The fourth, and final novel in New York Times bestselling author Kelly Elliott’s Meet Me in Montana series fires up the passion in a story about forgiveness and finding your soul mate.
Strong Enough is a stand alone novel in the Meet Me in Montana series.
Suggested Reading Order –
1. Never Enough
2. Always Enough
3. Good Enough
4. Strong Enough
Strong Enough
By kellyelliott
Strong Enough is the final installment in the Meet Me in Montana series and I’m so sad to see this series end! Throughout the first three books, I wondered if Dirk would end up getting his own book. I’m so excited that he did! u2063
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If there was ever a couple that was meant to be together, it’s Dirk and Merit. They’re both stubborn and won’t even admit to themselves how much they need the other person. Everyone around them can see the truth and neither will listen.u2063
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Their story sucked me in from the very beginning and kept me engaged the entire time. I love all the emotions that come with a second chance romance because they always seem so much deeper to me. This one was no exception! The chemistry between them was clear each time they were on the page together and did not disappoint!u2063
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This book was raw and emotional! There are a few heavier topics that may need a content warning for some people…alcoholism and the loss of a parent. They’re handled very well and with the respect they deserve. u2063
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Blayze was, once again, the comic relief that was needed to break the tension in some places. He’s going to be trouble when he’s older! u2063
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The epilogue was perfect! It gave us a look into the future with the entire Shaw family and extended family, Dirk and Merit included, and was the icing on the cake for me! It’s definitely become one of my favorite small-town series! Check it out!u2063
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Thank you to the author and Greys Promo for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. u2063
4.5 Stars!
“The only thing I’ve ever wanted from you was you. This. Us.”
Holy Angst Alert!!! If you’re looking for a book filled with tension and all kinds of delicious angst, then look no further. Strong Enough is just the book you are looking for.
Strong Enough is the 4th book in the Meet Me In Montana Series and it is sure to take your heart and emotions on one heck of a ride. Strong Enough follows the story of Dirk and Merit. Dirk is on top of the world. He’s got a job he loves and is good at and women who just drop at his feet. But the status quo isn’t living up to the hype for him anymore. He’s tired and looking for a change. So, when Merit blows back into town, you can bet, she turned his whole world upside down. You see, Merit is the only woman who could bring Dirk to his knees. Only, when it comes to Merit, Dirk can’t stop making mistakes. He is the pure definition of “foot-in-mouth”. Will Dirk come to his senses and win over the girl of his dreams? There’s only one way to find out…..
Strong Enough is a fantastic read from beginning to end. Dirk and Merit gave my heart a run for its money and had my feels all over the place. Yes, these two made me absolutely batty at times. Many years ago, Dirk broke Merit’s heart and Merit has never been able to move past it. When fate reunites these two, the tension, chemistry, and love is still there. But, being able to forgive and forget, is a whole other story. The road to happily ever after isn’t an easy one for Merit and Dirk. In fact, Dirk is going to frustrate you so much, you’re going to wonder how he’s ever going to redeem himself??
Strong Enough is the kind of story that is going to capture your heart from the very beginning and will leave you hanging on each and every word. It is a story about first love and heartbreak. A story of pain and moving on. A story of love, loss, and forgiveness. Merit and Dirk’s story will take readers on an unforgettable ride and in the end, leave a satisfying smile on their faces…..
This is book 4 in the series and I am so sorry to see it end. It also easily can stand alone but I do suggest you ate least read the first book in the series so you get to know Dirk better as his and Kaci’s relationship is discussed in there and it effects this book too.
Merit is a relatively new character in this series as she comes home to save her family and their ranch. She has a history with Dirk, Brock and Kaci who is now deceased and was Brock’s first wife. All 4 of them grew up together.
Merit fell in love with Dirk when they were very young but he did something awful to her when he had sex with her and it was her first time. Up to that point they were best friends but she never forgave him and he deserved that for what he did. I am not sure he ever really made me believe why he did it.
Now Merit is back in town and she wants very little to do with Dirk but Dirk wants her to forgive him and so things happen and things are said and things between these two get worse. Both Dirk and Merit are runners and instead of grasping at love they run very far from it. Many times I thought Dirk needed some counseling because he just kept making things worse. I really felt for poor Merit.
However when they finally face who they are to each other and they let each other into their hearts well it was a very beautiful thing. This was a really awesome story with a jerk of a leading man who falls in love but is pretty clueless and fears love. It has angyst and a wonderful second chance at love with his former best friend who now hates him. It was a wonderful conclusion to this series and I hate to say good bye to the Montana group of friends and family.
I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.
it was amazing
There’s always that one Author that you follow that you know will never disappoint you. For me that’s Kelly Elliott
She saved the best book for last in the Meet me in Montana series. Dirk Littlewood is s truly swoon worthy cowboy. I loved how really rough around the edges he is. Then he lets his guard down for a bit only for it to go back up again. But the thing that really made me love Dirk was hw all twisted up he would get around and about Merit.
Gah so much angst, push, and pull from these two headstrong, feisty characters!!
Dirk a big-time bull rider, loves the spotlight and girls that go along with it, but he’s running from the one girl who had him all twisted up in knots after high school.
Merit pulled back to her home town in Montana due to family drama’s, also running and hiding from the one man she’s avoided since leaving high school.
These two clash frequently and the sparks are electric, witty banter and some very hard emotional scenes will have even the fussiest of readers totally spellbound with this wonderfully heartwarming novel.
Reviewer: Natalie
Strong Enough is the fourth and final title in the Meet Me in Montana series featuring Dirk Littlewood, who first appeared in Never Enough and Merit Eden who appeared in Good Enough.
Although you can read Strong Enough as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the previous three books in the series, prior to diving into Dirk and Eden’s story. This title is a small town, emotional second chance romance full of passion, hope, healing, forgiveness, and love.
Dirk Littlewood is a flawed hero. He’s a rodeo champion who has a reputation with the ladies and the best friend to Brock Shaw. When he sets his mind to something he’s driven and determined, and loyal. Whilst he can be incredibly sweet, and loving, he also can be quite stupid and has a tendency to not think before he speaks and his commentary causes hurt, pain and confusion.
Merit and Duke have a complicated history, and were childhood best friends and neighbors until Duke broke her heart, and she left town and didn’t come back, until it was unavoidable. Merit is strong, passionate and endearing, but she suffers from her fair share of insecurities.
Honestly at times I wanted to slap some sense into this pair, in particular Dirk, even though this was my favorite title of the series.
It’s bittersweet to see the end of the Shaw family, but I look forward to seeing where Kelly Elliott takes readers next.
I read my first Kelly Elliot book, Wanted, years ago and fell in love with her writing, her characters, and their stories in that series long before I was a book reviewer or blogger. At some point, I kind of lost track of her new books but somehow found my way back to her with the Meet Me in Montana series. Strong Enough is book four and the final book in this series. They are all written as standalone titles,, but I think you’ll get the most out of Strong Enough if you read them all in order. I’m a series junkie, so that is strictly MY OWN OPINION and absolutely not necessary!
NICUnurse’s Rating: Dirk and Merit were the best of friends when they were younger. One night changed everything for them, and they both ran as far and as fast as they could from their small Montana hometown. Now, they’re both back, and one night changes everything for them yet again. When life throws so much pain, hurt, and brokenness your way that you think you can’t possibly be strong enough to survive, the only thing you can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other. This is a friends to enemies to lovers, small-town contemporary romance with a HEA.
I’ve been on pins and needles for nearly the entire series just for Dirk’s story. And it was nothing short of an angsty rollercoaster ride that had me turning page after page and not wanting to put this book down. I genuinely felt my heart break for Merit over and over and over again. And while I mostly just wanted to smack Dirk for being an idiot (even if he is a lovable idiot), there were times where my heart simply broke for him. I found myself shedding tears for them both for what seemed like half of this darn book. Yes, they get their HEA, but it is hard fought for. Kelly Elliot never fails to bring all the emotion to life in her books, and that’s just one of the many reasons that I come back to her stories over and over again.
I give Strong Enough by Kelly Elliot 5 out of 5 stars!
Strong Enough is the fourth book in the series but you could read this as a standalone. Dirk and Merit is a story that will definitely test your patience and emotions. Dirk is the quintessential player, he sure does love the ladies but his history with Merit is the definition of complicated. I always knew that beneath that facade was a loyal romantic beating heart. I loved that Kelly didn’t just magically make this flawed man perfect. He made so many mistakes that caused hurt pain and confusion and honestly I wanted to slap him so many times for being so clueless. I love the family and friendship dynamics and how they play out throughout the series and how they all tie together in the end.
ღღ The most poignant of the series – a perfect finale. ღღ
If there was one emotion that stayed on the bubble for the entire time that I spent with this last book of the series, it was in a state of near tearful angst. Author Kelly Elliott has saved the most heart-breakingly best for last. Strong Enough is a book with all the feels. All. The. Feels.
This means it wasn’t all sadness however. With the Shaw brothers all married off and producing, there were also reasons to celebrate, but for our couple, Dirk and Merit, their story is one of deeply held past hurts, family challenges, and tragedies that will bring even the strongest of bull riding champions to their knees. As I cried onto my tablet once again my family looked at me like I was some kind of weirdo, wondering why on earth I keep doing this to myself.
The answer in short is, because Author Kelly Elliott writes books that I absolutely must be reading.
My heart broke for both Dirk and Merit in the prologue where Dirk gave his POV into their history, and from that moment on, my heart was heavy and my eyes prickled hot. And while I’ve long held a hope that Dirk could be redeemed from the kind of cheeky flirty cowboy who spread his sexual favours far and wide, it seemed he couldn’t get out of his own way in sorting himself out his feelings for Merit, or keep his trap shut before engaging his brain. I just wanted to bash him as much as Tanner Shaw’s wife, Timberlynn (book 3) wanted to.
Merit’s POV was just as gutting. I liked her character a lot and even though I admired her strength, and sympathised with her as those past and deeply ingrained hurts and insecurities came into play, I seriously began to get somewhat frustrated with her. Then I thought about the depth of love she’d held for Dirk for so long and the hurt he’d inflicted onto her with his thoughtlessness and I believe I would have crumbled right along with her.
While it’s not necessary to have read the first three books in this Meet Me in Montana series, I highly recommend that you do. Each of these are stand-a-lones, and Ms Elliott covers everything nicely, this series has just been an amazing re-read, and really, who doesn’t love sexy cowboys who will go all growly alpha when they have to, or grovel when they need to??
Seriously, nothing less than 5 Stars for this book that held my heart in it’s virtual hands for the entire time I spent with it
Gah so much angst, push and pull from these two head strong, feisty characters!! Dirk a big time bull rider, loves the spotlight and girls that go along with it… but he’s running from the one girl who had him all twisted up in knots after high school. Merit pulled back to her home town in Montana due to family drama’s, also running and hiding from the one man she’s avoided since leaving high school. These two clash frequently and the sparks are electric, witty banter and some very hard emotional scenes will have even the fussiest of readers totally spell bound with this wonderfully heartwarming novel.
I’ve been waiting for Dirk’s book and I couldn’t get enough of it. Once I started reading I couldn’t put this book down.
Dirk and Merit have loads of chemistry and from the time to two of them were young kids there was something there, however, one simple word completely shattered everything between them. Now, years later they are face to face, but can everything in their past be forgiven?
Dirk was so incredibly frustrating at times. I was yelling at my kindle because he was just driving me crazy! Yet, I still can’t help but love the man. Merit was frustrating at times with how she handle certain things, but nowhere near the level of Dirk. However, I did love the two of them and I was rooting for them from the very beginning.
Strong Enough is an emotional story that is full of surprises, tragedies, forgiveness and finding your soulmate. If you’re looking for a small town, second chance, cowboy romance this is one to read!!
I have absolutely loved reading the Meet Me in Montana series by Kelly Elliott so much. And now we have the last book in the series, Strong Enough, a second chance romance with so many feels. We met Dirk from the first book and now we finally get his story. I do suggest you read the series in order as each is about interconnected couples. They are each worth reading and I highly recommend each book.
Dirk and Merit have so much history and not all of it good. But now she is back and they can’t ignore the connection they share, but there is so much hurt between them too. In this story, we go on their slow burning journey as they reconnect, have ups and down and begin to see what they might share if only they can open up to it. I loved this series and this was the perfect ending for it.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
The fourth book in Kelly Elliott’s Meet Me in Montana if my favorite of the series. Dirk Littlewood still owns a piece of my heart, he is one swoon worthy hot cowboy. As with all Kelly Elliott stories, you will fall into the world she creates, with a second chance at love.
Merit has been in love with Dirk since the moment she laid eyes on him. Their story is filled with so much emotion and angst, the tension could be cut with a knife. They both suffered so much heartache, and when Dirk finally realizes life isn’t worth much without the woman that will make him complete.
Follow along as Merit and Dirk find their way back to one another, and learn that they were always each others other half.
These two were best friends growing up but Merit felt much more for Dirk. Dirk on the other hand had feelings for someone else but deep down he also felt something for Merit but she didn’t think so. Something happened between them that ended terribly and they’ve never spoken again. Years pass and she returns and still refuses to speak to Dirk but he’s had enough and makes it his mission to squash the issue they had since high school. It’s not easy because at this point Dirk has developed a reputation that doesn’t help his case as much. But he doesn’t give up and they give it a try. They have their moments but got their HEA. The Shaws and their significant others had a lot to do with this lol. It was nice catching up with them.
**I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.**
Strong Enough is the fourth installment in the Meet Me in Montana series. I feel it could be read as a standalone without missing a lot to the story but you’ll get the most out of the story if you read it in order as the author intended.
I think I say it with every book Kelly Elliott writes but this time I mean it, Dirk is one of my favorite main characters. Dirk Littlewood is extremely swoon worthy! I fell in love with these characters. Dirk and Merit have been mentioned throughout the series and finally getting their story was the perfect way to end the series. The relationship between Dirk and Merit is complicated but aren’t they all? The second chance they are given is everything!
I always fall so deep into any world that Kelly Elliott creates and this one was no different. The relationships, the friendships, love and hate made this a fantastic series. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Ms. Elliott where ever that world is, I know I’ll find my favorite character there!
*Wicked Reads Review Team*
There are not enough stars to give this book!! My goodness it was fantastic!! Although I am sad that this was the last one in this series. I’ve loved every book and as I came to the end of each book I was sad it was the end, especially this one. I wasn’t ready for it to end. I wanted so much more! I’d be happy for a spin off of all the kids! This book will get you in the heart! If you don’t get all the feels, then something is wrong with you! Even me, a person that never gets overly emotional found myself wiping my eye. I loved it so so so so much! Is it too soon to reread?! I would 100% recommend this book!
Received a arc for a honest review.
Welcome back to the land of stubborn cowboys, determined women and irresistible heartbreak. Dirk and Merit are easy on the eyes, but tough on the emotions. Strong Enough is one heartache short of a country song. The journey is more than a little bumpy, but the end result is worth the pain. It’s an uphill climb to forever, but in the end Elliott gives the heart a soft place to fall.
I’m just going to say it……..Dirk Littlewood owns my heart! I’ve been waiting for this story since we were first introduced to Dirk in Never Enough and Kelly absolutely did not disappoint. Dirk and Merit’s story was about hurt, redemption, forgiveness and second chances. This book is full of emotion and all the damn feels so prepare to be swooned!
Another beautiful book full of wonderful characters, family, friends and love.
Merit and Dirk have become one of my favorite love stories of 2021. They had feelings for each other when they were younger but also way felt maybe it was just a childhood crush. One night and one word changed their lives for the next several years.
They both are back in their hometown and spend time together. The old hurts continue to keep them from sharing their true feelings. A couple of life events, for each of them, finally pushes them to share their deep feelings they’ve held into for so many years.
Really a beautiful story of how friends and family will love and support you through the worst of times and also help you see what’s right in front of your face.
I requested an arc copy of this book and I am providing an honest review.
Strong Enough is the final book in the Meet Me in Montana Series and I was sad to see one of my favourite series come to an end but Ms Elliott left the best for last with Dirk and Merit’s story.
This couple have been friends forever but one favour became one mistake and there was no longer a friendship so what will happen when this couple find themselves back home at the same time. What will happen when Dirk realises Merit is the only woman capable of holding his heart …..
This is a push and pull tale and it’s only going to get worst when secrets are revealed so will Merit trust the man who broke her once before …….
This couple are soulmates but it’s going to take a lot of grovelling for Merit to open her heart to the man who has secretly held it for so many years.
Dirk and Merit’s romance is very special it’s not just about love it’s about forgiveness, trust snd hope and I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers. I love small town romances and this series is one of the best in that genre so please one click this great read.