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smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
5.0
June Bug and the McBrides are back in this second hilarious mail order bride historical romance set in the remote Montana wilderness.
June Bug is one of the best young protagonists! I love these books so much as she secretly schemes to arrange brides for each of her brothers. In this book she's looking for someone who will put up with her grumpy eldest brother who yearns to leave the home for adventure after being tied down looking after everyone else.
Red-headed, Nebraska spinster, Epiphany "Pip," along with her spunky grandmother are the ones who answer June Bug's ad, not realizing that Morgan has no interest in getting married. Despite his protests, Morgan can't help falling for Pip but decides to leave anyways. Naturally June Bug doesn't let him get away and arranges for Pip, granny and herself to chase after him.
Lots of adventures follow in this slow burn, romantically charged Western that is sure to have you laughing out loud and swooning when Morgan and Pip finally give in to their mutual attraction. Many thanks to NetGalley and @prhaudio for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review! I cannot wait for the next book in this series!!!
June Bug is one of the best young protagonists! I love these books so much as she secretly schemes to arrange brides for each of her brothers. In this book she's looking for someone who will put up with her grumpy eldest brother who yearns to leave the home for adventure after being tied down looking after everyone else.
Red-headed, Nebraska spinster, Epiphany "Pip," along with her spunky grandmother are the ones who answer June Bug's ad, not realizing that Morgan has no interest in getting married. Despite his protests, Morgan can't help falling for Pip but decides to leave anyways. Naturally June Bug doesn't let him get away and arranges for Pip, granny and herself to chase after him.
Lots of adventures follow in this slow burn, romantically charged Western that is sure to have you laughing out loud and swooning when Morgan and Pip finally give in to their mutual attraction. Many thanks to NetGalley and @prhaudio for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review! I cannot wait for the next book in this series!!!
readingwithjessica_w's review against another edition
5.0
Oh boy did I live Pip and Morgan. Amy Barry is at her best! If you enjoyed Kit McBride then I think you’ll fall head over heels for Morgan’s book. Book 2 brings yet another mail order bride to Bucks Creek, Montana as Junebug McBride is at it again with her antics of finding wives for her brothers so they will stay at the tiny trading post. Morgan’s book is a little steamier (yes! This is definitely in the romance category folks) than Kit’s and Epiphany Hopgood is just the heroine Morgan needs to put him in his stubborn place. I loved revisiting this world and all the goofy characters in it. We even get to see Merle/Bear again! It can be read as a standalone, but is much more meaningful and engaging if you’ve read Kit’s book. I am fully ready for Amy Barry to write more Western romances and am here for all the entertainment!
neighbor_reads's review against another edition
5.0
I was excited to read Morgan's story and it absolutely delivered. I think this one was better than the first, and that's saying something. I thought of Kit's story as super sweet and cozy like hot chocolate, and this was more a shot or bourbon.
I love how Barry writes characters - everyone is likable but flawed. Pip is a great FMC - smart, funny, but with a backstory; I was rooting for her the whole book.
The thing I really admire in a romance novel is tension. I tend to like spice on the lighter side, but I really appreciate tension over spice. And this was great - the back and forth, the grumpiness. Awesome.
And the last 10% of this book...fantastic and so sweet. Can't wait for the next book.
I love how Barry writes characters - everyone is likable but flawed. Pip is a great FMC - smart, funny, but with a backstory; I was rooting for her the whole book.
The thing I really admire in a romance novel is tension. I tend to like spice on the lighter side, but I really appreciate tension over spice. And this was great - the back and forth, the grumpiness. Awesome.
And the last 10% of this book...fantastic and so sweet. Can't wait for the next book.
mia_reads_romance's review against another edition
5.0
I was a little curious how Amy Barry was going to pull off the same premise and make it interesting but I shouldn't have doubted because she did! It was a pure delight watching Pip captivate Morgan. I love a book where the heroine has insecurities but we get to see the hero's perspective and he thinks shes perfection! I also enjoyed meeting Junebug's new accomplice AKA Pips grandmother. Every woman should have someone to tell them they are worth something and it's ok to enjoy life. While I didn't mind that the first book in this series was closed door I did enjoy that this one had a bit more spice! I'm yet again impressed by Amy Barry's ability to get inside a characters perspective and show us what they think and why they are wrong. Both Morgan and Pip learned about themselves during this story and we got to see how differently they see themselves from how everyone else sees them. I can't wait to read the next one when it comes out! A hero who thinks he is above falling in love vs Junebug. I'm just going to say right now. My money's on Junebug.
thebookscript's review against another edition
2.0
Ok lets talk.
No one likes rating books low more than I do so let me give a little insight as to why I have this low.
I absolutely adored Kit McBride last year! I had it in my top faves of 2022 stack and Morgans story has been at the top of my must reads in 2023.
I knew because I follow the author that this would be more "spicy". I wondered what that meant since Kit was a sexier but sweet closed door intimacy level. This however was just way more than I anticipated. For me it wasn't just the open door scene...which was a stark contrast from the first book but the tone of the book was just overall very lusty in general.
I was sad because we essentially get two characters, with great back stories and a lot of potential. However in the short time that our characters interact we get a quick exchange of words, lots of breast ooggling, and little substance to get to know one another. Theres a quick more hot and heavy kissing scene early on based off attraction and then the rest of the book the characters long for each other based off that physical intimacy but don't know the person behind it. This kissing scene is mentioned SO many times..only emphasizing that these characters long for what they can physically get from one another.
I really don't care that the author went open door, however....as a slow burn reader there was absolutely no build. No emotional connection between the characters and I felt like even by the TWO days of interaction...I was curious how a marriage would last between these two strangers.
I'm ok with a little physical. BUT when the physical becomes the ONLY driving force in a couples relationship progression...it really made the book lose its heart and the potential for it to be really great. The only thing Morgan seemed to be interested was unbuttoning that dress.
There were a few sweet moments here and there, but overall the experience for me was night and day from the first...and i'm curious if this is the direction this authors future books will be headed in.
Not for me.
No one likes rating books low more than I do so let me give a little insight as to why I have this low.
I absolutely adored Kit McBride last year! I had it in my top faves of 2022 stack and Morgans story has been at the top of my must reads in 2023.
I knew because I follow the author that this would be more "spicy". I wondered what that meant since Kit was a sexier but sweet closed door intimacy level. This however was just way more than I anticipated. For me it wasn't just the open door scene...which was a stark contrast from the first book but the tone of the book was just overall very lusty in general.
I was sad because we essentially get two characters, with great back stories and a lot of potential. However in the short time that our characters interact we get a quick exchange of words, lots of breast ooggling, and little substance to get to know one another. Theres a quick more hot and heavy kissing scene early on based off attraction and then the rest of the book the characters long for each other based off that physical intimacy but don't know the person behind it. This kissing scene is mentioned SO many times..only emphasizing that these characters long for what they can physically get from one another.
I really don't care that the author went open door, however....as a slow burn reader there was absolutely no build. No emotional connection between the characters and I felt like even by the TWO days of interaction...I was curious how a marriage would last between these two strangers.
I'm ok with a little physical. BUT when the physical becomes the ONLY driving force in a couples relationship progression...it really made the book lose its heart and the potential for it to be really great. The only thing Morgan seemed to be interested was unbuttoning that dress.
There were a few sweet moments here and there, but overall the experience for me was night and day from the first...and i'm curious if this is the direction this authors future books will be headed in.
Not for me.
thefebruarytree's review against another edition
3.0
Three stars for the setting and voice.
I keep reading westerns and hoping there will be a good one. This book has some great mountain vibes, some of that feeling of freshness and cold water and open skies. They characters have interesting motives and feel real.
Where this book falls flat is the romance; it feels less like a romance than a series of ridiculous events and misunderstandings that keep the characters apart.
I hope this author writes more, but focuses more on the romance than the hijinks.
I keep reading westerns and hoping there will be a good one. This book has some great mountain vibes, some of that feeling of freshness and cold water and open skies. They characters have interesting motives and feel real.
Where this book falls flat is the romance; it feels less like a romance than a series of ridiculous events and misunderstandings that keep the characters apart.
I hope this author writes more, but focuses more on the romance than the hijinks.
cheypreston's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
shankl's review against another edition
5.0
Welcome to Buck's Creek again!
Junebug is back on the hunt for a mail-order bride for her oldest brother Morgan, the rough-n-tough Cowboy of the family. Morgan is a romantic at heart once a women gets under his skin, and I am smitten!.
Epiphany Hopgood arrives under the impression someone desires her only to discover the ruse she's fallen. She's been repeatedly disappointed at her prospects for marriage, and now she's determined to prove she's a worthy wife. Morgan feels he's finally ready for his "freedom" after caring for his brothers and sister for the past six years. All he wants is to saddle-up, and re-join his cattle crew.
What happens over the course of the story is pure mayhem as Morgan is sticking to his guns on leaving home. Lasso in the laughs as Junebug takes the reins to help Morgan to open his heart to love and marriage.
Thank you Berkley Publishing for the complimentary copy.
Junebug is back on the hunt for a mail-order bride for her oldest brother Morgan, the rough-n-tough Cowboy of the family. Morgan is a romantic at heart once a women gets under his skin, and I am smitten!.
Epiphany Hopgood arrives under the impression someone desires her only to discover the ruse she's fallen. She's been repeatedly disappointed at her prospects for marriage, and now she's determined to prove she's a worthy wife. Morgan feels he's finally ready for his "freedom" after caring for his brothers and sister for the past six years. All he wants is to saddle-up, and re-join his cattle crew.
What happens over the course of the story is pure mayhem as Morgan is sticking to his guns on leaving home. Lasso in the laughs as Junebug takes the reins to help Morgan to open his heart to love and marriage.
Thank you Berkley Publishing for the complimentary copy.