A RANGER FOR CHRISTMAS starts briskly as the two rangers swap shop talk while driving. Vivian is an attractive fit redhead in her mid-thirties, while Sawyer is not quite thirty. They discuss previous parks and partners. Eventually, Vivian explains that she's got an ex and a daughter. The rangers really don't have much in common, other than work and the love of nature. And work romances are not approved of, as they can cause tensions. So there's no chance at all of a relationship in the short few weeks of Sawyer's stay. Anyway, they have more important things to do, like track down the creeps responsible for assault and robbery of a hiker.

We get to see a cattle ranch at Three Rivers, where Vivian's brother Blake lives, a big homey sprawling house and set of barns. By contrast, Sawyer stays with his grandmother, who lives modestly on the nearby reservation. I enjoyed seeing how these disparate families spend Christmas, a season which does awaken memories but also promises a fresh start.

A RANGER FOR CHRISTMAS is part of a series called 'Men of the West' and amazingly this is book number 40. Other series by Stella Bagwell include 'The Fortunes of Texas' and she has also had individual titles aplenty since the 1990s. This author clearly takes both her men and her women seriously and writes them modern, responsible roles while talking a look at the structure of extended families. I admire the culture contrast shown in Arizona, and I will be looking out for more of Stella Bagwell's works.

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