Christmas Ranch Rescue

Whew! Eason has done it again, this time with a bit of collaboration from her daughter. This was a quick read for me, and I honestly don't have anything to criticize. The action is fast-paced, the danger real, and the characters authentic. I snapped it up in a couple hours' time and enjoyed every bit of it, even the parts I read while semi-distracted (eating, watching my pups play outside, organizing things around the house).

It took me awhile to figure out who the main bad guy was, which always makes me happy...I want to figure it out, but I want to work for my guess a bit!

Thanks to Netgalley for a free review copy. They didn't require a positive review, but I have to admit also that I didn't use the review copy. I ended up caving to book buying addiction and buying a paperback!

Well, this book was quite a delight! The journey was a fun one, and I could totally relate to Becca's back issues. While I haven't been thrown from a horse, I did experience locked-up muscles; not fun! Since she had a sprain rather than locked-up muscles at the point the story begins, the ways in which she moved were more plausible, though I'm thinking some of them would have caused her more pain than was indicated.

This story was so special for a number of reasons. The top reason has to be that it's co-authored with Lynette's daughter. That is way awesome. Be sure to read both letters to the reader at the end! I also enjoyed the special-needs kids. They might not have been in there very long, but they made an impact! Okay, so who doesn't like cowboys and ranches and horses? Yep, that was definitely a plus.

One thing that made my heart melt (totally a positive thing, y'all!) was when Becca asked God twice (twice!), “What do I do?” I don't see that very much in fiction, that complete submission to God's will and asking for His perspective without making demands or putting in her two-cents' worth first. All she said in those moments was, “God, what do I do?” I loved that!

The heart and hope in this book were wonderful. But then, that's typical Lynette Eason, isn't it? I think it shone even brighter, though, because this story was co-written with her daughter. You wouldn't think that was a tangible thing to pop from the pages... yet it is. (At least to me.)

Suspense! Yes, this is a suspense book, and the action was wonderful. (Have I overused that term yet? It thoroughly describes this book, so please excuse my redundancy.) With Mrs. Eason, I know that her stories will be slightly predictable for me by now (since I've read so many), but that doesn't mean they're any less amazing. In fact, they quite feel like a comfortable chunk of home. I love 'em. Yes, even when I figure out some of the bad guys or certain plot “twists” early on. (To be completely transparent: I was wrong about one of my suspects, who ended up being a red herring. Score one for the authors!)

I hope you'll adore this book as much as I! Merry Christmas!