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SWEET HOME ALASKA by Jennifer Snow

November 11, 2022

A Wild Coast Novel, Book 1

From the publisher:

When old feelings resurface, will the truth bring them back together?

Skylar Beaumont never wanted to return to Alaska. Still, when duty calls, she can’t refuse. And, as a third-generation “Coastie” and the only female captain in the local coast guard, she has too much to prove. Being stationed in her hometown of Port Serenity isn’t ideal—but she’ll tough it out until her transfer goes through and she can move on to warmer waters. That’s the plan, at least, until she crashes into Dex Wakefield. Again.

Shocked to see his secret high school sweetheart after all this time, Dex can’t help but wonder if he should finally come clean. Skylar deserves to know the real reason why he abandoned the dream they’d shared—and broke her heart. But this small tourist town is home to one big grudge where their families are concerned… And leaving the past behind might be the only way Dex and Skylar will finally realize that their first love deserves a sweet second chance.

Bonus Novella

In Jennifer Snow’s Love on the Coast, Rachel Hempshaw embarks on a themed cruise, aiming to dispel yet another local legend. But when her ship is caught up in a coast guard operation, one sexy officer makes it his mission to prove the existence of something that Rachel no longer believes in—real love.

Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged in Jennifer Snow’s new novel, Alaska For Christmas!
https://amzn.to/3hsK4I2

I read the second book in this series, Alaska for Christmas, and I loved it so much I immediately tracked down the first book in the series. They are probably better read in order, but you do you. I found the ebook at my library through cloudLibrary.

The Wakefields and the Beaumonts have been feuding for generations, although the youngest generation isn’t on board with it. Skylar is a Beaumont, and Dex is a Wakefield, and they secretly dated through high school. They were planning on going to the Coast Guard Academy together after graduation, but a few weeks before they graduate, Dex dumps Skylar with no explanation. She’s pissed off and hurt, and hasn’t spoken to Dex since.

When Skylar is assigned her first captain’s job in her hometown, she has mixed feelings. She knows the area better than just about anyone, but she wanted to go to a warm climate, like California or Florida. She figures she will bide her time at home until she can find another posting.

Dex has been living on his family’s yacht, which he has turned into a rescue boat. He is strictly a volunteer, but helps out the Coast Guard regularly. His wild sister has moved back home and is living with Dex. Turns out he has epilepsy, and really can’t stay alone – unless he gets a service dog. He has been putting that off, but now that Skylar is back in town, he wants to try again with her and his sister will definitely be cramping his style. Luckily for him, she’s allergic to dogs so when he arranges to get a service dog, she will have to move off the yacht.

Meanwhile, for Dex and Skylar, it’s like they were never apart. They both still love one another but have some issues to work through for sure. Dex never told Skylar about his epilepsy or why he didn’t go to the academy, and he is working up the courage to tell her. She is still looking for a position somewhere else, but does she want to leave him? The rescues add a bit of adventure and suspense to the story, and help make this a heartwarming read. I really enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to more Snow books in the future. (And yes, that is actually her name!) Happily, she has a pretty good backlist so I’ll be looking at those as well.

Note: both books in the series have a “bonus story” on the cover, but my library edition and the egalley I read didn’t have those.

11/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SWEET HOME ALASKA by Jennifer Snow. HQN; Original edition (May 24, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1335448613. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF PRINCE WERE ALIVE by Carolyn Prusa

November 8, 2022

From the publisher:

Perfect for fans of Maria Semple and Jennifer Weiner, this smart and witty debut novel follows Ramona through the forty-eight hours after her life has been upended by the discovery of her husband’s affair and an approaching Category Four hurricane.
Ramona’s got a bratty boss, a toddler teetering through toilet training, a critical mom who doesn’t mind sharing, and oops—a cheating husband. That’s how a Category Four hurricane bearing down on her life in Savannah becomes just another item on her to-do list. In the next forty-eight hours she’ll add a neighborhood child and the class guinea pig named Clarence Thomas to her entourage as she struggles to evacuate town.
Ignoring the persistent glow of her minivan’s check engine light, Ramona navigates police check points, bathroom emergencies, demands from her boss, and torrential downpours while fielding calls and apology texts from her cheating husband and longing for the days when her life was like a Prince song, full of sexy creativity and joy.
Thoroughly entertaining and completely relatable, None of This Would Have Happened if Prince Were Alive is the hilarious, heartwarming story of a woman up to her elbows in calamities and about to drive off the brink of the rest of her life.
https://amzn.to/3vL0r7z

Ramona catches her husband cheating, setting off a chain of events that culminates with a Category 4 hurricane. Savannah is under hurricane watch, but Ramona has more than the storm on her mind; her daughter is struggling with potty training, her son needs to take care of the class guinea pig during the storm, the sixteen-year-old boy next door is living alone, and her mother refuses to leave her ramshackle waterfront home. Things get even more complicated when Ramona throws her husband out, piles her kids plus the teen next door into her minivan, and takes off for safer ground. Her mom refuses to go, but says she will evacuate with a friend. Ramona hits the road and doesn’t mind stopping for food and mini-golf, but then finds out her mother has decided to stay put; she piles everyone back in the car and heads back into the eye of the storm. Meanwhile, her husband’s fling keeps calling, he keeps texting apologies, and her boss/best friend ignores her advice and has an affair with the expected results. It’s all too much and in Prusa’s hands, too funny. Caring for her kids and her mom puts Ramona squarely in the sandwich generation, but Ramona manages to handle it all with aplomb while providing cultural touchstones along the way.

Verdict: Family drama has never been so much fun! Readers who enjoy books by Maria Semple, Jennifer Weiner, and Laurie Gelman should enjoy this debut.

©Library Journal, 2022

11/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF PRINCE WERE ALIVE by Carolyn Prusa. Atria Books (November 8, 2022) ISBN: 978-1982188863. 336p.

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Spotlight Review: SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX by Lisa Unger

November 8, 2022

From the publisher:

Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller byNew York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.

What could be more restful than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s generous brother found the listing online. The reviews are stellar. It’ll be three couples on this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R.

But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare.

A deadly storm is brewing. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep.

How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?

“Hidden history and 21st-century technology collide in a breathtaking thriller.” —Kirkus, starred review

“Embedded in a riveting novel of suspense is a revealing examination of the dangers inherent in public DNA sharing…[Lisa Unger] is in good form here, in her twentieth outing, and her fans will be eager to dive right in.” —Booklist

“Genetics and nature-versus-nurture take the spotlight in Unger’s 20th novel…Readers will revel in the search for genealogical justice amid best-kept secrets, while wondering who will live and who will die.” —Library Journal, starred review
https://amzn.to/3fKCpEk

I have been reading Lisa Unger since she was Lisa Miscione (her maiden name; she wrote the terrific Lydia Strong mystery series!) When she switched to thrillers using her married name, I was along for the ride. Her books all have one thing in common; all are unputdownable! And this one caused me to stay up way too late into the night to finish it. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep worrying about these characters, and that says a lot about the author.

Someone bought everyone in the family a DNA test kit for Christmas, but no one is claiming responsibility for it. Some family members take the test, others trash it, but the results for those who took the test are confusing at best.

Hannah and Mako are brother and sister; Hannah is married to a tech wizard who is a consultant and does some work for Mako, who is married to a yogi. Mako books this amazing cabin deep in the Georgia woods (insert Deliverance music here – I did, in my head at any rate!) for all of them plus Hannah’s best friend, who also happens to be Mako’s ex, along with her current boyfriend. So six people in this gorgeous cabin with an owner who is spying on them. He has cameras secreted everywhere in the house, including the shower head! Then a massive storm comes rolling in, and even though the owner checked the generator, it’s not working. Mako’s wife leaves a note that she is leaving him and she takes off for parts unknown.

Meanwhile, the storm rages on. A tree has fallen, blocking the only road out. And everyone has their own agenda, it seems. Hannah is knocked unconscious while trying to fix the electrical problem, the men seem to have vanished, and everything is dark and mysterious and scary. This is not horror, however, but it is very suspenseful. At times it is hard to tell who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. DNA testing plays an important role here as well, and is most thought-provoking and interwoven into the plot.

This is a terrific locked room type mystery, but with enough suspense to really keep the pages turning. The characters are well-defined, even if we don’t know who to trust, adding to the complexity of the plot. This is another unputdownable book from one of my favorite authors. Don’t miss it!

SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX by Lisa Unger. Park Row; Original edition (November 8, 2022). ISBN: 978-0778333234. 400p.

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ALASKA FOR CHRISTMAS by Jennifer Snow

November 4, 2022

A Wild Coast Novel, Book 2

From the publisher:

Can a hometown Christmas bring together these two polar opposites?

After traveling to all corners of the globe, Isla Wakefield has returned home to celebrate Christmas with her adoptive family. The gorgeous Alaskan wilderness is the perfect place to recharge before moving on to her next adventure—whatever that may be. Too bad that being home means once more butting heads with Chief Petty Officer Aaron Segura, Port Serenity’s resident buzzkill.

Isla’s fearless spirit has always infuriated Aaron—but fascinated him, too. Having lost his sister years ago, he’s never understood how some people can live so recklessly. But after a terrifying ice-climbing accident leaves Isla with amnesia, she and Aaron both see each other in a brand-new light. Forgetting the pain of her past makes Isla fearless in a completely different way. She’s not afraid to show Aaron exactly how she feels, yet he can’t help but wonder…will this temporary change of mind lead to a permanent change of heart?

Bonus Novella

In Love in the Forecast, meteorologist Monica Mallard signs up for Port Serenity’s annual navigation contest as a distraction from recent heartbreak. But when she’s paired with silver fox Captain Keith Beaumont, Monica finds the second chance she never could have predicted.
https://amzn.to/3Uf0C4p

Amnesia! I don’t think I’ve read a book that uses amnesia in years and years, if ever. I seem to recall more TV/movies that use it. I certainly find it fascinating, especially the different degrees. Isla has muscle memory that helps with some physical stuff, but she has no memories of people, her family, anyone really. So when Aaron rescues her after a bad fall, she doesn’t know who he is or that she finds him incredibly boring – now she just thinks he’s very good-looking and brave. Unfortunately, she also doesn’t remember the pilot who drove the helicopter to her rescue, despite having gone out with him for a few months. He wants her back and his best friend/co-worker is seriously in the way, causing even more strife.

Aaron always found Isla incredibly wild, and cannot understand how or why she is such a dare devil. His sister died in an accident, and his parents haven’t recovered. In fact, they moved to Florida from Alaska and are heavily involved in grief groups. It’s their way of coping, but Aaron feels abandoned. They haven’t celebrated Christmas since his sister’s death, but as he spends time with Isla and they grow closer, he can’t help but give in to her Christmas spirit. They’ve always had an attraction to one another, but have been at odds since they were children. Now that Isla is so unguarded, they are falling in love and Aaron is afraid that once her memory comes back, she will be furious and leave him.

I love books set in Alaska, maybe because I live in south Florida and it’s different in every possible way. I grew up in New York so I’ve experienced winter and snow and ice, but not to the levels of Alaska for sure. And I’ve never missed winter, not one day of it. My husband thinks its hilarious that visiting Alaska is on my bucket list as (everyone who knows me) knows that I am always cold; when it drops below 70, I pull out the Uggs! I have a collection of fingerless gloves that I wear at work where I have no control over the air conditioning, and I have more boots and scarves than probably any Floridian would dream of. But I don’t want to go during winter – summer would be more than cold enough for me so it remains on my bucket list!

This was a good romance with enough suspense – will she get her memory back? will she be pissed at Aaron? to keep the pages turning, making this a one night read for me. A little heat, a lot of sweet, and Christmas fun all combine perfectly in this terrific story. Now I have to go find the first book in this series, Sweet Home Alaska; luckily, my library has it! And just an aside; is the author’s last name really Snow???

11/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ALASKA FOR CHRISTMAS by Jennifer Snow. HQN; Original edition (October 25, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1335448637. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: A VERY MERRY BROMANCE by Lyssa Kay Adams

November 1, 2022

Bromance Book Club, Book 5

From the publisher:

‘Tis the season for a Bromance Book Club matchmaking mission! This time, they’re pulling out the mistletoe for everyone’s favorite country music star, Colton, and his second chance at love.

Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity.

It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand. No big deal…

Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together.

“The romance-loving men that give the series its name are a reliable joy, and fans will be especially pleased by all the cameos from past heroes. The result is cute, funny, and heartfelt.”—Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3NtKSs3

I love this series, and this was a terrific addition – hopefully, not the last! The books do not have to be read in order, and I think this one would stand alone just fine, but they are all so good, I highly recommend reading them all.

This is the story of a happy-go-lucky country music star and the poor-little-rich-girl he falls for. Colton and Gretchen met at a wedding, which led to a one-night-stand – at least for Gretchen. Colton has been after her for a year since that morning when she just took off and ignored him after that. But when her family’s whiskey company wants to hire Colton as a celebrity brand ambassador, Gretchen is asked to try and corral him. She doesn’t work in the family business; instead, she owns a nonprofit immigration law center, where she works her butt off for families who are being deported, with or without their children, and cannot afford to pay her.

Gretchen is a grump, and it takes a while for her backstory to unfurl so we can understand why she is the way she is. Colton doesn’t mind waiting, but he has no interest in helping the whiskey company unless she is part of the deal. Things get complicated with Gretchen’s family – this is a dysfunctional family on the surface, and it is much, much worse underneath the facade.

Having Colton & Gretchen get together seems like such a long shot, and just when they finally are happy, more family drama is injected into the relationship, setting off an explosion that seems insurmountable. Yet this is a romance, so a happy ending is guaranteed. I loved spending time with these characters, and I loved the Christmas storyline here, especially all the Dickens references. There are a lot of laughs here, some steamy scenes, and lots of angst, too, making this an unputdownable book. I loved it.

A VERY MERRY BROMANCE by Lyssa Kay Adams. Berkley (November 1, 2022). ISBN: 978-0593332795. 368p.

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IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

October 28, 2022

It Ends with Us, Book 2

From the publisher:

Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding” (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).

“Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.” ― Kirkus Reviews

“Hoover breaks hearts all over again in this stunning sequel to her bestselling It Ends with Us . . . The author’s talent for creating nuanced and empathetic characters is on full display, and fans will be especially excited to finally hear Atlas’s side of the story. Hoover is as unafraid as ever to explore the darker and more vulnerable aspects of love, expertly demonstrating the soul-deep trust required to reach happily after ever.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred)
https://amzn.to/3FqJbtt

I’m not on TikTok. I occasionally watch a video there, and I check out BookTok every now and then, but I missed the whole Colleen Hoover thing that was happening there until a friend (thanks, Caitlin!) told me what was going on. Since leaving the public library for an academic one, I don’t watch the bestseller lists as closely either, so I have to admit I was a little surprised to see Hoover dominating both the USA Today list, and the paperback NY Times list (this book opened as number 1), but I couldn’t be happier for her. Talk about a mega success! I haven’t seen anything like this since E.L. James and the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. I mentioned the USA Today piece about her back in September, and the New York Times did a terrific piece on her more recently, so if you are not familiar with this author, it’s a good place to start. I’ve been reading and reviewing her since 2015, and while I haven’t read all of her books, I’ve read most and she is definitely one of my favorite writers, and now I have tons of company!

Several years ago she wrote It Ends With Us, which I loved, and it (like most of her books) made my Best Books of the Year list. Apparently, her fans started a petition for a sequel which she really wasn’t planning on doing, but the outpouring of love was enough to push her into doing it. And here we are.

It Starts With Us can possibly be read on its own, but I don’t recommend doing that. Read It Ends With Us first. I actually went back and reread it as it’s been several years and it was still an emotional, gut-wrenching read. The sequel is a bit gentler, and the perfect ending to this two-book series. I don’t want to give anything away so I’m not going to tell you anything more than the publisher does about the plot. This book was simply stunning – it will be on my Best Books of the Year list this year. I loved it.

10/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover. Atria (October 18, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1668001226. 336p.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Maisey Yates

October 28, 2022

Four Corners Ranch, Book 2

From the publisher:

As the snow falls on Four Corners Ranch, all this untamed cowboy wants for Christmas is the family he’s never had…

Cowboy Wolf Garrett is delighted his brother is happily married—really, he is. But time can never heal Wolf’s own wounds, so being surrounded by such marital joy is a bit…much. A trip to his extended family’s ranch in Copper Ridge seems the ideal change of scenery. Until he meets local innkeeper Violet Donnelly and realizes he’s exchanged one form of torture for another—trying, and spectacularly failing, to resist their instant, wildly hot chemistry.

Violet knew Wolf was trouble the moment he walked into her inn. But it’s a whole new level of trouble when she discovers that their secret nights have left her pregnant! Especially when she has six feet of gorgeous, furious cowboy demanding that she come home with him for the holidays and marry him. Wolf has lost more than she could ever imagine, but Violet believes in the power of love to heal, and she’ll do anything to give their future family a chance. Wolf has already given her so many firsts—dare she hope he’s about to become her first Christmas miracle too?

“Fans of Robyn Carr and RaeAnne Thayne will enjoy [Yates’s] small-town romance.”—Booklist
https://amzn.to/3g8oY0P

Wolf has been through a lot – too much, really, for the cowboy to handle. The Garett’s have what Wolf considers a curse on their property. Women don’t stay. His mother left when he was 6 years old, and his half-brothers’ mothers left as well. His father is not much of a parent, either. When Wolf was in high school, he fell hard for a girl, but she died – another woman leaving him. So it is understandable that he fears any type of intimacy. He’s a charming, good-looking man in a dangerous sort of way, so one-night stands come easy for him and suit him just fine. Until he meets Violet.

Violet runs the inn in the small town where Wolf’s cousins live. He’s visiting to help them with their ranch for a couple of weeks. Their chemistry is off the charts, but Wolf makes it clear from the outset that this can only be a fling and he has no intention of anything more. Of course, the best of intentions can go awry. Violet falls hard and ends up begging him to stay, but as much as he enjoys her company, he knows he will get hurt when she leaves him, as all women do, so he returns home.

A few months later, Violet finds out she’s pregnant and goes to tell him. Wolf’s reaction is to take her home with him for the holidays and try and convince her to marry him. He is a traditionalist at heart, and he refuses to think that a child of his would grow up without both parents.Violet’s mother also left, which is something they bond over, but she isn’t sure about marrying Wolf. He has so much to work through, but she is hopeful that she will get some kind of Christmas miracle – and she does.

Violet and Wolf eventually find their happy ending, and I was so happy that they did. He was a difficult character, so hurt and lost and afraid of love, but Violet was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he figures that out soon enough. This was a very emotional read that really pulled me in and was impossible to put down. I loved it.

10/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MERRY CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Maisey Yates. HQN; Original edition (October 25, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1335600950. 384p.

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KISSING GAMES by Evie Alexander

October 28, 2022

The Kinloch Series, Book 3

From the publisher:

She might have made it to Hollywood, but he’s about to show her what she’s missed…

When actress Valentina Valverde arrives in Scotland to film Braveheart 2, she’s at breaking point. Driven by demons, she’s worked tirelessly since she was a teen. But she can’t stop now: everyone she loves depends on her. Yet despite all the glitz and glamor, Valentina can’t shake the feeling that she isn’t really living.

Bodyguard Charlie Hamilton’s lived too much. With looks and charm, he should have it all. But he’s broken. Estranged from his family, sacked from his job and with nothing left to lose, he flies to the Scottish Highlands to help his best friend protect Kinloch castle from a crazy Hollywood film crew.

But falling hard for a movie star isn’t in Charlie’s contract…

Thrown together on set, chemistry crackles between them. When Charlie suggests she take a holiday from life, Valentina is tempted to let down her guard and live a little. But as fun crosses the line into love, disaster bursts their bubble.

Can they let go of the past and find a future together? Or is this just a Highland fling?

Kissing Games is a steamy, dual POV, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, with no cheating, no cliff-hanger, and a guaranteed happy ever after (HEA).
https://amzn.to/3W19OLh

This series is a lot of fun, and this latest installment was a good read. It’s a contemporary romance set in the Scottish Highlands, one of my favorite settings. What is it about men in kilts?

Charlie has left the military and is working in private security. He left for his married girlfriend, but she went back to her husband. He decides to help out his buddy and protect the castle from a Hollywood film crew, who don’t always understand boundaries.

Valentina has been a working actress for what seems like forever. When she meets Charlie, sparks are apparent but neither of them is looking for love. But this is a romance so it’s unavoidable. Charlie basically dares Valentina to do some of the things that teenagers generally do, like skinnydipping and writing bad love poems. She missed out on all that while she was working.

Besides falling in love, Charlie works out some family issues and Valentina learns to relax a bit and enjoy life. There are some hot scenes and some really funny ones as well, making this a fast, fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

10/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

KISSING GAMES by Evie Alexander. Emlin Press (September 10, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1914473050. 340p.

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Spotlight Review: THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Debbie Macomber

October 25, 2022

From the publisher:

Two lifelong friends decide to trade places the week before Christmas and end up finding love along the way in this delightful novel from the queen of holiday stories, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Peter Armstrong and Hank Colfax are best friends, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Peter, the local pastor who is dedicated to his community, spending time visiting the flock, attending meetings, and, with the holiday season approaching, preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity. As a bartender, Hank serves a much different customer base at his family-owned tavern, including a handful of lonely regulars and the local biker gang.

When Peter scoffs that Hank has it easy compared to him, the two decide to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. To their surprise, the responsibilities of a bartender and a pastor are similar, but taking on the other’s work is more difficult than either Peter or Hank expected. As the two begin to see each other in a new light—and each discovers a new love to cherish—their lives are forever changed.

In The Christmas Spirit, Debbie Macomber celebrates the true meaning of the holidays and the inclusive community spirit that binds us all.

“Bestseller and Hallmark Channel stalwart Macomber (Dear Santa) does it again with a candy cane–sweet holiday romance about two friends who swap lives for a week before Christmas. . . . An eclectic supporting cast—including cadres of strippers and bikers—and a comically disastrous climactic Christmas Eve church service make the narrative shine bright. It’s exactly what readers want from a Macomber holiday outing.”—Publishers Weekly

“This light, sweet Christmas novel is perfect for someone looking for a chaste love story with a happy ending.”—Booklist
https://amzn.to/3z9UBhm

Every year I read Macomber’s Christmas novel, but they run hot and cold for me. This was not one of my favorites. A pastor and a bar owner/bartender are best friends and each thinks the other’s job is easy. They switch jobs for several days leading up to Christmas and find out the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

I found this book to be preachy and too religious for me, a nice Jewish girl who loves holiday romances with an emphasis on romance and the magic of the holiday season. The romances here – there are two – are not very engaging, and this book, with apologies to Marie Kondo, just didn’t spark joy for me. If you like the more religious side of Christmas, this may be your perfect book. It’s a sweet, Christian romance with a bit of humor. It’s a quick read at only 240 pages, and while I did finish it, I wasn’t terribly captivated. I’m curious to see if Hallmark turns this one into a movie.

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Debbie Macomber. Ballantine Books (October 18, 2022). ISBN: 978-0593500101. 240p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

SNOWED IN FOR CHRISTMAS by Sarah Morgan

October 21, 2022

From the publisher:

What happens if the only Christmas celebration you want to attend is one you haven’t been invited to? USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan delights with this hilarious and heartwarming Christmas cracker of a novel!

A family gathering

This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal—to avoid their well-meaning family’s endless stream of prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention.

An uninvited guest

Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She’ll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Miller family’s perfect Christmas.

A Christmas to remember

When Lucy appears on the Miller family’s snow-covered Highland doorstep, she’s mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they’re snowed in—she can’t leave, even if she wants to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy’s worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life.

“Morgan is a masterful storyteller…. For fans of Jojo Moyes, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Stacey Ballis. —Booklist

“Mallery’s second installment in this heartwarming and humorous holiday romance series (following The Christmas Wedding Guest) brings readers back to Wishing Tree, WA. Hand to readers who enjoy romances featuring tight-knit small-town communities with heartfelt holiday traditions and friend groups that are more like found families.”—Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3g8oY0P

Lucy works hard at her job; she loves her boss and her co-workers, but the company is in trouble and she wants to help. She decides to put together a presentation for a hugely successful sportswear company. When she has to go to Scotland to film some reindeer for another account, Lucy decides she’ll gift wrap her presentation and drop it off at the owner’s nearby home. But when she gets to the house, the people there seem to recognize her, and they invite her in. Turns out Ross, the business owner’s sisters, tell his parents that he has a girlfriend, Lucy, to take some of the pressure off one of the sister’s who brought home a boyfriend. But when Ross gets there and doesn’t recognize her, there is a lot of explaining to do.

In her haste to escape, Lucy slips on the ice and badly hurts her ankle. Ross’s sister is a doctor, and he drives them both to the hospital. Upon returning home, the Miller’s invite Lucy to stay and recuperate. She demurs but the snowstorm has cancelled her train and the bridge to leave the Miller home is now impassable.

There are several storylines happening here but Lucy and Ross are at the center of it all. Lucy is all alone in the world; her parents died when she was a young child, and her grandmother raised her, but she passed away two Christmases ago. The Miller family embrace her and make her feel a part of their family, and Lucy loves that feeling. But Ross is annoyed that she brought her presentation to his home instead of to his office, where she became good friends with Ross’s assistant since he was never available.

Lucy is drawn to Ross but isn’t sure how he feels, but soon enough he makes his feelings known. Meanwhile his sister is having trouble with her boyfriend, his youngest sister announces she is planning on having a baby via artificial insemination and raising it on her own, and the whole family is in turmoil. But this is a holiday romance, and Christmas miracles occur right on these pages as everyone gets their happily ever after.

I loved spending time with these characters. Being snowed in was the best thing to happen to Lucy for sure, but the whole family manages to find love and work out their differences. This was such a heartwarming, beautiful story but with enough laughs to keep it light and entertaining. Gift this book to someone you love, and they’ll thank you.

10/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SNOWED IN FOR CHRISTMAS by Sarah Morgan. HQN; Original edition (September 20, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1335449962. 384p.