Category: Holiday

Book Review: In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon

RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars

IN PEPPERMINT PERIL (Book Tea Shop Mystery #1) by Joy Avon is the start of a new cozy mystery series. A murder, a missing heirloom ring and greed over a new will to be announced by the dame of Haywood Hall all threaten the holiday spirit in Heart’s Harbor.

Callie Aspen has returned to Heart’s Harbor for the holidays to help her great aunt, Iphy run Book Tea, a vintage tea and pastry shop where every pastry is based on a mystery story or includes a mysterious clue to be solved. Callie travels the world as a tour guide, but has fond childhood memories of Haywood Hall and its occupants so she is excited to be helping her great aunt prepare for a special party at the hall. Instead of a surprise engagement and the announcement of the will’s new terms, a dead body is found in the conservatory.

Callie and Iphy use their love of mystery books to follow all the clues, but a certain deputy finds Callie’s interest intrusive. Callie persists because of her love for all involved and even Deputy Falk comes around to aid her in a mutual quest for the killer. Can Callie help the residents of Heart’s Harbor find a killer and help to reveal their secrets and true desires to celebrate a joyous Christmas?

This book was a fast and easy read that kept me guessing the identity of the killer. Callie, as the main character had to deal with her own emotional baggage on returning to the hall besides the murder mystery which gave her character depth. All of the secondary characters were interesting and entertaining including Callie’s foster Boston terrier. There are many twists and red herrings in the mystery plot. Overall, an enjoyable and entertaining cozy holiday mystery read.

Thanks very much to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: A Tall, Dark Cowboy Christmas by Maisey Yates

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS (A Gold Valley Novel #4) by Maisey Yates is a contemporary holiday romance. This is an addition to the Gold Valley series and does have many characters crossing over from previous books in the series. The H/h romance can be read as a standalone, but I feel some of the backstory and character interactions are better understood if you have read this series in order.

McKenna Tate was given away by her mother and put into foster care at the age of two. At age eighteen, she received paperwork that could lead her to her birth father, a famous rodeo cowboy and his family in Gold Valley. After eight years of having no one to care about her, with only a suitcase to her name, she ends up in Gold Valley broke and sleeping in an abandoned cabin. She has to figure out a way to approach her father because all she has ever dreamed of is belonging to a family and having someone care about her.

Grant Dodge has been existing, but not living for the last eight years since his wife died. He hates the pity in all of the townspeople’s eyes, but he cannot leave his responsibilities at his family’s dude ranch. He is shocked when he finds a woman sleeping in the abandoned cabin on the ranch’s property. His brother hires McKenna and there is something about her prickly and tough exterior that begins to break through Grant’s protective shell. They agree to a no-strings attached fling.

McKenna wants the Christmas miracle of a family that cares for her and just maybe a man who loves her, too because she stills believes in hope. Grant believes he has no more emotion left for a new relationship, but he also does not want to give up McKenna. Can these two find what they want and need in each other or will their pasts overshadow their future?

I loved McKenna and her never ending hope, but she also would not be taken advantage of or walked all over. Grant was a great foil to her with his loss of hope. All of the family and friends made the story feel realistic because of their own situations going on around the H/h. The sex scenes were explicit, hot and appropriate to the story. I did have a problem with how many times the author returned to McKenna’s and Grant’s backstories. There was a continual repeat of the same internal angst and it got to be a bit repetitive and I felt unnecessary. The unexpected love, hope and letting go of the past are what made this an enjoyable holiday read.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MISTLETOE MIRACLES (A Ransom Canyon Romance #7) by Jodi Thomas is a heartwarming addition to this series and is perfect for putting you in the Christmas romance spirit.

In this book, there are three stories intertwined. All set in the small Texas town of Crossroads. Each has a hero and heroine that have given up on love, been broken by people who supposedly loved them, or never believed in the possibility of love for themselves in the first place.

Griffin’s Problem has Griffin Holloway desperate for cash to save his ranch that has been in his family for generations. He would rather cut off a limb than sell even a small portion of his land. The solution he and his brothers come up with; he must marry a wealthy bride before the end of the year. These bachelors have no idea how to go about their plan, so they seek the help of a pair of elderly sisters in town who run a boarding house. The sisters find a bride for Griffin, but the bride has conditions.

Midnight Crossing has Jaxon O’Grady, former firefighter, living like a hermit on his family’s isolated piece of land. When he witnesses a car crash off the nearby isolated road, emergency personnel rescue the woman, but Jaxon finds and saves her injured dog. After realizing the danger this mystery woman is in, Jaxon takes her in as well to his isolated cabin and he begins to realize he is needed.

The Johnsons has Jamie Johnson finally settled in her dream lakeside home and happily teaching. To avoid nosy neighbors and unwanted male attention, she has invented a husband away in the service. When she returns from a weekend school trip, she is shocked to find a man asleep on her sofa. The town believes Mr. Johnson has returned. Now what is Jamie going to do?

This is such a wonderful read! Ms. Thomas has taken interesting individual characters and put them in unusual situations and we get to enjoy watching how they come together. I wanted every hero and heroine to get their HEA and the Christmas setting makes it even more magical. Well written with believable, broken characters who are perfect for each other. All sex scenes are behind closed doors. This is a book that I just did not want to end and I highly recommend.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SEASON OF WONDER (A Haven Point Novel #9) by RaeAnne Thayne is a contemporary holiday romance set in the small town of Haven Point, Idaho. This book is part of a series and has some crossover characters, but it is easily read as a standalone.

Daniela “Dani” Capelli is done with veterinary school and has moved herself and her two daughters from Boston to the small town of Haven Point. She has a one year internship lined up with Dr. Morales and is hoping to buy his practice when he retires in the next year. It is a fresh start and she hopes this will be the life she has always wanted for herself and her daughters, Silver and Mia. Dani loves her job, but thirteen year old Silver is having difficulties adjusting to small town life.

Deputy Sheriff Ruben Morales lives next-door to the new vet and her daughters. He is curious about his father’s new associate. She seems to be very caring and loving towards her animal patients and her daughters, but she has a very prickly exterior around him. When he goes out of his way to help Dani with Silver, she begins to fall for the handsome deputy, but she has a secret that she refuses to expose which could possibly destroy their new life in this small town and make Ruben hate her. Ruben refuses to give up on Dani and includes all of the girls in his own family’s holiday traditions and a Christmas in Haven Point becomes life-changing for them all.

I loved all the characters in this story. Dani has overcome so much and yet she could not leave her past hurts and mistakes in the past. That past though is what drove her to be everything for her girls. Ruben was the perfect hero for Dani with his steadfastness and belief in love, family and justice. Silver and Mia were realistic and sweet additions to the story. I loved all the dogs, too.

This romance is sweet and has an intense moment of self-forgiveness. No sex scenes, but lots of love. Along with the romance, the author intertwines a believable story of a teenager dealing with emotions and troubles that impact her whole family. The small town of Haven Point is charming and just right for this Christmas love story.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: The Santa Bargain by Robin Michaela

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

If you want a quick to read, feel good, contemporary Christmas romance, then you have to read THE SANTA BARGAIN: A Small Town Christmas Romance by a new-to-me author Robin Michaela. It is festive, sweet, funny, sad and steamy all wrapped up to a HEA in just 257 pages.

Maria Thompson is starting over in a small Colorado town of Copper River. She is starting her own coffee shop, raising her 5 year old son, Zach and has sworn off all men after her son’s father walked out on them two years ago. Maria is talked into organizing the first Christmas festival to bring tourists to town after devastating wildfires nearly destroyed it. When the sexy carpenter working on the town’s shops runs into Maria, she may just have to rethink her no men policy.

Joe Sinclair was raised in the foster care system after the death of his parents. He learned never to get attached to anyone because they all just left you. There seems to be something different about the coffee shop owner though that attracts him against his better judgement. She is smart, curvy and loves Christmas. She has a small child. He should be running in the other direction, but he just cannot stay away.

Maria makes Joe a promise that if he will play Santa for the Christmas festival, she will be his naughty elf afterwards. Their pasts may get in the way of their new relationship unless Santa can bring them together for a Merry Christmas.

Maria, Joe and Zach are wonderfully real characters that worm their ways into your heart. The sex is hot and steamy, but never gratuitous. There is nothing new in this plot, but the characters and dialogue make it memorable. An enjoyable standalone read for the holiday romance lover.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: Mistletoe Mischief by J.M. Madden

mistletoe mischief

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

Once again I am in tears over the men of Lost N Found! In only one short novella and two very short stories I had to grab the tissues three times. Oh, and they were heartfelt, happy tears!

MISTLTOE MISCHIEF (Lost and Found, #5.5) by J.M. Madden is worth every minute. I rarely give a novella more than 4 stars because they are just too short to either satisfy you emotionally or have a strong enough story to tell to stand on its own. These stories are those rare exceptions and worth a full 5 stars. Ms. Madden knows how to bring these wounded warriors to life and to match them to their perfect mates.

Roger just cannot believe the vision of a woman that he is set up with as a blind-date for the LNF Christmas Eve party. She doesn’t seem to be bothered by his scars and prosthetic arm. Cassandra is a plus-sized woman, who has pulled herself out of poverty to become a graphic designer, but still has body image problems and no luck with good men. At first, she has a hard time believing the flattering things Roger says to her. Instantly though it becomes apparent that they both can be what the other wants and needs if they are willing to believe.

The next story revisits Gabe and Julie and the continuing struggle for Gabe to be more present in the now and remember, but let go of his time with his SEAL team. Time seems to be helping with them.

The last story revisits Zeke, Ember and little Drew. Their first Christmas together and everything is moving along, but Zeke is still hesitant about his scarred face until his run in with another student from Drew’s school.

I love all of the LNF guys so much and all I want is happiness for them all, but that J.M. has to put them through their paces to get it. This is one of my favorite series and group of true heroes. I highly recommend all of these books!