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Copper Ridge #10
Christmastime Cowboy
It's Christmas in Copper Ridge, and love is waiting to be unwrapped…
Falling for a bad boy once is forgivable. Twice would just be foolish. When Sabrina Leighton first offered her teenage innocence to gorgeous, tattooed Liam Donnelly, he humiliated her, then left town. The hurt still lingers. But so does that crazy spark. And if they have to work together to set up her family winery's new tasting room by Christmas, why not work him out of her system with a sizzling affair?
Thirteen years ago, Liam's boss at the winery offered him a bribe—leave his teenage daughter alone and get a full ride at college. Convinced he wasn't good enough for Sabrina, Liam took it. Now he's back, as wealthy as sin and with a heart as cold as the Oregon snow. Or so he keeps telling himself. Because the girl he vowed to stay away from has become the only woman he needs, and this Christmas could be just the beginning of a lifetime together…
Falling for a bad boy once is forgivable. Twice would just be foolish. When Sabrina Leighton first offered her teenage innocence to gorgeous, tattooed Liam Donnelly, he humiliated her, then left town. The hurt still lingers. But so does that crazy spark. And if they have to work together to set up her family winery's new tasting room by Christmas, why not work him out of her system with a sizzling affair?
Thirteen years ago, Liam's boss at the winery offered him a bribe—leave his teenage daughter alone and get a full ride at college. Convinced he wasn't good enough for Sabrina, Liam took it. Now he's back, as wealthy as sin and with a heart as cold as the Oregon snow. Or so he keeps telling himself. Because the girl he vowed to stay away from has become the only woman he needs, and this Christmas could be just the beginning of a lifetime together…
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2017
227 people are currently reading
1151 people want to read
About the author
Maisey Yates
1,161 books2,997 followersNew 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.
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.
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October 13, 2017
Christmastime Cowboy is book ten in the Copper Ridge series by Maisey Yates. This is my first book by Maisey. I was unsure about jumping in to this series on book ten. There was obviously some missed history on the other characters but it wasn’t difficult at all. Enough information was provided to help me to piece together everything.
Liam Donnelly left Copper Ridge when he was twenty years old. He had been living on the Grassroots Winery property working for the Leightons. He and Sabrina Leighton had gotten close over that last summer. She had gotten closer to him than anyone else ever had. He knew she had a big crush on him. But he was broken. He could never be what she needed or deserved. So when her father offered him money to leave, he took it, and bought himself a college education.
Over the thirteen years he had been gone, he became a successful business man and made millions. But he still always felt empty inside. And he never forgot Sabrina. Now he’s back, living on the ranch that was left to him and his three brothers. He has seen Sabrina around town a couple of times but she avoids him like the plague. But now he is going into business with the winery she still works at. His farm will provide the cheese and they are opening a wine tasting shop in Copper Ridge. The goal was to have it open by Christmas when all the festivities begin. So Liam will be spending a lot of time with Sabrina over the next few weeks.
Sabrina Leighton was thirty years old and was working at the winery which is now owned by her sister-in-law. She knew she was going to be spending a lot of time with a man she had convinced herself she hates over the next few weeks. But she is a professional. She can do it. Thirteen years ago, her innocent, naïve, seventeen year old self had fallen in love with Liam. She offered herself to him only to be turned down. Then she discovered what her father did. Now thirteen years later, she still aches from that awful day. She hates Liam for humiliating her. And she never forgave her father for what he did. But one look at Liam and she knows that she still hasn’t gotten over him, even after all these years.
“Apparently it was only Liam that could make her feel like this. She had kissed other men. Had gone on dates. Had tried. She had tried to want someone else. She didn’t. She never had. Another way that she felt irrevocably scarred by Liam Donnelly.”
As Sabrina and Liam spend time together, at first things are pretty strained. But eventually, secrets are revealed. And we begin to understand Liam a lot better for his actions. The same goes for Sabrina.
“There had been other kisses. Other women since then. But until now he hadn’t realized that there had been a whole part of himself left untouched. A part of himself that only Sabrina had ever come close to.”
Liam and Sabrina finally decide to let each other in. They enjoy each other’s company so they agree to a fling just until the opening of their store. But Liam has to wonder if that will be enough. If he will ever have enough.
“Sabrina deserved it. He wanted to give her things. And he didn’t even know what exactly he wanted her to have. Just more. Sometimes he felt like he wanted to give her everything.”
I have been wanting to read a Maisey Yates book for a long time now. I have to admit, though, that I struggled a bit the first half of this. The only way I can think of to describe it was that it was a bit wordy. But as the relationship became deeper between these two I found myself more invested. There were a lot of sweet moments and not just between Liam and Sabrina. There was one particular scene between Liam and his younger brother that made my eyes get misty.
“He was so beautiful. Would he ever not be beautiful to her? Would he ever not be the one and only person who made her feel like this?”
Sabrina and Liam had both suffered, had both placed blame for previous events and locked down their emotions. They were both broken, in different ways. But somehow, together, they fit. They filled in the broken places. They made each other want more. But first they had to trust in each other. They had to forgive each other. They had to be willing to risk getting hurt again.
All in all, I did enjoy this. As I said, I just felt it dragged a bit, especially the first half. But if you know me, you know I love cowboys and even more I love Christmas. Put them together and I’m a happy girl.
Liam Donnelly left Copper Ridge when he was twenty years old. He had been living on the Grassroots Winery property working for the Leightons. He and Sabrina Leighton had gotten close over that last summer. She had gotten closer to him than anyone else ever had. He knew she had a big crush on him. But he was broken. He could never be what she needed or deserved. So when her father offered him money to leave, he took it, and bought himself a college education.
Over the thirteen years he had been gone, he became a successful business man and made millions. But he still always felt empty inside. And he never forgot Sabrina. Now he’s back, living on the ranch that was left to him and his three brothers. He has seen Sabrina around town a couple of times but she avoids him like the plague. But now he is going into business with the winery she still works at. His farm will provide the cheese and they are opening a wine tasting shop in Copper Ridge. The goal was to have it open by Christmas when all the festivities begin. So Liam will be spending a lot of time with Sabrina over the next few weeks.
Sabrina Leighton was thirty years old and was working at the winery which is now owned by her sister-in-law. She knew she was going to be spending a lot of time with a man she had convinced herself she hates over the next few weeks. But she is a professional. She can do it. Thirteen years ago, her innocent, naïve, seventeen year old self had fallen in love with Liam. She offered herself to him only to be turned down. Then she discovered what her father did. Now thirteen years later, she still aches from that awful day. She hates Liam for humiliating her. And she never forgave her father for what he did. But one look at Liam and she knows that she still hasn’t gotten over him, even after all these years.
“Apparently it was only Liam that could make her feel like this. She had kissed other men. Had gone on dates. Had tried. She had tried to want someone else. She didn’t. She never had. Another way that she felt irrevocably scarred by Liam Donnelly.”
As Sabrina and Liam spend time together, at first things are pretty strained. But eventually, secrets are revealed. And we begin to understand Liam a lot better for his actions. The same goes for Sabrina.
“There had been other kisses. Other women since then. But until now he hadn’t realized that there had been a whole part of himself left untouched. A part of himself that only Sabrina had ever come close to.”
Liam and Sabrina finally decide to let each other in. They enjoy each other’s company so they agree to a fling just until the opening of their store. But Liam has to wonder if that will be enough. If he will ever have enough.
“Sabrina deserved it. He wanted to give her things. And he didn’t even know what exactly he wanted her to have. Just more. Sometimes he felt like he wanted to give her everything.”
I have been wanting to read a Maisey Yates book for a long time now. I have to admit, though, that I struggled a bit the first half of this. The only way I can think of to describe it was that it was a bit wordy. But as the relationship became deeper between these two I found myself more invested. There were a lot of sweet moments and not just between Liam and Sabrina. There was one particular scene between Liam and his younger brother that made my eyes get misty.
“He was so beautiful. Would he ever not be beautiful to her? Would he ever not be the one and only person who made her feel like this?”
Sabrina and Liam had both suffered, had both placed blame for previous events and locked down their emotions. They were both broken, in different ways. But somehow, together, they fit. They filled in the broken places. They made each other want more. But first they had to trust in each other. They had to forgive each other. They had to be willing to risk getting hurt again.
All in all, I did enjoy this. As I said, I just felt it dragged a bit, especially the first half. But if you know me, you know I love cowboys and even more I love Christmas. Put them together and I’m a happy girl.
December 8, 2017
Sabrina fell hard for Liam when she was just seventeen. They formed a friendship while he was working at her family’s winery, and she never felt closer to anyone. Confiding her hopes and dreams all the while her crush grew and burned a permanent mark on her heart. Unfortunately, when Sabrina offered herself up to Liam, he rejected and humiliated her. Worse, he accepted her father’s payoff to stay away and she hasn’t laid eyes on him in thirteen years. That is until he shows up back in town and they must work together setting up the new winery tasting room. Let’s just say things are a little chilly going forward.
The intensity of feelings Sabrina felt for Liam has been unmatched by any other man in the years that’ve passed, but there’s anger and hurt there, too. There is a reason, or many, why Liam left when he did. I won’t go into it, but it made sense, and once Sabrina got the whole story, understanding started to replace the anger she felt.
I just loved this second-chance romance so much! Yes, there was hurt and anger, but that’s because the feelings between Liam and Sabrina were intense and passionate. It was pleasure seeing Liam and Sabrina fall all over again! The setting, a small picturesque town lit up by Christmas lights, dusted with snow felt perfect for this time of year!
A copy was kindly provided by Harlequin via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The intensity of feelings Sabrina felt for Liam has been unmatched by any other man in the years that’ve passed, but there’s anger and hurt there, too. There is a reason, or many, why Liam left when he did. I won’t go into it, but it made sense, and once Sabrina got the whole story, understanding started to replace the anger she felt.
I just loved this second-chance romance so much! Yes, there was hurt and anger, but that’s because the feelings between Liam and Sabrina were intense and passionate. It was pleasure seeing Liam and Sabrina fall all over again! The setting, a small picturesque town lit up by Christmas lights, dusted with snow felt perfect for this time of year!
A copy was kindly provided by Harlequin via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2017
Favorite Quote: “Honey, I only know how to be inappropriate. And I think you like that about me.”
I’ll start every Maisey Yates review by saying she is my go-to comfort read author. The story arcs and the set-up all might be a little similar, but I like it. I know what I’m going to get with a Yates book. Her heroes seem to be always a little gruff – maybe you can classify it as “adorable-assholeish.” The heroines have to figure out how to deal with all their masculinity and grunting. It’s my cuddly/happy read and Christmastime Cowboy fit right in.
Sabrina fell hard for Liam many years ago when she was seventeen. And to be honest, he had fallen for her too – but he was a little older, and Liam was just learning how to live his life away from his abusive, neglectful mother. He was broke, without any options, that he could see, for his future. When Sabrina’s father offers him money to leave town and leave his daughter alone, Liam realizes it’s enough money to go to college and start a new life for himself. He takes it. (he does! Is that heroic??) At the same time, Sabrina had made up her mind that she wanted him, and approaches him in nothing but a robe – which falls to the floor. He decides at that moment, that it wouldn’t be fair to take advantage of her since he was leaving and he knew he wasn’t right for her. When he leaves, she is devastated, and thirteen years later, still fumes about him.
Unfortunately for Sabrina, Liam has moved back home. A successful investor and businessman, Liam moved home when he inherited part of his family’s ranch. He is reunited with his brother, and two half-brothers – all who have come home to Copper Ridge. Sabrina currently works at the winery and Liam has a plan – he wants to open a new store in town that showcases the cheese he has been working on along with Sabrina’s wine. He knows just the spot – but now he has to convince Sabrina to become his partner…and she wants nothing to do with him.
This is like a second chance romance plus enemies to lovers, all in one. Sabrina wants nothing to do with Liam, now that he is back in town. She turns the corner if she sees him on the street. She hides in stores from him. She is still so hurt that she came to him naked and vulnerable, and he left. And he took her father’s money. Brutal. But if you get to know Liam, and his horrible childhood, where his mother would lock him in a closet for days, you start to understand that he wasn’t in a place of security or had any sort of foundation to start a healthy relationship. Should he have communicated this to Sabrina then or anytime in the past thirteen years? Yes! But he doesn’t. He is more of a grunter. Liam has been home reacquainting himself with his brothers and trying to figure out his life moving forward. Sabrina still makes his heart melt, and it’s only a matter of time before he sees her naked again, and this time doesn’t leave. Liam is gruff and a little cocky – especially in bed – and Sabrina wants all of his dirty, growly moves.
“I want to have chemistry with a nice guy,” she said, her tone wistful.
Her took a step towards her, his heart pounding heavily. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this strung out being so close to a woman. Couldn’t remember if he had ever anticipated a kiss quite so keenly. “No you don’t,” he said, brushing his fingertips beneath her chin and tilted her face upward. “You want a bad boy.”
Fans of this series will get a lot of looks into Liam’s three brothers and their significant others. I almost want to say this one is a little harder to read as a stand alone because of all the family connections that may confuse new readers. Yates also writes a note in the book to say she is starting a spin-off series, Gold Valley, a neighboring town to Copper Ridge – and sets up some characters that we will meet again there.
One more note, the book ends at 75%, and then a bonus novella is included, called Cowboy Christmas Blues.
Cute and fun. I’ll take a growly Liam any day
Grade: B
I’ll start every Maisey Yates review by saying she is my go-to comfort read author. The story arcs and the set-up all might be a little similar, but I like it. I know what I’m going to get with a Yates book. Her heroes seem to be always a little gruff – maybe you can classify it as “adorable-assholeish.” The heroines have to figure out how to deal with all their masculinity and grunting. It’s my cuddly/happy read and Christmastime Cowboy fit right in.
Sabrina fell hard for Liam many years ago when she was seventeen. And to be honest, he had fallen for her too – but he was a little older, and Liam was just learning how to live his life away from his abusive, neglectful mother. He was broke, without any options, that he could see, for his future. When Sabrina’s father offers him money to leave town and leave his daughter alone, Liam realizes it’s enough money to go to college and start a new life for himself. He takes it. (he does! Is that heroic??) At the same time, Sabrina had made up her mind that she wanted him, and approaches him in nothing but a robe – which falls to the floor. He decides at that moment, that it wouldn’t be fair to take advantage of her since he was leaving and he knew he wasn’t right for her. When he leaves, she is devastated, and thirteen years later, still fumes about him.
Unfortunately for Sabrina, Liam has moved back home. A successful investor and businessman, Liam moved home when he inherited part of his family’s ranch. He is reunited with his brother, and two half-brothers – all who have come home to Copper Ridge. Sabrina currently works at the winery and Liam has a plan – he wants to open a new store in town that showcases the cheese he has been working on along with Sabrina’s wine. He knows just the spot – but now he has to convince Sabrina to become his partner…and she wants nothing to do with him.
This is like a second chance romance plus enemies to lovers, all in one. Sabrina wants nothing to do with Liam, now that he is back in town. She turns the corner if she sees him on the street. She hides in stores from him. She is still so hurt that she came to him naked and vulnerable, and he left. And he took her father’s money. Brutal. But if you get to know Liam, and his horrible childhood, where his mother would lock him in a closet for days, you start to understand that he wasn’t in a place of security or had any sort of foundation to start a healthy relationship. Should he have communicated this to Sabrina then or anytime in the past thirteen years? Yes! But he doesn’t. He is more of a grunter. Liam has been home reacquainting himself with his brothers and trying to figure out his life moving forward. Sabrina still makes his heart melt, and it’s only a matter of time before he sees her naked again, and this time doesn’t leave. Liam is gruff and a little cocky – especially in bed – and Sabrina wants all of his dirty, growly moves.
“I want to have chemistry with a nice guy,” she said, her tone wistful.
Her took a step towards her, his heart pounding heavily. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this strung out being so close to a woman. Couldn’t remember if he had ever anticipated a kiss quite so keenly. “No you don’t,” he said, brushing his fingertips beneath her chin and tilted her face upward. “You want a bad boy.”
Fans of this series will get a lot of looks into Liam’s three brothers and their significant others. I almost want to say this one is a little harder to read as a stand alone because of all the family connections that may confuse new readers. Yates also writes a note in the book to say she is starting a spin-off series, Gold Valley, a neighboring town to Copper Ridge – and sets up some characters that we will meet again there.
One more note, the book ends at 75%, and then a bonus novella is included, called Cowboy Christmas Blues.
Cute and fun. I’ll take a growly Liam any day
Grade: B
April 3, 2019
ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.
It was thirteen years ago when Sabrina had her romantic summer romance with Liam Donnelly. It was a summer to remember and a summer to forget as well. Because one day Liam was gone, just left and broke her heart.
Sabrina's Dad didn't want Liam around his daughter so he offered him money to leave, disappear, money to pay his college. Liam felt that he wasn't good enough for Sabrina so he took the money, he was going to college and better himself.
Thirteen years pass and Liam is back. Successful and well off, he's done what he set out to do, but he still felt that something was missing. But now he's back, he's determined to reconnect with his brothers and work on establishing a friendship with them.
Well Sabrina and Liam's path's cross of course. And Sabrina's hurt and anger are palpable when they do, Liam has do doubt she hates him. Things become even more tense when their families will now be working together and hence they will also.
The two has so much unresolved anger, hurt and issues to address that it was an emotional merry go round. The past needed to be addressed and truths revealed. I appreciated their communication skills and process of coming to their HEA. Good pacing and storyline. I enjoyed the characters as well as the secondary characters. I love Maisey Yates small town romances.
It was thirteen years ago when Sabrina had her romantic summer romance with Liam Donnelly. It was a summer to remember and a summer to forget as well. Because one day Liam was gone, just left and broke her heart.
Sabrina's Dad didn't want Liam around his daughter so he offered him money to leave, disappear, money to pay his college. Liam felt that he wasn't good enough for Sabrina so he took the money, he was going to college and better himself.
Thirteen years pass and Liam is back. Successful and well off, he's done what he set out to do, but he still felt that something was missing. But now he's back, he's determined to reconnect with his brothers and work on establishing a friendship with them.
Well Sabrina and Liam's path's cross of course. And Sabrina's hurt and anger are palpable when they do, Liam has do doubt she hates him. Things become even more tense when their families will now be working together and hence they will also.
The two has so much unresolved anger, hurt and issues to address that it was an emotional merry go round. The past needed to be addressed and truths revealed. I appreciated their communication skills and process of coming to their HEA. Good pacing and storyline. I enjoyed the characters as well as the secondary characters. I love Maisey Yates small town romances.
October 7, 2017
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (live 11/23)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2yxoIl1
Christmas. Cowboys. Maisey Yates. Could it BE any more perfect?! lol
Christmastime Cowboy was full of great characters that were a bit broken and in need of mending, some growly chemistry that turned oh-so-yummily hot. Family, friends, steamy love scenes and heartwarming moments. Add in the holiday spirit and, yep, Christmastime Cowboy was another winner from Yates.
Okay so Liam and Sabina. Oh my gosh, yall. He done fucked up right good when they were younger. Like took a bribe from her dad to leave town fucked up. Yeah. And thirteen years later he's back in town and they're having to work together on a business venture that has to be off the ground by Christmas. If they can stand being in each others presence that long. And keep from ripping each others clothes off. Eee!
Woosh. Yeah, I was #TeamSabrina for a good long while because Liam...Liam was a prick. lol They're both rather messed up. She's buttoned up and trust...is not in her wheelhouse. And Liam. Well, he has trust issues, childhood issues, slutty boy issues. But it was hard to stay mad at him for long as you start to get his story because, yeah, it was a bad one that he managed to survive.
It was fun watching them butt heads then call a truce for the sake of work. Obviously, they get past his shitastic behavior while working together and things go all lusty between them. lol And, whew, when they call a truce things do get oh-so steamy! They were good together, too. Definitely cheer-worthy.
One thing Yates does so well is giving you broken characters that you can feel for and cheer on as they heal from everything in the past. Even if they've make you real mad for a while.
Overall, another enjoyable read. This one did stop at the 75% mark which was a bit disappointing-- there's a bonus novella I didn't know about-- and I would have liked a little more of a showdown between them and their families but overall...not bad. Not bad at all. Passionate and full of feels. A good time was had.
October 24, 2017
3.5 stars
Maisey Yates wrote a nice Christmas story about love lost and then found again.
I’ve read Maisey Yates before and always enjoyed her stories. Liam just couldn’t let go of his past hurts and decisions. Sabrina just couldn’t let go of the past. But, they have a job to do and they both decide to make the best of it. Liam knew that he would not be welcomed with open arms and Sabrina made sure that she made his life as miserable as possible. But, then she sees the softer side of him and faces the fact that she still loves him. Deciding to make the best out of a terrible situation, she gives in and gives Liam the surprise of his life. But, will she regret it? Will Liam finally tell her the whole truth and leave the past behind him? Can they make a life together after all the hurt and deception?
Liam and Sabrina, unfortunately, didn’t drag me into this story. I honestly didn’t feel the sparks between them and really wanted to. Liam came off as hard and Sabrina had a real chip on her shoulder. Between the two of them, there was a whole lot of angst. But, in the end, they showed their inner selves and my heart opened to them. But, getting there was a little rough. To me, a Holiday Romance should be light and sweet, fun. There were parts of the story that were that but there was a whole lot of drama as well.
October 19, 2017
I feel like I've been waiting for Liam's story forever, but it was definitely worth the wait.
I loved Sabrina. She's loyal and stronger than she thinks and I loved being in her head. Liam has always been stoic and stand off-ish and stubborn and he was those things in this story as well. Together they have a long history, a lot of feelings, and a crap load of chemistry. Their banter and button pushing was fantastic and the best part was reading them work through everything. It all felt realistic.
Plot wise, it was what I expected. The breakup/angsty parts weren't too long and I love seeing the other Donnelly brothers and their families. The ending was perfection and the epilogue was exactly what I wanted to see.
I'm pretty sure this is the end of this series, but I'm excited to see what Olivia does as the beginning of the new one.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Sabrina. She's loyal and stronger than she thinks and I loved being in her head. Liam has always been stoic and stand off-ish and stubborn and he was those things in this story as well. Together they have a long history, a lot of feelings, and a crap load of chemistry. Their banter and button pushing was fantastic and the best part was reading them work through everything. It all felt realistic.
Plot wise, it was what I expected. The breakup/angsty parts weren't too long and I love seeing the other Donnelly brothers and their families. The ending was perfection and the epilogue was exactly what I wanted to see.
I'm pretty sure this is the end of this series, but I'm excited to see what Olivia does as the beginning of the new one.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin Books for providing the arc free of charge**
October 17, 2017
Christmastime Cowboy was an absolutely charming second chance at love romance with the perfect amount of holiday magic and I loved it!
Thirteen years ago Liam Donnelly knew he wasn’t good enough for Sabrina Leighton, so when Sabrina’s father offered him money for college if he left town, Liam accepted. Now Liam has returned as a successful, wealthy businessman with plans to expand the Donnelly ranch by partnering with Sabrina’s family winery. When Sabrina is put in charge of getting the new tasting room up and running, she vows to keep her feelings for Liam in the past. However when it becomes clear they are still attracted to one another, Sabrina and Liam engage in a no-strings affair to end at Christmas when the new tasting room opens. But the more time Sabrina and Liam spend together, the harder it becomes to walk away.
All of the Donnelly brothers had difficult childhoods but after learning Liam’s backstory, I definitely think he had it the worst. To say he still has lingering issues after his childhood would be a massive understatement. Liam thinks he isn’t enough and believes the only thing he has of value to offer, is money. He doesn’t understand that there are people in his life that simply want him and not his wealth. He has a hard time talking about anything and as a result is a very quiet person.
Sabrina didn’t react well to her father’s involvement in Liam leaving and as a result, they had a falling out which was made worse after Sabrina took her sister-in-law’s side in her divorce from Sabrina’s cheating brother. She has a lot of trust issues and has a hard time getting close to people which leads to trouble dating as she ultimately compares every man to Liam. After being cut-off, Sabrina learned how to take care of herself and she’s very dedicated to her job at the winery (which her SIL got in the divorce).
Liam and Sabrina have amazing physical chemistry that’s apparent in their first scene together. Plus, their banter is excellent and I loved when they would verbally spar. When things heat up for these two, it’s incredibly hot and I eagerly anticipated all of the scenes where they were alone. Both Liam and Sabrina have lingering issues over how things went down thirteen years ago and they slowly work them out over the course of the book. Thankfully, the inevitable drama and break-up doesn’t last very long and the characters resolve everything pretty quickly. Plus, the drama was on the light side which made it even better.
Christmastime Cowboy does a great job setting up for the author’s next series, Gold Valley, and I’m excited that Olivia, Sabrina’s friend from the winery, is the first romance in that series. I’m hoping we’ll see some characters from the Copper Ridge series in the new books as I’m not quite ready to let go of these characters. The epilogue in this book was very sweet and I’m sad that the Donnelly romances are all finished as this family has been my favorite in the overall series. I think the Copper Ridge: Desire book coming out in April may be the last one and then we’re done with the wonderful town of Copper Ridge.
Christmastime Cowboy was everything I look for in a romance and I highly recommend it for fans of holiday romances. If you’re looking for some great small town romance, definitely check out the Copper Ridge series . If you don’t want to commit to a ten book series right away, I’d say start with the Donnelly books as I think they’re the best in the series (the first is Slow Burn Cowboy which is book seven of the overall series).
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Thirteen years ago Liam Donnelly knew he wasn’t good enough for Sabrina Leighton, so when Sabrina’s father offered him money for college if he left town, Liam accepted. Now Liam has returned as a successful, wealthy businessman with plans to expand the Donnelly ranch by partnering with Sabrina’s family winery. When Sabrina is put in charge of getting the new tasting room up and running, she vows to keep her feelings for Liam in the past. However when it becomes clear they are still attracted to one another, Sabrina and Liam engage in a no-strings affair to end at Christmas when the new tasting room opens. But the more time Sabrina and Liam spend together, the harder it becomes to walk away.
All of the Donnelly brothers had difficult childhoods but after learning Liam’s backstory, I definitely think he had it the worst. To say he still has lingering issues after his childhood would be a massive understatement. Liam thinks he isn’t enough and believes the only thing he has of value to offer, is money. He doesn’t understand that there are people in his life that simply want him and not his wealth. He has a hard time talking about anything and as a result is a very quiet person.
Sabrina didn’t react well to her father’s involvement in Liam leaving and as a result, they had a falling out which was made worse after Sabrina took her sister-in-law’s side in her divorce from Sabrina’s cheating brother. She has a lot of trust issues and has a hard time getting close to people which leads to trouble dating as she ultimately compares every man to Liam. After being cut-off, Sabrina learned how to take care of herself and she’s very dedicated to her job at the winery (which her SIL got in the divorce).
Liam and Sabrina have amazing physical chemistry that’s apparent in their first scene together. Plus, their banter is excellent and I loved when they would verbally spar. When things heat up for these two, it’s incredibly hot and I eagerly anticipated all of the scenes where they were alone. Both Liam and Sabrina have lingering issues over how things went down thirteen years ago and they slowly work them out over the course of the book. Thankfully, the inevitable drama and break-up doesn’t last very long and the characters resolve everything pretty quickly. Plus, the drama was on the light side which made it even better.
Christmastime Cowboy does a great job setting up for the author’s next series, Gold Valley, and I’m excited that Olivia, Sabrina’s friend from the winery, is the first romance in that series. I’m hoping we’ll see some characters from the Copper Ridge series in the new books as I’m not quite ready to let go of these characters. The epilogue in this book was very sweet and I’m sad that the Donnelly romances are all finished as this family has been my favorite in the overall series. I think the Copper Ridge: Desire book coming out in April may be the last one and then we’re done with the wonderful town of Copper Ridge.
Christmastime Cowboy was everything I look for in a romance and I highly recommend it for fans of holiday romances. If you’re looking for some great small town romance, definitely check out the Copper Ridge series . If you don’t want to commit to a ten book series right away, I’d say start with the Donnelly books as I think they’re the best in the series (the first is Slow Burn Cowboy which is book seven of the overall series).
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
July 9, 2024
Liam Donnelly used to be a troublemaker and a heartbreaker. At least that's how Sabrina Leighton remember him. Thirteen years ago, they were friends. But one day she tried to seduce him, he rejected her and took the money her father offered to disappear from her life. Then she humiliated herself at a town meeting when she revealed a family secret to get back at her father.
"Emotions were a mess."
Nobody knows better than Liam how deep the past can sink his claws in you. When your mother hated you, locked you up and never bother whether you had food or not, it's easy to understand why you built up wall to avoid any emotional connection. Liam thought money was the answer. It may have help him felt more secure, but it didn't make him happy. He joined his brother and half-brothers at Copper Ridge not so long ago when they inherited their grandfather's ranch. With plan to expand business, Liam want a joint venture with Grassroots Vinery, which mean working with their manager, none other than Sabrina Leighton.
Sabrina is still pissed at Liam for their past history. There's so much anger and resentment inside her that you might wonder, like me, if a happily ever after is possible between them. You can count on Maisey Yates, she knows what she's doing :p I totally understand her for still being angry, especially because of the money. If you expect the hero to grovel it's best you know it's not how it went. It would usually bother me, but in that case, I think they really needed to let go of the past mistake to be able to move forward. They cleared the air and she finally could get it off her chest how betrayed she felt by him. And it's easier to forget once she realize why he ran away and that he's more than a teenage fantasy. But the heavy past and having to clear the air meant a lot of talking and not much space left for doing, for a good part of the book. I was not happy "hearing" the hero refer to her as unfinished business.
The ambience of the book was sometimes too heavy for me. Maybe because we're left to believe at first that Liam and Sabrina were two broken souls when they were just lost. Or because it all seemed so impossible for them to be together but when the spark of real love is there there's not a thing that can stop it from finding its way ?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2018
This is the 10th book in the Copper Ridge series but in no way did I feel like I was missing out in anything starting reading here. It was a cute Christmas story.
January 23, 2018
This is the first book I've read by this author and it will probably be the last. It seemed like the required research on the area where the book took place wasn't done. When Sabrina said she went to Oregon State University, she said "Go Ducks!"...which is the mascot for University of Oregon. Also, the county they were in isn't one in Oregon. I didn't care for how they droned on about being apart for 13 years. I was like "let it go already." Or how towards the end of the book Liam and his brother rambled on about childhood family drama. This book was supposed to be about Christmas, a season of peace and good will, not anger.
January 24, 2022
I listened to this book in audiobook format.
June 6, 2024
yates has done it again.
August 5, 2020
Oh dear. This one came perilously close to being a 1 star read -- and given how I adore Christmas romances, that's saying a lot! It needed to be a good 100 pages shorter - would have made a lovely holiday novella, which Yates has frequently written.
What was so bad? Well, let's start with the 30 year old virgin trope. Seriously? Sabrina kept her virginity for 13 years after being rejected in high school by local tattooed bad boy Liam, who the day after rejecting her took a payout from Sabrina's rich but cold daddy to leave his daughter alone, left town, got a fancy college education, became a Wall Street tycoon and wealthy as sin. Sabrina meanwhile became alienated/disowned by her father, put herself through local college and basically became a 21st century nun.
Some version of the word 'virgin' is repeated 19 times in the book...about 18 times too many.
So it's now 13 years later, Sabrina has returned to town working in the family winery which is about to embark on a joint project with Liam's family's business (a ranch but with cows making cheese and selling milk, not cattle selling beef - sorry that's a farm, even in Oregon, not a ranch, but of course farmers are not nearly as romantically sexy as cowboys, hence a ranch centered on dairy production. This was a huge ding for me -- but I digress) and guess what? Super rich bad boy Liam is back in town having abandonned the Wall Street tycoon life for milking cows (like THAT would really happen!) and will be taking lead on this joint project - a tasting room in downtown Copper Ridge, OR. And there we have the basic plot: Sabrina and Liam meet again, there are fireworks because Sabrina still harbors rejection anger and Liam always lusted after her and still does, even though he's been a slut for the last 13 years and doesn't believe in relationships. Sabrina decides that to 'cure' herself of her obsession with Liam and get past the anger, she will sleep with him finally unburdening herself of that virginity mentioned 19 times (points given for the female lead to seek the 'cure' for desiring someone by having sex with them to 'get it out of her system' - usually this is a male trope). Of course, that backfires, they have an affair, insisting to themselves, each other, and all others, that they don't love each other and it can just be a temporary affair, before finally getting their HEA, one that was rushed in the last 3 chapters of the book. Also in those last 3 chapters, Sabrina reconciles with her father and Liam . Yup busy 3 chapters but they were almost worth slogging through the rest.
I deducted points because of passages like this:
"She could hardly breathe. He wanted her. He wanted her, and he was in a state of discomfort over it.
She held the keys to his celibacy."
That celibacy had existed for a whole nanosecond....
However, it got a few points for descriptions like 'drama llama', 'penis logic' and 'you spent how long playing dramatic opera heroine over the same guy?" and "did you just stand there, all stoic and unruffled." Yeah, that last one is corny but sometimes corny is just right.
Yes, there are a couple of hot steamy sex scenes .... except not so great IMHO. Sabrina has much discomfort of course initially because she's, you know, a VIRGIN! And Liam is unable to control himself and take a slower pace because oh boy, he's finally 'having' Sabrina! The second encounter is on the hardwood floor of Sabrina's living room and no she's not on top - all I could think is 'OUCH', especially as Liam, you know, can't wait. There is more than a touch of brutality rather than passion in the scenes. Even the one under the Christmas Tree in the not yet open tasting room, while starting off passionate and romantic gets a little too edgy in the end. In fact, Sabrina barely gets any satisfaction in these scenes, which pisses me off. So even the sex is dinged in my rating and that's just wrong for a Christmas romance!
There you have it - a very disappointing cowboy christmas romance read. I have a couple of Yates' novella holiday stories I'll read but I'm not about to succumb to any further. Especially not the virginal Olivia's story that was being set up in this one...
What was so bad? Well, let's start with the 30 year old virgin trope. Seriously? Sabrina kept her virginity for 13 years after being rejected in high school by local tattooed bad boy Liam, who the day after rejecting her took a payout from Sabrina's rich but cold daddy to leave his daughter alone, left town, got a fancy college education, became a Wall Street tycoon and wealthy as sin. Sabrina meanwhile became alienated/disowned by her father, put herself through local college and basically became a 21st century nun.
Some version of the word 'virgin' is repeated 19 times in the book...about 18 times too many.
So it's now 13 years later, Sabrina has returned to town working in the family winery which is about to embark on a joint project with Liam's family's business (a ranch but with cows making cheese and selling milk, not cattle selling beef - sorry that's a farm, even in Oregon, not a ranch, but of course farmers are not nearly as romantically sexy as cowboys, hence a ranch centered on dairy production. This was a huge ding for me -- but I digress) and guess what? Super rich bad boy Liam is back in town having abandonned the Wall Street tycoon life for milking cows (like THAT would really happen!) and will be taking lead on this joint project - a tasting room in downtown Copper Ridge, OR. And there we have the basic plot: Sabrina and Liam meet again, there are fireworks because Sabrina still harbors rejection anger and Liam always lusted after her and still does, even though he's been a slut for the last 13 years and doesn't believe in relationships. Sabrina decides that to 'cure' herself of her obsession with Liam and get past the anger, she will sleep with him finally unburdening herself of that virginity mentioned 19 times (points given for the female lead to seek the 'cure' for desiring someone by having sex with them to 'get it out of her system' - usually this is a male trope). Of course, that backfires, they have an affair, insisting to themselves, each other, and all others, that they don't love each other and it can just be a temporary affair, before finally getting their HEA, one that was rushed in the last 3 chapters of the book. Also in those last 3 chapters, Sabrina reconciles with her father and Liam . Yup busy 3 chapters but they were almost worth slogging through the rest.
I deducted points because of passages like this:
"She could hardly breathe. He wanted her. He wanted her, and he was in a state of discomfort over it.
She held the keys to his celibacy."
That celibacy had existed for a whole nanosecond....
However, it got a few points for descriptions like 'drama llama', 'penis logic' and 'you spent how long playing dramatic opera heroine over the same guy?" and "did you just stand there, all stoic and unruffled." Yeah, that last one is corny but sometimes corny is just right.
Yes, there are a couple of hot steamy sex scenes .... except not so great IMHO. Sabrina has much discomfort of course initially because she's, you know, a VIRGIN! And Liam is unable to control himself and take a slower pace because oh boy, he's finally 'having' Sabrina! The second encounter is on the hardwood floor of Sabrina's living room and no she's not on top - all I could think is 'OUCH', especially as Liam, you know, can't wait. There is more than a touch of brutality rather than passion in the scenes. Even the one under the Christmas Tree in the not yet open tasting room, while starting off passionate and romantic gets a little too edgy in the end. In fact, Sabrina barely gets any satisfaction in these scenes, which pisses me off. So even the sex is dinged in my rating and that's just wrong for a Christmas romance!
There you have it - a very disappointing cowboy christmas romance read. I have a couple of Yates' novella holiday stories I'll read but I'm not about to succumb to any further. Especially not the virginal Olivia's story that was being set up in this one...
December 3, 2017
Truth be told, Miss Bates would advise you not to read past this sentence because she loves every Maisey Yates romance she reads. You’ve been warned: you may have heard this before.
With each Copper Ridge and related romance novels that come out, MissB. anticipates disappointment: “finally, this one will be stale, tired, Yates will just go through the motions”. Nope, each and every one is good: thoughtful, sexy, centred on love, romance, healing, fidelity, and commitment. Hero and heroine are often many kinds of messed up, in need of healing what is soul-and-heart broken. They skirt around what their fabulous love-making intimates, dismiss it as lust, run away from what their bodies already know: this is your soulmate, the one person you’ve waited for, the one who ends all others for you, the one you love and will share a family with. It’s simple and familiar and Yates makes it fresh and wonderful every time. You either buy her view of love and marriage, or you balk at the notion of what the body knows, the mind must get used to; and, what the body knows, the soul recognized a long time ago. This is as true for Golden-Good-Girl Sabrina Leighton as for returned bad-boy, wrong-side-of-tracks Liam Donnelly.
When Sabrina was seventeen and Liam twenty, he worked at her father’s winery. Sabrina had a crush on him and Liam was, um, not inured to her beauty: what they had was friendship, attraction, affection, care, and a whole load of yearning, especially on Sabrina’s part. But Liam left, after her father paid him off, breaking Sabrina’s heart (though he saw his actions as nobly giving her up “for her own good” because he wasn’t good enough for her) leaving thirteen years of resentment and anger in his wake. Now, he’s back and their mutual business interests see them working together to open a wine-tasting venue.
Sabrina and Liam work together through Sabrina’s anger and Liam’s seeming charming indifference. They work through the flaring of their always-smouldering attraction. They work through dredging up past hurts. They work through their unfinished story. They work through islands of affection and connection which float into their fraught encounters. All around them are the wonderful characters and world that Yates built for her fictional Copper Ridge, Oregon (even a delightful sighting of Sheriff Eli Garrett, one of Copper Ridge’s first heroes). Liam and Sabrina’s reunited-almost-lovers banter and angry, resistant kisses occur amidst Thanksgiving turkey and pie, the town decked out in Christmas lights, the mayoral Christmas tree lighting, and the grand opening of their wine-tasting venue. They banter, kiss, argue, fight, laugh, smile, and confront what their bodies and souls have known all along: they love each other. Their journey is long, sexy, and angsty enough to make the moments of joy and humour all that sharper and better.
One of Yates’s favourite themes, which is close to Miss Bates’s heart, is that money doesn’t bring you closer to the ultimate human goods, love and family. Maybe it’s clichéd and/or trite, the stuff of Hallmark movies, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Yates, however, understands that Mammon’s pursuit is borne of inner “broken-ness”, especially for men. Liam is such a hero: an abused, neglected child, with internalized anger and feelings of worthlessness. He took Sabrina’s father’s money and went to college, made a huge success of himself, filled his coffers, bought a NYC penthouse, and wore Italian-made suits. He also found himself staring glumly out of the corner office, feeling empty. He returned to Copper Ridge and moved in with his brothers, whom he loves but keeps at a distance. Even now, working the ranch with them, Liam defines himself by what he believes is his only offering – money: “He didn’t have much to offer. He had capital. Which, when you were kind of an asshole, was always the smart thing to lead with … He knew … how to make money. And he knew how to give money.” Confronted by his brothers’ love and Sabrina’s, Liam cracks open: exposing fears of abandonment and not measuring up. For many of Yates’s heroes, love forces their seemingly indifferent, generous hand and brings out their little-boy need for love, care, connection, and affection. Like most of them, the faster and harder they run away from love in a beloved woman’s form (and family as a secondary story), paradoxically, the closer they come to becoming the men they’re meant to be: loving, faithful husbands and fathers. Liam is a wonderful example of this character growth.
Another of Yates’s favourite themes, and which Miss Bates also holds close to her heart, is the recognition of the beloved as preceding conscious thought. Liam and Sabrina, for example, had recognized each other when they were young and now, despite the hurt and separation, they recognize each other all over again thirteen years later: “The moment she had walked in he had looked, and she had found him. As if there was no space between them at all. As if there weren’t thirteen years between them. Thirteen years and some hard decisions and some hurt.” Those “hard decisions” and “hurt” have to be worked through and it’s painful, but body and soul know what the mind must reason through, with honest conversation between hero and heroine, often painful, wrenching, hurtful, but also clarifying, reconciling, and ultimately healing.
One of Miss Bates’s favourite moments in Christmastime Cowboy is when Sabrina works out and works through, in her head, how she used Liam’s actions to block herself from feeling and growing:
… until that moment she hadn’t realized that to her he hadn’t been real. He had been a symbol. A symbol of rebellion gone wrong, of her feelings, of her vulnerabilities. But perhaps, just perhaps, he was more than that. Faced with this, it was somewhat impossible to deny … on some level she felt as though her body had been created for this. Created for him. And his for her.
It’s an interesting and unusual idea that Yates posits here: that the hero can be as subject to objectification as the heroine. Liam became Sabrina’s scapegoat: she could attribute to him what she couldn’t admit to herself. When she recognizes that he too was vulnerable (and it takes some honesty on his part to help her come to this conclusion), he becomes more than a romance cliché: the bad boy, no matter how handsome, desirable, and dangerous, emerges into flawed, but loving and worthy of love three-dimensional person. And it is double interesting that the body knows and recognizes, through the rightness of fidelity, that she and Liam belong together on a plane that goes beyond the limitations of what they can rationalize.
Finally, Yates gives Liam one of the most beautiful Christmas romance confessions of love Miss Bates has read:
“You’re my Christmas, Sabrina.”
“Your what?”
“My peace on earth. My hope. My joy. My love.”
As sigh-worthy a romance novel conclusion as any Miss B. and many readers have ever read. With Miss Austen, her reading companion, Miss Bates says of Yates’s Christmastime Cowboy, “there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.
Maisey Yates’s Christmastime Cowboy is published by HQN Books. It was released on October 24th and is available through your preferred vendors. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from HQN Books, via Netgalley.
With each Copper Ridge and related romance novels that come out, MissB. anticipates disappointment: “finally, this one will be stale, tired, Yates will just go through the motions”. Nope, each and every one is good: thoughtful, sexy, centred on love, romance, healing, fidelity, and commitment. Hero and heroine are often many kinds of messed up, in need of healing what is soul-and-heart broken. They skirt around what their fabulous love-making intimates, dismiss it as lust, run away from what their bodies already know: this is your soulmate, the one person you’ve waited for, the one who ends all others for you, the one you love and will share a family with. It’s simple and familiar and Yates makes it fresh and wonderful every time. You either buy her view of love and marriage, or you balk at the notion of what the body knows, the mind must get used to; and, what the body knows, the soul recognized a long time ago. This is as true for Golden-Good-Girl Sabrina Leighton as for returned bad-boy, wrong-side-of-tracks Liam Donnelly.
When Sabrina was seventeen and Liam twenty, he worked at her father’s winery. Sabrina had a crush on him and Liam was, um, not inured to her beauty: what they had was friendship, attraction, affection, care, and a whole load of yearning, especially on Sabrina’s part. But Liam left, after her father paid him off, breaking Sabrina’s heart (though he saw his actions as nobly giving her up “for her own good” because he wasn’t good enough for her) leaving thirteen years of resentment and anger in his wake. Now, he’s back and their mutual business interests see them working together to open a wine-tasting venue.
Sabrina and Liam work together through Sabrina’s anger and Liam’s seeming charming indifference. They work through the flaring of their always-smouldering attraction. They work through dredging up past hurts. They work through their unfinished story. They work through islands of affection and connection which float into their fraught encounters. All around them are the wonderful characters and world that Yates built for her fictional Copper Ridge, Oregon (even a delightful sighting of Sheriff Eli Garrett, one of Copper Ridge’s first heroes). Liam and Sabrina’s reunited-almost-lovers banter and angry, resistant kisses occur amidst Thanksgiving turkey and pie, the town decked out in Christmas lights, the mayoral Christmas tree lighting, and the grand opening of their wine-tasting venue. They banter, kiss, argue, fight, laugh, smile, and confront what their bodies and souls have known all along: they love each other. Their journey is long, sexy, and angsty enough to make the moments of joy and humour all that sharper and better.
One of Yates’s favourite themes, which is close to Miss Bates’s heart, is that money doesn’t bring you closer to the ultimate human goods, love and family. Maybe it’s clichéd and/or trite, the stuff of Hallmark movies, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Yates, however, understands that Mammon’s pursuit is borne of inner “broken-ness”, especially for men. Liam is such a hero: an abused, neglected child, with internalized anger and feelings of worthlessness. He took Sabrina’s father’s money and went to college, made a huge success of himself, filled his coffers, bought a NYC penthouse, and wore Italian-made suits. He also found himself staring glumly out of the corner office, feeling empty. He returned to Copper Ridge and moved in with his brothers, whom he loves but keeps at a distance. Even now, working the ranch with them, Liam defines himself by what he believes is his only offering – money: “He didn’t have much to offer. He had capital. Which, when you were kind of an asshole, was always the smart thing to lead with … He knew … how to make money. And he knew how to give money.” Confronted by his brothers’ love and Sabrina’s, Liam cracks open: exposing fears of abandonment and not measuring up. For many of Yates’s heroes, love forces their seemingly indifferent, generous hand and brings out their little-boy need for love, care, connection, and affection. Like most of them, the faster and harder they run away from love in a beloved woman’s form (and family as a secondary story), paradoxically, the closer they come to becoming the men they’re meant to be: loving, faithful husbands and fathers. Liam is a wonderful example of this character growth.
Another of Yates’s favourite themes, and which Miss Bates also holds close to her heart, is the recognition of the beloved as preceding conscious thought. Liam and Sabrina, for example, had recognized each other when they were young and now, despite the hurt and separation, they recognize each other all over again thirteen years later: “The moment she had walked in he had looked, and she had found him. As if there was no space between them at all. As if there weren’t thirteen years between them. Thirteen years and some hard decisions and some hurt.” Those “hard decisions” and “hurt” have to be worked through and it’s painful, but body and soul know what the mind must reason through, with honest conversation between hero and heroine, often painful, wrenching, hurtful, but also clarifying, reconciling, and ultimately healing.
One of Miss Bates’s favourite moments in Christmastime Cowboy is when Sabrina works out and works through, in her head, how she used Liam’s actions to block herself from feeling and growing:
… until that moment she hadn’t realized that to her he hadn’t been real. He had been a symbol. A symbol of rebellion gone wrong, of her feelings, of her vulnerabilities. But perhaps, just perhaps, he was more than that. Faced with this, it was somewhat impossible to deny … on some level she felt as though her body had been created for this. Created for him. And his for her.
It’s an interesting and unusual idea that Yates posits here: that the hero can be as subject to objectification as the heroine. Liam became Sabrina’s scapegoat: she could attribute to him what she couldn’t admit to herself. When she recognizes that he too was vulnerable (and it takes some honesty on his part to help her come to this conclusion), he becomes more than a romance cliché: the bad boy, no matter how handsome, desirable, and dangerous, emerges into flawed, but loving and worthy of love three-dimensional person. And it is double interesting that the body knows and recognizes, through the rightness of fidelity, that she and Liam belong together on a plane that goes beyond the limitations of what they can rationalize.
Finally, Yates gives Liam one of the most beautiful Christmas romance confessions of love Miss Bates has read:
“You’re my Christmas, Sabrina.”
“Your what?”
“My peace on earth. My hope. My joy. My love.”
As sigh-worthy a romance novel conclusion as any Miss B. and many readers have ever read. With Miss Austen, her reading companion, Miss Bates says of Yates’s Christmastime Cowboy, “there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.
Maisey Yates’s Christmastime Cowboy is published by HQN Books. It was released on October 24th and is available through your preferred vendors. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from HQN Books, via Netgalley.
February 24, 2020
Good second chance/enemies-to-lovers story, though frustration with both characters made it a little harder to invest in their story fully. Sabrina was the daughter of the local winery owner and Liam, the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The summer she was seventeen, Liam came to work at the winery, where the two of them quickly became friends. That friendship developed into a big crush on Sabrina's part. Sabrina's father noticed and offered Liam a hefty chunk of change to leave town. Right after that offer, Sabrina offered herself to Liam. Knowing he wasn't good enough for her, he turned her down, took the money, and left town, breaking her heart.
Thirteen years later, Liam is back, a wealthy businessman who is working with his brothers at Laughing Irish ranch. He has plans to partner with Sabrina's family's winery. When Sabrina is tasked with partnering with Liam to get the new tasting room up and running, she is not happy. She has done her best to avoid him since his return, but now she has no choice. She plans to keep things professional and lock down any lingering feelings.
That viewpoint doesn't last past their first meeting. The sparks flew as they faced off over the past. I liked that they cleared the air between them, as that opened the door to a better working relationship. But physical attraction simmered under that improvement. It doesn't take too long before they decide to carry on a no-strings affair with an end-date of the tasting room's Christmas opening. The banter between them is quick-witted and fun. The more time they spend together, the closer they get, and some confidences are shared. There were some sweet scenes of the time they spent together, as well as some steamy ones. As the time for the opening grew closer, both Liam and Sabrina had to face the future. Sabrina chooses to protect her heart, while Liam was ready to keep going for as long as they could. I hurt for both of them as their roles reversed, and Sabrina was the one to walk away.
I ached for Liam. What he went through as a child was horrific, and it's not surprising that he holds back the way he does. It's hard for him to believe that anyone would want him for himself, including his family members. Be that as it may, I still became very frustrated with his attitude that he was good enough to sleep with Sabrina, but not for a relationship. I liked seeing all three brothers call him out on his attitude, and try to break through the walls he built up. The confrontation between Liam and Alex finally opened his eyes and heart.
Sabrina provided some frustrating moments also. She was so stuck in the past that she didn't do much dating, much less form a relationship with anyone. She was much stronger than she believed she was, but it took her almost the whole book to realize it. I liked seeing her confront her father over the way he treated her, then and now. It didn't make me like him any better, but I was happy to see the effect it had on Sabrina. I did wish that she dared to tell Liam her feelings, but I understood her hesitation.
The ending was emotional as Liam was able to open himself up and show Sabrina that he was there for the long haul, that he was done walking away. Sabrina could finally trust that she didn't have to fear rejection any longer. I enjoyed the epilogue and seeing where all four brothers and their families are. It was a nice wrap-up to the quartet about the Donnelly brothers.
Thirteen years later, Liam is back, a wealthy businessman who is working with his brothers at Laughing Irish ranch. He has plans to partner with Sabrina's family's winery. When Sabrina is tasked with partnering with Liam to get the new tasting room up and running, she is not happy. She has done her best to avoid him since his return, but now she has no choice. She plans to keep things professional and lock down any lingering feelings.
That viewpoint doesn't last past their first meeting. The sparks flew as they faced off over the past. I liked that they cleared the air between them, as that opened the door to a better working relationship. But physical attraction simmered under that improvement. It doesn't take too long before they decide to carry on a no-strings affair with an end-date of the tasting room's Christmas opening. The banter between them is quick-witted and fun. The more time they spend together, the closer they get, and some confidences are shared. There were some sweet scenes of the time they spent together, as well as some steamy ones. As the time for the opening grew closer, both Liam and Sabrina had to face the future. Sabrina chooses to protect her heart, while Liam was ready to keep going for as long as they could. I hurt for both of them as their roles reversed, and Sabrina was the one to walk away.
I ached for Liam. What he went through as a child was horrific, and it's not surprising that he holds back the way he does. It's hard for him to believe that anyone would want him for himself, including his family members. Be that as it may, I still became very frustrated with his attitude that he was good enough to sleep with Sabrina, but not for a relationship. I liked seeing all three brothers call him out on his attitude, and try to break through the walls he built up. The confrontation between Liam and Alex finally opened his eyes and heart.
Sabrina provided some frustrating moments also. She was so stuck in the past that she didn't do much dating, much less form a relationship with anyone. She was much stronger than she believed she was, but it took her almost the whole book to realize it. I liked seeing her confront her father over the way he treated her, then and now. It didn't make me like him any better, but I was happy to see the effect it had on Sabrina. I did wish that she dared to tell Liam her feelings, but I understood her hesitation.
The ending was emotional as Liam was able to open himself up and show Sabrina that he was there for the long haul, that he was done walking away. Sabrina could finally trust that she didn't have to fear rejection any longer. I enjoyed the epilogue and seeing where all four brothers and their families are. It was a nice wrap-up to the quartet about the Donnelly brothers.
October 28, 2018
Reviewed by JoAnne
Book provided by NetGalley
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
Christmastime Cowboy was my first time to Copper Ridge but it won’t be my last. I have a lot of catching up to do since this is the tenth book in the Copper Ridge series but my visit there. There was a novella included at the end of the book to introduce us to Gold Valley which abuts Copper Ridge. Cowboy Christmas Blues didn’t disappoint either. There was also an excerpt for Smooth-Talking Cowboy, book one in the Gold Valley series and it just whet my appetite for more.
This is Sabrina and Liam’s story and it began in their childhood but ended thirteen years before when Liam left town unexpectedly. Not having contact throughout the years didn’t mean they hadn’t thought of each other or had they? Now that Liam has returned to work with his siblings on the family ranch and their Laughing Irish cheese he and Sabrina will be in contact because of the new tasting room in town which focuses on Grassroots Wine where Sabrina works with her sister in law who now owns it and the Donnelly brother’s cheese. They both have a lot of walls built up and it was fun to watch them get knocked down but it was sometimes heartbreaking too since neither has come to grips with their past. There’s a lot of reminisces, histories shared, sadness, anger, fear, miscommunication, tears, romance, loving and love. Their miscommunication and misreading the other’s thoughts almost put them back at square one more than once.
There were family and friends along with their shared histories that kept that story moving. It flowed nicely once I got through the first couple of chapters. The descriptions of the town, the business and the mountains made me feel like I was there. I loved the town’s Christmas traditions and how all the small businesses pulled together. There was nice closure especially with the epilogue and a happily ever after too. There’s more stories to tell which is why the new series will be set in Gold Valley.
Cowboy Christmas Blues welcomes us officially to Gold Valley and is Cooper and Annabelle’s story. They have a shared childhood since their dads are friends and they grew up around each other and their siblings. Tragedy struck Cooper’s family six years before and he was never the same. He only returns to Gold Valley when his parents ask him too. Annabelle always had a crush on Cooper but they had a big age gap – at least when they were younger. Not so much now but can they be more than friends with benefits since Cooper doesn’t plan to stay around for long and Annabelle is a business owner in town. Are they doomed to be apart or can they work through their differences?
There was a lot packed into this ninety-three page novella and had a nice flow to it. There was closure with the epilogue and a happily ever after too. I can’t wait to be back in Gold Valley over and over again.
Book provided by NetGalley
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
Christmastime Cowboy was my first time to Copper Ridge but it won’t be my last. I have a lot of catching up to do since this is the tenth book in the Copper Ridge series but my visit there. There was a novella included at the end of the book to introduce us to Gold Valley which abuts Copper Ridge. Cowboy Christmas Blues didn’t disappoint either. There was also an excerpt for Smooth-Talking Cowboy, book one in the Gold Valley series and it just whet my appetite for more.
This is Sabrina and Liam’s story and it began in their childhood but ended thirteen years before when Liam left town unexpectedly. Not having contact throughout the years didn’t mean they hadn’t thought of each other or had they? Now that Liam has returned to work with his siblings on the family ranch and their Laughing Irish cheese he and Sabrina will be in contact because of the new tasting room in town which focuses on Grassroots Wine where Sabrina works with her sister in law who now owns it and the Donnelly brother’s cheese. They both have a lot of walls built up and it was fun to watch them get knocked down but it was sometimes heartbreaking too since neither has come to grips with their past. There’s a lot of reminisces, histories shared, sadness, anger, fear, miscommunication, tears, romance, loving and love. Their miscommunication and misreading the other’s thoughts almost put them back at square one more than once.
There were family and friends along with their shared histories that kept that story moving. It flowed nicely once I got through the first couple of chapters. The descriptions of the town, the business and the mountains made me feel like I was there. I loved the town’s Christmas traditions and how all the small businesses pulled together. There was nice closure especially with the epilogue and a happily ever after too. There’s more stories to tell which is why the new series will be set in Gold Valley.
Cowboy Christmas Blues welcomes us officially to Gold Valley and is Cooper and Annabelle’s story. They have a shared childhood since their dads are friends and they grew up around each other and their siblings. Tragedy struck Cooper’s family six years before and he was never the same. He only returns to Gold Valley when his parents ask him too. Annabelle always had a crush on Cooper but they had a big age gap – at least when they were younger. Not so much now but can they be more than friends with benefits since Cooper doesn’t plan to stay around for long and Annabelle is a business owner in town. Are they doomed to be apart or can they work through their differences?
There was a lot packed into this ninety-three page novella and had a nice flow to it. There was closure with the epilogue and a happily ever after too. I can’t wait to be back in Gold Valley over and over again.
October 26, 2017
I have loved the Copper Ridge series from the very start, but I do believe the Donnelly brothers are my favorites from the bunch. There is just something about the sexy, brooding, broken men that had me not only swooning over them but also connecting with them and the strong women they have fallen for.
Liam Donnelly has been the toughest nut to crack of the bunch. There is just something very vulnerable in the standoffish way he meets the world. And when he finally opens up, the hurt, the years of pain, the hunger for acceptance and the need to be enough, to be loved, to be noticed, and not abandoned, not to be left behind, not to be overlooked when the scars of his childhood are revealed, it floored me with the deep, raw emotions pouring out of him.
Liam might come off as a scrooge that stole all the cheer, yet inside there is a man who fiercely protects his own, who sacrifices for his loved ones, who holds his true family, his brothers, dear to his heart. He says he has done one honorable thing in his life, and that was to walk away from the young Sabrina Leighton when temptation was too much.
Sabrina might have gotten over Liam much sooner than the 13 years it has taken from her but when it is a friend who turns their back on you, when it is the one person you trusted, opened up to, counted on to have your back that walks away from you without a word, the sting goes deeper, and the wound never really had the opportunity to heal.
Sabrina is a strong woman, much stronger than she considered herself to be. She knows what she wants and goes after it. She stands what she believes in, and is willing to face her past, her troubles, even if she has to bite her lip through the showdown.
I loved the fragile yet passion filled connection between Sabrina and Liam. It was such a beautiful mix of tenderness, adoration, and raw lust. With all the talk of temporary, it had the makings of something lasting and powerful, something that could make a big impact if they let it roar.
The story touches all the emotions. It has a touch of the magic of Christmas, it has that strong bond between the brothers. It has those delicate teenage feelings of first love, it has the swoon-worthy possibilities of second chance romance, those steamy, sweep you off your feet love scenes. And it has the emotions that seem to touch you all the way into the deepest corners of your soul and makes you want to shout out loud and claim that you indeed are enough.
I smiled, I sighed, I swooned, I was in tears, and I chuckled and laughed. I enjoyed the marvelous storytelling and beautiful, smoothly flowing writing. And the epilogue truly paid a delightful tribute to the Donnelly brothers and their families. I already miss them all...
~ Five Spoons!
Liam Donnelly has been the toughest nut to crack of the bunch. There is just something very vulnerable in the standoffish way he meets the world. And when he finally opens up, the hurt, the years of pain, the hunger for acceptance and the need to be enough, to be loved, to be noticed, and not abandoned, not to be left behind, not to be overlooked when the scars of his childhood are revealed, it floored me with the deep, raw emotions pouring out of him.
Liam might come off as a scrooge that stole all the cheer, yet inside there is a man who fiercely protects his own, who sacrifices for his loved ones, who holds his true family, his brothers, dear to his heart. He says he has done one honorable thing in his life, and that was to walk away from the young Sabrina Leighton when temptation was too much.
Sabrina might have gotten over Liam much sooner than the 13 years it has taken from her but when it is a friend who turns their back on you, when it is the one person you trusted, opened up to, counted on to have your back that walks away from you without a word, the sting goes deeper, and the wound never really had the opportunity to heal.
Sabrina is a strong woman, much stronger than she considered herself to be. She knows what she wants and goes after it. She stands what she believes in, and is willing to face her past, her troubles, even if she has to bite her lip through the showdown.
I loved the fragile yet passion filled connection between Sabrina and Liam. It was such a beautiful mix of tenderness, adoration, and raw lust. With all the talk of temporary, it had the makings of something lasting and powerful, something that could make a big impact if they let it roar.
The story touches all the emotions. It has a touch of the magic of Christmas, it has that strong bond between the brothers. It has those delicate teenage feelings of first love, it has the swoon-worthy possibilities of second chance romance, those steamy, sweep you off your feet love scenes. And it has the emotions that seem to touch you all the way into the deepest corners of your soul and makes you want to shout out loud and claim that you indeed are enough.
I smiled, I sighed, I swooned, I was in tears, and I chuckled and laughed. I enjoyed the marvelous storytelling and beautiful, smoothly flowing writing. And the epilogue truly paid a delightful tribute to the Donnelly brothers and their families. I already miss them all...
~ Five Spoons!
Read
November 26, 2017I had a weird experience reading Christmastime Cowboy. It took me forever to get into this book. I would start it, read a chapter, and then stop. Start, read a chapter, stop. This happened for the first 10 chapters. I was getting frustrated because this is the type of book I normally devour. Small town second chance romance between two very wounded characters... Where do I sign? So for it to fight me like this was disconcerting.
However, once I got past the roadblock... I was hooked. Here's my theory... I try not to start a book that is this late in the series and subconsciously I knew this. So I think the fact that I'm obviously jumping into a series where everyone has history, one that readers should be familiar with by now, I felt like I was missing puzzle pieces to the story. Once I got the gist of it and was able to settle into the story, I was all in. As the saying goes... The problem is me, not the book.
Once I fell in love with the book, I could not put it down. When I was supposed to be doing other things around the house, I kept finding time to sneak away for another chapter. So this time it was start, read a chapter, do something useful, then sneak back for another chapter. *grins* There was a lot I enjoyed with Christmastime Cowboy. The characters were beautifully flawed and wounded. Liam and Sabrina forced each other to face their pasts. To move forward, they had to open old wounds for the healing to begin. The banter between them added lighthearted moments and had me smiling. There were moments when I wanted to hug them and moments when I could have smacked a little bit of sense into both. I am so glad I didn't throw in the towel when things got tough. By the end of Christmastime Cowboy, I was in small town holiday romance heaven.
Will I go back and start this series from the beginning? I wish I could, but I might go back to read the Donnelly brothers books. Will I start reading the spin-off series next year? Heck yeah.
I received an advance copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
However, once I got past the roadblock... I was hooked. Here's my theory... I try not to start a book that is this late in the series and subconsciously I knew this. So I think the fact that I'm obviously jumping into a series where everyone has history, one that readers should be familiar with by now, I felt like I was missing puzzle pieces to the story. Once I got the gist of it and was able to settle into the story, I was all in. As the saying goes... The problem is me, not the book.
Once I fell in love with the book, I could not put it down. When I was supposed to be doing other things around the house, I kept finding time to sneak away for another chapter. So this time it was start, read a chapter, do something useful, then sneak back for another chapter. *grins* There was a lot I enjoyed with Christmastime Cowboy. The characters were beautifully flawed and wounded. Liam and Sabrina forced each other to face their pasts. To move forward, they had to open old wounds for the healing to begin. The banter between them added lighthearted moments and had me smiling. There were moments when I wanted to hug them and moments when I could have smacked a little bit of sense into both. I am so glad I didn't throw in the towel when things got tough. By the end of Christmastime Cowboy, I was in small town holiday romance heaven.
Will I go back and start this series from the beginning? I wish I could, but I might go back to read the Donnelly brothers books. Will I start reading the spin-off series next year? Heck yeah.
I received an advance copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
November 27, 2017
I'm a fan of Maisey Yates and Christmas romances. (I've been a sucker for Christmas romances since I was in high school)
I have some mixed feelings about this book, because it falls under a that "I never got over this guy in an insane number of years" thing going on, which is something that I've been having a huge problem with lately. The worst part was Sabrina holding on to her virginity for 13 years. I can't deal with 30 year old virgins. I just can't. That was a big issue for me with this book. It just didn't feel realistic for me.
That aside, Maisey delivers with character that you feel instantly connected to and that includes the secondary characters as well. (If you've read any of Copper Ridge series, you'll know Liam's brothers and their significant others). Liam''s brothers provide a lot of levity in this book, since there are so many things everyone seems to be going through.
I loved Liam. He was a bad boy and a bad boy with a real crappy childhood. Actually crappy is a pretty mild description for how bad he had it growing up.
I didn't feel the love that I wanted to feel for Sabrina. Even the way she treated her friend Olivia, who was having relationship woes of her own, made me want to give her a shake. I mean, I felt really sorry for Olivia.
I love the dialogue in Maisey's books. There's a scene with Liam and his brother's and they are talking about his love life, and it is just hilarious. This is what makes her books stand out. These guys sound real. Yes, there's the romantic fantasy, but there's a hearty dose of reality too. Except of course for that virginity thing. Grrr.
I liked that Maisey gave Sabrina some resolution with her father, though it seemed a little too easy coming.
This wasn't the usual Christmas romance. In fact, it didn't feel Christmasy at all to me. The holiday just seemed to be a backdrop for the new venture that brought Sabrina and Liam together.
I enjoyed this read, just not as much as I have others by Maisey
I have some mixed feelings about this book, because it falls under a that "I never got over this guy in an insane number of years" thing going on, which is something that I've been having a huge problem with lately. The worst part was Sabrina holding on to her virginity for 13 years. I can't deal with 30 year old virgins. I just can't. That was a big issue for me with this book. It just didn't feel realistic for me.
That aside, Maisey delivers with character that you feel instantly connected to and that includes the secondary characters as well. (If you've read any of Copper Ridge series, you'll know Liam's brothers and their significant others). Liam''s brothers provide a lot of levity in this book, since there are so many things everyone seems to be going through.
I loved Liam. He was a bad boy and a bad boy with a real crappy childhood. Actually crappy is a pretty mild description for how bad he had it growing up.
I didn't feel the love that I wanted to feel for Sabrina. Even the way she treated her friend Olivia, who was having relationship woes of her own, made me want to give her a shake. I mean, I felt really sorry for Olivia.
I love the dialogue in Maisey's books. There's a scene with Liam and his brother's and they are talking about his love life, and it is just hilarious. This is what makes her books stand out. These guys sound real. Yes, there's the romantic fantasy, but there's a hearty dose of reality too. Except of course for that virginity thing. Grrr.
I liked that Maisey gave Sabrina some resolution with her father, though it seemed a little too easy coming.
This wasn't the usual Christmas romance. In fact, it didn't feel Christmasy at all to me. The holiday just seemed to be a backdrop for the new venture that brought Sabrina and Liam together.
I enjoyed this read, just not as much as I have others by Maisey
June 17, 2020
I mean, it was fine.
As ever, I find Maisey Yates' insistence on 30-year-old virgin heroines to be annoying as fuck. (Once would be an interesting characterization; every single book is just problematic.) I also don't like this glorification of trauma and this idea that love can be known when you can say to your partner: "we're both broken, but our broken parts fit together to make a whole." Like...yeah. Maybe don't think its cool and romantic to be fucked up because it ends up helping you find your soulmate. Also: Yates really goes hard for those over-the-top Dark backstories.
But, again. I like reading these books because they're extremely well-written and comforting and mindless. A fun time with a big caveat.
As ever, I find Maisey Yates' insistence on 30-year-old virgin heroines to be annoying as fuck. (Once would be an interesting characterization; every single book is just problematic.) I also don't like this glorification of trauma and this idea that love can be known when you can say to your partner: "we're both broken, but our broken parts fit together to make a whole." Like...yeah. Maybe don't think its cool and romantic to be fucked up because it ends up helping you find your soulmate. Also: Yates really goes hard for those over-the-top Dark backstories.
But, again. I like reading these books because they're extremely well-written and comforting and mindless. A fun time with a big caveat.
Read
December 9, 2024I honestly quit reading at the coffee place it was annoying me I hated it.
September 7, 2018
Idk. I've enjoyed the Copper Ridge series, but maybe I read them too close together, because this book felt incredibly repetitive of the last few installments. Different setup, sure, but pretty much the same characters with the same voices. And while Yates does it well, I'd like to see her change it up more because I really like the world she's created.
I also had a problem with the premise of this book. It just really rubs me the wrong way that an incident between the hero and heroine when she was 17 pretty much caused her to not have any relationships until Liam came back to town 13 years later. You find out later in the book that there was a lot of other stuff going on and that it wasn't just because of him, but it essentially read like Sabrina put her entire life on hold for him and made no effort to pursue any other relationships. And meanwhile, he goes off and lives his life and becomes incredibly successful. Sure, he's never had a real relationship and has a lot of baggage from his childhood, but at least he hasn't stayed stagnant like she seemed to. I'm simplifying things here, but I really hate seeing the heroine pine away for a guy for so long and see her suffer more consequences from their relationship than him.
Also, this sentence fragment thing. I've noticed it more in the last few books, and this one is full of it. For instance: "A subtle thing. A closeness that had occurred in inches. With each bit of confidence and trust she had put in him. He had never told her much about his life, about his past. But he'd let her talk about her own. About how hard she found it to have friends. How it was tough for her to relate to other girls her age because they were allowed to go to parties and stay out and she wasn't. There was something about that. About her isolation, her vulnerability that he'd related to." Seriously, how many fragments can you have in such a short space? And there's a grouping like this every couple of pages. It's so unlike me to know or care about something like this, but it really started driving me nuts these last couple of books.
Overall, I think I would have liked this book a lot more if I hadn't pretty much binged the entire Copper Ridge series. I was glad Liam finally got his story and I did like him and Sabrina together by the end, but there were a bunch of things that kept pulling me out of the book and prevented me from fully enjoying it.
I also had a problem with the premise of this book. It just really rubs me the wrong way that an incident between the hero and heroine when she was 17 pretty much caused her to not have any relationships until Liam came back to town 13 years later. You find out later in the book that there was a lot of other stuff going on and that it wasn't just because of him, but it essentially read like Sabrina put her entire life on hold for him and made no effort to pursue any other relationships. And meanwhile, he goes off and lives his life and becomes incredibly successful. Sure, he's never had a real relationship and has a lot of baggage from his childhood, but at least he hasn't stayed stagnant like she seemed to. I'm simplifying things here, but I really hate seeing the heroine pine away for a guy for so long and see her suffer more consequences from their relationship than him.
Also, this sentence fragment thing. I've noticed it more in the last few books, and this one is full of it. For instance: "A subtle thing. A closeness that had occurred in inches. With each bit of confidence and trust she had put in him. He had never told her much about his life, about his past. But he'd let her talk about her own. About how hard she found it to have friends. How it was tough for her to relate to other girls her age because they were allowed to go to parties and stay out and she wasn't. There was something about that. About her isolation, her vulnerability that he'd related to." Seriously, how many fragments can you have in such a short space? And there's a grouping like this every couple of pages. It's so unlike me to know or care about something like this, but it really started driving me nuts these last couple of books.
Overall, I think I would have liked this book a lot more if I hadn't pretty much binged the entire Copper Ridge series. I was glad Liam finally got his story and I did like him and Sabrina together by the end, but there were a bunch of things that kept pulling me out of the book and prevented me from fully enjoying it.
November 16, 2017
Another amazing addition to the Copper Ridge series and the Donnelly quartet. Out of all Donnelly brothers book, I think that this one was my favorite, giving me exactly what I wanted out of it and even more in fact. I wasn't expecting Liam's book to be my favorite especially after loving on Alex's book, but Liam really took the cake. The whole story did really. I loved Liam. I loved Sabrina. I loved them together as a couple. I loved everything about their story. It was so, so amazing.
I was drawn in from very early on as soon as they came together to work together on the tasting room project. There was just much tension and friction between that it created such a sexual charged atmosphere between them with all this lingering baggage in the background due the their history from thirteen years back. And I loved that. Their history was so rich and complicated and complex that just added flair and complexity to their story. I love stories that the couple have a complicated backstory because it adds so much richness and intensity and that was the case for Liam and Sabrina. And they just had layer and layer of yummy tension and intensity both in their past relationship and current ones. It gave me all the feels. And it was very emotional and intense as they worked through the past and present issues that the both had. They had worked together to come through these emotional issues dealing with. They helped each other heal and that was beautiful. Lots of intensity and angst going on on the way to healing.
And because their relationship was emotionally intense, it was physically intense too. They were hot between the sheets but also during their love scenes it was very intimate with the reason being because they had feelings for each other and had for a long time. It was 13 years worth of build up, which explored when they finally came together. All that time to simmer before they lit the fire between them. He may have rejected her 13 years ago, but that didn't decrease his want for her and even though she denied it didn't decrease the want for her either. Again explosion as they came together that first time with lots of heat. Plus added it was first time and she only wanted him upped the ante too. I loved that. They had many intense love scenes but favorite was the last one when they made love in the tasting room with the Christmas tree. It was romantic, tender, beautiful, emotional, and beautiful that was a great intimate scene between them that really showed off their connection not that the other scenes didn't but this one just was special. It showed so much in that one scene especially when she let down her hair literally and figuratively. It was great symbolic moment. I loved it and not only that gave that romantic Christmas glow. So amazing.
Another great thing and what Maisey Yates is known for is creating great characters like Liam and Sabrina. I loved both of them and felt for them on every level. I rooted for them since the beginning and probably even before I began this book getting a glimpse of them in previous books creating all types of intrigue. Then when I met them in this book and saw them more that I truly fell in love with them and also answered my questions about their history and why there was so much tension between them. I got all the feels for each love. I loved them equally and was happy see both perspectives in this book. It made me real see their side of story plus their complicated histories individually. They both went through hurt and pain not only through their relationship which caused quite a bit but through parental issues. It was a lot to swallow with some of the tough issues they went through in their lives. I just wanted to hug them and squeeze them and give them all the love in my heart for them. Again I was rooting for them to get their HEA. Their pain led them to this moment of them coming together happily but they had to work to get there and they did. The struggle made their love all the stronger and beautiful. So good.
I loved how romantic this book and they had some beautiful and tender scenes between them, but what was really great was how the Christmas setting really enhanced to the romance of all. Usually Christmas romance, the Christmas part was there but didn't add to the romance it was just when the story took place. But this one was the complete opposite and was very apart of the story and the romance. Some of the romantic moments that related to Christmas like them getting a Christmas tree, having a picnic in the snow, and them decorating for Christmas, the making love in Christmas glow, and going to the tree lighting. I loved it. It was amazing and added so much flair and romance to the story.
I really loved the epilogue in this story that not only took place Christmas morning ten years after Liam and Sabrina's story and gave us updates on the Donnelly brothers, the spouses and the amount of children each couple had. It was nice to see the family come together and that they were finally happy and in love as ever. It was just a sweet and perfect ending for this quartet and I was so glad it was in there. It kind of piqued my interest too with possibly seeing these couples and their children in future. Maybe the kids will have their own story? Maybe? Hopefully?
My only complaint about this book was how much I am now craving for the Gold Valley series. I was already craving this upcoming series but now I am wanting more as these characters that are going to be in the series were in this book that made me practically drooling for their stories and I have wait especially Bea and Dane's story that was already well set up and I can see where it's heading but I don't think that book is coming out until 2019 and I have no idea what month. That's practically over a year away. Why? Why? Why? Why couldn't that be book three instead book five. It's going to be such a long wait. Oh well, I am looking forward to Olivia's book which comes out in a few months and Kaylee and Bennett's book comes out in six so hopefully that will tide me over until Bea and Dane's.
I loved everything about this book and I could go on and on about it for hours. It was the perfect Christmas read that was emotional, intense and very sensual with some very tender moments between the pair. Plus I loved Liam and Sabrina so that didn't hurt either. I loved how complicated and complex backstory was that created angst and tension with great development building through the story to create this connection and complete relationship that they wound up having. They worked for it. They earned their HEA after working through their issues both together and separately. It was easy for me to root for them. It was an amazing book and even though this wasn't my most anticipated out of the brothers' book it was definitely worth the wait and my favorite. And I took my time with this one so I could savor ever moment of it.
Highly recommend this book for romance lovers everywhere especially though who love emotional, angst and sexy reads.
I was drawn in from very early on as soon as they came together to work together on the tasting room project. There was just much tension and friction between that it created such a sexual charged atmosphere between them with all this lingering baggage in the background due the their history from thirteen years back. And I loved that. Their history was so rich and complicated and complex that just added flair and complexity to their story. I love stories that the couple have a complicated backstory because it adds so much richness and intensity and that was the case for Liam and Sabrina. And they just had layer and layer of yummy tension and intensity both in their past relationship and current ones. It gave me all the feels. And it was very emotional and intense as they worked through the past and present issues that the both had. They had worked together to come through these emotional issues dealing with. They helped each other heal and that was beautiful. Lots of intensity and angst going on on the way to healing.
And because their relationship was emotionally intense, it was physically intense too. They were hot between the sheets but also during their love scenes it was very intimate with the reason being because they had feelings for each other and had for a long time. It was 13 years worth of build up, which explored when they finally came together. All that time to simmer before they lit the fire between them. He may have rejected her 13 years ago, but that didn't decrease his want for her and even though she denied it didn't decrease the want for her either. Again explosion as they came together that first time with lots of heat. Plus added it was first time and she only wanted him upped the ante too. I loved that. They had many intense love scenes but favorite was the last one when they made love in the tasting room with the Christmas tree. It was romantic, tender, beautiful, emotional, and beautiful that was a great intimate scene between them that really showed off their connection not that the other scenes didn't but this one just was special. It showed so much in that one scene especially when she let down her hair literally and figuratively. It was great symbolic moment. I loved it and not only that gave that romantic Christmas glow. So amazing.
Another great thing and what Maisey Yates is known for is creating great characters like Liam and Sabrina. I loved both of them and felt for them on every level. I rooted for them since the beginning and probably even before I began this book getting a glimpse of them in previous books creating all types of intrigue. Then when I met them in this book and saw them more that I truly fell in love with them and also answered my questions about their history and why there was so much tension between them. I got all the feels for each love. I loved them equally and was happy see both perspectives in this book. It made me real see their side of story plus their complicated histories individually. They both went through hurt and pain not only through their relationship which caused quite a bit but through parental issues. It was a lot to swallow with some of the tough issues they went through in their lives. I just wanted to hug them and squeeze them and give them all the love in my heart for them. Again I was rooting for them to get their HEA. Their pain led them to this moment of them coming together happily but they had to work to get there and they did. The struggle made their love all the stronger and beautiful. So good.
I loved how romantic this book and they had some beautiful and tender scenes between them, but what was really great was how the Christmas setting really enhanced to the romance of all. Usually Christmas romance, the Christmas part was there but didn't add to the romance it was just when the story took place. But this one was the complete opposite and was very apart of the story and the romance. Some of the romantic moments that related to Christmas like them getting a Christmas tree, having a picnic in the snow, and them decorating for Christmas, the making love in Christmas glow, and going to the tree lighting. I loved it. It was amazing and added so much flair and romance to the story.
I really loved the epilogue in this story that not only took place Christmas morning ten years after Liam and Sabrina's story and gave us updates on the Donnelly brothers, the spouses and the amount of children each couple had. It was nice to see the family come together and that they were finally happy and in love as ever. It was just a sweet and perfect ending for this quartet and I was so glad it was in there. It kind of piqued my interest too with possibly seeing these couples and their children in future. Maybe the kids will have their own story? Maybe? Hopefully?
My only complaint about this book was how much I am now craving for the Gold Valley series. I was already craving this upcoming series but now I am wanting more as these characters that are going to be in the series were in this book that made me practically drooling for their stories and I have wait especially Bea and Dane's story that was already well set up and I can see where it's heading but I don't think that book is coming out until 2019 and I have no idea what month. That's practically over a year away. Why? Why? Why? Why couldn't that be book three instead book five. It's going to be such a long wait. Oh well, I am looking forward to Olivia's book which comes out in a few months and Kaylee and Bennett's book comes out in six so hopefully that will tide me over until Bea and Dane's.
I loved everything about this book and I could go on and on about it for hours. It was the perfect Christmas read that was emotional, intense and very sensual with some very tender moments between the pair. Plus I loved Liam and Sabrina so that didn't hurt either. I loved how complicated and complex backstory was that created angst and tension with great development building through the story to create this connection and complete relationship that they wound up having. They worked for it. They earned their HEA after working through their issues both together and separately. It was easy for me to root for them. It was an amazing book and even though this wasn't my most anticipated out of the brothers' book it was definitely worth the wait and my favorite. And I took my time with this one so I could savor ever moment of it.
Highly recommend this book for romance lovers everywhere especially though who love emotional, angst and sexy reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2017
Another great read from this series. (Plus, a teaser excerpt at the end for book one in a spin-off series, and a bonus novella that is a prequel! It's like getting a surprise Christmas present from Maisey Yates!)
Christmastime Cowboy is a second-chance romance/enemies-to-lovers hybrid. Practically my catnip! Liam and Sabrina were close in high school--friends, and she hoped, something more--until he rejected her (crushingly, though at least in private) and left for parts unknown, never to return...until he does. And of course they need to work together on a project for their respective workplaces--so you know where that is going, right?
Liam and Sabrina had a lot of issues to work out--within themselves, with their families, and in their relationship. Though it felt like slow going at times (is there anything worse than those relationship-with-an-expiration-date plots? So. Much. Angst) they both eventually got to somewhere at least close to where they needed to be in what felt like a realistic way. I loved seeing Liam's interactions with his family (Must. Read. Books 1 & 2, dang it. ASAP) and seeing Clara again, this time as Sabrina's friend and coworker. Grassroots Winery (Sabrina's workplace) is also providing a springboard to the next series, since Olivia lives in Gold Valley. Can't wait for book one!
(Though, okay...waiting will give me time to get to Finn and Cain's books, at least. I'll get right on that!)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Christmastime Cowboy is a second-chance romance/enemies-to-lovers hybrid. Practically my catnip! Liam and Sabrina were close in high school--friends, and she hoped, something more--until he rejected her (crushingly, though at least in private) and left for parts unknown, never to return...until he does. And of course they need to work together on a project for their respective workplaces--so you know where that is going, right?
Liam and Sabrina had a lot of issues to work out--within themselves, with their families, and in their relationship. Though it felt like slow going at times (is there anything worse than those relationship-with-an-expiration-date plots? So. Much. Angst) they both eventually got to somewhere at least close to where they needed to be in what felt like a realistic way. I loved seeing Liam's interactions with his family (Must. Read. Books 1 & 2, dang it. ASAP) and seeing Clara again, this time as Sabrina's friend and coworker. Grassroots Winery (Sabrina's workplace) is also providing a springboard to the next series, since Olivia lives in Gold Valley. Can't wait for book one!
(Though, okay...waiting will give me time to get to Finn and Cain's books, at least. I'll get right on that!)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
September 23, 2019
happy to be finished this series. hoping to come back to more Maisey Yates after I've taken a break.
November 12, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, particularly in Copper Ridge, Oregon.
Falling for a bad boy once is not merely forgivable, but probably a rite of passage to adulthood. We all do it at least once, and usually learn that the wild ride isn’t worth the inevitable fall. Falling for one twice is a pattern. Falling for the same bad boy twice is usually well beyond foolish.
But not for Sabrina Leighton. In this second-chance-at-love romance, there are a whole ton of, let’s call them mitigating circumstances.
The first time she fell for Liam Donnelly, she was all of 17 and he was 20. There was a certain amount of young and stupid involved on both of their parts. And the fact is that while the emotions may have been very, very real, nothing actually happened outside of those emotions.
Thirteen years ago, the one real thing that they had was friendship – a friendship that Liam broke, along with Sabrina’s heart, when he left. Not without a word, but with a whole lot of words that have continued to haunt Sabrina all these years.
And most of those words weren’t even true. But the scars they left still hurt.
Now that Liam is back in Copper Ridge, as part of the Donnelly brothers return to town in the wake of their grandfather’s death (see Slow Burn Cowboy, Down Home Cowboy and Wild Ride Cowboy for the full story) Liam and Sabrina keep running into each other, whether Sabrina wants to or not. (You don’t have to read the entire Copper Ridge series for the Donnellys’ piece of it to make sense, but it probably helps to read this quartet)
Copper Ridge is a very small town.
That Sabrina and Liam have unfinished business is pretty obvious to pretty much everyone, even if not everyone knows all the gory details. So whether Sabrina’s boss (and ex-sister-in-law) Lindy sets Sabrina up to deal with her unfinished business, or whether that’s just a happy side-effect, Sabrina is stuck. It’s part of her job to work with Liam on setting up a tasting room in town that will feature wines from her winery and cheeses from his ranch – as well as trap a whole bunch of tourist dollars and funnel customers back to both their businesses.
It’s a great business idea – even though at least initially it feels like a really lousy personal one.
But the chemistry that Liam denied all those years ago, and that Sabrina wasn’t quite mature enough to understand, hasn’t abated one little bit in the intervening years. The only way that they can manage to work together is not to get past what happened in the past, but to go through it.
To hash out all the stored resentments, explore all that bottled chemistry, and attempt to get each other out of their systems.
Like that’s ever going to happen.
Escape Rating B: Christmastime Cowboy feels like the cherry on top of the Donnelly Brothers subseries of the Copper Ridge ice cream sundae.
Also a real “cherry”, as Sabrina has never managed to find a man who even gets close to turning her crank after Liam ran off all those years ago.
I love the way that this author does angsty heroines, but Sabrina’s angst didn’t quite have the deep, tolling bell ring of angst of the heroines of Down Home Cowboy and Wild Ride Cowboy. Not that Sabrina hasn’t been hurt, but her wounds seem a bit more self-inflicted that either Alison’s or Clara’s.
While the story loses a bit of depth in comparison with the others because of that, one of the good parts of Christmastime Cowboy is the way that Sabrina finally manages to figure that out for herself, with only a couple of glancing blows from the clue-by-four administered by Liam.
Not that he doesn’t have plenty of his own baggage to deal with. But his baggage was dropped on him by his dysfunctional parents. Not that he hasn’t added plenty of extra pieces along the way all by himself. But he needs multiple hits from that clue-by-four, not just administered by Sabrina, but also by his brother Alex, before he finally figures out what’s been staring him in the face all along.
So the story, as it has often been in this series, is one where the hero is just certain that he hasn’t got a heart, or if it’s still in there it’s three sizes too small and that he’s just not worthy of giving it to anyone else. Ever.
The heroine, on that other hand, figures out how to dump enough of her own baggage to start a real life for herself, one that she’d much prefer to have with the hero, but that she knows she can manage to make on her own once her stomped on heart finally heals.
As formulas go, this one is always a winner.
Christmastime Cowboy is the final book in the Copper Ridge series. But the romance is just moving a bit down the road to neighboring Gold Valley in Smooth-Talking Cowboy. No one needs to smooth-talk this reader to jump back to this author’s next series. All of this author’s next series!
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, particularly in Copper Ridge, Oregon.
Falling for a bad boy once is not merely forgivable, but probably a rite of passage to adulthood. We all do it at least once, and usually learn that the wild ride isn’t worth the inevitable fall. Falling for one twice is a pattern. Falling for the same bad boy twice is usually well beyond foolish.
But not for Sabrina Leighton. In this second-chance-at-love romance, there are a whole ton of, let’s call them mitigating circumstances.
The first time she fell for Liam Donnelly, she was all of 17 and he was 20. There was a certain amount of young and stupid involved on both of their parts. And the fact is that while the emotions may have been very, very real, nothing actually happened outside of those emotions.
Thirteen years ago, the one real thing that they had was friendship – a friendship that Liam broke, along with Sabrina’s heart, when he left. Not without a word, but with a whole lot of words that have continued to haunt Sabrina all these years.
And most of those words weren’t even true. But the scars they left still hurt.
Now that Liam is back in Copper Ridge, as part of the Donnelly brothers return to town in the wake of their grandfather’s death (see Slow Burn Cowboy, Down Home Cowboy and Wild Ride Cowboy for the full story) Liam and Sabrina keep running into each other, whether Sabrina wants to or not. (You don’t have to read the entire Copper Ridge series for the Donnellys’ piece of it to make sense, but it probably helps to read this quartet)
Copper Ridge is a very small town.
That Sabrina and Liam have unfinished business is pretty obvious to pretty much everyone, even if not everyone knows all the gory details. So whether Sabrina’s boss (and ex-sister-in-law) Lindy sets Sabrina up to deal with her unfinished business, or whether that’s just a happy side-effect, Sabrina is stuck. It’s part of her job to work with Liam on setting up a tasting room in town that will feature wines from her winery and cheeses from his ranch – as well as trap a whole bunch of tourist dollars and funnel customers back to both their businesses.
It’s a great business idea – even though at least initially it feels like a really lousy personal one.
But the chemistry that Liam denied all those years ago, and that Sabrina wasn’t quite mature enough to understand, hasn’t abated one little bit in the intervening years. The only way that they can manage to work together is not to get past what happened in the past, but to go through it.
To hash out all the stored resentments, explore all that bottled chemistry, and attempt to get each other out of their systems.
Like that’s ever going to happen.
Escape Rating B: Christmastime Cowboy feels like the cherry on top of the Donnelly Brothers subseries of the Copper Ridge ice cream sundae.
Also a real “cherry”, as Sabrina has never managed to find a man who even gets close to turning her crank after Liam ran off all those years ago.
I love the way that this author does angsty heroines, but Sabrina’s angst didn’t quite have the deep, tolling bell ring of angst of the heroines of Down Home Cowboy and Wild Ride Cowboy. Not that Sabrina hasn’t been hurt, but her wounds seem a bit more self-inflicted that either Alison’s or Clara’s.
While the story loses a bit of depth in comparison with the others because of that, one of the good parts of Christmastime Cowboy is the way that Sabrina finally manages to figure that out for herself, with only a couple of glancing blows from the clue-by-four administered by Liam.
Not that he doesn’t have plenty of his own baggage to deal with. But his baggage was dropped on him by his dysfunctional parents. Not that he hasn’t added plenty of extra pieces along the way all by himself. But he needs multiple hits from that clue-by-four, not just administered by Sabrina, but also by his brother Alex, before he finally figures out what’s been staring him in the face all along.
So the story, as it has often been in this series, is one where the hero is just certain that he hasn’t got a heart, or if it’s still in there it’s three sizes too small and that he’s just not worthy of giving it to anyone else. Ever.
The heroine, on that other hand, figures out how to dump enough of her own baggage to start a real life for herself, one that she’d much prefer to have with the hero, but that she knows she can manage to make on her own once her stomped on heart finally heals.
As formulas go, this one is always a winner.
Christmastime Cowboy is the final book in the Copper Ridge series. But the romance is just moving a bit down the road to neighboring Gold Valley in Smooth-Talking Cowboy. No one needs to smooth-talk this reader to jump back to this author’s next series. All of this author’s next series!
October 29, 2017
Christmastime Cowboy is the tenth and apparently last novel in the Copper Ridge series, and I'll be sorry to bid Copper Ridge farewell, since I've stated in previous reviews of the novels in this series that I'd love to move there and interact with all the wonderful characters Maisey Yates has peopled it with. This novel is no exception, and it gets 4.5 stars from this reader.
This is Liam Donnelly and Sabrina Leighton's story, and unlike the other installments featuring the Donnelly Brothers, this one gets off to a surprisingly slow start, although all the elements I love about this series and this author are there, the snarky remarks, the witty dialogue, the wonderful characters we met in the previous nine books, and, of course, the enchanting setting of Copper Ridge at Christmastime, yet I'll have to admit that it took me a while to become invested in Liam and Sabrina, both of whom are so emotionally closed off and at odds with one another, but I did eventually begin to understand what motivated their animosity for one another, or, more accurately, what motivated Sabrina's animosity toward Liam.
Thirteen years earlier, at age 20, Liam accepted a big payoff, in actuality it was a bribe, from Sabrina's cold, controlling and emotionally closed-off father. He agreed to leave town and stay away from Sabrina, and he left Copper Ridge without even saying goodbye, and breaking 17-year-old Sabrina's heart, a heart that has remained broken and frozen in time for the ensuing thirteen years.
In the intervening years, Liam used the money to pay for college, something he'd never have been able to do without that money. He worked hard, and he earned himself a fortune, but he never really formed any kind of relationship with the many women he bedded and immediately forgot. Ms. Yates is slow to reveal just why Liam took the money and left Copper Ridge and Sabrina behind, and when she does, wow! Liam's reasons for leaving truly resonated with me, and if you've ever felt that you simply weren't enough for the person(s) you loved, this second chance at love novel will resonate with you too.
Sabrina too, has remained frozen in time--at age 30, she's never stopped being angry, bitter and hurt by Liam's abrupt departure, and although she's dated occasionally since then, no one has really touched her heart and yes, she's still a virgin.
When Sabrina first spots Liam, who hasn't been back in town at all for the past 13 years, she quickly heads in the opposite direction, but when he approaches Sabrina at the winery with his idea for opening a wine and cheese tasting shop in an empty storefront on Main Street, it's too good an idea to pass up and they are forced to work together to hopefully make it happen in time for the Christmas festivities, a major event in the small coastal town of Copper Ridge.
It's difficult for Sabrina to put her mixed feelings for Liam aside, but she's older and wiser now, although still inexperienced, and she has come to the realization that marriage and family are simply not part of her future. Liam has reached the same conclusion, so they form a truce of sorts--a truce that turns into a no-strings affair, but this is a romance novel after all, so will their emotional detachment hold? Will they finally open up about their feelings for one another? Will these two broken souls manage to heal one another? Will the Christmas season work its magic on these two well-drawn characters? Will the heat these two generate turn into something more than just a short-term affair? You'll just have to read this emotionally-charged novel to find out. Just a warning, keep your tissues handy, because once again, Maisey Yates brought me to tears with this story.
While Christmastime Cowboy can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading this series in the order it was written. Otherwise, as the final novel in the Copper Ridge series, I think you'll have a hard time fully understanding the complex relationships between the many characters who all reappear in this one, or the lead-in to the new series Ms. Yates is writing, which you'll get a taste of at the end of the epilogue of this excellent novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is Liam Donnelly and Sabrina Leighton's story, and unlike the other installments featuring the Donnelly Brothers, this one gets off to a surprisingly slow start, although all the elements I love about this series and this author are there, the snarky remarks, the witty dialogue, the wonderful characters we met in the previous nine books, and, of course, the enchanting setting of Copper Ridge at Christmastime, yet I'll have to admit that it took me a while to become invested in Liam and Sabrina, both of whom are so emotionally closed off and at odds with one another, but I did eventually begin to understand what motivated their animosity for one another, or, more accurately, what motivated Sabrina's animosity toward Liam.
Thirteen years earlier, at age 20, Liam accepted a big payoff, in actuality it was a bribe, from Sabrina's cold, controlling and emotionally closed-off father. He agreed to leave town and stay away from Sabrina, and he left Copper Ridge without even saying goodbye, and breaking 17-year-old Sabrina's heart, a heart that has remained broken and frozen in time for the ensuing thirteen years.
In the intervening years, Liam used the money to pay for college, something he'd never have been able to do without that money. He worked hard, and he earned himself a fortune, but he never really formed any kind of relationship with the many women he bedded and immediately forgot. Ms. Yates is slow to reveal just why Liam took the money and left Copper Ridge and Sabrina behind, and when she does, wow! Liam's reasons for leaving truly resonated with me, and if you've ever felt that you simply weren't enough for the person(s) you loved, this second chance at love novel will resonate with you too.
Sabrina too, has remained frozen in time--at age 30, she's never stopped being angry, bitter and hurt by Liam's abrupt departure, and although she's dated occasionally since then, no one has really touched her heart and yes, she's still a virgin.
When Sabrina first spots Liam, who hasn't been back in town at all for the past 13 years, she quickly heads in the opposite direction, but when he approaches Sabrina at the winery with his idea for opening a wine and cheese tasting shop in an empty storefront on Main Street, it's too good an idea to pass up and they are forced to work together to hopefully make it happen in time for the Christmas festivities, a major event in the small coastal town of Copper Ridge.
It's difficult for Sabrina to put her mixed feelings for Liam aside, but she's older and wiser now, although still inexperienced, and she has come to the realization that marriage and family are simply not part of her future. Liam has reached the same conclusion, so they form a truce of sorts--a truce that turns into a no-strings affair, but this is a romance novel after all, so will their emotional detachment hold? Will they finally open up about their feelings for one another? Will these two broken souls manage to heal one another? Will the Christmas season work its magic on these two well-drawn characters? Will the heat these two generate turn into something more than just a short-term affair? You'll just have to read this emotionally-charged novel to find out. Just a warning, keep your tissues handy, because once again, Maisey Yates brought me to tears with this story.
While Christmastime Cowboy can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading this series in the order it was written. Otherwise, as the final novel in the Copper Ridge series, I think you'll have a hard time fully understanding the complex relationships between the many characters who all reappear in this one, or the lead-in to the new series Ms. Yates is writing, which you'll get a taste of at the end of the epilogue of this excellent novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
November 2, 2017
Christmastime Cowboy is the sixteenth book in the Copper Ridge series by Maisey Yates, and there’s indications in this book that implies it may be the last in the series Which doesn’t fill me with holiday cheer because I’ve been a fan of this series since the very beginning when Jake rode his motorcycle into town and reunited with Cassie owner of The Grind, in the novella Shoulda Been a Cowboy. Little did I know back then that I would become addicted to the stories of this fictional little town and so many of its inhabitants.
This story is atypical Maisey Yates. We have a hero Liam Donnelly and heroine Sabrina Leighton who share explosive chemistry and a troubled history with plenty of mommy/daddy emotional baggage to get in the way of their H.E.A. There were several points in this story where I wanted to sock Liam and say to him, “Get your head out of your ass and stop letting your past dictate your future you idiot!” While with Liam’s help Sabrina was ready to confront her issues and move forward while he seemed impossibly stuck in his own. One of the things that makes Ms. Yates characters seem so real for me is that they suffer the same mixed emotions when faced with situations that most of us do in real life. Another trademark of a Yates series book is that we have appearances by plenty of characters from previous books in the series. In this book there’s a strong presence of the other three Donnelly brothers, Finn (Lane), Cain (Allison) and Alex (Clara) each of whom was featured with their significant others in the three previous books. Because they live and work together their involvement in this story feels natural and not the least bit forced. A few characters from previous stories get a brief mention and a few even get very brief cameo appearances. And lastly as is typical of a Maisey Yate’s book she is the queen of gut wrenching, heart aching, tear jerking, closing scene professions of love leading to the H.E.A. This book has one of her more memorable scenes when Liam and Sabrina finally bare their hearts to each other. As an added bonus there’s a very sweet epilogue to allow us to look ten years down the road into the Donnelly clan’s future.
In all honesty I spent a lot of this book struggling to like the Liam character not fully understanding why his history with his abusive mother so impacted his inability to open up to his brothers and Sabrina making it difficult for me to care about his character. I got there but it took quite awhile. Sabrina on the other hand won my sympathy and support almost immediately. The epilogue was great but I can’t say it was a fitting end to the entire Copper Ridge series if that’s what it was meant to be because I honestly don’t think without including all the previous books characters in a more in depth that would be possible. Sure Lydia, Eli and Ace had the briefest of cameos and Sierra, Rebecca and Cassie got a mention but that hardly satisfies my desire for more of the stories of the good folks of Copper Ridge I've come to know and care about. But it was certainly a solid way to conclude the Donnelly’s portion of the series. I won’t remember it as the best book in this series but it was certainly a very good one. Perhaps some of these characters will appear in the new series Gold Valley. After the opening novella Cowboy Christmas Blues with two completely new characters, the series picks up next February with the story of Olivia Logan, Clara and Sabrina’s quirky friend and co-worker at the winery. It certainly felt like a few of the secondary characters from the winery besides Olivia had stories to be told. I don’t believe we’ve seen the last of Lindsey, Dane and Sabrina’s little sister. We’ll see.
This story is atypical Maisey Yates. We have a hero Liam Donnelly and heroine Sabrina Leighton who share explosive chemistry and a troubled history with plenty of mommy/daddy emotional baggage to get in the way of their H.E.A. There were several points in this story where I wanted to sock Liam and say to him, “Get your head out of your ass and stop letting your past dictate your future you idiot!” While with Liam’s help Sabrina was ready to confront her issues and move forward while he seemed impossibly stuck in his own. One of the things that makes Ms. Yates characters seem so real for me is that they suffer the same mixed emotions when faced with situations that most of us do in real life. Another trademark of a Yates series book is that we have appearances by plenty of characters from previous books in the series. In this book there’s a strong presence of the other three Donnelly brothers, Finn (Lane), Cain (Allison) and Alex (Clara) each of whom was featured with their significant others in the three previous books. Because they live and work together their involvement in this story feels natural and not the least bit forced. A few characters from previous stories get a brief mention and a few even get very brief cameo appearances. And lastly as is typical of a Maisey Yate’s book she is the queen of gut wrenching, heart aching, tear jerking, closing scene professions of love leading to the H.E.A. This book has one of her more memorable scenes when Liam and Sabrina finally bare their hearts to each other. As an added bonus there’s a very sweet epilogue to allow us to look ten years down the road into the Donnelly clan’s future.
In all honesty I spent a lot of this book struggling to like the Liam character not fully understanding why his history with his abusive mother so impacted his inability to open up to his brothers and Sabrina making it difficult for me to care about his character. I got there but it took quite awhile. Sabrina on the other hand won my sympathy and support almost immediately. The epilogue was great but I can’t say it was a fitting end to the entire Copper Ridge series if that’s what it was meant to be because I honestly don’t think without including all the previous books characters in a more in depth that would be possible. Sure Lydia, Eli and Ace had the briefest of cameos and Sierra, Rebecca and Cassie got a mention but that hardly satisfies my desire for more of the stories of the good folks of Copper Ridge I've come to know and care about. But it was certainly a solid way to conclude the Donnelly’s portion of the series. I won’t remember it as the best book in this series but it was certainly a very good one. Perhaps some of these characters will appear in the new series Gold Valley. After the opening novella Cowboy Christmas Blues with two completely new characters, the series picks up next February with the story of Olivia Logan, Clara and Sabrina’s quirky friend and co-worker at the winery. It certainly felt like a few of the secondary characters from the winery besides Olivia had stories to be told. I don’t believe we’ve seen the last of Lindsey, Dane and Sabrina’s little sister. We’ll see.
October 1, 2017
I know so many romance readers that adore stories that take place during the holiday season, but I have to admit I have never been one of them. I haven't ever been able to pinpoint why these books don't resonate for me like they seem to for so many other people, I just accept that I am odd and generally skip over them. So when I saw that the latest installment in Maisey Yates's Copper Ridge series was titled Christmastime Cowboy, I was a little bummed. I had been waiting on Liam and Sabrina's story since we saw Sabrina take off out of the bar after seeing Liam in Slow Born Cowboy so there was no way I was going to skip this installment but the fact it was a Christmas themed story meant I probably wasn't going to enjoy it as much as I normally would have.
Since the Donnelly brothers landed on the scene it has been clear that Sabrina and Liam shared a history and I have been dying to know what it was. I assumed it would be something big like him taking her virginity and then taking off out-of-town or maybe if they had been in a relationship cheating on her given that even after 13 years even the sight of Liam seemed to send Sabrina into a tailspin. So when the situation was revealed in Christmastime Cowboy, I'll admit it felt a little flat. It just didn't feel momentous enough that at 30 years old Sabrina would still be so affected by the situation. Don't get me wrong, I understand that she would have been hurting at 17 years old and that seeing Liam would still sting a bit, but to be so affected that she couldn't ever tolerate being in the same room as him seemed a bit extreme.
Seeing the glimpses into Liam's past helps you understand who Liam is today and why he took the bribe that Jamison Leighton offered him at 20 to leave town. My heart broke for him when I realized that even after everything he had accomplished he was still that little boy who didn't feel like he was enough. Even after everything he had accomplished and the time he had spent reuniting with his brothers he was still keeping everyone around him out believing he didn't have anything to offer.
If I could have reached into the book to strangle Sabrina's parents for all of the unnecessary hurt they had caused her for their own mistakes, I would have done it. They were so immature and so busy focusing on their situation that they had no compassion for a mistake that a 17-year-old girl made when they were making much bigger mistakes as adults. When Sabrina met with her father to finally put the past to bed, I wasn't quite ready to let my grudge against him go even having a better understanding of his motivations where she was concerned.
The scene between Liam and Sabrina when she gave him her goodbye speech made my chest ache. Knowing Liam loved her but didn't believe that he had anything to offer anyone unless is was money or something else outside of himself when all she wanted was him broke my heart.
Sabrina's wit made for some very entertaining interactions between her and Liam. My favorites were when she told Liam he was protecting her from his "big bad penis" and when she said she only stuck her tongue in his mouth because it seemed polite.
I am happy to report that the holiday setting didn't detract from the storyline at all in this instance. As a matter of fact, it seemed to be the perfect backdrop.
Since the Donnelly brothers landed on the scene it has been clear that Sabrina and Liam shared a history and I have been dying to know what it was. I assumed it would be something big like him taking her virginity and then taking off out-of-town or maybe if they had been in a relationship cheating on her given that even after 13 years even the sight of Liam seemed to send Sabrina into a tailspin. So when the situation was revealed in Christmastime Cowboy, I'll admit it felt a little flat. It just didn't feel momentous enough that at 30 years old Sabrina would still be so affected by the situation. Don't get me wrong, I understand that she would have been hurting at 17 years old and that seeing Liam would still sting a bit, but to be so affected that she couldn't ever tolerate being in the same room as him seemed a bit extreme.
Seeing the glimpses into Liam's past helps you understand who Liam is today and why he took the bribe that Jamison Leighton offered him at 20 to leave town. My heart broke for him when I realized that even after everything he had accomplished he was still that little boy who didn't feel like he was enough. Even after everything he had accomplished and the time he had spent reuniting with his brothers he was still keeping everyone around him out believing he didn't have anything to offer.
If I could have reached into the book to strangle Sabrina's parents for all of the unnecessary hurt they had caused her for their own mistakes, I would have done it. They were so immature and so busy focusing on their situation that they had no compassion for a mistake that a 17-year-old girl made when they were making much bigger mistakes as adults. When Sabrina met with her father to finally put the past to bed, I wasn't quite ready to let my grudge against him go even having a better understanding of his motivations where she was concerned.
The scene between Liam and Sabrina when she gave him her goodbye speech made my chest ache. Knowing Liam loved her but didn't believe that he had anything to offer anyone unless is was money or something else outside of himself when all she wanted was him broke my heart.
Sabrina's wit made for some very entertaining interactions between her and Liam. My favorites were when she told Liam he was protecting her from his "big bad penis" and when she said she only stuck her tongue in his mouth because it seemed polite.
I am happy to report that the holiday setting didn't detract from the storyline at all in this instance. As a matter of fact, it seemed to be the perfect backdrop.
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