Winter Romance Review! Kelly reviews Where The Heart Is by Darcy Burke

where the heart isTITLE: Where The Heart Is
SERIES #: A Ribbon Ridge Novella
CHARACTERS: Derek Sumner & Chloe English
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: December 1, 2013

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Home is more than a place . . .

Breaking free from her structured life, Chloe English quits her high-powered job and moves across the country to work as an art teacher. The simple life is all she hoped it would be until her house burns down, leaving her homeless. When a handsome firefighter swoops in to save the day, she can’t believe her luck. He’s laid-back and unassuming, everything she’s looking for in a man—or so he seems. It turns out he’s as ambitious as her ex, comes with a family who could be more stifling than hers, and harbors dark secrets he may never be able to share.

Orphaned as a teenager, Derek Sumner has found a place in his best friend’s family. However, the love and support of his surrogate parents and siblings can’t erase the grief and loss he struggles every Christmas to banish. But this year he meets the fun and sexy Chloe, whose optimism and sense of joy are incredibly contagious. Can she help him face his bleak past so they can forge a happy future?

REVIEW:
4.25 HEARTS Chloe has finally gotten out from under the finger of her family. While she loves them she just can handle not living up to the expectation they put on her. Finally happy in the small down of Ribbon Ridge Chloe sees the future is going to be bright. Except that brightness seems to be coming from the fact that her house is on fire.

Derek has for a long time felt like a lone wolf. Oh he has a family that loves him, even if they are his adopted family. But something is missing in his life and he has yet to figure out what it is. But that is all going to change with a sad twist of fate. It is hard to believe that a fire could ever end in something so good, but only if Derek is willing to take that leap of faith.

This was a great novella. I really loved Derek & Chloe. Both have some baggage that they wish the didn’t, but that just made them more real. I will say that Chloe is beyond patience, more patience than I would have been. But in the end I think it was her patience that was able to finally break down the walls that surround Derek. Okay that is all you get from me. If you want to know more about what happens you will just have to pick up a copy of Where The Heart Is. I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Intrepid Reads in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Naughty Nicks by Christine d’Abo

Naughty NicksTITLE: Naughty Nicks
CHARACTERS: Kim & Blake
AUTHOR: Christine d’Abo
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/21/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Kim has been the coordinator at Naughty Nicks, home of the sexiest Santa strippers, every Christmas for three years—and for just as long, she’s lusted after her boss. She enjoys their flirty banter and heated looks, but she’s getting tired of Blake being nice when she’s feeling naughty. This year, there’s only one kind of Christmas bonus she wants.

With each passing holiday season, Blake’s attraction to Kim has grown. But after a bitter divorce, he’s not sure he’s ready to jump into a new relationship, especially with an employee. One passionate kiss under the mistletoe and he realizes he’s had enough of looking and not touching. Fortunately, he knows the perfect way to seduce Kim—a private striptease to prove she’s the only elf for his Naughty Nick.

REVIEW:
Holiday erotica wrapped up in an enjoyable package.

This is a short novella, only about 80 pages, but it is a very enjoyable read if you enjoy erotica. Not that anything is very intense sexually but there is a number of sex scenes.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Spotlight & Excerpt of A Naughty Little Christmas

 Title: A Naughty Little Christmas (Cowboys, Cops, and Kilts: 8 Seasonally Seductive Romance from Bestselling Authors)

A Naughty Little Christmas

Authors: Randi Alexander, Ann Bruce, Aliyah Burke, Opal Carew, Dawn Halliday, Yvette Hines, Christin Lovell, & Paige Tyler

Print Length: 646 pages

Amazon | Barnes & Noble  KOBO 

Cowboys, Cops, and Kilts: 8 Seasonally Seductive Romances from Bestselling Authors 

*~*~*~*
COWBOY JACKPOT: CHRISTMAS
Cowboy Jackpot Series, Book 1
Randi Alexander
Award Winning Novella. A lucky first kiss in front of a Las Vegas slot machine pays off big for bull rider Boone Hancock and college student Gigi Colberg-Staub.
*~*~*~*
A NAUGHTY NOELLE
The 19th Precinct, Book 1.5
Ann Bruce
When injured vice cop Sergio Ramirez accepts Noelle Mason’s offer to help him, she has no idea the danger she faces, most of it from her desire to share her bed with him.
*~*~*~*
HOLIDAY SURPRISE: UNWRAPPED
Aliyah Burke
Recuperating in wintery Massachusetts, Heath Dixon gives cold-hating Kassia Green something much hotter to focus on. But can he keep her after Christmas? Like…forever?
*~*~*~*
CHRISTMAS ANGEL
Opal Carew
Given one chance to break the curse which has held Angelique in its grip for two hundred years, she is faced with a heart-rending decision. Can she sacrifice Nick’s happiness for her own freedom?
*~*~*~*
A HIGHLANDER FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Dawn Halliday
In the wintery Highland mountains, Aileen and Niall unleash their forbidden passion. But Aileen is promised to another this Christmas, and the wicked Lowlander will stop at nothing to have her.
*~*~*~*
ILLICIT CHRISTMAS
Yvette Hines
Even during the holidays a woman can have one reckless night that will change her life forever…especially when the man she was with is determined to prove they belong together.
*~*~*~*
HER XMAS PRESENT
Christin Lovell
After being apart from each other for a year, Libby and Tyler realize their feelings for one another are more than platonic. Are they willing to risk years of friendship on a chance at love?
*~*~*~*
ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS
Paige Tyler
Hayley Knowles has always fantasized about getting spanked by her husband, Conner. But how can she possibly ever get her husband to do it, especially since she’s too shy to tell him? This is the holiday season, though, so maybe Hayley might get exactly what she wants for Christmas!
*~*~*~*

 

From Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas by Randi Alexander

Running her hands slowly up his arms, Gigi sighed. “I want to fool around.”

Boone tipped his head back and laughed like a kid. “You’re the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten.” Against the backdrop of the suite’s windows, he reminded her of a package all wrapped in lights.

His hands slid to her butt and he tugged her up.

Holding on to his shoulders, Gieselle balanced herself and wrapped her legs around him. She loved it when he carried her.

“You don’t have to ask this cowboy more than once.” He strode to the bedroom, bent over the bed, and laid her back on it. Lit only by the lights of the strip, the room wrapped around them, romantic and cozy.

Propping his elbows at her side, his face hovered inches from hers, his breath warm on her skin. “Baby, I’ve got plans for you.”

A hot shiver skittered through her. “Plans?”

“Mm hm.” His eyes darkened and his breath came faster. ”

She unbuttoned one button of his shirt. “What kind of plans?”

He reached behind his back, tugged off her shoe, and tossed it. “Wicked ones.”

Flicking open another button, she asked, “Hot plans?”

“Yeah. And sticky.” He took her other shoe and threw it, too.

Opening the rest of his buttons, her mouth watered for a lick of his nice pecs. “God, you’re sexy.”

“Baby.” It came out on a growl and he ripped off his cowboy hat and threw it onto a chair. “You’re making me crazy.”

She tugged his shirttails from his jeans. “I want to make you naked.”

With incredible speed, he removed his shirt and leaned back over her. “Your turn.” He slid his hands from her knees down her thighs, his fingers tracing the elastic of her panties around her hips.

The rough calluses on his warm hands rattled lusty heat along her skin and down to her pussy.

Boone gathered her dress under her butt and sat her up, pulling it from under her and up over her head.

He froze, his eyes on her see-through lavender bra. “Oh, jeez.”

His stare puckered her nipples and tingled chills across her breasts. Gieselle laced her fingers through his hat hair, releasing the blond mop. The softness on her fingers tugged at her heart. A rugged cowboy with the sweet personality of a gentleman.

Boone’s mouth covered hers as he laid her back on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, holding on tight. His big prize buckle chilled her belly.

She traced his lips with her tongue and he dove in, his tongue on hers, on her cheeks, tickling the roof of her mouth.

His overpowering strength did fuzzy things to her brain and wild, jittery things to her core. Her hips made tiny circles, cradling his hard shaft through his jeans.

“Gigi.” He whispered against her lips as his hips took up the rhythm of hers.

She scraped her nails lightly down his back. “Boone?”

“When you do that…” His mouth pressed hard and hot on her neck, his teeth nipping, his tongue tracing patterns. Slowly he eased his body lower, dragging his mouth along her skin, tasting as he went.

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, thrusting her breasts closer to him as desire swirled and puddled low in her belly.

His mouth traced the line of her bra across one breast, then the other. “You’re so hot. Your skin is burning my lips.”

“Don’t stop.” Her blood raced through her like solar flares.

“No, ma’am.”

********

Randi Alexander

“Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied”

http://randialexander.com/

 

*****

From: A NAUGHTY NOELLE  The 19th Precinct, Book 1.5 by Ann Bruce

“Are you hurt?”

The voice was low and raspy, but it triggered something in Noelle’s still-recovering memory. Heart picking up pace

once more, she peered up at the lean figure sitting rather rigidly on the backseat. She could make out the shape of

the head in the gloomy interior of the moving cab. The shoulders were broad and the torso long. The line of the jaw

was shadowed with stubble. Her eyes widened. “You.”

There was a dry, masculine chuckle followed by a groan and a muffled curse. “Yeah, me. How are you doing down

there?”

“I’m in pain, but I’ll live.” It was the truth. She had banged her head before and suffered nothing more than a raging

headache for a few hours. Such were the trials of wanting to play pond hockey with four older—and much bigger—

brothers.

“Can you get up?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered and began disentangling their legs. She was puzzled when he didn’t offer his help. Maybe he

only did one good deed per night.

Noelle slowly released her breath when she was finally seated beside the man who had saved her earlier only to

violently barrel into her from behind a few minutes ago. Pain creased her brow. She closed her eyes, needing the

refuge of darkness.

“I thought I told you to go straight home,” he finally said quietly, turning to look at her.

“You did,” she confirmed without opening her eyes. “I didn’t listen.”

“Obviously.”

She made a noncommittal sound. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.”

Noelle’s lashes lifted and she caught the driver’s gaze in the rearview mirror. She had to give the man credit for taking

it all in stride. It couldn’t be every night when he gets a woman shoved into his cab by a strange man on the run. Then

again, what did she know? Maybe this was a common occurrence for him.

“Then why is the cab moving?”

“I told the driver to drive,” he explained, the words labored.

Noelle frowned. Was he hurt? She slowly turned her head to the right and glanced down. Her frown deepened.

“Is there a reason why you’re clutching your side like that?”

“Yes,” he gritted between clenched teeth, the pain almost successfully veiling the sarcasm in his voice.

Her brow puckered, but it wasn’t because of the ache in her head this time. “Oh.” Her eyes widened. Realization

dawned. It was belated, but it did dawn. “Oh God! How bad is it?”

Her headache was forgotten as her hands felt all over his face. It was heated and coated with a sheen of cooling

sweat. His stubble scratched her fingertips. Noelle’s exploration halted there as she savored the discreet tingle that

shot through her fingertips straight to her tummy. She was a sick, sick woman to be turned on by a man bleeding all

over the place.

And only hours ago, she’d believed herself in love with another man.

Noelle gingerly probed beneath her defenses. She should be hurt, torn up inside. Yet, all she felt was more anger at

herself for being so stupid than at Gil for cheating on her.

The rough voice pulled her back. “Not there.”

Noelle was glad of the darkness as warmth flooded her cheeks.

“Is it just your side?”

“Mainly.”

“Are you going to let me check it out?”

“Are you a nurse or a doctor or a paramedic?”

She drew back as if attacked by a kitten. Her lips thinned. “No, but I do know basic first aid. Or do you think sheer

macho willpower will take care of your injury?”

A rough sound rumbled from his chest. “I’m sorry.” Very gingerly, very slowly, he moved his hands away from his left

side and said, “Here.”

Carefully, Noelle scooted down so she could better examine the wound. She pulled the black T-shirt from his jeans

and peeled it up. A blade had sliced through the leather jacket and the T-shirt and left a long cut that wasn’t as deep

as she’d feared. But it wasn’t as shallow as she’d hoped.

“We should get you to a hospital. You need stitches.”

The only response she got was an indecipherable grunt. She assumed it was a sound of protest.

She sighed. “Shouldn’t I call the police?”

He growled a very decisive negative.

“What is this aversion you have to the police? Is it cops in general or just the NYPD?”

“No,” he repeated more firmly.

“Why not? Your tax dollars pay for their services.” A thought occurred to her. “Uh, you do pay taxes, right?”

He slanted a narrow glance at her. “Yes.”

Copyright © 2007 by Ann Bruce. All rights reserved.

Regards,

Ann Bruce

http://www.annbruce.net

*****

Follow the authors on here:

Randi Alexander @Randi_Alexander | Facebook 

Aliyah Burke Facebook

Opal Carew @OpalCarew | Facebook 

Dawn Halliday @JenniferHaymore | Facebook

Yvette Hines @sasseYvetteH | Facebook 

Christin Lovell @christinlovell | Facebook 

Paige Tyler @PaigeTyler | Facebook 

Guest Blogger: Cynthia Eden

The Troubles with writing a Christmas story in the fall

Hi, everyone! Thanks so much for coming by today! I’m excited to be talking about my new book, A VAMPIRE’S CHRISTMAS CAROL…or rather, the writing process for that book. 😉

A few months ago, I realized that I had time in my schedule to write an extra novella, and I let my fans vote on that novella–did they want a holiday romantic suspense tale or a holiday paranormal? The votes can in, and it was decided that I’d write a holiday tale about vampires.

I was super excited! I love vampires! And, hey, it was early October then. A great time to write about vampires.

But…this particular story needed to take place on Christmas Eve, not Halloween. So while all my Halloween decorations definitely helped to get me in a paranormal frame of mind, they didn’t exactly inspire the Christmas spirit.

So…I had to improvise a wee bit. Before I started writing each day, I listened to some holiday tunes. I watched clips of old Saturday Night Live holiday specials on YouTube. I found myself humming Frosty the Snowman as I stood in the check-out line to get my Halloween candy.

I might have been exercising some extreme Christmas Creep, but I was getting my holiday mojo on!

The problem with that mojo? I found myself actually wanting to put up my Christmas tree…ahem, on October 15. My son and husband talked me down, but it was a very near thing.

Ah, Christmas stories…they can sure put you in the holiday mood. Even if that mood strikes a wee bit early…

What about you, though? When does the holiday mood strike you? Is it when you see the decorations in the stores? When you buy the first present of the season?

Thanks, again, for checking out the post!

Best,

Cynthia Eden

A Vampire’s Christmas Carol (Novella)

by Cynthia Eden

AmazonB&N |KOBO

This holiday season has bite.Ben Prescott hates Christmas—he’s a vampire, and to him, there’s certainly nothing jolly about the holiday season. While the humans are running around being merry, he’s hunting in the shadows. Ben plans to spend the holidays his way…by stalking deadly prey.But fate has other plans for Ben.

Three visitors are coming Ben’s way…A demon who will force Ben to face his past, a ghost who will show Ben the present he could have, and a shifter who will reveal the darkness that waits in Ben’s future. Unless Ben can change his ways, he may just turn into a real monster, one who can’t be saved by anyone or anything.

‘Tis the season…to be undead.

Ben’s redemption rests in the hands of the one woman he loved and lost—Simone Laurent. If Ben is going to have a chance at being more than just the beast in the darkness, he has to prove himself to the lovely Simone. A very hard task, considering that, once upon a Christmas Eve, Simone died in Ben’s arms…

Warning:
This book features one very tortured vampire, a sexy ghost from his past, and hot scenes designed to melt the winter snow. Plenty of action, adult situations, and steamy times are ahead. Happy holidays! 

Available for purchase at

Excerpt

Lust clawed through him. The need, the red-hot desire, seemed to
burn Ben from the inside.  He grabbed
Simone, yanked her flush against him. His mouth locked on hers. He’d always
tried to be so careful with her in the past. Played the gentleman because she mattered.
He wasn’t
a gentleman any longer. Ben wasn’t even sure what he was. He just knew he
needed Simone naked, and he had to be in her.
He carried her back to his
bedroom. He ignored the glittering New York skyline. She was the only thing he
could see. Desire pounded through him. His cock was so swollen that he hurt
and—
His teeth were extending.
Stretching in his mouth.
Ben dropped Simone on the bed
and stepped back, horrified.
“Ben?”  Simone sat up on the bed and pushed back the
blonde hair that had tumbled forward. “What’s wrong?”
She was so gorgeous and
sexy staring up at him.  Looking at him
with those wide, dark eyes.

 

I’m going to hurt her. He grabbed for the control that he’d always
held so easily in the past. Only that control was broken. Shattered. “You need
to leave.”


Author Bio PicAbout the Author
 
USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.
Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings.  She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.
 
Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, Greece, and Brazil.
(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people).  Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.
          

 

Giveaway

A $100 Gift Card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble
 
 



 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Presented By

Winter Romance Wednesday! Jennifer reviews The Entity Who Came For Christmas by Cat Devon

Entity who cameTITLE: The Entity Who Came For Christmas
SERIES #: Entity 2.5
CHARACTERS: Simon and Pru
AUTHOR: Cat Devon
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/15/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Pru Daniels should know better than to hook up with sexy Simon Howell. He’s a vampire Demon Hunter and a former knight at King Arthur’s roundtable. She’s a witch, a descendant of Morgan Le Fay. Clearly things could get complicated.

When Simon shows up in Vamptown while Pru is visiting a friend and fellow witch, he claims to have come for the holidays to visit fellow Demon Hunter Damon Thornheart. But things soon turn passionate as Pru and Simon join together to battle the forces of evil. The holidays won’t be the only thing ruined if Simon and Pru can’t work things out. Can this vampire Demon Hunter find his heart in time to save his love….and his immortality?

REVIEW: The thing that I love about Cat Devon is the humor that is in her books. Her characters have some of the best one-liners that I’ve seen and The Entity Who Came For Christmas is no exception. Simon Howell, is in town for the holidays to visit his protege Damon and search for the legendary Excalibur. What he didn’t plan on was running into the one woman who melted his rough exterior and placed a curse on sex life.

Pru Daniels thought she was done with Simon Howell when he left her and ultimately breaking her heart. Seeing him again brought back old feelings and she is stuck helping him find the Excalibur while he is town. Together, their sexual chemistry is so hot it melts the snow and they just can’t seem to stay mad at each other for very long.

This was a very sweet novella and perfect for the holiday season. My only problem with it was that I wanted it to be longer so I could learn more about Simon and Pru. I didn’t want their story to end. I also loved catching up with familiar characters and I can’t wait to read her next book, Love Your Entity, which is out later this year.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kelly reviews Holiday Games by Jaci Burton

holiday gamesTITLE: Holiday Games
SERIES #: Play-by-Play Novella #6.5
CHARACTERS: Gavin & Liz Riley
AUTHOR: Jaci Burton
PUBLICATION DATE: November 19, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A Holiday Novella

A Riley wedding is in the works, a Riley Christmas means a house full of family, and baby making is on Liz Riley’s mind. Chasing Gavin around and meeting in dark closets can be fun, but Liz is more than a little determined. Even with family in every corner of the house, Gavin is more than ready to do whatever Liz wants—especially when sex is involved. It’s a Riley family Christmas.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Liz has baby on the brain. Which means she needs to convince her husband that they need to have more sex. But with the holiday’s and a wedding there is not much time. But that is not going stop Liz.

Oh, how I love Jaci Burton’s Play-by-Play series!!!! Since Holiday Games is a novella and don’t want to give too much away just know that it will not disappoint. It was so much fun to read about Gavin & Liz again. I so can’t wait for the next installment in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Guest blogger: Christine S. Feldman

Pastels and Jingle Bells Banner 2-2-2

I love it when romance pops up in the most unexpected places.  In my last book, it was between a socially awkward tomboy and a reformed ladies’ man, which was a lot of fun to watch unfold, even though—as the writer—I already knew how the story was going to end.  In my newest story, Pastels and Jingle Bells, it’s between an artistically-gifted bakery owner and the guy who used to pick on her when they were kids.

Not exactly the most traditional set-up for romance, is it?  On the other hand, it does seem to set the stage for a little “just desserts” comeuppance, which is what the heroine of the story, Trish, originally plans.  And what’s more, former bully Ian doesn’t recognize Trish, so she thinks she’s in the perfect position to teach him a lesson that’s very much deserved—after all, he made life very difficult for her when she was a kid.  However, sometimes it’s true that people do change, and in this case, it’s for the better.

Because before Trish can enact her plans for revenge, she gets inadvertently drawn into Ian’s life and discovers he’s turned out to be a pretty decent guy.  Okay, maybe more than decent…and maybe she’s even starting to like him.  A lot.  Trouble is, she may have been a teensy bit misleading about her true identity before, and it’s going to be a little difficult to come clean now…

 

*****

Pastels and Jingle Bells

Heavenly Bites 

PastelsandJingleBells 500x750-2 (2)

Amazon| B&N | Goodreads

Trish Ackerly never expected to cross paths with Ian Rafferty again, but when she spots the former bully of her childhood years through her bakery window, she thinks she may just have been given the best Christmas gift ever: the opportunity to finally give Ian the comeuppance he deserves.
But clearly she does not have a knack for this whole revenge thing, because before she can make good on her plans, Trish gets inadvertently drawn into Ian’s life in an unexpected way that lets her see just how different the man is from the boy he used to be. In fact, much to her astonishment, she actually starts to like the guy.A lot.Trouble is, Ian doesn’t know who she really is, and explaining it to him is going to be a little difficult now—which is bad news, because Trish is starting to realize that all she really wants for Christmas this year…is Ian.
ebook, 40 pages

 

Here’s an excerpt from the first novella in my Heavenly Bites series, Pastels and Jingle Bells, when Trish first spots Ian through her bakery window and recognizes him:

Her eyes narrowed.  Ian Rafferty.  That miserable, mean-spirited little—

Then he turned his face back to the window, and Trish gasped and dropped to the floor before he could spot her staring at him.

“What on earth are you doing?” came Nadia’s voice from behind the counter.

Trish huddled behind a tall metal trash can and glanced up through her dark bangs at her startled friend and business partner only to remember belatedly that they had company in the shop, namely wizened little Mrs. Beasley, whose startled eyes blinked at her from behind enormous tortoise-shell spectacles.

Well, there was little help for it now.  “That guy,” Trish hissed, jerking one thumb in the direction of the window.  “I know him!”

Both Nadia and Mrs. Beasley peered intently through the glass.  “Mmm,” said Nadia appreciatively a moment later.  “Lucky you, girlfriend.”

“No, not lucky me!  That guy made my life a living hell in junior high.  He’s a jerk, he’s a bully—“

“He’s coming in here, dear,” Mrs. Beasley interrupted her, with obvious interest in her voice.

With a squeak of alarm, Trish shuffled hastily behind the counter on her hands and knees and hunched into as small and inconspicuous a ball as she could.

Nadia blinked.  “Trish, are you out of your—“

“Sh!”

“Oh, you did not just shush me—“

“SHH!” Trish insisted again, knowing full well that she’d pay for it later, and then she pulled her head down into her shoulders as much as her anatomy would allow.

The bell on the door jangled cheerfully then, and a gust of cold air heralded Ian Rafferty’s arrival.

“Hi, there,” Nadia greeted him brightly, surreptitiously giving Trish’s foot a little dig with one of her own.  “Welcome to Heavenly Bites.  What can I get for you?”

“Cup of coffee would be great for starters,” came a voice that was deep but soft, and far less reptilian than Trish expected.  She cocked her head slightly to better catch his words and heard the unmistakable sound of him blowing on his hands and rubbing them together to warm them.  “Cream, no sugar.”

“Sure thing, honey.”

“Your window art,” his voice continued, and Trish straightened ever so slightly at the mention of her work.  “It’s fantastic.  Can I ask who painted it?”

“Absolutely,” Nadia returned, turning her attention to getting the coffee he requested.  “My business partner, Trish.”

“Is she around, by any chance?”

Nadia glanced down at where Trish sat scrunched up and did what Trish thought was a very poor job of suppressing a smirk.  “She’s, um, indisposed at the moment.  Why do you ask?”

“I’ve got a couple of windows that could use a little holiday cheer.  Think she might be interested in the job?”

Nadia gave Trish another brief sideways glance.

Trish shook her head frantically.

“Tell you what.  Leave me your number, and we’ll find out.”  Nadia stepped out of reach before Trish could smack her leg.

“Great, thanks.  Here’s my card.”

“I’ll see that she gets it, Mr.—“  Nadia glanced at the card.  “—Rafferty.  Here’s your coffee, and you, sir, have a very nice day.”

The bell on the door jingled again, and Trish cautiously poked her head up long enough to verify that Ian was indeed gone.  She then ignored the fascinated look Mrs. Beasley was giving her and fixed an icy stare on Nadia.  “I’m going to kill you.  How could you do that?”

Nadia tossed her dark braids over her shoulder.  “Hmph.  Shush me in my own shop…”

“I don’t want to talk to that guy!  I don’t want to have anything to do with him.”

“He seemed nice enough to me,” her friend returned, shrugging unapologetically.  “And easy on the eyes, too.”

“And single,” put in Mrs. Beasley eagerly, one wrinkled hand fluttering over her heart.  “No wedding ring.”

“Of course there’s no ring!  No woman wants to marry the devil!”  Trish sank back down onto the floor and leaned back heavily against the shelves behind her.

“He used to be the devil,” Nadia corrected her, examining the business card he had handed to her.  “Now he’s ‘Ian Rafferty, Landscape Architect’.  And he’s a paying customer, Trish.  Face it, you could use the money.”

“Forget it.  I’m not so hard up that I’d go crawling to Ian Rafferty for a job.”  Trish scowled and folded her arms across her chest.  “I have my dignity, you know.”

“Yeah?  Why don’t you get up off the floor and tell me all about your dignity.”

“Oh, shut up,” Trish muttered, getting to her feet and snatching the card from Nadia’s hand.  Wadding it up, she tossed it in the direction of the trashcan and stalked into the bakery’s kitchen…

 

So if you’re in the mood for something short and sweet this holiday season, check out Pastels and Jingle Bells—and if you enjoy it, please stop by my website for info about the next two novellas in the series.  Happy holidays!

 

About the Author:

Christine S. Feldman writes both novels and feature-length screenplays, and, to her great delight, she has placed in screenwriting competitions on both coasts—and has even won a couple of them.  In 2012 one of her screenplays was featured as a staged reading in New York City at the Gotham Screen International Film Festival (http://www.gsiff.com/content/staged-screenplay-reading-1), and later that same year she signed her first publishing contract.  When she is not writing, she is teaching kindergarten, puttering around in her garden, ballroom dancing with her husband, or doing research for her next project.  Please visit her at her website http://christinesfeldman.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChristineSFeldman, or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FeldmanCS.

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews The Keepers: Christmas In Salem by Graham, Leblanc, Pickering and Ciotta

the keepersTITLE: The Keepers: Christmas In Salem
CHARACTERS: Various
AUTHOR: Graham, Leblanc, Pickering, Ciotta
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/05/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
This holiday season, armed with love and passion, can the Keepers stop the reign of Darkness?

Christmas is coming to Salem, but so is an evil force that threatens all mankind. In this memorable collection led by New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham, four powerful Keepers must save their community as a strange, eternal night creeps over the town. Forced to choose between their time-honored responsibilities or the lovers their hearts desire, these four extraordinary women must risk their own happiness to save the holiday. But Christmas is a time for miracles, and as each Keeper’s greatest longing is met, the Season of Light returns. Don’t miss this magical holiday collection from Heather Graham, Deborah LeBlanc, Kathleen Pickering and Beth Ciotta.

REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts This just didn’t do much for me. I enjoyed the story by Graham and was looking forward to the others but they just got repetitive. They were just too much alike so by the third story I was bored.

Not a great book to put you in the holiday spirit. Think I will stick with Graham’s Krewe Of Hunters series and leave the Keepers to others.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

2hearts

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Christmas in Snowflake Canyon by RaeAnne Thayne

Christmas in Snowflake CanyonTITLE: Christmas in Snowflake Canyon
SERIES #: Hope’s Crossing #6
CHARACTERS: Genevieve & Dylan
AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/29/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
No one has ever felt sorry for Genevieve Beaumont. After all, she has everything money can buy. That is, until she discovers her fiancé has been two-timing her and she’s left with two choices: marry the philanderer to please her controlling father or be disinherited and find a means to support herself.

Genevieve’s salvation appears in the most unlikely of prospects: Dylan Caine, a sexy, wounded war vet whose life is as messy as hers. Dylan’s struggling to adjust after his time in Afghanistan, and the last thing he needs is a spoiled socialite learning about the real world for the first time. True, she may have unexpected depths and beauty to match. But he knows he could never be the man she needs…and she knows he could never be the man she thinks she wants. So why are they each hoping that a Christmas miracle willl prove them both wrong?

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts What a delightful holiday romance. This story has all the good feelings of the holiday season as well as a romance that will melt any heart. I loved watching the character of Gen morph into the woman that the reader knows she will be by the end of the book. While she iz used to the finer things in life it is her heart that is made of gold.

Dylan is sweet and charming this is not his story. It is Gen’s. The reader wants them together but not because she has fallen for Dylan but she wants Gen to triumph. Ok yes maybe there are others out there that won’t agree but it is my review after all.

Looking for a holiday romance to curl up in front of the fire with? This one is it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas by Sugar Jamison

have yourself a curvy christmasTITLE: Have Yourself A Curvy Little Christmas
SERIES #: A Perfect Fit #1.5
CHARACTERS: Dina & Ben
AUTHOR: Sugar Jamison
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/01/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A Special Holiday Novella!

On the first day of Christmas, Dina Gregory, former wild child and prodigal daughter returns home to New York on a mission. Finding her young son’s father and making him take responsibility for the child he created is the only thing on her wish list. But instead of finding the man she was looking for she runs into his stuffy older brother Ben.

Ben has never liked Dina, but being trapped together on the holidays allows him to see a different side of her. She brings back his Christmas spirit and in the process reminds him what it feels like to love. Dina’s past makes her wary of falling in love, but Ben is determined to make her stay as his permanent Christmas gift.

REVIEW:
I love the way that Sugar Jamison writes. Having read Dangerous Curves Ahead I couldn’t wait to read this story even before I knew what/who it was about and I was not disappointed. The story is sweet and has the true holiday spirit in every page.

I also enjoyed the bit of karma in the pages. We met Dina in the first book and she was skinny spoiled woman and here she comes back after having a baby and has gained more weight than she wanted to. So it was nice to see her kind of see the other side of the weight issue.

Thank you Sugar Jamison for giving us such great characters to enjoy!

Disclaimer:
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Secret Santa by Michael, Levine, Bostwick and Myers

Secret SantaTITLE: Secret Santa
CHARACTERS: Various
AUTHOR: Michaels, Levine, Bostwick and Myers
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/29/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Christmas is the time for miracles, mayhem, and holiday romance in these wonderful stories from four of today’s most beloved authors…

“Mister Christmas” by Fern Michaels
A week before Christmas, attorney Claire O’Brien is summoned to Ireland to change her wealthy client’s will–only to encounter resistance from his handsome nephew. Will Claire be forced to spend the holidays up close and personal with her irresistible Irish nemesis?

“The Yellow Rose of Christmas” by Marie Bostwick
Though Miss Velvet Tudmore wrote off romance years ago, rumor has it she has a secret admirer. And when her surprise suitor promises to reveal himself at the annual Christmas ball in Too Much, Texas, Velvet starts to wonder: is it ever too late to find love?

“Nightmare on Elf Street” by Laura Levine
Aside from the mortifying costume, how bad can a gig as a mall Santa’s elf be? Jaine Austen finds out when she’s teamed up with the Santa from Hell. But things go from bad to worse when he’s found murdered on the job–and Jaine is a suspect. Now all she wants for Christmas is to find the real killer…

“Room at the Inn” by Cindy Myers
When a Rocky Mountain blizzard forces Barb and her husband to spend Christmas in a remote Colorado cabin with their fellow travelers, Barb struggles to cope–especially when her husband reveals troubling news. But sometimes a holiday shake-up is all a woman needs to discover what she’s truly made of…

REVIEW:
I was going to review each story separately but in all honesty they were all equally boring. There was no true connection between any of the characters. There was no real feel of the holidays either.

I just couldn’t get into these stories and I love the holiday stories when they come out. I’m sorry I just couldn’t enjoy this book.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

2hearts

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer

A Nantucket ChristmasTITLE: A Nantucket Christmas
CHARACTERS: Main Characters
AUTHOR: NancyThayer
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/29/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Known for her heartwarming observations of family life, New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer showcases her beloved Nantucket’s snowy off-season in this emotionally gratifying and utterly entertaining story.

Holidays on this Massachusetts island are nothing short of magical, from the jolly decorations on the Brant Point lighthouse to the much anticipated Christmas Stroll, in which merrymakers promenade through quaint streets adorned with Yuletide cheer. The season’s wonderful traditions are much loved by Nicole Somerset, new to Nantucket and recently married to a handsome former attorney. Their home is already full of enticing scents of pine, baking spices, and homemade pie.

But the warm, festive mood is soon tempered by Nicole’s chilly stepdaughter, Kennedy, who arrives without a hint of holiday spirit. Determined to keep her stepmother at arms’ length—or, better yet, out of the picture altogether—Kennedy schemes to sabotage Nicole’s holiday preparations. Nicole, however, is not about to let anyone or anything tarnish her first Christmas with her new husband.

Nancy Thayer’s wonderful tale reminds us that this is the season of miracles. Before the gifts are unwrapped, surprise visitors appear, and holiday joy comes to all, both naughty and nice.

REVIEW:
Honestly this story is just sad. Yes it has a happy ending but most of it is just down right depressing. First it starts with Nicole and Sebastian who are an older couple finding second love and then Kennedy (Sebastian’s grown daughter) makes for trouble on the first Christmas for the older couple.

Kennedy is a spoiled brat. She acts like a child wanting her divorced parents to get back together and doing everything to drive away the new wife. For a grown woman with a child she is just obnoxious and unlikable.

To be fair the writing is good but I can’t imagine how it would get anyone into the holiday spirit.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3hearts-68-77