Christmas at the Ranch

This was a sweet read. The FMC learned so much but I also loved that her parents grew too. all the side characters were so important in getting the main character back together and I loved it.

I love a small town vibe combined with horses…chefs kiss! I am not sure I can get enough of these during this cozy season.After Everly flees town in the wake of her family’s scandal, she finds herself driving to the delightful town of Evergreen, where 10 years prior she vacationed and met her first love. This causes her to reexamine her relationship with her family and revisit her memories from her past time in Evergreen with Tate. I loved Everly & Tate’s chemistry and the depth this book had. The growth she makes as a character was one of my favorite parts.It’s just a personal preference but I didn’t love how quickly everything wrapped up in one chapter at the end of the story. I always want to spend more time in the happy ending! ❤️ That aside, I adored the story and would definitely encourage you to add this to your holiday reading list!

If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, this book is for you. Julia McKay brings us a long-lost love connection in the snow-sparkled town of Evergreen, Canada.After her father is arrested as an orchestrator of a Ponzi scheme, Emory flees Toronto and on instinct, arrives in Evergreen, a tiny town where her parents brought their friends (and their disconnected daughter) ten years prior for a Christmas holiday. During that holiday, Emory gained confidence in herself and fell in love with Tate, the son of a horse ranch owner. Memories, emotions, and time have filled the space between Emory and Tate, whose relationship ended abruptly on Christmas Day a decade ago.Back in present day, upset by her family and the destruction that they caused, Emory slowly blends into the town, which is “home” in her heart. Balancing the regrets of the past with the emotional strain of her family’s financial and social situation, Emory doesn’t want to risk additional vulnerability by sharing her feelings with Tate.Beautiful horses, heartfelt emotions, honest conversations, Heartland references, and hope abound in Christmas at the Ranch. McKay’s imagery and characters make the reader feel like they’re part of the small town, giving off Gilmore Girls and Virgin River vibes.I had the pleasure to receive a gifted ARC on #NetGalley from the publisher, @PutnamBooks, and will happily recommend Christmas at the Ranch to my friends who are looking for a feel-good holiday read.#ChristmasattheRanch #NetGalley @PutnamBooks @PenguinRandomHouse #romance #romancenovel #christmasromance #bookstagram #booksta #BookReview #fictionreview #romancereview

When Emory's father is arrested for embezzling, she leaves the city, not even sure where she is heading. The weather is not her friend, though, and a blizzard strands her in the small town of Evergreen. It's been ten years since she's been in Evergreen, the only place she ever felt comfortable, the only place she felt she belonged. And the place she first fell in love, until it all fell apart.This is a thoughtful, sentimental second chance romance. The real time story is enhanced by diary entries of an 18 year old Emory giving us insight into the development of Emory and Tate's young love ultimately revealing the reason Emory felt she needed to walk away from Tate. I like reading the entries because they bring a clear comparison of a young, idealistic Emory with a more mature Emory, who is strong and confident when it comes to everything but her own feelings.Tate was more sure of himself, but hides some of his own worries and insecurities. He's an empathetic character. They have a history, so Tate knows he just how careful he needs to be with Emory's feelings. I loved the emotions between these two characters. This well crafted story made me feel. So the warmth and love that comes into the story as Emory and Tate start to really reconnect meant a lot more because the insecurities, and the unresolved issues between them were felt so strongly early in the story.This story had all the feels, all the emotions I want to feel in a holiday story.

3.75⭐!A second chance romance set in idyllic Evergreen - this one is a Hallmark move in book form!Emory was a teenager when her family first visited Evergreen. There she met Tate Wilder. They quickly fell in love but had a falling out and lost touch for 10 years.Now, after her father is arrested, Emory, a journalist, flees town and finds herself back in Evergreen. Soon she comes to find that her father convinced a local to invest money which has now been lost, so she finds herself unwelcome.. however, one person who looks out for her is Charlie Wilder, Tate's father.Charlie takes Emory back to Wilder Ranch while her car gets new snow tires. He shares that Tate isn't there and isn't due back for days, but in the middle of the night, Tate shows up. After a series of unfortunate events, Emory finds herself stuck in Evergreen for a week and has to figure out a way to make it considering half the town is unhappy with her.I really enjoyed this Christmas novel! I liked the characters. I loved that Emory had conviction where parents didn't. I enjoyed that by the end of the novel, she'd made peace with her mother and her mother had undergone a transformation. I loved the story between Emory & Tate!Don't skip this one! Thank you Julia McKay, Net Galley & Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced reader copy of this Christmas novel!!