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O'Neil Brothers #1
Sleigh Bells in the Snow
USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan heats up the season with the O'Neil brothers in a brand-new holiday series!
Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green's favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over--as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.
Jackson O'Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family's resort--it's in his blood, and he can't let it fail. Now that he's got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.
Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she's out of her depth with Jackson--he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it's terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn't believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?
Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green's favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over--as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.
Jackson O'Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family's resort--it's in his blood, and he can't let it fail. Now that he's got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.
Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she's out of her depth with Jackson--he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it's terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn't believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2013
479 people are currently reading
5828 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Morgan
875 books6,942 followersAbout Sarah
USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women's fiction and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.
Look out for Sarah's next novel coming in October - All Together for Christmas (UK title)/ A Merry Little Lie (US/Canadian title)
Join Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahM...
Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMorgan_
Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan...
Website: www.sarahmorgan.com
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women's fiction and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.
Look out for Sarah's next novel coming in October - All Together for Christmas (UK title)/ A Merry Little Lie (US/Canadian title)
Join Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahM...
Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMorgan_
Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan...
Website: www.sarahmorgan.com
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,074 reviews
December 25, 2019
4,5 Sterne
Wenn etwas dieses Jahr Weihnachtsstimmung verbreitet hat, dann dieses Buch! Es handelt sich hierbei um mein erstes Buch der Autorin, aber es wird sicher nicht mein letztes gewesen sein. Es war annähernd perfekt, wäre das Ende doch nur ein ganz klitzekleines bisschen weniger kitschig gewesen. Der restliche Kitsch gehört für mich bei so einem Weihnachtsroman einfach dazu, aber die letzten Seiten waren mir dann doch too much :D
Aber kommen wir nun zu den guten Dingen: der Schreibstil der Autorin ist wirklich schön gewesen und vor allem die Beschreibungen der Landschaft rund um Snow Crystal waren atemberaubend. Ich habe alles bildlich vor mir sehen können und habe die Kälte quasi durch die Seiten spüren und die Tannenbäume im Wald riechen können.
Auch unsere Protagonisten waren schlichtweg sympathisch. Vor allem die große Familie O´Neil war liebenswert. Sie haben die Geschichte zu dem gemacht was sie war und haben mich mitgenommen durch das reinste Wechselbad der Gefühle. Denn auch das hat die Autorin super rübergebracht: von Trauer über Freude bis Liebe war alles dabei und ich habe den Charakteren jede einzelne Emotion nicht nur abgekauft, sondern auch nachempfunden.
Fazit: ich freue mich jetzt schon auf den nächsten Band rund um die chaotische aber liebenswerte Familie O´Neil!
Wenn etwas dieses Jahr Weihnachtsstimmung verbreitet hat, dann dieses Buch! Es handelt sich hierbei um mein erstes Buch der Autorin, aber es wird sicher nicht mein letztes gewesen sein. Es war annähernd perfekt, wäre das Ende doch nur ein ganz klitzekleines bisschen weniger kitschig gewesen. Der restliche Kitsch gehört für mich bei so einem Weihnachtsroman einfach dazu, aber die letzten Seiten waren mir dann doch too much :D
Aber kommen wir nun zu den guten Dingen: der Schreibstil der Autorin ist wirklich schön gewesen und vor allem die Beschreibungen der Landschaft rund um Snow Crystal waren atemberaubend. Ich habe alles bildlich vor mir sehen können und habe die Kälte quasi durch die Seiten spüren und die Tannenbäume im Wald riechen können.
Auch unsere Protagonisten waren schlichtweg sympathisch. Vor allem die große Familie O´Neil war liebenswert. Sie haben die Geschichte zu dem gemacht was sie war und haben mich mitgenommen durch das reinste Wechselbad der Gefühle. Denn auch das hat die Autorin super rübergebracht: von Trauer über Freude bis Liebe war alles dabei und ich habe den Charakteren jede einzelne Emotion nicht nur abgekauft, sondern auch nachempfunden.
Fazit: ich freue mich jetzt schon auf den nächsten Band rund um die chaotische aber liebenswerte Familie O´Neil!
February 17, 2024
In this cute Christmas romance, Kayla works for a fancy PR firm in New York and is hired by Jackson to help advertise his family’s struggling resort business up in snowy Vermont. ❄🎄❄🎄
One thing Sarah Morgan’s Christmas romances always do so well is to transport you into the setting and the deep snow, icy, isolated Vermont feel was very well done. Jackson’s family can’t get along with each other, so they’re certainly not on board with a PR person. This had the perfect blend of Christmas, comedy and romance.
One thing Sarah Morgan’s Christmas romances always do so well is to transport you into the setting and the deep snow, icy, isolated Vermont feel was very well done. Jackson’s family can’t get along with each other, so they’re certainly not on board with a PR person. This had the perfect blend of Christmas, comedy and romance.
December 15, 2016
4 - "There is nowhere I'd rather be than Snow Crystal at Christmas." Stars!
Sarah Morgan + Christmas = Cracking read.
Well for me it does anyway, and Sleigh Bells in the Snow was no exception. The first book in the O’Neil Brothers Series was as enjoyable as all the other Christmas romances I have read by this author.
"You make me smile."
Jackson was the perfect mix of sweet, open and dominant. Kayla; being closed off and emotionally unavailable and the one who struggled with Christmas worked perfectly with him because of it.
No Christmas. No Santa. No memories.
Loved the O’Neil family and their friends as well. This book was a great start to the series, I have already read Tyler O’Neil’s story Maybe This Christmas (the third and final book), but immediately one-clicked Suddenly Last Summer so I can finish the series off with Sean and Élise’s story.
Sarah Morgan + Christmas = Cracking read.
Well for me it does anyway, and Sleigh Bells in the Snow was no exception. The first book in the O’Neil Brothers Series was as enjoyable as all the other Christmas romances I have read by this author.
"You make me smile."
Jackson was the perfect mix of sweet, open and dominant. Kayla; being closed off and emotionally unavailable and the one who struggled with Christmas worked perfectly with him because of it.
No Christmas. No Santa. No memories.
Loved the O’Neil family and their friends as well. This book was a great start to the series, I have already read Tyler O’Neil’s story Maybe This Christmas (the third and final book), but immediately one-clicked Suddenly Last Summer so I can finish the series off with Sean and Élise’s story.
March 12, 2020
Una historia increíblemente tierna, pero por lo demás, bastante sencilla y sin mucho conflicto. La familia (de Jackson en este caso) es encantadora y le roba el protagonismo a la pareja principal, por lo que quizá la lectura me quedó un poco al debe. La autora escribe bien, pero es algo repetitiva con los sentimientos de sus personajes.
En resumen, lo disfruté mientras leía, se devora rapidísimo, pero creo que lo voy a olvidar igual de rápido. Tres estrellas raspaditas.
Reto #21 PopSugar 2020: Un libro publicado en el mes de tu cumpleaños
Reto Rita 4.0 (marzo)
En resumen, lo disfruté mientras leía, se devora rapidísimo, pero creo que lo voy a olvidar igual de rápido. Tres estrellas raspaditas.
Reto #21 PopSugar 2020: Un libro publicado en el mes de tu cumpleaños
Reto Rita 4.0 (marzo)
October 31, 2016
NOOOOIN D': <'3 es ist vorbei. Das Buch ist vorbei. Es ist zu Ende. Hat mein Bücherregal vielleicht sowas wie nen Eingang nach Narnia, nur dass in einem geheimen Fach dieses Buch als unendliche Geschichte liegt? Bitte? Jepp, ich heule und mein Herz tut weh und dieser Hangover wird mich mein ganzes Leben lang verfolgen. Aua.
December 22, 2020
Lo leí para el #RetoRita4, pero me pareció tan mñe que solo pensar en hacer la reseña, me daba una pereza tremenda. Es de esas historias con ambientación navideña que te tragas un sábado por la tarde en la tele sin problemas, pero ya leerlas...
He leído ya unas cuantas novelas de esta autora y no es santo de mi devoción, demasiado Hallmark todo, y eso que la primera que leí suya -Ripped- me gustó bastante.
He leído ya unas cuantas novelas de esta autora y no es santo de mi devoción, demasiado Hallmark todo, y eso que la primera que leí suya -Ripped- me gustó bastante.
December 31, 2018
In typical me-fashion, I got like...6 Christmas-themed books from the library with enthusiastic, bright-eyed plans to burn through them all by Christmas (New Year's at the latest). I'm down to two left after finishing this one. I have to say, I wasn't as huge of a fan of Sleigh Bells in the Snow as I was Moonlight over Manhattan. I didn't plan on setting the bar high since I get these are cheapy, paperback, Hallmarkesque type books (which I typically don't go for, but it's a weird Christmas nostalgia because of my Mom's love of Christmas Hallmark movies). BUT I was pleasantly surprised by Moonlight over Manhattan. I guess I was a little bummed when this one- by the same author- had a heavier Harlequin feel to it. It was a premise solidly laid on "corporate" meets "sexy lumberjack" with a heavy sprinkling of the words "chemistry" and "lust" throughout. The first book I read by Sarah Morgan definitely felt like it fleshed out the characters a smidge more and built on more of a slow burn/mutual respect dynamic. More my preference.
If I had read this first instead of Sarah Morgan's other book, I probably wouldn't have been bummed out by it, but it was such a startling difference I felt a bit let down.
No biggy. It was still a pretty fun and fast fluff read. It was an okay Christmas theme that I probably won't read again, but fine as a one time deal.
I'd rate this book an R for swearing and sexual scenes.
If I had read this first instead of Sarah Morgan's other book, I probably wouldn't have been bummed out by it, but it was such a startling difference I felt a bit let down.
No biggy. It was still a pretty fun and fast fluff read. It was an okay Christmas theme that I probably won't read again, but fine as a one time deal.
I'd rate this book an R for swearing and sexual scenes.
November 26, 2013
For Kayla Green, Christmas means pretense, she has to act as if she cares about the whole cheer of the holiday when in reality it only brings up painful memories. Kayla is great at her job, she is in PR and lives and breathes her job and she gets a perfect opportunity to get out of the cheer for a job, helping their new client Jackson O'Neil , publicize his family's resort. The only caveat is that she has to stay at the resort for a week and she asks for an isolated cabin.
Of course at her first meeting Kayla feels the spark with Jackson but she is an expert at avoiding things. When she arrives at her temporary home, she finds herself under-dressed for the weather and then her meeting with the hero's family is a disaster, his grandfather's comment makes her wander down sad memory lane to when she was thirteen and an outsider in her dad's new family.
She of course decides to make up for it and spends her time familiarizing herself with the hero's family and resort. Now, I loved the whole cast of characters, hero's brothers and their possible life partners, mother, grandparents, even the town people. Their whole snow-mobile ride was great and their first time too. I liked Jackson's dedication to his family, he left his own business to help take care of his family's business after his family's death, even if that meant dealing with his grandfather's interference.
The hero Jackson was great with Kayla, he didn't let Kayla put him off and despite the short time span the romance was believable and sweet and sexy, all in all if you are looking for a good holiday themed romance with a great family Sleigh Bells in the Snow is for you.
ARC provided the publisher through Netgalley.
Of course at her first meeting Kayla feels the spark with Jackson but she is an expert at avoiding things. When she arrives at her temporary home, she finds herself under-dressed for the weather and then her meeting with the hero's family is a disaster, his grandfather's comment makes her wander down sad memory lane to when she was thirteen and an outsider in her dad's new family.
She of course decides to make up for it and spends her time familiarizing herself with the hero's family and resort. Now, I loved the whole cast of characters, hero's brothers and their possible life partners, mother, grandparents, even the town people. Their whole snow-mobile ride was great and their first time too. I liked Jackson's dedication to his family, he left his own business to help take care of his family's business after his family's death, even if that meant dealing with his grandfather's interference.
The hero Jackson was great with Kayla, he didn't let Kayla put him off and despite the short time span the romance was believable and sweet and sexy, all in all if you are looking for a good holiday themed romance with a great family Sleigh Bells in the Snow is for you.
ARC provided the publisher through Netgalley.
December 21, 2016
Sarah Morgan continues to prove why she has rapidly become one of my favourite authors. If festive, family and feel-good is what you're after, Snow Crystal is the place to be. I'm already in love with the whole O'Neil family and am off to discover if Sean and Tyler can match the romantic standards Jackson has set.
March 10, 2020
#retorita4 #RitaSarah
2 Estrellas. Es el primer libro que leo de Sarah Morgan y lo elegí porque me venía bien para varios retos literarios, empezando por el Reto Rita 4, que dedicaba este mes de marzo a Sarah Morgan. No sé si será el problema por el libro que he elegido, y estoy segura de que los tiene mejores, pero “Magia en la nieve” no me ha dicho mucho. Iré por partes.
En “Magia en la nieve” tenemos la típica historia cliché navideña que podemos encontrarnos en el telefilm de Antena 3 una tarde de domingo de Diciembre. Kayla Green es una joven publicista de gran éxito y con una carrera trepidante a sus espaldas, es la mejor de su compañía, sabe lo que hace y acepta los retos más difíciles. El problema con Kayla es que es una adicta al trabajo que odia las navidades y sobre todo relacionarse con la gente debido a su trágico pasado y lo que éstas fechas tan señaladas protagonizaron en su juventud.
Por otro lado tenemos a Jackson O’Neil, un atractivo y reputado empresario hotelero, que ha dado la espalda a su propio negocio para ponerse en cabeza del negocio familiar tras la muerte de su padre. Jackson es de Snow Crystal, un pequeño pueblo montañoso del estado de Vermont, y el negocio es el jarabe de arce y el hotel de montaña que fundó su bisabuelo.
El problema es que el hotel familiar está en la ruina, su ocupación roza el cuarenta por ciento cuando lo normal antes de Navidad es tenerlo lleno. Así que Jackson decide darle un lavado de cara, pero ni aún con esas, consigue que éste despegue. Así que se anima a contratar los servicios de Kayla para que le ayude con una campaña de publicidad que atraiga clientes a Snow Crystal.
Para ello Kayla deberá pasar una semana en Snow Crystal y conocer el lugar de primera mano para ver qué tipo de cambios pueden hacerse para el marketing. Las navidades están cerca, y como Kayla odia la Navidad, piensa que lo mejor es una cabaña apartada de Vermont para olvidarse del ajetreo de Nueva York en Navidad.
Lo que no esperaba es que la familia O’Neil celebrara la Navidad por todo lo alto, y sus primeros intentos son torpes para enfrentarse a ellos. La mitad de los miembros del clan no están a favor de los cambios modernos que trae Kayla, la otra mitad sabe que son necesarios. Así que a Kayla no la quedará más remedio que infiltrarse en ésta familia e intentar ganárselos, sobre todo al abuelo, para que acepten la campaña de publicidad que les ofrece.
La Navidad es un gran escollo para Kayla, pero el peor de todos será enfrentarse a lo que está empezando a sentir por Jackson. Sin duda es atracción, pero Kayla arrastra una inseguridad tremenda y no es capaz de amar, de ofrecer nada a otra persona por miedo al abandono. Aunque al final Snow Crystal acabará creando su magia, primero con los hermosos paisajes y las atracciones que ofrece la montaña, después con la familia de Jackson, y él mismo.
Pues a pesar de todo esto, o quizás por ello, el libro prometía pero no ofrece mucho, o no ofrece más que lo que estoy exponiendo en ésta crítica. A rasgos generales me ha parecido demasiado largo para lo que tenía que ofrecer, no puedo decir que el libro haya sido aburrido, pero sí que muchas partes sobraban, o no eran interesantes para la trama; pero imagino que la autora ha querido presentarlas para los siguientes libros de los hermanos O’Neil. A ratos se me hacía pesadete, pero he podido disponer de tiempo para leerlo y he tardado menos de lo que creía.
A ver, el libro no me ha disgustado, pero tampoco me ha gustado lo que esperaba. Ha sido mi primer contacto con la autora, y no sé si leeré algún libro suyo más en el futuro, solo espero que la próxima vez elija un libro mejor, o por lo menos que no parezca el culebrón del fin de semana.
2 Estrellas. Es el primer libro que leo de Sarah Morgan y lo elegí porque me venía bien para varios retos literarios, empezando por el Reto Rita 4, que dedicaba este mes de marzo a Sarah Morgan. No sé si será el problema por el libro que he elegido, y estoy segura de que los tiene mejores, pero “Magia en la nieve” no me ha dicho mucho. Iré por partes.
En “Magia en la nieve” tenemos la típica historia cliché navideña que podemos encontrarnos en el telefilm de Antena 3 una tarde de domingo de Diciembre. Kayla Green es una joven publicista de gran éxito y con una carrera trepidante a sus espaldas, es la mejor de su compañía, sabe lo que hace y acepta los retos más difíciles. El problema con Kayla es que es una adicta al trabajo que odia las navidades y sobre todo relacionarse con la gente debido a su trágico pasado y lo que éstas fechas tan señaladas protagonizaron en su juventud.
Por otro lado tenemos a Jackson O’Neil, un atractivo y reputado empresario hotelero, que ha dado la espalda a su propio negocio para ponerse en cabeza del negocio familiar tras la muerte de su padre. Jackson es de Snow Crystal, un pequeño pueblo montañoso del estado de Vermont, y el negocio es el jarabe de arce y el hotel de montaña que fundó su bisabuelo.
El problema es que el hotel familiar está en la ruina, su ocupación roza el cuarenta por ciento cuando lo normal antes de Navidad es tenerlo lleno. Así que Jackson decide darle un lavado de cara, pero ni aún con esas, consigue que éste despegue. Así que se anima a contratar los servicios de Kayla para que le ayude con una campaña de publicidad que atraiga clientes a Snow Crystal.
Para ello Kayla deberá pasar una semana en Snow Crystal y conocer el lugar de primera mano para ver qué tipo de cambios pueden hacerse para el marketing. Las navidades están cerca, y como Kayla odia la Navidad, piensa que lo mejor es una cabaña apartada de Vermont para olvidarse del ajetreo de Nueva York en Navidad.
Lo que no esperaba es que la familia O’Neil celebrara la Navidad por todo lo alto, y sus primeros intentos son torpes para enfrentarse a ellos. La mitad de los miembros del clan no están a favor de los cambios modernos que trae Kayla, la otra mitad sabe que son necesarios. Así que a Kayla no la quedará más remedio que infiltrarse en ésta familia e intentar ganárselos, sobre todo al abuelo, para que acepten la campaña de publicidad que les ofrece.
La Navidad es un gran escollo para Kayla, pero el peor de todos será enfrentarse a lo que está empezando a sentir por Jackson. Sin duda es atracción, pero Kayla arrastra una inseguridad tremenda y no es capaz de amar, de ofrecer nada a otra persona por miedo al abandono. Aunque al final Snow Crystal acabará creando su magia, primero con los hermosos paisajes y las atracciones que ofrece la montaña, después con la familia de Jackson, y él mismo.
Pues a pesar de todo esto, o quizás por ello, el libro prometía pero no ofrece mucho, o no ofrece más que lo que estoy exponiendo en ésta crítica. A rasgos generales me ha parecido demasiado largo para lo que tenía que ofrecer, no puedo decir que el libro haya sido aburrido, pero sí que muchas partes sobraban, o no eran interesantes para la trama; pero imagino que la autora ha querido presentarlas para los siguientes libros de los hermanos O’Neil. A ratos se me hacía pesadete, pero he podido disponer de tiempo para leerlo y he tardado menos de lo que creía.
A ver, el libro no me ha disgustado, pero tampoco me ha gustado lo que esperaba. Ha sido mi primer contacto con la autora, y no sé si leeré algún libro suyo más en el futuro, solo espero que la próxima vez elija un libro mejor, o por lo menos que no parezca el culebrón del fin de semana.
June 27, 2014
Yes, I read a Christmas book in June. And it is a very Christmasy book.
Okay, problems first (besides this atrocious cover—Jackson is a manly outdoorsy man, not some squirrelly man-child with scruff). The biggest problem is that Kayla has been in stasis for way, way too long. I get family trauma and painful memories, but she's 28 and nobody stays exactly the same for that long (since early teens). People are big piles of inconsistency, even if they aren't actively changing all the time, and that should be enough to give her a broader base of life experience—a decade and more of life experience at that. Not to mention that this time includes adolescence as well as adulthood and that kind of change is practically designed to invite new experience to paper over trauma. Plus,
Smaller problems are the really short timeline (a single week) and Kayla's rather desperate clinging to a way of life that obviously provides her no joy. Both of those are more manageable, though, and Sarah Morgan manages to put a wonderful story together well enough to get past these small problems. A week is all it took for me to fall that much in love, so it's not like I can say it's impossible. And the emotional journey in that week was strong enough (and the trust and communication built up well enough) that it was only an intellectual reluctance to believe (rather than an unearned or unrealistic love story).
Okay. So the good stuff. Jackson is a dream come true and the O'Niels as a family are so vibrant that the immersion here was near complete. They operated the way I expected a loving family to do despite differences of opinion, approach, viewpoint, or stage of life—and they were all different and distinct (so much so that I had no trouble tracking the 10 or so near family members and their various motivations, emotional states, or activities throughout). Jackson's love for his family is a large part of what makes him so attractive, particularly as Morgan makes it clear that this is a bone-deep part of him that comes through in all he does. There's just something about a strong, capable, nurturing man that is incredibly attractive even before you get to anything more . . . physical.
So yeah, the O'Niels make this book and Jackson is a fantastic lead. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as they also involve the family. Well-done.
A note about Steamy: There are three or four explicit scenes and they're moderately long (a page or two). That's a bit on the high-side for me, but not really getting close to too much. I got really tired of anthropomorphized "chemistry" as a shortcut Morgan overuses when describing, well, lust mainly.
Okay, problems first (besides this atrocious cover—Jackson is a manly outdoorsy man, not some squirrelly man-child with scruff). The biggest problem is that Kayla has been in stasis for way, way too long. I get family trauma and painful memories, but she's 28 and nobody stays exactly the same for that long (since early teens). People are big piles of inconsistency, even if they aren't actively changing all the time, and that should be enough to give her a broader base of life experience—a decade and more of life experience at that. Not to mention that this time includes adolescence as well as adulthood and that kind of change is practically designed to invite new experience to paper over trauma. Plus,
Smaller problems are the really short timeline (a single week) and Kayla's rather desperate clinging to a way of life that obviously provides her no joy. Both of those are more manageable, though, and Sarah Morgan manages to put a wonderful story together well enough to get past these small problems. A week is all it took for me to fall that much in love, so it's not like I can say it's impossible. And the emotional journey in that week was strong enough (and the trust and communication built up well enough) that it was only an intellectual reluctance to believe (rather than an unearned or unrealistic love story).
Okay. So the good stuff. Jackson is a dream come true and the O'Niels as a family are so vibrant that the immersion here was near complete. They operated the way I expected a loving family to do despite differences of opinion, approach, viewpoint, or stage of life—and they were all different and distinct (so much so that I had no trouble tracking the 10 or so near family members and their various motivations, emotional states, or activities throughout). Jackson's love for his family is a large part of what makes him so attractive, particularly as Morgan makes it clear that this is a bone-deep part of him that comes through in all he does. There's just something about a strong, capable, nurturing man that is incredibly attractive even before you get to anything more . . . physical.
So yeah, the O'Niels make this book and Jackson is a fantastic lead. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as they also involve the family. Well-done.
A note about Steamy: There are three or four explicit scenes and they're moderately long (a page or two). That's a bit on the high-side for me, but not really getting close to too much. I got really tired of anthropomorphized "chemistry" as a shortcut Morgan overuses when describing, well, lust mainly.
January 1, 2019
Kayla and Jackson meet as clients. She's a workaholic who dislikes Christmas (there is a reason) and he's a loveable family man. It takes a while for the romance to get going even though you can tell it's there from the start. I like how Kayla opened up to Jackson and how lovely he is. The ending was brilliant for her to say no think of the reasons she said no then say yes. It made the ending slightly different to others of Sarah's Morgan's I have read and I liked that. Jackson is up there with my favourite characters and book boyfriends.
September 21, 2014
2 ½ stars. Too much internal angst.
I liked the setting and overall plot. Romantic log cabins in beautiful snowy Vermont with skiing, sledding, ice skating. Jackson hires city girl Kayla (a PR wiz) to publicize the family owned resort.
I did not like Kayla’s angst. Her parents divorced when she was 13 and neither parent wanted her. Therefore she hates Christmas and being around happy families. She has never had a love relationship. She comes to the Vermont resort for a week to create a PR campaign. Almost all the conflict throughout the story is Kayla’s internal angst. Each time Jackson kisses her or is intimate, Kayla freezes in fear and runs away. Other family members say something, and Kayla runs away. I was ok with that in the beginning, but it kept happening throughout the book. I grew tired of it.
I prefer the following which this book did not have enough of: conflicts based on personalities or interesting events and seeing a character change. Kayla sort of changed her mind at the very end and the angst disappeared. I would have preferred seeing a different change.
I liked Clio Reads review. She said it well. “Kayla was so emotionally stunted and cold, and Jackson’s all consuming attraction seemed to come out of nowhere and had a real Insta-Love feel to it. Kayla spends the whole book pushing Jackson away and refusing to connect with people so that she won't get hurt, and in the end when she changes her mind, it feels sudden and also unsustainable.”
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 369 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words, but not often used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: about 4. Setting: current day mostly Vermont with a little New York. Copyright: 2013. Genre: contemporary romance.
I liked the setting and overall plot. Romantic log cabins in beautiful snowy Vermont with skiing, sledding, ice skating. Jackson hires city girl Kayla (a PR wiz) to publicize the family owned resort.
I did not like Kayla’s angst. Her parents divorced when she was 13 and neither parent wanted her. Therefore she hates Christmas and being around happy families. She has never had a love relationship. She comes to the Vermont resort for a week to create a PR campaign. Almost all the conflict throughout the story is Kayla’s internal angst. Each time Jackson kisses her or is intimate, Kayla freezes in fear and runs away. Other family members say something, and Kayla runs away. I was ok with that in the beginning, but it kept happening throughout the book. I grew tired of it.
I prefer the following which this book did not have enough of: conflicts based on personalities or interesting events and seeing a character change. Kayla sort of changed her mind at the very end and the angst disappeared. I would have preferred seeing a different change.
I liked Clio Reads review. She said it well. “Kayla was so emotionally stunted and cold, and Jackson’s all consuming attraction seemed to come out of nowhere and had a real Insta-Love feel to it. Kayla spends the whole book pushing Jackson away and refusing to connect with people so that she won't get hurt, and in the end when she changes her mind, it feels sudden and also unsustainable.”
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 369 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words, but not often used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: about 4. Setting: current day mostly Vermont with a little New York. Copyright: 2013. Genre: contemporary romance.
December 9, 2018
Radujem se nastavcima o simpatičnoj braći O'Neil :)
November 15, 2022
Mais coup de cœur en fait ??? J’ai commencé ce livre qui m’avait été offert en achetant deux autres lycées de poche, ça criait noël et je suis dans ma période romans de noël, alors je me suis dit go, mais honnêtement, j’avais pas tellement d’attentes. BAH J’AI ADORÉ. C’est objectivement un peu lent, mais l’ambiance… les personnages… OMG je vais me jeter sur les autres romans de l’autrice qui parlent de la famille O’Neil, en espérant y accrocher tout autant 😍
December 26, 2015
Meh.
This had all of the ingredients for a sweet and romantic festive tale but I didn't get the feels.
She's a PR guru, brought in to rescue his idyllic family winter ski and snow resort from financial ruin.
I was told this couple had 'chemistry' umpteen times in the narrative but I didn't actually feel it. It's not enough to tell me the chemistry' s there between them, I have to feel the belly warming feels and the delicious tension making me want to read on. Instead, it was a bit flat and lifeless, with characters going through the motions and feeling dull in spite of the warm family scenes, the remote winter wonderland, the sleighs and the cute puppies. Yup, this book had it all but missed the mark for me
Ah well.
This had all of the ingredients for a sweet and romantic festive tale but I didn't get the feels.
She's a PR guru, brought in to rescue his idyllic family winter ski and snow resort from financial ruin.
I was told this couple had 'chemistry' umpteen times in the narrative but I didn't actually feel it. It's not enough to tell me the chemistry' s there between them, I have to feel the belly warming feels and the delicious tension making me want to read on. Instead, it was a bit flat and lifeless, with characters going through the motions and feeling dull in spite of the warm family scenes, the remote winter wonderland, the sleighs and the cute puppies. Yup, this book had it all but missed the mark for me
Ah well.
December 29, 2018
Hach - Eine schöne und kitschige Winter-Weihnachtsgeschichte mit Herz & Humor! Das Setting hat mir ausgesprochen gut gefallen und ich würde liebend gerne selbst in Snow Crystal Urlaub machen. Besonders schön war es wie schnell einem die Charaktere and Herz wachsen auf den ersten Seiten. Hin und wieder gab es kleine Längen und ein paar Wiederholungen die ich nicht gebraucht hätte, aber alles in allem ein tolles Buch für diese Jahreszeit!
December 14, 2014
Okay, io voglio entrare in questo romanzo, voglio passare un'intera settimana a Snow Crystal esattamente come la protagonista. Vivere in uno chalet che da sulle montagne con la neve che cade, il caminetto acceso, l'idromassaggio sulla terrazza e la cucina natalizia, per non parlare delle gite per la foresta con la slitta trainata da cavalli, cascate ghiacciate, laghi per pattinare... Voglio partire ora.
E' amore... impossibile non amare l'ambientazione di questo romanzo, come anche tutta la famiglia O'Neil, in particolare i tre fratelli, tutti così intriganti e dal carattere forte e sfacciato. Non vedo l'ora di leggere anche le storie di Tyler, Brenna, Sean e Elise.
Ma tornando a Jackson e Kayla, devo ammettere che veder sbocciare nella vita arida della protagonista, una scintilla di gioia e di felicità è stato bello. Ho vissuto con lei le sue emozioni grazie a una narrazione scorrevole e intimistica, i pensieri di Kayla erano ben descritti tanto da poterli avvertire a pelle. E Jackson, con quel suo carattere sicuro e deciso, con quella dolcezza e passionalità, un uomo di cui ci si può fidare che crede nel valore della famiglia, mi ha conquistata, stesa...
Per chi ama il Natale come me e che è in cerca di un romanzo che ne racconti le emozioni e l'allegria, questo romanzo è perfetto. Una bella storia d'amore, una famiglia piena di personaggi a cui non puoi non affezionarti, uno sfondo da sogno, da cartolina, da mille e una notte...
Da leggere!
E' amore... impossibile non amare l'ambientazione di questo romanzo, come anche tutta la famiglia O'Neil, in particolare i tre fratelli, tutti così intriganti e dal carattere forte e sfacciato. Non vedo l'ora di leggere anche le storie di Tyler, Brenna, Sean e Elise.
Ma tornando a Jackson e Kayla, devo ammettere che veder sbocciare nella vita arida della protagonista, una scintilla di gioia e di felicità è stato bello. Ho vissuto con lei le sue emozioni grazie a una narrazione scorrevole e intimistica, i pensieri di Kayla erano ben descritti tanto da poterli avvertire a pelle. E Jackson, con quel suo carattere sicuro e deciso, con quella dolcezza e passionalità, un uomo di cui ci si può fidare che crede nel valore della famiglia, mi ha conquistata, stesa...
Per chi ama il Natale come me e che è in cerca di un romanzo che ne racconti le emozioni e l'allegria, questo romanzo è perfetto. Una bella storia d'amore, una famiglia piena di personaggi a cui non puoi non affezionarti, uno sfondo da sogno, da cartolina, da mille e una notte...
Da leggere!
November 30, 2015
This was a wonderful read, it really was. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and the ending put a great big smile on my face.
The romance grows in a believable way - sometimes love at first sight does exist. It just has to be done right. And Sarah Morgan does it right in this book.
I want so badly to be in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a hot tub on the deck. I don't care about the location or whether there's snow, but take me now! I want to sit in that hot tub and stare at the night sky... Bliss.
These holiday romances are going to cost me a lot of money. After each one I've spent hours browsing such cabins.
I will definitely read on in this series, the start was wonderful. Don't let the fact that it's a festive themed read - books aren't just for Christmas!
The romance grows in a believable way - sometimes love at first sight does exist. It just has to be done right. And Sarah Morgan does it right in this book.
I want so badly to be in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a hot tub on the deck. I don't care about the location or whether there's snow, but take me now! I want to sit in that hot tub and stare at the night sky... Bliss.
These holiday romances are going to cost me a lot of money. After each one I've spent hours browsing such cabins.
I will definitely read on in this series, the start was wonderful. Don't let the fact that it's a festive themed read - books aren't just for Christmas!
January 8, 2021
Also ich mochte ja den Schreibstil und vor allem mochte ich die Familie O'Neill.
Was ich nicht mochte war Kayla, Jackson und deren Beziehung.
In vielen Situationen fand ich ihn viel zu drängend und er hat ihr Nein nicht akzeptiert. Natürlich nur zu ihrem eigenen Besten, ist klar ....
Und diese ganze seelische Veränderung in nur einer Woche stattfinden zu lassen hat sich für mich auch einfach nicht echt angefühlt. Warum konnte man da nicht etwas mehr Zeit einbauen?
Was ich nicht mochte war Kayla, Jackson und deren Beziehung.
In vielen Situationen fand ich ihn viel zu drängend und er hat ihr Nein nicht akzeptiert. Natürlich nur zu ihrem eigenen Besten, ist klar ....
Und diese ganze seelische Veränderung in nur einer Woche stattfinden zu lassen hat sich für mich auch einfach nicht echt angefühlt. Warum konnte man da nicht etwas mehr Zeit einbauen?
December 23, 2016
Das Buch ist eine süße Weihnachts-/Wintergeschichte, in der man tatsächlich ein wenig in Weihnachtsstimmung kommt.
Dazu trägt vor allem diese fantastische Familie bei. Ich mochte jeden einzelnen Charakter und möchte unbedingt noch mehr von den O'Neils lesen.
Sarah Morgan beschreibt die Landschaft, Gerüche und Eindrücke sehr bildlich und man würde am liebsten sofort einen Urlaub in dem Resort & Spa der O`Neils buchen.
Dazu trägt vor allem diese fantastische Familie bei. Ich mochte jeden einzelnen Charakter und möchte unbedingt noch mehr von den O'Neils lesen.
Sarah Morgan beschreibt die Landschaft, Gerüche und Eindrücke sehr bildlich und man würde am liebsten sofort einen Urlaub in dem Resort & Spa der O`Neils buchen.
November 25, 2016
Schönes Weihnachtsfeeling.
November 18, 2013
This is Sarah Morgan's first single title romance, and my first Sarah Morgan. I was underwhelmed. I had a hard time warming up to the characters, especially Kayla, who is a workaholic ad executive who hates Christmas. She's a Brit working in Manhattan, but welcomes the chance to spend a week in Vermont over Christmas working on a new account for the Snow Crystal Spa and Resort, a struggling family business run by Jackson O'Neil, his brother (a competive skier recovering from a career-ending injury), his mother (grieving the loss of her husband), his feisty grandmother and his cantankerous, change-averse grandfather. Kayla mistakenly thinks that Vermont is somehow less "Christmassy" than Manhattan, and she'll be able to avoid the trappings of the holiday she hates most, but of course that isn't true: Sarah Morgan's fantasy Vermont is a Hollywood simulacrum of the small town, White Christmas/Holiday Inn/It's a Wonderful Life idyll (and as a born-and-bred Vermonter of 37 years, I did a lot of eye rolling and rude snorting as I read).
Morgan spent a lot of time hinting broadly (and unsubtly) about Kayla's tortured past and why she hates Christmas, but when the big secret was finally revealed, I was like, "Really? I mean, that sucks and all, but pull up your big girl panties and get over it." Jackson pursues Kayla throughout the book, but I never really understood what he saw in her. She was so emotionally stunted and cold, and his allconsuming attraction seemed to come out of nowhere and had a real Insta-Love feel to it. Kayla spends the whole book pushing Jackson away and refusing to connect with people so that she won't get hurt, and in the end when she changes her mind, it feels sudden and also unsustainable. I mean, it's all well and good for her to decide to open up and let someone into her life, but I am totally unconvinced that she has the skills to have a successful relationship after a lifetime of shutting people out, which doesn't bode well for the HAE.
There were a lot of supporting characters who I suspect are probably sequel bait, but I'm not sure I care enough to revisit the O'Neil clan in future books.
Morgan spent a lot of time hinting broadly (and unsubtly) about Kayla's tortured past and why she hates Christmas, but when the big secret was finally revealed, I was like, "Really? I mean, that sucks and all, but pull up your big girl panties and get over it." Jackson pursues Kayla throughout the book, but I never really understood what he saw in her. She was so emotionally stunted and cold, and his allconsuming attraction seemed to come out of nowhere and had a real Insta-Love feel to it. Kayla spends the whole book pushing Jackson away and refusing to connect with people so that she won't get hurt, and in the end when she changes her mind, it feels sudden and also unsustainable. I mean, it's all well and good for her to decide to open up and let someone into her life, but I am totally unconvinced that she has the skills to have a successful relationship after a lifetime of shutting people out, which doesn't bode well for the HAE.
There were a lot of supporting characters who I suspect are probably sequel bait, but I'm not sure I care enough to revisit the O'Neil clan in future books.
January 7, 2017
I know it's a bit late to still be reading Xmas books in early January, but I wanted to finish what I'd started.
Sleigh Bells in the Snow is the perfect tale to get you feeling in the Christmas spirit. It has a dose of all the essentials; a magically enchanting ski resort, the smells and sounds of winter and Christmas, skiing, moonlit sleigh rides, icy lakes and plenty of snow, all stirred together with a good sprinkling of romance.
The story centres around Kayla, a woman who despises Christmas and would go to any length to avoid it. When the opportunity arises to spend Christmas away from New York and its tons of Christmas decorations, she jumps at the chance. What Kayla doesn't expect is to find herself in a winter wonderland surrounded by all the things she wanted to escape from; happy families, sparking Christmas trees, fairy lights and the reminders of Christmas everywhere she looks. She certainly didn't expect to meet a man like the handsome Jackson O'Neil, one of the owners of the resort, and find their professional relationship changing to one of flirting.
A great winter read (although it's currently summer in the summer hemisphere), the book really transports you to Snow Crystal Resort and makes you want to instantly book a holiday in one of the cosy log cabins. I'm impressed this was a freebie on kindle a few months ago, and certainly didn't expect a book so enjoyable. There are a few quite explicit sex scenes, so if you aren't keen on that, steer clear. Other than that it's a very Christmassy book with a strong romance storyline. If you don't like romance, I doubt this will be for you.
Once I finished this book I discovered it's actually part of a trilogy, and this is the first book in the series. It works well as a stand alone book and you wouldn't necessarily need to read the remaining two. Although I think I will have to read the other books in the trilogy, to be transported back to the gorgeous scenery of Snow Crystal and catch up with the O'Neil family.
Sleigh Bells in the Snow is the perfect tale to get you feeling in the Christmas spirit. It has a dose of all the essentials; a magically enchanting ski resort, the smells and sounds of winter and Christmas, skiing, moonlit sleigh rides, icy lakes and plenty of snow, all stirred together with a good sprinkling of romance.
The story centres around Kayla, a woman who despises Christmas and would go to any length to avoid it. When the opportunity arises to spend Christmas away from New York and its tons of Christmas decorations, she jumps at the chance. What Kayla doesn't expect is to find herself in a winter wonderland surrounded by all the things she wanted to escape from; happy families, sparking Christmas trees, fairy lights and the reminders of Christmas everywhere she looks. She certainly didn't expect to meet a man like the handsome Jackson O'Neil, one of the owners of the resort, and find their professional relationship changing to one of flirting.
A great winter read (although it's currently summer in the summer hemisphere), the book really transports you to Snow Crystal Resort and makes you want to instantly book a holiday in one of the cosy log cabins. I'm impressed this was a freebie on kindle a few months ago, and certainly didn't expect a book so enjoyable. There are a few quite explicit sex scenes, so if you aren't keen on that, steer clear. Other than that it's a very Christmassy book with a strong romance storyline. If you don't like romance, I doubt this will be for you.
Once I finished this book I discovered it's actually part of a trilogy, and this is the first book in the series. It works well as a stand alone book and you wouldn't necessarily need to read the remaining two. Although I think I will have to read the other books in the trilogy, to be transported back to the gorgeous scenery of Snow Crystal and catch up with the O'Neil family.
December 12, 2018
"Obitelj bi mogla biti poput jastuka, pomisli Kayla. Nešto meko što će te štititi od životnih udaraca. Ne možeš izbjeći te udarce, ali ako oko sebe imaš ljude koji te vole, onda ti udarci manje bole."
January 16, 2022
When I started reading this book I got the biggest reading slump. I thought I was gonna hate it but the more I read the more I fell in love with the characters. The perfect Christmas book. 🎄
P.S. Sarah Morgan needs to forget the word CHEMISTRY.
P.S. Sarah Morgan needs to forget the word CHEMISTRY.
March 4, 2020
Libro de Marzo para el #RetoRita4.
Mñe, que ni fu ni fa. Ha sido rápido de leer y ligero... Pero el final me ha desinflado un poco el libro en general...
Buena ambientación, aunque si sois frioleras como yo quizá mejor leerlo en verano, porque he pasado frío imaginando tanta nieve!!
El principio y el desarrollo estuvieron bien: una adicta al trabajo anti-relaciones personales consigue un contrato y su cliente es un maromo buenorro que necesita de sus saberes para reflotar un hotel. Guay. Ella tiene que ir al hotel para hacerse una idea de con lo que tiene que trabajar. Normal.
Luego entre medias aparecen las fobias y traumas de ella, pero bueno no pasa nada porque el maromo además de buenorro tiene un master en psicología no oficial y ahí está él para ayudarla. Aceptable.
Y... miras, quedan apenas 20 páginas y dices, comorr? y PUM final, felices para siempre jamás, oh! te quiero hasta el infinito y más allá. ¿Perdona?
Parece como que firmó X páginas y se metió tanto en el desarrollo de la ambientación y la historia familiar que cuando se quiso dar cuenta, le faltaban páginas y cortó por lo sano.
Uuuuna pena. Porque podría haber sido un "tres estrellas con buen sabor de boca" y se ha quedado en "tres estrellas meeeh".
De momento no creo que siga con la serie...
Mñe, que ni fu ni fa. Ha sido rápido de leer y ligero... Pero el final me ha desinflado un poco el libro en general...
Buena ambientación, aunque si sois frioleras como yo quizá mejor leerlo en verano, porque he pasado frío imaginando tanta nieve!!
El principio y el desarrollo estuvieron bien: una adicta al trabajo anti-relaciones personales consigue un contrato y su cliente es un maromo buenorro que necesita de sus saberes para reflotar un hotel. Guay. Ella tiene que ir al hotel para hacerse una idea de con lo que tiene que trabajar. Normal.
Luego entre medias aparecen las fobias y traumas de ella, pero bueno no pasa nada porque el maromo además de buenorro tiene un master en psicología no oficial y ahí está él para ayudarla. Aceptable.
Y... miras, quedan apenas 20 páginas y dices, comorr? y PUM final, felices para siempre jamás, oh! te quiero hasta el infinito y más allá. ¿Perdona?
Parece como que firmó X páginas y se metió tanto en el desarrollo de la ambientación y la historia familiar que cuando se quiso dar cuenta, le faltaban páginas y cortó por lo sano.
Uuuuna pena. Porque podría haber sido un "tres estrellas con buen sabor de boca" y se ha quedado en "tres estrellas meeeh".
De momento no creo que siga con la serie...
December 5, 2013
'She'd discovered long before that loneliness could be a dull background ache or it could be sharp and painful. It could bite into the soft parts of a person leaving bruises, or it could just nip gently at the edges of your subconscious. She'd learned to live with it, but tonight the O'Neils had ripped away all the protection she'd so carefully wrapped around herself, leaving her vulnerable and exposed.'
My thoughts
I bought this book for something silly like 49p, purely to read in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I love Christmas, so reading Christmas stories and watching Christmas films adds to the magic for me. I read this book as part of a challenge to read as many Christmas books during the season of Advent as possible. This is the first book I've read for the challenge.
I feel that I got an incredible bargain for this book. I loved everything about this book and was immediately swept into the magic of Snow Crystal Resort. I've been left wishing that it was real so I can spend my Christmas relaxing in a hot tub overlooking an icy forest and a beautiful lake. It really was a beautiful setting for a book, and perfect for a Christmas Romance.
It's hard for me to imagine that somebody doesn't like Christmas, but of course if somebody doesn't enjoy it, then they must have their reasons. It's not clear from the start of the book why Kayla dislikes Christmas so much, but as the story progresses, it soon becomes clear why she tries so hard to avoid the holidays, and it added sadness to the story.
The O'Neil family were incredibly warm toward Kayla. They really made this story special and added the Christmas spirit. At first this makes Kayla uncomfortable, as she's not used to affection, but she soon relaxes in the beautiful surroundings. It's the time away from the office that I think brings out the best in Kayla.
There was so much more going on in this story than just Romance, which is why I gave it five stars. As Kayla falls in love with the resort, she fights to keep it afloat, and I found myself hoping that she could find a way to make it possible, as it's not just a business, it's a family home. The family being on the brink of losing their home at Christmas added a sense of urgency to the story, and it became more than just a job for Kayla.
There's alternating points of view in this story, mostly between Kayla and Jackson as they start to spend more time together. But there are a few chapters from other members of the O'Neil family, including Jackson's mother, Elizabeth, his brother Tyler, and his niece Jess. I thought that this created a really special story, as it was about more than just a failing business and a romance; it was about family too.
There were family dilemmas, with Tyler doing his best with his daughter Jess that's just started to live with him, and Jess feeling like she's not wanted. There's Elizabeth's feeling of emptiness after losing her Husband, there's Jackson's Grandfather being unable to express his true feelings for his Grandson. It's for this reason that I gave the book five stars, as there was more than just one dimension to the story. I can see this book making a great Christmas film, although it wouldn't make a good family Christmas film with the sexual chemistry!
Overall, I thought this was a lovely, lighthearted Christmas Romance, with all the elements needed for a beautiful story. If you're looking for an easy and relaxing Christmas book, with all the magic of a family Christmas, then look no further.
My thoughts
I bought this book for something silly like 49p, purely to read in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I love Christmas, so reading Christmas stories and watching Christmas films adds to the magic for me. I read this book as part of a challenge to read as many Christmas books during the season of Advent as possible. This is the first book I've read for the challenge.
I feel that I got an incredible bargain for this book. I loved everything about this book and was immediately swept into the magic of Snow Crystal Resort. I've been left wishing that it was real so I can spend my Christmas relaxing in a hot tub overlooking an icy forest and a beautiful lake. It really was a beautiful setting for a book, and perfect for a Christmas Romance.
It's hard for me to imagine that somebody doesn't like Christmas, but of course if somebody doesn't enjoy it, then they must have their reasons. It's not clear from the start of the book why Kayla dislikes Christmas so much, but as the story progresses, it soon becomes clear why she tries so hard to avoid the holidays, and it added sadness to the story.
The O'Neil family were incredibly warm toward Kayla. They really made this story special and added the Christmas spirit. At first this makes Kayla uncomfortable, as she's not used to affection, but she soon relaxes in the beautiful surroundings. It's the time away from the office that I think brings out the best in Kayla.
There was so much more going on in this story than just Romance, which is why I gave it five stars. As Kayla falls in love with the resort, she fights to keep it afloat, and I found myself hoping that she could find a way to make it possible, as it's not just a business, it's a family home. The family being on the brink of losing their home at Christmas added a sense of urgency to the story, and it became more than just a job for Kayla.
There's alternating points of view in this story, mostly between Kayla and Jackson as they start to spend more time together. But there are a few chapters from other members of the O'Neil family, including Jackson's mother, Elizabeth, his brother Tyler, and his niece Jess. I thought that this created a really special story, as it was about more than just a failing business and a romance; it was about family too.
There were family dilemmas, with Tyler doing his best with his daughter Jess that's just started to live with him, and Jess feeling like she's not wanted. There's Elizabeth's feeling of emptiness after losing her Husband, there's Jackson's Grandfather being unable to express his true feelings for his Grandson. It's for this reason that I gave the book five stars, as there was more than just one dimension to the story. I can see this book making a great Christmas film, although it wouldn't make a good family Christmas film with the sexual chemistry!
Overall, I thought this was a lovely, lighthearted Christmas Romance, with all the elements needed for a beautiful story. If you're looking for an easy and relaxing Christmas book, with all the magic of a family Christmas, then look no further.
December 15, 2016
Portatemi a Snow Crystal e datemi un Jackson O'Neil tutto per me.. vi prego! PER FAVORE!!
Come ho fatto ad innamorarmi follemente di questo libro?
Semplice, io sono Kayla: mi sono rivista in ogni sua paura e, soprattutto, nella sua allergia per il natale! Ebbene si, anche io sono un po' il Grinch della situazione!
....
....
Ok, sono un Grinch in piena regola, ma non è questo il punto!
Il punto è proprio Jackson O'Neil e la sua dolcezza che ti fa sciogliere come burro al sole, maledetto!
Hey O'Neil! Se ti rimane tempo, dico, vieni ad aggiustare anche me T_T mio dio, la dolcezza vera e propria di quest'uomo e di questa famiglia! Come si fa a non rimanerne incantati? ♥♥♥
Penso di essermi innamorata di Jackson, come Kayla, quando l'ho visto la prima volta in ufficio, quando ha cominciato a farle tutte quelle domande personali. Poi ancora quando non ha permesso che lei si licenziasse, dopo la pessima figura fatta con tutta la famiglia. Oppure quando l'ha baciata nel bosco e poi l'ha lasciata lì, praticamente appesa ad un pino.
Plurime volte insomma.
E poi tutta la famiglia!
Di Walter e del suo caratteraccio -Io ti adoro!-
di Alice e della sua biancheria termica,
di Elizabeth e dei suoi biscotti,
di Tyler e del suo essere padre -hey! tu sarai il prossimo!-
di Brenna e della sua cocciutagine,
di Sean e della sua eleganza mista a ironia,
di Elise e dei suoi piatti,
di Jess e del suo coraggio,
di Murple e del suo costante buonumore,
di Snow Crystal e delle alci, delle slitte, dei cavalli e dei lupi e delle cascate ghiacciate, degli scoiattoli, delle pigne e dei laghi ghiacciati, delle idromassaggio, delle cioccolate calde e dello sciroppo d'acero e, per forza, dei babbi natale di pan di zenzero.
E, nel caso ve lo steste chiedendo, si, Sarah Morgan descrive un po' le famiglie della mulino bianco ma, insomma, andiamo, abbiamo bisogno di queste storie fresche, leggere e dolci almeno una volta l'anno!
Questi cartacei non avrebbero mai trovato posto nella mia libreria ma, all'incirca 11 mesi fa, vinsi un Giveaways sul sito FreePassion e, TA DAAAAAAN, poco dopo eccoli nella mia buca delle lettere, tutta la serie. Ebbene, avevo già deciso di aspettare il natale successivo -Ho già detto che sono un po' Grinch inside? Vivere l'atmosfera natalizia una volta l'anno è più che sufficiente, quindi decisi che sarebbe stato meglio prendere due piccioni con una fava- ed eccomi qui, completamente innamorata e ridotta ormai in poltiglia grazie a questa storia!
Bella bella bella! Poi leggendola durante questo periodo, ha una marcia in più, lo ammetto!
Mi piace molto come scrive la Morgan! in poco più di 340 pag è riuscita a farmi innamorare di Snow Crystal e di tutta la flora, fauna, sapori, odori, essere vivente e non della Pensylvania!
Assolutamente consigliato ♥♥♥♥♥
Come ho fatto ad innamorarmi follemente di questo libro?
Semplice, io sono Kayla: mi sono rivista in ogni sua paura e, soprattutto, nella sua allergia per il natale! Ebbene si, anche io sono un po' il Grinch della situazione!
....
....
Ok, sono un Grinch in piena regola, ma non è questo il punto!
"Dimmelo Kayla. Dimmi cosa è successo là dentro." -Jackson
"Perchè ti interessa?" -Kayla
"Forse posso aggiustarlo" -Jackson
Il punto è proprio Jackson O'Neil e la sua dolcezza che ti fa sciogliere come burro al sole, maledetto!
Hey O'Neil! Se ti rimane tempo, dico, vieni ad aggiustare anche me T_T mio dio, la dolcezza vera e propria di quest'uomo e di questa famiglia! Come si fa a non rimanerne incantati? ♥♥♥
Penso di essermi innamorata di Jackson, come Kayla, quando l'ho visto la prima volta in ufficio, quando ha cominciato a farle tutte quelle domande personali. Poi ancora quando non ha permesso che lei si licenziasse, dopo la pessima figura fatta con tutta la famiglia. Oppure quando l'ha baciata nel bosco e poi l'ha lasciata lì, praticamente appesa ad un pino.
Plurime volte insomma.
E poi tutta la famiglia!
Di Walter e del suo caratteraccio -Io ti adoro!-
di Alice e della sua biancheria termica,
di Elizabeth e dei suoi biscotti,
di Tyler e del suo essere padre -hey! tu sarai il prossimo!-
di Brenna e della sua cocciutagine,
di Sean e della sua eleganza mista a ironia,
di Elise e dei suoi piatti,
di Jess e del suo coraggio,
di Murple e del suo costante buonumore,
di Snow Crystal e delle alci, delle slitte, dei cavalli e dei lupi e delle cascate ghiacciate, degli scoiattoli, delle pigne e dei laghi ghiacciati, delle idromassaggio, delle cioccolate calde e dello sciroppo d'acero e, per forza, dei babbi natale di pan di zenzero.
"La famiglia era una sorta di cuscino, pensò Kayla. Qualcosa di morbido che ti protegge dai colpi della vita. Non puoi evitare che i colpi arrivino, ma se c'è qualcuno con te che ti vuole bene, fanno meno male"
E, nel caso ve lo steste chiedendo, si, Sarah Morgan descrive un po' le famiglie della mulino bianco ma, insomma, andiamo, abbiamo bisogno di queste storie fresche, leggere e dolci almeno una volta l'anno!
Questi cartacei non avrebbero mai trovato posto nella mia libreria ma, all'incirca 11 mesi fa, vinsi un Giveaways sul sito FreePassion e, TA DAAAAAAN, poco dopo eccoli nella mia buca delle lettere, tutta la serie. Ebbene, avevo già deciso di aspettare il natale successivo -Ho già detto che sono un po' Grinch inside? Vivere l'atmosfera natalizia una volta l'anno è più che sufficiente, quindi decisi che sarebbe stato meglio prendere due piccioni con una fava- ed eccomi qui, completamente innamorata e ridotta ormai in poltiglia grazie a questa storia!
Bella bella bella! Poi leggendola durante questo periodo, ha una marcia in più, lo ammetto!
Mi piace molto come scrive la Morgan! in poco più di 340 pag è riuscita a farmi innamorare di Snow Crystal e di tutta la flora, fauna, sapori, odori, essere vivente e non della Pensylvania!
Assolutamente consigliato ♥♥♥♥♥
"Non si tratta di fatti, tesoro. E' questione di sentimenti. Un sentimento qui dentro" Si portò il pugno al petto. "Che ti trascina via e ti toglie il fiato e tu sai che qualunque cosa succederà in futuro, ti ricorderai di quel momento per sempre. Sarà sempre lì, vivo dentro di te, e nessuno potrà portartelo via" -Elizabeth
July 26, 2016
Also posted on This Chick Reads
*Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
I CAN NOT BELIEVE I just recently discovered Sarah Morgan's books. I mean, just look at the number of books she's written so far, and look at their ratings!!
I indeed deserve to be hit with a stick for not reading at least one of Sarah's books before, but boy oh boy am I glad I got the chance to start with this one. 'Sleigh Bells in the Snow' is a FANTASTIC read! It's a perfect festive read full of Christmas magic and an absolutely charming romance book you MUST read.
Honestly people, I adored EVERYTHING about it. From the mesmerizing setting and the wonderful vivid descriptions of Snow Crystal, to totally lovable characters you won't be able to forget.
Kayla Green is our heroine and she's the associate vice president of Tourism and Hospitality and she's the typical workaholic. She stays long hours, avoiding parties and despising everything about festivities. One day she's assigned to go to Snow Crystal Resort to help out the O'Neils with their marketing strategy. Of course, she sees this as a wonderful opportunity to get away from her company and all the Christmas madness, and spend few quiet days with her mobile and laptop...of course, working. But things start changing as soon as she meets Jackson O'Neil, who's not only a successful businessman but also drop dead gorgeous, athletic built and crazy about skiing (and everything wintery). All of a sudden she finds herself surrounded by the very things she wanted to escape from - Christmas cheer, family and feelings.
I really had no idea I will love Kayla so much. Honestly, she seemed like a bit of a scrooge at the beginning, though later on I could totally understand her reasons for such a behavior. She's smart, beautiful, very down-to-earth person and I loved seeing her transform in front of my eyes. Once I found out the reasons for her resentment for everything Christmassy, I totally sympathized with her, and frankly I really wished I could give her a big big hug. But what I loved the most was the chemistry between Kayla and Jackson. It's not the typical insta-love we get to see in so many other books. Yes, the attraction is there, yet the romance part is gradually built and the romance scenes are tastefully written. But you will be able to feel the chemistry which is simply pouring out of the pages. Unbelievable, I've read quite a few books and yet I am simply astonished with Sarah's skills to create such an amazing romance read. Honestly, this is not only a perfect festive book, it's a PERFECT BOOK. Period. The characters are fantastic and well developed, the writing is consistent, fantastic from the start to the very last page. I can guarantee you, you won't be bored even for a second.
I totally, wholeheartedly, recommend this to EVERYONE! Seriously people, you're missing out on a fantastic read! So, what are you waiting for, head out to amazon or any other book store and get it fast! You won't be sorry for sure! And there will be two more parts in this series and we'll get to see some more from O'Neils, yay! Next book is coming out in Summer and I CAN NOT WAIT!
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