Tag Archives: holiday romance

REVIEW ~ Oklahoma Starshine by Maggie Shayne

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A deeply moving, emotional story of a mother’s anguish, a father’s love, a family’s hope, this novel will renew your faith and restore your belief in miracles.

Veterinarian and single mom Emily Hawkins’ world is turned upside down when her precious little girl is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Only a bone marrow transplant can save 3-year-old Matilda Louise. Emily isn’t a match, but she’s determined to find someone who is, and that means tracking down Tilda’s biological father and his filthy rich family, a family she believes would’ve preferred her little girl had never been born.

But when she arrives in Big Falls, Oklahoma, nothing is the way she expected. Joey McIntyre, the billionaire’s son who’d been her sweet teenage summer fling, is as handsome and smooth as ever, but he seems to fall hard for Tilda-Lou at first sight, and he’s furious that Emily has kept his child from him. Which makes no sense at all. Soon Emily begins to suspect that the version history she’s believed all these years, might not be the real one. And if that’s true, she’s done a terrible, unforgivable thing.

But none of that matters as dire symptoms set in. The doctor advises Emily and Joe to give their girl the best Christmas ever. Fortunately, Christmas is what the Brand-McIntyre clan does best.

Emily and Joey put their feelings aside, coming together in a desperate search for a way to save their little girl against all odds.

But the truth is that little Matilda Louise is the one who’s saving them.

If you enjoyed Maggie Shayne’s Award Winning Texas Brands Series and Oklahoma Brands, you are going to LOVE the McIntyre Men.

I’ll tell you up front that I am a fan of Maggie Shayne and specifically her Oklahoma-centric series’. I love the feisty Brand women which means I’ll pretty much give every new series at least one book. When I came across Oklahoma Starshine, which combined the Brand women with the hot McIntyre men, I was all in. Throw in a secret baby and the possibility of a second chance romance and I’m a sucker for it!

I won’t rehash the synopsis but let me just tell you that I was totally prepared to have a real good hate-on for Joe…and Bobby Jo. And for a long time, I did. Even longer than Emily probably.

One of the things that often defines Maggie Shayne novels is the big family dynamic and I love it. Almost always. Sometimes though, like in the case of Emily, I think it can come across as bullying. Skepticism is perfectly understandable but seriously, NO ONE considered that just maybe Joe had done something to screw things up between him.

I loved watching Matilda and Joe fall in love as father and daughter, it just enhanced the whole holiday feel of things. To me Emily and Joe were secondary in this story, which was okay.

I loved that all the Brands show up and use all of their quite considerable otherworldly beliefs to help guide Tilda to good health.

Oklahoma Starshine was a lot of fun, magic, holiday spirit with just the right amount of romance to make this a quick, enjoyable read.

***At the time of this review Oklahoma Starshine is just #99cents!***

LIVE ~ Countdown to Midnight by Katy Regenry

From New York Times bestselling author, Katy Regnery, comes a standalone New Years-themed romance novella with TWO happily-ever-afters!

After a busy Christmas surrounded by the wedded bliss of their three married sisters, still-single Elizabeth and Jane Story deserve a little fun for New Years!

Heading to the ultra-exclusive Point on Saranac Lake, they expect a week of ski, snow and socializing . . . what they get is a computer glitch that double-books their luxury slopeside condo to handsome Bostonians, Merit and Amity Atwell.

With few other options, the two sets of sibs decide to share the deluxe digs.

Surgical resident, Amity, is more than happy to renew his acquaintance with med school flame, Jane, whom he’s always considered “the one that got away.” But that leaves bar-owner, Merit, and litigator, Elizabeth, way too much time to get on each other’s nerves…

Spend New Years with the Story sisters and Atwell brothers as they spend Christmas week counting down to midnight!

Feels Like Love ~ Just 99 CENTS!!!

I just wanted to belong…
Sadie had never belonged anywhere other than on stage. A soulful singer and musician, she left home at a young age and never looked back. No one missed her anyhow. Traveling the country with one no good boyfriend or another for work, Sadie settled in New Orleans until another d-bag boyfriend decided she wasn’t enough…and the slutty new bartender was.
She left for Mustang Prairie and the open arms of her half-sister Amelia…or so she thought

I just wanted to protect her…
Dylan Parker was retired at the ripe old age of 34. After catching a serial killer who’d tortured Chicago for a decade, he was ready to turn in his homicide detective’s shield.
Needing distance from his high society parents and their social climbing friends he packed up his truck and bought a bar in Mustang Prairie. Getting reacquainted with small town life would be an adjustment…until he met a copper haired amazon with a voice like warm honey.
Sadie was everything he wanted; a friend, a devil’s advocate, a sister, and a confidante. Theirs was a deeply satisfying friendship so Sadie and Dylan fought their mutual attraction.

Can Sadie & Dylan admit that their friendship feels more like love?

What people are saying about Feels Like Love:

Return to Mustang Prairie and get swept away by a sweet and spicy romance!

Meet Sadie Girl, the wanderer with a heart of gold and the voice of an angel. And Dylan, the blue-eyed stud who traded in his cop badge to be a small town bartender.

Both come from cold, unsupportive families. Both have reasons to flee from romance. But eventually these two best friends won’t be able to deny their sizzling chemistry, and the growing tension between them.

My favorite book in this series! You will LOVE these characters and enjoy revisiting the rest of the Mustang Prairie gang.

Feels Like Love (Mustang Prairie Book 3)
US: http://amzn.to/1KIICF5
UK: http://amzn.to/2etV2YN
AU: http://amzn.to/2dJmi7h
CA: http://amzn.to/2ei4CTs

 

JUST 99 CENTS ~ Getting In The Spirit by Erin Nicholas

It’s Christmas time in Sapphire Falls!

At least one good thing has come from Levi Spencer’s car accident– it seems to have knocked some sense into him. He’s ready to leave his wild Vegas playboy ways behind and become a new man. And he knows just the place to do it… his brother Joe’s new hometown. He’s never spent time in a place described as quaint or idyllic, and now he intends to revel in every charming, sweet thing he can find. Like the homegrown country girl his brother sets him up with for the Christmas formal.

Kate Leggot wants just one great Christmas. After a childhood without Christmas at all and three failed attempts to find the seasonal magic on her own, she agrees to spend the holiday with her friend Phoebe in Sapphire Falls. The Christmas-crazy town is a far cry from San Francisco and Kate quickly finds herself drawn into everything from the snow to the hot cocoa. And, of course, the sweet country boy Phoebe has set her up with for the formal. Looks like she’s going to get everything she wanted– and more– under the tree this year.

A not-so-little mix-up, a hot kiss under the mistletoe and a candy cane or two later and December in Sapphire Falls has never been so hot.

Get your copy TODAY!!!

      

The Homespun Holiday by Sarah O’Rourke…99 cents!!!

Dr. Mackenzie Daniels was a loner. He had the divorce, a far-away family, and well-known cranky persona to prove it. And if he had his way, he would continue on his loner way, in spite of the attempts of the townspeople to infiltrate his life with their irritating, so-called charming ways. That was…until he met the beautiful Nurse Millicent Robbins.

Millie Robbins had done the love and marriage thing, and all she could say was that she got a beautiful daughter out of the entire debacle. Love was not in her long-term plans when she graduated from nursing school, thank you very much….until she found herself falling head over heels for the grouchiest but most gorgeous doctor she’d ever met.

Can Mack and Millie find their way to love in spite of their histories? Can happiness actually exist for two star-crossed lovers?

Join the entire town of Paradise for a Christmas celebration of lasting love!

Just #99cents on Amazon US & UK! ENDS December 10th!

LIVE!!! ~ The Christmas Fountain by Kait Nolan

Elementary school teacher Mary Alice Reed wanted a nice, stable guy to share her happily ever after. When she thought she’d found him, everyone tried to tell her that the guy she thought was her Mr. Right, was really Mr. Somebody Else’s. Living with a town’s worth of I-told-you-so isn’t easy, but she’s coping. And definitely taking a break from love in order to get past her last disaster to chair her favorite Christmas charity.

Trauma surgeon Chad Phillips gave up the intensity and long hours of a big city hospital to move to Wishful. He wants a home and family, a town with a slower pace, where he can actually build a life. Being one of Wishful’s most eligible bachelors has gotten him a lot of pie and casseroles, but it hasn’t helped him find that special someone to come home to.

When a friend’s accident lands Mary Alice in his ER, Chad finds himself more than intrigued. Part Martha Stewart, part Mary Poppins, and all Girl Next Door, she’s exactly what he’s been looking for. Volunteering for the Fountain of Hope charity seems like the perfect way to get to know his Christmas crush. But just as he seems to be overcoming Mary Alice’s once bitten, twice shy caution, that one tiny thing from his past, that he probably should have told her about, shows up for a Christmas season visit. Chad’s gonna have some explaining to do.

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Just $.99 TODAY ONLY!!!

It Must Be Love is on sale for just 99 pennies until midnight PST TODAY!!

If you haven’t been to Mustang Prairie yet, let Trixie and Jack reel you in.

 

💖💋🔥💖💋Welcome to Mustang Prairie🔥💖💋🔥💖💋
Trixie is a Mustang Prairie girl, born and raised. At least until her parents up and moved her to a commune in Oregon and far away from the love of her young life. Jack Thorpe.

But grownup Trixie is back in Mustang Prairie and ready for the next chapter in her life, which includes her lingerie store Under the Skirt and starting her own line of sexy lacy things. When her past collides with her present in the form of a tall, blonde artist, Trixie has to wonder if her girlish crush could be the answer to her grownup dreams?

Jack married his high school sweetheart, only it didn’t turn out so sweet and he never got to tell her it was over. Now he has to smile and pretend while the world goes on and on about how great Marissa was, especially now that he’d brought his girls back to Mustang Prairie for good.

The one bright spot in town was the new and improved girl next door. Little Trixie wasn’t so little and Jack was more than a little interested. Too bad he wasn’t interested in another round of the rollercoaster known as love and commitment.

Too bad he can’t stay away.

It Must Be Love
US: http://amzn.to/2hFSIzw
UK: http://amzn.to/2k8vAdA

Fall in love with the rest of #MustangPrairie!!!

Conflict of Interest (Shellie & Noel) ~ http://amzn.to/1SJDcyR

A Little Bit In Love (Alex & Baxter) ~ http://amzn.to/1L9772p

Feels Like Love (Sadie & Dylan) ~ http://amzn.to/1KIICF5

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

To all my friends, family and readers in the United States, I wanted to take a moment to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and tell you that I am thankful for ALL OF YOU!! Those of you who have bought my books, reviewed them or helped pimp them. To those of you who supported and encouraged me, and those who offered critiques that were hard to hear…thank you.

Putting one book out for consumption is hard. Making a career of it is even harder without the right people around to help you succeed. It is a slow climb but we’re all still making it together. So thank you for being the kind of people to help and I hope I’ve given back as much or more to you.

Eat well and be thankful for those that are with you today, and remember those who aren’t with you any longer.

And wish me luck as I embark on my very first vegan Thanksgiving meal.

After your belly is stuffed and your heart is full of mashed potatoes and yummy pecan pie, snuggle up with a good book or two.

Just #99cents

Alex & Baxter

Review ~ The Christmas Fountain – Kait Nolan

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Elementary school teacher Mary Alice Reed wanted a nice, stable guy to share her happily ever after. When she thought she’d found him, everyone tried to tell her that the guy she thought was her Mr. Right, was really Mr. Somebody Else’s. Living with a town’s worth of I-told-you-so isn’t easy, but she’s coping. And definitely taking a break from love in order to get past her last disaster to chair her favorite Christmas charity.

Trauma surgeon Chad Phillips gave up the intensity and long hours of a big city hospital to move to Wishful. He wants a home and family, a town with a slower pace, where he can actually build a life. Being one of Wishful’s most eligible bachelors has gotten him a lot of pie and casseroles, but it hasn’t helped him find that special someone to come home to.

When a friend’s accident lands Mary Alice in his ER, Chad finds himself more than intrigued. Part Martha Stewart, part Mary Poppins, and all Girl Next Door, she’s exactly what he’s been looking for. Volunteering for the Fountain of Hope charity seems like the perfect way to get to know his Christmas crush. But just as he seems to be overcoming Mary Alice’s once bitten, twice shy caution, that one tiny thing from his past, that he probably should have told her about, shows up for a Christmas season visit. Chad’s gonna have some explaining to do.

The Christmas Fountain by Kait Nolan is the perfect holiday story. It’s a full blown romance, complete with meet cute and a slow, sexy buildup. Only it all happens around the holidays. There are no cheesy Christmas themes or kitsch thrown in, just Mary Alice and Chad.

And I LOVED them together. Flirting in the ER over drunk friend was the perfect way for this serious couple to meet. And from that point their relationship progressed perfectly, with fun dates and plenty of sweet romance and a whole lotta steamy romance. There was a little bit of everything for everyone who loves a great small town romance.

I can’t say there was a part of this story I didn’t like. I cracked open my Kindle yesterday and finished it just a minutes before starting on this review. It was quick, fun and easy. But, I’m gonna have to call BS on Chad for one tiny little misunderstanding. Yeah, I know it’s a romance and there has to be drama and/or misunderstanding, I got it and love it. Hell, I write romance myself and I have a bit of a girl crush on Kait. But Chad…seriously? I think Mary Alice was totally within her rights to be pissed off because of ALL the things you hide or keep to yourself IT’S NOT THAT! Not when you know her history, so while it all worked out, I’m calling Dr. Phillips out on his behavior on that part.

Overall, I loved this story. It had just enough holiday for the season and I loved some of the secondary characters. Kait Nolan is one author who excels at pulling in different characters without overloading the story with too many people.

The Christmas Fountain was a fun holiday romance to get you in the spirit!

Review ~ An Ex For Christmas – Lauren Layne

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ABOUT:

When a psychic tells spunky, superstitious Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with the idea of tracking him down before Christmas. Kelly immediately writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which one is the one. When her college sweetheart rolls into town, Kelly convinces herself that they’re meant to be. The trouble is, sparks are flying with someone she’s never given a chance: her best friend, Mark.

Mark Blakely has watched the guys on Kelly’s list break her heart, and he’s not looking forward to watching them do it all over again. Mark’s always been there for her, but the timing’s never worked out for their relationship to be something more. Now, just as Mark is ready to move on, the sexual tension between them is suddenly off the charts. With Christmas morning around the corner, he just hopes Kelly will wake up and realize that everything she wants has been right in front of her all along.

I really wanted to LOVE this story but it turns out that I only liked it. An Ex For Christmas is a good story but there were times that I wanted to strangle Kelly. Not that I have any problems people believing in or using magic 8 balls, horoscopes, tarot cards and any of that. But letting it rule your life? It grew a bit tiresome way before we got to Christmas Eve and Christmas.

This story was…odd. More than half the story is Kelly tracking down other guys with no mention of having feelings for or even an attraction to her best friend. At fifty percent I had to go back and read the synopsis because I thought maybe I’d misread it. But no, I hadn’t. Then finally something happened but by then I was really just ready to get to the HEA.

As a writer I understand drama and storytelling so I have to give Lauren Layne credit because my reaction to Kelly, at times, was visceral. I screamed “Oh. My. God.” At least ten times from sixty percent to the end. Don’t get me wrong, Mark was no angel either. I mean it was clear he had feelings for her, but not to her.

Did you hear me? Not. To. Her.

I loved parts of this story, the history of their friendship and how close they were, even sharing a dog. I just wished that two people who had such a great relationship, could have communicated a little better. I mean, seriously!

All that being said, Kelly and Mark were adorable together. It was clear they could be a great match if she’d let go of her complete reliance on the supernatural or mystical to guide her life. As someone who used to spend her high school years poring over every horoscope printing in the Sun Times and Tribune, I understand where she’s coming from. Except…I was in high school, not looking for The One.

An Ex For Christmas is good read, probably a great read if you don’t let Kelly annoy you too bad! That’s why I gave it almost 4 stars, let’s call it 3.75 stars.