Merry Christmas Cowboy

Bestseller Yates combines old-school romance tropes—cowboys, virgins, and unexpected pregnancies—in her solid if slightly dated-feeling second Four Corners Ranch contemporary romance (after Unbridled Cowboy). Cowboy Wolf Garrett, 32, would not usually go for innocent 22-year-old Violet Donnelly. Wolf’s been the love-’em-and-leave-’em type ever since the death of his first love, but, not realizing Violet’s inexperience, he sleeps with her while on a two-week visit to her small Oregon town. Violet knows from the start that Wolf’s not big on commitment, and she doesn’t mean to get attached—but she can’t help herself. A month after Wolf returns to his ranch, Violet’s still pining. Her crush becomes complicated, however, when she realizes she’s pregnant. Having been abandoned by her mother as a child, Violet vows to be the best parent possible. When Wolf finds out, he’s just as determined to be responsible, which he believes means marrying Violet. But can Violet stomach a purely practical marriage to the man she’s grown to love? Yates is a master of crafting swaggering cowboy heroes and, though the gender roles here feel outmoded, she delivers all the explosive chemistry readers expect. Series fans will not be disappointed. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (Oct.)