A Cowgirl's Christmas

The last of the Carrigan sisters finally gets her tale – and this is the one where all the secrets come out.

For me this story was all about Callan, how she dealt with her grief and betrayal, and slowly worked her way out the other side, finding freedom from her father at last. I was worried the ending would feel rushed and fake, but it surprised me by how sweet it felt. It actually worked and brought this series to a worthy close. At least, I think this is the end of this ranch’s adventures, but there is that one next door that looks full of interesting promise. I hope CJ Carmichael returns to Marietta soon.

I enjoyed this read. A ranch not left to a daughter who has lived and worked there all her life. The new owner has no idea how to run a ranch. A father's betrayal, her mother's secret diaries. A chemistry that can't be ignored. Get comfy this book will hold you in until you finish.

A Cowgirl’s Christmas is the last in the series “The Carrigans Of The Circle C”, and is definitely the best of the series in my opinion, coming from CJ Carmichael’s kitty.

Callan Carrigan had been taking care of The Circle C ranch, along with her father for years and her life completely revolves around the ranch. Of all the sisters, she is the typical cowgirl, enjoying ranching with a passion. But when her father dies, and the will bequeaths the ranch to her father’s nephew, Court McAllister, Callan feels betrayed. Once she and her sisters find their mother’s diaries and personal letters, the very essence of their upbringing is questioned.

Court McAllister is a city guy but with a passion to own a ranch and a love for the open fields, and want to make a home with a family on it. He falls for Callan from his very first sight of her, and wants her to stay back at the ranch as the foreman. So he throws in an offer for her to stay back for a year, after which she gets half of the ranch. Tempting as the offer is, Callan is devastated with the turn of events and refuses to even consider it and Court refuses to give up on Callan.

A Cowgirl’s Christmas takes you into the life of a young lady, reeling from the secrets disclosed and losing the very essence of her roots and individuality. Losing her mother at a tender age, she looked up to her father and poured all her love and does everything in her realm to please him. But coming to the grips of the reality, shatters her confidence, and she is left all alone despite having her sisters with her.

Callan’s character was written with so much depth and from the heart, I cried as I read her pain and betrayal, of feeling alone even with family surrounding her. Court was a super nice, patient guy who is willing to sacrifice everything just to give Callan back her smile and roots. This is an outstanding conclusion to the series, and CJ Carmichael did a fabulous job of etching the story from her soul, with hurt, despair, love and support, oozing off the pages!

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The final book of the Carrigans of the Circle C series by CJ Carmichael, “A Cowgirl's Christmas” skillfully tells the story of Callan, the youngest of the Carrigan girls while also including the stories her three siblings and thus providing resolution for all of their stories.

Among the four Carrigan daughters, Callan is the youngest and the closest to their father Hawksley. So, everyone was surprised when they found out that Hawksley left the Circle C ranch to a distant male relative instead of Callan who dedicated her whole life to the ranch.

That Callan was hurt when she learned that city slicker Court McAllister the new owner of The Circle C Ranch was an understatement. Losing the ranch was one thing; finding out that her father did not love her nor trust her enough to run the Circle C was another issue that Callan could not wrap her around it.

Still, as she interacts with Court more and she and her sisters unearth secrets that their parents kept from them, Callan’s point of view changes. There is another problem though. Court McAllister is too handsome, too intelligent and too attractive for his own good and Callan is having a hard time fighting that attraction.

A Cowgirl's Christmas is Rated M for Mature due to subject matter. There are no sex scenes in this book.

Wonderful story about how a family that pulls together with love and respect for each other. Callen is a broken lady who once she figures it out, grows and allow herself to love. Enjoyed the story with a happy and realistic ending.

***I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion***

4.5 stars

A Cowgirl's Christmas is the 5th book in the Carrigans of the Circle C series and it was a great ending to the series.

I don't want to give too much of the plot but in A Cowgirl's Christmas we finally learn all the family secrets after Hawksley dies from a sudden heart attack.

Callan find it very hard to deal with her father's death especially when she find out that he left the ranch to his cousin's son, Court McAllister.

Callan needs to deal with her father's death, finding out old family secrets and also decide if she wants to stay in the Circle C ranch and help Court or should she start a new life in another ranch.

I enjoyed reading about Callan and Court and the rest of the Carrigans girls and how they all dealt with the family drama and the death of their dad.

It was a very emotional story and I found myself in tears while reading it.

A Cowgirl's Christmas was a great ending to the series and I highly recommend reading this series in the right order so you won't find out the family secrets that were reveled in the last book.

C.J. Carmichael , delivers an emotional read , with heart breaking loss , betrayal and love!

Callan Carrigan , is the youngest of the Carrigan girls has stayed home at the ranch working side by side with her father, ranching is in her blood, but when her father suddenly passes she is left to deal with notifying her sisters and handling the responsibilities of the Ranch , whic she is more than capable of doing . Callan's father was always gruff and hard with the girls but more do after their mother passed, but Callan never expected his dying words and the impact they may have on her life.

The Carrigan girls are hit with one surprise after the other at the reading of the will, besides them they find their distant cousin Court Macallisters summoned by the family attorney to the Circle C Ranch ; the largest surprise was that Callan was not left the ranch , but Court instead, sure her farther provided for her , left the ranch house and an acre of property surrounding it long with funds for all te girls . The betrayal left Callan reeling and beyond upset to have what sh has worked so hard to prove to her father by working beside him for years on the ranch that she was capable of taking over in his stead! Court is on the receiving end of Callans anger and thanks to her fathers failure to speak to Callan about his dying wishes , Callan and her sisters were blindsided, courts uncle had assured him Callan would not be an issue that she would stay on and help with the ranch door a salary, maybe if she new his reasons for leaving the ranch to Court before hand she would have been willing , but now Callan is too hurt. To make things header Court feels an attraction to Callan that only grows the more time he is able to get Callan to spend with him.
The betrayal to the Carrigan girls runs deep , nor only did their father give the ranch to Court but he and their mother kept secrets ,that begin t explain his disdain do his daughters , that has nothing to due with them no beng boys ! To spite everything Court refuses to give up on Callan ! He offers her 50 percent ofthe ranch if she will work with him and he continues to offer support and insight into her father. Callan spends most of her time pushing Court away till near the very end of the book, when he does the one thing that proves to her that he has come to are more about her than anything else.

This story is so well written it is not hard to feel the depth of emotions while reading this, my heart ached for Callan and her sisters , I was angry for them and the author had me rooting for Court and for Callan to see what he was really offering! Well written, great flow to the story and hard to put down.
Book graciously provided by Tule publishing via Netgalley for an honest review!

Shocking truths that bring the four sisters together & with the closeness they know the true meaning of family. The secrets in the diaries in Snowbound in Montana are revealed.

A Cowgirl's Christmas starts off on a sad note but ends happily. Callen is a very likable heroine though the ride through this story is bumpy for her to say the least. There are secrets and betrayals galore the Carrigan Sisters. My heart really went out for them especially Callen. Court turns out to be the one shining hope making it worthwhile for her. They deserved a HEA.

Of the sisters’ stories, this one has the most intrigue. Once I started, it is a hard book to put down, even when chores are calling. It reads well as a stand-alone on its own. However, it is not as “Christmassy” as Snowbound In Montana. However, it is a more compelling read.

when you want to cry throughout a story that means that it is a good one. An emotional read that tugs at your heart. Callan, our heroine, has worked hard on her family's ranch, looking for approval from her father. When he suddenly passes, he will's the ranch to someone else, leaving her justifiably angry. Even though this is the 5th book in the series you don't need to read the previous stories to enjoy this book.
This story grips and keeps you reading all the way to the end. Great story.

A Cowgirl's Christmas is the last book in the Carrigans of Circle C romance series. It is a well written and well edited novella.

Callan has given up years of her life to work on the Circle C with her father. When he dies she is horrified that the Circle C has been inherited by a distant (not related by blood) cousin. Slowly she and her sisters uncover her parents' secrets and the truth behind her father's actions.

This is a lovely, feel good novel that takes place during the holidays. The characters are easy to identify with and the plot, while predictable, held my interest. I think this is a good, short read for a lazy day.

Of course, A Cowgirl's Christmas ends with a HEA.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

'A Cowgirl's Christmas' by C.J. Carmichael is a great read. This is part of the Carrigans of the Circle C series. I really enjoyed this story and all the characters. I haven't yet read the other books in this series, but I definitely will be in the future. This is a great Christmas story about family, over coming loss and recovering from family secrets. I recommend this story to all those that enjoy stories about family, ranch life, cowboys.

**Received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

A Cowgirl's Christmas by CJ Carmichael is a read that is emotional and fraught with tears, with strong characters and a story with many twists and turns for the characters to work through that entertains readers.
*ARC Received from the Publisher for an honest review.

This tale had so much heart, you could feel it rising off the page. The book is part of a series which has taken hold of me and learning all about the characters , their families back stories and the current one is very engaging. In this installment, serious facts are shared which will cause our main characters to question everything. It will twist one of them so hard... she may never recover. Yet, with the deft writing by CJ Carmichael, you are in good hands. The love story comes at you straight and true... just like the Montana surroundings. The backdrop of the Circle C; the elements and love of the land and way of life encompasses everything.
If you are reading this series... this installment will lead you where you want to go... and if you are not reading this series, then why the hell not! Get on it.

Amidst a backdrop of secrets and doubt Callan and Court Manage to find love. A Cowgirl's Christmas was a real treat to read. C.J. Carmichael outdid herself.

A great wrap up to the Carrigan stories. When the domineering and cold father of the Carrigan family unexpectedly dies and he leaves the ranch to a stranger, Callan's world is turned upside down. After years of trying to win her father's approval, long buried secrets are discovered which explained a lot of her fathers anger. Her unexpected attraction to the stranger is unsettling and she tries to ignore it. You definitely want to read this one as well as the other books in this series. I highly recommend it!

I really really liked this book. My heart really broke for Callan. Just when I thought the story line was going to change and go the way I wanted it to, nope it kept me going and left me hanging and wanting more. This book also allows you to catch up with the rest of the Carrigans and I was really happy about that. I haven't read all of the other Carrigans stories, but it was not hard to catch up and find out what was going on with the book . I loved Court and his trueness. Court seemed real, which was nice since in some of these books they make them so unrealistic. This book is a short read but is worth every bit. It really puts you in the Christmas spirt and enjoy the simpleness of a small town.

I've been enjoying C.J. Carmichael's Montana stories about the Carmichael family. C.J. knows how to write a good romance. A Cowgirl's Christmas is a great addition to the collection.

The Tule Publishing Montana books are somewhat connected as they are set in the same town of Marietta, Montana. I had a bit of a hint about Callan's story in Jane Porter's The Kidnapped Christmas Bride.

Callan is the youngest of the Carmichael sisters. She loves ranching and loves her life on The Circle C Ranch. When her father passes away she and her sisters are in for a big surprise. Secrets are exposed when their father leaves the ranch to their cousin Court.

A great clean romance that sparks a few tears and of course a happy ending. Great story. Well written enjoyable tale!

I had no idea this story was part of a series, I had read before until I started the book! What a lovely surprise.
Callan and Court's path to relationship is difficult one. Callan has a long way to go, to accept the pain of lose, on so many different levels. Her tough and stubborn exterior hides the tender heart so well, as over the fall, she tries to find her place again in the world. It is rather heartbreaking, and sad, the sorrow and growth she has to go through, to accept the truth about her family's past.
Court's patience with her, his understanding of the situation is commendable. I was cheering for him, and them, the whole way through.
Intriguing conclusion of this family saga
~ Four spoons

Very cute story. Thanks!

C.J. Carmichael has another hit on my shelf. This is a wonderful emotional true to life story of a working ranch. This is the conclusion of Circle C, very sad to say goodbye to the sisters. The story focuses around Callan, who looses her father in the very beginning and then more family secrets come out from letters that their mom left the girls, to be opened upon the death of the parents. The story of recovering from a loss, forgiveness and finding love when you least expect it.
Once again, a wonderful conclusion to Circle C, I highly recommend this book, it is better if you read this book last in the series.

A wonderful love story that fits the season perfectly. A great read!

I really liked this book . I would love to read more by her and will be on the lookout for more by her. I love this author !!!

This was a good way to end this series with this book. The life of Callan had been hard, she fought for the love of a hard father & eventually found out why....he wasn't her birth father. In fact he wasn't blood to any of his daughters. In his sexism & spitefulness he wills his ranch not to the daughter who has worked it & loves it but to a cousins son who they've never met. Court was meant to be a cowboy but became an accountant instead but receiving the Circle C ranch was his destiny. Now all he has to do is make Callan see that they both belong their & should run it together. What he doesn't expect is to fall for Callan hard when first meeting her. Will Court be able to win Callan? Can Callan find happiness with Court & the ranch together? Very good read as well as the rest of the series.

This was probably one of the most heartbreaking Christmas romances I have ever read. The Carrigan girls haven't had it easy what with losing their mother too early in life and living with their father who is gruff, taciturn, and at times downright cruel. Callan, the youngest, runs the Circle C, the Carrigan ranch with her father. Each of the girls knew their place, until Hawksley dies, leaving the ranch to Court McAllister, his cousin's son.

Court has been raised and groomed to expect exactly this. He may be an accountant and a city slicker, but both his parents and Hawksley have it all set and he is ready to become a rancher.

But things are rarely what they seem in Marietta, and this book is no different. Feuds are discussed; secrets are uncovered; emotions run high and wild; hearts are shattered. Christmas might be the only thing that can hold the Carrigans together.

This is Callan's book more than Court's. But, Callan is a powerful character and she felt very real and true to life. I really felt for her and the position she ended up in. As Court works with her and as he slowly convinces her to work with him, his attraction grows. He's an honorable man and a closet romantic.

I really enjoyed this book and the holiday backdrop only added to the poignancy and emotion.

Great book

Right from the start, I had tears in my eyes when the patriarch of the Carrigan family dies. But it also shocked me when he uttered the swear word "bastard" in front of her daughter before he met his demise. This immediately peaked my interest and had me reading A Cowgirl's Christmas until the end.

Luckily, I was able to read two of CJ Carmichael's Carrigans of the Circle C series, so I already had an idea about the Carrigan sisters. But this latest book takes the cake, because it further explains Callan's and her sister's true identity. It shocked me, really, to learn about their mother and respective fathers. Yes, you read it right, there is something much deeper and intriguing about the lives of the Carrigan sisters, but somehow, Callan's true parentage was the biggest revelation in the story. Callan spent all her life with a father who barely acknowledged or showed affection and love to her. Hawksley dying was bad enough to her, learning that he didn't bequeath the ranch to any of his daughters just rubbed salt into Callan's wound. Meeting Court McAllister, her father's distant relative from St. Paul, inherited Circle C ranch instead, and now, he is offering half of the ranch to her, provided that she stay with him for at least a year. This is an offer that made Callan even more furious. How could she ever accept that deal and how could she ever live with him?

A Cowgirl's Christmas is an entertaining and emotional read. Callan was the most affected among the Carrigan brood, having had to witness her father's death. That itself was tear-jerker to me. Coming to terms with the truth also made me realize that life isn't really fair. That life is full of surprises and the truth actually hurts. But above all these, Callan learned that finding one's self and moving forward with love and acceptance helps. THis is truly a wonderful read :)

A short, sweet read over the Christmas holiday. Callan wants to protect her families ranch - but more than that she wants to protect her heart - so how far will she go to do both? I really enjoyed this read. I haven't had the pleasure of reading the other 4 books in this series but I plan to do so after reading this one. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book.

Is it possible to have a sweet romance that concludes in both a bittersweet and yet a satisfying happily-ever-after ending? Surprisingly, yes it is, and this book proves it.

I was not aware of this series before, having only learned of it through this book (apparently the final of the series?), but has definitely interested me to go back now and read about the other sisters and their stories. Callan (and family) face some tough, heartbreaking situations in this book. Court, through no fault of his own, finds himself the near enemy in the situation and time and again attempts to calm the waters, to no apparent avail. For whatever reason, he develops feelings for Callan that he doesn’t wish to deny, while Callan is perfectly willing to. A few things felt a bit odd/off in the story (the mom’s letters for one), but not distracting enough to cause a reader to skip this book. This is not a perfect HEA ending, but as close to it as the full story would allow. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance with a little bit of mystery and trouble.

Thank you to the author and publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so we finally get a real story for Callan Carrigan and it was OMG.

By now many of us have read all the other books in the Carrigans of the Circle C and know that some things were somewhat off in the familial relationship, mainly with the father.

Hawksley, the father has passed away and to the shock of his youngest daughter Callan, has left everything to this nephew Court McAllister, the girls knew nothing about.

Soon many secrets are revealed and believe they are just too juicy. The romance was a little crazy, but it worked in a weird way.

Rating 4 out of 5 Read@Book