Review: Rocky Mountain Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

A Cowboy's Second Chance

The last person cowboy Joe Gallagher thought he'd see on his ranch was high school sweetheart Rebecca Anshaw Simpson. Twelve years after she married another man, she's back as his physical therapist. But healing his body is nothing compared to guarding his heart from the woman he never forgot. There's much the single mom would rather forget, but Becca won't let regret and a surly rancher get in the way of her job and the chance to start over with her little girl. She has only a few weeks to make peace with her past. But Becca never expected she'd fall all over again for her first love.

My Review

I loved the details of ranch life in this story of second chance love. The fact that Joe has a prosthetic arm and Rebecca coincidentally is assigned as his physical therapist makes things even more interesting. Despite the resentment and regret over Becca's past choice, they can't help but respect and admire the changes in each other. I was actually on vacation in the Rocky Mountains when I read this book, so it was fun to be in the setting and easily imagine the ranch and town. The cast of characters rounded out the story well, from Becca's daughter and supportive mother to the film crew from the city floundering in the country. I feel like this  author's writing is more matter of fact than emotional, but I still was invested in the characters and interested in the outcome of Joe and Becca's relationship.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Review & Sale: A Heart Full of Christmas: Contemporary Inspirational Holiday Romance Collection by Debby Giusti, Ruth Logan Herne, Sandra Leesmith, Tina Radcliffe, Missy Tippens

A Heart Full of Christmas is on sale for only 99 cents through the end of July!

(Be sure to check the price before ordering)

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

There's no time like the holidays to fall into romance with some of the best-known inspirational romance authors around! No matter what part of the country (or world!) you're from, these tender, holiday themed romances make you feel the joy of a faith-filled Christmas and the tender spirit of angels with every page you turn! Join these authors as they transport you to a "Joy-to-the-World" type happy-ever-after, the kind of joy every couple deserves!

"A Miracle for Christmas" by Debby Giusti
Nurse Brigid O’Grady refuses to open her heart to NYPD Detective Tony Calabrese, knowing she could lose him to the gang violence that killed her dad. But, while working to save a patient on Christmas Eve night, Brigid is confronted by the very danger she most fears. Can Tony save Brigid… or do they both need a miracle to make the darkness turn merry and bright?

“Home to His Heart” by Ruth Logan Herne
Being in Ashton, Pennsylvania at Christmas time holds nothing but bad memories for Dr. Tess Cosgrove. Widower Jake Karralis is at a rough professional crossroads. When Tess meets her high school nemesis living across the street with his twin sons, the stakes suddenly change. Can the timing of a young angel and the glory of a newborn king bring peace and happiness to two troubled souls? It can, with a little help from baklava and hand-rolled cannolis!

“Under the Mistletoe” by Tina Radcliffe
Wrap your heart around a cozy little romance that starts with a red wool scarf, an angel or two, and ends with Ben Logan and Lucy Fielding under the mistletoe.

“One Snowy Kiss” by Missy Tippens
Unlucky in love, police deputy Hardy Greenway has spent his life in the friend zone. But now he’s fallen hard for the girlfriend of his nemesis. Dori Blanchette has been waiting for a proposal. But how could she say yes when she has feelings for Hardy? With Christmas tree ornaments playing spontaneously and secrets being revealed, there’s no telling who will end up together at Christmas!

“Holiday Homecoming” by Sandra Leesmith
Debbie fell in love with surfer David Martin. Against her parent’s wishes, she married her first love. Would the help of an angel and the influence of the Christmas season bring forgiveness and redemption?

My Review

A heartwarming collection of stories centered around Christmas miracles and the heavenly help that nudges the characters toward a happy ending. A variety of themes are covered, from suspense and action to unrequited love and second chances. I enjoyed some stories more than others, but it is a decent anthology overall and I would recommend it to readers who love novellas and holiday stories.

(Thank you to Seekerville for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: Rocky Mountain Reunion by Tina Radcliffe

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

A Second Chance at Forever 

Nurse Anne Matson's structured life derails when a familiar patient enters her ER—the ex-husband she left ten years ago. Matthew Clark is the last person she expects to see in Paradise, Colorado, especially with a nine-year-old daughter. The single dad is running the town's biggest expansion project, but one thing stands in his way—Anne's Victorian home. When his daughter falls ill, and Anne volunteers to help with her care, Matt recognizes he's never stopped loving the spirited beauty. But how can he get her back when he plans to take all she has left…or can Anne see she has everything to gain—the family she's been denied?

My Review

There are several conflicts of interest in the recently reunited lives of Anne and Matthew. They are trying to help one another while staying at arms length, and ignoring the elephant in the room- the inevitable destruction of Anne's home at the hands of Matthew's company. There is tension throughout the book, which made the characters seem rigid and unable to relax. I felt more about the dilemmas they faced than their romance, and didn't see how on earth it would be resolved... until Anne's geriatric aunt steps up to the plate and brings about a miraculously satisfying happy ending :)

(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book; this is my honest review)