The Texan's Christmas - Review

The Texan's Christmas (Texas Rodeo Barons) by Tanya Michaels

Rating: 4 Stars
Source: NetGalley

Description:  Nicole Bennett has spent her life without any real family and after her mentor's illness and recovery she has decided to change that.
Daniel Baron is sidelined from his rodeo career and horse training business due to injury.  He's ready to leave behind the family he never really felt part of and start out somewhere on his own.  He has no interest in family or a serious relationship.  That is until Nicole Bennett walks into his life and makes him reconsider everything.

Genre: Romance

Why I Picked This Book:  I almost didn't.  I don't really get the whole pregnancy in romance novels and there's nothing that's going to make me pass by a book faster than an enormously pregnant woman on the cover.  Luckily I had enjoyed a previous book by Michaels (Her Cowboy Hero - Review) enough that I decided to risk it.

My Impression:
Pros:  Where to start?  There was so much I liked about this one it's hard to decide.  First there's Nicole.  She had a rough upbringing but has been able to work through it and use it to help her be compassionate and strong.  She's kind and funny and capable.  She gets her feelings hurt but doesn't hold grudges and is willing to talk about what bothers her.  She knows what she wants and is able to step away from things that she doesn't think are good for her even if it hurts.  And when she gets nervous she changes clothes about 15 times which was something I really related to!  Daniel is at a crossroads in his life.  He knows he doesn't want to go back to the rodeo but he's not sure exactly what he wants to do.  He's also having to come to terms with a family he's never really felt part of.  The pregnancy I was so scared of is a factor but in kind of an unusual way.  The pregnancy is a medical conception and something that Nicole is sure she wants and excited about despite the regular nerves and fears.  The pregnancy kind of forced Daniel to figure out what he wants with his life and really face his demons.  It felt authentic and didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.

Cons  This is the 6th book in the Texas Rodeo Barons series and the beginning especially felt a bit like the end of a series.  All 5 couples from the previous books are there and it took a bit to get everyone sorted out.  As well there is a big plot issue that has been building throughout the series that had to be wrapped up so that can feel a little jumbled if you're coming into the series now.  There are some fairly serious issues that get resolved pretty quickly. To me it worked but I can see it bothering someone.
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Overall:  Once again Tanya Michaels has caused me to stay up far too late to finish a book in one sitting!  The characters were the kind of characters you'd want to be friends with and I loved the big family feel to it.  While this worked great as a stand alone I think reading the previous 5 books in the series (all by different authors) would improve your enjoyment.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  This is the 2nd book I've read by Michaels that I've really enjoyed.  I'm not a cowboy fan but she's made my auto-buy list!

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Definitely!  I think most contemporary romance readers would enjoy this one.