I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed how the characters developed throughout the story. Gray is a single father to a 15 year old girl, Becca. His wife was killed a few years ago on her way to meet up with one of her many boyfriends. Gray's dad Amos is known to be a complete jerk & isn't liked by anyone. He passes away & this forces Gray to reexamine his life & how he doesn't want to end up like his dad. His brothers also reenter the picture, Ty staying in the bunkhouse on the ranch & Brady coming back & forth more often between Denver & the ranch. Gray sees Abby at the funeral reception & decides she's reliable & steady & would make a good wife & mother figure for his daughter. He proposes a marriage of convenience to her & since she has loved him from afar forever, she finally agrees. This leads to some surprising discoveries & is well worth the read to find out how it goes. I also wonder if we will get more about Ty & Brady in other books, which would be great.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a terrific book. I like the plot, the longer length and the character interaction. We meet Abby, who describes herself as plain and dependable but secretly in love with Gray since second grade. Gry’s father has just passed away and he decides at the gathering afterward that he needs to get married to someone who can just fit in his existing life. Gray is a widow with a 15 year old daughter. His wife had cheated n him and died while driving to one of her meetings with another man. Gray poses the idea of marriage to Abby who at first acts as if its the strangest idea. We also meet Gray’s 2 younger brothers wh pop up throughout the book and argue over everything. Abby was raised by her grandparents because her mother took off. She returns periodically and is very nasty to Abby. Abby finally decides after much soul searching to marry Gray. She continues to have a lot of low esteem issues. The book details their relationship and the trials and tribulations they face, including Gray’s opinions on the celebration of Christmas. This was very enjoyable and I look forward to any additional bus in the series, perhaps about Grays brothers and/or Abby’s best friends Hope and Rae. 5 stars!

This is a delightful holiday romance. Who doesn’t love a brooding cowboy who just needs the right woman to show him he can love? A True Cowboy Christmas is just the ticket for a light holiday read - beautiful setting, sexy cowboy, and likable characters.

What a powerful read! I was an emotional mess. I felt everything Abby felt. I fell in love with Abby and Gray. The array of emotions I felt for them and the other characters involved was unmatched. This book made me feel! You could have plunked me right there in Gray’s house, because I felt like I was living in the story. I have never read this author, and I look forward to more.

Oh these two made me cry - I cried for them, I cried with them, my heart hurt for the situations they ended up in, and I was rooting for them so hard, that when it finally all came together, I cried some more!

Gray and Abby haven't had the easiest of lives. They both have buried some things deep down, and it has become a natural part of their psyche. They don't even realize it is there, guiding them everyday in all they do. They are practical, and Gray is a master at tamping down his emotions, but Abby finds it increasingly harder and starts to let hers loose. There aren't fireworks with these two, but slow burns, and some flashes of lightning. They are perfect together, and while they know it, it takes a while for them to figure out why. The journey wasn't smooth, but then again, that is how their lives have always been, so they aren't shocked. What does shock them is the depth and ease that they rely on, and fit with, each other

A wonderful read that brings you there with the characters and makes you want to stay!

Abby Douglas is getting old! Thirty years old and never been on a date, Abby has always been secretly in love with her hunky neighbor, Gray Everett. Gray needs a wife and a mother for his teenage daughter so when he sees Abby one day, he decides that she is perfect! Christmas season is coming up and that time of the year should be full of love and happiness, right? Great story with lots of emotion and tenderness, A True Cowboy Christmas is perfect for romantic, holiday reading fun.

A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitlin Crews will be available October 30, 2018 from St. Martin's Paperbacks, an imprint of St. Martin's Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Gray Everett has just buried his abusive, alcoholic dad. His long lost brothers have returned home and keep driving him crazy. He is raising his 15 year old daughter alone and, decides it's time for him to marry again. This time for convenience.. His next door neighbor Abby, has loved Gray from afar her whole life. Gray thinks she is perfect for him because she won't want to leave like his first wife and brothers.
Abby is floored and insulted when Gray discusses this with her. She is devastated that he wants her for convenience when she is petrified that he'll tire of her soon and throw her out.
Both of them have many issues from their childhoods that make it hard for them to trust anyone, much less each other but, they finally decide to give it a try.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. A woman with no self esteem and a man who doesn't even believe he knows what love is.
Perfect book to read in front of the fire with a cup of cocoa!

The Everett brothers had a very intense upbringing and Gray is the only brother who stayed and worked the land and raised his daughter Becca. It wasn't the best but all he could figure to work for them. Then Abby living as their neighbor with her grandmother a very loving person. Both raised with issues and problems to work out but a realistic read.

Gray and his two brothers inherited farm after their father passed away. He decided to get married and he knows who will be his wife and stepmother to his daughter. Abby, she is dependable, loves to work. When Gray explain to Abby why they should get married, she doesn't know what to think... her dreams are coming to be true. Will this marriage survive time, few lies and brothers who wants to sell farm ?

If you dig through the emotional wasteland and the horrendous memories shared by these characters, you will find a hidden gem about discovering that special Christmas spirit wrapped in love and family and the promise of a wonderful future!

A TRUE COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Caitlin Crews has some pretty brittle edges that must be worn down, but sometimes the most unlikely of relationships become exactly the healing medicine someone needs. What better time for a miracle-of-the-heart than Christmas?

Abby has dreamed of being with Gray since she was a child, but it was just that, a dream. The plain young woman never imagined the quiet and brooding rancher would ask for her hand in marriage, strictly a common sense arrangement, at least for Gray. Can he remain impassive about their marriage when seeing the sweet strength of Abby, whose past is every bit as dark as his?

I admit it, I spent a good deal of this book not sure if I really liked Gray, but knowing I just adored Abby! I really hoped she knew what she was doing...

Not your “regular” Holiday romance, this one still rings true in the season of miracles as one cowboy Scrooge doesn’t stand a chance against the power of love!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Paperbacks!

Series: Cold River Ranch - Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (October 30, 2018)
Genre: Holiday Cowboy Romance
Page Count: 352 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

3.5 stars

When I got the invitation to review A True Cowboy Christmas, I laughed. Seeing that my invite was back in July, I wasn’t even thinking of Christmas yet. Christmas wasn’t even on my radar. But, when I read the blurb on Goodreads, I knew that I had to read this book. Why? It was a western for one. They have become one of my favorite romance genre’s to read. The other reason was that it was a Christmas romance. Those are always good books to read. So I figured, mixing those two books would be fantastic. And I was right.

A True Cowboy Christmas is about Abby and Gray’s romance. Abby had been in love with Gray her entire life. She never thought that he would notice her. She also never imagined that she would be married to him. Gray has known Abby his entire life. But, at his father’s funeral, Gray notices her. Deciding that he can now remarry, Gray approaches Abby and she agrees. What they both weren’t expecting was a red-hot passion to spring up between them. They also didn’t expect Abby’s venomous mother and the ghost of Gray’s father to get in the way of the marriage. Can they overcome everything? Or will Abby leave Gray like every other woman in his life?

Having the main characters be engaged within the first two chapters of the book put me off a bit. I couldn’t understand why Gray decided that he needed to be married and it had to be to Abby. He barely knew her. Barely noticed her. I will admit that I eyerolled hardcore during those scenes. I also, prematurely, called for this book to be a fluff piece. A book where there is little to no drama and the main characters get along famously after they get married. Yeah, shouldn’t have done that.

I was surprised at the layers that the characters had. I wasn’t expecting Abby to have such a screwed up childhood or a mother that hated her. I also thought that her grandmother, who raised her, would step in and stop the verbal abuse. She didn’t. I also wasn’t expecting Gray to have as many layers as he did. His childhood was worse than Abby’s. I didn’t understand until he started telling Abby why Christmas wasn’t celebrated in the house. My heart broke for him. Even the secondary characters had layers. It was insane!!

I loathed Lilly. She was a despicable human being. I didn’t want to believe that she could be as nasty as she was to her own daughter. I was even more shocked when Abby’s grandmother stood up for Lilly. I wanted to scream “Why are you letting her talk to Abby that way? WHY” No wonder Abby had self-esteem issues. I will say that I cheered when Gray put Lilly in her place at Thanksgiving. And I fist pumped when Abby finally did. And yes, I get too vested in these books…lol.

I liked Abby but I also felt bad for her. Her self-esteem was at a zero. She was pining away for a man who didn’t even notice her. If I were in her shoes, I would have acted the same way when Gray put everything on the table. I also understood why she wanted nothing to do with Lilly. I mean, the way that woman treated her awful and she didn’t want anything to do with her. I did think her love of Christmas was infectious. She started getting me in the Christmas mood while reading the book.

I had a harder time connecting to Gray. He was too even-keeled for my taste. It took me a while to realize that he was as damaged as Abby was. Maybe even more. Then I started feeling bad for him when he started opening up to Abby about his childhood and why he didn’t celebrate Christmas. What I didn’t get was why he thought his father would have changed with a grandchild. It seemed that his father did as much damage to Becca as he did to his own sons.

The secondary characters made this book. Gray’s brothers added an interesting element to the story. I also liked Abby’s best friends. As for Abby’s grandmother, I didn’t care for her. She didn’t know how to put her foot down with her daughter and make her stop saying those things to Abby. Becca was a sweetheart but she had her issues too. Mainly from her grandfather. But such a sweet girl and one of the few people who stood up for Abby.

I didn’t care for the sex scenes. While they were well written, they didn’t do anything for me. For someone who lived like a monk, Gray had amazing stamina. And Abby didn’t feel any discomfort when her virginity was taken. It didn’t feel true to me. I did get the passion and love, though. But I didn’t connect with the sex scenes.

The end of the book was amazing. Talk about a Christmas miracle. What Gray did was amazing and brought tears to my eyes. And the news that Abby had for him, was amazing. I am hoping that there will be another book in the series. I would love to see one about Ty or Brady. Or one of Abby’s friends!!

What I liked about A True Cowboy Christmas:

Characters had layers
Could connect to the main characters
The end of the book
What I disliked about A True Cowboy Christmas:

Abby and Gray being engaged without knowing each other.
Lilly. I loathed her.
The sex scenes. Didn’t do it for me.
I gave A True Cowboy Christmas a 3.5-star rating. I loved that this book took place around Christmas. I was surprised at how layered the characters were. I liked that I could connect to the characters on a personal level. And I loved the end of the book. But there were things that I disliked. I didn’t like Abby and Gray being engaged right off the bat. I didn’t like the sex scenes. And I loathed Lilly.

I would give A True Cowboy Christmas an Adult rating. There is sex but it is not explicit. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would recommend A True Cowboy Christmas to family and friends. I would also reread this book.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review A True Cowboy Christmas.

All opinions stated in this review of A True Cowboy Christmas are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

*Disclaimer: I will not be listing this review on my blog for reasons I will indicate below*

A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitlin Crews

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Story Notes

Caitlin Crews offers her readers a wonderful story of love, forgiveness, accepting yourself and finding a place to belong that only errs with the unnecessary drawn out sex scenes that make the book uncomfortable to read.

I love stories about real Cowboys who make their living and their homes from the raising of cattle and the management of rolling acres. And a Christmas based story that also involves two hurting people finding love and acceptance they've looked for all their lives just makes it one I just have to read. I truly did enjoy the story and the development of the characters in the pages of this story. To see each of them grow and reach out in a way that they previously wouldn't have dared was great to see and is a rarity in these types of books. Abby has loved Gray from afar her entire life and never dreamed he would look at her twice. He is her ideal man and she has never been able to let anyone else fill that role. So when he offers her a proposal of marriage because he believes they will "do well together", she is stunned. But as much as her heart wants to shout "YES!" she cannot wrap her mind around the fact that he wants to marry her. She has always seen herself as homely, too tall and lacking real curves and for a very attractive man like Gray she isn't even in his universe. But Gray isn't looking for a stunning beauty that everyone will flock to, he wants someone who will put down roots and help him create the family he's always wanted. Finally agreeing to marry Gray doesn't take away all the problems, though, as there are many hurtful wounds that are festering inside the darkly handsome man. As they work together to learn what a real family is like, both Gray and Abby will have to sort through their past hurts to find a way to live together with respect and maybe, just find themselves in love. But while I loved the story and the characters, I just wasn't okay with the very descriptive sex scenes that were also included in the story. I'm not one to read books with this included so it was sad to see that so much page time was allowed for it. I had to skip two entire chapters and several pages in others to keep from reading what is not for others eyes to see. I was glad to see that it was all inside the context of marriage but I view the marriage bed as a sacred space that is not for others to be brought into. How creepy is it that readers are spying on this couple as they are in the most intimate moments of their lives? It would have been much better to have left this out and simply talked about everything in more vague terms so that while sex is intimated there is no exploitation of that personal time. For this reason and for the unnecessary crude language included I could not give this book the 5 stars I would have loved to give it. I will also not be posting this to my blog as this is not the kind of book I would like to promote others to read. Perhaps Ms Crews could edit her books a bit more and make them more focused on the characters and leave out the sex scenes - this would ensure that more people would read and share her books with others. If she did this I would love to promote her books on my blog and share them with my friends and family with no reservations. Excellent writing otherwise and a wonderful story that had many good lessons to be shared.

I received this E-book free of charge from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

It is such a joy to find a new author to add to your must have shelf and Caitlin Crews is mine! I was totally invested in Gray and Abby--sure I loved the brokenness of both characters because we all need our hearts wrenched occasionally, but they were special because they didn't need each other to be strong. They had already learned to live with their demons. However, they needed each other to be happy and that made reading late into the night a must! I loved the dry wit between them and especially the fact that Abby could joke all through the surreal proposal. I will never think of being "the salt of the earth" quite the same. LOL! I loved learning that the secret to staying married is not to get divorced--wow does the world need that message! The characters struggle with real love--"Is having a part of someone better than having nothing at all?" And look at Martha Douglass-- loving a daughter that is unlovable-- can't get any more real than that. But the best is "happiness isn't a penny you've found"; it's a choice and you keep choosing it! Like I said, Caitlin Crews, you are exactly what I need! So give me Ty's and Brady's and Rea's and Hope's and Becca's stories so I can keep choosing happiness!

A good cowboy romance if you like a lot of emotion and drama. the characters are interesting and likable. The drama is all about dysfunctional families and good friendships.

Rarely do I come across a new author and a story that is one I’ll remember for a long time. In this case , I have found both.
The story centers around Gray Everett and Abby Douglas. Gray is a rancher with a teenage daughter, whose bitter father has recently died and has left the ranch to his three sons. Gray being the only one who wants to keep it. Abby has been his neighbor most of her life, having been left with her grandparents by a less than loving mother.
Upon his father’s death, Gray knows he needs someone by his side that will help him not only with the ranch, but also with his daughter. So he proposes a marriage of convenience to Abby. Little does he know she has been in love with him since she was 10 years old.
Gray doesn’t know how to love and fears being hurt, while Abby only knows how to love him.
It was a lovely story about trust, which at times was heartbreaking but also heartwarming. A story about how the experiences of our childhood and how we are treated by those who are suppose to love and care for us, do affect us as adults and how we perceive ourselves.
But it also a story about hope, the miracle of Christmas and the power of love.
Can’t wait to see what else this talented author has in store for us.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and St Martin’s Publishing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

A True Cowboy Christmas has it all. The unexpected death of their father sets three sons against each other. Of course, Amos Everett set them against each other when he was alive too. The oldest, Gray is a single father, has been working the land & putting up with his father the longest. He’s the one that stayed home. Brady appears to want to sell the land & get out from under it. It isn’t clear which way Ty leans. Gray decides a marriage of convenience with the neighbor’s daughter will help his position. Why did he suddenly look at her differently? Where’d this chemistry come from?

Abby Douglas has worshipped Gray from the next farm for years. When he proposes a marriage of convenience, she jumps at the chance to be there for him & a mother for Becca, his daughter. She want prepared for the chemistry that blew up in front of them & deepened her feelings. What’s she do now?

This was an enjoyable story about a marriage of convenience that doesn’t work out as expected. All three boys are damaged from their relationships with their father & with each other. None of them realize the damage their father did to Becca & her feelings. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Abby & Gray develop. The interactions between the characters are well written & added dimension, conflict & passion to the story. Being set around Christmas just adds more color to the story.

Caitlan Crews is a good writer, but A True Cowboy Christmas isn't your typical romance story. Gray, the hero, is deeply, deeply flawed: his mother left when he was young, his father is a drunken, emotionally abusive man, his first wife played around on him and ended up dying in a crash leaving him with a daughter who is quite concerned that she is just in the way, and it seems he is always thinking of nothing but punching one of his two brothers when he interacts with them. I found it hard to be empathetic with Gray because he didn't seem to have any redeeming qualities; especially when at his father's funeral he decides he needs to be married for practical reasons and tells his neighbor they should get married. (No love here!) He's a moody, obstinate character. Abby is also a flawed heroine, but has some redeeming features. She's grown up with her maternal grandmother because her own mother (Lily) played around and never wanted to raise a daughter. She has no idea who her father is. While her grandmother has given her a loving home, the grandmother does nothing to stop the emotional abuse heaped on Abby by Lily, her daughter. Abby has been "in love" with Gray since she was a child. This of course has been love from afar. It is more an idealistic idea of what love should be than any actual emotional attachment to Gray. Other than her own idealism, it was unclear to me why she would marry Gray, but she does. She's quite naïve in the bedroom, but quickly learns that it is one of her favorite places to be with Gray. I found Abby a bit too complacent. She spoke her mind somewhat, but backed off when Gray declared they didn't and wouldn't celebrate Christmas. It wasn't until the very end of the book that Gray suddenly has an epiphany and realizes he does love Abby and he must make a change in his own attitude. While the story kept me engaged because I wanted to see how it would resolve itself, I found the growth arc of the characters too steep. Nothing really seemed to happen until the story ended and for me there needed to be a more gradual awakening of Gray and Abby's feelings for each other as the story evolved.

I loved the concept of this book and was immediately drawn into their story but I think it needed to be and more heat form this couple, it could have been a great read.

Gray is your typical brooding cowboy.. He's had a failed marriage, living with a temperamental father and his mother left his family when he was young. He raising his daughter alone and unfortunately has taken on a few qualities of his late father. Anger, frustration and lack of trust to make a few.

He's tired of living with the pain from his past and realizes he needs a new start. He discovers that there is more to Abby then the girl next door. Abby has always loved Gray and her dreams finally come true. I liked her sweet, yet simple personality but I was getting a little tired of her constantly down playing her self worth. She did this to herself, her friends to extent and definitely her mother. I was hoping she would have found a her voice but sadly she remained a little do mousey for me.

The book kept me interested but there were times that I think the author got lost in the story and couldn't get out of her head.

I received this e-book from St. Martine press to read and review for free. I will start out by saying I loved this book!! It talks about Christmas some but I could easily see this book being able to be read year round. And I could easily see this being made into a Hallmark movie. :) You will fall in love with the characters such as Gray, Abby, Becca and Martha. If you want a feel good book that is also very relatable to everyday life this is the book for you. Any type of reader can read this book!! Also would make a great Christmas gift or anytime of the year gift!!

Abby Douglas has had a thing for her next door neighbor Gray for sometime now, so when waltzes up to her proposing marriage she darn near passes out, it's a dream come true... or is it? See Gray is completely oblivious to the aforementioned crush, he is just at a juncture in his life when having a partner would be ideal, he's not looking for that partner to bring love to the table, just help out with his young daughter, and around the ranch. He tried marriage once, and it didn't stick, and his heart is still feeling the ache from his last trip down the aisle, so he figures this time he'll keep it simple, no feelings to mess with, just a cut and dry partnership.

But the woman he has picked to be his partner, has a completely different idea of how marriage should be, yes they can be partners, but she wants passion, love, and the whole feeling thing he wants nothing to do with. So getting her to say yes to his proposal maybe a lot harder than he anticipated, especially since he isn't so sure he can give her all the things she wants. But sometimes in order to form a partnership there needs to be a few compromises, question is can this stubborn cowboy give a little to get the girl?

A True Cowboy Christmas comes bearing a story with many heartwarming gifts, with it's emotionally rich story line, you will be rewarded with many moments that will touch your heart, bring on smiles, and of stir up a few swoons too! Between the pages of this one you will find a story of two wounded souls in great need of saving, and a marriage proposal that promises to give them that and more, if only they can find a way to compromise, and overcome their hurtful pasts. This was an impressive first read, it had an emotional depth to it that surprised me, and the writing was well paced, descriptive, and had a palpable feel to it. If you are looking for a seasonal read, loaded with feels, I highly suggest you take a chance on this one, you won't be disappointed with what you find!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.