Sara Richardson’s ‘A Cowboy for Christmas’ Celebrates the Best Part of Community [REVIEW]

An annual festival, a fake engagement and a hunky bull rider combine to make one memorable winter season in Sara Richardson’s latest yarn. (Photo courtesy Canva)

A local disaster. A community in crisis. When a resourceful widow and a hunky rodeo cowboy cook up a bit of subterfuge to help their neighbors, anything can happen in Sara Richardson’s sweet and sassy new Western romance.

Forever

Topaz Falls, Colorado is a picturesque little town with a real sense of community. So when the beloved Farm Café burns to the ground, it is no surprise that one of their own steps forward with a plan to help rebuild.

Widow Darla Michaels knows that a Cowboy Christmas Festival is just the ticket to get people to come to town and drop some serious coin, especially if they feature a sexy bachelor auction and a benefit rodeo.

To make it a success, however, they need a familiar face that can draw a crowd, and a NFL star is just what the doctor ordered. But how do they get him to come and support their endeavor? Well, a fake engagement, of course!

Darla pretends to be engaged to bull rider Ty Forrester, whose brother just so happens to be the athlete in question. But to get to him to town, and thereby draw more tourists as a result, they must fake their relationship so Ty’s whole family will come in for the holiday to meet his future bride.

There’s just one problem. Ty’s feelings for Darla soon become real, and he feels compelled to spill the beans and come clean with his relatives. At least that’s the plan… until he and Darla discover something that just might make their relationship a reality!

Small towns like Topaz Falls will always hold a precious place in my heart. These are the types of places where folks band together for the common good, especially when one of their own is in need. And after the only watering hole in town goes up in smoke, a town’s love blossoms in the ashes.

I love Richardson’s characters in this story because she captures a slice of America we all need to see right now. And Darla represents the best of what community can be. She’s kind, compassionate, thoughtful, and self-sacrificing. She’s the kind of woman who would give her last dime to those in need.

Her brazen ideas aren’t popular with everyone though, especially Ty, who wants nothing to do with Darla at first. Incredibly handsome, he has no inkling to be part of an auction where everyone in town will size him up like a piece of meat in a butcher shop window! The result is humor at its best, and it makes for a charming story with tender—and frequently hilarious moments—especially as the whole town seems to get in on the act.

When you read Sara Richardson’s A Cowboy for Christmas, you’ll enjoy watching this duo get thrown together by circumstance. But soon you’ll also realize why sometimes in a small town, it is best just to accept the inevitable. Because if you try to ignore it or run away, the good people in the community will only chase you down to get your swing vote. Enjoy!

This edition also includes the bonus novella A Cowboy’s Christmas Eve by R.C. Ryan.

Sara Richardson
(Photo by Jen Honeycutt Photography)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at midnight, swum through class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After a brief stint in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance.

Sara lives and plays in Colorado, where she still indulges her adventurous spirit, with her saint of a husband and two young sons. To find out more, visit her at SaraRichardson.net, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS
By Sara Richardson
416 pp. Forever. $7.99

Purchase A Cowboy for Christmas at one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Half Price Books, IndieBound, and Powell’s.