Wishing on a Christmas Cowboy by Sara Richardson: Book Review

Wishing on a Christmas Cowboy is the story of a pediatric nurse practitioner who comes to a small town in Wyoming to sell it before starting a new life in London. It’s the first book in the author’s new Star Valley series and I enjoyed it!

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From The Publisher:

Pediatric nurse Kyra Fowler is finally going to realize her dream. She’s got a job lined up at the most prestigious children’s hospital in London. There’s only one little snag—first she has to sell the Wyoming town she’s just inherited from her estranged father. After a little fixing up, the place should easily attract a buyer. Hopefully she’ll be celebrating the sale by New Year’s.

Ex-Navy SEAL Aiden Steele couldn’t save his brother-in-law on the battlefield, but he can save his sister’s ranch and give his nieces the life they deserve in the town they love. He’s not about to let some outsider make a mint selling to a ruthless developer. Operation Save Star Valley is foolproof: show Kyra the sights, let the Christmas spirit work its magic, and bam! She’ll decide not to sell and he can ensure his family is taken care of. Except as he tries to make Kyra fall in love with the town, Aiden starts falling for her.

My Thoughts:

There is a lot more going on in this story than one might glimpse from the synopsis. The protagonists are both trying to move on from things that happened in their past. The characters are well-developed and likeable as are the other members of the Star Valley community.

Kyra’s father has recently passed, leaving Kyra Star Valley the town he settled in once he divorced Kyra’s mother. When Kyra was a young teen, her father left her mother for her best friend’s mother and moved to Star Valley. In one blow, she’d lost both her father and her best friend.

Aiden’s story is one of PTSD and survivor’s guilt following the death of his brother-in-law who was part of his Navy Seal squad in Afghanistan. He and two of his squad-mates are determined to make the lives of Aiden’s sister and her two daughters as best as they can to make up for their loss.

Kyra’s father had a list of things he wanted her to complete before she decides to sell the town. As the only contractor in town, Aiden’s company accepts the job. The threat of Kyra selling to a big developer and ruining the charm of the small town has Aiden’s company moving very slowly in completing the work in hopes of having Kyra fall in love with the community and decide to stay.

I enjoyed the romance that begins between Kyra and Aiden and the way they support one another while coping with their losses. Aiden’s two nieces are absolutely charming and I enjoyed reading about them. There is a suggestion of a romance that may occur in the future and I’m really hoping that this couple will be featured in the next book in the series.

I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy romance stories set in small towns.

What I Liked:

• The small town Wyoming setting
• The romance that develops between Kyra and Aiden
• The important discussion of reaching out for help with PTSD and grief.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for this honest review.

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