I can read Christmas stories all year long!! And to find a book with more than one author? Double bonus! I previously had only read jodi Thomas well now i have added these other authors to my tBR pile!!! Really enjoyed this book!

The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas is an anthology made up of three Historical Christmas Romances. Father Goose has Trapper Morgan transporting five rich girls to Dallas. He meets up with a widow who is also going to Dallas and agrees to accompany him as a chaperone. They have some adventure and danger along the way as well as some humor and the oldest girls were amazing. The Mistletoe Promise by Sharla Lovelace was my least favourite story. Josie Bancroft is in danger of losing her ranch so is willing to marry someone with money to help her out, at least that is her plan. Benjamin (Ben) Mason was her first love, who married someone else several years ago. His wife has passed and it is just him and his young daughter. He wants to help Josie, but she wants nothing to do with him. What will she do? Christmas Road by Scarlett Dunn features Clint Mitchum who has raced home to be with his mother who has Scarlet Fever. He arrives to find her grave and a note to find the young woman who cared for her when she was ill. He sets off and finds a group traveling together to go somewhere safe, including the young woman and her niece and nephew. They decide to head back home, but once again, danger finds them. Will they survive and save their homes?

I enjoyed all three of these stories, but my favourite had to be Father Goose by Jodi Thomas closely followed by Christmas Road by Scarlett Dunn. All of the stories have children in them and I always enjoy when they play a role in a story. Another thing I liked about all these stories is they all featured strong women or girls. These were all novellas, which means that character development and plots are limited, but I thought the two I liked the best were well developed and the characters were pretty fleshed out. If you enjoy a good novella, this is an anthology I recommend.

Christmas and cowboys! You can't go wrong .
This is a lovely collection of three heartwarming Christmas themed short stories.
I enjoyed all of these, but the first one was my favourite.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Who doesn't love cowboys and Christmas. I particularly enjoyed the first and third stories. They were heartwarming and filled with a bit of adventure. Best of all, they evoked all those wonderful warm fuzzy feelings that makes Christmas stories so wonderful.

Travel to the late 19th and 20th centuries to spend Christmas with handsome cowboys and the women who come into their lives. These men will work Christmas miracles to grant the Christmas wishes of the women they love. Families will be made; lives will be changed. These three cowboys will be The Cowboys Who Saved Christmas for the people they love.

Jodi Thomas, Sharla Lovelace and Scarlett Dunn have written these Christmas themed novellas. Full of Christmas miracles and love that will reunite old lovers, strangers and families as the holiday season approaches. Heartwarming stories will have a little danger and suspense that are full of love. The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas is a very pleasant historical holiday read. Curl up under a blanket to read these Christmas novellas.

Nice collection of Christmas story stories. I was introduced to new authors that I hadn't read before so that's always nice. I would recommend this.

Really enjoyed this set of heartwarming holiday adventures filled with intriguing charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and exciting passion. Was a highly entertaining and action packed journey from beginning to end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
This is 3 historical western themed novellas, written by 3 different authors. My favourite was definitely the first novella by Jodi Thomas- I found her writing very easy to get into and her characters well formed and relatable.
All 3 novellas include Christmas as a plot point but I think the main focus of all the stories is actually the relationships and the immediate events they are dealing with, rather than Christmas being the main event. There’s enough feels to keep those looking for some Christmas cheer, but it’s not too overwhelming for those who prefer a more subtle Christmas reference.
A nice festive addition to my Christmas reading. 3.5 stars.

O M G!! An anthology with three stories, from three different authors (two of which I’d never read before) - and I liked them ALL!!!

Because 2020 has been...hard...I decided to read some holiday stories that were sure to make me appreciate living in 2020 - even if this year has been a dumpster fire of epic proportions. And what better way to accomplish that than reading three historical romance novellas?! But I’m not gonna lie...when it came time to read these stories I asked myself what I was thinking requesting this ARC. Good thing I did though because these stories were fantastic!

Father Goose by Jodi Thomas - 4 stars
This story was both heartwarming and harrowing. Trapper Hawkins has spent the past two years since the end of the Civil War riding from town to town, gambling in saloons. A high stakes game in Texas earns him the chance to make $500 - all he has to do is escort the five young daughters of a wealth rancher from the coast up to Dallas. With the help of Emery Adams, a young woman escaping her abusive family and searching for a better life, the seven of them work together to face danger on the trail. And along the way, Trapper and Emery fall in love and find a life greater than they thought they could have!

I loved this story. The children were great, the story of their travels engaging, and the romance was sweet!

The MIstletoe Promise by Sharla Lovelace - 3 stars
It’s 1904 and Josie Bancroft is facing a dire situation. A hurricane and disease have wiped out the family’s herd of cattle, then her father died. Now she’s behind in taxes and the bank is about to foreclose. So she begrudgingly goes in search of a rich husband at the neighboring ranch’s Christmas party...hosted by the man who broke her heart five years ago. Ben Mason didn’t want to walk away from Josie, but when his past caught up with him he was forced to let her walk away. He’s missed her every day and now he’s not going to miss his second chance to be with Josie.

I love second-chance romances and this one started out really well. But the ending had me cranky. I love that moment when the hero says “I’m so sorry I hurt you, I was wrong.” And we did get that. But it was followed by “you hurt me too” so then the heroine was upset with herself for how she behaved (after learning she had been lied to and wasn’t going to be able to be with the love of her life). Isn’t that called gaslighting??? I think she was completely justified in her behavior and her feelings and their situation was in NO way her fault. And then the heroine got over her five years of hurt pretty quickly, in my opinion. But this was a novella, so I suppose it had to happen that way...

Christmas Road by Scarlett Dunn - 4 stars
Clint Mitchum never returned home after fighting in the Civil War, but a letter reporting that his mother is very ill from Yellow Fever has him travelling home as fast as he can. Once he gets there though, all he finds is a note from his mother asking him to find the woman who took care of her during her illness and make sure she’s okay. So Clint heads back out in search of Amelia Wakeland. Along his way he finds other families from his hometown who left because their town was decimated because of Yellow Fever (wow, this storyline landed a little close to our current situation!) and are now panning for gold. Once he finds Amelia, he begins to think maybe he doesn’t have to live a solitary life.

I really liked this story, too! There were more really cute children, lots of action, and a sweet love story.

These novellas make me long for more stories where a person’s character is more important than their looks or the chemistry between them. Where that first touch of the hands sends heart rates pounding and the first kiss is pined for after days of yearning across a campfire. I wouldn’t want to have lived 150 years ago, but I think there’s something inherently romantic about the manners and propriety with which men treated women back then.

There’s nothing like perspective to put a person back in the right frame of mind, and that’s what these stories did. Things have been difficult recently, but at least I have hot water and a flushing toilet. I can travel safely without fearing for my life. And if I do get sick, there’s a good chance I’ll be just fine because I have access to modern medical care. There’s also books. Lots and lots of really great books!

* thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The three authors in this book, Jodi Thomas, Sharla Lovelace and Scarlett Dunn, take us back to what we now think of as 'simpler' times. The romantic West when cowboys were the real heroes.

FATHER GOOSE (Jodi Thomas) - I love a good romance where the characters had a rough life yet still find their way to a Happy Ever After. This is the case with Trapper and Emery. Each awaken something in the other, with the help of five little girls. I love children in romance novels and Jodi Thomas brought us five, each with their own personality that plays into bringing Trapper and Emery to find what's been missin in their independent lives.

THE MISTLETOE PROMISE (Sharla Lovelace) - I've read Sharla Lovelace for several years. She never fails to turn challenges into an award-winning story. HEre, she brings us a true Christmas miracle in this story with Josie and Benjamin. Women can be so hard-headed, but then so can men. These two have to learn to get beyong their shattered past to build a future together.

CHRISTMAS ROAD (Scarlett Dunn) - Even more so than spring, I have always felt Christmas was the time for new beginnings - for miracles. Scarlett turns a family tragedy into a blessing for Clint as he fulfills his mother's promise to help Amelia. He has a long road to travel before finding what he never knew he needed. Sometimes, mother does know best.

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A collection of short stories featuring cowboys and festive stories. I loved this book right from the first page and did not stop reading till the early hours of the morning.

Father Goose
When Trapper Morgan takes a job escorting a group of 5 little girls to their ranch home, he thinks all he cares about is the money. But what will happen when he comes to care for his traveling companion and all 5 little girls? I really enjoyed this novella. But why do we have to have confederate soldiers? Just because he "didn't understand" the war, doesn't mean he didn't fight for the enslavement of a whole race. This novella would have been so great except for that. I loved the story and the characters, but it was hard to look past the confederate soldier.

The Mistletoe Promise
Josie's ranch is struggling. She needs to do something to save it. When she runs into an old love, will she be able to forgive their past to let him help? I liked this novella. I just thought that the romance wasn't really justified. I felt like the characters needed to have more conversation about what happened between them. I wish that this was longer to get a better payoff from the reconciliation. I also felt like some of this novella wasn't staying true to the time period it was set in.

Christmas Road
When Yellow Fever takes a toll on his hometown, Clint rushes home to see his mother. Upon arriving home he sees that most people have escaped. Clint goes looking for the woman who took care of his mother while she was sick. When he finds the young widow and her two girls, will he find a connection to keep him at home? This is definitely my favorite of this collection of novellas. I adored Clint and Amelia. All of the other characters were so amazing as well. I wish this one was longer so that we got more time with these characters!

The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas by Jodi Thomas; Sharla Lovelace; Scarlett Dunn is a book with three Texas set stories. I love a book with short stories compiled together and this book will not disappoint you. All three stories are excellent and just in time for Christmas. I highly recommend that you treat yourself to these stories.

If you’re a fan of romances, then The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas would make a great addition to your seasonal reading list! This holiday “package” comes in the form of a trio of novellas by three different authors. All are historical romances featuring handsome cowboys as the heroes and strong, beautiful women as the heroines. Each has its own unique story line and, although they aren’t Christmas stories per se, they take place during the Christmas season with a nod to the spirit of the holidays.

Although I was familiar with several titles by Jodi Thomas, this a good introduction to the other two authors – Sharla Lovelace and Scarlett Dunn. All three offerings were “just right” reading for this busy time of year – short and engaging with a bit of intrigue and excitement and the requisite happy endings.



FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely collection of short stories featuring rugged cowboys and festive stories. A perfect combo for the cold nights of winter. Thoroughly enjoyable x

I particularly liked two of this trio of historical, western Christmas tales.

These are three distinct, western, historical romances for Christmas reading. The first and third take place shortly after the Civil War, while the middle story is more uniquely set in 1904. I fully enjoyed the first and third stories. The second story is a second chance romance but had elements that didn’t suit my tastes. My overall rating is 4.25.

FATHER GOOSE by Jodi Thomas
Trapper is a loner who wins a ‘transport’ job in a card game before he learns that the job involves safely delivering five young girls to their father’s ranch for Christmas. The journey is likely to be dangerous due to threats of kidnappers in addition to normal risks. But Trapper is sure he’ll succeed even when he faces the first obstacle of finding a nanny to accompany the wagon.

Emery is a young woman under the thumb of a tyrannical father. She noticed the quiet loner who was respectful and didn’t go upstairs with the ladies. When she hears about the transport job she decides this may be her only chance to escape her hard life.

Trapper is only too happy to find a nanny willing to come along to help with the five spunky girls he dubs “1” through “5”. Along their perilous journey they all work together to share the chores and the girls, including Emery, surprise Trapper by helping to keep them safe.

I totally loved the unique characters, Trapper, Emery, and the five young charges. Their interaction is enchanting. The sweet romance blooms, even under the precocious eyes of the children. With danger, charm and romance, this story reminds me why I love Jodi Thomas historical novels! My rating 5.0.

THE MISTLETOE PROMISE * Sharla Lovelace
It has been a series of hard years for Josie since she fell in love, was betrayed and then lost her father. The ranch hasn’t been able to bounce back after a bad storm and her accountant has told her the only solution may be to marry one of the eligible men of the community. One in particular is interested but Josie suspects he won’t allow her to continue with the ranching.

A few days before the tax collector is to call, Josie reluctantly agrees to attend a social gathering at her neighbor’s ranch. This is hard enough as Josie isn’t the type to get gussied up, but it is even harder since the neighbor is the same man who betrayed her a handful of years back.

Ben knows that Josie still feels betrayed, but he is frustrated that she never gave him a chance to explain the events that tore them apart. For the past years he has protected the one really good thing that came of their broken relationship. Now Ben would like the chance to help Josie and show her that things can be different for their futures. But first he must break through her stubbornness.

There were two factors that made this story a struggle for me. First is Josie’s hardheaded, closed-off stubbornness. Second is the racy, bordering on graphic, sexual descriptions of the story. I generally like historical fiction, whether Victorian, Regency, or Western, to share a sweeter romance. Other readers may well enjoy the sexier style. My rating 3.75.

CHRISTMAS ROAD * Scarlett Dunn
Clint races home after receiving a letter telling him that his mother is ill with yellow fever that struck down his father and siblings. Clint finds that the whole town has been decimated. Clint finds a note from his mother that he should find Amelia, the young woman who cared for her during the illness. Clint sets out to follow the families who left town hoping to find Amelia and make sure she is okay.

Clint helps a father and two young boys to the gold camp where the townsfolk are supposed to be. When Clint seeks out the family with whom Amelia traveled, he is surprised to find a beautiful young woman and two young girls. He is quickly smitten but fears Amelia is grieving the recent loss of her husband.

The families are struggling even as they share Christmas wishes and dreams. Clint helps the families fight off evil men and then finds himself pushing to get a sick Amelia back to his hometown doctor. Will Amelia pull through and will Clint be able to get back to save the children at the camp from danger and a sad Christmas?

This is a charming story with some misunderstandings, a touch of danger, and several sweet moments. Clint is a likable hero, and the Christmas surprises are a delight. I would be glad to read more stories by Ms. Dunn. My rating 4.25.

Source: Received from NetGalley.

The Cowboy who Saved Christmas is a fun medley of Cowboy Christmas novellas, from some of the best cowboy romance authors. Perfect to read one at a time or all in one setting.

FATHER GOOSE: 5 Stars
Father Goose, starring Cary Grant and Leslie Caron, is one of my all-time favorite movies and Jodi Thomas is one of my all-time favorite authors so I was already pre-disposed to view this Christmas novella in a positive light before I read word one. I wasn't far into it before I realized Trapper, Emery, and girls One through Five (you'll understand the reference after you read the story) were going to check all my happy reader boxes. The brilliance of Jodi Thomas shines through on every page of this story and through each character. I couldn't help but fall in love with Trapper, Emery, and all five of the girls during their perilous, endearing, and frequently humorous, journey across Texas. I loved that Thomas gave each of the girls a distinct personality and role in the story, rather than lumping them together as a group. I enjoyed the emotional bonding as each of them found a place for themselves in Trapper's heart and as Trapper and Emery, two loners beaten down by life, gradually fell in love. It was a pitch-perfect reading experience that left my heart bursting with joy. This story has become an instant classic in my holiday reading canon. I have no doubt I'll be revisiting these characters again and again. Also, Ms. Thomas, please note that if you're ever in the mood to write grown-up stories for the Chapman sisters, I will happily buy them all!

THE MISTLETOE PROMISE: 3.5 Stars
Second chance romance is one of my favorite romance tropes. Unfortunately, this story also used one of my least favorite plot twists to tear the main couple apart five years earlier, a heartbreaking, angst-filled twist that played out on the page. I read the entire novella and tried really hard to overcome my aversion to the earlier events but I just couldn't. Perhaps if the story had been longer, with more time to develop the characters and their emotions post-reunion, I may have been able to buy into their HEA. There are probably many readers who will enjoy these characters and their journey. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. I will say, however, that there was a four-year-old character who was an absolute charmer and the highlight of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed her.

CHRISTMAS ROAD: 5 Stars
What a sweet, heartwarming story. This is the first time I've read Scarlett Dunn. It won't be the last. Dunn has put together an engaging cast of characters and skillfully developed each of them. Though there is a main couple, it truly felt like an ensemble cast with all of the characters having important roles and coming to life on the page. Clint has such a good heart. I really enjoyed his character. The relationship between him and Amelia is sweet and endearing, with a few unexpected twists along the way. The relationships Clint forms with the children in the story are heart-tugging and the Christmas "miracle" he pulls off had more than few tears flowing.

Average score for the anthology: 4.5
ARC received for fair and unbiased review

The Cowboy who Saved Christmas is a collection of three stories set in Texas during Christmas time after the civil war. I enjoyed all of them and found a new to me author in Scarlett Dunn. Excited to go back and find more books written by her.

Father Good was adventurous, humorous and touching. Trapper is taking five very resourceful spoiled rich girls home for the holidays. Jodi outdoes herself with this story.

The Mistletoe Promise by Sharla is a good read about two people finally dealing with their misunderstandings of the past. This story could have triggers for readers. I don’t want to spoil too much of the story but Ben was in love with Josie five years ago when his ex shows up pregnant.

Christmas Road by Scarlett was a sweet story. Clint was one of my favorite characters. It was a feel good story and a great way to end the book.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

3.5 stars
I love Christmas stories and this 3 novella collection is lovely.
Good stories to curl up with.
I wanted more from each story. But I know, that’s not possible in novellas. So that’s just my personal preference.
If you’re looking to read something and don’t have a lot of time, this is a great choice.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.