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The Official Blurb
“Christmastime in Gold Valley, Oregon, means hot chocolate, snowy nights and one very sexy cowboy holiday surpriseβ¦
Thereβs only one thing Chloe Nolan wants for Christmas this yearβand he wears a cowboy hat and is completely off-limits. When her mom married into the Reid family, Chloe found her calling, working with horses on the ranch. How could she risk that newfound stability by revealing her crush on her stepbrother, Tanner? But when Chloe and Tanner get snowed in on their way to a family gathering, itβs just the chance to extinguish the flame thatβs been burning for too long. One night. One wish. One bedβ¦
Sheβs the woman Tannerβs always wantedβand vowed heβd never touch. Yet when Chloe reveals her secret wish, all those years of pent-up longing erupt with life-changing force. Now itβs Tannerβs turn to take a risk, and turn one magical Christmas night into the beginning of forever⦔
Snowed In with the CowboyΒ by Maisey Yates
Genre: Contemporary Cowboy Romance
Spice Level: πΆοΈ JalapeΓ±o
Published: 2018
Welcome to Gold Valley, Oregon β Where the Cowboys Are Hot and the Family Trees Are β¦ Complicated
If youβve ever wanted to cozy up with a snowbound cowboy romance that skates the thin, icy line of taboo, Maisey Yatesβs Snowed In with the Cowboy might be the holiday read you didnβt know you were conflicted about.
Letβs just rip the Band-Aid off: this is a romance between step-siblings. Chloe Nolan and Tanner Reid aren’t blood-related but their family ties definitely make things awkward β and a little eyebrow-raising. Think: Hallmark setting, HBO content, and a plot twist that says, βsurprise, we grew up together … and now weβre snowed in with only one bed.β
The Setup:
Chloe, 25, works with horses on the family ranch. Sheβs independent, passionate, and — oh yeah — been secretly lusting after her much older stepbrother Tanner since she was 12. Tanner, a classic cowboy type whoβs been pining for Chloe since she turned 18, is equal parts rugged, broody, and inappropriate fantasy fuel.
Due to an ill-timed snowstorm and some extremely convenient plotting by the author, Chloe and Tanner find themselves stranded overnight in a small-town lodge. With β you guessed it β one room with one bed. Cue the snowball fight, burgers and fries, hot chocolate … and spicy confessions.
Chloe lays it all out: she wants one night of no-strings-attached sex. Tannerβs response? βYouβre my darkest fantasy.β And they have a night of intimate interludes. Chloe, a virgin, manages to climax through oral and intercourse on the first try β which, okay, I guess miracles really do happen at Christmas.
The Conflict:
The next day, they pretend nothing happened. But they definitely bang again. And, surprise!, Tanner catches feelings. (Or maybe heβs just been hiding them this whole time. It’s unclear … but emotions are high and the sexual tension remains jalapeΓ±o-hot.)
Chloe isnβt so sure. Sheβs worried about what a relationship could mean for her family ties, her job on the ranch, and, letβs be real, the general weirdness of dating her stepbrother. But they talk. Like, actually communicate β which, to be fair, is a refreshing rarity in romance land.
With some surprisingly supportive family advice (especially from Chloeβs mom), the couple decides to give it a shot. And yes, thereβs a Christmas Day proposal. Because nothing says “family holiday” like a ring from your stepbrother.
Things I Liked:
- The pacing! Fast and satisfying — perfect for a snow day read.
- Dialogue: Maisey Yates really knows how to make characters talk like actual people.
- Communication: Chloe and Tanner talk through their issues, which is more than I can say for half the romance genre.
- Condom use. Cheers to safe sex in fiction!
Things I Struggled With:
- The step-sibling relationship. No blood relation, sure β but cultural taboos arenβt so easily shaken off. (I think my podcast co-host was more freaked out about this than I was, though.)
- Virgin Sex Climaxing Magic. Chloe experiences perfect orgasms with every single one of her first intimate encounters. I mean, girl, good for you β¦ but I remain skeptical.
- The βDarkest Fantasyβ Line. I don’t like to kink shame … but …
Final Thoughts:
Would I read more Maisey Yates? Yes! But maybe Iβll stick to her cowboy romances without the complicated family web. I loved the Oregon setting (who knew it had cowboys?), the snowed-in setup, and the message that love is active. That part? I believe in 100%.
Would I Recommend It?
Depends. If youβre into spicy cowboy romances and can look past the step-sibling dynamic, youβll probably enjoy it. But if thatβs a hard limit for you β this ainβt your rodeo.
If you want to hear more of my thoughts on the book, you can listen to the podcast episode on your favorite podcast streaming service. Or click here for our in-house podcast player. I share my Romantic Reminder gleaned from the book. You can also find out if I won the episode Boobie Prize. Want to read the book for yourself? You can get it here:
Have you read Snowed in with the Cowboy? Let me know your thoughts on this book in the comments!
