Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Christmas at Cade Ranch by Karen Rock

Posted November 10, 2017 by meezcarrie in contemporary, giveaway, Karen Rock, romance / 23 Comments



On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

about the book

The Christmas they never had.

James Cade has one priority: keep the family ranch running smoothly in the wake of his younger brother’s death.

With Jesse’s ex, Sofia Gallardo, and her young son, Javi, stranded at Cade Ranch over Christmas, this task just got a lot harder. The longer Sofia and Javi stay, the harder it is to imagine the ranch without them.

James couldn’t save his brother from his inner demons, but he can give his nephew a secure future. Maybe more—if he can figure out how to trust Sofia, and stop feeling like he’s betraying Jesse.

Because trying to stop thinking about beautiful, determined Sofia is impossible.

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SERIES: Rocky Mountain Cowboys #1
GENRE: Contemporary Clean Romance
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Heartwarming
RELEASE DATE: November 7, 2017
PAGES: 384

Other Books In This Series

 

“We can’t always control the things that happen to us, but we can control…how we react.”

Oh my goodness, y’all. Keep those fans handy for this read! Even though the book’s setting may be cold and wintry, the romance generates plenty of heat all its own. I’m still not sure I’ve recovered from always-in-control James being felled by one woman with a fierce heart and her endearing little boy.

Javi is completely adorable – the boundless faith of a child slightly tempered by the harsh realities he’s already endured. And yet, that sweet little heart keeps loving unconditionally and wholly.  Sofia and James have an instant chemistry hot enough to melt even the coldest of blizzards, but of course many obstacles stand in their way – not the least of which are their own fears. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this trio of characters and watching them navigate the plot together. Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed? The Cade family!! We got a small taste of their loyalty and close-knittedness (which I think is a word I just made up) in the prequel A Cowboy to Keep but this further exploration is just delightful! I can’t wait for you to meet them – and I can’t wait to watch the rest of their stories unfold.

This isn’t just a romance though. It’s a story about family – the one you’re born into and the one you collect as you go through life. It gives us permission to own our pasts, even the moments we’d rather forget but it’s also a reminder that we aren’t defined by them. Change takes courage and so does trust – and we see both represented in James and Sofia.

Bottom Line: Christmas at Cade Ranch by Karen Rock is a great read when the weather outside is cold and snowy – or even just when you wish it were! (We never get enough wintry-Christmas here in Kentucky for my taste.)  Kisses to make you melt, a sweet message of family and faith and restoration, and vivid characters who settle right into your heart… when you want a clean read that isn’t short on romance, it doesn’t get much better than this!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 5 stars / Fabulous!

KissingBook Level: 5 / Read this from the safety of your freezer!

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about the author

In a quest to provide her ELA students with quality reading material, educator Karen Rock read everything out there and couldn’t wait to add her voice to the genre. In addition to her work as a Young Adult romance novelist, she’s now an author for Harlequin’s Heartwarming line and thrilled to pen stories that moms can share with their teenage daughters. She’s loved Harlequin books since she spent summers going through her grandmother’s Presents books that she passed along in paper grocery bags each year. As half of the writing duo J.K. Rock, Karen also pens young adult romance. When she’s not busy writing, Karen enjoys scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother’s family recipes, reinventing her gardens to suit her moods and occasionally rescuing local wildlife from neighborhood cats. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, her very appreciated beta-reader daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels, who have yet to understand the concept of “fetch” though they know a lot about love. For more information about Karen’s upcoming books, check out her website.

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Other Heartwarming Books by Karen Rock

– 1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card along with print copies of HIS KIND OF COWGIRL, UNDER AN ADIRONDACK SKY AND A COWBOY TO KEEP by Karen Rock, TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH by Elizabeth Lowell, THOSE TEXAS NIGHTS by Delores Fossen and FAMILY TREE by Susan Wiggs.– US Only.

– Ends November 15th

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This giveaway is hosted by Prism Book Tours, not RimSP
Follow along with the tour here.

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23 responses to “Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Christmas at Cade Ranch by Karen Rock

  1. Janet Estridge

    If I win, this giveaway would be a great gift for my daughter-in-law who loves to read as much as I do.

  2. Kay Garrett

    I’ve read Christmas at Cade Ranch and Karen Rock sure didn’t disappoint her readers. I loved the book!

  3. Karen K.

    I can’t wait to read Christmas at Cade Ranch! I love a good ready made family story, especially if it really brings on the romance! Lol

  4. Amy M.

    I’ve not read anything by this author, but after seeing you giving it a 5 on the kissing level, I’m all in. Plus, I have lots of family who live in Colorado and absolutely love visiting there and those gorgeous rocky mountains.

  5. Thank you so much for your beautiful review, Carrie! You really captured what this book- and series- is really about 🙂 It’s always an honor to be on your blog ?

  6. Evangeline

    I have yet to read anything by this author and would love to win a copy of this book. The cover and the synopsis “rock!” ?

  7. Winnie Thomas

    Thanks for the lovely review, Carrie! This book looks and sounds fantastic. I’ve read several Karen Rock books and always enjoyed them. The 5-star kissing level sounds intriguing!! 😀

  8. Julie Waldron

    This sounds like a wonderful book, I love the cover! I like the setting, it would be a great Christmas/winter read. 🙂

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