It only took eight seconds for Nate Montgomery’s bull riding career to go from brilliant to burned out. Back in Three Rivers with no money and no prospects, he needs to regroup and build an identity for himself that doesn’t involve being thrown around by 1500lbs of fury. He finds reprieve in a familiar package of curves on the other side of the bar at the local watering hole. She’s tall, … full-bodied, and sweet, and Nate will gladly come back for a second taste.
Single mother and perpetual girl-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks Layla Sullivan is barely holding together the life she’s building for herself and her son. She’s got shift work, squeaky cupboards, a big fat secret, and no time for Nate Montgomery to come waltzing into her life, making her wish for things she can’t have. But this cowboy is as bull-headed as he is sexy, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that having an extra warm, handy body in her house isn’t a bad thing—especially when it belongs to her baby’s father.
When Layla’s family drama comes back to bite her, exposing her secret and threatening the happy little bubble they’ve created, Nate feels bound to repeat the sins of his father. But he’s never been one to give up, and this little family might be just the new life he’s looking for.
This book is a part of the Hearts of Three Rivers: The Montgomerys series. Each book stands alone as a complete read, but features appearances from other family members who may have their own story to tell in a different book. Amity’s stories can best be described as ‘sweet western heat’, and contain open door bedroom scenes, but no frank language.
Hearts of Three Rivers
The Baylors
Runaway Heart (Dane & Ren Maddock)
Homecoming Heart (Noah & Emma Pierce)
Secondhand Heart (Finn & Lily Jacobs)
The Montgomerys
Secret Heart (Nate & Layla Sullivan)
Lawful Heart (Banks & Norah Clarke) COMING SOON
Hearts of Heroes
(Military and serviceman related novellas that occur in the Three Rivers world)
A Cowboy SEAL’s Bride (Lane Sutton & Miranda Davenport)
more
This is sweet, romantic and intense. Nate is a charming, caring, determined and generous. Layla is strong, vulnerable, insecure and stubborn. When Nate came to town a year and a half ago he and Layla spent a weekend having fun, then he went back to the rodeo, not knowing he had left something behind. When Layla found herself pregnant she decided not to tell Nate, not wanting to ruin his life with a baby. Now he’s back, and looking to get close to Layla again, realizing that he had been missing her without knowing. But Layla has a secret, a baby that she doesn’t want him to find out about, because he’s the father. The two get close, and Layla starts to wonder if Nate is really going to stay this time, and if she should tell him about his son. It’s an interesting storyline with a couple of twists. Her mother is a real winner, trying to manipulate Layla and make her name the baby’s father. I really enjoyed reading it.
Layla and Nate are great characters, they are string and independent but also want to be loved however do not like to let people see any vulnerability. Thankfully the town and especially Grandma know whats good for them and we see magic in action as they both learn more about themselves and what live could be like if they are were together. This book has loads of warm fuzzies as well as sadness, frustrations, hope and laughs so you will be hooked right from the get go!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I can understand why Layla didn’t tell Nate about his son Mason. He was not father material when she slept with him eighteen months ago. He was riding the rodeo circuit and going from one woman to another. Maybe he would have changed if he knew or he might have just thrown money at the problem. Her parents were selfish and manipulative and made her look bad, so she had trouble with relationships. She didn’t have very good ones with the previous men in her life. She might have been afraid Nate would try to take Mason away from her. Nate was really sweet with Mason even before he knew he was his. This was a second chance romance with a lot of ups and downs, lies, and misunderstandings.
This is part of The Montgomerys #1 and Hearts of Three Rivers #4 series. A book I enjoyed reading and I will be looking for more in this series. Layla Sullivan and Nate Montgomery have history and she has not told him that her baby son Mason is his. What he does when he is told makes for a very good story.
I haven’t read the Baylors yet so was a little hesitant to pick this up and read it but since it was the first book of the Montgomery’s I thought it would be ok. It does standalone and it does make you want to read the stories that came before as I now want to know about the Baylor’s. At times it did seem as though the story moved somewhat slow but it could also be because I was impatient and I wanted Nate to know already! This made me want to become a part Layla’s chosen family and meet Nan and everyone else. It was sweet, sexy, with some tears thrown in for good measure. Now I can’t wait for other book or books in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.