What do you think?
Rate this book
Harker Brothers Ranch #0.5
A Bent Creek Christmas
Her secret high school crush is back in town for Christmas--and he wants the one thing she'll never give him.
Gabe Creason never intended to return to Bent Creek, Montana, where his family lost everything. But when his job forces him there—and worse, pits him against Marybeth Noble, daughter of his family’s worst enemy, the girl he secretly loved in high school, and the owner of a beloved Christmas shop—he finds something he never knew he wanted.
Home.
Can two foes find love and reunite a broken family, or will dangers from the past and the present keep them apart?
A Bent Creek Christmas is the prequel novella to the Harker Brothers Ranch series.
Come home to Bent Creek . . . A small town in Montana where everyone knows everyone, and secrets live in the shadows of the mountains. One by one, the Harker brothers return home to reclaim their ranch, face their family's past troubles with the Nobles, and find love. If you love cowboys, Yellowstone-style family drama, small western towns filled with secrets, and sweet romance with a touch of suspense, this book is for you!
Gabe Creason never intended to return to Bent Creek, Montana, where his family lost everything. But when his job forces him there—and worse, pits him against Marybeth Noble, daughter of his family’s worst enemy, the girl he secretly loved in high school, and the owner of a beloved Christmas shop—he finds something he never knew he wanted.
Home.
Can two foes find love and reunite a broken family, or will dangers from the past and the present keep them apart?
A Bent Creek Christmas is the prequel novella to the Harker Brothers Ranch series.
Come home to Bent Creek . . . A small town in Montana where everyone knows everyone, and secrets live in the shadows of the mountains. One by one, the Harker brothers return home to reclaim their ranch, face their family's past troubles with the Nobles, and find love. If you love cowboys, Yellowstone-style family drama, small western towns filled with secrets, and sweet romance with a touch of suspense, this book is for you!
97 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 17, 2023
173 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 23, 2025
uplifting and heartwarming Christmas book, short, sweet and heavenly romantic.
Her secret high school crush is back in town for Christmas--and he wants the one thing she'll never give him.
Gabe Creason never intended to return to Bent Creek, Montana, where his family lost everything. But when his job forces him there—and worse, pits him against Marybeth Noble, daughter of his family’s worst enemy, the girl he secretly loved in high school, and the owner of a beloved Christmas shop—he finds something he never knew he wanted.
Now i definitely need to read the rest of the series.
if strong women who bring strong men to their knees begging for more, is your thing then this closed door romance is for you.
Kerry Kennedy Author
Her secret high school crush is back in town for Christmas--and he wants the one thing she'll never give him.
Gabe Creason never intended to return to Bent Creek, Montana, where his family lost everything. But when his job forces him there—and worse, pits him against Marybeth Noble, daughter of his family’s worst enemy, the girl he secretly loved in high school, and the owner of a beloved Christmas shop—he finds something he never knew he wanted.
Now i definitely need to read the rest of the series.
if strong women who bring strong men to their knees begging for more, is your thing then this closed door romance is for you.
Kerry Kennedy Author
March 17, 2025
Gabe and mart
Gabe and Marybeth liked each other when they were younger. After Gabe left town he went to Chicago. Now he is back to get Marybeth to do something she never wants to do. He has to proceed with caution. But he may show her how he really feels about her in the process
Gabe and Marybeth liked each other when they were younger. After Gabe left town he went to Chicago. Now he is back to get Marybeth to do something she never wants to do. He has to proceed with caution. But he may show her how he really feels about her in the process
January 2, 2026
Should have finished reading this days ago. But it’s stuck — frozen in my phones kindle app. So I broke out my kindle to get it done.
This is a short prequel to the looks like trilogy of the Bent Creek ranch. This was a good story about lost love and a sad family history for the MMC Gabe.
The synopsis explains better than I can right now. So I won’t try to rewrite it. It was a good story and a promise of more to come. I’m sure this was a free download but until I can get it to open on my phone can’t confirm it. Did not affect my honest review
This is a short prequel to the looks like trilogy of the Bent Creek ranch. This was a good story about lost love and a sad family history for the MMC Gabe.
The synopsis explains better than I can right now. So I won’t try to rewrite it. It was a good story and a promise of more to come. I’m sure this was a free download but until I can get it to open on my phone can’t confirm it. Did not affect my honest review
March 26, 2025
A few things I liked right from the start include--
1. The realization this could've been the first grumpy/sunshine romance novel I wouldn't cry over as I've done with every other grumpy/sunshine love story I’ve read in the past (I won't tell you yet if I cried or not!)
2. The Romeo and Juliet vibes of Marybeth and Gabe and their families' chaotic connections with each other; how despite their families at war in their small western hometown, they're still in love (why are forbidden love stories always so achingly beautiful to read about; and jovially celebrate over when there's a guaranteed HEA?)
3. I appreciated how Gabe sought to prove to Marybeth that he was indeed not a Hallmark movie villain, as she referred to him as (I won't give any spoilers, but the scene was so cute!)
I didn't have a favorite character, but I loved the way the characters interacted with each other, other than Mary’s overprotective brother. I could see the characters as real people, and I knew the second Marybeth decorated another tree in her shop, my mom and her would be best friends!
I didn't have a favorite part in reading this novel, but I loved the feeling I got the whole time I read this in less than an hour. The feeling was hard to explain, but the closest I could detail would be a happy teenager on Christmas Day sort of feeling; I still had the holiday cheer of a child but had the understanding of an adult, so... how my mom feels at Christmas every year, I guess, but not on her level of love-for-Christmas because I doubt anyone could beat her at that, ha-ha!
There wasn't much about this holiday fiction novel I disliked, but I felt bad for Gabe after he proved to Marybeth just how much a "Scrooge" he really was/grew into as he got older since their days in high school. Marybeth's thoughts about Gabe being past all hope to return to the boy he'd once been bothered me, but I didn't cry!
This novel was an easygoing page-turner, and I hope that makes sense...? It’s less than 100 pages, but its shortness doesn't detract from the overall quality of the plot, which I appreciated. I could feel the characters' loyalty to each other through the pages, understand their dedication to a place so meaningful to them all, and I loved and respected the hope they all had for the future despite not always having a guarantee of a happy ending. It felt real to me even though this is fictional.
This prequel novella of a western romance series with a Christmastime theme pulled out all the literary hugs in every single way; a literary embrace while you're a reader crying over heartbreak, a literary embrace while you're cheering over Marybeth and Gabe simply hugging, and a literary embrace while you’re holding your breath without knowledge of how the story will end but that hug also promising a wait, "it gets better!" Dare I say this novella is now a new favorite Christmas-themed story? I won't forget this prequel novella anytime soon, and now I want to read the rest of the series in full! Catie Cahill, give me everything you've written because I want to devour it all!
1. The realization this could've been the first grumpy/sunshine romance novel I wouldn't cry over as I've done with every other grumpy/sunshine love story I’ve read in the past (I won't tell you yet if I cried or not!)
2. The Romeo and Juliet vibes of Marybeth and Gabe and their families' chaotic connections with each other; how despite their families at war in their small western hometown, they're still in love (why are forbidden love stories always so achingly beautiful to read about; and jovially celebrate over when there's a guaranteed HEA?)
3. I appreciated how Gabe sought to prove to Marybeth that he was indeed not a Hallmark movie villain, as she referred to him as (I won't give any spoilers, but the scene was so cute!)
I didn't have a favorite character, but I loved the way the characters interacted with each other, other than Mary’s overprotective brother. I could see the characters as real people, and I knew the second Marybeth decorated another tree in her shop, my mom and her would be best friends!
I didn't have a favorite part in reading this novel, but I loved the feeling I got the whole time I read this in less than an hour. The feeling was hard to explain, but the closest I could detail would be a happy teenager on Christmas Day sort of feeling; I still had the holiday cheer of a child but had the understanding of an adult, so... how my mom feels at Christmas every year, I guess, but not on her level of love-for-Christmas because I doubt anyone could beat her at that, ha-ha!
There wasn't much about this holiday fiction novel I disliked, but I felt bad for Gabe after he proved to Marybeth just how much a "Scrooge" he really was/grew into as he got older since their days in high school. Marybeth's thoughts about Gabe being past all hope to return to the boy he'd once been bothered me, but I didn't cry!
This novel was an easygoing page-turner, and I hope that makes sense...? It’s less than 100 pages, but its shortness doesn't detract from the overall quality of the plot, which I appreciated. I could feel the characters' loyalty to each other through the pages, understand their dedication to a place so meaningful to them all, and I loved and respected the hope they all had for the future despite not always having a guarantee of a happy ending. It felt real to me even though this is fictional.
This prequel novella of a western romance series with a Christmastime theme pulled out all the literary hugs in every single way; a literary embrace while you're a reader crying over heartbreak, a literary embrace while you're cheering over Marybeth and Gabe simply hugging, and a literary embrace while you’re holding your breath without knowledge of how the story will end but that hug also promising a wait, "it gets better!" Dare I say this novella is now a new favorite Christmas-themed story? I won't forget this prequel novella anytime soon, and now I want to read the rest of the series in full! Catie Cahill, give me everything you've written because I want to devour it all!
December 26, 2024
I read this super cute cowboy romance novella. I absolutely loved this story and I went to order the first book in the series. I am so excited to continue reading this series. Marybeth has a Christmas shop in the small town of Bent Creek. Business is slower this year after big corporations took over the ski resorts nearby so not as many people come visit Bent Creek. She’s refusing to sign her shop over to a big company based out of Chicago.
Gabe left Bent Creek as soon as he could and moved to Chicago. After what happened with his family, he didn’t want anything to do with his hometown. The only problem is, his work is making him go get a signature from the shop they’re trying to buy. He’s hoping to get the signature and leave before anyone in his small town sees him especially Marybeth. Her family is the whole reason why he left and his family lost everything they had.
Gabe left Bent Creek as soon as he could and moved to Chicago. After what happened with his family, he didn’t want anything to do with his hometown. The only problem is, his work is making him go get a signature from the shop they’re trying to buy. He’s hoping to get the signature and leave before anyone in his small town sees him especially Marybeth. Her family is the whole reason why he left and his family lost everything they had.
January 1, 2025
This book is not at all what I expected - a cute romance story happening during Christmas. Instead, I read a short story that seems to function as a prequel to a book series. The plot of A Bent Creek Christmas is full of plot holes, not realistic and highly rushed. I did not feel for the characters at all, the story also is not very interesting. The only positive feedback I have on this book is the author's nice writing style. However, even if I were reviewing the book as a prequel, it would not engage me to read the rest of the series at all.
December 17, 2024
Great story of coming home
Gabe is being forced to return to Bent Creek, where he grew up, and to get Marybeth to sign paperwork selling her store. From the minute Gabe sees Marybeth, he knows he can't force her to sell. Not only that but he wants to get to know her. Marybeth finds herself drawn to Gabe and her crush returns. Do these two have a chance for more with their shared past and present
Gabe is being forced to return to Bent Creek, where he grew up, and to get Marybeth to sign paperwork selling her store. From the minute Gabe sees Marybeth, he knows he can't force her to sell. Not only that but he wants to get to know her. Marybeth finds herself drawn to Gabe and her crush returns. Do these two have a chance for more with their shared past and present
April 3, 2025
Healing the Past for a Happy Future -
This was such a nice, well written romance story, which was emotionally charged with family drama, tension and witty banter, that culminated in an endearing and entertaining page turner. The story really flowed nicely and had me hooked from the beginning until the end. I am so happy I took the time to read this book and I will be very happy to recommend it.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a nice, well written romance story, which was emotionally charged with family drama, tension and witty banter, that culminated in an endearing and entertaining page turner. The story really flowed nicely and had me hooked from the beginning until the end. I am so happy I took the time to read this book and I will be very happy to recommend it.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 7, 2025
A very short and sweet novella with only kisses but a lot of drama.
I just finished The Bent Creek Wedding, book 3 of this series and I enjoyed this one more. Made somethings clearer than in book 3. I would definitely start with this one and then book 1 because I was lost on the backstory.
Clean, with only kisses, HEA, nice set up for the next story. I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you extra tidbits to decide whether to purchase. (ljb)
I just finished The Bent Creek Wedding, book 3 of this series and I enjoyed this one more. Made somethings clearer than in book 3. I would definitely start with this one and then book 1 because I was lost on the backstory.
Clean, with only kisses, HEA, nice set up for the next story. I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you extra tidbits to decide whether to purchase. (ljb)
December 12, 2025
I’m rating based off what I’m believing about the author’s skill and not the book itself.
It did its job of setting up the town and characters and making you want to read more. But I am just not a novella fan. Too much happening in too little space making it unrealistic.
But I believe this author is really gifted at story telling and I can’t wait to read the others in this series.
It did its job of setting up the town and characters and making you want to read more. But I am just not a novella fan. Too much happening in too little space making it unrealistic.
But I believe this author is really gifted at story telling and I can’t wait to read the others in this series.
November 3, 2023
Wonderful story! The cast of Characters is such a treat! This Author weaves a story to bring you out of the past and into present day! You will enjoy this book and will also want to read the rest in the series! I highly recommend it!
December 13, 2023
Great read!
I enjoy used reading this book! It brought memories back to me about living in a small town again! Definitely would recommend this book! Can't wait to get started on the next book!
I enjoy used reading this book! It brought memories back to me about living in a small town again! Definitely would recommend this book! Can't wait to get started on the next book!
December 20, 2024
Enjoyable small town Christmas read! A little Romeo & Juliet, and second chance. After Gabe's family is forced out of town years ago by Marybeth's family, he's back and employed by the company looking to buy Marybeth's business. What can go wrong?! You should read it and find out!!
December 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This novella was really cute and sweet! No big issues with it except for the epilogue leading towards the next book instead of actually closing anything out with these characters.
“And I can go anywhere I want, anywhere I want, just not home.” ❤️🩹
This novella was really cute and sweet! No big issues with it except for the epilogue leading towards the next book instead of actually closing anything out with these characters.
“And I can go anywhere I want, anywhere I want, just not home.” ❤️🩹
January 2, 2025
A Bent Creek Christmas (Harker Brothers Ranch #0.5) by Catie Cahill – Nothing can end a family feud like coming home for Christmas to convince people to sell their small-town charm to a big city firm! A sweet, small town holiday novella! Happy Holiday Reading!
April 5, 2025
Oooooooooh.... Interesting!
Well, this was sure enough to draw you into the series! Modern day Romeo and Juliet . At least these two didn't take the stupid way out. Now to see what the rest of the brothers do!
Well, this was sure enough to draw you into the series! Modern day Romeo and Juliet . At least these two didn't take the stupid way out. Now to see what the rest of the brothers do!
November 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. This is the first book by this author that I have read and I enjoyed it so much that I purchased the rest of the series. I am reading a Second Chance In Bent Creek now. I can’t wait to find out the other characters stories. Great job by this author.
November 11, 2024
Loved it! I am such a sucker for a small town romance
November 23, 2024
A second chance
Cutie wrote a wonderful book about finding happiness and second chances.. it was how family lost their ranch but one of the sons was wiling to buy it
Back.
Cutie wrote a wonderful book about finding happiness and second chances.. it was how family lost their ranch but one of the sons was wiling to buy it
Back.
December 1, 2024
A great series that I look forward to reading. Very nice love story in a small town.
December 17, 2024
I loved this small town romance book! Gabe was a strong character returning to a home he wasn’t sure he was wanted at. But Marybeth helps open his eyes to a few things during the holiday season.
December 20, 2024
Not a stand-alone, but a part of an unfinished story intended to encourage purchase of additional books in the series-no thanks. Enough of s he storyline is already too unrealistic
December 23, 2024
What?!
I need more! I need it all! This
was a tease and I want the rest of their story!!! Wowzah and RUDE! I demand more!
[Quietly plots ways to get more books!]
I need more! I need it all! This
was a tease and I want the rest of their story!!! Wowzah and RUDE! I demand more!
[Quietly plots ways to get more books!]
December 27, 2024
Not a standalone, just a prequel novella to sell the rest of the series. Meh.
December 30, 2024
great fast read
Love the small town feeling. It's like a hallmark Christmas. Finished in just a couple of hours. Leaves you wanting to know more.
Love the small town feeling. It's like a hallmark Christmas. Finished in just a couple of hours. Leaves you wanting to know more.
January 6, 2025
Not enough
Loved the book, but was disappointed that there was really no end! Need to but more books.😕 I'll have to see.
Loved the book, but was disappointed that there was really no end! Need to but more books.😕 I'll have to see.
February 5, 2025
Quick read, but took me forever to get through. I would lose interest but finally was able to pick it up again. Happy Reading!
February 12, 2025
A heart-warming Christmas short story and the start of a series.
February 13, 2025
MORE MORE MORE GIMME GIMME GAHHH I WANT MORE GABE AND MARYBETH
Want to read
September 4, 2025Purchased in epub format from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews