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Those Sullivan Sisters #1
The Rancher’s and the Widow’s First Christmas
“No strings attached” doesn’t apply to family.
Sam O’Neal’s goal had been simple—keep his brother, Josh, alive long enough to die an old man with Jenny and their children at his side. Cancer had other plans. Jenny’s a widow just hours after giving birth, and Josh died without getting to see or hold the babies he fought so hard to have. Will Sam’s new role will be grieving uncle or surrogate father to Jenny’s twins—Sam’s biological babies? Josh knew better than anyone why Sam guards his heart with an iron fist. Surely, his brother’s crazy arrangement wasn’t supposed to be Sam’s second shot at a family of his own.
Jenny Sullivan O’Neal’s life was perfect…until it wasn’t.
The people of Coyote Springs call her “Jenny Perfect” for a reason. Eldest of the triplets that the town helped raise, Jenny is strong, kind, and reliable. Not the sort of person who would agree to use her brother-in-law as a sperm donor when the love of her life found out he couldn’t father a child. But she did. Now the happiest day of her life has turned into the worst, quickly followed by a reality she can’t wrap her head around: Josh is gone, she’s a widow with two babies, and the twins’ biological father is a hardworking, humorless enigma she respects but certainly doesn’t love. With Christmas approaching and fire bug on the loose, what choice does she have but to shelter-in-place with Sam? The man she’s starting to see in a completely new light.
In Coyote Springs, home for the holidays takes on new meaning for the rancher and the widow who share both a singular loss and a double blessing when they spend their first Christmas together and celebrate a future that redefines the word: family.
The Rancher’s and the Widow’s First Christmas brings the Gold Country series forward, through one poignant loss, the birth of twins, a vengeful firebug, and a match-making ghost. If you enjoy a few tears with your happily-ever-after, you’ll love Jenny's and Sam’s story. Don’t miss Book 2 in this heart-warming series from bestselling author Debra Salonen.
Sam O’Neal’s goal had been simple—keep his brother, Josh, alive long enough to die an old man with Jenny and their children at his side. Cancer had other plans. Jenny’s a widow just hours after giving birth, and Josh died without getting to see or hold the babies he fought so hard to have. Will Sam’s new role will be grieving uncle or surrogate father to Jenny’s twins—Sam’s biological babies? Josh knew better than anyone why Sam guards his heart with an iron fist. Surely, his brother’s crazy arrangement wasn’t supposed to be Sam’s second shot at a family of his own.
Jenny Sullivan O’Neal’s life was perfect…until it wasn’t.
The people of Coyote Springs call her “Jenny Perfect” for a reason. Eldest of the triplets that the town helped raise, Jenny is strong, kind, and reliable. Not the sort of person who would agree to use her brother-in-law as a sperm donor when the love of her life found out he couldn’t father a child. But she did. Now the happiest day of her life has turned into the worst, quickly followed by a reality she can’t wrap her head around: Josh is gone, she’s a widow with two babies, and the twins’ biological father is a hardworking, humorless enigma she respects but certainly doesn’t love. With Christmas approaching and fire bug on the loose, what choice does she have but to shelter-in-place with Sam? The man she’s starting to see in a completely new light.
In Coyote Springs, home for the holidays takes on new meaning for the rancher and the widow who share both a singular loss and a double blessing when they spend their first Christmas together and celebrate a future that redefines the word: family.
The Rancher’s and the Widow’s First Christmas brings the Gold Country series forward, through one poignant loss, the birth of twins, a vengeful firebug, and a match-making ghost. If you enjoy a few tears with your happily-ever-after, you’ll love Jenny's and Sam’s story. Don’t miss Book 2 in this heart-warming series from bestselling author Debra Salonen.
- GenresRomance
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2002
18 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Debra Salonen
97 books209 followers- Born and raised in Brookings, South Dakota. Youngest of five (much youngest). A Baby Boomer who married her high school sweetheart (our lockers were side-by-side). Mother of two, grandmother of three darling princesses, dog mother of 2.5 mutts.
- Graduate of South Dakota State University with a Master’s degree in Geography and History.
- Job history: taxi driver, flax seed counter, cartographer, rural mail carrier, substitute teacher, secretary/community liaison for Merced College’s Child Development Center, bookkeeper, journalist, author.
- First sale story: June, 1999, to Harlequin Superromance. Total number of books sold to Harlequin =27.
- Honors and awards: Romantic Times BOOKreviews, 2006 Series Storyteller of the Year. Winner: Best Superromance of 2010: Until He Met Rachel. Nominated for Desert Quill in 2008.
- First book published by Tule Press, summer 2014: Cowgirl Come Home. The Big Sky Mavericks series opens Aug. 2014 with: Nobody's Cowboy.
- Graduate of South Dakota State University with a Master’s degree in Geography and History.
- Job history: taxi driver, flax seed counter, cartographer, rural mail carrier, substitute teacher, secretary/community liaison for Merced College’s Child Development Center, bookkeeper, journalist, author.
- First sale story: June, 1999, to Harlequin Superromance. Total number of books sold to Harlequin =27.
- Honors and awards: Romantic Times BOOKreviews, 2006 Series Storyteller of the Year. Winner: Best Superromance of 2010: Until He Met Rachel. Nominated for Desert Quill in 2008.
- First book published by Tule Press, summer 2014: Cowgirl Come Home. The Big Sky Mavericks series opens Aug. 2014 with: Nobody's Cowboy.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 15, 2024
It took me a few chapters to get into the book and then I had to get a feel for Sam and Jenny. I wasn’t sure how their relationship was going to work, how tragedy could be turned around sufficiently to offer a future.
February 17, 2023
This is such a heartbreaking story, yet it is also filled with hope and healing for both Jenny and Sam. Author Debra Salonen clearly understands grief and loss and all the emotions that go along with it. I felt Jenny’s and Sam’s emotions as they came to grips with the death of Jenny’s husband, Sam’s brother Josh. Loss aside, new life brings new beginnings and the birth of twins Lara and Tucker is one of life’s miracles, helping to heal these two wounded souls. Their love of Josh and his love for both of them makes this story heartwarmingly tender.
July 23, 2016
Well truthfully when I read Harlequin romances I am not expecting much. This book surprised me. There are just some books that affect people differently. This was one of those books for me. I admit that I cried reading parts of this book to where I had to put the book down. It was well written and for once I didn't feel any one character annoyed the hell out of me.
All together an enjoyable read.
All together an enjoyable read.
April 17, 2022
Sweet and sad mix with some lovely moments
It took me a few chapters to get into the book and then I had to get a feel for Sam and Jenny. I wasn’t sure how their relationship was going to work, how tragedy could be turned around sufficiently to offer a future.
But Debra’s sure touch brings us through with a delicate but realistic approach and provided some lovely moments in Jenny’s writings.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book and then I had to get a feel for Sam and Jenny. I wasn’t sure how their relationship was going to work, how tragedy could be turned around sufficiently to offer a future.
But Debra’s sure touch brings us through with a delicate but realistic approach and provided some lovely moments in Jenny’s writings.
March 6, 2022
The Rancher’s and the Widow’s First Christmas is a sweet, emotion packed, heartwarming, inspirational, small town romance. You will probably need tissues as Sam and Jenny try to make sense of a world without Josh. This well written book will keep you engaged while tugging your heartstrings. I could not put it down!
August 17, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. It was very good a pulling on the heart-strings. The characters are very realistic, but there was still some room for improvement. Some of the parts where Josh was trying to get them together was a little too unrealistic for me. Still a very enjoyable read.
June 4, 2013
I got this book from Goodwill but I will say that I really liked it there was not a lot of hard core romance if you catch my drift but it was a really Good story! I am searching for the next one in the series
March 12, 2022
What an emotional ride! From tears in the first few chapters to feeling so happy at the end this is a great read. Love this “sisters” series. Keep the stories coming Deb.
August 3, 2022
Very emotional
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews