So adorable! This is absolutely my favorite Barb Wallace romance. I have a soft spot for holiday romance, and this one was perfect. The hero was sexySo adorable! This is absolutely my favorite Barb Wallace romance. I have a soft spot for holiday romance, and this one was perfect. The hero was sexy with just the right amount of vulnerability, and the heroine was smart and savvy and finally realized how much she had to offer.
I like the "little bit" of magic from Nick, the bartender, too.
Lena Goldfinch is one of those authors who perfectly captures my romantic sensibilities with her writing.
This charming short includes aLena Goldfinch is one of those authors who perfectly captures my romantic sensibilities with her writing.
This charming short includes a marriage-of-convenience and a sweet (if not bumpy) path to Christmas happiness. Tender, touching love story. Low on angst, high on Christmas sweetness!
This is absolutely adorable and perfect for Christmas!
I LOVE amnesia books. It's such a great set-up for a 2ndARC...will be released in November.
This is absolutely adorable and perfect for Christmas!
I LOVE amnesia books. It's such a great set-up for a 2nd chance romance.
This holiday romance includes so many sweet things...whimsical McKringle couple, a sweet little girl missing her mom, a man hopelessly in love with his wife, and a woman who gets a 2nd chance to make the right choices. Barbara Wallace always manages to squeeze some good soul-searching angst into her stories, and I loved how the heroine realized--as she regains her memories--that she wasn't perfect in her marriage and made plenty of mistakes.
This is a couple you will be rooting for in a major way.
I also loved a lot of the other details--about the soap company, romantic London setting, and bits of family history.
THEIR CHRISTMAS MIRACLE is a lovely holiday gift for romance-lovers. Swoony whimsical goodness!
This is a tough one to review. First of all, it has no character arcs or story arc. For real. Stuff happens--randomly--with no cohesive story line.This is a tough one to review. First of all, it has no character arcs or story arc. For real. Stuff happens--randomly--with no cohesive story line. The heroine is adorable, charming, quirky--but she has no character arc in this book. The hero is charming and full of funny banter--but even his "I'm-Finding-Some-Xmas-Spirit" arc is sort of half-assed and not fully formed. Things happen, like the whole ex-boyfriend fraud investigation, for no apparent reason and without any real resolution. It's super odd. The main gist of this book is "WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY"--get together at the end--which is not really enough for any book, even a romance novel.
However...having just said all of this, I still liked the book.
Why?
This book basically has no meat--no real story or character arcs--but the special sauce is awesome! And by special sauce I mean setting, banter, dialogue, cute characters, cute secondary characters, Christmas spirit, details about floral world, etc.
If you create lovely characters, it can make up for a lot of missteps. And these characters are adorbs. The heroine wears vintage clothing and has a precious flower business. The hero is a sexy cop with plenty of funny one-liners. Also, a heart of gold.
The secondary characters were entertaining, the small town is filled with fabulous British details, and since I have a background in floral design, I found those bits really fascinating.
I liked this enough to check out the other books in the series, but I sure hope there is more of a cohesive storyline in those. I'm sort of surprised this is a EDIT: Correction, Harper Collins publication--Harlequin publication because they are usually sticklers for all that stuff.
Also, the ending is extremely abrupt and vague. Having a better HEA would have gone a long way with this story.
In conclusion:
On the plus side is fabulous cover, adorable characters, good writing, plenty of holiday cheer, fun British details.
On the down side is no real storyline or character arcs and an abrupt ending.
I'm going to check out the other books in the series and see how that goes!
Another winner by Abby Green. This one hits all of my high points, particularly about Christmas. Both the hero and heroine have broken hearts forAnother winner by Abby Green. This one hits all of my high points, particularly about Christmas. Both the hero and heroine have broken hearts for various reasons, and their healing culminates in a joyous holiday season. So lovely! Also, it was wonderful to see the hero fall in love with his forgotten country and turn into a king. Green does a superb job making this setting come alive for the reader...all of the details about the tribe visits and the palace are breath-taking.
Can't wait for the next one in this series! Adore it!
What do I love more than grumpy heroes? Grumpy heroes + Christmas! Woo hoo!
This is a sweet, charming holiday story with an adorable premise...the newWhat do I love more than grumpy heroes? Grumpy heroes + Christmas! Woo hoo!
This is a sweet, charming holiday story with an adorable premise...the new owner of a Christmas village hates the holiday. Enter heroine who is fiercely loyal to all of the traditions that make Christmas come alive. (Including best cup of hot chocolate, and I really wish I could have some of that!)
Wallace makes the attraction between this unlikely pair unfold in a believable way, sprinkling the romance with plenty of Christmas spirit.
This is such an adorable holiday story...another winner from Barbara Wallace.
I really respect the fact that Barb doesn't shy away from difficultThis is such an adorable holiday story...another winner from Barbara Wallace.
I really respect the fact that Barb doesn't shy away from difficult storylines. This one was tough. I kept thinking...how the heck is everyone going to get a happy ending? The ending was perfect!
Also, the hero Max is delicious...and so is his bar. Loved this Harlequin!
This is more of an epilogue than a short story. It's VERY short and these characters were obviously introduced in an earlier book.
Having said that,This is more of an epilogue than a short story. It's VERY short and these characters were obviously introduced in an earlier book.
Having said that, this is my first time reading Liz Fielding and I am HUGELY impressed. Her writing is fabulous and I loved this tiny snippet into both of the characters. And this was sexy as hell!
If anyone has read her books, please give me some recommendations.
Grade: A (short and sweet and sexy and well-written)...more
This was absolutely perfect for the holidays. Charming, sweet, romantic, filled with great historical tidbits.
I loved all of the stories. E. E. BurkeThis was absolutely perfect for the holidays. Charming, sweet, romantic, filled with great historical tidbits.
I loved all of the stories. E. E. Burke has a wonderful sense of romance, and her stories are beautifully-written.
I adored this. It was only 99 cents when I got it...not sure if it's still on sale, but I highly recommend this sweet collection for lovers of Christmas romance.
I found it sort of creepy that the hero was talking/thinking about marriage and kids before he even knew her. And he kept making references2.5 stars
I found it sort of creepy that the hero was talking/thinking about marriage and kids before he even knew her. And he kept making references to "Christmas magic" but then there wasn't any magic. Very short story with abrupt ending.
I packed in one more holiday story. And I'm so glad I did! Delphine Dryden has some excellent writing chops. How do I knowSnow Job by Delphine Dryden
I packed in one more holiday story. And I'm so glad I did! Delphine Dryden has some excellent writing chops. How do I know this? I forgot I was reading. I was so immersed in this story, I read the whole thing at once. Honestly, I shouldn't have liked this as much as I did. It was a contemporary w/ a sort of borderline-douchey estranged hubby (didn't like his sexual tactics to get his wife back), a sometimes irritating judgmental wife (can you say "tree-hugger"?), and a pretty mellow storyline (estranged couple thrown together for a "fake" Christmas celebration). Nevertheless, I absolutely loved this book. Dryden's writing is fantastic....smooth and mellow like the finest eggnogwhiskey buttery toffee candy. Yeah, that's it! Candy! I really really really really like her writing. And even though some of the sex scenes made me slightly uncomfortable (the little wifey was filled w/ guilt), they were hot! Karl was a fine example of husband-turned-alpha-male-to-get-the-little-wifey back. Although he had some douchey moments, I ended up rooting for him, and hoping Elyce would drop the fig-up-his-ass-tree-hugger-wanna-be-boyfriend faster than some recycled cardboard. And she did! And, as an added bonus....there was some spanky time! Which means that every single holiday erotica I read this year was spanky. Spanky hanky-holiday-panky.
I had high hopes for this one, since I heartily enjoyed Stacey's book Exclusively Yours. It was cute andMistletoe and Margaritas by Shannon Stacey
I had high hopes for this one, since I heartily enjoyed Stacey's book Exclusively Yours. It was cute and sexy and funny. Unfortunately, Mistletoe and Margaritas was a big flop for me. Some authors can capture the magic in a shorter format, and some can't. This book was too short, the ending was way too abrupt, and the sex scenes were a huge let-down. Which made me think about something that drives me nuts.
The sex scenes in a romance/erotica need to be appropriate for the book.
Here's what I mean.....If the book is an angsty Amish story that focuses on the emotional connection between the characters, then throwing in a wild orgy scene is not appropriate. Likewise, if the book has highly sexualized characters, then having "closed-door" sex scenes is not appropriate. (Imagine JR Ward's series without the sex....)
With some Harly books, the authors concentrate on sweet and loving gestures, such as kissing, holding hands, etc. These books don't need graphic sex scenes to complete them. The emotional connection is more important for the story arc.
On the other hand, if an author spends a lot of time building up sexual tension between the H/h, talking about how they lust for each other, are hot for each other, have been fantasizing about each other for years, can't wait to get it on, etc etc etc, then for the love of God, we better get a smokin-hot sex scene in that book. You can't build up sexual tension and then leave your readers hanging. That is a less-than-satisfying read, and super disappointing.
That was one of my main problems with Mistletoe and Margaritas. The hero has been in love (and lust) with the heroine for years. The heroine keeps talking about how horny she is. But the sex scenes didn't deliver. They were too brief and totally unsatisfying, in my opinion. If the sexual tension is a big part of the story, then we need a lot of frosting on the cake of love. (That sort of sounds like an Elvis song).
This started out with a good premise and a lot of potential, but unfortunately, the ending was rushed and got fairlySnowed In With Santa by Sue Lyndon
This started out with a good premise and a lot of potential, but unfortunately, the ending was rushed and got fairly ridiculous. Santa is a secret dom looking for a tushy to spank. Alana drives through a snow storm to a stranger's house, gets snowed in, and discovers the joys of submission. Merrrrrrry Christmas! Hee heee....just kidding.
I LOVED this one! The first half of the book has no sex....just a build up of sexual attraction between an innocentChristmas Elf by Tielle St Clare
I LOVED this one! The first half of the book has no sex....just a build up of sexual attraction between an innocent elf kicked out of the North Pole and a jaded businessman who has lost his Christmas spirit. The second half of the book was extremely erotic...but the story also manages to be sweet and satisfying. And very holiday-themed....about family, love, and capturing the spirit of Christmas. Also filled with humor and hilarious dialogue. LOVED it!
This is a very sweet and romantic holiday story. Kyle is a wonderful hero who longs for a family ofAll I Want For Christmas Is You by Lisa Mondello
This is a very sweet and romantic holiday story. Kyle is a wonderful hero who longs for a family of his own. Lauren and her daughter Kristen have fallen on hard times, and need a miracle. I adore stories that focus on family as a holiday theme, and this book fits the bill. This is a traditional holiday tale.
So far, I've only read the first story of this Harlequin anthology...Jill Sorenson's Holiday Secrets. A wimpy heroineHoliday Secrets by Jill Sorenson
So far, I've only read the first story of this Harlequin anthology...Jill Sorenson's Holiday Secrets. A wimpy heroine with lots of issues (fear of swimming, fear of the Mob boss who killed her husband, fear of the cute guy next door) falls head over heels for a totally adorable, sexy, I want-one-in-my-stocking-please handyman surfer dude. Schwing! She has 2 kids and is in the witness protection program. He has a hammer and a surfboard. They're perfect for each other! Hee hee. Actually, this story is very sweet, and I loved loved loved the hero. The wimpy heroine grows a pair by the end of the book and (A) learns how to swim (after a sexy lesson with the hero), (B) thwarts the Mob boss (with some help from her boyfriend's truck), and (C) saves her surfer dude and gets an HEA! Cute story!
This was a freebie, and started out with a lot of potential. I love stories that have characters who are in theirHome For Christmas by Kate Davies
This was a freebie, and started out with a lot of potential. I love stories that have characters who are in their forties. This one has a widow and her late husband's business partner heading off on a romantic cruise. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver. It felt like a bad Harly novel....superficial, no real emotional connection between the H/h, flat sex scenes, and an abrupt ending. Big bummer.
My favorite for the weekend! This is an adorable, well-written holiday romance. One of Santa's elves gets lost inSanta's Wayward Elf by Paige Tyler
My favorite for the weekend! This is an adorable, well-written holiday romance. One of Santa's elves gets lost in the Big Apple and has an unexpected adventure with a hot cop. Tyler did a great job with this story. It's a fun twist on the legend of Santa Claus and the North Pole, with a romantic suspense plot-line. The characters were wonderful, the sex was hot, and the ending was sweet. The pacing was spot-on until the crime story took over a bit at the end, but otherwise this was close to perfect. I will definitely be reading more books by Paige Tyler.
Didn't I say I was going to take a break from reading Christmas romance? Didn't I? Huh? Huh?
Well, I didn't. As I was perusing my Kindle, I found out IDidn't I say I was going to take a break from reading Christmas romance? Didn't I? Huh? Huh?
Well, I didn't. As I was perusing my Kindle, I found out I had down-loaded this freebie (One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson), and I couldn't resist.
That'll teach me.
It started out okay....for about 1/2 page. Then it got bad. And worse. And more depressing. And filled with despair. It's about a crumbling marriage. And a woman filled with guilt. And a daughter filled with anger. Everyone's life is going down the toilet. Down deeper....and deeper...and deeper....
I didn't like any of the characters. They were irritating, self-absorbed, and some were downright duplicitous. The husband was okay. I didn't like the daughter. Or the daughter's friend. Especially the wife. I didn't even like the brother. The business partner. Or the delivery guy.
At 12% I thought, things will get better soon, right? At 38%....how about now? At 54%....how about now? At 79%....please, now! Please, I'm begging you! At 85%....now...pretty please? At 99%....too late.
Why did I keep reading? Because I kept thinking it would get better.
So, about half-way through I finally realized this was a Christian Inspirational romance. (The references to God/Jesus and prayer time finally registered in my thick skull.) I have no problem with that at all. In fact, the only bright, hopeful spots in this book for about 99% of the story were when the characters prayed.
Prayer: Dear God, I love Daniel. Please let our marriage survive. Dialogue: Daniel, you are a horrible father. You neglected our marriage. You never tried to understand me.
What the hell is that? I have never seen such a big disconnect between deep POV and/or internal prayer time and the actions/dialogue of a character. Natalie keeps thinking she loves her husband, and then she turns around and acts like a snotty selfish ding-a-ling. O-kay.
At one point, I actually wished Natalie would file for divorce so her poor husband could find a new woman who would be nice to him.
I cried at the end. Three times. I'm not sure if this was from sheer emotional exhaustion, or if I was moved by the Christmas spirit.
See, this is why I need to avoid contemporary romance at all costs. Because I don't want an "imperfect" Christmas with real-life problems. Selfish wives, run-away hubbies, conniving daughters, conniving daughter's friends, interfering family members, ineffective therapists, depressing subject matter. Who needs it?
There were a few sweet moments in this book....all of them had to do with the mother who was incapacitated by a stroke, and her long-suffering husband desperately trying to hold it together. But after all that angst, what I really wanted was a wonderful reunion between Natalie and Daniel. And it just didn't happen. Two sentences on the last page do NOT make a HEA.
Sigh.
This book was not poorly written, and as far as standard contemporaries go, I'm sure it was okay. I just found it depressing as hell. I was sort of wishing for a spanky elf to show up at the end and lighten the mood.
Grade: C? For...Crushing My Soul? D? For...Darkening My Day? F? For...Forcing Me To Take Lexapro?
I have no clue how to grade this book. I give up.
Anyhow, as God is my witness, I am taking a hiatus from holiday romance. *signed in blood and sealed with a shot of egg nog*
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