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Holiday Ranch #1
Wrangling a Texas Sweetheart
Watch out, Wilder, Texas! Sweetie's back in town!
Sweetheart Mae Holiday is the oldest of the six Holiday sisters—the one who carries the burden of continuing the family's ranching tradition. Except Sweetie doesn't want to be a rancher. She wants to be the next Dolly Parton. And she's going to achieve her dream come hell or high water...or the inability to sing her songs in front of a crowd. When her daddy suffers a heart attack, she heads home to Wilder. Before she even reaches the edge of town, she's pulled over by a sexy-but-grumpy sheriff who makes it clear she's not welcome. Since before she headed off to Nashville she broke his cousin's heart, she understands why Sheriff Decker Carson has a bone to pick. But no one tells Sweetie what she can and can't do. When she finds out her mama and daddy are losing the ranch, Sweetie decides to put her country music dreams on hold and stay to help save her beloved home—even if she has to take on a stubborn Texas lawman whose sizzling kisses make her start to wonder if she’s been following the wrong dream all along.
Decker Carson has had a thing for Sweetie since first seeing her strut around the Holiday Ranch with her golden ponytail swinging and her eyes sparkling like a dew-drenched meadow. But he flat refuses to let his feelings show. Everyone in Wilder knows Sweetie has always been Jace’s girl. Jace is not only Decker’s cousin, but also the one who helped him get through the loss of both his parents. Decker is not about to break the no-kissing-cousin’s-girlfriends rule—even if Sweetie and Jace have been broken up for years. Unfortunately, when a scintillating rumor spreads through town and every cowboy in the county starts showing up on the Holiday’s front porch with flowers and marriage proposals, it’s Decker’s job as sheriff to untangle the mess. Which means spending a lot more time with the one woman he can’t resist . . . and the one girl he wants to make his own.
Sweetheart Mae Holiday is the oldest of the six Holiday sisters—the one who carries the burden of continuing the family's ranching tradition. Except Sweetie doesn't want to be a rancher. She wants to be the next Dolly Parton. And she's going to achieve her dream come hell or high water...or the inability to sing her songs in front of a crowd. When her daddy suffers a heart attack, she heads home to Wilder. Before she even reaches the edge of town, she's pulled over by a sexy-but-grumpy sheriff who makes it clear she's not welcome. Since before she headed off to Nashville she broke his cousin's heart, she understands why Sheriff Decker Carson has a bone to pick. But no one tells Sweetie what she can and can't do. When she finds out her mama and daddy are losing the ranch, Sweetie decides to put her country music dreams on hold and stay to help save her beloved home—even if she has to take on a stubborn Texas lawman whose sizzling kisses make her start to wonder if she’s been following the wrong dream all along.
Decker Carson has had a thing for Sweetie since first seeing her strut around the Holiday Ranch with her golden ponytail swinging and her eyes sparkling like a dew-drenched meadow. But he flat refuses to let his feelings show. Everyone in Wilder knows Sweetie has always been Jace’s girl. Jace is not only Decker’s cousin, but also the one who helped him get through the loss of both his parents. Decker is not about to break the no-kissing-cousin’s-girlfriends rule—even if Sweetie and Jace have been broken up for years. Unfortunately, when a scintillating rumor spreads through town and every cowboy in the county starts showing up on the Holiday’s front porch with flowers and marriage proposals, it’s Decker’s job as sheriff to untangle the mess. Which means spending a lot more time with the one woman he can’t resist . . . and the one girl he wants to make his own.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2024
About the author
Katie Lane
70 books583 followersKatie Lane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Deep in the Heart of Texas, Hunk for the Holidays, Overnight Billionaires, Tender Heart Texas, Bad Boy Ranch, Kingman Ranch, Holiday Ranch series. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, traveling, and cuddling with her high school sweetheart and cairn terrier, Roo.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 6, 2025
Sweetie Holiday is back home in Texas because of her daddy's heart attack and soom realises sheriff Decker is not the kid he was anymore.
sizzle, tension and big fun banter make this a hugely enjoyable and entertaining read.
I loved Sweetie and her fierce personality and Decker was such a cinnamon roll kind of guy.
The banter was so much fun between these two and Lane puts plenty of humour, heart and emotion into her books.
A quick read packed with all those cowboy romance vibes
Kerry Kennedy Author
sizzle, tension and big fun banter make this a hugely enjoyable and entertaining read.
I loved Sweetie and her fierce personality and Decker was such a cinnamon roll kind of guy.
The banter was so much fun between these two and Lane puts plenty of humour, heart and emotion into her books.
A quick read packed with all those cowboy romance vibes
Kerry Kennedy Author
June 11, 2025
Cheesy names for all the Holiday sisters, but that doesn’t mean this story is without substance. Both Sweetie and Decker have all the logical reasons not to get involved but a whole lot of chemistry. From their banter in chapter 1 (when Decker doesn’t let her get away with her batting-eyelash routine) to when he finally decides to go after what he’s wanted (and the way he goes all in) – future heartbreak potential be damned – to the ‘black moment’ when jealousy nearly destroys this couple’s chance at happiness… this was an engrossing read. In addition to their growing feelings for each other, Sweetie and Decker each have their own journey to realizing how they’ve let the past shape their actions, letting it go, and being open to new dreams. The only drawback: I wanted to see more of Sweetie’s relationship with her daddy and how that (and he) changed. 4.5 stars.
February 12, 2025
Wrangling in Sweetie Mae Holiday
This was such a cute southern love story. I caught this ebook for free to buy and now I think I'm gonna have to buy the rest of the series bc we still have an unanswered question: what happens to the Holiday ranch??
This was such a cute southern love story. I caught this ebook for free to buy and now I think I'm gonna have to buy the rest of the series bc we still have an unanswered question: what happens to the Holiday ranch??
January 3, 2026
Another one that I hate that I enjoyed it. Fast-paced small town cowboy romance with a sprinkle of PG spice.
Katie Lane does it well.
Katie Lane does it well.
June 5, 2025
Sweetheart (Sweetie) Mae Holiday, 30, was returning home to Texas from Nashville. After leaving in a dark cloud of smoke denouncing everything about it, after a suffocating fight with her father then her now ex Jace. She wasn’t expecting a warm welcome because Jace was the all-American star football player with his pick of colleges scouting and talk of the NFL in his future. So, with their all-too-public and her jaw-dropping breakup with him, she was dubbed the evil woman who was too good for their town.
They never wanted her back in their town again, and neither did her father. Only he took it one step further he never wanted her in his home again. But when her mama had called saying her father had a heart attack and she was needed home again. She was going there. Although, it was on a wing and a prayer her credit card had been denied at the last gas station so she was running on fumes. She was almost home when red and blue lights showed up in her rearview mirrors. She turned the car off to save gas pulled out her license and registration, which she hoped he wouldn’t notice, but it was seven months overdue.
He noticed. Before she could see his nameplate the officer was writing a ticket. Very cut and dry no humor or niceties. He drops the ticket and all in her lap and walks away. She tries to start the car it won’t start, no gas. Even though it is about six miles to her parents’ place she does remember the shortcuts through fields. She grabs her purse locks it and starts walking. Now the cop wants to be nice, and tells her to get in, and she tells him No thanks. He swerved in front of her so fast, she had to stop or run right into the bumper of the sheriff’s car.
Badass Lawman jumped out. He didn’t look stern now. He looked pissed. Which was fine with her. She was feeling a little pissed herself. “What?” She held up her hands. “Are you going to give me a ticket for running out of gas, Officer . . .?” She glanced down. His pocket flap was buttoned back in place and she had no trouble reading the name engraved on the shiny gold plate. Sheriff Decker Carson, 27. At that moment it all made sense to her. When she left, she didn't only leave Jace she left his cousin, and her good friend Derek. He was a young boy then, but is all grown up and a mighty fine specimen of a Texas man now.
And if she had hurt him back then, it had festered into a deep-seated hatred all these twelve years later. But here that tricky part love is so close to hate and hurt. Remember this as you read. We are talking about the eleven-year-old Derek when he came to live in Wilder, Texas. He used to blush every time she spoke to him. The reason he had come to live with his grandparents was that his parents had died in an accident. Jace had taken him under his wing and never once complained. Derek was a city boy pretty much afraid of all animals, so he came to help out at Holiday Ranch.
Hence he and Sweetie became close. Derek was the only one who had ever heard any of her written songs. Such a multi-layered book. Like pulling the layers off an onion. Depending on the onion it could be sweet times or hard to talk enough to make you want to cry.
They never wanted her back in their town again, and neither did her father. Only he took it one step further he never wanted her in his home again. But when her mama had called saying her father had a heart attack and she was needed home again. She was going there. Although, it was on a wing and a prayer her credit card had been denied at the last gas station so she was running on fumes. She was almost home when red and blue lights showed up in her rearview mirrors. She turned the car off to save gas pulled out her license and registration, which she hoped he wouldn’t notice, but it was seven months overdue.
He noticed. Before she could see his nameplate the officer was writing a ticket. Very cut and dry no humor or niceties. He drops the ticket and all in her lap and walks away. She tries to start the car it won’t start, no gas. Even though it is about six miles to her parents’ place she does remember the shortcuts through fields. She grabs her purse locks it and starts walking. Now the cop wants to be nice, and tells her to get in, and she tells him No thanks. He swerved in front of her so fast, she had to stop or run right into the bumper of the sheriff’s car.
Badass Lawman jumped out. He didn’t look stern now. He looked pissed. Which was fine with her. She was feeling a little pissed herself. “What?” She held up her hands. “Are you going to give me a ticket for running out of gas, Officer . . .?” She glanced down. His pocket flap was buttoned back in place and she had no trouble reading the name engraved on the shiny gold plate. Sheriff Decker Carson, 27. At that moment it all made sense to her. When she left, she didn't only leave Jace she left his cousin, and her good friend Derek. He was a young boy then, but is all grown up and a mighty fine specimen of a Texas man now.
And if she had hurt him back then, it had festered into a deep-seated hatred all these twelve years later. But here that tricky part love is so close to hate and hurt. Remember this as you read. We are talking about the eleven-year-old Derek when he came to live in Wilder, Texas. He used to blush every time she spoke to him. The reason he had come to live with his grandparents was that his parents had died in an accident. Jace had taken him under his wing and never once complained. Derek was a city boy pretty much afraid of all animals, so he came to help out at Holiday Ranch.
Hence he and Sweetie became close. Derek was the only one who had ever heard any of her written songs. Such a multi-layered book. Like pulling the layers off an onion. Depending on the onion it could be sweet times or hard to talk enough to make you want to cry.
January 12, 2024
Congratulations Katie Lane on a fantastic new to start this series with The Holiday Series (book1)Wrangling A Texas Sweetheart. I absolutely fell in love with Sweetie and And Decker Carson. They were so good together and they had me laughing in spots and then wanted to comfort them both. Their story truly does make you swoon and believe in soulmates and second chances for love and friendships that can be saved and forgiveness. Sweetheart broke up with her long time and town football star in front of the whole town and left to go to Nashville, but now years later she's back due to her fathers health, but when she gets pulled over by the town Sheriff Decker Carson who is her ex Jace cousin and one who is still mad at her for leaving and breaking his cousins heart can she stay in town she's not wanted in? Sweetie is a feisty and strong woman who won't hide from the town and stands up for herself and wants to prove that she has changed. Her sisters are even called home ,but when a rumor gets started the men in the town are proposing to them. This book will suck you and you totally get lost in it and feel like you are apart of the town and can connect with the characters in it. You will definitely be cheering for sweetie and Decker to find their way to be together. I can't say enough about this book. Its such a compelling story and filled with chemistry and romance and so much more .you are totally going to fall in love with this book too. Thank you so very much Katie Lane for letting us be apart of this wonderful book and I absolutely can't wait for the next book. Bravo on another phenomenal Story!!!
May 30, 2025
First off, it's kind of hard to read the last quarter of the book when you can't see through your tears. Katie Lane pulled out all the stops on this one. She also brought in the communication aspect between the characters in a way I've never seen before. Sure, lots of authors write about how the hero and heroine have trouble getting on the same page because they 'think' they know what the other is thinking. But, Katie Lane really brought it home. I knew Decker and Katie were right for one another when he was not swayed by her sweet voice and batting eyelashes in the opening. Not because he didn't want to be, but because he knew if he gave in, there'd be no turning back. He'd been gone for her since he was fourteen. Those first crushes really can lead to the real deal. Like Mimi suggested, things take time to grow.
January 3, 2024
I do love a Katie Lane cowboy story as she writes the best! The start of this series doesn’t disappoint. Her style of creating a hero and heroine, family that surround them and a big group of townspeople for support always makes for an interesting plot, lots of fun and humor, and cowboys doing what they do best, loving the women that tame them. I fell in love with Decker and Sweetie right away and absolutely thought Sweetie’s sisters were hilarious! There are second chances, forgiveness and a bit of sexy in Wrangling A Texas Sweetheart. I’m already in love with this series and this is only book 1. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next sister’s happy ever after.
July 16, 2026
⭐🍭 Coming Home
There's no place like home. Sometimes we need to step away in order to get a new perspective, then find the clarity we were searching for when you return. Sweets thought she needed to leave home to get her dream. Yet it was the hometown hero, who was her hero since he moved to their small town at eleven, that rescues her with love. A sweet and quirky story that keeps you turning the page to find out if there's a beginning of a happy ever after. There's no cheating or cliffhanger and you'll love all the characters. Since there are 6 sisters and a ranch to save, I'm hoping it will be included in the next story involving another sister. Enjoy 🤓
There's no place like home. Sometimes we need to step away in order to get a new perspective, then find the clarity we were searching for when you return. Sweets thought she needed to leave home to get her dream. Yet it was the hometown hero, who was her hero since he moved to their small town at eleven, that rescues her with love. A sweet and quirky story that keeps you turning the page to find out if there's a beginning of a happy ever after. There's no cheating or cliffhanger and you'll love all the characters. Since there are 6 sisters and a ranch to save, I'm hoping it will be included in the next story involving another sister. Enjoy 🤓
January 12, 2024
the brother's code about women is still active in today's world and since Jace and Sweetie were an item all through high school, she is off limits to Decker! Sweetie is back with her tail between her legs as stage fright to sing her own songs has hampered her Country Star career to be in the crapper! But she decides that she will do whatever it takes to keep the family ranch in the family after hard times have hit it - her grandma is a real hoot too - I read a beta version and freely leave my views!
January 16, 2024
Wrangling a Texas Sweetheart
This is the beginning of a new series by Katie Lane.
Sweetheart Mad is the eldest daughter in the Holiday family.
She used to date Have a football player in high school. She had Bern gone for 12 years and come back since het dad had a heart attack.
Decker, Jess's cousin is the Sheriff who had had feelings for Sweetheart since high school.
This was a feel good story.
This is the beginning of a new series by Katie Lane.
Sweetheart Mad is the eldest daughter in the Holiday family.
She used to date Have a football player in high school. She had Bern gone for 12 years and come back since het dad had a heart attack.
Decker, Jess's cousin is the Sheriff who had had feelings for Sweetheart since high school.
This was a feel good story.
February 18, 2025
one of the best books I’ve read this year
Sweetheart Mae Holiday may be a cheesy name, and you might think this would be a bit of fluff story but you would be wrong. Sweetie’s coming to terms with her hopes and dreams and getting the “Right Boy” is so poignant and heartwarming. I just loved it, couldn’t put it down. The angst is high, there is more than one plot going in the background, and I was swept up in the emotions. Great read!
Sweetheart Mae Holiday may be a cheesy name, and you might think this would be a bit of fluff story but you would be wrong. Sweetie’s coming to terms with her hopes and dreams and getting the “Right Boy” is so poignant and heartwarming. I just loved it, couldn’t put it down. The angst is high, there is more than one plot going in the background, and I was swept up in the emotions. Great read!
June 16, 2025
Cute
This is a cute and sweet story. Its about young love that comes full circle,except only one party held the crush as a young man, the gurl didnt realise it until 15 years later when she returned home. A sassy teenage girl comes full circle and realizes that what she thought she wanted as a young girl isn't what she really wanted. Characters are well defined and its a sassy and struggle to get together but it wirks.
This is a cute and sweet story. Its about young love that comes full circle,except only one party held the crush as a young man, the gurl didnt realise it until 15 years later when she returned home. A sassy teenage girl comes full circle and realizes that what she thought she wanted as a young girl isn't what she really wanted. Characters are well defined and its a sassy and struggle to get together but it wirks.
February 22, 2025
I don't normally read the teaser's for the next in a series because I like variety in my reading. But this story had me reading on and then looking for the next in the series. Soo good! The characters are well developed and likable, the spice is just the right heat so as not to distract from the story, and the HEA topped it off with style. Kudos to Lane.
May 9, 2025
A cute little country girl wants city but comes home love story. I enjoyed Sweets & Deck. (But the sister’s names-wow. lol). The love hate love from the town was typical small town. Nothing hard to figure out on this book, just a cute story of a small town girl who didn’t succeed in Nashville & comes home to help the family & ranch & ends up staying. Easy pleasant read.
January 19, 2026
I love Katie Lane! She's a great author who can pull you in from the first page until the last.
She knows her cowboys and the sweethearts who can bring out the hero in them.
The sweethearts are any thing but tame and every bit as strong as their cowboys!
Derrick and Sweeties love story will have you rolling on the floor with laughter one minute and soaking up the tissues the next.
She knows her cowboys and the sweethearts who can bring out the hero in them.
The sweethearts are any thing but tame and every bit as strong as their cowboys!
Derrick and Sweeties love story will have you rolling on the floor with laughter one minute and soaking up the tissues the next.
September 4, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyable western, secret crush romance. This book was a surprise for me. With those Holiday sisters’ ridiculous names, I didn’t expect it to have much of a storyline. There was plenty of substance to it though. Take the time to read this one!
November 6, 2025
It is actually quite remarkable how one reader may find a book fantastic, while another reader wonders, how is that possible, did we read the same book? With this book, I am in the latter camp: too cheesy, I found the names and a knitting H rather silly than funny.
September 29, 2024
I love law men books! I enjoyed book 1 so much I bought the whole series. ALL excellent!!
Want to Read
February 7, 2025Purchased in epub format from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
June 21, 2025
Cute, quick read
July 6, 2025
A good quick read with no extra drama.
September 23, 2025
Save The Ranch
Great love story of Decker and Sweetie. Love the characters, the sisterhood and the family closeness. Mimi is a hoot.
Great love story of Decker and Sweetie. Love the characters, the sisterhood and the family closeness. Mimi is a hoot.
December 21, 2025
Holiday Ranch 1
Enjoyed this so much!! New author for me to read! About to get second book. That's how good this book was!!
Enjoyed this so much!! New author for me to read! About to get second book. That's how good this book was!!
Want to Read
April 14, 2026**Got it free on Amazon US (6/6/2025): https://a.co/d/16LyhvY
June 15, 2026
LOVED IT! Ready to read the next one in the series!
May 24, 2025
Cliffhanger but book was still good.
July 6, 2026
Much fuss about nothing. This honestly had a good premise. However, meddling grandparents just didn't make this something I could hold interest in. I did finish it.
December 15, 2023
Sweetheart Mae Holiday has come back to Wilder, TX her hometown when her father has a heart attack. All six sisters have been called back to the Holiday Ranch. Sweetie is the oldest of the sisters and when she left town, after dumping the town football hero in front of the whole town, she knows her coming back is not going to go over good with the town. They have long memories. What makes it worse is she has comeback with her tail between her legs when she is not the next big country star when she hightailed off to Nashville. There is one little fly in her career, she is not able to sing in front of crowds of people, but what she does have is a talent for writing the next big country song. The one person in town who is both happy and not so happy when she came back to town is Sherriff Decker Carson, who just happens to be the cousin of Sweeties ex Jace. Decker has been harboring a crush on Sweetie since he met her and because she was Jace’s girl he back off, but now with rescuing her several times from the town that wanted her run out on a rail, he is going to fight for her and make her see that she can come back home again and have her career and love at the same time.
This book kicks off a new series for Kate Lane and the first book is a scorcher with Sweeties not looking for trouble but getting in it none the less and Decker being her hero and coming to her rescue, which she feels she doesn't need. And all the e rescuing leads to feeling that are for Sweetie are turning from friendship to lust to love, and for Decker to show Sweetie how he really feels. It had lots of family drama, laughter and lots of hot cowboys. Who you will fall in love with and want more of.
Katie Lane always gives her readers such sassy and feisty females who know what they want and how to get it, without the help of a man, but then she gives those handsome, sexy cowboys who just can help being a hero even when it isn’t wanted by said females. It makes for wondaful reading and the reader want more. Can’t wait for the next Holiday sister to find the cowboy of her dreams.
I was given an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, for which I have done freely.
This book kicks off a new series for Kate Lane and the first book is a scorcher with Sweeties not looking for trouble but getting in it none the less and Decker being her hero and coming to her rescue, which she feels she doesn't need. And all the e rescuing leads to feeling that are for Sweetie are turning from friendship to lust to love, and for Decker to show Sweetie how he really feels. It had lots of family drama, laughter and lots of hot cowboys. Who you will fall in love with and want more of.
Katie Lane always gives her readers such sassy and feisty females who know what they want and how to get it, without the help of a man, but then she gives those handsome, sexy cowboys who just can help being a hero even when it isn’t wanted by said females. It makes for wondaful reading and the reader want more. Can’t wait for the next Holiday sister to find the cowboy of her dreams.
I was given an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, for which I have done freely.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews