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Holly & Ivy
The only thing harder than saving the world is doing it alone. Holly Lovelace is a multi-millionaire tech genius and the CEO of her own company. But if she can’t come up with a brilliant innovation and convince her investors that she’s back in tip-top shape by the end of the year, Holly could lose everything she’s worked so hard to build. Ivy Winters is a social worker on an island that’s a vacation paradise during the summer months but suffers from a lack of economic opportunity and the scourge of addiction the rest of the year. When the promise of a huge grant falls through, Ivy loses hope of helping her community. When Holly and Ivy meet, sparks fly, but it’s hardly smooth sailing. After their one-night stand ends in disaster, both decide they’d rather spend the cold months ahead sleeping alone. However, it soon becomes undeniable that each woman possesses something the other needs. Working together, they just might get what they want and find the love of a lifetime along the way, but only if their own insecurities and secrets don’t destroy them first. Best-selling lesbian romance authors T.B. Markinson and Miranda MacLeod bring lesfic readers a holiday romance that’ll warm your heart this festive season. Grab your copy of the standalone romance novel that will make you believe love conquers all.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2019
295 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
About the author
T.B. Markinson
70 books1,158 followersT. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn't writing, she’s traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
May 31, 2021
**'It's really good storytelling when talent does not make much difference, it's either you've got it or not...'
Enjoyable read!
A nice rom-com story -- heartwarming chemistry. Recommended!
Enjoyable read!
A nice rom-com story -- heartwarming chemistry. Recommended!
February 2, 2020
Holly Lovelace’s brain never stops thinking. It’s both a gift and a curse, as Holly can’t help thinking she should be able to do more to save the world. Being super smart also gives her an excuse for never taking any time for herself since she’s irreplaceable.
After she calls him in the middle of the night, crying and babbling that she just can’t do it anymore – a phone call she doesn’t remember the next day -, her best friend Nolan forces her to take a leave of absence and sends her to the house he inherited on King Popham’s (aka Poppy’s) Island, off the coast of Maine. Being the stubborn workaholic she is, Holly views her exile as punishment and isn’t prepared to give the island and its inhabitants a fair chance. As she waits for the ferry that will take her to what she sees as the middle of nowhere, she meets Ivy, whose truck broke down. Ivy is hot so she offers her – and her goat – a lift. Misunderstandings and bursts of lust ensue, resulting in a love story that manages to be both comedic and romantic.
Ivy is the island sweetheart, always trying to make life easier and better for the struggling families yet not conscious of how loved she is by them, how grateful they are. I was expecting Holly to be more of an ice queen, as a big-city tech genius millionaire, but she’s more socially awkward than icy. It’s that awkwardness that drove her to isolate herself from the rest of the world and focus on computers and apps, to the point of not being aware of the difficulties others face. Under Ivy’s influence, she’ll open her eyes and do better.
I always find it very interesting when authors get together to write a story. At first, I can’t help wondering who wrote what, but when it’s done well (as it is in this instance), you can’t really tell. At times I thought “Oh this is pure Markinson!” and then “Or maybe MacLeod?”. Their styles mesh incredibly well and they share a sense of humour that works perfectly with this story. I’m not big on bodily functions-based jokes, and there are quite a few in Holly & Ivy, but as they come from two of the funniest and clueless secondary characters I’ve read about in a while, I’ll give them a pass.
There’s nothing groundbreaking in this story, but every time I mentioned it while I was listening, I said: “it’s such a cute story!” It’s sweet, funny and heartwarming. And you can always count on Stephanie Murphy for a solid and lovely narration.
After she calls him in the middle of the night, crying and babbling that she just can’t do it anymore – a phone call she doesn’t remember the next day -, her best friend Nolan forces her to take a leave of absence and sends her to the house he inherited on King Popham’s (aka Poppy’s) Island, off the coast of Maine. Being the stubborn workaholic she is, Holly views her exile as punishment and isn’t prepared to give the island and its inhabitants a fair chance. As she waits for the ferry that will take her to what she sees as the middle of nowhere, she meets Ivy, whose truck broke down. Ivy is hot so she offers her – and her goat – a lift. Misunderstandings and bursts of lust ensue, resulting in a love story that manages to be both comedic and romantic.
Ivy is the island sweetheart, always trying to make life easier and better for the struggling families yet not conscious of how loved she is by them, how grateful they are. I was expecting Holly to be more of an ice queen, as a big-city tech genius millionaire, but she’s more socially awkward than icy. It’s that awkwardness that drove her to isolate herself from the rest of the world and focus on computers and apps, to the point of not being aware of the difficulties others face. Under Ivy’s influence, she’ll open her eyes and do better.
I always find it very interesting when authors get together to write a story. At first, I can’t help wondering who wrote what, but when it’s done well (as it is in this instance), you can’t really tell. At times I thought “Oh this is pure Markinson!” and then “Or maybe MacLeod?”. Their styles mesh incredibly well and they share a sense of humour that works perfectly with this story. I’m not big on bodily functions-based jokes, and there are quite a few in Holly & Ivy, but as they come from two of the funniest and clueless secondary characters I’ve read about in a while, I’ll give them a pass.
There’s nothing groundbreaking in this story, but every time I mentioned it while I was listening, I said: “it’s such a cute story!” It’s sweet, funny and heartwarming. And you can always count on Stephanie Murphy for a solid and lovely narration.
December 2, 2019
Holly Lovelace is a multi-millionaire and computer programmer responsible for creating the country’s most successful dating app. Always feeling invisible and only sought after for the wrong reasons, her best friend sends her to a forced extended leave after she calls him in the middle of the night in a crisis. The leave is to take place in an island off the coast of Maine, right after the summer season ends and only islanders remain. Holly meets Ivy Winters on the ferry as Ivy returns from a day trip to the mainland. The mains are opposite to each other, with Holly being an introvert genius and Ivy a personable social worker who is always doing the right thing and helping others. Long story short, they connect, then later reconnect and develop a relationship that is tested by truths and lifelong fears.
The mains are definitely the center of the story with some secondary characters filling the gaps. Both mains are likable and the authors do a good job of showcasing their individual faults and personality traits. Holly was a geek with great T-shirts proving just that. Ivy was selfless and the sunshine in the story. The chemistry was present and the intimate scenes benefited as a result. The secondary characters, specifically Ivy’s friends, were a turn off for the most part for me and I found them annoying. Also, could not connect them with Ivy, who repeatedly asked herself why they were her friends throughout the book.
This is another one of those books with a great setting. However, it didn’t quite have me wanting to move to the island like my recent read ‘When the Stars Sang’ by Werlinger, or to the Idaho mountains in Radclyffe’s ‘Firestorm’. It was a somewhat wasted opportunity considering Ivy’s passion for the island. I did get tremendous joy out of the lighthouse drawing marking each chapter!
The other thing that aggravated me some was the way the mains reacted when the conflict reached the proverbial fan...or something like that. I would have expected Ivy to be the more mature and understanding of the two. Quite frankly, I’m not sure Holly did anything wrong. You guys will have to read to see if her reaction was warranted or not. I will say that I did enjoy the resolution to the story, from Holly’s creation to the ending of the book.
Overall, a nice story for the holidays (although not strictly a holiday story) that even includes a rooster and a goat! 3.5 stars
The mains are definitely the center of the story with some secondary characters filling the gaps. Both mains are likable and the authors do a good job of showcasing their individual faults and personality traits. Holly was a geek with great T-shirts proving just that. Ivy was selfless and the sunshine in the story. The chemistry was present and the intimate scenes benefited as a result. The secondary characters, specifically Ivy’s friends, were a turn off for the most part for me and I found them annoying. Also, could not connect them with Ivy, who repeatedly asked herself why they were her friends throughout the book.
This is another one of those books with a great setting. However, it didn’t quite have me wanting to move to the island like my recent read ‘When the Stars Sang’ by Werlinger, or to the Idaho mountains in Radclyffe’s ‘Firestorm’. It was a somewhat wasted opportunity considering Ivy’s passion for the island. I did get tremendous joy out of the lighthouse drawing marking each chapter!
The other thing that aggravated me some was the way the mains reacted when the conflict reached the proverbial fan...or something like that. I would have expected Ivy to be the more mature and understanding of the two. Quite frankly, I’m not sure Holly did anything wrong. You guys will have to read to see if her reaction was warranted or not. I will say that I did enjoy the resolution to the story, from Holly’s creation to the ending of the book.
Overall, a nice story for the holidays (although not strictly a holiday story) that even includes a rooster and a goat! 3.5 stars
November 18, 2019
Miranda and TB have done a great job, writing this funny romance. It is a heartwarming story about two very different women.
Holly is a computer geek who made a fortune with a dating app, she herself would never use. She has no idea how to act socially, and sometimes she doesn’t know how to express herself correctly. Ivy is the absolute opposite, courteous, polite, and always cares about everyone else. She is a social worker, who always struggles with not enough money for the community on King Popham’s island.
The authors writing styles fit together perfectly, creating many awkward, funny and also meaningful situations, with witty banter and some really special friends. Both MC’s are very likable. They are not perfect women, they have some flaws and shortly after they had met for the first time, there’s a hilarious misunderstanding which let me laugh out loud. Holly and Ivy had great chemistry and there are some hot sex scenes. But there are mentioned serious themes as well, for example, bullying and different perceptions of serious situations, which influenced Holly her whole life.
Overall it is a very entertaining and beautiful romance, with great characters, dialogues and a caring community. There is no angst and just a little drama. A really nice Holiday read. Recommended to romance fans.
My rating 4.5 stars
Thanks to the authors for receiving an ARC for an honest review.
Holly is a computer geek who made a fortune with a dating app, she herself would never use. She has no idea how to act socially, and sometimes she doesn’t know how to express herself correctly. Ivy is the absolute opposite, courteous, polite, and always cares about everyone else. She is a social worker, who always struggles with not enough money for the community on King Popham’s island.
The authors writing styles fit together perfectly, creating many awkward, funny and also meaningful situations, with witty banter and some really special friends. Both MC’s are very likable. They are not perfect women, they have some flaws and shortly after they had met for the first time, there’s a hilarious misunderstanding which let me laugh out loud. Holly and Ivy had great chemistry and there are some hot sex scenes. But there are mentioned serious themes as well, for example, bullying and different perceptions of serious situations, which influenced Holly her whole life.
Overall it is a very entertaining and beautiful romance, with great characters, dialogues and a caring community. There is no angst and just a little drama. A really nice Holiday read. Recommended to romance fans.
My rating 4.5 stars
Thanks to the authors for receiving an ARC for an honest review.
November 29, 2020
3.75* I picked this up thinking it's more a winter-time book. It's not really that. But we see the 2 MCs, Holly - the tech millionaire- and Ivy - the kind social worker, meet just as the summer season at Poppy's Island has ended. Holly has been forced to go on a mental health leave by her best friend/business partner. She's decided to keep her true identity secret since she's found that a lot of people had wanted to get to know her solely because of her money. Ivy, on the other hand, is a local, struggling to get an enrichment program started for the island's people. She has not been successful in applying for grants to do so. She's trying her best to help out her neighbors with the little money that she's managed to get.
They meet and fall for each other very quickly. This is an opposite attracts trope. But even as different as they are, they each have personal family struggles that shaped who they are now. Their relationship started as physical attraction, but in the end, I do want them to get together and have their happily-ever-after.
They meet and fall for each other very quickly. This is an opposite attracts trope. But even as different as they are, they each have personal family struggles that shaped who they are now. Their relationship started as physical attraction, but in the end, I do want them to get together and have their happily-ever-after.
November 23, 2019
4.4 stars. Lovely book, enjoyed it very much. Holly and Ivy are very different people but I liked them both very much. Liked the humour in this book too. Great team effort by these writers. Will read their next team effort if there is a next one.
December 8, 2020
“How is it possible no one saw you until now? You’re beautiful. Sweet. Funny. Caring. Intelligent. I just don’t get it.”
“Maybe I was waiting to be seen by you.”
3.5 stars. This pretty much perfectly encapsulates the definition of a rom-com. There's comedy, there are steamy scenes, there are hijinks, there are a few shenanigans, and there's a baby goat. And it all works. It's also a holiday romance, which I love. I've been bingeing them throughout the start of this month. To be honest, it's only barely a holiday romance, because most of it takes place before Christmas, or even Thanksgiving, but the fact that the bulk of the plot happens on a remote little island in a small town really helps give it that nice cosy feel that I think most people are looking for when they think of holiday romance. And of course, our main characters are named Holly and Ivy, which is adorable. I really liked both of them for the most part, and their romance progressed in a way that I found both believable and charming. Neither of them fit into any strict character archetypes (though I suppose Holly is a bit of a grump, and Ivy is a little sunshine) but their chemistry was natural and came off the page.
Some elements of this just didn't work for me on a personal level. This is rich girl/poor girl, which historically I don't love as a trope. When someone in a book is as rich as Holly is, I can never completely turn the left side of my brain off from hollering "REDISTRIBUTE YA WEALTH MOTHERFUCKER!!" It didn't ruin the book for me or anything though, and Holly did come to some realisations that were pertinent and helpful. And besides, the book's natural comedy and charm helped me see past a lot of that. But speaking of the comedy, some of it just wasn't quite to my taste. There's Betty, Ivy's irreverent septuagenarian friend who's scandalous and says whatever she wants. At times she's hilarious, but at other times the jokes fell completely flat for me. Not just her jokes, but some of the overall humour.
There are several more serious elements to the book which I really enjoyed, and which weren't out of place at all, even given the overall light-hearted nature of the romance. I wish the writing were a little more profound around those issues? The topic, for example, of Holly's depression and burnout were brought up a couple times throughout the book, and looked at more closely near the end, and I just didn't think it was enough. It all felt very surface level; too shallow. I still think this would have been a great success as a rom-com, even if the authors had let themselves get a little more serious.
Still, this was overall a winner. If you're looking for a fun lesbian holiday romance, look no further.
January 3, 2022
I actually thought from the name it would be more of a holiday romance. It isn't, but does take place in November and December. Holly Lovelace, software tech genius and multi millionaire is burnt out. Her assistant sends to his summer rental home on an island off the coast of MA. Ivy Winters is a social worker that grew up on the island that is a playground for the rich in summer but leaves the locals scrambling the rest of the year to survive. She had plans to live her dreams elsewhere but she loves her island and wants to help all the residents that she can.
There is a cute meet where Ivy's car breaks down as the two head to the island. A dinner and a steamy night turn into a funny misunderstanding. Holly and Ivy's paths are going to cross because they live across from one another and it's a small island. This book is longer than I expected at over 400 pages but it gives time to develop friendship and have a few more steamy interludes. I like Ivy and her genuine concern for her island neighbors. Holly is a bit socially awkward as she is often in her own head. Ivy balances Holly and settles her in a natural and sweet way. I think my biggest negative for the story were Ivy's two friends. They are there for comic relief but I found them annoying and not people I would want to hang out with. Otherwise a very nice read.
There is a cute meet where Ivy's car breaks down as the two head to the island. A dinner and a steamy night turn into a funny misunderstanding. Holly and Ivy's paths are going to cross because they live across from one another and it's a small island. This book is longer than I expected at over 400 pages but it gives time to develop friendship and have a few more steamy interludes. I like Ivy and her genuine concern for her island neighbors. Holly is a bit socially awkward as she is often in her own head. Ivy balances Holly and settles her in a natural and sweet way. I think my biggest negative for the story were Ivy's two friends. They are there for comic relief but I found them annoying and not people I would want to hang out with. Otherwise a very nice read.
December 26, 2019
The only thing holding this back from a 4.5 or 5 star read is the secondary characters. Ivy is such a wonderful person and Betty and Scarlett are just mean. I did not enjoy those interactions much. They were funny sometimes-but mostly just annoying. The redeeming romance made the book worth the read.
September 27, 2020
This was a pretty sweet read. Poppy's sounds like an interesting place to escape to.
January 5, 2021
3.5 stars. Now this is a book I have super mixed feelings about. BTW, Stephanie Murphy did a great job as narrator.
I had a very rocky start with the two mains and I didn't find them completely likeable in the beginning.
Holly is a super brain and a little socially awkward. But Ivy... I thought she's the more normal and more likeable of them but up to chapter 9 she had been in tears I think three times and I found that just too awkward. Seriously she was acting like a lunatic and you'd think she's five years old.
But, astonishingly it gets better, and I think after that they really had good chemistry! After that, I really liked the book and the story really got flowing. I enjoyed myself listening.
That is, until about chapter 24 or so, when the drama begins. It's clear this was coming, but again the two mains act so childishly it's almost unbearable.
Oh my..
PS. I LOVE the cover design ❤️
I had a very rocky start with the two mains and I didn't find them completely likeable in the beginning.
Holly is a super brain and a little socially awkward. But Ivy... I thought she's the more normal and more likeable of them but up to chapter 9 she had been in tears I think three times and I found that just too awkward. Seriously she was acting like a lunatic and you'd think she's five years old.
But, astonishingly it gets better, and I think after that they really had good chemistry! After that, I really liked the book and the story really got flowing. I enjoyed myself listening.
That is, until about chapter 24 or so, when the drama begins. It's clear this was coming, but again the two mains act so childishly it's almost unbearable.
Oh my..
PS. I LOVE the cover design ❤️
March 15, 2021
Having survived the clank of moving from Chapter 1 (Holly) to Chapter 2 (Ivy) thing settled down well and, surprisingly, I was really taken in by this fairy tale. It was funny and made me cry. If you love hallmark movies, you'll love this!
on-hold-will-finish-one-day
December 31, 2022paused at 56%... i'm not rlly feeling this (the friends are super annoying) and i'm kinda over a holiday read atm. maybe i'll pick it back up again next year since i grabbed this one on a kindle sale.
November 23, 2021
Set on an island, this is a heart-warming read.
July 22, 2021
Hilarious. Heartfelt. Happy-ever-After.
This was hilarious whether you read the ebook or listen to the audiobook. Full of quirky characters set on an island that would be ideal for your 'sea change'. Add a romantic romance and what more could you ask for in a book.
This was hilarious whether you read the ebook or listen to the audiobook. Full of quirky characters set on an island that would be ideal for your 'sea change'. Add a romantic romance and what more could you ask for in a book.
November 21, 2019
Oh wow!!! This was brilliant!!!
Holly is on the verge of a breakdown, so her best friend Nolan orders her away to an island off the coast of Maine. Reluctantly, Holly agrees to go. Before she even gets on the island she meets Ivy, a damsel in distress who Holly can’t resist helping, even though she isn’t overly comfortable. She allows herself to get to know Ivy, spending a night with her only to end in misunderstandings that have her wanting to hide, but on an island, how can she. Their spark of friendship turns into a burning flame of desire for one another and they quickly become more, but Ivy worries Holly will hurt her. There is more to Holly than Ivy knows, and it is Holly who worries what will happen when Ivy learns the truth. With lots of ups and downs, Holly and Ivy have a bumpy ride to finding happiness.
Totally in love with this story. T.B. Markinson and Miranda MacLeod have cooked up the perfect festive romance, with heart, emotion, humour, and most importantly an underlying focus on that big love. It was such a special story, tackling difficulties of a small community, finding love, and those people who are not just standard. Unique characters make a unique story, and this one is just absolutely lovely. I found myself completely engrossed in Holly and Ivy’s story, loving every second of their ‘adventure’ and laughing and crying throughout. This story was like one big cuddle, and the warmth you get from drinking cocoa with marshmallows and cream, whilst watching those total feelgood ‘Hallmark’ movies.
There wasn’t a single thing about this story that wasn’t perfect! Honestly one of the best things ever.
Holly and Ivy were complete opposites, yet they both had personality, vulnerabilities, and hearts of gold. Ivy was completely infectious, really giving off a positive vibe and just making me love her from the very first moment, but then there was Holly *sigh*! Talk about difficult, odd, different, cynical and totally always put her foot in it with her awkwardness and total no filter when it came to saying what she was thinking. Holly was just bloody brilliant!!! Together though, these two were the ultimate meant to be, and I totally adored everything they had going on, from that attraction and passion, to their cute more intimate moments. One thing that was totally amazing about their relationship was their ability to misunderstand each other; totally keeps all the drama I love!
Just beautiful and my new favourite festive romance. Perfect for Christmas, or just the whole of the Autumn (Fall) season. Definitely recommend this book as a must read this holiday season.
Holly is on the verge of a breakdown, so her best friend Nolan orders her away to an island off the coast of Maine. Reluctantly, Holly agrees to go. Before she even gets on the island she meets Ivy, a damsel in distress who Holly can’t resist helping, even though she isn’t overly comfortable. She allows herself to get to know Ivy, spending a night with her only to end in misunderstandings that have her wanting to hide, but on an island, how can she. Their spark of friendship turns into a burning flame of desire for one another and they quickly become more, but Ivy worries Holly will hurt her. There is more to Holly than Ivy knows, and it is Holly who worries what will happen when Ivy learns the truth. With lots of ups and downs, Holly and Ivy have a bumpy ride to finding happiness.
Totally in love with this story. T.B. Markinson and Miranda MacLeod have cooked up the perfect festive romance, with heart, emotion, humour, and most importantly an underlying focus on that big love. It was such a special story, tackling difficulties of a small community, finding love, and those people who are not just standard. Unique characters make a unique story, and this one is just absolutely lovely. I found myself completely engrossed in Holly and Ivy’s story, loving every second of their ‘adventure’ and laughing and crying throughout. This story was like one big cuddle, and the warmth you get from drinking cocoa with marshmallows and cream, whilst watching those total feelgood ‘Hallmark’ movies.
There wasn’t a single thing about this story that wasn’t perfect! Honestly one of the best things ever.
Holly and Ivy were complete opposites, yet they both had personality, vulnerabilities, and hearts of gold. Ivy was completely infectious, really giving off a positive vibe and just making me love her from the very first moment, but then there was Holly *sigh*! Talk about difficult, odd, different, cynical and totally always put her foot in it with her awkwardness and total no filter when it came to saying what she was thinking. Holly was just bloody brilliant!!! Together though, these two were the ultimate meant to be, and I totally adored everything they had going on, from that attraction and passion, to their cute more intimate moments. One thing that was totally amazing about their relationship was their ability to misunderstand each other; totally keeps all the drama I love!
Just beautiful and my new favourite festive romance. Perfect for Christmas, or just the whole of the Autumn (Fall) season. Definitely recommend this book as a must read this holiday season.
December 9, 2019
When you go to pick up a Kindle unlimited books, there is a a 50/50 chance you will get a dud and 50/50 you will get a good one. This one is a good one. I sorta knew it would be good because I have read a few of TB Markinson's romances and they have all be enjoyable. I think this is by far my favorite of hers so far. There is chemistry, funny dialogue, interesting characters, good sex scenes. This one has a wide range of likes for me.
4.25 stars.
4.25 stars.
February 1, 2020
More than 4 stars, not quite 5. Can’t put my finger on why though.
December 24, 2019
A pleasant Christmas read. Genius tech CEO has an emotional breakdown and her friend sends her to his family home on an island off the coast of Maine. At the ferry depot she meets a redhead with a green, broken down truck named Junior Mint, and a small goat. After a long and somewhat humorous struggle the women find what they need in each other. MacLeod wrote the island descriptions and Markinson wrote the sex. How can you go wrong. Enjoy the read.
December 14, 2019
This is a fun seasonal romance, jointly written by Markinson and MacLeod.
Holly, blonde and dashing young CEO of her own company, is near the stage of critical burn-out when she is finally persuaded to take a much-needed "vacation" and escape to a little island in Maine. There, she encounters the beautiful Ivy, a buxom little redhead trying to eke out a living, mostly practicing social work and being generally big-hearted. They are both instantly smitten. As they get to know one another, there are some things Holly never mentions: her vast wealth, her real job, and her real surname.
There are quite a few sex scenes in the book, but the focus is really on the relationship between the two protagonists on that remote little island during the off-season. The timeline of the book begins in summer and, as the title suggests, runs through autumn and into the year-end holiday season. Knowing it's a romance by the title, I'm sure you already know to expect girl-meets-girl followed by girl-loses-girl... Holly has some issues with interpersonal relations. The blow-ups and misunderstandings are pretty dramatic. Overall, this was quite good at yanking on my heart strings and producing a lot of emotional squishies. Yes, I cried over their dessert, and at other points in the story. A few things are a trifle over-the-top, but never less than charming and romantic.
The writing here is very good. (Well, just between us, somewhere in the first half I stumbled over exactly one sentence that kept crashing my internal parser, but I won't blame the writers for that; I just debugged myself and proceeded.) Aside from a couple of homophone typos, the editing is excellent, as I've come to expect from Markinson (in particular, as I haven't read enough of MacLeod to have expectations yet).
Holly, blonde and dashing young CEO of her own company, is near the stage of critical burn-out when she is finally persuaded to take a much-needed "vacation" and escape to a little island in Maine. There, she encounters the beautiful Ivy, a buxom little redhead trying to eke out a living, mostly practicing social work and being generally big-hearted. They are both instantly smitten. As they get to know one another, there are some things Holly never mentions: her vast wealth, her real job, and her real surname.
There are quite a few sex scenes in the book, but the focus is really on the relationship between the two protagonists on that remote little island during the off-season. The timeline of the book begins in summer and, as the title suggests, runs through autumn and into the year-end holiday season. Knowing it's a romance by the title, I'm sure you already know to expect girl-meets-girl followed by girl-loses-girl... Holly has some issues with interpersonal relations. The blow-ups and misunderstandings are pretty dramatic. Overall, this was quite good at yanking on my heart strings and producing a lot of emotional squishies. Yes, I cried over their dessert, and at other points in the story. A few things are a trifle over-the-top, but never less than charming and romantic.
The writing here is very good. (Well, just between us, somewhere in the first half I stumbled over exactly one sentence that kept crashing my internal parser, but I won't blame the writers for that; I just debugged myself and proceeded.) Aside from a couple of homophone typos, the editing is excellent, as I've come to expect from Markinson (in particular, as I haven't read enough of MacLeod to have expectations yet).
dnf
January 7, 2023Unfortunately, I hated the miscommunication after their first night and just could not, because I really hate those kind of contrived misunderstandings.
November 7, 2020
Wonderful!
This was an excellent collaboration between TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod. Well written with engaging characters, this book keep me turning page after page right to the end. This one belongs on your must read list!
This was an excellent collaboration between TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod. Well written with engaging characters, this book keep me turning page after page right to the end. This one belongs on your must read list!
December 29, 2019
Good Story With Two Great Writers!
I am a big fan of both TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod. I have read all their books. So I was really looking forward to this book.
I loved the characters of Holly and Ivy and their lust filled adventure. The story itself was really good unlike other reviews I enjoyed the sex early on and I had no problem with the millionaire thing. I did not like the two characters who were supposed to be Ivy’s best friends. Betty and Scarlett was just a little too abrasive for me. There could have been a little more depth to their characters. I do like how the story evolved. Holly and Ivy had obstacles in their own lives to deal with before realizing how they felt about each other. Definite must read!
I am a big fan of both TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod. I have read all their books. So I was really looking forward to this book.
I loved the characters of Holly and Ivy and their lust filled adventure. The story itself was really good unlike other reviews I enjoyed the sex early on and I had no problem with the millionaire thing. I did not like the two characters who were supposed to be Ivy’s best friends. Betty and Scarlett was just a little too abrasive for me. There could have been a little more depth to their characters. I do like how the story evolved. Holly and Ivy had obstacles in their own lives to deal with before realizing how they felt about each other. Definite must read!
January 14, 2020
Loved it!
I picked up this book like three times and couldn't get into it because I was under the weather but when I started reading this book I just couldn't put it down. Ivy and her friends are hysterically funny but true to their friendship. Oh and let's not forget that they are bold with their words. Holly is totally different from them, she's shy and a bit more reserved so you can imagine what happens when these ladies get together. I loved this story of Holly and Ivy. So glad I kept READING even when I was sick.
LOVED IT. This collaboration was GREAT.
I picked up this book like three times and couldn't get into it because I was under the weather but when I started reading this book I just couldn't put it down. Ivy and her friends are hysterically funny but true to their friendship. Oh and let's not forget that they are bold with their words. Holly is totally different from them, she's shy and a bit more reserved so you can imagine what happens when these ladies get together. I loved this story of Holly and Ivy. So glad I kept READING even when I was sick.
LOVED IT. This collaboration was GREAT.
December 2, 2019
I really enjoyed this love story. I did not like Betty and Scarlett. I loved both main characters. The two just kept misunderstanding each other. Well written story. Very funny at times. Nice love scenes with a great ending.
December 6, 2019
Sexy holiday Romance
I really liked the collaboration on this story. Miranda does a great job with romantic comedy and T.B.’s love scenes were quite thrilling. I made it to the very end when you guys brought me to tears I was so happy for Holly & Ivy
I really liked the collaboration on this story. Miranda does a great job with romantic comedy and T.B.’s love scenes were quite thrilling. I made it to the very end when you guys brought me to tears I was so happy for Holly & Ivy
December 10, 2019
Loved!
This story was everything I needed! I loved Ivy’s hilarious best friends the most tho. The thanksgiving scene with Ivy made me cry. I would love to read more about Ivy & Holly and them creating a family.
This story was everything I needed! I loved Ivy’s hilarious best friends the most tho. The thanksgiving scene with Ivy made me cry. I would love to read more about Ivy & Holly and them creating a family.
November 27, 2019
I’ve read serval books by both of these authors, and I must say that working together definitely brought out the best in each of them. It was a wonderful collaboration and I throughly enjoy the end result. Their work flowed together nicely; I truly could not differentiate between the two writers. Their writing was seamless. They merged their writing styles together beautifully and created a thoroughly entertaining read.
The dialog was fresh and witty. I especially loved the banter that took place between Ivy and her two closest friends, Scarlett and Betty. I laughed out loud at some of their lines. It was easily conveyed through their dialog that the trio were great pals. They had a unique way of speaking their minds and I completely enjoyed it!
The characterization was wonderfully done. I liked the two leads, Ivy and Holly, immediately. They both had substance and were relatable. Their back stories drew me in and I became invested in their relationship almost immediately. I ate up every scene that they were in together. With the vivid descriptions and colorful dialog Markinson and MacLeod used, I knew Holly and Ivy’s journey was going to be an interesting one.
Holly was characterized as a intellectually gifted computer geek. She was often awkward and verbally clumsy, and she tended to be anxious around people. She had deep seeded trust issues that affected her relationships. She felt misunderstood by most people and overwhelmed by the stresses of her job. What she really longed for though was purpose and direction. I often empathized with her. She completely won me over. She could be charming and kind without trying; she really just lacked confidence. I could see early on in this story that Ivy was going to be Holly’s salvation, a gateway for her to resolve some trust issues and to quiet her anxiety.
Ivy was characterized as a “fixer.” She worked as a social worker, and it was her nature to help and take charge. Her biggest asset, however, was her ability to intuitively understand what people needed. It was especially so with Holly. She seemed to understand Holly almost better than Holly understood herself. Ivy’s beauty radiated from her and it drew Holly in, making her feel safe. Ivy understood this and longed to provide a safe heaven for her, even though she knew it may cost her a broken heart.
Ivy and Holly as a couple were hot and sexy. I was drawn to their connection. The chemistry flowed thick between them and their sex scenes were sensual and beautiful. They were well written, in fact some of the best I’ve read in a long time. They were sizzling, yet well used in the story. The scenes conveyed thoughts, feelings and unspoken words so well. I was able to get inside each of the character’s heads during those romantic moments. The sex was not for the sake of sex; it was used to illustrate the love the two felt for each other, but could not verbalize.
The plot flowed along nicely and was well paced. This was a longer story and I’ve found that longer ones sometimes sag in the middle. Not so here. The only complaint I have is that I felt Markinson and MacLeod rushed through the closure of Holly’s childhood issues with her parents. Holly suffered from nightmares and anxiety from an early age. So, for me, this was wrapped up too quickly; I would have liked this sub plot further developed. This, however, is just a personal opinion. The story still remains quite solid and enjoyable.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this story. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes sweet romances. TB and Miranda did an excellent job collaborating on this. I hope they work together again. Individually, they’re great writers. Together, they’re awesome!
The dialog was fresh and witty. I especially loved the banter that took place between Ivy and her two closest friends, Scarlett and Betty. I laughed out loud at some of their lines. It was easily conveyed through their dialog that the trio were great pals. They had a unique way of speaking their minds and I completely enjoyed it!
The characterization was wonderfully done. I liked the two leads, Ivy and Holly, immediately. They both had substance and were relatable. Their back stories drew me in and I became invested in their relationship almost immediately. I ate up every scene that they were in together. With the vivid descriptions and colorful dialog Markinson and MacLeod used, I knew Holly and Ivy’s journey was going to be an interesting one.
Holly was characterized as a intellectually gifted computer geek. She was often awkward and verbally clumsy, and she tended to be anxious around people. She had deep seeded trust issues that affected her relationships. She felt misunderstood by most people and overwhelmed by the stresses of her job. What she really longed for though was purpose and direction. I often empathized with her. She completely won me over. She could be charming and kind without trying; she really just lacked confidence. I could see early on in this story that Ivy was going to be Holly’s salvation, a gateway for her to resolve some trust issues and to quiet her anxiety.
Ivy was characterized as a “fixer.” She worked as a social worker, and it was her nature to help and take charge. Her biggest asset, however, was her ability to intuitively understand what people needed. It was especially so with Holly. She seemed to understand Holly almost better than Holly understood herself. Ivy’s beauty radiated from her and it drew Holly in, making her feel safe. Ivy understood this and longed to provide a safe heaven for her, even though she knew it may cost her a broken heart.
Ivy and Holly as a couple were hot and sexy. I was drawn to their connection. The chemistry flowed thick between them and their sex scenes were sensual and beautiful. They were well written, in fact some of the best I’ve read in a long time. They were sizzling, yet well used in the story. The scenes conveyed thoughts, feelings and unspoken words so well. I was able to get inside each of the character’s heads during those romantic moments. The sex was not for the sake of sex; it was used to illustrate the love the two felt for each other, but could not verbalize.
The plot flowed along nicely and was well paced. This was a longer story and I’ve found that longer ones sometimes sag in the middle. Not so here. The only complaint I have is that I felt Markinson and MacLeod rushed through the closure of Holly’s childhood issues with her parents. Holly suffered from nightmares and anxiety from an early age. So, for me, this was wrapped up too quickly; I would have liked this sub plot further developed. This, however, is just a personal opinion. The story still remains quite solid and enjoyable.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this story. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes sweet romances. TB and Miranda did an excellent job collaborating on this. I hope they work together again. Individually, they’re great writers. Together, they’re awesome!
November 16, 2019
This is a collaboration I was eagerly waiting for. Their writing styles while different hold some similitudes, but both are so good that I am always waiting for their next adventure. I am very very glad they worked together to give us this beautiful story.
Both authors share writing elements in common that I love, like the smart, witty comments, the humour and unexpected situations being the most important. I knew whatever they created together would be wonderful and I was right. This book is great. Their writing styles merged perfectly to create this jewel. Everything worked beyond my expectations. Hope they work together again in the future.
I liked the development of the story and the characters as well as the dynamic. I was so engrossed with the story that I screamed a bit to both of them at some point, trying for them to stop being fools and take some action over their feelings. I also wanted to smack some sense into them at times. It was very enjoyable, I had a lot of fun with all the unusual situations, loved the sexy bits and the growing romance.
The dialogues these two wonderful authors created together are definitely something to look for.
I like to recommend this book for anyone who wants to have a great time enjoying a good story and a very enjoyable read.
ARC copy of this book given to me by the Author and I'm voluntarily leaving my review.
Both authors share writing elements in common that I love, like the smart, witty comments, the humour and unexpected situations being the most important. I knew whatever they created together would be wonderful and I was right. This book is great. Their writing styles merged perfectly to create this jewel. Everything worked beyond my expectations. Hope they work together again in the future.
I liked the development of the story and the characters as well as the dynamic. I was so engrossed with the story that I screamed a bit to both of them at some point, trying for them to stop being fools and take some action over their feelings. I also wanted to smack some sense into them at times. It was very enjoyable, I had a lot of fun with all the unusual situations, loved the sexy bits and the growing romance.
The dialogues these two wonderful authors created together are definitely something to look for.
I like to recommend this book for anyone who wants to have a great time enjoying a good story and a very enjoyable read.
ARC copy of this book given to me by the Author and I'm voluntarily leaving my review.
January 5, 2020
Don't be mislead by this book's cover...
There's no tinsel or Santa in this adult story. The setting is an island resort on the coast of Maine and the season late summer to fall when the wealthy summer visitors have left the community to eke out their lives in an economy based on lobster fishing and services. The main characters are so realistically portrayed that they live in the readers mind long after the book is closed. Ivy is a social worker who bumps into a very wealthy programmer whose fortune is based on her IT skills. She's super -rich but burnt out and in serious need of rest and recovery. Ivy knows nothing of her background but her needs are as urgently demanding as Holly's. She runs community support programmes and is exhausted by fund raising. Their lives come together passionately but it's a very bumpy ride and the story races along at a thrilling pace. They make disastrous assumptions about each others motives and there are tragic misunderstandings which lead to separation and misery. I could not put this book down until the end; then I read it all over again just to enjoy being with this couple. It's a touching romance with great tensions which are, in parts, almost unbearable. The ending is unpredictable but entirely satisfying and the characters in this book will be held in memory for a very long time. It would make a great movie.
There's no tinsel or Santa in this adult story. The setting is an island resort on the coast of Maine and the season late summer to fall when the wealthy summer visitors have left the community to eke out their lives in an economy based on lobster fishing and services. The main characters are so realistically portrayed that they live in the readers mind long after the book is closed. Ivy is a social worker who bumps into a very wealthy programmer whose fortune is based on her IT skills. She's super -rich but burnt out and in serious need of rest and recovery. Ivy knows nothing of her background but her needs are as urgently demanding as Holly's. She runs community support programmes and is exhausted by fund raising. Their lives come together passionately but it's a very bumpy ride and the story races along at a thrilling pace. They make disastrous assumptions about each others motives and there are tragic misunderstandings which lead to separation and misery. I could not put this book down until the end; then I read it all over again just to enjoy being with this couple. It's a touching romance with great tensions which are, in parts, almost unbearable. The ending is unpredictable but entirely satisfying and the characters in this book will be held in memory for a very long time. It would make a great movie.
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