Dreaming of a Western Christmas

His Christmas Belle by Lynna Banning

Nursemaid to a spoiled Southern belle isn’t how loner Brand Wyler imagined spending Christmas. But beautiful Suzannah’s intrepid spirit makes him feel less empty inside…

Good story of opposites attracting. Brand is a former military scout who was unwillingly called back to duty to escort Suzannah to Oregon to join her fiancé. Brand is grieving the loss of his sister and in no mood to make nice with the spoiled woman. Suzannah is determined to do what she must to reach her fiancé. Brand is quite rude and not particularly considerate of Suzannah’s inexperience in western ways, fully expecting her to wimp out within hours of starting the trip. Suzannah is stubborn and determined, and won’t let Brand kept her from her goal.

I loved seeing Brand and Suzannah butt heads at the beginning, and how Suzannah’s pride wouldn’t let her give in. I loved seeing her change from spoiled miss to strong western woman. Some of her actions were pretty amusing, especially when you could see how they got to Brand. Brand didn’t expect to like Suzannah, much less fall in love with her. I liked his growing respect for her determination, and how she worked her way into his heart. The ending was fun and very satisfying.

The Cowboy of Christmas Past by Kelly Boyce

Ada had left her dreams of cowboy Levi MacAllistair behind. Until one Christmas he arrives injured on her doorstep! Maybe it’s time for Ada to reveal the truth about their son…

Levi had served years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. When the truth finally came out and he was released, all he wanted was to see Ada again. Thanks to tangling with a bear and fighting a blizzard, he arrived at her house at the end of his rope. When Levi had been sentenced to prison, Ada had a difficult choice to make. She made the only one she could at the time, and married another man. Now she is a widow with a young son, barely eking out their existence. Levi was the last person she expected to turn up at her doorstep.

Though she tried to resist him, her love for Levi had never died. As she nursed him back to health, it was easy to see that their feelings for each other were as strong as ever. I loved watching them talk about their pasts and realize that there hadn’t been any way for them to be together. I loved seeing Levi connect with Ada’s son. They were really terrific together. Levi’s shock and anger were understandable when he found out the truth. The ending was intense, as a crisis provided Levi with the insight he needed to understand Ada’s actions. I loved seeing them come together as a family.

Snowbound with the Cowboy by Carol Arens

Mary Blair’s Christmas wishes come true when Joe Landon seeks shelter from the snow. The handsome cowboy wants to adopt the orphans in her care. The catch: he needs a wife!

This story was terrific. Joe was caught in a blizzard on his way back to his mother’s ranch. He stumbled on a fatal wagon accident, where the only survivors were a dog and an infant. He made it as far as the parsonage, where he took shelter. Mary is a nanny who had been hired by the preacher to care for several orphans while he was away on his honeymoon. She loves the children and tried to figure out how to make their Christmas wishes come true. Things look bleak for them, as the preacher’s new wife has no interest in caring for the children and they are slated for the next orphan train.

Joe’s unexpected arrival seems destined to fulfill some of those wishes, as some of the kids had wished for a dog, a horse, a pa and a ma. Mary is also overcome by the presence of the baby, as she has given up on the idea of ever having children of her own. I loved seeing Mary and Joe grow closer. His kindness and connection to the children were wonderful, partly made possible by his own childhood. It was clear that he and Mary were falling hard for each other, but Mary refused to believe that he would love her if he knew the truth about her. I loved his persistence and his initial method of getting his foot in the door with her. I ached for both of them as she fought her feelings. The ending was awesome, as Joe’s mother helped Mary see the truth, and a crisis involving little Maudie brought it all into sharp focus. Christmas morning was fantastic, with an unexpected twist involving Maudie.