Stay with Me

A best friend’s brother stand-alone from small-town romance author Brooke Montgomery about a girl who falls pregnant by the wrong man and the cowboy who takes her in…

I've crushed on my best friend's brother for years.

He's a six-foot-three, dark-haired cowboy who works on his family's ranch and sends butterflies to my stomach anytime he looks at me. But he's never made a move, so I need to get over it.

Except, when he reads a text message about me liking a mysterious guy, he snaps and demands answers. Little does he know, it's my code name for him.

When he finally confesses he likes me too, I find out I'm pregnant. With my ex-boyfriend's baby.

After spending three weeks together in secret, my world turns upside down when that little white stick reveals a positive sign from the one-night stand I had before him.

Now everything's a mess and my life's spiraling out of control.

I can't expect him to date me anymore, so I insist we return to being friends. The last thing he needs is a girl who's carrying another man's baby and about to be a first-time mom.

But when my apartment gets broken into, and there's a suspected criminal on the loose, he insists I move in with him to keep me safe.

Staying platonic proves to be harder with each passing day as he goes with me to my appointments, takes me baby shopping, and stocks the kitchen with all my weird cravings. He's so involved that everyone assumes he's the father. And I don’t correct them.

But the truth always comes out in a Southern small town.

Review:

🐴 Western Romance
👶🏻 Accidental Pregnancy
❤️ Best Friend's Brother
🏡 Forced Proximity
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Found Family

Whew, I wasn't sure about this one when the book started. Brooke Montgomery's Stay with Me is a romantic suspense about Magnolia and Tripp, the mess they make of their life, and how it comes back together to give them their HEA. If you've read the first book in this series, then you know when this book starts that the book involves an accidental pregnancy, you even have a small inkling about how it happens. This book is about that accidental pregnancy and how it pans out. Since pregnancy tropes are my least favorite tropes, I wasn't sure how this book was going to play for me. Turns out, thanks to Tripp, it played pretty nicely. 

The characters, Tripp and Magnolia are in love and have been for a long time. Neither of them knows that, however, so it takes them a hell of a long time to get together but the book picks up shortly before they finally figure it out. I have to say, Tripp completely makes this book. Yes, Magnolia is the object of his affection, but the way he treats her is everything and I absolutely mean everything. EVERYTHING. Trip is 100% the cowboy every girl wants. The way he handles his girlfriend's accidental pregnancy with another man is completely swoon-worthy. I absolutely fell in love with him from the start. 

The book has a suspense element with Magnolia's ex-boyfriend, but I won't give that away. Let's just say it doesn't end well for Travis (Magnolia's ex). Otherwise, the whole plot revolves around the pregnancy and how Tripp and Magnolia handle it. Something about this book I particularly liked was the well-handled anxiety rep. As a person with severe anxiety, I completely feel for Tripp. Also, this book's plot is perfectly paced. 

Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys western romances and anyone who enjoys a particularly strong MMC. Have I mentioned that Tripp is absolutely everything?

Rating: 

❤❤❤❤ - Delightful... because of Tripp!

Author: Brooke Montgomery
Genre: Cowboy Romance
Format: Audible, Kindle
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Series: Yes, Sugarland Creek Book 1
Pages: 392

Synopsis {via Goodreads}

A forbidden age gap stand-alone from small-town romance author Brooke Montgomery about a daring horse trainer and her off-limits ex-boyfriend’s dad…

When we met at the rodeo, I only knew his first name.

Sparks ignited between us, and we spent an unforgettable night together.

It's not until the morning after when I recognize his last name do I realize who he is.

So I do what any rational woman would and make the walk of shame while he sleeps. It's not like I'll ever see him again or have to explain why I left.

But I'm proven wrong when he shows up at my family's ranch as the new farrier.

We can't be more than friends—for many reasons. 

He's twice my age, workplace relationships are off-limits, and he moved back to rebuild a relationship with his son—the one I used to date. 

Getting involved would ruin everything.

As we struggle between right and wrong, our connection deepens even though his traumatic past makes him doubt he deserves a second chance.

But it doesn't matter when everything's against us, including a rival who's out to get me and my ex who's determined to win me back.

After a riding trick goes wrong on his watch, he insists on taking care of me. Even though the odds are stacked against us, we keep the truth to ourselves.

But secrets don't stay hidden for long in a Southern small town.

Here With Me is book 1 in the Sugarland Creek series. Contains 20+ year age gap, ex-boyfriend's dad, workplace romance, opposites attract, and secret relationship vibes. Each book in this Southern, small town series is a stand-alone and ends in a happily ever after. Please read the content warning before the prologue.

Review:

Here with Me is a cowboy romance with all the energy. This book has a one night stand, a secret relationship, a hot ex-boyfriend's dad, all the cowboy (and cowgirl) vibes you could possibly want, and it's got a sweet age gap romance to boot. Montgomery pulls out all the stops with this one and it is hot! This book starts spicy and stays that way to the end. 

Fisher and Noah are both fun characters in completely different ways. Noah is completely forward, while Fisher is more reserved. She comes on to him first and there's a one night stand that she initiates. While Fisher is an older man with a troubled past, Noah is young and successful with a great big loving family. They're completely different and they completely fall for each other and it is delicious! 

The plot of this book is a perfectly paced age-gap, ex-boyfriend's dad plot with a suspense element. There's a bad guy who does bad things (I won't tell!). It's completely clear why the bad guy is doing the things he's doing and you feel for Noah and the horses through the ordeal with the baddie. I suppose there's also a place where you feel for Fisher, too, but since this story has an HEA that angle doesn't have as much of a bite. 

Overall, the story is spicy and delicious and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys age gap and cowboy romances!

Oh, and if you happen to listen to this book on Audible, the female narrator, Maxine Mitchell is *chef's kiss* while the male narrator, Tor Thom, is *cringe.* While I'm sure Tor Thom is usually fine, his southern accent is absolutely awful. No reflection on the book or the author, but yeah, do yourself and favor and skip the Audible and read this one. 

Rating: 

❤❤❤❤ - Delightful