Christmas at Copper Mountain

Taming of the Sheenans #1

by Jane Porter

Since the loss of her family in a plane crash, Harley Diekerhoff has led a quiet life and keeps to herself. Taking the temporary job at the Copper Mountain Ranch as widower Brock Sheenan’s housekeeper seems perfect for her. But her calm cocoon is invaded with the arrival of Brock’s pre-teen twins, Mack and Molly who’ve never experienced a proper Christmas and before she knows it, Harley’s determined to make their holiday perfect.

Annoyed at first by Harley’s interference, Brock is secretly pleased she’s changed Mack and Molly’s world. It doesn’t hurt that he finds Harley incredibly attractive, fierce, smart and passionate. It’s also an added bonus that she’s not afraid to challenge him and get his blood heated! But when sparks fly and the attractions sizzles between them, Harley’s not so sure she can handle something permanent with this dark, taciturn cowboy who doesn’t know how to let her in. But Brock is determined to hold on to her and praying for a Christmas miracle…

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Holiday, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2013

About the author

Born in Visalia, California, I'm a small town girl at heart. I love central California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of farmland. In my mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.

As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.

My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).

I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.

After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.

I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.

Reviews

[♡Karlyn P♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Really good! I challenge anyone to read this and not cry happy tears at the end. Whew! Sniff, sniff. For such a short read and fast romance, it sold me by the end.

Brock hires Harley as a temporary housekeeper & cook for his Montana ranch, but he didn't expect someone like her. Both Brock and Harley are widowed, and both have had a hard time adapting and moving on. When his 11 year old twins come home for Christmas from boarding school, they remind Harley of the children she lost in a terrible accident three years earlier.

While the premise of the story might sound depressing, it is anything but. The story focused on these two enjoying life in the here and now, opening their hearts, and believing in hope once again. It is a clean romance with fade to black love scenes, but it has a lot of heart and passion despite not showing any love making.

I don't consider this a religious themed story, which I rarely read, but there is a sweet inspirational aspect of this story toward the end. Honestly, it is part of what tugged at my heart, and spoke to the magic of believing in love once again.

Overall, a surprisingly good Christmas romance.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was waiting for the EuroMillions result (spoiler alert: I didn't win a penny of that £169 million jackpot, booooo) while simultaneous browsing the free Kindle books section. I came across this one, it was short, it was free and I was bored so I bought it.

"He didn’t want a stunning thirty-four-year-old with hauntingly high cheekbones and eyebrows that arched and turned into wings."




"The truth was, Brock Sheenan looked like a pirate, and never more so than now, with tiny snowflakes clinging to his wild hair and shadowed jaw."

I also associate snow covered hot guys with vikings, lumberjacks, Justin Trudeau, pirates.


Then again, I should have lowered my standards the moment I saw the heroine's last name. Harley Diekerhoff. The author clearly had it in for her and it came as no surprise that she had a tragic past.

Harley lost her entire family three years prior to the beginning of the book. By family, I mean husband and three kids, her eldest being 11. To me this spelled trouble as I was uncomfortable with the idea that someone with that level of tragedy behind them would be able to find love with someone new and adopt his two 11 year old twins so soon after. Especially in a 150-page novella. If this was a well written, 700 page epic with plenty of character development and bonding -- maybe. But it just came across as cheap, especially because the balance between grieving and sexy thoughts about Brock was nonexistent. I mean, their first kiss was straight after she told him her family died and suddenly they were making out with tears on her face....?

List of Aphrodisiacs:
Oysters
Chili peppers
Chocolate
Bananas
Honey

Coffee
Avocado



As for the hero, there was a scene where he was pleasantly surprised that Harley let her pie crust burn in the oven because she ran to help his daughter who headbutted an axe and was in the process of bleeding out from a head wound. Whether he had REALLY low expectations of people or just really loved pie, I'll never know because I lost interest in the story pretty soon after :p


2 stars

[Melindam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little audiobook -included for free iny my Audible subscription- passed my litmus test for romantic Christmas fiction: it did not bring out the Grinch in me and my suspending-disbelief-muscles did not have to work that hard.

*Throws Christmas Tinsel in the air*

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got a bit 'preachy' towards the end ... 'tis the season and all that, I suppose. I've not been happy with my reading this year; haven't read a lot and was disappointed in quite a few of the books that I did read. Will have to lower my challenge for next year ... might fit one or two more in before the 31st.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable Grumpy Hero and Wonderful Heroine, cried my eyes out!

Review of the book

The hero (Brock) is a widow and owns a ranch in cold Montana. Harley is also a widow that lost her husband and three kids to a plane crash. She goes to his ranch to work as a temporary housekeeper (to cook and do laundry for him and his workers) specifically to avoid spending Christmas with her family and around the family kids, because it is too painful for her.
When his two pre-teen kids arrive at the ranch, Harley finds out Brock is too hard on them and that they miss terribly their mom.
The romance between them is beautiful and intense and the Christmas Spirit is wonderful.
The book is quite short but so emotional. I cried my eyes out and I will surely hug my kids tied when they wake up tomorrow morning.

Review of the audiobook

The narration was not great, but it was ok.

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two broken people come together in a silent Christmas. With the help of our hero’s twin preteens our hero and heroine start to heal.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas At Copper Mountain; is the first book in the taming of the Sheennen’s romance series by Jane Porter, the book is about the oldest Sheennen brother Brock, who lives on his ranch with his cow hands and his two children who are as of now away in boarding school. When his regular housekeeper goes on leave he’s forced to hire a new housekeeper and this is how Harley Vanderhoff comes to copper Mountain Ranch. they both have lost spouses but Harley along with her husband Dave lost her three children as well and has no idea Brock even has twins. In the beginning they tiptoe around each other and then Molly and Mack run away from boarding school back home to Copper Mountain. for the still grieving Harley this is the game changer because the whole reason she left California was to not be around her siblings and their children while still grieving her own. So when the twins show up, Brock is still out looking for a lost cat while his own loss calves were home with Harley Harley wants to get out of the housekeeping job now that there’s children involved but soon her heart will be involved as well. He doesn’t like Christmas fun good times joy etc but it seems longer Harley is around the more it begins to grow on him not to mention she also influences his relationship with his children and it’s all for the better. The call hand even want Harley to stay because his regular housekeeper is also a no-frills lady who does her job and that’s it. Can Harley mend her own broken heart by teaching the rancher and his kids how to be a loving family. I’m going to be honest and say the first time they kissed I put the book down and didn’t want to pick it up again because that really went from 0 to 1,000,000 quite quickly but I did pick it up because I loved Mac and Molly so much and wanted to see them get their happy ending and I wasn’t disappointed I was also by the end really into Harley and Brock getting together I just found it got quite crazy really quickly. Having said that however this is still a good book I bypassed the sex scene but if you’re into that then you will probably enjoy this book even more than I did. I am definitely going to read the second book that I found is already out and I can’t wait to get into it. I think the author had some really likable characters especially as I said the twins but Harley as well, as far as Brock goes I felt as if I really couldn’t get a handle on his thinking or him as a person but either way the twins were seen Steelers and that helped a lot. #BookSprout, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter
Love this book and feel so bad for Harley who's trying her best to move on. She'd lost her spouse and three children in a plane crash and it's been several years. She takes a job at a ranch to keep busy during the holidays and not think about fun and festivities she had shared with her family.
There are the men in the bunkhouse who she cooks for, and does their laundry, also Brock, the owner of the ranch. She does well to keep busy with the big house and 4 bedrooms along with the meals. She's concerned when he leaves one night o find a missing calf and it's during a winter blizzard. Hired hands also show her love for what she's done for them throughout her stay there.
Brock is a hard shell to crack and keeps rules because it means order and no fun or clutter.
What's more is the twin children of his show up and she had no idea he even had kids or they'd be there. Now she has to leave, she can't be near children and festivities.
She can't leave for at least a week so they make cookie cutters and then the sugar cookies. When Brock shows up for dinner he sees the happy faces on the children. Then the kids get hurt with snowballs and there is blood.... Harley really fits in with whole ranch scene. A medical emergency sets them into a different way of thinking: Amy his spouse had died and is taking care of her kids in heaven. She sent Harley there to take care of the children.
Faith, hope, grace and miracles can happen... love outside even when it explodes with color.
Romantic, heartache, holidays theme and everyday ranch life during the holidays.
Can't wait to read more from the author.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing via Booksprout and this is my honest opinion.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...

CHRISTMAS AT COPPER MOUNTAIN Holds Surprises

Disclosure: Purchased/Kindle Freebie

In the very last part of this book, we start to hear ” God:” God sent her to be here, Faith, God, Heaven. Of course this is immediately after a sex scene. This felt to me like some sort of trick, or attempt to appease people who would be upset by the inclusion of sex when they were expecting a Christian story, or vice versa. At least it represents Christians as very human individuals who do have sex outside marriage and are not all goody-two-shoes. The story is sold under the romance and women’s fiction genres.

I was immediately grabbed by the predicament in which the temporary housekeeper finds herself: a widow who also lost her three children. I can’t imagine how anyone would go on. So she’s a very sympathetic character. The ranch hands are friendly and welcoming — like family. I enjoyed reading about her tasks and the things she made for the ranch hands.

It’s the ranch owner for whom it’s hard to have a lot of sympathetic feelings. He reminds me of the father of A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN; determined that if he ignores the holiday grief and unwelcome emotions will be held in check. There’s a real reason for a turnaround in his feelings and behavior, but the escalation of the relationship is really, really sudden. In novellas, and short stories something has to be sacrificed for length, and here it is relationship development.

It’s engrossing, and enjoyable. But, that emphasis on God at the end felt off. Of course I am very religion sensitive; others may not be bugged by it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two lively,wayward kids force dialogue between the by hot housekeeper and the sexy cowboy lifting regimented parenting style. This paves way for two grieving people reignite a spark thought extinguished when their loved ones died.

Kinda quick from grief sticken to insta-love & not really fond of the God's plan thing.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me cry, which is a very rare thing. Often the entire year will go by without a book making me cry. This story is so wonderful, heart-warming and emotional, I couldn't help but shed a few tears.

A wonderful Christmas story. A wonderful anytime story.

[Nicola Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

So much emotion packed into the shorter word count.

Two hurting, flawed characters come together at Christmas.
Just lovely.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable Grumpy Hero and Wonderful Heroine, cried my eyes out!

The hero (Brock) is a widow and owns a ranch in cold Montana. Harley is also a widow that lost her husband and three kids to a plane crash. She goes to his ranch to work as a temporary housekeeper (to cook and do laundry for him and his workers) specifically to avoid spending Christmas with her family and around the family kids, because it is too painful for her.
When his two pre-teen kids arrive at the ranch, Harley finds out Brock is too hard on them and that they miss terribly their mom.
The romance between them is beautiful and intense and the Christmas Spirit is wonderful.
The book is quite short but so emotional. I cried my eyes out and I will surely hug my kids tied when they wake up tomorrow morning.

[Shelley Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! It was exactly what I wanted from a Christmas story and what I hope for in a romance novel. Christmas at Copper Mountain was romantic and sweet, and just steamy enough without making me feel like a voyeur. It was moving and tender, but also a quick and easy read, the perfect reading escape. The relationship was realistic enough that it didn’t seem silly or contrived. The love story was magical, yes, but also believable in a truly hopefully romantic sort of way. I enjoyed the rugged, wintery mountains of Montana setting and I liked all of the characters. I eagerly look forward to continuing on with this series, The Taming of the Sheenans, and reading whatever else Jane Porter puts out.

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the type of romance that I like best, with a couple who seem to not get along but develop an unexpected emotional connection. The character development was great. The backstory for each of the leads grew organically as the information was needed to explain behavior and emotional responses. The physical love was handled by fading to off screen, which works for me. I thought the secondary characters all played their parts in moving this story forward while building a setting for future related stories. It was an enjoyable read and I hope to spend more time in this author's world.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Big yikes. This novella is only 4 hours long and I have only 30 minutes left, but I'm cutting out early. I feel nothing for this couple, and I'm bugged at the explicit content when they hardly know each other. They met a week ago when he hired her as his employee, started to converse (minimally) a couple days ago, and when she starts to cry as she shares her tragic backstory and reason for her deep grief (one of the first meaningful conversations they have had), he kisses her (what the-?) which morphs into fondling her (what the what?) before they get interrupted. Completely out of the blue and super inappropriate, especially given the circumstances. It was also particularly irritating because they truly hardly even know each other and I don't like reading about premarital sexuality in the first place, and even less if it's casual/between strangers with no commitment whatsoever. The author kept using the word "lust" in his mind, and that's a big turnoff for me, too. Besides, how completely random that they go from hardly talking to heavy petting! Since there was only an hour left I thought I'd finish it, but then they kiss again and she's noticing his erection, and I'm just, no.

I saw some reviewers mention that it had religious themes, and I didn't notice any of that. Maybe it was a word about God's plan in the last chapter or something?

I liked the two 11-year olds in the story. So there's that.

Content:
Language - only a few damns I think.
Sex - Heavy petting (see spoiler I hid in paragraph above) and, while I didn't get far enough in the book to read about it, another reviewer said there is a fade-to-black sex scene.
Violence - none
Audiobook narrator - I didn't like the voice the narrator used for the male lead.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

3.5 hearts



Kindle freebie on April 1, 2016  (currently $2.99 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and in Audible Plus as of writing this post)

I really enjoyed this story set in Montana on a big ranch.  We get some of each of the main character's point of view.  Harley is a hard-working woman who enjoys the work and the solitude on the ranch.  I can believe this sort of method to help her relax and heal without people talking about the causes of her grief.  I loved hearing about her cooking!

Brock was less easy to understand. He also had grief but his attitudes and character were more cliche.  His children were awesome but also not quite realistic.    On that train of thought, the fact the whole story happens in less than two weeks was too fast.    But it was fun to read and had a lovely HEA.

#HoHoHoRAT2022 @angels_gp

[Patrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming holiday story about two relative strangers that are both still dealing with grief. Harley Diekerhoff has been mourning the loss of her husband and 3 children for 3 years. This year she decided she couldn’t handle being around her well-meaning family at Christmas; so she takes a temporary job as a housekeeper on a cattle ranch outside Marietta, Montana; far away from her California home. She is enjoying the solitude and demanding job of keeping the rancher and his hands well fed and clean. Until she finds out that the rancher has children.
Brock Sheehan, admires the work his current housekeeper is doing and how much the hands are enjoying her cooking. Unfortunately, had he known how young and pretty his temporary housekeeper was going to be, he would have told the employment agency to find him someone else. He’d been on his own for quite a while and had never been tempted by anyone. Harley was testing his resolve.
Can two lost souls find and heal each other during the Christmas season and maybe, have a Christmas miracle?

[January · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter
Taming of the Sheenans #1
Copper Mountain Christmas #4
4h narrated by Loretta Rawlins, 158 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas; Western Romance

Featuring: Montana, Widow & Widower Trope, Long Chapters, Kids, Ranch, Mourning, Sex - Off-Camera

Rating as a movie: PG-15 for adult content

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🎄

My thoughts:📱15% 31:29 Ch. Two So far there is too much telling for my taste. I think there might be a hint of a Cinderella retelling.

So not a retelling, there were a few content inconsistencies that annoyed me but overall it was a good story. But I'm not sure I'll continue the series it originates from, at least not anytime soon.

Recommend to others: Maybe. It's a nice change from the fluff most romances are but it was lazy at times.

Taming of the Sheenans
1. Christmas At Copper Mountain (2013)
2. The Tycoon's Kiss (2014)
aka Beauty's Kiss
3. The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (2014)
4. The Taming of the Bachelor (2015)
5. A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (2015)
6. The Lost Sheenan's Bride (2016)

Copper Mountain Christmas
1. A Cowboy For Christmas - Katherine Garbera
2. Home For Christmas - Melissa McClone
3. Mistletoe Magic - Melissa McClone
4. Christmas at Copper Mountain - Jane Porter

[Night Runner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars for me!

My rating range throughout the story... 3.5 - 4 Stars

Main Character Ratings... 7/10 for both

Scenes with heat.. Not really

Heat Rating... 2/10
Clean - 1 or 2
Descriptive Sex - 5 or above
Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above

The back story... h is escaping her family at Christmas as she is still grieving the loss of her husband and 3 kids after 3 years. The H lost his wife 12 years earlier and has poured his life into the ranch. A surprise half way through the story causes mayhem.

The Romance... Slow burn but instant attraction.

The drama explosion... Not much of one

Final Notes... Good Story

HEA or HFN? HFN but will be an HEA

[Claire Ingram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet festive romance about a housekeeper who moved to copper mountain as a temp but is soon shocked to find 2 children turn up. After the loss of her own family this is too much for her and she tries to leave but has to wait a week. But so much can happen in a week
Cute story

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-warming feel-good story. A little predictable, things moved pretty fast towards gooey in the end but all the Christmas magic makes it a decent read.

[Pauline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn’t bad but not really very christmassy.

[Angi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of it was okay, but the execution just felt off. It was difficult to like the main characters, even with their tragic pasts. Then their story was just too fast for the amount of trauma they were overcoming. Maybe if it had been longer and if Brock has been much more like-able.

[Monisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fast read.. It was a good book... However I felt it ended kind of abruptly.... It could have been a little longer... I liked the characters

[Hayley (hayleys.little.library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this on Audible and decided to give it a go! It was everything I wanted - a quick, fun romance read with some spice thrown in. Also love the warm Christmas vibes! such a fun book, highly recommend if you're wanting a quick listen

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am generally not a fan of contemporary romances, preferring historical ones. I picked this one up because (i) it was a Christmas romance (and I am a sucker for those); (ii) it's a novella so I knew I could get through it quickly; and (iii) the author is the wife of the owner of the surfing school we use when we visit Hawaii (no joke).
I was quite pleasantly surprised by the book. Novellas are difficult because you don't have the page length to fully develop the characters. But the characters were all likeable, the author has a deft touch for setting and a gift for depicting a scenario that fleshes out minor characters and gives insight into the main characters, and the Christmas setting gave off warm and fuzzy holiday vibes.
I will definitely pick out another one of her books when I am in the mood for a contemporary romance. The author has a lovely writing style that is warm, gracious, and friendly.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever had one of the moments that seemed so surreal that fate marked your destiny? Well, if you are open to the possibility that there is a plan for our lives and what is meant to be will happen when it is supposed to, than the right time will come on schedule. Well, that time came for two people in this heart pulling novella that will make your heart swoon while grabbing for the Kleenex.

Life for Harley Diekerhoff has been full of solitude since the loss of her husband and children in a terrible accident. Not wanting to spend the holiday around her family, she sought out a temporary job for a couple of months in a place that seemed unfamiliar home. She didn’t want to think or wasn’t going to let the past absorb her in this place where she could completely escape. Taking a job as a housekeeper was the perfect thing to keep her mind focused and considering the beautiful winter surroundings of Montana, it was the perfect escape to make peaceful new memories.

Her boss, Brock Sheenan, is all too familiar with loss. Spending his days here in on here ranch has brought comfort and healing to a life of what was. Things started to change when Harley arrived on the ranch. There was something that couldn’t be explained but was a welcomed surprised for his life and his workers. Not expecting her to be so beautiful, there was something special about her that made her seemed like she belonged there. Even though Harley was only there for a short time, her presence was making an unexpected impression. Feeling at home and more comfortable than she had been, Harley was finally enjoying some happiness until one day everything came crashing down. This led her to make a decision that might cost her more than she anticipated.

When Brock’s two children unexpectantly arrived one evening, it brought back everything that Harley was trying to not think about. Trying to work through her pain, spending time with his kids was a blessing and a curse simultaneously. Determined to make the best out the situation, the kids told her how much they wished for but never experienced a real Christmas. Determined to make it as wonderful as possible, that wasn’t the only the only wish that was in the hopes of becoming true.

This was one of those books that your mind just simmers through to the end. It was cozy, warm and just had the right pace to keep you interested. Everything about this book makes you feel so good that you didn’t want to put it down. It’s one of those stories that make you believe the impossible, especially if you have ever experience loss and never thought you could love again. Harley and Brock stories individually really make you fall in love with them.

What I love is how the author told the story in a way that didn’t give you too much and when it came down to their story, there was a tenderness to it that connected to the reader. They made you feel for them. This is not just a warm story for the holidays but that anyone can appreciate and read anytime.

Harley is the type that just like almost every woman I know. When you experience loss or tragedy, all you want to do is throw yourself into whatever will take your mind away. She has a tough exterior that on the outside is in control but inside is soft and compassionate whose got such a big heart. Brock, is one of those big, strong men that just make you swoon. Not Magic Mike but that rugged, dreamy take charge sort of guy that you just want to melt right into his arms. He has overtime retreated inward but deep down in that closed heart there is this compassionate guy that would give himself to any woman who would take the chance.

This novella has all the sweetest you could want for the holidays. It’s a story about hope, miracles, love and finding that path that will make your heart open and smile. Make sure you grab a box of Kleenex because this is definitely going to make you tear up. This is definitely one to add to your reading list.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter, Harley is looking for distance from the past and the chance to make new memories. A widower looking for escape, Harley takes a temporary job for Brock Sheenan as a housekeeper at his Copper Mountain Ranch in Marietta, Montana.

Brock has suffered loss too...now he just wants the quiet and to be left alone. But he's noticing Harley way too much for his liking, she's not at all how he wants his housekeeper to look! He'd prefer she blend into the woodwork, not care, and not talk, but Harley is starting to grow on him.

Both Brock and Harley have endured tragedy and are still suffering. Not celebrating Christmas is just what Harley needs and just what Brock wants. Harley has no idea about Brock's past, until his two kids suddenly show up (early!) for Christmas break and change the whole scheme of things. Harley can't bear the thought of being around kids, especially at Christmas...it's also a part of her she isn't sharing. After a falling out and misunderstanding due to lack of communication, Harley realizes it matters to her what Brock thinks. There is a lot of chemistry simmering between Harley and Brock. With both of them trying to out run a past they can't face, they are going to have to choose between the past and the hope of the future. Will this be the Christmas of miracles? Can they recognize what they could have together?

Brock and Harley are both very dynamic characters in Christmas at Copper Mountain, they are complex and deep, and Jane manages to bring them to life and make us care for them in this novella. I could understand Harley and why she was doing what she was doing, although I had a harder time understanding why even after Brock's kids arrived she didn't tell him about her past right away...that mistake could cost her when he sees things the wrong way. Brock has some pretty broad shoulders and if they can open up to each other I feel that he will be an incredible man for her. Brock has been through a lot and is harsh and bitter at times...not even wanting to celebrate Christmas, something his children would dearly love to do. Harley can be just as good for Brock if he can open his mind and his heart.

The relationship that evolves between Harley and Brock is endearing and you will find yourself hoping they can find a way to get to each other. Jane also writes vivid descriptions of winter in Marietta. I could hear the wind and feel the cold on those cold, winter nights.

Christmas at Copper Mountain is the perfect romance to curl up with on a cold winter night!

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this in the Audible Plus library and loved the sound of it, but when I went to add it on Goodreads I discovered I'd read it on kindle years ago! 🙈

So this is an updated star review, and I think my reading tastes have changed since then as there were just a few niggles for me to bring it down a star.

👇ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW👇

If you have read my reviews before you may know that I am a bit of a cover whore - I was drawn to this one, beautiful!

Anyway, on to the story. Jane is a new author to me and she didn't disappoint. Cowboy (Brock) needs a housekeeper over Christmas, housekeeper (Harley) arrives, the cowboy is a grumpy sod, but housekeeper is a loving soul and everyone except Brock can see it. I could feel the sexual tension between them from the off though and wanted to bang their heads together!

I did warm to both of them though as both their backstories were so sad and so similar. It was literally like fate had brought them together; a gift to each other from heaven. I did cry at the end, happy tears though! There wasn't an awful lot of sex though, only in the right places and not just for the sake of it, and I like that.

This was such a heartwarming Christmas story, perfect for curling up in front of the fire. 5* read from me.