This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Published by St. Martin's Press
Released on October 7, 2014
Pages: 200
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Christmas on a Texas guest ranch brings a surprise fake wedding for a workaholic and a cowboy. This humorous, passionate and moderately heartwarming read is a nice little afternoon distraction to get one in the mood for the holiday season.
Carina Briscoe’s family runs the most successful resort of the holiday season because of the Mistletoe Effect. Every wedding taking place at the resort during the holiday season is successful so people pour in and book their weddings for the chance at a happy life together. Carina is the wedding planner for all this and its a stressful time of long days and nights. She doesn’t need her own sister ruining it all by walking out of her own wedding right in front of all those bridal magazine journalists. Carina will do anything for her family and the family business so she goes right along with her dad and gran talking her into a fake marriage with James Decker the man she has been secretly fantasizing about since she was a teen.
Decker works as the stable manager for the Briscoes and he has watched Carina push herself hard to keep her dad and his expectations happy. He hates it that she won’t stand up for herself and even in this instance when her princess sister runs out on her obligations, she steps into the gap. Decker agrees to be the other half of the fake marriage with Carina provided that they really live as husband and wife for a month. He has his own plans to pursue after that, but he wants to take the time to persuade Carina to follow her own dreams, learn to enjoy Christmas and not just continue to bury herself in Briscoe responsibility.
The plot isn’t meant to be taken too seriously and I didn’t. It was cute and I had fun with the story, but I only felt a mild connection. I liked the characters- Carina’s eccentric gran with her thing for selfies was a hoot- though I was really cheering along with Decker for Carina to grow a backbone. I enjoyed watching them both go from focused on their careers to being focused on each other. And the hanky panky they got up to with that Naughty Honeymooners Holiday Themed Gift Basket and Carina’s holiday undies was a riot.
It was cute and offers a handsome Cowboy to fancy. Contemporary Romance fans who like a little distraction read full of spice and holiday fun should give this one a try.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Oh this sounds adorable and perfect for the holidays..plus I love cowboys:)
It is a nice choice when you want something light and distracting with a holiday theme.
hey, a cute Christmas read and you got a sexy cowboy..not bad, not bad 😉
Cowboy heroes are like a Christmas gift in and of themselves for sure, Sharonda!
Oh Sophia. I didn’t need to go past the first sentence before knowing I would need this one. That’s like…all my favorite things packed in one tiny little read. *swoons* lol