Montana Rose by Mary Connealy // Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Montana Rose

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2026

From bestselling author Mary Connealy comes a poignant Western romance about second chances, redemption, and the healing power of faith—a moving tale of a heartbroken young widow, a compassionate rancher, and the love that helps them both find their way home.

When Cassie Griffin’s abusive husband dies, leaving her pregnant and destitute, she’s forced to marry a stranger to survive. Red Dawson, a hardworking rancher and part-time preacher, steps forward to save her from a worse fate. Though Red fears marrying a non-believer goes against his principles, he can’t stand by and watch Cassie be claimed by the ruthless Sawyer clan.

Living in Red’s rustic cave home is a far cry from Cassie’s former life of luxury. But as she learns to work alongside him, she discovers strength she never knew she possessed. Red’s gentle patience and unwavering faith begin to crack the protective shell she’s built around her heart. When a dangerous enemy threatens their newfound happiness, Cassie and Red must trust in God’s plan—and each other—to survive.

Can a marriage of convenience bloom into true love? And can a woman who’s known only submission find the courage to stand tall? A tender story of healing, hope and the transformative power of unconditional love. Perfect for fans of Janette Oke and Karen Witemeyer.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Lucie's Review: Can a battered heart that long ago lost hope, learn to trust again? 

Cassie was put in a terrible situation by first her mother, and then her late husband. Pregnant and with few options, she accepts the marriage proposal of rancher and part-time preacher Red Dawson. A heartwarming romance, with good relationship building and faith. I liked how Red took the time to teach Cassie things about living in the country, showing her support and sharing his faith. 

It starts out a little slow, but there is good interaction. I admired Cassie's willingness to learn new things, as well as Red's support of her and how he made an effort to get to know her. The parts I found hard to read were the parts that got into the bad guy's head, because he was a seriously messed up creep.

Overall, it was a entertaining read with great characters, strong faith, and a romance that you can root for. I liked how Red and Cassie grew over the course of the story and learned to trust and depend on each other. Well worth the read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

 

More from Mary

Montana Rose was one of the first books I wrote. Very early on, though it took a while to get it published. And I ended up rewriting it to make it part of a three book series.

My basic goals with Montana Rose were two fold.

One, I seem almost addicted to writing feisty lady ranchers. I do it so much that I decided I needed to challenge myself. Write a quiet, shy heroine.

Cassie Dawson was born. And the thing with Cassie was, she was so used to being controlled by her much older husband, it was very hard for her new husband to convince her of her own worth.

Drawing Cassie out, finding the inner woman, making her believe she had worth, was such an interesting challenge for me as an author.

For a woman who writes in the same genre all the time, I really do try and mix things up. I PROMISE I DO!

Not sure how often I succeed but making my characters be three dimensional is always my goal. And I try and do different things in my books. A fist fight on a moving train. A fire in a blizzard. Diving off a galloping horse to stop a runaway bad guy. I try different careers and different locations. Always, I am trying something new. In Montana Rose, I picked a quiet, frightened mouse of a woman.

At least that was how it started out. By the end, Cassie finds herself.

So that was the fundamental goal.

And the second aim I had was Love Comes Softly, Janette Oke’s classic, beautiful Christian romance. I just loved that book. The pregnant widow, the husband who’s trying to help and needs help himself. Shove them together into a marriage and try to find love.

Of course, my book has more comedy and more gunfire than Love Comes Softly. I call it love comes softly, with mayhem. I pitched the title Love Comes Loudly. Or maybe Love Comes Hardly. We went with Montana Rose. Probably for the best.

Cassie remains a beloved sweetheart. Red, the best hero I’ve ever written…except he was probably too nice. The hero needs to have some challenges too. But Cassie just needed Red Dawson to be so kind and strong and wise. Yes, he has red hair and he has a temper that rarely erupts…though sometimes. But most Red is the best.

Those are the creative forces that forged Montana Rose.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 1

Devoted To Hope, July 2

Books You Can Feel Good About, July 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3

For Him and My Family, July 4

Simple Harvest Reads, July 5 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, July 6

Sydney Schmied Books, July 7

Labor Not in Vain, July 8

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 9

The Bookish Pilgrim, July 10

She Lives To Read, July 11

Cover Lover Book Review, July 11

Artistic Nobody, July 12 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, July 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

 https://gleam.io/iDuaH/montana-rose-celebration-tour-giveaway

Deep Undercover by Lenora Worth // Review

Lucie's Review: 

NYPD K-9 officers Brianne Hayes and Gavin Sutherland go deep undercover as a wealthy married couple to stop a bomber they call The Tick before it's too late. 

Brianne and Gavin are thrown together in this fast-paced adventure, as they get to know each other, they bond over their shared convictions and love of working with their K-9 partners. I liked their interaction, and connection. There was a lot going on, as well as continuing to keep up with the background story arc that connects the series. 

Overall, a highly enjoyable read with great characters, mystery, tension, faith and great dogs. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Secret Worth Protecting by Susan L. Tuttle // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Sam Cooper has his hands full as a single father in witness protection. He knows he needs help with his 5-year-old twin girls, and surprised who responds to his ad. None other than Ansley Tait, the girl from high school that he could never forget. But could a second chance at love destroy the stability that he's built for his family?

A heartwarming romance, Sam is a good father working hard to give his girls a stable upbringing in a new town. He's changed a lot over the last few years, and I liked that he and Ansley were able to reconnect and be on the same page about their faith. Ansley is great with the girls, and is always doing fun activities with them and encouraging them to try new things. 

Overall, an enjoyable read with likable characters, adorable children, and great plot. Heartwarming and sweet, definitely recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beyond the Far Horizon by Carolyn Leiloglou, illustrated by Vivienne To // Review

My Review: 

The thrilling third installment in The Restorationists. 

Ravi has joined forces with Georgia, Vincent, and their family to fight the Distortionists, but a small part of him is still doubting that he can turn his back  on his former life and truly be accepted as he is by his new friends. Fighting Dorian and his Distortionists will take everything they have, as they work together to protect the painting and reunite families. 

A satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series, great for middle-grade readers, with themes of celebrating unique gifts, forgiveness, truth, and turning a new leaf. I loved getting to know all the new characters, like Selma and Horace. As well as the friendship between Ravi and Lily. 

Fast paced and fun, with educational tidbits about famous art. I liked getting to know Ms. Art better, as well as Uncle Leo ad seeing the whole team work together. Great for confident young readers, or as a family read aloud. Highly enjoyable and engaging. Definitely recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Holly and Nick Hate Christmas by Betsy St. Amant // Review

My Review: 

Chaotic and heartwarming Christmas rom-com, with likable characters and plenty of heart. 

Holly is headed home for the holidays feeling lower than she has in a while, newly jobless, and turning 30 on the 25th, she and Christmas have never been friends. Holly is a likable heroine, but she's in a funk. I could definitely relate to all the little things adding up and taking a toll on her happiness. She has a full of siblings all home for Christmas, so there are a lot of personalities under one roof.

Nick is Holly's brother Ryan's co-worker, and he is a little surprised when Ryan offers to set him up with his sister Holly for Christmas, especially since Nick has a secret that nobody knows that has potential to shake up the holiday. 

A fun and relatable rom-com, with a cozy country setting, and a loving but chaotic family. I liked the interaction between Nick and Holly, and how he wants to get to know her better. It's and crazy at times, but brought a smile to my face. Highly enjoyable, with a heartwarming faith-filled core. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Blind Trust by Laura Scott // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Guide dog trainer Eva Kendall finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly ring of drug traffickers who believe that she knows something she doesn't. K-9 officer Finn Gallagher wants to help her find out what is going on, and keep her young nephew safe, but can she trust him with her deepest secret?

An engaging fast-paced read, with a lot going and a plot that kept me guessing. I like that Finn is a man of faith and is open about what he believes. Eva has a lot on her plate, training dogs, caring for her nephew and trying to figure out why the bad guys won't leave her alone. 

A riveting read, with strong likable characters, good growth and development, as well as interaction. Highly enjoyable. Definitely recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Act of Valor by Dana Mentink // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Airline employee Violet Griffin witnesses' suspicious activity and finds herself in the crosshairs of a dangerous drug trafficking ring. She asks her former childhood friend Zach Jameson for help, and together they must work together to thwart the drug ring. 

A fun fast paced read. I liked that Zach and Violet were childhood friends, and already have an established ease with each other, but are working to navigate their changing relationship. There are plenty of twists and turns, with plenty of suspense and clever beagle. 

There was good interaction, faith, and I loved how warm and supportive Violet's family is. A highly enjoyable read, with a lot going on. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Vanished in Montana by Jenna Night // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Julia Crane is a true crime podcaster, she travels to Montana to dig into a cold case close to her heart. But someone doesn't want her poking around looking for answers, but Deputy Max Lone steps up to help her investigate. 

A fast paced read, with likable characters of faith, and a plot that keeps you guessing. There are a lot of twists and turns, with good relationship building. I like how Max challenged Julia's ideas of love and the future. They work together as a team, and I liked how they got to know each other. 

Overall, an engaging cold case mystery full of suspense, faith, with a romance you can cheer for all the way through. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Murders in the Marquee by Dana Mentink // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Reformed jewel thief Saul Niffler is doing his best to stay on the straight and narrow and get his life back on track. He takes a job working at the Grand Mallard Marquee as the duck commandant, but when he witnesses someone fall from an upper window, he wonders if he just witnessed a murder. He teams up with guest and amateur sleuth Kitty Rossi and aspiring magician Henry to find answers. Can they untangle the mysterious behind the hotel walls? 

A little slow to start, it picks up quickly as we get to know the characters and the setting. Saul is a likable protagonist, a new Christian working to prove himself and get his life back. Kitty is curious and adventurous, pulling Saul and Henry into her sleuthing. 

A fun-filled cozy mystery, full of faith friendship and a cast of intriguing characters. Engaging storytelling setting up what is sure to be a fantastic series! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright // Review

My Review: 

A dual timeline novel set in a rural Michigan farmhouse that holds secrets that reach into the present day. 

A brutal murder happens in a small rural community, and it has everyone asking questions. Perliett Van Hilton is local healer caught between the world of her mother who claims to speak with the dead, and her late father, a preacher who frowned on such practices. Perliett finds herself caught up in the case, as she finds herself torn between the local doctor and a mysterious and charming newcomer. 

In the present-day Molly and her husband feel like they are adrift, floating farther and farther away from each other. They move out to the country hoping for a fresh start, but a murder that brings up the dark history of the farmhouse has them looking for answers. 

An intriguing split time mystery, with a compelling storyline and a powerful story of healing and faith. A haunting read, I liked the tension between Perliett and George, as they butt heads throughout the story. Perliett doesn't like how George looks down on her self-taught methods, but is continually baffled by his seemingly contradictory actions. I liked their interaction, and how Perliett questions what she sees and the world around her, searching for something true. Molly has been through a lot, and moving to the country isn't her idea. She has been struggling for a long time, and my heart went out to her as she fights for each day. 

Overall, this is a compelling read, full of mystery and intrigue that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. Excellent storytelling, with a strong message of faith. Great character development and dealing with complex issues. Another winner from Ms. Wright! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.