"Montana Moonfire" - a Fabio era romance review!
"She's been kissed before....but never like this!"
In honor of Valentine’s week, I’m kicking off another series of Fabio era romance reviews - a very unserious look into the romance novels of yesteryear that paved the way for the genre in 2025.
“Montana Moonfire” was originally published in 1990 and is seemingly the first in a semi-series of western romance novels by author Carol Finch. Apparently Carol Finch is one of four pseudonyms for author Connie Feddersen, who penned over 100 novels and is still with us and 77 years young.
Here is our book description to set the scene:
As usual, silvery blonde Chicago debutante Victoria Flemming was given no choice: today she would marry stuffy, oh so suitable Hubert Carrington Frazier II, the mate her socially ambitious mother had chosen for her. the ceremony was about to begin when the towering suntanned preacher suddenly flung her over his broad shoulders, dumped her in a wagon, and hightailed it out of town- headed West!
This novel is for all the 2025 book girls who are into western romances. It has everything you want in a fast paced drama filled with saloons, drinking, weaponry and brutish men brawling. As with most of these books from this era, you can never take them too seriously. In this particular story, there is some insane racist writing around a Chinese immigrant character. Rather than make this review all about that topic, I will simply state that I am happy we have made some progress in 2025. It was JARRING and absurd, but so was the rest of this book…
We start off in Montana, where rancher Caleb asks his business partner Dru to do him a massive favor…go to Chicago and stop his (estranged) daughter’s wedding to stuffy bureaucrat Hubert. Caleb hasn’t seen daughter Victoria in over a decade and believes his ex wife has meddled and prevented any of his correspondence from reaching his daughter.
Dru accepts the challenge and by chapter two he is in Chicago, LITERALLY kidnapping this woman and starting the month long journey back to Montana. If you are wondering how Victoria felt about all of this, she wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about her impending marriage but she was RAISED A PROPER LADY and it was a proper marriage. She’s not exactly thrilled to be kidnapped but right away there’s an enemies to lovers thing with these two and she can’t help but be attracted to his brooding energy and male magnetism.
It’s worth noting that from the jump these two have pet names for each other. He calls her “Chicago” and she calls him “Montana.” Although this isn’t exactly original, it does work well as they banter.
The first night on their journey things heat up when she gets curious about this man’s brawny bod and sneaks a peek while he’s bathing in the river. She thinks she’s being all stealth until she is overtaken by another man who has ill intentions towards her. Dru is aware of the situation and beats the rogue to a pulp, then chastises her about knowing her surroundings better. Despite his annoyance with her, he gives a wink and a nod that he knew she was watching him…
Some days later the sexual tension is building and they spend a night drinking and dancing and finally do the deed. She is immediately in love and he suspects her dad designed this whole kidnapping plot as a romantic setup. He agrees to marry her even though he claims he doesn’t love her…he DID steal her virtue and all. She is clearly irritated that he isn’t professing his endless love and adoration but they still get married as they continue the westward journey.
Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Hubert is NOT PLEASED that he was jilted at the altar. He assembles his own army of rakes and rogues and they get on their way to Montana to bring Tori back to her boring debutante life. They bring along Tori’s mother who suspects this is all the doing of her ex husband and is mortified by the embarrassment this scandal has caused their family.
At this point the middle of the book drags on for about 100 pages, but there is one HIGHLY dramatic scene before Dru and Tori arrive in Montana where he saves her from a Grizzly bear attack. Our girl Tori is simply not the outdoorsy type…
They finally arrive in Montana and things are even more chaotic there than they were out on the Oregon Trail. It turns out that Tyrone, a business associate of Dru and Caleb, is trying to swindle these two out of their money, businesses and property. When Tori arrives he sets up an elaborate extortion scheme, HOLDING HER HOSTAGE as he attempts to get his way. She ends up escaping and kills this guy in the process, finally realizing that she is indeed sick of being in a pawn for all these men.
Her mom end Hubert end up in Montana and demand she returns with them. She can have her marriage annulled and Hubert is willing to put this whole mess behind them so they can live in unhappy matrimony back in Chicago. Tori is still furious that Dru will not say he loves her so she agrees to return with Hubert. As the wagon is pulling away DRU PROCLAIMS HIS LOVE FOR HER AND THEY RETURN TO THE RANCH TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
Rating: 6/10 ⭐
😳 💏 🌡️ 🍆 🎞️
FABIO ROMANCE READER Emoji Guide
💘 Hallmark Wholesome
😳 Lifetime Lewdness
🌶️ Skinemax Spicy
💏 0-3 Spicy Scenes
🧨 3-5 Spicy Scenes
🔥 5+ Spicy Scenes
🌡️ Good Chemistry
🍆 💒 🚮 F/M/K leading man (pick one!)
🌌 Bizarre / Unearthly Location
🎞️ Make the Movie
🛑 Immediate No/ Did Not Finish