Snowflakes and Silver Linings

The Gingerbread Girls #3

by Cara Colter

A wedding guest from her past…

After a rocky year, Casey Caravetta pulls herself together and puts on a smile for her best friend's Christmas Eve wedding. However, she hadn't expected to see Turner Kennedy, the first man to break her heart.

Special Forces commando Turner is now hard, dark and dangerous, tortured by his experiences of war. Coming face-to-face again with beautiful Casey is a painful reminder of the path he might have taken.

Back then they were living on borrowed time, but now—with a sprinkling of holiday magic—they have a another chance…if only they're prepared to believe it!

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Harlequin

256 pages, Paperback Large Print

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

Cara Colter was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, surrounded by ranches, but she was always a reluctant city girl. A journalism graduate, she has been making her living with words for her entire adult life. Before published her first romance novel in 1987, she wrote educational materials, newspaper stories, magazine articles and even sermons!

"I am living proof that dreams come true," Cara says. "I am an ordinary person leading an extraordinary life."

Now she lives on a small acreage in British Columbia. She shares her life with her personal hero, Rob, a cat and eight horses. She has three grown children, and already is a granmother.

Reviews

[Min Li Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serinim en sevdiğim kitabı oldu.❤

[MrsJoseph *grouchy* · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded down to 1 star


http://bookslifewine.com/r-snowflakes...

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book with some intense emotions on both sides. Casey has come to Gingerbread Inn to help her two best friends with Emily's wedding. She's trying to keep a cheerful attitude with all the love that's floating around but it's hard. In the last year she had ended her engagement, lost her father and seen her mother become a nun. She's given up on the idea of ever having romantic love of her own and plans to become a single mother to have the family she wants. The last thing she expects is to see the first man to break her heart, the groom's best man, Turner. She remembers three magical days with him after the first wedding, before Turner disappeared without a word. Now he's here again, but very different than the man she remembers. She's still angry and hurt and has no intention of getting involved with him again. But he seems determined to make her have fun while remaining apart himself. It was interesting to see the way that her pragmatic scientist's way of looking at things warred with the way that being with Turner made her feel. She was so afraid of being abandoned again by someone she had come to care for. I really liked the way that she could see past the shell that Turner had erected to the man that was hurting and had fears of his own. There were some really great scenes as the two of them had fun. There were also some really heartwrenching scenes as Casey told him about her family issues. I loved her courage in telling Turner how she felt and then dealing with the consequences. I found the way that she refused to give up on him the best part of all.

Turner had had a happy childhood with his parents and brothers. Then his father was killed in the 9/11 attacks and Turner joined the military to deal with the pain. This created a rift with his brothers that only widened as he ended up in Special Forces. The day of the first wedding was just a few days before his first deployment. Seeing Casey and how serious she was made him want to celebrate life by bringing some fun into hers. He offered her three days in which they had a grand time, but he left before she woke up on the fourth day. Since then he had seen and done things that have caused him a lot of pain. A friend died during his last mission and now he wonders what his future should hold. When Cole asked him to come for the wedding he did, not thinking about the possibility of seeing Casey again. He was surprised to see that she was even more solemn than when he had seen her last and disturbed to think it could be partly his fault. He was determined to bring some fun back into her life but he didn't want her to get too close to him. I loved seeing the ways he tried to get her to laugh. The snowman scene was so much fun, as was the ice skating. Being around her was having an effect on him too. There were a few times when he felt a lessening of the dark feelings he had, but he didn't want his issues affecting her so he tried to keep his emotions locked up. I loved the way that she wore him down enough to get him to really talk to her about some of his experiences, but it scared him into running. I liked the way that he finally was able to make the choices he needed to make.

My only complaint about the book wasn't with any part of the story but with the cover. Turner is a brooding Special Forces guy. The man on the cover looks way too happy and the body type doesn't seem to match with the impression I got from his description.

[Debbie Oxier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey Caravatti once had her heart broken by Turner Kennedy. After serving as attendants at their best friends' wedding, they'd spent three wonderful days and nights together at the Waldorf-Astoria, in their presidential suite, bouncing on beds, him painting her toenails red, and getting to know one another inside out. Even though Turner told her that was all the time he had, Casey still couldn't believe he'd walked away without even saying goodbye. Just let her wake up alone.

What Casey didn't know was that Turner had deployed the next day as part of a new antiterrorism task force. He'd had no choice but to leave everything and everyone behind in order to honor his father who died on 9/11. As a result, he wasn't there for his mother, didn't even attend her funeral when she'd passed away, a fact that left him estranged from his two younger brothers.

Now, a few years later, he gets a call from his best friend, Cole, saying he's needed at the Gingerbread Inn at Christmas time. Cole and his wife, Emily are renewing their vows and once again, Cole wants Turner to reprise his role as best man. Turner knows Casey will likely be there and while he dreads seeing her again, knows their reunion is inevitable. What he doesn't count on, however, is the realization that he'd actually hurt her by his going away, that she had secretly pined for him all these years. He'd been so caught up in his own needs and wants, he'd failed to see how his carelessness affected her. While he wants to make things right, he also knows he's no longer the person he was back then. He's seen and done things he can never share with anyone and knows he doesn't deserve the things his friends have: love, happiness, a family.

However, being at the Inn at Christmas time has a profound effect on both Turner and Casey. Then when Casey almost dies from a fall through the ice, it changes their perspective on everything. Loved this second chance story. The book was loaded with all things Christmas, a renewal of vows, good friends coming together, and a wonderfully sweet love story that leaves you sighing at the end. If you're looking for a good Christmas romance, don't hesitate to check this one out.

[Pupottina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uomo perfetto sotto l’albero

Un Jolly che porta emozioni ed appartiene all’interessante e romantica serie di romanzi intitolata: “Le ragazze del Pan di Zenzero”. Delizie e chiacchiere tra amiche, tre donne, che hanno stipulato un patto in passato, quello di rimanere unite e mantenere viva la loro amicizia.
Sì, è proprio un sentimento nobile, come l’amicizia, quello che tiene unite tre amiche con la voglia di ritrovarsi per raccontare se stesse e tutto ciò che di importante accade nelle loro vite.
Ma sappiamo che le donne giovani non possono vivere senza un altro ingrediente indispensabile per le loro vite, l’amore.
Per fortuna, anche per loro, l’amore è sempre dietro l’angolo. In questo romanzo, CARA COLTER approfondisce le vicende sentimentali di Casey Caravetta. È una donna concreta che ha preso la sua decisione e niente e nessuno le può far cambiare idea. Però, ha anche deciso che, per il momento, non informerà le sue amiche.
Il destino, però, è pronto ad intromettersi nella sua, tanto importante, decisione ed è così che alla locanda arriva Turner Kennedy, bello, intelligente e perfetto per Casey. In più c’è la magia del natale con i suoi preparativi e la gente che diventa più buona. Casey e Turner hanno avuto un storia in passato e il tempo non ha cancellato proprio tutto quello che c’è stato. Inoltre, per Casey, avere un figlio con Turner è da sempre il suo sogno nel cassetto e non le dispiacerebbe realizzarlo adesso che lo ha ritrovato. Chissà se Turner potrebbe essere interessato alla cosa! Per Casey, c’è molto di più: non ha mai smesso di amarlo e forse anche di aspettarlo. Casey ha deciso che, oltre al bambino, anche Turner sarebbe stato suo.
A Natale tutto è possibile, anche ritrovare un vecchio amore e scoprire che il tempo non ha cambiato i reciproci sentimenti.

[Hsiau Wei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey is at a crossroads. Her friends are either happily married or a bride to be. She tried hard to keep a cheerful attitude with them. She wanted to be a single parent in order for her to have the family she wants. She have given up hope to find love the natural way what with her ending her engagement and losing her dad. All she is waiting for is the right time for her to tell her friends her plan but all that change when she met the man who broke her heart, Turner, the groom’s best man. Despite her trying not to remember him, she remember too well the three magical days with him before he disappear without a word. Turner met Casey at the lowest point in his life. His father was killed in the 9/11 attack and to deal with the pain of losing his father, he decided to join the Special Forces. Before he left for his first deployment, he met Casey and from the beginning, he have told her that he have only three days to give her. Now, both of them met and they have the chance again to build their attraction into something more solid.

I like the backdrop of this story: Gingerbread Inn. This book is the final book in the trilogy of the Gingerbread Girls Series and it was in this book that all the characters from the other books appeared. Both the main characters are strong and multi-faceted which make it interested for me to unravel. Story ploys wise, due to its short nature in the storyline, there are not much scope for more actions and twist and turns. Overall, it is a sweet read for me which leave me with a happy yet satisfied feeling,

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

This is charming Christmas story. The characters are likeable and you want things for them to workout.
a little action but most of story is about relationships in the past and the now.

They are gathered together to get the Gingerbread Inn opening for the Christmas Eve wedding.
Casey has had a tough life. She is a scientist. She has decided to give up on love and have a baby by herself.

Turner job is top secret. He has been asked by his friend to help and since he was in the states he agreed. His last mission went bad. He has to make some choices now. He has not been sleeping well.

Years ago Turner and Casey had spent 3 days playing together. Turner had told her that he had only the three days to give her. He was deploying then and he could not tell her. Now is the first they have seen each other since that time. They both have changed.

I smiled at quite a few scenes in the story. Their is a cute dog and little girl that touch me.
This is a quick clean romance story.

I was given this ebook to read and asked in return to give honest review of it by NetGalley and Harlequin.
Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Harlequin Romance ISBN:0373742711 256 pages

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Recovering from heartbreak and contemplating a major life decision, Casey spends the days leading up to Christmas helping to prep for her friends’ wedding, and wrestling with her attraction to past crush, Turner, a man who no longer feels worthy of love.

While low on actual Christmas content, I thought this had a cozy, wintery vibe with ice skating, cookie baking, and snowman building, as well as a cute little girl and an adorable dog.

If you’re a reader who likes an abundance of plot with one event happening after another, this might not be your kind of romance, the emphasis is mostly on the characters’ thoughts and feelings, the author is very skilled at digging into emotions.

I didn’t love that pretty much all but one character viewed a woman choosing to start a family without a man as something sad and tragic, it would have been nice and more modern thinking to see the opinions a little more balanced on both sides of the issue.

I also felt like there was something slightly hurried about the ending, the way things worked out over the course of one conversation, I just wasn’t sure Turner was actually there yet, I would have liked the ending to stretch out a bit more, even if it meant cutting short the epilogue. Overall though, I enjoyed this, Casey and Turner had believable chemistry and as always Cara Colter offered up pretty and palpable descriptives for her characters’ feelings.

[Hannah Fielding · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little seasonal read.

For me, the strength of this book lies very much in the characterisation – both Casey and Turner are multi-faceted characters whom I was keen to unravel. So much of their pasts holds them back, and the book is essentially a journey in a microcosm that offers them the opportunity to shed their regrets and the legacies of their childhoods and early adult lives, and find happiness at last – not alone, but together.

The writer’s style makes it easy to get inside the characters’ minds and really understand them, and I liked how much emphasis she put on exploring their emotional plains.

I very much liked the backdrop of the Gingerbread Inn, and the fact that this story interweaves with two other books whose protagonists appear in Snowflakes and Silver Linings as Casey’s best friends.

Plot-wise, this isn’t a long book so there isn’t much scope for lots of action and twists and turns, but I liked the story as it stood, especially a moment of high-drama that led to the coming together of the characters. And the ending is bound to leave you with that happy, satisfied feeling you seek from a romance book of this nature.

In conclusion, if you like seasonal Harlequin romances, this one is sure to be a favourite on your shelf – well worth the read.

I was offered this book in exchange for a fair review via NetGalley.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

believe it!


MY Review:Snowflakes and Silver Linings by Cara Colter

4 STARS

This is charming Christmas story. The characters are likeable and you want things for them to workout.
a little action but most of story is about relationships in the past and the now.

They are gathered together to get the Gingerbread Inn opening for the Christmas Eve wedding.
Casey has had a tough life. She is a scientist. She has decided to give up on love and have a baby by herself.

Turner job is top secret. He has been asked by his friend to help and since he was in the states he agreed. His last mission went bad. He has to make some choices now. He has not been sleeping well.

Years ago Turner and Casey had spent 3 days playing together. Turner had told her that he had only the three days to give her. He was deploying then and he could not tell her. Now is the first they have seen each other since that time. They both have changed.

I smiled at quite a few scenes in the story. Their is a cute dog and little girl that touch me.
This is a quick clean romance story.

I was given this ebook to read and asked in return to give honest review of it by NetGalley and Harlequin.
Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Harlequin Romance ISBN:0373742711 256 pages

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great ending to The Gingerbread Girls series!! The other two books in this series are
The Christmas Baby Surprise by Shirley Jump
Marry Me Under the Mistletoe by Rebecca Winters

ALL of the characters from the other two books join together in this last book to help celebrate with Cole & Emily as they renew their wedding vows. Yes, there was a love story(or two) but Snowflakes & Sliver Linings was so much more than that. It was a wonderfully written story about two people who go through some an amazing transformation and learn to let go of the "past issues" and to be able to move on with their lives.

Casey & Turner both have to learn to let go of the tragedies of their past and to realize that the path that they both were taking in their lives was only going to lead to more unhappiness.

I feel that all three of these authors did a fantastic job creating this 3 book series of three friends who go through life's toughest situations together and come out even closer(& happier!)

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read the Gingerbread Girls series, and this is the final chapter. I did wish that I had read the first two as the characters in this book are so interesting I'm sure their stories would have also been good. Even so, this book wraps everything up nicely. Cara Colter has offered readers a lovely sweet story, well plotted and peopled with engaging characters. I think it would be a great story even without the Holiday backdrop. I would definitely read more from Cara Colter.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last book in the bundle, also a reunion story, which makes 3 out of 4. I guess it's easier to reach the intimacy needed if the relationship is already there. In this one, the hero and heroine had a brief encounter--not a fling, but a few days of innocent fun ending with a single kiss. They are brought together again by mutual friends and despite their mutual desire not to start anything... well, it's a romance, isn't it? I liked it a lot. There was a whole lot of philosophical stuff at the end, but it worked.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and charming little holiday book. I really enjoyed it. It was a perfect escape to read this book during all this holiday stress. It was predictable and I loved it. I loved the connection between Turner and Casey. I loved that I got to see a bit into what they thought from both their point of views. I felt that the characters felt real and they were very relate able. I thought this lovely little book was well written. This is the perfect time to get a hold of this book. Highly Recommend!

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: The Gingerbread Girls

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, easy holiday read.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

reviews to come

[Kobie]

not a fan of the girlfriend gab session. Gingerbread girls series.

[Nothing Like A Good Book!!!! wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved it...