Like I said in a earlier review, I have this thing about Cowboys and Christmas. Sigh.. So when I saw this cover and title on Netgalley I requested it almost immediately. When I got approved I put everything aside and started reading.. Well.. that’s not possible with a baby girl but I did try.. And I started reading whenever I could.

In ‘A Marvell Country Christmas’ Murphy Anderson returns home to the ranch her father left her after he died. Murphy doesn’t have many good memories about the place, and it’s almost Christmas, so she tries to make the best of it. When her old teenage crush and neighbor Cody Marvell stops by all Murphy wants to do is run. But there are things that have to be done, and Cody is still handsome as ever. When the weather gets worse, Murphy needs help and the only one she can think of to help her is Cody.

‘A Marvell Country Christmas’ was a nice relaxing read. I enjoyed reading about Murphy’s character, but especially in the beginning I also found her quiet confusing. She is mad about stuff that I didn’t get at all. True, she had a bad childhood because of her father who couldn’t show emotions.. but to blame so much on a teenage Cody. I didn’t really get it. But thankfully it didn’t matter that much, because overall this was an easy fun Christmas read. My favorite character was definitely Cody. He was just fun! And sweet.. and made me wonder if there really is a guy like him in the world?

What I loved most about this Christmas read, was how the characters made ‘Christmas’ from scratch. They ended up together and didn’t have any Christmas stuff planned. But they made Christmas cookies and decorated a tree. It was fun to read about and I definitely shows us the true meaning of Christmas.. Nothing fancy is needed, just love and faith. I loved that.

What this book definitely did was make me want to read more books in the series. Throughout this book you get some hints about possible future main characters and I definitely would like to read there story.

Overall ‘A Marvell Country Christmas’ was a nice comfy read.

I loved this book, the characters were so real and likeabe and it was so neat to read how they saw each other when they were in their teens and how it all changed when she came back to clean up and sell her childhood home and how many dark memories it held for her.
When her Ranch was flooded and her car unusable she had to call on Cody to come rescue her,and it’s Christmas time, and it got me in the mood to start doing some Christmas stuff but it’s just to early.
There are some heart touching moments, it is just such good reading it really has me eager for the next book in the series.

I adore the way Jeannie Watt's writes about Montana in her books in your mind's eye it makes you feel like you are there. The story of Cody Marvell and Murphy Anderson is a beautiful - Christmas Miracle love story. I have enjoyed all of her books that I have read and I'm sure if you love all things Christmas and reading you will enjoy this book as well - definitely a five-star book.

This is a fun holiday romance about Murphy Anderson and Cody Marvell who were neighbors when they were younger. Cody was the rich boy who lived at the ranch next to Murphy. Murphy and her father struggled to survive and often ended up working at Marvell Ranch to make ends meet. Murphy secretly had a crush on Cody, but he never seemed to notice her. When Murphy’s father passes away and leaves the house to her, she plans to spend her Christmas holiday cleaning everything up and getting it ready to sell. But, when the river rises and threatens Murphy’s safety, the only person she can call for help is Cody. They spend Christmas together at Marvell Ranch and get to know each other better. Could it be holiday magic that breaks down the walls between them and leads them to each other’s arms?

I really enjoyed Murphy and Cody’s story. They were both tough people and set in their ways. But once they got to know each other, things quickly changed. The story was very believable and easy to follow. This is an all-around good book with a lot of Christmas spirit.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet cowboy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

After reading Shane's book (The Cowboy's Last Rodeo), I found myself eager to read more about the Marvell brothers. A Marvell Country Christmas certainly opened up this new series with a bang! As a Christmas story, it has some extra weight and expectations too.

Despite the fact that Cody was the last of the brothers in terms of my interest, it feels right to start with him. He's light and easy (in some ways) as opposed to to his older brother. I liked Cody and his gentle peacemaker ways and how he wanted things to be good for others, even while he worried about whether he was capable of a good relationship. He clearly tries to make Christmas memorable, falling in love with Murphy but also with hope.

Murphy was harder for me, but I so understood where she was coming from. Her character arc hit home in some ways. It's hard to look back and re-evaluate things you were certain about and realize you were totally wrong in your assumptions. And that's exactly what Murphy has to do. It's a rough emotional road she has to walk, but walk it she does. Talk about courage.

A Marvell Country Christmas is a sweet story mixed with some difficult emotions. Overall, it's a pleasure to read and really opens this new series well. I'm even excited to read some potential stories (of non-Marvell brothers) that may have been hinted at here.

Bring on the rest of the brothers!

A Marvell Country Christmas is a sweet romance that is the perfect book to read this season. I look forward to reading more of the Marvell Ranch series. The characters have issues from their past that make it hard to risk their heart for a chance at love. Jeannie Watt writes a good easy read. I look forward to reading more of her books.

A quote:
This was not the time to tell Murphy that what he had experienced with her didn’t feel like his other relationships. He couldn’t say what the difference was, but there was a difference. A sense of deep connection he’d been missing before. In some ways everything about Murphy was fresh and new and in others, he felt like he’d known her for a century. (Jeannie Watt, loc. 1752, quote from ARC)
A story about difficult childhoods (the heroine, Murphy) and golden ones (the hero, Cody), misconceptions and prejudices, and how a lovely romance can be written so compellingly with this material.
What a marvelous Beta hero Cody is, earnest, laid-back, steady and solid. His “quiet conviction” that Murphy is the one contrasts with him being completely oblivious, in the past, to the crush the girl next door had on him…
The way he falls for the girl he finds beautiful, his honesty and desire to please Murphy are really endearing.
I loved that there was no needless drama and how they overcame their issues.

So excited to see more of the Marvells as this book kicks off a brand new series featuring the family. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read the next.

In this book Murphy Anderson is returning home, something she never thought she would do. She plans on selling the family ranch as soon as possible and getting the heck out of there. Cody Marvell never understood why Murphy disliked him but he won't let that keep him from helping her when she needs it. The more time they spend together the more Cody wants her to see him differently. Will he get his Christmas wish?

I highly recommend this one.

Could tiring up loose ends and putting the past behind her bring Murphy a new Love?
Can she really forgive Cody?
Will her crush become her true love?

This was a sweet kind-of second chance romance between two people who crushed on each other from afar in high school. Murphy has come a long way from the motherless daughter of an emotionally distant and financially struggling rancher father but has built up emotional walls to avoid having to delve too deeply in either the past or the present. Cody too has walls he didn't even recognize. When circumstances throw them together for the holidays, there is a chance for those walls to crumble and something strong to rebuild. Murphy's fear of facing her emotions almost ends them but she realizes that not only does she love Cody deeply but she also is ready to take a leap out of her comfort zone in her career and the rest of her life. A quick and fun holiday read.

The first book in the Men of the Marvell Ranch series, A Marvell Country Christmas is a lovely, sweet romance. Cody and Murphy are wonderful character and the story is engaging. I will definitely be looking to read more by this author

I’m a sucker for holiday stories and Cowboys. This was a super cute story. I really enjoy the twist on the second chance romance.

I’m also super interested in Zack getting a story.

This was the first book I’ve read from the author. I got the feeling I read out of order just from brief mentions of other characters but it didn’t take away from the story. I’ll definitely be looking up more titles from this author

While, it may seem funny to read a Christmas inspired book in October, that is exactly what I did, and I sincerely enjoyed Murphy and Cody's story.

After her estranged father passes away, Murphy returns to her family's ranch after a decade away to clean it out before selling it. However, when she arrives, with her pup and tiny Christmas tree in hand, her house nearly floods and she must take up residence with a neighborhood she had feelings for during her teenage years, Cody Marvell.

The story focuses on their time spending the holidays together, the memories they share, the misunderstandings that existed between them when they were young, and ultimately how and if they choose to move forward in their relationship.

A fun, heartwarming read!

A great start to a new series Men of the Marvell Ranch.
A winterly Christmas story.
Likable characters that I look forward to reading more about.
A plot that pulls you in.
Jeannie Watt knows how to give you a story that you keep going back to see what will happen next.

A Marvell Country Christmas was a delightful holiday read about letting go of the past and finding the courage to work towards the future you want.

Murphy Anderson hated her childhood on her family’s ranch and now that she’s the last one left, her plan is to sell the ranch as soon as possible. But first she needs to get in there and clean it up, forcing her to face the memories she ran from ten years ago. When an unexpected flood makes the house uninhabitable, she’s invited to stay at the Marvell Ranch by Cody Marvell, her crush from high school. Cody has always had a way with people, but Murphy always seemed distant with him. Now with the two spending the holidays together, Cody hopes he’ll have a chance to set things right between them.

To put it mildly, Murphy had a horrible childhood with a mother who died when Murphy was six and a father that ignored her. Murphy’s father never had much money and as a result the Anderson ranch really suffered in Murphy’s youth, a fact made more obvious by the prosperous Marvell Ranch next door. Murphy kept a tight lid on her emotions until she moved away for college and was finally able to let go.

Cody is the middle of his brothers and as a result has always considered himself the peace maker of the family. He’s the one others can always rely on to be a good listener and the one to come up with the solution to any problem. Cody has always been a charmer with ladies and as a result he’s had a number of short term relationships, but nothing that ever sticks making him think he may be the problem.

Murphy and Cody’s relationship starts on shaky ground as Murphy still holds a grudge against Cody for buying her beloved horse from her father without her knowledge. Once Murphy learns Cody was unaware her father kept her out of the loop and that’s he’s truly sorry, she slowly forgives him. Murphy and Cody work well together while Murphy is staying at the Marvell Ranch and there’s an easiness between them that allows them to truly relax in a way they can’t do with others. The issues that come up between them never felt contrived and I truly bought into them as obstacles to the relationship. I liked the way Murphy and Cody managed to work through the problems and I think their relationship was stronger because of it.

A Marvell Country Christmas ended up being a really great read and I’m looking forward to reading more books from this author in the future.

Murphy Anderson takes advantage of the two week Christmas break to return home to her family ranch to go through her late father's belongings and ready the property for sale. It's the first time she's been home in a decade and she's not looking forwards to the inevitable memories of her bleak and austere childhood. She also isn't looking forwards to being so close to her childhood crush, the boy next door, Cody Marvell and the Marvell ranch which was everything the Anderson ranch was not. But when disaster strikes Murphy ends up spending Christmas with Cody at the Marvell ranch and discovers that not everything was what it seemed when she was younger.

I liked this but I didn't love it. About midway through the book I just had the feeling that Cody and Murphy had been decorating the tree and making mulled wine for page after page and nothing seemed to be going anywhere - often a problem when a novel is set in a short time period.

For those who pay attention to these things, the romance was practically fade-to-black, short and sweet.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is the first book in this series and I have fallen in love with the ranch and the characters and I cannot wait to see what brother is going to be in the next book. (Is hoping that Brandon gets a book too) This book is about Cody and Murphy. They have known each other since they were children but they were never really close. Murphy always held herself at a distance from people without even knowing that is what she was doing. Cody always thought that Murphy did not like him because of how she treated him. Now she is back and they are given a second chance. This book is about all about second chances with way more then just each other. I loved the characters, the story line and the ranch. I loved everything about it. It grabbed me from the very first page and it drew me in. This was such a sweet and romantic story with a little drama thrown in. I cannot wait to see what happens next at Marvell Ranch. Great read !! Thanks Net Galley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

I did not enjoy this book very much. There didn't seem to be much romantic tension between the two main characters and I found their dialog rather boring. I thought the premise sounded fun, but the execution just wasn't what I was looking for in a romance.

This is one cowboy Christmas story that gets under your skin with a tale of family, isolation, and loneliness. There’s both the sparks of chemistry and the warmth of a past connection that fly between Cody and Murphy. With attention holding dialog laced with wry banter, intelligence, and often times painful truths, the story moves rapidly revealing where misconceptions construed reality, altering potential relationships. As the misconceptions unfurled, revealing lost opportunities, the spark that finally ignited the fire between Cody and Murphy drove the rest of the story to the couple’s HEA.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.