From USA Today bestselling author Caitlin Crews comes A True Cowboy Christmas, the first in a sensational series debut about a cowboy, a farm girl, and the greatest gift of all. . . Gray Everett has a heart of gold but that doesn’t mean he believes in the magic of Christmas. He’s got plenty else to worry about this holiday season, what with keeping his cattle ranch in the family and out of the … in the family and out of the hands of hungry real-estate investors looking to make a down-and-dirty deal. That, plus being a parent to his young and motherless daughter, equals a man who will not rest until he achieves his mission. Now, all Gray needs is the help of his lifelong neighbor. . .who happens to have grown into a lovely, spirited woman.
For Abby Douglas, the chance to join forces with Gray is nothing less than a Christmas miracle. Much as the down-to-earth farmer’s daughter has tried to deny it, Abby’s been in love with stern, smoking-hot Gray her whole life. So when Gray proposes a marriage of convenience as a way to combine land–and work together toward a common cause–Abby can’t refuse. But how can she convince Gray that sometimes life offers a man a second chance for a reason. . .and that their growing trust and mutual passion may be leading to true and lasting love?
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I love cowboys, I love stories about unrequited love finally being requited, and I love marriage of convenience romances. Caitlin Crews has put all of that into the first book in her Cold River Ranch series, a True Cowboy Christmas. Sweet, innocent girl-next-door Abby has loved stern, uncompromising Gray for years. Now he’s looking for a wife, to help him take care of his ranch, and to be a mother to his teenage daughter. As far as Gray is concerned, Abby is the perfect choice. But what seems like convenience for Gray is love for Abby, and watching her melt this rancher’s heart is something any Western Romance fan will love. Caitlin Crews’s Cold River Ranch romances are definitely a must read for anyone who loves a cowboy!
Reading, and then keeping, holiday books is my favorite part of book hoarding. When I read this story, I was taken aback, at first, because it didn’t start out as a “typical” holiday read. However, as I continued, I loved how the author wove a story about the characters that will not only warm your heart but will make you care about all these characters – you’ll want to “help” them come together, and not just for the holidays.
I’m hoping that there will be more stories about the Everett brothers, however this book is about the oldest brother, Gray. Gray Everett is living in his own past – not opening his eyes to what can be an amazing future. Abby Douglas, someone who has lived next door to Gray (and his family) her entire life, doesn’t believe in herself. She does nothing to change that…until she does. There’s also a tiny matter of her having a life-long crush on Gray but you need to read about that for yourself!
No spoilers from me: Gray has always thought the best of Abby, and after a fashion, it is that “heart” that makes the story. Ms. Crews wrote so much depth in these characters that there was even one I wanted to shake until teeth rattled. Read the book – you’ll find broken heroes and heroines that will make your heart melt. You’ll meet a grandmother that is wise beyond her years. And a teenager that is really an old soul and maybe has a slightly battered heart herself.
Both Gray and Abby had much to overcome personally but when they finally decide to trust in each other, and themselves, to be a united front? Priceless! A True Cowboy Christmas is a wonderful holiday story that will be enjoyed any time of year.
You are going to love Abby Douglas. She has the patience of a saint, is a hard worker and has no self esteem. Gray Everett has decided to change things in his life. He needs a wife and a mother for Becca. Both come from families that are dysfunctional. You will laugh at Gray’s brothers Ty and Brady. Grandma Douglas will give you words of wisdom. Everything blows up when Abby wants to celebrate Christmas and Gray says no. Her heart is broken. She loves everything about Christmas and wants her new family to enjoy it with her. Can years of dysfunction be overcome by a miracle? You will love the ending.
One of the biggest things I was struck by in this book (aside from Caitlin’s usual luscious writing and sizzling, hot chemistry between characters) was the bone-deep authentic western feel to the book while giving us a fresh new voice in the cowboy genre. I also LOVE the marriage of convenience trope, and I think it’s downright brilliant in this contemporary western.
I have to say when this book first started out I wasn’t so sure about Gray’s character. He’s broody and gruff and the way he approaches Abby is odd. Yet the more I read the more invested I was and I couldn’t help but hope that Gray and Abby find their way. The story pushes several emotional buttons and you’ll find yourself laughing and crying as the story develops. Then there is the ending. It was simply perfect. Not rushed and truly believable.
Great characters, wonderful writing and an emotional story made this a great read and one I highly recommend.
Solid start to a new series. The ending gave me the Christmas fuzzies.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitlin Crews is book One in the Cold River Ranch Series. This is the story of Abby Douglas and Gray Everett.
Gray and his siblings have buried their father but there was no love lost with him but he is now working to keep the ranch and raise his teen daughter. Gray thinks that marrying is the way to help secure what he has and it leads him to think of his neighbor Abby in a new light. Abby has always had a crush on Gray but with him about 8 years older than her…she has never been on his radar. But then one day he comes to her with a proposal that she can’t seem to say no too. But will this marriage of convenience lead to more?
Really enjoyed reading their story and look forward to more from this author.
A True Cowboy Christmas (Cold River Ranch, #1) by Caitlin Crews I give this 4 1/2 stars… Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview this book. The is Abby and Gray’s story..they enter in to a marriage of convenience… they both have serious hangups from their parents and it takes a heart wrenching story to tell their tale. I loved Abby from the start and Gray also …even if some times I wanted to kick his butt. There is some laughter, tears, steamy sex and a sometimes painful journey to get to their very HEA. I am looking forward to the nest Cold River Ranch book…which brother will it be?
I liked this story and am intrigued as to what will happen in the rest of this series to Gray’s brothers. This was a little different take on a fake relationship/marriage of convenience. Gray and Abby were nothing more than neighbors who grew up in the same small town. Gray has an epiphany when his father dies that he does not want to be like him and something that would help him would be if he got married. Problem with this is he doesn’t date and doesn’t believe in love after what happened with his first wife, his 15 year old daughter’s mother.
Abby has always just been there. She is dependable and reliable and has been secretly in love with Gray forever. So when he out of the blue with no preamble asks her to marry him after some thought she says yes. Of course she doesn’t want to just be dependable and reliable which is what makes things good about this story.
It was sweet, sometimes stressful and even sexy to watch these characters develop as their relationship develops. However, because we know there will be a HEA, it’s easy to get through the tougher moments.
3.5 stars
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
This is my first read from Caitlin Crews, and I am glad I picked it up to read – I mean hello, cowboys and Christmas, let me at it!
Abby and Gray’s story kind of had the olden days, wild west mail order bride feel about it (I think it was even mentioned at some time, but I have terrible bookzheimers).
I gotta say, I wanted to nut punch Gray a lot of the time. He was so stubborn, and at times down right mean that I wanted Abby to walk away (and there were a couple of times I thought that was going to happen).
Oh abby, how my heart hurt for you. I just wanted to wrap you up in a big bear hug and tell you that you are beautiful, you are wonderful, your mother is a cow lol.
I loved the banter between our lovelies, even when I wanted to slap Gray. He was so completely clueless at times, which could be adorable but could also be so incredibly frustrating.
I am looking forward to learning more about Gray’s brothers, and am looking forward to their stories in the future.
Caitlin Crews is a new to me author. I find that A True Cowboy Christmas, the first book in the author’s Cold River Ranch series is a well-written book with some very interesting characters. I picked this book up as a Christmas romance read. Even though the storyline is true to the happily ever after for the heroine, Abby Douglas and the hero, Gray Everitt it didn’t feel like a Christmas story for me. Yes, the story takes place around Christmastime and ends with a a heartwarming Christmas scene, but the spirit of Christmas just wasn’t there for me. I enjoyed seeing Abby and Gray overcome some baggage from their earlier lives and plan to pick up the next book in the series to read.
4.5 Stars
Gray Everett has a heart of gold but that doesn’t mean he believes in the magic of Christmas. He’s got plenty else to worry about this holiday season, what with keeping his cattle ranch in the family and out of the hands of hungry real-estate investors looking to make a down-and-dirty deal. That, plus being a parent to his young and motherless daughter, equals a man who will not rest until he achieves his mission. Now, all Gray needs is the help of his lifelong neighbour Abby Douglas. The chance to join forces with Gray is nothing less than a Christmas miracle. Much as the down-to-earth farmer’s daughter has tried to deny it, Abby’s been in love with stern, smoking-hot Gray her whole life. So when Gray proposes a marriage of convenience as a way to combine land and work together toward a common cause Abby can’t refuse.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & it certainly won’t be the last. A very good series opener, I can’t wait for more! A marriage of convenience where both parties bring lots of baggage was a great opening & I thoroughly enjoyed how they worked their way through. Gray is definitely swoon worthy & the ending was beautiful. The characters are well fleshed & the pace is very good in fact I just loved this book & it’s a keeper
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I have not had the best luck with books lately so when I grabbed the one I didn’t expect much and I was completely blown away in a good way of course. This book is about a marriage of convenience however this very much seems like I was catching up with friends. The author did an amazing job with the perfect amount a detail where you feel like you are there in the town of Longhorn Valley Colorado part of the story watching it all play out. I loved the characters so much all but Lily of course. I really loved the wisdom of Abby’s Grandma she has such a gentle way to her that you just want to love her even more every time she comes into the story. I really loved Abby she has this thing about her that seems to resonate off the pages and I think most women could relate to her. I have never read anything from this author and honestly I can’t wait to read more from this group of friends. I would say due to certain situations in this book it may not be suitable for all ages. That book being said this book it totally worth the read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
This was my first book by Caitlin Crews, so I had no idea what to expect. However, it had cowboys and Christmas, so we were off to a good start. I loved the character development in the story. Gray was cast as a brooding alpha male. He was totally in charge. He’d lived with a less than perfect life. He was really dealt some tough issues to deal with between his father and his first wife. Abby was living with her grandmother and dreading the times that her mother actually showed up to deal out all the negatives that she possibly could to make everyone miserable.
When Gray decided that he needed another wife and looks to his neighbor, they were both stunned. Even more so when she agreed. The only thing they REALLY know about each other is that they tend to combust whenever close together. One thing they learn quickly is that Gray wants nothing to do with Christmas–no tree, no lights, no presents and no cookies to exchange with neighbors. This alpha male will discover that his new bride is just as determined to have as much of Christmas as she can get by him. Will Christmas possibly bring them together or will it drive a wedge between them?
I was given a copy of this book through Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.
Dysfunctional Families!
Both the H and h are psychologically damaged by their parents. Abby’s grandparents raised her in a loving environment with her toxic mother visiting occasionally but often enough that her poison has affected her. Gray’s mother abandoned him and his two brothers when they were small and they were brought up by a father who delighted in spreading discord. Gray then married a wife who cheated on him!
After the death of his father, Gray decides he wants to change his life so that he doesn’t become as bitter and lonely as his father and to that end, proposes marriage (with no courting before hand) to his next door neighbour. Unbeknownst to him, Abby has been in love with a Gray for decades and so eventually agrees. The story then unfolds as to how they meld as a family. Hope we are going to get books about the two brothers.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A modern-day fairy tale that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking!
Gray has just buried his angry, bitter father, and decides that he needs to start living a life of joy and not just work in order to avoid becoming just like his dad. Having been burned badly by his late wife, he proposes a practical arrangement with the sensible girl next door.
Abby has been in love with Gray for as long as she can remember, and she’s not quite ready to exchange her visions of Happy Ever After for a practical marriage of convenience. Even if marrying him is everything she’s ever wanted out of life.
Abby and Gray are both wounded hearts, suffering from the sins of their parents and determined not to make the same mistakes. Living together as man and wife peels back all their defenses and exposes their darkest insecurities. This is a beautifully evocative love story about two people who thought they knew each other, but discover new layers and old hurts as they figure out the truth about themselves and their marriage.
Gray and Abby are so much more than just two people falling in love. They’re the embodiment of every person’s struggle to define oneself against the uncontrollable forces that shape our early lives.
It’s a rare book that makes me wish I could give more than five stars, but this book is leaps and bounds above the best of the usual romances. It has everything we want in a truly captivating story, one that doesn’t merely ask you to live in its world, it grabs you from the start and gives you no choice in the matter. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
“A True Cowboy Christmas” by Caitlin Crews
I truly enjoyed the time I spent with Gray and Abby as they grew into their new selves. When you read this story you will be wanting to share some of the wisdom shared by Abby’s grandma… a very wise and patient woman. There are several quotes I would love to share with you.. but maybe you need to find them for yourself. I was gifted an ARC of this story by the publisher via NetGalley. Since I gave this story a 5-star rating… I guess you know that I would recommend this story to anyone thinking about marriage… or already married. There are a few scenes with a bit of heat but they were not objectionable, at least to me.
5 STARS!!
I loved this book! I honestly had a hard time putting it down and finished it in nearly one day. The detailed development was superb and what I long for in a story, but don’t always find. After turning the last page, I intimately knew and understood these characters, their motives, and their actions. A True Cowboy Christmas is a modern marriage-of-convenience story written with depth, poignancy, and authenticity. The story doesn’t solely focus on the romance between Gray and Abby, but also strongly relies on the peripheral relationships that undeniably have shaped who they’ve become and their outlook on life. Realistically tender and achingly romantic, A True Cowboy Christmas is a book that defines well-written romantic literature and why I enjoy reading. I can’t help but look forward to the next book in this series.
I’m not sure who I felt more sorry for, Gray or Abby. They both pull at your heart for different reasons from baggage from their past. Abby has an unrequited crush on Gray, and it’s been going on for decades, literally. So much so, it’s interfered with her own love life, or lack there of. Gray has his own issues with is father and deceased wife. They get together for various reasons, but love isn’t one of them. The story takes a few twists and turns, and is in no shortage of drama, coming from all directions. With the help of family and friends, they muddle their way through to see each other in a new light. Some parts will make you laugh, other parts will make you cry. My review is in exchange for receiving an ARC.
A True Cowboy Christmas is the first book in Caitlin Crews’ new Cold Water Ranch series. I was attracted to this book because it has Christmas in its title. It was oh so much more than I ever expected!
The story tells of the coming together of rancher Gray Everette and his neighbor, Abby Douglas. Abby is the product of a very selfish mother and an unknown father. Raised by her dear grandparents and having known their love, Abby is more balanced but still internally aching from the vile her birth mother spews at her on those visits back to the old farmhouse.
Gray Everette is the eldest son of rancher Amos Everette, a wretched and miserable man who seems to thrive on spreading misery to all around him and taking great pleasure in pitting his three sons against one another. When Amos drops dead in the barn on Halloween, Gray’s world is turned upside down. As the only son who remained at the ranch and has taken over the complete operation, Gray feels attacked and defensive against his brothers. On the day of Amos’ funeral, in a split second gazing into Abby’s eyes at a distance, the future becomes clear for Gray. Widowed 10 years ago, single father to 15 year old Becca, and at great odds to brothers Ty and Brady, figuring out what’s next and what to do is weighing greatly on Gray’s shoulders. Forming a bond with his attractive neighbor becomes paramount in his thinking.
Breaking with the betrayal and heartache of his past, Gray makes a logical, practical proposal to Abby. They will marry and bring the ranch and family forward. It would be a marriage of convenience, but with all the marital benefits. What Gray doesn’t know, however, is that Abby has loved him from afar as long as she can remember, so it won’t be a mere contract for her.
The manner in which Ms. Crews’ has woven the interpersonal webs of three people deserted by their mothers in one way or another is nothing if not spectacular. The depth of feeling coupled with the awakening of emotion is so very well done. To call this story a holiday romance sells the story short in so many ways. It is a tale exploring the effects of having a deserting parent and/or an abusive one and how a person can survive, and perhaps thrive, in the face of such a calamity.
This intense tale speaks volumes and is one of the best which addresses such issues I have ever read. I did enjoy this book and do recommend it