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Carmen's Reviews > Christmas with the Rancher
Christmas with the Rancher (Harlequin American Romance)
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by
Carmen's review
bookshelves: american-author, fiction, harlequin-american-romance, published2014, romance, she-says, traditionally-published
Apr 13, 2020
bookshelves: american-author, fiction, harlequin-american-romance, published2014, romance, she-says, traditionally-published
"Some things can't be fixed."
"There's always a way to make things right again."
"Right according to whom?"
"According to whatever it takes to change your mind about all of this. It's not only about the snow-sculpting contest, you're evicting your dad's guests only days before Christmas. Who does that?"
"I do, when it benefits my family."
More noises came from the attic, but this time Travis seemed to ignore it.
"Throwing your dad's valued customers out in the snow and cancelling something fun that this town has been anticipating is somehow beneficial to you and your family? Enlighten me, 'cause I'm blind as to how that works." pg. 97
I think if you go into this book aware and expecting it to be a re-writing of A Christmas Carol, you will probably have a better experience than I did. As I read it, I was wondering why this book was so goofy and so dumb.
This isn't a statement against Leo. I've liked books of hers in the past. This one, however, was a dud.
Our heroine, Bella, is stupid and an asshole. She's such an asshole. She's rude, dismissive, cruel, worships money, leaves Travis to wake up alone in a cold bed after sex, she's cold - she records a phone conversation with her own father to make sure she can sell his inn and sue him if he changes his mind... I didn't like her. She's full-of-herself, thinks only of herself, and never takes anyone else's feelings into account.
Travis is just dumb. He's not an asshole, but he's stupid. It could be cute, if you like dumb men who are generally amiable and mean well but can't think critically. I don't need a genius, but I'd prefer a man to be a little smarter than this, especially when pairing him with a meatgrinder like Bella. You could pair a dumb, well-intentioned guy with someone else and maybe I wouldn't have a problem with it - I've certainly enjoyed books with thick heroes in the past - but here it is grating. You are just screaming at this guy to wake up and grow a brain.
The romance is, needless to say, not very inspiring. Who wants to read about an asshole getting her Happily Ever After? I didn't like her. I didn't want her to be happy. I thought she was a miserable, self-centered human being who should just keep chasing and worshiping money in Chicago. Why come here and hurt all these people? I don't even care that at the end she 'realizes the error of her ways' and tries to make amends (with money and buying people things). Too little, too late. On page 172 it finally dawns on her that maybe other people have feelings and opinions. WOW, people have feelings and opinions! She's 28! This is something she should have learned in kindergarten!
She might be a narcissist. I would honestly not be surprised. She's extremely focused on herself and almost sees other people as side-characters in her life that she can just shuffle around on a chessboard.
The book is also goofy. It's really goofy. I kept thinking "This is dumb," while I was reading it. It's not the writing that's dumb - this isn't a nightmare situation like Tina Leonard - but the actions of the characters on the page are just dumb. An old man gets his snow-globe collection stolen by a man dressed as Santa. Bella has crazy dreams about alternate dimensions (used instead of the ghosts from Christmas Carol). Travis and Bella are super hung-up on a 'relationship' they had when they both were twelve. TWELVE. It's insane. The book is insane.
LEO-ISMS
As serious as a bobcat up a tree.
I'm still reeling 'round like a pup trying to find a soft spot to lie down in.
Those two are thick as feathers in a pillow.
It's about as perfect as red paint on a barn.
You're jumping fences without the horse.
Leo likes using little homey sayings. I find them funny! This book is no exception. :)
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
He fingers her to orgasm (I'm pretty sure, it's vague) and then they have PinV sex with a condom.
Not described. Also, I'm not too interested in these jokers having sex.
TL;DR It's hard to enjoy a romance novel where the heroine is an asshole. On top of that, the book is so goofy and dumb you can hardly take it seriously. By all means, give Leo a shot - just pick another book of hers. Not this one.
Also, it's a Christmas EXPLOSION. If you don't enjoy Christmas dripping off of every page, skip this. It's quite schmaltzy.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Contemporary Romance
Cowboy/Western Romance
Holiday/Christmas Romance
Second Chance Romance - I guess. They were 12.
Non-Virgin Heroine
Millionaire/Billionaire Romance - I'm pretty sure she's a millionaire.
He's a Rancher, although there's really no evidence of that, he spends the book chasing Bella around 24/7; She's an Executive Real Estate Mogul.
Takes Place in: Idaho, The United States of America
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
(view spoiler)
"There's always a way to make things right again."
"Right according to whom?"
"According to whatever it takes to change your mind about all of this. It's not only about the snow-sculpting contest, you're evicting your dad's guests only days before Christmas. Who does that?"
"I do, when it benefits my family."
More noises came from the attic, but this time Travis seemed to ignore it.
"Throwing your dad's valued customers out in the snow and cancelling something fun that this town has been anticipating is somehow beneficial to you and your family? Enlighten me, 'cause I'm blind as to how that works." pg. 97
I think if you go into this book aware and expecting it to be a re-writing of A Christmas Carol, you will probably have a better experience than I did. As I read it, I was wondering why this book was so goofy and so dumb.
This isn't a statement against Leo. I've liked books of hers in the past. This one, however, was a dud.
Our heroine, Bella, is stupid and an asshole. She's such an asshole. She's rude, dismissive, cruel, worships money, leaves Travis to wake up alone in a cold bed after sex, she's cold - she records a phone conversation with her own father to make sure she can sell his inn and sue him if he changes his mind... I didn't like her. She's full-of-herself, thinks only of herself, and never takes anyone else's feelings into account.
Travis is just dumb. He's not an asshole, but he's stupid. It could be cute, if you like dumb men who are generally amiable and mean well but can't think critically. I don't need a genius, but I'd prefer a man to be a little smarter than this, especially when pairing him with a meatgrinder like Bella. You could pair a dumb, well-intentioned guy with someone else and maybe I wouldn't have a problem with it - I've certainly enjoyed books with thick heroes in the past - but here it is grating. You are just screaming at this guy to wake up and grow a brain.
The romance is, needless to say, not very inspiring. Who wants to read about an asshole getting her Happily Ever After? I didn't like her. I didn't want her to be happy. I thought she was a miserable, self-centered human being who should just keep chasing and worshiping money in Chicago. Why come here and hurt all these people? I don't even care that at the end she 'realizes the error of her ways' and tries to make amends (with money and buying people things). Too little, too late. On page 172 it finally dawns on her that maybe other people have feelings and opinions. WOW, people have feelings and opinions! She's 28! This is something she should have learned in kindergarten!
She might be a narcissist. I would honestly not be surprised. She's extremely focused on herself and almost sees other people as side-characters in her life that she can just shuffle around on a chessboard.
The book is also goofy. It's really goofy. I kept thinking "This is dumb," while I was reading it. It's not the writing that's dumb - this isn't a nightmare situation like Tina Leonard - but the actions of the characters on the page are just dumb. An old man gets his snow-globe collection stolen by a man dressed as Santa. Bella has crazy dreams about alternate dimensions (used instead of the ghosts from Christmas Carol). Travis and Bella are super hung-up on a 'relationship' they had when they both were twelve. TWELVE. It's insane. The book is insane.
LEO-ISMS
As serious as a bobcat up a tree.
I'm still reeling 'round like a pup trying to find a soft spot to lie down in.
Those two are thick as feathers in a pillow.
It's about as perfect as red paint on a barn.
You're jumping fences without the horse.
Leo likes using little homey sayings. I find them funny! This book is no exception. :)
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
He fingers her to orgasm (I'm pretty sure, it's vague) and then they have PinV sex with a condom.
Not described. Also, I'm not too interested in these jokers having sex.
TL;DR It's hard to enjoy a romance novel where the heroine is an asshole. On top of that, the book is so goofy and dumb you can hardly take it seriously. By all means, give Leo a shot - just pick another book of hers. Not this one.
Also, it's a Christmas EXPLOSION. If you don't enjoy Christmas dripping off of every page, skip this. It's quite schmaltzy.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Contemporary Romance
Cowboy/Western Romance
Holiday/Christmas Romance
Second Chance Romance - I guess. They were 12.
Non-Virgin Heroine
Millionaire/Billionaire Romance - I'm pretty sure she's a millionaire.
He's a Rancher, although there's really no evidence of that, he spends the book chasing Bella around 24/7; She's an Executive Real Estate Mogul.
Takes Place in: Idaho, The United States of America
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
(view spoiler)
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Reading Progress
April 13, 2020
–
Started Reading
April 13, 2020
– Shelved
April 13, 2020
–
9.82%
"She'd learned to prefer a man in a tailored suit rather than a man in jeans and cowboy boots."
page
22
April 13, 2020
–
37.5%
""I'm still reeling 'round like a pup trying to find a soft spot to lie down in."
Leo-ism"
page
84
Leo-ism"
April 13, 2020
–
41.07%
"These people are just morons. I'm not going to be giving this book a high rating."
page
92
April 13, 2020
–
41.96%
"The heroine is an asshole and also stupid.
Travis is just stupid.
Both are unappealing."
page
94
Travis is just stupid.
Both are unappealing."
April 13, 2020
–
70.98%
"She tugged on his whiskers. "I feel as if I'm making love with a naughty cowboy."
"If that's what it takes to turn you on, I'll never shave again.""
page
159
"If that's what it takes to turn you on, I'll never shave again.""
April 13, 2020
–
73.21%
"She leaves him to wake up in a cold empty bed because she's an ASSHOLE. This heroine is such an ASSHOLE. I can't stand her."
page
164
April 13, 2020
–
76.79%
"Bella was stunned. She had been so distraught over leaving and how it was affecting her, she never thought how it affected her friends. She never gave it a second thought. All her angst and torment over leaving had been about her and what she was going through and never did she think about what the separation had done to Jaycee or Dusty... or Travis.
That's because YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE"
page
172
That's because YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE"
April 13, 2020
–
92.86%
"It's just dawning on me that this might be a re-writing of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Not just a nod to Scrooge. A re-writing. Maybe that's why it is so dumb and insane. But maybe if you approach it that way from the beginning, it's more palatable?"
page
208
April 13, 2020
–
Finished Reading
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message 1:
by
kittykat AKA Ms. Tortitude
(last edited Apr 14, 2020 06:24AM)
(new)
Apr 14, 2020 06:23AM
Hahaha, at least there was a condom involved!!! And at least SHE was the rich bastard for a change...
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kittykat wrote: "Hahaha, at least there was a condom involved!!! And at least SHE was the rich bastard for a change..."LOL I know! How often is the rich asshole a woman?!?!
Which reminds me, did you ever read "Tim"?
Steelwhisper wrote: "Which reminds me, did you ever read "Tim"?"What is "Tim?"
It was written in 1974, so some verbiage and behaviour probably will not meet with millennial approval and modern sensitivities, but is *the* book which started me reading romance.
And Tim is a "dumb" guy. You might like him a lot better than Travis.
It was written in 1974, so some verbiage and behaviour probably will not meet with millennial approval and modern sensitivities, but is *the* book which started me reading romance.And Tim is a "dumb" guy. You might like him a lot better than Travis.
LOL Thanks, Steel!
Absolutely welcome ;) it is a lovely book.
Navessa wrote: "Our heroine, Bella, is stupid and an asshole. I don't know why, but that just made me laugh SO HARD. Also, those leo-isms...yikes."
I'm so glad I could make you laugh, Navessa!!!!
These Leo-isms aren't even her best! Some other reviews I've done of her books have some funnier ones! She's a hoot.
