"One little kiss won't hurt anything."
Rodeo superstar Geoff Burris is adored by legions of
female fans, but life on the road makes him shun commitment. During a rare
hometown visit to Bronco for a holiday competition, he's sidelined by an injury
-- and meets Stephanie Brandt. She's a local nurse who is not dazzled by his
fame -- and prefers to keep out of the spotlight! Geoff is captivated by the
no-nonsense introvert. He'd never planned to put down roots, but when Stephanie
is in his arms, all this cowboy can think about is forever…
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.
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