Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Atria Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wanted: one hot billionaire to pose as my Christmas boyfriend. Must be willing to make my cheating ex jealous when you kiss me under the mistletoe at all the holiday parties. Bonus points if you make him cry.
To my surprise my billionaire boss is more than up for the challenge of coming down the chimney as my holiday boyfriend. The sexy single dad desperately needs a plus one at a Christmas Eve wedding, where he’s the best man and I’m the maid of honor.
And since my ex is in the wedding party too, my boss and I team up as a pair of insta-lovebirds for the holiday season, including during the annual week-long Christmas competition leading up to the snowy destination wedding.
But soon staying up late to string the best popcorn balls ever turns into a scorching night in his arms where the chestnuts aren’t the only thing roasting on the open fire.
Can all these winter wonderland nights seeking revenge turn into the real thing when we return to the office? Or are we destined to go the way of a Christmas tree on New Year’s?
Content Warning: gambling addiction, cheating
+ The holiday vibes is everywhere in this Christmas romance. From start to finish, there is Christmas decor, a Christmas wedding, snow, and Christmas games!
+ This a fake dating, billionaire, workplace, single dad, holiday romance and I think it all worked together well! I liked both characters – Wilder owns a football team and other business. He’s also a sweet single dad to a little girl, Mac. The only really challenging part in his life is dealing with his dad who has a gambling addiction but Wilder’s a good guy. As for Fable, she’s the creative type with a fun personality. I thought they were cute together, with lots of chemistry and they brought the holiday spice for sure!
~ I didn’t know this was a book in a series but I think this does well as a standalone. I did find it curious that there were a lot of characters there for a story (all of Fable’s friends), but it being book 5 in a series makes sense as to why there are so many characters.
~ I saw in Goodreads reviews that people said this book was too long, and in this revised version I think it’s cut down by 100 pages from the first publication and I thought it was a good length.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, this was a fun holiday romance filled with Christmas, family, friends, spice and romance!
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Kokila for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A sweet and fast-paced contemporary teen romance from USA Today bestselling author Kristina Forest
High school senior Margot Whitman is an intern at Healing Hearts Inc., the company that created the innovative pill that can erase a person’s heartbreak overnight. Every weekend, Margot witnesses patients get cured of their broken hearts. Meanwhile, she’s nursing a heartbreak of her own. With college on the horizon and their futures taking them in different directions, she and her ex Isaac recently called it quits. Margot has thought about taking a pill but erasing her love for Isaac doesn’t feel right. However, her heart breaks all over again when Isaac shows up to the Healing Hearts center, presumably seeking a pill to stop loving her.
As soon as Isaac Fisher walked through the Healing Hearts center doors, knew he’d made a mistake. Even though he’s struggling with heartbreak, he realized that doesn’t want to fall out of love with Margot. He’s surprised to see her working at the front desk, and of course she assumes he’s there to get over her. It doesn’t seem like things could get much worse, but then Margot and Isaac accidentally overhear a terrible and harmful secret about the pill. When they’re caught eavesdropping and almost attacked by shady Healing Hearts executives and their guards, they have no choice but to flee. Now they have to work together to reveal the truth about the pill . . . and maybe, just maybe, repair each other’s hearts in the process.
Content Warning:
+ Here’s a young adult romance which is wholesome. Margot and Isaac were together but broke up mostly because Isaac didn’t believe he deserved Margot. There is no hate between them, just sad longing. I thought the two of them were cute together as ex’s, and that’s rare!
+ There is a company who is selling heartbreak pills. The pills are supposed to help you get over heartbreak and Margot is interning at the company when she founds out something is wrong with the pills. Isaac helps her try to find people to give testimony which forces them to spend more time together.
+ This is a quick read and like I said, I thought it was cute because there wasn’t really much fighting between the ex’s. I like that they were sweet on each other and it was only a matter of talking things through and Isaac believe he was worthy of love that brings them back together again.
Final Thoughts:
This is definitely a book teens would enjoy if you like romance without too much drama between the characters who I both thought are sweet, good kids.
Categories: Holiday Romance, Christmas, Second Chance Romance, Hockey Romance, Sweet Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
All bets are off when a single-minded photographer and a professional hockey player are forced to spend a week together on his sister’s Christmas tree farm, perfect for fans of Jenny Holiday and Maggie Knox.
Maisie Smart has a don’t-look-back policy–not on the choice she made to be a photographer (despite her family’s wishes) and not on the one-night stand she had six months ago. Sleeping with someone she barely knew was out of character; sleeping with a professional hockey player who bolted the morning after is a whole new level of embarrassing. Getting invited to spend the week at Tickle Tree Farm with her family this Christmas is a sure way to fill her with holiday spirit. Until the universe throws a Grinch in her festive plans in the form of the one man she hoped to avoid.
Nick King is a mess. After a significant injury lands him on the bench for every game for the rest of the month, he has more time to dwell on the one night stand he can’t get out of his head. With time on his hands, his anxiety hovering, and the holidays around the corner, he figures visiting his sister and nephew at their Christmas tree farm will be a good way to lie low and sort himself out. He’s in for a surprise when it turns out Maisie is staying at his sister’s and his attraction for her hasn’t lessened one bit in the last six months. Apparently, neither has her anger at him for bailing. But Christmas is the time for second chances, and the forced proximity may help Nick and Maisie unwrap feelings neither of them can walk away from twice.
+ This is a second chance romance full of charm! It’s set during Christmas in a small town with a Christmas Tree Farm. There is a lot of holiday spirit in this one!
+ This story has all the cozy holiday romance elements that make you feel cozy and maybe a little romantic. Maisie and her family are all meeting to spend time together at a Christmas Tree Farm when she runs into her one-night stand, hockey star, Nick King. The forced proximity is making them remember the one night they shared and make them want more.
+ The romance is sweet but both Maisie and Nick are dealing with career uncertainty. Nick doesn’t know if it’s time to hang up his skates and spend more time with family or start his own. Whereas Maisie is a photographer with her own business but her mom wants more for her. But it’s clear no matter what, both of them have so much support from their families. There was a strong family bond theme in this story.
~ I know it’s a standalone so maybe the story has to move a little fast but once Maisie and Nick see each other and sparks fly again, there is no real hesitation between them. I thought it was maybe a bit too fast? Maybe let Nick work a little harder for Maisie’s attention since he was the one who kind of ghosted her after their one-night stand. But maybe it’s going for a sweet romance, without too many trouble between the main lovers.
~ Also though there is Christmas vibes for the first half of the story, it turns basically into Nick’s hockey career in the second half of the story.
Final Thoughts:
This was a cute, quick read with lots of Christmas vibes. I thought Maisie and Nick’s romance was sweet and I loved the family themes even though Maisie’s mom could have supported her a bit better. If you are looking for a holiday romance with major Christmas vibes but also hockey romance vibes – then you will enjoy this one.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Dell for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
When an unexpected inheritance forces two total opposites to work together, Lexie must decide if Theo is going to push her out—or pull her in for the kiss of a lifetime—in this heartwarming holiday novel from the author of Always, in December and One Last Gift
When Lexie learns of her father’s death, she doesn’t know how to feel; they’ve barely spoken in the last ten years. And she’s even more confused when she discovers he’s left her half of his holiday travel company, a successful niche business specializing in trips that explore the holiday traditions of cultures all over the world.
Meanwhile, the other half of the company has been left to her father’s handsome but bad-tempered young executive, Theo. And the will stipulates that the two of them must find a way to run the company together for a year before they decide its fate.
Lexie intends to leave once the year is over, even though, as a wanderer herself, she finds the company’s mission more compelling than she first thought. And a work trip to sizzling Spain reveals a chemistry between Lexie and Theo that is impossible to deny.
There may have been some snap judgments made about each other. But mixing business and pleasure isn’t always a good idea.
Content Warning: death of parent, strained family relationships
I felt like this story was a little more than a holiday romance. Did it have elements of Christmas in it? Yes, but what I really love about it is the travel destinations the characters take in this story and the story about mending relationships. Lexie’s dad has died all of a sudden and is leaving her his travel company but she doesn’t want it because she didn’t have the best relationship with her dad. He left their family, remarried, and she basically cut him off from her life. His death makes her revisit memories of her childhood with him, and how her love of travel actually stems from him. Lexie has a fear of commitment because of her dad but her stance is questioned when she meets Theo, who seemed to be close to her dad and worked for him.
Lexie has a lot of issues to deal with when it comes to her dad’s memory, her half-sister Rachel, and this new guy Theo. I love how the company becomes a found family for her though and maybe Lexie didn’t have a relationship with her dad, but she has a best friend in her mom. I enjoyed how the author tackled the issue of commitment and wanting to be free to move around as opposed to staying put in one place.
I thought the romance was cute and progressed nicely from rivals, to partners and to something more. I actually loved how they would travel to destinations together – I was thinking what a cool job to be working in a travel company!
Final Thoughts:
This was a fun, heart-warming, holiday romance story and I look forward to reading more from this author!
I think it’s funny how holiday romance books get published in October! I really wish they would publish in November since in October I am mostly in my spooky vibes season. Here are the very few holiday romance books I’ve read this year.
Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family’s winery, Katie leaps at the chance… that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the “news.”
Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there’s Juan’s brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.
Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan’s plan to “rebrand and expand” Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she’s still committed to Juan… even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead.
With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?
‘The Sun Is Also a Star’ meets ‘You’ve Got Mail’ in this YA Christmas love story set in a London Black-owned bookshop.
Charming, handsome Trey Anderson balances the pressures of school popularity with a job at his family’s beloved local bookshop, Wonderland.
Quirky, creative Ariel Spencer needs tuition for the prestigious art program of her dreams, and an opening at Wonderland is the answer. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of being shut down by a neighborhood gentrifier, they team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline—and embark on a hate-to-love journey that will change them forever.
Heartwarming and romantic, this read is the gift that keeps on giving, no matter the season.
A sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert…
Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.
Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.
While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.
Categories: Romance, Holiday Romance, Christmas, Small Town Romance, Second Chance Romance
Hardworking Isabelle Cook has a serious problem. Her family farm, site of Tilikum’s Christmas Village, is in trouble. Big trouble. And worst of all? The man trying to buy it is none other than the grumpiest, grinchiest man of them all—Elias Stoneheart.
That’s a big nope. She’s not letting him get involved. Not with his heart made of coal.
Elias Stoneheart is in the business of making money, not friends. Especially when his boss is promising a long-awaited promotion. All he has to do is convince one struggling family to sell their farm.
The problem? It’s Cook Family Farm. And Isabelle Cook is his ex.
He might have history with Isabelle, but this is just business. A Christmas-loving farm girl is not going to come between him and his ambition.
And Christmas? He hates it. Christmas Village needs to go.
But as Elias spends time in the small town, holiday spirit—and Isabelle—get under his skin. And she might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.
Author’s Note: a sassy farm girl takes on a grumpy businessman in this stand-alone, snowy, small-town Christmas romance. Saucy banter, a guard donkey, plenty of holiday cheer, and a heartwarming happily ever after that will make you believe in the magic of Christmas.
Content Warning: parental neglect, miscarriage
How Christmassy can this book get? Look at that book cover – it screams holiday, small town romance. And that’s exactly what I got! Here’s what I thought:
+ This is Hallmark Christmas movie worthy! It’s set in a small town, a big company wants to buy the land where Christmas Village takes place every year and where Elias’ ex-love lives. So he comes back to help buy the land for his job and being back there reminds him of why the place is important to the community and the woman he loves.
+ It has a great cast of character with everyone pretty much getting a happy ending!
+ It’s a second chance romance and there is definitely a past between Elias and Isabelle and a past. Elias is such a Scrooge and Isabelle is the only one who can really open and melt his heart. So it was nice seeing him succumb to Christmas, the people around him and Isabelle again. It’s very heartwarming. There are sexy scenes but it’s very rushed, nothing very detailed.
~ It’s predictable but it’s what I expect of a holiday romance. It hit a lull for me in the middle because of it. Maybe I was wishing for a little more chemistry or heat between Elias and Isabelle?
~ It’s a lot of holiday cheer to the point of it maybe being too much with everybody getting their happy ending? But eh…you just gotta go with it!
Tropes: small town romance, second chance romance, a Christmas miracle
Spice Level: 🌶
Why you should read it:
you want a story with lots of holiday cheer, and happily ever afters
small town romance, second change romance, a snowy small time with a tight community
fun characters
Why you might not want to read it:
overload on happiness? lol…maybe too cheesy at some parts
My Thoughts:
If you are looking for a holiday romance where the guy is basically Scrooge and he has a second chance to “make things right” then this book is it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made it into a Hallmark movie! I found this one enjoyable and heart warming. Was it predictable? Sure! But isn’t that why we read holiday romance?
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Forever for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A laugh-out-loud, opposites attract romance about three of the world’s most beloved C’s: Christmas, Coffee, and Cats.
Veterinarian and animal lover Kara Ingalls needs a Christmas miracle. Opening the Meow and Furrever Cat Café to find loving homes for adorable, adoptable cats was a dream come true—but with more cats than customers, it’s quickly turning into a nightmare. If Kara can’t figure out some way to get the café out of the red, it won’t last past the holidays.
Marketing guru Ben Reese may be annoyingly smart and frustratingly bossy, but when he hatches a plan to put the café in the “green” by Christmas, Kara realizes that she’d be a fool to turn down his help. And so what if he turns out to be an excellent problem solver and nerdy-hot—he can’t even handle fostering one little kitten. She needs to keep their relationship professional and focus on saving the cafe.
But if Ben and Kara can set aside their differences—and find homes for all the cats by Christmas—they might discover that, by risking their hearts, they’ll have their own purr-fect holiday . . . together.
Content Warning:
Holiday romances always have a predictable outcome which is what I want, but I love how this story involves happy endings for many cats needing to be adopted. Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:
+ Kara is a veterinarian who runs a non-profit cat cafe. Right off the bat we know she’s a good person with a good heart who clearly loves cats. But we also learn she has a tarnished past. Will her past ruin the success of her cat cafe? She hopes not.
+ Kara and Ben have a slow and sweet relationship. It’s not rushed, they take things slow and they really become friends first. They were matched pretty good I think but they did have their own trust issues because of their past relationship.
+ Not only did I love all the description of cats before each chapter but I think cat cafe’s are great (I’ve only been to one). And the secondary characters like Charity and Schwartz really stood out to me. Charity is Kara’s best friend and Schwartz is Ben’s coworker/friend. I like that the friends were there for Kara and Ben! Do we get a story about Charity or Schwartz? Because I’d love to read one about them and more about the cat cafe.
+ This is a great holiday romance which starts at Thanksgiving. But we get the Christmas vibes because of all the events surrounding the cat cafe fundraising plus, Kara and Ben sharing their likes and dislikes about the holiday. Ben reminisces about his family in Boston and Kara has her own family memories also. I also like how Schwartz is Jewish and mentions Hanukkah. But as a Christmas romance I think this one definitely check off all the boxes.
~ There wasn’t much conflict between Kara and Ben and when there was I think it resolved fairly easily. It also isn’t a huge enemies to lovers story because I felt like they put differences aside fairly quickly.
~ Could use more chemistry between since they didn’t like each other at first but I do have to say I did that they settled into a cozy, slow relationship instead of one that burned quick.
Tropes: holiday romance, enemies to lovers,
Why you should read it:
it’s got cats – so if you are a cat lover, you will love seeing these adopted cats find new homes during the holidays
it has the holiday theme, a need to save the cat cafe during Christmas and all the good vibes of a holiday romance
the romance is cozy and not so dramatic, light-hearted
Why you might not want to read it:
not much conflict
would be nice to have a little more chemistry
My Thoughts:
A Cat Cafe Christmas is a light-hearted holiday romance that will give you lots of cozy feels especially if you love cats. I love all the cat descriptions from each chapter and how Kara had a good heart trying to find them homes. I thought the romance between Kara and Ben grew gradually into something warm and comforting for both parties, but would have loved some sizzle. There were good secondary characters and getting to know the cats was awesome as well It made me want to get a cat and I can’t say that I am a cat person, since I’ve only had dogs but this book made me want one. Overall, if you are looking for a sweet holiday romance, try this one!
Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Friendship, Marriage, Family
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
This Christmas, be whisked away by USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan in this uplifting novel of friendship, the festive season, and risking everything for the biggest gift of all…
Christy and Alix are forever-friends. Not even Alix’s well-meant but badly-timed intervention the night before Christy’s wedding has put a dent in their bond. There’s nothing Alix won’t do for the woman who helped fill the hole in her heart left by her own family’s rejection. But taking Christy’s boisterous little daughter Holly on holiday to Lapland, days before Christmas, is a huge ask. Marketing whizz Alix might know how to turn toys into million-dollar Christmas bestsellers, but the responsibility of parenthood terrifies her. And unfortunately, she’ll have a witness to her ineptitude, in the annoyingly delicious shape of Zac, Holly’s father’s best friend, who will also be there…
Christy had hoped this year would be her dream Christmas, in her dream new family house. Instead, it’s turning into the nightmare before Christmas, with a frightening list of household repairs, no money, and a make-or-break crisis in her marriage. Even worse, it’s a crisis of her own making, and one that is on her shoulders to fix. With best friend Alix coming to the rescue and looking after Holly, Christy will finally have time to focus on rebuilding her relationship.
As Alix confronts her fears and finds unexpected romance under the Northern Lights, and Christy fights to save her marriage, could it be that their Christmas holiday opens their eyes, and their hearts, to what they’ve always wanted?
I got a little more from this story besides a Christmas romance story. It was more complex with issues like friendship, marriage and family being touched on.
Christy and her family are supposed to go to Lapland which is this winter, and secluded destination in Sweden. Christy has always loved Christmas and in Lapland she is looking forward to a winter wonderland and to meet her estranged aunt. But nothing goes as planned when problems arise with Christy and her husband, Seb, before the trip. She asks her best friend Alix to take her daughter, Holly on schedule and Christy and her husband will meet up with her. Sounds simple but it isn’t because Alix doesn’t know much about babysitting and to make things worst, Seb’s best friend Zac is going to go ahead with Alix. Alix has been avoiding him since Christy’s marriage to Seb! And that isn’t the only drama, Christy’s aunt has some issues she has to work out with Christy as well…so there is a lot going on.
I loved the setting of Lapland which is really a winter wonderland. For Holly, the child, in this story, it really is a dream come true.
A lot of things do get resolved in this story: Christy and Seb’s marriage problems, Alix and Christy’s friendship, Christy and her aunt’s relationship and the romance part of the story…Alix and Zac are the star of the book with their banter and attraction. I like that all the problems between these people are real and relatable. Obviously communication was the key in fixing a lot of the problems and it works out in the end.
The romance between Alix and Zac is fun because they are opposites who are quite attracted to one another. The romance between Christy and Seb is one about finding the lost spark between them that got lost along the way of having a child, moving and other life challenges. But they all do that in the winter beauty that is Lapland.
I was expecting a light read but this isn’t because of all the issues taking place with the characters.
It took awhile in the beginning to introduce the characters, their problems, and their back stories – the story got better when they were in Lapland.
Why you should read it:
Christmassy vibes especially when they are in Lapland – beautiful setting
relatable problems in marriage, friendship and communication
a happy ending
Why you might not want to read it:
too much drama between everyone going on
slow beginning
My Thoughts:
The setting of Lapland with all the winter activities like dog sledding, snow shoeing, and seeing the Aurora Borealis, sounded divine. I would love to spend Christmas like that. The story was slow in some parts because the characters have backstories and history together that needs to be told. Also I did gravitate more towards Alix and Zac’s story. Despite all the drama going on with everyone in the book, it was an uplifting story about marriage, friendship and family.
📚~ Yolanda
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe and three RITA® Awards from the Romance Writers of America. Sarah lives with her family near London, England, where the rain frequently keeps her trapped in her office.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Le Vie En Rose
Bookshop owner Sarah Smith has been offered the opportunity to exchange bookshops with her new Parisian friend for 6 months! And saying yes is a no-brainer – after all, what kind of a romantic would turn down a trip to Paris? Even if it does mean leaving the irresistible Ridge Warner behind, Sarah’s sure she’s in for the holiday of a lifetime – complete with all the books she can read!
Picturing days wandering around Shakespeare & Co, munching on croissants, sipping café au laits and people-watching on the Champs-Elysees Sarah boards the plane. But will her dream of a Parisian Happily-Ever-After come true? Or will Sarah realise that the dream isn’t quite as rosy in reality…
Thank you to HQN and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC and for Harlequin for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
This book is made to be a Hallmark Christmas movie, it has a bookshop, a little romance, and Paris! A bookshop in Paris during the holidays is a treat and a dream.
Sarah Smith is an introvert, with a gorgeous reporter boyfriend who is chasing the next big story and a small bookshop in Connecticut that she owns. When an opportunity to take over her friend’s bookshop in Paris comes along, Sarah jumps at the chance, because she’s wishing for a little adventure. She gets all that and more when she arrives in Paris, but will this long distance romance with her boyfriend survive all the changes they are going through?
PARIS. I loved the setting of Paris! I visited only once and for barely three days but seeing Paris through the eyes of Sarah Smith brought me back. It’s such a magical place and I love everything that was featured in the story from the bookshop, Notre Dame, the restaurants and secret places.
I enjoyed the characters in Sarah meets in Paris like Oceane, Luiz, and TJ. Beatrice eventually grew on me at the end, but her relationship with Oceane, Luiz and TJ was pretty great. I’m glad she found her niche and didn’t give up on Paris when times got rough but it’s because of her new friends.
Sarah is coming into her own in this book. Her boyfriend is away from her, she’s running a bookshop in a foreign country, she’s usually timid and quiet, but she had to come out of her shell and I was proud of her by the end!
It gave me the giddy feelings of the holidays and it didn’t come from the romance story. It came from the story of Sarah finding and making a little family in Paris. She overcame a lot in Paris and got the adventure she was looking for. 🥰
It’s a romance novel and though I felt the love on Sarah’s side of her relationship with Ridge, I was distrustful of him. In the end, they have their happily ever after, but most of the book was about them being apart and Sarah finding her way on her own. Sarah’s love story with Paris was more interesting to me than her romance with Ridge. 🤷🏻♀️
There were some passages in the book, more so in the end that threw me off, like they were just thrown into the story and didn’t flow well with the book! Some paragraphs didn’t transition well and I don’t know if that’s just an error because this IS an arc, o it’s not a corrected copy. But it made me pause and reread paragraphs to try and make sense of what was happening. It felt a bit rushed.
I was getting frustrated with Sarah letting people run her over in the french bookshop but I’m glad things worked out in the end and she earned their respect and even friendship.
The Little Bookshop on the Seine was more about Sarah Smith falling with Paris and herself. She was already in love with her boyfriend Ridge but trying to manage a long distance relationship did have many challenges. Despite some of the issues I found with the story with the story not flowing in some parts, it still left me feeling happy and full of holiday joy. If you like Christmas, books and Paris, this is a great book to curl up with this winter.
About the Author:
Rebecca Raisin is the author of several novels, including the beloved Little Paris series and the Gingerbread Café trilogy, and her short stories have been published in various anthologies and fiction magazines. You can follow Rebecca on Facebook, and at www.rebeccaraisin.com
Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday Romance, Small Town Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Lila Sloan wonders why she ever thought house-sitting for her sister Meg on the remote Summer Island was a good idea. And to make matters worse, local real estate developer Beck Grainger is trying to cut down the beautiful trees that line the property. Lila can’t let this happen; Meg will never forgive her.
Beck can understand Lila’s anger—sort of. The trees are actually on the neighboring property, and the land was zoned for development months ago, so his plans were no secret. But he dislikes being at odds with his friend’s sister, especially because Lila is appealing in every way: loyal, quick-witted and completely stunning.
Lila hates that she’s so attracted to Beck, who seems like a genuinely good man, despite his tree-murdering tendencies. And their chemistry is off the charts. She just wishes he’d let this development go. As Summer Island counts down to a snowy Christmas, Lila and Beck will have to strike a compromise that seems impossible for them both—or risk losing the best thing either of them has ever had.
Thank you to HGN Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.
I didn’t read the first book in this Summer Island series but I think The Giving Heart can stand pretty good on it’s own.
Lila is inn-setting for her sister Meg on Summer Island, a place in Northern Michigan where not even vehicles are allowed there. But Lila has an ulterior motive for being there also, to escape something that happened to her in Chicago. Beck Grainger is an estate developer who is about to raze down trees on Meg’s property and Lila is not having it. What starts off as an escape for Lila has turned into a mission to protect Meg’s estate…and then some. 😉
I was all for this romance between Lila and Beck but what I didn’t anticipate is the storyline of Beck’s past interest in another Summer Island resident, Suzanne. Like I said, I didn’t read book one so if that’s where he flirted with Suzanne then I can understand it. But coming in fresh into this book, I really didn’t like Beck’s feelings for two women.
Outside of that though, Lila and Beck’s story is a fun and spicy Christmas romance with a lot of angst too, mostly because Lila is not a resident of Summer Island, so there is that to figure out between them. I love their interactions, bickering and banter. But the story isn’t only about them falling for each other. Lila is going through some tough times with what happened in Chicago and Beck has issues to deal with his past estranged relationship with his dad.
It’s one of those books that would make a great Hallmark Channel Christmas movie! It’s sweet, heartfelt, it has its hot moments and the characters have personal issues to work through as well. The setting of Summer Island sounds like a wintry, wonderland dream! Not that I would want to be stuck on an island with bad winter conditions but it makes for a great romantic setting. And the cast of characters adds to the setting as well, the people are nice and friendly, especially to nonresidents like Lila.
Like any Christmas romance novel it ends with a very happily ever after. And will Suzanne get her HEA in the next book? I hope so, because I felt awful for her!
This is definitely the kind of novel to enjoy right after spooky season is done or if you like to read holiday romance novels year round as well, more power to you! The Giving Heart will definitely give you the holiday feels. 🎄
USA Today bestselling author Toni Blake’s love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Since then, she has written over twenty contemporary romance novels. Her books have received the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers’ Best Award, her work has been excerpted in Cosmopolitan, and she has been nominated for a RITA Award. Toni lives with her husband in Northern Kentucky.
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