A Christmas in Montana — Elysia Strife

Orion McNalley has a heart the size of Texas—and a temper to match.Years in the military and living alone have made Matt Jefferson one callous man. Will the spirit of the season bring them together?Or will the secrets they hold inside keep them apart? Christmas is quickly approaching. Orion's sleepy Montana town is bustling with returning family, vacationing students, and several unexpected visitors: a friend on the rebound, Orion's volatile ex, and a handsome silver-eyed stranger. When a surprise letter arrives from Matt's mother, it leads him deep into a snowy world of holiday magic and Irish fire that threaten to crack his shell.Intense, clean well written romance with memorable characters. I was drawn into the story almost immediately and did little else until I had finished the book. There is a bit of suspense...a story of two broken people who might be able to heal each other. --Goodreads Reviewer, ★★★★★ A heart-warming story of life and love, set in the pristine and rugged Big Sky Country of Montana. --Goodreads Reviewer, ★★★★★ It'll keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole book! --Goodreads Reviewer, ★★★★★  Orion has never met a man as cantankerous and cold as Matt. When her family finds out their long-lost, beloved neighbors are his close relatives, Orion's forced to act pleasant. But Matt has a few surprises hiding under his apathetic mask, ones that make Orion reconsider her initial impression of who he really is. Not many women in Matt's past could put up with his rough personality. Orion hands his snarky attitude and witty comments right back. If only she wasn't so cute when she was mad. When a close friend of Orion's becomes dangerously jealous and an ex reappears after years apart, stashing a message of warning in her pocket, Matt must decide if what he feels for Orion is worth the risk. A billionaire business owner who struggles with PTSD can't just quit his life and move away to a small town to chase a woman with her own baggage. So why can't he stop himself from thinking about her? This Christmas story had the best of everything. A little suspense added a great deal to the background of Montana and a quiet town. --Goodreads Reviewer, ★★★★★ Will definitely be reading more of her stories...I love Christmas stories and read them year round. Not only is this set during my favorite holiday but Orion and her parents embrace that feeling all the time. I really enjoyed how two broken people discovered their better half. --Goodreads Reviewer, ★★★★★ Filled with holiday humor, tempers, sweet romance, a bit of suspense, and lots of food, Orion and Matt rediscover what it means to have hope, faith, love, joy, and a belief in something greater than themselves.  ***Some language and violence. Embers on Ice Trilogy:Book 1: A Christmas in MontanaBook 2: WildfireBook 2.5: Boone's Side Story - Catching a Constellation (A bonus ebook in Wildfire) Book 3: Hibiscus Christmas