roberts books.
April 15, 2013
I was forced to read this for my MFA in writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University. That being said, I would have stopped reading at 10%, which would have resulted in me missing a pretty decent romance.
It wasn't the best, but. . .nice and decent.
Let's see. . .This book is a simple mathematical computation.
Multiply: a hot cowboy times 3
Add three half-sisters, that don't really know each well, but are forced to get to know each other due to their dead father's will. Additionally, at first I don't like any of them, but they grow on me.
Add some tidbits of horror.
Set this all against a pretty captivating setting:
so all and all. . .not bad.
It wasn't the best, but. . .nice and decent.
Let's see. . .This book is a simple mathematical computation.
Multiply: a hot cowboy times 3
Add three half-sisters, that don't really know each well, but are forced to get to know each other due to their dead father's will. Additionally, at first I don't like any of them, but they grow on me.
Add some tidbits of horror.
Set this all against a pretty captivating setting:
so all and all. . .not bad.
November 15, 2017
Kelepir fiyata kaptığım - 10 tl - kitabı büyük bir zevkle okudum. Klasik Nora tarzında, üç kız kardeş üç de boylu poslu erkek; kısacası Nora'nın üçleme takıntısının güzel bir örneği. Adından anlaşılacağı gibi Montana'da bir çiftlikte geçiyor, önce kız kardeşler bağlarını kuruyor, bu esnada da erkeklere kalplerini kaptırıyorlar. Bir de çiftlikte dönen iğrenç işler, ölümler, kafa yüzmeler felan var ki uzun bir süre kim olduğu ortaya çıkmıyor. Bu kısmı tam tahmin ettiğim gibi çıktı ama yine de beğendim. Sevimli ama heyecan dolu bir kitap daha olmuş.
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This one is definitely a Nora Roberts story. There were three sisters, three men and a good thriller in it. At a ranch in Montana you see love, mystery, thriller and you want to keep reading. I guessed the mystery part but it didn't change the way I feel about the book. The story is lovely and a full of tension.
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This one is definitely a Nora Roberts story. There were three sisters, three men and a good thriller in it. At a ranch in Montana you see love, mystery, thriller and you want to keep reading. I guessed the mystery part but it didn't change the way I feel about the book. The story is lovely and a full of tension.
August 20, 2018
Nora Roberts delivers again with this story of three sisters thrown together because of an unusual provision in their father's will. Montana serves as a backdrop for the story, with every season used to give us a visual image of ranch life in the Midwest.
I enjoyed the story, especially each sister's own self discovery. It wasn't just through the men that entered the picture but what they were able to learn from each other and redefine family. Roberts has also created extremely likable male characters with flaws and strengths woven together nicely. If I have a criticism it's the ending, which seemed to have done so a bit abruptly.
If you're a Nora Roberts fan, this should be on your list. If this is your first, it's a good one to read as a starting point.
I enjoyed the story, especially each sister's own self discovery. It wasn't just through the men that entered the picture but what they were able to learn from each other and redefine family. Roberts has also created extremely likable male characters with flaws and strengths woven together nicely. If I have a criticism it's the ending, which seemed to have done so a bit abruptly.
If you're a Nora Roberts fan, this should be on your list. If this is your first, it's a good one to read as a starting point.
December 24, 2021
Need to reread this one in 2022🎇 The movie adaptation was pretty cool❣️But the Queen of Romance was in her element with words💝 Super smooth reading😍
Nora Roberts has taken her family and friends to Montana several years in a row now. The Big Sky Country has become one of her treasure retreats. So yes ~ rereading is a must for me.
Nora Roberts has taken her family and friends to Montana several years in a row now. The Big Sky Country has become one of her treasure retreats. So yes ~ rereading is a must for me.
October 25, 2018
Sigo diciendo que la espantosa adaptación de televisión me ha fastidiado bastante la lectura. Entretenido, sin más.
March 8, 2022
This would’ve been so interesting as a series with each book dedicated to one of the sisters….but alas, a standalone is what we got.
The setting in Montana alone is incredible, and the story taking place in a ranch is absolutely gorgeous, the mystery is intriguing, gruesome, and packs quite the punch.
I loved all three sisters: each have their flaws and strengths, their stories are quite fascinating and watching them become a family was so cute.
Their love interests fit them so nicely and while I’m sad that they didn’t get as much space they deserved, that epilogue was heartwarming as hell.
The setting in Montana alone is incredible, and the story taking place in a ranch is absolutely gorgeous, the mystery is intriguing, gruesome, and packs quite the punch.
I loved all three sisters: each have their flaws and strengths, their stories are quite fascinating and watching them become a family was so cute.
Their love interests fit them so nicely and while I’m sad that they didn’t get as much space they deserved, that epilogue was heartwarming as hell.
July 19, 2023
Montana Sky is a delightful story of three women learning to trust one another and finding love in the unlikeliest of places.
Jack Mercy lived his life as a hard man and died the same way. In his will, Jack leaves Mercy Ranch to his three daughters, none of whom had met until the day of their father's funeral. In order for the women to inherit, they must spend a year together on the ranch and at the end of the year they'll have equal shares in a ranch worth twenty million dollars. When a brutal enemy begins leaving increasingly dangerous threats on Mercy land, the women will have to band together if they're to survive the year.
Jack's three daughters are all completely different women who despite their vastly different backgrounds form an incredible bond over the year. First there's Willa, the youngest of the sisters and the one Jack was forced to keep after her mother died before he could divorce her. Willa is a rancher through and through who is devoted to Mercy Ranch. Next is Lily, daughter of wife number two and on the run from an abusive ex-husband. Last is Tessa, the oldest of Jack's daughters, a screenwriter from Hollywood and the most cynical of the women.
During the year each of the women find love and acceptance while finding their place in the world. Lily's match is Adam, Willa's half brother, who is incredibly kind and patient. Adam and Lily are incredibly sweet with one another and bring out the best in each other. Tessa's match is Nate, a local lawyer, who challenges everything Tessa thought she wanted in life. Willa's match is Ben, a neighboring rancher and the supervisor of the ranch during the year. Willa and Ben tend to push each other's buttons and they have amazing chemistry.
Montana Sky is a great story about the bonds of family with a nice touch of romance. I definitely recommend this book if you're in the mood for a good story with fantastic characters.
Jack Mercy lived his life as a hard man and died the same way. In his will, Jack leaves Mercy Ranch to his three daughters, none of whom had met until the day of their father's funeral. In order for the women to inherit, they must spend a year together on the ranch and at the end of the year they'll have equal shares in a ranch worth twenty million dollars. When a brutal enemy begins leaving increasingly dangerous threats on Mercy land, the women will have to band together if they're to survive the year.
Jack's three daughters are all completely different women who despite their vastly different backgrounds form an incredible bond over the year. First there's Willa, the youngest of the sisters and the one Jack was forced to keep after her mother died before he could divorce her. Willa is a rancher through and through who is devoted to Mercy Ranch. Next is Lily, daughter of wife number two and on the run from an abusive ex-husband. Last is Tessa, the oldest of Jack's daughters, a screenwriter from Hollywood and the most cynical of the women.
During the year each of the women find love and acceptance while finding their place in the world. Lily's match is Adam, Willa's half brother, who is incredibly kind and patient. Adam and Lily are incredibly sweet with one another and bring out the best in each other. Tessa's match is Nate, a local lawyer, who challenges everything Tessa thought she wanted in life. Willa's match is Ben, a neighboring rancher and the supervisor of the ranch during the year. Willa and Ben tend to push each other's buttons and they have amazing chemistry.
Montana Sky is a great story about the bonds of family with a nice touch of romance. I definitely recommend this book if you're in the mood for a good story with fantastic characters.
December 29, 2012
This is the first book I've read by Nora Roberts that disappointed me. I kept reading through to the end because I wanted to know who was doing the killing, but that was the only reason. I found the three main female characters so one dimensional as to almost be caricatures of themselves. Much like many of her other books we had: the tough tomboy woman, the abused sweet woman, and the sexy femme fatale. But they were all so far into their role that they didn't feel like real people at all. The men weren't that interesting either - all 'twists' on a cliche.
I was surprised about the twist - the character I thought was doing all the murders turned out to be not who I expected. I'm not sure there were enough clues to lead to the actual killer, and I'm really not sure I believe the motive - but it was suspenseful enough to keep me reading even though I didn't really like any of the characters.
I was surprised about the twist - the character I thought was doing all the murders turned out to be not who I expected. I'm not sure there were enough clues to lead to the actual killer, and I'm really not sure I believe the motive - but it was suspenseful enough to keep me reading even though I didn't really like any of the characters.
Read
August 20, 2016Por fin he terminado el libro y digo por fin porque se me ha hecho eterno. La traducción es malísima hasta el punto que he llegado a plantearme si no lo habían traducido con traductor. No han sabido traducir determinadas expresiones que eran básicas y que han hecho que saliera de la lectura una y otra vez.
Respecto a los protagonistas tampoco puedo decir mucho. Aunque la protagonista indiscutible es Willa en su historia no se profundiza demasiado. No sé casi nada de su infancia (y había muchas posibilidades) y si ya hablamos de la historia de amor con Ben... me falta pasión, amor, conversaciones entre ambos por todas partes.
En cuanto a las historias de las otras dos hermanas tampoco puedo decir demasiado. Unas historias que podrían haber sido memorables pero que se han quedado en la superficie.
Adam y Lily tenían mucha historia detras que no se ha contado y no entiendo por qué.
En fin, pese a que Nora Roberts me encanta este libro no me ha enganchado en ningún momento.
Respecto a los protagonistas tampoco puedo decir mucho. Aunque la protagonista indiscutible es Willa en su historia no se profundiza demasiado. No sé casi nada de su infancia (y había muchas posibilidades) y si ya hablamos de la historia de amor con Ben... me falta pasión, amor, conversaciones entre ambos por todas partes.
En cuanto a las historias de las otras dos hermanas tampoco puedo decir demasiado. Unas historias que podrían haber sido memorables pero que se han quedado en la superficie.
Adam y Lily tenían mucha historia detras que no se ha contado y no entiendo por qué.
En fin, pese a que Nora Roberts me encanta este libro no me ha enganchado en ningún momento.
December 2, 2014
Could've done without the drawn-out drama and the multiple chapters from the killer's POV, which I never like.
But aside from that, I loved this. SISTERSSSSSSS. I loved all three of them, but I do believe Tess was my favourite. Although I might change my mind about that in a couple of minutes' time, because they're all pretty great. Ben and Willa were by far my favourite pairing though. The banter, the flirting, the tension, the incredible stubbornness on both sides; that all worked for me.
I also love the fact that all of this takes place over a year. It helps the relationships develop in a more believable way than most romance novels. And the imagery throughout this entire book is amazing. The descriptions of the scenery never failed to keep me engaged and I'm thinking I need to put Montana on my list of states still-to-visit.
But aside from that, I loved this. SISTERSSSSSSS. I loved all three of them, but I do believe Tess was my favourite. Although I might change my mind about that in a couple of minutes' time, because they're all pretty great. Ben and Willa were by far my favourite pairing though. The banter, the flirting, the tension, the incredible stubbornness on both sides; that all worked for me.
I also love the fact that all of this takes place over a year. It helps the relationships develop in a more believable way than most romance novels. And the imagery throughout this entire book is amazing. The descriptions of the scenery never failed to keep me engaged and I'm thinking I need to put Montana on my list of states still-to-visit.
May 13, 2017
Thank the heavens for another stormer of a novel from Nora Roberts with none of those pesky supernatural, paranormal happenings. This is a straight forward awesome romance with a bit of suspense thrown in to keep the stakes high of course.
I loved the setting. I have always wanted to go to Montana and stay on a ranch but I figure I would be a mix of Tess and Lily once I'm there. Anyway, beautiful, gorgeous setting.
And the three sisters! Awesome characterisation and you fall in love with all three of them. Probably the best story based around sisters who don't know each other but are forced together by circumstances.
And the romances! Gah! Adam/Lily - so freaking sweet! Ben/Will - loved their banter. Nate/Tess - the least interesting romance but also very loveable.
I could actually have done without the ~drama~ but I guess it kept the plot flowing.
February 3, 2016
Turns out I'm really not enamored of thriller elements in Roberts's plots. I kept wishing they weren't there, or that they were different.
But I liked the sisters a lot, and I appreciated the observation that they were all supposed to hate each other. Jack Mercy: what an idiot. Though I wish Willa and Ben had acknowledged that ultimately, they were what Jack wanted, and I wish Adam had felt less like a protector and Lily less like a lost child.
Otherwise, there are a lot of golden moments here, particularly "I went to Yale." I had to stop reading so I could laugh. TESS, YOU SNOB.
But I liked the sisters a lot, and I appreciated the observation that they were all supposed to hate each other. Jack Mercy: what an idiot. Though I wish Willa and Ben had acknowledged that ultimately, they were what Jack wanted, and I wish Adam had felt less like a protector and Lily less like a lost child.
Otherwise, there are a lot of golden moments here, particularly "I went to Yale." I had to stop reading so I could laugh. TESS, YOU SNOB.
September 20, 2020
Yowser! That was great!!!
October 11, 2017
You can find this review in English below.
Recuerdo haber tenido la misma sensación cuando vi la película que leyendo el libro. La historia pintaba interesante y con 450 páginas pensaba que habría tiempo suficiente para desarrollar todos los personajes a la perfección, pero no ha sido así. Es casi un crimen decir que todo ha pasado my rápido y que los personajes han sido bidimensionales. Páginas había para dar profundidad a la trama y a los protagonistas, pero al final han estado llenas de repeticiones.
Los romances han sido empalagosos.
El punto de vista del malo poco serio y superficial.
Y la historia se me ha hecho larga y aburrida.
Sólo se me ocurre decir que si la película te gusto, esta historia es para ti.
Si la peli te pareció cursi y frívola… este libro también te lo parecerá.
***
I remember I had the same feeling when I saw the film that now while reading the book. The story seemed promising and with its 450 pages you should think there will be time enough to develop both the plot and the characters, but no. It must be a crime to say that all happened fast and that the characters were two-dimensional but it would be the truth. There were pages and pages to give some depth to the plot and characters, however, they were full of repetitions.
The romances have been cheesy.
The bad guy POV lacked seriousness and was shallow.
And the story has been long and boring.
I only can think that if you loved the film, you will love the book.
If the film seemed to you corny and frivolous… you will feel the same about the book.
Recuerdo haber tenido la misma sensación cuando vi la película que leyendo el libro. La historia pintaba interesante y con 450 páginas pensaba que habría tiempo suficiente para desarrollar todos los personajes a la perfección, pero no ha sido así. Es casi un crimen decir que todo ha pasado my rápido y que los personajes han sido bidimensionales. Páginas había para dar profundidad a la trama y a los protagonistas, pero al final han estado llenas de repeticiones.
Los romances han sido empalagosos.
El punto de vista del malo poco serio y superficial.
Y la historia se me ha hecho larga y aburrida.
Sólo se me ocurre decir que si la película te gusto, esta historia es para ti.
Si la peli te pareció cursi y frívola… este libro también te lo parecerá.
***
I remember I had the same feeling when I saw the film that now while reading the book. The story seemed promising and with its 450 pages you should think there will be time enough to develop both the plot and the characters, but no. It must be a crime to say that all happened fast and that the characters were two-dimensional but it would be the truth. There were pages and pages to give some depth to the plot and characters, however, they were full of repetitions.
The romances have been cheesy.
The bad guy POV lacked seriousness and was shallow.
And the story has been long and boring.
I only can think that if you loved the film, you will love the book.
If the film seemed to you corny and frivolous… you will feel the same about the book.
September 15, 2021
Well worth the read. Three grooms for three sisters. And a couple of bad guys. If Jack Mercy's last will and testament was what it looked like, it backfired. He required all three of his daughters to live for year on the ranch in order for any of them to get a piece. The odds against that were pretty long. But they did it. He wanted to marry his daughter Willa off to Ben Mckinnon. They end up together in spite of him not because of him.
Roberts does keep one secret to the very end. But not very well. The mystery for me is why the police didn't catch on sooner.
Also Charlie drops out of the action at a critical moment. As a dog lover. I found that disappointing
Roberts does keep one secret to the very end. But not very well. The mystery for me is why the police didn't catch on sooner.
Also Charlie drops out of the action at a critical moment. As a dog lover. I found that disappointing
March 30, 2024
Three sisters by three different mother's but one father learn they must coexist on the Mercy Ranch for one year in order to keep their inheritance. At the same time, there's a serial killer leaving mutilated bodies for them to find. Classic Nora Roberts suspense + romance. No one does it better!
February 29, 2020
I thought that this book was okay
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