Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Texas Legacy #4

Texas Christmas

Rate this book
Gabriella Torres loves returning to her hometown of San Antonio for the holidays–the decorations, the magic and her large family. As icing on the cake, she will serve as midwife for one of her cousins. Her Christmas visit also provides a temporary distraction from a looming obligation.

Luke Davenport has traveled half-way around the world to accept the role as town doctor in San Antonio. But when he arrives to complete domestic chaos, the sheriff offers his hospitality, Luke, who’s grown up alone on the rough streets of London, can’t turn down the offer and enjoys the glimpse of a large and friendly family. While he’s embraced by all, Luke tries to keep his distance. His past remains a threat and the alluring Gabby Torres makes him dream of a brighter but impossible future.

When Gabby learns that Luke has never truly experienced Christmas, she sets out on a mission…to make this Christmas the best that Luke could ever have. As they spend intimate moments together, Luke begins to lose his heart to the woman who is showing him what life as part of a family could be like and Gabby finds it challenging to deny her attraction to the handsome, skilled, and kind doctor.

When the ghosts of their pasts rise up to haunt them, will Christmas magic and love be strong enough to guarantee the happiness they've always dreamed of?

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2017

549 people are currently reading
161 people want to read

About the author

Holly Castillo

10 books23 followers
Holly grew up spending many lazy summer days racing her horses bareback in the Texas sun. But whenever Holly wasn't riding her horses or competing in horse shows, she was found with pen and paper in hand, writing out romantic love stories about Texas Heroes.

Today, Holly lives in a small community just south of San Antonio, with her husband and two children. On the family's ranch, surrounded by cattle during the day and hearing the howl of coyotes by night, Holly has endless inspiration for her writing. Her Texas Legacy series follows the adventures of a family during the Texas Revolution and subsequent years, and her new Romantic Suspense Series, Texas Navy SEALs, launches in July, 2019.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
147 (43%)
4 stars
112 (33%)
3 stars
51 (15%)
2 stars
20 (5%)
1 star
6 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Diane Bleyer.
130 reviews1 follower
December 15, 2018
Texas Christmas

The first half of this book was interesting--4 stars worth. Unfortunately, the last half was not. Only 1 or 2 star rating. The book became so unrealistic. It seems the author was trying to fill up pages.
Profile Image for Paula Pugh.
2,284 reviews11 followers
October 12, 2017
Capping off the Texas Legacy series by Holly Castillo is the final story set in the time of the newly independent Texas a frontier state, wild and untamed. Holly Castillo writes pleasing historical novels, touching on the realities of the harshness of the Texas terrain and the wildness of the surrounds. 

Gabriella (Gabby) Torres is a healer seen as a blessing by most, a witch by others. She follows in the footsteps of her mother as she works wonders on many with natural cures and a gentle touch. Doctor Luke Davenport is a London trained doctor new to the San Antonio town where Gabby's relatives reside and a blessing to the doctorless town. When he first meets Gabby, she immediately resents his brand of medicine and all that he represents: doctors who have no real training and who are ruthless in their care for patients. It takes time and patience but Gabby comes to see that Luke is not one of those doctors at all. He does, however, have a past that haunts him and causes him to hide from the public and its intense scrutiny.

 A disaster brings Gabby into the care of Luke where she learns much more of his background than she could ever imagine.
549 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2018
This story began well but as a reader I get bored being told the same information numerous times. After a few chapters the story began to stall and main characters were repeating themselves over and over. It was a fair story but could have been shortened considerably. ‘‘Tis the season to be generous so I gave this a rating of 3 . . .
Profile Image for Marilyn Stein.
148 reviews
December 16, 2018
About a third of the way through the book I got so very tired of him thinking he wasn't worthy and her thinking she wasn't pretty enough and I skipped to the end to finish off the agony.
Profile Image for Cary.
2,296 reviews
December 14, 2018
This sort of dragged on for me. Proud and stubborn characters can be nice but all the self doubt at the same time was a bit confusing.
Profile Image for Jena Henry.
Author 4 books338 followers
April 6, 2018
“This is going to be an extra special Christmas.”

The story of healer Gabriella Torres and Dr. Luke Davenport is the fourth book in the Texas Legacy Series. Although I did not read the first three books, I enjoyed this book as a beautiful and romantic stand-alone.

The story is set in 1840’s Texas- a rugged, beautiful and strong place just like the people who live there. Gabriella comes from a large and loving family. She doesn’t think she is beautiful, but as a reader I thought she had a beautiful child-like spirit and wisdom. The Christmas season is near and Gabby is heading to San Antonio from the family ranch to celebrate with her city family. Her warm and generous family has opened its doors to the new doctor in town, Luke Davenport.

One of my favorite parts of the book was learning about the Christmas celebration of posada. This is a charming reenactment of “No Room at the Inn” and is the perfect backdrop to Gabriella and Luke’s search for love, acceptance and joy.

This book blends the spirit of Christmas with love for family and family customs and the hopes and desires of two young people. The author writes in a lovely voice and shows us the personal struggles of Gabby and Dr. Luke as they fight their pasts to create their best future.


“How do you tell a woman you don’t know what love feels like?”

I highly recommend this book. And now it’s time for me to start the series from the beginning!
4,123 reviews21 followers
October 18, 2017
Holly Castillo’s Texas Christmas transported me to December 1840 in San Antonio, Texas with vivid descriptive writing, starting with the ride into the historic town. The prickly (towards Luke, anyway) Gabriella Torres quickly changes as she gets to know the doctor from London better. Luke Davenport earns the respect of me as well as Gabby as the story progresses. For his part, he questions Gabby’s midwife training but does not hold being a female against her.

Experiencing Christmas through Luke’s eyes and Gabby’s efforts made this story a real treat. What an amazing read that builds respect and friendship instead of instant lust/love. Some may seek a hotter read but I thought the romance was perfect. If I am wanting to read a Texas historical romance, Holly Castillo is the first author I now turn to.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

Profile Image for Marsha Keeper Bookshelf.
4,290 reviews88 followers
October 19, 2017
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

I love learning of Christmas traditions from other cultures and other times as well. So Texas Christmas was not only a lovely Christmas Romance, it was also an historical lesson in many ways. Step back in time for a simpler yet no less boisterous celebration of the holidays, and of finding love where you least expect it.

Gabby and Luke make an interesting couple with their far different backgrounds – and very different ideas about healing and medicine. Gabby is completely distrustful of so called doctors. She’s seen them do far more harm than good in her experience. Luke doesn’t trust a healer who relies on the old ways and won’t embrace the better offerings of modern medicine. Each views the other’s abilities with suspicion and perhaps a touch of disdain. Yet as they slowly let down their guards and get to know each other they’re finding that they have more in common than they first thought. In spite of her first reactions to Luke, Gabby is finding him to be an honorable man, a kind soul and perhaps someone that could come to mean so much more to her. Luke is a bit surprised by Gabby’s generosity in showing him what a true family style Christmas celebration can be. Slowly a friendship of sorts develops, and each begins to fight the attraction they feel – for far different reasons.

Although I have read the entire series, I don’t feel you “have” to have read the earlier books in order to enjoy this Christmas romance between Gabby and Luke. I don’t often say that, for I believe a series is best enjoyed from start to finish… but Christmas stories are often a seasonal enjoyment for many readers so this is one that I believe can stand on its own. In my opinion.

I enjoyed Texas Christmas, it’s touching, emotional and while not overly steamy, we certainly know that Luke and Gabby are falling in love. I would recommend this one to any Romance reader who enjoys learning a bit about other Christmas celebrations and traditions, as well as a look at how the heart of Christmas remains the same no matter the date.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Profile Image for Patty Nobles.
377 reviews5 followers
October 10, 2017
Holly Castillo has done it again in her fourth installment of her Texas Legacy series “Texas Christmas.” Gabriella Torres is a midwife and a healer who is making her way to San Antonio for Christmas and to help her cousin Olivia with the birth of her newest child. Luke Davenport is a doctor who has hoped to make San Antonio his home and escape his past when he meets Gabriella as he is examining Olivia. Gabriella has little or no faith in doctors after what she is experienced in the war and Luke has never met a healer like Gabriella, but they somehow find a way to a mutual respect and a relationship until Gabriella’s preordained destiny comes crashing into their lives. Can two people from different backgrounds find a path to love no matter the obstacles? Ms. Castillo has created a rich story that spans family dynamics that everyone can relate to. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Profile Image for Lisa  Montgomery.
949 reviews3 followers
December 31, 2018
The book was adequate, but nothing special. In reality, I would have given it a 3.7 or 3.8. The author brings the main characters together too quickly, and then she spends a good portion of the book trying to pull them apart again. It was two steps forward and three steps back throughout the tale.
I did wonder if Dom is a neighbor, why does Gabrielle not recognize him? He repaired fences with her brothers.
Usage errors:
1. more ill = The general rule is this: if you have a one-syllable adjective, it gets -er and -est; if it’s more than two, it gets “more” and “most.” Two-syllable words can go either way. “Ill” only has one syllable, so it properly takes the suffix. https://www.quora.com/Is-it-grammatic...
2. split infinitives = to practically be, to even make, etc.
3. toward vs. towards (The author used "towards" in a book set in the American West.) The only difference between toward and towards is the s. Both spellings are correct, and they mean the same thing: in the direction of. Toward is the preferred spelling in the United States and Canada. In other English-speaking countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, towards is the more common spelling. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/toward...
4. afterward vs. afterwards (The author uses "afterwards.") There is no difference between afterward and afterwards. Neither is more correct or incorrect than the other, and both appear throughout the English-speaking world. North American writers tend to favor afterward, while English speakers from outside the U.S. and Canada tend to favor afterwards. But this is not a rule, and exceptions are easily found.
Every word ending in the directional suffix -ward has a parallel -wards form,1 and afterward and afterwards are just one of many of these -ward/-wards pairs. In modern usage, the –ward forms are more common in North America, and the -wards forms are more common outside North America. By and large, the words in each of these pairs are interchangeable with each other. There are a few exceptions—for example, forward has definitions it does not share with forwards—but afterward and afterwards are so far undifferentiated, so you are safe using the form that sounds better to you. https://grammarist.com/usage/afterwar...

Profile Image for Amy.
507 reviews21 followers
December 21, 2018
Nothing about this book did it for me. The dialogue was both awkward and distractingly period inappropriate (and the random Spanish nouns felt really forced...) The communication issues here were so clunky and unrealistic, and the repeated near misses of Gabby 'kind of' getting hurt were just silly. Have her get hurt - or don't. Pick one!
Luke's back story is also a bit odd--especially when he is hesitant to meet the President of Texas and be recognized as a fighter from England (are Texans seriously in the know about the English prizefighting scene??)- but he flat out TELLS the guy his background anyway!
Lastly, if the heroine said she was ugly one more time I was going to scream.
Nooope. Giant nope.
71 reviews1 follower
Read
July 19, 2019
Gabriella (Gabby) Torres is a healer and midwife going to San Antonio to help her cousin Olivia birth her newest child and have Christmas. Luke Davenport is a trained physician from London and new to San Antonio which is a doctor-less town. When the two meet, Gabby immediately resents the doctor’s brand of medicine because of what she had seen doctors do.
Their journey is a very bumpy one but he learns to respect her natural healing and she learns that not all doctors believe in the knife. You just have to read this and see how they got over their difference. You also get to see how Christmas was back in the 1840's.
Profile Image for Kathy.
1,700 reviews5 followers
December 15, 2018
Gabriella is heading to San Antonio, Texas to help her cousin have a baby and celebrate Christmas with her extended family. When she finds a man examining her cousin she gets really mad. When she finds out he is a doctor she gets even madder. Her experience with doctors has not been good. She find they take off limbs that could be saved. Luke is new to town and not sure what has made the girl so mad. It seems to be a very bad start between them. The story is a good Christmas story.
Profile Image for Susannah Carleton.
Author 7 books31 followers
December 31, 2019
2 1/2 stars. Better written or edited than the previous book in the series, but not error-free. There is some character development, but mostly for the hero, with very little for the heroine. The characters and situations are interesting, but there is a completely unnecessary big misunderstanding, which a brief conversation could have prevented. There were many opportunities for such a conversation, but it didn’t occur until long after it should have.
Profile Image for Dawn.
465 reviews
November 1, 2017
Once again this Author grabs the readers attention from the first page until the last. This tale is about Gabriella, who is a midwife and healer and Luke, A trained physician from London. Their journey is bumpy to find common ground amidst the happenings of the holidays and traditions of Texas in the 1840's.

Ebook from Net galley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.
Profile Image for Barbara "Cookie" Serfaty Williams.
2,705 reviews5 followers
December 9, 2018
Texas Christmas (Texas Legacy Book 4)

The love story of Luke and Gabby. Gabby was promise to another but he show no interest in her. Like is a doctor from London and when he meet Gabby, who is a healer and she dislike doctor, he fall for h her. Will Gabby fall for Luke or will she do as her father wanted? Great Christmas story.
65 reviews
December 14, 2018
A different kind of Christmas

I really enjoyed all of the Mexican traditions at Christmas time. The author did very well at painting a picture. She has well developed characters.The love triangle had an unexpected twist. You could truly feel for Luke for not ever experiencing Christmas before. It turned out beautifully.
Profile Image for shirlene brown.
326 reviews1 follower
December 15, 2018
Finding love

This is a very interesting story about a family who celebrated Christmas. They are very close net family. When this one young girl show this man what Christmas is . I give this story a four star rating because this story pull you in to the story and keep you in until the end you will cry and laugh .
Profile Image for Victoria B.
578 reviews5 followers
December 25, 2018
This is the first book that I have read from this author and did not notice that it is book 4 in the series. I feel this book could be read as a stand alone, I was able to enjoy the story line without having read the other books in the series. If you like historical western romance then this is a good choice.
Profile Image for Jill.
462 reviews
December 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this sweet, Christmas love story. The characters were great...very well-developed. I liked the close-knit family relationships and the Christian themes contained within the book. I also found the traditional Christmas customs mentioned very interesting, especially the reenactment of the 'No room at the inn' encounter of Jesus' birth. A very sweet Christmas story!
Profile Image for Beverly McCall.
Author 2 books28 followers
January 5, 2019
Loved the way Ms. Castillo captures life in old west in this riveting tale. Her characters are vivid and strong. She makes them human through their personal battles with fears that haunt their happiness. Ms. Castillo has a way with building the story line through the interaction of her characters. The dialog is wonderful. You can't help but root for the main characters. Great read.
Profile Image for Sheryl.
110 reviews3 followers
April 26, 2019
Quick read of a sweet story

This was a sweet story, with a little Texas history peppered in. Sometimes though, Gabby and Luke’s continuous doubting of themselves and failure to speak their minds got a little annoying. Overall, I did enjoy the story and all the family being together teaching Luke how w to celebrate Christmas.
135 reviews
December 18, 2020
Didn’t hate it but...

I really struggled with the first 1/2 of this book. Everything seemed so redundant. My best guess is that there was a page requirement and the author was doing everything she could think of to make it.

This the first Latino centered romance I’ve read and I really enjoyed that aspect. It’s part of a series, but stands alone quite well.
Profile Image for Kbarker.
401 reviews1 follower
December 24, 2024
Book was ok

The story started out ok and somewhere in the middle I started losing interest. Maybe it was the 2 guy, marriage arrangement and all the decorating that did it. The author seemed to be throwing stuff together to see what fit.I don't think I will be looking for another book by this author any time soon.
17 reviews
June 27, 2018
Easy to read

Enjoyed, well written. I liked the characters. The story line kept you interested from beginning to the very end. I liked the way the medical methods were introduced. Some practices that did not come into every day use in the U.S. Until the Civil War.
Profile Image for Rita.
212 reviews1 follower
December 4, 2018
A beautiful Christmas story!

I totally enjoyed this heartwarming story of true love conquering all! Luke and Gabby's story was so entertaining I could not put it down until I finished it. An adventure from start to finish!!!
Profile Image for Laura.
110 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2018
Delightful Romance

I love a good romance! That's why I'll be reading more of Ms. Castillo's books. Her characters are likable & relatable. The story has lots of good details & gave me plenty to smile about.
308 reviews1 follower
December 21, 2018
4 stars for sure!!

This was a very enjoyable story. It was touch and go when Luke and Gabby first met but somehow love wins. This was a sweet love story that I am sure most everyone that enjoys love stories will want to read.
944 reviews9 followers
December 23, 2018

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series. I enjoyed reading about the medical and healing techniques of the time. As a recently new transplant to TX, I enjoyed the historical references as well. I recommend this clean sweet romance.
Profile Image for Robyn Echols.
Author 5 books28 followers
December 24, 2018
Great Christmas Romance

I enjoyed this romance set in 1840 San Antonio. The history details were interesting, but the heart of the story involved the characters preparing for Christmas. Good characters, some interesting secondary plots, and a satisfying romance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.