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Navy SEAL Cowboys #3
Cowboy SEAL Christmas
Three former Navy SEALs
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning...
Searching for a place to call their own.
Single mom and Revival Ranch's on-site therapist Monica Finley has dedicated her life to helping brave servicemen and women, but former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one man whose shell she just can't crack. Yet with the holidays fast approaching, she may finally have a plan. In a bid to get Gabe to open up, she'll ask for as much help as possible―cutting down the Christmas tree, stringing lights, the whole nine yards.
Who could possibly be a Grinch with so much holiday cheer in the air?
Gabe has always hated Christmas―the holiday never fails to remind him just how alone he truly is. But the more time he spends with Monica and her young son, the more he finds himself drawn to their cozy little family...and the more he begins to realize his long-suppressed Christmas dreams may finally be coming true.
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning...
Searching for a place to call their own.
Single mom and Revival Ranch's on-site therapist Monica Finley has dedicated her life to helping brave servicemen and women, but former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one man whose shell she just can't crack. Yet with the holidays fast approaching, she may finally have a plan. In a bid to get Gabe to open up, she'll ask for as much help as possible―cutting down the Christmas tree, stringing lights, the whole nine yards.
Who could possibly be a Grinch with so much holiday cheer in the air?
Gabe has always hated Christmas―the holiday never fails to remind him just how alone he truly is. But the more time he spends with Monica and her young son, the more he finds himself drawn to their cozy little family...and the more he begins to realize his long-suppressed Christmas dreams may finally be coming true.
364 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 4, 2018
83 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Helm
310 books498 followersNicole Helm is the national bestselling author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and down-to-earth contemporary romance. Her Intrigues routinely land on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list, and she’s received starred PW reviews for her contemporary romances. She’s written over 75 books, known for their emotional depth and happily ever afters.
Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.
In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.
You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n
Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.
In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.
You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
August 31, 2018
As rewarding as helping others is, therapist Monica Finley’s heart needed help to fight the loneliness she refused to acknowledge. With Christmas fast approaching, Monica will make it her mission to uncover the real former Navy SEAL, Gabe Cortez, who she has decided has too much Grinch in him to let go and feel again.
Gabe Cortez gave up on his long ago fantasies of Christmas love and cheer, but there is something about Monica and her young son that threatens to melt his frozen façade, but will it lead to more heartache for him or will his Christmas wishes finally come true?
COWBOY SEAL CHRISTMAS by Nicole Helm has all the magic of the holidays, albeit with some prickly moments between Monica and Gabe. Get ready to feel some big feels for these two lonely souls as the magic of the season tries to ring true for love, once again!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Sourcebooks Casablanca!
Series: Navy SEAL Cowboys - Book 3
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 4, 2018)
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Gabe Cortez gave up on his long ago fantasies of Christmas love and cheer, but there is something about Monica and her young son that threatens to melt his frozen façade, but will it lead to more heartache for him or will his Christmas wishes finally come true?
COWBOY SEAL CHRISTMAS by Nicole Helm has all the magic of the holidays, albeit with some prickly moments between Monica and Gabe. Get ready to feel some big feels for these two lonely souls as the magic of the season tries to ring true for love, once again!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Sourcebooks Casablanca!
Series: Navy SEAL Cowboys - Book 3
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 4, 2018)
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 5, 2018
This was a sweet christmas-y romance, it was warm and cozy to reconnect with Revival and the other couples, especially catching up with Jake and Rose from the previous book. Monica and Gabe's romance was heartwarming and definitely a slow burn with a gradual build up. Their story is a bumpy one and deals with a lot of delicate situations but it's also emotionally gripping and honest.
Monica and Gabe have been circling each other since book one. These two are like oil and water and it was funny to see everyone around them could see what they both adamantly refused to acknowledge - crazy hot attraction. When they both get snowed in and the proximity tempts them into finally giving in to their mutual desire, the tension they've been denying reaches the breaking point.
Memorable Moments:
This love story couldn't be complete without a cute gesture and Macaroni the baby llama was definitely a memorable. Not only for the cute factor but also the sweet significance of what she represented.
Honorary mention to the Grinch references. Gabe's heart definitely grew a few sizes :0)
Would I recommend? Yes, although it is part of a series, this could be read as a stand alone.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts
and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
Monica and Gabe have been circling each other since book one. These two are like oil and water and it was funny to see everyone around them could see what they both adamantly refused to acknowledge - crazy hot attraction. When they both get snowed in and the proximity tempts them into finally giving in to their mutual desire, the tension they've been denying reaches the breaking point.
Memorable Moments:
This love story couldn't be complete without a cute gesture and Macaroni the baby llama was definitely a memorable. Not only for the cute factor but also the sweet significance of what she represented.
Honorary mention to the Grinch references. Gabe's heart definitely grew a few sizes :0)
Would I recommend? Yes, although it is part of a series, this could be read as a stand alone.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts
and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
October 30, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
For me, romance is a tough genre. I look for a book to take me away and make me believe that true love can conquer all. I want that to be done with a minimum of angst and with a plot that intrigues me. I didn't find that here, although some very real issues were dealt with.
Monica Finley came to Revival Ranch to be the on-site therapist, she also came seeking a new chapter in her life. As a widow with a 10 year-old son, she is looking for a place she can make a difference and Revival Ranch with its' outreach to recovering veterans sounds like a good fit for her. Of the three vets that have founded the Ranch, former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one most resistant to her as a therapist, and the one who intrigues her the most. Personally, Monica has no idea how to be anything other than a mother or a therapist. Relating to people in any other way is just not something she does well, but will need to learn fast to fit in at Revival Ranch.
Gabe Cortez is not interested in having his head shrunk and he sure doesn't need a mother. He has shut down Monica's attempts to "therapy" him, but he is more than open to something more, personal, if she were willing. He sure likes her kid, too. Perhaps, to much. Due to a lousy childhood, Gabe has problems relating to all the family stuff that the holidays bring and when you throw Alex and Becca's wedding into the mix, Gabe just wants to be anywhere else. But, there is just no escaping the wanting to belong he has. Alone is how he has lived for the past 15 years and it's tough to see his SEAL brothers with their new families at Christmas time and not want something more, something he tells himself he doesn't deserve.
For me, romance is a tough genre. I look for a book to take me away and make me believe that true love can conquer all. I want that to be done with a minimum of angst and with a plot that intrigues me. I didn't find that here, although some very real issues were dealt with.
Monica Finley came to Revival Ranch to be the on-site therapist, she also came seeking a new chapter in her life. As a widow with a 10 year-old son, she is looking for a place she can make a difference and Revival Ranch with its' outreach to recovering veterans sounds like a good fit for her. Of the three vets that have founded the Ranch, former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one most resistant to her as a therapist, and the one who intrigues her the most. Personally, Monica has no idea how to be anything other than a mother or a therapist. Relating to people in any other way is just not something she does well, but will need to learn fast to fit in at Revival Ranch.
Gabe Cortez is not interested in having his head shrunk and he sure doesn't need a mother. He has shut down Monica's attempts to "therapy" him, but he is more than open to something more, personal, if she were willing. He sure likes her kid, too. Perhaps, to much. Due to a lousy childhood, Gabe has problems relating to all the family stuff that the holidays bring and when you throw Alex and Becca's wedding into the mix, Gabe just wants to be anywhere else. But, there is just no escaping the wanting to belong he has. Alone is how he has lived for the past 15 years and it's tough to see his SEAL brothers with their new families at Christmas time and not want something more, something he tells himself he doesn't deserve.
June 29, 2018
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (posting 12/10)
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Kv64jm
Sometimes the ones with the biggest smiles are the ones hiding the most hurt and pain. Cowboy SEAL Christmas tugged at the heart, yall. Whew boy!
The Gist: Gabe is not fond of therapists. That the foundation he's co-building to help military veterans has an on site therapist..irksome to say the least. That she's got a cool kid and is a great mom and is scorching hot...yeah. Color him real annoyed. And, dammit, tempted. Even if she's all about Christmas cheer and he's got a whole Grinch thing going on. lol
Gabe and Monica were something. Attracted to each other and incredibly annoyed by one another. They've snipe and driven each other crazy for months but dang that pesky attraction. I loved watching them finally give in and have a go of things. They both have such inner strength and so much pain and damage they're trying to get through. They both kind of break your heart a little while you watch them battle their inner demons. Make you want to cheer when they overcome things.
“I mean I care. About you. About this.”She waved her hands up in the air. “I have an obnoxiously big and uncomfortable amount of care.”
Aaaaand it had one of my favorite set ups! A blizzard and getting snowed in and stuck with one another until everything melted. I love that intimacy. There was a lot of light and sexy and fun as they start breaking down each other's defenses.
My only complaints-- Not capitalizing Marines (come on!) and that we never really see the ranch in full swing. It's been 3 books of them settling in and building the retreat and I would have loved to see a little of it in action with military arriving and getting help.
All in all, Cowboy SEAL Christmas was a heartbreakingly sweet romance that had me in a swoon. These are good people who give there all for everyone around them and it was lovely seeing them get a bit of happiness, too.
November 8, 2025
Helm emotionally connected the reader, aka me, to her characters. Cowboy SEAL Christmas provided a heart hurting tale that had you routing for that HEA that we all just can't wait to find.
Well paced and engaging, Cowboy SEAL Christmas is one of those Christmas tales that pulls at your heart strings and keeps you hanging on till the last page.
I received this ARC copy of Cowboy SEAL Christmas from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. This is my honest and voluntary review. Cowboy SEAL Christmas is set for publication September 04, 2018.
Well paced and engaging, Cowboy SEAL Christmas is one of those Christmas tales that pulls at your heart strings and keeps you hanging on till the last page.
I received this ARC copy of Cowboy SEAL Christmas from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. This is my honest and voluntary review. Cowboy SEAL Christmas is set for publication September 04, 2018.
September 24, 2018
After nearly a month of reading Harari’s 21 Lessons, I sure needed a heavy romance dose. Who better than Nicole Helm to provide an antidote to Harari’s intellectual harshness? Why Helm? There are romance writers who love romance and that comes through in their writing, say Mary Balogh, the romance classicist, or the contemporary Lucy Parker. Then, there are romance writers who believe in romance and one of those is Helm. Another is her sister-in-writing, Maisey Yates. There’s a genuine belief in their stories as being tangible, possible, and attainable outside the pages of a book, no matter how idealized their characters. Though I’d recently read and reviewed a Helm romance, I knew she was going to cleanse the reading palate: Harari was nice, like having an exotic meal once in a while, or eating on vacay what you wouldn’t at home. But I was ready for my usual fare and enjoyed every but five minutes of it (more of that later).
I don’t know that you can really trust my review: maybe it’s too coloured by my relief and happiness at reading a hopeful book? I wanted the whole deal, a romance, yes, and one set during Christmas, with a Christmas “deal” of friends-with-benefits between what have been two antagonists through the first two books in Helm’s Navy SEAL Cowboys series – WOW, bring it on.
Some context for those unfamiliar with the series. Helm’s Navy SEAL Cowboys centres around three physically and soul-wounded SEAL vets, one of whom’s dream is to turn a Montana ranch into a therapeutic centre for hurt vets. Alex McGuire, Jack Armstrong, and Gabe Cortez are respectively the heroes of the trilogy. By book three, it’s Gabe’s turn, the charming rogue, whose devil-may-care smile hides a world of hurt, none of which has to do with his experiences in Afghanistan. Unlike Alex and Jack, Gabe doesn’t suffer from PTSD: his war was fought in the family home and its lingering pain, unfortunately, he carries to Revival Ranch.
His heroine is none other than the ranch’s therapist, widowed, single mother Monica Finlay, who comes to Revival, after ten years with her parents, getting her degree and bringing up her son, Colin. Colin and Gabe, throughout the first two books, share a great relationship. They bond, Colin with some hero worship and Gabe with an opportunity to do manly things (they chop down a Christmas tree in the first chapter, a great scene) and enjoy Colin’s companionship, one of the few relationships he seems to have, outside of his Navy SEAL buddies. Monica and Gabe spend the first two books verbally sparring and needling each other. It’s apropos that Gabe doesn’t suffer from PTSD, otherwise Helm would be in a world of COI when Monica and Gabe resist their attraction – until they don’t.
Helm is good at opening her books with a dose of humour, in this case, Gabe’s shudders over anything Christmas-related (beautifully contrasted with Monica’s Hallmark-Christmas-movie-themed home, down to gingerbread-men sheets): “Gabe Cortez liked to think of Christmas as a ritualized torture simulation that would ultimately prepare him for any horrible war zone he found himself in. If I can survive Christmas, I can survive anything.” This opposites-attract opening serves Helm and her protagonists well: Grinch meet Cindy Lou. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is key to Gabe’s emotional awakening and a lovely running joke between him and Monica. When the novel opens, just as Gabe is being a grump about Christmas as well as Alex and Becca’s wedding, he’s in turn peeved by Monica. Gabe is of the scared of feels and abandonment ilk of hero: “Gabe had learned a long time ago that people didn’t stick … ” Famous last words: Gabe’s attraction to Monica, his affection for Colin and the onslaught of their care, as well as his buddies’ and their wives’, will break him down enough to make him both run from and then run towards love and commitment.
If Gabe is closed-off, then Monica is lifting her head from grief, work, and parenting to look at the mountains, the sky, and herself, and rediscover a desire to be a woman again. Her little boy is ten, her career is exactly where she wants it to be, she has a home and meaningful work. She’s safe and content, but she hasn’t had a lover in ten years. Oh, she has a few emotional weaknesses, like her insecurity about her womanhood and over-protectiveness for Colin. She lost his dad ten years ago and she’s still uneasy about letting him take on too many risks. But Gabe lets him grow up, even while keeping him safe, and she appreciates that. She appreciates Gabe’s shoulders, his smile, and the way he makes her feel: brave, sexy, and daring. When Colin goes to visit his grandparents for a week before Christmas, Monica and Gabe make a deal:
“You’re proposing a Christmas sex deal.” She lifted her chin, [CHIN!!] and though her expression was serious, there was a certain mocking curve to her mouth.
“I am. Are you accepting the Christmas sex deal?”
“On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“We stop saying ‘Christmas sex deal.’ “
*chortle*, no? Though there are dark undercurrents, Helm draws you in with humour and banter. It’s all fluff and fun and Christmas lights twinkling – until it isn’t. Until a blizzard strands Monica and Gabe and we get closed-cabin romance, which I love!
The fluff becomes tempest-tossed and Helm uses the bedroom’s intimacy (even with the gingerbread and candy cane sheets) to crack Gabe open. Physical intimacy, posits romance, implicates you in emotional intimacy. Maybe this isn’t necessarily true of “real life,” but it is one of the most basic and important of the genre’s tenets. Helm knows how to do this well: making the love scenes organic to Gabe and Monica’s emotional revelations. Unfortunately, one of those revelations, revealed when Gabe tells Monica about his childhood, was distasteful, a bad writing decision on Helm’s part and it near ruined the romance novel for me. Except Helm got me with: “Love isn’t a thunderstorm. It’s the way a river cuts through rock over time … he’d found love in the failures. Losing a man, losing the SEALs. Admitting things to Monica. In all of those horrible, dark places, all the good in this life had sprouted … Love was the river and love was the rock, and somehow, she had to be both.” I don’t know if I can wholeheartedly tell my readers to read Cowboy SEAL Christmas, but I can say I loved every moment of it (minus the five BAD minutes) and it restored my faith in hope, love, and a happy ending. For that, with Miss Austen, I say it offered “real comfort,” Emma.
Nicole Helm’s Cowboy SEAL Christmas is published by Sourcebooks Casablanca. It was released on September 4th and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-ARC from Sourcebooks via Netgalley.
I don’t know that you can really trust my review: maybe it’s too coloured by my relief and happiness at reading a hopeful book? I wanted the whole deal, a romance, yes, and one set during Christmas, with a Christmas “deal” of friends-with-benefits between what have been two antagonists through the first two books in Helm’s Navy SEAL Cowboys series – WOW, bring it on.
Some context for those unfamiliar with the series. Helm’s Navy SEAL Cowboys centres around three physically and soul-wounded SEAL vets, one of whom’s dream is to turn a Montana ranch into a therapeutic centre for hurt vets. Alex McGuire, Jack Armstrong, and Gabe Cortez are respectively the heroes of the trilogy. By book three, it’s Gabe’s turn, the charming rogue, whose devil-may-care smile hides a world of hurt, none of which has to do with his experiences in Afghanistan. Unlike Alex and Jack, Gabe doesn’t suffer from PTSD: his war was fought in the family home and its lingering pain, unfortunately, he carries to Revival Ranch.
His heroine is none other than the ranch’s therapist, widowed, single mother Monica Finlay, who comes to Revival, after ten years with her parents, getting her degree and bringing up her son, Colin. Colin and Gabe, throughout the first two books, share a great relationship. They bond, Colin with some hero worship and Gabe with an opportunity to do manly things (they chop down a Christmas tree in the first chapter, a great scene) and enjoy Colin’s companionship, one of the few relationships he seems to have, outside of his Navy SEAL buddies. Monica and Gabe spend the first two books verbally sparring and needling each other. It’s apropos that Gabe doesn’t suffer from PTSD, otherwise Helm would be in a world of COI when Monica and Gabe resist their attraction – until they don’t.
Helm is good at opening her books with a dose of humour, in this case, Gabe’s shudders over anything Christmas-related (beautifully contrasted with Monica’s Hallmark-Christmas-movie-themed home, down to gingerbread-men sheets): “Gabe Cortez liked to think of Christmas as a ritualized torture simulation that would ultimately prepare him for any horrible war zone he found himself in. If I can survive Christmas, I can survive anything.” This opposites-attract opening serves Helm and her protagonists well: Grinch meet Cindy Lou. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is key to Gabe’s emotional awakening and a lovely running joke between him and Monica. When the novel opens, just as Gabe is being a grump about Christmas as well as Alex and Becca’s wedding, he’s in turn peeved by Monica. Gabe is of the scared of feels and abandonment ilk of hero: “Gabe had learned a long time ago that people didn’t stick … ” Famous last words: Gabe’s attraction to Monica, his affection for Colin and the onslaught of their care, as well as his buddies’ and their wives’, will break him down enough to make him both run from and then run towards love and commitment.
If Gabe is closed-off, then Monica is lifting her head from grief, work, and parenting to look at the mountains, the sky, and herself, and rediscover a desire to be a woman again. Her little boy is ten, her career is exactly where she wants it to be, she has a home and meaningful work. She’s safe and content, but she hasn’t had a lover in ten years. Oh, she has a few emotional weaknesses, like her insecurity about her womanhood and over-protectiveness for Colin. She lost his dad ten years ago and she’s still uneasy about letting him take on too many risks. But Gabe lets him grow up, even while keeping him safe, and she appreciates that. She appreciates Gabe’s shoulders, his smile, and the way he makes her feel: brave, sexy, and daring. When Colin goes to visit his grandparents for a week before Christmas, Monica and Gabe make a deal:
“You’re proposing a Christmas sex deal.” She lifted her chin, [CHIN!!] and though her expression was serious, there was a certain mocking curve to her mouth.
“I am. Are you accepting the Christmas sex deal?”
“On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“We stop saying ‘Christmas sex deal.’ “
*chortle*, no? Though there are dark undercurrents, Helm draws you in with humour and banter. It’s all fluff and fun and Christmas lights twinkling – until it isn’t. Until a blizzard strands Monica and Gabe and we get closed-cabin romance, which I love!
The fluff becomes tempest-tossed and Helm uses the bedroom’s intimacy (even with the gingerbread and candy cane sheets) to crack Gabe open. Physical intimacy, posits romance, implicates you in emotional intimacy. Maybe this isn’t necessarily true of “real life,” but it is one of the most basic and important of the genre’s tenets. Helm knows how to do this well: making the love scenes organic to Gabe and Monica’s emotional revelations. Unfortunately, one of those revelations, revealed when Gabe tells Monica about his childhood, was distasteful, a bad writing decision on Helm’s part and it near ruined the romance novel for me. Except Helm got me with: “Love isn’t a thunderstorm. It’s the way a river cuts through rock over time … he’d found love in the failures. Losing a man, losing the SEALs. Admitting things to Monica. In all of those horrible, dark places, all the good in this life had sprouted … Love was the river and love was the rock, and somehow, she had to be both.” I don’t know if I can wholeheartedly tell my readers to read Cowboy SEAL Christmas, but I can say I loved every moment of it (minus the five BAD minutes) and it restored my faith in hope, love, and a happy ending. For that, with Miss Austen, I say it offered “real comfort,” Emma.
Nicole Helm’s Cowboy SEAL Christmas is published by Sourcebooks Casablanca. It was released on September 4th and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-ARC from Sourcebooks via Netgalley.
February 15, 2023
Overall book rating: 3.8
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
This one...was not my favorite.
I was really looking forward to it but sadly, for me, it missed
the spot.
Still enjoyed it but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
This one...was not my favorite.
I was really looking forward to it but sadly, for me, it missed
the spot.
Still enjoyed it but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
August 28, 2018
4 star review of Cowboy SEAL Christmas (Navy SEAL Cowboys #3) by Nicole Helm
Nicole Helm is a new author to me and when I signed up for this book I had no idea that it was the third book in the series.
Not having read the previous books in this series I was a little anxious going in that I would not be able to fully enjoy Cowboy SEAL Christmas. However, this was not the case.
There was romance, angst, heartbreak and issues of trust but throughout it all I was get invested in the story line as it unfolded.
The story was well written and the characters likeable and easy to relate too. I found myself hoping that Gabe could put is lack of trust aside to see what Monica and her son Colin could offer that would ease his loneliness.
Both Gabe and Monica have had a tough life but through it all they have become stronger than either of them realise. When they finally give in to their feelings and decided to go for it, I cheered.
The obvious “brotherhood” Gabe and his friends Alex and Jack had just
Can the magic of the Christmas season bring together two lost souls, emotionally drained from the loss of loved ones, each determined to survive but not really living and enjoying life?
I received a copy of this book through the publisher via Netgalley.
Nicole Helm is a new author to me and when I signed up for this book I had no idea that it was the third book in the series.
Not having read the previous books in this series I was a little anxious going in that I would not be able to fully enjoy Cowboy SEAL Christmas. However, this was not the case.
There was romance, angst, heartbreak and issues of trust but throughout it all I was get invested in the story line as it unfolded.
The story was well written and the characters likeable and easy to relate too. I found myself hoping that Gabe could put is lack of trust aside to see what Monica and her son Colin could offer that would ease his loneliness.
Both Gabe and Monica have had a tough life but through it all they have become stronger than either of them realise. When they finally give in to their feelings and decided to go for it, I cheered.
The obvious “brotherhood” Gabe and his friends Alex and Jack had just
Can the magic of the Christmas season bring together two lost souls, emotionally drained from the loss of loved ones, each determined to survive but not really living and enjoying life?
I received a copy of this book through the publisher via Netgalley.
September 1, 2018
Book Info
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Original Title Cowboy SEAL Christmas
ISBN 1492641596 (ISBN13: 9781492641599)
Edition Language English
Series Navy SEAL Cowboys #3
Other Editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Buy book from
Amazon
B&N
Three former Navy SEALs
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning...
Searching for a place to call their own.
Single mom and Revival Ranch's on-site therapist Monica Finley has dedicated her life to helping brave servicemen and women, but former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one man whose shell she just can't crack. Yet with the holidays fast approaching, she may finally have a plan. In a bid to get Gabe to open up, she'll ask for as much help as possible―cutting down the Christmas tree, stringing lights, the whole nine yards.
Who could possibly be a Grinch with so much holiday cheer in the air?
Gabe has always hated Christmas―the holiday never fails to remind him just how alone he truly is. But the more time he spends with Monica and her young son, the more he finds himself drawn to their cozy little family...and the more he begins to realize his long-suppressed Christmas dreams may finally be coming true.
Returning back to the Revival Ranch and dead of winter in Montana was exhilarating as it is so hot in Central Texas these days reading about somewhere with snow/blizzard conditions was a relief for a day at least.
Plus it always feels like returning to visit old friends when I crack up over the rooster/goat combo that are still featured characters in this 3rd story in the series, along with the newest member of the animal kind at the end.
Prior to this readers had the chance to fall in love with former Navy Seals Alex and Jack. This time Gabe takes a turn and the story is one that will be sure to win points for him as he at long last gets the chance to heal just like his 2 friends have done before him.
Gabe Cortez never talked to anyone about his family. Gabe never wanted them to know that his external scars were no match for the internal ones he carried long before he became a Navy Seal.
Monica Farley is a single mother whose life is dedicated to helping others heal. This time around the person in question does not feel like he needs, nor does he want, her help.
When circumstances force these two people from different walks of life to spend time alone together both their walls come down. Trouble is will it be enough to give Gabe the incentive to see he needs her or will Monica lose him forever.
This one is just as heartwarming as the first two books before it and a little boy named Colin may just have the best Christmas of his life if together his mother Monica, along with Gabe can make it happen.
I loved Jack's story in book 2 and now Gabe's story was enjoyed just as much or more.
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Original Title Cowboy SEAL Christmas
ISBN 1492641596 (ISBN13: 9781492641599)
Edition Language English
Series Navy SEAL Cowboys #3
Other Editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Buy book from
Amazon
B&N
BOOK BLURB
Three former Navy SEALs
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning...
Searching for a place to call their own.
Single mom and Revival Ranch's on-site therapist Monica Finley has dedicated her life to helping brave servicemen and women, but former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one man whose shell she just can't crack. Yet with the holidays fast approaching, she may finally have a plan. In a bid to get Gabe to open up, she'll ask for as much help as possible―cutting down the Christmas tree, stringing lights, the whole nine yards.
Who could possibly be a Grinch with so much holiday cheer in the air?
Gabe has always hated Christmas―the holiday never fails to remind him just how alone he truly is. But the more time he spends with Monica and her young son, the more he finds himself drawn to their cozy little family...and the more he begins to realize his long-suppressed Christmas dreams may finally be coming true.
My Thoughts
Returning back to the Revival Ranch and dead of winter in Montana was exhilarating as it is so hot in Central Texas these days reading about somewhere with snow/blizzard conditions was a relief for a day at least.
Plus it always feels like returning to visit old friends when I crack up over the rooster/goat combo that are still featured characters in this 3rd story in the series, along with the newest member of the animal kind at the end.
Prior to this readers had the chance to fall in love with former Navy Seals Alex and Jack. This time Gabe takes a turn and the story is one that will be sure to win points for him as he at long last gets the chance to heal just like his 2 friends have done before him.
Gabe Cortez never talked to anyone about his family. Gabe never wanted them to know that his external scars were no match for the internal ones he carried long before he became a Navy Seal.
Monica Farley is a single mother whose life is dedicated to helping others heal. This time around the person in question does not feel like he needs, nor does he want, her help.
When circumstances force these two people from different walks of life to spend time alone together both their walls come down. Trouble is will it be enough to give Gabe the incentive to see he needs her or will Monica lose him forever.
This one is just as heartwarming as the first two books before it and a little boy named Colin may just have the best Christmas of his life if together his mother Monica, along with Gabe can make it happen.
I loved Jack's story in book 2 and now Gabe's story was enjoyed just as much or more.
[EArc from Netgalley]
October 3, 2018
4 Stars
This is the last book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series. Alex, Jack and Gabe were wounded while serving and all were discharged from the Navy. They all move to Alex's farm and began putting together Revival, a place where other wounded soldiers can come and heal. The last 2 books were about Alex and Jack and the women they fell in love with. This book is about Gabe.
Monica moves to Revival with her son, Colin, to become the in-house therapist. She's been able to help Alex and Jack, but Gabe has no interest what-so-ever in therapy. He doesn't suffer from PTSD, what has scarred him is his childhood.
This is the second series by Nicole Helm that I've read. Liked them both. Looking forward to her new series in 2019.
This is the last book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series. Alex, Jack and Gabe were wounded while serving and all were discharged from the Navy. They all move to Alex's farm and began putting together Revival, a place where other wounded soldiers can come and heal. The last 2 books were about Alex and Jack and the women they fell in love with. This book is about Gabe.
Monica moves to Revival with her son, Colin, to become the in-house therapist. She's been able to help Alex and Jack, but Gabe has no interest what-so-ever in therapy. He doesn't suffer from PTSD, what has scarred him is his childhood.
This is the second series by Nicole Helm that I've read. Liked them both. Looking forward to her new series in 2019.
July 23, 2018
Even with a Christmas theme, friends getting married, and friends expecting a baby, this story felt very heavy and stifling. Monica and Gabe had so many personal demons and anxieties that I longed for Christmas carols just to lighten the mood. Or a shot of very alcoholic eggnog, just to get me though Gabe and Monica's sniping over her parenting and his disdain for therapy.
As a single mom and therapist, Monica seemed to symbolize every thing Gabe fears. This is a guy who had a glib smile or joke for everyone, that is except for Monica. He's down right cold and difficult with her, and I couldn't get past that. A few things stood out: when he's angry with her, Gabe picked up her sleeping son Colin and threw Monica's coat at her. So much for being a gentleman.
Then after Monica and Gabe agreed to their friends-with-benefits-until-Christmas-deal, Monica asked Gabe to stay in her cabin but he coldly refused, to the point of threatening to move her bodily from the door. Then he stomped away, leaving Monica alone in an isolated snowed-in cabin with no power. So much for that Navy SEAL protector mode.
Finally, when Monica played her favorite holiday movie for him, Gabe's inner thoughts revealed that he thought It's A Wonderful Life was "absolutely, horrendously horrible". I was pretty much done with Gabe by then.
I get that Gabe had a lot of personal demons to deal with but I still couldn't find many redeeming qualities about him otherwise. Even with a Christmas llama thrown in. Poor Monica was struggling with her military father's PTSD history, losing her husband at a young age, raising a young child by herself, and trying to be a competent, objective therapist - I didn't understand why she wanted to saddle herself with that self-pitying, scared, stubborn guy who, despite his declarations, could really use some therapy.
I wanted to like this much more than I did. Nicole Helm writes such introspective stories about people who have such great thoughts and emotions; unfortunately, I really couldn't enjoy these. Even with the Christmas llama thrown in.
2.5 stars
Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed this eARC generously provided by Netgalley and the publisher.
As a single mom and therapist, Monica seemed to symbolize every thing Gabe fears. This is a guy who had a glib smile or joke for everyone, that is except for Monica. He's down right cold and difficult with her, and I couldn't get past that. A few things stood out: when he's angry with her, Gabe picked up her sleeping son Colin and threw Monica's coat at her. So much for being a gentleman.
Then after Monica and Gabe agreed to their friends-with-benefits-until-Christmas-deal, Monica asked Gabe to stay in her cabin but he coldly refused, to the point of threatening to move her bodily from the door. Then he stomped away, leaving Monica alone in an isolated snowed-in cabin with no power. So much for that Navy SEAL protector mode.
Finally, when Monica played her favorite holiday movie for him, Gabe's inner thoughts revealed that he thought It's A Wonderful Life was "absolutely, horrendously horrible". I was pretty much done with Gabe by then.
I get that Gabe had a lot of personal demons to deal with but I still couldn't find many redeeming qualities about him otherwise. Even with a Christmas llama thrown in. Poor Monica was struggling with her military father's PTSD history, losing her husband at a young age, raising a young child by herself, and trying to be a competent, objective therapist - I didn't understand why she wanted to saddle herself with that self-pitying, scared, stubborn guy who, despite his declarations, could really use some therapy.
I wanted to like this much more than I did. Nicole Helm writes such introspective stories about people who have such great thoughts and emotions; unfortunately, I really couldn't enjoy these. Even with the Christmas llama thrown in.
2.5 stars
Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed this eARC generously provided by Netgalley and the publisher.
August 6, 2022
"Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review"
I loved this story: the plot, the characters, the writing were really enthralling. Having read the previous stories, I felt a familiarity with all the characters, and I liked them even more.
Gabe is an awesome hero, the most broken psychologically of the three friends.
I loved the way Nicole Helm wrote the hero, as a huge enigma, all obstinate, hard, bitter and suffering, but always showing a façade of indifference and in good spirits. He’s a mess, full of secrets, but his armor has these tiniest cracks that will be broken by the heroine, Monica, but also by her son, Colin.
The gap between Gabe’s self-image and the way his friends and Monica view him is huge and it will take a lot a love and perseverance for Monica to convince him of his worth.
It was also endearing to watch Monica flourish from the reserved mom and therapist to a bolder woman.
The deep affection within this group - the three SEAL friends – Alex, Jack, Gabe – the women and their friends - is exquisitely written.
I'm grateful to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, and NetGalley for providing a free copy.
I loved this story: the plot, the characters, the writing were really enthralling. Having read the previous stories, I felt a familiarity with all the characters, and I liked them even more.
Gabe is an awesome hero, the most broken psychologically of the three friends.
I loved the way Nicole Helm wrote the hero, as a huge enigma, all obstinate, hard, bitter and suffering, but always showing a façade of indifference and in good spirits. He’s a mess, full of secrets, but his armor has these tiniest cracks that will be broken by the heroine, Monica, but also by her son, Colin.
The gap between Gabe’s self-image and the way his friends and Monica view him is huge and it will take a lot a love and perseverance for Monica to convince him of his worth.
It was also endearing to watch Monica flourish from the reserved mom and therapist to a bolder woman.
The deep affection within this group - the three SEAL friends – Alex, Jack, Gabe – the women and their friends - is exquisitely written.
I'm grateful to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, and NetGalley for providing a free copy.
August 22, 2018
Having read the other two books in this series, it felt like I waited forever to read an early copy of Gabe and Monica's story. The other two books were phenomenal, so I anticipated this story would be amazing, and this author exceeded my expectations! I knew Gabe and Monica's story would be epic, but wow! What really makes this book are the subtleties, nuances and undercurrents, and Helm got it absolutely, perfectly right with these two.
Gabe, Jack and Alex are retired SEALs who go to Alex's ranch in Montana to heal from their career ending injuries, as well as start the Revival Ranch for other brothers in arms in need of healing. Gabe doesn’t seem to have the same PTSD issues as Alex and Jack, but he was deeply wounded before he ever joined the military, and either way, he has no use for a therapist of any kind. Monica has grieved the loss of her Air Force husband and spends all her time being a single mother and therapist to soldiers returning from active duty. So much so that she has no idea who she is apart from those two identities. Despite the sparks that fly between them, Monica won’t have a relationship with someone who could be a potential client, and a shrink is the last person Gabe would get close to.
Gabe hides behind a wall of charm and easy-going smiles, something he’s spent a long time perfecting. His past has taught him that good things never last and those you care about will always abandon you. For Gabe, hope is a terrifying thing, when it’s something he's gone most of his life without, then it finds a way to sneak through a chink in his painstakingly crafted armor, and Monica causes Gabe to hope. Monica has been doing her own hiding behind the shield of therapist and mother, but she and Gabe both see greater depths in the other, if they can only survive letting down their guard, facing their fear and being authentic.
This is one of those books that immediately drags you in and fills you up, investing you fully, heart and soul, so you lap up every word, thought and emotion like a person in the desert who finds an oasis. It charms, it captivates, it tickles the funny bone, it overwhelms the heart and feeds the soul. I was nowhere near ready to let go of these characters at the last page and wish the series would continue because I’m desperate for more. This book (as well as the others in the series) is one I’ll return to again and again, especially when my heart is feeling a little parched. With a little humor, a little heat and a big pile of heart, you’ll truly be missing out if you don’t read this uplifting, heartwarming, phenomenal book!
*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
Gabe, Jack and Alex are retired SEALs who go to Alex's ranch in Montana to heal from their career ending injuries, as well as start the Revival Ranch for other brothers in arms in need of healing. Gabe doesn’t seem to have the same PTSD issues as Alex and Jack, but he was deeply wounded before he ever joined the military, and either way, he has no use for a therapist of any kind. Monica has grieved the loss of her Air Force husband and spends all her time being a single mother and therapist to soldiers returning from active duty. So much so that she has no idea who she is apart from those two identities. Despite the sparks that fly between them, Monica won’t have a relationship with someone who could be a potential client, and a shrink is the last person Gabe would get close to.
Gabe hides behind a wall of charm and easy-going smiles, something he’s spent a long time perfecting. His past has taught him that good things never last and those you care about will always abandon you. For Gabe, hope is a terrifying thing, when it’s something he's gone most of his life without, then it finds a way to sneak through a chink in his painstakingly crafted armor, and Monica causes Gabe to hope. Monica has been doing her own hiding behind the shield of therapist and mother, but she and Gabe both see greater depths in the other, if they can only survive letting down their guard, facing their fear and being authentic.
This is one of those books that immediately drags you in and fills you up, investing you fully, heart and soul, so you lap up every word, thought and emotion like a person in the desert who finds an oasis. It charms, it captivates, it tickles the funny bone, it overwhelms the heart and feeds the soul. I was nowhere near ready to let go of these characters at the last page and wish the series would continue because I’m desperate for more. This book (as well as the others in the series) is one I’ll return to again and again, especially when my heart is feeling a little parched. With a little humor, a little heat and a big pile of heart, you’ll truly be missing out if you don’t read this uplifting, heartwarming, phenomenal book!
*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
September 8, 2018
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
Monica and Gabe have been doing quite a dance around each other in the two earlier books in this series as secondary characters and completely come into their own in Cowboy SEAL Christmas. Both have deep inner strengths and convictions, different but strong nonetheless. Each knows loss and the pain that never quite goes away completely as life moves on once again. And now the magic of Christmas will meet one determined Grinch during a blizzard that will finally allow two people who obviously are attracted to each other bring their full selves into play and see where the cards fall.
I hurt for Monica and Gabe in different ways as their slow burn romance goes through some serious bumps and curves. Funny at times, heartbreaking at others their story will touch your heart and remain with you long after the final page. And that epilogue was stunning and a perfect ending to this series. We’ll meet up with earlier couples, see familiar faces around Revival Ranch as it comes together as a place that will do a lot of good for some amazingly brave people. I do wish we’d gotten to see Revival Ranch in action, but… there is always the possibility of spin-off stories that might take us back, and I’m certainly hoping for that. I laughed, I cried, I certainly got annoyed and I had a wonderful time with the former Grinch Gabe and Monica. Look for some heartwarming moments, the magic that the Christmas spirit can bring to anyone and a really good story. This is the third and final story in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series yet it’s not completely necessary to have read them all. I would recommend the entire series though because they are all such unique, enjoyable stories.
*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.*
Monica and Gabe have been doing quite a dance around each other in the two earlier books in this series as secondary characters and completely come into their own in Cowboy SEAL Christmas. Both have deep inner strengths and convictions, different but strong nonetheless. Each knows loss and the pain that never quite goes away completely as life moves on once again. And now the magic of Christmas will meet one determined Grinch during a blizzard that will finally allow two people who obviously are attracted to each other bring their full selves into play and see where the cards fall.
I hurt for Monica and Gabe in different ways as their slow burn romance goes through some serious bumps and curves. Funny at times, heartbreaking at others their story will touch your heart and remain with you long after the final page. And that epilogue was stunning and a perfect ending to this series. We’ll meet up with earlier couples, see familiar faces around Revival Ranch as it comes together as a place that will do a lot of good for some amazingly brave people. I do wish we’d gotten to see Revival Ranch in action, but… there is always the possibility of spin-off stories that might take us back, and I’m certainly hoping for that. I laughed, I cried, I certainly got annoyed and I had a wonderful time with the former Grinch Gabe and Monica. Look for some heartwarming moments, the magic that the Christmas spirit can bring to anyone and a really good story. This is the third and final story in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series yet it’s not completely necessary to have read them all. I would recommend the entire series though because they are all such unique, enjoyable stories.
*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.*
November 6, 2018
Cowboy SEAL Christmas is the third part in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series, so I'd recommend to read the previous books before or otherwise you won't understand a lot initially (like what is the Revival Ranch, who's Alex, Bec, Rose... )
First of all, Gabe is a former Navy SEAL
I've read before other book by Nicole Helm ( A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding ), and I found a lot of similarities between them both, especially in the way Monica (or Cora) thinks about motherhood, protecting her kid, treating her kid like a baby although he's almost a preteen, or how she 'lost' herself in motherhood. I love romantic novels and I really like the way this author writes, but it'd be good, for once, to read a book where, instead of being controlling and trying to protect her kid from the dangers of the world, the mother would be a strong woman who tries to prepare him for the world and to face his fears and how to react in case of danger.
First of all, Gabe is a former Navy SEAL
I've read before other book by Nicole Helm ( A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding ), and I found a lot of similarities between them both, especially in the way Monica (or Cora) thinks about motherhood, protecting her kid, treating her kid like a baby although he's almost a preteen, or how she 'lost' herself in motherhood. I love romantic novels and I really like the way this author writes, but it'd be good, for once, to read a book where, instead of being controlling and trying to protect her kid from the dangers of the world, the mother would be a strong woman who tries to prepare him for the world and to face his fears and how to react in case of danger.
August 17, 2019
This was the final book in the series and I really wish it had been better than the previous books. It wasn't terrible, just wasn't the best. And it's a Christmas romance, so those are the ones that I really expect to be all hearts and flowers. There was a lot of tension, drama, heartache, hateful words, push-and-pull, etc. We knew all of the guys had their issues, but Gabe was the one to use his charm to present a facade that he was okay. But underneath it all, he was still a broken boy who was dealing with his family turning against him and trying to learn to accept love.
I kept waiting until the end, hoping that someone in his family would make amends, but that never happens. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part, but it was disappointing, to say the least. I guess he didn't need that though and came to accept love and give it in return without his family owning up to their mistake.
Monica is the single mother (husband died in a military training accident) to ~10 year old Colin. She is the ranch therapist and is trying to keep things professional with Gabe, even though he's not her patient, but she can't resist the pull to him. Saying that the Monica/Gabe relationship is frustrating is an understatement. Gabe has the whole 'woe is me' mentality down to a 't' and uses it to keep himself from getting further involved with Monica and Gabe.
Of course, they eventually give into temptation, the chemistry is strong, but emotions get in the way of them finding happiness right away. They make up soon enough and get their HEA.
The epilogue is cute and I enjoyed seeing what the others were up to now and how their families had grown. The book was just way too long for me (the whole series was), so I found it hard to keep interest in finishing the audio book.
I kept waiting until the end, hoping that someone in his family would make amends, but that never happens. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part, but it was disappointing, to say the least. I guess he didn't need that though and came to accept love and give it in return without his family owning up to their mistake.
Monica is the single mother (husband died in a military training accident) to ~10 year old Colin. She is the ranch therapist and is trying to keep things professional with Gabe, even though he's not her patient, but she can't resist the pull to him. Saying that the Monica/Gabe relationship is frustrating is an understatement. Gabe has the whole 'woe is me' mentality down to a 't' and uses it to keep himself from getting further involved with Monica and Gabe.
Of course, they eventually give into temptation, the chemistry is strong, but emotions get in the way of them finding happiness right away. They make up soon enough and get their HEA.
The epilogue is cute and I enjoyed seeing what the others were up to now and how their families had grown. The book was just way too long for me (the whole series was), so I found it hard to keep interest in finishing the audio book.
September 7, 2018
Cowboy SEAL Christmas was a very charming, sweet romance that reminds you what Christmas is all about.
Monica is a caring mother, who is working at a ranch to help other people cope with their fears. Gabe is the one man, who reminded her that in the process of working her job and providing for his son, she forgot how to love again.
At the beginning of the book, I found two mistakes and I hoped this wouldn’t be a book full of it. Thankfully, it wasn’t and since this is also an ARC, these mistakes will probably be deleted and corrected.
What did bother me was how in the first couple chapters everytime Gabe and Monica talked, he said something like ”Is this a shrink talk?”. It sounded to me like Gabe couldn’t have a normal conversation with her without thinking of her as a shrink even if she asked little things. It repeated several times until they got a little closer and Gabe opened up more.
My first book by this author but I think it won’t be the last. I loved how she took the time to describe the relationship between Monica and Gabe and even Gabe and Colin. It’s a perfect Christmas standalone novel which I recommend reading in front of the fireplace while drinking hot chocolate (or other hot beverage and a radiator if there’s no other option) ;).
4 stars from me.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Slovenian review and full post here: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.com/
Monica is a caring mother, who is working at a ranch to help other people cope with their fears. Gabe is the one man, who reminded her that in the process of working her job and providing for his son, she forgot how to love again.
At the beginning of the book, I found two mistakes and I hoped this wouldn’t be a book full of it. Thankfully, it wasn’t and since this is also an ARC, these mistakes will probably be deleted and corrected.
What did bother me was how in the first couple chapters everytime Gabe and Monica talked, he said something like ”Is this a shrink talk?”. It sounded to me like Gabe couldn’t have a normal conversation with her without thinking of her as a shrink even if she asked little things. It repeated several times until they got a little closer and Gabe opened up more.
My first book by this author but I think it won’t be the last. I loved how she took the time to describe the relationship between Monica and Gabe and even Gabe and Colin. It’s a perfect Christmas standalone novel which I recommend reading in front of the fireplace while drinking hot chocolate (or other hot beverage and a radiator if there’s no other option) ;).
4 stars from me.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Slovenian review and full post here: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.com/
September 9, 2018
Ohhh, I loved this book! Okay, I loved the other books in this series as well but reading about Gabe, the odd one out, the one who refuses to accept help (oh, well, I know, that's what the others said as well, right?) and who really has a hard time to accept that he is drawn to someone who by her profession represents everything that he hates...I loved it. Monica and Gabe are both amazing characters who are trying to belong, trying to find their place.
This wonderful family-by-choice that opens up to those around them and takes care of their own, is heart-warming and sweet.
Alex and Becca's marriage is approaching and emotions are flying high, especially when Gabe and Monica are trying to fight their growing attraction. Some things are not meant to be suppressed though, and even Gabe might not be able to stifle his feelings much longer... If you've read the other books you know that he is rather good at ignoring his feelings but with their attraction growing and his feelings becoming more intense, well, even a Grinch can learn to love Christmas so Gabe should be able to learn to love and accept it in return, right?
This is another wonderful book in this series that drew me in right from the first page. I really enjoyed reading it!
This wonderful family-by-choice that opens up to those around them and takes care of their own, is heart-warming and sweet.
Alex and Becca's marriage is approaching and emotions are flying high, especially when Gabe and Monica are trying to fight their growing attraction. Some things are not meant to be suppressed though, and even Gabe might not be able to stifle his feelings much longer... If you've read the other books you know that he is rather good at ignoring his feelings but with their attraction growing and his feelings becoming more intense, well, even a Grinch can learn to love Christmas so Gabe should be able to learn to love and accept it in return, right?
This is another wonderful book in this series that drew me in right from the first page. I really enjoyed reading it!
September 17, 2018
I enjoyed the previous two and I was looking forward to reading Gabe's story.
Gabe was the one who was always smiling in previous books, but not really talking a lot about himself. And I get why, poor man. He has some issues that he carries around. And unlike his friends who has PTSD, he has other things on his mind. But I did like him, but oh how he struggled with his feelings.
Monica is a widow. She has a 10 year old who she is afraid to let out of her sights. And she is the one who will work with the soldiers and their trauma. So of course she does not want to get involved with Gabe. But then he has never come to her, since he has no trauma like that. Anyway, she is a good person and she needs to learn how to stop controlling everything and also to love again.
Which is perfect cos Gabe sure needs someone to love him ;)
They have known each other for a while now as people around them have fallen in love. I knew they would have some ups and downs and that they had. I enjoyed seeing them realise things. And it really was a lovely book that made me want Christmas.
Conclusion
A lovely book
Cover
Sweet
Narrator:
A great voice for this. With range from 10 year olds to men and women
Gabe was the one who was always smiling in previous books, but not really talking a lot about himself. And I get why, poor man. He has some issues that he carries around. And unlike his friends who has PTSD, he has other things on his mind. But I did like him, but oh how he struggled with his feelings.
Monica is a widow. She has a 10 year old who she is afraid to let out of her sights. And she is the one who will work with the soldiers and their trauma. So of course she does not want to get involved with Gabe. But then he has never come to her, since he has no trauma like that. Anyway, she is a good person and she needs to learn how to stop controlling everything and also to love again.
Which is perfect cos Gabe sure needs someone to love him ;)
They have known each other for a while now as people around them have fallen in love. I knew they would have some ups and downs and that they had. I enjoyed seeing them realise things. And it really was a lovely book that made me want Christmas.
Conclusion
A lovely book
Cover
Sweet
Narrator:
A great voice for this. With range from 10 year olds to men and women
June 26, 2018
The third book in the series and I am sure the last. Has the third Seal Gabe and the therapist Monica going at it. Gabe gets along with her son Collin but is arguing with her about her not wanting to allow him to do anything. So when she asks Gabe aka the Grinch to help them cut a Christmas tree, his terms are allowing Collin to cut the tree. Well Gabe showing Collin the way to do it. She finally agrees. This is the way they continue to go until the two of them become stuck in her cabin while Collin is away visiting his grandparents during break. Now Gabe and Monica can work out whatever problems they have hopefully before Christmas. The bigger question becomes is whether or not she can make his heart grow three times its size like in the story. Read this good story and the epilogue will tie everything together, a very good series. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
November 5, 2018
This was a fun, cute Christmas story. It had a few oddities I didn't really understand, but overall I enjoyed it!
September 7, 2018
Cowboy SEAL Christmas delivers a blend of things I often enjoy-grumpy ex-military men and Christmas! I thought this would be a holiday novella, but it is a full story! This is the tale of Gabe, an ex-SEAL who has a slew of family issues as well as PTSD, and Monica, the psychologist/single mom who lives on the ranch.
Revival Ranch started in book one with Becca and her ex-stepbrother (one of the SEALs). Now Becca and Alex are getting married and the only single people left on the ranch are Gabe and Monica. Both feel an attraction to each other, but Gabe doesn't trust shrinks and Monica doesn't think it would be wise to cross that professional line. Her husband was in the military and died during a routine training exercise when their son was still a baby. Colin is 10 now and Monica hasn't dated at all. Her and Gabe both have...issues. Gabe is physically and mentally better off than both Alex and Jake, but that doesn't mean he is okay. Gabe and Monica sort of dance around their feelings for each other and that is the main plot of the book. Personally, I thought it felt a bit slow at times. I loved getting to see the previous characters (including Rasputin and Ron Swanson!), and Colin was a good addition. I enjoyed the story but I think it might have actually worked better as a novella.
You can read this as a stand alone. While the previous characters are present, its not necessary to KNOW their stories in order to understand Gabe and Monica!
This was my first listen to narrator Abby Craden and she was great! She didn't attempt to 'over act' the male voices and her performance was enjoyable.
POV: 3rd
Tears: no
Trope: hate to love, ex-military, single mom
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: stand alone within an interconnected series
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
other cowboy/ranch based books like Untamed Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Long Tall Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown, Second Chance Cowboy by AJ Pine...then you will probably like Cowboy SEAL Christmas!
Cowboy SEAL Christmas
See full review on The Book Disciple
August 7, 2018
Cowboy SEAL Christmas (Navy SEAL Cowboys #3) by Nicole Helm
3 stars
M/F Romance
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
This is Gabe and Monica's story. I have enjoyed each of the stories and was really looking forward to this one.
Monica is the therapist on the ranch. She moved with her young son and now is hoping to help other soldiers with their traumas. She has been successful at helping two of the three initial men, but Gabe is kind of an enigma for her. Figuring him out is somewhat of a challenge.
Gabe is a tough SEAL. He knows that what he and his buddies are doing is important, but he also knows that he is hiding something. Love isn't in the cards for him and hasn't been since he was a young boy. While he is happy for his friends, he can't help but feel a little jealous that they were able to overcome their issues.
This book was a lot of talking. While Gabe and Monica did have some chemistry, it wasn't as strong as the chemistry between the other two couples. I did enjoy the friendships that were developed in this book. I felt that the women, especially were able to really get to know each other.
Overall, while this is a sweet story, it was less about the romance than it could have been. I think it would have been better had there been more romance and less about their pasts. But, you also needed to know where they had come from and what they wanted.
3 stars
M/F Romance
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
This is Gabe and Monica's story. I have enjoyed each of the stories and was really looking forward to this one.
Monica is the therapist on the ranch. She moved with her young son and now is hoping to help other soldiers with their traumas. She has been successful at helping two of the three initial men, but Gabe is kind of an enigma for her. Figuring him out is somewhat of a challenge.
Gabe is a tough SEAL. He knows that what he and his buddies are doing is important, but he also knows that he is hiding something. Love isn't in the cards for him and hasn't been since he was a young boy. While he is happy for his friends, he can't help but feel a little jealous that they were able to overcome their issues.
This book was a lot of talking. While Gabe and Monica did have some chemistry, it wasn't as strong as the chemistry between the other two couples. I did enjoy the friendships that were developed in this book. I felt that the women, especially were able to really get to know each other.
Overall, while this is a sweet story, it was less about the romance than it could have been. I think it would have been better had there been more romance and less about their pasts. But, you also needed to know where they had come from and what they wanted.
November 20, 2018
I was really looking forward to this third novel in Nicole Helm's Navy SEAL Cowboys series, especially since I read, reviewed and gave the first and second novels in the series 4.5 and 5 star ratings, respectively, but, while I couldn't put it down until I finished reading it at 4:30 a.m. today, I felt that it was my least favorite novel in the series for a couple of reasons, and while it's as well-written and emotional as the previous novels, I can only give it 3.5 stars.
If this is your first read in the series, I'd recommend reading the previous novels in the order in which they were written, all are set at Revival Ranch, where veterans dealing with PTSD and other service-related psychological issues can see a licensed therapist (the heroine, Monica Finley) and receive counseling and equine therapy. The ranch has still not accepted its first two veteran clients, but it's getting close. The cast of characters isn't overwhelming, comprising the two couples featured in the first and second novels, Becca and Alex, Rose and Jack, Gabe Cortez (the hero in this novel), and Monica and her ten-year-old son, Colin, you should be able to read this book as a standalone without a problem.
It's getting close to Christmas time at Revival Ranch, and there's a wedding being planned for Becca and Alex, and Rose and Jack are getting ready for the birth of their first child. The only two adults not already paired off are Gabe Cortez and Monica, and this is their story. Gabe was a tough character to like because the emotional walls he put up between himself and the others were so high and strong as to be impenetrable. He can relate to his fellow SEALs on the surface, since they all were wounded, damaged in the same explosion which ended their military careers, but Gabe believes that he's not like his brothers in arms. He fakes having PTSD , but he has issues that began in childhood, issues he's never told anyone, and he's nursing a fierce dislike of "shrinks," and avoiding all of Monica's attempts to understand and help him--hiding behind a insincere smile and jokes that's as transparent as it is annoying.
Monica, was widowed at age 20, when her husband was killed in a helicopter accident, leaving her to raise their infant son, Colin, alone. She's certainly attracted to Gabe, and wants to help him, but all her efforts are met with distrust, a cold shoulder, anger and a smirking smile. To say that he was a hard character to like is putting it mildly. It was hard for this reader to understand Monica's attraction to the big, surly hunk beyond her wanting to help him deal with his issues, yet pursue him and challenge him she does, in spades. It's the why of it that escaped me.
These two characters finally get together after Colin demands that Gabe ask his mom to dance at Becca and Alex's wedding. A duty he grudgingly performs, and then walks away, leaving her standing alone on the dance floor wondering what happened. It was really difficult to get past his rude behavior, but apparently Monica is not so easily put off by it, and things come to a head when they are snowed in at Monica's cabin. Becca and Alex are enjoying a stay-at-home honeymoon, and Colin is in Denver spending the week with Monica's parents. Alone at last, right? It's clear that Monica is willing to risk herself by agreeing to, and even formulating a friends with benefits until Christmas deal with Gabe. It's the first of several deals these two make, but Monica is hoping that in addition to scratching an itch she's developed since she was widowed 10 years ago, that sex with Gabe might help her get into his head and peel back his defenses to the man she senses underneath his insincere smiles and joking ways.
To say that each of these two characters get more than they bargained for while snowed in together, as well as less than they bargained for, is putting it mildly. I really liked Monica as a character, whose life hadn't been a bed of roses. She's the daughter of a difficult and hard to please father with PTSD, she was widowed at such a young age, and raising her son alone. Through it all, she managed to care deeply about helping others with PTSD, did a good job of raising her son, and managed to care for others and put their needs ahead of her own. I understood her physical attraction to Gabe, after all, what woman wouldn't be attracted to a big, handsome, Navy SEAL, but I simply had a hard time understanding her emotional attraction to him because of his often rude remarks, inability to communicate, and his abject avoidance of even something so little as a decent, rational, innocent conversation with her. My issues with Gabe and his behavior really hampered my ability to sympathize with his inner struggles, or even understand why Monica kept pursuing him.
Yes, there's plenty of angst and emotional drama to go around in this novel, but very little forward momentum, beyond each characters' internal dialogue, which became rather repetitive. Yes, I more than understood Gabe's issues once they were revealed, having a tough and bitter relationship with a stepparent and parental betrayal in my own life, but since I managed to rise above it and find happiness, I had a tough time understanding why Gabe couldn't do the same. And yes, there's the HEA ending romance readers expect, set against a snowy Christmas background, but the bottom line for me was that it's hard to love a novel when you don't think much of its hero.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
If this is your first read in the series, I'd recommend reading the previous novels in the order in which they were written, all are set at Revival Ranch, where veterans dealing with PTSD and other service-related psychological issues can see a licensed therapist (the heroine, Monica Finley) and receive counseling and equine therapy. The ranch has still not accepted its first two veteran clients, but it's getting close. The cast of characters isn't overwhelming, comprising the two couples featured in the first and second novels, Becca and Alex, Rose and Jack, Gabe Cortez (the hero in this novel), and Monica and her ten-year-old son, Colin, you should be able to read this book as a standalone without a problem.
It's getting close to Christmas time at Revival Ranch, and there's a wedding being planned for Becca and Alex, and Rose and Jack are getting ready for the birth of their first child. The only two adults not already paired off are Gabe Cortez and Monica, and this is their story. Gabe was a tough character to like because the emotional walls he put up between himself and the others were so high and strong as to be impenetrable. He can relate to his fellow SEALs on the surface, since they all were wounded, damaged in the same explosion which ended their military careers, but Gabe believes that he's not like his brothers in arms. He fakes having PTSD , but he has issues that began in childhood, issues he's never told anyone, and he's nursing a fierce dislike of "shrinks," and avoiding all of Monica's attempts to understand and help him--hiding behind a insincere smile and jokes that's as transparent as it is annoying.
Monica, was widowed at age 20, when her husband was killed in a helicopter accident, leaving her to raise their infant son, Colin, alone. She's certainly attracted to Gabe, and wants to help him, but all her efforts are met with distrust, a cold shoulder, anger and a smirking smile. To say that he was a hard character to like is putting it mildly. It was hard for this reader to understand Monica's attraction to the big, surly hunk beyond her wanting to help him deal with his issues, yet pursue him and challenge him she does, in spades. It's the why of it that escaped me.
These two characters finally get together after Colin demands that Gabe ask his mom to dance at Becca and Alex's wedding. A duty he grudgingly performs, and then walks away, leaving her standing alone on the dance floor wondering what happened. It was really difficult to get past his rude behavior, but apparently Monica is not so easily put off by it, and things come to a head when they are snowed in at Monica's cabin. Becca and Alex are enjoying a stay-at-home honeymoon, and Colin is in Denver spending the week with Monica's parents. Alone at last, right? It's clear that Monica is willing to risk herself by agreeing to, and even formulating a friends with benefits until Christmas deal with Gabe. It's the first of several deals these two make, but Monica is hoping that in addition to scratching an itch she's developed since she was widowed 10 years ago, that sex with Gabe might help her get into his head and peel back his defenses to the man she senses underneath his insincere smiles and joking ways.
To say that each of these two characters get more than they bargained for while snowed in together, as well as less than they bargained for, is putting it mildly. I really liked Monica as a character, whose life hadn't been a bed of roses. She's the daughter of a difficult and hard to please father with PTSD, she was widowed at such a young age, and raising her son alone. Through it all, she managed to care deeply about helping others with PTSD, did a good job of raising her son, and managed to care for others and put their needs ahead of her own. I understood her physical attraction to Gabe, after all, what woman wouldn't be attracted to a big, handsome, Navy SEAL, but I simply had a hard time understanding her emotional attraction to him because of his often rude remarks, inability to communicate, and his abject avoidance of even something so little as a decent, rational, innocent conversation with her. My issues with Gabe and his behavior really hampered my ability to sympathize with his inner struggles, or even understand why Monica kept pursuing him.
Yes, there's plenty of angst and emotional drama to go around in this novel, but very little forward momentum, beyond each characters' internal dialogue, which became rather repetitive. Yes, I more than understood Gabe's issues once they were revealed, having a tough and bitter relationship with a stepparent and parental betrayal in my own life, but since I managed to rise above it and find happiness, I had a tough time understanding why Gabe couldn't do the same. And yes, there's the HEA ending romance readers expect, set against a snowy Christmas background, but the bottom line for me was that it's hard to love a novel when you don't think much of its hero.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 3, 2018
To be honest, I really wasn’t prepared to love Gabe so much. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked him in the other stories in this series. But I fell in love with him, and I fell hard. That man had me frustrated, angry, sad, and I shed far too many tears in the reading of this book.
Before I get too much further I should say, I don’t feel you have to read the other books to fully engage with this one. This ragtag group of former Navy SEALs and strong women and odd animals is such a joy, I don’t know why you wouldn’t go and read Cowboy SEAL Homecoming and Cowboy SEAL Redemption, though.
Although Monica has been in the other stories quite a bit, her role in those stories was much more as a therapist so we didn’t get to see exactly what makes her tick. I enjoyed seeing things from her POV. Not only as a woman and a therapist, but also as a mom, a widow, a military brat, etc. Monica has worn many hats throughout her life, and they all shaped the way she interacts with others. She’s usually a very warm and caring person. For some reason, her defenses tend to go up when she’s around Gabe and she turns the therapist part of her brain on full blast.
Gabe has issues with therapists and wants nothing to do with Monica’s professional side. Since that’s almost all she tends to show him when they’re together, they seem like oil and water. Gabe can’t help but push Monica’s buttons, and she can’t help but zing him right back. If it wasn’t so fun to watch, it would be exhausting! But the more the two of them are thrown together, the harder time they have ignoring the chemistry they have. Since Monica’s son, Collin, is enamored with Gabe (and truly, vice versa) they seem to find themselves together more and more.
Gabe, quite frankly, has a heartbreaking story. They way it comes out in fits and starts throughout this book really helped me, as the reader, to feel those emotions. The tiny moments he would let his walls down and show his vulnerability had me bawling my eyes out. One minute I’d be feeling warm-fuzzies because of his chemistry with Monica, the next I would feel like I got gut punched because of Gabe’s inability to see how lovable he really is.
There are so many other things I love about this story. So many little nuances that really built such a lovely and amazing picture in my mind. I think this may be my favorite Nicole Helm book so far. It was full of so many feels!
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
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Before I get too much further I should say, I don’t feel you have to read the other books to fully engage with this one. This ragtag group of former Navy SEALs and strong women and odd animals is such a joy, I don’t know why you wouldn’t go and read Cowboy SEAL Homecoming and Cowboy SEAL Redemption, though.
Although Monica has been in the other stories quite a bit, her role in those stories was much more as a therapist so we didn’t get to see exactly what makes her tick. I enjoyed seeing things from her POV. Not only as a woman and a therapist, but also as a mom, a widow, a military brat, etc. Monica has worn many hats throughout her life, and they all shaped the way she interacts with others. She’s usually a very warm and caring person. For some reason, her defenses tend to go up when she’s around Gabe and she turns the therapist part of her brain on full blast.
Gabe has issues with therapists and wants nothing to do with Monica’s professional side. Since that’s almost all she tends to show him when they’re together, they seem like oil and water. Gabe can’t help but push Monica’s buttons, and she can’t help but zing him right back. If it wasn’t so fun to watch, it would be exhausting! But the more the two of them are thrown together, the harder time they have ignoring the chemistry they have. Since Monica’s son, Collin, is enamored with Gabe (and truly, vice versa) they seem to find themselves together more and more.
Gabe, quite frankly, has a heartbreaking story. They way it comes out in fits and starts throughout this book really helped me, as the reader, to feel those emotions. The tiny moments he would let his walls down and show his vulnerability had me bawling my eyes out. One minute I’d be feeling warm-fuzzies because of his chemistry with Monica, the next I would feel like I got gut punched because of Gabe’s inability to see how lovable he really is.
There are so many other things I love about this story. So many little nuances that really built such a lovely and amazing picture in my mind. I think this may be my favorite Nicole Helm book so far. It was full of so many feels!
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
June 15, 2018
Love and a Llama, how can a book get any better than this?! Cowboy Seal Christmas is the 3rd book in the Navy Seal Cowboy series (a sort of spin off of Helm’s Big Sky Cowboy series). I have not read the first 2 books in this series (time constraints and a overwhelming TBR pile but I did read all the books in the Big Sky Cowboy series). This book has all the elements I loved from those books and more. Nicole Helm has a way of getting you right into the moment as if you were standing right there alongside the characters. 5/5 for Grouchy Gabe!!!
Gabe Cortez is a grouchy, ex Navy SEAL who hates Christmas. He hates most things actually and is more than happy to tell you how much it all sucks. He had a horrible childhood that led to him entering the military and losing a good friend in one horrifying instance. He comes to Revival ranch with his 2 friends, Jack and Alex, to help start a new program for injured military servicemen and women to get back on their feet. Jack and Alex both find love (spoiler for the first 2 books haha) and he is once again the odd man out. Then he meets the new ranch therapist Monica Finley and hope starts to rise in him again.
Monica Finley is looking forward to working with all the men and women headed to Revival Ranch for therapy and help getting back to civilian life. Growing up with a Marine father suffering from PTSD has helped her understand some of the struggles men and women face upon returning home. She has a 10 year old son named Colin, with her late Air Force husband Dex, who is her entire world. She protects him, well overprotects, as well as she can as a single mother and is hoping the closeness of the ranch will help them all start a new life. Gabe has been the only one to deny needing therapy and keeps his distance from her both literally and figuratively. She has to find a way to crack his shell. Can Gabe help her understand not only his struggles but some of her own struggles since her husband died?
This story flows really well from start to finish. I was able to get a great idea of where Monica and Gabe are in their lives as well as some past situations that have molded their current state of mind. Throw in great friends (who meddle), a Montana snowstorm, being snowed in for days without heat (snuggle alert), past secrets, daily questions (1 for her, 2 for him) and a llama and you have pretty much the perfect love story. Nicole Helm once again draws me into her cowboy world and makes me sad to leave when the story ends.
Gabe Cortez is a grouchy, ex Navy SEAL who hates Christmas. He hates most things actually and is more than happy to tell you how much it all sucks. He had a horrible childhood that led to him entering the military and losing a good friend in one horrifying instance. He comes to Revival ranch with his 2 friends, Jack and Alex, to help start a new program for injured military servicemen and women to get back on their feet. Jack and Alex both find love (spoiler for the first 2 books haha) and he is once again the odd man out. Then he meets the new ranch therapist Monica Finley and hope starts to rise in him again.
Monica Finley is looking forward to working with all the men and women headed to Revival Ranch for therapy and help getting back to civilian life. Growing up with a Marine father suffering from PTSD has helped her understand some of the struggles men and women face upon returning home. She has a 10 year old son named Colin, with her late Air Force husband Dex, who is her entire world. She protects him, well overprotects, as well as she can as a single mother and is hoping the closeness of the ranch will help them all start a new life. Gabe has been the only one to deny needing therapy and keeps his distance from her both literally and figuratively. She has to find a way to crack his shell. Can Gabe help her understand not only his struggles but some of her own struggles since her husband died?
This story flows really well from start to finish. I was able to get a great idea of where Monica and Gabe are in their lives as well as some past situations that have molded their current state of mind. Throw in great friends (who meddle), a Montana snowstorm, being snowed in for days without heat (snuggle alert), past secrets, daily questions (1 for her, 2 for him) and a llama and you have pretty much the perfect love story. Nicole Helm once again draws me into her cowboy world and makes me sad to leave when the story ends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2018
Cowboy SEAL Christmas, written by Nicole Helm, is the third book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series. This book can be read as a stand-alone, however, I strongly recommend reading the previous novels in the series.. The series is about three former Navy SEALs, all trying to get their lives back on track after leaving the SEALs. Alex, Jack and Gabe now live in Montana, and have opened the Revival Ranch to help other soldiers in need of healing.
Gabe Cortez is not a fan of Christmas. He has long given up on love and having a family, and Christmas is a reminder of something he will never have. Unlike Jack and Alex, Gabe is not suffering from PTSD, but has emotional damage from before joining the military. Gabe hides his pain well, and the last thing he needs is for the ranch therapist, Monica, to try and heal him.
Monica Finley is a single mom and the therapist for the Revival Ranch. She specializes in helping to heal the men and women that serve this country, but Gabe is the one service member that she has yet to help. His wounds are not apparent, but she knows he is suffering from something emotionally. The problem is getting him to trust her, so Monica enlists his help in preparing for the holidays, hoping that Gabe will open up to her.
I have been patiently waiting for Gabe's story, and I must admit that it was definitely worth the wait! The relationship between Monica and Gabe was hinted at in the first book, so to finally have their story, the series has now come full circle. Nicole Helm writes complex characters that the reader is instantly and emotionally drawn to. Gabe and Monica are both lost souls in some respect, and I thoroughly enjoyed following their journey. They have their bumps and bruises along the way, but that just lends to the overall validity of their relationship.
I honestly cannot stress how much I loved this book, as well as the previous books in this series. Navy SEAL Cowboys is a series that has tackled sensitive issues with respect, and has shed a light on something so many of our service members face on a daily basis. I commend the author for addressing these issues in a caring and compassionate manner.
I would like to thank Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this amazing story. My views are my own, and are in no way influenced by anyone else.
Book 1: Cowboy SEAL Homecoming
Book2: Cowboy SEAL Redemption
Book 3: Cowboy SEAL Christmas
Gabe Cortez is not a fan of Christmas. He has long given up on love and having a family, and Christmas is a reminder of something he will never have. Unlike Jack and Alex, Gabe is not suffering from PTSD, but has emotional damage from before joining the military. Gabe hides his pain well, and the last thing he needs is for the ranch therapist, Monica, to try and heal him.
Monica Finley is a single mom and the therapist for the Revival Ranch. She specializes in helping to heal the men and women that serve this country, but Gabe is the one service member that she has yet to help. His wounds are not apparent, but she knows he is suffering from something emotionally. The problem is getting him to trust her, so Monica enlists his help in preparing for the holidays, hoping that Gabe will open up to her.
I have been patiently waiting for Gabe's story, and I must admit that it was definitely worth the wait! The relationship between Monica and Gabe was hinted at in the first book, so to finally have their story, the series has now come full circle. Nicole Helm writes complex characters that the reader is instantly and emotionally drawn to. Gabe and Monica are both lost souls in some respect, and I thoroughly enjoyed following their journey. They have their bumps and bruises along the way, but that just lends to the overall validity of their relationship.
I honestly cannot stress how much I loved this book, as well as the previous books in this series. Navy SEAL Cowboys is a series that has tackled sensitive issues with respect, and has shed a light on something so many of our service members face on a daily basis. I commend the author for addressing these issues in a caring and compassionate manner.
I would like to thank Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this amazing story. My views are my own, and are in no way influenced by anyone else.
Book 1: Cowboy SEAL Homecoming
Book2: Cowboy SEAL Redemption
Book 3: Cowboy SEAL Christmas
September 23, 2018
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 9/23/18.
Ms. Helm clearly saved the best for last--I loved Monica and Gabe's story! The previous two books (this could be read as a standalone, but do yourself a favor and read all three) teased a Monica-and-Gabe pairing, but even so I didn't suspect the awesomeness that was in store for us :)
Gabe's been hiding all kinds of issues behind his smiles and easygoing charm, and though those closest to him suspect that there's something there, it's Monica, the ranch therapist who he's the most determined to keep away from. He. Doesn't. Need. A. Shrink.
Though he does rather like her kid...and darn it, he's more than a little attracted to her as well. Kicking and screaming doesn't even begin to cover how it is that Gabe gets drawn into this slow burn romance--there's also relentlessly cheerful Christmas bedding, a Montana blizzard, and a llama--and that's just scratching the surface of it.
Monica is a widow and a recovering (okay, she's not doing a very good job of recovering. But she tries. Kind of) helicopter parent where her ten-year-old son is concerned. She's attracted to Gabe and more than ready to move on after her loss, but has convinced herself that getting involved with one of the ex-military men at the ranch would destroy her credibility as the staff therapist. (Now that I think about it, I'm not 100% sure this issue was resolved...? It didn't seem like that big a problem anyway, so that's probably okay...) I loved watching her try to forge a relationship with Gabe, even though at times it was as painful to read as it was wonderful at others.
Let's just say the man does a darn good grovel, and it's fortunate for everyone that he does--even if he did have help. (He needed it. Good grief, the man practically tried to incinerate all the bridges in Montana when he pushed her away...)
Okay, now that all three of the Navy SEAL Cowboys have their HEAs, surely there's some other neighbors of the Lanes, Shaws, and/or Revival Ranch that need their turn? Please? :D
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Ms. Helm clearly saved the best for last--I loved Monica and Gabe's story! The previous two books (this could be read as a standalone, but do yourself a favor and read all three) teased a Monica-and-Gabe pairing, but even so I didn't suspect the awesomeness that was in store for us :)
Gabe's been hiding all kinds of issues behind his smiles and easygoing charm, and though those closest to him suspect that there's something there, it's Monica, the ranch therapist who he's the most determined to keep away from. He. Doesn't. Need. A. Shrink.
Though he does rather like her kid...and darn it, he's more than a little attracted to her as well. Kicking and screaming doesn't even begin to cover how it is that Gabe gets drawn into this slow burn romance--there's also relentlessly cheerful Christmas bedding, a Montana blizzard, and a llama--and that's just scratching the surface of it.
Monica is a widow and a recovering (okay, she's not doing a very good job of recovering. But she tries. Kind of) helicopter parent where her ten-year-old son is concerned. She's attracted to Gabe and more than ready to move on after her loss, but has convinced herself that getting involved with one of the ex-military men at the ranch would destroy her credibility as the staff therapist. (Now that I think about it, I'm not 100% sure this issue was resolved...? It didn't seem like that big a problem anyway, so that's probably okay...) I loved watching her try to forge a relationship with Gabe, even though at times it was as painful to read as it was wonderful at others.
Let's just say the man does a darn good grovel, and it's fortunate for everyone that he does--even if he did have help. (He needed it. Good grief, the man practically tried to incinerate all the bridges in Montana when he pushed her away...)
Okay, now that all three of the Navy SEAL Cowboys have their HEAs, surely there's some other neighbors of the Lanes, Shaws, and/or Revival Ranch that need their turn? Please? :D
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
April 15, 2025
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is the 3rd in the Navy Seal Cowboy trilogy, but it can be read as a standalone. There are references to characters in other books, but they are explained.
Monica, one of the main characters, is a therapist and often looks at Gabe, the other main character, as a therapist would. She generally does not do this to other people. He does not like it and I would not either. That being said, he is in denial about needing therapy. It also made their romantic relationship difficult in a couple of places. I found her tendency to do this annoying.
Gabe had a terrible childhood and is pretty messed up as a result. He was also discharged from the Seals as a result of an injury that killed a friend and injured him and the two other male main characters in this series. The author was a bit contradictory about his injuries, for example writing that his injuries had been extensive, but the discharge had been his choice and that he had no lingering problems. It makes sense but the way it was written felt a bit like the author was trying to straddle both sides of the situation.
Gabe’s history from childhood and, to a lesser extent from the military, has given him a façade where he does not want to appear to care about anyone. He pushes people away when they get close. Monica pushes back unsuccessfully through most of the book, and he is quite pointed in saying he does not want a relationship. Spoiler…it is only when his long time friends, Alex and Jack, push back at the end of the book that he is able to start to get past his self-protective attitude.
Monica was married before to someone in the air force who dies while overseas. She is raising their son as a single mom and is very over protective. Gabe pushes her on it and inserted himself into parenting decisions without checking with her. Parenting should be done together and while parents definitely disagree about how to handle children, he was not a parent, and he decided on his parenting approach before it was even established that he had a right to do so.
I did not care for Monica or Gabe and almost put the book down.
The writing in a little stiff and formulaic. It felt like the author had read up on PTSD and childhood trauma and then wrote a book to fit.
I do not plan to continue reading this author.
This book is the 3rd in the Navy Seal Cowboy trilogy, but it can be read as a standalone. There are references to characters in other books, but they are explained.
Monica, one of the main characters, is a therapist and often looks at Gabe, the other main character, as a therapist would. She generally does not do this to other people. He does not like it and I would not either. That being said, he is in denial about needing therapy. It also made their romantic relationship difficult in a couple of places. I found her tendency to do this annoying.
Gabe had a terrible childhood and is pretty messed up as a result. He was also discharged from the Seals as a result of an injury that killed a friend and injured him and the two other male main characters in this series. The author was a bit contradictory about his injuries, for example writing that his injuries had been extensive, but the discharge had been his choice and that he had no lingering problems. It makes sense but the way it was written felt a bit like the author was trying to straddle both sides of the situation.
Gabe’s history from childhood and, to a lesser extent from the military, has given him a façade where he does not want to appear to care about anyone. He pushes people away when they get close. Monica pushes back unsuccessfully through most of the book, and he is quite pointed in saying he does not want a relationship. Spoiler…it is only when his long time friends, Alex and Jack, push back at the end of the book that he is able to start to get past his self-protective attitude.
Monica was married before to someone in the air force who dies while overseas. She is raising their son as a single mom and is very over protective. Gabe pushes her on it and inserted himself into parenting decisions without checking with her. Parenting should be done together and while parents definitely disagree about how to handle children, he was not a parent, and he decided on his parenting approach before it was even established that he had a right to do so.
I did not care for Monica or Gabe and almost put the book down.
The writing in a little stiff and formulaic. It felt like the author had read up on PTSD and childhood trauma and then wrote a book to fit.
I do not plan to continue reading this author.
September 3, 2018
This is the 3rd book in the Navy Seal Cowboys series and I would recommend reading the first 2 books before you read this one otherwise you may be confused about the main character's relationship with the other characters and what leads up to this book. This one is about Gabe Cortez and Monica Finley. Monica is the therapist that Revival Ranch hired to not only help the veteran's they take in but to also help the owner's get past their own PTSD. She has tried to start some sort of conversation with Gabe from the start but he won't talk to her and tends to be sarcastic and rude to her. She makes a plan to force him to help set up for Christmas in the hopes that he will come out of his shell and she will be able to help him. Gabe hates everything to do with Christmas. All it does is remind him of things he wants to forget and distance himself from. But being forced to spend time with not only Monica but her son makes him wonder what he might be missing out on. And makes him realize that his dreams from childhood may not be as far away as he thought.
I have been waiting for Gabe's story impatiently since the first two books! He always seem's to be there to help his "brother's" but never seem's to open up himself and let anyone else in. And then you find out why in this book and you want to go beat on some people for him! I loved this book!! Gabe has issues, they all do, but seeing him realize that the problems didn't lie with him but with the people who should have protected just make you love him all the more. Especially once you realize how much he holds inside himself. Monica is one of the sweetest people with such a core of strength that you know that she will do anything and everything to help someone. Regardless of how much she may hurt in the end. And them getting together and actually working through the issues they both have and knowing that not only do they have each other in the end but they have family that will help them every step of the way is an awesome thing. I loved it, I loved how it shows that you may have a horrible blood family but you can have friends that are more family to you than your blood and they will love you more and stand beside you every step of the way!! A great read!!
I have been waiting for Gabe's story impatiently since the first two books! He always seem's to be there to help his "brother's" but never seem's to open up himself and let anyone else in. And then you find out why in this book and you want to go beat on some people for him! I loved this book!! Gabe has issues, they all do, but seeing him realize that the problems didn't lie with him but with the people who should have protected just make you love him all the more. Especially once you realize how much he holds inside himself. Monica is one of the sweetest people with such a core of strength that you know that she will do anything and everything to help someone. Regardless of how much she may hurt in the end. And them getting together and actually working through the issues they both have and knowing that not only do they have each other in the end but they have family that will help them every step of the way is an awesome thing. I loved it, I loved how it shows that you may have a horrible blood family but you can have friends that are more family to you than your blood and they will love you more and stand beside you every step of the way!! A great read!!
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