Review: A Christmas Courtship by Shelley Shephard Gray

 

A Christmas Courtship (Berlin Bookmobile #3) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Publication Date: October 19th 2021 by Gallery Books

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Atle, a forty-year-old bachelor, has admired Sadie Mast from afar for years, but she’d been off limits being married. Now a widower, mother of three, she asks Atle to build a room for her oldest son, Cale now that he’s older to give him so space and growing room, and Atle sees this as an opportunity to court Sadie if he can muster enough courage speak up and make his desires known.

Sadie feels bad that she’s had to rely on her teenage son, Cale, to help get the family by after the death of her husband, but now that she’s more steady she wants to make Cale’s Christmas gift extra special and give her son more room now that he’s getting older. Having the quiet and handsome Atle around is an unexpected joy.

There were two romances to love: Atle and Sadie and then Sadie’s son Cale and Hope, the daughter of his boss on the farm he works.  Atle is quiet and shy, so he asks Sarah Anne, the librarian running the bookmobile for some self-help books on romance, but Sarah Anne thinks Atle might have more success reading a couple of her favorite romances for advice. The novel ending up more inspirational to Atle, because if the couple in the book could somehow find love through all their unnecessary drama, then he for sure should be able to! The fictional book couple was kind of a mess, lol.

I just adored A Christmas Courtship so much! So heartwarming and sweet! I also loved the Atle and Sadie’s relationship with her kids. Sadie’s past husband left some emotional scars they all had to deal with, and I thought both Sadie and Atle dealt with it beautifully. I think I’ve only read one story featuring the Amish, but the premise of finding romantic help through a romance book appealed to me. Also, with life so messy and complicated having a story set in community where a simpler life is embraced sounded nice.  Now I’d like to go back and read the previous two romances.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

In this endearing Christmas tale, a bookmobile librarian knows just the novel to help an Amish bachelor woo his next-door neighbor in the latest installment of the “charming” (Carla Laureano, RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye) Berlin Bookmobile series.

A solitary sort, forty-two-year-old Atle Petersheim spends his time hard at work in his wood shop. But as the days get long, he realizes just how lonely he’s become. When his longtime crush, Sadie Mast, a widow and mother of three, asks him to help her build a room in their barn for her son Cale, Atle can’t say no. Eager to pursue Sadie at last, he turns to bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller for courting advice. More than happy to help, Sarah Anne decides the best way to learn about love is through books—romance novels to be precise.

Between completing holiday orders for her flourishing food business, helping Cale navigate a dramatic new relationship with his boss’s daughter, and coming to terms with the trauma her late husband had inflicted upon her and her children—not to mention Atle showing up at her door with flowers—Sadie is in over her head. Though Atle’s efforts are initially clumsy and his declarations a bit awkward, Sadie can’t help but be charmed by him. He’s patient and kind...and at times even seems to know far more about romance than he’s let on.

Review: Hate Me Under the Mistletoe by Kelly Jamieson

 

Hate Me Under the Mistletoe (Romancing the Rink #1) by Kelly Jamieson

Publication Date: October 26th 2021 by Garland Grove Books

Pages: 180  

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Amy Heller is having one hell of a time. Finding out about betrayal both on a professional and personal level makes being festive impossible. When a friend offers a secluded cabin in the woods to decompress and nurse her wounds, Amy jumps at the chance. Alone time with wine, books, and bubble baths, away from holiday cheer sounds perfect. Unfortunately, a miscommunication has someone else showing up at a most awkward moment. And more unfortunately, it’s the man who broke her heart at sixteen. Looks like she’ll have to deal with it, though, since a nasty storm makes it impossible for to leave.

Ryder has been focused on his business for the last few years putting his personal life and family on the backburner. Finally with his business thriving he’s set to take some down time, first at a remote cabin, then traveling to meet up with his family for Christmas. He loves spending time with his family on Christmas, they have so many lovely traditions (who doesn’t love an ugly sweater competition?!!) in a Winter Wonderland small town, but first he’s looking forward to unplugging and relaxing for a few days.

Hate Me Under the Mistletoe was so much fun! I do enjoy a good enemies-to-lovers romance and I could totally understand why Amy was less than pleased with the situation when Ryan showed up. Not only did she want to be alone without any reminder of holiday festivities, but she especially didn’t want to spend it with her teenage crush she felt humiliated her.

Ryan was a complete sweetheart and didn’t realize how his action impacted Amy. Even before they cleared things up it was hard for Amy to hold her grudge, because he was such a good guy. I loved that these two got stuck together. They needed the escape and the forced time together to sort things out. Cooking together, snowball fights and board games made for fun times that made me smile.

Amy and Ryan had major chemistry and tension, even when Amy was being prickly, and things were super steamy! Hate Me Under the Mistletoe is the perfect short, sweet, and hot romance making me yearn for my own Winter Wonderland respite with family, friends, and love! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

What happens under the mistletoe stays under the mistletoe…

Amy’s life isn’t living up to the famous Heller family brand—her love life and her career—and she just wants to be alone for Christmas. So she takes off to a friend’s secluded mountain cabin. Ho fu*king ho.

Ryder’s workaholic tendencies have made him super successful in his business, but he hasn’t spent time with family for years. That’s all he wants this Christmas, plus a little down time at a cabin in the mountains. He loves Christmas and can’t wait for the family ugly sweater contest!

When Ryder walks in on Amy at an “awkward” moment, she can’t believe the man she’s hated since she was sixteen has shown up here. He has to leave. But Mother Nature has other ideas when a blizzard shuts down the entire region...

Amy thinks a good place for Ryder’s Christmas cheer is up his ass. Ryder thinks Amy’s grown up into a smokin’ hot babe. Christmas is all about giving, and he’s got a really big package for Amy. Maybe naughty is the new nice...

Review: Archangel's Light by Nalini Singh

 

Archangel's Light (Guild Hunter #14) by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: October 26th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Aodhan and Illium have been the closest of friends for centuries.  Since they were little angels, toddling around they formed an immediate attachement and were inseparable, but recovering from a dark time in Aodhan’s life threatens their bonds. Illium has resigned himself to accept the changes in their relationship. Aodhan seems like he’s pulled away emotionally, and maybe now even physically as Aodhan is offered the position of second to Archangel Suyin as she rebuilds the lands of her people in China. There’s a lot of work to do with all the evil and destruction Lijuan’s rule left, so Raphael sends Illium to help.

At the start of this story there’s a tension and distance between the Illium and Aodhan. It was palpable and I could feel the heartache between them, but I was hopeful that with Illium being sent to help with the efforts in China, it would force them to face their problems and sort things out. To call these two best friends would definitely understate the intensity of their relationship. The story flipped back and forth between the history of their friendship and the present and I was so happy to get glimpses into the past that showed so many important moments together. Some of the stories were so moving showing not only Illium and Aodhan’s connection and past, but their bonds with Raphael and the other members of his Seven.

Illium and Aodhan’s relationship and past were absorbing, but that wasn’t the sole focus of the plot. Archangel Suyin is trying to establish her stronghold and it quickly becomes apparent Lijuan’s space will not do. Too many bad memories, too much possible evil lurking and so they decide to relocate. All this takes work and preparation seeing as the lands are dangerous to travel with still laden in places with Lijuan’s deadly fog and who knows what else. They discover a human settlement empty, like all the inhabitants just vanished without taking anything with them, so Illium and Aodhan must stay and solve the puzzle while Suyin’s people get on their way.  I was happy to be rid of Lijuan, but she’s like a bad rash that lingers! I wonder what’ll happen with the newest discovery.

Fans have been waiting a long time for Illium and Aodhan’s story, and while it’s an epic love and delivered, IMO, it’s not what you’d probably expect from a typical M/M romance. There is a passionate magnetism between them, and anyone looking on probably could’ve figured it out, but I it took a while to register with them. To understand exactly why there were such heart wrenching emotions between them. It was moving and powerful and I thought well done!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Nalini Singh returns to the world of the Guild Hunters for the most highly anticipated novel of the beloved series—a love story so epic it’s been half a millennia in the making…

Illium and Aodhan. Aodhan and Illium. For centuries they’ve been inseparable: the best of friends, closer than brothers, companions of the heart. But that was before—before darkness befell Aodhan and shattered him, body, mind, and soul. Now, at long last, Aodhan is healing, but his new-found strength and independence may come at a devastating cost—his relationship with Illium.

As they serve side by side in China, a territory yet marked by the evil of its former archangel, the secret it holds nightmarish beyond imagining, things come to an explosive decision point. Illium and Aodhan must either walk away from the relationship that has defined them—or step forward into a future that promises a bond infinitely precious in the life of an immortal…but that demands a terrifying vulnerability from two badly bruised hearts.

Sunday Post #142

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

This is going up late as I was tired and slept in. We got back to Southern California after a little over a week of traveling all over Oregon and a bit of Washington yesterday. We hiked along the sea cliffs, and to several waterfalls. No water shortages or lack of rain there! We visited the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, home of the Spruce Goose and so much more, we visited wineries and I stopped a several thrift stores, buying way too many books! I had to Media Mail them back to my self because I went a little overboard, lol! It was nice to shop without sales tax (in Oregon)! 

I love the Pacific Northwest and was sad to leave its beauty, but it's nice to be home! Extra nice that we gained an hour with the time change! Not as thrilled to be going back to work tomorrow, but such is life.

Wahclella Falls at the Cascade Locks

Me & the hubby in the cockpit of the Spruce Goose! 

Not my hat, was a prop. Supposed to be Howard Hughes' hat, lol.

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

I had some really great reading this last week! Loved the two novella/short stories by Ilona Andrews! I read them one right after the other yesterday and now I can't wait to read Fated Blades. Archangel's Light was a lovely story of friendship blossoming into more. Hate Me Under the Mistletoe was another win from Kelly Jamieson. Hockey, unrequited love, forced proximity and enemies-to-lovers all combined into a steamy romance! Look What You Made Me Do was an exciting thriller! Didn't want to put it down!

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Thrift store finds

I bought a ton of books at thrift shops, but I mailed them back so I can't show them all here. I did take a photo of a few (above). I'm excited for all of the ARCs: An Unexpected Distraction, Finding Paradise, Someone Perfect and Once Upon a Cabin. 

I read all the books above in my thrift store finds except for Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell. Looking forward to reading it!

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Posted some pictures of my vacation on Instagram. Pictured here is Heceta Head Lighthouse. This is the second time we've stayed there. Loved the stormy weather! 

How was your week?

 

Review: Look What You Made Me Do by Elaine Murphy

 

Look What You Made Me Do by Elaine Murphy

Publication Date: July 13th 2021 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 357

Audio Book Length: 8 hrs 40 min

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Source: Publisher & library audio lend

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Carrie’s been blackmailed into helping her sister, Becca, hide the body of any unfortunate person who catches Becca’s wrath, and there’s been many. When one of Becca’s victims is discovered with many other bodies, Becca swears she didn’t kill the rest. Is her sister lying or does the small town of Brampton have not only one prolific serial killer, but two?

Odd things start happening to Carrie, her car door left open, items in her house moved, but she can’t rule out her sister pulling these pranks to freak her out because Becca’s done this kind of thing in the past. But what if it isn’t her?

I really felt for Carrie because she spent her whole life dealing with her psychopathic sister, but on the bright side, she seems to manage Becca with skill and intelligence. I guess that happens when you’ve had twenty-eight years to perfect your responses. And in a weird/toxic way, they did have a sisterly relationship. Which comes in quite handy with the new situation Carrie finds herself in! I was definitely rooting for Carrie!

Look What You Made Me Do was a page turner! I alternately read and listened, and I didn’t want to put the story down! It’s the kind of story that made me notice every noise, scrape of branch on a window and creak in the floorboards! The suspense and tension thick as I read! Just when I thought everything was over, there was a new threat, and a thrilling ending! So good!

I highly recommend the audio version as Saskia Maarleveld does a fantastic job portraying Carrie in whatever her emotion: fear, paranoia, desperation, and resolve. She did a great Becca, too!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

A gripping thriller about a woman who must help cover the tracks of her serial killer sister -- only to discover her sibling isn't the only serial killer in town . . . and they're both next on his kill list.

Carrie wants a normal life.
Carrie Lawrence doesn’t need a happily ever after. She’ll just settle for “after.” After a decade of helping her sister hide her victims. After a lifetime of lies. She just wants to be safe, boring, and not trekking through the woods at night with a dead body wrapped in a carpet.

Becca wants to get away with murder.
Becca Lawrence doesn’t believe in happily ever after because she’s already happy. She’s gotten away with murder for a decade and has blackmailed her sister into helping her hide the evidence—what more could a girl want?

But first they have to stop a serial killer.
When thirteen bodies are discovered in their small town, people are shocked. But not as shocked as Carrie, who thought she knew all the details of Becca’s sordid pastime. When Becca swears she’s not behind the grisly new crimes, they realize the town has a second serial killer who has the sisters in his sights, and what he wants is…Carrie.

Sunday Post #141

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

I'm currently in Oregon on vacation with the hubby. Just the two of us. There was a lot of rain right before we got here but it's been sunny with a few clouds, cold, but beautiful. Driving from the Portland airport to Willamette Valley was breathtaking! I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful display of Fall colors! I thought we'd be a bit late, but it turns out we timed it just right. 

We're visiting the Evergreen Aviation Museum with the Spruce Goose tomorrow. I'm excited to see the plane Howard Hughes dreamed up! 

Elizabeth Chambers Cellars

Laurel Ridge Winery

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link

The Jill Shalvis was a collection of fun novellas. Heart of Obsidian was amazing! It's tied for favorite of the series with Kiss of Snow. Which reminds me I need to request the next one.  I adore The Wyoming Cowboy series! I've read all but the first book and loved every one! 

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

It's been a million years since I read Patricia Cornwell, way before Goodreads. Autopsy sounded good and I'm excited to catch up with Kay Scarpetta. I noticed Ilona Andrews tweeted that the ARC for Fated Blades was up on Netgalley as "Read Now" for the first 250 readers and I was able to get a copy! Score! Of course I didn't know there were two books already published in the series, but luckily my library had both available, so I'm excited to dive in. Somehow I missed a series from on of my all-time favorite authors! They're relatively short books so I should be able to breeze right through them. 

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Review: Holiday Ever After by Jill Shalvis

 

Holiday Ever After by Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: October 26th 2021 by Avon

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Sometimes I just want a short and sweet romance with the promise of an HEA without long drawn drama. Novellas fill this need perfectly. All three of the stories in Holiday Ever After have a bit of a forced proximity element, two are second chance romances, and one is unrequited love. All tropes I really love in a romance! With the second chance romance or unrequited love, you know the couple already have a history so it’s plausible to fall in love in a short amount of time, which fits in perfectly with a novella. I had fun with all three! Here’s a short breakdown of each story:

One Snowy Night: Rory needs a ride home for the holidays and Max, her high school crush who never noticed her, offers to take her.  Max is attracted to Rory, but her actions cost him a scholarship. Things worked out for him, but still. However, when a massive storm strands them together they’re forced to talk about the past and clear things up. Spending time together brings the simmering attraction between them to the surface. Can one dark snowy night of passion turn into forever?  

Holiday Wishes: Sean and Lotti lost their virginity together back in high school after years of close friendship led to more. Lotti hoped when she moved away they could keep their romance going, but Sean broke her heart instead. Ten years later they meet while Sean and his brother, Finn, arrive at Lotti’s family inn for Finn’s pre-wedding celebrations. Knowing they had a once in a lifetime love, Sean is determined to make the most of his second chance and woo Lotti back, and it seems he has mother nature working with him when a freak storm damages roads stranding the whole wedding party. 

I really loved this second chance romance! Lotti was hesitant, and I couldn’t blame her, but Sean was sincere and focused!

Mistletoe in Paradise: James and Hannah’s families spent every Christmas together island hoping in the Caribbean. They had a friendship that developed into more, but tragedy and circumstances tore them apart. After years apart they’re both finally going to do Christmas on the boat again. Better still, their parents miss the boat and must meet them at a later port giving these two time together to work it all out. Another sweet second chance romance with the perfect HEA.

Three fun holiday-themed romance novellas, spicy and sweet. A guaranteed quick fix for your HEA cravings!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Three fan-favorite Jill Shalvis novellas are together for the first time in this holiday anthology!

One Snowy Night
It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to her family. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, her long-time crush, and his big, goofy, lovable dog. A long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past…and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

Holiday Wishes
When Sean O’Riley shows up for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, the last person he expects to see is Lotti Hartford, the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago. As the weekend continues, Sean realizes he wants to leave his hook-up life behind, but can he convince Lotti to open her heart to him again?

Mistletoe in Paradise
Years after their secret fling ended, Hannah isn’t eager to see James during their families’ annual joint holiday-themed yacht adventure. But when they’re the only people who show up, James and Hannah are stuck together on the high seas for days. As the former lovers try to make the best of the Christmas snafu, they soon realize the best things in life can’t be planned, and sometimes love is sweeter the second time around.