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A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance #4
And Then They Were Four
Malmö/Lund, Sweden, 2000
A radical feminist turned cop and a former Lucia candidate are expecting—twins. A gender studies professor burns her candle at both ends. A lovelorn bus driver is feeling fragile, until an unexpected visit brings her some queer holiday cheer; and an obstetric nurse single mother delivers the expected, while her past catches her unprepared.
In the final A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance, the crew from Candlelight Kisses, Little x and Wild Bells make their way through Advent 2000, celebrating the first X(X)mas of a new millennium.
A radical feminist turned cop and a former Lucia candidate are expecting—twins. A gender studies professor burns her candle at both ends. A lovelorn bus driver is feeling fragile, until an unexpected visit brings her some queer holiday cheer; and an obstetric nurse single mother delivers the expected, while her past catches her unprepared.
In the final A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance, the crew from Candlelight Kisses, Little x and Wild Bells make their way through Advent 2000, celebrating the first X(X)mas of a new millennium.
ebook
First published November 30, 2020
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About the author
Elna Holst
22 books49 followersOften quirky, always queer, Elna Holst is an unapologetic genre bender who writes anything from lesbian lust and love stories to the odd existentialist horror piece. Find her on Instagram (@elnaholstwrites) or Goodreads (yes, you're right here).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 1, 2020
This is both a sweet and steamy coming together of all of the characters we have met so far in this series. You could read this independently from the rest of the other novellas, but you’d miss a lot so I recommend reading the other three first.
Set in Malmo, Sweden, the novella takes place over four days of advent, with each day focussing on a different person or couple. I really liked all of the stories that appear, but obviously with it being a novella we don’t spend much time with the characters and there were some I really wanted to know more about.
There are some open ends left for characters that weren’t main characters in the previous novellas and I’m glad Holst didn’t feel the need to close these.
I’d recommend reading this series, I read them all in an evening and it made for a nice story when read like this.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Set in Malmo, Sweden, the novella takes place over four days of advent, with each day focussing on a different person or couple. I really liked all of the stories that appear, but obviously with it being a novella we don’t spend much time with the characters and there were some I really wanted to know more about.
There are some open ends left for characters that weren’t main characters in the previous novellas and I’m glad Holst didn’t feel the need to close these.
I’d recommend reading this series, I read them all in an evening and it made for a nice story when read like this.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2020
The final novella And Then There Were Four of the A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance series. In small vignettes we meet the crew from Candlelight Kisses, Little x, and Wild Bells making their way through Advent 2000 towards the first Christmas of the new Millenium.
Police officer Erika Stolt treats her highly pregnant (and very horny) wife Padma to a surprise night out. Gender Studies Professor Helena Hansen gets the most exciting 2nd desert from her two new flatmates. Bus driver Sophie is happy to hear her older sis Mia has proposed to Sandra Ling even though her own heart is bleeding after leaving Roz in the States. And obstetric nurse Gunilla Anderson delivers two very special Chrismas babies.
It was a very spicey and sweet re-visit where everybody, as in all good Christmas stories, gets a happy ending. Kudos to author Elena Holst for this very entertaining Holiday series. I highly recommend you read them all.
f/f/f Like I said, happy endings for all ;-)
4,5 stars
Police officer Erika Stolt treats her highly pregnant (and very horny) wife Padma to a surprise night out. Gender Studies Professor Helena Hansen gets the most exciting 2nd desert from her two new flatmates. Bus driver Sophie is happy to hear her older sis Mia has proposed to Sandra Ling even though her own heart is bleeding after leaving Roz in the States. And obstetric nurse Gunilla Anderson delivers two very special Chrismas babies.
It was a very spicey and sweet re-visit where everybody, as in all good Christmas stories, gets a happy ending. Kudos to author Elena Holst for this very entertaining Holiday series. I highly recommend you read them all.
f/f/f Like I said, happy endings for all ;-)
4,5 stars
December 21, 2020
A final installment of the series, bringing all the characters and stories from the previous 3 books together. So I definitely recommend you read them in order.
There was ONE chapter of the book I ended up skipping entirely because it focused on side character/ex-room mate Helene having a threesome with some college students. She was never really a main character in previous installments in my mind, and I never cared enough about her to want to know more. So to say this part felt completely out of tone for the series, is an understatement IMHO.
Generally the series deals with serious and confronting issues, but for me it just seemed to throw in a pornographic interlude for reasons ??? to spice things up. It was very out of place considering how much substance is usually put on the characters and stories in previous installments and also in this read - and it detracted from the tone, and my overall enjoyment of coming back to old characters and seeing how they had gone on years later.
But on with the good!
I did enjoy meeting back up with Erika and Padma from Book 1, Sofi and Roz from Book 2, and Mia and Sandra from the third installment.
There's pregnancy, engagement, and possible heartbreak looming because of a long distance relationship. But we all know that at Christmas, especially, things can work out for the best!
There was ONE chapter of the book I ended up skipping entirely because it focused on side character/ex-room mate Helene having a threesome with some college students. She was never really a main character in previous installments in my mind, and I never cared enough about her to want to know more. So to say this part felt completely out of tone for the series, is an understatement IMHO.
Generally the series deals with serious and confronting issues, but for me it just seemed to throw in a pornographic interlude for reasons ??? to spice things up. It was very out of place considering how much substance is usually put on the characters and stories in previous installments and also in this read - and it detracted from the tone, and my overall enjoyment of coming back to old characters and seeing how they had gone on years later.
But on with the good!
I did enjoy meeting back up with Erika and Padma from Book 1, Sofi and Roz from Book 2, and Mia and Sandra from the third installment.
There's pregnancy, engagement, and possible heartbreak looming because of a long distance relationship. But we all know that at Christmas, especially, things can work out for the best!
December 3, 2020
And Then They Were Four
is book number four of the A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance collection. Though it’s part of a series it can most definitely be read as a stand alone.
I appreciate Elna Holst’s writing style; there’s something very appealing about it. She’s a solid writer with a lot of promise. She likes to gently thread symbolism and theme throughout her storytelling; it gives it significance and import.
And Then They Were Four is essentially four vignettes that are connected by the overlapping relationships of its characters. I like the way Holst weaves these tales together. She creates an interesting snapshot of how interconnected life really is and how small the world really can be. The impact of “six degrees of separation” can be significant when applied to different groups of people.
The story takes place in Sweden during Advent 2000. It’s interesting how Holst ties the story to this religious event and the traditions surrounding it. It’s symbolic and gives the storytelling dimension. Holst’s writing can be introspective and I don’t believe she’s been praised enough for it.
Holt drops readers right into the middle of things with each of these vignettes. There is no real lead in or follow up with these snapshot stories. It’s a traditional vignette in every sense; readers are given just enough information to make sense of things, but left to wonder about the rest. There are some sexy scenes included in this holiday novella, too, adding a bit of spice and titillation.
If you are looking for a quick and entertaining holiday read, then And Then They Were Four is a great choice. At 16,500 words, it can easily be consumed in an afternoon. This Christmas themed romance is a fun escape; I recommend giving it a shot.
Strengths…
Quick read
Entertaining
Interesting characters
Interesting theme
is book number four of the A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance collection. Though it’s part of a series it can most definitely be read as a stand alone.
I appreciate Elna Holst’s writing style; there’s something very appealing about it. She’s a solid writer with a lot of promise. She likes to gently thread symbolism and theme throughout her storytelling; it gives it significance and import.
And Then They Were Four is essentially four vignettes that are connected by the overlapping relationships of its characters. I like the way Holst weaves these tales together. She creates an interesting snapshot of how interconnected life really is and how small the world really can be. The impact of “six degrees of separation” can be significant when applied to different groups of people.
The story takes place in Sweden during Advent 2000. It’s interesting how Holst ties the story to this religious event and the traditions surrounding it. It’s symbolic and gives the storytelling dimension. Holst’s writing can be introspective and I don’t believe she’s been praised enough for it.
Holt drops readers right into the middle of things with each of these vignettes. There is no real lead in or follow up with these snapshot stories. It’s a traditional vignette in every sense; readers are given just enough information to make sense of things, but left to wonder about the rest. There are some sexy scenes included in this holiday novella, too, adding a bit of spice and titillation.
If you are looking for a quick and entertaining holiday read, then And Then They Were Four is a great choice. At 16,500 words, it can easily be consumed in an afternoon. This Christmas themed romance is a fun escape; I recommend giving it a shot.
Strengths…
Quick read
Entertaining
Interesting characters
Interesting theme
December 21, 2020
And Then They Were Four by Elna Holst
Tinsel and Spruce Needles #4
Short but sweet this had four short Christmas clips from the lives of several people and all of the people in the clips knew or were related to one another.
What I liked:
* That I had a feel for the characters even though I had not read previous stories in the series
* That all four Advent stories overlapped and came together connecting the stories with one another
* The variety
* That there was hope and potential for happiness for all of them
* The love and friendship felt
* A baby born on Christmas Eve
* That no matter what age you are…there is potential for romance
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* The only thing I didn’t like is not really knowing what will happen in the lives of those I met in this collection.
Did I enjoy this novella? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Tinsel and Spruce Needles #4
Short but sweet this had four short Christmas clips from the lives of several people and all of the people in the clips knew or were related to one another.
What I liked:
* That I had a feel for the characters even though I had not read previous stories in the series
* That all four Advent stories overlapped and came together connecting the stories with one another
* The variety
* That there was hope and potential for happiness for all of them
* The love and friendship felt
* A baby born on Christmas Eve
* That no matter what age you are…there is potential for romance
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* The only thing I didn’t like is not really knowing what will happen in the lives of those I met in this collection.
Did I enjoy this novella? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
January 9, 2021
I love it! I just love this book so much, I have one complaint and that is that it isn't a full-length, War & Peace-sized volume.
On a more serious note, this is the fourth in the Tinsel and Spruce series from Elna Holst and gives us a look into the lives of the characters from the previous three stories. "And Then They Were Four" could work as a standalone but I would highly recommend the three previous books; Candlelight Kisses, Little x, and Wild Bells as they are a joy to read.
Once again it is Christmas in Malmö and reformed feminist radical Erika/Rickie is tending to the every (and I do mean every) need of her heavily pregnant lover Padma, aka Lucy/Lucia. Rickie's old friends, sisters Mia and Sofie Andersson are having very contrasting Decembers: Mia has just proposed to her girlfriend Sandra Ling, while Sofie is miserable after she left her heart with Roz is New York. I will pause now to say that I am utterly smitten with Roz, they are one of my favourite characters - a delightful combination of charm, confidence, generosity and sweetness. Another one of the old school feminists from the spray-paint days was Helena Hansen, now a respected academic. We haven't really met her in the previous books so her Christmas present is rather different to everyone else's! Mia & Sofie's mother Gunilla also gets her own section here, I won't go into detail but it's wonderful and above all I would love to read more about Gunilla!
This is a sweet and sexy novella and like all of Elna Holst's books I cannot recommend it enough.
On a more serious note, this is the fourth in the Tinsel and Spruce series from Elna Holst and gives us a look into the lives of the characters from the previous three stories. "And Then They Were Four" could work as a standalone but I would highly recommend the three previous books; Candlelight Kisses, Little x, and Wild Bells as they are a joy to read.
Once again it is Christmas in Malmö and reformed feminist radical Erika/Rickie is tending to the every (and I do mean every) need of her heavily pregnant lover Padma, aka Lucy/Lucia. Rickie's old friends, sisters Mia and Sofie Andersson are having very contrasting Decembers: Mia has just proposed to her girlfriend Sandra Ling, while Sofie is miserable after she left her heart with Roz is New York. I will pause now to say that I am utterly smitten with Roz, they are one of my favourite characters - a delightful combination of charm, confidence, generosity and sweetness. Another one of the old school feminists from the spray-paint days was Helena Hansen, now a respected academic. We haven't really met her in the previous books so her Christmas present is rather different to everyone else's! Mia & Sofie's mother Gunilla also gets her own section here, I won't go into detail but it's wonderful and above all I would love to read more about Gunilla!
This is a sweet and sexy novella and like all of Elna Holst's books I cannot recommend it enough.
January 28, 2021
This is the fourth book of Holst’s Tinsel and Spruce Needles series that essentially has one book every Christmas – so the title can be as much play about that, as about the arrival of twins.
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
December 11, 2020
We return to Erika and Padma in And Then They Were four who are having twins and still just as crazy about each other. This story opens with some pretty sweet and steamy pregnancy sex. I should state somewhere that Holst does a superb job writing erotic scenes that don’t sanitize the human body. This realism adds something hotter to the mix. Poor Fifi is nursing a broken heart as she left Roz in New York six months ago. Don’t worry, no one’s unhappy this Christmas. Especially me, who all but squealed at the threesome chapter.
September 26, 2024
4 stars. Padma and Erika were the stars of this novella as they’re preparing for the birth of their babies. It was honestly so sweet. However, Fiffi and Roz were my favorite part of this. They had been broken up (which honestly shocked me ngl) and the story following them revolves around them getting back together and it was seriously so good. The other story was good too but was my least favorite of the bunch. Overall, this was a great way to end this series and I enjoyed it a lot.
December 1, 2020
An amazing ending to the first series of stories. Steamy experiences and reconnection will leave you wanting more. Interspersed within, we have new life growing and waiting to be birthed. My wish, we have more of Nilla. You will not be disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews