The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Title: The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 375

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Curl up with a quirky small-town Alaskan rom-com that'll leave you laughing over:

A grumpy local and the sunny tourist who turns his world upside down
A rogue moose who threatens to steal every scene
A vacation you'll never forget
And a sweet romance that doesn't need to scald the pages to burn its way into your heart

He had a strict "no tourists" policy...until she broke all of his rules.When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he's stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless parade of resort visitors who couldn't interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way...

Two weeks in Alaska isn't just the top item on Zoey Caldwell's bucket list. It's the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she's smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham's world, she may just find there's more to the grumpy local than meets the eye...and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

This story of Alaska marries together all the things you didn't realize you needed: a whirlwind vacation, a friendly moose, a grumpy diner owner, a quirky tourist, plenty of restaurant humor, and a happy ending that'll take you away from it all.

A very breezy but sweet romance set in Alaska. I was under the impression that this was a Christmas book but it’s actually set during the summer. Oh well. I still loved the setting of Moose Springs, Alaska. Zoey is a good main character but Graham was clearly the favorite person in the book. I loved his relationships with all the other townspeople. Ulysses was the best random encounter. I can’t wait to revisit the town and find out what happens with the resort.

Moose Springs, Alaska

#1 The Tourist Attraction
#2 Mistletoe and Mr. Right
#3 Enjoy the View

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Grosvenor Square Christmas

Title: A Grosvenor Square Christmas

Author: Anna Campbell, Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly, Kate Noble

Publisher: 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 171

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Four breathtakingly romantic tales of a Regency Christmas from four bestselling romance authors.

Down through the years, enchantment touches a tall gray house in Grosvenor Square. The legend of Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball promises true love and happiness to one lucky couple. Who will feel the magic this winter?

1803 - The Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen

Rowena Harcourt, the Duchess of Valère, never forgot the handsome footman who helped her escape the French Revolution. For fourteen years, Gabriel Lamarque has loved Rowena—now at Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball, has fate finally delivered a chance to win her hand?

1818 - One Kiss for Christmas by Vanessa Kelly

Nigel Dash is London’s most reliable gentleman, a reputation he never minded until he fell in love with beautiful Amelia Easton. Unfortunately, Amelia sees Nigel as a dependable friend, not a dashing suitor. At Lady Winterson’s famous Christmas ball, Nigel vows to change Amelia’s mind—by sweeping her off her feet.

1825 - His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell

At the season’s most glittering ball, a girl who has never dared to dream of forever after discovers a Christmas miracle.

1830 - The Last First Kiss by Kate Noble

Susannah Westforth has always loved Sebastian Beckett – but he’s only ever seen her as a friend. When Sebastian takes his Grand Tour, Susannah transforms herself into a woman he’ll notice. Now Sebastian is back, just in time for Lady Winterson's Christmas ball – but the last thing he expects to see is his little Susie, all grown up...

You’re invited to join the whirling dance at Lady Winterson’s sparkling Christmas ball, where miracles happen and true love shines forever. How can you resist?

These were all decent little stories but I wanted more from them. We get beginnings or middles but nothing like a satisfying story. I wanted a whole lot more for these characters. So another mostly disappointing collection of stories.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

Title: A Season for Second Chances

Author: Jenny Bayliss

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 448

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Annie Sharpe’s spark for life has fizzled out. Her kids are grown up, her restaurant is doing just fine on its own, and her twenty-six-year marriage has come to an unceremonious end. Untethered for the first time in her adult life, she finds a winter guardian position in a historic seaside home and decides to leave her city life behind for a brand-new beginning.

When she arrives in Willow Bay, Annie is enamored by the charming house, the invigorating sea breeze, and the town’s rich seasonal traditions. Not to mention, her neighbors receive her with open arms—that is, all except the surly nephew of the homeowner, whose grand plans for the property are at odds with her residency. As Christmas approaches, tensions and tides rise in Willow Bay, and Annie’s future seems less and less certain. But with a little can-do spirit and holiday magic, the most difficult time of her life will become…a season for second chances.

I enjoyed Bayliss’s previous book, but this one was a miss for me. I was expecting another Christmas romantic comedy. This is not that. Instead we get a very slow moving look at a woman starting again in a new-to-her village. Not enough happened to keep me really interested. I wanted more and something a little lighter. Oh well. Not every book I read is a winner.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Miss Moriarty, I Presume? by Sherry Thomas

Title: Miss Moriarty, I Presume? (Lady Sherlock #6)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 365

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte’s longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte—or is it the other way around?

But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty’s disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers?

And now we come to the end of the series… And what an ending it was! We finally get to meet Moriarty in person and dive into his organization and personal life. Obviously this volume was going to involve Reichenbach Falls and the “death” of Sherlock. It was fun to read how this was going to get twisted and updated for this version of the story. I loved the interactions between Charlotte, Ash, and Mrs. Watson. Those three are the core of this series and it was fitting for the series to end with then. I loved the setting of the Garden and the atmospheric elements of the story. I completely sped through this not wanting to wait for the ending! Now I am a little sad the series is over. I really might have to go back and re-read it soon.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday

Title: A Princess for Christmas (A Princess for Christmas #1)

Author: Jenny Holiday

Publisher: Avon 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 396

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Leo Ricci's already handling all he can, between taking care of his little sister Gabby, driving a cab, and being the super of his apartment building in the Bronx. But when Gabby spots a "princess" in a gown outside of the UN trying to hail a cab, she begs her brother to stop and help. Before he knows it, he's got a real-life damsel in distress in the backseat of his car.

Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn't be hailing a cab, or even be out and about. But after her mother’s death, her father has plunged into a devastating depression and the fate of her small Alpine country has fallen on Marie’s shoulders. She’s taken aback by the gruff but devastatingly handsome driver who shows her more kindness than she’s seen in a long time.

When Marie asks Leo to be her driver for the rest of her trip, he agrees, thinking he’ll squire a rich miss around for a while and make more money than he has in months. He doesn’t expect to like and start longing for the unpredictable Marie. And when he and Gabby end up in Eldovia for Christmas, he discovers the princess who is all wrong for him is also the woman who is his perfect match.

Perfectly decent little Christmas story, but not my favorite. This one is definitely a Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas movie in book form, but with some slightly explicit scenes. Really those scenes annoyed me the most. I was fully onboard with a princess of a made-up country falling for a Bronx guy scenario complete with chaste kisses in the snow and maybe a slightly heated embrace. With this story, we get some random sexual encounters that feel very high school in their tone and description. I wasn’t a fan of the dirty talk aspect as it felt very immature in this case. (If done well, I don’t mind dirty talk at all. See my enjoyment of many eroitca stories.) Something about Leo and Marie’s relationship felt slightly off to me. But I am intrigued by Max and want to read his and Dani’s story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Well Matched by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Matched (Well Met #3)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 313

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she’s decided to move on from her quaint little town, and asks her friend Mitch for his help with some home improvement projects to get her house ready to sell.

Mitch Malone is known for being the life of every party, but mostly for the attire he wears to the local Renaissance Faire—a kilt (and not much else) that shows off his muscled form to perfection. While he agrees to help April, he needs a favor too: she'll pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming family dinner, so that he can avoid the lectures about settling down and having a more “serious” career than high school coach and gym teacher. April reluctantly agrees, but when dinner turns into a weekend trip, it becomes hard to tell what's real and what's been just for show. But when the weekend ends, so must their fake relationship.

As summer begins, Faire returns to Willow Creek, and April volunteers for the first time. When Mitch's family shows up unexpectedly, April pretends to be Mitch's girlfriend again...and it doesn't feel so fake anymore. Despite their obvious connection, April insists they’ve just been putting on an act. But when there’s the chance for something real, she has to decide whether to change her plans—and open her heart—for the kilt-wearing hunk who might just be the love of her life.

After a disappointing second book in the series (I just really didn’t love the main characters), we get to Mitch and April’s very good story. I have loved Mitch since seeing him in the first book and always wanted to get to know him better. Thankfully, we get to see him in all his kilted glory for this book. It is true that April annoyed me throughout sections of this book, but I also realize why she struggled opening up to Mitch. Being independent for so long definitely made it hard for her to trust and give in to someone else. Totally understand that even if it annoyed me. I loved that we get to see her continued relationship with her daughter and get some pop ins from the rest of the characters we know. I also liked that this one wasn’t completely centered not he Ren Faire. We get som great scenes toward the end of the book, but a lot is set in April’s house and other locations. It helps to keep the series feeling fresh. And apparently, there’s going to be a fourth book! I’ll definitely have to add that one to my future reading list.

Well Met

#1 Well Met
#2 Well Played
#3 Well Matched

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful Stranger (Beautiful #2)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 356

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Escaping a cheating ex, finance whiz Sara Dillon's moved to New York City and is looking for excitement without a lot of strings attached. So meeting the irresistible, sexy Brit at a dance club should have meant nothing more than a night's fun. But the manner--and speed--with which he melts her inhibitions turns him from a one-time hookup and into her Beautiful Stranger.

The whole city knows Max Stella loves women, not that he's ever found one he particularly wants to keep around. Despite pulling in plenty with his Wall Street bad boy charm, it's not until Sara--and the wild photos she lets him take of her--that he starts wondering if there's someone for him outside of the bedroom.

Hooking up in places where anybody could catch them, the only thing scarier for Sara than getting caught in public is having Max get too close in private.

Ah this is better! I realized that part of why I gave the first two books in this series 3 stars was because I didn’t absolutely love the main characters. Their constant sniping at each other wasn’t really my thing. The banter between Max and Sara is much more enjoyable and gave this book another star! I would have totally fallen for someone like Max. Once again, we start with a bang, get it, bang? and push ahead full steam for the rest of the book. Very open door, and I loved it. Such fun! Now back to my regularly scheduled holiday romances.

Beautiful Bastard

#1 Beautiful Bastard
#1.5 Beautiful Bitch
#2 Beautiful Stranger
#2.5 Beautiful Bombshell
#3 Beautiful Player
#3.5 Beautiful Beginning
#3.6 Beautiful Beloved
#4 Beautiful Secret
#4.5 Beautiful Boss
#5 Beautiful

Next up on the TBR pile:

Pastels and Jingle Bells by Christine S. Feldman

Title: Pastels and Jingle Bells (Heavenly Bites #1)

Author: Christine S. Feldman

Publisher: 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 103

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Trish Ackerly never expected to cross paths with Ian Rafferty again, but when she spots the former bully of her childhood years through her bakery window, she thinks she may just have been given the best Christmas gift ever: the opportunity to finally give Ian the comeuppance he deserves.

But clearly she does not have a knack for this whole revenge thing, because before she can make good on her plans, Trish gets inadvertently drawn into Ian’s life in an unexpected way that lets her see just how different the man is from the boy he used to be. In fact, much to her astonishment, she actually starts to like the guy.

A lot.

Trouble is, Ian doesn’t know who she really is, and explaining it to him is going to be a little difficult now—which is bad news, because Trish is starting to realize that all she really wants for Christmas this year…is Ian.

Cute little introduction story, but just not enough. This needed to be twice as long so we could actually spend some time with Trish and Ian as a couple. I loved Kelsey and really felt like we need to dig into her more and learn about her life. Plus, where’s her mom? Cute and fun, but not enough for me!

Heavenly Bites

#1 Pastels and Jingle Bells
#2 Love Lessons
#3 Playing Cupid

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful Bitch by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful Bitch (Beautiful #2)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 161

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Just when Chloe’s career starts to take off, Bennett wishes it would all slow down long enough to spend a wild night alone with his intern-cum-girlfriend. Preferably one in which he can show her he’s still the boss.

After her continued refusals to take time off with him, Bennett can finally no longer take no for an answer. And so the couple find themselves with two plane tickets, one French villa, and a surprising conversation that, predictably, leaves them wrestling under the covers.

Decent little novella and continuation of Chloe and Bennett’s story. I like the story, but didn’t love the construction. We jump back and forth through their timeline following the events of Beautiful Bastard. I would have liked a bit more of a linear progression. And the different fonts for each point of view were unnecessary. We could have had chapters just title “Chloe” or “Bennett” to designate. For some strange reason, I am still into this series (despite the lower rating) and will be continuing.

Beautiful Bastard

#1 Beautiful Bastard
#1.5 Beautiful Bitch
#2 Beautiful Stranger
#2.5 Beautiful Bombshell
#3 Beautiful Player
#3.5 Beautiful Beginning
#3.6 Beautiful Beloved
#4 Beautiful Secret
#4.5 Beautiful Boss
#5 Beautiful

Next up on the TBR pile:

God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen by Rhys Bowen

Title: God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen (Royal Spyness #15)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 302

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Georgie is excited for her first Christmas as a married woman in her lovely new home. She suggests to her dashing husband, Darcy, that they have a little house party, but when Darcy receives a letter from his aunt Ermintrude, there is an abrupt change in plans. She has moved to a house on the edge of the Sandringham estate, near the royal family, and wants to invite Darcy and his new bride for Christmas. Aunt Ermintrude hints that the queen would like Georgie nearby. Georgie had not known that Aunt Ermintrude was a former lady-in-waiting and close confidante of her royal highness. The letter is therefore almost a royal request, so Georgie, Darcy, and their Christmas guests: Mummy, Grandad, Fig, and Binky all head to Sandringham.

Georgie soon learns that the notorious Mrs. Simpson, mistress to the Prince of Wales, will also be in attendance. It is now crystal clear to Georgie that the Queen expects her to do a bit of spying. There is tension in the air from the get-go, and when Georgie pays a visit to the queen, she learns that there is more to her request than just some simple eavesdropping. There have been a couple of strange accidents at the estate recently. Two gentlemen of the royal household have died in mysterious circumstances and another has been shot by mistake during a hunt. Georgie begins to suspect that a member of the royal family is the real target but her investigation will put her new husband and love of her life, Darcy, in the crosshairs of a killer.

Oof. I think I am officially done with this series. Georgie hasn’t really grown much in the past ten books and Darcy still really annoys me. It’s the side characters that really make these books entertaining. But even now, I’m not convinced they are enough to continue. I just feel like the series is rehashing the same things over and over again with nothing new introduced. Plus the mysteries have really been lackluster. Sorry Georgie, but I just can’t do it anymore.

Her Royal Spyness:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Princess Plan by Julia London

Title: The Princess Plan (Royal Wedding #1)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: HQN 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 392

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Nothing gets the tongues of London’s high society wagging like a good scandal. And when the personal secretary of the visiting Prince Sebastian of Alucia is found murdered, it’s all anyone can talk about, including Eliza Tricklebank. Her unapologetic gossip gazette has benefited from an anonymous tip about the crime, prompting Sebastian to take an interest in playing detective—and an even greater interest in Eliza.

With a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a noble bride, there’s nothing more salacious than a prince dallying with a commoner. Sebastian finds Eliza’s contrary manner as frustrating as it is seductive, but they’ll have to work together if they’re going to catch the culprit. And when things heat up behind closed doors, it’s the prince who’ll have to decide what comes first—his country or his heart.

I grabbed the third book in this series as it’s set at Christmas. But I am not an animal, and I always try to read series in order. Therefore, I had to head back to the library and get books one and two to read first. This series starter was a fun delightful romance and murder mystery intrigue. We are thrown into political intrigue and dangerous factions with Eliza as she navigates an accidental friendship with a foreign prince. But of course we are also going to get some romance thrown in there. I loved Eliza’s ability to be herself in the face of societal pressures. She was a delight to follow throughout the storyline. And Sebastian was a lovely lead male character. I wanted a bit more about them once he declared his love, but that’s a usual complaint. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will be continuing to read the trilogy.

Royal Wedding

#1 The Princess Plan
#2 A Royal Kiss and Tell
#3 A Princess by Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

Always, in December by Emily Stone

Title: Always, in December

Author: Emily Stone

Publisher: Dell 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Every December, Josie posts a letter from her home in London to the parents she lost on Christmas night many years ago. Each year, she writes the same three words: Missing you, always.But this year, her annual trip to the postbox is knocked off course by a bicycle collision with a handsome stranger--a stranger who will change the course of Josie's life.

Josie always thought she was the only one who avoided the Christmas season, but this year, Max has his own reasons for doing the same—and coincidence leads them to spending the holiday together. Aglow with new love, Josie thinks this might be the start of something special.

Only for Max to disappear without saying goodbye.

Over the course of the next year, Max and Josie will find that fate continues to bring them together in places they'd never expect. New York City. Edinburgh. The quiet English countryside. And it turns out, Max had every reason to leave and every reason to stay. But what does fate hold for Josie and Max as Christmas approaches again?

CW: Death

I grabbed this one to add to my holiday romances, but it ended up being a lot heavier than I thought it would. Ultimately, this is a book about grief. Josie spend an entire year really wrestling with the grief of losing her parents on Christmas Eve as a child. But then she’s left once more when Max disappears and then reappears at various events. I kept waiting for the big drop to happen and it does, but right at the end. Overall, I was really enjoying the story and loved following Josie with occasional interludes from Max. But it definitely wasn’t the fun and fluffy book I was expecting.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Title: The Holiday Swap

Author: Maggie Knox

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell—both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

A fun and madcap style holiday romance for this year. This was very predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. Sometimes what you need is a nice and predictable romance for the week. I really fell for Cass and loved following her storyline. Charlie has me annoyed at her as a few points in the story. She seemed to not take the assignment as seriously as her sister. But everyone and everything came together at the end. I just wish that we had a few more chapters to sit with the two relationships at the end of the book. (But that’s really my constant complaint about these types of books.) Overall, a lovely Christmas romance and I need to watch the movie version soon.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Scandalous Lord Dere by Stephanie Laurens

Title: Scandalous Lord Dere

Author: Stephanie Laurens

Publisher: Avon 2011

Genre: Romance

Pages: 184

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Once upon a time, a young woman attended a New Year's Eve ball...The moon shone brightly, music filled the air. Kisses were stolen and promises made. But what happens when morning comes? A new year brings new scandal when a rake awakens in the bed of the flame-haired temptress who had seduced him years before. All of society has them bedded, but can he convince her to become wedded?

Much better! This was a fun Regency era romance involving old flames and a blizzard. I do so love the trapped-in-a-storm trope in my romance. This one was drawn out just how I like them to be. We slowly get to know Adrian and Abby’s history and their potential future. Plus we get a few very steamy scenes sprinkled throughout the novella. Very enjoyable historical romance.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Winter's Knight by Elizabeth Cole

Title: A Winter’s Knight (Regency Rhapsody #1)

Author: Elizabeth Cole

Publisher: 2012

Genre: Romance

Pages: 56

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Phoebe Hartridge runs into serious danger on an icy winter evening. But her rescuer, the mysterious Anthony Sterling, immediately melts her heart and makes her dream of a life beyond her tiny, sheltered world. The more she gets to know him, the more she senses he is hiding something from her.

When Captain Anthony Sterling was wounded in battle, he lost his leg, his fiancee, and any hope for happiness. Even the revelation that he is the heir to a fortune brought him nothing but bitterness. Then his chance encounter with the charming, innocent Phoebe makes him wonder if there may be a future for him after all. But first he must escape the shadows of his past.

My biggest complaint about this one is the length. So incredibly short! And so much happens in that short amount of time. The main characters get engaged after a week. A little too quick for me overall. I would have like to learn more about each of them and sit with their romance for longer. Meh. I won’t be reading the rest of this short story series (even if the library had it, I’m not paying for such short stories). Time to move on.

Regency Rhapsody

#1 A Winter’s Knight
#2 Scandal at Dawn
#3 Watch for Me by Moonlight
#4 A Voice at Midnight
#5 A Dress the Color of Dusk

Next up on the TBR pile:

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis

Title: We Met in December

Author: Rosie Curtis

Publisher: William Morrow 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Two people. One house. A year that changes everything.

Twenty-nine-year-old Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling, but grand, Notting Hill house-share with four virtual strangers. On her first night, Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor, at a Christmas dinner hosted by her landlord. They don’t kiss, but as far as Jess is concerned the connection is clear. She starts planning how they will knock down the wall between them to spend more time together.

But when Jess returns from a two-week Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else—beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into (hell, sharing a bathroom with) the man of her dreams…and the woman of his.

This one ended up being a bit of slog if I’m being honest. It started out great and then we have to getting into the mundane for the next 350 ages and one year in the timeline. I was a bit disappointed that we don’t get to the romance section until the very last pages (like the last 10 pages). I always want to sit in the relationships more than that. In my recent read, The Twelve Dates of Christmas, we have to wait until nearly the end for romance also, but we get all those fun dates in between. This book was really stuck in the weeds for most of it. I kept having remind myself to pick up the book and keep reading. Not the best sign. This book isn’t bad, but it was definitely not the book for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Where the Heart Is by Darcy Burke

Title: Where the Heart Is (Ribbon Ridge #0.5)

Author: Darcy Burke

Publisher: Intrepid Reads 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 124

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Home is more than a place . . .

Breaking free from her structured life, Chloe English quits her high-powered job and moves across the country to work as an art teacher. The simple life is all she hoped it would be until her house burns down, leaving her homeless. When a handsome firefighter swoops in to save the day, she can’t believe her luck. He’s laid-back and unassuming, everything she’s looking for in a man—or so he seems. It turns out he’s as ambitious as her ex, comes with a family who could be more stifling than hers, and harbors dark secrets he may never be able to share.

Orphaned as a teenager, Derek Sumner has found a place in his best friend’s family. However, the love and support of his surrogate parents and siblings can’t erase the grief and loss he struggles every Christmas to banish. But this year he meets the fun and sexy Chloe, whose optimism and sense of joy are incredibly contagious. Can she help him face his bleak past so they can forge a happy future?

A lovely heartwarming Christmas romance. I really enjoyed both Chloe and Derek as characters. We get a fun back and forth flirting from them throughout most of the story. There were a few passages that were slightly unclear in their writing. I seriously thought that they had had sex way before they actually did. And there’s a big part of me that wishes it was a full length novel. I really wanted explore Derek and Chloe’s relationship much more than we got in this short story. Oh well. It was still an entertaining romance.

Ribbon Ridge

#0.5 Where the Heart Is
#1 Only in My Dreams
#2 Yours to Hold
#3 When Love Happens
#4 The Idea of You
#5 When We Kiss
#6 You’re Still the One

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Pirate for Christmas by Anna Campbell

Title: A Pirate for Christmas

Author: Anna Campbell

Publisher: 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 142

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

There’s a pirate in the manor house!

What is vicar’s daughter Bess Farrar to do when the dashing new earl, the man gossip paints as a ruthless pirate, kisses her the day they meet? Why, kiss him right back, of course! Now Lord Channing vows to claim the lovely firebrand, despite interfering villagers, a snowstorm, scandal, and a rascally donkey. The gallant naval captain’s first landlocked Christmas promises mayhem – and a lifetime of breathtaking passion

Pursued by the pirate…

Bess Farrar might be an innocent village miss, but she knows enough about the world to doubt Lord Channing’s motives when he kisses her the very day they meet. After all, local gossip insists that before this dashing rake became an earl, he sailed the Seven Seas as a ruthless pirate.

Bewitched by the vicar’s daughter…

Until he unexpectedly inherits a title, staunchly honorable Scotsman Rory Beaton has devoted his adventurous life to the Royal Navy. But he sets his course for tempestuous new waters when he meets lovely, sparkling Bess Farrar. Now this daring mariner will do whatever it takes to convince the spirited lassie to launch herself into his arms and set sail into the sunset.

After a contemporary holiday romance, I was feeling a hankering for a historical holiday romance. I grabbed this one at random from my Kindle stash and had a fun little holiday romp. Bess and Rory had a great bantering relationship. I enjoyed this short little novella, but do wish there had been more. A very usual sentiment from me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Title: The Reading List

Author: Sara Nisha Adams

Publisher: William Morrow 2021

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 380

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.

CW: Suicide

A lovely concept, poorly executed. The first few chapters were slightly confusing and not very engaging. Once we settled into the story, I expected to really connect to a few of the characters. Unfortunately things just seem to be drawn out and slow with mostly unlikeable characters. The exception was only Mukesh. He was the most fleshed out character, but even he could not redeem the rest of this story. Aleisha only become someone to root for in the last 20% of the novel. Way too late to really redeem this book. And then we get to the discussions of the books themselves. Mostly I was okay with them. The author didn’t go into enough detail about the various book and I was very disappointed by the dismissal of Pride and Prejudice. In the end, I just was very bored with the whole book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

Title: The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Author: Jenny Bayliss

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say "Bah, humbug." The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn't exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate's found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt's neighborhood café. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor . . . right?

Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before--and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures--Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it's least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it's been right under her nose all along. . . .

A very cute holiday romance. We meet Olive and slowly learn about her and Matt’s past relationship. Over the course of the dozen dates, we get to see Olive slowly come to the realization that her partner was right next to her all along. While many of the dates were enjoyable to read about, the few truly terrible ones were hard to stomach. And I definitely had my suspicions about Richard right from their first meeting. While heartwarming and fun at most parts, I want da bit more to really make this a favorite.

Next up on the TBR pile: