12.05.2019

Mini Review: Last Christmas by Marisa Mackle

Last Christmas by Marisa Mackle
Published: April 24, 2013
Format: via Kindle
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis
A group of strangers are thrown together unexpectedly at Christmas and spend the holiday together at a tiny guesthouse in the middle of the woods. A fun thought-provoking festive story with a hint of romance.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this short holiday read about a group of strangers who individuals stories all seem to intertwine at the end. Each of these people ends up wanting to enjoy the holidays even if at the beginning they didn’t think they would. What I found so magical was that all these lonely souls came together to celebrate the holidays, and that's what Christmas is all about. This is a very short read but one that gives you a great story in a limited time. This is recommended for anyone who wants a holiday read in a short time.

12.04.2019

Mini Review: Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

Christmas at Winter Hill by Melody Carlson
Published: September 3, 2019
Publisher: Revell
Format: via audiobook
Rating: 3/5


Synopsis
Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.


As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, "Where's the snow?" Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?


My Thoughts
Krista and her daughter recently moved to Winter Hill in hopes of a better future. It’s Christmas time and no one loves it more than Krista’s daughter but Krista isn't one for it since she grew up in the foster care system and the holidays bring no cheer at all. So when she moves to a town that loves the holidays Krista is a little put-off, to say the least, but her daughter and the town hope to change her mind.

So will this town change her mind about Christmas and make her see there is some good in this world? Not to mention maybe even a new romance is her future. I really enjoyed this book it was cute and a quick read but one with lots of cheer and holiday magic. I like a good read that shows us that hope is a possibility and shows us that the good still has good people in it. This is one read that will bring you some great holiday feels.

12.03.2019

Book Blitz+Giveaway: Home for Christmas by Ann Grech


Home For Christmas by Ann Grech
Publication date: November 19, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Fate threw him a wicked twist. Or maybe it was the magic of Christmas. Maybe it was just going home.
T’was the night before Christmas—three actually—and there was nothing quiet about the club Declan found himself at. The superhero-themed masquerade party was the one thing he’d been looking forward to when he’d been summoned home for Christmas. He usually kept a safe distance between him and his family. It was easier to hide his secret that way. Being gay wasn’t the only thing he was hiding. The truth was far worse—he’d fallen for his stepbrother, Ollie.
The night of the masquerade party saw his world was flipped upside down by an enticing stranger. He’d never be the same again. The two men came together when they both needed it most. What followed was one seriously sexy pre-Christmas set of fireworks exploding between them. But he was soon alone again, sitting in an apartment full of beautiful, rich people who only wanted to know him because of his stepfather’s bank account. Declan’s love of the holidays was wavering, and he was regretting his trip home.
Then Ollie walked in, and everything became a whole lot more complicated. Declan was torn—unable to get the sexy, nameless stranger out of his head and Ollie out of his heart.
Going home for Christmas would either break him or… well, Declan didn’t have that quite figured out.
Home For Christmas is a stand-alone, Christmas gay romance by Ann Grech featuring a steamy one night stand, a closeted hero, wrestling stepbrothers, numerous references to Woody and Buzz, singing in the shower and a feel good second chance romance.
—
EXCERPT:
I tossed the shot back and enjoyed the burn of the whiskey as it traveled down my throat.
“Nice costume,” a warm voice said next to me. His words cut through the noise of the club and settled in my gut, spreading tingles throughout my body. That voice was as smooth as the whiskey I’d just drunk. I sucked in a breath, want and need curling low in my gut. The voice was familiar, like I’d heard him speak before. As if I’d listened to it for countless hours long ago, but that was wishful thinking. An impossibility. I turned sideways and faced…Batman. His three-quarter face mask and his beard hid his identity spectacularly, but as my eyes traveled down his body, I nearly choked on my tongue. Jesus, the man is beautiful.
His cape covered only the tops of his shoulders, and the smooth skin of his shirtless chest was on full display. He was lean with just enough muscle definition that it made my mouth water. He was the epitome of everything that turned me on. The perfect build. His nicely rounded pecs were tipped with flat nipples, the small nubs pointing at me in the dim light, and although he didn’t have the perfect six-pack, he did have the sexiest dips coming in from his hips. Cum gutters were cut off from my viewing pleasure by the dark jeans he wore. Damn, those jeans looked like they were tailor-made for him, fitting his hips and package perfectly and hugging his long legs.
“Damn, Batman, you’re lookin’ pretty fuckin’ hot yourself,” I drawled, my southern accent becoming more pronounced the more aroused I became.
He stilled, tilting his head to the side. “Have we met before?”
“Maybe? I don’t know.” I lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Does it matter?”
One side of his mouth turned up in a small grin, and he shook his head before grabbing my hand. That simple connection floored me. It was like lightning had struck me, setting every nerve ending on fire. Want and need slammed into me, stealing my breath. People say “sparks flew” and “instant chemistry” but I’d never experienced it before.
Until that moment.
And it hit him too if the slow lick of his lips gave me any indication.


Author Bio
By day Ann Grech lives in the corporate world and can be found sitting behind a desk typing away at reports and papers or lecturing to a room full of students. She graduated with a PhD in 2016 and is now an over-qualified nerd. Glasses, briefcase, high heels and a pencil skirt, she's got the librarian look nailed too. If only they knew! She swears like a sailor, so that's got to be a hint. The other one was "the look" from her tattoo artist when she told him that she wanted her kids initials "B" and "J" tattooed on her foot. It took a second to register that it might be a bad idea.
She's never entirely fit in and loves escaping into a book--whether it's reading or writing one. But she's found her tribe now and loves her MM book world family. She dislikes cooking, but loves eating, can't figure out technology, but is addicted to it, and her guilty pleasure is Byron Bay Cookies. Oh and shoes. And lingerie. And maybe handbags too. Well, if we're being honest, we'd probably have to add her library too given the state of her credit card every month (what can she say, she's a bookworm at heart)!
She also publishes her raunchier short stories under her pen name, Olive Hiscock.

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12.02.2019

December & Tistheseasonathon TBR

Schedule

Monthly Wrap Up: November

The end of the year is near! This year has been a whirlwind, to say the least, but it been filled with lots of good things and great books! Here’s how my November went book-wise.

Books Read
54. 25 Days of Christmas by Poppy Alexander
55. Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer
56. One Week Til Christmas by Belinda Missen
57. Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

Reading Stats
5 Stars - 0
4 Stars - 0
3 Stars - 4
3.5 Stars - 0
2 Stars - 0
1 Stars - 0

Genres
Fiction - 4

Pages Read - 979

Books via Publisher
Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra
Blitzed by Alexa Martin
Once Removed by Colette Sartor
A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber

Thanks to Ballantine, Gallery, Berkley and Georgia Press for the amazing books!

ARC’s via NetGalley/Edelweiss
A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight

That’s it for my November Wrap Up please feel free to share your wrap up I love to check out all things bookish!!

11.21.2019

Mini Review: Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer

Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer
Published: October 15, 2019
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: via publisher
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis
Christina Antonioni is preparing for the holidays at her Nantucket toy shop, unpacking last-minute shipments and decorating for her loyal Christmas shoppers. But when her Scrooge of a landlord, Oscar Bittlesman, raises her rent, it seems nearly impossible for Christina to continue business on the wharf.

Even so, Christina hopes there is a warm heart underneath Oscar's steely exterior. When she bonds with Wink, his sweet, young granddaughter who frequents the shop, it becomes clear that perhaps he isn't so cold after all. And with the help of Wink's uncle, who happens to be a charming and very handsome bachelor, this may be the best Christmas any of them could have ever imagined. Nancy Thayer's enchanting Nantucket setting provides the perfect backdrop for this holiday love story.

My Thoughts
If this isn’t made into a Hallmark Christmas movie I don’t know what will! In Let it Snow we have Christina who is the owner of a toy store who finds herself on a mission to try to save her store and others after their landlord has decided to raise their rent, many of who cant afford it.

One day she meets Wink, a little girl who she caught stealing but decides to help her out thinking she's a girl who doesn’t have anything or anyone. Little does Christina know that Wink is the granddaughter of her very wealthy landlord and finds out the girl is lashing out due to issues that are going on with her parents. However, Christina felt a connection with Wink and knew all she needed was someone to care and be there for her. In the process, she soon meets Wink’s uncle Andy and like that Christina is a goner. Andy is everything Christina would want in a man but she isn’t sure if she should take her time with him or throw caution to the wind. While they haven’t known each other for that long both can’t help but have feelings for one another but with her issues with his father and her not wanting to think she is using him, all these obstacles are very challenging for their relationship.

This is a very classic story when it comes to a Christmas romance novel, boy meets girl and something is always in the way of their budding romance, and while this one is that way its still very magical and a cozy read. I liked how she was very independent and didn’t want to use their relationship in helping her situation with her store. In the end, I will always be a sucker for a cute romance and throw in the holidays and I’ll buy it every time! So in that way, this is a no brainer if you want something short and fast-paced for the holiday season, definitely a cute romantic read.

11.20.2019

Mini Review: 25 Days Til Christmas by Poppy Alexander

25 Days Til Christmas by Poppy Alexander
Published: October 8, 2019
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: via audiobook
Rating:3.5/5

Synopsis
Kate Potter used to love Christmas. A few years ago, she would have been wrapping her presents in September and baking mince pies on Halloween, counting down the days and hours to Christmas. But that was before Kate’s husband left for the army and never came home. Now she can hardly stand December at all.

Kate can’t deny she’s lonely, yet she doesn’t think she’s ready for romance. She knows that her son, Jack, needs a Christmas to remember—just like Kate needs a miracle to help her finally move forward with her life. So she’s decided if there isn’t a miracle on its way, she’ll just have to make her own.

As Kate’s advent countdown to the best Christmas ever begins, she soon realizes that even with the best-laid plans, you can’t plan for the unexpected. For when the path of the loneliest woman in town crosses with that of the loneliest man, these two destined hearts might find a way to save the holiday for both of them.

My Thoughts
When I think of Christmas I think of it as magical, inspiring and the season when all things are possible. In 25 Days Til Christmas, Kate is a single mother who just wants her child to have a great holiday season, but she knows that it will be tough seeing how she is just trying to deal and make ends meet after the death of her husband. So she is just trying to make it the best Christmas for her son while both of them miss her husband so much.

Daniel is a lonely man who has recently lost his only family, his sister she was his everything and now he is in this world alone simply going through the motions. While he and Kate haven’t actually met they have seen each other in passing but one faithful day they actually met and soon they become friends and if fate has its way maybe something even more.

I loved this story of two souls who you know need each other. They both have been through tragedies recently and both need someone who knows what they experiencing and together I feel like they can help heal each other. This story is so pure and you can’t help falling in love with these characters and rooting for them to come together and be that spark of happiness they both need in their lives. This is one magical read that will have you believing in the magic that is the holiday season.