I struggled thru the book until about a third of a way thru then decided it wasn’t worth it. There wasn’t much about either the characters or the storyline that appealed.
Cody and Lexi were childhood sweethearts but when his mother passes away he just ups and leaves “because he couldn’t bear that his mother had died”. She ends up bitter and holds a grudge against him for deserting her without saying a word or even goodbye.
FF 9 yrs later, Cody comes back home for one of his infrequent trips home. Corporate big wig and all. His father is terminally ill with cancer but that isn’t enough for him to spend any time with his family. When he meets Lexi who happens to be his father’s nurse, he doesn’t even recognize her.
The irony of Cody not realizing how badly he’d behaved (you’re mad at me?) and Lexi who treats him like he should be groveling for her forgiveness and giving him veiled sarcasm and insults was just too trying.
Not my kind of book.

This is a great story of how youthful mistakes can affect someone for the rest of their life. However you can learn from them and make a better life for yourself. The fact that Soraya combined that particular lesson along with some steamy sex makes for a quick, sexy fun read.

As always, Lane delivers a sweet romance about family, forgiveness and love. This family will pull at your heart and make you want to read more.

Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas is a second chance at love romance. There are a lot of ups and downs for Cody and Lexi’s relationship as old hurts take time to heal. Cody has to rediscover his love for Lexi, his family and his home. He’s a nice guy deep down but he’s also clueless, lost, and a bit broken which came across as unfeeling. Lexi is still in love with Cody but has old hurts that need to be acknowledged and moved on from. I didn’t really connect to this couple and they were not my favorites of this series, but I was still rooting for them to find love again. I did enjoy the premise of the story (workaholic businessman who turned his back on everything and everyone and ran away comes back to his roots and realizes where he belongs) the setting, and the Texas ranching family dynamics. Well written and I’m eager to read the 4th siblings’ book.

And here we go to the story of another Ford sibling, Cody.
Cody was a financier in New York. Even loving the country life and the family ranch, Cody desperately had to flee there due to his mother's terminal illness.
He couldn't see her dying day by day. So as soon as he finished high school, he went to Harvard and didn't come back.
His mother has passed away, and now, years later, his father has the same disease.
Cody came on the family private jet to celebrate what could be Walter Ford's last Christmas.

Arriving at the ranch, he is surprised to find out that his father's therapist/nurse was his sweetheart from the high school, Alexandra (Lexi).

Lexi was a divorced woman with a young son and a mother suffering from Alzheimer's that was in a facility that had its days numbered close, since a businessman had bought the land and was expelling patients and causing health professionals lose their jobs.
With so many worries in mind, Lexi didn't have time for romance, right?

Wrong.
Cody was the great love of her life, and had broken her heart by leaving for college without saying goodbye.

Now they would have to live peacefully during those Christmas days.

While away, Cody did everything possible to forget everything that meant the sadness of losing his mother, including Lexi. However, being with her, it was impossible not to see
the wonderful woman she had become, and the good mother she was to Harrison (Harry).
However, old hurts are hard to heal, and can become even worse when revelations come to light.

3,5 stars

Back to River Ranch we go. This family pulls on your heartstrings, that's for sure. The Fords are a powerful bunch and while ranching is their family business, Cody turned his back on it all when he was 18 and has barely looked back. While his family was left behind, his girlfriend, Lexi, was devastated when Cody left.

Lexi is older now, wiser and with a son to take care of, Cody Ford can't occupy her mind like she's allowed for so long. So when Cody comes back for Christmas and Lexi is his father's caretaker, these two are bound to find drama.

Cody wasn't my favorite book hero. Most of the time I wanted to time I wanted to smack him silly for being selfish and how he treated Lexi. But what better way to have a story than have the bad guy see the error of his ways and change, become the swoony guy.

Lexi is a strong, fierce heroine and I loved her tenacity. This was a great read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading this , and I recommend it to everyone.

Sorya Lane has done it again with her newest addition to her River Ranch series, “Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas.” This novel delves into the life of Cody Ford the aloof brother who appears to have turned his back on his Texas roots. When Cody comes home for Christmas to see his dying father, he is met by a blast from the past in the form of his onetime love Lexi who is caring for his father. The two parted when they were young with much to resolve, so their initial meeting was uncomfortable. Through many ups and downs the two find a way back to each other and a gentle understanding of what will keep them together for years to come. . I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book hooked me from the get go I just couldn’t put it down I fell in love with these characters and omg what a story just a perfect read

I received for an honest review

This is the third book in the River Ranch series but it can definitely be read as a stand alone novel. I must admit while I liked the premise of this book, I did not always like the hero, Cody. Cody and Lexi were high school sweethearts but when Cody's mom got sick he left for college, not returning until her funeral. So while Lexi never really got over her love for Cody, he completely blocked out their time together, going so far as not to recognize her when he sees her ten years later. So even though he is not interested in ever loving someone, because they could die, he still gets involved with Lexi during his short visit home. It seemed Cody could in brief moments be a decent guy and then he would just go back to the unfeeling business man. I get that the author was trying to show him as being imperfect but at times I just wanted to shake some sense into him! But having watched three of the Fiord siblings find love, I am eager to see what happens with the oldest Ford, Angelina.

I received this ARC for an honest review. I hate to admit it because I know how hard authors work, but the story was meh. A couple of times, I got lost with the time line ( is it the same day or not because a lot happened in a small amount of time). Maybe I received the ARC before the final editing, I don't know. I never connected with the characters. This story wasn’t for me.

This second chance romance makes for a sentimental read. It's heartbreaking at times, but the outcome is very heartwarming.

Cody and Lexi hadn't seen each other for over a decade. He is now a successful businessman, and he doesn't allow himself to get close to anyone. Lexi hates him for the way he left. Does she really? They say that there is a fine line between love and hate. Could this be the case for Lexi?

It's a good storyline. It shows that sometimes you have to face your fears instead of running away. An emotional read.

I was kindly issued with an eARC from Netgalley and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas was a sweet second chance romance. Lexi and Cody were a perfect match. I loved how Lexi wasn't afraid to tell Cody when he was wrong or how she made him to want to face his past. The chemistry between them was steamy and I loved all of the characters. What a great read.

I found this book quite hard to get into...I found the flow of writing difficult to follow as one minute it was from Cody’s point of view...next sentence was from Lexi...with no paragraph break. Also I didn’t really warm to the main characters, it took a while. It was an okay read but not one I’d read again

Ouch! Idiot.

Who kicks old people, especially those with Alzheimer's, out of their nursing home? Especially at Christmas.

I could have told you he has PTSD.

Cody Ford, Wall Street Billionaire, has come home to visit his family for Christmas. He is here mostly for his dad, who is dying of cancer. Cody left the day after High School graduation because, he couldn't deal with watching his mother die. He still hates coming home because, it brings back all of the memories of growing up with a loving family and, the young girl he loved and, has never actually lost that feeling,
When Cody comes home, he find that his old flame, Lexi, is now his father's live in nurse. One look at her and, all those feelings come flooding back!
Lexi always knew that one of the many times that Cody came home for holidays, she would have to see him but, she never expected to have to spend so much time in the same home with him. Those feelings that she had for Cody have come flooding back. Even though Lexi has been married and divorced and, has a son.
The heat between these two is electric and, the family dynamics are fascinating.
I loved this book!

A second chance romance for Cody and Lexie. He left her behind years ago when he left for college, breaking her heart. Now he is back for christmas and does not even recognise her when he meets her as his father's nurse.

They are still attracted to each other, but he will just be leaving again.

I found “Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas”, by Soraya Lane (St. Martin's Paperbacks), an enjoyable read featuring a couple who were high school sweethearts and had a rough breakup.
I usually love this trope and this story was no exception, with a combination of bitter-sweet memories, regret, hurt, lost chances, misunderstandings and new beginnings. I really liked the way Soraya Lane wrote the familiarity, comfort and intimacy between Cody and Lexi, and how we, readers, realize that despite their 10-year separation, they’re still amazingly close.
I think Cody’s reasons to stay away were smartly, although a bit unexpectedly, handled. I liked the fact he’s a bit broken, yet very rational and practical.
The Texas setting, Cody’s family and Lexi’s son create the ideal environment, sometimes a little cookie-cutter, for the romance to flourish.
Lane’s outlook on caring for ageing parents gave a realist tone to the story.

This a first time read by the author, I enjoyed Soraya Lane's Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas.

Lexi and Cody were high school sweethearts until Cody went off to college and never look back breaking her heart. He returns after 15 years to visit his family and hope that the painful memories that surround his home do not rear its ugly head and envelope him to return to his life in New York City. He stumbles into the beautiful nurse/caretaker to his father, later to find out that it is Lexi, his old sweetheart. He tries to rekindle what they had before but Lexi is bent on keeping her heart to herself and a cold wall of anger against him.

Although she can never forget him, she tries hard not to forgive him and comes off a bit cold in the beginning of the story. As Cody spends more time with Lexi, he begins to learn a bit more about her and sees her in a whole new light. She's a single mother that will not let anything and anyone break her spirit...not even Cody. Eventually, they both find themselves drawn to each other again. Can the many years that have passed between their last encounter bring them to love again?

This story was very heartwarming and a comfortable read. Each party had their demons to deal with...Cody has to rediscover his love for Lexi and overcoming the memories that drove him from his family and his home. Lexi has to learn how to not let her past relationships hinder her chance at love again with Cody. In the beginning, I was put off a little by Cody's arrogance and Lexi's cold austere but as I continue to read the story, these faults start to melt away from the main characters. Lovely well-written story that I would love to visit in audible form.

I would like to thank the author, St. Martin’s Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4-Stars

Once Upon A Cowboy Christmas is a fantastic western romance by Soraya Lane. Ms. Lane has provided readers with a well-written book populated with great characters. Cody is a businessman going home for the holidays. His father is dying and Lexi is his caregiver, she's also Cody's high school girlfriend that got left behind when he went to college without a goodbye. Cody and Lexi's story is packed with drama, humor and sexy bits. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more from Soraya Lane in the future...even though I did wonder if Cody was ever going to get his head out of his butt. Once Upon A Cowboy Christmas is book 3 of the River Ranch Series but can easily be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.