Dreaming of a Christmas Cowboy - Brenda Harlen (HSE #2875 - Dec 2021)

Series: Montana Mavericks: Real Cowboys of Bronco Heights (Book 6)

Penning happy endings for everyone
…except herself!
 
In the Christmas play she wrote and will soon star in, Susanna Henry gets the guy. In real life, however, all-grown-up Susanna is no closer to hooking up with hardworking rancher Dean Abernathy than she was at seventeen. When a sudden snowstorm strands them together overnight in a deserted theater, though, will Susanna finally get the chance to show her longtime crush they can rewrite their story?
 
Good friends to lovers story. Susanna and Dean have been friends for a long time. Unfortunately for Susanna, she has also been in love with him since she was seventeen. Dean, however, is oblivious to her feelings and sees her more like a little sister. That all begins to change the night of the town tree-lighting.
 
Seeing Susanna with her co-star in the Christmas play she wrote, Dean suddenly realizes she's no longer the high school senior he comforted when her boyfriend dumped her. I laughed at his reactions to other men paying attention to her, including his brothers. He tries hard to convince himself that he's just looking out for her, not that he's interested in her. That gets harder as he sees the interest she draws, and his brothers rub it in. Dean's refusal to see her as a grown woman frustrates Susanna. Instead of her crush on him going away as she got older, her feelings grew stronger thanks to her job as office manager for Abernathy Meats, where she sees him every day.
 
Dean's efforts to keep Susanna in the friend zone take a hit the night a blizzard hits Bronco. Susanna was the last to leave the theater after rehearsal, and when she had car trouble, she returned to the theater to wait out the storm. When Dean shows up to rescue her, he ends up stranded also. The forced proximity to each other heightens their awareness, and they use an age-old technique to stay warm. While Susanna sees this as a possible breakthrough, Dean's reaction shows regret and an intent to pretend it didn't happen.
 
I ached for Susanna, whose love for Dean was augmented by their night together. His return to friends only hurt and made her question her hopefulness. I wanted to shake Dean because of his stubborn refusal to accept his feelings. I loved how his brothers did what they could to show him the truth in a fun scene that used everything but a baseball bat to beat him with the truth. I understood Susanna's need to put distance between them if she would find a way to move on without him. Dean's "aha" moment was pretty funny, as he realized that he would need to do something special to make up for his idiocy. I loved where he went for advice. He was sweetly awkward when he finally had his big moment, making it even more emotional. I laughed out loud at his family's reactions. The epilogue was terrific, with a fun little twist involving a puppy.

A Kiss at the Mistletoe Rodeo - Kathy Douglass (HSE #2870 - Nov 2021)

Series: Montana Mavericks: The Real Cowboys of Bronco Heights (Book 5)

"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.