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.
This Old House series
Book 1: Finding Home
Book 2: A Sweet Montana Christmas
Book 3: The Cowboy Next Door
Book 4: Cinderella’s Cowboy
more
Start with both of their ‘high powered’ careers crashing. Add her in-laws being cruel. Move them to a run down honey farm at Christmas. Great setting for a re-evaluation of lifestyle and goals. Introduces characters for future stories that sound interesting too. It does get slightly steamy, but easily skimmed back on to more story relevant. While it is set in Marietta it doesn’t include people or places from Marietta.
Such a sweet story about second chances and trying again.
A well written story about second chances and learning to live a completely different lifestyle then you are used to.
The lessons in life can be very difficult at times. Austin Sweet is learning this first hand. First his company goes under. Then, he loses his house and possessions. The final blow is when his wife leaves him.
His parents have given him his grandfather’s old farm house to fix up and get ready to sell. Is he ready to live on a Montana farm, in the middle of winter, raising goats and bees even if it’s just temporary?
The day his wife Melinda shows up asking for a second chance comes as a shock to him. She carries a secret that brings renewed hope to their relationship. With all the changes to both of their lives, will they be able to stay together or will it drive them further apart?
I thoroughly enjoyed how helpful they were to the young pregnant girl and treated her so kindly. I liked the Christmas open house, highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance
His business failed. She went home to Momma. She showed up at the ranch his father had given him to run fix up and sell in six months.
Very good story. Business failure, separation, tears, kisses, much love. What else could you possibly need
Loved it! A quick relaxing afternoon read. Wonderful characters and entertaining storyline.
I love it. If you enjoy reading a sweet Christmas book, this is it.
just a good story
This was a beautiful story of love at Christmas time. I very much enjoyed this book and this series an look forward to reading more.
Oh WoW this book is not what I expected but was so much more. Austin Sweet has lost everything including it appears his wife. We meet him as he is in this broken down old farmhouse in the middle of winter in Marietta, Montana. Yes, my favorite place in the entire world (that really does not even exists). We discover that he has been “gifted” the Sweet Honey Farm only to recover it and get it back up to making a profit. Then we get to meet Melanie his wife and this is where the story gets interesting and takes a very surprising turn. Things are not always as they seem and life does throw thing all sorts of amazing things at you. You just need to be open to catching them with open arms and a willing heart. This book was so moving and oh so touching to me. It had me wanting to can jams and eat more honey. (I already only eat organic honey as my sweetner.) Author Roxanne Snopek can paint an amazing picture of the broken down farmhouse with the bee barn and goats in vivid color. I can see the lights on the old show pieces and all the snow all around the farm. We do get to see some familiar faces among the new ones. Beautiful novella about family, friendships and second change love.
Also As a wonderful surprise I got to read one of Roxanne Snopek’s short stories called
Montana Secrets … The Jackson Family Legacy.
Unpretentious, agreeable story of pure marital love!