Rich, Rugged...Ruthless

Handsome and successful banker Max Montgomery had a reputation for being a young "Scrooge" in Whitehorn, Montana. He fostered this image, distanced himself from people, and yet he demanded a lot from them as well. He didn't believe in trusting his heart, he didn't believe in second chances. But a car accident results in the loss of his past. Though he retains his knowledge of business and all things functional, he can't remember a single person he used to interact with. From father to neighbor, he is forced to see the harsh man he was in the face of the man he could have been. As his private nurse, Samantha Carter is drawn to Max. Despite the rumors she's heard, she can't quite ignore her intuitive feeling that Max is not the monster everyone seems to think. As the days progress, she comes to reconcile the controlled man he was with the vulnerability he strove so hard to suppress, a vulnerability that comes to light in the face of his memory loss. Jennifer Mikels' installment of the Montana Mavericks series is well written and engaging. Both Max and Sam are intriguing characters who come from different worlds. Where Max thrives on the power he wields and the control he demands, Sam is a free spirit. Both are drawn to each other because of the appeal this holds for each of them. Though Max's memory loss doesn't completely change the man he was, what seems to do is lower his guard and allow him to explore the man he might have been if a key event in his past had never taken place. Mikels does a terrific job of unveiling Max's past and the impact it had, and has, upon him. It does clarify his need for control and the not-so-secret reason why it is so essential to him, which is fear. Sam's free spirit and warm heart are just what he needs to give him a second chance though she has her own worries to deal with concerning her childhood and the instability of her background, which is something she both loved and resented. Though this story was clearly meant to be more about Max than Sam, which it was, Mikels does a great job in dealing with their relationship and Sam's concern for Max as well as the different worlds they come from which she fears could split them apart. I never got the feeling that either character was being shortchanged. Mikels does a wonderful job of striking a balance considering all she had to accomplish in order to tell this story.