Their Texas Christmas Gift (Lockharts Lost & Found # 5) by Cathy Gillen Thacker is a cute 
Christmas/Marriage of convenience story. Faith is a widowed woman about to adopt 5-month-old Quinn when Zach, the child’s biological father, appears out of nowhere, claiming his paternity. They come to an agreement for the baby’s sake because he’s a navy SEAL and will be deployed in the future for indefinite periods of time. However, the judge in charge of little Quinn’s case rejects the idea so, in order to remove their kid from the foster care system, they decide to marry. What they both doesn’t know is that this “strategy” will affect them more than they expected…
Zach, despite his somewhat unstable childhood (his parents divorced when he was a child due to the long absences of Zach’s father, a SEAL just like him), is the man every girl wishes she had. Tall, handsome, sexy, with a high sense of duty that doesn’t shy away from responsibilities. And Faith admires all those virtues, but she’s afraid of being carried away by their mutual attraction.
“That’s life, right?” She pulled herself together
and moved away. “Bad stuff happens to everyone. It’s just a matter of which bad stuff, when.”
As the widow of a former military man, her first marriage attempt was not her best, leaving her with several emotional scars to the point she tends to make comparisons between her deceased husband and Zach. To this, add the strong feelings of guilt she carries inside since she was a child (Faith is an orphan and was adopted by the Lockharts), which makes her want to make everyone around her happy, forgetting her own happiness most of the time. Although the chemistry between Zach and Faith is there, the truth here is there are times when the balance tips more to one side and it seems that one of them is more involved than the other. The time factor and how quickly everything happens between the couple (just a few weeks) brings more disparity.
Fortunately, some supporting characters and their stories complement the main story. Also, most of them turn out to be very picturesque. Since Faith works in a nursing home, the contrasting personalities of the residents are effective for the story, and some scenes are hilarious for this reason. The small-town-where-EVERYTHING-is-known factor contributes positively to the plot.
With a light and fast reading, good writing that doesn’t lean into melodramas, believable scenes, tender moments, and a HEA ending —beautiful epilogue included— the fifth installment of Lockharts Lost & Found series is a great choice to read during this Christmas season.
Book Info:
Publication: November 30th, 2021 | Harlequin Special Edition | Lockharts Lost & Found #5
Can two strangers…
Become family this Christmas?
Widow Faith Lockhart Hewitt is getting the ultimate Christmas gift in adopting a baby boy. But when the baby’s father, navy SEAL Lieutenant Zach Callahan, shows up, a marriage of convenience gives Faith a son and a husband!
As the holidays approach, Faith and Zach are drawn closer together. But she’s already lost one husband and her second is about to be deployed. Can raising their son show them love is the only thing that matters?
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Lockharts Lost & Found
Book 1: His Plan for the Quintuplets
Book 2: Four Christmas Matchmakers
Book 3: The Twin Proposal
Book 4: Their Texas Triplets
Book 5: Their Texas Christmas Gift
