Home for Christmas: A Texas Story

Texas Series, Book 9

By: R.J. Scott

Narrated by: Sean Crisden

Can Connor show River a real family Christmas?

When Connor finds River on the roof of the campus admin building, he doesn’t know what to do. His friend is drunk and shouting into a snowstorm, a bottle of vodka in his hand. The easy part is getting River down; the hard part is insisting River comes home with Connor for Christmas.

River doesn’t have a family or any place outside of college that he calls home. Not that it matters to him; he’s happy being alone for Christmas in his budget motel, watching reruns of Elf. Only, Connor keeps telling wildly improbable stories of the perfect family celebrations at his parents’ ranch in Texas, and it’s wearing River down. He didn’t ask to be kidnapped. He didn’t want to fall in love with the entire Campbell-Hayes family. But he does.

From one Christmas to the next. This is Connor’s year to rescue River, and himself, for them both to mess things up, make things right, fall in lust, and finally, for Connor to show the man he loves what being part of a family can mean.

©2018 R.J. Scott (P)2019 R.J. Scott

Please LetThere be MORE!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Texas series, and this additional offering. I hope Ms. Scott will see fit to grace her following with yet another extension of the beautiful Campbell-Hayes progeny!!

Wow

Tbh this book is not well known, but it should be. I love how they portrayed the complex Character River. It’s too rare to have a Gay man with problems with mental health be as fleshes out. Overall the book is cute, funny, and heart warming. It feels like a series and I would pay anything to read a series based on the Camble-Haynes family.

The next chapter

It was many years ago that we first met the Campbell-Hayes family. We watched Jack and Riley fall in love and start their family and watched it grow, and grow. In Home for Christmas we follow the next generation; their son Conner.

Conner is studying at college and has been in love with his best friend River for ages. And after their very hot encounter during a Halloween party he had hopes it was the start of something more. Only River started to avoid him instead, culminating to finding him drunk and on the roof of a building in the middle of a snowstorm. Not daring to leave his friend alone, Connor drags River back to Texas with him to spend Christmas with his family.

For River spending time with the exuberant and loving Campbell-Hayes family is a blessing and a curse. He loves being part of a loving and welcoming family, but it also hammered home how utterly alone he was. How much he missed growing up, not having anywhere to call home.

I liked River and Conner together, they were sweet and cute and they’d danced around each other long before this book picked up, up on that roof. On the other hand I also felt like it was too easy. I mean there were issues that needed to be dealt with, things to say and work through. But I never felt like it was given much space. For the most part Conner didn’t even try to listen to River. Try to talk with him. And whenever there was a modicum of seriousness either it was interrupted by lust or a family member. So yeah, I can see them together, they just need more time to work through some stuff before they can really be something more.

Sean Crisden captured the characters just right. He captured Rivers longing for a family and place to belong, at the same time as being afraid of taking a leap and trust. But also the fear Conner had for River when he found him balancing on that ledge. He also made you feel the longing and attraction between them and the love the whole family shared. He brought this family and story alive and made you long for Christmas.

If you haven’t read any of the previous eight books in the series you could probably still listen to this book without much hassle. Sure you’ll miss out on some of the back-story but it’s not something that will leave you unable to follow the story. If you have read all the books, this will be a nice interlude to catch up with the family we’ve loved for so long.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

Awesome Holiday Romance & Series Addition

Audiobook Review November 2019:
Home for Christmas was a delightful treat last Christmas and it was the perfect way to kick off my holiday entertaining season this year. Not a lot I can add to the original review, as I said last year it is always a treat to visit the Double D and a look at the next generation is not only a treat but just pure joy. River's moments with Max were minor in the scheme of things but personally I found them to be endearing but also very telling to River's nature, his ability to let his mind "settle down" in a way he really hadn't upto that point shows that perhaps he's not as "broken" as he thinks he is. As I originally said last year, sometimes the land just has a way of letting a person breathe which then let's a person open themselves up to the people and possibilities around them. As for Sean Crisden's narration? There's really no surprise here that he brings life to the story in a way that makes you feel like you are watching the story play out right in front of you. Brilliant addition to my holiday library.

Original ebook Review December 2018:
Finding River drunk on the roof was the last thing Connor expected to see as he was preparing to head home to the Double D for the Christmas holiday but once he sees him in that state he can't just leave him. River doesn't want to spend the holiday with Connor's happy family but once he arrives in Texas will he open himself up to the welcoming environment of the Campbell-Hayes family and let the man in or will he return to Denver as soon as he can? Will Connor be able to show River that love is possible and that he's not just a charity case?

It's a new Texas story!!!! YAY!!!! EEEP!!!! HOLY HANNAH BATMAN!!!! and a thousand other catchphrases that express pure joy! Okay, I got that out now on to the story. 😉😉

When I heard we were going to be visiting the Double D again, my first thought: Jack and Riley! Yes, they are here as are many in the Double D universe and that alone makes this a winner. But Home for Christmas is so much more. The old familiars are there, the land, the horses, but this is Connor's journey. What is it about the Texas series that makes them so amazing? Is it the land, the Double D, the characters, the horses? It is all that put together and so much more than words can say. As a farmer's daughter I can attest to how the land has a way of giving a person(in this case River) a chance to relax, to just stop and breathe. As with so many in this series, River needs more than relaxing but being able to breathe, to take stock, to see what makes Connor Connor, also gives River a chance to see who is looking back at him in the mirror. Basically, the Double D may not be what River wants but at that point in his life, its what he needs and whether you believe in fate or not sometimes life knows exactly where we should be to keep our journey going.

Connor was always the quiet twin but he has definitely found his voice, and speaking as someone who has one of those talkative types in the house it can be frustrating, but there is just something about Connor that even though there are times you know River wants to stuff a huge Christmas bow in his mouth you also know that he finds it endearing. And just like Connor does, there are times you want to wrap River up in bubblewrap just to protect him from the world but also from himself. That's not to say River is a danger to himself physically but emotionally perhaps and you can't help but want to give him a never-ending bear hug. RJ Scott has always had a way of making her characters, who should by all appearances be angsty and over-the-top, real and ones that you could meet pumping gas or buying stamps, Connor and River are no different.

Home for Christmas may be Connor and River's journey of holidays, friendship, discovery, and love it is also the perfect addition to the Texas series. Seeing the Double D again is never a bad thing and getting a glimpse of the Campbell-Hayes family as they grow and age is a true holiday treat. For those asking "can I read Home without having read the others?" my answer is "Probably." My personal opinion however, is to read the series in order but as this is Connor and River's story it can be read without prior knowledge of the others but I personally feel the "little moments" just flow better knowing the family(and ranch)'s history.

New beginnings at Christmas

River has only had himself to rely on for many, many years. With the end of college around the bend can River open his heart and let go of the demons in his past. Connor, college friend and study buddy, finds River on the edge of his rope and decides to bring him home with him for the holidays. But will being around a true family be too much for River to handle? Or will this be just the thing that can open his future to finding happiness and true love? Emotions run high with wonderful characters you cannot help but fall in love with and once again Sean Crisden is the perfect narrator. One of the best Holiday books I have listened to this season. Once again RJ Scott does not disappoint.

More Texas? Yes, Please!

I loved it when I read it and even more when I listened to it.

It's been a year since I read Home for Christmas but it all came rushing back to me as I became absorbed in the wonderful voice of Sean Crisden while listening to the audiobook. He will always be the voice of Jack – no one else could ever do Jack's voice like he can. Of course, he does all of the other characters well, too – especially Connor and River. There isn't much else I can say other than, just as when I read the book last year, the tears fell when I listened to it. Sad tears and ultimately happy tears. ❤

Below is a copy of my original review from December 2018.

* * * * * * * *
Home for Christmas is RJ Scott's latest story in her wildly popular Texas series. If you follow this series at all you have to read this one. It's Connor's story – one of Jack and Riley's children and Lexi's twin. If you haven't read anything in this series Home for Christmas actually stands alone quite well. You maybe won't get the same tingly, deep feelings when reading as I did but you will still enjoy it very much. I wouldn't suggest reading any of the other books in this series out of order but this one will work.

The blurb tells you everything about the story except how heart wrenching it is to learn about River's background. With no family of his own, he's envious of what Connor has but still isn't happy when Connor forces him to go home with him to Texas and witness the perfect family that he'll never have.

I'll never get tired of reading books set in this world. RJ Scott knows the perfect writing formula to grab at all of my emotions, make the tears fall, and deliver the perfect happy ending. Home for Christmas is another special gift to her fans of the Texas series. I can't forget to say that there's a dog in the story with a very cute name. 😊

A copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

Great series

This has been a Great series beginning to end! I need more especially from the ranch hands and the school!

i love this i

i what more i really what this series to cep on going it is one of my favorites just so worth it

Love and Laughter Comes to Life

Any time I can read an RJ Scott Texas series book, I’m happier than ..... Home for Christmas was classic Texas series; Jack, Riley, Lexie, Max, and the star of the book, Connor.
Home for Christmas was everything one could expect in a Ms. Scott story- love, laughter and heartache- but always coupled with family members who strived to be a loving and understanding family.
River was lost in the world and his own head. What he needed was a large dose of the Campbell-Hayes clan, especially Connor. Together River and Connor were tender, charismatic, and full spirited. Their passion radiated through the author’s writing and transcended the lines of life and love.
As always Jack and Riley make any Texas story worth reading, as do the rest of the clan.
A beautiful addition to the series.
Definite S.E.X.
A five handcuff review

Another sure-fine winner by Sean Crisden. The inflection and cadence created a dreamy world, yet angst-filled. Anyone who narrates a Texas book needs to be larger than life in their delivery, as all the Texas characters are bold and charismatic. Mr. Crisden- you did your job and sucked me right in.

One of my favorite narrations.

OUTSTANDING!

This story has all the feels!!!!
I just fell in love with Connor and River. Watching their love story unfold in all it's glory was amazing. There is sweetness, struggles, misunderstandings but above all else there is love. Love of family. Love of your chosen person.
Getting to revisit with the Campbell-Hayes family is the best Christmas present of all! I loved this holiday story!
Sean Crisden does an amazing job of bringing this story to life!