Especially after she accidentally smashes her car into Rafferty Jones’s pick-up truck. Yes, he’s a whole lot of handsome--from the tips of his boots to the top of his Stetson. But he’s no Christmas present. Lissy’s not about to let herself get whisked away by his charming ways and words...only to watch him drive away in the end.But what Lissy doesn’t know is Rafferty’s in town just to meet her--and to give her a share in a windfall that doesn’t rightly belong to him. At first, he just wants to do his good deed and get out. But one look at this green-eyed beauty has him deciding to turn this into a Christmas to remember...making promises he’s determined to keep--whether she believes in them or not.
REVIEW
I love the Jubilee Texas Series and I have to admit I’m a little sad this is the final book in the series. However, this is a REALLY nice way to end the series. I’m a fan of Lori Wilde’s and I just wanted to read this book. I didn’t really know what it was actually all about. Sure, I knew it was a Christmas story featuring Lissette but that was about it.
I’m a series reader. I didn’t discover Ms. Wilde until a little bit before the second Jubilee Texas book, The Cowboy and the Princess. I didn’t get a chance to go back and read the first book in the series, The Cowboy Takes a Bride, but I will. I love series because they give you a chance to reconnect with characters in previous books. You are able to fall in love with other characters before they actually get their own books. Lori is very good at giving her series books that complement each other but can still stand alone.
Lissette is a go with the flow kind of girl. She pretty much lets anyone and everyone bulldoze their way over her. She is a twenty-nine-year-old widow and single mother of a two-year old son named Kyle. Her husband Jake was killed in Afghanistan on the Fourth of July. Three months later, while still struggling with her new life, Lissette receives news regarding Kyle no mother wants to hear. To make matters worse, Lissette has no money and no health insurance for her child. It appears, the always loving Jake, didn’t leave his life insurance or military death benefits to his wife and child, instead he left everything to his half-brother which Lissette didn’t even know existed.
When Lissette’s day just can’t get any worse, she backs her vehicle into a truck that belongs to a sexy California cowboy named Rafferty Jones. He isn’t entirely what or who he appears to be. I fall for Rafferty immediately and I think Lissette did as well.
Rafferty Jones is Jake Moncrief’s half brother. He has no intentions on getting involved with his brother’s wife. He just wants to give her the money Jake left to him and leave to go back to his ranch in California, as soon as possible. Lissette refuses to take the money Rafferty offers her even though she desperately needs it. Rafferty knows in his heart Jake left the money to him so that he could be sure that Lissette and Kyle were taken care of. Rafferty has to come up with some way to get her the money without her knowing that it came from him. He spends almost a month doing just that.
There is no doubt that both Lissette and Rafferty were attracted to each other from the start but Jake stood in their way. Lissette was attracted to Rafferty because he was EVERYTHING Jake wasn’t. Rafferty is a man a woman can count on. He steps in when things need to be done but he doesn’t take control of the situation. He’s supportive of Lissette and HER decisions, without pushing his own thoughts or opinions on her. More importantly, he loves Kyle.
I love this book because you’re able to see the transformation in Lissette. She’s able to bend and survive, but not break like the dandelion Rafferty calls her.
While reading Lori’s books, I tend to come away with various quotes that stick with me. I can’t figure out which one is my favorite, so I picked two. The first is, “For anyone to connect with another human being we have to allow ourselves to be fully seen and heard for who we are." The second being, “Accept your losses and forgive your mistakes, then you can embrace a happy future." These two quotes both apply to Lissette. She was constantly being asked what she wanted, not realizing that she was always a follower. One of the great things about Lissette and the people around her, is that once Lissette started standing on her own, the people around her didn’t get mad or upset with her. They simply said that it was about time.
A couple of things happened with this book that I didn’t see coming. Jake isn’t the person I thought he was and this book is going to make you cry. But after the tears are gone, you are rewarded with not one, but four recipes, courtesy of Lissette.
As a reader, I’m very glad Lori introduced me to the people and the town of Jubilee, Texas.
Release Date: Currently Available
Book Length: 384 pages
Source: Edelweiss
Author Contact: Lori Wilde’s website
Purchase through: Amazon
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