Snow on the Range

Red Hart Ranch #1

by Sofia Aves

Every Christmas, Red Hart Ranch opens their doors to anyone lonely, and Montana provides the perfect backdrop for good company and better food. But this year, the table won’t be as full.

Eve Beaumont is a twin heir to Red Hart Ranch. The heart of the family, she loves the land, loves the people, and will do anything for them. Christmas sees most of the ranch hands return to their own homes to celebrate. Only a few long term cowboys remain with the family.

When Eve and her brother Trav go into town to collect supplies, they each bring home a drifter for Christmas. Rhys Archer and Simon Heldon are as different as two cowpokes can be. One a handsome, rough edged carver who can work the land and animals with a firm hand; the other a smooth-talking horseman with a devilish charm. Eve finds herself attracted to both men, but when tragedy hits the ranch, romance is the last thing on her mind.

Accidents happen around the ranch, and Eve isn’t sure who she can trust. She knows neither man is who he pretends to be — but when no one listens to her, she needs to prove her suspicions on her own.

Snow on the Range is a white Christmas story set in a small town along the Montana border into Canada. It is book one of Red Hart Ranch.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Holiday, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Suspense

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

USA Today Bestselling author Sofia Aves writes fast-paced police romances, sizzling military units, steamy cowboys with a Montana backdrop and the occasional cheeky god. Sofia writes kidlit for charity and has over one hundred and fifty publications across five not-so-super-secret pen names. She’s the acquisitions editor for Evernight and Evernight Teen publishing and is a mum of three crazies in a returned veteran household. Sofia has two overly large fur babies who think they’re teacup puppies.
Sofia lives near Brisbane, Australia where she has her own alpaca park, Lorendel.


Rep: Nicky Lovick at WGM Atalntic

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Snow on the Range is a romance with a suspenseful thriller element.
Eve and Travis are twins and will one day be heirs to their home - Red Hart Ranch. Upon a trip into town to collect supplies, both twins meet drifters and offer them a place to stay in exchange for work over Christmas.
All is well until strange accidents keep occurring around the ranch. An Eve possibly has been drugged, but by who?
When Eve is hurt, who can she really trust?
This is a great romance and kept me reading on with the thriller element. I will definitely be looking for the other books in this series too!

[Serial Romance Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Book Q & A***

* How did the book make you feel?: I enjoy cowboy Christmas stories but this book didn’t hold my interest as much as I would have liked. I found the characters to be a bit one-dimensional and I wished the h wasn’t so naive and impulsive.

* How do you feel about how the story was told?: I was fascinated with the descriptions of scenery, but the story was predictable and I guessed the ending basically right away. Also, I found some typos.

* What did you think about the main characters?: I thought the twin brother was a jerk. I thought the h was very naive and I hated how she fell into bed with the H knowing nothing about him! It was different than a one night stand because he knew where she lived and worked for her. The supporting characters were okay, but under-developed.

* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: What I liked best about this book was the setting—a beautiful ranch and small town in the mountains.

* What themes/tropes did you detect in this story?: It’s a mystery/suspense romance.

* What did you think about the ending?: I had predicted it, unfortunately.

* What is your impression of the author?: This was my first book by this author and I would read more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snow on the Range by Sofia Aves
Story about Eve and her twin brother Travis on the family ranch. It's Christmas and while she's there helping out her mother with the chores and writing her newsletter she heads into town for supplies before the holiday. She brings home a drifter and he helps out at the ranch, Archer.
Travis brings one home also, Simon. Their father had a heart problem but refuses to go to the doctor. Love hearing of the chores and how they are done.
Baking fascinates me also as there are a lot of big hungry men. There is sex in the story.
Things start going wrong with Eve, she's just not herself and sleeps sitting up and others know it's not right at all. Simon approaches her and wants her to be his. She wants no part of him.
Her brother falls off a roof and is brought to the hospital. Eve knows they have to get to a lawyer and write down details of the ranch and who gets what before it's too late. It may be too late and they realize she's being poisoned.
Archer is a huge help to her and she wishes she won't leave at all but she becomes attached to him anyways. The supervisor Jude is like a brother to them...
Interesting to find out where the clues lead to and it's not who you think.
Can't wait to read more from this author. Recipes included at the end. Other books in the series are mentioned.
Note from the atuhor and acknowledgements and about the author are included.
Free ebook offer when you sing up for newsletter. Except is included for Blue Blooded Brothers book 1.
Synopsis of other books in the series are included.
Received this review copy from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.

[Samantha Adair · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want romantic suspense with a drifter that is quite simply as delicious as that Christmas mince pie.... GET THIS BOOK! I was intrigued from the get go! The amount of times I said to myself "What's this guy's deal?" And when I found out.... WOW! I want to live at Red Hart Ranch - not JUST because of the possibility of hot drifters... but the setting is beautiful and all the characters are believable and I can relate to them :)
Get this one on your Christmas stockings!!!

[Colleen Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend Snow on the Range - A Red Hart Ranch White Christmas Novel by Sofia Aves for lovers of romantic suspense books. This story is perfect for the Christmas season as the novel takes place during the holidays. Snow on the Range is set in the beautiful Montana mountains surrounding Red Hart Ranch. The details of the scenery immerse you into nature. Eve is a strong woman who is put to the test when it comes to managing the ranch with her dad and mom being unable to assist much and a winter storm coming. Eve and her twin brother, Travis bring home drifters to help with tending to the land. The characters talk like authentic cowboys and ranch hands making the story authentic and likeable. The younger drifter, Simon continuously flirts with Eve while being an excellent cook. The older one, Archer is a more experienced cowboy and is protective of his back story. When Eve does decide to give in to her growing desire for one of the drifters, the scenes are worth the wait and any romance reader will thoroughly enjoy them. There are recipes in the back on the book and they all sound delicious. The best part is that according to the author there will be plenty more stories set at Red Hart Ranch! I can’t wait to read them.
Colleen

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm struggling to rate this book.
I liked the main characters, however I felt the other characters were underdeveloped and the relationships and actions of the family a bit strange.
I liked the overall plot, but felt in lacked detail and description in places..
For me the main problem. Was the writing.. I felt there was repetition in phrases and in many places it was confusing where characters were and what day it was. I found it confusing in places and had to re read a few pages back to make sure I hadn't missed something.
I would have liked more detail about the brothers injury, the fathers outcome and the mothers injury etc
I would be rating 2 stars were it not for the fact I like Eve and Archer and the chemistry between them.

[Delaine Mclafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thought that anyone could and would intrude on the solitude of your home is overwhelming. Eve has the life she wants on her families ranch. It’s a beautiful place with open skies and the mountains that gives it the name Red Heart Ranch. Eve and her twin brother Trav help run the ranch after her father has a stroke. With the winter weather coming they each bring home the drifters that they find in town. But things aren’t what they should be and trouble is on the horizon. Grab the book and settle in as things get dicey. I would recommend this book, of Christmas fairytales, dreams come true, danger, heartbreak and more to come.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Karen Zornek fitzcharles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story I can't wait to read the next one. Thank you Sofia for writing this book so we can enjoy it. Please read and review your books.

[Sherry Westendorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Lots of excitement, emotions, surprises and much more. I loved it and couldn't put it down. A well written heartfelt read well worth reading. Her and her brother are heirs of the ranch and bring two different men home for the holidays. They are different from each other but one is not what he seems. And trouble follows them. I received a review copy and voluntarily review it.

[pageswithpayten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Little Quail Press and Sofia Aves fr gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
I’ve been on a romance kick for months, but I was craving something a little different. I was getting kinda sick of the sappy and sweet romances and a suspenseful romance was exactly what I needed!
Eve Beaumont and her brother Trav are both home for Christmas. Their family ranch, the Red Hart Ranch, has always had an open-door policy for those who needed a safe place to and this Christmas nothing has changed. One day Eve and Trav end up each bringing home a man in need of shelter. One is Rhys Archer, handsome and rough around the edges, he’s exactly what I would want in a cowboy.He fits the tall, dark and handsome cliche to a T, but he’s not into games and he’s a straight shooter. YUM. The second man is Simon Heldon. Unlike Archer, Simon is a flirt, quick to use his words and his body to charm everyone and anyone. When accidents start to take place around the ranch, the two house guests are quickly under suspicion. Both men came to Red Hart Ranch with secrets and pasts they wanted to leave behind, but which one brought their problems with them?
This was such an easy read that had me engrossed from the beginning@ I really liked Eve and I was REALLy hoping she ended up with Archer. I won’t give away who she chooses, though! There was the perfect blend of drama and love to keep me, a primarily romance reader, interested and invested!

[Char Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a real physiological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.The characters will captivate you.When they have to head into town their mom tells them to take two trucks and Eves twin brother decided to take Eves truck and leave her to take his old ranch truck.They split up the list and of course he takes the list where he can see the pretty female vet.He's too chicken to show her how he feels.As she gets to the market it's packed but her friend tells her to take a table an comes sharing a coffee break with her.She invites her again to the ranch for Christmas dinner but her friend is still grieving her husband even though he died four years before.When they got home her mom says she'll have to go back to town the next day .She ends up bringing home a drifter who agrees to help on the ranch and her twin also brings home a drifter.Strange things start happening at the ranch.It's not really the same her dad recovering slowly from a stroke.Then her twin is injured when she gets to the house he's drugged up.He's flown to a hospital for his injuries.She finds herself attracted to Rhys Archer but he's not staying says he cant.He won't answer any questions about himself but neither does Simon.Simon keeps making a play for Eve but she's not interested in him.There are so many twists and turns to this story will keep you riveted until the very last page and leave you begging for more.I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and makes you feel their emotions and their pain.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.

[Kat Ryker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loaded this from Kindle Unlimited and started reading. The second I did, I realized there was way too much narrative and some of it made no sense. There was some dialogue, but the story, in this case, would have been better off if it had been told with dialogue.

I won't list examples here, but when someone is outside the truck, then inside, then outside with keys then without keys, then inside the house, and upstairs, and then she doesn't get dressed right away - whew! That is confusing to a reader. I read every word, I don't skip, and every single time something doesn't make sense, I can spot it.

The points of view were not clear. I'd originally thought it was all from a female perspective but that was not correct.

My advice, if you like a story told to you by way of narration and you won't notice when details are out of place, then this is a very good book for you to read. If, however, you read like I do, this book needs a strong proofing to get rid of those pesky inconsistencies. Three stars, for the potential. Two stars for the delivery. I'll give her the benefits of the doubt.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gives us not just a cowboy story for the Christmas holidays, but a bit of a mystery and some romance. Red Hart Ranch is in the mountain area of Montana. Eve Beaumont is tasked with helping her parents at the ranch since they can’t handle it all now and a storm is approaching. Eve and her brother, Travis, go to town for supplies and bring back a couple of drifters to help out and share the holidays. Simon is a flirt, but very talented in the kitchen. Archer is more of what we expect to see in a cowboy and his experience is helpful. Both men are attractive to Eve. Who will she decide to be with? And what about the number of mysterious “accidents” that are occurring? Who is doing this, and why?

This was a book that pulls the reader right in. The story gives us romance as Eve interacts with the two men, and suspense as we see someone is up to no good. It will definitely keep the reader intrigued trying to figure out what’s going on. Grab your copy and enjoy while trying to guess which man Eve has her eye on!

[Debbie Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a romantic suspense that had so many twists and turns I wasn't sure until almost the end who the culprit was and I am usually pretty good at working things out Consequently this book kept me engaged right until I turned that last page

Every Christmas tradition at the Red Hart ranch is that the table is open for anyone who needs it consequently when Eve Beaumont and her twin brother Travis head to town they each bring back a drifter with them She brings back Archer while he brings back Simon this starts a chain reaction in the ranch that no one saw coming Eve is poisoned by someone her brother falls of a ladder and her father has a weak heart Someone is definitely playing with them all Meanwhile Archer is making himself useful around the ranch and Simon is trying to date Eve What are the secrets all these men are carrying and can she have a future with the one she wants You will have to read to see

[WyoGal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Removed from the oven too soon

The story has potential, and the author’s style has moments of loveliness, but there are weird omissions, and myriad plot holes. For example, the heroine’s name isn’t mentioned until much later, and it seemed I was reading a male POV at the start. At one point the female lead gets up, showers, and puts on fuzzy socks. That’s it for details, so I’m hoping she wasn’t mostly naked at breakfast. There are times when she is inside the truck, then outside, has the keys, nope, back inside the cab and someone else is driving. Now they’re walking. The scenery details are also inconsistent. It might be good to explain how someone ranches with deer—are they for food? Petting zoos? And how do the bison fit in?

The male characters are busy exchanging looks with everyone, but there’s no real plot development that lends itself to character growth, so the dudes are rather static, predictable, shallow, and boring. The female character says she’s going to mind her own business and then keeps asking questions. She gets ready to do something and ends up on a different tack too many times.

There’s a lot of alcohol consumption, some good food details, an okay sex scene with weird timing, and an animal death. There’s also a violent assault scene. The end makes no sense. A funeral would be delayed for the immediate family to attend. I wish the author had spent more time reviewing this story before publishing it.

[Jennifer ➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW for assault and death of a parent.
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I read this book while I was in a lot of pain from my wisdom tooth, so it took me forever to keep focus and finish it.
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I was first interested in pick up SNOW ON THE RANGE because I wanted a Christmas story, and I loved that this one was said to take a dark twist. Christmas and crime are some of my favourite things. 👀 And this cover.. I love it!
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I really enjoyed the winter in a small town, country setting. The characters were nice, but I did wish to have the plot more fleshed out. The plot points all made sense, but I felt like we got to those conclusions too quickly, specifically the romance and the villains motives. Regardless, I liked the story, and I would read more from this author again.
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3.5/5 stars, SNOW ON THE RANGE is available now.
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Thank you to the author for sending me an ebook to review!

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Sofia Aves you won’t be disappointed!
I absolutely loved the story of Rhys Archer (Archer) and Eve! The story takes place on Red Heart Ranch in the mountains of Montana during Christmas. Eve’s family has been known to take in drifters onto the ranch during this time, no one shouldn’t have a place to stay during the holidays. But when there are several “accidents” on the ranch, they are on high alert to try and figure out who is behind all of it. A story of romance and suspense will definitely keep you intrigued til the end. I can’t wait to read the rest of Archer and Eve.

I have received an ARC copy of this book and this is my unsolicited and voluntary review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snuggle up for a steamy bit of life on the Red Heart Ranch. Twins Travis and Eve each bring drifters to the ranch to help alleviate the stress of ranch hands leaving for Christmastime to be with their families. As both of these mysterious men join in on the work odd occurrences start popping up making the intentions of both men questionable. This snowy story will keep you up and warm all night with equal parts family connects and sexual tensions. Im also very excited to see what's next for the Red Hart Ranch!

[Jaime Rendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was freaking awesome!! Sofia Aves sure knows how to write a suspenseful thriller that keeps you guessing and has you shocked when you weren't even close. Throw in the scorching romance between Eve and Archer with some panty melting sex and you have an amazing read. This book flows so easy with how you get pulled in and are kept enthralled through out the story. You feel as though you are a part of the family at the Red Hart Ranch and you feel the ups and downs that they face. I loved this book and can't wait to read more as the story continues.

[Mrs R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. It was a real page turner.
This story follows Eve and her family as they run their ranch. When two new guys arrive for the Christmas holidays accidents start to happen but Eve doesn't know who she should trust or what their motives might be.
I was kept in suspense throughout the whole book, never knowing who to believe.
I liked Eve as a character, she loved the ranch and the surrounding land, she was likeable although a little too trusting and naive when it came to strangers.

[KristieReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful romantic suspense book. Eve and her family love their ranch and will do anything to keep it safe. As two drifters (Simon and Rhys)come to the ranch, strange things begin to happen. Eve begins to question who she can/should trust. Simon is very forward with her but she doesn’t have feelings for him; there is chemistry between Eve and Rhys and she does act upon it. Several events create a unsettling Christmas for the family. As the truth becomes clear, Eve and Rhys fight for what they want.

I received an arc in exchange for a fair review.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the twists and turns!
I will be honest the cover is what drew me to download this book as an arc and it did not let me down one bit. There is a great deal going on in this book it was one thing after another. Archer and Heldon were interesting characters both drifter and both have secrets. Eve is suspicious and she feels something is wrong but no one wants to listen to her. Set in Montana this romantic suspense was a very good book. The author's detailed writing was outstanding and I liked her cast of characters. I hope you check it out I highly recommend it. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Jess Kranenburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a Christmas novel fan, never really have been, and as someone just recently pointed out to me and I have to agree, more often than not, Christmas novels give out a false impression of what Christmas really is like. Snow on the Range started off a little fluffy but I stuck with it as I’m a sucker for a good ranch story. Next minute, it’s taken off and we’ve hit romantic suspense territory and I was all there. Archer is just this tall, dark , brooding hunk of man full of secrets that you can’t help to have a soft spot for, but also understand all Eve’s frustration as she can’t crack his hard exterior and get him to open up to her. All in all I really enjoy Snow on the Range and would continue to read Eve and Archer’s story.

[Melissa May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A great read for the Christmas season! This romantic suspense has it all.
Intriguing characters, a beautiful setting and a great romance.
Eve and her twin brother both take a drifter home to the Red Heart Ranch and that’s when the mystery begins.
I loved the story and looking forward to reading more books in this series.
And a nice bonus with Christmas recipes!
I received this arc from the author and this review is my honest opinion

[Aimee Convoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Sofie and wow what a book. It's a slow burn romance, with a lot of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You know something is about to go down but you don't know when. I love Eve's personality and spirit, how she takes care of the range and everything on it. Eve and archers chemistry is off the charts. The mystery behind archer kept me guessing right up to the very end. I cannot wait to see what happens with Eve and archers in the next book.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic thriller with strong characters and an intriguing story line. The author pulled me in with the suspense and had me glued to the pages with all the twists and turns along the way. I loved Eve's character and her chemistry with Archer. She paints her scenes perfectly and moves the story fluidly and had me guessing right to the end. I loved and highly recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Sewanee Kracalik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced review of this quick romantic suspense from BookSirens. It grabbed me right from the first. I loved the scenery descriptions. They made me feel like I was there. The story begins with a brother and sister, twins, each bring home a drifter to help on the ranch. There’s an escaped killer out there somewhere. But neither thinks that there’s any way that a criminal would travel as far away as their ranch. Plus they have drifters coming through all the time. From the very beginning you get that feeling that it’s one of these two drifters. But which one! They know nothing about either one. Things start happening immediately and that’s what makes this story so interesting. And the “steam” is not bad either! I loved it. There’s also some great Christmas recipes at the end. So I’m gladly volunteering to give this review.

[Kim Kurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was suspenseful and keeps you guessing. Sofia draws a beautiful vision of Red Hart Ranch. The chemistry between Eve and Archer is explosive. Can't wait to read more in the series.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, loved the romance and loved the recipes. A wonderful setting, a hunky drifter or two and wishing they figure out what is going on before someone else gets hurt. A great Christmas read and looking forward to next instalment.

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, wow. From the moment that I started reading I was in love with the characters and the story. I finished it one sitting as I could not put it down. It moves along at a great pace. Has amazing characters that you feel like you know and cant help but fall in love with and a story that will grab you and not let you down. This is a must read, no doubt about it.