Publication Date: September 24th 2019 by HQN Books
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Purchase Links:
About the book:
As snowflakes fall in Gold Valley, Oregon, will this rugged cowboy finally win the woman of his dreams?
Cowboy Caleb Dalton has loved single mom Ellie Bell, and her little daughter, Amelia, for years. But since Ellie is his best friend's widow, Caleb's head knows Ellie will always be strictly off-limits. If only his heart got the memo. So when Caleb discovers that Ellie has a Christmas wish list--and hopes for a kiss under the mistletoe--he's throwing his cowboy hat into the ring. If anyone's going to be kissing Ellie and sharing this magical time with her and her daughter, it's him.
Ellie has dreaded the holidays since losing her husband. But this year, she's finally ready to make some changes. She never expects the biggest change to be the heart-stopping kiss she shares with Caleb. For almost five years, Caleb has been her best friend, her rock, her salvation. This Christmas, can Caleb prove he's also the missing puzzle piece of Ellie's and Amelia's hearts?
My
Thoughts:
It’s easy to see how Caleb would feel too guilty to make a
move on Clint’s widow even though he’s been dead for over four years, since he
had feelings for Ellie while Clint was alive, and they were married. He never
acted on them, but he did pine for Ellie.
Even before Ellie, Caleb held a mixture of conflicting emotions towards
Clint. He loved Clint like a brother but
was also jealous of him over the way his father would compare the two and find
Caleb lacking.
After Clint’s death Caleb made it his mission to be there
for Ellie and her daughter Amelia, he was even there for her birth, and all
these years he’s held himself back from showing his true feelings of desire and
love towards Ellie because he never thought she’d see him as anything other
than a friend and she’s never even shown interest in any man at all. But when Ellie makes it clear she wants to
move on with her life romantically, Caleb can’t bear for it to be any other man
but him. He held himself back because it was Clint, but he’ll be damned if he
steps aside for any other man.
Ellie wants lightness, and fun back in her life after
grieving for Clint so long it’s not fair for her or her daughter to live with a
cloud of sadness hanging over them so she makes a Christmas list to help them
move on and put more joy into their lives. Part of the list is only for Ellie,
though: going out dancing with a man, kissing by the fire, and yes, sex, but as
she sets out to accomplish the items on her list, it becomes apparent that not
just any cowboy will do. Caleb Dalton becomes integral to fulfilling her needs
and desires, and it scares her to feel this intense, almost obsessive kind of
want that bubbles up inside her.
I loved how Ellie and Caleb essentially already loved each
other, but when Ellie decided to live for the present and future instead of
mourning the past, it changed the way she looked at him. Once the veil of “just
friends” was taken down it awakened a powerful desire! Ellie always thought Caleb was incredibly
handsome, but never let her brain venture further, but once the roadblocks were
taken away, their attraction was electric! Caleb always kept his passion for
Ellie leashed, but once she made it clear she wanted more, all bets were off,
he was through being her “safe, easy friend”, and oh, the results were hot!
*I just checked and Cowboy Christmas Redemption is a Cyber Monday Deal at Amazon for $1.99!
4 Suns
Author Bio: New York Times Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.
Connect with Maisey Yates:
This one definitely sounds like a slow-burn romance! He doesn't say anything because she's married, and then he doesn't want to make her feel rushed after her husband's death, but he's still so in love... <3 I would like to see how their relationship progressed over time! Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteLindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
I'm already rooting for them just from your review alone. It's been a bit since I picked up a Maisey Yates books so maybe... yeah for the sale.
ReplyDeleteOH fun! I'm reviewing a book from the Harlequin Christmas tour, too.
She looks cold ;) But the book sounds great :D
ReplyDeleteFun! I like when that just friends thing becomes something more. :)
ReplyDeleteI have only read one of Yates' books, but it happened to be from this series, and I enjoyed it. I am slowly reading more cowboy books.
ReplyDeleteCurious about this one. The MC sounds like she had a bit to overcome. Lovely review.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed this one! I decided against getting an arc of it but bought the paperback myself so I wouldn't feel any obligation to review it if I didn't feel like it. That was fortuitous because it ended up not working for me. After a week I was only 50 pages in and I finally DNF'd it. I was so intrigued by the synopsis (Caleb's plight really caught my attention) but I think I just wasn't jibing with Yates' writing. Add to that my weird reading mood of the last month or so and it just wasn't working. *sigh* I think I need to take a break or pick up an old favorite.
ReplyDeleteI totally get it, Tanya! I'm sorry you bought the paperback only to have it not work for you. Everyone has their own reading preferences so not every author/writing style will work for every reader. And yay to getting back to old favorites! I love re-reading an old favorite. :)
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