MERRY CHRISTMAS COWBOY

MERRY CHRISTMAS COWBOY                JANET DAILEY
Posted: Oct. 6, 2013

  A Colorado Christmas To Remember

On the Denver streets, officer Paula Lewis is as tough as she needs to be. But away from skyscrapers and suspects, Paula gives back to the community she loves. This holiday season she's moonlighting at the Christmas House, a turn-of-the-century mansion transformed into a festive wonderland to delight local children thanks to volunteers like Paula--and Zach Bennett.

Zach left his family's Colorado ranch to sign on as a carpenter at the Christmas House. Freewheeling Zach hopes to make this holiday the merriest yet--from coaxing Paula onto the bunny slopes to filling in as a last-minute Santa. And as she and Zach are drawn together to keep one young boy out of harm's way, Paula realizes that the best gifts are second chances, happy endings, and the kind of love that makes every day warm and bright. . .

MY REVIEW:

Merry Christmas Cowboy Paula Lewis and Zachary Bennett met originally when Paula a police officer stopped behind him in a parking lot because the street he turned down was a street that was closed to the public and the sign blew down. The second time they meet it is at the Christmas House to benefit Denver area charitable programs.  They are both there volunteering their time.  She is there as their main security for insurances purposes and he is there to help his friend who was making the sign for the home.  Then he stays on to carpentry work.  Edith the elderly lady who talked her into doing this is also playing match maker to both of them.  At the same time they are helping Edith with her grandson Brandon.

     Brandon seems to be running with the wrong crowd.  At first Zach does not care for him.  Paula on the other hand has always been there for him like a big sister after nabbing him on a few minor law infractions.  Part way through this story Zach takes up for him and Paula starts to question what Brandon is up to.  They just know they both want to help out Edith and Brandon.

     Paula and Zach are running from each other or is it that they are running from their feelings.  Or is Zach hiding something.  Paula wants to like him but on the first day Zach drops a picture of a woman out of his wallet that Paula hands back to him.  So she starts to wonder if he is attached and therefore she is too worried about losing her heart to want to chance getting hurt. She has no one but herself and her job, he has a family back home on his ranch.  When she wants to risk it all with him he starts to go forward and then he says no she is not ready.  Which makes her worry all the more that she was right all along about the picture. 

     This story was good but I felt like I was but not great.  I would have only given it a 3 ½ stars though.  I felt like it was missing its emotional connection between the couple for a romance.  Was missing that spark because they were chasing each other than not I just felt cheated at the end.