Some Cowboys Come Home for Christmas

by Natalie Dean

She’s a single mom just trying to make it through Christmas. He’s a cowboy with a past he can’t outrun. Can the holiday season bring redemption and love to Copper Creek?

Bailey Nichols is struggling to keep it together. After her husband’s gambling addiction left her with a pile of debt, she’s been working non-stop to provide for her daughter, Anya. With Christmas approaching, Bailey is out of options and out of hope, unable to give Anya the holiday she deserves.

Carter Keagan recently returned to Copper Creek with more baggage than he knows how to carry. Trying to pay off debts from his bad boy days, he’s caught between the guilt of stealing from his family and the pull he feels toward Bailey. She and her daughter stir something in him, a desire to be a better man.

As sparks fly between them, Bailey and Carter must face their pasts and the future they want. Will the magic of Christmas help them find forgiveness and love, or will Carter’s secrets destroy their chance at happiness?


Author’s
Some Cowboys Come Home for Christmas is a contemporary western romance set in Natalie Dean’s sweet romance world of Copper Creek. While this heartwarming Christmas love story can be enjoyed as a standalone, it’s also part of the beloved Keagans of Copper Creek series—a series that has earned multiple Kindle All-Star bonuses for its reader-favorite stories.

If you fall in love with Bailey and Carter’s journey, there are plenty more Keagan family romances to enjoy—each filled with heart, hope, and unforgettable love stories. Dive into the charm of Copper Creek and discover why readers can’t get enough of these swoon-worthy cowboys!

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2024

Reviews

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book with strong characters in Carter, Bailey and her daughter Anya. The author does a great job developing the story and painting her scenes perfectly. She takes you into their lives with both dealing with financial problems along with addiction and pain and the effects and damage it brings to all involved. She does a terrific job pulling you into the story and kept me turning the pages watching them come together, finding love and their HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are freely given.

[Gwen Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bailey Nichols has her own real estate license and it sure came in handy when she sold their home, as she did not have to shell out the money for a realtor's commission. Usually it a big celebration to sell your home cause you are moving on. Well we are moving on, myself and my 5 year-old-daughter, Anya. But it is not a totally happy occasion. My husband, Jack had recently gotten killed in a drunk driving accident, he was the one drunk. And now we find out that he has left us in a pile of debt because of a gambling addiction, that I did not know he had. Was I that blind or did he just hide it very well from me? So we sold the house and I am doing everything to get the debt paid off. She has been working non-stop to provide for Anya and take care of the debt. With Christmas near, Bailey is out of options and hope, unable to give Anya the Christmas she deserves.

Carter Keagan has returned to Copper Creek with more baggage then he can handle. He moved back from Denver and he owes a loan shark about 10 grand. He came home and told Wade of his gambling problem, and he put me in a support group and hired me to work at the farm. And rather then being loyal to his family he has been stealing money from them to pay back the debt he owes the loan shark, plus collecting his regular paycheck.

One day while in town Carter meets Bailey and Anya. And from that point on he has not stolen any more money from his family. His life seems to have changed as Carter wants Bailey to see a man she can be proud of not a gambler, thief or drunk like he has been. He has even thought of putting the money he stole from Wade back and trying to get a loan from his twin brother, Caleb. He is engaged to the famous country music star, Emma Hart so surely he has money.

This is not the usual Christmas story that we hear but maybe a Christmas Miracle is what we need to fix this whole mess. So you need to read this fantastic book to see if we do get a Christmas Miracle. To see if Carter stays in town or runs from his problems again. Does Carter and Bailey get together?
Does Wade and the family forgive Carter for taking the money? Or does he return the money? Will Carter become the man that Bailey and Anya deserve for him to be? They have been through so much already.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some Cowboys Come Home For Christmas is a story that deals with addictions and the consequences that come following. Bad boy Carter Keagan that ran off a couple of years ago for city life comes back home about 2 months before Christmas to work for his family and try to get $10,000 to pay off his bookie back in the city. He slowly is stealing again from the family and just what he doesn't need is he meets a beautiful woman, Bailey and her daughter Anya. She thinks he is a stalker as seems he shows up everywhere she is. When he meets up with her at the Christmas tree lighting in town he see that his trouble has found him.

When the bookie sends a guy to watch Carter they get in a fight at the tree lighting and thrown in jail. The guy says "if he doesn't pay the money they might just have to do something to that pretty woman and little girl". That stays in Carter's mind so he gets invited to live at Bailey's house as a renter and gives her a chunk of money as she was barely making ends meet and she can't buy anything for Anya for Christmas. He is actually there to try and protect them from the bookie's guy but he can't tell anyone. And the thing that he was not wanting to happen did. He fell in love with Bailey and Anya. They felt like a family till it was all over, or was it.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trying to Start Over . . .

Bailey Nichols is having a hard time after her husband’s gambling addiction put her in severe debt. Christmas is putting a further strain on her budget since there is little left for her daughter, Anya, to have a special Christmas. Carter Keagan is also struggling from his past behavior. He is back in Copper Creek and working toward getting his debts paid off. But in addition to the debt, he and anyone he cares for are being threatened by the man he stills owes money to. He is drawn to Bailey and Anya who make him want to get his life straightened out so he has something to offer them. But will his attention put them in danger? Could he keep them safe? Will they try to find happiness together? Or will he feel compelled to run away again as he had done the first time he faced trouble?

[judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a different kind of Christmas story. It involves a lot of hurt and pain. Carter ran from his family then came back in shambles. He worked for Wade but his past kept catching up with him. He owed money to a very bad man who threatened bodily harm to him and those he loved including Bailey and Anya her daughter. Carter finally got his head together and faced his family after another near run in on the other side of the law. This book talks about alcohol addiction and gambling addiction . The damage it causes to the person and their family. It is a very good story. One that I will want to read again in the future.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bailey Nichols is worried she won’t be able to give her daughter a proper Christmas after she was left with a pile of debt by her deceased husband. She is working non stop but is only just making ends meet.

Carter Keagan has just returned to Copper Creek after running away. He has made some really bad decisions and is now in a lot debt.

As Bailey and Carter get to know each other they get attracted to each other.
Will their pasts get in the way?
Can they learn to trust again?

This is another lovely story in this series. It is well written and deals with difficult situations.
I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some Cowboys Come Home for Christmas deal with the harm of addictions and what it can take to overcome them. Carter has huge issues, but Bailey has continued to suffer from her deceased husband's addictions. This is a very troubled road to an HEA. Carter is truly between a rock and a hard place. Will he run again or face his demons and the unsavory characters theatening him and those he loves? I am glad I have enjoyed so many of Ms. Dean’s excellent books because otherwise I would have doubted her ability to bring this situation to a satisfactory conclusion. I was riveted to the book until I reached the end!

[John Belcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing can stir your heart like a little girl. That is exactly what happened to Carter, upon meeting Anya, and her mother Bailey. Several extremely fierce didn't really phase him but looking in Anya's eyes made him want to be a better man but mostly for Bailey. Natalie weaves the story so thouroughly you never realize that you have been pulled in and are rooting for him. This problem has become so common place, we have a tendency to just not think about it. An excellent book all the way around a definite five star.

[Karen Brasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some Cowboys Come Home for Christmas

Such a wonderful addition to the Keagans of Copper Creek series! Carter seemed to be such a complicated character. He leaves home to get away from family and falls into a bad group of people. He returns home for a second chance with his family only to begin the bad habits again. Meeting and falling for Bailey and her daughter had not been in the plan. When the little family is threatened because of his debts, he must do what he can to protect them.

[Tami Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

He's the prodigal brother coming home wanting to get his life back on track. Unfortunately he still owes the wrong person a lot of money.
She's recently widowed with a young daughter. Her husband left her with a huge financial mess that she's trying to recover from. Will he be able to stay on the right path or will the debt pull him back in? How does she react to his past? Can they help each other?
I received a copy of this book from the author. Review voluntarily given.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is another good story in the series. carter comes home but he is on the run. he meets bailey who is a widow with a child. carter has a gambling problem and her late husband was a gambler who left her with debts to pay. he wants to be friends but will she be able to. i was given a copy of the book but this is an honest review

[Teresa Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have missed a few of the books in this series, but now I’m going back to catch up! This book had me crying and laughing. Carter and Bailey were such wonderful people, who had been through so much, and brought out the best in each other, not to mention sweet Anya!
Great family and a beautiful story.

[Rebecca White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional and uplifting

This story hugged at heartstrings as two people working to overcome there struggles and become the best they can be. Watching Carter do his best and struggle to open up really showed the pain and heartache of addiction. It wS dealt with so well in this story.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author once again has drawn me into the lives of her characters. Both Bailey and Carter are battling the past. Bailey doesn’t want to trust anyone, and to depend on no one, and Carter is trying to overcome the mistakes he has made in his life and with his siblings. I found myself yelling at both characters. I enjoy the romance, humor and twists.

[Norma Gorrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story of how a young mother found herself and in the process helped a young man find his. They were both well written in a story that some of us have had the positions take place in our own lives. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill

[LoisBow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another good story from Natalie Dean. I enjoy reading her books because they deal with real life issues. She draws the reader into the plot and the characters. You become involved and feel the emotions.

[Kathy Winchell]

Boy, it’s rough…Carter and Bailey have the rockiest road to love I’ve ever read. But neither totally give up and with the help of the Keegan’s, find each other forever. Great read! I received an ARC, with this being my honest review.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Carter's story. Having read all the books in the series thus far, I've been anxious to see him return home. This is a good rendition of a "prodigal son" saga. Excellent writing and great character development with a very satisfying ending.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet romance

A widowed mom with huge debts tries to help a struggling cowboy as he tries to help her and her daughter with bills.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

This was a great book and by a great author. I highly recommend this book and author. I can’t wait to read the next book by this wonderful author.