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Gift-Giving Cowboy
by
Vicki Lewis Thompson
western romance in a Kindle edition that was published by Ocean Dance Press LLC on November 5, 2021 and has 249 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include \Werewolf in Manhattan, Werewolf in the North Woods, A Last Chance Christmas, Rolling Like Thunder, Should've Been a Cowboy, Cowboys Like Us, Notorious, Sweet-Talking Cowboy, What a Cowboy Wants
Tenth in The Buckskin Brotherhood western romance series and revolving around a brotherhood of cowboys brought together by Charley and Henri Fox in Apple Grove, Montana. The couple focus is on Penelope Marston and Skyler McLintock.
Gift-Giving Cowboy segues into the Rowdy Ranch series.
My Take
If you want a sweet story that will make you feel good, this is it, a story in which people build their own family with so many of them having endured horrible childhoods and neglectful or abusive parents. That said, there is very little real conflict or drama except for what’s between Henri and Desiree.
”’Penny, you’re staring.’
’Can’t help it. The towel’s moving. . . I’m moving it with my mind. I never could bend a spoon, but I’m moving that towel.’”
Thompson uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Penny’s and Sky’s perspectives. It makes sense, as it is, technically, all about them, even if they are a vehicle to promote love and family.
The major conflict is Desiree and Sky meeting Henri with the truth about Sky. Minor conflicts include Penelope and Sky’s romance and the conflict it creates with the Brotherhood, including their plans to chaperon Penny!
All the characters are sweet and some are rather racy. Heck, check out Desiree who was never married and loves life. She is so supportive of her children and appears to have taught them well.
Westerns have definitely influenced Desiree from John Wayne to Clint Eastwood to Louis L’Amour and more. That bit Sky relates about how Desiree loved being pregnant and her joy in writing was a hoot.
Thompson does make a seeming misstep when she suggests that Sky is the true heir to the ranch. Conflict appears inevitable, but it’s a series of surprises from Henri’s true anger to Sky’s indecision over meeting his father.
The Brotherhood came into being in honor of Charley, and he does sound like a treat; I really should read all of the books just to enjoy his character. I know I want to continue on and read the Rowdy Ranch just because I’m loving Desiree’s character.
Penelope sure knows what she wants, and she’s not shy about going after it. I wish I’d been as brave as she, in going after those lady pleasers, lol.
There are a lot of back history truths we learn, all of which have a lesson attached. I also love that underlying theme of loyalty and honor. It seems to be a rarity in our own world.
The action revolves around Henri’s reactions to Sky (and his mom), the Brotherhood as they celebrate their lives and loves, and more intimately, Sky’s and Penny’s interactions. Even the horses are sweet . . . sigh. Yep, I’m one of those females who loved the horses. Still do.
It’s a combination of remembrances and regrets as well as a display of the power of women, lol. Yeah, it also shows that men still expect the women to give up their lives for theirs.
The Story
It’s a shock to learn that Charley had a son. He’d have loved him so much. And it’s too much for Henri to learn about Skyler now, now that Charley will never get to know him.
It’s a bargain Henri wrangles, that Sky spend Christmas with her and the Buckskin Brotherhood.
It’s a sad state, that Skyler had the best father ever and never knew him.
The Characters
Dr Penelope Marston is a professor who teaches American lLiterature with a specialty in the Western genre at UCLA. Barry, Penelope’s mentor, is the jerk of an ex-fiancé.
The Buckskin Ranch is . . .
. . . owned by Charley Fox’s widow, Henri Fox. Recently, Henri married Ben Malone, Charley’s best friend and the owner of the Choosy Moose. The Brotherhood are the cowboys Charley and Henri took in as family and include Leo, Penny’s older brother (the one who’d been the rising child star) who’s married to Fiona (Secret-Santa Cowboy, 6); Jake Lassiter (he was married to Millie in Big-Hearted Cowboy, 2), but he works at Raptors Rise these days even if he is the unofficial co-captain of the Brotherhood; the musical CJ is married to Isabel (Baby-Daddy Cowboy, #3) — their little girl, Cleo Marie, is having a birthday party complete with Handsome Sam; Zeke is Jake’s little brother with a young daughter, Claire (he hooked up with Nell in Single-Dad Cowboy, 8); Nick (he’s living with Eva, a stylist and co-owner at Très Beau from True-Blue Cowboy, #4); Rafe who’s married to Kate (Strong-Willed Cowboy, 5); Matt, the other captain who married Lucy, who has become an excellent barrel racer (Sweet-Talking Cowboy, 1); and, Garrett is married to Anna who has a young son, Georgie (Stand-Up Cowboy, 7).
The ranch specializes in buckskins and the prime pair are King and Prince, Charley’s and Henri’s horses. Lucky Ducky is a gelding Georgie loves. Cinnamon is Claire’s buckskin.
Skyler McLintock is the oldest of ten kids. His siblings include Beau who’s in love with Jessica; Clint and Cheyenne are twins; Marsh; Rance is the youngest brother; Angelique is their only sister and the youngest. Their mother was Doris Ann Miller, then Desiree Annabel McLintock, a.k.a. MR Morrison, and she’s written 50 westerns. With the earnings from her books, she bought the Rowdy Ranch. Buck and Mary Beth Weaver run the ranch. I think Wagon Train is the name of the town. The Fluffy Buffalo is their town’s watering hole.
The Babes on Buckskins are . . .
. . . older ladies who barrel race . . . or used to. Edna “Ed” Jane Vidal is their leader, who “loved getting married but” had “a devil of a time staying married”. Teague works for Ed on her ranch and is engaged to Val (Marriage-Minded Cowboy, 9). Other Babes include Josette, who co-owns Très Beau with Eva; Red; Peggy; and, Pam.
Apple Grove, Montana, is . . .
. . . a small town. The Choosy Moose is the town watering hole where Joey is a waiter and Ezra is a terrific cook. Other businesses include the Apple Grove Gazette; the Apple Barrel; Logan’s Leather; Racy Lace; the Apple Grove Hotel, which hasn’t changed much (and Desiree never could justify staying there) and where Rusty is the fancy booted bellhop; and, Jeans Junction.
The Cover and Title
The snowy background with the be-wreathed red barn makes sense, for it is Christmas. In the forefront is Skyler wearing his black cowboy hat and waterproof jacket, taking up the top half of the cover. In the bottom half, a white background provides contrast for the burgundy title with a wreath for the “o” in it. Beneath that is the series information in green bracketed by green rowels. The author’s name is below that in an engraved gold with black outlines. Below that is an info blurb in green.
The title is all about Skyler, for he is a Gift-Giving Cowboy.
