What a Lady Needs for Christmas by Grace Burrowes

The Basics:
What a Lady Needs for Christmas by Grace Burrowes
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Book Four in the MacGregor series
Historical Romance
Published October 7, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo

Why I picked up this book:

On a Christmas kick, I also had a lot of faith in the publisher.

Xmas in October: Once Upon a Christmas Kiss by Manda Collins

Presenting: Christmas in October!

Each day this week, I will be reviewing a Christmas-themed book, reviewing how well the book embraces the holiday as well as giving my two cents on the book as a whole. Join me in celebrating the holiday a wee bit early and post your holiday book reviews to comments of any of this week's reviews!

The Book:

Basics

Once Upon a Christmas Kiss by Manda Collins
St Martin's
Book 3.5 in the Wicked Widows series
Historical Romance
Published October 14, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Goodreads

Xmas in October: Blame It on the Mistletoe by Nicole Michaels

Presenting: Christmas in October!

Each day this week, I will be reviewing a Christmas-themed book, reviewing how well the book embraces the holiday as well as giving my two cents on the book as a whole. Join me in celebrating the holiday a wee bit early and post your holiday book reviews to comments of any of this week's reviews!

The Book:

Basics

Blame It on the Mistletoe by Nicole Michaels
St Martin's
Contemporary Romance
Published October 14, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Goodreads

Xmas in October: The Mistletoe Effect by Melissa Cutler

Presenting: Christmas in October!

Each day this week, I will be reviewing a Christmas-themed book, reviewing how well the book embraces the holiday as well as giving my two cents on the book as a whole. Join me in celebrating the holiday a wee bit early and post your holiday book reviews to comments of any of this week's reviews!

The Book:

Basics

The Mistletoe Effect by Melissa Cutler
St Martin's Press
Contemporary Romance
Published October 7, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo

Xmas in October: Season for Desire by Theresa Romain

Presenting: Christmas in October!

Each day this week, I will be reviewing a Christmas-themed book, reviewing how well the book embraces the holiday as well as giving my two cents on the book as a whole. Join me in celebrating the holiday a wee bit early and post your holiday book reviews to comments of any of this week's reviews!

The Book:

Basics

Season for Desire by Theresa Romain
Zebra
Book Four in the Holiday Pleasures series
Historical Romance
Published October 7, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo

A Christmas To Remember by Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, Marilyn Pappano, Kristen Ashley, Jill Shalvis

The Basics:
A Christmas To Remember by Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, Marilyn Pappano, Kristen Ashley, Jill Shalvis
Forever Yours
Romance
Published December 3, 2013
Amazon.ca Kobo.com

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

Curl up with this heartwarming Christmas collection!

Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . . 

Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . . 

Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger. 

Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . . 

Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

Plus: Excerpts from upcoming novels!

Why I picked up this book:

I was hoping for a collection of short, sweet romances set around the Christmas holidays.

My thoughts:

So I didn't quite get what I was hoping for - this is a collection of five new short stories and five excerpts from upcoming novels by each author. This is clearly stated in the blurb so I have no one to blame but myself for failing to realize this.

Now, normally, I avoid excerpts because they're almost like an insta-buy for me - once I've engaged with a story, I have to see it through! (Unless I really, really dislike it...).  

But because I wanted to be fair, I read them all. And I've already forgotten some of them, unfortunately (or fortunately for my wallet!). A couple did make an impact though - Kristen Ashley's excerpt is actually the love story that leads into the short story included in the collection.

So a pet peeve of mine or a quirk or whatever - does anyone else not want to go back and read about how a couple came together once they've already read about the couple being a couple? Does that make sense?  If I pick up a book in the middle of the series, whichever couples are already paired off in that book, I never go back to re-read their stories. I've already seen them together, so it's... almost as though I've been spoiled? Except, of course, we all know what the end of a romance novel should result in, so have I really been spoiled beyond normal genre expectations?  Anyways, it's one of my eccentricities, I guess, that I very rarely go backwards. So though I did like the short story from Ashley, and I do want to read *Landon's* story, and I am a little curious about what happened between Tabby and Shy... Okay, I'll admit, I may end up picking this one up - though Tabby's use of the phrase "the bomb" really drove me crazy.

The other excerpt that stuck out for me was from Marilyn Pappano and finished off the series. It ends on a really low note, and while I'm sure in the book it is from, it's a great first chapter, it was a really poor way to end a Christmas collection. I was left with a bad taste in my mouth, and a lot of pity for the heroine in the last book.

The Bottom Line:

Overall, the short stories in this collection were a mixed bag. I liked "Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas" and "Dream a Little Dream" the most. I wasn't really wowed by anything in this collection. Not all of the excerpts were Christmas themed, and as I said above, the last one ends on a really low note. I wasn't left with that feel-good romance feeling nor with a boost to my Christmas spirit.

If you're looking for a sampler of upcoming books, this might be a good choice. You get a chance to see how these authors handle the short format and then a peek at a longer work. But if you're hoping for a Christmas collection, I don't think you'll be satisfied with this.

2.5 stars
For fans of any of these five authors, contemporary romance, teasers for upcoming novels.

Santa Wore Leathers by Vonnie Davis

The Basics:
Santa Wore Leathers by Vonnie Davis
HarperImpulse
Romance
Published November 28, 2013

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

Take one man-shy reporter, a gorgeous ex-Navy SEAL turned firefighter, add in a thong-stealing dog… and Christmas will never be the same again!
There’s only one thing on Becca Sinclair’s Christmas list this holiday season – her very own column in the local paper. And if she can build a huge blog following, her wish just might come true.

Enter Dan ‘Wolf’ Wolford aka the man-whore next door and the new star of Becca’s popular, post-divorce blog about men. A Navy SEAL turned commander of the Florida Marine Rescue Unit, Wolf’s the very definition of the word alpha – and with an endless rotation of women on his doorstep, this hunk on a Harley has Becca and her female followers all hot and bothered!

All Becca wants for Christmas is her newspaper column, right? But when she finds herself the target of Wolf’s irresistible attentions, her snarky comebacks become less and less convincing and, suddenly, she’s not so sure anymore…

Why I picked up this book:

I was looking for some light sexy fun, and this sounded like it had some potential!

My thoughts:

First things first, I have a love-hate relationship with this cover.  I love the gorgeous guy with a dog and Santa hat. I love the color scheme. I hate that the line at the top of the book cuts through the guy's chin. I have to stare at it every time, as though it's a seriously demented cleft chin.

This novella-length book was really inconsistent, I thought, in terms of how Becca and Wolf treat/talk to each other at any given moment. One second they're arguing, the next discussing their families, then back to arguing again.

I also found the hot button issue of Becca being a reporter, and Wolf's reaction to that. really offputting. It was so blindly angry and because it came *after* he'd already started trying to get to know her.... I really thought he should have been smarter than to lump all reporters together without any kind of action on Becca's part to support his concerns.

I did like the ways in which Becca's first impressions of Wolf were turned upside down. And I liked that Wolf pursued her - nothing hotter than someone who knows what they want and is willing to put themself out there to get it.

I think that the motorcycle side could have been leveraged a bit better - perhaps only in a longer story though. I almost would have preferred to have the book start with the parade and Santa wearing leathers and move forward from that very sexy moment.

Bottom line:

An average romance novella with a holiday theme, some cute neighbour moments and a lot of odd arguing-not-arguing moments. Very hot and cold, I wanted to like this but it found the back and forth too jarring to enjoy.

2.5 stars
For fans of Christmas-themed romances, neighbour romances.

Where the Heart Is by Darcy Burke

The Basics:
Where the Heart Is by Darcy Burke
Intrepid Reads
Prequel to the Ribbon Ridge series
Romance
Published December 1, 2013

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

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?

Why I picked up this book:

It looked like a sweet Christmas-y romance.

My thoughts:

It was a sweet Christmas-y romance. Very well written. Though quick, the romance between Chloe and Derek felt believable. I liked the positioning of family in this story - some meddling members, some absentee, people dealing with the loss of family, others with over-involved family. It was a nice spectrum of family relationships that emphasized how important family is - both the family we're born to and the one that we choose (or that chooses us) later in life.

For a novella length work, I think the pacing of this story was perfect. There was no cheating the reader because there wasn't enough time to wrap everything up neatly, nor did Burke refrain from creating legitimate conflict. I didn't feel like anything was really contrived - another common complaint of mine for novella-length romances.

There's something that feels very real about Chloe and Derek's romance. The problems they face aren't blown ridiculously out of proportion and they both react in reasonable ways (outside of their own personal issues, which makes sense since they wouldn't be issues if they reacted in reasonable ways to them!).  I really liked that, it made it easier to connect to these characters and to care about them - because they were more human and less caricatures.

This book sets up the Archer family who I presume will star in Burke's Ribbon Ridge series. There's a lot of variety among the seven siblings - sextuplets and one 'oops' younger brother, and I think I'll quite enjoy getting to know each of them better.

Bottom line:

This one isn't super Christmas-themed - but does definitely take place around the holidays. Pick it up for the romance, and the start of a new series. I'll be checking out Darcy Burke's historical romance series once I find an opening in my reading schedule!

4.5 stars
For fans of contemporary romance.

The Scandal Before Christmas by Elizabeth Essex

The Basics:
The Scandal Before Christmas by Elizabeth Essex
St. Martin's Press
Romance
Book One of the Reckless Brides
Published October 8, 2013

Blurb:

’Tis the season for a new holiday novella from acclaimed author Elizabeth Essex! The Scandal Before Christmas is romance so good it’s scandalous…

Lieutenant Ian Worth needs a wife by Christmas, and he can’t afford to be choosy. He has to find her, woo her, and wed her before he goes back to sea—all within a matter of days.  

Anne Lesley is a shy spinster with no prospects, and nothing and no one to recommend her but her own self. She accepts the lieutenant’s hasty offer only for the comfort and security it will bring. But when a midwinter storm snows her and Ian in, they both find they got much more than they bargained for—laughter, light, and a Christmas filled with honest to goodness true love…

There's supposed to be four books in this series, the next one coming in April 2014 - After the Scandal.

What worked for me:

The standout character in this work was the heroine - Anne. She was quiet to avoid both disappointing people and to maintain the peace. Her self-doubt was raised in really logical ways, and more intriguingly, all that suppressed passion, curiosity and lust for *life* (let alone Ian). 

There's a really sweet love story here - I like that both Ian and Anne have really good personal reasons motivating a quick marriage. I liked that it wasn't love at first sight, and that they both had to work at it a bit. 

What didn't work for me:

The most irritating thing in this book was the repetition of Ian as being shallow and ramshackle. He thinks of himself, or explains himself to Anne in these terms several times and it was very unnecessary. His behaviour in the book shifted from this to something much more palatable, and we didn't need him to constantly remind us that he didn't think he was worthy of Anne. 

There also seemed to be a convenient lack of servants. For a cottage with six bedrooms and a greenhouse, it seemed strange for there to be just Ian and Pinky living there. It seemed contrived to allow for more concerns about alone time between various combinations of the characters present.

I also wondered at the sudden disappearance of Anne's mother within the novella. One moment, everyone's concerned she's going to say something wrong to Ian's father. Anne stands up to her for the first time, and then blam, dear mom disappears. I'd have liked to have her continue to natter away in the background of the story.

Bottom Line:

This is a quick, sweet tale of love at Christmastime. There's a young woman coming out of her self-imposed shell, there's a young man finally growing up and standing up to his father. 

Definitely worth a read, and I'll likely keep an eye out in April for the next one.

4 stars
For anyone who loves romance, HEAs, well-defined characters, light and sweet stories