A New Year's Novella A perfect year begins with a perfect kiss... It's New Year's Eve and single artist Sasha is ready to celebrate, but 2018 isn't quite done with her yet. A last-minute shock at her day job sends her reeling, and it looks like the new year will get off to a rocky start. With some help from her kilt-wearing brother in law, Rob, she makes three little wishes for a happier New Year. PhD student Naomi isn't doing much better, the holiday season brought her a scandalous surprise. And without a special lady to celebrate with, she winds up with her parent's at their friend's New Year's bash. Unaware that her night is about to get complicated, she confides in someone that controls her fate. When Naomi's and Sasha's worlds suddenly collide, New Year's Eve takes a magical turn. But just when they both thought they'd found someone special, their two paths are unwillingly torn apart. Will Sasha have to search all of Boston to find her? Will Naomi ever see Sasha again? Year of the Kiss is a steamy New Year's eve novella to help you welcome in 2019.
Sure, I do other stuff but mostly I’m a writer. I get up early in the morning and work at my kitchen table with a steaming hot cup of tea. Sometimes I listen to brain.fm to help me focus. Sometimes I use a timer and write in sprints. Sometimes I don’t do any of that and listen to the chatter of the birds in my back yard while I dive into a scene. Whatever I do, I sit my ass in the chair every day and write. I have a wife. She’s the inspiration for all of my sexy heroines. She’s the crème de la crème. She’s my favorite love story. She’s my queen. I’m also a mother. I have a son that I adore more than anything in the world. He’s the best thing I ever did, by far, and his amazing sense of fun and adventure keeps me wanting to explore. I’m a musician. I used to play in a band. I’m a computer geek, I love cooking, tasting delicious craft beers and being outside. I love where I live, on the beautiful West Coast of Canada where it’s temperate in all sorts of ways. Giselle Fox is my pen name. Having a pen name puts a little separation between real life and fiction. And since my stories are always spicy, that separation is a good thing. Giselle is the creative part of me. She gets me out of bed every morning, she cracks the whip when I want to flake out on the couch and watch Netflix. She makes me pay attention to people and circumstances and ask questions so I can write. Having an alter ego is great. You should try it, if you haven’t already.
Need something sweet, fun with a dash of drama and lots of .. cupcakes?
2018 hasn't been very kind to Sasha and Naomi who find themselves attending the same New Year's Eve party. After getting stuck together and then forced apart, they start a frantic search for each other with only the bare minimum of information available to them.
Of course finding each other in a major city is easier said than done but buckle up when they do. Ladies this is the part where I advise you to open a window, crank up the AC or get a cold drink because Giselle Fox treats you to a literal bakers dozen of sex positions.
As hot and sexy as that scene was, it reminded me of something that had me laughing like an asthmatic hyena. Do any of you remember that scene from 'friends' where Monica was telling Chandler about the 7 erogenous zones on a woman's body and got stuck on number 7? Yeah.. keep that in mind when reading that scene.
There are a few spelling and grammar issues and even the wrong character name was used once but overall this was a sweet, very cheesy and scorching hot read. It makes for a nice little break between angst ridden books.
Late at night, I scrolled through my selection of Kindle books, hankering for something light, sweet, and fluffy for the new year. I started and stopped a couple that didn't have that 'it' factor until I stumbled upon reviews of this. I should've remembered that Giselle Fox would deliver sweet and steamy!
I'm pleased. And I gotta say that Fox took this story in a few unexpected directions. It was refreshing, to say the least. Naomi and Sasha had adorable chemistry and I like the themes of their independent lives.
A few plot points near the end weren't my favorite, but it doesn't affect it enough to go below four stars. Thanks for a romantic first finished book of 2019, Giselle Fox!
A sweet novella, easy to read, with loveable main characters and good secondary characters. Set in Boston it takes its start on New Year's Eve. Scientist meet artists and after they share a magical kiss, everything changes.
With a little magic, two paths come together. The path of an artist and a scientist. An awkward confrontation and a kiss at midnight changed their life for the better. This was an enchanting, fun and lighthearted read with a bit of naughtiness. Well done!
This was an adorable, New Years themed, short story. Even though the length was small, it still had the feel of a full length book. The characters had suprising depth. And it was packed full of things. Kilts, family, whiskey, unemployment, workplace harassment, art, cars, brain nerds, cakes, exes, infidelity, higher education, bathrooms, hotels, fondue...
The premise was super cute. I really enjoyed this light read. It wasn't what I expected. I liked that while there was instant chemistry between the mains, they had to work to find each other. I don't know if that successfully replaced a 'getting to know you' phase. It felt a little abrupt once things were on track. But probably to be expected with a novella and it was still kind of believable if you are a hopeless romantic dreamer.
There was so much talk about tea. And even mention of a tea room at work? As nitpicking as it sounds, it distracted me from the story a tiny bit. I really do not like tea.
And I have to mention that the story fell victim to my number 1 pet peeve. Asking someone to be thier girlfriend. Thankfully there was a bit of banter that followed which softened the blow. But I would prefer to never see the words on page/screen.
Anyhow, read this for a quick, light, cute read. It is unique enough to make it worth it.
In New Year's Eve artist Sasha and PhD student Naomi meet by chance and they briefly enjoy an incredible kiss. But things get complicated fast and they both go separate ways without knowing anything about each other. Will they be able to meet again and find out if that initial chemistry has potential to develop into something more permanent?
'Year of the kiss' is a sweet romance novella set out in Boston in New Years' Eve and the first weeks of 2019. All the characters are well rounded and credible, including the very charming Rob (Sasha's brother in law) a huge Scottish guy with a tendency to drink buckets of whisky, engage in witchcraft and wear traditional kilts. The dialogues are funny and full of banter which gives this novella the perfect light and festive tone.
Despite that sparks fly the first time Sasha and Naomi meet, the author manages well the period they are apart. Their relationship is built slowly but when it reaches the peak it's sizzling hot. To illustrate this, there's a long intimate scene that considering its graphic nature seems more appropriate for an erotica book than a romance. However, it fits in the plot seamlessly and it doesn't feel overdone.
This novel is written in third person from the point of view of both main characters, with each point of view shift marked with the character's name. I'm not sure if this is necessary as, in my opinion, it interrupts the reading flow, but once the reader gets used to it it's not too bad.
Overall, an entertaining, sweet and erotic novella with quirky secondary characters and funny banter. It's my first book by this author but it won't be my last. 4.5 stars.
With thanks to my Goodreads friend Tere for recommending this book.
Sasha and Naomi meet at a New Year’s Eve party while Naomi is trying to avoid her thesis advisor who is suddenly hitting on her now that Naomi has broken up with her girlfriend. When Carolynn insists on proof that Naomi isn’t interested in her, she and Sasha kiss but then Naomi immediately runs off because Carolynn put her keys in Naomi’s pocket before jumping in the cab. (This sexual harassment plotline made me deeply uncomfortable so proceed cautiously if that’s a trigger for you.)
Sasha and Naomi didn’t trade last names or any contact information and one of the party hosts is out of town for a month. They both attempt to find each other based on the few scraps of info they shared. But then Sasha majorly crosses the line. When Carolynn visits the bakery Sasha works at, she notices the work badge on her keys and uses that to search for Naomi on the school’s site and gets her last name. She then goes to campus and the building she thinks Naomi works at and asks for her contact information. The employee rightly won’t give out Naomi’s phone number and offers to call her instead. There’s no answer and then the employee gets sidetracked by something else while Sasha is leaving her own phone number to pass along. This is when Sasha notices the computer screen with Naomi’s info is still up and she copies down Naomi’s home address. Hello, stalker. While Sasha briefly thinks about how Naomi could be creeped out if she shows up at her home, SHE GOES ANYWAY. She shows up uninvited and unannounced at the home of someone she has not interacted with beyond small talk and a kiss and who ran off into the night. None of that sounds like, “sure, show up at my home when I have not even given you my last name or phone number.” Especially when Naomi is already dealing with a sexual harasser!!!! This is so not okay on any level and this isn’t a heroine I can root for. I had to stop reading.
I did like Sasha's Scottish brother-in-law Rob who is a witch and in town for a visit. I'd read a book about him.
Character notes: Sasha is a lesbian artist. Naomi is getting her PhD. They are both white. This is set in Boston.
CW: heroine stalks other heroine, heroine’s thesis advisor sexually harasses and gaslights her, heroine’s ex cheated, recent death of grandmother, bierasure (“you’ll make a lesbian happy someday”), alcohol
Daughter of a baker I'll never see pastries the same way ever again 😂 But seriously though since I've read the Claire and the Lady Billionaire 1 series by Giselle Fox she undoubtedly became one of my favorite author. This book is a complete package in its entirety; it has great chemistry, extremely lovable MCs and sexy scenes. If you haven't read it yet then I think you just found your next book to read
Year of the Kiss is a ginormously sweet novella. The magic of lesbian love and eroticism plays out in the romantic story of Sasha Mclean and Naomi Elson. The fates reek havoc with the lives of these characters, but for everything jarring loss they suffer a new and better opportunity presents itself. The past must be burnt to crisp before new growth has a chance to blossom.
Though the pacing is super fast and imbued with supernatural intervention, Fox's beautiful lesbian romance is wonderful. This is an author who creates lesfic gems that I always enjoy. Highly, with a wee blush, recommend.
3.75 stars - a Scottish warlock - manifesting what your want - dirty cupcakes - scotch - well written
Thank you A to Z Challenge for bringing me this fun little read to knock out my "Y" book requirement! Thank, Pam, for the recommendation.
Even though this a quick read it didn't feel rushed, everything you need to know about Sasha and Naomi in presented for their own POV and it worked great. I liked both of them and was rooting for them the whole time. You need a microscope to find the angst, with most of the drama centering around them finding each other again after their New Year's eve kiss and a crazy stalker.
Hat's off to the author for writing a sex scene that puts them into several different positions without seeming like someone paging through the joy of lesbian sex. It's clever what she does and takes something that could maybe make you roll your eyes and turns it very cute/sexy/steamy.
I highly recommend this for an enjoyable afternoon read. Bonus points, if you also get to check "y" off your list! ;)
I was looking for something light and sweet and this hit the mark. It’s a fast read and I enjoyed the ride. I’d love to see these characters get turned into a full novel.
First book of 2022. I was so excited about this book. It sounded perfect for a New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day read. The beginning was so cute and I loved the quirky Scottish sidekick Rob. But the plot development stopped after the meet cute. Once the characters reconnected the story veered off track and suddenly there were chapters of graphic details describing a baker’s dozen of intimate positions. Those chapters read like they were inserted into the text from a different book. I would have preferred the fun, quirky, HEA plot that it started with and the book description promised. I also wish this book had a bit more editing. There were a number of typos (including using the wrong character’s name) that took me out of the story as I had to reread to realize that it must have been a typo as the story made no sense otherwise. My last thought is that the scenes involving sexual harassment from a thesis advisor were really uncomfortable. It almost felt like the initial advances were put in there to be funny—so that you would laugh at the absurdity of the drunk advances. But they really weren’t funny and I really think those parts needs to be reworked. ⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So basically we have two people who meet on new years eve, share a kiss and then are tracking one another down. That part of it, I LOVED, I was genuinely really enjoying it. I loved the brother-in-law relationship where they were super close bestie types.
BUT when the two MCs actually ended up getting together, it just felt very underwhelming and the romance fell a bit flat. The chemistry from before had dissipated, the intimate scenes didn't make me feel anything, I just wanted to finish the book by that point. The super extra OW drama seemed a bit unnecessary (but that's just my preference), and just added something I felt the story didn't really need as such.
I dunno, maybe it's the mood I'm in but I just really didn't vibe with the second half of the book and I'm just glad it was a novella and not a full length novel.
Year of the Kiss was an inspiring read by Giselle Fox that demonstrates how quickly life can change for the better with a positive outlook. The main characters, Sasha and Naomi, meet at a party and are drawn to each other while trying to avoid a professor who is interested in Naomi. This leads to their smoldering first kiss. But then Naomi leaves before they exchange contact information. A few weeks later Sasha tracks down Naomi and they begin their relationship.
The love scenes were intense and will make you think of cupcakes differently in the future! Oh, I also loved Sasha's brother-in-law, Rob, the kilt wearing Scots man. He was hilarious.
Neither Sasha or Naomi are having a very good year. But a chance meeting in a bathroom on New Year’s Eve leads to a deep connection that they both want to explore more of--not to mention a sensational kiss. Soon, however, they loose track of one another and they are left to wonder whether it will be the end or if they will search all of Boston to find love. This novella was very cute and I loved that it centered around a F/F couple on New Years and the weeks after. There was a bit of confusion on my end about Tori and Carolynn and some of the side character's plans, plots, and motives, but I enjoyed this cute and easy read.
This was a cute story about picking yourself up after your world falls to pieces. Sasha's New Year's wishes are granted one-by-one. She meets the woman of dreams and doesn't realize it until it's too late. It's an interesting ride these two take in trying to find one another with information from a brief conversation. Once they do find one another they find that their connection only grows the more time they spend together. Most of this time is in different sexual positions, but I'm not complaining!!! Loved it and definitely recommend it.
Cute set up, overall I liked the book well enough. But the sex was a let down, So much head hoping that it didn't flow or come across as hot. More like it was mechanical and confusing? Also: I was kinda more interested in her BIL Rob (Big Scottish professor who is a witch?? why doesn't he have a story??) than the MCs, if I'm being honest. He kinda stole the show for me.
I'll still try Giselle Fox again but this one was just okay.
This is a well written story with well developed interesting main characters. The two women meet when they both seem to be at the lowest point in their lives. In an attempt to prove something to a third party, they silently consent to kiss. Sparks fly! Then one woman runs off ,leaving without ever exchanging names. This book belongs on your must read list.
4 stars. This was a lot of fun. I really liked the plot and all of the back and fourth chasing that happens in the beginning. It felt like an exciting adventure and then we get some great smut at the end once Naomi and Sasha get together. I loved all of the characters and how low angst this is. It’s a great time and was a wonderful way to kick off the new year.
Perfect interlude for a lazy afternoon. Sexy bits, a little drama, intrigue, lots of humor, really sexy bits, joy, and a GREAT cast of characters. I enjoyed this novella, I'm sure you will, too.
This is a great novella. The characters are interesting and likable. Yes, there's angst, but it gets resolves fairly quickly. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone!