A CHRISTMAS REVELATION by Anne Perry is an intriguing Victorian era Christmas novella with heart. This novella is written featuring secondary characters from Ms. Perry’s Monk series, the realism of the seamier side of Victorian London and a mystery to be solved. This Christmas story can easily be read as a standalone.
Nine-year-old urchin, Worm lives at the Portpool Lane clinic. He witnesses a beautiful blond haired woman being abducted by two men by force on the streets of London. When he returns to the clinic, he seeks the help of Squeaky, the clinic’s bookkeeper and former brothel owner. Squeaky knows better than to get involved in others’ business, but he hates to disappoint Worm.
As Worm and Squeaky learn more of the abducted woman and the mystery surrounding her, Ms. Perry intertwines the charming Victorian Christmas stories and traditions that Squeaky is sharing with Worm. These two unlikely rescuers work to help the blond haired woman and hopefully celebrate Worm’s first real Christmas with all their friends at Portpool Lane clinic.
This is a heartwarming Victorian Christmas novella that keeps the reader turning the pages to solve the mystery around the blond woman. Squeaky is a wonderfully flawed and realistic character. Worm is loving and caring even after having spent his early years homeless on the streets. I loved his worry for the blond woman and his amazement at the Christmas traditions. I enjoyed this addition to Squeaky and Worm’s stories.
Thanks very much to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eArc.
They’ve never met, but their paths run in the same direction—home for the holidays.
Yet their reasons for leaving are as different as the reasons they return.
Meeting by chance along a 1400 mile stretch of highway when a snowstorm grinds traffic to a halt, they have no choice but to jointly ride it out.
Exposing a common thread, leading them from the past to the present, it’s through the innocent eyes of a toddler, they discover a future.
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My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
LuLLaY: Portland ME, a Christmas Novella (Portland ME #4.5) by Freya Barker is a contemporary holiday romance novella and is the PERFECT heartwarming, sexy and HEA holiday read for the season. Even though this is part of the Portland ME series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Matteo “Matt” Savela is a bartender at the Skipper, who has watched all his friends find their perfect matches, but he does not feel it is in the cards for him. Matt is on his way home to pick up his sister. Driving across country during December can lead to unexpected snow storms and chance meetings.
Montana “Tana” Memphis Romer is driving across country with her three year old toddler, Flynn. She decided to drive across country rather than fly because Flynn has an ear infection. Tana wants to get home for Christmas and help her parents with some major decisions about their family bakery.
Tana and Flynn keep crossing paths with “Man” (Flynn’s name for Matt) along the way. When a snow storm hits, they all end up sharing a hotel suite until it blows over. Matt loves all kids and he and Flynn bond quickly. Tana is not so sure, but with all the kind things he does for them and the way he takes care of them she begins to care for Matt as much as her daughter.
With all the chance meetings and the same destinations, can fate be putting these two together for more?
Matt is the hero that every single mom would want to meet. Tana is an independent business woman and single mother. Flynn is too adorable and I could not get enough of her. These three come together, even with all the many real life problems to be solved before their HEA. The relationship comes together quickly, but it never feels forced. The sex scenes are yummy. All of the secondary characters are three dimensional and believable.
I always love Freya Barker’s characters! I want to be friends with all of them and I am always happy with their HEAs. The stories could happen anywhere and I just fall into the first scene and never want to put it down until I am done. This is another great read from this author!
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About Freya:
Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; with characters who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills, and their own slice of happy.
A recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya has not slowed down.
She continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
VALENTINE: A HEARTS AND KISSES ROMANCE by Jacquie Biggar is a sweet contemporary romance novella. A quick, easy read that gives you that HEA jolt you are looking for.
Valentine “Val” Hodgins is an architect with a hugely successful firm, who has buried himself in work since his divorce. When his great aunt falls ill with pneumonia, she asks him to come back home to look after her huge, old house, tenants and her dog, Cupid.
Sierra Johnson dreamed of owning her own catering company until her boyfriend took off with her money and credit. Now she is working for the-boss-from-hell, care-taking an old house to help with the rent and trying to break her string of bad luck.
Val does not want to get involved with the quirky, fiery red-head, Sierra, but he just cannot seem to quit baiting her. Sierra cannot believe she is attracted to this aggravating man who has invaded her work and home life. Both have been burned in love. Can they trust in love again?
This novella has snappy dialogue and a fast to read length. No new plot twists, but an enjoyable HEA. A little reading delight with no sex but an entertaining romance.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
ONLY THE LUCKY (Kate Burkholder, #8.5) by Linda Castillo is a novella that lets you return to Painters Mill for a short period of time between full length novels and reconnect with the characters you love in this series.
It is Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and even though Chief of Police Kate Burkholder does not believe in superstitions the problems just keep on coming. Kate learns of a huge outdoor ‘rager’ on an abandoned farm, the town is having a complete power outage until morning and the department receives a 911 call about an unresponsive Amish teen found by her boyfriend in the barn at the party.
This novella is only 56 pages long. It is an entertaining story that assumes you are already familiar with the main series characters. The crime was easily solved, but still a good read. I will always pick up a novella or book by this author in this series to check out how my favorite characters are doing.
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!
SILVER BELLS: A Holiday Romance by Jacquie Biggar is a holiday novella that was sweet and easily read in one sitting curled up on the couch while the weather outside is frightful.
Joel Campbell, award winning mystery writer, has moved from Scotland to Vancover Island. He wants to be closer to his grandmother and hopes the change will get him over his writers’ block. Hating his fame, he has walled off his heart, become gruff and hates anyone interrupting him and yet, he is lonely.
Christy Taylor is an artist who has started her own shop attached to her rented home. Her life cannot be more hectic. She is attempting to grow her clientele, while caring for her small daughter, Jill, who has been diagnosed with Type 1, Juvenile diabetes. Christy is a great mother, but her divorce and her ex’s attitude toward their daughter has made her distrustful of any help from any man.
These two need to open up their hearts and learn to trust again before it is too late.
This novella is an enjoyable and quick read. I loved the characters in this short read, but being short, I felt some of the character development was lost. Jill was adorable and her disease was handled extremely well. I also feel this novella was not really a Christmas or holiday story, just a winter setting.That said, still a good heartfelt novella for a cold winter day.
