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The Wedding Gift
From New York Times best-selling author Carolyn Brown comes a heartwarming short story about how the most precious gifts come in unexpected packages.
A week before your wedding is no time for your ex to ride back into town, stirring up trouble. But that’s exactly the predicament Darla McAdams finds herself in. With practically the entire town of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, in attendance, the last place she wants to be is at her grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary party with the whole family, her fiancé and her old flame all in the same room.
Darla’s grandmother Roxie has seen many a bride tested, and she knows Darla is at a crossroads. It’s time to share the truth about Roxie’s own marriage to Darla’s grandfather - and the gift that saved their marriage so many years ago. By revealing secret after secret, the most startling involving a television set, Roxie gives Darla a wedding gift she’ll cherish forever, but only Darla can listen to what’s inside her heart and know who she’s meant to say “I do” to.
A week before your wedding is no time for your ex to ride back into town, stirring up trouble. But that’s exactly the predicament Darla McAdams finds herself in. With practically the entire town of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, in attendance, the last place she wants to be is at her grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary party with the whole family, her fiancé and her old flame all in the same room.
Darla’s grandmother Roxie has seen many a bride tested, and she knows Darla is at a crossroads. It’s time to share the truth about Roxie’s own marriage to Darla’s grandfather - and the gift that saved their marriage so many years ago. By revealing secret after secret, the most startling involving a television set, Roxie gives Darla a wedding gift she’ll cherish forever, but only Darla can listen to what’s inside her heart and know who she’s meant to say “I do” to.
Audible Audio
First published November 1, 2020
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About the author
Carolyn Brown
181 books4,116 followersHi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
July 11, 2023
EXCERPT: (Taken from 'A Slow Dance Holiday')
Granny had damn sure been right when she said the redhead could hold her own. She'd be a force to deal with for sure, but after ten years of bartending Cameron figured he'd seen about everything. One curvy, feisty little lady didn't scare him, not unless she was pointing a pistol at his chest, anyway.
ABOUT 'THE WEDDING GIFT': A week before your wedding is no time for your ex to ride back into town, stirring up trouble. But that’s exactly the predicament Darla McAdams finds herself in. With practically the entire town of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, in attendance, the last place she wants to be is at her grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary party with the whole family, her fiancé and her old flame all in the same room.
Darla’s grandmother Roxie has seen many a bride tested, and she knows Darla is at a crossroads. It’s time to share the truth about Roxie’s own marriage to Darla’s grandfather - and the gift that saved their marriage so many years ago. By revealing secret after secret, the most startling involving a television set, Roxie gives Darla a wedding gift she’ll cherish forever, but only Darla can listen to what’s inside her heart and know who she’s meant to say “I do” to.
MY THOUGHTS: The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown contains three rather wonderful novellas. The title novella, The Wedding Gift was probably my least favourite ⭐⭐⭐.5 I loved Roxie and her story about the wedding license, the fishing tackle and the TV. The downside to this story for me was the many repetitions of some of the background information on the characters.
The second novella, A Slow Dance Holiday, is a sweet and humorous Christmas romance. Interfering but well meaning relatives gift two people a honky tonk bar in a small town. Jorja and Cameron don't know each other, and neither is what the other expects. Can they learn to work together and make a success of the bar? ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The third novella, Summertime on the Ranch, features Becca and Dalton, who have both given up on their dreams and come to a small town in southern Oklahoma, Becca to live with her granny and work in a winery, Dalton to work on the adjoining ranch. There's a lot of animals and alcohol (think watermelon wine) involved in this romance. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
A fun read with strong, sassy female characters (and that's just the grannies!) 🤣🤣
Overall rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#TheWeddingGift #NetGalley
@carolynbrownbooks @sourcebooks
T: @thecarolynbrown @Sourcebooks
#christianfiction #contemporaryfiction #familydrama #romance #sliceoflife #smalltownfiction
#womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Carolyn Brown was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband Charles, a retired English teacher, make their home. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.
When she's not writing, Carolyn likes to plot new stories in her backyard with her tom cat, Boots Randolph Terminator Outlaw, who protects the yard from all kinds of wicked varmits . . . like crickets, locusts and spiders.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Granny had damn sure been right when she said the redhead could hold her own. She'd be a force to deal with for sure, but after ten years of bartending Cameron figured he'd seen about everything. One curvy, feisty little lady didn't scare him, not unless she was pointing a pistol at his chest, anyway.
ABOUT 'THE WEDDING GIFT': A week before your wedding is no time for your ex to ride back into town, stirring up trouble. But that’s exactly the predicament Darla McAdams finds herself in. With practically the entire town of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, in attendance, the last place she wants to be is at her grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary party with the whole family, her fiancé and her old flame all in the same room.
Darla’s grandmother Roxie has seen many a bride tested, and she knows Darla is at a crossroads. It’s time to share the truth about Roxie’s own marriage to Darla’s grandfather - and the gift that saved their marriage so many years ago. By revealing secret after secret, the most startling involving a television set, Roxie gives Darla a wedding gift she’ll cherish forever, but only Darla can listen to what’s inside her heart and know who she’s meant to say “I do” to.
MY THOUGHTS: The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown contains three rather wonderful novellas. The title novella, The Wedding Gift was probably my least favourite ⭐⭐⭐.5 I loved Roxie and her story about the wedding license, the fishing tackle and the TV. The downside to this story for me was the many repetitions of some of the background information on the characters.
The second novella, A Slow Dance Holiday, is a sweet and humorous Christmas romance. Interfering but well meaning relatives gift two people a honky tonk bar in a small town. Jorja and Cameron don't know each other, and neither is what the other expects. Can they learn to work together and make a success of the bar? ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The third novella, Summertime on the Ranch, features Becca and Dalton, who have both given up on their dreams and come to a small town in southern Oklahoma, Becca to live with her granny and work in a winery, Dalton to work on the adjoining ranch. There's a lot of animals and alcohol (think watermelon wine) involved in this romance. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
A fun read with strong, sassy female characters (and that's just the grannies!) 🤣🤣
Overall rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#TheWeddingGift #NetGalley
@carolynbrownbooks @sourcebooks
T: @thecarolynbrown @Sourcebooks
#christianfiction #contemporaryfiction #familydrama #romance #sliceoflife #smalltownfiction
#womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Carolyn Brown was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband Charles, a retired English teacher, make their home. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.
When she's not writing, Carolyn likes to plot new stories in her backyard with her tom cat, Boots Randolph Terminator Outlaw, who protects the yard from all kinds of wicked varmits . . . like crickets, locusts and spiders.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
July 1, 2023
Review coming soon.
August 11, 2023
It’s a Carolyn Brown release so of course I was going to snatch it up. Three light and entertaining, novella-length country charmers which appear to be one brand new release and two previously released novellas gathered into one place.
The Wedding Gift is the new standalone piece. Shortly before her wedding to kind and handsome Will Jackson, Darla's old high school bad boy old flame blows back into town and causes second thoughts. Then Granny Roxie and Grandpa Claud share their earthy wisdom and memories with her which helps her see clearly what is best.
A Slow Dance Holiday, a standalone Christmas romance from the Honky Tonk series comes next.
Jorja is given a half partnership in a bar so chucks her boring job in Nashville for small town Texas and an old Honky Tonk. She makes the mistake of thinking her business partner is a woman, but Cameron is all long and lanky cowboy. Cameron wants to own a bar and have a ranch so he leaves working a tiki bar in Florida to partner with some guy named JJ.
And, lastly, there is Summertime on the Ranch, a standalone from the Spikes and Spurs series.
Becca followed her dreams of singing professionally to Nashville and now a decade later, she's resetting her life back home working at a winery and trying to deny the attraction to a good-timing cowboy. Dalton works on the ranch where the winery is located and fell for Becca when he first saw her, but it has been six months and she hasn't given him the time of day until his dog does a bit of matchmaking and gets him a chance with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed each of these with a slightly different set up and romance situation, but loaded with Carolyn Brown’s earthy everyday folk humor and sweet with a pinch of spice cowboy romancing. I hadn’t read any of these novellas in a previous release, which I caution readers to check on first, but, if not, rope them in for a good time of laughter, music, and love in ranch country.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley from Sourcebooks Casablanca to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on Aug 9th.
The Wedding Gift is the new standalone piece. Shortly before her wedding to kind and handsome Will Jackson, Darla's old high school bad boy old flame blows back into town and causes second thoughts. Then Granny Roxie and Grandpa Claud share their earthy wisdom and memories with her which helps her see clearly what is best.
A Slow Dance Holiday, a standalone Christmas romance from the Honky Tonk series comes next.
Jorja is given a half partnership in a bar so chucks her boring job in Nashville for small town Texas and an old Honky Tonk. She makes the mistake of thinking her business partner is a woman, but Cameron is all long and lanky cowboy. Cameron wants to own a bar and have a ranch so he leaves working a tiki bar in Florida to partner with some guy named JJ.
And, lastly, there is Summertime on the Ranch, a standalone from the Spikes and Spurs series.
Becca followed her dreams of singing professionally to Nashville and now a decade later, she's resetting her life back home working at a winery and trying to deny the attraction to a good-timing cowboy. Dalton works on the ranch where the winery is located and fell for Becca when he first saw her, but it has been six months and she hasn't given him the time of day until his dog does a bit of matchmaking and gets him a chance with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed each of these with a slightly different set up and romance situation, but loaded with Carolyn Brown’s earthy everyday folk humor and sweet with a pinch of spice cowboy romancing. I hadn’t read any of these novellas in a previous release, which I caution readers to check on first, but, if not, rope them in for a good time of laughter, music, and love in ranch country.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley from Sourcebooks Casablanca to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on Aug 9th.
May 1, 2023
The Wedding Gift is anthology that contains three novellas by Carolyn Brown.
The Wedding Gift begins a few weeks before a young couple are getting married. The bride is getting second thoughts as her old high school beau comes to town wanting to take her away. She gets advice from her wise grandmother.
A Slow Dance Holiday - has two strangers being given equal half of a bar in a small town in Texas by their grandparents. It’s is a sweet holiday romance.
Summertime on the Ranch has Becca who has been trying to make it as a singer in Nashville returning home. She needs to help her grandmother after an ankle injury. Of course there is a womanizing cowboy that may not be as bad as she thinks.
All three stories are cute and warm hearted with folksy wisdom. I only recently discovered Brown who has written for decades. My first book wasn’t so saccharine sweet as these stories. These stories never went beyond kissing. It was a nice quick read but won’t be memorable to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review.
The Wedding Gift begins a few weeks before a young couple are getting married. The bride is getting second thoughts as her old high school beau comes to town wanting to take her away. She gets advice from her wise grandmother.
A Slow Dance Holiday - has two strangers being given equal half of a bar in a small town in Texas by their grandparents. It’s is a sweet holiday romance.
Summertime on the Ranch has Becca who has been trying to make it as a singer in Nashville returning home. She needs to help her grandmother after an ankle injury. Of course there is a womanizing cowboy that may not be as bad as she thinks.
All three stories are cute and warm hearted with folksy wisdom. I only recently discovered Brown who has written for decades. My first book wasn’t so saccharine sweet as these stories. These stories never went beyond kissing. It was a nice quick read but won’t be memorable to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review.
November 20, 2020
A thoroughly delightful mini romance from an author whose books I really enjoy! I love her stories about life in a small southern town where everyone knows your name and the gossip chain becomes a hand-me-down from generation to generation. I especially enjoyed Brittany Pressley’s superb performance. If I didn’t know better I would think she had half a dozen helpers in the booth with her.
November 13, 2020
Sweet short story
October 9, 2025
The Wedding Gift is actually an anthology with 3 stories. All the stories are set in small towns in Oklahoma, at different times of the year. I enjoyed them all to different degrees.
The Wedding Gift is the title story. Darla McAdams is set to get married in a week. She doesn't expect her ex to return to town, causing her to doubt her marriage. Her grandmother, Roxie has seen many brides get cold feet, but knows that Darla needs to make up her own mind about who she really wants to marry. Sharing her own story with her granddaughter, opens Darla's eyes and helps her make an extremely difficult decision. This was an okay story, but being a short story/novella, there just wasn't enough to it for me. This story is also available as a single audiobook.
A Slow Dance Holiday was the second story and probably my favourite. It was a Christmas romance which is a theme that I love. Jorja and Cameron are each bequeathed half of a honkey tonk in a small Oklahoma town. Neither of them realize that their new partner is of the opposite sex. They are also hoping that the other will sell them them share, but neither will give up their share. This was another short romance with lots of interesting secondary characters who add a lot to the story. I liked both characters and wanted them to become a couple. Once again, a rather quick romance that ended well, with some Christmas magic and meddling relatives.
Summertime on the Ranch is the last story and another enjoyable romance. Becca has moved to a small Oklahoma town and works at a local winery. Dalton works at the ranch next to the winery. He is well known as a love her and leave her guy, so Becca wants nothing to do with him. He is friends with the winery owner, so when Becca is left in charge while the owners are away, Dalton is called upon to help her out in a couple of situations. Of course there is major chemistry, which Becca is trying to ignore, but Dalton eventually wears her down. With some drama and misunderstandings, their relationship derails more than once. I liked both of the characters and enjoyed seeing Dalton try to get Becca to give him a chance. All cassanovas will eventually find the right woman to settle down with, won't they.
The Wedding Gift is the title story. Darla McAdams is set to get married in a week. She doesn't expect her ex to return to town, causing her to doubt her marriage. Her grandmother, Roxie has seen many brides get cold feet, but knows that Darla needs to make up her own mind about who she really wants to marry. Sharing her own story with her granddaughter, opens Darla's eyes and helps her make an extremely difficult decision. This was an okay story, but being a short story/novella, there just wasn't enough to it for me. This story is also available as a single audiobook.
A Slow Dance Holiday was the second story and probably my favourite. It was a Christmas romance which is a theme that I love. Jorja and Cameron are each bequeathed half of a honkey tonk in a small Oklahoma town. Neither of them realize that their new partner is of the opposite sex. They are also hoping that the other will sell them them share, but neither will give up their share. This was another short romance with lots of interesting secondary characters who add a lot to the story. I liked both characters and wanted them to become a couple. Once again, a rather quick romance that ended well, with some Christmas magic and meddling relatives.
Summertime on the Ranch is the last story and another enjoyable romance. Becca has moved to a small Oklahoma town and works at a local winery. Dalton works at the ranch next to the winery. He is well known as a love her and leave her guy, so Becca wants nothing to do with him. He is friends with the winery owner, so when Becca is left in charge while the owners are away, Dalton is called upon to help her out in a couple of situations. Of course there is major chemistry, which Becca is trying to ignore, but Dalton eventually wears her down. With some drama and misunderstandings, their relationship derails more than once. I liked both of the characters and enjoyed seeing Dalton try to get Becca to give him a chance. All cassanovas will eventually find the right woman to settle down with, won't they.
December 26, 2025
Sweet feel good, three Novella romance set!
June 26, 2023
Darla is all set to marry Will until her former high school boyfriend returns to town. She talks to her granny and she tells her the story of her marry her grandfather. Will also has an old girlfriend show up before the wedding. They both have to decide if this is real love. The story is a great letting you know marriage has to be worked on and not everything is easy.
A Slow Dance Holiday is included with this book. Seems JJ and Cameron have been gifted a bar. When they arrived it's to find JJ is a Girl and Cameron is a man. They will be sharing the apartment in the4 back of the bar. Can they learn to get along together and run the bar.
Summertime on the Ranch is included also. Becca is working at the winery and helping take care of her grandmother. Becca spent 10 years in Nashville trying to make it as a singer. Dalton is well known as a bad boy. He works as the ranch foreman and seems to be smitten with Becca. Can they stop fighting long enough to find out?
A Slow Dance Holiday is included with this book. Seems JJ and Cameron have been gifted a bar. When they arrived it's to find JJ is a Girl and Cameron is a man. They will be sharing the apartment in the4 back of the bar. Can they learn to get along together and run the bar.
Summertime on the Ranch is included also. Becca is working at the winery and helping take care of her grandmother. Becca spent 10 years in Nashville trying to make it as a singer. Dalton is well known as a bad boy. He works as the ranch foreman and seems to be smitten with Becca. Can they stop fighting long enough to find out?
May 29, 2023
Three novellas set in Texas and Oklahoma, full of wedding bells, honky tonks and cowboys. Darla is having second thoughts about her upcoming wedding when her old flame returns to town, and she'll have to pass the wedding test. Jorja and Cameron are both given co-ownership of a bar in rural Texas and find being away from family isn’t so bad when you start new traditions together. And Becca McKay has to decide if she can trust the charming, bad boy cowboy when he claims he’s left his wandering ways behind and wants her to be his lady.
Nobody does cowboys like the unparalleled Carolyn Brown, and every story is full of sass, southern heat, and love. These stories are just the thing to give you a taste, if you’re not familiar with her vast collection of work. They're perfect for when you only have a short amount of time for your reading escape but need your next cowboy fix. With strong, big-hearted heroes and fiery heroines, you won’t want to miss these charming, delightful stories.
Nobody does cowboys like the unparalleled Carolyn Brown, and every story is full of sass, southern heat, and love. These stories are just the thing to give you a taste, if you’re not familiar with her vast collection of work. They're perfect for when you only have a short amount of time for your reading escape but need your next cowboy fix. With strong, big-hearted heroes and fiery heroines, you won’t want to miss these charming, delightful stories.
October 31, 2022
The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown
1h 50m narrated by Brittany Pressley
Ebook coming June 27, 2023
Genre:Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Short Stories, Novella, Audible Originals
Featuring: Texas, Red River, Oklahoma, Grandparents, Cold Feet
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for references to strong sexual content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: This was okay. It could have been longer, and I was hoping for it to be attached to a series, but it's not. I will be reading more from Carolyn Brown. This story has been exclusive to Audible since November 2020, but it'll be released as an ebook next summer.
Recommend to others?: Yes. It's not amazing, but it's cute enough.
1h 50m narrated by Brittany Pressley
Ebook coming June 27, 2023
Genre:Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Short Stories, Novella, Audible Originals
Featuring: Texas, Red River, Oklahoma, Grandparents, Cold Feet
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for references to strong sexual content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: This was okay. It could have been longer, and I was hoping for it to be attached to a series, but it's not. I will be reading more from Carolyn Brown. This story has been exclusive to Audible since November 2020, but it'll be released as an ebook next summer.
Recommend to others?: Yes. It's not amazing, but it's cute enough.
April 9, 2021
This was so sweet and fun! A great quick listen!
August 5, 2022
Everyone needs a grandma like the one in this book! She had me cracking up!
March 21, 2024
Nancy
Loved this short story. Already read the other books, but it’s worth reading. Characters were fun , loved granny! The story line was so interesting and fun to read. Thanks
Loved this short story. Already read the other books, but it’s worth reading. Characters were fun , loved granny! The story line was so interesting and fun to read. Thanks
March 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
December 12, 2020
It’s a nice short wedding story that sounds authentically Southern. The characters seem real and funny. It just feels like a long epilogue to a previous novel.
December 10, 2020
Meh hallmark pablum.
April 6, 2023
The Wedding Gift is a collection of three Carolyn Brown novellas. The first deals with jitters and doubts before the wedding when an old boyfriend suddenly comes back to town. This reader loves the way Ms. Brown writes about older characters. The scene about the girdle was so reminiscent of what this reviewer went through when sorority pledges began were required to wear that dreadful contraption at all times outside the dorm.
A Slow Dance Holiday tells the story of preacher’s daughter and a very sexy cowboy who become the half-owners of the Honky Tonk bar that only has one living area that they are having to share. The story concentrates on their first week in business together as Christmas approaches and they begin to get to know each other. It’s classic Carolyn Brown filled with innuendo, slow dances and hot kisses. Yummy!
Summertime on the Ranch. Dalton has been a player his entire dating life until he lays eyes on Becca who’s returned home to live with her granny after ten years trying to become a singer in Nashville. This is another delightful story filled with charm and country music that always tells a story as these two really get to know each other egged along by one meddling grandmother.
I voluntarily reviewed a ARC of the book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.
A Slow Dance Holiday tells the story of preacher’s daughter and a very sexy cowboy who become the half-owners of the Honky Tonk bar that only has one living area that they are having to share. The story concentrates on their first week in business together as Christmas approaches and they begin to get to know each other. It’s classic Carolyn Brown filled with innuendo, slow dances and hot kisses. Yummy!
Summertime on the Ranch. Dalton has been a player his entire dating life until he lays eyes on Becca who’s returned home to live with her granny after ten years trying to become a singer in Nashville. This is another delightful story filled with charm and country music that always tells a story as these two really get to know each other egged along by one meddling grandmother.
I voluntarily reviewed a ARC of the book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.
July 12, 2023
THE WEDDING GIFT
Fun story about what happens when an old boyfriend shows up a week before your wedding and tries to talk you into running off with him. The story opens as Darla, her grandmother Roxie, and grandfather Claud get ready for their sixtieth-anniversary party. Darla needs some advice from Roxie but has to wait until after the party. In the meantime, she's faced with trying to stave off Andy's innuendo-filled comments and remind herself that she loves Will.
As soon as she hears the problem, Roxie knows what she has to do. I loved her stories of the early days of her marriage to Claud, especially the marriage license, his fishing tackle, and the television. Her downhome and practical advice are spot-on (let's hear it for Sunday "naps."). Old Andy gets what's coming to him when Darla and Roxie discover he has more than one iron in the fire. I laughed out loud at Roxie's clever way of doling out justice.
I loved Darla's fiancé, Will. He adores her and intends to give her the best life possible. His little romantic touches are sweet and remind Darla why she loves him. An unexpected twist at the end showed they had more in common than they knew. I loved that they learned early on that trust is vital in a happy marriage. The wedding scene was sweet.
A SLOW DANCE HOLIDAY
Fun story. I've enjoyed the Honky Tonk series, and this was a terrific, if short, addition. Cameron and Jorja (JJ) are each given half-ownership of the Honky-Tonk by its previous owner, with the collusion of their grandparents. Cameron has run a beach bar in Florida for years and looks forward to having his own place. Jorja is just happy to get away from Nashville. Each believes their new partner is the same gender as themselves, and they get quite a shock when they meet.
Jorja is a red-headed spitfire who makes an immediate impression on Cameron when they meet. Neither is willing to give up their portion of the bar, so they quickly learn to work together. Their conversations are fun as they adjust to working and living together. I loved the use of animal pairings to give Cameron and Jorja the idea that they belong together - from spiders and snakes to robins and possums, everywhere they look, they see couples.
Jorja also faces the obstacle of dealing with her family. The daughter of a preacher, they are not pleased that she gave up an excellent job to own a bar. When her older sister shows up at the bar intent on forcing Jorja to come home, it takes some effort to convince her otherwise. I loved seeing Jorja stand up for herself. At the same time, Cameron realizes he doesn't want her to go. I loved the ending.
SUMMERTIME ON THE RANCH
Short and sweet romance from the Spikes and Spurs series. After ten years of chasing her country music dream in Nashville, she leaves it all behind to care for her grandmother in tiny Terral, Oklahoma. She gets a job working at Austin O'Donnell's watermelon wine business and is soon dreaming of starting her own vineyard. The only downside is resisting the bad-boy cowboy foreman at the ranch across the road.
Dalton has a love-'em-and-leave-'em reputation with the women of Terral. He wasn't interested in settling down until he laid eyes on Becca. Suddenly, being a one-woman man doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all. Unfortunately, convincing Becca he's changed his ways is an uphill battle.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Dalton and Becca. The sparks are there when they meet, but Becca is wary of becoming just another notch on Dalton's bedpost. Dalton doesn't seem to get anywhere until Becca's grandmother, Greta, pulls him into her orbit of church and Sunday dinner. Just that little bit of seeing Dalton's honorable side has Becca looking at him a little differently. I loved seeing them start to spend time together and discover they have more in common than they thought. There are some sweet scenes of burgers at the Dairy Queen and picnics in the woods, and a hilarious scene involving a bull and a watermelon.
Things are looking up for them until a bit of Dalton's past comes calling. I wanted to shake Becca for her reaction and enjoyed seeing Greta call her out on it. I liked that Dalton and Becca were adult enough to talk honestly with each other about what happened. I liked the ending and seeing them look forward to a future together.
#netgalley
Fun story about what happens when an old boyfriend shows up a week before your wedding and tries to talk you into running off with him. The story opens as Darla, her grandmother Roxie, and grandfather Claud get ready for their sixtieth-anniversary party. Darla needs some advice from Roxie but has to wait until after the party. In the meantime, she's faced with trying to stave off Andy's innuendo-filled comments and remind herself that she loves Will.
As soon as she hears the problem, Roxie knows what she has to do. I loved her stories of the early days of her marriage to Claud, especially the marriage license, his fishing tackle, and the television. Her downhome and practical advice are spot-on (let's hear it for Sunday "naps."). Old Andy gets what's coming to him when Darla and Roxie discover he has more than one iron in the fire. I laughed out loud at Roxie's clever way of doling out justice.
I loved Darla's fiancé, Will. He adores her and intends to give her the best life possible. His little romantic touches are sweet and remind Darla why she loves him. An unexpected twist at the end showed they had more in common than they knew. I loved that they learned early on that trust is vital in a happy marriage. The wedding scene was sweet.
A SLOW DANCE HOLIDAY
Fun story. I've enjoyed the Honky Tonk series, and this was a terrific, if short, addition. Cameron and Jorja (JJ) are each given half-ownership of the Honky-Tonk by its previous owner, with the collusion of their grandparents. Cameron has run a beach bar in Florida for years and looks forward to having his own place. Jorja is just happy to get away from Nashville. Each believes their new partner is the same gender as themselves, and they get quite a shock when they meet.
Jorja is a red-headed spitfire who makes an immediate impression on Cameron when they meet. Neither is willing to give up their portion of the bar, so they quickly learn to work together. Their conversations are fun as they adjust to working and living together. I loved the use of animal pairings to give Cameron and Jorja the idea that they belong together - from spiders and snakes to robins and possums, everywhere they look, they see couples.
Jorja also faces the obstacle of dealing with her family. The daughter of a preacher, they are not pleased that she gave up an excellent job to own a bar. When her older sister shows up at the bar intent on forcing Jorja to come home, it takes some effort to convince her otherwise. I loved seeing Jorja stand up for herself. At the same time, Cameron realizes he doesn't want her to go. I loved the ending.
SUMMERTIME ON THE RANCH
Short and sweet romance from the Spikes and Spurs series. After ten years of chasing her country music dream in Nashville, she leaves it all behind to care for her grandmother in tiny Terral, Oklahoma. She gets a job working at Austin O'Donnell's watermelon wine business and is soon dreaming of starting her own vineyard. The only downside is resisting the bad-boy cowboy foreman at the ranch across the road.
Dalton has a love-'em-and-leave-'em reputation with the women of Terral. He wasn't interested in settling down until he laid eyes on Becca. Suddenly, being a one-woman man doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all. Unfortunately, convincing Becca he's changed his ways is an uphill battle.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Dalton and Becca. The sparks are there when they meet, but Becca is wary of becoming just another notch on Dalton's bedpost. Dalton doesn't seem to get anywhere until Becca's grandmother, Greta, pulls him into her orbit of church and Sunday dinner. Just that little bit of seeing Dalton's honorable side has Becca looking at him a little differently. I loved seeing them start to spend time together and discover they have more in common than they thought. There are some sweet scenes of burgers at the Dairy Queen and picnics in the woods, and a hilarious scene involving a bull and a watermelon.
Things are looking up for them until a bit of Dalton's past comes calling. I wanted to shake Becca for her reaction and enjoyed seeing Greta call her out on it. I liked that Dalton and Becca were adult enough to talk honestly with each other about what happened. I liked the ending and seeing them look forward to a future together.
#netgalley
July 2, 2023
I generally enjoy Carolyn Brown's full-length novels, but as for this collection of 3 of her short novellas not so much. I'm giving it 3 stars, and here's a brief rundown:
In The Wedding Gift, the first novella in this anthology, we encounter a soon-to-be bride whose heartbreaker of a high school boyfriend shows up a week or so before her wedding day, and she begins to doubt her current relationship when he tries to lure her into going back to Hollywood with him. It's the advice from her wise old grandma that saves the day. Not a new idea, and just an okay read.
Next is A Slow Dance Holiday, in which two total strangers, one male, one female, get equal ownership in a small honky-tonk in an even smaller town in Texas, each thinking their future business partner is the same sex as they are--not! Yet although there's a rocky start to their relationship, it's Christmas, and the holiday spirit brings these two very different characters together. It's sweet and has a bit if steam, and it was my favorite of the 3 novellas. Carolyn Brown has written a number of sweet holiday-themed romances and although the timespan of this one is rather short, I did enjoy it.
Finally there's Summertime on the Ranch, in which Becca, who has been trying to build a singing career in Nashville, returns home to help her grandma who needs her help after injuring her ankle. There's the expected flirtatious cowboy who becomes enamored of her, and, as expected, it's not long before they're in for an HEA ending, and this was probably my least favorite read of the three.
If you're a fan of short romance fiction, I think you'll enjoy this anthology, but for this reviewer, I much prefer Ms. Brown's longer novels.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this anthology. The opinions stated are my own.
In The Wedding Gift, the first novella in this anthology, we encounter a soon-to-be bride whose heartbreaker of a high school boyfriend shows up a week or so before her wedding day, and she begins to doubt her current relationship when he tries to lure her into going back to Hollywood with him. It's the advice from her wise old grandma that saves the day. Not a new idea, and just an okay read.
Next is A Slow Dance Holiday, in which two total strangers, one male, one female, get equal ownership in a small honky-tonk in an even smaller town in Texas, each thinking their future business partner is the same sex as they are--not! Yet although there's a rocky start to their relationship, it's Christmas, and the holiday spirit brings these two very different characters together. It's sweet and has a bit if steam, and it was my favorite of the 3 novellas. Carolyn Brown has written a number of sweet holiday-themed romances and although the timespan of this one is rather short, I did enjoy it.
Finally there's Summertime on the Ranch, in which Becca, who has been trying to build a singing career in Nashville, returns home to help her grandma who needs her help after injuring her ankle. There's the expected flirtatious cowboy who becomes enamored of her, and, as expected, it's not long before they're in for an HEA ending, and this was probably my least favorite read of the three.
If you're a fan of short romance fiction, I think you'll enjoy this anthology, but for this reviewer, I much prefer Ms. Brown's longer novels.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this anthology. The opinions stated are my own.
July 17, 2023
The Wedding Gift is a collection of three short stories. In the first story, Darla is having doubts about marrying Will. How does a girl know that her man is the right man? This is a sweet story about two nice people learning that sometimes there are challenges getting to the alter. They have wonderful families that support them. It is a really sweet story.
Story two is A Slow Dance Holiday. Jorja quits her job when she gets the chance to own half of a bar in Mingus, Texas. She knows full well that her family isn't going to approve or understand but she feels like this is the change she's been waiting for. Cameron is excited to finally own his own bar even if he is going to have to share the bar with someone he's never met. They butt heads at every turn but quickly realize that maybe fate brought them together for a reason. This is a story about opposites attracting.
Story three is Summertime on the Ranch. Becca took a chance at getting a singing career but now she's moved back to live with her grandmother and make watermelon wine. Dalton has big plans for his future. For now he's working hard and making plans. Becca doesn't want to be attracted to Dalton but the more time they spend together the more it's obvious that they belong together. Grandma is a really good matchmaker! This is a sweet, slow burn love story about two people that just needed a little time to realize they belong together.
I'm a fan of this author. Her writing is sweet and "down home". I like the rhythm of the stories. If you are looking for a little something to read and you want a fast read, give these short stories a try. I will read more from this author in the future.
Story two is A Slow Dance Holiday. Jorja quits her job when she gets the chance to own half of a bar in Mingus, Texas. She knows full well that her family isn't going to approve or understand but she feels like this is the change she's been waiting for. Cameron is excited to finally own his own bar even if he is going to have to share the bar with someone he's never met. They butt heads at every turn but quickly realize that maybe fate brought them together for a reason. This is a story about opposites attracting.
Story three is Summertime on the Ranch. Becca took a chance at getting a singing career but now she's moved back to live with her grandmother and make watermelon wine. Dalton has big plans for his future. For now he's working hard and making plans. Becca doesn't want to be attracted to Dalton but the more time they spend together the more it's obvious that they belong together. Grandma is a really good matchmaker! This is a sweet, slow burn love story about two people that just needed a little time to realize they belong together.
I'm a fan of this author. Her writing is sweet and "down home". I like the rhythm of the stories. If you are looking for a little something to read and you want a fast read, give these short stories a try. I will read more from this author in the future.
August 15, 2022
How could I resist a sweet romance with a main character who shares my name? I was curious to check out a Carolyn Brown title anyway. This turned out to be a collection of three novellas with "The Wedding Gift" as the lead story. Our MC Darla is just weeks away from her wedding when she encounters The Bride Test -- and ex who returns to woo the bride away at the last minute. Love the many generations sharing marriage wisdom and helping each other. Will Darla realize which man she is truly "in love" with before the big day? A sweet story and set in Oklahoma.
The second novella features Jorga Jenks as she returns to her roots in Texas to operate the local bar in Mingus. Her business partner turns out to be an unreasonable attractive man named Cameron. Will they find a way to work together despite their bad first impressions? Includes some fanciful sightings of pairs of animals and improbable intervals. A little magical realism to sweeten the plot and help Jorga decide if she should stay. A humorous holiday romance.
For the third section, we return to Oklahoma where watermelon wine is the focus. Becca McKay has returned to Oklahoma from Nashville to live with grandma Greta and work at the local winery. I've never tried watermelon wine, but it sounds delicious. Sean Dalton works on the adjacent ranch and he gets a little too close for comfort. Can he lose his skirt-chasing instincts and stick to one woman, Becca wonders? There are two super cute kittens and a watermelon-loving bull in the mix. Charming and heartwarming.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
The second novella features Jorga Jenks as she returns to her roots in Texas to operate the local bar in Mingus. Her business partner turns out to be an unreasonable attractive man named Cameron. Will they find a way to work together despite their bad first impressions? Includes some fanciful sightings of pairs of animals and improbable intervals. A little magical realism to sweeten the plot and help Jorga decide if she should stay. A humorous holiday romance.
For the third section, we return to Oklahoma where watermelon wine is the focus. Becca McKay has returned to Oklahoma from Nashville to live with grandma Greta and work at the local winery. I've never tried watermelon wine, but it sounds delicious. Sean Dalton works on the adjacent ranch and he gets a little too close for comfort. Can he lose his skirt-chasing instincts and stick to one woman, Becca wonders? There are two super cute kittens and a watermelon-loving bull in the mix. Charming and heartwarming.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2021
Awww! I really should read more Carolyn Brown books! They are always fun and sweet.
In this novella, we follow Darla who is about to get married but now all these doubts are hitting her when her ex comes into town and wants her back. She goes to her grandma for help in what to do. Grandma Roxie decides it time to share her own marriage issues to help Darla through this Bride Test.
This wasn't a typical romance tale. Darla and her boo are already engaged and about to get married (which I would love to see the beginning of that relationship). I enjoyed this not typical romance. It was nice to see that engagement and marriage is not always butterflies and rainbows. People have fights. People have doubts. People make-up.
I did have to roll my eyes though because that ex of hers, Will or whatever, is a total asshat. He SUCKS majorly. How was that even temptation?????? SMH. I guess love/lust is blind. Super, duper blind.
I did like the side story about Grandma. I do wish this had been longer or too different short stories. I wanted more about Grandma's and Darla's love stories. I feel like there was more to everyone's stories.
The narrator sounded familiar to me. I think she has done previous Carolyn Brown books. She is good. Her girl and boy voices are good.
In the end, I'll give this 3 stars. I wanted more for sure.
In this novella, we follow Darla who is about to get married but now all these doubts are hitting her when her ex comes into town and wants her back. She goes to her grandma for help in what to do. Grandma Roxie decides it time to share her own marriage issues to help Darla through this Bride Test.
This wasn't a typical romance tale. Darla and her boo are already engaged and about to get married (which I would love to see the beginning of that relationship). I enjoyed this not typical romance. It was nice to see that engagement and marriage is not always butterflies and rainbows. People have fights. People have doubts. People make-up.
I did have to roll my eyes though because that ex of hers, Will or whatever, is a total asshat. He SUCKS majorly. How was that even temptation?????? SMH. I guess love/lust is blind. Super, duper blind.
I did like the side story about Grandma. I do wish this had been longer or too different short stories. I wanted more about Grandma's and Darla's love stories. I feel like there was more to everyone's stories.
The narrator sounded familiar to me. I think she has done previous Carolyn Brown books. She is good. Her girl and boy voices are good.
In the end, I'll give this 3 stars. I wanted more for sure.
June 30, 2023
My Thoughts
The Wedding Gift
A stand alone short to my knowledge in which Darla McAdams searches for help from family and friends, especially her feisty granny Roxie, to ease her wedding nerves about choosing to marry her fiancé, Will Jackson.
A week before their walk down the aisle is cutting it close but what she chooses before making up her mind is detailed in true Carolyn Brown style and has some family secrets that Darla takes to heart in her final decision.
Novella is part of Honky Tonk Cowboys series and is #4.5
A Slow Dance Holiday
The magic of Christmas, Carolyn Brown style, strikes again!
Novella is part of Spikes & Spurs series and is #7.5
Summertime on the Ranch
Fast sizzling and yet sweet as well romance.
3 short novellas with meddling Grandmothers that prove sometimes the older you are the more you need to listen to those whose life experiences prove to be invaluable.
Fast reads that all take place in a short amount of time but encompass a lifetime worth of memories and beautifully sets the stage for each pairings new beginnings.
[EArc from Netgalley]
April 3, 2023
This book is a collection of three heartwarming stories by Ms. Brown
The Wedding Gift tells of the love of a young couple and the close relationship the bride to be has with her grandmother. When the bride gets cold feet, grandma explains her own and the young lady decides on what she wants...bonus other women in the family tell their tales too, making it even more interesting. Loved it!!!
In A Slow Dance Holiday Jorja leaves Nashville for Mingus, Texas, not realizing her grandparents arranged her ‘situation’ as had Cam’s grandparents. Each expected a same sex business partner. Sweet romance.
Summertime On The Ranch gives us independent Becca, who was trying to make it as a singer in Nashville. She came to Terral, Oklahoma to help her grandmother after an ankle injury and stayed, finding her ‘bad boy’ cowboy was a keeper after banishing her doubts. Cute romance.
All three tales of loving grams helping their granddaughters find their loves. I highly recommend. I loved them all.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC gratis and offer my opinion in the same.
The Wedding Gift tells of the love of a young couple and the close relationship the bride to be has with her grandmother. When the bride gets cold feet, grandma explains her own and the young lady decides on what she wants...bonus other women in the family tell their tales too, making it even more interesting. Loved it!!!
In A Slow Dance Holiday Jorja leaves Nashville for Mingus, Texas, not realizing her grandparents arranged her ‘situation’ as had Cam’s grandparents. Each expected a same sex business partner. Sweet romance.
Summertime On The Ranch gives us independent Becca, who was trying to make it as a singer in Nashville. She came to Terral, Oklahoma to help her grandmother after an ankle injury and stayed, finding her ‘bad boy’ cowboy was a keeper after banishing her doubts. Cute romance.
All three tales of loving grams helping their granddaughters find their loves. I highly recommend. I loved them all.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC gratis and offer my opinion in the same.
May 2, 2023
This is an anthology of three books, The Wedding Gift, A Slow Dance Holiday, and Summertime on the Ranch. Each is a quick, enjoyable read.
In The Wedding Gift, Darla is having cold feet about her upcoming wedding. And then her ex shows up in town wanting her to leave with him. What’s a girl to do? She has a discussion with her grandmother and gets some good advice. Will she take it?
A Slow Dance Holiday has two strangers, Jorga and Cameron, being given equal shares in a bar in a very small Texas town. Both eagerly accept without knowing what they’re getting themselves into.
Summertime on the Ranch has Becca giving up on her dreams of becoming a country singer in Nashville and returning home to help care for her grandmother after an ankle injury and works in a local winery with hopes of maybe someday having one of her own. There’s also Sean, the rancher next door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and
opinions are my own.
In The Wedding Gift, Darla is having cold feet about her upcoming wedding. And then her ex shows up in town wanting her to leave with him. What’s a girl to do? She has a discussion with her grandmother and gets some good advice. Will she take it?
A Slow Dance Holiday has two strangers, Jorga and Cameron, being given equal shares in a bar in a very small Texas town. Both eagerly accept without knowing what they’re getting themselves into.
Summertime on the Ranch has Becca giving up on her dreams of becoming a country singer in Nashville and returning home to help care for her grandmother after an ankle injury and works in a local winery with hopes of maybe someday having one of her own. There’s also Sean, the rancher next door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and
opinions are my own.
June 20, 2023
Three cute stories set in and around Texas. The first story was about a couple that were getting married in two weeks and their exes came to town to try and stop the wedding. They quickly realized they were perfect for each other after all.
The second story was my favorite. two stranger whose grandparents' friends signed over 1/2 of a honky tonk in a very small town and they would live above the bar. The two were shocked to see JJ was a girl and Cameron was not. It was touch and go for a little while but she killed spiders for him and he killed snakes for her. It was a very sweet story
The third story was about Becca who was helping run the ranch with the forman while the owners took a badly needed vacation. Dalton and Becca clashed alot, after an unfortunate misunderstanding, they realized they were good for each other
I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
The second story was my favorite. two stranger whose grandparents' friends signed over 1/2 of a honky tonk in a very small town and they would live above the bar. The two were shocked to see JJ was a girl and Cameron was not. It was touch and go for a little while but she killed spiders for him and he killed snakes for her. It was a very sweet story
The third story was about Becca who was helping run the ranch with the forman while the owners took a badly needed vacation. Dalton and Becca clashed alot, after an unfortunate misunderstanding, they realized they were good for each other
I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
July 11, 2023
The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown is three novellas mostly concentrating on cowboys and romance. It has all the hallmarks of Carolyn Brown: great characters and good stories. Totally a feel-good grouping. It is the perfect thing for a break between more taxing books. The first was particularly enchanting when weeks before the wedding both the bride and the groom were tempted by previous loves to ditch their vows and take off: the wedding test. Both passed but it was a fun journey to take with them, primarily focusing on the bride. Another focused on the taming of what, during Regency times, would be called a rake. I love Carolyn Brown’s books. I never pass one by.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Wedding Gift by Sourcebooks Casablanca, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SourcebooksCasablance #Carolyn Brown #TheWeddingGift
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Wedding Gift by Sourcebooks Casablanca, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SourcebooksCasablance #Carolyn Brown #TheWeddingGift
July 19, 2023
The Wedding Gift, by Carolyn Brown, is a collection of three of her novellas, the titled one, A Slow Dance Holiday, and Summertime on the Ranch. Each is set in landscapes in Texas or Oklahoma abutting the Red River. The Wedding Gift tells about the weeks approaching the marriage of Darla Marshal and Will Jackson and how each is tested. A Slow Dance is the story of Jorja Jenks and Cameron Walsh when they are each gifted with half ownership in a Honky Tonk and how they make it work. The third, Summertime on the Ranch, relays how wannabe singer Becca McKay, who will not compromise her standards just for a contract, and rancher Austin O’Donnell bond over her Irish Grammie and watermelon wine. Each of these stories is fun filled and quick and easy reads. I did enjoy this anthology and do recommend it
July 19, 2025
Carolyn Brown is one of my favorite authors, but I have to admit this was not one of my favorite books of hers. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have bought this because I really don't care for novellas, not enough time to really develop story, but someone gave it to me as a gift so I read it.
The stories were cute but trite. If I had to pick a favorite it would be A Slow Dance Holiday. The other two were okay, but in Summertime on the Ranch I didn't like that when Becca and Dalton had a serious issue arise, Becca's grandmother got angry at her for not trusting Dalton. If I were in her shoes I probably would have reacted the same way she did. After all, they barely knew each other so she wouldn't really have a way of knowing if he was truthful and trustworthy. I will definitely read more of Carolyn Brown's books but I probably won't read any more of her cowboy books.
The stories were cute but trite. If I had to pick a favorite it would be A Slow Dance Holiday. The other two were okay, but in Summertime on the Ranch I didn't like that when Becca and Dalton had a serious issue arise, Becca's grandmother got angry at her for not trusting Dalton. If I were in her shoes I probably would have reacted the same way she did. After all, they barely knew each other so she wouldn't really have a way of knowing if he was truthful and trustworthy. I will definitely read more of Carolyn Brown's books but I probably won't read any more of her cowboy books.
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