Man from Montana    by Diane Mott Order:  USA  Can Harlequin, 2006 (2006) Paperback     Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton The story starts twelve years before the main action. Nineteen-year-old Derrick is racing his car against his better judgment, while his two-year-old son is in the back seat. And the worst thing that could happen does - Derrick loses control of the car. Fast forward twelve years and Derrick is working at a honky tonk, playing with his band and tending bar. His son Connor lives with him on a part time basis, Derrick having lost full custody after the near-tragic accident. Connor is in a wheelchair for life, and while he doesn't remember the accident, he knows the story. Connor has issues, and while it's not exactly about being in a wheelchair, it has to do with how Derrick treats Connor, reminding both of them every day that Derrick made a terrible mistake all those years before. Kara is a widow of twenty-nine, and has not moved on. She believes she will be faithful to Evan's memory forever. But when she meets Derrick - who happens to be her new neighbor - she learns about his past and tries to help him move beyond his mistake and to accept Connor for who he is. However, she has a difficult time forgetting her own past, and unlike Derrick, is afraid to move forward. Derrick is falling for Kara, and he can tell she's falling for him, but she fights her feelings, thinking them disrespectful to Evan's memory. She lives with the guilt of possibly betraying him. Being close to her mother-in-law Liz makes it even worse and she feels guilty because she has begun to go to the honky tonk to hear Derrick play, regardless that she's going on Family Night. I enjoyed the stories that were central to the book - moving forward as both Kara and Derrick were learning to do, but also Connor's anger about his own issues, feeling sorry for himself because he could not be like normal kids. Kara connects with Connor and as the two bond, she finds a way to help him get past his anger and insecurities, and to learn to live a fulfilled life. Man from Montana was one of the more enjoyable superromances I've read in a while. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews