SMOKE BEFORE FIRE

The seventh story in the McCutcheon Family Series will finally have Roady Gutherie’s story. He is the longtime foreman for the Heart of the Mountain ranch. Roady has a score to settle with a massive killer grizzly bear named Behemoth—but rather than finding the bear, he will make another startling discovery, that of a nearly frozen woman in the hunting cabin. The story will read as a stand-alone but is an on-going saga that will have many people from previous stories. It will introduce several new people including Sally Stanford and a boy named Hickory.

Sally Stanford has left her home and family in St. Louis with the pretense of a planned trip to see her sister, Heather Klinkner, and their brother, Morgan. She will take a train and then stagecoach heading toward Y Knot, Montana. She is hiding a secret, one she doesn’t want her parents and siblings to know about—yet she trust Heather and is heading to see her, and hope to have a place to stay and seek refuge.

The plot will have Sally on the stagecoach with two other women and a little boy, plus the driver and shotgun rider. When a freak mishap causes an accident, it will be Sally who is asked to take one of the mules and seek help in the next town. The directions aren’t clear, and she gets turned around, and then the snow starts falling. Luck and a stubborn mule will land her at an abandoned cabin.

Roady must get to shelter with this snow falling. What a shock to see a mule in the coral, and yet the cabin is dark. Inside, he finds a young girl, nearly frozen. It becomes a matter of life and death to save her. Then they are stuck in the cabin for several days due to the heavy snow. What will become of either one of their reputations is the least of their concerns until the snow lets up and hunting parties are searching for them.

Several days together, playing games and talking will have Sally trusting Roady. But later, when she will talk to him later and share her plight—but will he be amicable towards helping her? Marriage is forever. Roady is concerned she will never be able to love him, pining away after another man, and Sally is concerned she can’t give herself to Roady. What will it take for these two to talk honestly and find happiness?

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Ended too abruptly

I love these books but others in the series provided a better closure. I honestly thought there was a part 2 in the book and was disappointed. I really would buy the next book in the series without there being a "cliff hanger" ending on this one.

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Montana Snowfall: McCutcheon Family Series, Book 7

** spoiler alert ** Luke has always been my favorite so I was very pleased to see him in this book. It was wonderful to see him rescue Hickory. I have always found it astounding that orphans were treated so poorly in historical times especially when the Bible spells out that we must care for widows and orphans.

It was a relief to see Jack fired. I am looking forward to seeing his replacement in future books.

I felt bad for Amy but her situation with Cade reminded me of a saying that I have heard. When someone shows you their true face, believe them and always follow your instincts.

I understand why Sally chose not to tell anyone but Roady the truth about her situation but I am sorry that Roady had to sacrifice his good name in order to save Sally and her unborn child from a lifetime of misery.

I just wish that Sally had been able to warn her mother and younger sisters about the monster who they still believe is a friend.

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2 people found this helpful

good book!

i enjoyed this book very much! i love all the characters & how intricate the roles are with each other!

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Loved it!

I have read a few of Her books & loved the story but not the narrator. Corey Snow does the best job narrating. It can make or break her story. This was a good, easy read/listen. Bad eyes keep me from reading myself so I count on someone telling the story. Thank you.

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Sweet romance

Sweet story. There was almost too many different people to keep up with and the secondary story got in the way sometimes. But it all came together in the end.

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What a great way to spend the day...

I was gifted Montana Snowfall (McCutcheon Family Series Book 7) by Caroline Fyffe in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. I love this book and the entire series. Ms Fyffe has a way of using her words to keep me glued to my seat. I love hearing about the Old West Days and every book in this series just gets better than the last! I can't wait for the next book to come along! Listening to this audio book makes it so much easier for me to picture everything the narrators says. The landscaping, the get togethers, the criminals! I always the the Old West is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there! If you haven't tried this series out yet, try them in audio books. The narrators tend to breathe life into the stories, thus giving them a heartbeat. It is like having you back turned to a movie.

The author, Caroline Fyffe did a fantastic job on this book as always. The dangers in these books are great too, very exciting! The narrator Corey M Snow did a wonderful job delivering this book to us with so many different voices and accents. He speaks very clearly and is easy on the ears. What a great series this is!

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It all starts with a bear hunt.....

I have read Caroline Fyffe for many years and have never found a book I didn't enjoy. This is the story of Roady Gutherie, a cowboy on the McCutcheon Ranch outside Y-Knot, Montana. Roady has been mentioned in most of the McCutfheon Family Series and I have looked forward to his story. I read the book and then when the audible book came out I couldn't wait to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was...and in a way it was also a little better, because the narrator did an excellent job of telling it. The story begins when Roady decides to go hunting for a while just before a big snow storm blows in. Meanwhile Sally Stanford has left St. Louis and is traveling to Y-Knot to visit her sister, Heather. The stage she was on has an accident in which the driver was killed, and the guard suffered a head injury, so Sally volunteers to go for help. Sally is given directions but gets confused by a split in the road and takes the wrong direction. She is caught in the snow storm and luckily finds a cabin to shelter in, of course this is the same cabin Roady is headed for. I believe you too, will enjoy this book.

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Love this series

Every book seems to be just as good or even better than the one before it. I look foward to hearing the next book and I just love Luke and Roady.

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Another wonderful McCutcheon Family story

Any additional comments?

For me this story was like welcoming a family home you haven’t seen in awhile, if you have read/listen to the other books in this series or the mail order bride series you have already met most of these characters as the author gives a compelling story of each character in past books. This is another audio you will have trouble putting down as you visit with old friends and met new ones. The author tells a story that you will want to reach in grab Sally out of the book and hold her close. Even today many women have to deal with this issue which is never an easy issue to face. The author gives you a heartbreaking story that will touch your heart and she does it in a style that will make you want to reach out and slap a few characters and hug others.

After something happens to Sally that she had no control over she is not sure where to go or who to turn to she runs to her sister in Montana not being of a clear mind she doesn’t plan things to well. Before she even hits town trouble starts she finds herself trying to find help for those on the stagecoach. Getting lost and finding a cabin to hold up in why a Montana snow storm blows outside. When she awakes she finds herself not alone but with a man. She is scared and afraid she does stand up and is strong. Once they get it worked out that he knows her sister she finds that her well laid plans will not work since she gave to much information. She has to rethink as she tries her best to put her family feeling first along with trying to keep their and her reputation in tacked. She finally decides to tell it like it is and ask for Roady help hoping he will not feel less of her. I really liked Sally she is just such a sweet lady who put herself in a place that with her innocents she never thought she would be. She is very caring and giving women that just really needs a hero and a place to call home to build a new life without hurting her family or her past life. Can her secret be safe with Roady, is she doing the right thing or will it come back to haunt her. She is at a lost not knowing if any man will love her or even if she really wants a man but she has little choice to right this wrong done to her.

Roady I have adored for many books he is just a wonderful loving cowboy who thinks he isn’t good enough. Not knowing who his mother was and his father was just not a man you would want to call paw. He got away from all that and has turned into a wonderful man that any women would be proud to call hers. I was so glad to see him get his own story which I have to say was a very touching one. When Sally asked for his help he had to take a step back, than he took a step forward and gave Sally the hero she so needed. Does this mean life was easy for them NO they have some trying times and misunderstandings. Can he be the man Sally needs and can he make her love him knowing she loved someone else before him. He is at the end of his rope when he realizes he loves and adores her if things go south he has so much to lose it isn’t only his heart but the family they will make.

Corey M. Snow did a wonderful outstanding job with this audio. I have listened to him before and loved his voice. The different voices were outstanding, I loved the accents he gave to a few. It was very easy to tell who was talking by the different tones and voice changes he gives us along with the different accents he gives a few. The variations in gender was easy to tell and flowed wonderful you had no trouble knowing it was male or female. I found the voices to be very appropriate, the tones matched what he was reading. He put the chuckles in where they needed to be which added so much to the read. His tones were raised or lowered just right has he gives a wonderful voice to the story. There was a time or two where he might have need to take a breath but it is so slight that you almost miss it. I found the plot to flow easy and without interruption as Mr. Snow puts the correct voice to the correct character which gave life to this listen. I found the recording to be to be free of background noises it was smooth, if there was any editing done you cannot tell it.

As far as the audio it’s self I found it hard to put down in fact I had been putting off doing a few things which got done this week. On a normal week it would take me all week to listen to an audio but when I get one of Ms. Fyffe and Mr. Snow audio’s I find that I listen to it within a few days. This one was no different I had it listened to in 3 days just doing things around the home that needed to be done and driving to and from work. I found once I got to work I listened the extra 30 minutes I have as I get my day setup unlocking doors, bring up computer etc.

The author gives you a wonderful story with some serious issues even more so back then than now which she does in style. This is a very touching story that sucks you in as the narrator takes over bring the story alive to your ears. There are so many wonderful characters I always have trouble picking my favorite, each have such wonderful qualities so wonderful, caring and giving that you wish you were part of this big loving family. The author gives you a story inside the story which adds so much to the book. It was a pleasure to watch Roady and Sally fall in love when things could have went so wrong. The McCutcheon is a family of honor who take care of their own along with any strays that might come along. The author gives you a story that pulls you in and you do not want it to end. When I see this authors name I know this is an audio I will love and it is a must have for me. I own almost all of her audios. If you are looking for a well told western romance look no farther you have found it. You will not go wrong with any of this authors books whether in audio, ebook, or paperback she gives a wonderfully well written, heart touching story you will come to love as she brings the west and her wonderful characters to life.

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4 people found this helpful