Book Review: The Rancher's Christmas Song by RaeAnne Thayne

This is another charming Thayne Christmas romance.

The Rancher's Christmas Song 
(The Cowboys of Cold Creek)
by RaeAnne Thayne

File Size: 2274 KB
Print Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition (November 1, 2017)
ASIN: B06XZN6DLC
Genre: Clean, Holidays, Sweet Romance, Small Town
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Keep a song in your heart this holiday season…
Music teacher Ella Baker’s plate is already full. But when single dad Beckett McKinley’s wild twin boys need help preparing a Christmas song for their father, Ella agrees on one condition: they teach her to ride a horse. She’s hoping that’ll help mend her strained relationship with her rancher father; it certainly has nothing to do with the crush that’s lingered since her one and only date with Beck.
It isn’t disinterest spurring Beck to keep his distance—if anything, the spark is too strong, with Ella reminding him of his ex-wife. Soon what started as an innocent arrangement is beginning to feel a lot like family. But with the holidays approaching, Beck and Ella will have to overcome past hurts if they want to keep each other warm this Christmas…

Review:
Ella is a music teacher who spent summers on her father’s ranch before returning to the town as an adult to help care for him. She loved the ranch and would love the opportunity to learn and manage the business. Unfortunately, Ella had suffered a severe injury as a child on the ranch and her father can only view her as fragile and needing protection. He believes she will return to her mother’s big city environment as soon as she can. Meanwhile, the neighbors, particularly Beck, help run the ranch.

Beck and Ella are cautious of each other. Beck’s first wife was a city girl and could not manage ranch life, even leaving her twin boys behind when she left Beck. Beck isn’t ready to trust another city girl.

Beck’s twin seven-year-old boys are a handful as everyone, including Ella, knows. They ask to join the Christmas program and then ask a very special favor from Ella. As she directs the program and works closer with the boys, she begins to defend them and begins to warm up to their sometimes intimidating father.

I really liked the strong, sweet chemistry between Ella and Beck. Their growing attraction could certainly have benefitted from some open communication but that is part of the story conflict of course. This read quickly as, once again, Ms. Thayne delivers a heartwarming, clean romance that is a delight to read at holiday time or anytime. I do recommend Ms. Thayne’s books to romance readers who enjoy clean, wholesome and heartwarming stories.

This is another Christmas read from NetGalley. It qualifies for my 2017 NetGalley Challenge.