Series: Cardwell Ranch #4
Published by Harlequin on 22 October 2013
Genres: Chick-lit, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 224
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
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At Cardwell Ranch, the holidays can be brutal
It had been years since Tanner "Tag" Cardwell's boots touched Montana soil. This Christmas he was determined to change that. Until a run-in with local Lily McCabe revealed dark secrets from his past and deep trouble for his future.
Cowboys came and went in these parts. But Tag Cardwell caught Lily off guard in more ways than one when the two became entwined in a murder mystery. What was it about Tag? The dreamy eyes… The rugged physique… The protection she felt in his strong arms…
But before they could lose themselves in each other they had to trace a killer. Or risk finding a crime scene under the Christmas tree.
*I recieved a free ARC of Christmas at Cardwell Ranch from Harelquin via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*
Christmas at Cardwell Ranch is a contemporary romance with some supsense / thriller elements as well. I thought the thriller part of the story was very well done. On Tag’s first night back in Montana, he sees a waitress leaving the bar, without a coat, and she seems drunk. She gets into a car and disappears into the night. And from that moment on, she’s missing. One of her female colleagues go missing as well, and those who could possibly shed some light on these disappearances are unwilling to share. Tag and Lily try to solve the mystery themselves, but they have no idea how high the stakes are – or that it might end in death.
While Christmas at Cardwell Ranch is a quick read, and works well as a suspense, I didn’t think the romance was very believable. Lily and Tag know each other for only a few days, and they instantly fall in love. Then, they have magic sex while Tag is more or less out of it on painkillers, then some other things happen, and he proposes in the end. They really do not know each other at all, and while I can totally get chemistry and lust – which I could also see is part of what was happening in Christmas at Cardwell Ranch, I always have a little trouble getting into a romance that is this hurried.
I read Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch (book 1) in January, and I had a similar reaction to that as I did to Christmas at Cardwell Ranch. It is a sweet story, nice suspense, but a little simplistic. There are some very nice moments, though, both with Dana and Hud from that first book, and also between both Lily and Tag, as well as between Lily and her brother.
If you’re looking for a quick read that will make you follow the tracks to figure out who is making women disappear and why, you should pick up Christmas at Cardwell Ranch, and if you don’t mind instant love, you might actually love it! And it is all taking place during the Christmas holiday, which I always love reading about – preparing the tree, gifts and cookies are always great to participate in. Also, I have this weak spot for cowboys, which is part of the reason why I wanted to read Christmas at Cardwell Ranch so badly 🙂
Friday night just days from Christmas in Big Sky, Montana, the bar was packed with a mix of locals, skiers, snowmobilers and cowboys. There’d be a fight for sure before the night was over. He planned to be long gone before then, though.
Oh my! He’s totally RAWWR!
LOL, yes I do agree that the cover-man is totally hot!
Thanks for stopping by, Andi 🙂
That’s nice, one day I’ll have to read a cowboy book, I have some. But it was a long time ago.
I’ve read lots of cowboy romance books lately, Melliane, I think I have a review for another one tomorrow 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.