A True Cowboy Christmas is a good fit for readers who enjoy stories about personal growth, learning to love, and unconventional relationships that lead to strong family bonds.

This story brought me to tears. The sadness that each family member carries from years of being mentally abused by their parents actually gives everyone a common ground to stand on.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

This is my first book by Caitlin Crews and probably will not be my last. This was a great book to get you in a cozy holiday mood. It is a hard read for anyone going through their own relationship drama so I wouldn’t recommend it if you are. Grey is kinda an ass, though one you want to root for to open up and be kinder again. Abby is an amazing, strong woman to go through everything she deals with.

The perfect combination: Cowboys and Christmas. And romance. I loved this book and read through it in one sitting. I will definitely read more from this author.

A True Cowboy Christmas is the first book in the Cold River Ranch series. It's a sweet marriage of convenience story that will warm your heart. This is Gray and Abby's story. Throughout the story, I kept thinking, "You poor clueless man" about Gray. You can't help but love his clueless heart though. It's clear his intentions are pure, if misguided. I was rooting for Abby to help him see that he could love her and have a happy and real marriage, not just a practical one. Both Abby and Gray had the most horrible parents on planet earth, it's no wonder they had issues. I definitely recommend this one.

This is my first read by Ms. Crews and it won't be my last. I went straight from this one to book 2 in the series and then the review copy of book 3. I truly enjoyed the whole series and reading all of them together worked well for me. The Everett boys are chock full of emotional baggage and it took every bit of all 3 books to unload it all.

A marriage of convenience for Gray Everett goes nothing like Gray Everett plans especially when his heart becomes involved.

Gray Everett is a humble man, a widower, a father, a son and a brother. Gray has lost so much he isn’t about to lose out on the only homestead he and his family has ever known. Amos , Gray’s father taught him well, but can he hold on to the ranch? on top of everything Gray needs a mother for his daughter Becca and Addy Douglas was it for him.

Abby Douglas is a sweet, dependable, honest, loyal woman all qualities in a great woman. Lily, Addy’s own mother made sure Addy knew she was a nothing in the grand scheme of things. What man would ever want her?

Gray and Addy don’t hit it off at first, they really have to work toward being a couple. Gray needed a bride and Addy has been in love with Gray most of her life, so when the offer is out there to marry and too help him save his ranch, there is only one answer Abby could give. Can these two come to mean something more to each other? I will admit my heart melt a little as Gray surprised Abby.

The supporting characters are Gray’s and Addy’s family and friends. Everyone gives Gray and Addy their own brand of help. Becca is a sweetheart, but Addy’s Mother Lily I had a hard time liking this character Addy’s Grandmother was a delight. Ty & Brady Everett made sure Gray knew where they stood, no getting married for them and other things. Their antics for fun, but when it came to all serious Abby set the Everett boys straight.

A True Cowboy Christmas was a soul filled holiday romance that I for one will be re-reading again. There were a few moments when I was challenging both Gray and Addy in my head. both hero and heroine bring so much to the story. Even though marriage of convenience is rare Caitlin Crews made it work for Gray and Addy. A True Cowboy Christmas was completely enjoyable I am ready for the next book in theCold River Ranch Series.

Rated 41/2 Stilettos by Deb!

A tough and brooding and grumpy cowboy and the practical and younger neighbor who has been in love with him forever. Add in a teenage girl who just wants everything to be perfect and what do you get? A pretty uncomplicated book but a good one. I thought Gray was going to choke on his grumpiness at times but once he figures out he doesn't want to turn into his dead father he redeems himself. The ending was perfect. I am really looking forward to the rest of the series.

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This is the first book of the series. Gray Everett is the older brother of the three boys. He is also a father to a fifteen year old girl. His first wife died on her way to meet her lover many years ago. He is the only son to stay on the ranch and work it. His father is vitriol and wants to only make people miserable. Upon the death of the Everett patriarch, a sigh of relief could be heard around the valley. Gray decides that he doesn't want to end up like his father. He needs a wife to help guide his daughter. He chooses his nearest neighbor, Abby Douglas, as she is a good woman, a salt of the community. Abby is thirty and has loved Gray since she was a young girl. Even though it is a dream come true for Gray to propose marriage, it is his reasons that throw her for a loop.

The road to a HEA for these two is really a long tough, rocky one. Gray is a very complex character to understand. Having the book written in a dual POV really helped to understand a little bit of Gray's battle. Getting a glimpse into his thoughts was a conflicted one. First I really felt for him, then I despised him a little. But the things that have shaped him are dark. He has a hard battle to overcome. Abby is the perfect warm, loving female protagonist. She has a heart of gold but the back-bone of steel.

This is a sexy read. There are a few bedroom scenes but they take place after the marriage and are not highly descriptive in nature. I would recommend this only to some one over the age of 18 and the person really needs to be open to Gray not being the perfect male protagonist. In my opinion, that made him oh so much more human.

A TRUE COWBOY CHRISTMAS - Caitlin Crews

#1 in the Cold River Ranch romance series

GREAT CHARACTERS! - 5 stars

Plot - 5 stars - After the death of his ornery father, Gray realizes he's missing something and decides he needs a wife. He seemingly almost randomly chooses Abby, much to her confusion since she has always had a crush on him. The story follows their marriage and the romance that develops as they grow to know each other.

Writing - 4.5 stars - I was caught up in the story right from the first page. I thought the plot was interesting, showed a different side of the romance, meaning the aftermath and subsequent growth together rather than the initial meeting and explosion of feelings. The characters were built well, with nicely aligned back stories that explained why they had such an affinity.

Characters - 5 stars - This is where the story really shone for me. Gray is a true rancher, loving the isolation, working hard, and keeping his family's legacy alive. He's grown up in a dysfunctional home with his miserable father and unhappy brothers, so he's developed a hard shell. Abby is the "salt of the earth" who has lived with her grandmother when her mother turned out to be flighty and unable to be counted on. She's also built walls to protect herself. Gray and Abby soon discover that they have chemistry and might actually be able to make their marriage work. They are both strong, independent, and hard-working people with strong ethics. I loved their strength, and it was great to see them learn to share. Secondary characters of Ty and Brady (Gray's brothers) and Rae and Hope (Abby's friends) were great and added even more dimension to an already-enjoyable story.

Title - 4 stars - Nothing ambiguous about this title. It says what it's focusing on (a cowboy hero) and gives us the time of year (Christmas).

Cover - 4.5 stars - Nothing wrong with looking at a gorgeous cowboy. The fact that he's not naked to the waist makes sense since it's supposed to be a holiday story, so I'm glad that was done right.

Overall - 5 stars - This story really hit the spot for me. I loved the characters--their strength, their independence, and the fact that they were both struggling to find their sense of self after being verbally abused for so many years. Their practicality appealed to me, and I liked that they were willing to talk about their problems and share their feelings, even if they didn't really want to. This book was a little different since the wedding was early, so it focused more on the marriage and how they were trying to make it work, despite their different thoughts about how it would play out. This emphasized how hard it is to make a lasting commitment and grow and compromise, but that it's worth it in the end. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to continuing with this series.

I actually liked this book. There is a "fake" marriage, abuse, fighting, low self-esteem, and yet it all comes together. I would read another book by this author.

Copy kindly received via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Not really feeling this one, so putting it down. Seems to be dragging already and without much feeling from me towards the characters.

***I received an ebook copy from the author at no charge***

From the get go, Crews sets this pair up for chaos in the most entertaining of ways.

Gray has a daughter he's raising and family land that he's taking care of. After his father passes, his brothers are determined to sell the family land and move on, but not if Gray has anything to say about it. In a desperate attempt to keep things going, he proposes to his neighbor Abby, with the understanding that it's just a marriage of convenience and not the real deal.

Sounds like a great idea? More like a recipe for disaster!

These characters are both flawed and it's beautiful. Abby has all sorts of internal issues that come from crap she endured in her childhood. Gray had an awful marriage before, which left him emotionally scarred. It was wonderful to see these two come together because they heal each other in a way, and I thought that was a beautiful part of the story.

This story has all kinds of romance along with angsty moments and some scenes that will make you giggle. The characters are complex and the secondary ones play just as important of a role in the book as the main ones do.

If you like cowboys and moments that tug at your heartstrings, A True Cowboy Christmas is the book for you!

Four stars to this novel!

This was just delightfully deep and a pleasure to read. Modern-day marriages of convenience are so much fun--and I thought this handled the "I've loved you for years" trope so well, without turning the heroine into a doormat, which is always a risk. A really nice, thoughtful book.

A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitlin Crews is a holiday story but could be read at any time of the year and the reader would not feel they should wait for the holidays. I loved this book, I was hooked from the very beginning. Abby and Gray's love story was a long time coming and so worth the wait. I felt the family situations were realistic and handled quite well. I also liked how Becca's story was presented, I feel her reactions and realizations were handled perfectly in the story. Since this is the first in a series, I am really hoping there will be books for Gray's brothers, Ty and Brady.

This is the second book that I've read that was supposed to be a Christmas story, that was way off base. This story is pretty depressing and hard to get into. I wanted so bad to like Gray, but he never redeems himself in my eyes. He kept thinking that he didn't want to be like his dad, but he was exactly that. He was rude and mean to everyone except his daughter. Abby was a sweet and forgiving woman, and I felt bad for her that she kept putting up with the way Gray treated her. It's like the last 10-20 pages when Gray suddenly realizes what a jerk he's been, and decides he needs to change and let the past go. That was too little too late for me.
I voluntarliy reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

This was an interesting story, one that was hard to put down; however, I wouldn't have put up with as much as the heroine, Abby, did especially from her new husband. However, she had the patience of the proverbial saint. The characters were compelling and the ending hea. It does have some bedroom scenes so if you don't prefer risque; but they were tastefully done and not vulgar. I do think it worth getting the rest of the series; however, this one could stand alone.

A contemporary romance that left my romantic heart completely satisfied. So freaking good, it’s unputdownable and I would absolutely recommend to all book lovers out there.

A marriage of modern day convenience, a man devoted to his family ranch and a woman who is salt of the earth good who agrees to the marriage because she has loved him for years. Set during the holiday season, you are rooting for things to work out for the good but until the very end you don't know how it is going to play out.