Christmas with a Cowboy (Longhorn Canyon #5)

by Carolyn Brown

My thoughts:

Maverick travels to Ireland with his grandmother and ends up meeting a girl named Bridget that he practically falls in love with at first sight. They get together for an evening of romance but part ways as Maverick must head back to his ranch home in Texas.

Little does Maverick know, Bridget has a connection to his family and winds up in Texas a year later where they meet again, right in his grandmother’s house. This time, Bridget has a baby with her (Laela), and Maverick is determined not to let this chance at love pass him up again. The question is: can Maverick settle down and leave his party-life behind?

This was a pretty good, heartwarming Christmas tale. It’s not overly Christmassy, but just enough to get you into the spirit of the season. It became a little drawn out at times, and it was a tad predictable, but it continued to hold my interest. The romance was fairly clean as well. This book ended up being exactly what I was looking for. 

I really enjoyed all the characters, especially Maverick. He’s sweet, considerate, and kind-hearted. It’s lovely the respect he has for others, especially his grandmother (Iris) with the way he takes care of her every need. I liked that he’s responsible and wants to do right by everyone. Bridget was also very likable. She’s been through a lot after losing her nana and her best friend in the same year, and now she faces some tough decisions, but she’s strong and determined. This story has a lovely group of people who look after one another and that’s one of my favorite aspects of the book.

Overall, this is a good holiday romance. I ended up reading the physical book along with Audible and thought the narrator did a nice job with all the characters. This novel is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone because each novel has an all new story and characters.

4****

Find this book on Goodreads and Amazon:

• Series: Longhorn Canyon (Book 5)
• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Forever (September 24, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1538748746
• ISBN-13: 978-1538748749

Blurb:

A rugged Texas cowboy gets into the Christmas spirit to prove himself to the woman he loves in this heartwarming fifth novel of the USA Today bestselling series.

Maverick Callahan lives up to his reputation as a freewheeling cowboy. But a year ago he fell head-over-heels for an extraordinary woman he met while on vacation, a woman he was convinced he’d never see again. So when she appears on his doorstep like a Christmas miracle, Maverick is determined not to waste his lucky break.

Bridget O’Malley’s world has flipped upside down. As the new guardian of her best friend’s baby, she hasn’t had a moment to think about the Texas rancher who broke her heart. He’s just as sexy as ever, but she knows better than anyone that he’s not the settling-down type. As the trees are trimmed and mistletoe hung, will some holiday magic help Bridget trust this carefree cowboy with her heart and her future?

This is book #1 for the 20BooksForChristmas reading challenge. You can see my introductory post by clicking here if you’d like.

Thanks for reading my review!

♥️ Mischenko