Big Sky Sleigh Bells: A Montana Christmas Love Story

by Joanna Sims

It started as a search for her real father...


That was what brought horse trainer — and former rodeo daredevil! — Ritza Castillo-Blanco to Hideaway Ranch and the Brand family. What she expected to Butch Brand, her biological father? What she didn’t expect to find — Lane McBride, the boy she fell for as a teenager...the one she’d never been able to forget. It turned out he’d not forgotten her either! But though feelings on both sides still ran strong, Lane and Ritza’s future plans seemed to lead in opposite directions. Unless the joy of the season could light the way to a shared future...together?

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Joanna Sims is proud to pen contemporary romance for Harlequin Special Edition. Joanna's series, The Brands of Montana, feature hard-working characters with hometown values. You are cordially invited to join The Brands of Montana as they wrangle their own happily-ever-afters! www.joannasimsromance.com.

Photography Credit: Orlando Photographer, Reveal Photo

Reviews

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the Brands of Montana series, in which former rodeo trick rider, Ritza Castillo, is working as a wrangler on the Hideaway Ranch. She's gone there to find out for sure if Butch Brand is her biological father, though never claimed by him as such. What a surprise she gets when lawyer Lane McBride arrives with his two grown daughters, determined to reconnect with them and they with each other after the death 5 years earlier of their mother and his wife.

Lane remembers Ritza from their teen years when she was a star trick rider. All before a devastating injury that stopped her from continuing her career.

Both Lane and Ritza begin to see each other in a different light. But what does that mean for the lives they've had before visiting the Hideaway Ranch? Will it work its magic on them as it has on other couples? Time to count the number of couples who now want to marry there, renew vows there, and so on...

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good series. This wasn't my favorite book in the series, I felt like everything was tied up much too neatly with everybody instantly loving everyone else. Friction, at times, is good, makes things more interesting, but still a solid series.

[Harlequin Books]

Holiday Romance, Contemporary Romance, Western Romance
Miniseries
The Brands of Montana (Book #17)

[Jackalyn]

A good, but somewhat disjointed story. The writing left something to be desired.