Always Dakota

by Debbie Macomber

rated 3.5 stars

pages 377

Back Cover:

Local rancher Margaret Clemens is taking a chance on happiness, and going after what she wants for a change. And what she wants is marriage to cowboy, Matt Eilers. Regardless of what her friends and family say, and despite all the rumors, Margaret wants Matt anyway. Oh... and she plans on having his baby, too. Please join me for my third -- and final -- visit to Buffalo Valley, North Dakota. This town exists only in my imagination, but its spirit and sense of community are definitely real. Buffalo Valley resembles many places in my family's history, and perhaps in yours. If you've been to Buffalo Valley before, I invite you to come and visit the friends you've met there; if not, prepare to make some new ones. Buffalo Valley, North Dakota, has become a good place to live -- the way it used to be, thirty or forty years ago. People here are feeling confident about the future again. Stalled lives are moving forward. People are taking risks -- on new ventures and on lifelong dreams. On Happiness. And one of those people is local rancher Margaret Clemens, who's finally getting what she wants most. Marriage to cowboy Matt Eilers. Her friends don't think Matt's such a bargain; neither did her father. But Margaret's aware of Matt's reputation and his flaws. She wants him anyway. And she wants his baby....

My Thoughts:

I liked this one better than Dakota Home! I like Margaret. She's unconventional and I dig that in a heroine! Matt, is the misunderstood hero, and I'm not sure how Margaret sees him as who he is, since they've only met once or twice supposedly and he didn't know she was a woman the first time or two he saw her....This book, closes all the open doors left by Dakota Home. Bob and Merrily lose baby Axel, but find themselves drawing closer to each other and growing in ways they never would have thought possible. Dennis and Sarah Urlacher are pregnant, well Sarah is, and is put on strict bedrest. This pregnancy and subsequent emergency delivery along with the intervention of a few of the towns pillar members help Calla to get a grip and decide to quit being the big baby she's been so far and be a better daughter to Sarah and cut Dennis some slack! I mean really!! She was Too Whiny For Words!! I wanted to SMACK Sheryl! 'Nuff Said.

Overall, I got emotionally invested in the characters, but honestly Debbie Macomber writes kinda gritty realistic relationships. They are not necessarily spicy, even though this book had I think 1 or 2 love scenes they were tame by romance standards. You do get a good idea of the emotional wasteland that can be relationships. So, when reading Ms. Macomber I feel torn. I like her stuff overall, but she is not the escape that I'm really looking for. Some people really love that. They want to get drawn into the angst, but that's not me. I don't like suspense movies either, cuz I get drawn in and it stresses me out! I chew my nails and spend 2 hours anxious, when I'd rather spend my 2 hours and 10 bucks laughing or something. So, that's me! If you like, the drama without the "heat" then Debbie Macomber is a good choice for you. She starts off kinda slow, but ends strong usually.