💻Kept me reading but some issues❄🎇

3.5-4.0 🌟 stars
I don't believe I've ever read a book by Anita Hughes before and, on the whole, Christmas at the Ranch kept me engaged and was a fine story. The vivid descriptions of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the surrounding countryside were great: I want to experience it myself, now! The discovery of a mystery diary was a good addition to the story that was well woven into the rest of the plot. I also really appreciated the author's transformation of author Samantha, the main character, into someone ready, albeit reluctantly, to get out there and try new things despite her multitude of fears. And Samantha's steadfast affection for her dog Socks and dedicated work ethic.

The romance started with a good meet-cute but then got a bit muddled. Okay, I accepted that life is like that. But there's a relationship built between Samantha and her rival for Drew's affection that just seemed off and very unrealistic. Though I did find the sympathetic treatment of her rival refreshing, the woman's changing behavior just did not add up. Drew's backstory comes briefly revealed and I felt his behavior during their holiday was also strange and came up a bit short in the romance department.

A good portion of the story is riddled with Samantha's ideas for new book plots or memories of old ones. For me, this could have been cut back without weakening the obvious contrast between Samantha' and Sloane, her brave, confident and intrepid book heroine. I fully understood that Samantha is imaginative and constantly creating new book plot scenarios; I just did not need to read so many of them.

Overall, this was a mild romance that might easily translate to a sweet, made for television movie. The holiday atmosphere and the gorgeous landscape particularly. I just wish there had been more focus on Samantha and Drew's connection.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Samantha is the exact opposite of the dynamic Sloane- the main character of the successful series of novels she writes. For one thing, she's very fearful. Now, though, she's being put to the test because she's at her publisher's ranch in Wyoming for a week at Christmas. Luckily, she met Drew on the plane- a sympathetic ear who turns out to be the son of her publisher and, regrettably, engaged to the infuriating Beatrix. This can be read as a romance between Samantha and Drew, with a fillip of mystery about the identity of Drew's mother (no spoilers) but don't forget that it's also about a woman overcoming some of her fears. Samantha does a "what would Sloane do" thing a lot but that makes sense. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Fans of Hughes will be pleased with this latest offering in her own Christmas series.

Rating: Didn't Like at all, 1 star

This book was not what I was hoping. I was hoping for a Hallmark movie in a book, and while the plot and setting was certainly that of a Hallmark movie, the writing, characters, vibes, and basically everything else did not live up to my expectations.

Christmas at the Ranch follows Samantha, the author of a successful spy/adventure type series in which her heroine is BA and basically a female James Bond. However, Samantha has a lot of anxiety and pretty much never leaves her apartment in New York. When the head of her publishing house invites her to his annual Christmas retreat, her editor (and friend) convinces her to give it a try. However, she is unaware that it is in Wyoming and will require flying. She bonds with the kind man seated next to her, Drew, and it turns out that he is her boss's son, and naturally, Samantha begins to lose her fears of everything and romance ensues from there.

There were a lot of things that I didn't love in this book. There is a LOT of telling. It felt like constant info dumping left and right in order to tell us everything that was happening. The dialogue felt stilted and very cheesy. Everything just sort of felt like it was meant to be a movie script, so there wasn't a whole lot of emotion or feeling behind anything.

There are a ton of moments where Samantha either recalls or plots out new scenes of her books, and these felt even cheesier than the book itself. They were so long, and I eventually just started skipping to the end because they were silly and didn't actually contribute anything to the story itself other than length.

I also didn't believe in the romance between Samantha or Drew either. This is partly because Drew is engaged for 90% of the book, and partly because it just didn't feel like there was any emotion behind it. Everything felt very removed and matter-of-fact. Even the third act conflict was super rushed and didn't feel like anyone was actually upset about anything.

Then there was this weird side plot with a character named Marigold that made me super uncomfortable. Marigold is a white woman who has lived in Jackson Hole most of her life and takes on the role of a wise mentor to Samantha. The part that makes this feel super weird is that Marigold is constantly sharing the wisdom, fables, traditions, etc. that she has learned from her Native American friends. The first one or even two times, I was willing to let it go, but it just felt very appropriative to me, and I wasn't a fan of the way that it was incorporated. There are some typos in this book and more than once this leads Marigold to refer to her friends as "my Native Americans," which I recognize is probably a mistake in the editing side of things, but it just made me feel even more uncomfortable with it all. It was weird, and totally not necessary to include, especially because it felt like it was a misguided stab at making the cast of white, straight people seem more diverse.

Overall, I had a lot of issues with this book and am not 100% sure why I finished it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Christmas at the Ranch releases on September 27, 2022.

Sweet Christmas romance! The main character could stand to be toned down a bit to make her more likable and less annoying though. 😊

Sorry but I really didn't care for this story. Samantha our MC is an author. I found the references throughout the book to her character Sloane to be silly and unnecessary. The conversations with her Mom were odd. I have read other books by this author and don't remember being as disappointed as I was with this read. This is the only place I will be posting this review.

Samantha Morgan has been invited by her publisher Arthur Wentworth to a Christmas party that he is throwing in her honor. She tries to give her editor Charlie every excuse not to go, but Charlie isn't hearing it. You see, Samantha writes novels about Sloane Parker, a female version of James Bond. The marketing team has built Samantha up to be just like her character Sloane, but in reality she's the exact opposite. The only people who know that are her and Charlie.

Now Samantha is on a plane to Wyoming and sitting beside a handsome stranger. On the flight she spills everything to this stranger. Upon arriving at the house she finds out that this stranger is Arthur's son, Drew. Now she's worried Drew will tell his father her lies.

As Samantha spends time with Drew over the week they start to grow close. Then Beatrix, Drews fiancée, shows up and tensions between Drew and Beatrix rise. As Samantha begins to overcome her fears, she starts developing feelings for Drew. Will Samantha be brave enough to get her Christmas romance?

Christmas at the Ranch is a small town romance set in the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. Anita Hughes did an amazing job transporting us to Jackson Hole, WY and you can feel the magic of Christmas. Samantha's character is really the only character that is fully developed in the book. The other characters are flat and leave the reader wanting more. While the concept of the story was cute, I felt it was a bit rushed at the end. I wished there was more time at the end where the characters spent time together or even an epilogue to wrap the story up better. I found all the Sloane book "ideas" on each chapter a bit redundant and annoying. I understand that the author was trying to tie in the Sloane book idea to the chapter, but for me it just didn't work with this book. If you're looking for a cute, quick Christmas read with a bit of Hallmark Movie magic, Christmas At the Ranch is the perfect book for you.

A fun premise. It was interesting to watch the protagonist overcome some of her fears. The romance was tricky. By the end I was skipping over the character's book plots. Eager to get to the happily ever after. Nice to visit Jackson Hole, especially as I have been there. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I've read several other Hughes Christmas stories and enjoyed them but this one wasn't a favorite. Samantha, an author of cool female spy novels, has to spend Christmas at her CEO's ranch in Jackson Hole, in order to keep up her book sales. You have a beautiful setting at the foot of the Tetons but other than that Samantha just felt like a hot mess. The grown woman didn't know what a bison was...

I'll still be checking out other Hughes Christmas books but this one wasn't a win for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas at the Ranch was a fast read with a heartwarming ending. Although the storyline was a bit simplistic, the setting in Jackson Hole, WY and the Tetons made up for it. It was a fun read to get us in the mood for Christmas.

Christmas in July is sometimes just what you need on a Saturday. Anita Hughes's lighthearted book Christmas at the Ranch is filled with cheer and happiness. Think Hallmark Saturday night movie this follows the same formulae. If you are looking for a fun happy read this, is it.

A charming romance to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another great Christmas book! I loved this one so much! The moment I saw it, I knew I needed to read it. I absolutely adored the last Christmas book from the year before. This did not disappoint at all! Definitely recommend if you want heartwarming Christmas vibes while reading.

This is a quick, entertaining read. It’s a bit cheesy, but a feel-good romance that’s perfect to put me in the mood for Christmas.

Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes is a fast reading women's read.. Its premise is that sometimes you do what is necessary even if it hurts others. Trust is the most important part in a happy marriage. Samantha learns that she needs to trust herself to live a good life. She has some many fears that it interfered with her life. When she finds true love she realizes that she could face her fears.. Also she finds a diary and learns a secret but is it her secret to tell? Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to its publication date.

Oh I do wished that I like this book but just wasn’t for me. The dialogue was extremely awkward and the characters over explain everything. Also the main character was constantly over explained her book plots and it just got old really fast. The story was just ok. Like I said I wish I could of like the book but sadly wasn’t a fan.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance digital copy!

*I received an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

When I first picked up this book, I was so excited! A Christmas book with a Hallmark feel, usually I love watching Hallmark movies, but this one was not so exciting for me.

I'll get straight to the point, it was cheesy! I could see Hallmark making this book into a movie, just like the author's other book. The plot was pretty dry and predictable, and the characters didn't feel authentic to me. I found myself bored with the story as soon as I figured out where it was heading.

SPOILER ALERT! I hated the fact that the male love interest was originally with someone else during most of the book. I just didn't sit right with me that it was the direction of the plot. Also the name Diana does not mean goddess of the hunt. That is just the name of a Roman goddess. Diana actually means divine.

If you want to read this book, it publishes on September 27, 2022.

This was a fun Christmas read. It's about what happens when a writer who's afraid of lots of things, including flying, is forced to get on an airplane to go to a week long Christmas party hosted by the owner of the publishing company she writes for. The story is about being braver than one thinks, falling in love, and that not everything is as it first appears. Fun quick read.
Received this as an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a feel-good romantic read to get you in the Christmas spirit look no further! The author has beautiful descriptions of the landscapes that will make you want to plan your next Christmas getaway to Jackson Hole! The cozy warm feelings of a Christmas romance definitely made this book a must-read for me!

What stops me from giving this book a better rating is the following. The character dialog at times felt forced or fake. Some of the characters lack personality and it's hard to relate to or feel close to them. The romance although written well was slow. I wished there were more romance scenes in the book or that it was a bit longer so we could have more time with the characters together. It felt as a bit anticlimactic because the characters had barely just gotten together and the book was over.

All that being said, this was a good quick read that has a cute lovely Christmas feel!

I would like to extend a special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, who provided me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The setting for the book was very charming (snowy, Christmas time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming).

The MC is an author, so there was an interesting element of her writing her next book interwoven with the story.

Towards the end there was an interesting twist I didn’t see coming and a suitably hallmark-ish ending… but getting there included a trope that isn’t my favorite and definitely affected my overall love of the book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy.

I just finished Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes. Having read several Christmas books by this author, I was looking forward to this new one. However, I have read all the others at Christmas time and was afraid this one would seem a little off reading it in July. I have to admit reading this when the heather is in the 90s with humidity off the charts did take a little away for the enjoyment. Having said that, Hughes’ has come up with another perfectly cute, cozy Christmas read.

Samantha Morgan, the author of the hit Sloane Parker adventure series, is a very flawed person. She is happiest in her apartment with her dog and would rather avoid the outside world. When her publisher insists she attend a week long Christmas party at his Jackson Hole ranch, Samantha is having no part of it. After much persuasion , she ends up going and romance blossoms.

At times , it seemed there were too many story lines going. There is Samantha’s story, Sloane’s story, a story from a diary Samantha finds, and her parents Christmas travels story. Easy to get story lines crossed at times. All together, another hit for Anita Hughes. I would definitely recommend this cozy Christmas romance while curled up with a cup of hot chocolate beside the Christmas tree. A fun easy feel-good read.