“Vivid and charming.”—CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorHE’S THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! In the heart of the Rockies One white Christmas can change everything.When firefighter and single dad Steve Springfield moved his four kids to a Colorado Christmas tree ranch, he intended for it to be a safe haven. But he never expected danger to follow them to his childhood home…Or … But he never expected danger to follow them to his childhood home…
Or that he would come face-to-face with the one girl he could never forget.
Folk artist Camille Brandt lives a quiet life. As the town’s resident eccentric, she’s used to being lonely—until Steve freaking Springfield changes everything. Brave and kind, he’s always had a piece of her heart, and it doesn’t take long before she’s in danger of falling for him again. But as mysterious fires break out across the sleepy Colorado town, Steve and Camille will have to fight if they want their happy family to survive until Christmas…
“Gripping suspense, unique heroines, sexy heroes.”—Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Also by Katie Ruggle:
On His Watch (Search & Rescue Series, FREE Novella)
Hold Your Breath (Search & Rescue Series, Book 1)
Run to Ground (K-9 Unit Series, Book 1)
What People Are Saying About Katie Ruggle:
“I love Ruggle’s characters. They’re sharply drawn, and vividly alive. I’m happy when they find each other. These are wonderful escapist books.” —CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times Bestselling author
“Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” —JULIE ANN WALKER, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author for Hold Your Breath
“Chills and thrills and a sexy slow-burning romance from a terrific new voice.” —D.D. AYRES, author of the K-9 Rescue Series for Hold Your Breath
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Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas is book one in the Rocky Mountain Cowboys series by Katie Ruggle.
This was a great holiday read. We are taking to a small town in Colorado. I liked all the characters, the kids that play important roles, and the ranch.
Camille is quiet, withdrawn, and almost to hermit statues. I have a new understanding of awkward and embarrassed; because of her. She’s an artist and specializes in metals and sculpting. Watching her personality unfold was fun. Steve knew exactly how to support her in all the ways needed.
Steve is a single father coming back to town after the loss of his wife and is attempting to rebuild for himself and his four kids. His family is well knowen in the community. They operate a tree farm, gift shop, and he is trained as a firefighter. I really enjoyed how he interacted with his children, supported them when many parents would have damaged their spirits.
Besides the romance we get a nice plot with some interesting twists. I was surprised by the reveal on who was doing the bad things. Didn’t see that one coming. Even within the romance their are layers of people learning about themselves. The kids were the best part. I just love kids in my romance novels and if they are done correctly they can add a whole new depth to the relationships and world.
Steve and Camille’s romance was very sweet and a nice slow burn that allows the reader to saver everything that happens. Camille blooms over time and she interacts splendid with Steve’s children. All the characters are well developed and the secondary characters in this novel had many fun and enjoyable elements to them; from Ms. Lin the noisy neighbor who has good intention, but it just goes wrong too the other Springfield brothers; which I can’t wait to find out more about.
The whole story and romance followed nicely. I had a delightful time with this novel. It’s sweet, fun, and intense at times. This is my first taste of Katie Ruggle and she has me hooked on this series. I can’t wait for the next installment to come out. In the mean time I plan on checking out other books by this author.
Rated: 4 Stars
I’m not usually too terribly fond of kids featured in my romance books (don’t judge me!), and holiday-themed stories don’t often capture my interest. Until I read this book, that is!
What a delightful book this turned out to be. I enjoyed all the characters, but I especially loved Camille. I loved her total dorkiness. Being one of the dorky smart kids in school myself, I felt an affinity for Camille. I also share her hatred of crowds, so it was easy to relate to her. I found her comments extremely funny. I also totally adored her relationship with Steve. He had a bit of bashful dorkiness to him, despite his heroic nature and good looks. The shyness at the beginning of their romance rang true, as did their playfulness and laughter in bed and when snuggling.
I also liked all the kids, which is rare for me in books except for an occasional book here and there. Not having kids myself, I don’t know how true to life they were; they seemed to get along ridiculously well and were all very good kids. But they were entertaining and sweet and you just want to hug them all. The setting of the story was all very perfect for a Christmas. It seemed like a holiday paradise.
There was also some suspense in this book. I thought it was just too obvious who the “bad” guy was. Yeah, right. I was totally wrong and ended up being very surprised, which added to my enjoyment. Throw in a cat, horses and a goat, and we had the perfect cast. I so look forward to more books in this series.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
A sexy, steamy read with fascinating characters in a world I enjoyed visiting.
Explosive chemistry, family camaraderie and a surprise twist you won’t expect! With the kick off of a new Rocky Mountain Cowboys series, Katie Ruggle introduces us to the Springfield family and the Colorado town where they reside. The characters are well developed, and the plot has an air of excitement to it as we follow along with the couple as they start a relationship with each other. The surprise twist sort of takes you aback, and the ending and culmination of it all is rather quick and unexpected. Overall, a solid read!
When firefighter and single dad moved his four kids back home to his family Christmas tree ranch in Colorado, he was expecting a low key lifestyle. Instead, he’s getting a sudden life filled with chaos! Kids going this way and that, brothers pestering him, mysterious fires popping up, and low and behold the one girl from his youth that he could never forget!
Artist Camille Brandt enjoys her quiet life as the resident weirdo. She’s socially awkward and keeps to herself as much as she can get away with, but there’s something about Steve and his kids that bring out a side of her that she’s not all that familiar with. A nurturing, loving the family life warm side! As they put up the good fight of attempting to fight their attraction for one another, Steve and Camille figure out that danger is near, they just don’t know who or why!
The first book in the new Rocky Mountain Cowboys series by Katie Ruggle is a thrilling and sweet romance that captivates readers from beginning to end. Steve and Camille are strong characters that easily draw readers to them as well as fascinating them with their romance. The sparks fly from first contact, the romance is sweet and full of emotional turmoil as Camille bravely tries to interact with Steve, his kids and his brothers in order to give their attraction a chance. This vulnerability speaks to readers and tugs at heart strings while they cheer Steve and Camille toward their happily ever after and well the kids adds their own special brand of happy to the story while capturing hearts as well.
The story has a steady to fast pace that keeps anticipation building throughout with small details that show that there is a danger to Camille, but the danger isn’t obvious which adds to the thrilling expectation of the story and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. There is a stunning betrayal and surprising twist that makes the suspenseful climax even more exciting and the whole holiday atmosphere of the story adds spice and goodwill to the story as the couple try to keep their family alive until Christmas. I was completely enthralled with the Springfield brothers and their holiday business and ranch combination and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Steve is super dreamy and sweet. I’m always partial to single parent romances. I adored all of the characters in this book! They were all so amazing and I loved the connections they formed with each other. I totally didn’t see the ending coming! This was such a great read and I look forward to more from Katie Ruggle!
Great start to another (hopefully) great series by Katie Ruggle. I say hopefully since this is the only book in the series so far. But I’m really looking forward to getting to know the other Springfield brothers more, especially Joe.
This is a hard review to write because I don’t want to spoil anything. I’ve looked at it from all angles and there’s just nothing I can say about certain things without ruining things for someone who hasn’t read this story yet. So I’ll do my best with talking about the safe subjects.
Not only does Camille have great chemistry with Steve, she also has an instant connection with his kids. I believe it’s Steve who says she’s was like a last piece of a puzzle that slid perfectly into place. Although the love (both romantic and familial) seems to develop quickly, it doesn’t seem forced at all. There are so many little missed opportunities for Camille and Steve to give in to their attraction that I was more than ready for the rumble of butterflies they were giving me to take full flight.
I’m hoping Steve’s kids are included in some of the future stories in this series. We’ve seen this family interspersed throughout this author’s other series, Search and Rescue and Rocky Mountain K9 Unit, so I’ve been waiting for their story for a while. Now that I’ve gotten to know the Springfield kids better I want to keep reading about them. They’re so precocious and fun!
There’s not much more I can say without slipping up and giving a hint about what happens in this story. Just know that I really enjoyed this story and didn’t want to put it down.
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2019/08/23/rocky-mountain-cowboy-christmas-rocky-mountain-cowboys/
Loved it
Loved the characters, especially Camille, with her extreme introverted ways. Steve and the kids are great, too. The only reason I’m giving it four instead of five stars was that the suspense element of the story seemed rather tacked-on and didn’t really make sense. Fortunately, the story didn’t need it.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I loved Camille, the heroine. I think she’s the best heroine Ms. Ruggle has ever created. She was so realistic, and I could identify with her hugely! Same goes for Steve and his children. Great world building! I loved the setting, and the Christmas season. I give this portion of the book a 5/5.
However, the suspense and ending left me underwhelmed. There were only two really suspenseful parts in the book. The rest was the building romance between Steve and Camille, and their relationships with the kids, who I adored. But the ending? I’m still shaking my head. Without spoilers, I’ll just say it didn’t make sense. No one in their right mind would allow the way it was tied up to happen.
I will read the next in the series, because I love the author’s writing, but this one didn’t do it for me.
Having read several of this author’s works before, I had weathered a lot of ups and downs with her various series, but have enjoyed them on the whole and have become a fan of her work. Imagine my surprise when this one changed the dynamic again and made me enjoy her work even more!
I loved Steve and his family, both his kids and his brothers! I loved the camaraderie and love that they all plainly shared. I really wanted to see more of the brothers’ stories, and then the twist came! Now, I really want follow up with the brothers! I also found it very easy to connect with Camille. Every scene with her shyness and awkwardness showcased really had me feeling for her! I was so glad that she connected with Steve and allowed herself to fall for him and his children!
I loved the slow burn of the romance between Steve and Camille, and felt it fit just right for the season and events of the book, not to mention the characters themselves. On the whole, the book just worked for me, and I can’t wait to see more in the series!
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas, Book 1 of a new series titled Rocky Mountain Cowboys was an entertaining story. The main character is Steve Springfield (fireman-search and rescue) who appeared in Ms. Ruggle’s Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Series. The first book in this new series is about Steve Springfield and his three brothers. Steve has moved his 4 children and himself back to his family’s home which is the Rocky Mountain Christmas Tree Ranch in Colorado. He had worked in two other towns in Colorado as a Fireman / Search and Rescue. Unfortunately the two towns he worked in became so dangerous that he decided to pack up and move back to his family’s home. At present he is a substitute fireman as there is not an opening in the Fire Department at this time. Nevertheless when his friend Camille Brandt’s house catches fire, he is there to rescue her and her cat, Lucy. Camille was friends with Steve when they were both in High School (3 grades apart). Steve moved away and married. Unfortunately his wife died leaving him with four children to raise. This book tells the story of Camille, a very shy woman (an artist) and Steve Springfield growing together when he returns to his home town. The interaction between Camille, Steve and his four children is probably the best part of the story. There is some “action” but it isn’t the primary reason for this story. Unlike Katie Ruggle’s Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Series which is non-stop action (fires, road crashes, explosions, shootings, etc.), the new series is more romance than action orientated. If you are looking for a pleasant romance between two very nice people, this is the book for you!
This one had more romance and less suspense than Ms. Ruggle’s usual books. Liked how the relationship built, not just between the H/h, but between the heroine and the widowed dad’s four children. Loved the supporting characters in this one. And, as a shy person myself, I totally related to the heroine. Steve-Freaking-Springfield turned out to be as wonderful a hero as I hoped he would be, based on his appearances in other Katie Ruggle books.
Katie Ruggle excels at building fun characters who live on the edge of society. Those oddball characters that are slightly dorky and immediately endear you to them. Camille Brandt has always had trouble talking to people. She second guesses what she should say and do in social situations so tries to avoid them as much as possible. When Steve Springfield moves back to town with his four kids, Camille’s crush from high school immediately blooms again. Watching her face her struggles trying to speak normally made Camille so identifiable. Who hasn’t felt like that at one point in their life? I rooted for her so hard! You may recognize Steve Springfield from the Search and Rescue series. He’s a firefighter and was always in the story but on the peripheral. It was so nice to get to know him and all of his kids! I know the Rocky Mountain Cowboy series will probably be about all of Steve’s brothers, but I want some YA books about Steve’s kids. They were so fun and unusual. Zoe is an inventor- blowing things up occasionally, Micah is the hermit artist, Will the adopted joyful oldest son, and Maya the youngest and sweetest little thing. Seriously these kids rocked and need their own stories! Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas was a great start to this series. Katie Ruggle has proven herself again with some great characters, a solid love story, and of course she throws in just a hint of danger adding that tension that works so well in her novels. This was my first Christmas novel of the year and even though we are only approaching October, I was in the Christmas spirit right away. I was given an ARC of this novel for my honest review and it was honest!
Combine a single dad, a small town, 4 adorable kids, and an awkward artist and you have Rocky Mountain Christmas Cowboy! Steve is back in his small home town of Born and working on his family’s Christmas tree farm. He is a widow with 4 kids and is settling into life back home with his brothers. Camille is the town hermit. She is social awkward and quirky. I loved her! There were times her uncomfortableness in social situations was so relatable! And I totally agree with her-if you can find a way to do things that don’t involve interacting with people, you are winning!
Steve’s kids are great! They are older (like 10-16 year olds) and have such fun personalities. I loved seeing Camille interact with them because she connected so well to them. Steve’s brothers are interesting as well. Ryan is a major flirt and really confuses Camille. Overall, I loved all these characters! All of them create such a fun story that I was sucked in right away. I forget how much I adore Ruggle’s characters. She writes such wonderful people.
The setting will put you in the holiday mood for sure! Steve’s family’s farm is a Christmas Tree farm that uses horses to pull the trees! There is a small subplot of mystery regarding fires in town, but the focus is on the characters. Seriously, Ruggle can do no wrong in my book!
I love all of Katie Ruggle’s books but this one is my favorite! The characters really come to life and as a reader you become apart of the family – their conversations and idiosyncrasies – they feel so real.
I enjoyed the story but the two adult characters annoyed me. Their banter seemed more immature than the kids.
The mystery will keep you guessing, I didn’t see that coming at all.
It’s a sweet second chance romance set at Christmas time when miracles happen.
This is the second book I have read by this author and I am so glad I found her. The writing style is so believable you feel you are right there with everyone. Tragic finds its way into the story but you only find out you are stronger and can get through it. Steve having to raise his four children alone moves back to his hometown and finds a love he never figured he would have. Camille rather feels alone and likes it when she doesn’t have to talk to a lot of different people. A well written perfectly paced story pulling you in from the start.
Note: While this is loosely tied to Ruggle’s Rocky Mountain K9 Unit (Steve was a firefighter in Monroe) but other than realizing that some pretty bad things happened there this one pretty much stands on its own.
I absolutely love Steve & his kids and how they accept & understandd Camille. She also brings her own unique views to this lovely family, adding a little softness that they all needed. It’s sweet, heartwarming, and absolutely hilarious because she’s so awkwardly endearing when it comes to falling for Steve. They made me giggle so many times 🙂 And his kids are just so darn adorable – smart, precocious, and brilliant.
There is a bit of danger in the story but it doesn’t take central stage. Instead Ruggle makes sure to tie it in just enough to remind you that there is a bad guy out there but not enough to take away from all of the important emotional moments and the bonding between Camille & the Springfields.
**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**
Rocky Mountains are supposed to be idyllic and peaceful, which is exactly what Steve planned when he moved his four children from the chaos of their home town. A Christmas tree ranch and shop is the perfect place for them to grown up. Settled in as a fire fighter in town, Steve runs into Camille when she needs “rescued”. Except his version of a rescue is her version of hell. Camille loves her solitude and doesn’t handle being the center of attention well. Sparking his interest, Steve sees Camille in a new light and can’t fight his attraction to her. But when her life is put in danger he’s determined to keep her close.
Camille has been quite happy in her solitude and is thrown for a loop when Steve Springfield is back in town. Downsides to being a hermit is not knowing when your high-school crush moves back in to town. And running in to him in the most embarrassing situation…over and over again. The final straw: a fire burns down her home, with her in it and Steve comes to the rescue. Now in his home and around his kids, she may finally be finding her people and a way to be happy around others. If it wasn’t for the other fires that keep threatening her, she could just be happy.
Ruggle has the ability to write action and suspense romance weaved perfectly together. But I will warn readers that this romance, is a slooooow burn that is worth the wait. Steve and Camille’s chemistry is instant and incredibly charming. Steve takes all of Camille’s “quirks” in stride and his children help win her over. I honestly loved Camille’s interactions with each of Steve’s kids, each one manages to pull a new side of her out making me love her more. And just when you think that HEA is on its way, prepare for a big twist you just can’t predict.