Tag: Christmas romance

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Amish Christmas Twins

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Amish Christmas Twins

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this short story collection from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

“The Christmas Not-Wish” by Shelley Shepard Gray

After a series of foster homes, Jemima and Roy move in with Will and Elizabeth Ann right before Christmas. The kids’ last foster home was bad, and now they are gun-shy. When they find out EA is pregnant, the kids are afraid they’ll have to leave and take their chances on another foster home.

This was delightful! Nothing terribly surprising, but completely heartwarming and sweet. I loved the kids, and Will and EA worked well through the inevitable bumps along the way as they all adjusted to one another.

 

“New Beginnings” by Rachel J. Good

Elizabeth is a young widow trying to get through the holiday season. Then the hard season is compounded by an injury. But it does bring Luke into her life more often as he comes to her aid. Both are filled with regrets over what might have been.

This was a more painful, but also more precious and heart warming story. Lots of faith components in this one as both Elizabeth and Luke seek God for their struggles. It’s a toss up which of these two stories I liked more. Both were terrific. (CW: grief/loss, teen pregnancy)

 

“Twins Times Two” by Loree Lough

The Briskey twins – Paul and Peter – and their cousins the Hartz twins – James and Thomas – are known around town as Double Trouble. At almost 14, their antics are getting more serious all the time. Playing chicken with a bull is the last straw. As punishment, their parents require them to work for Jubal on his dairy farm to make up for the trouble they have caused.

This one was more slow moving than the other two stories. The love story shared equal time with this redemption story with the four boys. I found that story, with the teens, an absolute delight. Sadly, the romance really didn’t grab me at all in this one. Every scene with the boys, though, made this a worthwhile read. (CW: grief/loss)

 

Overall, the collection of stories here is lovely. I would read all three again. If you love Amish fiction, don’t miss these Christmas stories that all involve twins in one way or another.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great!

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on October 13, 2020.]

Summary

After a dating dry spell, Kate Turner lets her best friend, Laura, talk her into signing up for the Twelve Dates of Christmas. It’s an event run by the Lightning Strikes dating site. The site plans the dates with 12 matches, and all of the food and drinks are included in the cost. It’s a great way for Kate to meet 12 men, and enjoy some out-of-the-ordinary activities during the holiday season.

Living in a small town means everyone knows Kate’s business. They all know she signed up, and the gossips are staying busy keeping everyone up to speed on every dating disaster. Every time her other best friend, Matt, calls it the Twelve Shags of Christmas, she wants to forget the whole thing. It’s a good thing Kate is such a good sport.

Over time, it becomes clear that there might be a relationship from Kate’s past that is getting in the way of her moving forward with a new relationship. When everything falls apart, she will have to decide if she’s going to fight for the life she has built or if she’s willing to leave it all behind to avoid more pain.

Review

The set up for this – with the twelve blind dates – reminded me of 10 Blind Dates, a YA book I loved last year. This isn’t a comedy like that one is, but the set up works well in both books. It allows the author to introduce a bunch of quirky characters and scenarios for the protagonist.

I liked Kate a lot. She’s confident and knows who she is. She doesn’t put up with any garbage from the dates. And she has an amazing sounding job. I loved how her family and friends support her.

The dates – both the men and the activities – were fun to read. Kate meets interesting people. The activities were varied and fit Kate’s personality – a snowy hike, salsa dancing, a cooking class, etc. And even when the events end in disaster, I always liked Kate as she dealt with the surprises and the disappointments.

I figured out where things were going by about page 10, but I enjoyed the journey to get there. There’s a lot of great food described here (the final copy of the book will have recipes), and tons of holiday elements to help readers get into the Christmas mood. Don’t miss this fun Christmas romance. (Language, off-page sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

BONUS REVIEW: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

BONUS REVIEW: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Shoshanna adores her job at the mall bookstore, Once Upon. Her boss is a mentor, and she loves her co-workers. And it’s a good thing she loves it because it’s the holiday season which means the mall is crazy busy, and she is working double shifts until Christmas.

Shoshanna needs those double shifts. Her car has become unreliable, and the repair is expensive. Her moms don’t have the money, and they are fighting enough already. She doesn’t want to add any stress to their household. But then her boss offers a holiday incentive. The person who sells to the most customers leading up to Christmas will earn a bonus. That extra money would go a long way toward helping her fix her car.

The biggest roadblock to Shoshanna’s success is the new guy, Jake. He doesn’t even read, except for things assigned at school! But he’s charming and clever, and customers like him. He’s bonded with Shoshanna’s work friends and leveraged technology to help him make recommendations. He is serious competition. In all of their interactions he has come across as a jerk to Shoshanna, so she is determined to beat him. She’ll get the money she needs AND show Jake that being a bookseller is about more than doing an online search.

Review

This was fun! I loved the bookstore pieces in this as well as Shoshanna’s enthusiasm about her work and about books/reading in general. The author does a good job of keeping Shoshanna endearing, even when she’s a bit much. There’s some immaturity at play, which makes sense for her age. In fact, it’s been awhile since I read a YA novel where the main character felt like a genuine teenager. Shoshanna really feels genuine. Here, she has a lot to learn about boundaries. She wants everyone to be happy, get along, and feel good about themselves, even if that means she meddles in things she shouldn’t. The other great thing about this is that Shoshanna learns from her mistakes. She is intentional about making different, better choices as the book goes on. She lets her failures instruct her for the future.

The bookstore pieces are balanced by the women in Shoshanna’s life and the problems they are experiencing. Shoshanna’s moms are fighting and it makes home feel unsettled and tense. Then, when Shoshanna alienates her best friends, she can’t even go home for comfort because things there are so on-edge. There are nice holiday pieces woven in, too – Hanukkah celebrations for Shoshanna and Jake as well as the Christmas festivities at the mall.

The romance here is sweet and gradual. It’s a low key enemies-to-lovers story. And in reality it’s probably more bickering-rivals-to-crushes, but the usual features of the trope are there. I warmed up to Jake pretty quickly and loved watching his relationship with Shoshanna thaw over time.

While the cover doesn’t show it, this is definitely a holiday story, so librarians and booksellers should keep this title in mind for holiday displays. Readers who love sweet teen romances, books about books and bookstores, and stories about personal growth should check this on out! (Some language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great!

REVIEW: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

REVIEW: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

After a string of bad dates, Cassie is giving up on her dating app and the blind date scene. Her best friend is convinced the string of bad luck is because her dating profile says she doesn’t want kids. She actually does, but she physically can’t have them. And that has caused enough heartache all on its own. She can’t get attached to a guy and then find out it’s a deal breaker.

Jett can’t believe he found Cassie on that dating app. He had such a huge crush on her when she was a senior in high school. As a lowly freshman, she didn’t know he even existed. But now he has a chance to try again.

And they hit it off. They have a great first date. They exchange some flirty texts. And then, in a moment, everything changes. Each of them becomes the caretaker of three kids. And neither wants to tell the other and risk ruining the tender new relationship they had just started to explore. But the girls in Cassie’s care are in desperate need of love and stability. And Jett’s niece and nephews are traumatized after being abandoned. They have to prioritize the kids. But how long can they keep up the charade of being the same single people they were on their first date?

Review

This was great! I loved watching how these two single people were transformed when they became instant parents to three kids each. It was hard, but they also determined it was worth every struggle.

The end was a little abrupt, at least on Cassie’s side. We get no explanation of how things wrap up like they do. But I enjoyed the wrap up and the epilogue.

I expected more Christian content since this is published by Thomas Nelson, but other than an extended scene at church, there aren’t really any faith pieces to this.

Expectations are a BIG deal when it comes to this book. The publicity materials sell this as a “romantic comedy.” I did not find that to be true at all. Jett and Cassie barely spend any time together before the arrival of the kids, and even less after. It’s almost like the romantic relationship is based on imagination and potential rather than reality. Thankfully the epilogue takes place a year later so I could tell myself they had a real foundation by then. But there’s not a lot of romance happening in the story. I also didn’t find it especially funny. I thought of it as a Christmas story, and in that regard, I was satisfied. This situation is fascinating. I would have liked more obvious treatment for the girls in Cassie’s care and more discipline and boundaries for Jett’s three. But I enjoyed the story for what it was – a story of two adults who let the unexpected upend their lives for the sake of kids who need them.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Holiday Books for 2019

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Holiday Books for 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Publishers start releasing holiday books in earnest come September, so by now readers have a lot to choose from. I burned myself out on too much Christmas, too soon last year, so I am trying to be more judicious in my early celebrating. But now that it’s November, it’s time to go all in. Here are some of the holiday books that have released this season!

Holiday Books for Kids

 

Holiday Books for Adults – Mystery

 

Holiday Books for Adults – Romance

 

Holiday Books for Adults – Nonfiction

BONUS REVIEW: An Unforgettable Christmas by Ginny Baird

BONUS REVIEW: An Unforgettable Christmas by Ginny Baird

Posted on by Jaymie

[ I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Hallmark Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sam owns Singleton’s Jewelers. He’s something of a workaholic. First in, last out. He has great ideas for holiday promotions that have crowds at the shop door. He teaches his employees the ABCs of salesmanship – assertiveness, buying opportunities, and closing the deal – and keeps his expectations for himself and others high.

Angie is a single mom who lives in an apartment with her mom and grandmother. It’s the perfect set up for their family. She works for Sam as the shop’s accountant and sales person, a salaried position. Which means when Sam needs her to put in extra hours, or if reports need to be run, there’s no extra pay for her extra time. Angie likes her job, and even likes working for Sam. But he can be uptight, and he doesn’t always recognize how his choices impact his employees, especially an employee with a family.

But everything changes when Sam falls on some ice and cracks his head on the ground. Angie’s there and takes him to the hospital. Sam is essentially fine – but he has no memory of his life. He’s a little ashamed to realize he has no one to help him as he recovers – his father isn’t in good enough health, and he doesn’t seem to have any close friends or a girlfriend. So Angie says Sam can come home with her. While he hopes to get his memory back soon, this arrangement gives Sam a chance to see what a treasure Angie has been all this time.

Review

I was so excited to see Hallmark Publishing releasing books this fall – original stories and novelizations of their movies. Unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my hopes.

The story is fine. It holds together and fits the pattern fans have come to expect from Hallmark. I rated this 3 stars because the story is solid, but that is a generous rating for my personal enjoyment of the story. I am sure other readers will find this to be a delightful and sweet holiday story. But for me, it had no spark and felt predictable.

Angie and her family were sweet. Sam was uptight – but that was it. He went from uptight to warm. It wasn’t a big shift. His relationship with his dad and his old friend lent some more weight to the idea that there’s a personality change, but it was still too low key for me. And I felt no chemistry between Sam and Angie.

I would say Hallmark fans who are intrigued by the premise should try this one out. Many other reviewers have loved this. YMMV.*

Rating: ♥♥♥

*Your mileage may vary

REVIEW: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

REVIEW: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sophie is happy to let her parents leave town for Christmas to go help her pregnant older sister. She’ll spend the holiday with her grandparents and large extended family. In fact, she’ll be heading there after her parents leave. Although maybe not as quickly as they assume.

Sophie is hoping to spend a few hours with her boyfriend, Griffin, before going to her grandparents. This is a perfect time for them to have quality alone time. If only she can find him! He doesn’t answer his phone when she first calls. Sophie finally finds him at a party. And overhears him say he was glad when he thought she would be gone for Christmas break because he thinks he wants to break up with her.

Sophie is devastated. She cries most of the way to her grandparents’ house. And she tells her Nonna all about it. By the next day, her whole extended family knows. and before the humiliation even sets in, her grandmother has gotten the bright idea to have the family set her up on some blind dates over the holiday to help her shake off this bad break up. The humiliation knows no end!

Review

A delight from start to finish! This is now the book I am telling everyone about. I absolutely adored this. The premise is fantastic and funny. Sophie’s extended family is a hoot with all these blind dates. I loved the four main characters as well as the larger, quirky crew. The family pieces of this – Sophie’s sister’s complicated pregnancy, checking in with her parents who were several hours away during the story, etc. – were a great B-story to complement the blind date/break up part of the book.

I laughed SO MUCH with this! The blind dates, the family betting, the social media sharing and so many other things. I didn’t want the reading experience to end because it was so fun! I will definitely be buying my own copy of this and reading it again. I would personally pair this with Prince in Disguise for two fantastic, funny holiday romcoms.

I can’t recommend this highly enough. Don’t miss this one! (One of the dates may be on the risque side for younger readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Puppy Christmas by Lucy Gilmore

BONUS REVIEW: Puppy Christmas by Lucy Gilmore

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lila Vasquez and her sisters run a puppy training business for service dogs. And that’s why she’s wearing the pink poofy dress that makes her look like Glenda the Good Witch. “It’s a costume party,” her sisters said. But it was a classy black tie affair instead. One where Lily’s business, Puppy Promise, was partnering with the Auditory Guild to give a service puppy to a kid.

While Lila was trying to hide her embarrassing dress, she caught the attention of Emily Ford, a little girl at the party who thought Lila was a princess. After an awkward exchange with Emily’s dad – one that included a waltz to no music – Lila was happy to send the pair on their way so she could hide her humiliation and never have to see them again. But it turns out, Emily is the recipient of the puppy from Puppy Promise.

Lila’s work training Emily and her new service puppy means she is at the Ford’s house a lot. And Emily’s father has a way of making Lila feel things she has never felt in a relationship – or about herself – before. But when it looks like the Fords will be moving away, all of the progress made – for Emily and her dad, for the puppy, and for Lila – may turn out to be for nothing.

Review

This was darling! I am a sucker for stories with endearing kid and animal characters, and this has both. The adult characters are great, too. I loved Ford and his fascinating neighbors. Lila and her sisters are terrific, too. As soon as I finished this, I grabbed book one, Puppy Love, off my TBR shelves – it was also delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed both stories (so far) about these sisters and their puppy training business.

The premise for this is pretty typical – a Hallmark-esque meet cute and relationship disaster with a lovely Happily Ever After sort of ending. What sets this apart for me are the characters. Emily’s hearing loss and need for a puppy was fully integrated into the story, even though the main focus was the adult romance. The adults in the story – mainly Lila and Ford – are enchanting and flawed. And those flaws impact their individual decisions as well as the chemistry between them. The puppies throughout the book were adorable. And their impact on Emily and another kid in the story was terrific.

This was a delightful start-to-finish read for me, and the rest of the series is on my must-read list. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Coming Home for Christmas by Rae Anne Thayne

REVIEW: Coming Home for Christmas by Rae Anne Thayne

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Seven years ago, consumed by unresolved grief and deep postpartum depression, Elizabeth fled from her home and her family, convinced it was the only way to protect them. She didn’t intend to disappear. In fact, within hours, her head had cleared enough that she wanted to go home and find real help. But a patch of ice on a quiet road changed everything.

Luke had mostly convinced himself that Elizabeth was dead. As depressed as she was, she likely took her own life. But he still held onto a shred of hope that some day she would come back home.

Luke endured years of whispers and outright accusations that he murdered Elizabeth. And the new town DA had decided to make her job permanent by filing charges against him. But Luke’s sister’s fiancé has found her. And Luke can’t afford to let her stay in hiding when his life is on the line. So he’s going to get Elizabeth, bring her home to clear his name, and send her back so he can finally move on with his life.

Review

This is a warm holiday story – Book 10 in the Haven Point series – to help you get in the mood for Christmas.

The dynamics between Luke and Elizabeth are complicated. It’s been 7 years – that’s a long time to wonder where she’s been. People in town have been cruel, assuming Luke must have hurt her. She left without a word or a note. He has every right to be angry. I found his part of the story completely believable.

I’m not sure the book made a convincing argument for why Elizabeth stayed gone after her memory returned. She snuck back into town to see the kids, so she obviously wanted a connection. (The book also didn’t satisfy my questions about how she would know WHEN exactly to come back to see the kids in their events. She lived in another state and had no contact with anyone from her old life.) Readers are expected to settle for the idea that she felt too much had happened for her to go back. I wasn’t convinced.

I thought the kids reactions were pretty realistic. And the depictions of Elizabeth’s condition after the accident were also handled well. I didn’t fall in love with any of these characters, though, so I never fell under the magic of the holiday or romantic parts of the story. It’s a solid Christmas tale with an interesting premise and a Happy For Now ending that many readers will enjoy. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: 2018 Christmas Books

REVIEW: 2018 Christmas Books

Posted on by Jaymie

Last year I did a list of Christmas book reviews, and that seems like a good idea for this year, too. I am pretty far backlogged on reviews, so unless a Christmas book is something I am reviewing for a publisher (like this one and this one and this one), I have a hard time squeezing in reviews. So here are the Christmas books I have read so far this season and what I thought of them! You can see last year’s post here.

 Santa Bruce – This is the only Christmas book I have read for kids so far. It was adorable! I love the Bruce books! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

 Catching Christmas – A first year law associate and a cab driver connect over a wheelchair-bound old lady who is on the hunt for a date for her granddaughter. Overall this was cute, but I didn’t click with the characters. Other readers, especially fans of the author’s other work, might enjoy this one more than I did. Rating: ♥♥♥½

 

 

 

The Christmas Remedy – A young Amish woman runs into issues when she tries to help her community recognize how important it is to value their health and wellness, and the pharmacy that serves the community comes under fire. You can read a full summary and review here. I will say that this book ends at Christmas, but a lot of the action happens in the months leading up to the holiday. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

 

The Christmas Star – A girl in foster care plays matchmaker for an after-school program volunteer. This is a sweet Christmas story with lots of heart. There’s not a lot of conflict or suspense in this one – just a touching Christmas tale. I read one of the other books in this series a couple years ago and loved it. Now I make a habit of looking for a new Christmas book from this author. You can read my review of the other book here.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

Dear Santa –  You’ve Got Mail with a Christmas twist. A woman running her family’s Christmas shop writes to Santa through an app about the national chain that has come to town, not knowing that the guy from the chain is the one answering the Dear Santa letters. This is another story without a ton of conflict or tension – just a nice holiday story to help you enjoy the season! Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

Deck the Hounds – The first Andy Carpenter book I ever read was a Christmas one – The Twelve Dogs of Christmas – and it launched me into a frantic  quest to read every book in the series. The second Christmas tale in the series is just as enjoyable. Everything I love about the series as a whole. In this book, Andy and his wife get more than they bargained for when they reach out at the holidays to help a homeless man and his dog.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

In Peppermint Peril – A woman home for the holidays finds murder at a stately manor where she played as a child. This is the first in a new mystery series. You can read a full summary and review here next Wednesday. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Lark! The Herald Angels Sing –  Meg’s brother, Rob, is named as the father of an unknown baby left in the manger at their church’s live Nativity. For me, this was the quintessential Meg Langslow mystery – it has all the family and town antics that I love as well as a first rate mystery. (This time the mystery focuses less on a murder, which happens off the page, and more on the fall out from it. It’s a fascinating story!) Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

 

Murder in Her Stocking – First in the new Granny Reid Mystery series, a spin off of G. A. McKevett’s Savannah Reid/Moonlight Magnolia series. This one goes back to when Savannah was a kid and Granny looked into a murder at Christmas time. I loved seeing Savannah as a 12 year old and see how the personalities of her siblings were already on display at a young age. I think readers will enjoy this more if they are already familiar with the characters from the original series. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

The Peppermint Mocha Murder – A chocolatier/”chocolate whisperer” heads out on vacation for the holidays and finds murder at a holiday musical production. I’ve only read the first book in this series, and then this one, so the relationships aren’t quite solid in my head for this series, yet,  but the mystery was good.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Premeditated Peppermint – Another chocolatier finds herself investigating a murder when her ex comes to town to do a show on her family candy shop and his producer winds up dead. I enjoyed the mystery in this one, and the characters are always a treat for me in this series. I’ll be writing up a more detailed review of this in December. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Six Cats a Slayin’ – Someone leaves a set of kittens on Charlie’s door and a murderer hits the neighborhood as well. You can read a full summary  and review here. This is probably my new favorite book in this delightful series. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

 

 

‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas – In the midst of Christmas celebrations on the tree farm, a woman’s best friend is accused of killing a sleazy guy she dated one time. This is book 2 in this series and I have loved both of the books. The characters and the setting for this mystery series are first rate. You can read a full summary and review here. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥