Sweet Grass - Montana Romance Series by Margaret Desmond

“You’re wasting your time with that one. Got his heart broke. Nothing and no one will ever fix it.” Compelled to leave Boston as a means of saving her teenage brother—the only family she has—from a life of crime, Sage Dolan gladly accepts the serendipitous opportunity to purchase a small ranch and a restaurant in the rural community of Hollister, Montana... more“You’re wasting your time with that one. Got his heart broke. Nothing and no one will ever fix it.” Compelled to leave Boston as a means of saving her teenage brother—the only family she has—from a life of crime, Sage Dolan gladly accepts the serendipitous opportunity to purchase a small ranch and a restaurant in the rural community of Hollister, Montana. Sage’s eagerness to start a new life for herself and her brother is met with a few obstacles along the way, the greatest being a rugged, handsome rancher who is not happy that an outsider has purchased the one piece of property he and his family have coveted for years. Soon, Sage is engaged in a battle of wills, but she quickly discovers that it’s not a battle over land as much as it is a crusade to unlock the door to a lonely man’s heart. less

His rodeo days behind him, Travis Hollister is working hard to establish himself as one of the top quarter horse breeders/trainers in the country. Laid up after an accident, he receives help from an unlikely person—the young woman who nearly bit off his thumb when he found her hiding in his barn on Christmas morning. A rough road filled with many detours not of her choosing has led Mari Jones to Hollister, Montana... moreHis rodeo days behind him, Travis Hollister is working hard to establish himself as one of the top quarter horse breeders/trainers in the country. Laid up after an accident, he receives help from an unlikely person—the young woman who nearly bit off his thumb when he found her hiding in his barn on Christmas morning. A rough road filled with many detours not of her choosing has led Mari Jones to Hollister, Montana. In the welcoming embrace of the small town and a family and heritage previously unknown to her, she wonders if she’s finally found a safe place to land. But the pain and mistrust stemming from a lifetime of being told she doesn’t belong, that she’s too different to “fit in”, won’t disappear overnight. As spring warms to summer beneath the wide Montana sky, a man who has a way with horses shows Mari the beauty and freedom that comes with letting go of the past and learning to trust, inspiring her to wonder if he can give her what no one ever could: a place to call home. less

Grady O’Rourke got his heart roped by Tressa Tanner—his boss’s daughter—the day he signed on as a wrangler at the JT Cattle & Guest Ranch. Ten years down the road, that rope has only squeezed tighter. His greatest wish is to buy land of his own and build a sweet little house where he and Tressa can live forever together as husband and wife. Problem is, Tressa doesn’t see him in a romantic light... moreGrady O’Rourke got his heart roped by Tressa Tanner—his boss’s daughter—the day he signed on as a wrangler at the JT Cattle & Guest Ranch. Ten years down the road, that rope has only squeezed tighter. His greatest wish is to buy land of his own and build a sweet little house where he and Tressa can live forever together as husband and wife. Problem is, Tressa doesn’t see him in a romantic light. Since she was sixteen years old, he’s been the friend she runs to when her overbearing father and brothers get her riled, the friend who listens to her troubles and dreams with a patient ear. It puts a burr under his saddle when she shares things he doesn’t want to know, especially details about that guy from back east she’s imagined herself in love with for way too long. She wouldn’t know that kind of talk sticks in Grady’s craw because he’s always kept his true feelings for her close to his vest. Well, that’s about to change. Tressa Tanner is in a bind. While she enjoys her job managing guest services at the ranch, she feels the hospitality degree she worked so hard to get is being wasted. Her brother Mack calls the shots in the family business, and he’s put his foot down on many of her plans. Maybe it’s time to heed the advice from her friends back east and cut the family apron strings. Maybe it means leaving Montana for good. As she deliberates her decision to strike out on her own, she seeks advice from the one person who has encouraged her ambitions all along, her best friend Grady. Problem is, the more time she spends with the cute, gentle cowboy, the more she realizes that if she leaves Montana, she’ll be leaving him too. Funny how that suddenly becomes the very last thing she wishes. less