Harlequin American Romance
Featuring: Will Dessaro; Miranda Staley
219 pages ISBN: 0373754787 EAN: 9780373754786 Kindle: B00D4MVH4O Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List
Sweetheart, Nevada is a series about a town
recovering
from a forest fire which destroyed many homes and
livelihoods. The town depended on wedding tourism, and in
the previous book, which I really enjoyed, the Gold Nugget
ranch was bought by a rancher who aimed to convert it to a
ranch and skiing hospitality business.
At the start of HIS CHRISTMAS SWEETHEART we see a
retirement care home. Will Dessaro, who works on the Gold
Nugget, arrives to visit a resident who is a friend's
mother. Miranda Staley, the owner of the care home, is a
petite, impressive, busy lady. Will can't let her see how
much he admires her... six years in the army didn't teach
him how to talk with women. He's not only quiet by nature,
he gets panic attacks which he'd rather the whole town
didn't know about, so he tries to avoid stressful
situations. Miranda likes Will ever since he helped her
evacuate the home during the fire, but he could move away
if the town fails to revive.
Miranda is not immune to the strained finances of the town,
and the bank manager warns that she's falling behind with
payments. Will is too shy to tell her that his intended was
scared off by his PTSD. A town initiative means that Will
could qualify as an EMT and return the town's investment by
working there, helping tourists. But could he handle it?
I liked the confidence and authority of the female business
owner, who is still presented as being feminine and
thoughtful. As a registered nurse, she tends to put other
people first. I was surprised that she didn't advertise for
new residents from elsewhere, given how many elders move
south for warmer winters. In this series, horses and dogs
are characters, and all ages of people are well portrayed,
from the flirty teenager to the earnest kid and confused
senior. Christmas preparations are under way, even though
some town residents are moving away for work and some
stores closing. The town needs a boost, even a temporary
festival. A sleigh ride with jingling bells cheers everyone
up!
This thoughtful adult romance shows that anyone can suffer
panic attacks from stress, and helping others helps
ourselves. Cathy McDavid is great at bringing her story to
life and HIS CHRISTMAS SWEETHEART is a crackling winter's
read.
A HOLIDAY FOR HEALING Nothing's been simple in Sweetheart, Nevada, since the wildfire that ravaged the charming little town. Miranda Staley is among those who've sworn to stay on and bring Sweetheart back to life. She loves running a group home for the elderly, but it's getting difficult to keep her business going. She could lose everything she's worked so hard to create. On the day of the fire, Will Desarro helped save some of Miranda's elderly residents. The handsome ranch hand is a man of few words, but Miranda soon discovers that beneath that quiet exterior beats a heart of gold. Will can help save Miranda's home and her business—but only if their love is strong enough to conquer his painful past.