Review: Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter + Giveaway

christmas at copper mountain by jane porterFormat read: ebook provided by the publisher
Formats available: ebook
Genre: Holiday Romance; Western Romance
Series: Copper Mountain Christmas
Length: 119 pages
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Date Released: November 29, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon

Since the loss of her family in a plane crash, Harley Diekerhoff has led a quiet life and keeps to herself. Taking the temporary job at the Copper Mountain Ranch as widower Brock Sheenan’s housekeeper seems perfect for her. But her calm cocoon is invaded with the arrival of Brock’s pre-teen twins, Mack and Molly who’ve never experienced a proper Christmas and before she knows it, Harley’s determined to make their holiday perfect.

Annoyed at first by Harley’s interference, Brock is secretly pleased she’s changed Mack and Molly’s world. It doesn’t hurt that he finds Harley incredibly attractive, fierce, smart and passionate. It’s also an added bonus that she’s not afraid to challenge him and get his blood heated! But when sparks fly and the attractions sizzles between them, Harley’s not so sure she can handle something permanent with this dark, taciturn cowboy who doesn’t know how to let her in. But Brock is determined to hold on to her and praying for a Christmas miracle…

My Review:

Christmas at Copper Mountain would make the perfect Hallmark Holiday Special. It has just that perfect blend of heartwarming family togetherness and holiday miracle sparkle, with a sweet love story as the star on top of the tree.

There’s even a “Grinch” in this holiday tale. Certainly Brock Shennan has lost track of the meaning of Christmas in the decade since his young wife died and left him with 6 month old twins to raise alone. Now Mack and Molly are 11 and while he loves them unconditionally and puts them first in his life, it’s become a hard, cold life without a lot of fun, spontaneity or open affection.

The children see a lot more chores from their dad than they do hugs.

As far as holiday decorations go, well, Brock says they aren’t worth the bother or the expense. (If you are hearing the echo of “Bah, humbug”, it’s intended.) Brock isn’t quite that bad, but the kids are 11. They need a little joy in their lives.

Brock is not a bad father. He’s strict but generally fair. The problem is that he’s walled off all of his emotions, and left the kids on the other side of that wall. They don’t remember their mother, she died when they were infants. Their father treats them like little adults, but they are still kids.

Mack and Molly are looking for someone to let them be kids. They’re looking for someone to love them. They need someone to lighten their father’s heart. And they need someone to care about what they think about how they feel enough to ask them instead of thinking for them. Yes, they are still kids, but at 11, they are definitely starting to have hopes and dreams and feelings that should at least get a listen.

Into all of this walks Harley Deikerhoff. The job of temporary cook and housekeeper at the Copper Mountain Ranch is supposed to be very temporary. Harley was only supposed to be in Marietta, Montana for six weeks, just long enough for the regular cook/housekeeper to get some time off, and for Harley to get away from her well-meaning but smothering family.

The job was supposed to be housekeeping for the owner of the ranch and cooking for the men in the bunkhouse. Nothing was said about children. If she’d been informed about the children, she wouldn’t have taken the job.

The children arrived in the middle of the night two weeks into the job, after they ran away from boarding school in New York and brought themselves home. It was a crazy thing to do. Crazy for them, crazy for Harley, and crazy for Brock.

Because the kids upset all the boundaries. Mack and Molly’s presence forced Harley to deal with why she didn’t want to be around kids at the holidays; something she had been avoiding for three long and painful years.

Watching Brock deal (and sometimes not deal) with his children made Harley step over the line between employee and employer and start telling Brock what she thought his children needed from him, whether he wanted to hear it or not.

And the more they argued about Mack and Molly, the more that Brock and Harley came to see that what they were really talking around was how they might feel about each other; if they gave it a chance.

Escape Rating B: This story contains lots of relationships that get their happy ever after for this Christmas; Mack and Molly and Brock, Mack and Molly and Harley, Brock and Harley, and possibly even Brock and Harley and the universe.

This one ties every possible broken heart back together with a big Christmas bow and sprinkles tinsel on it. Possibly with heavenly intervention (your mileage may vary on that last bit).

Still, this story has a sleigh full of holiday spirit. The best part of the story for me was the development of the relationship between Harley and Mack and Molly. She really does fall in love with the kids first, and the blossoming of that relationship is the one that opens her heart to the possibility that she might be ready to love again.

I wish she hadn’t lectured Brock on being a “friend” to his kids. He can be their parent and still have fun with them, and does he ever need to figure that one out! They can have a trusting and loving relationship while he is their parent. (I’m saying this because I just finished a book where part of the problem was a dad who wanted to be his daughters’ friend and completely forgot about being their parent). I may have a book hangover about this one.

The romantic angle of this story got a bit shorted in the overall holiday tale. It was mostly sweet with a bit of heat, but the majority of the story felt like it was about Harley waking up from her stupor and putting more life into the Copper Mountain Ranch as well as falling for the family.

Falling for Brock (and him finally admitting that he had fallen for her) felt like the icing on the cake!

~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~

Jane is giving away an ebook copy of Christmas at Copper Mountain to one lucky commenter. To enter, use the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money or borrowed from a public library and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

Review Take Me, Cowboy by Jane Porter + Giveaway

Take Me, Cowboy by Jane PorterFormat read: ebook provided by the publisher
Formats available: ebook
Genre: Western romance; Contemporary romacne
Series: Copper Mountain Rodeo #4
Length: 128 pages
Publisher: Tule Publishing Group
Date Released: October 27, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo

When Jenny Wright’s fiancé leaves her standing at the altar in a Vera Wang bridal gown she can’t afford, she’s humiliated and heartbroken. To have Marietta hero bull riding champ Colton Thorpe witness her shame – makes the rejection even more devastating.

Jenny and Colton grew up in the same rough neighborhood and they both left home right after school to pursue big dreams. Now they’re both back, with Colton as the celebrity chair for the 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo, and Jenny in disgrace.

Sexy, rugged Colton didn’t get to be a national champion by chance. He’s a man that takes risks and goes after what he wants. During the rodeo weekend, Colton makes it clear he wants Jenny. Flustered but flattered, Jenny finds it difficult to resist his charm. But what happens when the rodeo ends and Colton leaves town? Will she dare to dream again?

My Review:

Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael MillerEven though we’ve read it before (most recently for me in Linda Lael Miller’s Big Sky Mountain) the scene is so vivid that I could picture it crystal clear; the bride in the fantastic dress, the groom being an ass at the last minute, and the busted small town wedding.

The difference is what happens next. Jenny Wright walks out into her hometown of Marietta, Montana in her expensive dress with her head held high, and keeps on walking until she has the chance to regroup, letting the town gossips just choke on their own bile for a bit. She’s already heard enough and knows it’s only going to get worse.

Her high-heeled walking tour of her old stomping grounds is interrupted by the one man she’s never forgotten, Colton Thorpe. He wasn’t just the older brother of her one of her high school best friends, Colton was the bad boy secret crush she never truly got over. While she’d rather that anyone else in town have driven by to witness her lonely walk, in some ways, Colton is the perfect witness; she has nothing left but pride to hold her up, and she won’t let herself break down in front of him.

But maybe she should. Jenny has spent all of her life abiding by a set of self-imposed rules and regulations so that she could leave Marietta behind her. She’s done her level-best to become someone other than just “one of the Wright girls”, because everyone in town saw the Wright girls as poor white trash. All those rules have gotten her has been a nose to the grindstone life lived for other people’s goals and other people’s dreams while ruthlessly suppressing any hopes of her own. It’s been a fake life that lead to a dead-end job and a fake fiancee who left her at the altar because he decided she was good enough to be his assistant and his playmate but not his wife.

She finally realized that she didn’t love him. She worked hard to make him successful, but that wasn’t love.

Jenny had forcefully buried her heart when she buried herself. Being left at the altar was the second best thing that ever happened to her. Being picked up by Colton Thorp turned out to be the best.

Escape Rating B+: If Marietta and Parable are examples of life in small-town Montana, I definitely want to visit. The series set in these two towns (which must be in neighboring counties!) have marvelous people with tremendous heart, and seem to be terrific places for romance.

Tempt Me Cowboy by Megan CraneTake Me, Cowboy makes a terrific conclusion (or pause) to the Copper Mountain Rodeo series (after Tempt Me, Cowboy, Marry Me, Cowboy and Promise Me, Cowboy all YUM!) so far. Jenny Wright is an easy woman to empathize with. She’s worked so hard to escape her upbringing, because there were a lot of rough patches, especially in a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business. But she lost a lot of her essential self along the way. Coming home, along with reconnecting with her BFFs, gives her some much needed perspective.

The story of getting to have a second chance (or maybe that’s first chance?) with her high school crush, is a classic for a reason. It was lovely to see her get to make her dream finally come true, AND get the bad boy she dreamed about to sort of settle down, or at least fall in love.

Anyone who loves Linda Lael Miller’s Parable, Montana series really should give the Copper Mountain Rodeo a ride!

~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~

The author is kindly giving away one ebook copy of Take Me, Cowboy to a lucky winner! To enter, use the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money or borrowed from a public library and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.