ONCE UPON A COWBOY CHRISTMAS finds Cody Ford's life has been New York and Wall Street, but part of his heart will always belong to the River Ranch. With his father ill and not sure how much time is left to him, Cody goes home for the holidays, only planning to have time with his father and family, not a fairy tale.

Lexi Murphy hadn't expected him to come home after he hightailed it out of their small town, taking most of her heart with him. Now an adult woman with a small child and caring for the man's father she doesn't have time for foolishness. And that would only be what it would be if she let her heart open up to the sexy man ... foolishness! But sometimes the heart overlooks things that will hurt it and just loves.

ONCE UPON A COWBOY CHRISTMAS is a slightly different look at a second chance romance that is fascinating and realistic. They are both grown up, had their own troubles and trials, and are once again face to face. The feelings are still there, more mature, but still with the power of youthful eagerness.

Cody was a bit of a conundrum for me, a very wealthy wall street type, cowboy, loner, family man - or none of the above. He is a bit on the cocky, I know what is best for everyone alpha male, which doesn't normally give me the warm fuzzies for a character. It was only after delving into his persona, watching him joke with his brother, and speak to his father that I couldn't wait to see him get some happiness in his life. This is a highly charged book as it deals with lost love, a lost family member, and another who is very ill, and facing all the emotional upheaval, these events can cause a person.

Lexi is levelheaded, knowing Cody isn't going to stay, but can't help her feelings, and being mature isn't about to miss out on some old fashioned fun. Once she knows why he ran away in the first place, she begins to understand him though she doesn't expect a miracle. She has enough problems with her mother getting thrown out of the nursing home, and being a single mom to her son But remember - ONCE UPON A COWBOY CHRISTMAS is a Christmas book after all and miracles do happen in them. The secondary characters are all good, with a realism that will make you think of someone you know and, of course, the most adorable of all is Harry, Lexi's son. His emotional attachment to a pony makes you laugh and want to cry when he thinks he's going to lose her completely — a sweet kid with very normal reactions to adults and their nonsense.

If you love sexy cowboys/millionaires, a woman who can roll with the punches life throws her way, family, a ranch, a sweet kid and some steamy moments with touches of the miracles expected during Christmas, then ONCE UPON A COWBOY CHRISTMAS will be the book you want in your hands.