Wild West Christmas

Review for Wild West Christmas Lena Nelson Dooley starts off this collection of Christmas romances with the story of Charlsey, the youngest daughter of Frank Ames , Texas rancher. This little blonde cattle-roping bombshell resists the appeal of Harold Miller whom she disparagingly refers to as "Boston" for his cold Northern upbringing. Can Harold warm up to ranching and Texas ways to sweep her off her feet in time for a Christmas wedding? Next, Darlene Franklin brings us the tale of older sister Lucy, gifted with a keen sight with a rifle. Lucy finds more gifts than she thought she possessed as she tours in a Wild West show. Can her unique talents win the heart of the show proprietor's son, Gordon? Will Gordon's calling from God whisk him from the arms of this humble beauty? A special gift awaits them on Christmas. Vickie McDonough ropes heartstrings with her yarn about Sarah Ames, the daughter who believes she should have been born a son. Sarah finds more ease among the horses than she does in the kitchen. When her father hires a new hand with her beloved horses, will her rivalry and suspicion of him prevent her from yielding to attraction to this gentle horse trainer? Will Carson Romero put his brand on her heart under the mistletoe? Finally, the oldest Ames girl, Bess, emerges in the voice of story weaver Kathleen Y'Barbo. Bess struggles with a self-image hurt by an unflattering childhood rhyme that Joe Mueller made up about her. "Bessie Mae, plain as day." Will her grudge against this man, now a handsome Texas ranger, harden her stubborn heart? Her father courts a neighbor widow, and she fears she will intrude upon their newlywed home if she stays an old maid forever. Can Joe win her confidence and rescue her from a fearful fate? Christmas holds the biggest surprise of all for Bess, with a new rhyme and a new life. Wild West Christmas provides an authentic flavor of Texas ranching life at the end of the 19th Century. Each character captured the rugged independence of the lone star state, and each tale depicted a unique romance sure to capture the heart. I especially enjoyed the three dimensional characters, like Lucy's humility despite rising to acclaim, and Sarah's conflicting desire to make her father proud when he demands that she give up the one thing that stirs her passion--horses. Each story weaves a redemptive thread through to a satisfying conclusion.

Wild West Christmas is a fun book about the four Ames sisters, who live on the Rocking A Ranch. Each of the four novellas deals with a different sister. The first, Charlesy's Accountant, tells of youngest sister, Charlesy, as she meets and falls in love with an eastern accountant who knows nothing of working the cattle Charlesy is so good with. The second story, Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter, tells about bold Lucy, who joins Major Paulson's Wild West Show, and finds the adventure she's always wanted, plus much more when she meets Major Paulson's son, Gordon. A Breed Apart, is about third sister Sarah Ames, whose talent lies with training horses. When her father attempts to tame his wild daughter by hiring Carson Romero to take over the horse work so that Sarah can concentrate on her domestic skills, the fireworks ensue. And the last story, Plain Trouble, tells of oldest sister, Bess Ames, who fears that, at age 27, she'll never find love, but winds up finding it with the least likely man. All four stories are fun, easy reads. My favorite was A Breed Apart, but each story had a charm all its own. The thing I liked most about these characters was that each had her own special skill or expertise. Even Bess, who was the most domestic of the four sisters, was skilled in tracking. I applaud the authors, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Lena Nelson Dooley, Darlene Franklin, and Vickie McDonough, for the wonderful stories that captured my imagination and gave me several hours of enjoyment! This is my first experience reading any of these authors, but it won't be my last!

Lucy Ames - by Darlene Frankin I read Lucy's story first and was glad I did because it remained a favorite - perhaps because Lucy was the closest to my type A/sanguine personality! Outgoing Lucy longs for adventure and is trilled when she auditions and wins a spot in Major Paulson's Wild West Show. The Major's son Gordon, though attracted to Lucy from the start, holds off showing his affection as he struggles with his calling to teach at a distant seminary. Lucy's father's plans to marry her to a widowed rancher complicate Lucy's try-to-please-everyone personality and her growing feelings for Gordon. In addition to a fiery but charming heroine, there are enough twists and turns before all the issues are resolved to see some great examples of modeling in action on our way to a satisfying ending. Maybe you will recognize some of yourself in one of the four Ames sisters' personalities! Every story is intriguing and heart-warming (others also written by top notch writers Kathleen Y'Barbo, Lena Nelson Dooley and Vickie McDonough) with a unique story wrap-up that includes the whole family. A great opportunity to relax with the warmth of Texas and four wholesome stories this Christmas season.