Repressed Echoes by Rebecca Hefner

Be sure to set aside a block of time with this dystopian romance, because believe me when I say it’s one you’ll want to finish in one sitting.

What’s it About?

World-renowned geneticist Danica Lawson woke up to a world that had been destroyed—by her own hand. She has no recollection of the downfall of society but is determined to repair the damage.

Moreover, the first face she sees is one that’s eerily familiar—and undeniably handsome—even if she doesn’t recognize the sexy soldier with the deep, soothing voice.

As Dani struggles to reverse the destruction, she realizes sinister forces are at play. For, a malevolent threat is sweeping through their dystopian world, and the window to defeat it narrows each day its reign strengthens…

First Impressions

Have you ever found yourself watching 50 First Dates and thinking, “Sure, this movie is good and all, but what it could really use is a dystopian setting and life-altering drug thrown into the mix”? Then do I have the perfect book for you! And for those of you out there who, like me, might not be the biggest fan when it comes to dystopian reads, trust me, this is still a read you’ll want to pick up. At this point I’m convinced author Rebecca Hefner could convince me to buy a cup of hot chocolate on a 100 degree day. It doesn’t matter what preconceived notions I might have about a particular genre, she always succeeds in building her own world that sucks you in from opening bell, and won’t let go until well after you’ve turned that final page. I’ll admit I was a tad wary of this book seeing as we’re dealing with a lead character suffering from short-term memory loss, whose slate is wiped clean at the end of every day. Not only can she not remember the last five years, and the role she played in bringing the world to its post-apocalyptic downfall, she also has no recollection of the man claiming to be her husband. Would we be dealing with a plot of endless repetition as the same conversations are had every day? How could there possibly be any steam between Dani and her smoldering hero if they’re essentially always meeting for the first time? Rest assured that chemistry more than sizzles, and this story has nothing but forward momentum as you wonder how this small group of seeming underdogs plans to fight back for the world they once knew.

Wiping the Slate

Here’s what I love about this read. It’s one thing to write a dystopian story featuring a female scientist who inadvertently creates a drug so addictive it leads to the utter devastation of society as we know it. The true mark of brilliance is in having that character not only forget the role she played in that downfall, but also fail to remember the formula for the crucial antidote she also managed to create. The fact Dani must relearn the events of the last five years every morning, and also attempt to make advancements on new variations of a life-saving antidote before her slate is wiped clean every night, almost adds the element of a ticking clock to this read as Dani struggles to save that which she had a hand in destroying.

As mentioned earlier, my biggest question mark with this read was if we’d be dealing with endless repetition of the same conversations and info dump considering Dani’s daily memory loss. Although there are some elements which are repeated throughout the span of the book, it’s never done ad nauseam, and if anything brings about a few needed moments of lightness and laughter, especially when it comes to Dani repeatedly joking about how her husband Maverick’s name is reminiscent of an action-packed, star-studded 80’s flick. Dani and Maverick might technically be categorized as the main characters of this read, but we also become intimately familiar with a small group of secondary characters who help make up this crew of fighters.

From Dani’s beloved sisters, including the bad-ass Arianna and the meek Raquel, to the misunderstand fighter Dominic, and the double-crossing fighter on the inside, Tristan. We see multiple chapters told from each of their varying points of view, which aids in breaking up the repetition of Dani’s story, while also allowing us to become just as invested in finding out what is in store for their futures as we are in our lead couple. It’s commendable how the author manages to spread attention across a slew of different characters in a way that doesn’t feel tedious or disorganized, and surprisingly succeeds in creating the feeling of a tight-knit crew. The only crucial character we don’t see much of in this premier novel is our infamous villain, Luthor Cromwell, who put Dani’s addictive drug on the market before it was fully tested and refuses to release the life-saving antidote. We get just a glimpse of him here and there to provide a tease of his undoubtedly diabolical persona, but I look forward to seeing more from him in future novels.

Can Love Be Forgotten?

Imagine waking up one morning with no recollection of the last five years, but a devastatingly handsome man with a tendency to smirk and looks like a cross between Timothy Olyphant and Patrick Dempsey is claiming to be your husband. Not gonna lie, we’d probably struggle to make it out of the bedroom for a few hours. Make no mistake, dystopian futures led by villainous overlords are interesting and everything, but I’m mainly here for one thing, and that’s the romance. This was my second biggest question mark before starting this read. How in the world are we going to witness any hot and heavy scenes if 1) Maverick has to reintroduce himself to his wife every morning, 2) she has to focus the bulk of her attention on creating an antidote to a highly addictive drug, and 3) she just so happens to be recovering from a recent pitchfork accident which makes any strenuous activity highly discouraged? Well lemme tell ya something ladies and gentlemen. Not only can you count on Rebecca Hefner to create an epic world full of intrigue and action, but this lady knows how to bring the steam.

It’s true, Dani’s brain might be telling her she’s never met the sultry man looming before her, but there’s something within her that confirms he’s someone to be trusted. Call it gut intuition, or maybe it’s her heart, but there’s a piece of her that knows this man. She might start each day with a bit of wariness, but it doesn’t take long before Dani finds herself utterly smitten and beholden to the man who seems determined to protect and love her with his entire being. As they eventually start to set plans in motion for a daring break-in to steal the antidote from her former lab, Dani realizes that if she only has one day to remember this man, she might as well make the most of it. Heck yeah girl, get it! This was definitely a tricky path to navigate in presenting us with scenarios where we could feel that Dani had full ownership of her decision in moving things forward with Maverick, while also instilling a mark of feeling to the moment beyond something purely physical. These scenes were expertly blended with heat and romance, and served as a perfect backdrop to the building suspense of the overall story. Not to mention, we see glimpses of hidden longing and potential future dalliances between some of the other characters that were just as enthralling as the romance between Dani and Maverick.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: The Sendaxa Chronicles, book 1. I zoomed through the first part of this book, and surprisingly found myself slowing down as the suspense built towards what would undoubtedly be a climactic conclusion because I feared we’d be dealing with a cliffhanger scenario. Rest assured that while you’ll immediately want to dive deep into book two, the events of this book do wrap up in a cliffhanger-free conclusion.

Would I befriend the heroine? She’s so smart I’m not sure she’d put up with my propensity for “that’s what she said” jokes.

Would I date the hero? Even if I couldn’t remember him, I wouldn’t let him out of the bedroom.

Final Impressions: I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and can’t wait to continue on with the series. Even though dystopian reads aren’t usually my thing, I appreciated the fact that this wasn’t set in some far-off distant future, but rather could take place tomorrow. The feature of Dani’s memory loss added another layer of complexity to the story which was truly remarkable. I loved the cast of supporting characters just as much as our lead couple, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for each and every one of them moving forward. There’s a trail of breadcrumbs from Dani’s memory littered throughout this read that ultimately made a final twist somewhat easy to predict, but it was nevertheless a thrilling build-up of tension as we wondered how everything would eventually fall into place.

Smut Level: The fact that Maverick can relay an entire relationship of desire in a single look, in a single touch…is downright scintillating.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 219 Pages.

Ransom by Laramie Briscoe

Sure, Ransom is a hunky K-9 handler who knows how to put his lady’s desires first and foremost. But let’s face it, his best feature truly is his dog.

What’s it About?

Ransom Thompson

For years I’ve wanted two things – to be a member of the Moonshine Task Force and to be the man Stella Kepler can’t live without. One out of two isn’t bad, or so I tell myself. Being the only K-9 handler for The MTF presents its own share of obstacles, but me and Rambo? We make it work. Life is status quo, until I’m called in to help with what appears to be a hostage situation and Stella is right in the middle of it. This is my one chance, and I’m not going to blow it.

Stella Kepler

When I’m stuck in an examination room holding a hurt woman and a man with a gun, I do the only thing I can. I sneak out, call 911 and hope help comes quickly. It does. In the form of Ransom Thompson. He and I have known each other since we were babies. Our mother’s are friends, our dad’s work together, and we’ve always been friends. Only, the last few months I’ve started to notice things. How mature he is, how alpha he can be, the chiseled six-pack, and the abundance of ink spreading across his body. When I offer to cook him dinner for saving me, neither one of us know how that one moment will change the course of the rest of our lives.

Quick Review

This is pretty much the epitome of a decent beach read. There are steamy fun times, it’s bookended by somewhat intense moments of drama, but overall it’s low angst enough where you won’t feel bad stepping away to go for a walk, or a nap. Stella and Ransom have known each other essentially their whole lives, and while they’ve been friendly, Stella has never considered him as anything other than a friend…until he got muscles of course. Not a thrilling reason for her to start considering him in a new light, but when he rescues her from a potentially life-threatening situation at work, her willingness to make a move is increased ten-fold. As for Ransom, he’s coveted her for years, and when she finally directs some sultry interest his way he is more than ready to hold on for the ride.

Stella and Ransom’s romance was fun and light, although they certainly know how to make each other scream. The only pause in their relationship comes from the fact that they both want to keep it hidden from their friends and family until they know for sure it’s going to be a success. This was the one part of the read that I found rather far-fetched. Although it took a long time for them to ultimately see each other as potential romantic partners, once they crossed that line into having a physical relationship they quickly became extremely possessive of one another. A friendly comment by anyone of the opposite sex practically makes them see red with jealousy, so it seems they would have been quick to declare to anyone who would listen that the other was taken. I assumed the events of the novel spanned just a few weeks, but when we learn towards the end of the book that they’ve been keeping this relationship secret from everyone for months, I couldn’t help but call a bit of BS.

As for the dramatic events of the book, the ones with the most heightened intensity occur at the start and end of the novel. We get a few descriptions of some of Ransom’s traffic stops, but they are all fairly random and disconnected from each other. Nothing is truly elevated to the point of high stakes, and overall the events of the book probably could have been punched up a bit to have us feeling more invested in their story. And for all of you out there wondering, although Ransom’s dog does get injured at one point, rest assured that he is alive and well at the conclusion of the book. Ransom also meets with an injury, but let’s face facts here, you’re really only interested in knowing the fate of the dog before determining whether or not you want to give this read a chance.

Series: Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team, book 1. Technically this is a stand-alone, but it ties back to a previous series by the same author, and there are a plethora of characters from those books presented here. It was kind of tricky to figure out how all the characters were related, and though not a critical feature for understanding the progression of events in this book, it was kind of bizarre to have a random chapter or two told from the point of view of one of those characters. I probably would have appreciated it more had I read the other series first.

Would I befriend the heroine? At one point Stella is willing to give up what would undoubtedly have been a steamy date night with Ransom to console her best friend who was going through a tough time. Seems like a good one.

Would I date the hero? If I could call him something other than Ransom…sure.

Final Impressions: This is a fun beach read. It holds your interest, provides some steam, but there’s no harm if you have to step away from it for a bit. I can’t say I was drawn in enough to this world to continue on with the rest of the series, but I was entertained.

Smut Level: For a small-town, friends-to-lovers romance, this was a slightly steamier read than I was expecting. I’ve seen a few other readers mention it’s a low-heat book, but Ransom certainly knows how to whip out the dirty talk when he wants to. And Stella? Not only does she make use of Ransom’s handcuffs at one point, but she is also so overcome with the need for others to know he’s taken that she purposely marks him up with scratch marks during one of their amorous tumbles. Low heat my behind!

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Laramie Briscoe Books. 242 Pages.

Jacked Up by Elle Aycart

When the leader of an infamous drug cartel is chasing you, you might need to turn to the surliest, snarliest, alpha-iest man out there. Even if his overprotectively domineering ways drive you crazy.

What’s it About?

Since James Bowen married Elle Cooper’s sister, tall dark and handsome Jack Copeland has become a permanent fixture in Elle’s life. A silent, rather annoying fixture, with his arrogant aloofness and my-way-or-the-highway attitude rubbing her the wrong way. So she does what any self-respecting woman would: aggravate the wits out of him for fun.

Party girl Elle Cooper is everything covert operative Jack Copeland doesn’t want in a woman. Outspoken, sassy. A smartass. Too bad when he closes his eyes, all his mind conjures is her. To everyone else, he comes off as intimidating and unapproachable. Everyone except Elle. So he does what any self-respecting man would: stay the hell away from her. But when Elle gets herself in deep trouble, all of Jack’s protective instincts kick in and keeping his distance is no longer an option.

With Jack and Elle in such close proximity, sparks are flying all over and it’s only a matter of time before they ignite. The only question is, who will kill Elle first, the vicious drug cartel hunting her or Jack?

Quick Review

There has been a flirtatious chemistry simmering between Jack and Elle for months, but Jack’s undercover mission has kept them at arm’s length for the bulk of that time. Their only form of communication involves a slew of teasing emails from our flirtatious heroine. Things finally come to a head when Elle gets into some trouble which firmly thrusts her into Jack’s world. He is determined to protect her, just as she is seemingly determined to drive him mad with her zest and zeal for life. The surface-level contradictions between these two were hilarious to behold. Here is a woman under protection from a murderous drug lord, but that’s not going to stop her from participating in a flash mob dance routine, or living every day as though it were her last. There were times where we as the audience want to scream right along with Jack for Elle to take her precarious situation a bit more seriously, but overall this might also be what I loved most about the book. There’s suspense and intrigue lurking behind every corner, yet you never lose the moments of hilarity between this wall of muscle and the ball of energy he’s sworn to save. Just when you start to feel comfortable with the bizarre routine they’ve found with each other, the author will throw in another bout of danger that forces our lead characters to go into hiding in Jack’s secluded hunting cabin. Gee, I wonder what kind of extracurricular activities these lust-filled folks could get up to in there.

Elle has a gift at matching Jack snark for snark to the point where he has no choice but to shut her up by sticking his tongue down her throat. And my goodness was there a lot of that in this book. If you were wondering whether or not this was a steamy read, wonder no longer because you’ll start to question how two people could possibly have that much stamina in a 24-hour day without the need for performance enhancing drugs. There’s no shortage of hanky panky with this read, but similar to the aforementioned juxtaposition between humor and suspense, this book isn’t all about sex either. There’s emotional depth to these characters which we uncover through their respective pasts of loss and pain, not to mention the fear permeating their shared present circumstances. By falling into bed with each other (or a boxing ring, or kitchen table…there was a truck at one point) they have the chance to lose themselves in something blissful and happy for just a few hours. Some might argue that Jack and Elle are in a happily for now situation as the intense experience of Jack protecting Elle from a drug cartel has thrown them together for the time being. However, as we saw at the start of the novel, while Jack might bemoan the spamming of his email with seemingly meaningless updates about Elle’s day, those emails are also the one bright light he has come to look forward to every day. She wanted to give him a reason to come back, and he feels an emptiness when the emails stop upon his return. This connection between them existed far before any danger befell Elle’s doorstep, which makes us hopeful it will continue whenever they can eventually find a moment of lasting peace.

Series: Bowen Boys, book 4. Technically this can be read as a stand-alone, but there are numerous references to and appearances of characters from the previous novels. While their backstories don’t really impact the events of this book, it might be helpful to read through the synopses of the earlier books so you get an idea of how all the different characters fit together.

Would I befriend the heroine? This lady is like a jack rabbit on speed. She was involved in so many activities I got tired just reading about it. Perhaps I could teach her the art of chillaxing and the benefits of binge-watching multiple hours of guilty pleasure TV.

Would I date the hero? A bit too snarly for my liking. He does own a secluded cabin on acres of private property though, so there’s a silver lining.

Final Impressions: This read has a great blend of humor, family, danger, suspense and sultriness. The steaminess levels are certainly off the charts, and I’ll admit there were a few times where I couldn’t help but wonder if these two should have been focusing a bit more on the dangerous matters at hand. This was especially true of Elle, as she seems dead-set on not having her life uprooted just because an evil drug lord might want to kill her, even though he’s already killed one of her closest friends. And yet we also see how Elle’s standard coping mechanism in the face of grief is to keep busy with numerous activities rather than confront her sorrow head-on. There were also a few moments where Jack’s role as protector felt rather unbelievable, such as the fact he wouldn’t have immediately whisked Elle away to a secluded cabin miles away from civilization right from the beginning, no matter how much she objected. There’s another moment where he assumes the danger is behind them even though there was one glaringly obvious loose-end left unfinished that inevitably came back to bite them both in the bum. I suppose we can chalk it up to Elle running circles around him, his libido, and maybe even his heart.

Smut Level: For some, being romantically wooed involves flowers, chocolates, perhaps some poetry. For Jack, one of his more romantic gestures involved purchasing a brand new butt plug for Elle upon first setting sights on her. Ahhhh, l’amour.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 264 Pages.

A Lover’s Vow by Brenda Jackson

She’s all he’s ever wanted. He’s everything she’ll ever need.

What’s it About?

Business mogul Dalton Granger is as passionate as he is gorgeous, but private investigator Jules Bradshaw won’t give him the time of day. She knows all about the youngest Granger brother—a charming bad boy whose only interest is playing the field.

But Dalton is more complicated than that, and he’s determined to show Jules that behind all the bravado is the honest heart of a devoted son, brother…and a man whose own life is in peril.

Jules is the only person who can protect Dalton, and they embark on a mission to save his family and his legacy. But when their late nights in the office turn into early mornings in the bedroom, Jules and Dalton soon realize they have more at stake than they ever imagined.

First Impressions

I broke one of my cardinal rules when it came to this novel, which is that I dived in without having read any of the previous books in the series. What can I say?! I couldn’t help myself, the synopsis was simply too intriguing to pass up. In hindsight, quite the error on my part. While the plotlines of corporate espionage and the Granger brothers attempting to prove the innocence of their father who has spent the last 15 years in prison for murdering their mother were interesting, it was easy to get lost amongst the many references to characters and events from the previous books. And I’m not just talking about a brief mention or reintroduction of previous happenings. No no, there were elements which seemed necessary to have the backstory of, and alas I was at a loss. My bad!

You Owe Me

When it comes to the romantic side of the story, this is technically where the novel could act as a stand-alone. Dalton and Jules seem determined to hate each other after a previous flirtation gone wrong, but eventually they both realize it’s so much more satisfying to moan “yes” than to repeatedly say “no” to each other. I will say it was kind of difficult to like Dalton as a leading male character. We are reintroduced to his brothers throughout the span of the novel who all appear to be dotingly affectionate towards their lady loves, though we see hints that they didn’t simply fall into easy relationships. Nevertheless, the other Granger boys seemed likable. We learn that Jules challenged Dalton to find her following an initial flirtatious exchange of hiding her true identity, and when he subsequently did in fact locate her he was peeved to discover she wouldn’t immediately fall into bed with him. In his mind, she owed him sex after everything he went through to find her. That’s not exactly a point in his favor, even if he is devastatingly handsome.

Jules repeatedly refuses to fall under Dalton’s self-assured charm, and I applauded the fact she wouldn’t sway under his bewitching smirk and rugged good looks. But then…she does. After all his insistence that he knew she wanted him, they fall into bed for an entire weekend of sexy fun times. Jules tries to stand firm that there’s nothing more between them, but Dalton comes back again and again to declare that her body does in fact yearn for, and basically belong to him. Eventually they find their way to love, but I so wanted Dalton to have to prove his worth beyond his sexual prowess and stamina to earn Jules’ affections. There were also times during all of their sexcapades where I thought…um…you might want to get back to the whole murder solving dilemma? Oh and let’s not forget about the infiltration of their business. Overall the romantic storyline didn’t blend with the dramatic plot points as seamlessly as I would have liked. We go for long swaths of time without discussing the murder in any way, and then completely switch gears to totally push aside Dalton and Jules’ simmering connection.

Whodunnit?

Even though I didn’t read the first two books in the series, I did spend over 400 pages with the Granger family, so I feel like I came to understand their dynamics fairly well, not to mention the various elements of intrigue involving their mother, father, and business. You’ll have yourself speculating and guessing as to the true identity of Mrs. Granger’s murderer, and let’s just say there are a loooooot of characters to suspect. At one point I even found myself wondering if perhaps their father did in fact carry out the infamous deed. Therefore, when the ultimate conclusion and connection of events unfolded, I must admit it was a rather lackluster climax. I even had to pause and say, “Wait…who…what just happened?” It makes me think there’s a chance that readers who have been along for the ride since the beginning might be especially disappointed in how everything comes together.

Series: The Grangers, book 3. Trust me, read this one in order.

Would I befriend the heroine? Honestly, Jules is such an accomplished woman I think I’d feel inferior to all of her private investigator badassery.

Would I date the hero? I’m gonna have to pass on this one. Dalton is overly confident in a way where he is legitimately shocked at the prospect of a woman not wanting him.

Final Impressions: This wasn’t my favorite read ever, but I realize I’m mainly to blame for that one. While the romance between Dalton and Jules is primarily a stand-alone, there is a continuation of plot throughout the series involving the death of the Granger boys’ mother years ago, as well as a nefarious plot to infiltrate their business. I was a bit lost at times trying to follow along with all of the different characters, their relationships, as well as references to crucial events from the previous novels. Continuing plot aside, it was kind of challenging to fall in love with Dalton as a leading man. He was self-assured to a fault, and I wish he had done more to prove himself worthy of winning over Jules’ time and affections in the beginning beyond his skills in the bedroom.

Smut Level: This might just be the steamiest read I’ve come across from the beloved Brenda Jackson, and me oh my was I enthralled by it. These two know how to make more than one use out of a chair. Kind of shocked it didn’t collapse under their combined weight and…thrusting.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $1.99 Kindle Price. MIRA. 411 Pages.

Another Christmas from Hell by R.L. Mathewson

I would love for someone to do a scientific calculation to find out, on average, how many calories the men in this family are consuming on a daily basis. It defies the laws of everything!

What’s it About?

It was time to move on. Granted, Cayley would have preferred to wait until after Christmas, but with her best friend somehow managing to get her fired and evicted in the same day, she had no choice but to move into the apartment across from the man that really didn’t seem happy to see her. That was fine. More than fine because if she could handle her best friend making her life a living hell and an ex-fiancé that was determined to get her back, then she could handle the man that was willing to do whatever it took to let the past destroy them both.

He couldn’t believe this was happening again. For years, Bryce had been going out of his way to avoid Cayley, hoping that she would finally move on, but now that she was back, he realized that he no longer had a choice. He was going to have to break her heart. At least that was the plan until the little brat turned the tables on him, making him wonder how much longer he was going to be able to lie to himself even as one thing became painfully clear…

This was going to be the worst Christmas ever.

Quick Review

If you are looking for an idyllic Christmas romance to get you in the perfect hot cocoa-drinking holiday mood…then honestly this probably isn’t the first book you should pick up. I had to keep reminding myself that this was supposed to be a Christmas-themed romance, which was kind of disappointing seeing as I saved reading and posting this one until wintry activities were in full swing. True, our lead characters do participate in a few holiday-themed antics, but they always seemed like a bit of an afterthought, not to mention the bulk of them had a tendency to go terribly wrong. Nothing quite like mistaking sugar for salt in your cookie recipe. It wasn’t until the very end of the novel that the importance of Christmas on Bryce and Casey’s relationship truly came full circle, and we get an infusion of some heart-warming holiday spirit.

Typically I’m a huge fan of this series, but in my humble opinion this installment fell a bit flat. The comedic hijinks of our lead and supporting characters were elevated to such a cartoonish manner that it was difficult to form any kind of emotional attachment to the lead couple. We’re dealing with a frenemies-to-lovers scenario, but we have to wait until over ninety percent of the novel is finished before we witness any kind of true depth to their story by uncovering why Bryce has kept himself at a distance from Casey all these years, even though he’s loved her unconditionally. It was a heartbreaking tale, and in a way I think the author laid too much on the comedic side of things as a way of preventing the story from feeling too angst-filled. Previous books in this series have spectacularly woven the drama into the comedy, but for this particular read things were unbalanced in a way that resulted in everything coming across as excessively outrageous.

Series: Neighbor From Hell, book 13. If you haven’t read any books in this series before, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this one. Trust me, go back to the beginning to be thoroughly entertained. If you are a fan of this series? Not gonna lie, you could probably skip this one.

Would I befriend the heroine? On the plus side, she seems to be constantly surrounded by a slew of attractive men. On the negative, these men eat everything in sight, meaning that her kitchen is constantly devoid of snacks.

Would I date the hero? Ehhhh, probably gonna have to skip this one. His imposing glare seems quite frightening.

Final Impressions: There were moments in this book where I was chuckling aloud, and others that had me fanning myself from the steam. Unfortunately I was also frequently annoyed by the general writing style of the story, with constant repetition of particular words and phrases. Chapters felt like stand-alone vignettes rather than providing a cohesive flow to the story, which oftentimes made it difficult to follow along with what was happening when. But the writing technique which really had me grinding my teeth in annoyance was the constant introduction of a thought or action which would then be interrupted by another action. Again, even though this book laid into the comedy bits, it was tricky to follow along with a scene when your attention was constantly being pulled and prodded into opposite directions.

Smut Level: I have a feeling the makers of peppermint lube have a stake in this book.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Rerum Carta Industries, Inc. 340 Pages.

Not Your Average Vixen by Krista Sandor

Who knew Dasher and Rudolph were such bitter enemies? It’s going to take a Christmas miracle for these two enemies to turn lovers. And maybe a well-timed snow-storm or two.

What’s it About?

It’s Dasher versus Rudolph with a little Vixen thrown in! A Christmas wedding is on the line in this steamy holiday romance from USA Today Bestselling Author Krista Sandor.

Maid of honor, Bridget Dasher, didn’t think anything could ruin her sister’s Christmas Eve wedding…until she met the best man. Scratch that—the worst man.

Don’t be fooled by his name. Soren Christopher Traeger-Rudolph—yep, Rudolph—is the Grinch of all groomsmen, and his plans for this wedding will only land him on the Naughty List.

Or…Her bed.

Naughty reindeer games like you’ve never seen ensue when Rudolph brings out the Vixen in this Dasher. With witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments, prepare to experience Christmas bliss in Not Your Average Vixen, an enemies-to-lovers holiday romance.

First Impressions

This is one of the better examples of why you should never judge a book by it’s cover. Considering the brevity of the synopsis I didn’t have a whole lot to go on before diving into this read, and after a glance at the cover art I assumed I was in store for a cheery holiday romance à la Hallmark channel. In a way that assumption was accurate, as we’re dealing with a slew of classic Hallmark tropes, from a down on her luck baker out of a job, to a womanizing businessman who are at bitter odds with one another. Let’s just say though that this light-hearted Hallmark romance crosses over into HBO territory when it comes to Soren and Bridget’s sexcapades, and I for one was here for it! These two have off-the-charts chemistry, and for those of you who love a good enemies-to-lovers read where our lead characters go from screaming at each other one moment to…screaming with each other the next, then this is the book for you. Throw in a fledgling bakery empire and a bag-full of “special” gummy bears, and you’ve got yourself a book.

It’s a Marshmallow World in the Winter

You could say that Bridget and Soren start things off on the wrong sleigh bell, as they’re dead-set on hating each other before they even meet. She’s the sister of the woman marrying his best friend, and he’s the groomsman seemingly intent on breaking up the marriage before the loving couple can say “I do”. It’s when they’re both on their way to this mountainside destination wedding that a little snowstorm finds them trapped in the same airport hotel bar, and that’s when the going gets good and steamy. At this point, they only know of the other by their childhood nicknames, Birdie and Scooter, so when they introduce themselves by their real names they have no idea of the true identity of the supposed “enemy” sitting across from them. One night of mind-blowingly detailed sex later, and it’s not until they catch the shuttle to the town of Kringle the next morning that they realize their epic blunder. Bridget and Soren might be determined to hate each other as he seems intent on stopping the upcoming nuptials, but fate and a bit of Christmas magic constantly keep throwing these two together. They want to say no, but their bodies keep saying ohhhh yes please.

I was curious if the steaminess we saw at the start of the read would dramatically halt once our two leads join the rest of the wedding party, and while they might not jump right back into bed with each other, there’s certainly no stopping the sultry glances and banterous foreplay being exchanged between these two. Not to mention a heaping truckload of sexual Christmas-themed innuendo. The holiday puns and Christmas hijinks were a bit over-the-top at times, but overall they lent an air of comedic silliness to the plot which worked well when juxtaposed against Soren and Bridget’s rivalry. I love a read where you can’t tell if the main characters are going to storm out of the room after an argument, or rip each other’s clothes off, and this read will certainly keep you at the edge of your seat a time or two in that regard. Not to mention they often find themselves interrupted by a slew of comical characters, including a stoner employee of the mountain cabin getaway, a room-full of jolly Santas, and especially Soren’s young “nephew” who steals the show in every scene by his innocent yet intrusive questioning. Nothing like wondering why Uncle Scooter is always standing so close and staring so intently at Aunt Birdie, or why Scooter’s pants seemed tighter than usual after finding the two of them abruptly pulling away after an intimate embrace.

It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

Similar to Bridget, I was essentially determined to hate Soren pretty much from opening bell. Here was a grown-ass man who was so distraught over the fact he wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with his best friend after getting married, that he sets out to do everything in his power to break up the wedding. Seriously? Grow up Rudolph. Throw into the mix his Richard Gere à la Pretty Woman-esque job of buying up and selling off companies in dire straights, including a family bakery chain owned by the most adorable Mr. and Mrs. Claus look-alikes, and you can understand why he’s referenced on multiple occasions as the Grinch or Scrooge of the holiday season. But alas, this author does the unthinkable. She makes me feel sorry for this seemingly selfish playboy. We’re meant to think Soren is driven to childish shenanigans solely at the concept of losing touch with one of his closest bosom buddies, Tom. There’s actually so much more to it than that.

Throughout the span of the read we come to realize that Tom and his entire family have come to represent the love of a family that Soren never had growing up. Raised by nannies in an empty household due to his wealthy parents galivanting off to opposite ends of the Earth because of their hatred of one another, and their sheer ambivalence towards their son, it was only upon meeting Tom at boarding school that Soren knew what it was to have friendship. Tom’s family enveloped him fully into their fold, showering him with unconditional love and acceptance. It’s during his time with them that he can shed his intimidating businessman persona, and simply be fun-loving Uncle Scooter. He likes who he is when he’s with them. And when Bridget’s sister, Lori comes along, Soren fears it’s an inevitable sign of him being pushed out of the family. Surely from now on they’ll only want to spend time with “real” family at the holidays. We see a man desperately trying to grasp onto the one piece of light and goodness shining forth in his wretched life. It drives him to do seemingly unforgivable things, but when we get to the heart of the matter we see how all can be forgiven after a grand gesture of atonement.

The title would have us think this read is all about our vixen Bridget, but the true soul of the book is regarding Soren and his “found family”. We do see how the love of Bridget’s parents permeates every aspect of her sister’s wedding, and her grandmother’s dying instructions to always look out for her younger sister have seemingly set her on a path to living life for her sister rather than herself. And yet, Soren’s sad tale was far more gripping, with much higher stakes at play. After all, Bridget is on good terms with her sister, and her intense involvement in trying to recreate their parent’s wedding day will seemingly only bring them closer together, even if things don’t always go according to her strict plans. When it comes to Soren though, any discovery of his plotting ways could result in not only the loss of his best friend, but really the only family he’s ever known. If I had one complaint with this read, other than the sheer number of times the title of the book was woven throughout the pages, it would be how much time Bridget and Soren spent away from the rest of the wedding party. It’s understandable that we would want to focus more attention on their evolving affair, but considering how important their respective relationships are to her sister and his best friend, it’s shocking how little time they spent in each other’s company after arriving in the town of Kringle. A few more heartfelt scenes between Bridget, Lori, Soren and Tom would have elevated this read even more into holiday greatness.

Series: Stand-alone.

Would I befriend the heroine? She bakes tasty treats in excessively large quantities. We’d obviously be besties.

Would I date the hero? This is a tough one. Soren definitely has a softer-side to his cutthroat business persona, but he’s quite a cheeky fellow. I have a feeling his propensity for teasing banter and knowing smirks could result in an argument if he ever brought them out at the wrong time.

Final Impressions: This steamy read has everything you need to get through the holiday season. If you need a distraction from family squabbles, long flight delays, or just want something to do as an obscene amount of food is being prepared in the kitchen, then this is the book for you. The antics between Soren and Bridget will have you laughing out loud in delight, fanning yourself from the heat, and you might even shed a tear or two at the importance of family. The ending brings about a plethora of kitschy holiday tropes, including a retirement home full of Mr. and Mrs. Claus look-alikes, not to mention a mad dash to the altar amidst an impending snow storm, but it’s all in good fun even if it does make you want to roll your eyes. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the holiday hijinks!

Smut Level: Let’s just say there is a condom-filled Frosty the Snowman ceramic jar that gets depleted by the conclusion of the novel.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $5.99 Kindle Price. Candy Castle Books. 350 Pages.

Rebel Yule by Kate Meader

One night seven years ago changed their lives forever. Too bad one of them doesn’t seem to have any memory of it. A holiday hook-up hockey romance. Say that ten times fast!

What’s it About?

Chicago Rebels goalie Erik gets his shot at love . . . but first he’ll have to figure out what he did to offend the woman he’s crushed on forever.

Casey Higgins, assistant to the Chicago Rebels owner, has a smile for everyone who comes into the front office—everyone but goalie Erik Jorgenson. And he has no idea why. For the last year, she’s refused to give him a kind word, and finally, he’s had enough. At the Rebels holiday party he’ll uncover the root of their mysterious conflict and show this woman that goalkeepers do their best work . . . on their knees.

Can a little Yuletide cheer get Erik into Casey’s good graces, warm bed, and frozen heart? Or will he fumble the puck and lose his chance? Join the Chicago Rebels this holiday season and find out if Erik is as good at saving Christmas as he is at saving goals!

First Impressions

Do you ever get the sense that someone just doesn’t like you? Well, that’s the sensitivity that Erik Jorgenson has been living with for the past year, ever since the new personal assistant to his hockey team’s owner came on board. Erik is seemingly loved by all, and can’t for the life of him think what he did to deserve the cold shoulder. Perhaps it wouldn’t bother him as much if Casey weren’t so darn adorable, and he constantly fantasizes about bringing a smile to her face in more ways than one. He’s finally built up the confidence needed to confront her, and what better time than while trapped in an elevator together on their way to the office holiday party? And that’s when the truth is ultimately revealed. Not only had these two previously met one night seven years ago, but the night culminated in a somewhat alcohol-infused tumble between the sheets.

Unfortunately, Erik never called Casey following their passionate night together, and when the two meet again years later Erik seemingly has no recollection of who Casey is. Yikes! Honestly, the fact she didn’t greet him with a slap to the face, or a screaming-match confrontation is quite shocking. The first half of this short novella was a blast, as we see Erik try so desperately to get back on Casey’s good side, and convince her that he’s not the unforgivable player she’s thought him to be for so long. This is the first book I’ve ever read from this series, and yet in this short novella alone it’s clear as day that Erik is a lovable, inherently good guy. He’s a family man whose family lives thousands of miles away, but he’s a good brother to his fellow hockey teammates. Caring is the name of the game when it comes to Erik, and he’ll do whatever it takes to show Casey how much she’s meant to him for so long. I must say though…I think he could do much better than the lady love he’s set his sights on.

That One Night

As the novella progresses we slowly start to unravel all of the details from that night so many years ago. When we first hear the story from Casey’s point of view, it’s hard to sympathize at all with the gorgeous hockey goalie who apparently can’t keep track of all the notches in his bed post. But then a few issues start to come out of the woodwork which weren’t initially revealed in Casey’s retelling. Just goes to show that sometimes an eyewitness doesn’t always provide the most accurate first-hand account. First things first! On that night many moons ago, Casey had long wavy red locks compared to the shorter blonde coif that she now wears. Second! For some extremely silly reason, she never revealed her real name to Erik, but instead insisted that he call her Coco so she could pretend to be someone else for just one night.

Mmmmkay, two definite strikes against her brushing him off over this past year for not immediately recognizing her. Then we get to the good stuff, which obviously can’t be held against Casey, but truly turns the tide in how we feel about sexy Swede Erik. Even though he tried to get her number input into his cell phone that one crazy night, she instead insisted on writing it on a bar napkin, which Erik subsequently misplaced. Ok…they both deserve an eye roll at that one. Then Erik reveals how he has a disorder called prosopagnosia, aka face blindness. In other words, he has trouble recognizing faces, even for people he knows very well. Let alone a woman with a different hair style that he met for a few hours one night seven years ago. In hindsight, it’s kind of ridiculous that he couldn’t have guessed at any point over the past year that her animosity may have stemmed from the fact he didn’t recognize her. While he might not remember her face, he remembers the details of that night in all its explicit detail, and tried everything in his power to find his mysterious “Coco”. When he realizes that the woman who has willfully ignored him the past year is the one and the same, he’s determined to never let her go again.

Something Casual

Casey has her own complicated relationship history to contend with in this novella. For almost ten years she’s had an on-again-off-again boyfriend who used her to elevate his own career, then left her behind in the dust after he achieved his loftiest professional goals. It was this man calling a break on their relationship which spurned Casey to assume a fake name for that one evening, and let loose by going to bed with another man. Live it up girlfriend! This man ended things once again a year ago, which precipitated Casey coming to work for the Chicago Rebels, and coming face-to-face with her handsome goalie. You could say that she was determined to take out her anger on anyone at that point considering the woes of her own love life, hence her decision to treat Erik with disdain rather than acknowledge what had previously occurred between them. Even though it’s been a year since her break-up with this ex, we can see how he still has a firm hold on her relationships with others.

After all, at long last she finally has Erik in her life once again, with multiple legitimate explanations for why he didn’t get in touch with her after their night together, as well as why he didn’t recognize her, yet she still chooses to keep him at a distance. She resolves to keep this new “thing” between them as a holiday fling, and when asked by some friends if her relationship with Erik was casual or something more, Casey responds that they’re just having fun. And yet…when she overhears a teammate of Erik’s ask him the same question, she is essentially offended at his reply that they’re just keeping things casual for right now. He must not feel for her as much as she’s feeling for him, she’s opened herself up too much, woe is me! I couldn’t help but feel that her reaction was rather hypocritical, especially considering this new “fling” has lasted for approximately three days, and she herself wouldn’t acknowledge with her own besties what she felt for the man.

As if that didn’t turn me off from her enough, she then admits to her boss that even though Erik explained the rationale behind his face blindness disorder, she secretly hoped that her face was one he would have recognized, and she almost uses it as a reason to question if he would really put her first and foremost above everything if they proceeded with a relationship. Ok, let’s take a moment to pause here. Yes, I understand Casey’s explanation here was essentially a fear which stemmed from her previous relationship with the douche who used her from day one, and brushed her aside when she was no longer useful. But still…come on lady. That’s not how this kind of disorder works. We don’t even really see Casey take the time to look up this disorder beyond what Erik briefly describes to her, an oversight which again ultimately made me feel that perhaps Erik deserves someone more understanding.

Series: Rookie Rebels, book 5.5. This is the first book I’ve read from this series. While technically it can be categorized as a stand-alone, there are numerous references to previous characters, especially as teammates gather together to celebrate the holidays. I have a feeling it would have been more fun to know the backstories of all those individual characters.

Would I befriend the heroine? Normally a leading lady with a cat is a firm yes in my book. That being said, Casey was kind of frustrating, especially in her response to overhearing Erik describe their fling as “casual”, and in her understanding of his disorder.

Would I date the hero? He turns his home into a winter wonderland at the holidays, AND is a fantastic chef in the kitchen. So yeah, we’d be soulmates.

Final Impressions: I wanted to like Erik and Casey’s romance, and indeed things truly started off with a bang. As the story played out further though there were just too many strikes that rose up against Casey. Erik was such an adorable character who seemingly treated everyone around him with kindness and affection. There was almost a sad puppy quality about him that made me want to snuggle him close and never let go.

Smut Level: We have a stalled elevator, and a sexual foray in a darkened coat closet during the office holiday party. Heck yeah!!

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Kate Meader LLC. 166 Pages.

Snowfire by Charlotte O’Shay

Natalya has always wished for snow on her Christmas Eve birthday. This year she might also just end up with the love of her life.

What’s it About?

Ballet dancer Natalya Nieves sacrificed everything, including a social life, to become a world-class performer. But when she meets Luca, her focus shifts -—to a man who could fulfill her every fantasy.

When Luca Fiero escaped his routine life in his family’s Hell’s Kitchen bakery, the cost was life-altering. These days, ex-con Luca values work and family and he knows all too well what he can never have.

But Christmas magic doesn’t care if straight arrow Natalya and fallen angel Luca never should’ve met. With holiday cookies sweetening the deal, will Natalya and Luca be granted a future they don’t believe they deserve?

First Impressions

I don’t know how it’s possible, but it seems like every new addition to this Fortunato Family series is better than the last. And that’s saying something as I’ve really loved this series! Believe me when I say if you’re looking for the ideal read to kick of your winter romance reading, then look no further. You should stop what you’re doing immediately (ok maybe take another five minutes to finish this review), and pick up a copy of this fabulous holiday novella right away. Our romance starts off with a rather predictable fall from grace, as the prologue presents us with a beautiful ballerina seemingly on the top of her game. A spot of black ice on a wintry December morning, and we could all see the injury coming that would throw Natalya’s future dancing career into jeopardy. She’s spent the last year undergoing rehab therapy and an intensive workout routine to put her back on the path towards a contract with one of the premiere dance companies in the country. It’s during her walk home from a doctor’s appointment that Natalya tells herself she can enjoy just one whiff of the delectable cookie treats wafting form the corner bakery that her life once again changes forever.

The Cookie Challenge

Cue what is undoubtedly the most adorable meet cute I’ve encountered all year. There was a permanent grin etched on my face from the moment Luca, our tatted baker with a sordid past, spots the bashful Natalya enter his family’s shop. The fact he then rashly creates the premise of a cookie tasting challenge as a way of not only keeping her in the bakery for just a few minutes more, but also in order to ensure she keeps coming back day after day, was exactly the kind of confectionary romance I didn’t know I needed in my life. It’s such a common trope in holiday romances to have a female lead baker, so to see this twist of having a male baker with strong muscles yet a gentle touch to create such delicate creations was sinfully delightful.

There’s an immediate mutual attraction between Luca and Natalya, but what made this evolving romance all the more special was how timid they both were at the possibility of this interest coming to light. They both mistakenly assume the other is only interested in friendship, so while they want nothing more than to spend just one moment more in each other’s company, neither wants to risk the implication of a romantic attachment. It lends an air of innocence to this initial attraction that any one of us has probably felt at one point or another in our lives. As Luca continues to entice Natalya back with an assortment of free cookie tastings, it becomes more challenging to keep their true feelings hidden for much longer. It’s after a matinee Nutcracker performance (because of course this holiday romance has an appearance of the Nutcracker) and home-cooked meal that the clothes come off, and the truth comes out.

The Felon

Although this novella does a phenomenal job of alternating points of view between both Luca and Natalya, ultimately it does feel like we end up learning a bit more about Natalya’s backstory than our surly baker. After all, she was the focus of the accident-filled prologue. We learn about her money woes, fears over her dancing future, and how intimidated she feels when the full force of Luca’s stare is solely focused on her. When it comes to Luca, we know that he’s conflicted about his role at the family bakery, he loves his family more than anything, and he’s under the distinct impression that Natalya deserves someone a lot better than him, a convicted felon. Luca’s past becomes a major roadblock towards him wanting to pursue a permanent romantic relationship with Natalya. He’s convinced they come from opposite sides of the track, and therefore there’s no possibility of a future there. While we uncover what it was he ultimately went to prison for, we’re never really provided with the opportunity to better understand how this man who loves listening to opera, and came from a loving home, ended up getting involved with the wrong people. It was the one and only part of this story where I was left wanting more.

Even though he first met Natalya under circumstances where she was hungry and couldn’t afford to splurge on one of his handmade cookie creations, Luca still holds her up on a pedestal as his prima ballerina, too perfect and good to get mixed up with the likes of someone like him who’s spent time in prison. Eventually they both give into the chemistry that’s been sizzling between them since day one, but unbeknownst to Natalya, Luca convinces himself that he’s only allowed to indulge in his deepest fantasies with her for one night, and one night only. After all, if they did try for something more, it would only be a matter of time before she learned the truth of his dark past and went running in the other direction. Right? Better to turn his back on her now than have her throw him to the curb later. We’re not only dealing with a case of Luca assuming a woman like Natalya wouldn’t want anything to do with a reformed felon like him, but he truly believes a man like him isn’t worthy of her love.  It takes time, as well as a supportive speech or two from his sister and father, before he can acknowledge that he’s deserving of Natalya’s affections, and that taking a chance on an unknown future with her is better than trying to keep her out of his life at all.

*A copy of this novella was provided for an honest review*

Series: Fortunato Family, 2.5. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this series, as each installment is better than the one that came before!

Would I befriend the heroine? Lady has tickets to the Nutcracker every year, heck yeah!

Would I date the hero? This man. This man has the strength to carry a woman up four flights of stairs, but also possesses the soft touch needed to form a perfect tray of Linzer Torte cookies. I would snatch him up faster than you could say Merry Christmas.

Final Impressions: This short read will fill you up with all the same warm and fuzzies as a cup of hot cocoa and fresh tray of red velvet chocolate chip cookies. That’s the underlying feeling which permeated this entire read: warmth. Luca and Natalya might seem like polar opposites on the surface, him the hardened and reformed criminal and her the delicate ballerina, but they’re the perfect match. I remember at one point when Luca was convinced there was no romantic future between them, but he still hoped that Natalya might bestow upon him the honor of walking her home at the end of the day, merely so he could spend a bit more time in her company. Aaaaaand I’m literally swooning over here! It was heartbreaking to see how lowly Luca thought of himself in not being worthy of a woman like Natalya, and while I wish we had learned more about he fell into his criminal backstory, it was a joyous moment to see him come to the realization that the loving man he was today would always be more important than the felon of his youth.

Smut Level: We have foreplay on a chaise here people!! I repeat…foreplay + chaise!! Although I was slightly peeved that the steamiest chapter of the book literally ends at the point of entry (if you catch my drift), there was still enough heat to make me crack open a window.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Charlotte O’Shay Romance. 178 Pages.

Flirty Holidays by Tracy Lorraine

Not sure what romances to read during the holiday season? This collection of short and steamy novellas has something to get you through the festivities at Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s!

What’s it About?

I’ve got the holidays all wrapped up with this romantic little parcel.

Finish off your candy with a forbidden student/teacher romance.

Have yourself a little second chance at love over the turkey.

Spice things up at the office Christmas party with your boss.

Start the new year with a bang and a hot single daddy.

If you like your mulled wine hot then you’re going to love this surprise package of alphas and happily ever afters.

His Sorority Sweetheart

Funnily enough for the one Halloween tale in this collection, the bulk of the costuming and haunted house shenanigans take place two weeks before the final date in October. Why, you might ask? Honestly, not sure. Seems like the timeline of events would have made just as much sense for the young sorority lass to get hot and heavy with her masked graduate teaching assistant on All Hallows Eve. It’s also kind of ironic that for a romance taking place at a college our lead characters are prone to making some rather unintelligent decisions. For example, our smoldering TA, Josh, assumes that the student and neighbor he’s pined after for years, Madison, won’t recognize that he’s the masked stranger to seduce and dirty talk her up against a wall in a haunted house. Too bad for him, he did nothing to try and mask his voice, and the physical mask he wore only covered half his face a la Phantom of the Opera. Not much of a disguise! More egregious though was the fact that neither of our lead characters seemed to consider the possible repercussions of having unprotected sex on numerous occasions.

I definitely enjoyed the backstory of Josh and Madison which went beyond the typical student/teacher trope, and essentially presents us with a reverse Sabrina situation, where Josh is the housekeeper and groundskeeper’s son living in the guest house of their wealthy benefactor. Madison is the sweet, innocent, wealthy daughter he’s observed from his bedroom window for years. Now that she’s about to graduate, and makes her own desire for him known, his ability to keep his distance from her has evaporated. The forbidden nature to their romance was intriguing, though slightly exaggerated considering they’re just a few months away from Madison graduating. What really rubbed me the wrong way though was the ending. Not only does Madison lie to her friends and classmates regarding the father’s identity of the aforementioned result of unprotected sex, but even after she graduates Madison admits to not going out that often, and if they do go out together it’s out of town so as not to risk his employment with the university should the truth of their relationship become public. Doesn’t seem like a great long term plan!

Cheeky Trifle

If the classic TV show Friends has taught us anything, it is that it’s not Thanksgiving unless you have a trifle. Sure, in this read the presence of this particular culinary sweet treat was meant to honor the visit of a British friend to the States for the autumnal holiday, but when I hear Thanksgiving trifle my mind immediately goes to Rachel Green’s multi-layered horror of lady fingers, jam, custard (made from scratch), as well as some beef sautéed with peas and onions topped with more jam and whipped cream. Compared to the first novella in this collection, Cheeky Trifle is a fun, low-angst, sexy read that is all about taking advantage of a second chance romance.

Poppy and Aaron were high school sweethearts separated by distance after she moved back to the UK following graduation. Considering the short length of this read we really don’t get into any details as to why they never tried to stay in touch, or how exactly they intend to make a go of a relationship this time around seeing as she’s just in town for a short visit. There’s also the slight matter of fact that Aaron’s fiancée recently left him, which he could care less about seeing as he never loved her and only gave her a ring because it was expected. Instead this read is all about some flirtatious foreplay at the dinner table, followed by a raunchy sexcapade in Aaron’s childhood bedroom, and an epilogue that gives you a glimpse into their happily every after. And don’t worry, the delicious trifle just so happens to make a reappearance for some sticky sweet fun.

Santa’s Naughty Elf

I only have one requirement when it comes to office romances, which is that we must be privy to at least one sexy romp on a desk. When it comes to this short novella, a decent chunk of the read is dedicated to that very thing, not to mention a dirty talking boss dressed as Santa who has a special present in his sack for one particularly naughty elf. I adore a good office romance, especially one filled to bursting with sexual tension between the boss and his or her employee. This enemies-to-lovers holiday romance is definitely sexual, and there’s plenty of tension, but unfortunately the two don’t really come together in the flirtatious way one would expect from an office romance. Cerys seems to legitimately hate her boss. He’s demanding, constantly calls her by the wrong name, and is basically just an a** hole through and through. Is he good looking? Sure, but we never get the inclination that either character desires the other in any way, shape or form. The only emotion that exists between them is animosity. But all it takes is one office holiday party, and the boss calling Cerys to his office where he’s dressed as Santa (sans beard, with coat unbuttoned and no undershirt), and boom the lust kicks in.

This is when we learn that apparently he’s always wanted her, and merely called her by the wrong name so he could see her fume. As for Cerys, her body is definitely responding to his dirty talking seduction, but she seems legitimately thrown by his total 180, and doesn’t know how she should feel about him anymore. That confusion certainly doesn’t stop them from engaging in some sultry desk sex, followed by a misunderstanding that has Cerys running out the door. Cue a surprise Christmas morning drop-by and declaration of love, and these two have apparently found their happily ever after. With such a short read I think we definitely missed out on some back story which could have made this a relationship we would want to root for, rather than question how many workplace violations we just witnessed. Even a one sentence addition to mention how Cerys perhaps once saw a softer side to Jordan’s personality, or maybe that there was always a teasing lean to their office banter would have helped smooth the eventual transition from enemies to lovers. Instead it was a jarringly inexplicable transformation, seemingly fueled by alcohol and various gift boxes from Tiffany & Co. Still, I gotta tip my elf hat to a decently descriptive office sex scene.

Resolution: Exposure

Hands down this was the best short story in the entire collection. From start to finish this read was full of lovable characters, the perfect amount of back-story, a teeny smidge of misunderstanding drama, and a connection that will make you think these two are on the right track for a meaningful happily ever after. This is the New Year’s addition to our holiday multi-pack, and rather than focusing on a New Year’s Eve party, or the drop of the ball for a scorching kiss at midnight, this novella is all about a New Year’s resolution. My resolutions, when I remember to make them, tend to revolve around exercising more (ha!) or ordering less takeout (ha! ha!). For Harper, she tells her pushy and curious friends that she’s signed up for a photography class as part of her resolution. Who knew that class would bring true love into her life? Enter Gavin.

From the moment Harper arrives late to their photography class, this devastatingly good-looking tatted man is laser focused on the introvert seated next to him. The two are paired up as partners, and as their classes progress they fall into an easygoing rapport that is typically such a foreign concept for Harper. It’s during a passionate make-out session on her couch one evening that the truth is revealed: Gavin has a daughter. This is where we get the small introduction of some drama as Harper mistakenly assumes Gavin is still married, while Gavin desperately tries to apologize for hightailing it out of her apartment after receiving a phone call that his little girl was sick. Calmer heads ultimately prevail, not to mention Gavin’s harder one (hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge), as our lovebirds find their way back to each other. This is a fast romance, which might be my sole miniscule complaint seeing as Gavin is so quick to bring another woman into his daughter’s life, but I guess when you know it’s right you just know! My other complaint? The fact these two are photography partners and we never get a naked photo shoot seems downright egregious!!

Series: Stand-alone.

Would I befriend the heroines? Definitely Harper from New Year’s seeing as she is a shy introvert with a cat. Mayyyybe the lady from Thanksgiving, but kind of hard to tell as her primary focus was on sexy trifle shenanigans.

Would I date the heroes? Gimme Gavin all night long, especially during the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve!

Final Impressions: This was on ok collection, with the final novella winning the overall holiday romance game by a mile. I read this all in one go, and it would definitely be more fun to space it out by reading each installment on it’s corresponding holiday. If you do it all at the same time the sex scenes become a bit repetitive as they all follow the same formula. The only one I didn’t particularly enjoy was the first one at Halloween.

Smut Level: Holy pumpkin pie spice were these reads steamy. The final installment was probably the most tame, as Gavin didn’t seem to be much of a dirty talker, but all of the other lads in the collection had a PhD in sexy talk. Each novella has one primary sex scene, and reading the whole collection from start to finish it was evident that each couple utilized the same progressive sexual moves.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. 174 Pages.

Emergency Engagement by Samanthe Beck

Savannah is reeling from a break-up with her ex when she somehow knocks her hunky paramedic neighbor unconscious, and finds herself embroiled in a fake engagement for the holidays. And you thought your family Thanksgiving was going to be awkward.

What’s it About?

Glass artist Savannah Smith expected a marriage proposal for Thanksgiving—just not from her strong, silent, super-hot neighbor. But when misplaced mail and a wayward can of paint lands them in a compromising position right as her family arrives for dinner, they assume he’s “The One” she’s been talking about.

Then his family shows up.

Fate dealt a crippling blow to paramedic Beau Montgomery’s heart, and he isn’t about to put it at risk again. Except, with his mother crying tears of joy over his surprise engagement to the sexy little blonde next door, he can’t bring himself to ruin her “Christmas miracle.”

Somewhere between the paint can to the head and the chaotic family trip to the ER, Beau manages to talk Savannah into being his fake fiancée long enough to survive the holidays.

If, of course, they don’t fall in love first…

First Impressions

What could make a neighbors to lovers story all the more enticing? Throw in a fake engagement, a man in uniform and a slew of holiday celebrations from Thanksgiving to New Years, and you’ll have me whistling a happy tune. The premise of this read is outlandishly fantastic in that Beau and Savannah fall into an engagement of convenience to keep their respective families happy and non-meddling through the holidays. For Savannah, she just broke up with her ex-boyfriend who she assumed was going to propose to her the night before Thanksgiving. When her parents and sister walk in on her covered in paint and in the arms of her hunky neighbor, it’s only natural they would assume he’s the mysterious boyfriend turned new fiancé. As for Beau, he’ll do anything to prove to his parents that he’s “ok” following the tragic deaths of his wife and baby daughter just a few years before, and with his mother overcoming a cancer diagnosis it seems like a proposal of deception to his artistic neighbor is the perfect distraction to bring a smile to his mother’s face.

I know there’s quite a bit of chatter on Twitter/X right now about the “family member with cancer” trope waffling through Romancelandia, and sure enough we get a bout of it here. Rather than be used as a disruptive tool of mayhem though, we instead see how it brings Beau and Savannah closer together emotionally beyond the humorous underpinnings of their supposedly fake relationship. She becomes a shoulder he can lean on when the going gets tough. Throughout the read we see multiple occurrences of comedy and passion juxtaposed against moving scenes of self-exploration and emotional depth. The teasing flirtations between Beau and Savannah will have you fanning yourself one minute, while the scenes of Beau confronting and processing his loss will have you reaching for the Kleenex in the next. Beau has closed himself off from love following the death of those he once loved more than anything, and is terrified of opening himself up to the possibility of losing someone again that is so near and dear to him. It only takes a few weeks wrapped up in Savannah’s company (and bed sheets) before he starts to feel her working her way into his heart. It’s a tumultuous journey as we question whether or not he’s willing to take the risk of giving his heart to another.

Brazen is as Brazen does

The subtle shifting of Beau and Savannah’s relationship from partners in deception to ripping each other’s clothes off was a masterful study in sexual tension build-up. From opening bell it’s no secret that these two have always admired each other from afar, but it’s a desire that neither was attempted to pursue. When their engagement scheme starts to take shape, that simmering passion slowly starts to escalate. We are privy to multiple inner dialogues where Beau is contemplating how to make this little white lie last through the holidays, while simultaneously fantasizing about how he’d like nothing more than to bend Savannah over the closest horizonal surface to release the pent up sexual longing he knows they’re both harboring. They agree to keep things purely platonic, though understand they might have to carry out some light kissing or hand-holding in front of the parental units to truly sell the ruse. Yeah…like any of us really believed that self-restraint was going to last. Ha!

Granted, it did last longer than I thought it would, but the true mark of genius in the escalation of their chemistry was that the moment which pushed them both over the edge was so perfectly ordinary. Beau was simply bringing Savannah her mail. They weren’t putting on a show for anyone. This moment was for them, and them alone. It made this erotic scene just a smidge more endearing when you could see how neither was capable anymore of repressing how much they truly wanted the other. From then on, these two took advantage of seemingly every horizontal and vertical surface to pleasure each other in as many delectable ways as possible. Imagine my surprise at perusing a few other reviews to see how disappointed the majority of readers were that they had to wait until the 40% mark for the gloves (and underwear) to come off. Whereas I saw it as one of the more exceptional displays of the natural progression of longing and passion I’ve come across in a romance, others bemoaned the fact that a novel within the Entangled: Brazen collection would delay getting to the hot and steamy stuff for so long. This was admittedly a fact I had overlooked. Therefore, prepare yourself going into it that you’re going to have some delayed gratification before the arrival of sexy fun times, but in my opinion the journey was just as fun as the destination.

Crash and Burn

We all knew the truth had to come out. More often than not I despise a third act twist which threatens the romantic future for our lovebirds, but in this instance I think they needed a bit of reality to come crashing down on their time in the sun. The events of the novel take place over the course of the Thanksgiving holiday right up until New Year’s. In that time, Beau and Savannah have concocted a fake engagement to appease their family members during the holiday season, have apparently fallen in love with each other for real, and are contemplating turning their lives completely upside down, all the while living in this fantasy bubble of a seemingly happily engaged couple. They needed something to come in and tap the breaks on this fake relationship that got very real, very fast. Unfortunately what we see play out in this third act is a complete and total train wreck. I sped through this read faster than I shovel down two helpings of stuffing at Thanksgiving, but my goodness if this final twist didn’t stop me dead in my tracks. To say I wasn’t a fan would be an understatement.

Not only do we see the truth of Beau and Savannah’s deception come to light in front of an entire room of Christmas gala attendees, but another surprise reveal from Savannah has Beau turning on her in the blink of an eye. His reaction felt completely out of character for the man we’ve come to know and love throughout the pages of this read. It’s true that we’ve seen him act rashly in the past, especially considering the entire fake engagement scenario was his idea, but it was born out of a loving concern for his family. We’ve also seen him stay level-headed and calm during the most panicked emergencies on the job as a paramedic, so to see him turn so quickly into a suspicious man questioning Savannah’s intentions towards him since the beginning was beyond aggravating. The final chapters show both Beau and Savannah stumbling through various attempts to push and pull each other either into or out of their lives. Certain moments were cringeworthy, others were heartbreaking as we see Beau finally confront how the loss of his wife and daughter impacted his outlook on life and love. Their missteps towards finding their way back to each other felt real and raw to the point where you almost have to applaud the author for showing us that not everyone comes to admitting “I love you” in a manner deserving of rainbows and butterflies. That being said, it also put a damper on what, up until that point, had been a glorious ride.

Series: Love Emergency, book 1. Oh yeah, I’ve already purchased the second book in the series, and am chomping at the bit to get started.

Would I befriend the heroine? She makes pie, so yeah.

Would I date the hero? He’s got a lot of baggage, but he’s a loving man who wears a uniform. Gonna have to say heck yeah to this one.

Final Impressions: There was so much to love about this read, from a fake engagement between childhood acquaintances turned neighbors, to the story of how two people can come to rely on each other for comfort in times of ultimate hardship. Yes, there was a very big speed bump in their road to a happily ever after that will make you want to throw your e-reader at the wall, but I’m willing to give Beau a break considering the fact he’s shut out processing the grief of losing his wife and baby daughter for so many years. I like to think it was a moment of panic from a broken man rather than a glimpse into his true nature. Needless to say he and Savannah will probably have to go to some couple’s counseling together, but I still believe these two formed a beautiful relationship steeped in trust and love.

Smut Level: This was definitely my first time coming across a couple going at it in a glass blowing hot shop. There must have been…so much sweat.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Entangled: Brazen. 232 Pages.