Donna Grant, one of my favorite paranormal authors, has taken another shot at a contemporary series, set in the steamy and sexy landscape of a Texas cattle ranch and this time she scores big. Her last foray into contemporary was not my favorite series, but I really liked this book and can say for sure that I am removing her from the typecasting of “paranormal author”. This series is set on the East Ranch and revolves around the East family, focusing on the sexy oldest son Clayton, a former Navy SEAL who has returned home to help his family when some strange goings on leave his family in dire straits. Being home for only a short time Clayton soon uncovers a cattle rustling operation has been eating into his family profits and when he catches one of the rustlers red-handed is determined to see him brought to justice, despite him being just a kid. But when the kid’s older sister and guardian comes to bail her brother out Clayton finds himself too intrigued to press charges, instead proposing an alternate solution for punishment. Soon Abby and her brothers are both pulled into the Clayton family and becoming more and more integrated as members of the family, including the passion that is becoming more impossible to deny between Abby and Clayton. Abby never imagined a man like Clayton would give her the time of day, so when he pursues her, convincing her to not only join the ranch but to give him a chance to steal her heart, how can she say no? But then the awful truth comes out, putting all the East family including the newest additions of Abby and her brothers in serious danger. This story grabbed my heart right away reminding me why I love Donna’s writing so much, pulling me into the story and making it hard to come out to live my life in the real world. I loved seeing Clayton come to terms with his past with Abby’s help as well as accepting that having Abby in his life would make staying on the family ranch forever as easy as breathing. His skills from the navy came in handy too, which made the story that much more fun and interesting and his protective nature came out more than once with that sexy alpha behavior so many of us love. Abby on the other hand was so sweetly in denial at times that I wondered if she would ever accept that she would be welcomed into the East family along with her brothers simply because of the woman she was, not just because of what she could do for them. While it is definitely a departure from her paranormal writing, this book gives us the heat, imagination, and sense of familiarity in her heroes that makes Grant’s writing so enjoyable and I was thrilled to have that back even without the sexy dragon shifters. I am looking forward to the next story in this series and truly cannot wait for who might find love next as well as hoping to see some of these characters again soon.

The Christmas Cowboy Hero is the first book in Donna Grant’s new Heart of Texas series. Clayton East took a job as a game warden in South Africa after he had resigned his commission as a SEAL. He knew that his experiences had changed him in a way he wasn’t eager for his parents to see. But when he gets a call from his mom telling him his dad has had a mini stroke and she needs him home.

When he gets home he finds things are even worse than he thought with the ranch. Their accountant has embezzled a great sum, a seventy head cattle herd has been stolen, as well as their top stud bull. These events appear to have led to his dad’s illness.

Abby Harper has spent the last eight years raising her younger brothers. Their mother abandoned them but left completed paperwork making Abby guardian of Brice and Caleb, then just eight and six. Abby has worked so hard to keep things together and raise her brothers, but Brice has gotten in with the wrong crowd and now she finds herself called to the police station when Brice is arrested for his role in the cattle rustling at the East Ranch.

Rather than press charges against the kid, Clayton formulates a plan whereby Brice will work off his debt after school and on weekends. His offering of a second chance to Brice also brings a second chance to both himself and the ranch. And Abby has the opportunity to be part of all these chances.

A lovely tale of family, losses, and recovery with the beautiful backdrop of Christmas. I did enjoy this book and do recommend it.

for me this was not a great read.
I didn't find this story believable. Also in the age of #MeToo I felt uncomfortable reading about a romance developing where a man offers the woman a job then hits on her.

I have voluntarily posted a review consisting of my honest opinions.

I found it very difficult to engage myself in the story line or characters. I found the writing to be flat. I was 30 percent into the book and couldn't find myself to finish it. I rated it here, but found it unfair to rate it on goodreads or amazon as I didn't finish the book. Not fair in my opinion.

With that I would like to also say the tone of the book seemed almost monotone. But will try the is author again.

Ex-Navy Seal Clayton East had to come home to his family’s ranch after his father’s health declines. Abby Harper has been taking care of her younger brothers since her mother left them. When her brother’s rebellion goes too far, she’s grateful that Clayton believes in second chances. Maybe this bad event is exactly what her family needed.
This was a very sweet book. I loved both of the main characters. They are exactly what the other needs. I loved how he and his parents were able to embrace Abby and her brothers. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

A warm-hearted Christmas story with a sexy edge. I thought the mash-up of rugged western cowboy and steely military man was extremely well-done. The characters were well-rounded and fully-fleshed, and the plot was action-packed. With off-the-charts chemistry and the beloved HEA, this was an excellent introduction to Donna Grant for me, and I can't wait to check out the rest of her books!

How sweet is it to have 2 people who are struggling to find themselves and be there for the people they love at the same time to find happiness together. Though she has worked hard to raise her brothers she has also struggled to do the right thing and find happiness for herself. And though he thought he was better off away from his family as to not have the painful reminders of the past it is wonderful for him to come home and help his family and find his place in the world again. Such hope and happiness to be brought during the holiday season. And a little bit of action and mystery to add to it is a great combination.

This was another great book to read. I love Christmas reads. Nancy is a great author to read!!

The Christmas Cowboy Hero is the first book in the new Heart of Texas series. Set in Clearview, Texas, this book focuses on the cattle and ranching industry, a staple of Texas with some long-running, large family ranches. 

Clayton East is an ex-Navy SEAL now working in Africa protecting big game from poachers. After separating from the military, he purposefully did not return home to the East Ranch. Being there brings back reminders and is too painful. Shortly before Christmas, he gets a call he can't keep ignoring: his dad isn't doing well and the ranch is in trouble. 

Upon arriving home, Clayton discovers the East Ranch is a mess. Their accountant has disappeared with essentially all of the ranch's money. Additionally, someone has stolen a hundred head of cattle, most of which are cows ready to calve. Their prize bull was also stolen.  The total of the theft alone comes to $275,000.

One of the rustlers, a 16-year-old kid, is arrested. Going to the station, Clayton meets Brice Harper, who won't talk and is obviously scared of something. He also meets Brice's sister, Abby Harper, whom he instantly is drawn toward. After being informed Brice has never been in trouble before, Clayton has a moment of self-motivated kindness. Believing in second chances and hatching a plan to gain Brice's trust, Clayton offers Brice a job working at the ranch to work off his debt in lieu of going to jail. Hoping Brice will eventually open up and talk about the theft, it also gives Clayton opportunities to see Abby Harper again. 

Abby was only 18 when her mother abandoned her, leaving the guardianship of her two young brothers to her. It's been eight years and she's never come back, leaving Abby struggling just to manage and raise her 16 and 14 year old brothers. She works at an accounting firm being paid in the drudges. When she can scrape together enough funds, she attends school part-time to continue toward her accounting degree. They've only known hardship and struggle, but there is a lot of love in the Harper family. 

After Brice begins at the East Ranch, he is enamored of the work and the people and the animals. Soon, his younger brother Caleb is also tagging along to work at the ranch. While still paying off his debt, Brice is openly welcomed and supported and encouraged to be the best version of himself he can be. With her brothers being at the ranch so long, Abby also ends up spending time there and is introduced to the ranch's accounting books. After digging through them, she discovers many things about the AWOL accountant and the status of the ranch. Their mutual attraction slowly blossoms into a budding Christmas romance.

Both boys show great improvement under Clayton's direction. Abby also sees some reprieve in her future with the potential to work at the East ranch with a significant pay raise. Carrying all the burdens of the world on her shoulders, she has been the heart and soul of her family. The mother, father, and sister. Being shown she doesn't have to do it alone, that she can share her burden, is a glimpse of a life that appeals and frightens Abby. What if she is abandoned again? 

The suspense over the missing cattle is an angle Clayton still can't seem to work out. Brice won't budge. Abby begins digging around at her office and unearths a possible connection. The disappearance of the accountant is no longer such a mystery, but there is a growing danger as Abby tries to puzzle things out. 

For the first time in his life, Clayton opens up about the loss and pain and guilt he feels. This is why he never wanted to return to the East Ranch. That moment of vulnerability changes things between Abby and Clayton. 

The characters and down-home feel are what made the story for me. Clayton and Abby both have their flaws, and both come from families you can depend upon in a time of need. Even the cast of East Ranch characters were ones I could connect with. The Easts are the quintessential family. It seems the perfect place to be. Friendly and welcoming, the Texas way. 

The setting was familiar and the East family is heartwarming. The characters brought the story to life and kept the pace moving. This was one of my favorite holiday reads and I couldn't put it down. I definitely want to continue reading the Heart of Texas series.

A warrior and a cowboy…”

The Christmas Cowboy Hero marks the debut of Donna Grant’s new contemporary adult western Heart of Texas series. Donna has posted that it is also her very first Christmas story. I’m a huge fan of Donna’s Dark Dragon Kings series – so it was a given that I’d pick up this new series from her. I mean… cowboys and Christmas – what’s not to love? This first installment is the story of ex-Navy SEAL and prodigal son Clayton East and accounting clerk Abby Harper. Their story is told from several third person perspectives – including those of Clayton and Abby.

Abby has had her hands full raising her two younger brothers and keeping a roof over their heads after their mother deserted them. Now one of her brothers has been arrested for stealing cattle from The East Ranch...

Clayton has reluctantly come home to take over his family’s ranch after his father suffers a stroke. He quickly discovers that The East Ranch is in dire financial straits with both funds and cattle missing. A juvenile has been apprehended in connection with their rustled cattle. But, while coming face-to-face with the boy, Clayton didn’t expect to meet a woman who would take his breath away.

I connected from the get-go with our hero and heroine. They were each likable and realistically-drawn. I do admit to being a bit taken back at first by the insta-love between them, but, as the story progressed and I became engrossed in the familial relationships and the suspense build-up related to the ranch’s missing moneys and the cattle theft, I mostly forgot about their immediate attraction. By the last half of this book, I didn’t want to put it down. Clayton demonstrated what a hot catch he was by the way he took Abby’s brothers under his wings. I liked how his Navy SEAL training was incorporated as the story’s danger element increased. Supporting characters were well-written, too, including Abby’s adolescent brothers and Clayton’s mom.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from The Christmas Cowboy Hero:

“You’re staring,” she said as she cut her eyes to him.
Clayton lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I like what I see.”
---

“Tell me he’s got a cute ass in Wranglers,” Gloria pleaded. “I’ve got a weakness for cowboys.”
Abby grinned. “It’s not cute. His ass is magnificent.”
---

“Let go.”
“It’s not that easy.”
He smoothed back her dark hair and looked into her beautiful, blue eyes. “It is when you have someone to catch you.”

Donna’s books are always well-written with plenty of sexy times and this book is no exception. It is an addictive story of love, loss, betrayals, family and romance. Readers can look forward to an extremely satisfying HEA ending with a touch of Christmas tidings. I look forward to reading where Donna will take this series next!

RATING: 4 STARS
(I received an ARC from the PUBLISHER via NETGALLEY)
(Review Not on Blog)

As soon as I accepted this review, I kicked myself as I wasn't sure if this would really be my type of book. Contemporary romance can be a hit or miss for me and I feel bad when it's a miss. Phew, I really enjoyed this novel! There is a sweet romance, a small town and a bit of mystery - all of my favourite things in romances.

Clayton, a former Navy-Seal, is back home trying to get the family ranch out of the red. Their longtime accountant retired and left the business to his son. His son took the ranch's money and ran. Now Clayton is trying to find him and figure out how to keep the family ranch running. Abby is raising her two teenage brothers and trying to get her college degree. When her brother is arrested for stealing one of Clayton's cattle, Abby is unsure of what to do next for him. Clayton decides to give him another chance and work off his debt. And, Clayton is hoping he will give up his friends who also stole the cattle. Clayton sees how much Abby is trying to raise her brothers, work and get her degree so invites her to dinner when she picks up her brother after his shifts. Abby's degree is going towards accounting so she begins to help him figure out how their accountant embezzled money. Soon, the two find themselves more than just physically attracted to each other.

I loved the story, the characters and the holiday theme. It was a fun easy quick read and I cannot wait till the second book!

This absolutely a fantastic book. It has suspense and adventure along with a love story. I could hardly put the book down. Well written.

There is nothing better than a hot, sweet cowboy holiday read full of family drama and a touch of suspense.

Clayton East was an ex-Navy Seal who was not quite ready to take on the responsibility of running his family’s ranch. There are too many ghosts for Clayton, the biggest one being the death of his brother. Upon returning home after a frantic call Clayton finds there is some cattle rustling going on causing his family’s ranch to be in trouble.

Abby Harper is a s sweet as they come, having a hard life to start out on from the beginning, she finds her mother has run off and she was left with the task of raising her two brothers. Boys being boys Brice finds himself in over his head. Wanting to fix what she could Abby went toe to toe with the big bad rancher. When Clayton sees Abby’s true caring nature, he decides to help her out. No matter if she likes it or not, the boy needs to understand this is serious business.

Clayton and Abby were a good couple with plenty of passion between them. I found them very enjoyable. There was no shortage of passion between them in and out of the bedroom. What I enjoyed most was how Clayton showed Abby how special she was to all around her.

Most of the supporting characters were just as much a delight as the main couple. I just adore Brice and Caleb, Ms. Grant will these young men get their own stories? Brice is the deep thinker, Caleb is the lover. Clayton’s parents were lovely. The old Cowboy Sam I feel needs a happy ending.

The Christmas Cowboy Hero is the first book in the Heart of Texas series I for one can’t wait to see how she follows up in this series. A Sweet romance, very likeable characters. A steamy romance with a lot of heart. A wonderful solid romance story.

Rated 5 Stilettos and a Recommended Read by Deb!

Sat and read this over the christmas period. It was light hearted and fun and i really enjoyed it. I love cowboy romances and this made me want to pack up and move to a remote ranch in montana.

I discovered Donna Grant about her Hero of Texas series, that I enjoyed a lot. Time to start another one, always in Texas, a different kind of hero. I was captivated from the beginning.

The narrative can be seen as a little slow, but it nonetheless the contrary when it comes to the characters feelings. The author did a great job to give life to these characters. It was heartwarming, full of good feelings vibes, with a hint of emotional due to the characters past and scars.

And oh my if I didn’t like what I was reading. The feeling of being part of a family, when love, friendship and caring about each other takes a great place. Blood related or not. The feeling of being home again, to find the place when you can let people love you and taking care of you.

Clayton and Abby has some baggage on their own. Not the same but definitely just living life to survive not acting in it. When some circumstances brought them together, they weren’t expecting this intense connection. To feel like they belong.

Clayton was running away for most of his life. Avoiding to come home, a remainder of something painful. When he came back, he haven’t even imagined that what was supposed to be temporary would become his forever. Abby was raising her brothers, working full time to give food and a home for them. As much as these too seemed to be so different, if you got closer, their dedication to their family and unconditional love for them reunited them for the best.

This is the kind of story that unravels slowly in front of your eyes, drawing the characters together, throwing a little of fire and sexiness, with a hint of sweetness and also some mystery.

Clayton East was an ex-Navy Seal who had left the military and returned home when his father had a mini-stroke. His older brother had died tragically on the farm in his early teenager years. He had seen so much death and tragedy that had left him struggling to believe in happy endings. Upon his return home, he also discovered that the farm's long-time CPA had embezzled funds and their bull worth $100,000 along with a 100 head of cattle had been stolen. One person had been caught during the cattle rustling but he wasn't willing to talk and he was only 16 years old. Clayton wanted to make an example of him and get the information he needed about the others involved.

Abby Harper was 26 years old and was raising her two younger brothers because their dad had died and their mother had abandoned them all when she was only 18 years old. She had tried to be a mother to them and provide for their financial, emotional and material welfare but it was hard trying to be everything to them and earning enough money to give them what the needed. She just needed a break. What she didn't need was a call from the Sheriff's Deputy telling her that her 16 year old brother, Brice, had been arrested for stealing cattle from the East Ranch.

When Clayton got to the sheriff's office, he decided to give Brice a second chance and make him work off his debt and earn his trust and hopefully he would open up to him and give him the names of the others who had been involved in the cattle rustling venture. As he got to know Brice and his younger brother, Caleb and older sister, Abby, he decided he wanted them to be a part of his life. How could he convince them to trust him and show that wanted to help them and protect them? His time spent with Abby was helping to heal his broken soul. How could he ever let her and her brothers go back to the life they had before he met them?

I loved this story. It had romance, suspense, family dynamics and a happy ever after ending. While I understand this is a personal preference, I didn't appreciate the f-bombs and the descriptive sex scenes. I liked the chemistry between Clayton and Abby and the others family members but I didn't need to know the details of their sex lives. It was appropriate that I finished reading this book on Christmas morning.

I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Cowboy Hero is the first novel in a new series, and it's also the first time I've read a book by this author, and I'm glad to say, it's both a very good start to a new series and a very good read as well. It gets 4.5 stars from this reader.

We first meet the hero, Clayton East, former Navy SEAL, in South Africa, where he's guarding endangered wildlife at a game preserve. He's been ignoring calls from home, knowing that he's both psychologically and emotionally not ready to return to the prosperous and thriving family ranch--that is until his boss makes him take a call from his mother, who called his boss out of desperation to reach her son. His father has had a stroke, and the ranch is in dire straits and on the edge of bankruptcy. As if that wasn't bad enough, their prize $100,000 bull and 100 head of cattle have been stolen, and Clayton's boss tells him he's got a chopper waiting to start Clayton's journey back home.

Our heroine is Abby Harper, and she's not had it easy by any means. Her father left when she was a small child, and when she turned 18, her mother left her and her two younger brothers, Brice and Caleb, without a backward glance, without food, and without money. She also signed papers making Abby their guardian and de facto mother, and although money has been scarce Abby has managed to keep a roof over their heads, and for the most part food on their plates. Her brothers' behavior hasn't made it easy--they've been acting out ever since their mother left, and now that they're both in their teens, it's become even more difficult. When she gets a call telling her that the older of her two brothers, Brice, has been arrested for cattle rustling, she can't get to him fast enough.

That's where she first meets the handsome and hunky Clayton, and offers to pay him back for whatever her brother stole. She's stunned to learn that in order to do so, she'd need to come up with $275,000. She can't even afford to bail her brother out of jail, or even come up with $275. When Brice refuses to tell anyone who else was involved in the theft, she realizes there's no doubt that her brother will be going to prison. What she doesn't know is that Clayton is immediately struck by Abby's beauty, and when he learns about her family history, he's impressed by her grit, her willingness to do anything to protect her family and raise her brothers. He then offers Brice an option. He's willing to allow Brice to work off his debt, although it will take years, by working at the East ranch, partly because he doesn't want to see the teenager in jail and also because he's hoping that Brice will eventually give up the names of his accomplices. It's clear that Brice wasn't the one in charge of the crime.

Clayton is also attempting, unsuccessfully, to figure out what their last accountant did with the family fortune, and when he learns that Abby is working for a CPA firm, and, whenever she's managed to scrape together enough money to afford them, she's been taking on-line night classes to earn her degree in accounting. She knows a lot, and in a short span of time, she informs Clayton that their thieving CPA had to have been bonded, meaning they can at least put in a claim to recoup their embezzled money, but he's still interested in finding the thief and he hires Abby as their bookkeeper to look into how the funds were mishandled, where they went, and if, possibly, the theft of his cattle is tied to the disappearance of the CPA. He's also growing to like Abby more by the day, and it's a way of keeping her close by as well, and also a way for Abby and her brothers to see how a real, loving family behaves.

Both Abby and Clayton are troubled and both have secrets in their pasts, and in this novel, these two well-drawn characters slowly begin to bond and to share their secrets with one another, helping both of them heal their past wounds. In addition, there's still a mystery to solve. Who arranged the cattle theft? Where are the missing cattle and the prize bull? Where is the missing CPA? All of those questions will be answered in time, there are no cliffhangers in this novel.

This was a perfect time to read this novel, which begins just three weeks before Christmas. There's a heartfelt warmth and genuineness to the East family, and Abby's two brothers, who've never known what a complete family looks like, are certainly benefiting from their proximity to one. Clayton's parents are just as taken with Abby and her brothers, and that growing relationship forms the backdrop to this heartwarming Christmas novel. My only complaint is that I'd have preferred a bit more romance. Clayton, who is 32, while crazy about Abby, is reluctant to let her know of his feelings beyond his sexual attraction to her, leaving Abby confused about his feelings, and wondering just what she means to him. She already has abandonment issues, and Clayton's reluctance to truly be open about his feelings, don't do much for her confidence or sense of security in their relationship.

All in all, this was a very well written, well-plotted novel, combining romance, suspense, love of family, with an endearing cast of characters and an HEA ending. Frankly, I can't wait to read the next novel in this series, and I'm wondering how I managed to not read this author before--something I plan to remedy as soon as possible.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4 out of 5 controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Ariel

I’m not quite sure what it was about The Christmas Cowboy Hero, but I cried. A lot. Prepare to have all the feels as you dive into Donna Grant’s new Heart of Texas series and follow Abby Harper and Clayton East on their journey together as they deal with two teenage boys and a nasty case of cattle rustling.

Abby Harper has some abandonment issues, which is to be expected after her mother walked out on her shortly after her high school graduation, leaving Abby to raise her two younger brothers on her own. But Abby loves her brothers more than anything and she did what she had to do to keep them all afloat. She works, manages to make enough to pay bills and get food on the table and when she has a little extra cash she goes to night classes in order to become a CPA. But things have never really been easy for the family. And when she gets a call from the police station saying her brother, Brice, has been taken in for stealing some cattle from the biggest ranch in town, things go from bad to worse real quick.

Clayton East has his own demons he’s been dealing with. After the death of his brother, Landon, it was expected that Clayton would be the one to take over the family business. But Clayton doesn’t want something that was never meant to be his, so he joins the armed forces instead. An ex-SEAL, Clayton has seen a lot of violence in his lifetime, and when he left he took up a job in South Africa. It’s only when his mother calls saying his father has suffered a heart attack that Clayton comes home. Not only is his father sick, but the ranch is broke, and a whole bunch of their cattle have been stolen. A believer in second chances, Clayton tells Brice he can pay the family back by working at the ranch every day after school until the cattle can be recovered. And it doesn’t hurt that this gives him an excuse to keep seeing Abby.

Like I said, I cried off and on throughout the whole book. I just wanted to hug the Harper siblings and tell them everything would be ok. Abby is such a strong character doing what she can to be both a sister and a mother to her two younger brothers and it really tugged at my heartstrings as I watched her struggle with getting Brice to open up to her. Clayton is a sweetheart, doing everything he can to help the family out, even when Abby insists on doing things on her own. It was so satisfying to watch these two fall for each other and help each other heal from their past wounds.

The only thing that didn’t make this a five star book to me is that it comes off as very damsel-in-distress. Abby has clearly been strong enough to raise her brothers for the six years, even if they’ve been just barely scraping by. So it didn’t really sit right with me the way Clayton just kind of swoops in and saves everyone.


However, I did really love this book and highly recommend it for anyone who needs some warm fuzzy feelings this Christmas. The Christmas Cowboy Hero gets 4 out of 5 from me, and I can’t wait to see where Donna Grant goes next in the series.

***ARC Provided by the Author/Publisher via NetGalley***

Abby and Clayton meet after her younger brother is accused of stealing cattle from Clayton's ranch. The sparks are instant, as is the wariness Abby feels toward Clayton and the fact that he holds the future of her younger brother in his hand.

Clayton isn't really that happy to be back on the ranch, it isn't as successful as it has been in the past due to the lack of attention to detail of his family and a shady accountant, and he has had to give up his career in the Navy to come home.

There were parts of this that I really enjoyed and I thought the relationship with Abby and her brothers and Clayton and his family were wonderful. I liked the hero worship of Abby's brothers toward Clayton and the willingness of his family to make them feel welcome.

All of this, though took away from the relationship with Clayton and Abby and I felt that there was a slight opportunity missed for their relationship to build while the focus was on the other characters in the story.

This book felt more like an ensemble holiday story than it did a romance with a central couple and some side characters.

I do recommend this title. It's a great, warm family holiday romance.