Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

RITA Reader Challenge: One Wish by Jodi Thomas from A Texas Christmas

by SB Sarah | by SB Sarah | June 27, 2012 | Wednesday at 4:35 am | 5 Comments

This review was written by Carrie S. This story was nominated in the Best Romance Novella category.

The summary: On the eve before Christmas a blizzard arrived, transforming a small Texas town into a night to remember.

Four ladies desperately in need of saving, four hard-ridin' cowboys who aim to please. . . When a lone farmer strides to a pretty store owner's rescue, their deepest wishes just might come true.

And here is Carrie S's review:

What a delightful surprise.  I like to read a lot of genres, both romance and otherwise, but I don't usually read Western romances and I wasn't sure I'd like this one.

It turns out that it was a beautiful, gentle romance.  I loved Sam and Maggie so much that I really didn't care if any plot happened.  I never wanted the story to end - I just wanted to read about them playing house forever.  Maggie is my kind of heroine.  She's opinionated, smart, and won me over with her kind six-year old self and her ability as an adult to keep her head about her in the midst of danger.  Sam was beyond swoon-worthy with his little son and his collection of books.  The story was sweet but the harsh realities of western life kept it from being cloying.

I do have some nitpicks.  Why doesn't Maggie have any friends?  She's supposed to be tactless and outspoken but she seems delightful to me.  If Sam has lived his entire life with minimal human interaction, where did he pick up his rather suave social skills?  If Maggie had to move to town because she couldn't sell her parent's store, which already doesn't make a ton of sense, what's she going to do with it if she moves in with Sam in the wilderness?  Maybe she'll commute.  The author doesn't say. 

Regardless, this was the most charming, touching, tender story I've read in a long time.  I highly recommend it.

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