A Sleepy Hollow Kiss

Snowdrop Valley #2

by Vivien Mayfair

Everybody’s getting ready for Halloween in Snowdrop Valley, especially the College of Literary Arts, where horror literature is taken very seriously. Pay a visit to the sleepy little book town where coffee shops serve hot caramel apple cider, bookstores display chilling horror reads, and BnBs turn front porches into cornucopia wonderlands.

Headstrong Lane Sharp survived a traumatic childhood event lost in the woods over Halloween week during the Salem Witch Festival. Only to find herself still shaking ghosts as an adult, she is determined to never be alone, even if it means keeping her brother out of a special school in Boston. When her boss at the college demands she host gothic literature week for visiting students. Lane becomes saddled with a literary consultant to help her design the event and create new horror curriculum despite her pet peeve for the genre. What she wasn’t prepared for was an irresistible know-it-all with an adorable twang and lonely little girl to turn her life upside down.

For Southern Georgia boy and horror expert Miles Hall, the offer for a consulting gig in a famous book town was too good to pass up. He heard all about how their homely women book-loving types were happy to start a family, and a family is exactly what he needed for his motherless daughter. Burned by his first love, he vowed never to open his heart again. A platonic relationship and small community life were all that he required. But when he arrived in Snowdrop Valley, he didn’t expect a stubborn and beautiful blond with a sassy mouth and old fears to unlock his frozen heart.

An enchanting holiday romance that pulls readers into the nostalgic clutches of a forgotten holiday. A Sleepy Hollow Kiss will make you want to light candles, turn out the lights, and cozy up with a warm blanket and bowl of candy corn as a fresh take on Halloween, where books override ghouls and old fears disappear in the arms of sweet new love. Ideal fiction reading for fans of sweet and clean contemporary romance authors such as Debbie Macomber, Sheila Roberts, Holly Martin, Tilly Tennant, and Debbie Mason.

The Snowdrop Valley Series:

My Christmas Darling A Sleepy Hollow Kiss Wedding at Walden Pond
Once Upon a Thanksgiving Dreams of Mistletoe An Alcott Alcove Proposal

Genres: Halloween

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2019

Reviews

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lane is damaged from childhood trauma and is now raising her younger brother. The childhood trauma, along with trying to be a parent, affects her personality. I get that and was able to connect with her. Sarcasm, which can be sharp, is one of the ways she protects herself. It was interesting to watch her tackle her issues.
Miles is a single dad raising a daughter. He feels he needs a mother for his daughter, no matter the personal cost.
Lane and Miles are strangers thrown together to work on the same project. Sparks fly, not always in a good way. The debate between gothic and horror plays a part here and I loved it.
There are a number of characters. Some I liked right away while others I needed to warm up to. The plot peaked my interest. The book has quite a bit packed into it. More than I thought. I thought it was going to be short and sweet. I got an entrancing mix of humor, at times on the darker side, drama, romance, family love, a few frights and a lot of Halloween. I loved it.
*I received a copy of this book through BookSprout. I voluntarily read it and gave a review.*

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody’s getting ready for Halloween in Snowdrop Valley, especially the College of Literary Arts, where horror literature is taken very seriously. Pay a visit to the sleepy little book town where coffee shops serve hot caramel apple cider, bookstores display chilling horror reads, and BnBs turn front porches into cornucopia wonderlands.

This newly founded town of Snowdrop Valley celebrates all of the holidays with a fever including Halloween.

Headstrong Lane Sharp survived a traumatic childhood event lost in the woods over Halloween week during the Salem Witch Festival. Only to find herself still shaking ghosts as an adult, she is determined to never be alone. Certain that the new guy in town means to take her job and leave her and her genius younger brother without a home.

For Southern Georgia boy and horror expert Miles Hall, the offer for a consulting gig in a famous book town was too good to pass up. He heard all about how their homely women book-loving types were happy to start a family, and a family is exactly what he needed for his motherless daughter. But how was he to know that his new rival was just the woman he needs.

I have found myself in love with Vivian Mayfair's new series. There is a bit of slapstick comedy in each of these books as well as some touching moments.

I gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for story line and character development. I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksirens and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a Fun Halloween Romance

I don't know quite what to think about this book. The title, the cover, and even the blurb suggest a light-hearted Halloween romance. But it is not. The heroine seems a little quirky in her first scene with the woman who runs the literary college where she works. Things start to go off the rails just about as soon as she leaves this meeting. All of a sudden, the heroine comes across as someone with a rather bizarre OCD that was initially triggered by what we later find out is childhood trauma around Halloween. She also has a rather bizarre relationship with her younger brother that is not healthy. In fact, as a story unwinds, the heroine definitely appears to be a few candy corns short of a Halloween treat bag, and as such, I just couldn't picture her as a romantic heroine. The author took the backstory a bit too far for the heroine to be believable and relatable. I did like the literary aspect of this town; I always love writerly and bookish elements in novels. I enjoyed the relationship between the heroine, who is a Gothic literature professor, and the man who owns the horror bookshop in town. if you're looking for a fun little Halloween romance, this isn't it.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Kara Jay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I hate when I don't like the main character of a book and that's what happened to me with this one. I get being protective of a genre or something you've studied, but the main character came across as abrasive and hardheaded instead of quirky and sarcastic. There are some cool references to authors, novels and literature throughout the book and I'd love to visit the town, but I didn't like this book enough to recommend.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sleepy Hollow Kiss (Snowdrop Valley Series, #2) is a Halloween themed contemporary romance by Vivien Mayfair.

Snowdrop Valley is set to celebrate Halloween book style! The College of Literary Arts is putting a spotlight on horror/gothic literature and it's director, Lane Sharp is taking every bit of it seriously, even more so than the swanky southern gentleman the college has brought in to "help" her create an event to entice a group of college recruits. At first sight, Lane doesn't like him and dislikes him more and more when she learns the real reason he is brought in.

But she has so much more on her plate, with both parents deceased, Lane is left to take care of her younger brother who is special in so many ways. She grapples with sending him to a special school in Boston and with having to be left alone, something she has hated since having to deal with a traumatic childhood situation.

This small, quaint book town is ready to show all of its visitors how Halloween is really celebrated. With twists and turns in the Valley, Lane is forced to work with this southern gentleman and interestingly learns so much about herself and love along the way.

The authentic characters in Mayfair's romance entangle spooky, funny and love to create the ultimate Halloween read.

A Sleepy Hollow Kiss will make you want to turn off all the lights and cozy up with Halloween treats to read by the fire. Even if you don't favor Halloween, this town will leave you wanting to visit for the hot apple cider, gothic bookstores and delicious candies and caramel apples made just for the season. Books, love and an unforeseen kiss leave the goblins, ghouls and witches in the ditches.

If you are a book nerd or just love gothic and horror literature, you will enjoy the references to classic literature.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It brought me back to being a kid and enjoying Halloween with my own family in a time when things were more wholesome. We enjoyed making our own costumes, getting coupons and candy and just being out with no cares in the darkness.

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jennifer Olivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lane sharp is the director of the Gothic literature program at the college in a little town called Snowdrop. She is struggling with raising he gifted brother since her parents passed away. She tries to act like everything is okay, but she struggles daily with debilitating fear brought on by a childhood trauma. She does not handle scary things very well. Hence, her dislike of the horror genre. Enter Miles Hall, hired by the college administrator to expand the Gothic program to include horror, and work with Lane to come up with a fun way to recruit new students. He has come to town with his daughter Lily, in hopes of making a better life for her, and finding her a new mother after her own took off three years ago. After a disastrous first meeting Lane and Miles get along like cats and dogs. Honestly, Lane is so horrible to Miles. It’s a wonder he likes her at all. He can tell how much he irritates her, so he does goad her a bit, but I still found it a little charming with his Southern accent. Even with the bickering, you can totally feel the undercurrent of attraction there. I really thought that this was a great little Halloween romance. It really is about letting go of the past in order to find great things in the future, loving people despite all of their faults, and believing in yourself. This book is a part of a really sweet series called the Snowdrop Valley Series. If you like sweet, small town romance, then this is the perfect book for you. I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gina Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I have read by Vivian Mayfair and I will definitely be reading more! I am the type of reader that enjoys reading holiday themed books and it is not easy to find Autumn themed romance books! A Sleepy Hollow Kiss packs an enormous Autumn & Halloween punch! Delightful and enjoyable for anyone who loves romance and the season of Fall. The setting is a quaint book town in Massachusetts where all the businesses are inspired by literature and seasonally decorated for Halloween. Fall foliage, cider, apple muffins, marshmallow treats, B&Bs, Halloween soirées are just some of the elements mentioned throughout the story that create a cozy aesthetic. The heroine, Lane Sharp, is the director of the Gothic Literature program at the local College and caregiver to her younger brother since her parents passed away. The hero is Miles Hall, single Dad and Horror Literature expert arrives to town to provide his expertise for the College and teams up with Lane. Both Lane and Miles posses demons of their own but amidst graveyard horror readings, pumpkin carving, maple pancakes, a Dead Writers Halloween Ball and yes a visit to Sleepy Hollow Glen, together they conquer their biggest internal fears and discover that love is worth taking a chance on. The romance is sweet, the moral of the story is thoughtful, and it’s all laced with the best things about Fall and Halloween! Get cozy with a warm coffee, turn the lights down and Fall in love with this book! Happy Reading!

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2* = It was ok. I cannot honestly say I liked this. While the writing is technically fine and I liked the whimsical idea of a "book" town, I found the main character Lane Sharp overdrawn and so annoying that I found myself not really caring about her life and future. There was nothing amusing about her or her behavior.
She wants to be taken seriously as an educator (gothic literature) at this little college, but she gets into an argument with Miles Hall the first time she meets him in a bookshop. She doesn't even know why he's in town! Sorry, but in my world mature, educated and civilized people don't "get into the face" of strangers upon first meeting. I carried on reading as I was willing to give it a chance and see how things would develop. Unfortunately, there was a lot of repetitive bickering between the Lane and Miles about whether the genres of gothic and horror are interrelated; I did not find it at all entertaining or even worth a grin.
Both Lane and Miles have baggage. Lane can't "be alone", always needs to at least see other people about, although she does not interact much with them. This stems from a childhood trauma.
Miles' wife left him and his daughter and his hang up is he thinks he's not a good father.
I received a free advance review copy; and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jerrica Mah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is funny! Lane is a feisty woman who is passionate, stubborn, and dedicated to her work and her gifted little brother. As the sole guardian of her little brother, she puts his needs above her own, struggling to provide the extra care and attention he needs. If it wasn't for Zeph (her gothic best friend) and her owl (shhh, nobody's supposed to know she has one!), she would be alone in her struggles. But then comes Miles, a somewhat obnoxious country boy who adds to Lane's struggles at work and at home. They butt heads as they are forced to work together but they can't help but grow on each other.

But, this is not your typical Hallmark-like story. The characters have complex histories that affect their lives and their relationships, which the author weaves in beautifully. It's a wonderfully romantic story that is perfect for a weekend read... and did I mention that it's funny?! I haven't chuckled that much in a long time. This is the second book I've read in the Snowdrop Valley Series and I can't wait to read the next one. If you don't know already, this series is set in a book town (a book designed around books!) that I wish I could visit in real life!

[Lorraine Leatham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: A Sleepy Hollow Kiss
Author: Vivien Mayfair
Reviewer: Lorraine Leatham - Rainey Day Book Reviews
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Get ready for a bit of a ride with this one. Lane and Miles immediately spark off one another right from the start. These characters are complex.

Lane is very driven but also broken inside. She harbors skeletons from a childhood trauma that she just can't break free from. She's dedicated to her job, and has taken care of her genius brother since their parents passed away. The college she works at hires a consultant to work with her on a special project. Honestly, I think it's pretty crummy how the project was thrust upon Lane and she isn't privy to everything "behind the scenes". Miles is anything but what Lane expects and misunderstandings abound in this tale. Miles is from the south so be prepared for tons of southern sayings being used.

Overall, this was a refreshing read. A clean story that I would not hesitate to allow a young teen to read it. Mayfair creates sweet, clean, heartfelt romances that leave readers feeling toasty on the inside and a smile on their face.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

As described, this book seems like an adorable cozy seasonal themed romance. I live for seasonal/themed books. There are not a lot of Halloween themed romance novels, so the description of this definitely piqued my interest.

Lane Sharpe works for an exclusive college in Snowdrop where all scholarship is all literature based. Her focus is Gothic literature, but not horror. Lets make that clear, Gothic lit is not Horror which to Lane is not even literature, just mass produced drivel. She is terrified of being alone, and is the sole guardian for her younger brother Benny who is a certified genius who is being recruited by all sorts of government agencies because he is just so brilliant. Lane by far is the most annoying character I have ever experienced in a book, second only to Miles her later love interest and his awful annoying constant southern drawl in writing.

They are pushed together to work on an extremely unrealistic project. I am all for a good romance. Other reviewers are rating this book higher than myself, so maybe it was just not in my romance wheelhouse.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Priscilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounded like an interesting story. I felt like the heroine needed serious help after her traumatic childhood event. Throughout the story I felt like she is a child who is not getting her way so she will stomp her feet and throw a fit. As a parent, I could not imagine having to decide to send my children away to a boarding school for gift kids. As a teacher, I would encourage her to do this because she is just holding her brother back. All she kept thinking is that the government was going to use his brain which is why she don’t want to send him to these schools. Also, she spent the other half of the book trying to convince the reader that gothic books are not horror books. She was very set that they are not the same genre.

I am not going to get started on the relationship between her and Miles. The only words that I have is co-dependency. Overall this was not a great Halloween romance.

I was given an advance copy for my honest review thanks to BookSirens. Check out my review at Priss Reading Lounge

[Sean Wright Neeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a treat. Yes, it's the formulaic boy-meets-feisty-girl backdrop, but it's told with a deft hand, and the characters are more complex than your average, sparkly Hallmark movie.

Meet Lane. She's driven, but broken from a childhood trauma. She's married to her job, and to taking care of her genius brother, since their parents' passing. She thinks she has everything under control. The college she works at hires a consultant to work on a project with her, and everything goes haywire when hunky good-old-boy Miles is her project partner. They trade a few hateful barbs, and that's when the fun begins.

My only criticism is the insults Lane gives Miles about being from the south can be pretty awful. As a native Texan, some of them stung a little.

This book is a nice read overall, especially for autumn. Mayfair does a remarkable job of drawing the reader into a New England town, full of gold, red, and orange leaves on the ground and pumpkin spice lattes. Check out this book in a sunny spot with some coffee or herbal tea, your cat, and a warm blanket. You will be glad you did.

[Rebecca Sousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. However that in no way impacts my opinions on this book I will be giving an honest review. A Sleepy Hallow Kiss is the perfect book to get you into the mood for Fall! It is a very heartwarming book that you will want to curl up with not being able to put it down. It is really well written and not a cliche romance story that solely focuses on getting the main love interests together as soon as possible, the author really focuses on bettering yourself and facing your fears before you can give your heart to someone else. I really enjoyed the quotes from the author at the beginning of every chapter it was a really unique personal touch that makes readers feel connected with the author getting to know her as well as the characters and story she has to share. I loved this book and can not wait to read the other books in this series! I highly recommend this book if your looking for a cozy romance that will get you into the spirit for the fall season

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a bibliophile I love the idea of a literary town.

Most of the characters are great.Miles,the snarky southern gentleman hero,coming with his daughter to find a mother for her and a new life for him.Benny is a fun character. His actions due his high IQ ring true as someone who has been around kids like him.Zeph is a good friend who helps keep Lane grounded.

Lane,the heroine, is the big issue.Her phobias and high stung nature take over as her complete personality.She jumps to conclusions,to be fair Miles does as well,and behaves immaturely.She needs a therapist and medication not boyfriend.Her relationship with Miles falls flat unfortunately.

This isn't a bad book and the main idea works.Lane and the romance just don't work.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Fleur · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like the book but I just found Lane a bit overwhelming, the rants she goes on when she first meets Miles without knowing who he is just became a bit too much and I felt like I needed to take a breath for her. I did power on through it and it did get a bit better and I do like how Lane was so protective of her brother as well as her owl, then there is Miles looking for someone to fill a role and boy did it irk me to being with but that's good as we cant love all the characters to begin with. I think this is one you may have to be in the mood to read and I would like to go back and try reading it again without skimming some of the pages next time.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sassy Beta Reading & Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved book 1 of this series, and this book was okay, but I hate to say it, but this one dragged on,,,and on. It could have been tightened up greatly. So much of it was Lane and Miles having the same argument over and over again about Gothic vs. Horror. It got so redundant. They Lane refusing to listen to anything and jumping to conclusions over and over, got on my last nerve.

This can be read as a stand alone.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anna Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started out a little slowly, but then I became entranced by the characters. Lane is a well educated lady that struggles with being alone. Miles is a southerner with a PHD who wants her job. Both of them have to find each other to be able to save themselves. I hope that the author writes a story with Benny and Lily. If you enjoy reading about characters that love reading, fall in love, and have a happily ever after after a huge problem, this book should be right up your alley!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Patricia Solla · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the story is quite interesting, I was put off by the subject matter. I'm not really a fan of the genres that are the main topic of the story. The town created in the story is for book lovers of all types and was built on a premise introduced in a previous book with a Christmas theme; but then again book lovers come in all shapes and sizes and different tastes of subject matter. The characters are quite interesting, the romance intriguing and the ending is a surprise and quite satisfactory. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a gothic professor Lane who has some real quirks. The story has a lot of descriptive settings as a gothic theme would. Her nemesis Miles is a horror specialist that she constantly argues with. The dialogue does get a bit tiresome but is necessary for the character development. The story has many twist and ends well.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amanda Lindsey Bursting Bookshelf Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. A complex main character who has been traumatized during her childhood. It definately hits the Hallmark list of reading material. I like the southern jargon and wording throughout. I loved the fact that the story is a Halloween book and not your typical Christmas one. I feel overall the author did a fantastic job of writing this and had some fabulous ideas that made everything come together.

[Tina Layner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It has to do with childhood trauma. Lane is trying to take care of her little brother and deal with her problems at the same time. She is determined to never be alone because of something that happened in her childhood. So she does all her work in the hallway instead of her office which makes people question her.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good read.

[Kirstie Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun story. The two main characters, Lane and Miles, have a great connection and banter between each other. It's hate at first sight as Lane thinks she has to win a competition to keep her job. Lane is a strong woman and a fighter and stands up for what she believes in. This story is quirky and fast paced. Loving hearing about this Book Town and the other shops and characters.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this series so far and I can't wait to read the next book. Lane has some issues but don't we all and Miles and her arguments just mean they are very passionate people just not meant for each other. Awesome awesomeness the characters have very great backstories and the story was well written.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sleepy Hollow Kiss is the second book in the Snowdrop Valley series. This is an entertaining story with good characters, although they do seem a little over-the-top at times. The storyline is well written and has great descriptions of a small town in New England.

I read and reviewed a copy of this book with no obligation.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Snowdrop Valley Series a well written story that I could not put down once I started reading. I see there is another book in this series and I want to read it. I enjoyed reading Lane Sharp and Miles Hall as they try to get ready for the big Halloween Gothic literature week event. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all the storyline was good and I loved the idea of a book town. The main characters really got on my nerves at points. Lane was too set in her ways and unwilling to budge. Her constant arguments and insults was a little much. Miles being from the South was drawn way out with the way he spoke and his sayings. I'd give another book by this author a chance with different characters.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming Halloween romance that's fun and enjoyable to read. Enchanting characters that you're sure to love. After reading this story, you'll be in the mood for the Autumn season and everything that comes with it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicola Stevenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't think I've read a book with main characters that I like less than these two. I understand that romance novels have have exaggerated characters/situations, but these were over the top.

Thanks to Book Sirens,I received an advance review copy for free & am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gemma Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely loosely Halloween themed romance. As a UK reader I did slightly struggle in the beginning with the southern USA speech but I soon got the hang of it!

I enjoyed this book and would recommend. I am also looking forward to reading more in the series although they are standalone.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily