Review: A Cowgirl's Thanksgiving Kiss

A Cowgirl's Thanksgiving Kiss by  Amy Vastine

Genre: Heartwarming, Contemporary. Romance, Western, 

Goodreads: Click

Pages: 249

Published: October 22, 2024

Turkey, pumpkin pie…

And unexpected love!

Working in a man’s world of Texas bull breeding, stressed-out single mom J.R. Blackwell can’t help being annoyed by her handsome coworker, Hunter Robbins. So when their boss pits them against each other for a big promotion, J.R. is ready to step up and grab the prize. But Hunter’s offer of a place to stay after a tree crushes her home, and his easy connection with her daughter, melts her reserve. Despite J.R. doing everything she can to ignore the feeling—and Hunter’s baby goat winning her daughter’s heart!—will the charming former bull rider be her true prize this Thanksgiving?

Single mom J.R. and her coworker Hunter are going head to head for the newest promotion. When a storm causes a tree to crash into her house she and her daughter need a place to stay and thankfully Hunter is there to help out and offer her a place. The more they are around eachother they start to warm up eachother but there still that promotion to think about at the end of it all. 

This was a pretty good read. There is so much to unpack when it comes to this book. Theres first the promotion going on with J.R. and Hunter having to prove themselves worthy of the promotion. Then the whole tree crashing into the house leaving her to rely on the help Hunter can give her but J.R. is a strong willed women who because of her past trying her hardest to never really need anyone. Which then leads to her family drama which is a lot in itself and now the family is near to her and shes getting caught up into something she doesn't want to deal with when she already has things she needs to work on. Overall pretty good book I really enjoyed it.

Excerpt: Her Hometown Hero

Her Hometown Hero by Jacquelin Thomas 

(on-sale Jan.25, Harlequin Heartwarming)

Goodreads: Click

Can a wounded hero let go of the past? Wounded marine Trey Rothchild has returned to Polk Island. People call him a hero, but will he ever feel that way after losing his team? Reuniting with high school crush Gia Harris buoys his spirits. Though she’s focused on making her physical therapy clinic a success—and avoiding romance with patients—Gia can’t bear watching the former athlete sit on the sidelines of life. Could helping Trey recover include loving him fearlessly?

amazon | barnesandnoble | harlequin 

“Justrelax and float…”

Trey hadn’t felt this relaxed in months. He closed his eyes, allowing his body to become one with the water. Regaining this small sense of movement was a defining moment for him—he felt a sense of freedom he’d thought was long gone.

“You’re doing fantastic,” Gia murmured.

At every encouraging word and smile from her and Gia’s obvious faith in him, Trey’s heart turned over in response. There was no fight­ing it any longer. He wanted something more than friendship from her. He’d been crushing on her at first like before, but what he felt now defied words.

However, reality sank in. What could he offer Gia?

Yet…the way she looked at him motivated him to take a chance with her. After all, she was his biggest cheerleader and she often reminded him that he could continue to improve his qual­ity of life, including having a family.

At the end of the aquatic therapy session, Gia assisted him back into his wheelchair.

He decided to take the leap. He didn’t just want to be her friend. He wanted more. He wanted Gia.

“How do you feel about mixing business with pleasure?”

She dried herself off. “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

His eyes traveled over her face, studying her expression. “Will you have dinner with me? As in a date.”

Gia gave a slight nod. “I’d love it.” She handed him a towel. “But I can’t unless you fire me, or I quit. It’s not ethical for me to date my patients.”

“Then you’re fired.”

Grinning, she responded, “In that case, I have a replacement in mind for you.”

He was surprised. “Were you planning to quit on me?”

Gia laughed. “No, I simply wanted to be pre­pared in case something happened to me, or if we decided to be more than friends.”

“We have gotten pretty close,” Trey said. “I’ve tried to keep it professional, but I really care for you.”

“I feel the same way,” Gia responded.

Her words thrilled him. Clearing his throat, he stated, “If you don’t mind coming to the

house later, I can order some food from the café. I really don’t enjoy eating alone. I never really have.”

“How about I cook something?” she sug­gested. “I’ll have to check your refrigerator to see what I have to work with.”

He chuckled.

About JACQUELIN THOMAS: Jacquelin Thomas' books have garnered several awards, including two EMMA awards, the Romance In Color Reviewers Award, Readers Choice Award, and the Atlanta Choice Award in the Religious & Spiritual category. She was nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction in the Young Adult category. Jacquelin has published in the romance, inspirational fiction and young adult genres.

Review : Snowbound with her Mountain Cowboy

Snowbound with her Mountain Cowboy by Patricia Johns 

Goodreads: Click

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday, Christmas, Heartwarming,

(on-sale Nov.30, Harlequin Heartwarming)

 A lost memory could mean a second chance! Mountain resort owner Angelina Cunningham has her hands full with a massive winter storm. Which is exactly when her ex-husband arrives, injured and suffering temporary amnesia. Ben King has always been her weakness. Though he doesn’t remember her, he’s still as charming and sweet as ever, and Angelina is falling for him all over again. But can their rekindled love outlast the storm and the return of their past mistakes?

amazon | barnesandnoble | harlequin

Angelina is running a mountain resort and is getting ready to buckle down the place for a winter storm heading her way when her ex, Ben,  shows up with amnesia. Until the storm passes through she'll help him out and hopefully his memory returns soon because her heart might not be able to take his charming ways and they both got seperate lives to live. 

This was a pretty great read, I really enjoyed it. It was interesting seeing how Angelina's life was being an owner and running the mountain resort and what she went though to get where she was. Ben lives a  totally different life in the higher class working ins his family business. Family is important to him but it seems to have really consumed his life and even make him and Angelina split that one time. Clearly the two still loved eachother after so long and it was hard to see them keeping that distance or at least Angelina's was trying to keep that distance as she's the one who knows why things went down. Then there was the whole reason Ben was at her door in the first place before he got into the accident that wiped his memory. I couldn't believe what was taking place after finding out why seeing how things were playing out. Overall great book I really enjoyed it.

“Angelina,” he said. “I sense there are some hard feelings between us. I mean, I don’t re­member it, but you seem…uncomfortable with me.”

“It’s fine,” she said with a shake of her head.

“What did I do?” he asked. “Because I’m looking at you, and I see a beautiful, success­ful woman I’d be proud to be with. So…what happened with us?”

Her green gaze flicked over to meet his. “Your family happened.”

What had his father said? And perhaps ex­pect some jealousy toward our family.

“What did they do?” he asked.

“They hated me.” She said it so matter-of-factly, with no emotion behind it.

“I find that hard to believe…” He smiled, hoping that she’d soften her stance there. “For what?”

“For being beneath the quality standard they set for you,” she said. “They wanted you to marry someone who came from a fam­ily equally well situated. I’m just a regular woman.”

“Not so regular…”

She’d achieved an awful lot to consider herself ordinary. And look at her! She drew every eye in a room.

“You’d be surprised.” She didn’t return his smile, and her gaze didn’t waver. This wasn’t a joke. He was inclined to believe her.

“So my family hated you, and we broke up?” he asked hesitantly.

“I got tired of trying to prove myself,” she said. “And I think you got tired of fighting for us. A man’s family is a part of him, Ben. Re­member them or not, they formed you. They raised you. Their DNA flows through you. And I wasn’t acceptable.”

Ben felt her words spinning through his mind like that blinding snow outside. His family had been the cause of their divorce? Was that why his father had given him that warning—he saw Angelina as a threat?

“Why did I come here?” he asked.

Angelina shook her head. “I have no idea.”

“We didn’t have plans to…talk?” he asked. “Because I don’t know why else I’d be driv­ing this way. Do I know anyone else here or have any business to take care of?”

Angelina shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’m not a part of your life.”

“But you said we talked sometimes,” he said.

“We did,” she said.

“Maybe I wanted to talk again. You said we broke up? Maybe that was weighing on me.”

“Maybe.” She met his gaze. “I wouldn’t know, would I?” She was silent for a moment. “We always have held on to some feelings for each other. I won’t deny that. I think you regretted how things ended with us. But we aren’t friends. You can’t feel the way we did for each other, go through that kind of heart­break and be friends afterward. It doesn’t work.”

No, he could see that. Knowing next to nothing about her, he’d felt drawn to this woman. And even now, knowing that noth­ing had worked between them, he still found himself wanting to keep her close.

“But I came here,” he said. “With a storm

at my back, no less. That has to mean some­thing. I feel absolutely certain that I was try­ing to reach…this place.”

As she looked at him, he could see that her resistance was up. She didn’t have his an­swers, and maybe he was asking too much of her to expect her to know why he’d come out here.

“Do you want me to have your clothes laundered tonight, or do you want to have them dry-cleaned?” she asked.

Right. She was backing away from the per­sonal.

“I—” He shook his head. “I have no idea. Let’s try and wash them, I guess.”

She smiled faintly. “You were particular about your shirts. I should warn you.”

He thought about it for a moment. “I’m not right now. I wouldn’t mind having my own clothes back. Let’s see how it goes.”

“All right.” She turned toward the door.

He wanted to stop her, ask her more ques­tions, convince her to stay awhile, but he could sense that wouldn’t be appropriate. Whatever they’d been, it was well in the past.

“Good night,” he called after her.

“Good night, Ben.” Her voice was soft, cut­ting off when the door shut behind her.

About PATRICIA JOHNS: Patricia Johns writes from Alberta, Canada where she lives with her husband and son. She has her Honors BA in English Literature and writes for both Harlequin and Kensington books. She loves prairie skies and time with her family.

Reveal: Her Surprise Cowboy

Her Surprise Cowboy by Claire McEwen

 Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Western, Heartwarming,

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Walmart eBooks 

Pages: 368

Published:  April 1st 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Looking for redemption…

Finding a future

Rancher Liam Dale is in Shelter Creek to make amends for his troubled past. He had no idea vet assistant Trisha Gilbert would be there, too—and he’s even more shocked to discover he’s a daddy! Trisha has good reasons not to trust him and a baby boy to protect. But now that he knows he’s a father, Liam longs to transform this unexpected reunion into a true family. 

Liam is trying to make up for his past by improving his family ranch by working at a ranch that works differently then what he's used to. Once he learn to ranch organically then he'll return home. He never expected to run into a women he had an instant attraction to in the past. He wasn't in a good place then like he is now and now comes to find that he's a father and wants to do right for her and the baby.

This was a slow and sweet book. This book is definitely heartwarming. I loved that when it came to Liam, he always did try his best with everything he did. He saw he had a problem he got the help he needed. It was interesting seeing as he was learning a different process of what he was used to, and it was not just talk being that readers do get his perceptive readers see how he changes and really thinks about things and the consequences of certain actions. I loved also getting Trisha never expected to run into the father of her child and now that he's here shes conflicted. She needs to figure out more about this guy before revealing that she got a kid and changing every ones lives. It was sweet watching them interact and get comfortable with eachother. Now that I'm thinking about it this is a clean romance so if that what appeals to you readers as well there is that. Overall this was a pretty sweet book and I really enjoyed it.

Review : Caught by the Sheriff

Caught by the Sheriff by Rula Sinara

(Turtleback Beach #2)
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Heartwarming,

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Walmart eBooks 

Pages: 384

Published: Published March 3rd 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

If she follows her heart…

Will he follow the law?

Turtleback Beach, North Carolina, would be paradise—if Faye Donovan wasn’t on the run. With her sister’s life in danger and her small niece to protect, Faye tries to avoid handsome town sheriff Carlos Ryker. But Carlos offers her a refuge, and Faye feels she’s finally found home. And yet he’s still the sheriff. Can she trust him with the truth…even if it means risking everything?

Faye is on the run with her niece after receiving a message from her twin sister. She lands in Turtle Back Beach a charming little down with the help of a friend to lay low until she hears of her sister or until the police comes for her kidnapping. She never expected to get close to the local sheriff Carlos to make her feel comfortable but its only a matter of time till everything comes crumbling down.

I really liked this book, I love a good mystery suspense type novel but this book wasn't it. At first when I found out about this book I though it would lean towards that but I was wrong. It was a nice little contemporary novel though seeing the charming town, getting to know its people. Clearly the town is close knit so it could either go two ways for Faye her being the newcomer and all but this book says sweet throughout the book there is that underlying worry of when things would go down but until then it was nice to see what Faye was doing in the meantime. Seeing her interact with her family and seeing how she was keeping her head above water supporting her self and her niece and seeing the relationship between Faye and Carlos form. Overall it was a nice story I enjoyed it.

Review : Second Chance for the Single Dad

Second Chance for the Single Dad by Carol Ross

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Heartwarming,

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | BN | Walmart eBooks 

Pages: 384

Published: Published March 3rd 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She'll save him a dance...

...if he follows his heart.

Dance teacher Camile Wynn has a new student. Reclusive Rhys McGrath is learning to waltz so he can take his orphaned niece to a father-daughter dance. Camile is surprised by her connection with him, but there's a generous heart behind Rhys's awkward exterior. When she learns Rhys could lose custody of his niece, Camile goes behind his back to help him...but will her lies end up hurting him instead?

Camile is a down on her luck dance teacher who can't seem to catch a break working multiple jobs and refusing help from others. No one really knows about Rhys and because hes so secretive rumors are about to circulate which isn't good for his custody battle for his niece. Rhys seems to need a bit of help from Camile to give him lessons for his nieces father daughter dance. It seems though a bit more will come out of this arrangement as they work together.

Whew couldn't help but feel bad for Camile throughout the story women had the worst like and when things were seeming to look okay something else! Now with Rhys back after thier history I was curious to see when thier past was going to be brought up and why did he even forget their past? I enjoyed seeing to know the characters as the story went on. I loved how supportive Rhy was to take the time for the lessons and be there for his niece. I loved that there was plenty going on with small town gossips and family drama there is loads to keep readers entertained. Overall pretty good book I really enjoyed it.

Review : Rancher to the Rescue

Rancher to the Rescue By Patricia Forsythe

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Western, Heartwarming,

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | BN | Walmart eBooks

Pages: 384

Published: March 3rd 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

If he saves her ranch

Will she lose her dream?

Zannah Worth loves welcoming guests to beautiful Eaglecrest Ranch. Unexpected new partners, not so much. Maybe the struggling family business needs Brady Gallagher's cash, but she can't tolerate his bossiness or his big ideas. Brady intends to turn a fast profit and win a wager. Zannah's wishes--and her stubborn heart--shouldn't matter. Though they keep butting heads,Zannah wants them to move forward...together.

Zannah is back and wasn't expecting her fathers ranch to be struggling so much that he got another partner to help take over while he goes off on a much needed vacation. Zannah thinking her fathers vacation of going to look for gold and leaving her to deal with the mess of a new partner who knows nothing of how to deal with their family business is less then thrilled. Zannah and Brady will have to learn to work together if they want this ranch to grow and prosper but its clear they are going to have their challenges. 

I liked this book it was a cute little contemporary. I liked getting to know the character and seeing them with their back and forth. The father shouldn't have sprung this on Zannah and she was dealing with things the way only she can and try to make the best of it. Shes distrustful for the new comer worrying that he might ruin things at the ranch, there is so much that can go wrong I mean she doesn't know the dude and this is her family's ranch she wants to protect it. This book I wouldn't say is much of a romance but was a cute book and there was some light romance if anything. I thought the extra point of views were unnecessary but okay. Personally I would've wanted more out of Zannah and Brady then that extra bit. Overall this book was pretty good I liked it.

Review : Always The One

Always the One by Tara Randel

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Heartwarming

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | BN | Walmart eBooks 

Pages: 384

Published: February 1st 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She’s the love of his life… but is he still hers?

FBI agent Derrick Matthews has finally found his childhood sweetheart and the love of his life—but she isn’t exactly happy about it! Years ago, Hannah Rawlings disappeared overnight when her family went on the run, and she blames Derrick. She tells him she’s moved on and he should, too, but Derrick fears Hannah’s still in danger. He vows to protect her—even if that means betraying her trust…again.

Normally I'm a fast reader but this book not sure what it is about this book but I had a hard time getting into it. I thought that this book was pretty good. Liked the characters and everything that went on in it. My only problem was that it kinda dragged on and was pretty slow. If you do like a cute contemporary romance you will enjoy it.

Review : Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher

Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher by Melinda Curtis

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Heartwarming,

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | BN | Walmart eBooks 

Pages: 384 

Published:  January 1st 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

If there’s a way to her heart…

…he’ll jump at the chance!

CEO Shane Monroe sticks out like a sore thumb in Second Chance, Idaho, where he’s investigating his grandfather’s connection to the town’s folklore of stolen treasure. Feisty local Franny Clark ridicules his city-slicker ways but allows Shane to hunt for gold on her land…if he can help save her rodeo ranch. Shane is captivated by Franny’s go-getting attitude, but what will it take for him to win her over?

Shane is in Second Chance, Idaho investigating some stolen treasure that his grandfather might have something to do with. Franny knows of the story but doesn't really believe its true but will let him search within reason.

This was a sweet little enjoyable book. I thought it was interesting seeing how everything played out. This book was pretty tame from what I normally read. ( I've been reading non stop action books and then pretty much went to this) but there was a few things here and there to keep me wanting more. Like the bull for instance it was pretty much a presence of knowing that there is little to stop the beast from hurting any one. Not much to say about this book other then it was a pretty good contemporary romance and that I enjoyed it.

https://www.netgalley.com/member/book/180044/review