This was a very cute read and great addition to the Creedence Horse Rescue series. The animals always seem to steal the show with these books. We have a matchmaking horse, a cute abandoned dog, a fainting goat, and of course our favorite pig, mini horse and goat included in this book.

As far as the characters, I really liked Lainey and Holt. They had great chemistry and seemed to bring out the best in each other. Holt was a grump initially but once he saw Lainey and started spending time with her, he was a goner. And Lainey was certainly a great gal with lots of Christmas cheer and a willingness to help others no matter what. I liked that they just fell back into a relationship as if they hadn't been apart for over a decade.

The one part I didn't like was the whole blow up at the end. I was honestly confused by the dialogue and had to reread it a couple times. Lainey basically got mad at Holt because he never showed up even though he didn't know anything about the letter or why she even left. So how was that his fault? Somehow she made him out to be the bad guy when this all stemmed from her not communicating well to begin with and just abandoning him and their relationship without warning. I mean her family certainly had something to do with why he didn't look for her, but again, that wasn't his fault. He only knew what he was told. So I really felt like Lainey was the one who should have been making the grand gesture, not Holt, although it was really cute and sweet.

Overall, a great Hallmark-like book that gets me into the Christmas spirit, albeit 3 months early :)

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Holt can't wait for the holidays to be over. He is not happy to see his old girlfriend Lainey. When the two start spending more time together, his feelings change. I liked the chemistry between Holt and Lainey.

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Thank you to Netgalley for the arc all opinions are my own.
Cowboy Holy Callahan is not big on Christmas ever since his teenage girlfriend deserted him a decade ago. Still living in Credence he soon discovers Lainey is back in town and he hasn't actually gotten over her. A true grump he doesn't want to get involved in the Christmas festivities but Lainey needs his help...
Beautiful, cosy, warmhearted and adorable I couldn't think of a better Christmas book. It's breathtaking with the scenery, the people and of course smoking hot Holt.
This book made me wish it was Christmas and we're still at the end of summer.
Jennie Marts writes a magical book that stops you from doing literally anything else.
If I could give it a ten I would.
Holt and Lainey are perfect and there is sizzle too as well as good old fashioned humour.
You'll not want to miss this book.
Second chance, small town romance with grumpy and sunshine
Kerry Kennedy Author
#bookstagram #bookblogger #christmas #netgalley #jenniemarts #kerrykennedyauthor

Holt and Lainey are both easily distracted. Too many times to count they each had opportunities to ask the other what happened 10 years ago. I thought it was quiet funny. Squirrel! This is a great Christmas holiday filled romance novel all about second chance love and a community that comes together to help each other out when it's needed.

A heartwarming, second chance love story with miscommunication and misblame before an eventual reconnection.

Set in a small town, lots of side characters to keep the plot moving.

A simple, clean Christmas romance that is easily read in an hour.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Teenage love with an unexpected separation followed by misunderstandings and being apart for years. A second chance at love presents itself during Christmas but will Holt the Christmas grinch and Lainey the Christmas elf be able to get over their past to move on to a brighter future?
I loved this book; the story is original, and the characters are amazing. A second chance at love as adults is truly swoon worthy. The amazing animals in the book who also got a second chance are a heartwarming addition to the story. This is a must read!

Christmas stories are usually good and this one is. Romance, silliness and Christmas. Jennie Marts writes a quick enjoyable read.

I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley because I have read and enjoyed the other books in this series. This is also one of my “go-to” authors.

There were some moments that I wished the characters would’ve just communicated with each other, but it just added to more inner turmoil dialogue. The ending however was unexpected. When I got to Chapter 29, I really thought that was it, but then there was one more chapter

I just love books by Jennie Marts and this one was no exception! It was great being back in Creedence, Colorado and the Heaven Can Wait Rescue ranch. Holt Callahan is the ultimate grinch. After being dumped not once but twice on previous Christmas Eve’s he really doesn’t like the season anymore. The first time was by Lainey McBride who he thought he would marry but she left suddenly leaving him totally broken. The last person he expects to see when he moves back to his cousin Bryan’s ranch is Lainey…….
I read this in one day and as well as this new story got to catch up with some of the other residents from Creedence whose stories feature in previous books in the series. This has a bit of everything from romance, drama, community and a little bit steamy in some places! With brilliant characters, not all of the human!, this is another fabulous read from Jennie Marts. Thank you to Sourcebooks, Casablanca and Netgalley for the ARC

A Cowboy Country Christmas was such a cute read I couldn't put it down! Holt is a cowboy who hasn't had great luck in the woman department, especially at Christmas. For that reason, he's a bit of a Grinch when you first meet him. He's helping out at his cousin's horse rescue ranch while he tries to decide what to do with his life. All he knows is all of this happy Christmas stuff going on in Creedence is driving him nuts!

Then he finds a wandering horse and walks her back to the neighboring ranch, only to come face to face with one of the reasons he hates Christmas, Lainey McBride. She was the one who got away the Christmas they turned seventeen, but he had never stopped loving her.

Lainey needs help. She's trying to take care of her Grandpa's ranch while he recovers from a broken hip. That includes running the holiday ranch he has at Christmas. When her old love, Holt, shows up leading her horse Merry behind him, she ropes him into helping her with the sleigh rides.

When Holt and Lainey reconnect, they're both too afraid to bring up the past and ruin what they have going on in the present. The problem is they both know if they continue to ignore the past, it will ruin their future.

This was such a sweet, sweet book about second chances, not just for Holt and Lainey but for many of the citizens in Creedence. The ending is so romantic you won't want to put the book down until you know if this Christmas couple has earned their second chance.

Such a sweet message in this fun, emotional, & a little steamy Creedence Horse Rescue book #6. I've been fortunate to have read all the books in series & shout out to #NetGalley for the ARC of the 6th book, A Cowboy Country Christmas. Jennie Marts is a very talented writer & this book definitely did not disappoint. It's wonderful that each book in the series can be read as a stand alone, but the town, friends, & family are all characters that play into each book. I'm looking foward to reading more amazing stories from Jennie Marts soon.

We are back in Credence, Colorado with a stand alone in this latest addition to the series. This time the story belongs to Holt Callahan and Lainey McBride.
Holt, has left behind his rodeo years and nowadays is helping his cousin in her rescue ranch. It’s been 10 years since his young heart was broken by the girl he thought would be his forever when she left without looking back. Since then the Christmas holidays and love are not in his agenda.
Lainey McBride is back in town after having had her heart broken by the boy she thought was going to marry her. Not her choice to be back, but her grandfather needs her .
Neither expected to see each other again, least of all , realize that the feelings were still there. But miscommunications, misconceptions , and lack of trust seems to precede the heart.
Will the meaning of Christmas, a reminder of new beginnings, forgiveness, helping others and reassessing ones priorities , trust and clearing the past give them a second chance at love and life?
This was a sweet and touching story about life, family and hope.
A good addition to the series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I love reading the books in this series. They take place in a Colorado mountain town called Creedence. It is a tight knit community where people care about each other. Animals are considered a part of the family, whether it is a miniature horse, a pig that thinks it is a dog, or an ornery goat.

In this book, two adults that spent time in Creedence as children re-unite as adults and the sparks still fly, but due to unresolved issues they have a crooked road to a happily ever after. Since this is a romance, the reader knows it will come at the end of the story. That is why I enjoy reading Romance genre. I want a happy ending!

I enjoyed this book, but I have to say, I kept telling these two “meant-to-be-together folks”, you just need to learn to communicate! Their problems are from assuming and not talking! So much like real life.

I want to thank SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

I loved this book it was such a great read and I can’t wait to read more by this author such a great hook day book!

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This is such a magical Christmas story. I love the town of Creedence. The characters are wonderful. All the different animals just add an extra layer of happy to Jennie Mar# books. I loved the goat and Lou the dog. Lainey and Holt are such a special couple. This book left me feeling happy. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Missed communication and a matchmaking horse

Holt and Lainey were friends since childhood, in love as teenagers, then suddenly torn apart by circumstances that they each interpreted as the other one's decision. Twelve years later, Lainey is back to help her grandfather through the Christmas season and Holt is living on his cousin's horse rescue ranch. Thrown into each other's paths as they navigate the various community holiday events, they're forced to address their issues from the past and figure out if they have a future together.

I really loved how these two were together. There's plenty of combustible chemistry, of course, but there's also a very solid foundation of respect and teamwork. It soon became clear that what broke them up years ago was a misunderstanding and I was a bit frustrated by their willingness to ignore that issue right up until the Xmas Eve finale - of course this was an intentional plot choice, but it did not feel at all realistic for the characters to continue on as they were while knowingly ignoring the elephant in the room.

I really enjoyed the small town setting and the familiar characters, especially seeing the couples from the earlier books living out their own HEAs. As a holiday story, this one included the most original nativity scene I've ever read and I thought it was absolutely perfect. Lainey and Holt do get a very satisfying HEA of their own, and I highly recommend this story for anyone who loves contemporary cowboy romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I don’t think I’ve read a book by Jennie Marts I haven’t enjoyed! This was such a heartwarming, redeeming second chance love story. I love when a couple gets a second chance at love. Especially a love story like Lainey and Holt’s - such a deep and meaningful connection, then miscommunication and misblame for breaking apart and then their reconnection back ten years later. Both also had some rough points leading up to their reconnection but I loved how it was easy for them to fall back into a rhythm. Lainey is like my spirit animal - a lover of all things Christmas. And Holt, you just admire how love and devotion to Lainey - even coming off of being heartbroken on how it had “ended”. Even when Lainey kind of showed little compassion to Holt’s viewpoint when all the truth all had come out, you just couldn’t help but root for them to make it back and both come to their senses. Love the community & side characters that show up and engage in this story that many were being so willing to help in a pinch and rooting for Holt & Lainey. I was rooting for them to find their happily ever after!

A clean, feel good romance and happily ever after. The setting of the story definitely puts you in Christmas mode. The author does a great job giving you all the feels of the time of year and the history to the present of this love story. No profanity or crude language; intimate moments are implied and not overly graphic (closed door) - but you can definite sense the desire and passion they have for each other - both physically and emotionally; a definite Hallmark feel to this story. Add this to your TBR list - you will NOT be disappointed!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Loved this book! This story is heart wrenching and heart warming, first bringing a tear to my eye before then bringing a smile to my face. Hold and Lainey were in love as teens - the kind of love that should last forever, but then life intervenes and they are forced apart. Each blames the other for the breakup - not realizing that neither was at fault. When they meet again ten years later, neither can resist the pull of the other and they fall into an uneasy relationship They are both desperately in love, while afraid to trust the other to stick around. Add in a number of endearing animals - from Merry the Christmas horse, to Lou the lost dog, a barn full of other animals, and a fainting goat, and you have all the makings for a wonderful Christmas story.

This novel is filled with heart and is a must read for fans of the genre. Put this one at the top of your TBR list and snuggle in front of the fire in a comfy chair and enjoy this wonderful holiday novel. While part of a series, this is a stand alone novel, however, it's so good that you really owe to yourself to read them all. The author is on my must read authors' list.

you had me at cowboy. good book and fell in love with this book and story. another home run and good plot and wanted more. good read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed reading this charming and captivating country romance. It’s a good romance read with plenty of drama and intense chemistry between the characters. An enjoyable read.