True-Blue Cowboy Christmas

Big Sky Cowboys #3

by Nicole Helm

BIG SKY CHRISTMAS

Thack Lane has his hands full. For the past seven years, he's been struggling to move on from his wife's tragic death and raise a daughter all by his lonesome. He doesn't have time for himself, much less a cheerful new neighbor with a smile that can light up the ranch.

Christmas spirit? Bah, humbug.

With Christmas right around the corner, Summer Shaw is searching for somewhere to belong. When her neighbor's young daughter takes a shine to her, she is thrilled. But Thack is something else altogether. He's got walls around his heart that no amount of holiday wishes can scale. Yet as joy comes creeping back to the lonely homestead, Summer and Thack may just find their happily ever after before the last of the Christmas miracles are through…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Holiday, Westerns, Adult Fiction

296 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 4, 2016

About the author

Nicole Helm is the national bestselling author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and down-to-earth contemporary romance. Her Intrigues routinely land on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list, and she’s received starred PW reviews for her contemporary romances. She’s written over 75 books, known for their emotional depth and happily ever afters.

Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.

In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.

You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n

Reviews

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2duppAS

True-Blue Cowboy Christmas had me near tears one moment, bursting out laughing the next--and having to hop on FB to share funny quotes--and simply falling in love with a group of flawed characters that anyone would be lucky to have in their lives.

So the quick of it is Thack's little girl has gone exploring and landed on the neighboring farm at Summer's caravan door. And, well, he's a little overwrought from fear and she's a little past being rational from worry over the little girl and, whew, yeah, that first meet does not *hangs head* go well. But eventually it leads to her working for him and taking care of his little girl. And messy attachments kicking up no matter how hard they both try to resist. Oo!

Alright, so Thack and Summer. Lordy, yall. These two...it's amazing they're both still standing after all the stuff they've been through. He's a single daddy and a widow with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She's fled a manipulative parent and trying to get to know siblings and a father that knew nothing of her until she arrived. They're both lonely and hurting and easily lash out in fear and I just wanted to wrap them up tight.

They were great together, though, and had me laughing more than once. There's some pretty funny moments once they let their walls down, some really sweet ones and some steam as well. I loved watching them start to heal and have to deal with each other.

I really loved seeing them both with his little girl, too. She's a delightful little force and giving him grey hairs. lol He tries so hard to be a good daddy and the three just stole my heart as they became a little family.

One of the things I'm really loving about this series is the family on a larger scale. Her father and siblings and their mates. His daughter and father who lives with them. They were all quite the mess when the series started. Floundering, angry, full of resentment and feelings of inadequacy. Life has been hard on all of them and their relationships suffered. It's made me ache for them and root for them when they start to figure things out. It's really been amazing watching the transformation of the individuals and the families as a whole over the last three books and gah they definitely teared me up this go around. But thankfully it's not all doom and gloom. There's a good dose of humor as well.

All in all, Helm has created an emotionally charged series full of deeply flawed characters that will grab your heart and have you cheering for them. True-Blue Cowboy Christmas was no exception. This Christmas romance will warm the heart.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

The end of this felt like it took an overly dramatic turn, which was a shame because I really just liked the central story about a woman and man opening up to each other. Both of them have reasons for being closed off and watching them overcome those was very sweet. And then it got super intense, and the groundwork was definitely there for it, but man. It was a weird tonal shift.

Nicole Helm does ordinary people romances better than just about anyone, though. I stand by that opinion.

[Malena Goerl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time believing a specific part of the plot line - I came up with solutions to some of the conflict-causing problems that I wish had been addressed or explained away. But excellent narrative and character development. The author switched back and forth between the two perspectives flawlessly.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet holiday themed romance, True-Blue Cowboy Christmas is the third installment in Nicole Helm's Big Sky Cowboys series and readers will be thrilled to finally get the inside scoop on the youngest Shaw sibling, Summer.

The only one of the Shaw children not to grow up on the family's ranch, Summer has slowly been getting to know her brother and sister since moving to Montana two years earlier. Like both her siblings, she plays her cards very close to her chest, so she has not revealed much about her life prior to arriving in town. Summer wants nothing more than to belong and she is unfailingly cheerful and very hesitant to make waves. She refuses to dwell on her unpleasant memories and as a result, she feels much better about herself than she did before moving to the ranch. A little disheartened by her lack of progress getting to know her taciturn father, Summer finds herself at loose ends after her brother's and sister's recent marriages.

Widower Thack Lane is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and he wants nothing more than to protect his seven year old daughter, Kate, from ever experiencing heartache or pain. Following his wife's tragic death, he put all his energy into raising Kate and running the family ranch. With his dad Merle's help, Thack has done a pretty good job juggling the demands of parenthood with the ranch work. However, it has become difficult to keep up with Kate as she ignores the rules and runs a little wild. Desperate to maintain tight control over a world that has proven to be quite harsh, Thack is not exactly happy when Merle hires Summer to help out around the house. While he eventually realizes that she is just what Kate needs, Thack is determine to ignore his unexpected attraction to his beautiful neighbor.

Summer has been a bit of an enigmatic character since she arrived but there is little doubt that things were not ideal with her mom. She is so upbeat, happy and calm that her reaction to Thack when he arrives to find his daughter is a bit of a surprise. These chinks in her equanimity are the first real hints that her life with her mom was more than just unpleasant but she continues to push aside her painful memories. Once she gets to know Thack, she realizes that he is genuinely worried about Kate but she does not hesitate to tell him that he might need to loosen up a bit. Not knowing his history, Summer has no idea how hard it is for him to give up control but Thack gradually becomes aware that he needs to let go of his irrational guilt and take a chance that things will work out for him. However, when Summer's past catches up with her, can he convince her to stop running from trouble?

Set against the backdrop of the holiday season, True-Blue Cowboy Christmas is an emotional novel of healing, family and love. This final installment in Nicole Helm's Big Sky Cowboys series is less angst ridden but it still packs a powerful punch as Thack and Summer finally make peace with their respective pasts. All of the unanswered questions about the Shaw family's complicated history are finally resolved with a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-filled yet slightly over the top conclusion All in all, a lovely holiday romance that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer Shaw is looking for a place to belong, something to call her own. She's in her caravan when she sees red. Not red like she's mad, red like a person wearing red is near..could it be her mother? She's in a panic and ready to run, but something holds her back. Nope, not her mom... it's an adorable elementary school aged girl. This girls asks Summer is she a fairy? She tells her "No, just a human.". This little girl is named Kate and apparently thinks Summer and her place are fairies. Kate got a little lost and wound up at Summer's place and knows her daddy will be angry with her. Summer wonders if Kate is abused, because why else would a small child be out there alone except to escape someone mean. Then someone bellows "Kate!". Yep, there's her angry dad, Thack. Summer is worried about Kate and her environment.

Thack lost his daughter, again. She continues to take off while his dad is supposedly watching her. Thack is a single dad running a ranch. He has no one to watch Kate except his dad. When he finds her talking to a stranger, he's not happy at all. Kate thinks the world is all glitter and fairies and Summer looks like one of the fairies in one of her beloved books. Thack has got to protect her.

Summer thinks Thack is hot, but that attitude kills the hotness. Thack doesn't want Summer around Kate, but his dad has other ideas.

What happens when Summer is employed by Thack's dad and around Kate all the time. Will he let his guard down and maybe be interested in Summer? He lost his wife years ago and doesn't want a relationship with anyone. But, Summer is so good with Kate and his dad really likes her as well.

This was such a sweet book! I loved Thack, he was such a hard worker and a great dad. He definitely needed Summer in his life. His dad was hilarious and sneaky! Everyone that reads this book will fall in love with Kate. All my favorite subjects in one book...hot cowboys and Christmas!!

Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon An Alpha

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer has lead a life that has not always been peaceful and far from happy. So when she made the decision to become the keeper of her own destiny, she knew it wouldn't be easy but the reward had to be better than the past she yearns to forget. Nicole Helm is an author that it's always a pleasure to read. Her characters are identifiable, her stories are compelling and the powerful messages that are imparted within each story are relatable to everyday life. True-Blue Cowboy Christmas is a story of magic, hope and healing. The ability to believe there is something better on the horizon is an uplifting thought. Summer didn't wait for her future to find her, she went out and grabbed it for herself.

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story about betrayal at the hands of an insane parent and the estranged family that rallys around to create a safe haven for their long-lost, didn't know that she existed, sister. Summer did not deserve the treachery she suffered at the hands of her evil mother, but it brought Thackery Lane into her life and just maybe a new family of her own.

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

So we come to the ending of another excellent, addicting series. Though, I have to admit that I do enjoy the upbeat feeling of ending a series with a Christmas story.

Thack and Summer’s romance brings more information about Summer and her life before coming to town to meet her family. She has not had an ideal life, in fact it was pretty ugly most of the time. While Summer holds on to the sunny, happy disposition that she was named for as much as she can, at times the utter sadness of her soul flows out unexpectedly. It’s nearly impossible to not feel for Summer, even as the details are slowly revealed, at each new piece of the puzzle it becomes more apparent how horrible her life before truly was. She needed her family and to find out just who she was on her own. While marriages and new additions have enriched her life, Summer is still searching, still hoping to find acceptance for herself.

Thack is a neighbor, a widower with a lively little girl who gets into endless mischief in her search for the fairies she just knows exists nearby. Kate was certain she’d finally found proof of the fairies when she met Summer under… not quite the perfect circumstances. When Thack arrived searching for his once again running off without telling daughter he was… let’s just say a bit gruff and backed up Summer’s bad feeling about the little girl’s father. Since his wife’s death, raising Kate on his own with help from his father, Thack has become almost obsessed with Kate’s safety. And being the mischievous, fairy believing little girl that she is, Kate will often wander off without telling anyone. He’s come to his perpetually panicked state quite honestly. Still, the first meeting between Summer and Thack does not go well… at all.

Thack’s father will hire Summer to watch his granddaughter, as it’s obvious by her escaping his care so often that he simply cannot keep up with Kate. As Summer and Thack spend time together, and maybe let down a few walls the attraction between them starts to take flight. It will take time, secrets revealed and opening up to possibilities before this couple finds their happy ending.

True-Blue Christmas Cowboy is an intense and emotional story on many levels. Thack has hidden behind his responsibilities for the ranch and making a safe life for his daughter for so long that to open up to Summer is truly difficult for him. His trust level is near zero for he honestly seems to believe that everything in life is a risk, full of danger and trouble heading straight for his family. Summer is a complicated woman, and we’ve only seen the surface of what she’s dealt with up to this story. There is a lot revealed in this one, a better understanding of the dynamics of Summer’s life and much needed closure on some things.

A slow burn romance, a slow building one as well – True-Blue Christmas Cowboy will capture your attention and interest – while little Kate will steal scenes and your heart. I’ve enjoyed the Big Sky Cowboys series and I’m sad to see it come to a close – yet what a satisfying way to bring happiness to these families, and hope for their futures. I would definitely recommend this one and the entire series. While you could read it as a stand alone story, so much makes more sense if you’ve read from the very beginning.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this novel. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this story.*

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one a little better than the first, but I still don't feel like we got to know Summer as a character. The book spends a lot of time with Thack - with his family and inside his head. We get a lot of introspection on his part, and a bit of wallowing in feeling sorry for himself, but when we spend time in Summer's head, she's mostly thinking about others around her, and how to make them happy and comfortable. She's arguably had a worse life up until this point, but she rarely feels sorry for herself, and doesn't want to dwell on things she can't change. Maybe this is just a reflection of their differing approaches to life, but it was ... different ... to have the heroine still be so much of a mystery at the end of the book.

Speaking of the end, we take a quick turn into romantic suspense territory at the conclusion of this book, which is also a bit odd, but kind of fit with the story. Overall, a satisfying end to the trilogy, and I don't feel like I missed much by skipping the second book.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

TRUE-BLUE COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Nicole Helm. Wow! Ms. Helm certainly hooked me in with this one. I loved Thack and Summer - two souls that are both carrying around the weight of the world. They are truly what the other needs. Although, it doesn't necessarily get off to a great start! Ms. Helm takes the readers on their journey and I cried and laughed and cheered right along with them. Of course, Kate, Thack's daughter, is a true treat in the story and helps these two along their journey to finding, not only love, but their true selves and a way to maybe heal some of the pain and lighten the loads from their shoulders. Certainly a read that kept my heart and soul engaged thoughout. (received ARC from NetGalley for honest review)

[Kerry Goerl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say it. I loved this book. Usually these type of books are too sappy for me. I like intrigue, not Hallmark type stories. I do love watching Hallmark movies, but am not a fan of reading those type of books. Reading this during the holidays, was great. It had mystery, some romance, and very likeable and believable characters. I will be keeping the book, and reading it again in the future.

[Kathleen Booker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending to this series

Summer ran away from her horrible mother to Montana to find her family and found so much more. Thack blamed himself for all bad things happens in his life and Summer helped him see it was not his fault. I know this is just a story but I hope her mother gets all that is due her for her evil ways. Very good series.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thack is a single father dealing with the death of his mother and wife, plus his father being ill. Summer grew up not knowing her father or siblings and dealing with a mother who is extremely controlling. Summer finally escapes and goes to Montana where she meets her family. She and Thack meet when his daughter runs away to go to Summer's caravan.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this through my local library leaning program. i have read only this book from this series. 2 more to check out ... i wonder about this author ...have i read NM before??! not sure. i think i can say that Christmas reads are some of my most favorites always. fun times. gorgeous book cover. will read more ...bye for now.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

True-Blue Cowboy Christmas was a lovely addition to the Big Sky Cowboys series.

The storyline was fun and enjoyable and the characters were well developed.
I highly recommend this book and series.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Nelle Nazario · Rating 5 out of 5]

The meeting between Summer and Thack was a powder keg!!! I cheered for Summer!! I totally enjoyed reading how Summer, Thack, and his little girl slowly became a family. This one was the best story in the series!!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters, good read

I really enjoyed this cowboy Christmas tale. The characters were believable and I was invested in the story and the outcome. I loved how Thack and Summer learned from each other and grew together to find love, happiness, and family.

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Sad to see the series and but Summer's story was the perfect way to wrap the series up. All the questions are answered and the Shaw family all have their HEA's!! Great book great series. Recommended read

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Neither of them were sympathetic characters. I found myself calling them both idiots every few pages. And then the whole weirdness with her mom? Out of left field. She was stupidly naive, like unbelievably so, and he was constantly back and forth and it just got boring and irritating after a while. Wound up skimming most of it

Would not recommend.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A precocious child. A hardened father. A wounded woman. What kind of Christmas magic can be sprinkled on the Montana landscape to make those three realize they’re just want Santa ordered for the holidays.
Family support and healing rounds out the book and the series for the Shaw siblings.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy

I enjoyed this book. The characters were very, very unique, but still loving. The storyline was Ing with a bit of laughter and a bunch of romance. It was a great book series and you wrapped the ending up very nicely! Thanks.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main characters Summer and Thack (setting - Montana) each have-to-handle-this myself issues. But sometimes the people you are trying to protect can be of more help than you think.

On the “sexy” front, this had fewer pages on a “throw-weight” basis - a positive in my book.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[★¸. • * ° *Jillie* ° *•.¸☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read these awhile ago. Comments and review to follow.



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[Jen Holbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly love Nicole Helm books. Another chapter in the series about falling in love but friendship comes first. Trust and caring for others...makes your heart swell with love.

[Morgan Cate Lawson · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s very cute and sweet but there is a lot of language and a lot of sexual tension and they are got a bit to hot and heavy. I don’t really like this book. ):

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Good characters. Great story. Read in just a couple of days . Author has away of making each character one you'd like to see again.

[Traci Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is 343 pages of awesome! Absolutely loved this. After chapter 20 I couldn't put it down and needed to finish reading in one sitting.