Having enjoyed each book in this series, the voice the Ms Van Hulzen gives to her characters in each story is a delight. With Lucas and Erin's story there is a certain innocence to it that is apparent in their history and finally coming together. Their journey to a HEA brings emotions to the surface that literally grab your heart. The warmth they share is what makes their story unique...with Ms Van Hulzen ability to bring life to her characters, you can't help but fall in love with the couple. I'm looking forward to Kenzie's story, it promises to be a treat.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I have one last Christmas themed book for you this week!

Lucas is a character you will be completely frustrated with. I was! He is trying to live up to what he thinks his family expects of him and he is slow in coming around to his own true desires. What is plain as day to us as readers, and to many of the characters in this book, is not what is obvious to Lucas. Silly man.

Erin, on the other hand, knows what she wants right from the very beginning. I enjoyed how the flashbacks and backstory filled in the blanks as I read. I got a very clear picture of Erin and her dreams and personality. I really loved Erin.

This is a sweet, gentle love story. It progressed slowly but I was never bored or discontent. The secondary characters really helped this story feel well rounded and familial. I loved the ending. So sweet.

This is the third book in this series but it can be read as a stand alone. Characters from previous books are in this book so you would appreciate them more if you do read in order, but you don't have to.

Content: mild swearing throughout, kissing

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley at my request. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book it kept me interested throughout and I would definitely recommend this book.

His Christmas Bride is an emotional journey for Lucas and Erin… and even Vanessa. Lucas has gone off to New York to work in the family business not because it’s his passion but because it’s what he believes is expected of him. If he had made his heart’s choice he would have taken on a ranch in Marietta, Montana and been happy for the rest of his life. But he made a decision and he’s sticking to it. The woman he also made the decision to marry, on the surface, fits what he believes his perfect wife would be… wealthy, beautiful and well connected. Perfect for his life in New York and in his business. Reality begins to set in for Lucas when he returns to Marietta for Thanksgiving and his family meets his future bride… and wonders what the heck he is thinking. Complicate things when his wedding location becomes the ranch where he spent time as a teenager and had a huge crush on the young daughter of the ranch. Who knew she’d grow up so lovely, capable and even more perfect for what he dreamed for his future. As emotions get real, and his bride to be begins to show her true colors, Lucas has a decision to make… maybe more than one actually. It’s time to let his heart lead, and go for the future he honestly really wants.

Erin will do anything to save the family ranch that she loves… even host the wedding of the man she’s loved for years. To another woman. Erin isn’t surprised by the feelings that are still so strong for Lucas, if anything she’s surprised that he didn’t have a clue when he left town as to how she felt. Now, even though it’s going to break her heart she will offer up part of the ranch for a wedding location. And hope that Lucas comes to his senses before he makes a huge mistake in picking the wrong bride.

I enjoyed His Christmas Bride. Always a pleasure to revisit Marietta, Montana especially at Christmas time. I will admit that there were times I wanted to shake some sense into Lucas. Stubborn man. If you don’t live your life for your own happiness but for what you believe others expect of you… then you are doomed to an unhappy future. It’s really that simple in real life or in fiction. Erin often broke my heart with her unchanging love for a man who is so undecided about what really matters. For her family and the ranch she loves she will face heartache – and hope that in the end love will win for them all.

If you’re in the mood for a charming, emotional Christmas romance then this one is perfect for you. I’d recommend this one and the series to any Romance reader who loves small towns, interesting story lines and secondary characters who will always have you coming back to Marietta for more.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

The only thing I can say about Lucas is he's an idiot. He spends all his time trying to be someone he thinks his family wants him to be and for no reason whatsoever since his family neither wants him to be that/do that not are they particularly happy with his choices. No matter how hard I tried, I could not feel anything for him. He was completely blind and oblivious to the obvious.

Erin was a little better. I could understand her choices and I could understand why she wasn't fighting like crazy to make something happen. Lucas had never given her any reason to think he was interested in her. No point in pursuing that. I felt bad for Erin; she was doing her best in a bad situation.

I enjoyed seeing some of the Marietta mainstays, but overall His Christmas Bride did not have the usual Marietta vibe and it failed to integrate well into the larger set of stories. Mostly, it just fell flat. Even the grand gesture felt off; I suspect because Lucas just never worked for me. Overall, disappointing, but not a disaster.

This should be another book with a Christmas plot whose couple quickly realizes that they have always loved each other, marry and live happily ever after.

But it is not!!!

Lucas St Claire, Daniel St Claire's third child of four, decided it was time to settle down and start his own family.
Some time now he's the CEO of marketing area of the family business, and lived in NY. But his heart and home would always be in Montana.
When he meets Vanessa, who also came from a wealthy family, he knew he had found his perfect match.
He wanted to get married in Montana while Vanessa wanted a beautiful Christmas ceremony.
The two wishes would be fulfilled soon as Lucas was traveling home to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family.

It was a shock when the family heard the news, but everyone was happy for him.
Vanessa arrives at the family mansion and although everyone welcome her, she prefers to stay at the hotel in the city.
She is enchanted by a certain landscape and decides that it would be the perfect place for their ceremony.

The Tanner Ranch.

Clayton Tanner was in rodeos for many years, and had love for his children, the twins Eric and Erin, for his truck and his ranch.
But an accident five years ago left him in a wheelchair and now, with serious financial problems, the ranch was run by his daughter Erin, who had a real passion for that place.
But Erin knew she needed a quick fix to their problems, or they would lose the lands.

That was when an invitation came from her friend Cynthia, the region's wedding planner, to rent the barn for a wedding. The couple would pay good money to renovate it and it would still be enough for Erin to drive the ranch.

There was only one problem: it's Lucas St Claire's wedding, Erin's crush since she was a teenager.

Erin and Lucas had not seen each other for years, since he'd kissed her behind the barn and then traveled to college. If he was going to marry an American high society woman now, there was nothing else Erin could do but be happy for him and have the money to pay her debts.

But their meeting was not so innocent, and with Erin and Vanessa so close - so he could compare - Lucas begins to think that perhaps the choice of the perfect wife for him was a little hasty...

The book has all the ingredients that appeal to me: a loved family reunited, a dream landscape, a couple with possibility of second chance.
Although some scenes are somewhat predictable, the outcome of the book is romantic and made me want to know the previous books.
Yes, this is the author's first book that I read and fell in love with.

The previous books bring the stories of brothers Wes and Mike. And now, I believe we will have the story of the youngest, McKenna, the only daughter.
5 stars

In all honesty, I was a little miffed at Luca St.Claire. How could he be so oblivious to Erin and her feelings.? I felt that he may have been a tad fickle too. Can one truly be so preoccupied with living up to the expectations of his family that he could completely cut out the people who mean something to him? Erin though is a superwoman in her own right. keeping the flame of her love burning for so many years then rising above her broken heart to actually help prep and plan for the wedding of the man she has always loved. Superwoman! Love this girl!

I received an Advanced Reviewers Copy from the Publisher via #NetGalley for voluntary review consideration.

His Christmas Bride is the third story in Lara van Hulzen’s St Claires of Montana series and features youngest brother Lucas St Claire and Erin Tanner, the woman who’s never managed to get over her teenage crush on him. Although there is a link between this story and its predecessors, it can easily be read as a stand-alone.
I loved both these characters from the start though I also wanted to knock some sense into Lucas from his first appearance. Apparently so did most of the secondary characters in the story. Meanwhile I was oozing sympathy for Erin, who is just lovely but faces so many challenges.
This sweet Christmas romance is set in a small country town I have grown to love. With a gorgeous setting, people to care about and a plot that kept me reading, this story has truly endeared itself to me. With one more St Clair sibling to be married off, I am happily anticipating another story in this series.

I have read almost all of Ms. Van Hulzen's books and I fell in love with Lucas. I really liked how Lucas was a flawed man, always thinking and feeling that he was in his brothers' shadows. He thought he finally made a good decision that would make his family proud, but when he sees his best friend from school again, memories start overtaking him and he begins to wonder if things could be different.
Erin had been in love with Lucas for years, since he gave her her first kiss. When he decides to have his wedding on her ranch, she can't turn him down, they need the money and renovations. Even though it is breaking her heart to see him marrying someone else, she can't help but enjoy the time they are spending together.
Will Lucas realize he is supposed to be with Erin? Will Erin tell him how she feels before it is too late? Pick up His Christmas Bride today, and find out if his fiancee or Erin becomes his bride.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

His Christmas Bride by Lara Van Hulzen is a sweet romantic Christmas story. It is long enough to become attached to the main characters while not becoming so involve in subplots or overarching themes. The past is a huge part of the story since Lucas has such fond memories of summers in Marietta. Who can blame him? My reading visits to this fictional town has made me wish I could visit there for real.

The story is centered around Lucas as he plans to have his wedding there. I like how at the beginning it was the place that drew him but as the story progressed he finds it is the people, especially Erin, who contributed to his wonderful memories that are important. There is a lesson here.

Satisfying read with likable characters in a wonderful place. The kind of Christmas read all romantic at heart will enjoy.

Lucas has returned home to Marietta with his fiance, Vanessa from New York, for his wedding. Since he has returned, he soon finds out what he is missing and that includes his childhood friend, Erin. Erin is the girl next door that everyone loves, where Vanessa is high maintenance and has a secret that she is keeping from Lucas. Will Lucas being marrying the right Christmas bride?

Loved these characters, Erin is just perfect, so simple in life and loves the St Claire family. Vanessa is just evil! Completely wrong for Lucas. Love the St Claire family, can't wait for the next book!!

This is another story about the St Claire siblings, this time with the focus on the third son, Lucas. As a child and teen, Lucas loved their family stays in Marietta, especially his visits to the Tanner ranch where he used to go horse riding and helping out. His best friend in those days was Erin Tanner, the daughter of the ranch owner, who was a year younger than him. He hasn't an her since he went off to college and now he's returning to organise and plan his wedding to Vanessa. When Vanessa spots the ranch she wants to get married there. However, meeting Erin again brings back the dreams Lucas had of working on a ranch and outdoors, rather than endeavouring to follow his older brothers into the family business, which is what he has done. As he reevaluates his choices, the wedding plans continue..... but is he marrying the right bride?

This is a heart warming second chance romance with great characters, a superb setting and plenty of turmoil en route. Losing sight of your dreams whilst striving to fulfill what you assume others expect you to do is never the road to achieving your happy ever after, but realising it is hard to do. Erin has never lost sight of who she loves. She has accepted her dreams won't come true but has continued to be stalwart and a friend. As Lucas and Erin reconnect, Vanessa shows her real motivations and life is a tangle of threads slowly being sorted. This is an engaging story and lovely festive read.

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Alright, call me sappy but I liked this one -- enough that it kept my mind off feeling sick when I was in the throws of the flu. So that right there tells you that this book is worth reading. It is simple, straight forward, and ends with a happy bowling on the top. I dug it.

What this book isn't is a story that will make you think and emotionally bond with any of the characters. It is too short for that and lacks the emotional development required to make you really feel like you are bff's with any if them. Nevertheless it is developed enough that you will find yourself cheering and smiling, so it's a win no matter what way you look at it.

Definitely recommended to readers who want a Christmas love story that isn't crude.

I very much enjoyed this book but I felt that given its short length some issues got resolved too quickly without enough explanation - everything at the end just happened so fast. Lucas and Erin were perfect for each other and even as he realizes it, he doesn't back out of his engagement. Even as he realizes that he and his fiancee are on totally different pages, he doesn't address the issues with her - he's more concerned with what his family might say. When he discovers that his fiancee has been using him for his money, they just break up - there is no big scene at all - which seems unrealistic. However, I did love the realization between Erin and Lucas that the feelings they had as teens were still there and were deepening.

I really enjoyed this one! The story is really great and there are characters you will love and hate but all of them are memorable. Lucas Hathaway is back in Marietta after spending years in New York. With him is his fiance Vanessa and they are planning to have their wedding in Marietta. It's the one thing about the wedding he's insisted on. Lucas' dream has always been to work a ranch in Marietta but family duty has kept him working for the family company in New York. The Tanner ranch is the perfect setting for the wedding but that means spending a lot of time with Erin Tanner. They were friends during the summers Lucas spent in Marietta and Erin has always had a crush on Lucas. Being around Erin has Lucas questioning his life, the marriage, and what he really wants.

Definitely a book I recommend.