Good second chance/enemies-to-lovers story, though frustration with both characters made it a little harder to invest in their story fully. Sabrina was the daughter of the local winery owner and Liam, the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The summer she was seventeen, Liam came to work at the winery, where the two of them quickly became friends. That friendship developed into a big crush on Sabrina's part. Sabrina's father noticed and offered Liam a hefty chunk of change to leave town. Right after that offer, Sabrina offered herself to Liam. Knowing he wasn't good enough for her, he turned her down, took the money, and left town, breaking her heart.

Thirteen years later, Liam is back, a wealthy businessman who is working with his brothers at Laughing Irish ranch. He has plans to partner with Sabrina's family's winery. When Sabrina is tasked with partnering with Liam to get the new tasting room up and running, she is not happy. She has done her best to avoid him since his return, but now she has no choice. She plans to keep things professional and lock down any lingering feelings.

That viewpoint doesn't last past their first meeting. The sparks flew as they faced off over the past. I liked that they cleared the air between them, as that opened the door to a better working relationship. But physical attraction simmered under that improvement. It doesn't take too long before they decide to carry on a no-strings affair with an end-date of the tasting room's Christmas opening. The banter between them is quick-witted and fun. The more time they spend together, the closer they get, and some confidences are shared. There were some sweet scenes of the time they spent together, as well as some steamy ones. As the time for the opening grew closer, both Liam and Sabrina had to face the future. Sabrina chooses to protect her heart, while Liam was ready to keep going for as long as they could. I hurt for both of them as their roles reversed, and Sabrina was the one to walk away.

I ached for Liam. What he went through as a child was horrific, and it's not surprising that he holds back the way he does. It's hard for him to believe that anyone would want him for himself, including his family members. Be that as it may, I still became very frustrated with his attitude that he was good enough to sleep with Sabrina, but not for a relationship. I liked seeing all three brothers call him out on his attitude, and try to break through the walls he built up. The confrontation between Liam and Alex finally opened his eyes and heart.

Sabrina provided some frustrating moments also. She was so stuck in the past that she didn't do much dating, much less form a relationship with anyone. She was much stronger than she believed she was, but it took her almost the whole book to realize it. I liked seeing her confront her father over the way he treated her, then and now. It didn't make me like him any better, but I was happy to see the effect it had on Sabrina. I did wish that she dared to tell Liam her feelings, but I understood her hesitation.

The ending was emotional as Liam was able to open himself up and show Sabrina that he was there for the long haul, that he was done walking away. Sabrina could finally trust that she didn't have to fear rejection any longer. I enjoyed the epilogue and seeing where all four brothers and their families are. It was a nice wrap-up to the quartet about the Donnelly brothers. ( )

After reading Wild Ride Cowboy (book 9), I knew I needed to read Christmastime Cowboy! I knew that I needed more Donnelly! And boy, did I get a humdinger of a book with Christmastime Cowboy!!

We start out by reconnecting with Alex Donnelly, the bad boy of Copper Ridge, who broke Sabrina Leighton heart, when he took the bribe from her father, to get out of town! But now he is back, a self-made man, who wants to be a part of his family's life, even if that means dealing with the one person who hates him in all the world… Sabrina Leighton.

The last thing Sabrina need's in her life is Alex Donnelly, but the one thing she wants in her life, even if she won't admit it to herself, is Alex Donnelly! But he is back, and after an explosive arguments full of truths! Both Alex and Sabrina force themselves to face demons of the past, in order to be more.

This book blew my mind! I honestly didn’t think I could have been on a bigger emotional roller-coaster, since I read Wild Ride Cowboy, but clearly I was wrong, and please don't let the fact that this book is a romance, there are some hardcore and heartbreaking issues in this book, so if you are looking for a light and fluffy book, this isn’t for you, but if you are looking for a book that will steal your heart? WELCOME! It's truly wonderful here!

When it comes to the character, I loved Alex from the get go, with all his gruffness and sincerity. I will admit, it took me a little longer to warm up to Sabrina, because she seemed a snooty, but that quickly changes, and quite frankly, I became so lost in this book, they all became my close friends… sad, but true.

So while I could go on about this book for hours, and give away all its secrets, I am going to give you the key info. The writing is superb, and as you can tell from my ramblings above, the plot is one you can truly immerse yourself in, and this is why I give Christmastime Cowboy 5 stars!
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Another great read from this series. (Plus, a teaser excerpt at the end for book one in a spin-off series, and a bonus novella that is a prequel! It's like getting a surprise Christmas present from Maisey Yates!)

Christmastime Cowboy is a second-chance romance/enemies-to-lovers hybrid. Practically my catnip! Liam and Sabrina were close in high school--friends, and she hoped, something more--until he rejected her (crushingly, though at least in private) and left for parts unknown, never to return...until he does. And of course they need to work together on a project for their respective workplaces--so you know where that is going, right?

Liam and Sabrina had a lot of issues to work out--within themselves, with their families, and in their relationship. Though it felt like slow going at times (is there anything worse than those relationship-with-an-expiration-date plots? So. Much. Angst) they both eventually got to somewhere at least close to where they needed to be in what felt like a realistic way. I loved seeing Liam's interactions with his family (Must. Read. Books 1 & 2, dang it. ASAP) and seeing Clara again, this time as Sabrina's friend and coworker. Grassroots Winery (Sabrina's workplace) is also providing a springboard to the next series, since Olivia lives in Gold Valley. Can't wait for book one!

(Though, okay...waiting will give me time to get to Finn and Cain's books, at least. I'll get right on that!)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. ( )

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