Carole's Monday. A cowboy for Christmas

Author: Katherine Garbera

Narrator: Loretta Rawlins

Title: A Cowboy For Christmas

(Copper Mountain Christmas #1)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday

Format: Audiobook

Published: October 31st 2013

Where I got It: Audible 

Summary: 

Annie Prudhomme never expected to be back in Marietta, MT and her family is fond of reminding her that she left them and the town behind in search of better things. A humiliating divorce that cost her everything she’d gained has driven her back home and her family isn’t about to welcome her back into the fold. She’s in town to rebuild the old home that she inherited and to move on once again.

Carson Scott never forgot Annie or the way she left. Now that she’s back in town he’s realizing that the old flame still burns hot but he can’t risk his heart the way he did last time now that he has his son to think about it. Being trapped together during a December snowstorm gives them a chance to rekindle their romance but is Annie back for good or is she just looking for a cowboy for Christmas?

Review:

Gotta love Audible recommendations! I was looking for a quick Xmas story. This was perfect. PLUS cowboy!!!! Yayy

In this novella, we follow Annie and Carson. Annie never thought she would be back in Marietta, Montana. She left a long time ago to launch her career. Her family...and the town won't let her forget it. However, she has little choice after her divorce that cost her everything she gained. She is back to rebuild, but not everyone is happy about it. One person that isn't thrilled is Carson. Carson had his heart destoryed when Annie left years ago. Now that she is back in town he is realizing he still might have feelings for her even though he doesn't want to. He has enough on his plate after his wife died. He is busy working and has his kid to think about. 

Second chances are always iffy for me. I do get nervous with them. Sometimes I don't think the two should be together. At first, with this couple, I was not sure I wanted them together. There are a lot of hurt feelings on Carson's side. Annie totally stepped all over him and ran outta town as quickly as she could. However.......I grew to love them and was rooting for them!

Yes, Annie is still unsure if she wants to stay....at first. A Xmas miracle happens and she realizes this is where she is meant to me. Woot! 

I honestly think this needed some more time. I think the two have a lot to work through. Maybe we'll see them briefly in book 2 with the other couple. But yes, they have a lot and I want to see them get married and her move in. I want to see her be a mom to that little boy! Maybe we'll get glimpses of them on their journey in the next books. *fingers crossed*

The narrator was okay. The guy voices were a little....boring but worked okay overall. 

In the end, this was a really good short story set during Xmas in a little town. It could be a Hallmark movie. ;) It did need to be longer methinks since both have a lot of baggage to sort through. 3 stars from me. 

Challenge(s):
- #82 for Audiobook challenge

Audio: After dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long

The Palace of Rogues, Book 4

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Series: The Palace of Rogues, Book 4

Harper Audio

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Release date: 11-30-21

Historical romance

to review

Mariana was a bit different. She is an opera singer, she has taken lovers (but she did not put those two men against each other for that duel!). And she really want to get back to her world, but everyone shuns her since two lords dueled over her. She ends up at the Palace at the Thames, and the owners know a lady in distress. The gossip is clearly wrong.

Then we have James, straight laced, celebrated war hero. Trying to write his memoirs. And looking down at Mariana, cos he does believe gossip. Also every woman wants to get close to him, being a Duke and all.

They butt heads. They grow closer since they see beneath the surface. But he is still a Duke, and she is a disgraced opera singer.

but we all know love conquers all! Yes go go Duke!

Justine Eyre is always awesome! She is one of my favorite narrators and it is always a joy listening to her

She arrives in the dead of night, a mob out for blood at her heels: Mariana Wylde, the “Harlot of Haywood Street,” an opera diva brought low by a duel fought for her favors. But the ladies of the Grand Palace on the Thames think they can make a silk purse from scandal: They’ll restore her reputation and share in her triumph...provided they can keep her apart from that other guest.

Coldly brilliant, fiercely honorable, General James Duncan Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk, is revered, feared, desired...but nobody truly knows him. Until a clash with a fiery, vulnerable beauty who stands for everything he scorns lays him bare. It’s too clear the only cure for consuming desire is conquest, but their only chance at happiness could lead to their destruction.

The legendary duke never dreamed love would be his last battleground. Valkirk would lay down his life for Mariana, but his choice is stark: risk losing her forever, or do the one thing he vowed he never would...surrender.

Audio: You can go your own way by Eric Smith

Narrated by: Sunil Malhotra, Natalie Naudus

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Release date: 11-02-21

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

To review

YA fic

Adam's mum owns an arcade. He loves it, and talks about it on social media. Whitney's dad owns e-sport cafe´s, and she is running it's social media. They used to be best friends. Now they trade insults on twitter.

But owning a pinball arcade is not exactly big business, and they are struggling.  Since he is in HS he is also trying to figure out what he wants.

Whitney is too busy trying to get her dad to notice her. Her boyfriend and friends sounds like utter losers too.

It was never any big drama. They trade insults, they get to know each other again. They re evaluate their lives, and that big snow storm is first at the end of the book.

A slow building romance formed from friendship. And lots of pinball trivia 

I have never listened to these narrators before, but I really enjoyed their voices. They worked well with their chapters. It all went together really nicely.

Adam Stillwater is in over his head. At least, that’s what his best friend would say. And his mom. And the guy who runs the hardware store down the street. But this pinball arcade is the only piece of his dad that Adam has left, and he’s determined to protect it from Philadelphia’s newest tech mogul, who wants to turn it into another one of his cold, lifeless gaming cafés.

Whitney Mitchell doesn’t know how she got here. Her parents split up. She lost all her friends. Her boyfriend dumped her. And now she’s spending her senior year running social media for her dad’s chain of super successful gaming cafés - which mostly consists of trading insults with that decrepit old pinball arcade across town.

But when a huge snowstorm hits, Adam and Whitney suddenly find themselves trapped inside the arcade. Cut off from their families, their worlds, and their responsibilities, the tension between them seems to melt away, leaving something else in its place. But what happens when the storm stops?

Best of November

Happy December everyone!

Here are our best for November!

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd - The unexpected Miss Bennet by Patrice Sarath

"I love variations"

Carole - Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

"Pleasantly surprised by this one!"

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole - Kate (2021)

"This movie kicked ass."

Blodeuedd - Red Notice (2021)

"Red Notice was fun"

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Big Mouth

"I was watching Big Mouth this month, that show is weird"

Carole - Ghosts (UK)

"Been watching the US version, but decided to go OG and I loveeeeee it!"

Best Cover of the Month:

Carole - "Unique and different!"

Blodeuedd - "Best cover cos xmassy"