May 12, 2020 Staff Reviews

Country Strong

By Linda Lael Miller

Release Date: January 20, 2020

EBook Review - Available from WV Reads

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/3566750

3 Stars - Familiar Linda Lael Miller ground: beautiful Montana setting, world weary kids, and a slight mystery going back to the main character's young adult years. The parallel storylines between the heroine and the hero’s young charge is a fascinating twist. As always with Miller, there’s a feel-good story under the drama. 

Nothing grabbed me like her ‘Big Sky’ and ‘ Marriage’ series. Seemed to lack the usual heart. I noticed a slip in writing style. Sentences that seem rambling. A teen who says yokels and saloon. Sometimes like the time period was a bit undecided. Cord’s a likable hero, devoted to his ranch work and idea of finding the right girl. But not much distinguishes him from other cowboy heroes except maybe bad taste in women. Shallie, our heroine, is more memorable, with her books, overcoming her past, and her crush on Cord. However, these two don’t share a page until a quarter of the book goes by. There’s so much going on outside of their story.

And unfortunately, the gist of the story feels told by the halfway point. Also, I have issues when young people show up with so much resentment toward fathers who clearly didn’t know they existed. I find it especially exhausting in fiction. How was a dad supposed to know you needed him? A sixth sense? Maybe a dream? The unknown father part adds some spice to the story. At the same time, the girl’s attitude at parts of things grated on me. Shallie’s search for family comes off more heartfelt than her counterpart. There was more sunshine than storms in here though, like the dogs Smoky & Bandit, country music, talks of tattoos, outdated kitchens, and Cord and Shallie’s reconnection. If you enjoy modern western romance with a little mystery, this is a good pick. But if you’re looking for knock your-socks off, look elsewhere.

(NS)