REVIEW: Rocky Mountain Miracle by Christine Feehan

In Rocky Mountain Miracle by Christine Feehan, Cole Steele never thought he’d step foot on his father’s ranch ever again. He had escaped his disastrous childhood and had become his own man, doing things his own way. So when Cole is called back to Wyoming after his father’s death and finds out he has a half brother, Jase, he’s never met before, things get complicated. He’s given guardianship of the fourteen year old amidst rumors in town of his supposed hard lifestyle. Cole is at his wit’s end trying to do the right thing when veterinarian Maia Armstrong enters the picture. He’s immediately drawn to her like no one before but she resists his charms. So when a mishap on the ranch brings her to his home, he doesn’t know if he will ever be able to let her leave his house…or his heart again.

“You’re dangerous.” Her voice came out in a whisper. An ache.
“I thought I was, but I’ve changed my mind.” His lips brushed a second time over hers. Teasing. A caress that wasn’t quite a caress. “I’ve decided you’re the dangerous one. I tell myself to stay away from you, but I just can’t seem to do it.”

Traveling vet Maia Armstrong has always had an affinity for animals. She also has the ability to feel their pain and their thoughts, not that she would admit that to anyone. Again. She knows rumors abound about her amazing healing abilities, which is why she doesn’t stay anywhere for very long. It’s in a small ranching town that she notices bad boy Cole Steele. Word in the area says that he’s to blame for his father’s death and is too dangerous to be around his half brother Jase. But Maia knows how to read people. The only thing she sees in Cole is pain. She knows she should turn and run as fast as she can from the drama surrounding the Steele brothers. But the healer, and woman, in her tells her she may be their only hope.

‘Cole Steele was a lost man fighting desperately for his younger half brother. She swallowed the lump threatening to choke her. Who was going to save Cole?’

Rocky Mountain Miracle had just what I was looking for in a Christmas novella with a unique twist: bits of humor, a dark and broody alpha male, a mystery to solve, a take charge, caring heroine, and a hint of paranormal. Doesn’t get much better than that.

I will caution you that if you are looking for a happy, light romance, this one might not be your cup of tea. Author Christine Feehan instead has given us a deep, sometimes dark, story of two half brothers dealing with the horrors of their past while trying to learn to live a somewhat normal life. I loved that veterinarian Maia came into their lives at just the right time to not only show them how to be there for each other, but how to celebrate the joys in life, leaving behind the dismal days previously spent on the ranch.

Cole was such an enigmatic character at first. But as the novella progressed, I thought it became clear why he held back emotionally and let people believe whatever they were going to think about him and his family’s history. I really love it when a character like Cole, who had been through hell as a child, redeems themselves and does the right thing when the odds are stacked against them. I can’t help but cheer them on and hope everything works out for them. That’s exactly what I did the whole time I read this story. I cheered on not only Cole’s new-found relationship with Jase, but Cole’s burgeoning romance with Maia.

Speaking of Maia, she was an interesting character. She was a healer, and being a vet, she knew the signs of something or someone in need. But Maia had the amazing ability as an empath of sorts to be able to communicate with animals. I thought that connection she had with the various animals in the storyline was pretty magical and made it that much more intense. Maia turned out to be very good at reading people as well, which came in handy as she helped Jase and Cole through the holidays. The chemistry between she and Cole was something that may have been instantaneous, but I like that their romance was a slow burn. It felt realistic with their situation and I could appreciate their time together more knowing that they had learned about each other before taking it too far.

If you’re looking for something a little bit different this holiday season, maybe a romance with a touch of paranormal to it, I think you’ll find that Rocky Mountain Miracle will do quite nicely.

Book Info:

Published November 17th 2014 by Pocket Star

No Christmas will ever be the same after Cole and Maia meet on a snowy western ranch… Find out why in #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan’s romantic holiday e-novella!

When Cole Steele, a womanizer rumored to have killed his father, meets Maia Armstrong, a veterinarian rumored to practice magic, the sizzling romance could melt all the snow on his Wyoming ranch. And when an injured horse brings them together, Cole can’t help but believe that Maia casts spells on animals—and men. What else could explain the burning passion he feels for her and the thawing of his heart just in time for Christmas?