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Brands of Montana #1
A Baby For Christmas
The Other Twin Brother
Marine Captain Luke Brand has come home with one mission on his mind: to make amends with his identical twin brother's widow. They've never gotten along, but for the wounded soldier, establishing a connection with his yet-to-be-born nephew is a top priority—and failure is not an option. Still, he has to make peace without revealing his secret—that he's madly, completely, head over heels in love with Sophia Lee Brand.
The last person Sophia wants to see this Christmas is Luke! She is too vulnerable and, well, too pregnant for the disruption. So why does she blush when he smiles, or her heart quicken when they touch? His looks are all too familiar—but he stirs up emotions she has never felt before. Perhaps a kiss under the mistletoe will make both of their Christmas wishes come true?
Marine Captain Luke Brand has come home with one mission on his mind: to make amends with his identical twin brother's widow. They've never gotten along, but for the wounded soldier, establishing a connection with his yet-to-be-born nephew is a top priority—and failure is not an option. Still, he has to make peace without revealing his secret—that he's madly, completely, head over heels in love with Sophia Lee Brand.
The last person Sophia wants to see this Christmas is Luke! She is too vulnerable and, well, too pregnant for the disruption. So why does she blush when he smiles, or her heart quicken when they touch? His looks are all too familiar—but he stirs up emotions she has never felt before. Perhaps a kiss under the mistletoe will make both of their Christmas wishes come true?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Joanna Sims
130 books92 followersJoanna Sims is proud to pen contemporary romance for Harlequin Special Edition. Joanna's series, The Brands of Montana, feature hard-working characters with hometown values. You are cordially invited to join The Brands of Montana as they wrangle their own happily-ever-afters! www.joannasimsromance.com.
Photography Credit: Orlando Photographer, Reveal Photo
Photography Credit: Orlando Photographer, Reveal Photo
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 9, 2012
Excellent book with plenty of emotion. I loved both Luke and Sophia. Luke was home to recover from an injury and also to make up with his brother's widow. He has spent the last ten years hiding the fact that he's in love with her. Now that his brother is gone Luke is the closest her baby will have to his father. He spends the first week he is home alone with Sophia as they learn to deal with Daniel's death and try to forge a new friendship. Luke is a man who has never been good at sharing feelings and Sophia is a psychologist who talks a lot. Many of their conflicts deal with his not talking to her. I really liked the way he was so careful about trying to not upset her. You could see how much he loved her and how hard he was trying to not give in to his feelings. Sophia had spent years trying to figure out why her husband's twin didn't seem to like her, why they couldn't get along. Now that she and Luke are alone together they are finally starting to put their past animosity behind them. At first she thinks the feelings she is having are just because Luke is Daniel's twin. Then she starts noticing more of the differences than the similarities, and this makes her very nervous. She doesn't want those kind of feelings for Luke and feels terribly guilty about them. She is stunned when she accidentally finds out about Luke's love and it takes her mother-in-law's talking to her for her to understand. Luke and Sophia spent so much time dealing with the issues that were keeping them apart that it was so very satisfying when they did finally get together. I loved the closeness of the family and how they were there for each other. The kitten was a great little critter and I loved seeing him with Luke. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in future books. I found it interesting that in the first half of the book Harlequin's typical refusal to capitalize Marine was evident, but for most of the second half it was properly capitalized. Go figure. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.
December 1, 2012
It took me a day to read, because I bought it during the week when I was working, so I had window periods of reading time, otherwise like most Harlequin books, this was an easy read and could be read in a few hours.
I loved that Luke and Sophia's issues with each other or with life's curveballs have been keeping them apart for the majority of the book. It was like cat and mouse with the two, and it was cute. She was Miss Analytical and he was tough to break... Great job Joanna Sims.
I loved that Luke and Sophia's issues with each other or with life's curveballs have been keeping them apart for the majority of the book. It was like cat and mouse with the two, and it was cute. She was Miss Analytical and he was tough to break... Great job Joanna Sims.
March 3, 2020
Daniel and Luke were twin brothers. Luke was a marine and then he finds out that his twin brother Daniel joined the military as well. Luke was upset and so was Daniel's wife Sophia. Then they find out that Daniel was killed, then Luke gets shot in the leg and has to come home to recover. His Mother is upset about losing Daniel and also about Luke getting hurt. Sophia is pregnant and decides to stay with Daniel's family so that her in-laws could have a little joy while they are grieving.
A really good book that I think you will enjoy.
'
A really good book that I think you will enjoy.
'
December 8, 2014
A Baby for Christmas by Joanna Sims
C-, ember, no kink, contemporary, holiday, 219
Luke is a wounded war veteran heading home to his family's ranch to recover. But he dreads what is waiting for him-his twin brother's pregnant widow Sophia. Luke's twin Dan died in the war right before Sophia found out she was pregnant. Luke is determined to be a part of the baby's life, even if it means battling the ten year attraction he's had for Sophia. With Luke's parents and brother away visiting family for Thanksgiving, Luke and Sophia must deal with each other without the buffer of family to help them deal with their feelings.
There were a few things that called me to this book. First off, it's that time of year and I was looking for a Christmas read and my library kindly provided a basket filled with Christmas romances for my perusal. When you throw a baby into the mix, I was pretty much hooked before I had even read the back of the book. I was a little hesitant about it being a one-brother-then-the-other book thought. I've read that before in historicals where it was written as more of a marriage of convenience and it worked for me, but I wasn't sure how I would feel about it in a contemporary framework. It turns out it didn't work as well for me as the historical setting did.
To start with, the angst of both Sophia and Luke really drove this story. Sophia is 8 months pregnant, which means her husband (and Luke's twin) has been dead for less than 8 months. They are both still morning and coping. Neither one has started to move on yet. So there's just a lot of emotions with this story. Luke's family (when they get back after Thanksgiving) is extremely accepting of the idea of Luke being with Sophia. They've all know he's been in love with her for years. I found that a little hard to swallow. But my biggest complaint (and I know it won't be a factor for some of you) is that there is only one sex scene, and it starts on page 203 of 219 and ends on page 204. It is only 19 lines long-and some of that is dialog. I just wanted there to be more (and for it to be hotter)!
But all my complaints aside, if you're looking for an emotional Christmas read this is one for you.
C-, ember, no kink, contemporary, holiday, 219
Luke is a wounded war veteran heading home to his family's ranch to recover. But he dreads what is waiting for him-his twin brother's pregnant widow Sophia. Luke's twin Dan died in the war right before Sophia found out she was pregnant. Luke is determined to be a part of the baby's life, even if it means battling the ten year attraction he's had for Sophia. With Luke's parents and brother away visiting family for Thanksgiving, Luke and Sophia must deal with each other without the buffer of family to help them deal with their feelings.
There were a few things that called me to this book. First off, it's that time of year and I was looking for a Christmas read and my library kindly provided a basket filled with Christmas romances for my perusal. When you throw a baby into the mix, I was pretty much hooked before I had even read the back of the book. I was a little hesitant about it being a one-brother-then-the-other book thought. I've read that before in historicals where it was written as more of a marriage of convenience and it worked for me, but I wasn't sure how I would feel about it in a contemporary framework. It turns out it didn't work as well for me as the historical setting did.
To start with, the angst of both Sophia and Luke really drove this story. Sophia is 8 months pregnant, which means her husband (and Luke's twin) has been dead for less than 8 months. They are both still morning and coping. Neither one has started to move on yet. So there's just a lot of emotions with this story. Luke's family (when they get back after Thanksgiving) is extremely accepting of the idea of Luke being with Sophia. They've all know he's been in love with her for years. I found that a little hard to swallow. But my biggest complaint (and I know it won't be a factor for some of you) is that there is only one sex scene, and it starts on page 203 of 219 and ends on page 204. It is only 19 lines long-and some of that is dialog. I just wanted there to be more (and for it to be hotter)!
But all my complaints aside, if you're looking for an emotional Christmas read this is one for you.
March 15, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. It's Joanna Sims' 1st book and, wow, she's very talented! I've read her 2nd book as well and liked it even more. I look forward to the next book! I have a few favorite authors and she's definitely one of them! I plan to read all of her books!
March 18, 2014
17% and I just met my pet peeve... the phrase "stark raving mad." not sure why, but it is so annoying to me! like the book so far, otherwise. 44%, there it is again. ugh, good thing I am into the story! ok. I finished it. it kept my attention, but wrapped a little quickly.
June 21, 2016
3.5 stars
September 24, 2020
Reviewed at Happily Ever After Romance
There are times when I’ve picked up a book and then realized that it’s part of a longer series. Then it’s time for a decision – continue without knowing firsthand any of the backstory or the possibility of recurring characters who already had their story told, let alone possible spoilers to this new reader… or go back to the start of the series and experience it all first hand. The last option is my usual response, and since the Christmas romance books are starting to appear it’s time to head back to the beginning of The Brands of Montana with A Baby for Christmas.
It didn’t take long before I was wrapped up in Luke and Sophia’s romance. The fact that Luke has been in love with her for a decade is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Now he’s returned home under painful circumstances – his twin brother’s death and his own injury. He’s trying his best to keep his feelings from a grieving widow but it’s not easy when she needs comfort just as much as he does.
Sophia is grieving, she’s also angry at Daniel for joining the military. Her anger will, in some ways, spill over onto his twin brother, Luke, who has always remained a bit aloof with her – something she never understood or ever considered that he might be hiding his love for his brother’s wife.
As Luke first returns home there is an awkward period between them, as they are the only ones at the ranch right now – there is no buffer of other family members between them. Slowly they will talk, connect, and work their way towards being comfortable, friends even (at least on Sophia’s end – Luke never stops loving her). As Sophia begins to develop more than family/friend feelings for Luke she’s fighting that feeling tooth and nail. It has to be that Luke looks like Daniel, it can’t be that she’s falling for her brother-in-law, let alone a Marine. Watching them work through the issues that surround them was an emotional journey, and had me wishing that Luke would just talk to her and stop holding back.
I enjoyed the family dynamics of the Brands, especially Luke’s mother’s wise words to her daughter-in-law. They are not in a situation that is common, so wise words indeed. There was laughter, a bit of steam (not a lot), learning to love again, some anger, lots of hope to be found in A Baby for Christmas. There were things that ticked my ‘annoyance factors’ but they were not huge enough to change my opinion of this story.
In all, I enjoyed myself at this beginning of the Brands world and will definitely be catching up on this series over the next few weeks. At this date, there are about 13 stories (and maybe more by the time I’m up-to-date) so I’ve got a lot of reading to get to.
I own a Kindle edition of A Baby for Christmas.
There are times when I’ve picked up a book and then realized that it’s part of a longer series. Then it’s time for a decision – continue without knowing firsthand any of the backstory or the possibility of recurring characters who already had their story told, let alone possible spoilers to this new reader… or go back to the start of the series and experience it all first hand. The last option is my usual response, and since the Christmas romance books are starting to appear it’s time to head back to the beginning of The Brands of Montana with A Baby for Christmas.
It didn’t take long before I was wrapped up in Luke and Sophia’s romance. The fact that Luke has been in love with her for a decade is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Now he’s returned home under painful circumstances – his twin brother’s death and his own injury. He’s trying his best to keep his feelings from a grieving widow but it’s not easy when she needs comfort just as much as he does.
Sophia is grieving, she’s also angry at Daniel for joining the military. Her anger will, in some ways, spill over onto his twin brother, Luke, who has always remained a bit aloof with her – something she never understood or ever considered that he might be hiding his love for his brother’s wife.
As Luke first returns home there is an awkward period between them, as they are the only ones at the ranch right now – there is no buffer of other family members between them. Slowly they will talk, connect, and work their way towards being comfortable, friends even (at least on Sophia’s end – Luke never stops loving her). As Sophia begins to develop more than family/friend feelings for Luke she’s fighting that feeling tooth and nail. It has to be that Luke looks like Daniel, it can’t be that she’s falling for her brother-in-law, let alone a Marine. Watching them work through the issues that surround them was an emotional journey, and had me wishing that Luke would just talk to her and stop holding back.
I enjoyed the family dynamics of the Brands, especially Luke’s mother’s wise words to her daughter-in-law. They are not in a situation that is common, so wise words indeed. There was laughter, a bit of steam (not a lot), learning to love again, some anger, lots of hope to be found in A Baby for Christmas. There were things that ticked my ‘annoyance factors’ but they were not huge enough to change my opinion of this story.
In all, I enjoyed myself at this beginning of the Brands world and will definitely be catching up on this series over the next few weeks. At this date, there are about 13 stories (and maybe more by the time I’m up-to-date) so I’ve got a lot of reading to get to.
I own a Kindle edition of A Baby for Christmas.
December 27, 2024
Interesting premise: women loses her husband n Iraq in the military 9 mos pregnant spends time with her husband’s twin brother an injured veteran. She come to see him at first for the similarities with her deceased husband his twin, then for himself. They deal with PTSD, life in the military and talking about feelings. In he end it comes down to her not being table to live either the possibility of losing another husband in the war- will he choose her over his career?
December 29, 2012
I'm admitting that I ONLY picked this one up as joke because the cover made me LOL - but then I read the sample excerpt and decided to give it a shot.
This was actually going REALLY well (In some TRULY weird way that I would never think "works" for me)... until the Mother-in-law showed up. And until heroine lays down the ultimatum of the hero leaving the Marine Corps...
Besides any other nit-picky-things that I didn't like - I would DEFINITELY read another book by Joanna Sims because I sank into this one and if she can develop characters/drama/tension in her future books - she's got a future reader in me.
This was actually going REALLY well (In some TRULY weird way that I would never think "works" for me)... until the Mother-in-law showed up. And until heroine lays down the ultimatum of the hero leaving the Marine Corps...
Besides any other nit-picky-things that I didn't like - I would DEFINITELY read another book by Joanna Sims because I sank into this one and if she can develop characters/drama/tension in her future books - she's got a future reader in me.
January 11, 2013
This book was actually way better than I expected. It has some you know, serious family drama, what with the hero being in love with his brother's widow, who is expecting a baby of said brother. I kept thinking will he be a dad or a uncle? xD LOL Okay, yeah I was being silly.
It was definitelly worth the read. It has some serious emotional twists and happy-omg-I-can't-stop-grinning moments. I think I would actually recommend it for the most part. If you're up for some romance, drama and heartbreak! ;)
I liked it! Yay! :D
It was definitelly worth the read. It has some serious emotional twists and happy-omg-I-can't-stop-grinning moments. I think I would actually recommend it for the most part. If you're up for some romance, drama and heartbreak! ;)
I liked it! Yay! :D
May 22, 2014
This is my first book by Ms. Sims and I can say I liked it. I enjoyed the characters as much as I did the back story/plot. It is never easy to lose someone and since my husband was Military I can relate to this book. Thanks for writing it!
June 30, 2016
Really great story. I loved the build up from the very beginning. And the entire story that Luke had been in love with Sophia and only Sophia for the past decade only to have his twin fall for her as well.
December 11, 2012
I found this frustrating. I wanted the characters together, and felt there was a lot of filler to get them there. I loved Barbs's wisdom and wished she had been in the book more.
March 30, 2015
Very cute:)
June 17, 2014
Sophia was soo annoying!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews