Book Review: HER CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Adele Downs #Romance #Giveaway

“You can’t go wrong with Adele Downs.” ~Will Work for Books

HER CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Adele Downs

A .99 Lunchbox Romance short story from Boroughs Publishing Group.

Tragedy brought them together, but joy met them on the other side.

Available from:

Amazon

SMASHWORDS

ARe

Excerpt:

Clearly, the man had no concept of his effect on her.

When Daisy pulled up to Trey’s house and saw him standing at the base of the steps to greet her in nothing but low slung denims and work boots, she’d found it hard to breathe. Suddenly, Jack Frost and his Pennsylvania winter lost their appeal. Who needed snow when a smokin’ hot cowboy waited for her? Welcomed her? Wanted her?

If she hadn’t come to Houston, she wouldn’t have met the handsome ranch hand who filled her dreams night after night. Trey had become her single compelling reason to work through her personal pain. That and the fact that she’d never give up police work. She’d find a way to succeed, one way or another. It was hard for a cop to be flexible, since theirs was a structured world, but she was trying her best to adapt to her new environment.

Daisy took a bite of her chicken salad while Trey munched his roast beef. They ate in companionable silence while Big Blue grazed beyond. Trey took a swallow of bottled ice tea and then spoke. “Would you like to spend Christmas Eve together, here? Maybe help me trim the tree?”

Daisy’s spirit lifted again with the invitation, though she tried to stay cool. She and her sister Rose had already been invited to Christmas dinner with Trey’s family, and she’d promised to bring homemade pumpkin pie and oven fresh bread. Rose was making apple pie and a side dish.

Daisy hadn’t expected to spend Christmas Eve with Trey too, but she was glad he asked. “Sure. I’d like that.” The heaviness around her heart broke free and her mood lifted. She imagined the two of them in an embrace, making love beneath the twinkling lights of Trey’s Christmas tree, and realized she was…happy.

It had been so long since she’d known the feeling it took seconds to realize what had come over her. She smiled and savored the moment. Trey made her happy. Spending Christmas with him was the best gift the season could bring.

There would be no snowfall in Texas. Or winter’s chill.  No downhill sledding, hot cocoa, or ice covered boots. There might not be snippets of holly gracing the table, but there would undoubtedly be mistletoe. With that final thought, Daisy leaned over and gave Trey a deep, gotta’ get-back-to-work kiss.

He smiled at her, and just like that… Daisy found her Christmas spirit.

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Review by Melissa Snark

Adele Downs is a wonderful storyteller. I always enjoy her contemporary romances, and HER CHRISTMAS COWBOY was a delightful short read. Heroine Daisy and hero Trey are well-developed characters with real life scars (emotional and physical). The story opens with them approaching a crisis in their dating relationship, one of those make it or break it moments, which happens to coincide with the Christmas holiday. 

The story was artfully written, and one of the things I really enjoyed was the portrayal of Daisy as a mounted-police officer. Too often horses feel like they are thrown into romances to appeal to readers who happen to harbor lingering teenage girl horse infatuation. (It's a serious wonder that more heroines don't ride dolphins.) The author actually thinks about the role horses play in the heroine's profession and makes an effort to portray the realities and difficulties of the job. Kudos.

 I'd have liked the story to have been longer and with more time given to the development of Daisy and Trey's relationship. Initially, too much of the romance felt established. However, the romance scenes are sweet and heart warming. Some stories are meant to be short, and this one works well in that capacity. Two thumbs up. 
I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review. 

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About the Author:

Adele Downs writes best-selling contemporary romance inside the office of her rural Pennsylvania home. She is a former journalist, published in newspapers and magazines inside the USA, UK, and Caribbean.

Adele is an active member of Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter where she serves as a past-president. She has written several articles for RWR magazine (Romance Writers Report) and has presented workshops for writers.

When Adele isn’t working on her current project, she can be found riding in her convertible or reading a book on the nearest beach. 

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