Review: Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller

Title: Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller
The Brides of Bliss County Series Book Four
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 272 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

No one does the holidays like Linda Lael Miller, whose Christmas novels have warmed the hearts of millions of readers the world over! 

Charlotte Morgan grew up in Mustang Creek, Wyoming, and couldn’t wait to escape to the big city. But life in New York isn’t as fabulous as she’d like to admit—she’s lonely, doing a job she doesn’t love and dating too many frogs she meets online.

There was one potential prince, though—Jaxon Locke, a veterinarian with definite possibilities—but his move to Idaho to fill in at his dad’s vet practice ended things just as they were getting interesting. What Charlotte doesn’t know is that he misses her, more than he expected…

Meanwhile, Charlotte’s great-aunt Geneva—the woman who raised her—needs to enter an assisted-living facility. So, just before Christmas, Charlotte moves back home. When Jax catches wind of her move back West, he’s determined to get to Wyoming and do whatever it takes to win her back.

Christmas in Mustang Creek is a magical time in a magical place, not least because of a mysterious visitor named Mrs. Klozz. She knows that love is the greatest gift of all, and she’s ready to help out Santa by giving these two a push in the right direction!

Review:

Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller is a marvelous addition to The Brides of Bliss County series. This sweet romance takes place a few days before Christmas and it is a light-hearted and easy to read novel that old and new fans of the series are going to love.

Charlotte Morgan grew up in Mustang Creek but after college, her career in advertising led her to a dream job in New York. She loves the fast pace and vibrant atmosphere of big city living but when her aunt’s health begins failing and she loses her job right before Christmas, she knows it is time to return to her small hometown. As soon she arrives in town, Charlotte immediately crosses paths with Jaxon Locke, the veterinarian she dated while living in New York. She and Jaxon split up a year earlier when he returned to Idaho to take care of his father after he had a heart attack.  Is it just a coincidence that Jaxon is moving to Mustang Creek just as Charlotte returns to town? Or is a little holiday magic responsible for their unexpected reunion?

Charlotte and Jaxon cared deeply for one another, but while Charlotte loved living in the big city, Jaxon longed to return to the wide open spaces back West. He never stopped caring for Charlotte so after his father returned to work, Jaxon eagerly accepted a job offer to join a vet practice in Mustang Creek. He was even more thrilled to discover that Charlotte was returning home and he is cautiously optimistic they can resume their relationship.

Charlotte returns to Mustang Creek with no clear plan for her future. She loves her career but she is torn between staying close to her beloved Aunt Geneva and moving to another large city where she can put her skills to use. She is stunned to discover that Jaxon is planning to settle in her hometown, but she still sees no way around their conflicting dreams. With a little help from the mysterious Mrs. Klozz, Aunt Geneva and a surprising business idea, Jaxon eagerly begins trying to convince Charlotte to give their relationship a second chance.

Christmas in Mustang Creek is another low key, blissfully angst-free romance from fan favorite Linda Lael Miller. As always, the characters are quite appealing, delightfully engaging and beautifully developed. The holiday season is the perfect backdrop for the renewed relationship between Jaxon and Charlotte and their romance is quite heartwarming. Mustang Creek is still the same warm and inviting town and the addition of Mrs. Klozz to the cast of well-meaning and caring townspeople adds a bit of whimsy to the storyline. Although it is the fourth installment in The Brides of Bliss County series, it can be read as a standalone.