In 1929 Blue Moon, Montana, the two families who rule the rugged landscape are the Calders and the Dollarhides. As boys, Chase Calder and Joseph Dollarhide were the best of friends. But now in adulthood, the two find themselves inexorable rivals.

“Like his father and grandfather before him, Chase was Calder strong and Calder rich. He wore his power like a crown.” Joseph doesn’t take to the yolk of power as easily as Chase: “Unless another war called him away, he would live out his life here, in this remote corner of Montana, bound by family duty to his father, the ranch, and that accursed saw mill.” He also still has to finesse the reins from his overbearing father, Blake.

It’s been several months since the horrible accident that took the lives of Joseph’s mother and younger sister, and left his father permanently disabled and bitter. Since their deaths, everything is different: “The house was silent, as if the accident had sucked the life of what had once been a home. Hannah and Elsa had been the happy members of the family, chatting, laughing, and singing as they went about their day. Now, memories lurked like ghosts in empty rooms and shadowed corners. Even the air felt dead.”

"CALDER STRONG is perfect for fans of 'Yellowstone,' especially the prequel, '1923.' It’s an adept blend of historical fiction and romance, with a few twists and turns."

Despite his injuries, proud Blake is still trying to run the ranch with an iron fist. Now is the time for Joseph to step up to his rightful role as boss. But like most things in life, it’s not that easy. Joseph has to reconcile the conflicted feelings over his birthright. Could he make the commitment to the ranch, or should he concentrate on finding love again? In his late teens, he had fallen in love with beautiful Annabeth, a sweet local farm girl. But he had left her to court the glamorous yet crafty Lucy Wainwright, a relationship that burned too bright and imploded almost as fast as it started.

Years later, Joseph spots Annabeth in town. She married Silas Mosby, another local farmer, and has two children named Lucas and Ellie. Joseph can’t be sure, but he becomes convinced that Lucas is his son. He also starts to rediscover his old feelings for Annabeth, but nothing can be done about that. It’s too late.

Joseph has other complicated family relationships to navigate. His father, Blake’s half-brother, Mason, had alienated himself from the rest of the family years ago, when he impregnated an innocent young farm girl and fled town to avoid a shotgun wedding. Well, Blake stepped up and married that girl, Hannah. He raised her son, Joseph, as his own and even had another child with her. The only thing that Joseph had in common with Mason was his piercing green eyes. Town gossip revealed that Mason went to prison for bootlegging, but recently he got out and inherited a nearby farm from his mother. He reportedly was trying to turn his life around. Despite these efforts, Joseph wants nothing to do with him. But now, after seeing Annabeth’s son, could it be possible that history is repeating itself?

In addition to the ranch rivalries, Blue Moon has a couple of new residents. The mysterious Lola is an oddly costumed woman who has taken over the local cafe: “Dressed in a peasant blouse and embroidered skirt, with a lace shawl over her head, she might have been a beauty once. But her face had been cruelly and utterly destroyed. Puckered scars criss-crossed her features, pulling them into a grotesque mask that was framed by waves of coal black hair.”

There is also Francine, the new schoolteacher who is from “back East” and immediately susses out the big catch in town. Despite Joseph showing her the sights, Francine can tell who has more clout: “Chase Calder needed a wife and an heir. She was ready and willing to supply both. And the Calder name would be its own reward.” She tries to keep both men interested and on a short leash. But Joseph can’t stop thinking about Annabeth, especially when he realizes that her husband is abusive. Can he do anything to help his teenage love?

The harsh landscapes of 1920s Montana provide the consummate backdrop for the even harsher events involving the ranchers, bootleggers, farmhands, criminals, the women who love them, and the families who depend on them.

Janet Dailey’s CALDER STRONG is perfect for fans of "Yellowstone," especially the prequel, "1923." It’s an adept blend of historical fiction and romance, with a few twists and turns. Despite the title, the story focuses more on Joseph and the Dollarhide family, with the Calders being more peripheral this time out. For readers who really love a deep dive, there are 15 other Calder novels to feast upon.