Tanner "Tag" Cardwell just wanted to surprise his father with a visit to his birthplace of Big Sky, Montana. For some unknown reason he wanted to have a little CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH. He has no idea that this innocent attempt to get to know the father he had little contact with since he was 12 would end up in secret codes and murder.

Lily McCabe, is a math professor who is helping her brother out at his bar during the holidays. After being stood up at the altar she has no plans on doing anything but spending Christmas with her brother. She has absolutely no plans to get involved with some strange cowboy and definitely not a murder mystery. But when one of the girls who works for her brother goes missing in very strange circumstances and Tag is the last to see her she finds herself very involved.

Tag is really enjoying the atmosphere around his Cousin Dana's ranch and family making him glad he had come to see his dad, even if he wasn't seeing much of him. Additionally he is finding Lily intriguing but the fact is, his home and life is now in Texas and hers is here. No matter what plans anyone has the world they know is about to take a violent turn. But once the smoke clears, all the secrets long held come out and a danger, from the past, to the Cardwell family is taken care of ... is it possible for the cowboy and the professor to have any kind of chance. Maybe if they have a little Christmas magic and a lot of luck.

If you are looking for an action packed storyline with danger, romance and touches of Christmas then CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH is just the book for you. The romance between Tag and Lily is somewhat overshadowed with so much happening in a short time, but what is there will give the reader the feeling that they must keep reading to find out what happens next. Author B.J. Daniels gives us a very different kind of Christmas book, it isn't overly sappy but it does give touches of simple family Christmas. I loved Tag's cousin Dana's desire to give a pathetic tree a Christmas and I could almost smell the gingerbread baking. I can't wait to see what else Ms. Daniels does with this family.