Have you struggled to select which book you’d like to read next? Like many of you, I have hundreds of unread books in my Kindle account. Once upon a time it was the library book request queue and my limited print book budget that determined the timing of what I read. Now, I regularly click ‘buy now’ and collect ebooks that I’d like to read one day. But when ‘one day’ arrives, I can find it hard to make a decision.
I like to recommend books by the talented ladies who blog here on Inspy Romance. I couldn’t pick a book for today’s post and decided to create ‘Narelle’s lucky dip’. I allocated a number to each author on the blog list and used random.org to pick an author. Number 4 was the winner and Carolyne is the fourth author on the blog list.
Carolyne was one of the first Love Inspired authors I read twenty years ago when I discovered the Love Inspired books in a speciality romance book store in Sydney, Australia. I was happy to read Carolyne’s latest release that’s available in ebook format: The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby.
Book Description:
A Family For Christmas
No one expected Erin McCauley to arrive in Saddlebank, Montana, with a baby…and no wedding ring. Especially not Dean Moore, who cared for Erin but knew the by-the-book girl would never go for a hard-living cowboy like him. While helping renovate Erin’s new home, Dean realizes he’s still in love with her—and with her beautiful daughter. As far as he’s concerned, past mistakes don’t have to define them—but guilt is holding Erin back from seeing that Dean is offering exactly what she’s longing for. Because if she lets him, he’ll give her the home—and the family—she’s always wanted.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
A contemporary romance with a handsome cowboy holding an adorable baby on the cover has to be a winner, right? Carolyne shared her thoughts on the cover and book title in an Inspy Romance post here.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby is the third book in the Big Sky Cowboys series. Each book features a McCauley sister.
Erin McCauley was the good girl who had spent most of her life trying to do the right thing. But she has a secret she hasn’t shared with her sisters or her late father. A secret drenched in guilt and shame that has tested her faith and resulted in her becoming a single parent. The story opens with Erin returning to Saddlebank, Montana, to introduce her six week old daughter, Caitlin, to her sisters.
Dean Moore has had a crush on Erin for years. Erin was the unobtainable girl who was too classy to date a rodeo cowboy like him. She rebuffed his advances years ago when she spent her summer holidays staying on her father’s ranch. Her twin sister is set to marry his brother. Dean works in construction and is recovering from a rodeo injury that has left him with a limp and a lot of pain in his leg.
Dean is stunned by Erin’s return to Saddlebank with her baby. He’s charged with renovating her house on the ranch. Sparks fly as they spend time together and form a close friendship. Dean dotes on Caitlin and he doesn’t push Erin to share her story about Caitlin’s father.
Caitlin wants to put down roots in Saddlebank and raise her daughter with family close by. Dean has matured and now has a strong faith. She starts to rely on him and view him as a potential husband and father for Caitlin. But her past mistakes haunt her and threaten her future with Dean.
I loved the emotional depth in the story and how both Erin and Dean had to overcome their fears and face the reality of their life circumstances. We see Erin’s struggles and triumphs as she bonds and loves on her gorgeous baby.
I recommend The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby to readers who enjoy heartwarming Christian romance. It’s a standalone story that features cameo appearances from characters in the Refuge Ranch series that’s also set in Saddlebank. I also loved the unique proposal scene in the Epilogue.
Carolyne has a new release in February from Love Inspired: Courting The Cowboy (Cowboys of Cedar Ridge Book 1).
Learn more about Carolyne Aarsen and her books at her website.
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
Hi Narelle:) Always love hearing about great new books, thanks. Do you have any new books coming soon or more books becoming available on Kindle Australia?
Hope you are enjoying our beautiful summer- though I think you have had hotter weather than we have down south!!
Blessings:)
Thanks for the recommendation and for sharing your thoughts, Narelle. I’ve got this loaded on my Kindle. I adore that cover!
This sounds like a great book, Narelle! Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to read it!
Thanks for the review. It sounds like a really interesting book to read.
The cover is so heartwarming.
Thanks, Narelle….I love hearing about books that I think I would love reading!!
Thanks for the review! It’s always fun to learn about new books, and this one sounds so intriguing.
Thanks for sharing. I always struggle to pick the next book to read (just finished one this morning and started to think “what am I in the mood to read next?”).
Like you I used to jave my books defined by my budget and time to go to the library or store. Things are easier now and I buy books all the time… which means I no longer can claim I’ve read all my books. I haven’t actually bought paperbacks for a while until last Christmas and I realized those are even lower in my reading list even though I really wanted them and spent more than I would for an ebook.
Thanks so much for the shout out, Narelle! I’m flattered and glad that you enjoyed this story. I still love that cover!!!
Thanks for the enticing introduction to The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby :)
Hi Wemble, I’ll have a brand new release either later this year or early next year that’s part of an indie author group project. I have the rights back on my Heartsong backlist and I’ll be releasing updated versions of each book ASAP. Family commitments and other things have delayed my indie publishing plans and slowed my writing progress. I’m learning to be content and trust that I’ll soon have more time to devote to my writing.
Yes, I’m enjoying summer and getting used to 30C plus temps (90’sF). Thankfully we haven’t had any major fires in the Canberra region despite everything being so dry. My kids are back to school and the new year is starting. Blessings to you :)
Hi Jill, You’re very welcome, and the story is as good as the cover – enjoy! :)
Hi Sally, I hope you’ll have a chance to read it soon. Enjoy and happy reading! :)
Hi Colleen, I hope you’ll have an opportunity to read Carolyne’s book. :)
Hi Gail, I agree, the cover is a great match for the story. :)
Hi Jackie, You’re very welcome, and I hope you’ll have a chance to read it soon. :)
Hi Winnie, I hope you’ll have an opportunity to read this book. :)
Hi Priscila, I also have a number of unread print books on my book shelves. I prefer to read ebooks and the print books just sit there collecting dust. Sigh… I hope you’ll have a chance to read the print books on your shelves soon. :)
Hi Carolyne, You’re very welcome, and it was a pleasure to read your book. A gorgeous cover, for sure. :)
Hi Julieanne, You’re very welcome, and I hope you’ll have an opportunity to read the book. :)
How do I determine what to read next? Pretty easy really, I always have books to review, so I order them by release date. I get my copies (either print or ebook) well before their release so I usually have plenty of time to read them :-) If I ever find myself without a review book (rare), I have plenty on my bookshelves to choose from! From contemporary to historical, suspense to western and anywhere in between. I find review books help keep my organizational skills honed, lol!! I love crossing books off my list once I’m done reading them :-)
Thanks for your lovely review for Carolyne’s book “The Cowboys Christmas Baby”! Sounds like a book I would very much enjoy. I concur with everyone else, I love that cover! There’s just something special about a big, rugged cowboy holding a sweet baby…it melts your heart! I’m putting it on my want-to-read list :-)
Hi Trixi, My apologies for the late reply to your comment. I’m glad your reviewing schedule keeps your reading list in order, and I hope you can squeeze Carolyne’s book into your schedule. :)