I just finished Christmas Random by BJ Daniels, and what a ride that was! Another installment of the Colt Brothers Investigation series, and we meet rodeo cowboy, Davy, who returns to Lonesome for the holidays, hoping to see the one he left behind, Carla. Carla is a strong woman who has put her career and stability above all else, including Davy. They may love each other, but they're too far apart to find common ground. Until her bank is robbed and Carla ends up with a target on her back.

Spending time together reminds them both of the love they share, even if neither knows how to bridge the divide. In true BJ Daniels fashion, this mystery comes down to the final pages that you're turning fast to see if everyone is okay and if they find a way to be together. Don't miss this action-packed Christmas Intrigue!

I am always a huge fan of B.J. Daniels and this time was no different. She is always able to write a novel that pulls me in from page one and doesn't let me go until the very last sentence. Whenever I see one of her books hit the shelves, I'm right there grabbing it up as quickly as I can. They are the kind of books that you can't wait to start but you're sad when they're done.

I think a lot of people can relate to meeting up with a high school sweetheart later on in life. And I also think a lot of people can relate to going in different directions as that high school sweetheart. Carla never meant to stay in her small town but she also never planned to run off with Davy. She knew that he was a rodeo cowboy at heart and even though she didn't expect him to make it his career, she wasn't really surprised either. But she also ended up staying in that small town after doing her best to take care of her mom after she got sick. And Davy was always in a different place riding and only stopping by to visit family here and there, never staying long.

This didn't play like typical romantic suspense and I liked it. The villain was pointed out right from the beginning. It had me understanding the motive behind their decision, though I of course didn't agree with it. But in the beginning, I could understand how their desperation and wanting to get themselves out of trouble led them to make stupid decisions. Jud was doing what he thought he had to in order to stay alive, keep Jesse alive, and get himself out of trouble. There were loan sharks after him and he had to do something. Jud also felt like he had tried every other avenue before resorting to robbery. But, as they do, things went from bad to worse very quickly. And messing with Carla was the biggest mistake Jud could have made. Especially with Davy back in town. Because he wasn't going to leave until he knew that Carla was no longer in danger.

I do have to say, the FBI agents in this one really had me agitated. I didn't like the way they treated Carla right off the bat. I understand their job was to find the ones responsible for the bank robbery, and that everyone is a suspect. But they didn't seem to take into consideration what happened to Carla and instead wanted to treat her like the perpetrator. Sure, the possibility is always going to be there that a bank robbery is an inside job. It's probably similar to generally suspecting the spouse when someone is murdered. But they weren't even giving Carla a chance to heal before they were peppering her with questions and making veiled accusations. I was not a fan of them at all. Davy and his brothers were the only ones handling the investigation the way it should have been handled and I respected them all the more because of it.

This book kept me hooked from start to finish. And it had me feeling all of the emotions along the way. I was rooting for Davy and Carla from chapter one and I never stopped. Davy was as determined as they come and I really felt his struggle when it came to doing his best to help Carla and going back to his dream career. Even though the villain was revealed early on, that didn't take anything away from the mystery that was presented. There was still more than enough suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat and wondering what was going to happen next. The romance and sense of family were both done extremely well, something not unusual with B.J. Daniels at the helm. I can't recommend this one enough!