by Jeannie Moon
My newest title comes out on April 4th and once again I’m visiting the wonderful world of Marietta, Montana with my book, Daring the Pilot, which is part of Tule Publishing’s Men of Marietta series. The premise of this multi-author series, focuses around a boys and girls activity center that the town wants to open as a tribute to a local man who was killed in a tragic accident. He was one of the cadres of local first responders, and his friends have stepped up to make sure the project moves forward.
Marietta is modeled after several small Montana towns, and the location in general has proven to be popular. My hero and heroine are Marietta natives who have been away for almost a decade. They return home, Jonah after a stint in the army, and Keely after spending years sin school, to search for some missing part of themselves. It’s then that they find each other.
It’s funny how that works.
The setting plays a big a role in bringing then characters together; neither Keely, nor Jonah, knows where they fit in, but when they start spending time together, with the mountains and the beautiful town as a backdrop, they find their feelings for each other are as big as the sky over head. And even though the odds seem against them, love finds a way to bring these two lost souls together in the end.
The idea of old friends becoming lovers is hardly new. The shared history, the familiarity, and the proximity set the stage for a reunion, but it’s the romantic spark, the chemistry we all long for that changes everything and gives the characters the unexpected happy ever after they never knew they wanted.
Montana is a popular setting in romance novels, and I think it’s because the possibilities are as endless as the natural beauty the state offers. It feels open, boundless and hopeful. And if you think about it, that fits, because romance novels are all about hope.