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Gold Valley #8
Dans met de cowboy (Gold Valley)
Sexy, ruig, onbeteugeld... de knapste cowboys vind je in Gold Valley, Oregon! Caleb Dalton is al jaren verliefd op alleenstaand moeder Ellie Bell, maar ze is nu eenmaal de weduwe van zijn beste vriend en daarom strikt verboden terrein. Alleen schijnt die boodschap maar niet tot zijn hart door te dringen. Wanneer Caleb ontdekt dat Ellie zich heeft voorgenomen weer te gaan daten, kan hij zich niet langer inhouden. Want als íémand haar mee uit mag nemen, met haar mag dansen en haar mag kussen, dan is híj dat!
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2019
132 people are currently reading
685 people want to read
About the author
Maisey Yates
1,177 books3,011 followersNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
July 21, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION (Gold Valley Book 8) by Maisey Yates is a new Christmas cowboy contemporary romance in the Gold Valley series. Even though this is the eighth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Ellie Bell is not ready for another Christmas without her husband. Clint died four and a half years ago in a tragic accident and never got to meet his daughter, Amelia. His best friend has been there for Ellie, but she feels it is time to make some changes. She writes a Christmas wish list.
Caleb Dalton has loved Ellie Bell for years and made it his mission to always be there for her when she needed him, but he has always believed she was off-limits. When Clint died, Caleb was there to morn with her, be present for the birth of Amelia, be her best friend and her rock. When Ellie shows Caleb her Christmas wish list, he knows he is the only one to fulfill her wishes.
This Christmas, can Caleb prove he is the man for Ellie’s and Amelia’s future? And is Ellie ready to stop mourning and willing to give herself completely to a new and different love?
This is a Christmas romance that delves into emotional and deep relationship issues. Caleb and Ellie both have had troubled childhoods. Caleb was never diagnosed with his dyslexia and Ellie was never loved by her single mother. When Ellie loved and married Clint, it was an easy love without issues. Caleb offers a more mature and deeper love that demands more than Ellie thinks she is capable of giving. She is afraid. The back and forth between Caleb and Ellie felt realistic based on their pasts, but it was also frustrating and a major portion of the plot. I do wish their final coming together would have been less abrupt. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit, but not gratuitous. The HEA makes the frustration and wait worthwhile and will make you cry, so have those tissues ready.
Overall, an enjoyable Christmas HEA, but not a light and fluffy Christmas read.
COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION (Gold Valley Book 8) by Maisey Yates is a new Christmas cowboy contemporary romance in the Gold Valley series. Even though this is the eighth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Ellie Bell is not ready for another Christmas without her husband. Clint died four and a half years ago in a tragic accident and never got to meet his daughter, Amelia. His best friend has been there for Ellie, but she feels it is time to make some changes. She writes a Christmas wish list.
Caleb Dalton has loved Ellie Bell for years and made it his mission to always be there for her when she needed him, but he has always believed she was off-limits. When Clint died, Caleb was there to morn with her, be present for the birth of Amelia, be her best friend and her rock. When Ellie shows Caleb her Christmas wish list, he knows he is the only one to fulfill her wishes.
This Christmas, can Caleb prove he is the man for Ellie’s and Amelia’s future? And is Ellie ready to stop mourning and willing to give herself completely to a new and different love?
This is a Christmas romance that delves into emotional and deep relationship issues. Caleb and Ellie both have had troubled childhoods. Caleb was never diagnosed with his dyslexia and Ellie was never loved by her single mother. When Ellie loved and married Clint, it was an easy love without issues. Caleb offers a more mature and deeper love that demands more than Ellie thinks she is capable of giving. She is afraid. The back and forth between Caleb and Ellie felt realistic based on their pasts, but it was also frustrating and a major portion of the plot. I do wish their final coming together would have been less abrupt. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit, but not gratuitous. The HEA makes the frustration and wait worthwhile and will make you cry, so have those tissues ready.
Overall, an enjoyable Christmas HEA, but not a light and fluffy Christmas read.
July 15, 2021
This is a Cowboy Romance, and This is the 8th book in the Gold Valley series. I have been waiting for Caleb and Ellie's story, and this book brings both characters to light. I also think that you get to know Hank (the Father) better in this book. I loved reading this book, and I loved being back in Gold Valley with these characters. There is a lot of Christmas stuff in this book, and I love when a book as Christmas in it. This story is sweet, heartbreaking, cute, and everything I wanted.
December 2, 2019
It’s easy to see how Caleb would feel too guilty to make a move on Clint’s widow even though he’s been dead for over four years, since he had feelings for Ellie while Clint was alive, and they were married. He never acted on them, but he did pine for Ellie. Even before Ellie, Caleb held a mixture of conflicting emotions towards Clint. He loved Clint like a brother but was also jealous of him over the way his father would compare the two and find Caleb lacking.
After Clint’s death Caleb made it his mission to be there for Ellie and her daughter Amelia, he was even there for her birth, and all these years he’s held himself back from showing his true feelings of desire and love towards Ellie because he never thought she’d see him as anything other than a friend and she’s never even shown interest in any man at all. But when Ellie makes it clear she wants to move on with her life romantically, Caleb can’t bear for it to be any other man but him. He held himself back because it was Clint, but he’ll be damned if he steps aside for any other man.
Ellie wants lightness, and fun back in her life after grieving for Clint so long it’s not fair for her or her daughter to live with a cloud of sadness hanging over them so she makes a Christmas list to help them move on and put more joy into their lives. Part of the list is only for Ellie, though: going out dancing with a man, kissing by the fire, and yes, sex, but as she sets out to accomplish the items on her list, it becomes apparent that not just any cowboy will do. Caleb Dalton becomes integral to fulfilling her needs and desires, and it scares her to feel this intense, almost obsessive kind of want that bubbles up inside her.
I loved how Ellie and Caleb essentially already loved each other, but when Ellie decided to live for the present and future instead of mourning the past, it changed the way she looked at him. Once the veil of “just friends” was taken down it awakened a powerful desire! Ellie always thought Caleb was incredibly handsome, but never let her brain venture further, but once the roadblocks were taken away, their attraction was electric! Caleb always kept his passion for Ellie leashed, but once she made it clear she wanted more, all bets were off, he was through being her “safe, easy friend”, and oh, the results were hot!
Unrequited love is one of my favorite romance tropes, so I’ve been looking forward to Caleb and Ellie’s story for quite some time! It wasn’t without some bumps along the way, but anyone with eyes knew these two belonged together! I think they both got their Christmas wishes and then some by the end!
A copy was kindly provided by HQN Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After Clint’s death Caleb made it his mission to be there for Ellie and her daughter Amelia, he was even there for her birth, and all these years he’s held himself back from showing his true feelings of desire and love towards Ellie because he never thought she’d see him as anything other than a friend and she’s never even shown interest in any man at all. But when Ellie makes it clear she wants to move on with her life romantically, Caleb can’t bear for it to be any other man but him. He held himself back because it was Clint, but he’ll be damned if he steps aside for any other man.
Ellie wants lightness, and fun back in her life after grieving for Clint so long it’s not fair for her or her daughter to live with a cloud of sadness hanging over them so she makes a Christmas list to help them move on and put more joy into their lives. Part of the list is only for Ellie, though: going out dancing with a man, kissing by the fire, and yes, sex, but as she sets out to accomplish the items on her list, it becomes apparent that not just any cowboy will do. Caleb Dalton becomes integral to fulfilling her needs and desires, and it scares her to feel this intense, almost obsessive kind of want that bubbles up inside her.
I loved how Ellie and Caleb essentially already loved each other, but when Ellie decided to live for the present and future instead of mourning the past, it changed the way she looked at him. Once the veil of “just friends” was taken down it awakened a powerful desire! Ellie always thought Caleb was incredibly handsome, but never let her brain venture further, but once the roadblocks were taken away, their attraction was electric! Caleb always kept his passion for Ellie leashed, but once she made it clear she wanted more, all bets were off, he was through being her “safe, easy friend”, and oh, the results were hot!
Unrequited love is one of my favorite romance tropes, so I’ve been looking forward to Caleb and Ellie’s story for quite some time! It wasn’t without some bumps along the way, but anyone with eyes knew these two belonged together! I think they both got their Christmas wishes and then some by the end!
A copy was kindly provided by HQN Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2019
Liked the story. Should have read the prior one. Some issues that annoyed me. Ending was the best part.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were so many reasons to love this book. It had a hot cowboy in it who was just a sweetheart. Has a Christmas theme which everyone loves because it’s a feel-good season anyway. And it’s a romance novel. We all love a little bit of romance in our life.
And while this book should’ve hit all of my top marks, I had a few issues with it.
One of the main issues is it’s actually a continuation in a series and I felt very lost in the first several chapters. It seemed very choppy and I honestly didn’t know who anybody was.
But then I got with the groove and absolutely fell in love with Caleb. He’s been in love with Ellie since the first time he saw her but she belong to someone else.
Then tragedy struck and he was there for her every bit of the way.
He has guilt. She has fond memories. And the author included immense amounts of internal chatter, many parts of repetition, and not enough revelation and resolution to their love quandary. Heck, it felt like they hardly had much personal interaction as there was so much other chatter.
I was getting very frustrated.
The best part of this story is definitely Caleb. How can you resist a man with a heart of gold? Do guys like this really exist?
And the ending… Oh my gosh! That did get a few tears from me.
While the story is not all sunshine and rainbows, it does finally have a happily ever after and for that I am grateful.
Hot Cowboys and Christmas? Yes, definitely. That always makes it right in my book.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/cowboy-chris...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were so many reasons to love this book. It had a hot cowboy in it who was just a sweetheart. Has a Christmas theme which everyone loves because it’s a feel-good season anyway. And it’s a romance novel. We all love a little bit of romance in our life.
And while this book should’ve hit all of my top marks, I had a few issues with it.
One of the main issues is it’s actually a continuation in a series and I felt very lost in the first several chapters. It seemed very choppy and I honestly didn’t know who anybody was.
But then I got with the groove and absolutely fell in love with Caleb. He’s been in love with Ellie since the first time he saw her but she belong to someone else.
Then tragedy struck and he was there for her every bit of the way.
He has guilt. She has fond memories. And the author included immense amounts of internal chatter, many parts of repetition, and not enough revelation and resolution to their love quandary. Heck, it felt like they hardly had much personal interaction as there was so much other chatter.
I was getting very frustrated.
The best part of this story is definitely Caleb. How can you resist a man with a heart of gold? Do guys like this really exist?
And the ending… Oh my gosh! That did get a few tears from me.
While the story is not all sunshine and rainbows, it does finally have a happily ever after and for that I am grateful.
Hot Cowboys and Christmas? Yes, definitely. That always makes it right in my book.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/cowboy-chris...
October 10, 2019
4.5
It was love at first sight for Caleb Dalton the first time he met Ellie Bell. But she already belonged to an other man; his best friend Clint, and Caleb would never do something to jeopardize their marriage nor his friendship. The fact that Clint has been gone for the last five years didn't lessened the guilt he have about his feelings.
The Holidays is a bittersweet time for a widow. But this year, Ellie is determined to offer a real Christmas to her daughter and lately, she felt the need to feel like something other than a grieving woman and she miss physical closeness. Hence the Christmas wish list that start with a dance and a kiss. But our heroine just realized that her best friend, the one who was her rock and always there for her and her daughter Amelia, who helped her so much with all the everyday life chores and difficult times, is the only man with whom she feels safe enough to trust.
But what Caleb propose is not safe. Not for her heart anyway. She expected sweet but what she'll get is much too intense, too potent, too crazy to be considered sweet. Caleb will challenges her in a way she didn't know she needed and behind the gentle and dependable Caleb that she always knew, there's a wild creature waiting to be out of his cage.
"Caleb has always been handsome. She remembered clearly how handsome he'd been back then, softer-faced, less hair on his body. Those blue eyes had always been mesmerizing, to every woman who had ever come around him.
But the Caleb he was now...
He was lethal."
I absolutely loved Caleb and Ellie's all consuming and burning chemistry. Maisey Yates have a way with words that make you feel just how hot and wild the passion is between them. I love that Caleb says what's on his mind and makes Ellie know that he won't settle for just a physical relationship. That he wants to be wanted for more than that. But it was just as good that Ellie didn't let him decide all the steps. Loved the Christmas tree farm idea too. Maisey's story never let me indifferent and that's why I'm such a fan!
It was love at first sight for Caleb Dalton the first time he met Ellie Bell. But she already belonged to an other man; his best friend Clint, and Caleb would never do something to jeopardize their marriage nor his friendship. The fact that Clint has been gone for the last five years didn't lessened the guilt he have about his feelings.
The Holidays is a bittersweet time for a widow. But this year, Ellie is determined to offer a real Christmas to her daughter and lately, she felt the need to feel like something other than a grieving woman and she miss physical closeness. Hence the Christmas wish list that start with a dance and a kiss. But our heroine just realized that her best friend, the one who was her rock and always there for her and her daughter Amelia, who helped her so much with all the everyday life chores and difficult times, is the only man with whom she feels safe enough to trust.
But what Caleb propose is not safe. Not for her heart anyway. She expected sweet but what she'll get is much too intense, too potent, too crazy to be considered sweet. Caleb will challenges her in a way she didn't know she needed and behind the gentle and dependable Caleb that she always knew, there's a wild creature waiting to be out of his cage.
"Caleb has always been handsome. She remembered clearly how handsome he'd been back then, softer-faced, less hair on his body. Those blue eyes had always been mesmerizing, to every woman who had ever come around him.
But the Caleb he was now...
He was lethal."
I absolutely loved Caleb and Ellie's all consuming and burning chemistry. Maisey Yates have a way with words that make you feel just how hot and wild the passion is between them. I love that Caleb says what's on his mind and makes Ellie know that he won't settle for just a physical relationship. That he wants to be wanted for more than that. But it was just as good that Ellie didn't let him decide all the steps. Loved the Christmas tree farm idea too. Maisey's story never let me indifferent and that's why I'm such a fan!
December 10, 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Caleb Dalton has kept something very close to the vest for quite a long time. He is in love with single mom Ellie Bell and her adorable little girl Amelia. He knows this is a line he can never cross because the now-widowed Ellie was married to his best friend. Caleb knows this is off-limits, but he has always been there for both of them and that will never change.
Ellie does not have any designs on Caleb, but she does have a doozy of a Christmas wish. She wants a kiss under the mistletoe. Of course, Caleb is planning to oblige. And only him. This is something that Ellie needs. Holidays have always been brutal for her, because of how and when she lost her husband. But, living in the past is something she can no longer do. If not for herself, at least for Amelia.
Will this five-year wait be worth it for Caleb and Ellie? Will this one special kiss make Ellie admit something that she herself may have hidden away very deeply? Lastly, will this kiss cost her the love and kindness of her best friend?
Do not miss this Christmas story. It is so sweet. So wonderful. So heartwarming. This is a family that I loved seeing come together. Kudos to Maisey Yates for writing such an effective story.
Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Caleb Dalton has kept something very close to the vest for quite a long time. He is in love with single mom Ellie Bell and her adorable little girl Amelia. He knows this is a line he can never cross because the now-widowed Ellie was married to his best friend. Caleb knows this is off-limits, but he has always been there for both of them and that will never change.
Ellie does not have any designs on Caleb, but she does have a doozy of a Christmas wish. She wants a kiss under the mistletoe. Of course, Caleb is planning to oblige. And only him. This is something that Ellie needs. Holidays have always been brutal for her, because of how and when she lost her husband. But, living in the past is something she can no longer do. If not for herself, at least for Amelia.
Will this five-year wait be worth it for Caleb and Ellie? Will this one special kiss make Ellie admit something that she herself may have hidden away very deeply? Lastly, will this kiss cost her the love and kindness of her best friend?
Do not miss this Christmas story. It is so sweet. So wonderful. So heartwarming. This is a family that I loved seeing come together. Kudos to Maisey Yates for writing such an effective story.
Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
September 24, 2019
Caleb has grown in so many ways since his best friend’s passing and finally coming to terms with his feelings for Ellie, his friend’s widow. I loved seeing him open up and face his struggles head on, rather then continue to bury his head in the sand. He struggled with finding his place in Ellie’s life and I have to admit, it took guts because I’d have thrown in the towel long beforehand.
Ellie has been through so much since her husband’s passing. I liked her well enough in previous stories, but her emotional self absorption had me trying to grasp how she could be so blind to Caleb’s feelings. Once I could see where she was coming from things got better, but I concede, it was a bumpy road.
The physical attraction was a given, but the emotional side was surprising because I didn’t think it would happen due to Ellie’s reluctance to let go of past hurts. However, Caleb and Ellie were good, convincing me their feelings were real, making the end result worthwhile.
Ellie and Caleb’s story was an emotional exercise in acceptance and discovery, yet their journey was worth waiting for.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ellie has been through so much since her husband’s passing. I liked her well enough in previous stories, but her emotional self absorption had me trying to grasp how she could be so blind to Caleb’s feelings. Once I could see where she was coming from things got better, but I concede, it was a bumpy road.
The physical attraction was a given, but the emotional side was surprising because I didn’t think it would happen due to Ellie’s reluctance to let go of past hurts. However, Caleb and Ellie were good, convincing me their feelings were real, making the end result worthwhile.
Ellie and Caleb’s story was an emotional exercise in acceptance and discovery, yet their journey was worth waiting for.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 12, 2019
3.75/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐.75
e-book provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but you can find this one in stores or online now!
Cowboy Christmas Redemption follows Caleb Dalton and Ellie Bell in this charming holiday romance about a man who discovers that his best friend's widow (and the woman he's been in love with for years) has written a Christmas wishlist- and on that wishlist she has included a kiss under the mistletoe. Will he be able to let go of the past and embrace his feelings once and for all? You're just going to have to pick this one up and find out for yourself! 😉
My heart is honestly so full after reading this! Romance isn't something that I reach for often, but when I do I'm rarely disappointed! This gave me all of the Hallmark movie vibes that I was looking for in book form! I'll definitely be reading more of Maisey's work in the future!
e-book provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but you can find this one in stores or online now!
Cowboy Christmas Redemption follows Caleb Dalton and Ellie Bell in this charming holiday romance about a man who discovers that his best friend's widow (and the woman he's been in love with for years) has written a Christmas wishlist- and on that wishlist she has included a kiss under the mistletoe. Will he be able to let go of the past and embrace his feelings once and for all? You're just going to have to pick this one up and find out for yourself! 😉
My heart is honestly so full after reading this! Romance isn't something that I reach for often, but when I do I'm rarely disappointed! This gave me all of the Hallmark movie vibes that I was looking for in book form! I'll definitely be reading more of Maisey's work in the future!
September 1, 2019
I’ve enjoyed this series and I feel like I’ve been waiting for Caleb and Ellie’s story since the beginning. And I’m so happy it delivered.
Ellie and Caleb are both loyal and good people. They’re tied together through death and it was interesting to see how that played out as their relationship changed. I loved Ellie’s daughter Amelia and all of the scenes she was in.
Plot wise, it was good. There’s a lot of grief for each of them to deal with and so there was a lot of inner monologue. I did love that they communicated well and often. And thankfully, the super angsty time didn’t drag out. I was hoping for a bit more happiness. There were sparks of it here and there and logically I know it wouldn’t have felt authentic, but still.
Overall, it was a fairly quick and satisfying read with a fabulous epilogue.
**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**
Ellie and Caleb are both loyal and good people. They’re tied together through death and it was interesting to see how that played out as their relationship changed. I loved Ellie’s daughter Amelia and all of the scenes she was in.
Plot wise, it was good. There’s a lot of grief for each of them to deal with and so there was a lot of inner monologue. I did love that they communicated well and often. And thankfully, the super angsty time didn’t drag out. I was hoping for a bit more happiness. There were sparks of it here and there and logically I know it wouldn’t have felt authentic, but still.
Overall, it was a fairly quick and satisfying read with a fabulous epilogue.
**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**
September 23, 2019
She’s his best friend’s widow, but Caleb Dalton has loved Ellie Bell and her daughter Amelia for years, so when he discovers that she has a Christmas wish list – he’s throwing his hat into the ring. Ellie’s finally decided that it’s time to make some changes, but she never expects the biggest change to the heart-stopping she shares with Caleb.
This holiday romance is a very moving and sweet romance that produces a few tears as Caleb and Ellie figure out how to untangle their friendship and move it into a happily ever after. This hero and heroine are strong and easily capture the hearts of the readers as all of the emotional turmoil flows from the pages and readers can’t help but feel that Caleb and Ellie along with Amelia would make a great family, especially at such a special time of the year.
The plot proceeds at a steady pace and keeps readers engaged with this topsy turvy romance that has a couple struggling over some turbulent issues over moving forward when they have lost someone so close to them. The holiday setting and of course the growing Dalton family adds to the wonderful spirit of reaching for a happily ever after that warms the heart and captivates readers from the very beginning.
This holiday romance is a very moving and sweet romance that produces a few tears as Caleb and Ellie figure out how to untangle their friendship and move it into a happily ever after. This hero and heroine are strong and easily capture the hearts of the readers as all of the emotional turmoil flows from the pages and readers can’t help but feel that Caleb and Ellie along with Amelia would make a great family, especially at such a special time of the year.
The plot proceeds at a steady pace and keeps readers engaged with this topsy turvy romance that has a couple struggling over some turbulent issues over moving forward when they have lost someone so close to them. The holiday setting and of course the growing Dalton family adds to the wonderful spirit of reaching for a happily ever after that warms the heart and captivates readers from the very beginning.
September 21, 2019
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey Yates is a holiday romance that leans more towards the heavy side of emotions. Yes there's more than a few lighthearted happy scenes, but most of the story is full of intense passion and immense grief.
"He wanted... He wanted to be enough. He wanted to be more. He's never wanted it so much in all his life."
Caleb Dalton has been in love with Ellie since he laid eyes on her. Unfortunately she was already with his best friend, and he buried those feelings as he watched them get married, and get pregnant. Kept them buried when his best friend died, and he became Ellie's support, and they became best friends themselves. This Christmas Ellie is ready for a change and Caleb steps in to help her start living again because he can't stomach the thought of her with any other man. However, Ellie is more than a little afraid of her intense feelings blooming towards Caleb and Caleb doesn't feel worthy of being forever for Ellie. Hearts are broken and mended before they can be happy and in love as the people they have grown into.
"I want to go fast, and I want to go slow. I want soft and hard, and I want you to beg for it, do you understand me?"
This book was an intense one. When Caleb decides to give Ellie what she needs physically it is steamy, sensual and panty melting. He knows what he's doing in the bedroom, and he gives Ellie all he has to give. Their passion and chemistry is explosive. They both had some emotional damage from their upbringings and their fears and insecurities were realistic. Their situation was all sorts of tangled and it was painful to read them wade through their emotions. I thought I would bond with Ellie in some way, being a mother myself, but her self centered / childish behavior at times really got to me. More than once she did or said things without thinking of how it would make Caleb feel. Caleb on the other hand I couldn't get enough of and loved his character so much.
"Because no one was as aware of another human being as Caleb Dalton was of Ellie Bell."
Cowboy Christmas Redemption is an emotional story about two people tied together and shaped by loss and love. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to my next Maisey Yates read.
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Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey Yates is a holiday romance that leans more towards the heavy side of emotions. Yes there's more than a few lighthearted happy scenes, but most of the story is full of intense passion and immense grief.
"He wanted... He wanted to be enough. He wanted to be more. He's never wanted it so much in all his life."
Caleb Dalton has been in love with Ellie since he laid eyes on her. Unfortunately she was already with his best friend, and he buried those feelings as he watched them get married, and get pregnant. Kept them buried when his best friend died, and he became Ellie's support, and they became best friends themselves. This Christmas Ellie is ready for a change and Caleb steps in to help her start living again because he can't stomach the thought of her with any other man. However, Ellie is more than a little afraid of her intense feelings blooming towards Caleb and Caleb doesn't feel worthy of being forever for Ellie. Hearts are broken and mended before they can be happy and in love as the people they have grown into.
"I want to go fast, and I want to go slow. I want soft and hard, and I want you to beg for it, do you understand me?"
This book was an intense one. When Caleb decides to give Ellie what she needs physically it is steamy, sensual and panty melting. He knows what he's doing in the bedroom, and he gives Ellie all he has to give. Their passion and chemistry is explosive. They both had some emotional damage from their upbringings and their fears and insecurities were realistic. Their situation was all sorts of tangled and it was painful to read them wade through their emotions. I thought I would bond with Ellie in some way, being a mother myself, but her self centered / childish behavior at times really got to me. More than once she did or said things without thinking of how it would make Caleb feel. Caleb on the other hand I couldn't get enough of and loved his character so much.
"Because no one was as aware of another human being as Caleb Dalton was of Ellie Bell."
Cowboy Christmas Redemption is an emotional story about two people tied together and shaped by loss and love. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to my next Maisey Yates read.
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December 30, 2019
Just when I was starting to panic that my love of cheesy Christmas romances had waned this year I was proven wrong by this gem of a book!
I should have known the cowboys would come through for me.
Ellie Bell is the single mom to her adorable 4-year-old daughter Amelia. But, not a single mom by choice. Her husband, Clint, died when she was pregnant and Ellie didn't know how she was going to survive. But, survive she did. Largely with the help of Clint's best friend and surrogate brother, Caleb Dalton. Caleb helped her through the worst time of her life and she has come to depend on him more than she realized.
But, now nearly 5 years has passed since Clint died, and Caleb has announced that he may be around less than he has in the past as he makes some changes in his life. Ellie realizes that maybe she needs to make some changes to, starting with finding a man to kiss under the mistletoe this year! Maybe Caleb has some recommendations as to what eligible bachelors would be willing to help her out.
Look, this book was cheesy. The dialogue at points was so sappy that I swear no one in the history of speaking has even considered stringing them together until now. But the characters were endearing and the sex was steamy! And, even more than that, I truly felt Ellie and Caleb's inner conflict about their feelings for each other. Ellie is widowed and all of her feelings are tied up in her grief over her first husband. Caleb feels guilt for going after his best friend's wife even though said best friend is dead. While the storylines were not overly deep, I felt like they rang authentic.
I have one more cheesy Christmas book sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to pick up. But, I think I am done for the year. I am thrilled to have ended on a high note with this book, and I read the whole thing cover to cover by the light of my Christmas tree to end by week of holiday vacation.
That feels meant to be.
I should have known the cowboys would come through for me.
Ellie Bell is the single mom to her adorable 4-year-old daughter Amelia. But, not a single mom by choice. Her husband, Clint, died when she was pregnant and Ellie didn't know how she was going to survive. But, survive she did. Largely with the help of Clint's best friend and surrogate brother, Caleb Dalton. Caleb helped her through the worst time of her life and she has come to depend on him more than she realized.
But, now nearly 5 years has passed since Clint died, and Caleb has announced that he may be around less than he has in the past as he makes some changes in his life. Ellie realizes that maybe she needs to make some changes to, starting with finding a man to kiss under the mistletoe this year! Maybe Caleb has some recommendations as to what eligible bachelors would be willing to help her out.
Look, this book was cheesy. The dialogue at points was so sappy that I swear no one in the history of speaking has even considered stringing them together until now. But the characters were endearing and the sex was steamy! And, even more than that, I truly felt Ellie and Caleb's inner conflict about their feelings for each other. Ellie is widowed and all of her feelings are tied up in her grief over her first husband. Caleb feels guilt for going after his best friend's wife even though said best friend is dead. While the storylines were not overly deep, I felt like they rang authentic.
I have one more cheesy Christmas book sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to pick up. But, I think I am done for the year. I am thrilled to have ended on a high note with this book, and I read the whole thing cover to cover by the light of my Christmas tree to end by week of holiday vacation.
That feels meant to be.
December 8, 2019
This was a very intense and emotional book.
I’m going to keep this review as brief as possible. First of all, like all Maisey Yates books especially her Gold Valley and Copper Ridge books I absolutely adore them and know that I will enjoy them no mater what. The same can be said for this one, however this one seemed to be a little bit darker, more intense, and more emotional than any of her other books, which is saying something because Maisey Yates knows how to write an intense and very emotional love story with so many ups and downs throughout her books. But this one just seemed to be over the top with the dark emotions and intensity. A big reason for that was the fact that the darker emotions came from both sides of the coin with Ellie and Caleb and their guilt and grief over loosing her husband and his best friend. It did pull at the heartstrings and added to the conflict and tension in Ellie and Caleb’s romance, but with so much guilt and grief going on in the story it was very overwhelming and almost a little too much. I know it was a lot they had to work through in order to be together and happy, but it could have been toned down a little bit more so I didn’t feel like I was in a dark cloud for a majority of the story.
Other that I really enjoyed every other aspect of this love story between Ellie and Caleb. I loved the relationship they build prior to them getting involved. I loved the fact that Caleb had been in love with Ellie from the first moment he met her, but never crossed that line when she was involved with his best friend. I loved all the angst that surrounded that time for Caleb as he dealt with his feelings for Ellie both in the past and the present. I loved how intense his feelings were for Ellie, which were strong and true. I loved the friendship between these two because it showed how boned they were. They already had great trust between them and were already involved emotionally together even if they never labeled themselves as being a couple. I would have labeled them as that because they had everything going for them emotionally that would be involved in a romantic relationship. They were practically husband and wife really without the label essentially, and I loved that. I loved how sweet Caleb was with Ellie’s daughter Amelia, and treated her like his daughter from the moment she was born. He was Amelia’s father. When they finally did get involved physically together, it was like the last piece of the puzzle fit into place and everything made sense. Their love and devotion just shone through, and it was very clear that they were in love and had been in love for quite awhile now, it was just now being acknowledged and celebrated once all the messy emotions were dealt with. I loved them finally realizing that and finally embracing it after all this time of not. It was such a relief to see them finally get their happily ever after.
Though this wasn’t my favorite in the Gold Valley series, it was still a winner, and really I don’t think this series could do any wrong. I have yet to read Vanessa and Jacob’s book, but I am sure that will be a great book as well. I can hardly wait for the stories in this series that are coming in 2020 because the setup sounds amazing as do the characters especially a certain West Caldwell. I can’t wait to see his story played out on the pages. I’m also curious about the secret Daltons and who they are and when they are going to show up. That’s really piquing my interesting and why I can’t wait for next year.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2019
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
I’ve been waiting for Ellie and Caleb to find their way to each other, romantically speaking, they already have the friendship part down just fine. Finally, COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION brings us a love story long in the making, at least on Caleb’s side, and the chance to find happiness after loss.
Ellie is ready to dip her toes into the dating scene. It’s time, she just has to convince herself, for real, that she’s okay with that decision. She never saw Caleb’s true love for her, she saw friendship, a man who would stand for her, and her daughter Amelia, in so many ways but she didn’t see the possibility of more – right until he kissed her like she was the most precious thing he’d ever encountered with lots of sizzling involved. Now she has to explore her own feelings for Caleb and perhaps come to realize that there has always been more than friendship she was simply blind to it. She’s also running a bit scared and at times, says things that end up hurting the man she’s seeing with new eyes. Christmas is a time for miracles, maybe there’s one in Santa’s pack for Ellie, Amelia, and Caleb this year.
COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION is full of emotions, all sorts of emotions. There were times that within a heartbeat I’d feel joy and despair. Caleb has come so far in dealing with the past, to see him reach for a romantic relationship with Ellie was right for them at this time. Often, Ellie’s seemingly unawareness of how her words or actions were affecting Caleb felt so wrong – even with explanations. Watching them come to a happy ending was not a smooth road but one filled with potholes and roadblocks until they fought beyond them. I had a blast with this story, it answered questions and fulfilled promises for me – and that’s what a long-awaited story should do.
If you love a really good romance, a past to go beyond, lots of loving friends and family, one adorable little girl and a man, a woman who finally acknowledge that it’s okay to love each other – then you’ll want to grab this book today.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
I’ve been waiting for Ellie and Caleb to find their way to each other, romantically speaking, they already have the friendship part down just fine. Finally, COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION brings us a love story long in the making, at least on Caleb’s side, and the chance to find happiness after loss.
Ellie is ready to dip her toes into the dating scene. It’s time, she just has to convince herself, for real, that she’s okay with that decision. She never saw Caleb’s true love for her, she saw friendship, a man who would stand for her, and her daughter Amelia, in so many ways but she didn’t see the possibility of more – right until he kissed her like she was the most precious thing he’d ever encountered with lots of sizzling involved. Now she has to explore her own feelings for Caleb and perhaps come to realize that there has always been more than friendship she was simply blind to it. She’s also running a bit scared and at times, says things that end up hurting the man she’s seeing with new eyes. Christmas is a time for miracles, maybe there’s one in Santa’s pack for Ellie, Amelia, and Caleb this year.
COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION is full of emotions, all sorts of emotions. There were times that within a heartbeat I’d feel joy and despair. Caleb has come so far in dealing with the past, to see him reach for a romantic relationship with Ellie was right for them at this time. Often, Ellie’s seemingly unawareness of how her words or actions were affecting Caleb felt so wrong – even with explanations. Watching them come to a happy ending was not a smooth road but one filled with potholes and roadblocks until they fought beyond them. I had a blast with this story, it answered questions and fulfilled promises for me – and that’s what a long-awaited story should do.
If you love a really good romance, a past to go beyond, lots of loving friends and family, one adorable little girl and a man, a woman who finally acknowledge that it’s okay to love each other – then you’ll want to grab this book today.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
December 11, 2021
The couple: Caleb and Ellie
Romance genre: Friends to lovers
Series: Gold Valley
Length: 352 pages
Plot: Ellie is a widow and single parent who is starting to think about moving on from her grief after several years of just trying to survive. One of the biggest reasons she's been able to make it through day-to-day living is her late husband's best friend - and her best friend - Caleb. Caleb has been there for her and her daughter since the moment she found out her husband died (while she was pregnant). But Caleb has always harbored a secret crush - an obsession, really - on Ellie, and it hurts him to think that he might have to either betray his best friend or give up what he wants most in life. Ellie is starting to think that she feels more for Caleb than just a friend and stand-in partner. But can they ever match up their needs, desires, and dreams? Or will Ellie's late husband always stand in their way?
Commentary: So much angst! I'll admit it, I cried. I felt so bad for both of them. Caleb was so hurt by the thought that Ellie might be using him to move on, and he couldn't give her a chance to work through this next step in her grief. Ellie was so hurt that Caleb was pulling back from her when she most needed him. The truth is that both of them were damaged in similar ways - neither believing they were good enough for the other - or for anyone. This was a true journey for both of them, and a nod to the idea that true partnership is about so much more than just wanting each other. I found it interesting that Ellie always described her relationship with her late husband as fun and easy. It sounded a little superficial if I'm honest. He spent his time shielding her from anything deeper. That obviously worked for them, and it may have been what Ellie needed in the beginning. Would it have always been like that though? What Caleb gave her was not as easy, was sometimes painful, but it was always real and true. I let off one star because sometimes the self-recriminations got a little old - they were repetitive. I realize that's the way it works in real life, but I thought it could have been a little more condensed for the story. I enjoyed this one though!
Previous book in the series: Lone Wolf Cowboy
Next book in the series: The Bad Boy of Redemption Ranch
Romance genre: Friends to lovers
Series: Gold Valley
Length: 352 pages
Plot: Ellie is a widow and single parent who is starting to think about moving on from her grief after several years of just trying to survive. One of the biggest reasons she's been able to make it through day-to-day living is her late husband's best friend - and her best friend - Caleb. Caleb has been there for her and her daughter since the moment she found out her husband died (while she was pregnant). But Caleb has always harbored a secret crush - an obsession, really - on Ellie, and it hurts him to think that he might have to either betray his best friend or give up what he wants most in life. Ellie is starting to think that she feels more for Caleb than just a friend and stand-in partner. But can they ever match up their needs, desires, and dreams? Or will Ellie's late husband always stand in their way?
Commentary: So much angst! I'll admit it, I cried. I felt so bad for both of them. Caleb was so hurt by the thought that Ellie might be using him to move on, and he couldn't give her a chance to work through this next step in her grief. Ellie was so hurt that Caleb was pulling back from her when she most needed him. The truth is that both of them were damaged in similar ways - neither believing they were good enough for the other - or for anyone. This was a true journey for both of them, and a nod to the idea that true partnership is about so much more than just wanting each other. I found it interesting that Ellie always described her relationship with her late husband as fun and easy. It sounded a little superficial if I'm honest. He spent his time shielding her from anything deeper. That obviously worked for them, and it may have been what Ellie needed in the beginning. Would it have always been like that though? What Caleb gave her was not as easy, was sometimes painful, but it was always real and true. I let off one star because sometimes the self-recriminations got a little old - they were repetitive. I realize that's the way it works in real life, but I thought it could have been a little more condensed for the story. I enjoyed this one though!
Previous book in the series: Lone Wolf Cowboy
Next book in the series: The Bad Boy of Redemption Ranch
October 27, 2022
2.5 Stars
Get your sleeve of Ritz crackers ready, because this book has all the 🧀🧀🧀!
Look, I was all kinds of ready for a sweet, cheesy, Christmas romance read. Bonus points for the cowboy hats. That’s not the reason for my low rating.
Two things caused me to not be a big fan of this book:
1. The heroine is annoying AF.
2. The author beats the conflicts to death in this book. Had she nixed the rinse and repeat ramblings and made this book a novella, I would have enjoyed it more.
Anyway, I’m not even to the 50% mark of my GR reading goal (no surprise there), so I’m moving on to another read. I welcome all recommendations for good holiday romance reads!
Get your sleeve of Ritz crackers ready, because this book has all the 🧀🧀🧀!
Look, I was all kinds of ready for a sweet, cheesy, Christmas romance read. Bonus points for the cowboy hats. That’s not the reason for my low rating.
Two things caused me to not be a big fan of this book:
1. The heroine is annoying AF.
2. The author beats the conflicts to death in this book. Had she nixed the rinse and repeat ramblings and made this book a novella, I would have enjoyed it more.
Anyway, I’m not even to the 50% mark of my GR reading goal (no surprise there), so I’m moving on to another read. I welcome all recommendations for good holiday romance reads!
March 6, 2020
I read a lot of Maisey Yates romance, rarely missing a new release. I read her as much for the intensity of the romance as for its ethos. Because it aligns with mine. And so, even though from a critical viewpoint there’s something repetitive about her romances, I enjoy each and every one. In Cowboy Christmas Redemption, Yates has dropped some of the relentless interiority of her recent work and created something deeper, better developped, with a more expansive theme and characters.
On the sidelines to Yates’s recent Gold Valley books (this latest is #8) are Caleb Dalton and Ellie Bell. Caleb is Ellie and her four-year-old daughter’s shadow. Since Ellie’s husband and Caleb’s best friend died, Caleb has been Ellie’s ” … rock. Her salvation.” Caleb was there to tell Ellie about his death, hold her when she grieved, hold her hand when she gave birth to Amelia, been there to repair the porch steps, drive Amelia to pre-school. He’s been everything stalwart and good Ellie could ever want, or need. But four years have gone and as Ellie emerges from grief, she wants more than being Clint’s widow. She makes a Christmas wish list, checks it twice, and goes out to get what she needs and wants after four years of single-motherhood and grieving widowhood. She wants a new dress, shoes, to dance in a bar, and flirt with a man. She wants to “feel like a woman again,” to experience intimacy once more.
In Yates’s world, there is no casual, no matter how much the lady, or gentleman doth protest. And this is why I like reading her romances, because more than any other value, Yates gives equal weight to the significance of physical intimacy as emotional. The body matters in a deeply significant, meaningful way. Ellie herself echoes this sentiment when she says to Caleb: ” ‘Sex isn’t casual, even when we pretend that it is. And I think we have a lot of layers of pretending in our world. But even if we decide emotionally it’s not that big of a deal, it’s physically a potentially very big deal. With consequences.’ ” Though Ellie is a woman protective of her heart (there be reasons), she cannot bring herself to have sex with someone she doesn’t know, trust, and like. So, in true Yatesian form, she propositions Caleb, friend and protector; then, watches, in horror, as Caleb, safe haven, transforms into something monumental. Suddenly, her familiar friend (to echo the psalm and this may be the best expression of Yates’s core-theme) with whom she used to hold sweet converse is a behemoth of unknown power, a tornado of intense as Ellie’s never before felt. Because in Yates’s romance universe, there is no casual, or connection that can be purely physical.
The Caleb-intensity comes from Caleb holding a torch for Ellie since the moment his best friend brought her to the Dalton family picnic. For Caleb, it was love at first sight, not lust, yes want, but love. And he’s held onto that love, mixed as it became with guilt, knowledge, and shared experience, for fourteen years. Now that he has Ellie within his reach, he will make the most of his time with her. As with every Yates romance, there’s a fierce antagonism to the male and female principals’/principles’ interactions, as much pain and resistance as pleasure and attraction. Ellie and Caleb’s physical intimacy is a reflection of their love’s dizzying, dangerous eddy. This is reflected in Ellie’s sudden experience of Caleb as an unfamiliar other, even while he’s still her familiar friend.
For Caleb, things are differently but equally disorienting. His self-effacement in the face of Clint’s loss and Ellie and Amelia’s needs is suddenly erased and his personality, his wants and needs, come to the foreground. In a Yates romance, love clangs into her hero and heroine’s lives like a dissonant unabating bell. It tears them apart emotionally, holds them only by the thread of their physical connection, only to remake them, whole and then ready to love and commit. Their bodies, however, know all along what their hearts, minds, and eventually tongues must avow.
Yates’s heroes’ and heroines’ impediments to love are always rooted in their past, more often than not in unresolved family traumas at worst, issues at best. For Ellie, her emotional anchoring when she married Clint was his emotional safety, having suffering through a childhood with a mother whose boyfriends were always more important than Ellie. The emotions Caleb arouses are frightening, alien, and precarious to Ellie’s equanimity. As for Caleb, his psychic wounds come from never being as clever as his friend Clint, though he loved him, because Clint was favoured in Caleb’s home with Caleb’s parents. Caleb is guilt-ridden over his desire for Ellie all these years, for ever being jealous of Clint. In the end, Yates always resolves her less-than hero and heroine to being enough and perfect-for-you-me.
Love comes slowly, fiercely, and inevitably in a Yates romance. Ellie and Caleb’s complexity expresses her core-theme of redemption, connection, commitment, and love perfectly in Ellie’s self-confession: “He was the love of her life. It would have destroyed her to admit that before. But life was complicated, and so was love. With beauty and tragedy at the bottom of each valley, and the top of each hill.” I’ve loved every Yates romance I’ve read, but it’s the first time in a long while I suspect Cowboy Christmas Redemption may make my “best of the year” list. If you read one Yates romance this year, and she is awfully prolific, make it this one. With Miss Austen, in Cowboy Christmas Redemption, we found “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.
Maisey Yates’s Cowboy Christmas Redemption is published by HQN Books. It was released in September 2019 and may be found at your preferred vendors. I’m grateful to HQN Books for an e-galley, via Netgalley.
On the sidelines to Yates’s recent Gold Valley books (this latest is #8) are Caleb Dalton and Ellie Bell. Caleb is Ellie and her four-year-old daughter’s shadow. Since Ellie’s husband and Caleb’s best friend died, Caleb has been Ellie’s ” … rock. Her salvation.” Caleb was there to tell Ellie about his death, hold her when she grieved, hold her hand when she gave birth to Amelia, been there to repair the porch steps, drive Amelia to pre-school. He’s been everything stalwart and good Ellie could ever want, or need. But four years have gone and as Ellie emerges from grief, she wants more than being Clint’s widow. She makes a Christmas wish list, checks it twice, and goes out to get what she needs and wants after four years of single-motherhood and grieving widowhood. She wants a new dress, shoes, to dance in a bar, and flirt with a man. She wants to “feel like a woman again,” to experience intimacy once more.
In Yates’s world, there is no casual, no matter how much the lady, or gentleman doth protest. And this is why I like reading her romances, because more than any other value, Yates gives equal weight to the significance of physical intimacy as emotional. The body matters in a deeply significant, meaningful way. Ellie herself echoes this sentiment when she says to Caleb: ” ‘Sex isn’t casual, even when we pretend that it is. And I think we have a lot of layers of pretending in our world. But even if we decide emotionally it’s not that big of a deal, it’s physically a potentially very big deal. With consequences.’ ” Though Ellie is a woman protective of her heart (there be reasons), she cannot bring herself to have sex with someone she doesn’t know, trust, and like. So, in true Yatesian form, she propositions Caleb, friend and protector; then, watches, in horror, as Caleb, safe haven, transforms into something monumental. Suddenly, her familiar friend (to echo the psalm and this may be the best expression of Yates’s core-theme) with whom she used to hold sweet converse is a behemoth of unknown power, a tornado of intense as Ellie’s never before felt. Because in Yates’s romance universe, there is no casual, or connection that can be purely physical.
The Caleb-intensity comes from Caleb holding a torch for Ellie since the moment his best friend brought her to the Dalton family picnic. For Caleb, it was love at first sight, not lust, yes want, but love. And he’s held onto that love, mixed as it became with guilt, knowledge, and shared experience, for fourteen years. Now that he has Ellie within his reach, he will make the most of his time with her. As with every Yates romance, there’s a fierce antagonism to the male and female principals’/principles’ interactions, as much pain and resistance as pleasure and attraction. Ellie and Caleb’s physical intimacy is a reflection of their love’s dizzying, dangerous eddy. This is reflected in Ellie’s sudden experience of Caleb as an unfamiliar other, even while he’s still her familiar friend.
For Caleb, things are differently but equally disorienting. His self-effacement in the face of Clint’s loss and Ellie and Amelia’s needs is suddenly erased and his personality, his wants and needs, come to the foreground. In a Yates romance, love clangs into her hero and heroine’s lives like a dissonant unabating bell. It tears them apart emotionally, holds them only by the thread of their physical connection, only to remake them, whole and then ready to love and commit. Their bodies, however, know all along what their hearts, minds, and eventually tongues must avow.
Yates’s heroes’ and heroines’ impediments to love are always rooted in their past, more often than not in unresolved family traumas at worst, issues at best. For Ellie, her emotional anchoring when she married Clint was his emotional safety, having suffering through a childhood with a mother whose boyfriends were always more important than Ellie. The emotions Caleb arouses are frightening, alien, and precarious to Ellie’s equanimity. As for Caleb, his psychic wounds come from never being as clever as his friend Clint, though he loved him, because Clint was favoured in Caleb’s home with Caleb’s parents. Caleb is guilt-ridden over his desire for Ellie all these years, for ever being jealous of Clint. In the end, Yates always resolves her less-than hero and heroine to being enough and perfect-for-you-me.
Love comes slowly, fiercely, and inevitably in a Yates romance. Ellie and Caleb’s complexity expresses her core-theme of redemption, connection, commitment, and love perfectly in Ellie’s self-confession: “He was the love of her life. It would have destroyed her to admit that before. But life was complicated, and so was love. With beauty and tragedy at the bottom of each valley, and the top of each hill.” I’ve loved every Yates romance I’ve read, but it’s the first time in a long while I suspect Cowboy Christmas Redemption may make my “best of the year” list. If you read one Yates romance this year, and she is awfully prolific, make it this one. With Miss Austen, in Cowboy Christmas Redemption, we found “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.
Maisey Yates’s Cowboy Christmas Redemption is published by HQN Books. It was released in September 2019 and may be found at your preferred vendors. I’m grateful to HQN Books for an e-galley, via Netgalley.
November 3, 2019
Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey Yates is book 8 in the Gold Valley Series. This is the story of
Ellie Bell and Caleb Dalton. I do feel this can be a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Caleb has been in love with Ellie for years but she had been his best friends wife, so totally off limits to him. Then Clint the best friend and Ellie's husband died but that was several years ago. Caleb still felt she was off limits and even that the guilt of making it know how he feels for her made him stop. But now Ellie is ready to move on and give her daughter Amelia a happy Christmas. To do that Ellie feels she needs to get back into the world and find that connection with someone. Of course Caleb wants to be that someone and starts to move forward to make that happen.
This was a Sweet Romance Read.
Ellie Bell and Caleb Dalton. I do feel this can be a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Caleb has been in love with Ellie for years but she had been his best friends wife, so totally off limits to him. Then Clint the best friend and Ellie's husband died but that was several years ago. Caleb still felt she was off limits and even that the guilt of making it know how he feels for her made him stop. But now Ellie is ready to move on and give her daughter Amelia a happy Christmas. To do that Ellie feels she needs to get back into the world and find that connection with someone. Of course Caleb wants to be that someone and starts to move forward to make that happen.
This was a Sweet Romance Read.
December 15, 2019
Cowboys and Christmas, my two favorite "c" words. I couldn't wait to crack this book open!
I did not realize that this was a book in a series when I started reading. It was definitely hard to read in isolation. I struggled to understand the first couple of chapters because I had not read the other books in this series.
However, I still enjoyed reading this book. It was a nice read for this time of year because of the Christmas theme. Ellie and Caleb's story is heartwarming and exactly the romance I craved when I picked up this book.
Reviewed by: Brianne M.
I did not realize that this was a book in a series when I started reading. It was definitely hard to read in isolation. I struggled to understand the first couple of chapters because I had not read the other books in this series.
However, I still enjoyed reading this book. It was a nice read for this time of year because of the Christmas theme. Ellie and Caleb's story is heartwarming and exactly the romance I craved when I picked up this book.
Reviewed by: Brianne M.
March 7, 2020
Don't know why this didn't link to my blog review.
In a nutshell, it's one of Yates's best: grief, consolation, yearning, redemption, connection, all the way to the glorious commitment-end ... also, a pretty great plot-moppet and a puppy! If you read one Yates (who's moving on to WF, so we'll see how that goes) make it this one; it also still has her signature marvelous sexy times.
If you'd like to read a more extensive review, go to my blog via:
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/202...
Please note I received an e-galley from HQN Books, via Netgalley.
In a nutshell, it's one of Yates's best: grief, consolation, yearning, redemption, connection, all the way to the glorious commitment-end ... also, a pretty great plot-moppet and a puppy! If you read one Yates (who's moving on to WF, so we'll see how that goes) make it this one; it also still has her signature marvelous sexy times.
If you'd like to read a more extensive review, go to my blog via:
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/202...
Please note I received an e-galley from HQN Books, via Netgalley.
December 24, 2021
Too much grief and guilt, not enough sex.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2020
This was an intense and emotional book. Caleb has been in love with Ellie since he first saw her, but she was already with his best friend, Clint, so he buried his feelings deep. When Clint died, Caleb stepped in to be the support he knew Clint would want him to be, and still kept his feelings to himself. As a result, he and Ellie became best friends themselves. So when he found out that Ellie had a very unusual Christmas list, he was ready to help fulfill it.
Ellie loved her husband and grieved for him for four years. But she's tired of being that pitiful widow that everyone feels sorry for, so she's ready to make some changes. Her Christmas list for herself is short, but powerful, starting with buying herself a new dress and getting kissed under the mistletoe, and moving on to making out by the fire and more.
I loved both Caleb and Ellie. Caleb is a good man with a kind heart, who doesn't see himself as worthy of good things. Caleb had a rough childhood with his father constantly comparing him to Clint, leaving him convinced that Clint was always the better person. I loved how he stepped up to be the support that Ellie needed, from holding her through her grief to being there when Amelia was born. There were also times when he frustrated me because of his inability to see his own worth. Ellie is sweet and a lot stronger than she thinks she is. She also has some deep-seated fear of intense emotion thanks to her mother's wild emotional swings in her own love life.
I loved the development of the relationship between Ellie and Caleb. It has an excellent start with the depth of their friendship and that they have an undeniable trust in each other. While their bond is strong, Ellie has no idea that Caleb has stronger feelings. When he shows up the first night she puts her plan into motion, she is shocked by the feelings he stirs up in her. She is further stunned by his reaction to her Christmas list. The chemistry between them is explosive and starts crumbling the walls both of them have around their hearts. I did get a bit frustrated with Ellie at times because she was so oblivious to Caleb's feelings for her. He would say something that made it evident that he felt more than friendship, and she would completely miss it, or misunderstand what he said.
Just when I had high hopes that they were both finally going to "get it," everything fell apart. Caleb was ready to propose but was so afraid of being compared to Clint/not measuring up to Clint that he left out an essential point. Ellie knew that there was something that didn't feel right, but she couldn't admit what it was. And when she finally faced the truth of her feelings, she allowed her fears to send her running, devastating Caleb and reinforcing his fears. Thank goodness for family members who helped each of them see the truth and find the courage to go after what they wanted. I loved their big moment at the end and seeing both of them finally let go of the past and embrace the potential of the future. I loved the epilogue and seeing that they both gave themselves time to get to know who they are now.
I loved the secondary characters. The most adorable one was Amelia, Ellie's little girl. She was such a sweetheart. I loved how big a part of Caleb's life she was, and the depth of her love for him. She just about broke my heart when she told him her Christmas wish. Caleb's parents were interesting people, and the storyline about Hank's past coming home to roost is intriguing. I must admit that the more I heard about how he treated Caleb as a kid, the harder it was to like him, but he did redeem himself somewhat at the end. Caleb's mom was more forgiving than I expected, though she had made some egregious mistakes too. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series and finding out more. I also hope that West gets his own story because he needs to find someone to give him the love he deserves.
Ellie loved her husband and grieved for him for four years. But she's tired of being that pitiful widow that everyone feels sorry for, so she's ready to make some changes. Her Christmas list for herself is short, but powerful, starting with buying herself a new dress and getting kissed under the mistletoe, and moving on to making out by the fire and more.
I loved both Caleb and Ellie. Caleb is a good man with a kind heart, who doesn't see himself as worthy of good things. Caleb had a rough childhood with his father constantly comparing him to Clint, leaving him convinced that Clint was always the better person. I loved how he stepped up to be the support that Ellie needed, from holding her through her grief to being there when Amelia was born. There were also times when he frustrated me because of his inability to see his own worth. Ellie is sweet and a lot stronger than she thinks she is. She also has some deep-seated fear of intense emotion thanks to her mother's wild emotional swings in her own love life.
I loved the development of the relationship between Ellie and Caleb. It has an excellent start with the depth of their friendship and that they have an undeniable trust in each other. While their bond is strong, Ellie has no idea that Caleb has stronger feelings. When he shows up the first night she puts her plan into motion, she is shocked by the feelings he stirs up in her. She is further stunned by his reaction to her Christmas list. The chemistry between them is explosive and starts crumbling the walls both of them have around their hearts. I did get a bit frustrated with Ellie at times because she was so oblivious to Caleb's feelings for her. He would say something that made it evident that he felt more than friendship, and she would completely miss it, or misunderstand what he said.
Just when I had high hopes that they were both finally going to "get it," everything fell apart. Caleb was ready to propose but was so afraid of being compared to Clint/not measuring up to Clint that he left out an essential point. Ellie knew that there was something that didn't feel right, but she couldn't admit what it was. And when she finally faced the truth of her feelings, she allowed her fears to send her running, devastating Caleb and reinforcing his fears. Thank goodness for family members who helped each of them see the truth and find the courage to go after what they wanted. I loved their big moment at the end and seeing both of them finally let go of the past and embrace the potential of the future. I loved the epilogue and seeing that they both gave themselves time to get to know who they are now.
I loved the secondary characters. The most adorable one was Amelia, Ellie's little girl. She was such a sweetheart. I loved how big a part of Caleb's life she was, and the depth of her love for him. She just about broke my heart when she told him her Christmas wish. Caleb's parents were interesting people, and the storyline about Hank's past coming home to roost is intriguing. I must admit that the more I heard about how he treated Caleb as a kid, the harder it was to like him, but he did redeem himself somewhat at the end. Caleb's mom was more forgiving than I expected, though she had made some egregious mistakes too. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series and finding out more. I also hope that West gets his own story because he needs to find someone to give him the love he deserves.
November 16, 2019
What do you do when you are in love with your best friend's widow? How do you get past the fact that you have loved her since the first time you met her? Ellie Bell's husband, Clint, has been gone for five years. He was killed fighting a wildfire before he even knew he was going to be a dad. Caleb Dalton was his stand in for so many things. He held Ellie when she was sad and while she grieved, he was there for the birth of her child Amelia, and he has been a surrogate father for Amelia ever since. To Ellie, he is her best friend, but Dalton wants more. When Ellie decides she is ready to move on and comes up with a list of things she wants to do by Christmas, Caleb sees red. He does not want to see her in someone else's arms. When Ellie tries to dance and kiss a stranger, she realizes she can't. The only person she trusts to help her move on in her love life is Caleb.
First, I have to say that I have not read any other books in this series, I think I need to go back and find out what happened before. I still enjoyed this story, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had the background. Ellie is a vulnerable woman with some baggage and flaws. She loved her husband and there is guilt when she thinks about moving on. She also sees her daughter, Amelia, and thinks she needs to move on for her. She loves Caleb, but again feels guilty. She doesn't think she deserves to be happy. Caleb is also carrying a pile of baggage. He has always felt less than Clint and that he was always second best. He also feels guilty that he loved Ellie while she was married to Clint. Amelia is adorable. She loves her mom and Caleb very much. She never knew her father so there is no confusion there, she loves Caleb and is not afraid to tell anyone that. When Caleb and Ellie begin a physical relationship, it is supposed to be no-strings, but you know that is not going to work out. When they finally open up to each other, it is beautiful Maisey Yates does a wonderful job with the sharing of emotions and my heart broke listening to them baring their souls to each other. Of course their path is rocky, there is some angst, a few hurdles, but some family members do their best to smooth the pathway for them and their advice is right on. I loved how the story ended and the epilogue is wonderful and ties the story up nicely. This was an enjoyable story, with a couple of sex scenes that were quite vivid, so it that is not your thing, you can skim over them. A quick read with a HEA for any contemporary romance lover. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
First, I have to say that I have not read any other books in this series, I think I need to go back and find out what happened before. I still enjoyed this story, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had the background. Ellie is a vulnerable woman with some baggage and flaws. She loved her husband and there is guilt when she thinks about moving on. She also sees her daughter, Amelia, and thinks she needs to move on for her. She loves Caleb, but again feels guilty. She doesn't think she deserves to be happy. Caleb is also carrying a pile of baggage. He has always felt less than Clint and that he was always second best. He also feels guilty that he loved Ellie while she was married to Clint. Amelia is adorable. She loves her mom and Caleb very much. She never knew her father so there is no confusion there, she loves Caleb and is not afraid to tell anyone that. When Caleb and Ellie begin a physical relationship, it is supposed to be no-strings, but you know that is not going to work out. When they finally open up to each other, it is beautiful Maisey Yates does a wonderful job with the sharing of emotions and my heart broke listening to them baring their souls to each other. Of course their path is rocky, there is some angst, a few hurdles, but some family members do their best to smooth the pathway for them and their advice is right on. I loved how the story ended and the epilogue is wonderful and ties the story up nicely. This was an enjoyable story, with a couple of sex scenes that were quite vivid, so it that is not your thing, you can skim over them. A quick read with a HEA for any contemporary romance lover. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
August 27, 2019
I was anticipating a great story, but was a bit disappointed. Ellie and Caleb have been friends forever, it seems, ever since his best friend brought her to a fAmily cookout. It was love At first sight but she only had eyes for his best friend. They married and started a family when her husband dies.
Caleb is there to pick up the pieces and his love for Ellie and Amelia continues to grow until she decided this is the year she needs to expand beyond her grief and live again.
I enjoyed their story, however I found the story kept repeating their same feekings. It seemed to drag at points and I anticipated the end as it seems all the stories end the same. One person in the relationship processes undying love which the other person rejects. After a heart to heart talk with a friend or family member make a them realize that love is worth any risk, they reunite. It's predictable and the epilogue was the redeeming feature of this story.
I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinions.
Caleb is there to pick up the pieces and his love for Ellie and Amelia continues to grow until she decided this is the year she needs to expand beyond her grief and live again.
I enjoyed their story, however I found the story kept repeating their same feekings. It seemed to drag at points and I anticipated the end as it seems all the stories end the same. One person in the relationship processes undying love which the other person rejects. After a heart to heart talk with a friend or family member make a them realize that love is worth any risk, they reunite. It's predictable and the epilogue was the redeeming feature of this story.
I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinions.
September 23, 2019
Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisy Yates is part of her Gold Valley series. Ellie Bell has been a widow for five years. She was married to Caleb Dalton's closest friend Clint. Clint was a firefighter who died doing his job. Unbeknownst to Ellie Caleb has had feelings for her for years. After Clint's death Caleb stepped up to do everything he could for Ellie because he was her best friend and because he cared for her. He kept his feeling to himself until Ellie made her Christmas list which contained a Christmas kiss and then some.
Maisey Yates has drawn these two characters with emotionally charged, poignant words. The way she tells their story is so very beautiful. I really enjoyed reading about Ellie and Caleb's journey to a HEA. Once again author Maisey Yates has treated her readers to a truly lovely love story.
Maisey Yates has drawn these two characters with emotionally charged, poignant words. The way she tells their story is so very beautiful. I really enjoyed reading about Ellie and Caleb's journey to a HEA. Once again author Maisey Yates has treated her readers to a truly lovely love story.
December 11, 2019
Ellie is a single mom and dreads the holidays since her husband had passed away years ago. His best friend, Caleb, has been at Ellie's side from the beginning. Always helping around her house and babysitting. We find out Caleb has loved Ellie for many years but doesn't let on. Ellie's Christmas list is to have a kiss under the mistletoe and Caleb has decided he should be the one. He always felt he should not let his feelings be known as her husband was his best friend and he feels it would be wrong. But when Ellie starts to decide to date it throws Caleb for a spin and he is going to make his move.
This was a great romance and I received this ARC from Harlequin and NetGalley.
This was a great romance and I received this ARC from Harlequin and NetGalley.
December 7, 2019
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
Captivating, romantic, and steamy all rolled into one, COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION by Maisey Yates is a beautiful story of loss and finding love again.
Caleb Dalton has loved Ellie Bell from the first minute he saw her but she was married to his best friend so he repressed his feelings as much as he possibly could. But when Clint died over four years ago, Caleb stepped in as Ellie's best friend and protector for both her and her little girl Amelia. Clint was the best man he knew and Caleb knew that Clint would want him to be there for them as much as he could. But with things changing at the home ranch and that underlying feeling that he is just never enough for anyone, Caleb buys his own land and wants to set his own path for the future which leaves Ellie a little unsettled. She wants things to change for her own life too - she yearns to feel like a woman again not just a mom or a widow. She wants to dance and be kissed by someone who wants her, something fun and uncomplicated but Caleb isn't having any of that. He hid his feelings for her out of respect for what she and Clint had but there is no way he is going to watch Ellie be with someone else when she could be with him. And together their chemistry and attraction is explosive. This is so much more than a harmless kiss under the mistletoe and neither of them know how to handle it. Caleb feels like he is not good enough to step into Ellie and Amelia's life while Ellie knows the dangers of an all-consuming love having watched her mother throw her life away chasing love. As Christmas dawns, will Caleb and Ellie take a chance on love and a future together?
I loved every element of this heartwarming story of moving on and taking a chance at love. Caleb is a wonderful character and it broke my heart to watch him doubting himself and his character when he is such a good man. Ellie had a gentle love with Clint that gave her security and her lovely little girl but I could understand her fear at letting herself fall so completely in love with someone who stirs her soul so deeply. Watching her grieve and try to build a happier life for herself and her daughter was a wonderful thing to watch. The setting is stunning and really painted a picture for everything that was about to happen.
COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION by Maisey Yates is part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone - but after reading this book, I'm off on a shopping trip for the Gold Valley series. An excellent story that is sure to melt your heart as well as make you blush!
Captivating, romantic, and steamy all rolled into one, COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION by Maisey Yates is a beautiful story of loss and finding love again.
Caleb Dalton has loved Ellie Bell from the first minute he saw her but she was married to his best friend so he repressed his feelings as much as he possibly could. But when Clint died over four years ago, Caleb stepped in as Ellie's best friend and protector for both her and her little girl Amelia. Clint was the best man he knew and Caleb knew that Clint would want him to be there for them as much as he could. But with things changing at the home ranch and that underlying feeling that he is just never enough for anyone, Caleb buys his own land and wants to set his own path for the future which leaves Ellie a little unsettled. She wants things to change for her own life too - she yearns to feel like a woman again not just a mom or a widow. She wants to dance and be kissed by someone who wants her, something fun and uncomplicated but Caleb isn't having any of that. He hid his feelings for her out of respect for what she and Clint had but there is no way he is going to watch Ellie be with someone else when she could be with him. And together their chemistry and attraction is explosive. This is so much more than a harmless kiss under the mistletoe and neither of them know how to handle it. Caleb feels like he is not good enough to step into Ellie and Amelia's life while Ellie knows the dangers of an all-consuming love having watched her mother throw her life away chasing love. As Christmas dawns, will Caleb and Ellie take a chance on love and a future together?
I loved every element of this heartwarming story of moving on and taking a chance at love. Caleb is a wonderful character and it broke my heart to watch him doubting himself and his character when he is such a good man. Ellie had a gentle love with Clint that gave her security and her lovely little girl but I could understand her fear at letting herself fall so completely in love with someone who stirs her soul so deeply. Watching her grieve and try to build a happier life for herself and her daughter was a wonderful thing to watch. The setting is stunning and really painted a picture for everything that was about to happen.
COWBOY CHRISTMAS REDEMPTION by Maisey Yates is part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone - but after reading this book, I'm off on a shopping trip for the Gold Valley series. An excellent story that is sure to melt your heart as well as make you blush!
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September 23, 2019I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I am a huge Maisey Yates fan. I can always count on her for a good, sweet romance. She doesn't disappoint here either! This was the first of this particular series that I have read and I have no idea why now! I am in the process of going back and reading all of the others.
Caleb and Ellie are connected through the death of her husband who was Caleb's best friend. They have both been through a lot and it has taken him a while to come to terms with his feelings for her. One of the things I loved was how Caleb faced this head on. I'm not sure I could have when I finally was honest with myself. How do you tell the widow of your best friend that you have feelings for her and her daughter? Where do you fit into their lives?
There were moments for me when I had a little trouble with Ellie. She was stuck in her own emotional needs it seemed. However, having spent years watching my mother refuse to let my father go helped me understand her more. Ellie simply had a hard time moving beyond her emotional ties to her husband. When she decides she is ready it's like one step forward, two steps back.
Caleb and Ellie had amazing chemistry but I will say that this book was an emotional roller coaster. I wasn't sure if they were going to make at times. Like I said Ellie struggles I felt more than Caleb. Although he does struggle with his feelings some. He just is much braver about putting himself out there. All in all this was an amazing story.
“But you are… You’re going to run a Christmas tree farm?”“At least temporarily. Everything’s ready to go now, which means finishing out the year, or the next few years, is guaranteed money in the bank to begin other ventures. There’s contracts already made with outfits around the country, truckers on hand to drive the things to their destinations. And he owns that small lot down on the main street of town. So, I’m all set not only to sell this year’s crop around the country, but also sell it here.”“But you don’t… You don’t actually want to…be a Christmas tree farmer?”“My ultimate goal is cattle,” he said.She’d had no idea. None at all. Not that he wanted his own ranch, not that he’d been unhappy at the school. Was he unhappy at the school? Was he leaving?“What does this mean for your position at the school?”“I will be leaving. Which I will be talking to Gabe about later tonight.”“But…”“With West Caldwell coming into town, there’s no need for me to hang around. He’s going to be working on the ranch.”“Your half brother that you’ve never met. That’s putting a lot of stock in a man you don’t even know.”“Gabe figures we owe him. And, since Gabe is awash in guilt over the whole half sibling thing, I figure that works in my favor.”As much as Ellie loved Hank Dalton, the patriarch of the Dalton clan, it was becoming more and more clear that he was problematic. A couple of years ago it had been discovered that he had a daughter that none of them had known about. McKenna Tate. She’d come into town after discovering the identity of her family, and after some adjusting, the Dalton family had welcomed her into the full. But on the heels of that revelation had come another one.There were three more children. All adults now.Hank had never known about them. But Tammy had.It had changed the relationship, that reveal.But Hank was awash enough in the guilt from the actions in his past, that the two of them were trying to work through it to an extent. And Ellie really hoped that they did. For some selfish reasons, if she was honest. Because she loved them, and they were the closest thing to a family for her, and she didn’t want to lose them.“But… Don’t you want to wait and see if it’s going to work out?”“No,” Caleb said. “I don’t want to work at the school forever. This is what I want.”That made her…angry and she couldn’t figure out exactly why. He deserved to have dreams; of course he did. But she’d just…assumed he was happy with the way things were. She’d somehow meshed his dreams together with hers.Had decided that what she was doing with his family ranch, with the school, was what he wanted, too.But if she didn’t feel great about him fighting fires anymore, maybe he didn’t, either. And she’d never asked. She’d only thought about it in terms of her own comfort. That wasn’t right at all.Still, the idea of him having his own endeavors, his own life farther away from her and not right all around her while they worked…She needed him. She really had. She still did.She didn’t like this…this change. But she should be happy for him, and it made her feel… She felt bad. And she didn’t like feeling bad about something that was good for her friend.“I’d… Well, congratulations,” she said. Even though she didn’t feel like congratulating him at all. She felt like having a tantrum.She really didn’t know why.“Thank you,” he said, his mouth quirking up into a half smile that made it very clear he was well aware she wasn’t having the best reaction to his news.“I’ll miss seeing you.” The words more plaintive than she intended.“I’m not moving away,” he said.“Yeah, but I see you all the time,” she protested.“You will still see me all the time.”“But you won’t be dropping Amelia off when I want you to.”“Probably not.”Her stomach twisted, but that wasn’t what was upsetting her. She knew it wasn’t.And then it hit her, as strongly as that melancholy had when she’d realized it was nearly the Christmas season.This phase of life was over.The one where he was here to carry her. Where she had a crutch to get her through what life looked like without Clint. Being a single mother.It was changing.It had begun to change months ago, when the idea for the school had come about. She had gone back to work.But she’d been a fledgling, and he’d been there to help her.Maybe she needed to make some changes, too.Maybe, instead of dreading Christmas, she needed to get started on her wish list.
This review was originally posted on A Lucky Grace
I am a huge Maisey Yates fan. I can always count on her for a good, sweet romance. She doesn't disappoint here either! This was the first of this particular series that I have read and I have no idea why now! I am in the process of going back and reading all of the others.
Caleb and Ellie are connected through the death of her husband who was Caleb's best friend. They have both been through a lot and it has taken him a while to come to terms with his feelings for her. One of the things I loved was how Caleb faced this head on. I'm not sure I could have when I finally was honest with myself. How do you tell the widow of your best friend that you have feelings for her and her daughter? Where do you fit into their lives?
There were moments for me when I had a little trouble with Ellie. She was stuck in her own emotional needs it seemed. However, having spent years watching my mother refuse to let my father go helped me understand her more. Ellie simply had a hard time moving beyond her emotional ties to her husband. When she decides she is ready it's like one step forward, two steps back.
Caleb and Ellie had amazing chemistry but I will say that this book was an emotional roller coaster. I wasn't sure if they were going to make at times. Like I said Ellie struggles I felt more than Caleb. Although he does struggle with his feelings some. He just is much braver about putting himself out there. All in all this was an amazing story.
“But you are… You’re going to run a Christmas tree farm?”“At least temporarily. Everything’s ready to go now, which means finishing out the year, or the next few years, is guaranteed money in the bank to begin other ventures. There’s contracts already made with outfits around the country, truckers on hand to drive the things to their destinations. And he owns that small lot down on the main street of town. So, I’m all set not only to sell this year’s crop around the country, but also sell it here.”“But you don’t… You don’t actually want to…be a Christmas tree farmer?”“My ultimate goal is cattle,” he said.She’d had no idea. None at all. Not that he wanted his own ranch, not that he’d been unhappy at the school. Was he unhappy at the school? Was he leaving?“What does this mean for your position at the school?”“I will be leaving. Which I will be talking to Gabe about later tonight.”“But…”“With West Caldwell coming into town, there’s no need for me to hang around. He’s going to be working on the ranch.”“Your half brother that you’ve never met. That’s putting a lot of stock in a man you don’t even know.”“Gabe figures we owe him. And, since Gabe is awash in guilt over the whole half sibling thing, I figure that works in my favor.”As much as Ellie loved Hank Dalton, the patriarch of the Dalton clan, it was becoming more and more clear that he was problematic. A couple of years ago it had been discovered that he had a daughter that none of them had known about. McKenna Tate. She’d come into town after discovering the identity of her family, and after some adjusting, the Dalton family had welcomed her into the full. But on the heels of that revelation had come another one.There were three more children. All adults now.Hank had never known about them. But Tammy had.It had changed the relationship, that reveal.But Hank was awash enough in the guilt from the actions in his past, that the two of them were trying to work through it to an extent. And Ellie really hoped that they did. For some selfish reasons, if she was honest. Because she loved them, and they were the closest thing to a family for her, and she didn’t want to lose them.“But… Don’t you want to wait and see if it’s going to work out?”“No,” Caleb said. “I don’t want to work at the school forever. This is what I want.”That made her…angry and she couldn’t figure out exactly why. He deserved to have dreams; of course he did. But she’d just…assumed he was happy with the way things were. She’d somehow meshed his dreams together with hers.Had decided that what she was doing with his family ranch, with the school, was what he wanted, too.But if she didn’t feel great about him fighting fires anymore, maybe he didn’t, either. And she’d never asked. She’d only thought about it in terms of her own comfort. That wasn’t right at all.Still, the idea of him having his own endeavors, his own life farther away from her and not right all around her while they worked…She needed him. She really had. She still did.She didn’t like this…this change. But she should be happy for him, and it made her feel… She felt bad. And she didn’t like feeling bad about something that was good for her friend.“I’d… Well, congratulations,” she said. Even though she didn’t feel like congratulating him at all. She felt like having a tantrum.She really didn’t know why.“Thank you,” he said, his mouth quirking up into a half smile that made it very clear he was well aware she wasn’t having the best reaction to his news.“I’ll miss seeing you.” The words more plaintive than she intended.“I’m not moving away,” he said.“Yeah, but I see you all the time,” she protested.“You will still see me all the time.”“But you won’t be dropping Amelia off when I want you to.”“Probably not.”Her stomach twisted, but that wasn’t what was upsetting her. She knew it wasn’t.And then it hit her, as strongly as that melancholy had when she’d realized it was nearly the Christmas season.This phase of life was over.The one where he was here to carry her. Where she had a crutch to get her through what life looked like without Clint. Being a single mother.It was changing.It had begun to change months ago, when the idea for the school had come about. She had gone back to work.But she’d been a fledgling, and he’d been there to help her.Maybe she needed to make some changes, too.Maybe, instead of dreading Christmas, she needed to get started on her wish list.
This review was originally posted on A Lucky Grace
September 30, 2019
4.5 stars
I’ve been patiently waiting through the last few book in this series to see how the story of Ellie and Caleb would play out. It’s been obvious to everyone but Ellie that Caleb’s feelings for her went well beyond his best friend’s widow. So, I was anxious to see if she would reciprocate those feelings once the fog of grief lifted.
This story gripped my heart and tore it from my chest. Seriously, the feelings Caleb had for Ellie and the way he kept them tamped down for so darn long was just beautifully brutal. The scene that starts the build up of Caleb discovering Ellie’s Christmas list, how that discovery plays out, the raw emotion that comes from Caleb and the cluelessness of Ellie…GAH! My stomach was just in knots the whole time.
Once Ellie’s past, with her mom, is revealed the reader knows where this will end up eventually. I couldn’t help but hope I was wrong. But, in the end, it needed to go there. Ellie and Caleb needed to know if what they had was real, was enough, was forever.
Man, Caleb is a good guy. A good guy that has no clue how wonderful he really is. Past mistakes, especially when you’re a teen, do not dictate who you are as an adult. He grew and learned from those mistakes, but still kept beating himself up about them. All while holding them inside, not even talking to his brothers about them. Not only did Ellie help him see past those mistakes, she helped him see that they weren’t as huge as he had built them up in his mind over the years.
The passion and chemistry that sparked between these two was off the charts. Yet, Caleb was still so patient and constantly tried to do what he thought was right.
Sometimes, when it comes to the Dalton family, I think there’s a bit too much repetition about the parents. As we watch the “kids” all find their HEA, we also watch the years long marriage of Hank and Tammy be knocked for a loop and slowly get built back up, even with the illegitimate kids coming out of the woodwork. I actually find the story quite interesting and I love how the author reflects their relationship with their children’s struggles. It just seems that sometimes, within the same story, the details are repeated too often.
Listen, if that’s my only issue with this book that’s a really good thing. It’s actually a non-issue, truth be told. Just an observation. And I can’t help but think that someone who is reading this story as a standalone wouldn’t think the same way as I do. This is a wonderful story. It will drain you dry and then build you back up again.
You can see more of my reviews at All In Good Time.
I’ve been patiently waiting through the last few book in this series to see how the story of Ellie and Caleb would play out. It’s been obvious to everyone but Ellie that Caleb’s feelings for her went well beyond his best friend’s widow. So, I was anxious to see if she would reciprocate those feelings once the fog of grief lifted.
This story gripped my heart and tore it from my chest. Seriously, the feelings Caleb had for Ellie and the way he kept them tamped down for so darn long was just beautifully brutal. The scene that starts the build up of Caleb discovering Ellie’s Christmas list, how that discovery plays out, the raw emotion that comes from Caleb and the cluelessness of Ellie…GAH! My stomach was just in knots the whole time.
Once Ellie’s past, with her mom, is revealed the reader knows where this will end up eventually. I couldn’t help but hope I was wrong. But, in the end, it needed to go there. Ellie and Caleb needed to know if what they had was real, was enough, was forever.
Man, Caleb is a good guy. A good guy that has no clue how wonderful he really is. Past mistakes, especially when you’re a teen, do not dictate who you are as an adult. He grew and learned from those mistakes, but still kept beating himself up about them. All while holding them inside, not even talking to his brothers about them. Not only did Ellie help him see past those mistakes, she helped him see that they weren’t as huge as he had built them up in his mind over the years.
The passion and chemistry that sparked between these two was off the charts. Yet, Caleb was still so patient and constantly tried to do what he thought was right.
Sometimes, when it comes to the Dalton family, I think there’s a bit too much repetition about the parents. As we watch the “kids” all find their HEA, we also watch the years long marriage of Hank and Tammy be knocked for a loop and slowly get built back up, even with the illegitimate kids coming out of the woodwork. I actually find the story quite interesting and I love how the author reflects their relationship with their children’s struggles. It just seems that sometimes, within the same story, the details are repeated too often.
Listen, if that’s my only issue with this book that’s a really good thing. It’s actually a non-issue, truth be told. Just an observation. And I can’t help but think that someone who is reading this story as a standalone wouldn’t think the same way as I do. This is a wonderful story. It will drain you dry and then build you back up again.
You can see more of my reviews at All In Good Time.
December 22, 2019
Next up in the Gold Valley Series is Cowboy Christmas Redemption. Though you don’t need to read the book prior to this one, I do think is helps to provide more of the overarching story. Cowboy Christmas Redemption is the story of Ellie Bell and Caleb Dalton. Ellie is the widow of Clint, who died in a helicopter crash. And Caleb, Clint’s best friend, has been beside Ellie in the years since Clint died. However, he has been in love with Ellie since he first met her years ago as Clint’s new girlfriend. He has put all that aside for years, even while she was grieving. But as Ellie starts to put aside her grief, they begin to see each other in new ways.
Despite a few issues with the story, I found myself breezing through this one easily and kept wanting to come back to their story. I struggled with how much interior dialogue this book gave us. They were both so ANGSTY. After awhile I was just like STOP AND JUST LOVE EACH OTHER. And the descriptions of their love for each other and their feelings just didn’t resonate with me. But I guess I also haven’t experienced deep loss. Regardless, the chemistry in this book was palpable and there were some pretty 🔥🔥🔥 scenes. This book is definitely more open door. Medium amount of Christmas. Just enough to make it Christmassy, but also readable all year around! And the ending was so sweet! Worth a read despite a couple issues I had!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Despite a few issues with the story, I found myself breezing through this one easily and kept wanting to come back to their story. I struggled with how much interior dialogue this book gave us. They were both so ANGSTY. After awhile I was just like STOP AND JUST LOVE EACH OTHER. And the descriptions of their love for each other and their feelings just didn’t resonate with me. But I guess I also haven’t experienced deep loss. Regardless, the chemistry in this book was palpable and there were some pretty 🔥🔥🔥 scenes. This book is definitely more open door. Medium amount of Christmas. Just enough to make it Christmassy, but also readable all year around! And the ending was so sweet! Worth a read despite a couple issues I had!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!
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