This was an intense and emotional book. Caleb has been in love with Ellie since he first saw her, but she was already with his best friend, Clint, so he buried his feelings deep. When Clint died, Caleb stepped in to be the support he knew Clint would want him to be, and still kept his feelings to himself. As a result, he and Ellie became best friends themselves. So when he found out that Ellie had a very unusual Christmas list, he was ready to help fulfill it.

Ellie loved her husband and grieved for him for four years. But she's tired of being that pitiful widow that everyone feels sorry for, so she's ready to make some changes. Her Christmas list for herself is short, but powerful, starting with buying herself a new dress and getting kissed under the mistletoe, and moving on to making out by the fire and more.

I loved both Caleb and Ellie. Caleb is a good man with a kind heart, who doesn't see himself as worthy of good things. Caleb had a rough childhood with his father constantly comparing him to Clint, leaving him convinced that Clint was always the better person. I loved how he stepped up to be the support that Ellie needed, from holding her through her grief to being there when Amelia was born. There were also times when he frustrated me because of his inability to see his own worth. Ellie is sweet and a lot stronger than she thinks she is. She also has some deep-seated fear of intense emotion thanks to her mother's wild emotional swings in her own love life.

I loved the development of the relationship between Ellie and Caleb. It has an excellent start with the depth of their friendship and that they have an undeniable trust in each other. While their bond is strong, Ellie has no idea that Caleb has stronger feelings. When he shows up the first night she puts her plan into motion, she is shocked by the feelings he stirs up in her. She is further stunned by his reaction to her Christmas list. The chemistry between them is explosive and starts crumbling the walls both of them have around their hearts. I did get a bit frustrated with Ellie at times because she was so oblivious to Caleb's feelings for her. He would say something that made it evident that he felt more than friendship, and she would completely miss it, or misunderstand what he said.

Just when I had high hopes that they were both finally going to "get it," everything fell apart. Caleb was ready to propose but was so afraid of being compared to Clint/not measuring up to Clint that he left out an essential point. Ellie knew that there was something that didn't feel right, but she couldn't admit what it was. And when she finally faced the truth of her feelings, she allowed her fears to send her running, devastating Caleb and reinforcing his fears. Thank goodness for family members who helped each of them see the truth and find the courage to go after what they wanted. I loved their big moment at the end and seeing both of them finally let go of the past and embrace the potential of the future. I loved the epilogue and seeing that they both gave themselves time to get to know who they are now.

I loved the secondary characters. The most adorable one was Amelia, Ellie's little girl. She was such a sweetheart. I loved how big a part of Caleb's life she was, and the depth of her love for him. She just about broke my heart when she told him her Christmas wish. Caleb's parents were interesting people, and the storyline about Hank's past coming home to roost is intriguing. I must admit that the more I heard about how he treated Caleb as a kid, the harder it was to like him, but he did redeem himself somewhat at the end. Caleb's mom was more forgiving than I expected, though she had made some egregious mistakes too. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series and finding out more. I also hope that West gets his own story because he needs to find someone to give him the love he deserves. ( )

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cowboy Christmas Redemption, by Maisey Yates, became available at booksellers on 9-24-19. Part of Ms Yates Gold Valley series it works quite well as a stand-alone story. I've given only 3 stars as there were parts of the plot that didn't ring true. For me, a little unbelievable but there's so much more that I flew through the tale. I became invested in the characters, and that's always the sign of a good story.

Ellie Bell is a widow with a small daughter. Her husband was a part of the Dalton family and they took her into the fold too. They're all still close, which is nice for the sake of Amelia, she has loads of people who care for her. Her struggles seem real, her insecurities real. Her rough childhood makes her appreciate the Dalton's and she doesn't want to endanger that in any way. She's begun to think about moving on, she's mourned enough. I felt that too, it's hard to be brave.

Caleb Dalton is the character I had trouble with. On one hand he's a great, thoughtful guy, but on the other hand he's screwed up pretty bad. He's held onto guilt, his sense of duty, and his love for Ellie for way too long. He tortures himself like there's a penance he has to pay forever. He's unlikable until he snaps out of it and acts like a man, not a mouse.

All in all I liked the book and it ended well. Happy Christmas reading.

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