Such a great book!! Gabe and Monica were. Great I love when a flawed hero finds love and redemption. Wish he could have found closer with his past

Cowboy SEAL Christmas by Nicole Helm is the third book in the Cowboy Seal series. This book was a fast and easy read and was enjoyable. The main characters were Gabe and Monica and although they argued, they still had major sparks. These two would have to overcome past issues in their life to have their HEA. I thought the storyline was well developed and enjoyed visiting with all the previous characters. Another good job by Nicole Helm and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

I have eagerly been looking forward to Gabe's story and I was NOT disappointed!!

Gabe and Monica have been setting off sparks for quite some time. Now they are thrown together quite a bit as they work to reopen the ranch and plan Alex and Becca's wedding. Monica and her son come to like the charming, broody DEAL (yes, you can be charming and broody at the same time!) and Gabe's feelings for the mother and son become quite strong. But both have been badly hurt in the past. A future together will take a Christmas miracle!

I loved this third book in the Cowboy SEAL series! Excellent!!

This was a terrific conclusion to Ms. Helm's series. I enjoyed watching the characters grow and change with each relationship and then seeing everyone's HEA when the end jumped forward a few years. I will definitely pick up more of Ms. Helm's books.

I loved this story: the plot, the characters, the writing were really enthralling. Having read the previous stories, I felt a familiarity with all the characters, and I liked them even more.
Gabe is an awesome hero, the most broken psychologically of the three friends.
I loved the way Nicole Helm wrote the hero, as a huge enigma, all obstinate, hard, bitter and suffering, but always showing a façade of indifference and in good spirits. He’s a mess, full of secrets, but his armor has these tiniest cracks that will be broken by the heroine, Monica, but also by her son, Colin.
The gap between Gabe’s self-image and the way his friends and Monica view him is huge and it will take a lot a love and perseverance for Monica to convince him of his worth.
It was also endearing to watch Monica flourish from the reserved mom and therapist to a bolder woman.
The deep affection within this group - the three SEAL friends – Alex, Jack, Gabe – the women and their friends - is exquisitely written.

Scrooge.

A kid can have some say, but parents should have the final word.

Haha, I'm sure the Marines would be happy to hear that they are pussies!

I don't know if I would brave horse poop for my wedding.

Interesting bachelorette party.

The shrink needs a shrink.

A very difficult topic that needs to be opened up more about. PTSD is dealt with differently but is important to get help with and family and friends also need to understand it as well. A well written perfectly paced story pulling you in from the start. Gabe had to deal with family problems growing up so as an adult he has closed himself off until Monica finds a way to get him to open up.

This is the third book in Nicole Helm’s series on three Navy SEALS that are running a ranch intended to help injured veterans. I loved the first two books in this series and I’ve been waiting for Gabe’s story. He’s been the brooding hero for too long and now he deserves his happily ever after!

I enjoyed this book. Gabe and Monica are very complex characters and each of them have a lot of baggage. Monica is a widow and single mother who swore never to get involved with a military man again. Gabe has a lot of family issues and he’s not planning to open up his heart anytime soon.

My favorite parts were of Gabe and Colin, Monica’s son. I loved their interactions and wish there would have been more of the two of them. I also wish we would have seen more of Gabe’s relationship with his family—particularly his mother and step sister. It would have been nice to see if there is anything salvageable there.

I really enjoyed the latest book in this series of 3 former Navy SEALS who have worked to overcome the traumatic event that forced them to leave the Navy. Gabe is so grumpy he's called The Grinch. He hates Christmas and isn't a big fan of shrinks either. Monica is the "shrink" working with Gabe's friends to help them with PTSD issues. Gabe and Monica have real chemistry but he can't get over her occupation. Monica has her 10 year old son to think of too so it's a rocky road to love. Great story!

Oh Gabe, definitely saved the best for last. This man. This lovable man who feels as though he is anything but. What a heartwarming story. I really enjoyed it and like that there is such a story here beyond the love story. There are so many issues that are so very real and I think the author does a great job writing about them and making them flow nicely into the story. War may be hell, but for Gabe so was his childhood.
Gabe & Monica meet at Revival Ranch because she is the therapist there. They don’t exactly see eye to eye on many levels but there is chemistry there, a definite attraction. Monica is a widow and Gabe admires how strong she is and what a great mom she is. She may just be everything he needs. He may be everything she needs. Will they give love a chance? I loved watching their walls come down and their relationship finally bloom.

I like the idea behind this series - a working ranch that also serves as a way to help veterans rehabilitate physically and mentally from their experiences. This story involves one of the founding group of former SEALs who are working on the ranch, Gabe, and the therapist hired to work with the emotional needs of the veterans, Monica. She is a widow who has had to raise her 10-year old son after her Air Force husband died in a preventable plane accident.

The set-up is interesting. Gabe has emotional scars, not from his military experience, but from a rotten childhood. Monica has issues being overly protective of her son. They’re attracted to each other. Gabe can help her with her son; she can help him with his emotional scars. That would all have the makings of a fine romance except I couldn’t like either of these characters. Monica can’t stop talking and jumping to conclusions and then apologizing for doing so. Gabe is just too grumpy but the author bounces back and forth between making him charming and flirtatious and then going back to making him the grumpiest guy you can imagine. He keeps hurting Monica because he doesn’t want to have any emotional attachment. But then it all gets wrapped up pretty quickly. So I didn’t buy either his longstanding reluctance or his epiphany that he really can have a relationship. I just knew that I was glad it all got wrapped up because I was tired of both of them.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This is the story of Gabe and Monica who both work on a ranch for PTSD Veterans (Gabe is a Veteran as well). Monica isn't looking for a relationship. Her husband is deceased and she is raising her son, Colin, on her own. Gabe doesn't trust Monica since she is a shrink and he thinks she is trying to 'shrink' him.
Eventually, these two form a friendship and then a lovers relationship.
This book was okay - a bit too predictable for me.

Even with a Christmas theme, friends getting married, and friends expecting a baby, this story felt very heavy and stifling. Monica and Gabe had so many personal demons and anxieties that I longed for Christmas carols just to lighten the mood. Or a shot of very alcoholic eggnog, just to get me though Gabe and Monica's sniping over her parenting and his disdain for therapy.

As a single mom and therapist, Monica seemed to symbolize every thing Gabe fears. This is a guy who had a glib smile or joke for everyone, that is except for Monica. He's down right cold and difficult with her, and I couldn't get past that. A few things stood out: when he's angry with her, Gabe picked up her sleeping son Colin and threw Monica's coat at her. So much for being a gentleman.

Then after Monica and Gabe agreed to their friends-with-benefits-until-Christmas-deal, Monica asked Gabe to stay in her cabin but he coldly refused, to the point of threatening to move her bodily from the door. Then he stomped away, leaving Monica alone in an isolated snowed-in cabin with no power. So much for that Navy SEAL protector mode.

Finally, when Monica played her favorite holiday movie for him, Gabe's inner thoughts revealed that he thought It's A Wonderful Life was "absolutely, horrendously horrible". I was pretty much done with Gabe by then.

I get that Gabe had a lot of personal demons to deal with but I still couldn't find many redeeming qualities about him otherwise. Even with a Christmas llama thrown in. Poor Monica was struggling with her military father's PTSD history, losing her husband at a young age, raising a young child by herself, and trying to be a competent, objective therapist - I didn't understand why she wanted to saddle herself with that self-pitying, scared, stubborn guy who, despite his declarations, could really use some therapy.

I wanted to like this much more than I did. Nicole Helm writes such introspective stories about people who have such great thoughts and emotions; unfortunately, I really couldn't enjoy these. Even with the Christmas llama thrown in.

2.5 stars

This is the third in the series. I enjoyed it. I have not read the previous two. I had no trouble picking up the story line. I will look for more by this author.

4 1/2 Star review.....

I thoroughly enjoyed the third book in Nicole Helm’s Navy SEAL Cowboys, and can’t wait for what comes next.

Cowboy SEAL Christmas has everything a true romantic craves; heartbreak, trust issues and a whole lot of romantic tension too. I loved the characters, the well-developed plot and the real life scenarios that keep me coming back for more.

I’m looking forward to adding the print copy to my bookshelf.

Gabe, a former Navy SEAL, hates Christmas and isn’t too fond of therapists either. Unfortunately, Monica happens to be a single mom and a therapist. They’re attracted to each other, but they both have issues that prevent them from giving in to that attraction.

What would happen if they both mustered up a little courage and saw what life could be? Ready or not, theyre going to find out.

Both characters were afraid to take a chance and enjoy life to the fullest. The story didn’t feel rushed and even though I haven’t read the previous books, I don’t feel like I was missing too much back story.

Cowboy SEAL Christmas, by Nicole Helm is an enjoyable contemporary romance that focuses on the military and ranch life, as well as family and friendships.

Gabe Cortez had a rough childhood, which lead to his enlistment. He spent most of his adult life as a solider, until a tragic accident caused death of a friend and the end to his SEAL career. Gabe joined two of his former SEAL friends on a ranch in Blue Valley, Montana to rebuilt it into a place for veterans trying to rebuild their lives back in the States.

Monica Finley is the on-site therapist for Revival Ranch, and she's helped two of the three men. However, Gabe is against therapy and not interested in Monica, except the extremely unwanted attraction between them. Plus, he adores spending time with her young son. As a single mom, Monica is determined to focus on her son and career, yet she's attracted to Gabe.

Despite their initial determination to stay single, Gabe and Monica are slowly giving into their mutual attraction this holiday season. Plus, their four closest friends are matchmaking throughout this emotional and entertaining story.

As the third book in the Navy SEAL Cowboys series, this book may be easily read as a standalone. However, the overarching storyline of the ranch and additional characters, particularly the Navy SEAL trio, are easier to understand with reading the previous two books in the series.

Cowboy SEAL Christmas is highly recommended and geared towards those who enjoy reading modern romances with military and ranching influences.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I didn't love this book as much as I did the first two. I admired the heroine but the hero annoyed me after awhile. Plus it seemed odd that he wouldn't have PTSD. I liked weaving in the story of the other couples and how their journey concluded

The character of Gabe really intrigued me when reading the first two books in this series and I was desperate to know what made this man the way he is. It was obvious he didn’t suffer the same, mentally with PTSD as jack and Alex did, but as a reader, you could tell there was something below his arrogance and indifference towards Monica than just her profession. Nicole Helm writing is on point in this book, more so than her previous two. I love the dialogue between the guys, and the girls, and this book wrapped up the series brilliantly, though I’m hoping we might get Colin’s story in the future

This book is the third and last of the stories in the Navy SEAL Cowboys and for me, the best one of the three.
Three Navy SEAL friends , who fought together, and suffered together, but above all, have been brothers by choice.
We saw Alex and Jack overcome many physical, psychological and emotional obstacles, while building Revival Ranch. A haven for other military men needing a safe place where they can heal. Both Jack and Alex are now not only thriving, but have found strong women whom they love and now are planning a future with them.
The last of the trio is Gabe. A man whose issues were not due to the horrors of war, but due to his childhood. A childhood that has him believing he’s not lovable.
Monica Finley is the ranch’s on site therapist. A widow with a young boy. She and Gabe always seem at odds, but the attraction is there.
Will they succumb to the attraction and if they do, will it be a fling or true love?
In addition to an engaging plot, and complex characters, the author deals with not only the psychological, and emotional issues the brave men and women suffer when they return from war, but also those suffered in childhood and how they can affect an individual as an adult.
Kudos to the author for the courage to write about it.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.