A Cold Creek Christmas Surprise: My Review

A Cold Creek Christmas Surprise (The Cowboys of Cold Creek)

About the Book:

Hardened rancher Ridge Bowman has long told himself he has no need for love—just work and his little girl are enough to get him through. But when his "cleaning lady," Sarah Whitmore, gets injured on his staircase, well, of course he has to invite her to spend the holidays with him. It's only the responsible thing to do.

Only, Sarah isn't really there to work on his house. She came bearing precious artwork belonging to Ridge's late mother, and possibly a secret that could devastate them both. But as Christmas draws closer, so does Ridge—and Sarah convinces herself that she will tell him what she knows as soon as the holiday is over. She might be the key to his past—if only he could be a part of her future….

My Comment:

I've read a bunch of Christmas romances this year, and so far this has been the best of the bunch, which is odd, because I usually prefer longer books than these short romances.  Still, Rae Anne Thayne has gotten to be a favorite author so I usually grab her books when they show up on NetGalley.  The premise of this one, like the premise of many romance novels, is a little far-fetched, but I really liked both Ridge and Sarah and enjoyed "catching up" with the rest of Ridge's family and celebrating Christmas with them.  Like Thayne's other books this one includes some hot kissing but doesn't go beyond that.  In short, this is a well-written heartwarming clean Christmas romance filled with snow,  a sleigh ride and plenty of hot chocolate around a warm fire.  Grade B. (better than I usually give these short formula romances).  

Blackberry Summer: My Review

Blackberry Summer

About the Book:

Claire Bradford needed a wake-up call.

What she didn't need was a tragic car accident. As a single mom and the owner of a successful bead shop, Claire leads a predictable life in Hope's Crossing, Colorado. So what if she has no time for romance? At least, that's what she tells herself, especially when her best friend's sexy younger brother comes back to town as the new chief of police.

But when the accident forces Claire to slow down and lean on others—especially Riley McKnight—she realizes, for the first time, that things need to change. And not just in her own life. The accident—and the string of robberies committed by teenagers that led up to it—is a wake-up call to the people of Hope's Crossing. The sense of community and togetherness had been lost during those tough years. But with a mysterious "Angel of Hope" working to inspire the town, Riley and Claire will find themselves opening up to love and other possibilities by the end of an extraordinary summer….

My Comments:

This fluffy feel-good romance was just what I wanted tonight.  Claire is a "fixer", a woman who lost her father at an early age and had to take care of her mother after that.  She worked two jobs to put her husband through medical school, only to have him walk out on her.  She tries to maintain a civil relationship with him and his new wife (who really does want to be her friend).  She runs her own business.  She decides the town needs healing after the car accident referenced above. The only person not worthy of care is her.  Riley is her best friend's little brother, the boy who taunted and teased when they were kids, a boy whose father abandoned the family to pursue his own goals.  He is a man who has been in love with Claire since childhood but who doesn't think he has it in himself to be faithful over the long haul.  

The book has a mystery character who is never fully revealed (though I have a guess about who he is).  It has the shallow ex-husband and the clueless bimbo second wife.  Add in a couple of cute kids and life-long friends and you have a story that showcases not only romance but true love in all its forms.   

As romances go, it is on the clean end of the spectrum.  They get hot and heavy on the couch once, but don't get past partially disrobing before calling it quits.  

In short, this was a fun, reasonably clean romance that idealized small-town life and life-long friends.   Grade:  B.

I' d like to than the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  I was under no obligation to write any review, much less a positive one.