Lynnette Kent

Despite the title this is one of those Christmas romances that doesn’t include very much Christmas content, though there are quite a few mentions of hot chocolate so you might want to have some on hand in case this stirs up a craving.

Abby’s Christmas is part of a series but reads fine on its own. I was impressed with the way the author managed to introduce characters and their stories from previous books without it feeling clunky or info-dumpy, sometimes it can feel like a dry recap show more thrown at you but here it read as smoothly as it would if you were getting to know supporting characters in a standalone novel.

I also liked how backstory was occasionally conveyed through Abby’s high school diary entries, it gave an almost conversational quality to an aspect of storytelling that again can sometimes feel clunky and info-dumpy, or like a drag on the pacing, which it wasn’t here.

While I don’t mind reading about glamorous people and places, what always felt refreshing to me about Harlequin’s now defunct Superromance line is that oftentimes the characters, scenarios, and settings, were a little more humble, closer to average ordinary life. That’s what most appealed to me about this one as well, the fairly down to earth circumstances, like how Abby’s never left her hometown and feels kind of stuck and burdened with keeping her family’s diner going.

As for Noah, it isn’t everyday that a hero in a romance novel has spent time in prison, so it was interesting to see the varied reactions to his past from this small town community (including his mom) and the challenges of trying to hold a job under scrutiny.

For the most part I was invested in this one, this just fell off a bit for me in the last quarter, with Annie making what felt like a ridiculous choice to spend time with someone questionable. It also annoyed me that even when this was near the end, Noah still hadn’t figured out how communication is supposed to work and Abby doesn’t give him nearly a hard enough time about it. It’s slightly more difficult to believe in happily ever after with someone whose first extinct is always to ghost and explain later. show less

Good conclusion to the series. Wyatt is the oldest of the Marshall brothers and the one who runs the ranch. He is currently recovering from a riding injury which broke his back, and is rather testy at having his activities limited. His brothers have stepped in to help run things on top of doing their own jobs. They have also been hosting seven at-risk teens on their ranch for the summer. At the beginning of the book, one of the boys, Nate, has gone missing. He went home to check on his show more mother and little sister, and found them being abused by his father. When Wyatt's brother Ford ad social worker Caroline arrived, they brought Nate and his mother and sister back to the ranch for safety. Wyatt offers Susannah the job of cooking and running the house, while she and her kids stay on the ranch for the summer.

I really liked Wyatt. He's the quiet one of the family, keeps things running smoothly. When Wyatt was sixteen the boys were orphaned and Wyatt went to work to keep them together. They were all taken in by the previous owner of the Circle M, who then left the ranch to them when he died. They have chosen to honor him by helping the teens. Helping Susannah is just an extension of that calling. I loved at the beginning, when he was grumpy, because it was so realistic of guys when they're sick. I liked his protectiveness and how he watched over everyone. He's also carrying a load of guilt around, because he feels responsible for their father's death.

I also liked Susannah. She is much stronger than she gives herself credit for. She married her husband young, running away with him before she was eighteen. He turned out not to be a good husband, drinking too much, unable to keep a job, and ultimately being abusive. She feels guilty about her poor judgment in men, and that it put her kids in danger. She's grateful to the Marshalls for the sanctuary. She also regrets that her trouble has brought trouble to them.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Wyatt and Susannah. There were sparks of attraction from the beginning, but Susannah is still married, so Wyatt tries to resist. He's also a bit cautious, having been burned once before in a relationship. The first thing that comes out is the protectiveness that Wyatt shows for Susannah and the kids. Besides just giving them a place to stay, he also gives Susannah a purpose, which helps her feel more comfortable staying there. There are also some sweet scenes between Wyatt and Susannah's little girl Amber, who has him wrapped around her fingers. As the summer goes on, Wyatt and Susannah build a good friendship, but the attraction simmers underneath. When it bursts forth, Wyatt tries to pull back, not wanting to keep her from experiencing the freedom she now has. He wants more, but not at the expense of her happiness. Meanwhile, Susannah has grown to love Wyatt and her life there at the ranch. She sees past the gruff exterior to the man who cares so much. But she's afraid that he's just being nice, so she makes her plans to leave the ranch by the end of the summer. I loved seeing how both of them get an added push to go after what they really want. I especially loved the lecture Wyatt got from Susannah's son Nate. I loved seeing how both of them finally found the courage to speak of their feelings. I loved the last chapter, with the December reunion with the teens, and the surprise that Wyatt and Susannah had for the whole group.

There was some added tension in the story provided by Susannah's ex. He was determined to get her back and made a couple unwelcome appearances. The final confrontation with him was a bit intense, and I wondered how it was going to end. I loved that Wyatt was so calm throughout.

There was also a fair amount of time spent with the teens who are staying at the ranch. I enjoyed seeing the changes they'd gone through during the series. During this book there was some boy/girl tension, as one of the girls had turned into a real flirt. Another girl was a bit insecure and had a serious crush on Nate. I really enjoyed seeing the interactions among them all. show less

The continuing adventures of the Circle M Ranch and the men who run it. All four of the brothers have committed to helping at-risk teens, as well as running the ranch and doing their regular jobs. Ford is a lawyer, Dylan is an artist, Garrett is a minister, and Wyatt is a rodeo cowboy. This is Garrett's story.

Garrett has been happy with his work as a minister and working with the teens. He's a little lonely sometimes, but knows that eventually he'll find the right woman. Then the new doctor show more comes to town and he feels as though he's been struck by lightning. He's certain that there is something great in store for them, but convincing Rachel isn't going to be easy.

Rachel has come back to Wyoming to fulfill a dream of providing medical care to an underserved area. When she meets Garrett she is immediately drawn to him, but resists the attraction because of what he does. She feels they are just too different for any relationship to work out.

I loved Garrett. He is the type of preacher who lives his beliefs without forcing them on the people around him. He has incredible patience with the teens that are staying on the ranch. It was really sweet to see the way he worried about Lena when she was diagnosed with diabetes and her father avoided all responsibility. He's also great with his family. I liked the way they treated him as just another brother most of the time, but also understood the importance of his work.

I liked Rachel, too, though I got frustrated with her at times. She had been raised by a single mother who had health problems, one of Rachel's motivations for becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, her mother was also easily led and fell in with a con man "faith healer" and died of her illness because she wouldn't go to a doctor. This soured Rachel on religion and she preferred to depend only on herself and scientific fact. Though she is attracted to Garrett, she thinks their outlooks are incompatible.

I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. Because she is involved in Lena's care, Rachel ends up spending a lot of time at the ranch. She tries really hard to keep Garrett at a distance, but he is equally determined to show her that they have more in common than she believes. There are some really sweet scenes of them together before she gets scared of what might happen and pushes him away. There were times when I thought Garrett was making real progress, and others when I despaired of Rachel ever giving them a chance.

I loved the way that the various townspeople got involved in trying to bring them together. Rachel had never really experienced the kind of care and support that makes up the town of Bison Creek. It was pretty sweet to see the way that they showed her that it was okay to accept help and lean on other people. But it was some very wise advice from one of her patients that made Rachel realize what was really important, along with some straight talk from Garrett. The ending was sweet and romantic, especially the part at Garrett's church.

I also loved seeing more of the teens at the ranch. They were realistically shown, especially with their sometimes oblivious attitudes. Marcos and Thomas were pretty typical teenage boys with their competitiveness with each other. Though they all certainly had their moments of idiocy, they all responded well to the Marshalls' care. I especially liked the scene at Rachel's welcome party. I also liked the realism of Lena's attitude about what had happened to her. show less

Good book. Jess is a reporter with a fancy art magazine who has come to Bison Creek to interview Dylan Marshall. He had been an up and coming artist of abstract sculptures when he suddenly left the art world and all but disappeared. After two years away, he has a new exhibit scheduled and Jess's bosses want to know all the whys.

Dylan isn't looking forward to the interview at all. He knows the reporter is going to be digging for things that he really doesn't want to talk about. Since it is a show more condition of the show, he can't avoid the interview, but he can sure try to limit what he shares.

I liked Jess. Even though she came across as a bit snooty at the beginning, I quickly warmed up to her. Her own experiences as a foster kid made her relate really well to the teens that the Marshalls are mentoring. I liked her determination to find out more about Dylan, and her article when she wrote it was perfect. Because of her past she doesn't believe that relationships last. She also has some other things going on that make her believe that anything that happens between them has no future.

I liked seeing the relationship that grew between Jess and Dylan. Both had quite an effect on the other. Jess's city attitude undergoes quite a change as she learns more about Dylan and the man and artist he is now. She's always protected her heart and emotions, but Dylan and everyone else at the ranch are breaking down her barriers. I loved seeing the way she went from not believing in his new direction to seeing the beauty in it. She also saw more clearly than any of the others what his art meant to him. Dylan has been protecting his own heart since he came home. His family and the ranch are his refuge and the core of his strength. Since committing to doing the art show he has been stretched thin with working on his sculptures and the ranch. Jess's presence is another layer, but it is soon one that he enjoys. As he introduces her to his life on the ranch he starts to dream of more with her.

A crisis on the ranch with the teens they are mentoring also brings Dylan's conflicts to the surface. As he decides to give up his art in order concentrate on the ranch, Jess stands up for him and his art and faces down his family. I loved what she said and the way it gave him the courage to tell his family what he needs. It was great to see Dylan finally get the support that he needs. But in spite of everything that he and Jess have together, she still feels that she isn't what he needs and goes back to New York. I loved seeing the way that each of them dealt with their separation and how eventually they found their way back together. I loved seeing Jess's return to Wyoming and the decisions she had made about her life. I also loved seeing Dylan's show and the reactions to his art. A very satisfying ending to the book. I'm looking forward to reading about the other two unattached brothers.

I liked the secondary story of the ranch helping the troubled teens. Each one had a personality of their own and their individual issues. I liked the scenes with Dylan and Jess interacting with them, and how it showed another side of their own personalities. show less