Flora’s Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin is a 2022 HQ Digital publication.
If it weren’t for bad luck, Flora would have no luck at all. AftFlora’s Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin is a 2022 HQ Digital publication.
If it weren’t for bad luck, Flora would have no luck at all. After yet another break-up, another lost job, and with her best friend moving away, Flora is urged to start her own Christmas themed business, living ‘the van life’.
It’s a great idea! She could be her own boss- so she couldn’t get fired, right? So, she heads off to Lapland with big plans to follow the Hallmark Movie guidelines, hoping she’ll not only be a great businesswoman, but will find true love, too…
Flora’s love of all things Christmas could give Buddy the Elf a run for his money, but she runs into big trouble when she meets Connor. She’s more than a little attracted to the man, but there’s this one teeny, tiny hitch…
Connor despises Christmas!
I wasn’t sure, when I started reading this book, if I was going to be able to withstand Flora’s OTT obsession with Christmas, and her strong personality. She was a little annoying, to be honest, especially for a quiet introvert.
But then we meet Connor, and I knew right then we were going to have a fantastic ‘opposites attract’ romance, and that it was going to be worth sticking around for. Not only that, but I’ve also loved this author for years, and I couldn’t imagine not being charmed by one of her books- especially one with a Christmas theme!
As it turns out, there is no better setting for a holiday story than Lapland!! If your holiday spirit needs a boost, then this book will absolutely do the trick. This an adorable holiday romance, and Rebecca Raisin did a fabulous job of creating holiday magic powerful enough that even nonbelievers can't resist it.
Overall, I ended up loving this story, and the homage to Hallmark Christmas movies, was a nice touch, too!
This is my first official Christmas romance of 2022 and I’d say this was the perfect book to kick off the holiday reading season!
Creepy Cat Vol 1 by Cotton Valent is a 2021 Seven Seas publication.
This is a fun graphic novel gear to the young adult audience. The dialogue is veryCreepy Cat Vol 1 by Cotton Valent is a 2021 Seven Seas publication.
This is a fun graphic novel gear to the young adult audience. The dialogue is very sparse, but the artwork is vibrant and colorful.
Flora moves into her new home only to discover she is not the only resident. It seems a peculiar cat also resides in the home. The story has a paranormal/ Gothic vibe, but it’s quite gentle and mostly funny. There’s no story here, and that should be made very clear, so mainly one is looking at a series of comic drawings with no rhyme or reason behind them- but the book is still entertaining and worth checking out for the great artwork… for the creepy cat, of course.
A Highlander is Coming to Town by Laura Trentham is a 2020 St. Martin’s Press publication.
Slightly offbeat, small town Christmas romance-
After quittinA Highlander is Coming to Town by Laura Trentham is a 2020 St. Martin’s Press publication.
Slightly offbeat, small town Christmas romance-
After quitting her gig as the singer in a rock band, Claire is basically hiding out in Highland, Georgia, taking care of Ms. Meadows, an elderly woman who requires a little assistance and company.
Why is Claire hiding out? She has a few heavy decisions she will soon have to face regarding her future, and she’s taking some time to come to terms with the burdens of unavoidable responsibility that awaits her once the holidays are over and she must return home to Scotland.
The last thing on her mind is romance… until a sexy guy named Holt occasions to come to her rescue when her grocery bag breaks and when she has trouble with her bike. Despite his good looks, Ms. Meadows warns Claire this guy is trouble with a capital T!!
I added this book because it had a holiday theme, not realizing it was a part of a series. For the record, the book is easily read as a stand-alone, so don’t let that deter you.
The characterizations are what makes this a fun and lively story. Highland is apparently a unique place to live, and it’s no wonder Claire felt drawn to it and had no desire to leave. The romance is cute, with only a bit of low- level angst.
My one complaint is that it seems there is a trend among holiday centered contemporary romance novels at the moment, which is to ignore the holiday elements until the last few chapters of the book. In the past, some authors have gone too far in the other direction, I will admit, but if we are going to market a book as holiday romance, perhaps more of balance is called for.
Nevertheless, the Christmas spirit does shine through in the end, adding a dash of magic to the story.
Overall, this is a lovely romance, with a bit of spice, and a touch of holiday cheer!
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren is a 2020 Gallery Books publication.
Cute, whimsical holiday romance!
We have all done things we immediately regret- In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren is a 2020 Gallery Books publication.
Cute, whimsical holiday romance!
We have all done things we immediately regret- things we wish we could take back. Unfortunately, we have no other choice but to live with the consequences of our actions.
This holiday season, though, Maelyn Jones gets a second chance miracle...
Or two….
Or three…
If she can right her wrongs, Mae could face a brighter and more promising future. She also has an opportunity to tell her long-time family friend, Andrew, how she really feels about him.
This story takes a familiar setup-Ala-Groundhog Day and gives it a fun, fantastical, holiday spin.
This is a playful, romantic, and occasionally hysterical story, but the family dynamics, the great memories, and the touching conclusion give the story just the right touch of warmth and holiday cheer!
Overall, despite the less than original set-up, and the glutted Rom-Com market, this turned out to be only the second book of the season that feels festive enough to lift my holiday spirits.
4 stars
*FYI- I have not been receiving notifications for the past few days. The issue appears to have been resolved. I apologize if I have not responded to everyone who 'liked' or 'commented on my reviews. I should be back on track now... I hope! ...more
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey is a 2019 Berkley publication.
An adorable ode to classic Rom-Coms!
I am pleased to see this book was so well rWaiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey is a 2019 Berkley publication.
An adorable ode to classic Rom-Coms!
I am pleased to see this book was so well received! Rom-Coms were considered circumspect back in their prime, but after a while they became the 'Barry Manilow' of movies, eliciting all manner of hand waving and eye rolls from the super intelligent, who are too smart to indulge in something so sentimental and sweet, playing the tired old 'unrealistic' card. Blah, Blah, Blah! I don't care! I loved those movies!!
I’m so happy to see people are looking back on those wonderful ‘feel good’ movies with fond nostalgia these days and are maybe beginning to relax and realize that a little light gentle fun won’t hurt you- in fact it’s good for the soul!!
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That said, I must, with great chagrin, admit that at times this book was a bit too silly, even for me. The author did do an amazing job of recreating the 1990s Rom-Com format and atmosphere, which also means it was occasionally corny.
The characters are zany, quirky, and downright weird at times, but they are also funny and sweet. The story is predictable, of course, but that's part of its charm.
We find comfort and escape with these stories. They lift our spirits, restore hope, and leave us enveloped in a warm fuzzy glow, but most importantly, they make us smile.
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This book pays tributes to all the great classics- not just ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ or ‘You’ve Got Mail’. I was happy to see the author mention, “While You Were Sleeping’ (Bill Pullman!!!!!) which is my all -time favorite, although ‘When Harry Met Sally’ is a pretty close second- but of course- even stuffy snobs love Tom Hanks!
Overall, this story is super light and easy, very fun and…. It made me smile!
Book Love by Debbie Tung is a 2019 Andrews McMeel Publishing publication.
This adorable book is about me. This is me- well with a few slight exceptionBook Love by Debbie Tung is a 2019 Andrews McMeel Publishing publication.
This adorable book is about me. This is me- well with a few slight exceptions. But, basically, if your life revolves around books- If you live them, breathe them, inhale them, hug them, collect them, share them, quote from them…. Etc, Etc. - This book is for you.
This book isn’t a story, it doesn’t have a plot, per se. It is basically a special gift for book lovers, a celebration and homage to books and book nerds. The comic drawings are not overly dramatic, but the expressiveness is what jumps out at you. The passion, the defensiveness and protectiveness towards books and our obsession with them, and the familiar frustration with people who just don't 'get it', resonated with me one hundred percent. I laughed so hard at the dialogue because I’ve said or done these things- often. I have had variations of these arguments and conversations and have had the exact same reactions, thoughts and feelings, at one time or another. The only difference for me is that I've been known to hug my Kindle in the same way I hug a print copy book. This happens more and more often now that I really have come to depend on that large font size- but, I understood the sentiment, all the same.
This book is short and sweet and so easy to relate to. You will see yourself in this book and appreciate the nod to book lovers, and may even experience a feeling of vindication, knowing that you are in good company. This book soothes my introverted soul in ways that may make my eyes leak just a little.
What I can say for sure, is that Debbie Tung is my kind of people. I may not know her personally, but I think she may know me.
A Wedding at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer is a 2018 St. Martin’s Press publication.
If you are looking for a love match, Greer Jones, who operates TA Wedding at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer is a 2018 St. Martin’s Press publication.
If you are looking for a love match, Greer Jones, who operates Two Love Lane, a matchmaking service, is at your service. With only one exception, she has managed to find a match for all her clients. Yet, for Greer, helping others find love leaves little time to find her own Mr. Right. However, she is sure that someday she will meet the man of her dreams, so despite having no boyfriend, or fiancé, and okay, she’s not even dating anyone, she still has her heart set on the wedding dress which is part of a local fundraising contest.
Enter, Ford Smith, an artist looking for his next model, who happens to be hiding out from a really awkward situation back in Britain, which is where he is from. Ford agrees to accompany Greer to the cocktail party and fundraiser and knows immediately she’s the person he wants to paint. He then finds himself entangled in her quest to win the wedding dress, when it appears her lack of a fiancé could hurt her chances of winning the contest.
As Greer and Ford begin to spend more time together they find their light, flirty relationship becoming more serious, but both are in denial. The timing couldn’t be worse for either of them.
But, love has its own timetable and for Greer it’s now or never- but does Ford feel the same way?
This is a really cute and sweet contemporary romance full of quirky characters and oddly humorous and awkward situations that added to the story’s charm. I wouldn’t have thought a droll British aristocrat would be a good match for the vivacious Greer, but somehow the British manners complimented the southern charms of Charleston. South Carolina.
This story has a lot going on, and touches on various themes, one of which is to avoid settling for comfort and companionship when you can have everlasting true love instead. I also enjoyed the artistic threads with added a extra dollop of depth to Ford’s understated stoicism.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this story. It is very light, very easy to read, but I found myself completely enchanted with it!
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