Love and Lust recs: 'The Christmas Ranch' and 'Sleigh Ride'
The Christmas Ranch by RaeAnne Thayne
What it's about (courtesy Harlequin):
The Cowboys of Cold Creek
Hope Nichols has never felt as if she belonged anywhere, except her hometown of Pine Gulch. So, when she hears that her family's property, Christmas Ranch, is set to be shut down forever, a determined Hope heads home. She refuses to let the Grinch steal her holiday; this will be the most memorable ranch Christmas ever! And, thanks to hunky former navy SEAL Rafe Santiago and his adorable nephew, she might just pull off that miracle.
Rafe is undeniably drawn to Hope and her passion for rebuilding her family home. But he knows more about Hope's tragic past than even she herself could imagine. And though she doesn't know it, she owes him her life. And all he wants in return is for her to spend it with him.
Why you should read it: The Christmas Ranch is quite simply a sweet Christmas romance. Hope has been all over the world, first with her missionary parents and later by herself as an educator in impoverished areas. She has returned home, thinking it will be a temporary layover, to see her family. An incident on her way to the family ranch leads her to meeting Rafe, not realizing this is not the first time they've met.
Rafe clearly, and with deep regret, remembers the first time he saw Hope, and the devastation that occurred. He carries tremendous guilt for being unable to save someone and hides that experience from Hope. When she finds out the truth she has to decide whether Rafe's keeping it from her is a bad thing or born from misplaced guilt.
Rafe and his nephew help Hope get Christmas Ranch ready to open, despite the opposition her sisters have to the endeavor. Just as it appears her sisters were right, that this is going to be a failure of epic proportions, a Christmas miracle occurs that might save more than just a place where families enjoy coming to see Santa and reindeer and other holiday festivities. Sweet, enjoyable and just right for the season.
Sleigh Ride by Heidi Cullinan
What it's about (courtesy Samhain Publishing):
Minnesota Christmas, Book 2
Arthur Anderson doesn't want anything to do with love and romance, and he certainly doesn't want to play Santa in his mother's library fundraising scheme. He knows full well what she really wants is to hook him up with the town's lanky, prissy librarian.
It's clear Gabriel Higgins doesn't want him, either—as a Santa, as a boyfriend, as anyone at all. But when Arthur's efforts to wiggle out of the fundraiser lead to getting to know the man behind the storytime idol, he can't help but be charmed. The least he can do is be neighborly and help Gabriel find a few local friends.
As their fiery arguments strike hotter sparks, two men who insist they don't date wind up doing an awful lot of dating. And it looks like the sleigh they both tried not to board could send them jingling all the way to happily ever after.
Warning: Contains a feisty librarian, a boorish bear, small town politics, deer sausage, and a boy who wants a doll.
Why you should read it: Welcome back to Heidi Cullinan's Minnesota Christmas. Last year Marcus and Frankie found each other and a love that lasts. This year Marcus's friends Arthur and Paul are being pressured on all sides to be the next couple to make things permanent, but they are resistant. As they say on Star Trek TNG, resistance is futile.
Arthur is a short bear of a man with a grumpy attitude. His mother, a matchmaker, throws him at the town librarian, tall, lanky Gabe, by enlisting Arthur as the town Santa-with-a-sleigh and Gabe as his elf.
The sex between the men is scorching hot with a bit of kink, but that's still not enough. That is, until Arthur sees Gabe with a few books, a few dolls and a few children. Gabe becomes the hero for more than a few families, and Arthur is smart enough to know a good thing when he sees it.
This is a great book for any season, but for Christmas it's truly special. Highly recommended with extra heart.
Becky Condit is a widow, mother of three and grandmother of 10 who reads all kinds of books, but her go-to comfort books are erotic romances. A romance novel coupled with just-out-of-the-oven chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of cold milk is her idea of heaven. She reads and reviews more than 250 books a year, so you won't often find her without her Kindle in hand, but when you do, she'll probably be gardening, doing needle crafts, working in her upholstery workshop and spending time with her family.