Dinca’s review of A Thunder Canyon Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Special Edition 16 Nov 10
This book has it all. RaeAnne Thayne does a wonderful job of including the town gossip, the want and need of two people finding their way, and the family disasters that keep piling up on Elise Clifton.
Is she or isn’t she? Elise Clifton, that is. Hiding from her family at a dinner party, Elise tries to hook up with her girlfriend at the local watering hole. She is into her second margarita by the time her friend calls and cancels. Not wanting to go home yet and face the new family gossip, mainly the topic of her being switched at birth with Erin Castro, who is having dinner with her parents — er, supposed parents — now you see why I couldn’t put it down? Back to the bar — a guy two bar stools over moves next to her.
Just when she is ready to tell him to go away, Matt Cates walks through the door. Not wanting him to see her, she uses the stranger’s body to hide, but he reacts the wrong way, thinking Elise is flirting. When she tries to get away from him, Matt comes to her rescue again. He’s always been there for her, his “little Elise,” always picking her up, dusting her off, and keeping the bullies away. A bar fight breaks out, which results in Matt taking her home– to his home, since she still doesn’t want to go to her own home where the switched sister is visiting.
Matthew “Matt” Cates zeroes in on Elise the moment he walks into the bar. He always has, ever since grade school. Even though they were the same age, she’s petite and some of the kids would pick on her, and he hates bullies. Then Elise moved away when she was sixteen, after her father was murdered. Now seeing her again for the first time after 10 years brings back all his protective instincts, especially with her sitting next to Jake Halloran. When Matt finds her in the hallway trying to avoid Jake’s kiss, the only option, in Matt’s mind, is to leave with him, which Jake objects to.
So Matt takes her home to feed her and sober her up before taking her to her place. After a much sought-after kiss, he’s a perfect gentleman. They talk and she cries about the latest town gossip, which is the hospital baby switch and her parents’ real daughter wanting to get to know her mother and brother. Falling asleep together after some talking and crying, Elise doesn’t make it home until next morning.
Elise finds out Matt has a girlfriend, which only adds to his bad boy reputation. With all the turmoil in her life, she backs off, not wanting to fuel the gossip mill with herself in the headlines again. But little good it does to try not to fall in love with Matt when she’s never fallen out of love with him in the first place.
Matt sees his future lies in Elise and is determined to be patient while she deals with her birth family and the switched Erin Castro. With his support and understanding, hopefully she can see her way clear to have room in her heart for him.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It is a pleasant break from all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas rush. I had just wrapped a bunch of presents and sat down to rest, and I ended up reading it straight through. It is a good thing my husband is self-feeding, because I didn’t put the book down until well after dinner. I finished the last chapter with a smile on my face and glad that I too have a Matthew Cates in my life.
Grade: A
Summary:
Elise Clifton is back in Thunder Canyon for a family reunion—with her newly discovered parents. Now rumors are flying about the woman behind the town’s hottest story and Matt Cates—the tall, dark, gorgeous cowboy who’s making Elise long to turn the past into a future…with him.
Ever since he came home to Montana, Matt’s been trying to live down his wild playboy reputation. And the moment he sees the petite blonde again, he doesn’t have eyes for anyone else. Will Matt’s love for Elise become the town’s next big headline? Stay tuned, faithful readers, to see if Thunder Canyon’s most honorable cowboy can persuade Elise to tie the knot with him and turn this Christmas into a true season for giving!
Read an excerpt.
Other books in the series:
