Friday, September 27, 2019

Review, Q&A, and Giveaway - - Cowboy Christmas Redemption


Cowboy Christmas Redemption
by Maisey Yates
A Gold Valley Novel  
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
    


Cowboy Caleb Dalton has loved single mom Ellie Bell, and her little daughter, Amelia, for years. But since Ellie is his best friend’s widow, Caleb’s head knows Ellie will always be strictly off-limits. If only his heart got the memo. So when Caleb discovers that Ellie has a Christmas wish list—and hopes for a kiss under the mistletoe—he’s throwing his cowboy hat into the ring. If anyone’s going to be kissing Ellie and sharing this magical time with her and her daughter, it’s him.

Ellie has dreaded the holidays since losing her husband. But this year, she’s finally ready to make some changes. She never expects the biggest change to be the heart-stopping kiss she shares with Caleb. For almost five years, Caleb has been her best friend, her rock, her salvation. This Christmas, can Caleb prove he’s also the missing puzzle piece of Ellie’s and Amelia’s hearts?


My thoughts:

Friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes and this newest addition to Maisy Yates' Gold Valley series brings all the feels. Though Caleb and Ellie have been best friends for years, the mass of intermingled emotional baggage they both carry has kept them from moving beyond friendship. Until Ellie finally decides to move forward with her life...and Caleb isn't about to let her move on with anyone but him. It makes for a complex, emotional journey that made me laugh, cry, and tingle in all the best ways. 

Yates does a great job of bringing her characters to life and immersing me in their journey. I could feel all the doubts, desire, and guilt that Caleb and Ellie have to wade through. My heart ached for the pain caused by the secrets Caleb has kept from his family, and Ellie, and rejoiced in the forgiveness and acceptance that follow when he finally shares them. 

Ellie and Caleb have been tested by the flames of emotional fire, from which they emerged stronger and wiser, with a solid foundation of friendship and love. I turned the final page of their story confident in the strength of their bond and their future happiness as a family. 

I can't wait to return to Gold Valley for more Dalton family stories!





Q&A with Maisey Yates


Hi Maisey! Thanks so much for visiting with us today. I’ve been eagerly anticipating Caleb's, Ellie's, and little Amelia’s story and you did not disappoint, taking me on a journey filled with both laughter and tears. Which scene(s) in this book did you have the most fun writing? Which was the most difficult?

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. I think my very favorite scene to write was that first kiss. Caleb has so much passion built up inside of him and I loved when it just exploded. As far as difficult scenes go, definitely anything at the end, prior to them figuring out they loved each other. Ellie is so wounded, and trying so hard to do the right thing, and her grief was tricky to navigate, but very, very rewarding!


Best-friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes. What is it about this trope that appeals to you as an author? 

I love it because I relate to it. My husband and I were friends before we got together, and there’s something that I like about suddenly seeing a person you’ve known for a long time in new way. (this is why I also like the best friend’s little sister trope a lot!)

What’s next from Maisey Yates? 

A COWBOY FOR ALL SEASONS is out February 24th 2020, and I’m so excited about that book. It’s a project I worked on with three of my best friends – Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm and Jackie Ashenden – about four cousins who each spend a season in their late grandmother’s farmhouse and find healing and love with a handsome cowboy. J Then in May my first Women’s Fiction, SECRETS FROM A HAPPY MARRIAGE is coming out. It’s different for me, but also still very much a Maisey Yates book. It’s about forgiveness, healing, a historic lighthouse, and family, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.

Let’s do a fun five!

Favorite Halloween candy: Snickers

Dogs or cats (or something else): I would really like a pet raccoon, but I could only ever have one if there happened to be an orphaned one that needed to be cared for, but I would take it in a second!

Favorite sound that soothes your soul: Is it weird to say Dierks Bentley? If so, then I’m weird.

Favorite fall comfort food: I’m not going to lie, it’s for sure pumpkin spice everything.

Last book that kept you reading past your bedtime: Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore.

Thank you for visiting with us, Maisey!  Do you have anything else to add? Would you like to ask our readers a question?

I told you a couple of my favorite tropes, what are yours?


One randomly chosen person who comments before 11:00 PM, September 28, will receive a copy of Cowboy Christmas Redemption.


*Winner must be 18 or older.
*Limited to U.S. and Canada only.



34 comments:

  1. Looks like this will be my next read. I also love the best friends to lovers trope. Second Chances is another one as well.
    Carol Luciano
    Lucky4750 at aol dot com

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    1. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Carol. I also recommend Caleb's brother's stories.

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  2. This has been my on my wishlist for awhile. Thanks for the chance.

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    1. You're welcome! Have you read the other Gold Valley books yet?

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  3. I also love neighbor next door, 2nd chances and enemies so to speak to friends to lovers.

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    1. Oh, yeah. I'm like a magnet to neighbor next door stories!

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  4. Oh, there are so many tropes I love but I really enjoy the best friend's sibling, or the childhood friend all grown up. Enemies to lovers is always good too! Like I said, just too many to select just one! Thanks for the info on your latest and the giveaway too. BTW, you are a new-to-me author. I enjoyed reading about your book.

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    1. Oh, Karen. You have so many wonderful Maisey Yates books to look forward to! :)

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  5. Friend's to lovers is my favorite trope closely followed by beauty and the Beast. This sounds like a wonderful book for any time ofmyesr!

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  6. Love second chance books also!! On my wish list :)

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  7. Marriage of convenience which evolves into real love.

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    1. I love marriage of convenience in historical romance.

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  8. Enemies to lovers and marriage of conveniences

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  9. I do enjoy stories of friends working together and then it becomes a romance.

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  10. I love friends to lovers stories AND Christmas romances, so this book sounds perfect for me. I also like enemies to lovers.

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  11. I love Christmas Romance and tortured hero.
    Karen T. (Natty's Mama)

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  12. My favorite has to be second chances and then enemies to lovers!

    Thank you for the chance! I've been really trying to get to this series! I need more hours in the day!😢

    Have a great weekend PJ!💜

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  13. second chance, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, office romance

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  14. I like friends to lovers as well as enemies to lovers. But, actually, if I am honest, I like everything. I simply need good characters as well as a plot which keeps moving at a nice steady pace. And I really enjoy humor.

    Ms Yates is a new to me author. The review as well as the interview have made me want to look into her books.

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  15. I love second-chance, small town romances and also sparks-fly, opposites attract love stories. I love holiday romances all-year-round, and the more poignant, the better. "Cowboy Christmas Redemption" sounds terrific--Best Wishes for all releases!!!

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  16. My favorite is second chance. We all can screw up but are we able to take a chance again. Next is friends to lovers.

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  17. I also love friends to lovers, but I also enjoy forced proximity romances. I usually don't seek out cowboy stories, but Cowboy Christmas Redemption sounds really good, so I think I'm going to have to track it down. Thanks, PJ.

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  18. I love friends to lovers. That moment when they feel the air shift, knowing something is different, but not sure what. That makes me tingle. I think I've read most everything Maisey has written.

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  19. I love Friends to Lovers, secret baby and so many more

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  20. Second chance romance and friends to lovers are 2 of my favorites!

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  21. I love fake relationships and best friend's sibling. Looking forward to reading this one.

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  22. Love snappy banter between h/h.
    PattyB 43

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  23. I love 2nd chances and friends to lovers.
    Kate Sparks
    csparks52@live.com

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  24. I love second chance at love stories. they have to sometimes have to over come so much before they have their happily ever after.

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  25. My favorite tropes are Beauty and the Beast and the Wounded Hero (or heroine). The often overlap.I like most of the other tropes. My husband and I we distant friends in high school. We kept in touch a couple times a year after he moved our junior year, through college. After college I joined the Peace Corps and headed to Southeast Asia, and he joined the Air Force. After 7 years, we happened to be in the same place at the same time, said Hi again and both realized how much we had in common. We barely saw each other, lived an ocean and then 4 states apart and never really dated. We got married about a year and a half later and have been married for 47 years.

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