Lone Star Christmas is the start of a new series by Fossen and this first book does not follow the pattern she used in previous books. There were no babies or pregnant women and while there were lawmen they were not the central male characters. I liked the change. Using characters who were in the foster care system or who had been in the system highlighted both the good and the bad. Callen Laramie is a product of the bad and then the good. His struggle is to remember the good. Shelby McCall has always had a thing for Callen. Watching the two interact was at the heart of the story. This had romance, great characters, secrets, and dealing with the past. All in all a great start to the series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Another great series starter from Delores Fossen! Callen hasn't been home in years, since he turned 18, and has never looked back. But when his foster father needs him, he drops it all to go home again. This time he has permission to pursue Shelby, without the threat of castration. LOL The secondary characters are amazing, and I can tell this will be a fun series. A pretty sweet and also sexy read that doesn't get too angsty even with the horrible pasts.

"Lone Star Christmas" was a sweet holiday novel about all the things we do for family (however we define it). Callen left home- his final foster home- when he came of age and hasn't looked in the rear view mirror since. He's now a successful businessman in Dallas, where his assistant/secretary, Havana, fondly refers to him as Scrooge. However, when he receives a wedding invitation for Christmas Eve with a personal note on it, he knows his comfortable life is about to change.

While he initially plans to decline due to already having work meetings planned, the note gives him pause. As it is his 70-something-year-old foster father (the only one who was good to them), Buck's wedding to his long-term girlfriend, Rosy, a taxidermist and eccentric but super-kind woman, Callen calls some people he hasn't talked to since he left to find out why. In the process of calling one of his brother's, he is handed over to Shelby, Buck's daughter, who he was warned he would be castrated if he touched. He assumes the same message stands, although hearing her voice brings up a lot of memories- he had a big crush on her when they were teenagers.

Shelby is worried about her father, Buck. She knows there's something going on with his health, but he is shutting her out. Although he has had and helped many foster children over the years (including some he currently has), he asked for Callen specifically. Shelby is determined to convince Callen to come, and she travels to him to do so. When she sees him, it brings up all the feelings she had for him when they were teenagers. Combined with the ideas Havana put in her head, she offers a french kiss if he comes back to town- one which Callen is tempted to take.

As Callen returns to town and learns more about what ails Buck, he reconnects with his brothers and meets the new foster children, who are carrying as much hurt and pain as he did himself when he came to Buck. To add on to that, he can't seem to keep himself away from Shelby- who, Buck has told him, he will no longer be castrated for touching. As he reconnects with the town and its many quirky citizens, Callen begins to heal.

This was a really sweet story with some really great messages. I also loved a lot of the side characters, including Lucy and Mateo, the new foster kids, who are healing from their painful past, Ted, who runs a shop selling all sorts of crazy things, and Havana, Callen's clever assistant. Add that to the wonderful main characters- Callen, Shelby, Rosy, and Buck- and you really have a winning cast for this book (and future books in this town). There's a lot happening during the weeks leading up to Christmas and the wedding, and there is never a dull moment! I won't give details so that you can get there yourself, but so much happens in this book. I really enjoyed the journey, and I definitely want to spend more time in this town!

If you love second chance romance and quirky characters who will make you laugh and care for them, then this is definitely the book for you! I highly recommend it! Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and must confess, the secondary characters almost take over the book. A stuffed armadillo named Billy and his taxidermist, Rosy, will have you alternately giggling and tearing up in this awesome story of family love and ultimately what it takes to make up a family.