What do you think?
Rate this book
Hannah Swensen #8.5 - The Twelve Desserts of Chr
Sugar and Spice
1. The Christmas Stocking by Fern Michaels
Philadelphia businesswoman Amy Baran is determined to raise money for a new seniors' center by harvesting Christmas trees from the small-town Virginia farm she remembers from her childhood. Trouble is, Gus Moss has come home from California with his own ideas about saving the farm his father has neglected. Neither wants to give up, but when attraction turns to romance, they just might have to give in .
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton
Wounded Special Ops officer Mack MacKinnon doesn't have any reason to look forward to the holidays -- until he rescues pretty widow Katie Hadley from a raging blizzard. Now, in a season of miracles, he's falling as hard and fast as the Christmas Eve snow.
3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke
Take two lovestruck teachers. Add a dollop of conspiring kids. Place in a boarding school over Christmas break. And add a little help -- and eight, great recipes -- from amateur sleuth Hannah Swenson, and you've got a romantic holiday tale that's sweet, delicious, and definitely served warm.
4. Twelve Days by Shirley Jump
Of all the luck -- Natalie Harris can't believe she drew Jake Lyons as her Secret Santa pal! The dreamy hunk leaves her completely tongue-tied. But with twelve days of secret gifts, sweet notes, and steamy emails to go, she just may conquer her fear and discover something surprising under the tree.
Philadelphia businesswoman Amy Baran is determined to raise money for a new seniors' center by harvesting Christmas trees from the small-town Virginia farm she remembers from her childhood. Trouble is, Gus Moss has come home from California with his own ideas about saving the farm his father has neglected. Neither wants to give up, but when attraction turns to romance, they just might have to give in .
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton
Wounded Special Ops officer Mack MacKinnon doesn't have any reason to look forward to the holidays -- until he rescues pretty widow Katie Hadley from a raging blizzard. Now, in a season of miracles, he's falling as hard and fast as the Christmas Eve snow.
3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke
Take two lovestruck teachers. Add a dollop of conspiring kids. Place in a boarding school over Christmas break. And add a little help -- and eight, great recipes -- from amateur sleuth Hannah Swenson, and you've got a romantic holiday tale that's sweet, delicious, and definitely served warm.
4. Twelve Days by Shirley Jump
Of all the luck -- Natalie Harris can't believe she drew Jake Lyons as her Secret Santa pal! The dreamy hunk leaves her completely tongue-tied. But with twelve days of secret gifts, sweet notes, and steamy emails to go, she just may conquer her fear and discover something surprising under the tree.
431 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2006
200 people are currently reading
5150 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Fluke
135 books8,594 followersLike Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where her neighbors were friendly, the winters were fierce, and the biggest scandal was the spotting of unidentified male undergarments on a young widow's clothesline. She insists that there really are 10,000 lakes and the mosquito is NOT the state bird.
While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.
She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.
Series:
* Hannah Swensen
While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.
She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.
Series:
* Hannah Swensen
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
November 1, 2021
Another fun holiday short from the wonderful Joanne Fluke. I miss this series when I fall behind. I tried making some of these recipes... usually easy and work out well. Recommended for beginners in the series, but know the mystery is light and it's more about the small town relationships and holiday fun.
October 10, 2022
A delightful collection of holiday short stories to get you in a Christmas mood. I loved Fern Michaels’ tale of two adult children returning home to help their parents struggling Christmas tree farm businesses. This was a cozy, sweet, cold weather story with plenty of fir and pine wreaths I could practically smell as I was reading! In another tale, two strangers are snowed in during a blizzard in rural Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I especially enjoyed Joanne Fluke’s story of Hannah Swenson and baking partner Lisa baking up Christmas treats for students at a local boarding school who had to remain back over the Christmas holidays. A lovely collection with many candy canes worth of winter cheer!
August 30, 2019
A nice collection of short romance stories around the Christmas season.
None were a full 5 stars but “Twelve Desserts of Christmas” was the closest at a 4.5 star rating. The ending was a little cliche but was the best that could have happened. It was interesting seeing a story where Hannah and her family weren’t the main focus. It’s nice when new characters and places are introduced.
My least enjoyed story was “The Ghost of Christmas Past” with a rating of 3-3.5 stars. It was nice enough to continue and would be a good light smutty book with a “good girl” who ensnares the gruff former soldier turned mountain main who suffers from PTSD theme. It was cute but I’ve read many stories like this so I wasn’t wowed.
“The Christmas Stocking” was a double romance in one short story that I really enjoyed more than I thought I would. It showed parents and kids with distant relationships grow closer to each other and fall in love. There was a lot going on but I feel it was handled well and wasn’t too difficult for me to follow. It was somewhere between a 4.25-4.5 for me.
“Twelve Days” started off strong but the ending kind of messed with the story. It seemed thrown together to try to give readers the ending majority may want, but the journey they’d taken didn’t match. It was too fast, in my opinion. For me it’s between a 3.75-4 star rating.
Overall, I had a good experience with this anthology and I think others may too.
None were a full 5 stars but “Twelve Desserts of Christmas” was the closest at a 4.5 star rating. The ending was a little cliche but was the best that could have happened. It was interesting seeing a story where Hannah and her family weren’t the main focus. It’s nice when new characters and places are introduced.
My least enjoyed story was “The Ghost of Christmas Past” with a rating of 3-3.5 stars. It was nice enough to continue and would be a good light smutty book with a “good girl” who ensnares the gruff former soldier turned mountain main who suffers from PTSD theme. It was cute but I’ve read many stories like this so I wasn’t wowed.
“The Christmas Stocking” was a double romance in one short story that I really enjoyed more than I thought I would. It showed parents and kids with distant relationships grow closer to each other and fall in love. There was a lot going on but I feel it was handled well and wasn’t too difficult for me to follow. It was somewhere between a 4.25-4.5 for me.
“Twelve Days” started off strong but the ending kind of messed with the story. It seemed thrown together to try to give readers the ending majority may want, but the journey they’d taken didn’t match. It was too fast, in my opinion. For me it’s between a 3.75-4 star rating.
Overall, I had a good experience with this anthology and I think others may too.
December 19, 2020
Well that was a disappointment!
Out of 4 stories I only liked 1, The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke. In fact I wanna read more by Joanne Fluke in the future, I've also been told that there are Hallmark movies based on her Hannah Swensen series.
The first two stories were just meh so I won't talk much about them but the last story Twelve Days by Shirley Jump that was the biggest disappointment. I enjoyed the story up until the last 5 pages when the guy proposes after only really knowing her for 12 days. They went on 1 date and had kissed 2x and then he proposes..WTF?
I understand that Happily Ever After is to be expected from these books but come on! He doesn't even know her middle name. He's never been to her house. The only things he knows about her is she's sweet, she has nice legs, she's smart, and he wants to fuck her. You dont need to propose to her to fuck her. It's not the 1800's. Just ask her if she wants to have sex with you. Its extremely obvious she'd say yes.
Read Joanne Fluke and have a Merry Christmas!
Out of 4 stories I only liked 1, The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke. In fact I wanna read more by Joanne Fluke in the future, I've also been told that there are Hallmark movies based on her Hannah Swensen series.
The first two stories were just meh so I won't talk much about them but the last story Twelve Days by Shirley Jump that was the biggest disappointment. I enjoyed the story up until the last 5 pages when the guy proposes after only really knowing her for 12 days. They went on 1 date and had kissed 2x and then he proposes..WTF?
I understand that Happily Ever After is to be expected from these books but come on! He doesn't even know her middle name. He's never been to her house. The only things he knows about her is she's sweet, she has nice legs, she's smart, and he wants to fuck her. You dont need to propose to her to fuck her. It's not the 1800's. Just ask her if she wants to have sex with you. Its extremely obvious she'd say yes.
Read Joanne Fluke and have a Merry Christmas!
November 28, 2020
I am only reading the Hannah Swensen story in this book [as I don't read any of the other authors featured here], so even though the book is marked at read [when I finish], it will only be one story. I am [currently] unsure of the pages here, so I will make an estimate @110]. <--it was 110 pages. For once my math was dead on!! WHEW!!
This was a really good story - for once the focus is on other people and not Hannah and her ridiculous love life so it was a lot more fun. And no death and no murder, just an excellent Christmas story that has many lessons in its short pages.
This was a really good story - for once the focus is on other people and not Hannah and her ridiculous love life so it was a lot more fun. And no death and no murder, just an excellent Christmas story that has many lessons in its short pages.
December 24, 2020
This book is a collection of four romance novellas set during Christmas time.
First up is "The Christmas Stocking" by Fern Michaels. It finds Amy Baran and Gus Moss returning to their hometown to help their parents with projects relating to Christmas trees. Along they way, they meet and the sparks fly. The story started well, but I felt the plot resolved about thirty pages before the story ended.
Second comes "The Ghost of Christmas Past" by Beverly Barton. Katie Hadley is trying to escape her family and her memories, so she rents a cabin in the mountains. A blizzard arrives while she's trying to reach her destination and strands here with Mack MacKinnon. Will the sparks between them melt their cold hearts? This is the only story with any explicit content, but it is all in one chapter, so it can be avoided. Other then that, it was good.
Next is the reason I bought this book. In "The Twelve Desserts of Christmas," Joanne Fluke takes a break from murder and offers a romance with series star Hannah Swensen attempting to help two teachers and six kids left behind at a boarding school during the Christmas break. The kids make a bet over the teachers' romance, and trouble ensues. Joanne has included 9 recipes from her novels and three new recipes. I loved this story with its lighthearted and fun look at romance in a crowded setting.
Finally, "Twelve Days" by Shirley Jump offers office romance as Natalie Harris attempts to tempt boss Jake Lyons for a one night stand. But the secrets might just bring more then either expects. Another fun tale well told. This tale also includes a recipe, bringing the total for the book to a baker's dozen.
Each story is about 100 pages, making for quick reads. I did feel most of them were predictable, but the characters drew me into the stories anyway. Overall, I enjoyed this break from my normal mysteries.
First up is "The Christmas Stocking" by Fern Michaels. It finds Amy Baran and Gus Moss returning to their hometown to help their parents with projects relating to Christmas trees. Along they way, they meet and the sparks fly. The story started well, but I felt the plot resolved about thirty pages before the story ended.
Second comes "The Ghost of Christmas Past" by Beverly Barton. Katie Hadley is trying to escape her family and her memories, so she rents a cabin in the mountains. A blizzard arrives while she's trying to reach her destination and strands here with Mack MacKinnon. Will the sparks between them melt their cold hearts? This is the only story with any explicit content, but it is all in one chapter, so it can be avoided. Other then that, it was good.
Next is the reason I bought this book. In "The Twelve Desserts of Christmas," Joanne Fluke takes a break from murder and offers a romance with series star Hannah Swensen attempting to help two teachers and six kids left behind at a boarding school during the Christmas break. The kids make a bet over the teachers' romance, and trouble ensues. Joanne has included 9 recipes from her novels and three new recipes. I loved this story with its lighthearted and fun look at romance in a crowded setting.
Finally, "Twelve Days" by Shirley Jump offers office romance as Natalie Harris attempts to tempt boss Jake Lyons for a one night stand. But the secrets might just bring more then either expects. Another fun tale well told. This tale also includes a recipe, bringing the total for the book to a baker's dozen.
Each story is about 100 pages, making for quick reads. I did feel most of them were predictable, but the characters drew me into the stories anyway. Overall, I enjoyed this break from my normal mysteries.
April 21, 2025
The Twelve Desserts of Christmas
Hannah Swensen, Book 8.5
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: eBook
Source: CC Public Library
Dates Read: 4/10/25 - 4/20/25
Stars: 4 Stars
The Characters:
Hannah Swensen:
Andrea Todd: Hannah’s sister and sidekick
Lisa (Hannah’s business partner), Mike (Cop and love interest), Norman (love interest number 2), Moishe, Other town residents
The Story:
A Cute edition to the series. Hannah and the crew are always available for a fun time and it was nice to see a different side of Lake Eden.
Hannah Swensen, Book 8.5
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: eBook
Source: CC Public Library
Dates Read: 4/10/25 - 4/20/25
Stars: 4 Stars
The Characters:
Hannah Swensen:
Andrea Todd: Hannah’s sister and sidekick
Lisa (Hannah’s business partner), Mike (Cop and love interest), Norman (love interest number 2), Moishe, Other town residents
The Story:
A Cute edition to the series. Hannah and the crew are always available for a fun time and it was nice to see a different side of Lake Eden.
June 10, 2024
This book is not what I expected. I had been reading the Hannah Swensen mystery series in order, and this book was next on the list. It's not a mystery, though! It is a Christmas romance novella in a book with three other novellas by other authors. The Twelve Dessert of Christmas by Hannah Fluke is about a wholesome romance between guest characters of the series. Hannah Swensen, Lisa and Moishe have supporting roles. There is not any character development with the usual characters. Still, it is a good Christmas novella! Another novella is The Christmas Stocking by Fern Michaels, which is very much like a Hallmark movie. Enjoyable, well written, no adult language. The other two novellas are Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton and Twelve Days by Shirley Jump. Although they are Christmas novellas, they have a sensual element that may or may not be appreciated by the reader, depending upon personal tastes.
December 2, 2020
Read only the Joanne Fluke novella.
October 8, 2021
Cute little fun additions to known series.
December 25, 2021
Generally cute stories.
June 29, 2020
1. The Christmas Stocking by Fern Michaels - 4 Stars
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton - 3.5 Stars
3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke - 4 Stars
4. Twelve Days by Shirley Jump - 4 Stars
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton - 3.5 Stars
3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke - 4 Stars
4. Twelve Days by Shirley Jump - 4 Stars
June 17, 2019
Four novellas that take place during the Christmas season. Each story is a romance. They are all entertaining but predictable.
1. The Christmas Stocking by Fern Michaels ★★★
Gus returns to his hometown to help with his father's Christmas tree farm. Amy wants to raise money for the seniors' center by selling Christmas trees. Gus and Amy may have different goals, but they can agree on their attraction to one another.
A romantic story with instant attraction. Cute and sweet.
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton ★★★
Katie crashes her car during a blizzard. Mack saves her. They fall fast and hard for one another.
Another instant attraction story. Sexy and fun romance.
3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke ★★★
A Hannah Swensen story - #8.5 in the series. Hannah is a secondary character in this novella. The main characters are two teachers at a boarding school who are dating. Over Christmas break, their romance grows.
A sweet romance. Charming and cute.
4. Twelve Days by Shirley Jump ★★
It's Secret Santa time. Natalie draws her boss Jake's name. He always leaves her tongue-tied, but she may be able to win him over in twelve days. That is, unless she decides he's no longer worth the effort.
The least interesting novella in this collection. Mainly, I didn't care for either of the main characters, so I wasn't interested in their romance.
1. The Christmas Stocking by Fern Michaels ★★★
Gus returns to his hometown to help with his father's Christmas tree farm. Amy wants to raise money for the seniors' center by selling Christmas trees. Gus and Amy may have different goals, but they can agree on their attraction to one another.
A romantic story with instant attraction. Cute and sweet.
2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly Barton ★★★
Katie crashes her car during a blizzard. Mack saves her. They fall fast and hard for one another.
Another instant attraction story. Sexy and fun romance.
3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke ★★★
A Hannah Swensen story - #8.5 in the series. Hannah is a secondary character in this novella. The main characters are two teachers at a boarding school who are dating. Over Christmas break, their romance grows.
A sweet romance. Charming and cute.
4. Twelve Days by Shirley Jump ★★
It's Secret Santa time. Natalie draws her boss Jake's name. He always leaves her tongue-tied, but she may be able to win him over in twelve days. That is, unless she decides he's no longer worth the effort.
The least interesting novella in this collection. Mainly, I didn't care for either of the main characters, so I wasn't interested in their romance.
December 29, 2017
4 fun romantic short stories, set a Christmas time. This was a great short read for Christmas Break. One of the stories was a bit steamy, and detailed, but the others were cute wholesome romance stories. My favorite was the Twelve Days by Shirley Jump. The office where the main character Natalie Harris works has decided that they will exchange names for a 12 day secret Santa gift exchange. Natalie draws the name of one of the handsome co-bosses Jake! He has been the only reason she has stayed working at this job she doesn't love. Her work friend convinces her to go all out with her secret gifts including thoughtful gifts, sweet notes, and steamy e-mails. In the meantime Jake starts noticing Natalie more than he ever has and is falling for her. Over the course of the 12 days, she isnt sure what she wants anymore and in the end it is a Hallmark happy ending!
June 21, 2021
THE TWELVE DESSERTS OF CHRISTMAS by JOANNE FLUKE
This story is about a group of kids who are left behind at the Christmas holidays at the boarding school.
Julie and Matt, both teachers will chaperon the kids, 3 boys, 3 girls and they discover there are NO desserts for them.
Julie was a HS friend of Andrea who's sister is Hannah the one that bakes and owns the Cookie Jar. She is persuaded to deliver desserts to them daily and each gets to pick out a favorite of theirs.
The teachers are romantically inclined and it's not hardship for them to be there together.
Mystery starts when the kids sign the wager. Love the story of the Christmas cake.
Love how Hannah and her family and friends help the kids celebrate. They are blown away with happiness.
Can't wait to read of Hannah's stories.
Recipes are included along with conversion tables at the end. Note from the author is included.
This story is about a group of kids who are left behind at the Christmas holidays at the boarding school.
Julie and Matt, both teachers will chaperon the kids, 3 boys, 3 girls and they discover there are NO desserts for them.
Julie was a HS friend of Andrea who's sister is Hannah the one that bakes and owns the Cookie Jar. She is persuaded to deliver desserts to them daily and each gets to pick out a favorite of theirs.
The teachers are romantically inclined and it's not hardship for them to be there together.
Mystery starts when the kids sign the wager. Love the story of the Christmas cake.
Love how Hannah and her family and friends help the kids celebrate. They are blown away with happiness.
Can't wait to read of Hannah's stories.
Recipes are included along with conversion tables at the end. Note from the author is included.
December 16, 2020
I only read the Hannah Swensen story which was a short and sweet Christmas treat - I had a quick look at the other authors but they didn't appeal.
March 11, 2021
I only read the Joanne Fluke story, but it was adorable!!
June 8, 2022
Cute stories
May 31, 2023
The Christmas stocking: 3 stars
Ghost of Christmas past: 4 stars
Twelve desserts of Christmas: 3 stars
Twelve days: 3 stars
Ghost of Christmas past: 4 stars
Twelve desserts of Christmas: 3 stars
Twelve days: 3 stars
January 1, 2026
A fun collection of Holiday reads. Love the cookie recipes.
July 16, 2018
For those who love culinary cozies, this Christmas themed book will not disappoint. Frankly, I bought it because of my love of Joanne Fluke's "Hannah Swensen" series, but all of the stories were fun and engaging.
October 10, 2015
This book fulfills requirement #5 ~ Contemporary Romance for the 2015 Eclectic Reader Challenge.
There are four novellas in this book, each by a different author. I picked the book up because I like Joanne Fluke and her novella was the third one in the book.
The first story was kind of fun. It reminded me of one of the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies (which are a guilty pleasure for me.) I would rate it a solid 4.
The second story was ok, but I didn't think it was as good as the first story. I'd rate it a 3.
The third story was the reason I checked out the book. I really enjoy Joanne Fluke's writing and this one kind of went along with the Hannah Swenson series but without the dead bodies. And the recipes sound wonderful :-) I'll give this one a 5.
The fourth story was the hardest for me to get through. I guess it was the obsessive nature of the main characters that put me off a little. The ending was very predictable, saw it coming from a mile away. This one is a 3 for me.
If you like romances and variety, this is a good choice. I liked the chance to read a few authors that were new to me.
There are four novellas in this book, each by a different author. I picked the book up because I like Joanne Fluke and her novella was the third one in the book.
The first story was kind of fun. It reminded me of one of the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies (which are a guilty pleasure for me.) I would rate it a solid 4.
The second story was ok, but I didn't think it was as good as the first story. I'd rate it a 3.
The third story was the reason I checked out the book. I really enjoy Joanne Fluke's writing and this one kind of went along with the Hannah Swenson series but without the dead bodies. And the recipes sound wonderful :-) I'll give this one a 5.
The fourth story was the hardest for me to get through. I guess it was the obsessive nature of the main characters that put me off a little. The ending was very predictable, saw it coming from a mile away. This one is a 3 for me.
If you like romances and variety, this is a good choice. I liked the chance to read a few authors that were new to me.
July 6, 2011
Sugar and Spice is a really lovable sweet read for the holidays . A great book to just curl up and read. There is four different stories by four different authors.The christmas stocking by Fern Michaels. Two adult children come home for the holidays to help there parents and raise money for a new senior center will Amy and Gus fall i love? The Ghost of Christmas past by Beverly Barton-Mack MacKinnon a wounded special ops officer isn,t looking forward to the holidays - until he rescues pretty widow Katie Hadley from a raging blizzard.Now Mack is falling hard and fast for Katie.The Twelve Desserts of Christmas author Joanne Fluke -Take two love struck teachers, add some conspiring kids.in a boarding schooll over Christmas break and add twelve great recipes and you,ve got a romantic holiday tale.Twelve days author Shirley Jump -Natalie Harris can,t believe she drew Jake Lyons as her secret santa the dreamy hunk leaves her tongue tied. I really enjoyed this book.
July 17, 2008
I just love Joanne Fluke so I picked this up. I had no idea that some of the short stories would be so...shall we say, graphic? I read this on my lunch breaks and was so embarassed reading some of the love scenes while at work! It made me feel like I was doing something naughty! lol
March 13, 2025
If you’re here for a full platter of holiday novellas that mix romance, crime, suspense, and straight-up Christmas feelings, Sugar and Spice delivers exactly that. Not every story is a mystery — and that’s okay. What you’re really getting is a holiday variety pack, where some stories bring danger and diamonds, and others are all about second chances, healing, and love under the mistletoe.
Joanne Fluke kicks it off with The Christmas Thief, and while it’s not a Hannah Swensen murder-fest, you do get a diamond heist and a sweet bakery backdrop. It's cozy, light, and easy to enjoy if you're cool with a little crime and a lot of cookies — but if you’re searching for a body count, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Fern Michaels follows with The Christmas Target, a romantic suspense where an FBI agent and a woman in hiding reconnect under the Christmas lights. It’s got a dash of danger but is really about second-chance romance, and for what it is — a fast, emotional holiday story — it works.
Beverly Barton’s Holiday Protector brings the most actual suspense — think threatened heroine, protective hero, and a simmering tension that finally pays off. It’s still heavy on the romance, but with enough danger to keep things interesting and not just sappy.
And then Shirley Jump closes it out with A Shepherd’s Watch, which is pure Hallmark movie territory — widowed woman, single dad, adorable kid, zero crime, all feelings. It’s soft, emotional, and the perfect thing for anyone who wants a holiday hug in book form.
Sugar and Spice is what happens when a bunch of bestselling authors decide to throw a Christmas party on paper — and each one brings a very different dish to the table. If you want a collection where you can bounce between suspense and straight romance, between heists and healing, this is a solid pick.
Final take? Four out of five stars — because even if you’re craving something darker or twistier, sometimes it’s good to lean into the holiday sweetness — with just a little spice thrown in.
Joanne Fluke kicks it off with The Christmas Thief, and while it’s not a Hannah Swensen murder-fest, you do get a diamond heist and a sweet bakery backdrop. It's cozy, light, and easy to enjoy if you're cool with a little crime and a lot of cookies — but if you’re searching for a body count, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Fern Michaels follows with The Christmas Target, a romantic suspense where an FBI agent and a woman in hiding reconnect under the Christmas lights. It’s got a dash of danger but is really about second-chance romance, and for what it is — a fast, emotional holiday story — it works.
Beverly Barton’s Holiday Protector brings the most actual suspense — think threatened heroine, protective hero, and a simmering tension that finally pays off. It’s still heavy on the romance, but with enough danger to keep things interesting and not just sappy.
And then Shirley Jump closes it out with A Shepherd’s Watch, which is pure Hallmark movie territory — widowed woman, single dad, adorable kid, zero crime, all feelings. It’s soft, emotional, and the perfect thing for anyone who wants a holiday hug in book form.
Sugar and Spice is what happens when a bunch of bestselling authors decide to throw a Christmas party on paper — and each one brings a very different dish to the table. If you want a collection where you can bounce between suspense and straight romance, between heists and healing, this is a solid pick.
Final take? Four out of five stars — because even if you’re craving something darker or twistier, sometimes it’s good to lean into the holiday sweetness — with just a little spice thrown in.
November 9, 2025
I didn't like either of the stories in the book. The stories start out with two people who do not know each other then at the end they are getting married without any get to know you time.
Most of the readers who gave a rating of 1 or 2 still liked Joann Flukes' story. I am in the minority because I did not like it. There seemed to be 3 main characters in the book. The couple did not solve the mystery, Hannah, the baker did. I have seen some of the Hallmark movies with Hannah and thought them okay. I have not read any of the books. I was going to try one, but after this I don't think so.
I always liked Beverly Barton's books. I have missed reading her books since her death. But 'The Ghost of Christmas Past" was not a good short story. Katie was still hung up on her late husband. Accepting Mack seemed more like an afterthought.
In "The Christmas Stocking" and "Twelve Days" the male character's wealth saved the day. Neither of the stories were any good.
I am glad I did not waste any money on this book. Instead I checked the eBook out of the library.
Most of the readers who gave a rating of 1 or 2 still liked Joann Flukes' story. I am in the minority because I did not like it. There seemed to be 3 main characters in the book. The couple did not solve the mystery, Hannah, the baker did. I have seen some of the Hallmark movies with Hannah and thought them okay. I have not read any of the books. I was going to try one, but after this I don't think so.
I always liked Beverly Barton's books. I have missed reading her books since her death. But 'The Ghost of Christmas Past" was not a good short story. Katie was still hung up on her late husband. Accepting Mack seemed more like an afterthought.
In "The Christmas Stocking" and "Twelve Days" the male character's wealth saved the day. Neither of the stories were any good.
I am glad I did not waste any money on this book. Instead I checked the eBook out of the library.
August 13, 2018
There were four novellas in this Christmas-themed-romance collection, but I only read Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke. I read the Hannah Swensen mystery series, otherwise I would not reach for strict romance, which is not a genre I typically am drawn to. This was a quick and easy read. I thought it was cheesy-fun, it had a tiny mystery for Hannah to solve, though no one was hurt or killed for this one, and a sweet (pun unintended) ending. I actually liked it more than I anticipated when I first started, except for one minor detail: the way the twins kept finishing each other's sentences got irritating.
December 5, 2025
I’m currently reading the Hannah Swenson mysteries. So I checked out this book from the library just to read the #8.5 “The Twelve Desserts of Christmas”. It was a cute short story. There are no murders in this one; the story is also told from the points of view of a couple of new characters, and Hannah also. Which threw me at first, thinking I’d started to read the wrong story. It was a cute, fun read, but not one you’d need to read to follow the book series. But it was an entertaining read on this cold December day, leading up to the holidays.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2021
Three out of the four stories were ok, although the idea that a guy is going to propose marriage to someone he barely knows is more like a female fantasy than real world, I think. I know it happens, but these stories are trite at best, although they are a bit fun too. If you're looking for some sex, you've got the wrong book. The third story by Fluke was simply terrible and annoying. It's only redeeming feature was the recipes. I finished it, but it was annoying and painful.
August 1, 2017
These stories kinda hit the spot. Short and to the point. Not tons of background, but enough to be believable and realistic. Sometimes the pages and pages and chapters of endless chatter can get overwhelming. Plus there's also something about reading Christmas storylines in the summer that make me happy:-) great short romance novellas!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews