Spotlight: A Cowboy Country Christmas by Jennie Marts
/
(Creedence Horse Rescue, #6)
Publication date: October 10th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Synopsis:
There’s no better time than Christmas to open your heart
Holt Callahan used to love the holidays, but getting dumped on Christmas Eve would turn anyone into a Grinch. Now he hates Christmas and all the holly jolly shenanigans that go with it. When he moves back to his cousin’s ranch in Creedence, Colorado, the last thing he expects is to come face to face with the one who got away and all her holiday cheer.
Lainey McBride is all about Christmas, and despite running her family’s ranch festivities while her grandfather is in rehab, she hasn’t lost her holiday spirit, no matter how many things don’t go according to plan. But the holidays have their own way of healing, and a Christmas in Creedence just might be the merry magic that brings these two broken hearts back together again.
Excerpt
This book is so chockful of funny, heartwarming AND steamy scenes—it’s hard to pick just one for an excerpt. The ugly Christmas sweater scene was fun and I think the live nativity scene is one of the most fun scenes I’ve ever written. This book has a fainting goat in it, so you know that’s going to cause some fun. But there is also a lot of Christmas magic and memories. And making a little girl’s Christmas dream come true.
There is an adorable dog that Holt finds under the porch of the bunkhouse and against his better judgement, he feeds it and gives it a blanket. Eventually, it finds its way into Holt’s house and both his and Lainie’s hearts. There was a scene I had a lot of fun writing when Holt and Lainie are talking about naming the dog….
Lainey sucked in a breath as she reached to pet the dog’s side. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t you keep her? She’s obviously already attached to you.”
“She just likes me because I feed her. But look at her. She’s too friendly not to be someone’s pet.” After getting over her initial skittishness of the night before, the dog had been cuddly and affectionate, either following after them if they walked around the bunkhouse or rolling over for belly rubs if she was sitting next to them. “Some family is probably missing her.”
“Maybe.”
“I need to at least call the Humane Society and the sheriff’s office to see if someone’s looking for her.”
“Okay, but if no one claims her, then she’s for sure your dog. And you should totally name her something Christmas-themed, since this is the time of year when you found her. How about Holly? Or Mistletoe? Or how about Carol?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “What a great idea. Then I can always be reminded of this holiday I’m such a huge fan of. And also, if I were keeping her, there’s no way in hell I’d name my dog Carol. Or Mistletoe. Unless you want me to just turn in my man card right now.”
Her eyes went dreamy as she stroked a finger along his sizable bicep. “As if. And no, I’m quite partial to your man parts. I mean your manly parts. Wait, I mean your manliness.” She dropped her head into her hands. “Pretend I did not say that.”
“Too late. You already said you loved my man parts.”
“I said partial to…and anyway, we were talking about the dog. And thinking of ideas of what to name her.”
“You were thinking of what to name her. But I’d rather go back to talking about what you love about my—”
She held up her hand to cut him off. “What about Jingle or Snickerdoodle for a name?”
“For my man parts? I don’t think they’d take too kindly to being called Snickerdoodle, but Jingle Balls does have a certain holiday ring to it.”
She let out one of her hearty laughs, the kind that came from her belly and snuck out as a surprise. The kind that made his manly heart melt like butter on a hot biscuit. “We are not going to start talking about your Christmas balls again,” she said, still laughing. “How about Eggnog or Snowy? For the dog.”
He grimaced. “How about not?”
He was acting grumpy, but he was really having fun with her. Too much fun. She was so easy to be with, and not just to be with, but to be himself with. He was only this comfortable with a few select people. Although his comfortableness with her was also interspersed with moments of fluttering heartbeats and a racing pulse whenever their hands touched, or her shoulder brushed his, or if he caught a whiff of her delicious scent. Her nearness could send jittery nerves spiraling through his stomach that made him feel like a love-crazed teenager, which probably shaved several points off that man card they were just discussing.
She tapped her fingers to her lips. “Okay, I’ll stop with the too cutesy. But I really still like the idea of a Christmas name. Just give me a second. I know I can think of a good one. Hmm. I suppose Cindy Lou Who is out?”
He shrugged. “Not if I can shorten it and just call her Lou.”
Buy on Amazon | Bookshop.org
About the Author
Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.
Connect:
https://jenniemarts.com/newsletter/
https://www.facebook.com/JennieMartsBooks/
https://www.instagram.com/jenniemartswriter/
