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Men of the Double-C Ranch #26
The Rancher's Christmas Promise (Return to the Double C, Book 13)
His long-lost daughter…
Ryder Wilson’s determined to make a home for the baby his late estranged wife left on a stranger’s doorstep. Local lawyer Greer Templeton is there to help. It’s enough to make Ryder propose a marriage of convenience. But does love factor into his Christmas promise?
181 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2018
49 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Allison Leigh
352 books121 followersA frequent name on bestseller lists, Allison Leigh's highpoint as a writer is hearing from readers that they laughed, cried or lost sleep while reading her books. She’s blessed with an immensely patient family who doesn’t mind (much) her time spent at her computer and who gives her the kind of love she wants her readers to share in every page. Stay in touch at www.allisonleigh.com.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 13, 2019
Another great book by Alison Leigh, she is one of my favourite authors, and in this book, the second in a trilogy about a baby left abandoned on a rancher's doorstep, and the search to find the child's birthmother before the state makes him available for adoption.
These three books are best read in sequence, but read alone they will leave questions for the reader.
These three books are best read in sequence, but read alone they will leave questions for the reader.
May 22, 2020
It's always a pleasure to return to the Double C series..... Although, the setting for this story was in Braden, Wyoming rather than Weaver. The last of the Templeton sisters, Greer finally gets her chance at happiness, or is she mistaken?
Entering in the most delightful and precious little baby, Layla and her handsome rancher daddy, Ryder Wilson and you've got the magic little family. That's if Greer plays her cards right. Greer is known for her dedication to her job. The grueling hours she puts in as an officer of the court, in the public defenders office. But Greer is jealous of her sisters and wants what they have, a family to call her own. Will she bite, when the handsome rancher suggests that she put her name in the hat for the role of his wife, so that little Layla will have a mommy instead of a nanny? Read this story and you'll have your answers. I highly recommend this heartwarming story.
Entering in the most delightful and precious little baby, Layla and her handsome rancher daddy, Ryder Wilson and you've got the magic little family. That's if Greer plays her cards right. Greer is known for her dedication to her job. The grueling hours she puts in as an officer of the court, in the public defenders office. But Greer is jealous of her sisters and wants what they have, a family to call her own. Will she bite, when the handsome rancher suggests that she put her name in the hat for the role of his wife, so that little Layla will have a mommy instead of a nanny? Read this story and you'll have your answers. I highly recommend this heartwarming story.
December 25, 2018
It's always a pleasure to read another Double C series by author Allison Leigh I adored Maggie and Ali's stories, finally get Geer's. As much as I love the little town of Weaver, Geer and Ryder's story takes place in Braden which isn't far from Weaver.
Read More. . . http://www.romanceswithalittlekick.co...
Read More. . . http://www.romanceswithalittlekick.co...
November 28, 2018
Let me start by stating that had I known how far into the Return to the Double C series this novel was, I'd never have requested an advance reader copy to read and review. This is also the first novel I've read by this author, and although the novel was technically well-written, I spent a good part of it lost and confused by the sheer multitude of secondary characters, their different past issues and interrelationships. For this reason, and several other which I'll get to, I can only give this novel a 2-star rating.
The hero of this novel is rancher, Ryder Wilson, and to say that he's a man of few words is putting it mildly. It seems he mostly communicates with a raised eyebrow or a half-smile. We later learn that he wasat one time a rodeo rider and National Champion bronco buster, and that he was once married to a woman named Daisy who ran out on him two weeks after their wedding, leaving him bitter and confused, but certainly not heartbroken, as this apparently was more of a lust match than a love match. So, you can imagine his surprise when less than one year later, 3 strangers arrive at his ranch with an infant baby girl in her carrier, and Ryder learns that she's supposedly his daughter, who was left abandoned 3 months earlier, and they are the first to inform him that his runaway wife died in a car crash. Since he never bothered to divorce Daisy, he was still legally married to her, making the baby his. He's all set to deny paternity until he hears that the baby is named Layla. Daisy once told him during their brief time together that if they ever had a daughter, she wanted to name her Layla, in honor of Ryder's grandmother. So, without bothering to have DNA testing done, he accepts that the baby is his. Now his big problem is trying to find someone to care for her while he's busy working on his ranch. In short order, several nannies quit on him in the first month, mainly because his ranch is rather remote and isolated, and his long-time housekeeper gives him a week to find a replacement housekeeper and nanny, and she suggests that what he really needs is a wife.
During the 3 months that the authorities were trying to find Ryder and establish her paternity, little Layla was, for a time, cared for by the large Templeton family, and they all fell in love with her and want to be involved in her life. Unfortunately, one of the three Templeton sisters married Daisy's brother, Grant, and Grant blames Ryder for Daisy's death. There's no love lost between these two men and there hasn't been for some time. The only single Templeton sister is Greer, a lawyer, working 80 hour weeks as a public defender. She's extremely career driven, but when her car breaks down en route to one of her sisters' baby shower (both her sisters are pregnant), Ryder comes to her rescue, and there's some chemistry between these two from the start. Greer's been too busy to worry about a social life, and Ryder hasn't bothered with one since Daisy's departure. Greer wants to arrange visitation for her family members to spend time with Layla, but Ryder is far more concerned about finding someone to care for her, and while she agrees to help him search for a live-in nanny, he jokingly asks Greer to marry him. She can't get away fast enough, which is not to say that she's certainly giving the matter serious thought.
While all of this is going on, Greer's job performance has suffered and when she learns that she's about to be canned and relocated to work in a town 85 miles away, she quits her job, and eventually agrees to a business deal with Ryder--a marriage of convenience. Ryder will get a mother for Layla, Greer's marriage to Ryder and her adoption of adorable baby Layla means that the Templeton family will also finally get to spend time with Layla, something that Ryder had been refusing to permit. Ryder will also help renovate the old Victorian house Greer shared with her sisters until they married, and he will turn it into an private law office for Greer.
While I usually enjoy the marriage of convenience trope, there really wasn't much that endeared me to either of the two main characters. Neither character had much depth, but at least we got some reading on Greer's emotional state as the novel progressed. What was truly odd was that she seemed far more interested in and obsessed with keeping and caring for baby Layla than she was interested in Ryder. Ryder also didn't fare so well in the personality department. He was tall, dark and handsome, but very uncommunicative. He didn't really spend much time in self-reflection either, and by the end of the novel, we know only the bare bones of his history. However, his reasons for marrying Daisy in the first place, and his reason for not pursuing or looking for her after she left him seemed utterly cold and unfeeling, and were as much a mystery at the end of the novel as they were at the beginning.
Had I been following this series from its inception, I probably wouldn't have minded or been so confused by the plethora of interrelated secondary characters in this novel, and I can't recommend reading it as a standalone. As romance novels go, this one was seriously short on romance, and at best, I'd call it a mediocre read.
As stated at the outset, I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
The hero of this novel is rancher, Ryder Wilson, and to say that he's a man of few words is putting it mildly. It seems he mostly communicates with a raised eyebrow or a half-smile. We later learn that he wasat one time a rodeo rider and National Champion bronco buster, and that he was once married to a woman named Daisy who ran out on him two weeks after their wedding, leaving him bitter and confused, but certainly not heartbroken, as this apparently was more of a lust match than a love match. So, you can imagine his surprise when less than one year later, 3 strangers arrive at his ranch with an infant baby girl in her carrier, and Ryder learns that she's supposedly his daughter, who was left abandoned 3 months earlier, and they are the first to inform him that his runaway wife died in a car crash. Since he never bothered to divorce Daisy, he was still legally married to her, making the baby his. He's all set to deny paternity until he hears that the baby is named Layla. Daisy once told him during their brief time together that if they ever had a daughter, she wanted to name her Layla, in honor of Ryder's grandmother. So, without bothering to have DNA testing done, he accepts that the baby is his. Now his big problem is trying to find someone to care for her while he's busy working on his ranch. In short order, several nannies quit on him in the first month, mainly because his ranch is rather remote and isolated, and his long-time housekeeper gives him a week to find a replacement housekeeper and nanny, and she suggests that what he really needs is a wife.
During the 3 months that the authorities were trying to find Ryder and establish her paternity, little Layla was, for a time, cared for by the large Templeton family, and they all fell in love with her and want to be involved in her life. Unfortunately, one of the three Templeton sisters married Daisy's brother, Grant, and Grant blames Ryder for Daisy's death. There's no love lost between these two men and there hasn't been for some time. The only single Templeton sister is Greer, a lawyer, working 80 hour weeks as a public defender. She's extremely career driven, but when her car breaks down en route to one of her sisters' baby shower (both her sisters are pregnant), Ryder comes to her rescue, and there's some chemistry between these two from the start. Greer's been too busy to worry about a social life, and Ryder hasn't bothered with one since Daisy's departure. Greer wants to arrange visitation for her family members to spend time with Layla, but Ryder is far more concerned about finding someone to care for her, and while she agrees to help him search for a live-in nanny, he jokingly asks Greer to marry him. She can't get away fast enough, which is not to say that she's certainly giving the matter serious thought.
While all of this is going on, Greer's job performance has suffered and when she learns that she's about to be canned and relocated to work in a town 85 miles away, she quits her job, and eventually agrees to a business deal with Ryder--a marriage of convenience. Ryder will get a mother for Layla, Greer's marriage to Ryder and her adoption of adorable baby Layla means that the Templeton family will also finally get to spend time with Layla, something that Ryder had been refusing to permit. Ryder will also help renovate the old Victorian house Greer shared with her sisters until they married, and he will turn it into an private law office for Greer.
While I usually enjoy the marriage of convenience trope, there really wasn't much that endeared me to either of the two main characters. Neither character had much depth, but at least we got some reading on Greer's emotional state as the novel progressed. What was truly odd was that she seemed far more interested in and obsessed with keeping and caring for baby Layla than she was interested in Ryder. Ryder also didn't fare so well in the personality department. He was tall, dark and handsome, but very uncommunicative. He didn't really spend much time in self-reflection either, and by the end of the novel, we know only the bare bones of his history. However, his reasons for marrying Daisy in the first place, and his reason for not pursuing or looking for her after she left him seemed utterly cold and unfeeling, and were as much a mystery at the end of the novel as they were at the beginning.
Had I been following this series from its inception, I probably wouldn't have minded or been so confused by the plethora of interrelated secondary characters in this novel, and I can't recommend reading it as a standalone. As romance novels go, this one was seriously short on romance, and at best, I'd call it a mediocre read.
As stated at the outset, I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 28, 2018
I received a free, advance copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Ryder Wilson is shocked when 3 strangers come to his door claiming that an abandoned baby is his. He had already fought off a false claim of paternity once before and was not going through that again. His wife had left him a year ago after 2 weeks of marriage and he had not heard from her since. But when he learns that the baby was named after his mother, he decides to keep her regardless, as it is the right thing to do. Because the baby is sort of related to the Templeton family, they all want to be involved, but Ryder doesn't want anything to do with them, until his housekeeper and nanny both quit. Two of the Templeton triplets and happily married and pregnant, by attorney, Greer, is at a crossroads of her life, unhappy with her career and feeling she wants what her sisters have. After Ryler jokes about advertising for a wife instead of a nanny, she thinks very hard about the position.
I have not read any of the previous books in the series and there are a lot of characters introduced, but the author does a fairly good job of filling in the blanks. The main characters are adeptly developed and the scenario compelling.
Ryder Wilson is shocked when 3 strangers come to his door claiming that an abandoned baby is his. He had already fought off a false claim of paternity once before and was not going through that again. His wife had left him a year ago after 2 weeks of marriage and he had not heard from her since. But when he learns that the baby was named after his mother, he decides to keep her regardless, as it is the right thing to do. Because the baby is sort of related to the Templeton family, they all want to be involved, but Ryder doesn't want anything to do with them, until his housekeeper and nanny both quit. Two of the Templeton triplets and happily married and pregnant, by attorney, Greer, is at a crossroads of her life, unhappy with her career and feeling she wants what her sisters have. After Ryler jokes about advertising for a wife instead of a nanny, she thinks very hard about the position.
I have not read any of the previous books in the series and there are a lot of characters introduced, but the author does a fairly good job of filling in the blanks. The main characters are adeptly developed and the scenario compelling.
September 25, 2018
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but struggling to finish was not one of them. The story in itself was what originally captured my attention but for some reason I found the main characters just bland & boring. I didn't feel any chemistry or connection at all. The Hero came across as too cod & detached & the heroine in her pursuit & reaction of the baby was just unbelievable. Her sisters find an abandoned baby that one of them (not the heroine) takes care and all of a sudden she can't go without seeing this baby that doesn't belong to them in any shape or form? Now if the heroine was the one to have taken care of the baby for the short time it took to find the parents and bonded with it, then I could understand, however that was not the case and she seemed more interested in the baby then the Hero. I'm not sure if the baby was indeed the Hero's because there was some question about that in which he initially didn't want to find out. That was the only reason I kept reading but after a while, I no longer cared and I had to DNF.
October 5, 2018
Ryder has be burned before and now when he least expects it a couple of people show up at his door claiming a child is his. While trying to locate the child's father, local lawyer Greer and her family has been taking care of the child and grown to even love the child. Ryder is trying to find a nanny but can't seem to find one to think and how thinks a marriage of convince might work out and Greer seems to be the person who might agree. If only they can keep their hearts out of the equation.
This book was pretty predictable but still enjoyable. I loved getting to know the characters. I loved seeing how the two were with the baby. I loved getting to know the characters and how everything played out in this book. Overall pretty good book I really enjoyed it.
This book was pretty predictable but still enjoyable. I loved getting to know the characters. I loved seeing how the two were with the baby. I loved getting to know the characters and how everything played out in this book. Overall pretty good book I really enjoyed it.
September 21, 2018
This is book 19 in the Return to the Double C series and the last Templeton triplet to find her love. Greer is a public defender and court appointed lawyer to help find abandoned baby, Layla's father. When they finally find rancher Ryder Wilson, he is beyond surprised he has a daughter. When Greer and Ryder decide a marriage of convenience is best for all the fun begins. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 12, 2018
The Rancher's Christmas Promise by Allison Leigh. Rancher Ryder Wilson was married for a couple weeks before his wife left him. When she is killed, Lawyer Greer Templeton shows up with a baby saying it was his. He believes it since he was married and the babies name is Layla after his grandmother, he figures. Greer and her family fell in love with Layla while they were taking care of Layla while looking for the father. Now Greer has feeling for Ryder. A romance. A good read.
August 8, 2019
A Family for Layla
Clear communication is crucial in the success of any relationship but Ryder and Greer are seriously lacking in that area. The spark is there but each of them is afraid to risk being hurt again. Feelings go unsaid and misunderstandings grow larger. Will Ryder or Greer be able to take the first steps toward mending their troubled marriage and giving their little girl the family she deserves.?
Clear communication is crucial in the success of any relationship but Ryder and Greer are seriously lacking in that area. The spark is there but each of them is afraid to risk being hurt again. Feelings go unsaid and misunderstandings grow larger. Will Ryder or Greer be able to take the first steps toward mending their troubled marriage and giving their little girl the family she deserves.?
August 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast easy read. I liked how Grer and Ryder worked together to overcome their obstacles. This is part of a series but I did. Oh feel as if I had missed anything by not reading the other books.
Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.
Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.
December 27, 2019
Christmas Promise
A quick little story of a marriage of convenience to give a girl a mother. Of course it’s not so convenient that it also gives a girl a sibling straight off. Still it’s just right for Christmas with all the warm fuzzies we need for the holiday.
A quick little story of a marriage of convenience to give a girl a mother. Of course it’s not so convenient that it also gives a girl a sibling straight off. Still it’s just right for Christmas with all the warm fuzzies we need for the holiday.
September 25, 2018
Love it
May 10, 2019
Christmas promise
This is a good story with many twists and turns. The characters were well developed and interesting. Happy ever after is always the best.
This is a good story with many twists and turns. The characters were well developed and interesting. Happy ever after is always the best.
November 11, 2019
Nice Read
Not at all what I expected,but an alright read.Something quiet for a slow Sunday of reading.I'll try reading another one of us books.
Not at all what I expected,but an alright read.Something quiet for a slow Sunday of reading.I'll try reading another one of us books.
September 24, 2024
Enjoyable story about a woman who loves a man who makes some amazingly incongruous decisions.
Read
September 9, 2018Miniseries: Return To The Double C
October 19, 2018
3 stars
It was...good. Even if you didn't read the previous books it's easy to understand. But I think the marriage came too late in the book. A little more than half the book they spend having accidental encounters and just a little pondering over the idea of finding a wife so the baby can have a mother. And then the rest of the book, after one-time hot night, they don't even kiss once. So I didn't really feel the chemistry or when they fell in love. The I love you's only came in the last chapter and because of an accident. Also, I felt Ryder was kind of disconnected towards the end or maybe it was that half the book his POV doesn't appear often unlike Greer's, thus I couldn't know exactly what he was thinking or feeling.January 27, 2019
With that, rancher Ryder Wilson’s world turns upside down. But he’s determined to make a home for the baby his late estranged wife left on a stranger’s doorstep. Local lawyer Greer Templeton is there to help, after growing attached to little Layla during the search for her daddy. It’s enough to make Ryder propose a marriage of convenience. But does love factor into his Christmas promise?
This was a quick read, perfect for the holidays. It was a pretty standard plot but was a good book with likable characters. I really enjoyed it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
This was a quick read, perfect for the holidays. It was a pretty standard plot but was a good book with likable characters. I really enjoyed it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews