A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS – Maisey Yates
A Gold Valley Novel  #4
HQN
ISBN: 978-1-335-47462-9
September 25, 2018
Contemporary Romance

Gold Valley, Oregon – Present Day

Grant Dodge married his high school sweetheart knowing that she was dying from cancer. Now a widower, he has remained single and uncommitted to any woman. His family thinks his surly attitude is just normal for him, but could it be because he needs a woman in his life? One night while out checking the property on his family's dude ranch, he comes across McKenna Tate “squatting” in one of the cabins. Grant could've called the sheriff to have her arrested, but instead he offers her a job on their ranch.

McKenna is homeless and penniless and had no place to go when she arrived in Gold Valley looking for the father she never knew. Stunned by the job offer from the tall, dark, and handsome cowboy, she accepts. To McKenna's surprise, the whole Dodge family embraces her by giving her a place to stay, food, and friendship. For someone who grew up in foster homes, it's almost overwhelming. As her boss, Grant is always around. He acts like he doesn't trust her, yet there is this sizzling desire simmering between them. Attracted to him, McKenna decides to offer sex as a way to thank Grant for helping her and a way to scratch the itch that burns between them. He accepts, but after one round of making love, it's clear there's more that they want from each other.

Christmas is on the horizon as A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS opens, but neither Grant nor McKenna look forward to the holiday. Grant loved his late wife, but their entire marriage had a shadow over it—her looming death from cancer. Everyone in town knows about Grant's dedication to a dying woman, and he's not too happy about it. He could have any woman in Gold Valley, but would they bed him because they feel sorry for him? McKenna is the “new girl in town” and she's also not afraid to tell Grant exactly how she feels. McKenna turns out to be a hard worker and slowly gains Grant's respect. She doesn't tell anyone at first about her quest for her father, though during one of their “scratch the itch” sessions with Grant, she confesses. Will she get up the nerve to face the man who fathered her?

The connection between McKenna and Grant is fraught with emotion, and their relationship is a roller coaster ride. He doesn't want anyone to care for him, and she doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for her. They've both put up strong fronts to hide their true emotions, but their lovemaking opens the dam as they talk to each other. In A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS, readers will see the intense connection between McKenna and Grant and soon will be rooting for them to make it all work out. Neither wants to admit they care for each other, yet when they break things off, they can't wait to be together again. Their romance is a rocky road that is both sweet and infuriating for readers. By the end of this tale, will things work out? While this is the fourth book in the  Gold Valley  series, it can be read as a standalone as the story is about Grant and McKenna.

A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS is a fabulous read that will capture the heart of readers as love rises from the ashes of hopelessness. In finding each other, will Grant and McKenna embark on a new life together? Find out the answer by grabbing a copy of A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS.

Patti Fischer