The Christmas Cowboy

Lazy L Ranch #3

by Judy Christenberry

A Cowboy for Christmas?

Hank Ledbetter's bachelor status was downright legendary in the state of Colorado. And with every member of his family finding true love—three weddings in one year!—Hank was the lone holdout on the Lazy L cattle and dude ranch. Then city slicker Andrea Jacobs arrived for the holidays.…

Andrea brought a whopper of a secret with her, and wasn't looking to get involved with anyone. Yet surrounded by her newly wedded friends and sharing the Ledbetters' holiday cheer, she began to wonder if she, too, could be a part of a family…and maybe rope herself a cowboy husband for Christmas!

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Fiction, Christmas

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Judy Russell Christenberry was born in Dallas, Texas, USA, where she raised in a family of four children with a stay-at-home mom who was a terrific cook and an excellent teacher, where family tradition was concerned. As a child, Judy was surrounded by animals. Her father raised a few head of cattle to keep meat on the table. At one time or another, there were sheep, Thanksgiving turkeys, ducks and dogs, and there were always chickens.

Judy learned the importance of family at an early age. But, Judith's marriage ended in divorce. Yet, with support from her mother and siblings, she and her two daughters discovered their own definition of family. The family comes in all shapes and flavors. What's important isn't the two parents and the 2.5 children, it's love and support. She raised her children, taught during the day, wrote at night, and pursued her dream.

Judy, hasn't always been a writer, but she's always been a dreamer. As a child, for entertainment while doing chores, she told herself stories-she was always the heroine. However, she didn't start writing until she turned thirty-eight, just one year after her father's unexpected death. After this, she realized life promised no guarantees about how much time you have. Why wait to pursue your dreams? She had begun reading Harlequin Romance novels about ten years earlier, so romance writing came naturally. She signs her novels as Judy Christenberry, Judith Christenberry and Judith Stafford.

Over time, Judy realized two central themes dominating her writing: family and small town/country life. Many of her books have cowboy heroes, partly because she read all Zane Grey's romantic versions of the Old West as a teenager, and partly because her parents grew up on farms. The last element that frequently appears in Judy's stories is a dash of humor, just enough to bring a smile to your face. She believes laughter is good medicine and it definitely makes a six-foot hunk even more attractive!

Now, with her daughters pursuing their own dreams, Judy writes full-time and is wrapped up in her storytelling. She lives each new adventure with the vigor of a young girl, still dreaming up tales while washing dishes. She hopes to entertain her readers as much as she entertains herself!

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book Hank was a hard sale for me didn't know if he was going to do the right thing or not he tired to keep his feelings to himself can't wait to read more books by this author

[Dixie-Lee Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Hank Ledbetter and Andrea Jacobs story. .... Christmas story and happy ending.
It was fun spending time on Lazy L Ranch ... meeting the Ledbetter family.

[Elizabeth O'Keefe · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Christmas Cowboy” by Judy Christenberry is a gentle, feel-good read that brings together the charm of ranch life and the spirit of the holidays. The characters are likable, and the story has a cozy, old-fashioned warmth that makes it easy to settle into. While the plot is straightforward and not overly complex, it still delivers a pleasant dose of Christmas cheer and a satisfying romance. A nice choice if you’re looking for a light, heartwarming seasonal escape.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book was somewhat cheesy and predictable, I loved every minute of it. Hank is grouchy and rough and a cowboy and everything that you’d think. And some of the book made me cringe (ie asking to marry her after knowing her a month? or the cringy teenager-ish sneaking out to go up the mountain?) but it all worked out and was overall a good story.

[Vikki Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good story

[Marsha Whitfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very good story bringing ending to three books about same family. Loved the way this family worked through different dynamics and supported each other.

[Debbie Heaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Christenberry’s romance novel, Hank Ledbetter’s bachelor status stands out as legendary in Colorado with every member of his family finding true love except him. And then the arrival of Andrea Jacobs to the Lazy L cattle and dude ranch seems like fate just might be testing him.

Andrea brings a secret with her to the ranch and wasn’t looking for involvement of any kind. But surrounded by newly wedded friends and holiday cheer, she can’t help but entertain the idea of a cowboy husband for Christmas!

A good Cowboy at Heart romance.

[Rappaccini's Daughter · Rating 1 out of 5]

The hero was an obnoxious, childish asshole and the heroine was an idiot for being attracted to, and then loving, an obnoxious, childish asshole. His brother was a better hero and he was a cheater, so that should tell you what a jerk this guy is.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: The Lazy L Ranch
Category: Contemporary Romance