A Copper Ridge Christmas

Copper Ridge #3.4

by Maisey Yates

Snow is falling in Copper Ridge, Oregon–but the heat between a holiday–loving party planner and the town's resident Scrooge is off the charts in this sweet and sizzling Christmas novella…

Holly Fulton is throwing a special Christmas Eve party for the foster parents who gave her so much. To finish the preparations in time, she needs to recruit her one–time foster brother, Ryan Masters. He may have a scowl that could curdle eggnog, but under that surly demeanour is a big heart. And amazing muscles. And a gorgeous chest. In fact, X–rated visions of Ryan have been dancing in Holly's head for years, but she can't risk complicating the only real family she's ever known.

But maybe there's a way for Holly to have her Christmas cake and eat it too. A no–strings affair, just until they're done with the planning. Ryan is certainly willing. But from the first touch, it's clear that this isn't just a festive fling. It might just be a Christmas miracle in the making…

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Novella, Contemporary, Westerns

117 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2015

About the author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.

Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.

She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Yates' "Copper Ridge" series -- and I am happy to find out that there will be more books coming next year -- so I welcomed this Christmas novella with open arms. I didn't remember whether Holly and Ryan made appearance in the novel, though, but I liked the idea of foster siblings. Heck, I wanted to read more romance stories that started in foster care.

Both Holly and Ryan didn't have a good childhood before they became foster kids. Ryan came from an abusive family while Holly's mother neglected her. I could definitely see why Holly wanted to have the Christmas party for her foster parents -- but I still didn't understand why Ryan was so reluctant. Was he simply being a grinch or was there a different reason altogether? Because he clearly thought his foster parents were good people...

I liked their banters and the difference in their personality. All in all, it was a nice addition to the series.

[Jonel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yates shows readers another side of Copper Ridge with this Christmas novella. At the same time, she shows how relationships aren’t easy. They take work, but are worth the reward. Through this all, Yates brings Copper Ridge to life in a vivid way, giving readers access to the lives of her characters.

I liked the character development in the past and present, as well as how past perceptions tie into today’s actions and reactions. It gave me a complete and complex view of the main characters without detracting from the forward motion of this novella.

Yates is one of those rare authors who can make me cry and leave me with a warm, fuzzy feeling at the same time. She definitely does that with this Copper Ridge Christmas novella.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the Copper Ridge series, so I knew was going to get something sweet and mostly fluffy.

Holly and Ryan were interesting. I loved how they were so different in their personality, but had similar backgrounds. The little bit of banter was fun and I adored the grand-ish gesture at the end. I definitely would have loved more from these two, even just another chapter or an epilogue.

Overall, a super quick read for a holiday season.

**Huge thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been in a Oregon cowboy/holiday mood, so decided it was the perfect time to *finally* get to this Copper Ridge novella. It perfectly hit the spot!

Ryan and Holly have known each other for years, ever since they shared a set of foster parents. Though their time with the family didn't overlap a whole lot, Margie and Dan (the foster parents) have always made an effort to keep their "kids" a part of their lives and Ryan and Holly both still live in Copper Ridge. They've been a part of each others' lives since childhood, and have been aware of each other almost as long. So when Holly asks Ryan to help her to put on a holiday party for the Traverses, they're suddenly spending more time together than either is sure is particularly wise, and...things happen.

The fact that the two of them have a history definitely helps to make the shorter format of a novella work for their story. A longer work would have given us more information and details about why Holly and Ryan both think lasting, loving relationships won't ever work for them, but honestly, I think we get enough of their background here to make their current hang-ups make sense; personally, I'd much rather they focus on the present and learning to be able to move on instead, which they do nicely. They have great chemistry, and his gruff grumpiness and her relentless cheer play off of each other nicely throughout. Who declares themselves to whom first is a pleasant surprise, as is which one makes a run for the hills...and the grand gesture is very sweet. And maybe a little bit sticky, too ;)

Overall, this was a sweet holiday read that just hit the spot in my busy holiday weekend.

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There were a few things Holly Fulton knew for certain. The first was that Ryan Masters would not be looking forward to Christmas. The second was that she needed him if she was going to pull off her plan for a perfect holiday party. And the third was that if she was approaching the metaphorical badger in his metaphorical den, she needed to bring bait. In this instance, bait was takeout cheeseburgers and curly fries from Ace's Bar."



What I liked :
-The hero rugged and loner personality, his "Scrooge-ish" attitude about Christmas and that he's a fisherman and live on a boat
-The banters (of course the banters, because Maisey Yates is one of the best at writing it)
-The sizzling chemistry between Holly and Ryan and the awkward(for them but funny for the reader) double entendre
-The hero faith in his feelings, even after the crappy role model he had, and how he trust his instinct
-That Holly used to find beards not attractive but she find it pretty on Ryan
-That together, Ryan and Holly help each other get rid or make peace with their issues from the past
-When Ryan prepare the surprise parties for Holly

At first I was not so sure about the foster thing. Maisey Yates handled it well, there was nothing ambiguous or weird about it, they were raised not like brother and sister but more like friend or roommate, I guess I'm just not totally comfortable with the idea. But this novella was too good to bother about this detail.

"We aren't really normal. You know that, right?"
"Peanut butter sandwiches, purple condoms, and a Christmas-birthday-Hanukkah-Valentine's Day party aren't typical aspects of human courtship?"
"Who cares? They're part of ours."

[Nate Brightman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Copper Ridge Christmas is the bookend novella for the first series focused around the Garrett family with in the larger series involving other Copper Ridge residents. We were introduced briefly to the heroine Holly as the wedding coordinator for Eli and Sadie’s wedding in Bad News Cowboy. Our hero is Ryan a fisherman by trade who spent a few months in the same foster home of the Travers (who own the farm market that Jake from Shoulda Been a Cowboy stole from and Kate Garrett worked at) with Holly. Although they both felt an attraction he thought he was too much older than her to act upon it before he was ready to leave foster care and start his life as a self supporting adult. Fast forward ten years and Ryan and Holly have remained in casual contact mostly via reunions around holidays at the Traver’s home. The Travers now retired winter in Hawaii and are coming home for Christmas. Holly now a party planner wants to throw them a big Christmas party like Margie Travers used to do to honor them. She enlists a begrudging and grumpy Ryan’s assistance. Ryan a loner is reluctant but he can’t refuse because it’s for the Travers for whom he is so grateful for helping him grow up and it’s Holly whom he’s long held a deep seated desire for asking. Long buried desire on both Holly and Ryan’s parts resurfaces and sparks fly. Since both Holly and Ryan were foster children it goes without saying they’re each carrying a freight car’s worth of emotional baggage from their sad childhoods that gets in the way of their HEA.
I’m beginning to think that the novella, approximately 100 pages long is the perfect vehicle for a modern romance novel. If we’re being completely honest they all follow the same story arc. Boy meets girl, immediate physical attraction that signifies they are “soul mates” is felt by both, which one or both immediately resist. Eventually they are unable to resist the physical attraction and have the greatest most orgasmic sex of their lives. Both have emotional baggage so they fight their undeniable emotional connection while satisfying their physical attraction with each other which of course is never slaked. At some point one confronts the other that they are in love and want more than sex from their relationship. After much soul searching and tears the one remaining resistant to acknowledging their love because they’re afraid of being hurt, has his or her “Ah Ha” moment, both accept they are soul mates and promise to love each other forever and live HEA. Everything in the story between these key points is pretty much filler, in many cases unnecessary and boring drama that only lengthens but doesn’t enhance the story while the protagonists take one step backward for every two steps forward towards their HEA. Too often it’s dull filler used to transform a 100-page novella into a 250-300-page book. In my experience many of the modern romance books I’ve read would have been more entertaining if they’d been condensed to the shorter novella format and eliminated a few of the steps backward sequences which felt forced.
A Copper Ridge Christmas is a perfect little holiday romance novella. The author Maisey Yates is a genius when it comes to fleshing out her characters bringing them to life as multi-dimensional people we care about. Such is the case in this book with Holly and Ryan. Also in this short story she’s at her best with the witty banter between our two star crossed lovers, especially early in the book before they get naked and satisfy their pent up lust. Your heart will ache for their pain and soar with their joy. Your glasses will fog with the steamy sex. She even throws in what to me was a little surprise in who discovers first they want to go for the brass ring and who has to be persuaded. As an added bonus for readers of this series we get a brief glimpse of Eli, Sadie, Connor, Liss, Ruby and mention of the next big event in their lives. Sadly even though working at the Traver’s farm market was a part of sister Kate’s story, she and Jack aren’t mentioned. Maybe I’m just an easy grader but I think as a modern romance novella Yates has done a fantastic job again and I give this one 5 stars.

[Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holly said some pretty unforgivable things to Ryan, and that really frustrated me. But overall this wasn't bad. Not great, either.

Merged review:

I’ve been wanting to try Maisey Yates’ romances for awhile now. Mostly because I’ve heard good things, but also because she just has the best book covers. The novella, A Copper Ridge Christmas, seemed like a perfect way to check out Yates’ writing style. While I did have some issues with A Copper Ridge Christmas, I can definitely say, I want to read more of Yates’ books.

The premise behind A Copper Ridge Christmas is that Holly Fulton wants to throw a Christmas Party for the foster parents that helped her out so much when she was younger and she needs Ryan’s (who was also fostered by the same family) help. And while they plan the party, they fall for each other.

I always prefer novellas when the hero and heroine know each other prior to the beginning of the story, because it makes everything so much more plausible. It was fun to see Holly and Ryan fall for each other. They both had secret feelings for each other when they were younger, and spending so much time together now and just bringing those feelings up to the surface. However, I wouldn't say that I just knew that Holly and Ryan needed to be together. I liked them together, but it wasn't a strong feeling, if that makes sense.

But, of course, both Holly and Ryan have issues because of their biological families. They are understandable issues, but I do think Holly took it too far. While I understand that she was afraid, Holly did say some pretty unforgiveable things to Ryan, in my opinion. I really felt like she should have done some serious groveling.

But, overall, I did enjoy this novella, and I certainly want to read more by Yates. I want to see what she does with a full-length novel.This review was originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holly and Ryan are Foster siblings. This year Holly plans to throw her foster parents a surprise Christmas party as a thank you and she has asked Ryan to help.

Both Holly and Ryan had crushes on one another but knew they couldn't do anything about it or it might wreck the family dynamics. With Christmas just weeks away these two get closer and they find out this will be the best Christmas after all.

If you are looking for a cute quick Christmas read I highly suggest getting know Ryan and Holly. They both come from different pasts but it made them closer and helped them others stand each other a little better.

I think my favorite character in this story had to be Ryan. He comes off as moody and wanting to be alone but you can see the difference in him when he is with Holly. I adored how he through her a little birthday, Hanukkah, st Patrick's day, Valentine's and Christmas party that was all rolled into one just for the two of them. It showed he really cared and was in it for the long haul even though he wasn't completely sure that's what he wanted.

Other characters from coopers ridge are mentioned but they aren't around much in this story. In a way I was glad but another part of me was a little disappointed not being able to catch up with the characters I have grown to love. Hopefully in the next book they will be around more.

[CJ - It's only a Paper Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and steamy read and I just wish it were longer. I'm a sucker for Maisy Yates and Copper Ridge and there was something so undeniably right with Ryan and Holly being together, that I wanted more time with them. I wanted to read more about their personal growth, their pasts (together and separate) and I wanted to get to know Margi and Dan and Elizabeth.

But that's not how novella's work.

With that in mind, I give this a 3.8 because I was invested, intrigued and rooting for Holly and Ryan. I loved their chemistry, their banter and how much they meant to each other.

I don't think I can look at a Peanut Butter sandwich the same way again.


If you are a Christmas story fan, a Maisy Yates or Copper Ridge fan, or if you just like stories about normal slightly damaged people that are realistic getting together, then I recommend this one.

*Netgalley Read in exchange for an honest review*

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snow is falling in Copper Ridge, Oregon—but the heat between a holiday-loving party planner and the town's resident Scrooge is off the charts in this sweet and sizzling Christmas novella...
Holly Fulton is throwing a special Christmas Eve party for the foster parents who gave her so much. To finish the preparations in time, she needs to recruit her one-time foster brother, Ryan Masters. He may have a scowl that could curdle eggnog, but under that surly demeanor is a big heart. And amazing muscles. And a gorgeous chest. In fact, X-rated visions of Ryan have been dancing in Holly's head for years, but she can't risk complicating the only real family she's ever known.
But maybe there's a way for Holly to have her Christmas cake and eat it too. A no-strings affair, just until they're done with the planning. Ryan is certainly willing. But from the first touch, it's clear that this isn't just a festive fling. It might just be a Christmas miracle in the making... 5 stars good!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly is looking to throw a christmas party for her foster parents who had made christmas special for her. With the help of an old foster sibling she'll get things done. But things start to heat up for the two the longer they work together. Lines will be crossed and boundaries will be tested for the two.

I loved this fun quick and steamy. Great way to heat things things up for the holidays that are quickly coming along. I loved this book. I loved that for a short book this book did come with some great characters, interesting back stories and I really loved that it didn't take long to read. I can be pretty swamped for the holidays and hardly find time to read. So I appreciate a holiday book with a great story that's short and fun to read. Highly recommend!

[Mattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holly and Ryan

It was ok, but I felt it was too short for me to get that invested in the relationship. Something that bugged me was the inconsistencies with the age of characters, was said that he was 34 and she was 27 and then kept saying 4 years apart but that's impossible. Np.

[Kim]

Review Coming

[Asheley T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short novella features Holly Fulton, who was the wedding planner in the last full length novel (Bad News Cowboy) and Ryan Masters. Both Holly and Ryan grew up in the foster system, both lived with the same set of foster parents. There was always attraction there, even back until their late teens/early adult years, but they were both afraid to act on it because of the damage they’d endured when they previously trusted people in their lives.

This story is okay. Very short, and with some sweet moments. It suffers from what most novellas do in that it isn’t long enough to really get to know the characters or to feel invested. I’m not sure if it is strange or not to have foster siblings fall in love, so I really can’t comment on that aspect, but the two seem to have a shared history that helps them understand one another in a way most people cannot.

I’m curious about how Holly and Ryan will figure into the rest of the series. I love love love the little mentions and scenes involving previous Copper Ridge characters. It feels great to know they’re all doing well. Next up is another novella, Hometown Heartbreaker, which ushers in the West family portion of the Copper Ridge series.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Christmas romance

Yates has written the ultimate Christmas romance.

The characters and their dialogue make this book. They are snarky and dynamic. They are funny and broken. The story is well written and well delivered.

I recommend this book to fans of the genre.

[Kathleen Booker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't go wrong with Ms. Yates or Copper Ridge. Holley feels like she is not lovable and Ruan feels like he is unworthy of love. But their foster parents show them that they are both great people. Holly's parents will regret sending her away one day. So glad they ended up in same foster home.

[Renae · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why do all of Maisey Yates' protagonists need so much therapy? And why is all of their trauma always solved with one swift dose of True Love? Why is Yates so obsessed with virgin heroines? Why am I still reading this series?

Questions to ponder.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella as part of the Copper Ridge series. Holly Fulton enlists the help of one-time foster brother Ryan Masters to put together a Christmas party for their foster parents. In the process will they be able to face their demons and acknowledge the love between them?
Compelling story.

[Sue Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly and Ryan were outstanding characters with a boatload of issues to work through. Great journey.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Donna Philp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

I’d love to live in Copper Ridge. The characters are interesting and would be fun to have friends like them.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

a simple yet average novella with a christmassy theme.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute, Sweetly short and story of a love 14+ years in the making!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book, 2 dynamic personalities come off the pages, yet you can’t help but root for them.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

kind of incest-y if i'm being honest... they're not bio related but they were basically raised as siblings & that just made it weird...

[Kiran Mascarenhas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet story. Didn't love the finale, more emphasis on trauma than a good denouement, but Yates writes love, chemistry, and romantic arcs well.

[ysar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Rating:

As much as I try to avoid novellas, I couldn’t pass up a book from the Copper Ridge series, and while it was just under a hundred pages in length, it almost felt like a full story.

Holly’s rather attached to holidays, and since her former foster parents will be away until Christmas, she wants to be sure they come home to all the decorations, snacks, and guests they’d usually have planned. But she can’t do it on her own, and the one person whose help she needs isn’t exactly known for his holiday cheer. Or any cheer at all for that matter.

Ryan and Holly both came to Dan and Margie Travers as foster kids, and the Travers treated them as if they were their own. Now grown, both Ryan and Holly have their own lives, but they haven’t turned their backs on the only real parents they ever had. But while Holly embraces parties, holidays, and socializing in general, Ryan is a bit of a hermit, usually holed up alone on his fishing boat and certainly never taking part in anything festive. Holly needs his help, though, and he begrudgingly gives in.

It seems an attraction has been brewing between them for years. For Holly, it started as a teenage crush, and while nothing ever came of it, it’s never quite faded away. In fact, it’s grown a bit stronger since they’ve grown up. For Ryan, it was wanting the girl who was too young and sweet for him, and he knew better than to take advantage, much as he may have wanted to.

Holly really surprised me. With zero sexual experience to draw upon, she made the first move. And when Ryan didn’t reject her, she proposed a bit of an arrangement — a fling until Christmas, at which point they could more or less go their separate ways. Her approach and almost flippant perspective was not what I expected at all, though I can’t say it was oddly out of character. In fact, as more of her past and her issues was revealed, it made a lot of sense why she was willing to throw herself at Ryan for a brief fling. What followed was lots of steamy hookups and some very real emotion from an otherwise emotionally vacant Ryan.

I expected A Copper Ridge Christmas would be your typical holiday novella — a rushed romance between characters that readers never really get a chance to know very well. Instead, we get a good look into their pasts, their sad story as foster kids, and the over-compensating adults they’ve become. On the surface, they are very much opposites, but inside they are more alike than even they realize for a while, and they’re perfect for each other, broken as they may be. A Copper Ridge Christmas has more substance that your usual holiday novella, and it’s a great, quick read.

***FicCentral received a free copy of this book from Harlequin (via NetGalley).***

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly Fulton, party planner, has roped her foster brother, Ryan Masters, into helping her with a holiday/homecoming party for their foster parents. She has always had a secret crush on Ryan so is she ready to light the fire between them?

[Elisabeth Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've never read Maisey Yates' Copper Ridge series, you could probably start with A Copper Ridge Christmas, the second novella in the series and book 3.4 according to Amazon. How do they calculate that? Anyway, it was my third Copper Ridge book, but I've been reading them all out of order and it hasn't really seemed to matter.

In it, foster-siblings Ryan and Holly plan a Christmas party for their foster parents. Initially this seemed like it might be creepy to me, but Ryan is several years older and they only lived together for a few months. There's a little continuity error there, by the way. They say four years twice, but it also says they met when Holly was 13 and Ryan was 19 so...a little older, whatever. While I'm on about annoyances, it's stunningly hetero-normative and lacks diversity, but anyone who's read any quantity small town romance will find this familiar territory. It's possible this isn't the case in some of the other books. I just haven't read enough of them to know.

That said, it's not a bad book and there's one element that actually struck me as rather brilliant. As a result of their former family problems, neither one feels particularly lovable. They go for the friends-with-benefits angle, thinking they'll have a short fling. We all know how that goes in romance. But there's a line at the end:

"Thank you. But...even if I am...I'm going to take it. Think of everything we've been given. All that Dan and Margie gave to us. Every Christmas present...we didn't have to earn those. Maybe we don't have to earn this either."

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Yates is actually talking about salvation here. I've never seen anything like it in a Christmas novella, though I don't read inspirationals. The Christian idea that humanity is saved, not through any actions of our own, but by Jesus Christ is uniquely appropriate for a Christmas novella. The discussion of not having to earn love, but being given it freely, unasked, is actually a Christian value despite all current evidence to the contrary in the American church. It's just an interesting thing to have pop up in a mainstream Harlequin. I'm Christian so I noticed it. If you're not, you probably wouldn't. There is nothing overt or preachy about it.

So even though A Copper Ridge Christmas is a rather middling read with its fair share of flaws, the more-than-usually upbeat message left me feeling happy. If you're looking for a better book, I also read Hold Me, Cowboy (vaguely enemies-to-lovers) and Take Me, Cowboy (BFFs-to-lovers) by Yates are on a firmer footing and part of the Desire line so they're a little sexier. I particularly enjoyed Take Me, Cowboy with its grubby mechanic heroine and its lightly subversive makeover plot.