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Cowboy Daddy, Jingle-Bell Baby
On a dusty Texas roadside Jenna Garwood has just gone into labor. Hardheaded rancher Dax comes to her rescue and delivers her baby daughter. Single dad Dax knows what it's like to raise a newborn alone, and won't turn his back on Jenna--so he offers her a housekeeping job.
But he's not prepared for the fireworks between them, or for Jenna's secret, which could shatter their hard-won trust....
But he's not prepared for the fireworks between them, or for Jenna's secret, which could shatter their hard-won trust....
ebook
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Linda Goodnight
215 books524 followersNY Times and USA Bestseller, Linda Goodnight writes novels of faith and family that point to hope through Christ. Her emotional stories have won the RITA , the Carol, the Reviewer’s Choice, and numerous other industry awards. Her two great passions are faith in Jesus and her large extended family. (And pie. she loves pie.)
Readers may connect with Linda through her website at www.lindagoodnight.com or on Facebook.
Readers may connect with Linda through her website at www.lindagoodnight.com or on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 26, 2020
Wow, this was such an emotional beautiful written story. My attention was captive at the beginning of this book...this story was so incredibly intriguing and full of compassion till the ending.
Dax Coleman is truly a genuine gentleman. He was perceived by others as and rough and tough cowboy, since his wife, Reba, cheated and left him for his brother, after she gave birth to their son, Gavin. (Gavin was only 3 days old).
When Dax help Jenna Garwood deliver her baby girl, Sofia Joy, on the side of the road he felt an instant connection to her vulnerability. He introduce her to a simple life, not aware she was a heiress (worth millions of dollars).
Jenna kept her identity a secret because of her controlling family and her cheating husband, Derek, who died in a car accident, in a sexual act. She begged Dax to be his housekeeper, although she had no clue how to take of a house or his child.
Throughout, this story, Jenna brought warmth, security, assurance, comfort, love and friendship to Dax and Gavin, thru her meals, decorating the house, helping them become a family. When her biological family, eventually, found her and tried to intimate and bully her to return to their home, he told them that she chose Dax. They were married on Christmas Day.
This was such a passionate story. Highly recommended 😍
Dax Coleman is truly a genuine gentleman. He was perceived by others as and rough and tough cowboy, since his wife, Reba, cheated and left him for his brother, after she gave birth to their son, Gavin. (Gavin was only 3 days old).
When Dax help Jenna Garwood deliver her baby girl, Sofia Joy, on the side of the road he felt an instant connection to her vulnerability. He introduce her to a simple life, not aware she was a heiress (worth millions of dollars).
Jenna kept her identity a secret because of her controlling family and her cheating husband, Derek, who died in a car accident, in a sexual act. She begged Dax to be his housekeeper, although she had no clue how to take of a house or his child.
Throughout, this story, Jenna brought warmth, security, assurance, comfort, love and friendship to Dax and Gavin, thru her meals, decorating the house, helping them become a family. When her biological family, eventually, found her and tried to intimate and bully her to return to their home, he told them that she chose Dax. They were married on Christmas Day.
This was such a passionate story. Highly recommended 😍
July 6, 2010
A classic, satisfying romance. I was left without a single complaint, just the comfort of having read a sweet, well-written story. I'm certifiably reluctant about babies and about cowboys, as previous reviews can attest. However, this book delivered two strong (though never overbearing) protagonists who recognized each other's strength, who supported each other, who communicated, who acted like mature adults, who saw themselves in each other, who strived to be better people because of their relationship, and who could be playful, sweet, and serious together. I had no doubt that they'd continue to be a good couple and a good family.
January 5, 2019
A Christmas love ❤️
I just adored this story. It was a wonderful read to indulge in during the holidays. The story focuses on Dax and Jenna. Both think love is off the table for them but once they cross paths it’s a love that cannot be denied. Dax was the gruff, intense cowboy with the sweetest heart. Watching him interact with his son and Jenna’s newborn just melted my heart to pieces! And seeing Jenna give Dax’s little boy the love and attention he craves from a woman was the sweetest thing ever. He just wanted a mom and it was so endearing to see Jenna give him that. There is no explicit sexual content if you’ve never read this type of read. But you can definitely feel the desire and intensity Dax and Jenna feel for each other. The story flowed perfectly and smoothly. It wasn’t rushed. Perfect for a Christmas read. Enjoy!
I just adored this story. It was a wonderful read to indulge in during the holidays. The story focuses on Dax and Jenna. Both think love is off the table for them but once they cross paths it’s a love that cannot be denied. Dax was the gruff, intense cowboy with the sweetest heart. Watching him interact with his son and Jenna’s newborn just melted my heart to pieces! And seeing Jenna give Dax’s little boy the love and attention he craves from a woman was the sweetest thing ever. He just wanted a mom and it was so endearing to see Jenna give him that. There is no explicit sexual content if you’ve never read this type of read. But you can definitely feel the desire and intensity Dax and Jenna feel for each other. The story flowed perfectly and smoothly. It wasn’t rushed. Perfect for a Christmas read. Enjoy!
January 6, 2026
Great Book.
I loved the way “Cowboy Daddy, Jingle-Bell Baby” caught my attention and kept it all the way through. It begins with Jenna given by birth with Dax’s help. It is a romance between 2 people who were hurt in different ways by previous marriages, so they are both protecting themselves. But Dax and Jenna are pulled together in spite of their caution. And Dax’s little boy Gavin is adorable.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good clean love story.
I loved the way “Cowboy Daddy, Jingle-Bell Baby” caught my attention and kept it all the way through. It begins with Jenna given by birth with Dax’s help. It is a romance between 2 people who were hurt in different ways by previous marriages, so they are both protecting themselves. But Dax and Jenna are pulled together in spite of their caution. And Dax’s little boy Gavin is adorable.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good clean love story.
March 12, 2018
I love this book. I think a single father who needs help is one of my favorite subject. This was a lovely story of a poor little rich girl who wanted to have her baby and take care of her by herself without her wealthy family. Before it could happen she went into labor early with the help of a single father who is a rancher helped deliver her baby.
December 16, 2025
A sweet Christmas story, jenna, a wealthy lady Ready to have her first baby drives off the road and Dax's ranch is where she stopped. Well, baby decided and Dax delivered baby. Of course, Jenna doesn't want to be found so she ends up working for Dax and his 5:year old son Gavin. And yes, they fall in love and marry
December 22, 2018
This was mostly a good read, I just felt that it was missing something. ngl i most likely prefer "a baby in the bunkhouse" by cathy gillen tucker, which carries a similar storyline.
definitely read this past the 18th of nov. to somewhere in early december maybe. oops lol
definitely read this past the 18th of nov. to somewhere in early december maybe. oops lol
May 12, 2017
A typical Harlequin romance with a happy ending. Enjoyed it. Writing was good.
May 3, 2018
For when you want to read a Hallmark Christmas Movie.
August 24, 2016
Jingle-Bell Baby, by Linda Goodnight
ISBN: 978-0-263-21195-5 (hc, LP)
©2009
17 chapters/283 pages
Note: I read "Jingle-Bell Baby," which, I assume, is the same as this book, "Cowboy Daddy, Jingle-Bell Baby." I can't see that this is a two-for book, with two novels under one cover. If this is the case (two for one), then I've only read "Jingle-Bell Baby," and that what's the review, below, is for.
Book Summary—Jenna Garwood is running away from home. Born to an excessively wealthy Pennsylvania family, she’s had enough of being a multimillion-dollar confined to a gilded cage. Now pregnant and a twenty-two-years-old widow, Jenna breaks free of the suffocating life her mother has planned for her and her daughter. But, at nine months, driving from Pennsylvania to Texas probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do—or was it? After all, she meets Dax Coleman on the side of the road as he comes to her rescue by helping her deliver her daughter.
But Dax’s life has been full of hurt and betrayal, so he has a hard time trusting women. Except, for some strange reason, he can’t seem to be able to get Jenna out of his mind, which is wholly impossible when she moves in with him as his housekeeper and his five-year-old son, Gavin, falls in love with her and she him.
As Christmas nears, love blossoms. But will Jenna be found by her overbearing mother and wished away from all the love and life she’s found from the Coleman men?
My Review—This is a good story. One of those simple, light feel-good stories that keep you smiling all the way through to the ending.
As heroines go, I liked Jenna. Having been reared by nannies and shadowed her whole life by bodyguards and never allowed to mingle with the “serving-class employees” at her parents’ Pennsylvania estate, she experiences “normal” life as if she’s just been born or arrived from another planet. Everything’s new to her—new and wonderful and fun. Life’s an adventure. Her husband, Derek, has died but, as he was really only after her for her trust fund and she found out he was having an affair, even love is new and exciting for her, falling in love with Dax is a sweet first. She’s also a terrific mother not just to her won newborn, Sophie Joy, but to Dax’s son, Gavin. She gives the boy the motherly love and affection and attention he longs for, which is such a sweet subplot. Very heart-warming, her interactions with the boy.
Dax is a good hero, too. Manly yet sensitive with his woman and kids, he’s the quintessential cowboy. He’s also gruff and rough around the edges because his ex-wife, Reba, cheated on him and left him and their son for her lover—never looking back. As a man who loves fully and devotedly, he takes her betrayal hard and is scared to give in to the feelings begin thawed by Jenna’s present, her love of life and her daughter and his son, and youthful joy and energy.
This isn’t one of Linda Goodnight’s overtly Christian novels, so, if you’re looking for a good romance but aren’t a Christian and don’t like hearing about God, Jesus, or anything religious, you’ll enjoy this one (except, of course, mention of Christmas). If you’re a Christian, you’ll still enjoy this story because it’s good. There’s no swearing, no sex, but, I’ll concede, there’s—oh, what do they call it in the movies?—sensuality in some of the later-in-the-book scenes.
Again, this is a good read with a happy ending that leaves a smile on yoru face and a happiness in your heart/spirit.
Grade: A+
ISBN: 978-0-263-21195-5 (hc, LP)
©2009
17 chapters/283 pages
Note: I read "Jingle-Bell Baby," which, I assume, is the same as this book, "Cowboy Daddy, Jingle-Bell Baby." I can't see that this is a two-for book, with two novels under one cover. If this is the case (two for one), then I've only read "Jingle-Bell Baby," and that what's the review, below, is for.
Book Summary—Jenna Garwood is running away from home. Born to an excessively wealthy Pennsylvania family, she’s had enough of being a multimillion-dollar confined to a gilded cage. Now pregnant and a twenty-two-years-old widow, Jenna breaks free of the suffocating life her mother has planned for her and her daughter. But, at nine months, driving from Pennsylvania to Texas probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do—or was it? After all, she meets Dax Coleman on the side of the road as he comes to her rescue by helping her deliver her daughter.
But Dax’s life has been full of hurt and betrayal, so he has a hard time trusting women. Except, for some strange reason, he can’t seem to be able to get Jenna out of his mind, which is wholly impossible when she moves in with him as his housekeeper and his five-year-old son, Gavin, falls in love with her and she him.
As Christmas nears, love blossoms. But will Jenna be found by her overbearing mother and wished away from all the love and life she’s found from the Coleman men?
My Review—This is a good story. One of those simple, light feel-good stories that keep you smiling all the way through to the ending.
As heroines go, I liked Jenna. Having been reared by nannies and shadowed her whole life by bodyguards and never allowed to mingle with the “serving-class employees” at her parents’ Pennsylvania estate, she experiences “normal” life as if she’s just been born or arrived from another planet. Everything’s new to her—new and wonderful and fun. Life’s an adventure. Her husband, Derek, has died but, as he was really only after her for her trust fund and she found out he was having an affair, even love is new and exciting for her, falling in love with Dax is a sweet first. She’s also a terrific mother not just to her won newborn, Sophie Joy, but to Dax’s son, Gavin. She gives the boy the motherly love and affection and attention he longs for, which is such a sweet subplot. Very heart-warming, her interactions with the boy.
Dax is a good hero, too. Manly yet sensitive with his woman and kids, he’s the quintessential cowboy. He’s also gruff and rough around the edges because his ex-wife, Reba, cheated on him and left him and their son for her lover—never looking back. As a man who loves fully and devotedly, he takes her betrayal hard and is scared to give in to the feelings begin thawed by Jenna’s present, her love of life and her daughter and his son, and youthful joy and energy.
This isn’t one of Linda Goodnight’s overtly Christian novels, so, if you’re looking for a good romance but aren’t a Christian and don’t like hearing about God, Jesus, or anything religious, you’ll enjoy this one (except, of course, mention of Christmas). If you’re a Christian, you’ll still enjoy this story because it’s good. There’s no swearing, no sex, but, I’ll concede, there’s—oh, what do they call it in the movies?—sensuality in some of the later-in-the-book scenes.
Again, this is a good read with a happy ending that leaves a smile on yoru face and a happiness in your heart/spirit.
Grade: A+
August 23, 2016
©2009
17 chapters/283 pages
Book Summary—Jenna Garwood is running away from home. Born to an excessively wealthy Pennsylvania family, she’s had enough of being a multimillion-dollar confined to a gilded cage. Now pregnant and a twenty-two-years-old widow, Jenna breaks free of the suffocating life her mother has planned for her and her daughter. But, at nine months, driving from Pennsylvania to Texas probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do—or was it? After all, she meets Dax Coleman on the side of the road as he comes to her rescue by helping her deliver her daughter.
But Dax’s life has been full of hurt and betrayal, so he has a hard time trusting women. Except, for some strange reason, he can’t seem to be able to get Jenna out of his mind, which is wholly impossible when she moves in with him as his housekeeper and his five-year-old son, Gavin, falls in love with her and she him.
As Christmas nears, love blossoms. But will Jenna be found by her overbearing mother and wished away from all the love and life she’s found from the Coleman men?
My Review—This is a good story. One of those simple, light feel-good stories that keep you smiling all the way through to the ending.
As heroines go, I liked Jenna. Having been reared by nannies and shadowed her whole life by bodyguards and never allowed to mingle with the “serving-class employees” at her parents’ Pennsylvania estate, she experiences “normal” life as if she’s just been born or arrived from another planet. Everything’s new to her—new and wonderful and fun. Life’s an adventure. Her husband, Derek, has died but, as he was really only after her for her trust fund and she found out he was having an affair, even love is new and exciting for her, falling in love with Dax is a sweet first. She’s also a terrific mother not just to her won newborn, Sophie Joy, but to Dax’s son, Gavin. She gives the boy the motherly love and affection and attention he longs for, which is such a sweet subplot. Very heart-warming, her interactions with the boy.
Dax is a good hero, too. Manly yet sensitive with his woman and kids, he’s the quintessential cowboy. He’s also gruff and rough around the edges because his ex-wife, Reba, cheated on him and left him and their son for her lover—never looking back. As a man who loves fully and devotedly, he takes her betrayal hard and is scared to give in to the feelings begin thawed by Jenna’s present, her love of life and her daughter and his son, and youthful joy and energy.
This isn’t one of Linda Goodnight’s overtly Christian novels, so, if you’re looking for a good romance but aren’t a Christian and don’t like hearing about God, Jesus, or anything religious, you’ll enjoy this one (except, of course, mention of Christmas). If you’re a Christian, you’ll still enjoy this story because it’s good. There’s no swearing, no sex, but, I’ll concede, there’s—oh, what do they call it in the movies?—sensuality in some of the later-in-the-book scenes.
Again, this is a good read with a happy ending that leaves a smile on your face and a happiness in your heart/spirit.
Grade: A+
17 chapters/283 pages
Book Summary—Jenna Garwood is running away from home. Born to an excessively wealthy Pennsylvania family, she’s had enough of being a multimillion-dollar confined to a gilded cage. Now pregnant and a twenty-two-years-old widow, Jenna breaks free of the suffocating life her mother has planned for her and her daughter. But, at nine months, driving from Pennsylvania to Texas probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do—or was it? After all, she meets Dax Coleman on the side of the road as he comes to her rescue by helping her deliver her daughter.
But Dax’s life has been full of hurt and betrayal, so he has a hard time trusting women. Except, for some strange reason, he can’t seem to be able to get Jenna out of his mind, which is wholly impossible when she moves in with him as his housekeeper and his five-year-old son, Gavin, falls in love with her and she him.
As Christmas nears, love blossoms. But will Jenna be found by her overbearing mother and wished away from all the love and life she’s found from the Coleman men?
My Review—This is a good story. One of those simple, light feel-good stories that keep you smiling all the way through to the ending.
As heroines go, I liked Jenna. Having been reared by nannies and shadowed her whole life by bodyguards and never allowed to mingle with the “serving-class employees” at her parents’ Pennsylvania estate, she experiences “normal” life as if she’s just been born or arrived from another planet. Everything’s new to her—new and wonderful and fun. Life’s an adventure. Her husband, Derek, has died but, as he was really only after her for her trust fund and she found out he was having an affair, even love is new and exciting for her, falling in love with Dax is a sweet first. She’s also a terrific mother not just to her won newborn, Sophie Joy, but to Dax’s son, Gavin. She gives the boy the motherly love and affection and attention he longs for, which is such a sweet subplot. Very heart-warming, her interactions with the boy.
Dax is a good hero, too. Manly yet sensitive with his woman and kids, he’s the quintessential cowboy. He’s also gruff and rough around the edges because his ex-wife, Reba, cheated on him and left him and their son for her lover—never looking back. As a man who loves fully and devotedly, he takes her betrayal hard and is scared to give in to the feelings begin thawed by Jenna’s present, her love of life and her daughter and his son, and youthful joy and energy.
This isn’t one of Linda Goodnight’s overtly Christian novels, so, if you’re looking for a good romance but aren’t a Christian and don’t like hearing about God, Jesus, or anything religious, you’ll enjoy this one (except, of course, mention of Christmas). If you’re a Christian, you’ll still enjoy this story because it’s good. There’s no swearing, no sex, but, I’ll concede, there’s—oh, what do they call it in the movies?—sensuality in some of the later-in-the-book scenes.
Again, this is a good read with a happy ending that leaves a smile on your face and a happiness in your heart/spirit.
Grade: A+
November 10, 2011
i enjoyed this book's story line and spirit. i really loved the ending, simple and sweet and very touching. the best way to go, with pure meaning and feeling. enjoy :)
December 26, 2016
A total gift of joy, well written Christmas Romance... I loved it. I love Children and Family at Christmas and No One in my opinion puts them together as well as Linda Goodnight.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews