Allison Leigh pairs up special characters in her Double C Ranch series, and THE RANCHER'S CHRISTMAS PROMISE follows that formula. THE RANCHER'S CHRISTMAS PROMISE is not really a seasonal holiday story. It is about choices we make and as Allison Leigh deftly illustrates these are immensely personal. All choices have a consequence, and the reader hopes for a happy ending although the path will certainly be rocky.

Talk about a surprise package at your doorstep. Well, Ryder Wilson truly never expected this one. He was still getting adjusted to his new home in Wyoming. It seems as if an infant girl had been abandoned three months ago and the local police had determined she was his. Impossible, until they can somewhat trace this baby to his wife who left over a year ago. Daisy had left after a mere two weeks of wedded bliss. The name of this baby's mother was Karen. Nope, wrong woman, wrong husband, not my kid. Think again.

But here's where things so get a little murky. Karen and Daisy are the same woman, and now she's dead. Ryder's is still reeling from his short relationship with a woman who had lied to him. But one of the people at his doorstep is this woman's brother, and Grant is definitely not happy with this entire situation. The facts are truly meager. They need proof about the parentage of the baby, both mother and father since there is no birth certificate before any adoption can proceed. The only thing they know is the baby girl's name is Layla. Boom.

Still doesn't really prove much but Layla was Ryder's mother's name. Coincidence, he doesn't think so. And the story picks up five months later. Ryder and Layla are getting along really well with one ongoing problem, that of a nanny. It seems they are going through them as quickly as diapers. Ryder's ranch is rather secluded, and most candidates couldn't adapt.

Greer Templeton is one of three identical triplets and part of the family that had taken care of Layla. Add to that one of the triplets is married to Grant, Layla's uncle. They had all become attached to Layla while in their care and haven't seen her now that Layla was living with Ryder.

You may ask why Ryder accepted responsibility for a child that hadn't legally been proven to be his, no DNA testing as per his instructions. He didn't need them. Ryder accepted the fact that Daisy was probably Layla's mother and Daisy had been his wife. Case closed for Ryder. In his mind and heart, it was the right thing to do. And he always did the right thing.

Greer somehow gets involved in helping Ryder find a reliable nanny with staying power. Until then she found herself helping out which wasn't a chore for her. Greer had really missed Layla and any time spent with this baby was a joy. It was the father that ruffled her usually staid feathers. And needless to say, watching Layla meant spending time with Ryder who actually had the audacity to come up with an alternate plan of sorts. If he couldn't find a woman willing to live far out in the country as a nanny, well then he would start looking for a wife instead. This would be a business agreement for sure given his history with love and such.

Sounds really good on paper. But both Ryder and Greer have deep seeded feelings about following this second choice. There is no shortage of attraction between these two intelligent adults, but their decision will not be based on that fact. Any arrangement will be a pre-arranged legal proposition with a distinct expiration date. Choices and plans just have a way of messing things up.

So in THE RANCHER'S CHRISTMAS PROMISE we are faced with what Allison Leigh treats as an inconvenience that can be solved with little or no commitment. The author certainly wore a smile while divining up this treasure. THE RANCHER'S CHRISTMAS PROMISE is a lovely tale of making the right choices with unexpected consequences.