Merry Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown

There's just something about a cowboy that leaves me weak in the knees, and I really don't know why. lol. I dated one and he loved the smell of cow manure so much that he wanted to bottle it and wear it as cologne. Notice how I said "dated" not "am dating" or "married". LOL. This book is about an actual sexy cowboy, and it's brimming with holiday spirit and lovable characters. I haven't read the previous books in this series, and I think I would have benefitted from doing so. But, nonetheless, I was ok jumping into the series with this one. I liked Jud a lot, and thought his wishes for settling down and having a family made him even more appealing. He's so sweet and has such a good heart. I liked Fiona's sass and spunk. I love the friendship these two have with each other, as well at their love and passion. I also loved all the Christmas! This felt like a steamier Hallmark movie, and I was here for it. I'll have to get my hands on the rest of the series!

This book had everything a girl could want. Sexy cowboys. Check!
Fun holiday theme? Check!
and a great story line to boot (haha see what I did there? Because it's a cowboy book.. EH? Eh? haha)

But seriously. This was a great book.
It had some awesome characters. And a great plot.
And I loved every page of it.

This is the first book of Carolyn Brown's that I have read and the third in the Lucky Penny Ranch series. Carolyn did a great job of developing the main characters. I liked that she gave you the back story on Fiona so that you would understand why she was back in town and why she acted the way that she did. In addition, she gave you a little bit of Jud's past so you would know why he was in town.

In addition to creating very well developed characters she also created a chemistry that the readers could connect with. She built their love story through out the book but you could see from the words that Carolyn wrote the instant romantic connection from their very first instance. It was fun to see their love story grow through out the book.

Lastly, I also enjoyed that she also intertwined other stories with in this one. For instance the story about Fiona's grandmother and how the Alzheimer's/dementia had affects on both the grandma and her family. This really hit home to me with my own Grandma's diagnose with this unforgiving disease.

4.5 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story flowed well and I was kept interested. The story has laughs, crazy small town people, and sweet romance.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch, #1)
Hot Cowboy Nights (Lucky Penny Ranch, #2)


This is Fiona and Jud’s story. Jud wants Fiona and needs to convince her that she wants him also. He wants to set down roots but she does not. Can he get her to come over to his way of thinking? He is Blake and Toby’s cousin. She is Allie and Lizzy’s sister. So, you get updates on those people. You get to see the family come together for the holiday. Can the holiday season get these two together to figure out if they have a future? Or will all the love surrounding them make them scared of the future?

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story in this series.

MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS is book three in Carolyn Brown's "Lucky Penny Ranch" series. "Lucky Penny Ranch" is comfort food for romance readers. The Dawson men are true-blue, American classic, hot cowboys full of charm, and it's no wonder that the Logan sisters are helpless to resist them. When Fiona moves back home after a rough divorce, the warm embrace of her family helps soothe her wounded pride. Although romance is not foremost on her mind, Jud Dawson mounts a compelling seduction strategy involving late-night talks, Christmas cookies, and earth-shaking kisses.

There are two main stories in MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS. First, Fiona's journey of self-discovery and her eventual romance with Jud. Second, Fiona and Jud's attempts to thaw out two elderly curmudgeons who temporarily end up staying at the Lucky Penny Ranch for a few weeks. The latter is something that draws Jud and Fiona closer together. One of the things that make a Carolyn Brown cowboy romance so irresistible is the beautiful way that the hero and heroine are so well-matched and the dialogue feels so natural. The friendship, and soon-to-follow romance, between Jud and Fiona feels very organic. While not scandalous, Jud and Fiona try to keep their flirtations low-key at first in order to avoid any matchmaking machinations by well-wishers, or grumbling from others. I love Fiona and Jud, so that made reading about their pairing extra entertaining. Jud's laid-back sexiness and amiability make him such an amazing hero and exactly what Fiona needs after her ex.

The feelings of love and compassion that wash over you as you read MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS are perfect for a story framed around Christmas time. The importance and value of family is something that that runs through each book in the "Lucky Penny Ranch" series, and MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS is no exception. The members of Jud and Fiona's family make great supporting characters and add balance and depth to the story. As you read MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS, the characters become more real and you become invested in their stories. Fiona's struggle within herself to figure out her path in life is easy to relate to and understand. I love how Jud gives Fiona the time and space she needs, while still supporting and loving her. Dora June and Truman turned out to be two dark horses, and their evolution over the course of this book is nothing short of extraordinary.

MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS is another brilliant confection by Carolyn Brown full of Christmas magic, good times, great storytelling, and blazing romance. As usual, Carolyn Brown does a wonderful job of conveying a sense of place and making the town of Dry Creek come alive. This is a book to make you laugh and swoon. I'm so happy this series isn't ending, and readers have Deke's book to look forward to next.