Unbridled Montana Passion by Ramona Flightner

Unbridled Montana Passion
Bear Grass Springs #6

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance
Published in 2019

H/h - John "Bears" Renfrew/Fidelia Evans
Setting: Montana, 1887.

Read in October, 2019.

My rating:

                                                         [spoiler alert]

Unbridled Montana Passion is the book 6 of Ramona Flightner’s ongoing Bear Grass Springs series. I’ve had quite an ambivalent feeling towards this series since it began, quite unlike Ramona’s Banished Saga. But I think it’s growing on me and I feel like I’m quite invested in the lives of these characters right now to continue on with it. So kudos to her!

Bear Grass Springs is set in 1880s Montana. I’m a big fan of Ramona’s Banished Saga, soon to end after a long run and always recommended from me. Bear Grass Springs is quite different than this series in the sense that the former is more of a family saga spanning generations, rather than your typical story and HEA for one couple per installment. Though Bear Grass Springs does have HEA in each installment for each H and h featured, you still get the vibe of being with a family and getting to know them better while reading about the MacKinnons.

Bear Grass Springs began with the stories of the 3 MacKinnon brothers Cailean, Alistair and Ewan, in the first 3 installments respectively titled Montana Untamed, Montana Grit and Montana Maverick. They also have a younger sister called Sorcha who got her story told in book 5 titled Montana Wrangler. They hailed from Scotland, but have settled in the Bear Grass Springs Montana in search of a better life. Cailean and Alistair own the only livery in town, which they’ve managed to make a successful business out of. Ewan is a carpenter and his business is thriving as well. The brothers were much sought after bachelors until they settled down with the love of their lives, Cailean with the town baker Annabelle, Alistair with Leticia who was a school teacher before she began helping Annabelle with her rapidly growing bakery business. Ewan finally found someone to love in Jessamine, a news reporter at that time newly arrived in Bear Grass Springs. Sorcha had been at odds with Frederick, a recurring character, for much of the series. Then it was revealed that they actually harbored feelings for one another.

Montana Wrangler by Ramona Flightner

Montana Wrangler
Bear Grass Springs #5

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance
Published in 2019

H/h - Frederick Tompkins/Sorcha MacKinnon
Setting: Montana, 1886.

Read in April, 2019.

My rating:

                                                         [spoiler alert]

Montana Wrangler is the book 5 in Ramona Flightner’s Bear Grass Springs series. I’ve had quite a love-hate relationship with this series, yet I can’t help but being curious about what the characters are up to, all credit is to the author! I’ve enjoyed this series enough to keep coming back to it.

I keep saying it because it’s the truth. I’m a big fan of Ramona’s Banished Saga series, which will end pretty soon. Bear Grass Springs is quite different than Banished Saga in the sense that the latter is more of a family saga spanning generations, rather than your typical story and HEA for one couple per installment. The Saga always comes highly recommended from me. Though Bear Grass Springs does have HEA in each installment for each H and h featured, you still get the vibe of being with a family and getting to know them better while reading about the MacKinnons.

Bear Grass Springs began with the stories of the 3 MacKinnon brothers Cailean, Alistair and Ewan, in the first 3 installments respectively titled Montana Untamed, Montana Grit and Montana Maverick. They also have a younger sister called Sorcha. They’re from Scotland, but have settled in the Bear Grass Springs Montana in search of a better life. Cailean and Alistair own the only livery in town, which they’ve managed to make a successful business out of. Ewan is a carpenter and his business is thriving as well. The brothers were much sought after bachelors until they settled down with the love of their lives, Cailean with the town baker Annabelle, Alistair with Leticia who was a school teacher before she began helping Annabelle with her rapidly growing bakery business. Ewan finally found someone to love in Jessamine, a news reporter at that time newly arrived in Bear Grass Springs. The backgrounds of all 3 of heroines are told in their books. However my feelings for all 3 books were pretty ambivalent. The first two, the brothers were being obtuse and in turn, there were loads of misunderstanding and frustration that made me wanna kick their a$$. And for book 3, I didn’t like the heroine AT ALL.

Jubilant Montana Christmas by Ramona Flightner

Jubilant Montana Christmas (novella)
Bear Grass Springs #4.5

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance
Published in 2018

H/h - Karl Johansen/Leena Johansen
Setting: Montana, 1886.

Read in November, 2018.

My rating:

                                                        [spoiler alert]

Jubilant Montana Christmas by Ramona Flightner is a novella and the newest installment in her Bear Grass Springs series. Even though I’m a big fan of Ramona’s writing, I found myself with very mixed feeling about this series in particular. However, Karl and Leena’s story, which I didn’t really anticipate all that much seeing they were minor characters in the previous books, turned out to be a lovely read.

Ramona’s Banished Saga was/is absolutely marvelous and I always recommend that series. It’s more of a family saga spanning generations, rather than your typical story and HEA for one couple per installment. Bear Grass Springs falls under the latter category, though it’s beginning to stand out on its own. Ramona writes clean romances so if you love clean romances with sweet stories set in late 19th or early 20th century Montana (and Boston), then her books are for you!

Bear Grass Springs began with the stories of the MacKinnon brothers Cailean, Alistair and Ewan, in the first 3 installments respectively titled Montana Untamed, Montana Grit and Montana Maverick. They also have a younger sister called Sorcha. They’re from Scotland, but have settled in the Bear Grass Springs Montana in search of a better life. Cailean and Alistair own the only livery in town, which they’ve managed to make a successful business out of. Ewan is a carpenter and his business is thriving as well. The brothers were much sought after bachelors until they settled down with the love of their lives, Cailean with the town baker Annabelle, Alistair with Leticia who was a school teacher before she began helping Annabelle with her rapidly growing bakery business. Ewan finally found someone to love in Jessamine, a news reporter newly arrived in Bear Grass Springs; also the proprietor of the town’s only newspaper. The backgrounds of all 3 of heroines are told in their books. However my feelings for all 3 books were pretty ambivalent. The first two, the brothers were being obtuse and in turn, there were loads of misunderstanding and frustration that made me wanna kick their a$$. And for book 3, I didn’t like the heroine AT ALL.

Abiding Love by Ramona Flightner

Abiding Love
Banished Saga #8

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance
Published in 2018 [requested review]

H/h - Colin Sullivan/Araminta
Setting: Boston and Montana, 1918.

Read in September, 2018

My rating:

                                                      [spoiler alert]

My dear Savannah,

In the past 8 installments of Banished Saga, I’ve come to know you so well; felt we’ve become friends as much as I found myself feeling the same for every other member of the McLeod/Sullivan family introduced in this series. I have to admit that initially I found you to be snotty and rather irritating and I liked Clarissa better. :) I wasn’t sure of your match with Jeremy, but despite it all, you’ve found love in one another. And over the course of these 4+ yrs you’ve proved me wrong over and over again.

I knew you’ve found love, but the serenity of life eluded you even when you were with Jeremy. I knew you craved a child so badly that I prayed your wish would come true. Even when it didn’t happen that way, I’d hoped you’d find peace with Jeremy and Melinda in your life. In this installment, I was so excited for you that I can’t even explain. Hoped that finally, after all that you’ve been through, you’d have your wish fulfilled. You’ll finally find peace within yourself and be at peace with life itself.

But alas, that was not to be.

I don’t know if you’re finally at peace now that you’re somewhere no living being can reach you. I just hope you’re doing well as Melinda accompanies you there too.

Abiding Love is the 8th installment of Ramona Flightner’s Banished Saga series. It’s one of my favorite family-centered series, which is also quite aptly titled as we find our favorite characters going through ups and downs like any normal couple will weathering incidents bound to test their love for each-other. This is also one of the more unique attributes of this Saga; that the story of a couple isn’t finished with the HEA. As we find new things to appreciate in this series, the Saga continues as it should showcasing their lives with all its glory, as well as its difficulties.

The Banished Saga, when it began, was onset of suffragist movement of Boston 1901. Along the way we met many characters, including our favorite, the first couple of the series Clarissa and Gabriel in Banished Love. Their story was ongoing in books 2 and 3, Reclaimed Love and Undaunted Love. We also met Clarissa and Gabriel’s family. Clarissa’s own brothers Colin, and Patrick who wasn’t introduced until much later. Her cousin Savannah and best friend Florence, both avid suffragettes and worked with Clarissa throughout. Gabriel’s younger brothers Richard and Jeremy were also introduced, as was their long lost uncle Aidan. Later in the series, Jeremy and Savannah found love, while Richard and Florence, who had an ongoing rift between them, mend it and decided to marry.

Montana Renegade by Ramona Flightner

Montana Renegade
Bear Grass Springs #4

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance
Published in 2018

H/h - Warren Clark/Helen Jameson 
Setting: Montana, 1885.

Read in June, 2018

My rating:

                                                          [spoiler alert]

Bear Grass Springs is the newest series by Ramona Flightner and Montana Renegade is the latest installment. Even though, regrettably, I hadn’t been able to connect with the series like her previous series Banished Saga, I’ve been eagerly waiting for this one. Why you ask? Because this story has been in the making since the beginning of this series.

Whereas Banished Saga is set in the early 20th century America, Bear Grass Springs is set in the 1880s Montana. It’s also quite different that Banished Saga in the sense that each story ends in your traditional HEA. Yes, it’s still a clean romance and yes, we still get to know about a family and see them find love one after another but you get your traditional HEA, rather than a Saga where it spans years and includes new characters of new generations.

Book 1, Montana Untamed, introduces us to the MacKinnon brothers Cailean, Alistair and Ewan and their younger sister, Sorcha. They came to America from Scotland to settle down after they were forced from their lands. Cailean and Alistair are very successful livery owners, the only one in the small town of Bear Grass Springs. Ewan’s skills lie with carpentry, which the people of the town appreciated, so he’s been doing good as well. Both well-liked and respected among the people and, alongside Ewan, they’re also well sought after bachelors. There were certain people had seemingly been tripping over themselves to get the MacKinnons to marry their daughters. Cailean the eldest is what I’d call a grumpy bear; very serious and moody. Alistair, the middle brother, seemed like the one with a sound head on his shoulders. Cool and calm as they say. Ewan is the happy go lucky charmer who can be impetuous at times. His gambling habit is one of those things that his brothers do not approve of. Sorcha is still young and brash, she has her own burdens to bear too as you will read, but her brothers love her all the same.

Montana Maverick by Ramona Flightner

Montana Maverick
Bear Grass Springs #3

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance
Published in 2018 [requested review]

H/h - Ewan MacKinnon/Jessamine McMahon
Setting: Montana, 1885.

Read in May, 2018.

My rating:

 

                                                     [spoiler alert]

Montana Maverick is the book 3 of Ramona Flightner’s historical romance series, Bear Grass Springs. A huge fan of her debut series Banished Saga, I didn’t hesitate picking it up when I heard she’s coming up with a new HR set in a slightly different era. Regrettably, have to say that so far I haven’t felt the connection with the stories as well as I thought I would.

Whereas Banished Saga is set in the early 20th century America, Bear Grass Springs is set in the 1880s Montana. It’s also quite different that Banished Saga in the sense that each story ends in your traditional HEA. Yes, it’s still a clean romance and yes, we still get to know about a family and see them find love one after another but you get your traditional HEA, rather than a Saga where it spans years and includes new characters of new generations. I love both styles and appreciate the author exploring both routes. Initially, many readers complained about the first book of Banished Saga not having a traditional HEA. But that won’t be an issue with the Bear Grass Springs novels.

Book 1, Montana Untamed, introduces us to the MacKinnon brothers Cailean, Alistair and Ewan and their younger sister, Sorcha. They came to America from Scotland to settle down after they were forced from their lands. The eldest two arrived first. Eventually, Ewan and Sorcha joined them. Cailean and Alistair are very successful livery owners, the only one in the small town of Bear Grass Springs. Ewan’s skills lie with carpentry, which the people of the town appreciated, so he’s been doing good as well. Both well-liked and respected among the people and, alongside Ewan, they’re also well sought after bachelors. Cailean the eldest is what I’d call a grumpy bear. Very serious and moody. Alistair, the middle brother, seemed like the one with a sound head on his shoulders. Cool and calm as they say. Ewan is the happy go lucky charmer who can be impetuous at times. His gambling habit is one of those things that his brothers do not approve of. Sorcha is still young and brash, she has her own burdens to bear too as you will read, but her brothers love her all the same.

Montana Grit by Ramona Flightner

Montana Grit
Bear Grass Springs #2

Ramona Flightner
Historical Romance/Western
Published in 2018

H/h - Alistair MacKinnon/Leticia Browne
Setting: Montana, 1885.

Read in March, 2018.

My rating:

 
                                                     [spoiler alert]

Montana Grit is the book 2 of Ramona Flightner’s newest historical romance series, Bear Grass Springs. Even though I’ve enjoyed the premise, I have mixed feelings about this one. Will try to explain in my review in the following.

I always talk about Banished Saga, Ramona’s debut series, whenever I review her books. I’m a huge fan of that series and glad that there are a few more installments left before we bid adieu to it. Bear Grass Springs, IMO, is quite different from Banished Saga. Yes, it’s still a clean romance and yes, we still get to know about a family and see them find love one after another but you get your traditional HEA, rather than a Saga where it spans years and includes new characters of new generations. Of course, I’m not comparing the two. I like both styles. In fact, I’m a reader of traditional HEA who has come to love the idea of growing with a family and seeing them grow and expand, becoming their friend in the process.

Book 1, Montana Untamed, introduces us to the MacKinnon brothers Caliean, Alistair and Ewan and their younger sister, Socha. They came to America from Scotland to settle down after they were forced from their lands. Cailean and Alistair arrived first. Eventually, Ewan and Socha joined them. Cailean and Alistair are very successful livery owners, the only one in the small but surely budding town of Bear Grass Springs. They’re well-liked and respected among the people and, alongside Ewan, they’re also well sought after bachelors. Ewan’s skills lie with the carpentry. He’s also earning good. Among the brothers, Cailean the eldest is what I’d call a grumpy bear. Very serious and moody. Alistair, the middle brother, seemed like the one with a sound head on his shoulders. Cool and calm as they say. Ewan is the happy go lucky charmer who can be impetuous at times. His gambling habit is one of those things that his brothers do not approve of. Sorcha is still young and brash, she has her own burdens to bear too as you will read, but her brothers love her all the same.