Carol Arens

Good book. Ginny is a beautiful young woman who is extremely shy. Not only is she uncomfortable in social situations, she actively resists participating in them. She is understandably cynical about the attention she does receive, noting that nobody looks past her face to the woman inside. Ginny spends her free time writing stories in her journal. Her Aunt Adelia is determined to see her married and conspires with her best friend, Violet, Lady Hawkwood, to match Ginny with Violet's widowed show more son, Phillip.

Ginny looks forward to the upcoming house party at Hawkwood, not because of Phillip but to see his younger brother William again. Ginny and William met when they were twelve and sixteen, shortly after each had lost a beloved parent. They snuck away from the others and spent time together talking about their losses, exploring, watching ducks, and sheltering in a cave from a storm. Ginny never forgot William and how easy it was to talk to him.

William and Phillip are very close, and he wants nothing more than to see Phillip happy again. William is a bit of a rogue who enjoys flirting with the ladies but has no plans to marry anytime soon. He knows the pain that both Phillip and his mother experienced at the loss of their spouses and doesn't want to risk that for himself. William gladly agrees to his mother's request to help entertain the various young ladies at the house party. He also agrees to help Phillip sort out those young ladies who best suit him.

From the moment Ginny arrives at Hawkwood, it is clear that her aunt and Lady Violet intend to throw her and Phillip together at every opportunity. Ginny agrees to see if they suit but makes no promises otherwise. The real draw for her is seeing William again. Neither one has forgotten each other, and the day they spent together, but are unsure if the other feels the same. Interactions between them are a little tentative until they admit the connection is still there. I loved the scenes of them together as they catch up on the changes in their lives.

Ginny knows she should concentrate on Phillip. She finds him almost as easy to be with as William, but something is missing. There are some excellent scenes of Ginny and Phillip together, especially when Phillip asks her some very pointed questions. I ached for William because he loves both Ginny and Phillip. He won't do anything to come between them, but it gets harder each day to think of them together. His misery overwhelmed him the night of the ball, and he knew he had to get away. I loved the conversation between Ginny and Phillip that sent them searching for William and Ginny's decision to set out independently.

I loved seeing Ginny overcome her fear of storms and William finally admit his feelings to her. I liked seeing their story come full circle with their shelter in the cave that night. The story ended with a couple of fun twists, from their trip to Gretna Green to who they found there. I loved the exchange of letters between Violet and Adelia that ended the book with love and laughter.

The secondary characters were terrific parts of the story. Violet invited a variety of young ladies to the house party, even though she didn't intend for any of them to win Phillip's heart. Lady Della was incredibly annoying. I liked Elizabeth and how she and Ginny became friends. I wasn't sure about Lady Kirkwynd at the beginning, but she grew on me. I liked her a lot by the end and would love to see her get her own book. show less

This was a fun book to read. I enjoy American man/woman enters English society books with their culture clashes. Joe brought his sister to England from their home in Wyoming to fulfill her and her mother's wish to find a titled husband. Joe is a somewhat rough around the edges rancher, but he'll do anything for his sister. His father is also Baron Havesmere and owns property in the Lake District. Because his father is too ill to travel this year, Joe promises to look in on the family show more property once Roselina is taken care of. Unfortunately, Joe's reluctance to blend in may put a crimp in Roselina's chances. This becomes a more significant issue when he assaults another man at the first ball they attend, even though he was protecting a lady's honor.

Olivia, whom we met in The Earl's American Heiress, is an attractive widow who drew the attention of a man who didn't know how to accept the word "no." He corners Olivia in the garden but is stopped in his tracks by the timely arrival of Joe. The resulting brouhaha (compounded by Joe's dog) leads the hostess to insist that Olivia take Joe under her wing and polish his rough edges. Olivia, whose late husband's infidelities made her distrustful of all men, is left with no choice. Her young son complicates matters with his insistence that Joe is "his cowboy."

I loved the development of the relationship between Olivia and Joe. They first met in the cemetery where Olivia's brother Oliver is buried. Her son, Victor, gets lost in the fog and is rescued by Joe and his dog. Victor is immediately smitten and believes that his late uncle sent Joe there just for him. Olivia is simply wary of the stranger who appeared out of the mist. Between that meeting and the later encounter at the ball, neither can get the other off their mind. I thoroughly enjoyed the "how to be a gentleman" lessons. Joe initially resists because he thinks he should be accepted for who he is but gives Roselina's pleas. There is the additional benefit of getting to know Olivia better. On her side, Olivia finds herself just as intrigued by Joe but is determined to protect her heart.

I loved Joe. He embodies the "cowboy code" of honor, honesty, and protection. He also has a big heart, vividly portrayed by his connection with Victor and his obvious love for his sister and mother. I watched that same love spill over onto Olivia as his feelings for her grew stronger. When tragedy strikes and returning to Wyoming is no longer an option, Joe must face a different future than the one he planned. I loved Olivia, too. Her bitterness about men is understandable given the misery caused by her late husband. She has a lot of love to give, as evidenced by her devotion to Victor, but trusting someone with her heart does not come easy. Knowing that Joe will leave makes her determined to resist her feelings, but she suspects it is a losing battle. There are some sweet scenes between them as their "lessons" progress and a couple of more where Joe's protectiveness comes to the surface. But their connection deepens when Joe turns to Olivia in an emotional late-night encounter.

I loved watching Joe throw himself into his new life. It was amusing to see him convince Olivia to join his family at their estate - to continue his lessons, of course. She had no idea of his plans to court her. He hits a bump in the road when an encounter in the village stirs up Olivia's fears. Joe quickly realizes that before he can win her heart, he must first earn Olivia's trust. I loved his understanding and patience as he overcame her fears. I ached for Olivia because she knew what she wanted but was afraid to reach for it. The ending made me cheer for her. In a fantastic scene in the barn, her love for Joe beats the last of her fears (and a ghost or two) into submission. The final pages were great, and I loved the part with the hats.

Young Victor was my favorite of the secondary characters. I loved his little boy enthusiasm and mischievousness. But the best part was his absolute certainty that his Uncle Oliver sent Joe to be Victor's very own cowboy. The connection between the two was immediate and sweet. I liked Joe's mother and sister, though I wasn't too sure about Francesca's unilateral decision about the ranch. Roselina was sweet but by no means the naïve debutante that so many others of her age were. Her life on the ranch gave her an unusual set of life skills and viewpoints. I enjoyed the secondary romance between Roselina and Lord Mansfield. They were well suited to each other, and Joe's reactions were fun to watch.

The "mischief" that caused Joe's return to Havesmere was an exciting twist in the story. I liked how it gave Joe a reason to get out among his people and something to focus on other than his grief. That mischief went too far at one point, and I was on the edge of my seat until the crisis ended. I loved the revelation of the culprit, especially Olivia's part in it. show less

A Bride and Baby for Christmas by Lauri Robinson
Series: Oak Grove (Book 2.5)

Pregnant Hannah Olsen has made a list of Oak Grove’s eligible men. A list that Teddy White sees—and he’s not on it! Time for him to act so that both their Christmas wishes can come true.

I was happy to see Hannah Olsen get her happy ever after. She made her first appearance in Winning the Mail-Order Bride as the woman Brett's mother sent for him to marry. Her backstory is a sad one. She fell in love with a man, show more but their families were involved in a longstanding feud. She and Eric planned to marry, but he died before they could. When she turned up pregnant, her father kicked her out of the house. She was a childhood friend of Brett's, so his mother sent her to Oak Grove, but Brett was already in love with Fiona.

Hannah lives with Brett and Fiona and works creating illustrations for the local newspaper. She and Teddy, who owns the newspaper along with his sister, have become friends. Hannah wants to find a husband so that her baby has a father, and has made a list of the town's eligible bachelors. When Teddy accidentally ended up with the list, he was surprised to find that he wasn't on the list. Not that he wanted to be, but still...

I liked both Hannah and Teddy. Hannah is a strong woman, who has been through a lot. The youngest of seven sisters, she never knew love from her father. He was unhappy that she was a girl and never let her forget it. The only love she had growing up was from her grandparents. Hannah is determined to make sure that her baby knows it is loved. She was also affected by the hatred between her family and Eric's and swore that she would never put herself in that position again. Teddy was terrific. He is a nice man with a big heart. I loved how protective he was of Hannah.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Hannah and Teddy. They started as friends, with no thought of a relationship between them. I loved how easy they found it to talk to each other. Teddy had fallen in love with another pregnant woman several years earlier and was badly hurt when she went back to her baby's father. He swore he would never let that happen again. He couldn't help being drawn to Hannah, though he worked hard to convince himself they were just friends. Finding Hannah's list made Teddy realize that he didn't like the idea of her marrying another man. Teddy was everything Hannah wanted in a man, but it was obvious to her that his sister hated her, so she refused to consider him as a possible husband. I loved the time that Teddy and Hannah spent together and seeing how right they were for each other. I ached for Teddy when he discovered why he wasn't on Hannah's list. I loved seeing him stand up to Abigail when he discovered what she had been doing. I really enjoyed how Hannah took control and made an effort to change Abigail's attitude by changing her own. Things were looking up for Hannah and Teddy until a misunderstanding made Hannah push him away. I loved Teddy's determination to win her back. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic.

Though Abigail really bugged me in the previous book and most of this story, I understood her motives here. She was protective of her big brother and didn't want to see him suffer again. Her abrasiveness and rudeness were irritating. She did redeem herself in the end, and I enjoyed seeing the changes in her. I would love to see her get her own story, and maybe find out why she had been so obnoxious. I'd like to see her find her own happy ending.

Miss Christina’s Christmas Wish by Lynna Banning
Series: Smoke River (Book 4.5)

Dedicated new teacher Christina Marnell feels her heart race as she watches Ivan Panovsky chop wood for the school. She had ruled marriage out, but Christmas is a time when miracles can happen…

Good story about two people who have their eyes set on goals and discover that there is more to life. Christina is fresh out of teacher's college and raring to go. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was a little girl and it is finally happening. She plans to devote her life to educating children. Marriage is not in her plans. Meanwhile, Ivan has been working two jobs to earn money to bring his little sister to live with him. What happens when these two determined people discover that love happens when you least expect it.

I enjoyed this story. It was more than a romance; it also showed a realistic look at life. Christina is enthused about teaching but got quite a wake-up call on her first day. Injured as a child, she walks with a limp. That same limp made her the target of bullies in school, making her even shyer and more withdrawn around people. She had never dealt with boisterous youngsters before and was out of her element. I felt a little sorry for her, but also admired her dogged determination to make a difference in their lives.

Ivan is a hardworking man who wants to do right by his little sister. I was seriously impressed by the sacrifices he made in his efforts to bring her to him. He came across as a bit standoffish at the beginning until his reasons for avoiding social occasions were revealed. Once AnnaMarie arrived, the reader also gets to know his old world customs and the way they influence his thoughts and actions.

Christina and Ivan didn't have much interaction until about halfway through the story, once AnnaMarie arrived and was enrolled in school. Christina was overjoyed to have such a promising student in her school. I loved that Ivan was so proud of his sister, but he also made it clear that he expected AnnaMarie to follow tradition and marry young. I loved seeing these two people, who were so different, get to know each other. It was sweet to see Ivan show Christina that there was more to life than teaching. The scene at the barn dance was fantastic, as he introduced her to the joys of dancing. I also enjoyed AnnaMarie's birthday dinner and seeing Christina learn about some of Ivan's traditions. At the same time, I enjoyed how Christina's example helped Ivan to see that there was a whole new world of opportunities available for his sister.

The more time they spent together, the more their feelings grew. Unfortunately, Christina suffered from some pretty severe tunnel vision and refused to see that she could have more out of life. I ached for them both when they confessed their love, but couldn't find a way to be together. I loved Mrs. Ming's comment “For an intelligent woman, sometimes you do not act very smart.” There was a very fortuitous twist that enabled both Ivan and Christina to get their hearts' desires.

Christina's classroom was an interesting microcosm of their world. There were smart kids and ones who struggled. There were the popular ones, and the ones who were excluded because they were "different." I ached for Christina's frustration on how to reach them all.


A Kiss from the Cowboy by Carol Arens

Kitson James and Livy York both have secrets, but can their love overcome the lies they’ve told? A Christmas kiss might help…

When two wrongs do make a right. Livy has been raising her four-year-old brother since their parents died earlier in the year. She did the best she could, but there were parts of the ranch that began to suffer. When she found out that her wealthy cousin Edwina was coming to visit, Livy panicked. She remembered her visits to Edwina's family, and how she constantly felt inferior. Her letters to Edwina have been full of how well she was doing. Now she was afraid that Edwina would look at the ranch and try to take Sam away from her. Determined to prevent this from happening, Livy advertised for a ranch hand who could help her fix things up before the visit. Livy implied that the position would be permanent, even though she only intended it to last two weeks.

Kit James applied for the job and was hired. What he didn't tell Livy was that he had no experience as a ranch hand. He was an actor who has played the parts of cowboys and believed that he could learn what he needed to know from the book The Common Man's Guide to Ranching. He wanted a permanent job because he needed a real home where he could raise his little niece.

I enjoyed the initial meeting between Kit and Livy. Livy and Sam were stuck walking back to the ranch from town because of a stubborn horse when Kit and Emmie came across them. There were some sparks between Livy and Kit from the start, but Livy had been burned by a previous relationship and resisted the attraction. Kit, on the other hand, was ready to embrace it. It didn't take too long for the truth to come out, leaving both of them struggling with what to do. I liked Kit's protectiveness toward Livy, something that was more than just his way of finding a way to stay on. There were some sweet scenes between the two of them, but Livy fought hard against her growing feelings, especially once she found out that Kit was an actor. When Edwina showed up early for her visit, it created even more complications, especially once Kit claimed to be Livy's husband.

I loved how the town rallied around Livy and Kit, right down to seeing them married for real. Livy still did her best to put distance between them, but it got harder for her to resist him. Meanwhile, Kit was determined to show Livy that he cared. I wanted to shake Livy when she made a nearly impossible condition to their staying married and ached for Kit's fear that he wouldn't be able to make it happen. I loved the solution he came up with, and how he accomplished it. His big moment at the end was terrific.

There were some interesting twists when it came to Edwina. I was right there with Livy and her fears, up until Edwina arrived. It didn't take long for me to suspect that there was something more going on with her. I enjoyed seeing the changes she went through and loved how her relationship with Livy was affected. There was also a terrific little twist to her story at the end. show less

Good story. Isaiah will have the worst Christmas of his life since his mother walked out on him when he was a child. For the last eight years, he's raised his orphaned half-sister, but now her paternal uncle and aunt, the Penfields, want to take her away from him. He is sure he has a better chance of keeping Abigail if he is married. When he found an old letter of his mother's to her best friend, talking about a match between him and one of her daughters, it seemed the perfect solution. A show more marriage of convenience is all he can offer, but hopefully, it will be enough.

Felicia is very close to being on the shelf. She is tall and red-haired as well as forthright in speech. When the viscount's letter arrives, asking for one of the three sisters' hands, Felicia volunteers. One sister is engaged, and the other is very shy, so Felicia feels she is the logical one. As an added benefit, she will have a home and husband of her own.

I liked both Isaiah and Felicia, though he was a bit of a stick to begin with. Since his mother deserted him, Isaiah has disliked everything to do with Christmas. He puts out minimal holiday effort for his sister because of it. Isaiah also tends to be overprotective because of a close call when Abigail was younger. That said, he and Abigail have a close and loving relationship. Losing her would devastate him. Felicia is a young woman with a cheerful personality. She is very close to her brother and two sisters and would do anything for them. She also loves all things Christmas and looks forward to living where there is likely to be snow.

I enjoyed the unexpected first meeting between Isaiah and Felicia. Felicia and her brother had stopped to stay the night in the village, and Felicia visited a dress shop. On the way out, she heard a young girl fussing at her cat, who was up a tree. Felicia offered to climb the tree and get the cat but ran into some difficulty. The girl's brother arrived just in time to catch Felicia, making quite an impression on them both. Of course, the brother was Isaiah, who was stunned to discover that the young woman he'd just rescued was his bride-to-be. I liked the honest conversation between Isaiah and Felicia, as he filled her in on the reasons for the hasty marriage. I loved that he gave her the option of bowing out if she wanted to. Felicia appreciated his honesty, and I liked that she felt comfortable with going through with it.

Neither one expected to be drawn to each other. There were sparks that Isaiah was determined to resist. He closed himself off to love after his mother left and made it clear that love is not on the table. Felicia is willing to settle for friendship, and she and Isaiah quickly discover a comfortable companionship. That ease runs into a big bump in the road when, not knowing his aversion to Christmas decorating, Felicia takes Abigail to cut down a tree. I ached for Isaiah when he first saw that tree and its decorations. The painful flashbacks were heartwrenching. Then came his demand that Felicia remove and destroy it and her refusal. I felt her dismay, especially for Abigail when it was gone the next morning. Her actions were priceless, and I loved the help she had. And oh, the face-off between her and Isaiah when he returned! But Felicia was no pushover, and I loved watching her help Isaiah fight past his demons. He still has a way to go, but things are better. There follow some great scenes with him, Felicia, and Abigail, but the upcoming visit of the Penfields weighs on him.

I was very prepared to dislike the Penfields when they arrived. They showed up early, at a somewhat awkward moment, and the earl was especially unlikeable. I loved that it was Felicia who smoothed things over. That first scene with Felicia and Diana was terrific and gave me hope that things would work out. It took a bit longer for Isaiah and the earl, and I had to laugh at what brought them together. As the days before Christmas progressed, I liked seeing Felicia and Isaiah grow closer and the sparks between them grow stronger. I also liked seeing his heart open, though it took a while for him to realize what he felt.

I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out how the tug-of-war over Abigail was going to turn out. The Penfields weren't the ogres I thought they were initially, so it could go either way. I ached for Abigail when she discovered the truth and felt the others' fears when she turned up missing. The subsequent search and all of its results had me glued to the pages until it was all over. I had no idea how it would end until it got there, though I had my hopes. The tension remained high until the last moment, with some unexpected twists. The conclusion was great, and I liked the epilogue. show less