Kathy DouglassCritiques

Good book. I have been looking forward to Mike's story since he first appeared. Unlike his brothers, he is a rodeo cowboy who didn't intend to make the rodeo circuit his career. Instead, he earned enough money to follow his dream of becoming a doctor. I loved his dedication to his dream. The complication was his relationship with fellow rodeo rider Corinne. Observation has shown him that long-distance relationships don't work, so he tries to keep things "friends only."

Corinne has crushed on Mike for years. They've been good friends all that time, but Corinne wants more. Unfortunately, Mike's dedication to his studies brings back unpleasant memories of a previous boyfriend she felt relegated her to second place in the relationship.

I loved seeing Mike and Corinne together. Their connection is terrific and their chemistry is undeniable. When they are together, it is obvious that they are made for each other. But when they are apart, doubts creep in. These issues come to a head when Corinne visits Mike in Chicago. Things go pretty well as Mike shows her around his adopted city, and Corinne realizes she's made some unwarranted judgments. But when Mike gets a call inviting him to observe a surgery (quite an honor!), he jumps at the chance, leaving Corinne feeling forgotten.

I had a problem with Corinne through most of the book. She seemed to expect M ike to drop everything and pay attention to her and was angry and hurt when he couldn't. She didn't understand the depth of his commitment to his studies and career plan and only paid attention to how it affected her. I was very disappointed in her lack of support for the man she claimed to love.

Mike is a little obsessed with his goals. He could have spared a little time to at least call Corinne once in a while and maintain their connection. But he allowed his fears and insecurities to push her away. With his family's encouragement, he learns from his mistakes and plans to show her how important she is to him. But will it be enough to overcome Corinne's fears? I liked the ending and have high hopes that they will have the happy future they want if they stick to their plan.

I liked the support and encouragement Mike and Corinne received from their families. Seeing more of the previous couples and how their examples and advice helped Mike and Corinne through their problems was great

Good second chance love story. Jillian and Miles had been best friends as children, then high school and college sweethearts. But instead of the proposal that Jillian expected, Miles wanted them to see other people. Heartbroken, Jillian moved away, eventually married another man, and had a little girl. As the book opens, Jillian's divorce is final, and she and Liliana are headed back to Aspen Creek to start over.

Miles is now the single father of a three-year-old boy. His one-night stand had consequences, but though he did what he thought was right, his wife was a city girl. Benji is the center of his world.

Aspen Creek is a small town, and it was only a matter of time until Jillian and Miles ran into each other. Miles missed Jillian and regrets the way he handled their past relationship. Though he has no interest in remarrying, he would love to restart their friendship. Though Jillian thought she was over him, when Miles showed up to welcome her back, all of her hurt and anger came rushing back and she tore into him. But underneath that antagonism were the rekindling sparks of attraction, sparks that reinforced her fear of risking her heart again. Jillian has every intention of avoiding Miles whenever possible.

Unfortunately for her, fate has other plans. When she takes Liliana to a playgroup at the library, Miles is there with Benji. To her dismay, Liliana and Benji become immediate best friends, much like she and Miles had when they were kids. Thanks to their kids, Miles and Jillian are frequently thrown together and must find a way to overcome their past mistakes.

Miles has had plenty of time to regret his past actions. He wants his best friend back and works hard to make that happen. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his feelings for her have never gone away. He wants Jillian and Liliana in his life, but he also knows he will have to earn her trust. I loved seeing Miles's slow and steady approach to winning her back. There were some sweet scenes of them together, but I ached for Miles when Jillian would panic and pull back.

Jillian fights her feelings for Miles. She's afraid of giving him her heart and having it broken all over again. It seems like every time they get together, she feels the pull grow stronger. It takes effort to let go of her fears, and she's unsure if she can do it. Then on Valentine's Day, just as she's ready to take another step forward, outside interference leads Miles to make a boneheaded decision. I ached for Jillian, who felt like history was repeating itself, and for Miles, who thought he was making things easier on her. Miles gets some good advice from an unexpected source and puts it into action. I loved his big moment at the end. The setting was unexpected, but his method was sweet and well done.

I loved the two children, Benji and Liliana. They may have been a little too good to be true, but they were adorable. It was fun to see how everyone saw the similarities to Miles and Jillian when they were that age.

#netgalley

Good book. Josh is the youngest in this branch of the Fortunes. He moved to Rambling Rose from New York to be with his siblings but also for a new start after a relationship ended. He could have joined his brothers' construction business but prefers to be his own boss. He set up his own contracting business and often takes on smaller jobs that his brothers don't want to deal with. One day he gets a call asking him to do repairs on the leaking roof at Kirby's Perks, a local coffee shop.

Kirby is a single mom of two girls, Lily (5) and Violet (7). Since her husband's death three years earlier, her daughters and work have been the center of her life. While she isn't against the idea of loving again, she doesn't see it happening any time soon.

Josh felt like he'd been struck by lightning when he arrived at Kirby's Perks. Kirby is a beautiful woman with a warm smile and an outgoing personality. Josh has the reputation in his family of falling in love at the drop of a hat and rushing his relationships. He promised himself he would change his ways and take his time with any new relationship but finds it hard to stick to his resolution. Kirby is just as attracted to Josh but is wary. He's younger than she is and a carefree bachelor, while she has two children to think about.

I loved watching the development of their relationship. Josh sticks to his resolution, though it is difficult when he's never felt this strongly about a woman before. Kirby isn't sure what to make of the feelings Josh stirs in her. I loved watching them get to know each other, with and without the girls. It was fun to see Josh find ways to spend time with Kirby, from helping her paint to building a playset for the girls. Josh is convinced that Kirby is the one for him and can see himself as part of the family.

Kirby is more cautious. She's aware that her feelings for him are growing stronger, but she's not the only one she must consider. Lily takes to Josh right away, but Violet is more standoffish. I loved Josh's patience and acceptance of Violet's feelings. He doesn't try to force anything, leaving Violet to adjust in her own time. I ached for him when Violet's attitude became an obstacle in his pursuit of Kirby. Both he and Kirby have some soul-searching to do, and each gets some good advice to help them along the way. I loved their big moment at the end and the subsequent revelation of the fear at the root of Violet's attitude.

In keeping with the overarching mystery in the series, another mysterious gift shows up. This time, a package for Josh is mixed up in Lily's birthday party gifts. He receives a travel book about Texas, with instructions to pay close attention to a specific chapter. Showing the book to his family members in the epilogue reveals another clue that adds to the mystery. I look forward to the next book and discovering what it all means.

Good enemies to lovers story. Audrey is the third generation of a rodeo family. She's proud of what she and her sisters can do and frustrated at the lack of respect given to women in rodeo. The Hawkins sisters came to Bronco for the Bronco Family Rodeo.

Jack is also part of a rodeo family. He and his three brothers all compete. Jack doesn't think women belong in rodeo, that it is too dangerous for them. He has a woman friend who was paralyzed in a rodeo accident. Jack grew up in Bronco, and he and his brothers are in town to compete also.

The rodeo promoters have latched on to the two families as the faces of the rodeo. During a photo shoot, the sparks between Jack and Audrey are intense and evident to everyone around them. Their chemistry comes out in the photos, too. The promoters suggest a Battle of the Sexes exhibition between the two families. Audrey sees it as a great way to show what the women can do, while Jack thinks it's a bad idea.

I liked watching the relationship develop between Jack and Audrey. The chemistry between them is explosive, as are their opposing views of women in rodeo. Seeing them poke at each other while trying to make their points was fun; neither one was willing to give an inch. Both found that despite their antagonism, getting each other out of their minds was impossible. Jack tried telling Audrey that he needed to concentrate on preparing for the rodeo and that they needed to keep things professional rather than personal. That didn't last long, so they decided to see where things would go between them.

The promoters also started pushing a blossoming romance between Jack and Audrey while they tried to keep anything between them private. The more time they spent together, the more their feelings for each other grew. Both try to resist because maintaining relationships on the rodeo circuit is complicated. They also must reconcile their differing opinions on women in rodeo. I liked seeing Jack's prejudices change the more he gets to know Audrey and see how good she is. Things look promising until Audrey overhears a discussion between Jack and his brother Geoff. Jack made a boneheaded comment, leaving Audrey devastated and furious.

It was exciting to see the competition between the two teams during the rodeo. They were evenly matched, and I liked seeing how each event turned out. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the outcome of the rodeo competition, as it seemed as though the announcer had his desired result and wouldn't settle for anything different. All Jack wants is the chance to make things right with Audrey, but he doesn't get the chance. I ached for both and their unhappiness. I laughed when Jack got obscure advice from Winona Cobb. But when he finally figured it out, he found a fantastic way to demonstrate his feelings to Audrey. The ending was terrific, and I loved Jack's bib moment.

I loved Jack's brothers and the close relationship they had. They tease and argue but are there for each other in times of trouble. Audrey's sisters were great too. One urged Audrey to be cautious with her relationship with Jack, while the other two were all for it. But all of them supported her when she needed it. There was also a secondary relationship between Jack's brother Mike and Audrey's sister Corinne. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it.

#netgalley

A good book about two people who appear to be complete opposites but have more in common than they expected. Geoff is a bronc-riding champion from Bronco who makes one of his rare visits home to help with the first Mistletoe Rodeo. Besides riding in it, he is also the face of the rodeo, starring in promotional ads, doing interviews, and generally talking it up. But during his first week in town, he has an accident and lands in the hospital, where he meets Stephanie, one of the nurses.

Stephanie is also a born and bred Bronco resident. She loves her town, her family, and her job. Though she went away for college and has traveled for vacations, Stephanie always comes home. She likes having roots and being near her family and friends.

I loved the first meeting between Geoff and Stephanie. He's a bit out of it because of the pain meds and thinks she's an angel. Though he's in the hospital under an assumed name, Stephanie recognizes him right away and can't help noticing his good looks. She's surprised when he requests her as his nurse, and they spend the day talking about their lives, families, likes, and dislikes. The sparks of attraction are there, too. Geoff spends a fair amount of time figuring out how to spend more time with Stephanie while she reminds herself that he's only in town for a short time.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Geoff and Stephanie. Geoff is honest about not doing relationships because of his commitment to his rodeo career. Stephanie reminds herself that he's only there for a short time. Their times together are sweet, such as when they walk around town looking at the holiday decorations and steamy when the sparks between them become too much to resist. Geoff finds himself thinking about the future when he's with Stephanie, which worries him. That doesn't fit in with his plans. Stephanie also thinks about the future, realizing that she's fallen for him. There are times when she thinks he has feelings for her, but also times when she's sure he doesn't.

There are some rough spots in their growing relationship. Stephanie doesn't like the press and public intrusions into their time together and misinterprets some of the things she sees. But she's not ready to share her feelings with him, so she doesn't talk about how it makes her feel. Geoff has last-minute commitments come up but doesn't communicate their importance to Stephanie, so she's left feeling that she doesn't matter. When a television interview gets too personal, Geoff unconsciously gives the wrong impression about their relationship. The effect on Stephanie is devastating, and Geoff is oblivious until his mom makes him watch the interview and opens his eyes. Geoff finally realizes the truth of his feelings but has to find a way to make her believe.

Geoff's idea was sweet and romantic. It ran into a slight snag because of Stephanie's disinterest in material things, but he recovered well once she would see him. The advent calendar idea was terrific, though it didn't consider his impatience and Stephanie's adherence to tradition. I loved his big moment and seeing him share his feelings in a way that made Stephanie believe in them.

I loved the importance of family to both Geoff and Stephanie. I laughed at the teasing Geoff got from his brothers the night he took her out to dinner and her comment about recognizing their smiles from seeing the same look on her brothers' faces. Even with the teasing, the brothers' support for their siblings is evident in their attitudes and actions. Stephanie is also close to her sisters, and I like the advice and support they gave her. I liked how both Geoff and Stephanie gave credit to their parents for their own independence and attitudes.

Terrific, sweet Christmas story. Hannah moved to Sweet Briar three years earlier to start a new life after finding her fiancé in bed with her sister. That was just a few days before Christmas, and she hasn't enjoyed a holiday season since then. She has a successful boutique selling the clothes she designs and has sold a few dresses to the rich and famous. She's stunned when her ex-fiancé, sister, and mother show up in Sweet Briar, expecting her to design her sister's wedding dress. Besides flat-out refusing, all she wants to do is get them out of town before they embarrass her in front of the whole town.

Russell arrives in Sweet Briar to spend the holidays with his family. He faces some big decisions about his future. After twenty years in the army, a recent injury made him unable to continue his career, and he faces a medical discharge. Russell feels lost without the vocation that has defined him for more than half his life.

I loved the first meeting between Hannah and Russell. He was so eager to reconnect with the woman he met briefly during the summer that he didn't even unpack his bags, just headed straight for her shop. He arrived in time to hear her confrontation with her family and jumps in, pretending to be her boyfriend. Though initially not very appreciative, Hannah quickly realizes the benefits and asks Russell to continue the charade. For reasons of his own, Russell happily accepts her proposal.

I loved seeing Hannah and Russell start as co-conspirators, become friends, and then grow into something more. Russell was a sweetheart, stepping up to help Hannah in her boutique, cooking for her, and standing up for her against her family. I loved his response when Hannah's mother appealed to him for his opinion. There are plenty of sweet scenes between Russell and Hannah, like the winter festival, as they get to know each other. As they grow closer, their walls begin to crumble. After being the stoic soldier for so long, I liked seeing Russell open up to Hannah about his injuries and his confusion over his future. Hannah also opens up to Russell about what caused her lack of Christmas spirit. I enjoyed how Russell tried to revive Hannah's joy in Christmas until he pushed a little too far and too fast.

I ached for both Russell and Hannah at this point. While Russell's intentions were good, Hannah felt blindsided and that he had disregarded her feelings. There were some harsh and hurtful words exchanged that each one quickly regretted. Both had some soul-searching to do, and I enjoyed seeing them each realize why their fight was so painful. I liked Russell's conversation with his parents and how it helped him accept his future and see how much he wanted Hannah to be part of that future. I loved seeing Hannah's self-examination and release of her past. The ending was fantastic. Hannah's big moment was sweet, and I loved the effect on Russell. An epilogue would have been nice, but I have high hopes of seeing them in future books.

The secondary characters were well done. Hannah's mother and sister were well-portrayed as the selfish, insensitive people that they were. I loved seeing Hannah stand up to them every time. The restaurant scene near the end was fantastic, and I loved the support Hannah received from her friends. I liked Russell's family members and the obvious closeness between them. I sort of understood Russell's desire to work through his issues without them, but I think he underestimated them, too. I need to go back and read his brother's and sister's stories.

Good book. Daniel is a wealthy rancher who plans to turn part of his horse ranch into a dude ranch. As a newcomer to Bronco, and a horse rancher in cattle country, he feels that he's looked at with suspicion by the locals. To get his neighbors on board with his plans, Daniel wants to hold a dinner where he can explain his goals. To do that, he needs a top-notch event planner. The ones he's hired so far haven't met his needs. He decides to try a local company and see if they can do better.

Brittany, who made appearances in the first two books of the series, In Search of the Long-Lost Maverick and The Cowboy's Comeback, wants this job very much. If she does well, she has a chance for a much larger event. She is focused on her career and her plans to have her own event-planning business in the future. She's excited when she has a chance to pitch her ideas to Daniel.

I loved their first meeting. Daniel is brusque and skeptical of her abilities, and Brittany is determined to show him what she can do. The way she stood up to him and didn't allow him to blow her off was terrific and got his attention. There were also sparks of attraction that neither could deny, though both tried to resist. Daniel has more than enough on his plate between his business and caring for the niece he inherited from his deceased sister. Brittany is focused on her career and wants neither husband nor child. As the oldest in her family, she spent a lot of time caring for her siblings and doesn't intend to do it again.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Daniel and Brittany. Brittany was surprised by Daniel's revelation of Hailey's existence and Daniel's vehement desire to keep her presence secret. Their confrontation over the matter was intense. Brittany was there filling Daniel in on his dinner event when he received news that Hailey's grandparents planned to sue for custody. Desperate not to lose her, Daniel proposed a marriage of convenience to Brittany to improve his chances of winning custody. Though resistant at first, Brittany quickly came to love the little girl and agreed to Daniel's proposal.

I loved watching Daniel and Brittany spend time together, with and without Hailey. It wasn't long before their fake marriage began to feel all too real. There were some sweet scenes of them as a family, and it was easy to see that the feelings between Daniel and Brittany grew. Neither realized what was happening between them until the visit from the social worker brought it into focus. I ached for them both as they avoided confessing their feelings and hid behind their agreement rather than risk rejection. Daniel and his friend's conversation gave him the push he needed to go after Brittany and tell her the truth. The ending was great as both Daniel and Brittany realized they could have the future they both wanted.

My only disappointment was that there wasn't much time devoted to the ongoing search for Beatrix. Hopefully, there will be more progress in the next book.

A sweet, gentle, small town friends-to-lovers romance and a good introduction to the HQN SE line. I enjoyed this story for the most part: I liked the leads (Lex and Joni), the town (Sweet Briar), and the secondary characters on the canvas. It has a very cozy feel, and bonus points for the scene on the cover actually appearing in the story!

But. But, but, but. The story fell short (for me) only because it revolved around a Big Misunderstanding that could've been resolved if Lex and Joni had simply stopped assuming, opened their mouths, and explained their feelings to each other. They have a nice friendship/camaraderie. Joni was attending a wedding with her former sorority sisters and her ex-fiance, so she asked BFF Lex to pose as her boyfriend. They played pretend so well that they ended up going to bed together, only for him to ruin it the next morning when he spent a great deal of time apologizing for it and asking her to pretend it didn't happen. From this, each assume that the other regretted their evening. And, this being Harlequin, of course she becomes pregnant. Lex wants to take care of her and the baby and actually proposes a marriage of convenience for the baby's sake, which Joni rejects (and rightfully so). Joni assumes that Lex knows she won't settle for a loveless marriage, whereas Lex assumes that she'll eventually come around to see his logic. It got tiresome after awhile, reading all their inner monologues where they were each so sure of what the other was feeling without bothering to ask. SIGH.

Even with these niggles, this is a very pleasant, low-angst, character-driven book, and it is a very sweet read. Ms. Douglass is a good writer, and I'm definitely trying her again - in fact, I have another book in this series. If you want to escape to a cozy small town and interact with its residents, then this is definitely a series that will do that. I'm looking forward to another visit to Sweet Briar!