A Sweet Montana Christmas by Roxanne Snopek

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Synopsis:

Melinda Sweet loved her husband before she learned of his wealth and she loves him still, despite the fact that it’s gone. Unfortunately, while she knows the collapse of his Chicago financial services business had nothing to do with him, he believes otherwise. His upbeat adjustment to their new – and temporary – life on his grandfather’s rundown honey farm is a foil to cover the burden of failure. She wasn’t expecting to throw – in five weeks – the traditional Sweet Christmas Open House, but it’s a good earning opportunity and how hard could it be?

Austin Sweet is determined to make his wife proud of him again. But he also wants to erase the sting of shame he feels from his parents, to whom he owes a debt of gratitude for arranging for this caretaking job. Getting paid to fix up this disaster is better than living in their basement, sure. But what does he know about bees? Or fixing broken plumbing? Or cleaning a chimney?

But when Austin’s grandfather gives him the farm as a Christmas gift, there’s only one response. Accepting the gift will secure a future that will make his wife even more unhappy than he already is. Refusing the gift will finalize the rift between him and his family, but he’d rather lose them than Melinda. Then he discovers she’s spared him the choice. Austin’s not-so-Sweet side rears up as he determines that he’s done trying to make everyone happy. He’ll get his wife back, no matter what. And they’ll decide their future together. 

Review:

A Sweet Montana Christmas was a good read, but I felt like I was coming in partway through the story. I kept looking at the first book in the series to see if I missed something, and it doesn't look like it. Though Austin and Melinda could have been secondary characters in it. Either way it was a good read, I just felt like I was missing part of the story. 

Austin is living in a run down farmhouse trying to fix it up and get his life back together. He misses his wife, who is not there with him, and thinks he really made a mess of everything. His company collapsed and now he doesn't have much. How can he ever hope to get his wife back if he has nothing? 

Melinda has been hiding out with her family, but is now ready to try and work things out with Austin. Here is where I felt like I was missing out. I didn't really understand what happened and why Melinda didn't go with Austin to the farm. Later on you get glimpses of how they both shut off when everything collapsed, but it didn't make a lot of sense while reading. Also Austin's family is apparently manipulative, but I didn't really understand that since I didn't know them. Like Austin gets offered the farm as a Christmas gift (instead of just fixing it up and sharing in the profits when they sell in the spring) and that is this huge awful thing for some reason. I really don't know why. When I read that I was just like oh good. You can a) stay and live on the farm, try to make it viable or b) still sell it in the spring and keep all the profits. What is the downside to this again? You would have to keep the profits if you sell it? That is not really a negative...

When Melinda shows up on Austin's doorstep he doesn't know what to think. These two have some things to work through, but they obviously both still care deeply for the other. It was cute watching them come together again. It was an alright Christmas read I just wish I had more of the backstory so all the pieces would have fit together better. 

Rating: ★ ★ ★