A review by roksyreads
Bouquets & Buckles by Elliott Rose

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Syklar’s Christmas surprise for her boyfriend in her home town of Crimson Ridge ends in discovering his betrayal. Stranded with a flat tyre and with a snowstorm approaching, she tries to call her best friend for help, but blinded by heartbreak and haste, she doesn’t realise she’s accidentally called her best friend’s father—her life-long cowboy crush—until it’s too late. A year since Lucas Rhodes drove her home from a New Year’s Eve party alone, they’re about to be snowed in together on his ranch. Skylar doesn’t know how she’ll resist her every teenage fantasy, especially when he’s looking at her like he’s fighting the same desires.

As I’ve delved deeper into my romance era this year, I’ve discovered that I love age gap forbidden romances and Elliot Rose is proving to be a master of these themes/tropes through her Crimson Ridge series (see MMCs Colton Wild and Stôrmand Lane—IYKYK 👀). Bouquets & Buckles is Christmas themed interconnected standalone novella from the series that was first featured in the anthology Saddles & Sweethearts. After enjoying the first Crimson Ridge novel, Chasing the Wild, I was eager for another taste of Rose’s gruff, rugged cowboys, and happily devoured this story featuring FMC Skylar and her best friend’s dad, MMC Lucas. Brimming with tension, angst, mutual pining, breathtaking spice, and the sweetest HEA, this story lived up to all my hopes during my first read and I loved it just as much the second time around. If you’re looking for a spicy, Christmas themed read this December (or you’re a spicy romance fan in general!), this one should absolutely be on your radar.