When a Hollywood production sets its sights on Snowy Canyon Ranch for this year’s Christmas movies, it’s lights, camera…romance for the cowboys involved.

Christian Snow is doing everything he can to hold his family ranch together. But he has just days to save the ranch from eventual foreclosure. He needs a lifeline.

Poppy Webster has one job as a new location scout. She needs to present two ranches to her boss at the film commission, then moves on to the next assignment. Meeting Christian Snow has her rooting for his ranch to win the production, though, and she finds herself spending a weekend helping him boost his chances.

Over the course of their work together, Christian and Poppy find themselves battling feelings for each other. Those feelings won’t just go away when she returns home. But if he loses the ranch, he feels like he’ll have little to offer her, and if she pushes the ranch to her boss, she’ll risk looking unprofessional. It feels like there’s no way out of this situation but heartbreak.

This is a prequel or starter novella for the series, Lights, Camera, Christmas! Candy Canes & Cowboys is included in the multi-author release of the Christmas Wishes & Cowboy Kisses anthology.

Titles in the Lights, Camera, Christmas! series include — Christmas Cards & Cowboys —♥— Christmas Cookies & Cowboys —♥— Christmas Carols & Cowboys —♥— Christmas Candles & Cowboys —♥—

This is a romance that includes no swearing, no violence, and no sexual content (beyond a few light kisses).

Booksprout ARC

Title:  Candy Canes & Cowboys
Series:  Lights, Camera, Christmas! prequel
Author:  Macie St. James
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  October 25, 2022
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 stars

Candy Canes & Cowboys is included in the multi-author release of the Christmas Wishes & Cowboy Kisses anthology.  But… it’s also the prequel or starter novella for the series, Lights, Camera, Christmas! where Poppy and Christian are already an established couple.  I’ve read the first story in that series, and I’ll definitely be back for more as they release.

Poppy is on the hunt for the perfect Christmas movie location, and she’s not so sure that this place would qualify on even a good day.  But, camera in hand she’s about to see if there’s any magic to be found here.  What she didn’t expect was for the owner to show up and make such a personal impact on her.  Enough so that she’s overlooking the faded parts of the ranch and beginning to see the possibilities with just a little hard work.

Snowy Canyon Ranch has been in Christian’s family for a long time.  And although he might co-own the property with his two brothers, they don’t have the least interest in running a ranch… and the wolves are at the door as far as the bank is concerned.  He has good family memories here, and it’s at this ranch where he and his wife shared their first years of married bliss… which ended with her death and him becoming somewhat of a hermit.  He’s about ready to let the bank take the ranch even though it’s breaking his heart when Poppy shows up with her… possibilities, and add that to the attraction he immediately feels, well, perhaps there is another happy ending for Christian after all.

I loved Poppy and Christian and adored this small town far off the beaten track and its unique residents.  While Candy Canes & Cowboys is a quick read it certainly captured my emotions as Christian’s past and his possible future with Poppy are revealed (and sets up the series very well).

If you love a sweet, engaging Romance with likable characters and small-town living… plus the introduction to a new series, then you’re going to love this one.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or author’s team via Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own -good, bad, or indifferent.*

Available for the Kindle as this anthology (including this review title) is currently also in KU