Luca & Ivy and the Four Calling Birds

The Costa Brothers #3

by Ellie Hall

Would you rather be stranded in a snowstorm with Miss All-things Christmas or the Grinch?

Ivy
If you ever find yourself on the run, do not, I repeat, do not drive off the road and into an icy pond. Should you have such an accident, do not wander into the woods to a chalet with a blazing fire. But if you lose feeling in your toes and go inside to warm up, do not, I repeat, do not, doze off.

Luca
I came up to the mountains to myself, responsibility, and most of all women. So when I return home to find one snoozing in front of my fire, I can’t be blamed for being ticked off. Did I threaten her? Absolutely not. Did I offer her a warm meal? Probably should’ve. As for a place to stay? No way.

Ivy
With a blizzard raging outside, I’m stuck with a grumpy, gruff, grouchy huntsman who hates Christmas. Who doesn’t love the most wonderful time of the year? A beast, that’s who. Although Luca would be a hot beast if he’d tame his beard.

But that’s the least of my problems. Actually, it’s one I’m determined to solve (the Christmas thing and the wild facial hair) because the actual issue is a problem for tomorrow...if there is a tomorrow, seeing as my “ex” is after me and all. Time to seize the holiday!

Luca
Just because I run a Christmas tree farm, doesn’t mean I have to put one up, trim it, or expect Santa to pop out of the chimney and deliver presents. That’s for people who have holly, jolly cheer. Who still have hope. People like the woman who appeared in my life.

Come to think of it, Ivy is kind of like Mrs. Claus, if old Saint Nick’s missus were a knockout. Haunted by ghosts of the past, I’ll need a Christmas miracle to enjoy the season. Then again, maybe the biggest gift is already sitting in my living room.

This is book 3 in the Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance Series, following six single, stubborn, and loyal brothers as they find their happily ever afters. They’re clean and wholesome romance, faith-friendly, stand alone stories but are best enjoyed together.

Genres: Christmas, Contemporary, Romance, Holiday, Rom Com, Forced Proximity

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2022

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

♥

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EllieHallNL
Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com
Facebook: http://www/facebook.com/elliehallauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elliehallauthor

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Series and suggested reading order:

The Only Us Sweet Billionaire Series
•these billionaires have everything, but will they find love...?•

1. Only a Date with a Billionaire
2. Only a Kiss with a Billionaire
3. Only a Night with a Billionaire
4. Only Forever with a Billionaire
5. Only Love with a Billionaire
6. Only Christmas with the Billionaire
7. Only New Year with the Billionaire

♥

The Hawkins Family Clean Romance Series

•five brothers, torn apart and the women who help put them back together...•

1. Second Chance in Hawk Ridge Hollow

2. Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow

3. Resort Getaway with a Bodyguard

4. Going Home to Hawk Ridge Hollow

5. Christmas in Hawk Ridge Hollow

♥

The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

•a small-town restaurant, a dating dare, and happily ever afters...•

1. Summer with the Marine

2. Summer with the Rock Star

3. Summer with the Billionaire

4. Summer with the Cowboy

5. Summer with the Carpenter

6. Summer with the Doctor

♥

Ritchie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance Series

•Cowboy hats & kisses with small-town charm•

1. Rustling the Cowboy’s Heart

2. Lassoing the Cowboy’s Heart

3. Trusting the Cowboy’s Heart

4. Kissing the Christmas Cowboy

5. Loving the Cowboy’s Heart

6. Charming the Cowboy’s Heart

7. Saving the Cowboy’s Heart

8. Wrangling the Cowboy’s Heart

♥

Falling into Happily Ever After Rom Com

• Sweet, heartwarming & uplifting romantic comedy

1. An Unwanted Love Story

2. An Unexpected Love Story

3. An Unlikely Love Story

4. An Accidental Love Story

5. An Impossible Love Story

6. An Unconventional Christmas Love Story

♥

Forever Marriage Match

• Five friends have to find true love or else...romcom

1. Dare to Love My Grumpy Boss

2. Dare to Love the Guy Next Door

3. Dare to Love My Fake Husband

4. Dare to Love the Guy I Hate

5. Dare to Love My Best Friend

♥

Home Sweet Home Small Town Romantic Comedy Series

Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love

Designing Happily Ever After

The DIY Kissing Project

The True Romance Renovation

Extreme Heart Makeover

Building What's Meant to Be

♥

The Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance Series

Tommy & Merry and the 12 Days of Christmas

Bruno & Gloria and the 5 Golden Rings

Luca & Ivy and the 4 Calling Birds

Gio & Joy and the 3 French Hens

Paulo & Noella and the 2 Turtle Doves

Nico & Hope and the Partridge in the Pear Tree

♥

The Love List Series

The Swoon List

The Not Love List

The Crush List

The Kiss List

The Naughty or Nice List

♥

Love, Laughs, and Mystery in Coco Key

The Romance Situation

The Romance Fiasco

The Romance Game

The Romance Gambit

The Christmas Romance Wish

♥

On the Hunt for Love

The Grump and the Girl Next Door

The Bitter Heir and the Beauty

The Secret Son and the Sweetheart

The Ex Best Friend and the Fake Fiancé

The Best Friend’s Brother and the Brain

Select titles are available in audiobook, paperback, hardcover, and large print formats. Happy reading!♥

Reviews

[Serena Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Tu, yo, nosotros, esto es un milagro.'




•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers.
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.




✨Luca & Ivy and the Four Calling Birds de Ellie Hall serie The Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance libro 3🎄

Argumento:

🎀¿Preferirías quedarte varado en una tormenta de nieve con Miss All-things Christmas o el Grinch?

Ivy

Si alguna vez te encuentras a la fuga, no, repito, no te salgas de la carretera y te metas en un estanque helado. Si tiene un accidente de este tipo, no deambule por el bosque hasta un chalet con un fuego ardiente. Pero si pierdes la sensibilidad en los dedos de los pies y entras para entrar en calor, no, repito, no te quedes dormido.

Luca

Subí a la montaña para escapar: de mí mismo, de la responsabilidad y sobre todo de las mujeres. Así que cuando vuelvo a casa y me encuentro a uno dormitando frente a mi chimenea, no se me puede culpar por estar enfadado.

¿La amenacé? Absolutamente no. ¿Le ofrecí una comida caliente?

Probablemente debería haberlo hecho. ¿En cuanto a un lugar para quedarse?

De ninguna manera.

Ivy

Con una tormenta de nieve rugiendo afuera, estoy atrapada con un cazador gruñón, brusco y cascarrabias que odia la Navidad. ¿Quién no ama la época más maravillosa del año? Una bestia, eso es quién. Aunque Luca sería una bestia caliente si domara su barba.

Pero ese es el menor de mis problemas.

En realidad, es uno que estoy decidida a resolver (lo de la Navidad y el vello facial salvaje) porque el problema real es un problema para mañana... si hay un mañana, ya que mi "ex" está detrás de mí y todo eso. ¡Es hora de aprovechar las vacaciones!

Luca

El hecho de que tenga una granja de árboles de Navidad no significa que tenga que poner uno, recortarlo o esperar que Papá Noel salga de la chimenea y entregue los regalos. Eso es para las personas que tienen acebo, alegría alegre. Quién todavía tiene esperanza. A la gente le gusta la mujer que apareció en mi vida.

Ahora que lo pienso, Ivy es como la Sra. Claus, si la señora del viejo San Nicolás fuera un golpe de gracia. Atormentado por fantasmas del pasado, necesitaré un milagro navideño para disfrutar la temporada. Por otra parte, tal vez el regalo más grande ya esté sentado en mi sala de estar.



Mi humilde opinión:

❄️ Me gusta que cada libro comience con una carta de la heroína a Santa contando sus sueños y deseos para navidad. Eso le da a la historia un toque más personal. Descubrí con cada libro que voy leyendo de la serie que el sentimiento navideño siempre está presente. Hawk Ridge Hollow es un pueblo que se viste para la temporada con la nieve, luces y cada detalle de las tiendas, bazares, deliciosas comidas y la gente. Me encantó que me haga sentir el ambiente festivo.

Me encantan las heroínas de la serie, ellas aman la navidad y son divertidas.

Ivy era un amor de mujer. Leal a su hermana, comprensiva, valiente y de gran corazón. Una fan de la navidad. Yo hubiera hecho lo mismo que ella, admirar el pueblo, ponerle mucho topping delicioso que derrame por encima a mí taza de cacao y convencer a un sexy leñador que me corte un árbol para decorarlo juntos!Me encantó su sobrenombre para Luca, Sr. Malvavisco. Le calzaba justo.

Hasta ahora todos los hermanos Costa son fáciles de amar pero es difícil para ellos aceptar el amor. Son tipos complicados. Por lo que me están frustrando todos ellos! Luca no hacía más que sospechar y alejar a Ivy. Me enojaba mucho por ser tan cabeza dura pero mostraba también su lado gruñón dulce. Rescató a Bird y ayudaba al quien lo necesitaba, eso le dio puntos a favor por mí parte.

El romance sigue siendo ligero, divertido y súper dulce. Ivy y Luca a pesar de ser polos opuestos son una gran pareja y me gustaban juntos. Sin imaginarlo, se sanaron mutuamente y fue el destino. Me sorprendió que el segundo nombre de Ivy fuera Isaac como el mejor amigo de Luca. Si eso lo es una señal no sé que es!

La trama además tenía un poco de drama, angustia y peligro que le dio una vuelta más interesante a todo. Aparece la familia Costa siempre mostrando apoyo y cariño. Y por fin Frankie tuvo a la bebé! Y era hora!

Me gustan los epilogos, son cartas con el HEA de los protagonistas. En el caso de Luca y Ivy ambos consiguieron su milagro navideño!

[Dikshya Pattnaik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite one by far.
This was so sweet and funny!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy Hurley's identical twin sister, Iris, has a knack for attracting the wrong men, and this time it's put both sisters in danger. Iris's most recent ex-boyfriend, Raife, is threatening her to keep her quiet about his criminal activities, so she and Ivy go on the run to stay safe. After putting Iris on a plane to a new life overseas, Ivy ends up alone in the small town of Hawk Ridge Hollow. It's her idea of the perfect Christmas town and she hopes it will be a safe place to spend the holidays. Unfortunately, Raife is hot on her trail, so she hops in her car, flees down unfamiliar roads, and crashes into an icy pond. She escapes unharmed and walks through the snow until she comes upon a cabin, which is empty for the moment but obviously occupied. It turns out to be the home of grumpy Christmas tree farmer Luca Costa, who's not exactly happy to have an unexpected house guest - especially one who loves Christmas as much as Ivy. However, there's a blizzard raging outside and he can't bring himself to turn her away. Initially suspicious of her presence and resolved to resist her holiday cheer, Luca can't help but be charmed by Ivy as they get to know each other better. Could she be the Christmas miracle he needs to put his painful past behind him?

Ivy and Luca were both incredibly likeable, sympathetic characters with good reason to mistrust each other at first, but they turned out to be exactly what the other needed in a partner. In and out of foster care as a child, Ivy was looking for a place to belong, and she found that with Luca and the warm, welcoming Costa family. Christmas had always symbolized hope to her, and she couldn't understand how Luca, a Christmas tree farmer, could live in a home with no decorations. She made it her mission to get him into the holiday spirit, with both heartwarming and hilarious results.

Luca and Ivy's story gave me all the feels, and I adored it. I highly recommend it for all fans of sweet contemporary romance and romantic comedy and can't wait for the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Tricia Anson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luca and Ivy have such a fun, grumpy/sunshine, forced-proximity story with a touch of suspense.
Luca is ex-military who has made himself a hermit up in the mountains. Ivy finds herself in a dangerous predicament while trying to help her sister and stumbles upon Luca’s property when trying to get out of the cold.

Things I Loved:
-Hot cocoa meet-cute
-Mr. Marshmallow
-Bird the dog
-Frosty the Snowman-Beast-Huntsman
-Snowball fight
-Snow White meets Goldilocks
-Nighttime Sledding
-More of the Costa Family—especially Frankie, I love her!
-“What about all the positives that a relationship can bring? You can think about them tying you down, but they can also lift you up.”
-Ball of dough (IYKYK)
-Found family

This is another quick read in the Costa series, full of sweet and swoony moments. It can be read standalone, but it sure is fun to see the same timeline play out from each couple’s perspectives!

Trigger warning for military related loss in the past, an abusive boyfriend situation, and recounting of time in the foster system. The story does stay true to RomCom in overall feel while doing justice to these topics.

[Megan (messybun.bookishfun) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I read this book in one day? Yes. Yes I did! And you should grab yours too!

This series is just so cute! I love them all! They are under 200 pages which makes them a quick read, but they are by no means novellas (meaning that it’s more fluff than meaning…except there is a lot of “fluff” in this one - marshmallow fluff they is!) 😂😂😂

I also love me a good stranded story, and since the temps dropped 20° in the Midwest last night, I was feeling the more chrismasy book today vs my fallish books. And now I want hot cocoa and marshmallows. Darn you authors making me crave cookies and pie and marshmallows!!! 😋😋

This book reminded me of @noellebensenauthor first book The Night I Found You with the lost in a snow storm beginning. While I would NEVER want that to happen to me, reading that group/plot in books is one of my favorites!

Grab books 1-3 of Ellie’s while you wait for book 4 to drop this month, October 15! You won’t regret it!

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun protector romance with a little suspense. My favorite. A bit beauty and the beast retelling plus a few other fairy/nursery tales. I blazed through it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Brit’s Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite holiday is Christmas and this immediately made me want to read this book. Ivy has been through a lot in her past and now is hiding away from her ex but still manages to have hope and joy. I really connected with her on all that she had experienced in her life. On the other hand Luca is just done with life and wants to hide in the mountains and not be bothered and most specifically by women. So, if you love Christmas and Beauty and the Beast, this is the perfect book for you. Trust me that Ivy will have you cracking up and Luca will have you swooning. It was a quick, fun read and Ellie let’s you experience Christmas early with her latest book!.

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

[Gila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Christmas romance full of ambiance, forced proximity, and Christmas fun.
Out of all the books so far, this one has felt the most Christmasy. I enjoyed it. :)

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Luca & Ivy's heartachingly beautiful,funny, sweet and swoony story!!

[Arantxa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5✨ Qué bien me lo he pasado, qué rápido me han ganado Ivy y Luca, y qué mal rato en los momentos de tensión. Porque sí, hay momentos de tensión, y serios. Pero hay muchísimos más momentos de magia navideña y muchos, muchos chistes, bromas y juegos de palabras que alimentan el corazón y la mente a partes iguales.

Este libro tiene tantas cosas buenas que me cuesta elegir alguna por encima de otra. La premisa con la que llega Ivy a la ciudad, la forma que conoce a Luca y la sorpresa del reencuentro, el entusiasmo de Ivy con las tradiciones navideñas y la ternura con la que Luca cede ante sus peticiones, primero reticente, después con gusto poe hacerla feliz. Sus bromas, sus gestos de complicidad, sus risas robadas, e incluso los momentos de cariño que comparten con Bird, la perra de caza de Luca.

Y el punto fuert del libro, la personalidad de Ivy y Luca. Cómo adorar a ambos casi desde el principio:
"You're like if the Beast and the Huntsman had a baby."
"How on earth would that work?"
"You're gruff like the Beast and hand-gruff like the Huntsman."
What did she almost say? Hand-what? I almost chuckle. (...) "You're like Snow White and the girl from the Three Bears."
"You mean Goldilocks? How so?"
"You wandered into my house and sat in my chair".

Me divierte cómo funciona la mente de Ivy, la creatividad con la que le pone motes (tan absurdos como acertados) a Luca. Empezando por Mr. Marshmallow, y terminando por Mr. Wolf, el muñeco de nieve gigante aterrador con camisa de leñador que es terco, solitario y bruto pero tiene buen corazón. ¿Cómo no vamos a adorarlo?

Me gusta cómo se hablan, cómo se cuentan las cosas, cómo saben leerse entre líneas. La franqueza con la que se dirigen el uno al otro, la facilidad con la que se entienden entre ellos, a veces sin necesidad de decir más de lo imprescindible. Son el claro ejemplo de que a veces las miradas y los silencios compartidos dicen mucho más que las palabras.

"When you appeared yesterday with that axe I thought for sure you were going to tie me up. Now I see that you were in the military, which accounts for the ruggedness. But that's not a reason to leep love from entering your life".
My throat thickens and not because of smoke. Ivy very gently says what I cannot. That she understands that I suffered a loss".

Luca y Ivy son una bandera verde ondeando al viento. Y más allá de lo sana que es la relación entre ellos, lo que más puntos gana en este libro es su sentido del humor, sin duda.

"Another blizzard. Another day stuck with a grumpy, gruff huntsman who hates Christmas. Who hates the most wonderful time of the year? A beast, that's who. But you'd be a hot beast if you'd tame your beard. I sense there's a handsome face hidden underneath all that scruff."
I nearly choke on the bite of the sandwich. "Who's the one speaking her mind now?"
She adorably scrunches her nose like she hasn't the faintest clue who I could be referring to".

¿Más ejemplos? Más ejemplos.

"Okay. The gifts are wrapped. The only thing missing is the tree."
"No." I shake my head.
"Yes."
"No."
Then she starts singing, emoting with her arms and hands. "Dashing through the No, in a one-horse open sleigh. Over the fields we go..."
(...) "Okay, fine. We can get a tree." She leaps into the air and into my arms, koala bear hugging me with her legs and squeezing me tight".

¿SON, o no son maravillosos los dos?

Esta saga mejora por momentos. El primer libro me gustó, el segundo fue mucho mejor y más divertido, pero este tercero les ha dejado a los otros dos muy atrás. El amor entre ellos es mucho más real, nada ilusorio, y surge tan poco a poco que es nuy fácil entender de dónde vienen los sentimientos. Y además aquí añadimos el elemento sorpresa a la ecuación: Raife y la ansiedad que provoca cada vez que entra en escena. Como en una buena película de comedia romántica en la que no esperabas pasar momentos de susto y nerviosismo de repente. Eso es lo que lo ha puesto a otro nivel en comparación con los libros anteriores.

Y odio tener expectativas, pero ¿¿cómo no voy a tener ganas de leer los tres siguientes??

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I read: Luca & Ivy and the Four Calling Birds by Ellie Hall

Why I picked it up: I started this series and they have become “a book a day” for me, so I’m going to finish (2 remain).

How I read it: On Kindle Unlimited in a day.

What it’s about: Ivy has come to this small town in nowhere Montana to escape her twin sister’s ex-boyfriend who’s after her. One disaster after another lands her car in the lake and her entering (not breaking since the door was unlocked) a ski chalet to get warm. Luca, one of the Costa brothers, is not interested in a houseguest or a relationship or even Christmas, even though he owns the local Christmas Tree Farm. But they’re snowed in.

What I liked: There were so many tropes in this book: Snowed In, The Three Bears, Beauty & The Best, Snow White!

What I disliked: They meet and get engaged in less time than most men text back after a date to schedule the second one. How do all of these perpetually single brothers meet someone and get married in the SAME TWO WEEKS??

Genre: Chaste love story, Christmas, small town.

Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and it’s a sweet series, I’m going to finish, but if you read only 12 books a year, don’t choose these six as some of your twelve, if you read a 100, might be worth it.

[Melinda Hennies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how two broken souls who are so alone, find each other.
Ivy is running from her sisters ex who is not a nice guy. After crashing her car and it landing in a pond, she finds herselfnin a beautiful house by a warm fire.
Luca is living alone in the mountains, and finds a women sleeping in his living room.
Luca is very leary of Ivy and knows she is running butbhe just isn't sure about her.
When Luca sees what a fun Christmas loving soul.
When Ivy sees that Luca has a big heart she convinces him to let go of the past and trust.
Ivy confesses her past and wanting to protect her sister.
Loved how itbis a happy ever after for these two and Moose and Bird!

[Wendy Droke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forced proximity stranded at Christmas

My favorite Costa brother so far, Luca is protective, secret filled and squishy centered and Ivy is caring, secret filled and all sunshine. I love the way these two make a perfect fit for each other in this dual pov stand alone romcom full of swoon. While you don't need to have read the others in the series to enjoy this one they do flow together nicely showing different brothers in new light as you go!

[Denice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story about Ivy and Luca. Ivy is trying to get free from her twin's ex and runs off the snowy road, where Luca finds her. He wants nothing more than to get her gone, he wants to be alone but with the snow, that isn't possible. I loved how Ivy was so sarcastic but protective of her sister. Luca is a grump but really a marshmallow. And I loved all the Costa siblings their banter makes this series so fun. Great read!

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ❄️

Luca & Ivy couldn't have been more perfect for each other. Two heroes who happen to find each other in the perfect time for each.

Losing someone is always a hard way to go through life but finding each other was a way for them to get through the hard times.

I can't wait to see what else they have in store within the next books!

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun protector romance with a little suspense. My favorite. A bit beauty and the beast retelling plus a few other fairy/nursery tales. I blazed through it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Sallyavena · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a little too insta-love for me. And many times the story/plot jumped ahead so fast I was flipping back to see if I skipped a page or something. A bunch must have been cut out because there were so many abrupt changes.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy- Iris

I love Luca the grumpy, lovable marshmallow man. And Ivy is so brave, strong, and loving. The suspense was not intense but added the right touch to the story. Go read Luca & Ivy and the Four Calling Birds.

[Rhiannon Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it


A sweet Christmas romance you'll love.

Things I loved:
-Gentlegrinch, gentlegrump
-Beauty and the Beast feel
-Luca is a fierce protector
-Ivy opens up in spite of her history
-Banter

[Rebecca White · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Fun

I enjoyed this story with forced proximity and a mystery that the readers knew but characters didn't all know. I also enjoyed seeing Ivy work to help Luca heal from his military battle wounds.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kisses only.

This was my favorite of the series so far. We get some good backstory to the characters. The love part happened too quickly for my liking. I know they spent a lot of time together but in that time Ivy didn’t open up to Luca and Luca was quite gruff and rude to Ivy.

[Kristeane Benavides · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet book.

I love short and sweet stories. There’s plenty of action to move along the plot, and I love the romance that builds.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luca and Ivy's story was one I really enjoyed, but like Tommy and Merry's story it was a bit stilted. However, I still enjoyed the plot and the character arcs.

[Shayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75⭐️

[Gwen|| Bookish Blondie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was adorable. Both Ivy and Luca were fantastic. I loved this novella so much. Plus the dog was so cute too. Ellie Hall doesn't miss with these cute little holiday stories.

[Wren Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can his Beast change into a Prince?

Wow! So good and so different than a cookie cutter romance. Luca was the Beast, the Huntsman, the Grinch and also Mr Marshmallow. He was the fun loving joking young man until 2things changed him to a brooding man. She was running, from a past, from danger from a childhood missing happiness, but somehow she is cheery, happy and spreading joy and Christmas cheer. For all the happiness and Christmas cheer there are some poignant, bittersweet moments here also. Perfect mix. Clean. The Costa family is amazing and Ivy would dearly love a family to be part of.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader’s Notes:

– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

– this is told from Ivy & Luca’s points of view

– a character is being chased by someone dangerous

Review:

I loved that we got more of Mrs. Costa and her no-nonsense attitude! She was great for random spots of laughter and in serious moments too! I also loved seeing Frankie and her family a bit more with them living next door to Luca! It was sweet to see Luca with his niece and nephew 🥰. I loved that Ivy saw through Luca to the heart of his problems and that she was able to wake him out of the funk he’d been living in. Here’s some of the other things/scenes I really enjoyed in this story: Mr. Marshmallow, Uncle Santa, Luca’s protectiveness, Luca’s dog, Ivy trying to compare Luca’s changed personality with fictional characters, and decoration for Christmas.

Ivy is on the run from someone dangerous. She thinks she’s safe in Hawk Ridge Hollow until she sees the person she’s on the run from in town. And he won’t stop popping up at every turn. When he gets too close, Ivy drives into a snowstorm and ends up with her car in a pond at the town’s tree farm. With no way to leave and the cold seeping in, she seeks shelter in the owner’s home and accidentally falls asleep beside the fire.

Luca lives at the tree farm to get away from everything and live his life quietly without interruption. But that’s derailed when he finds a woman asleep on his couch after coming back from the tree farm. When she wakes up and he takes stock of the situation, Luca realizes that he’s stuck with her until they can get back into town and rescue her car from the watery depths of the pond. Luca doesn’t like the idea of Ivy infiltrating his space and heart, especially since he knows there’s something she isn’t telling him, but he isn’t as immune to her as he’d like to be.

When Ivy’s secrets come to light and she’s able to leave, will Luca let her go as he would have when she first came into his life? Or will they have built something together that neither of them want to let go of?

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful series----- I love this big Italian family with their love for one another. I always enjoy the chapters coming from the H and h points of view and the humor throughout each book in this series just adds to the fun. Below that humor is some serious stuff going on like dealing with grief from losing a friend and blaming yourself or dealing with the issues of being a foster child.

Ivy Hurley is super protective of her identical twin sister Iris and so when she has to get her away from her boyfriend Raife, Ivy will go on the run pretending to be Iris. When he follows her to Hawk Ridge Hollow she has to hide to escape him. Driving her car through a major snow storm on an unknown road has her skidding off the road into a pond. That wasn't part of her plan to escape Raife. Finding a place to get warm and stay safe leaves her acting like Goldilocks, sleeping in a chair near a warm fire. When she wakes up it's not to a bear but to a burly guy with a thick beard and eyes that she remembered meeting for a few minutes while getting hot cocoa. She called him Mr. Marshmallow in her mind but now he's a grumpy grouchy Beast or possibly the Huntsman.

Luca Costa lives on top of a mountain taking care of a Christmas Tree Farm. He likes the solitude as he has no plans to settle down. Coming in from the storm to find a woman sleeping in his house has him wondering what she's up to? Is she casing the place to rob it? With her car in his pond and his plow not working- he has to let her stay until he can clear the road. He has to keep reminding himself that a Costa is hospitable while trying to keep Ivy from working her way into his heart.

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

[Meg (thyme.for.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy is on the run. When an icy road finds her stranded with her car in a pond, she finds herself hiking to the closest structure she can find. She lets herself into the mountain cabin in hopes of warming up but is confronted by the grumpy homeowner, Luca. Luca has no desire to play host but they quickly find themselves snowed in. As they’re forced to spend time together, walls come down and secrets are revealed on both sides.

Luca & Ivy and the Four Calling Birds is the third book in the Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance series. While it is a stand-alone I recommend reading the first two books in the series for context. The books in this series are somewhat overlapping so some of the same events occur but from different perspectives . This book is clean and other than the occasional mild kiss.

I have read the other books in this series so far and this one is my favorite yet. I love the added element of mystery. It really enhanced the storyline with an extra layer. Both main characters are hiding secrets from their past. Although they are somewhat guarded, they find ways to open up and help each other. Like the other two books in the series, this one happens over a very short amount of time so while it’s not “instalove” it is a whirlwind romance.

I am really enjoying this holiday series. Even with the Christmasy theme I think it could be read at any time. I look forward to reading the next book in the series (Gio and Joy) when it comes out. Ellie Hall is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors for clean romance stories.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I think this might be my favorite Costa Brothers book yet! I loved Luca and Ivy, and I felt like they were both such real characters. Their drama did not feel forced at all, and their conflict made it a lot of sense.
Ivy was the strong one. She had to be for her sister. I adored her, and her straightforward way of dealing with things. She helped Luca open up, and their banter was adorable. I liked how her personality fit Luca’s in a lot of ways. She made him laugh, and helped him actually express himself while still being a strong partner.
Luca was such a sweetheart! I really liked him because I think his struggles were actually real problems. He had experienced a lot, and his guilt was eating him alive. So even though there were times when he was quite frustrating, the conflict inside of him made sense. And he was a total softy underneath all of his gruff exterior.
Luca and Ivy fit together well. Luca made Ivy feel safe, and he gave her the home she had always wanted. Though they had to fight for their home and their future together. There was a side plot with Ivy’s sister’s ex-boyfriend which was interesting, and the whole story made it so I couldn’t put the book down.
I would definitely recommend this sweet, Christmas story! It is a quick read, so things progress very quickly. But it’s a clean, adorable romcom perfect for people wishing it was Christmas :)

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.