Holiday | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

WRECK THE HALLS by Tessa Bailey

October 13, 2023

From the publisher:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert…

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.

“Bailey writes banter and rom-com scenarios with aplomb, but for those who like their romance on the spicier side, she’s also the Michelangelo of dirty talk. She wields filth like Da Vinci does a paintbrush, and there’s a lot to be said for an author who can fill such exchanges with all the requisite heat, enthusiastic consent, and yes, even humor, of such a scenario without veering into corny territory.” — Entertainment Weekly
https://amzn.to/46BuFcw

Not sure why, but I kept thinking about Fleetwood Mac while reading this story about a band that broke up, and no one really knows why. All anyone knows is that the two leads, both women, have been hating on each other ever since.

They were both pregnant when they split, so their kids never met until they were teenagers. Both have long been in the public eye due to their famous parents. Beat has always been the golden boy who can do no wrong, while Melody came under the scrutiny of the media, with devastating results to her self esteem. When they meet on the set of a TV morning show, there is an instant rapport that they both feel. They exchange phone numbers, but neither one ever reaches out. Until several years later when Beat agrees to a live streaming show, with him trying to get the band back together. When Melody is told that Beat is on board, she also agrees and the couple gets to meet again.

Their feelings for one another are even stronger as adults, and as they spend time together, they fall in love. But their mothers are none too happy about it. Much to their surprise, Beat’s mother agrees to a reunion when Melody lies and tells her that her mother is already on board – which turns out to be just as difficult as they suspected it would. Beat is being blackmailed; he needs the money from the show to pay off his blackmailer, and while he never told his parents about it, he tells Melody, although withholds the blackmailer’s identity.

With the world watching, Beat and Melody fall in love, and despite the almost insurmountable obstacles to their futures, a happy ending is reached.

I usually love Tessa Bailey’s books, but the emphasis on sex here was a bit over the top for me, so if that is a concern for you, this is your forewarning. Ultimately, I did enjoy this book, but it was not my favorite, maybe because it is a holiday book? I think I like my Christmas romances more on the tame side.

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WRECK THE HALLS by Tessa Bailey. Avon (October 3, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063308305. 368p.

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FAKING CHRISTMAS by Kerry Winfrey

October 6, 2023

A Christmas Novel

From the publisher:

Laurel Grant is playing house for the holidays—complete with a fake husband and kids—in this delightful, charming rom-com by Kerry Winfrey.

Laurel Grant works as the social media manager for Buckeye State of Mind, an Ohio tourism magazine and website. She most definitely does not run a farm . . . but one tiny misunderstanding leads her boss, Gilbert, to think she owns her twin sister Holly’s farm just outside of Columbus. Laurel only handles the social media for the farm, but she’s happy to keep her little white lie going if it means not getting fired—she cannot be jobless again.

And keep it going she must when Gilbert, recently dumped by his wife, invites himself over for the farm’s big Christmas Eve Eve dinner (as advertised on Meadow Rise Farm’s Instagram, thanks to Laurel herself). Laurel immediately goes into panic mode to figure out how she can trick Gilbert into thinking she’s basically the Martha Stewart of rural Ohio and keep her job in the process.

Laurel and Holly come up with the perfect plan—all Laurel has to do is pretend to own the farm for one dinner. But Laurel shows up at the farm to find an unwelcome guest is waiting: Max Beckett, her nemesis since Holly’s wedding. The annoyingly attractive man she hates will be posing as Laurel’s husband just for the evening, but when a snowstorm traps them all for the entire weekend, Laurel is going to have to figure out how to survive with her job and dignity intact. Whatever the case, this promises to be the most eventful Christmas in ages. . . .

“With a keen eye for both the wacky and the wonderful, Winfrey (Just Another Love Song) rings in the holidays with a clever comedy of errors…The sweet romance blooms organically amid the chaos and Winfrey uses it as a vehicle to touch on deeper themes of loneliness and self-esteem. The results are utterly adorable.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“In Winfrey’s latest rom-com, opposites attract amid festive holiday fun. Winfrey mixes up a tale of tenderness, mischief, and friendship as inviting as your favorite Hallmark movie. Holiday hijinks and fake dating make Winfrey’s romantic comedy a cozy classic.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Anyone who’s ever enjoyed a quirky heroine, a Hallmark Channel movie, or the classic Christmas in Connecticut should rush to pick this one up.”—Library Journal
https://amzn.to/46jZgvB

Winfrey delivers another fun romcom, this time for the holidays! Some of my favorite tropes are included here; enemies to lovers, and fake dating. Plus twins!

Holly and Laurel are identical-ish twins; their differences are slight, but the truly observant can tell them apart. But their lives, and their personalities, are completely different. Holly lives on a picture perfect farm, has a doting husband, twin sons, crafts like Martha Stewart, uses power tools like a pro, and cooks like Ina Garten. Laurel, on the other hand, is perpetually single, one slip away from unemployment, burns toast, and has some serious self esteem issues, especially when comparing herself to her twin.

Their family always celebrates Christmas Eve Eve with a big dinner at the farm. In her job as social media maven for an Ohio magazine, Laurel has posted many, many pictures of her sister’s farm, meals, crafts, etc. There is only one tiny, little problem – her boss has the mistaken impression that it is Laurel’s farm and family, and fearing for her job, Laurel is afraid to tell him. The bigger problem is that Gilbert is the best boss she’s ever had.

It all comes to a head when Gilbert’s wife leaves him for their accountant. He is devastated, and invites himself to the farm for the famous Christmas Eve Eve dinner. The twins parents have decided to go on vacation to somewhere warm this Christmas, so it’s just the girls and their brother, if he shows up. And Laurel’s brother-in-law’s best friend, Max.

Laurel has hated Max since Holly’s wedding, when she overheard him say something horrible about her sister. No one knows she heard it, and she never told Holly – she didn’t want to hurt her. But it turns out Max has become part of the family, and has graciously agreed to play Laurel’s husband for this farce for Gilbert.

It takes a while for Laurel and Max to realize their attraction to one another, and to get past their history, but it’s such a fun ride to get there. This was a fast paced story with laugh out loud moments sprinkled throughout, and a terrific, unputdownable holiday story. Don’t miss it!

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FAKING CHRISTMAS by Kerry Winfrey. Berkley (September 26, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593638361. 288p.

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THE WAKE-UP CALL by Beth O’Leary

October 6, 2023

From the publisher:

Two hotel receptionists—and arch-rivals—find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.

It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.

The hotel won’t stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel—and their jobs.

As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there’s more at stake here than the hotel’s future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

“O’Leary returns with a humorous and poignant rom-com set at a boutique hotel in southern England…Add in some charming supporting characters and stakes that feel high but believable, and the result is exactly the cute contemporary romp that O’Leary’s fans have come to expect.”―Publishers Weekly

“O’Leary’s is full of heart, humor, and a sprinkle of holiday magic. While this will easily find a spot on holiday displays, it will also appeal to readers who love enemies-to-lovers storylines with supporting characters who shine.”―Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3rBfjpR

I’ve read all of O’Leary’s book, and I love them. That said, when I looked at my previous reviews, a pattern has emerged. All of her books start out slowly, and this one does as well. But I stuck with it, and enjoyed the reward.

Izzy and Lucas work the front desk – and wherever else they are needed – at a small hotel in England. The owners are terrible at the business end of things, but have turned their staff into a family. Except a year earlier, at the hotel Christmas party, Izzy gave Lucas a card, telling him how much she liked him. It was a very brave thing to do, so when he opened the card and laughed, and then kissed Izzy’s roommate under the mistletoe, Izzy lost it. Lucas became her arch nemesis, and that’s where this story starts.

Over the course of a year, they work together and torture each other as only competitive co-workers can. But then something starts to change. Izzy’s feelings for Lucas have never gone away, she only buried them as best as she could. And Lucas is developing feelings for Izzy, but both of them know to avoid one another as much as possible, despite their attraction.

Best laid plans and all that – of course they end up sleeping together, again and again. They are at crossed points. Izzy wants a not-friends-with-benefits situation, and Lucas wants Izzy to really see him as the good person he truly is. It’s complicated, to say the least, but no worries, a happy ending is reached.

There are a lot of laughs – the things they do to one up each other are often hilarious, but I think the poignancy of this story was the real hook for me. A lovely Christmas read – I hope you’ll give it a try!

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE WAKE-UP CALL by Beth O’Leary. Berkley (September 26, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593640128. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews

October 3, 2023

From the publisher:

From Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Homewreckers and The Santa Suit, comes a novella celebrating love and the warm, glittering charm of the holiday season.

“Nobody does Christmas like Mary Kay Andrews.” ―Debbie Macomber

“Cozy up with Santa’s favorite novelist!” ―Adriana Trigiani

When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for the wilds of New York City to help her gruff older brother & his dog, Queenie, sell the trees at the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time, Kerry’s ready to try to carve out a new corner for herself.

In the weeks leading into Christmas, Kerry quickly becomes close with the charming neighbors who live near their stand. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, Kerry will need to combine her country know-how with her newly acquired New York knowledge to protect the new friends she’s come to think of as family,

And complicating everything is Patrick, a single dad raising his adorable, dragon-loving son Austin on this quirky block. Kerry and Patrick’s chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?

Filled with family ties, both rekindled and new, and sparkling with Christmas magic, BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS delivers everything Mary Kay Andrews fans adore, all tied up in a hilarious, romantic gem of a novel.

“Andrews serves up a Christmas treat in this sparkling tale.” ―Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/46c7LJe

The Queen of Christmas is back with another heartwarming romance, this time set in NYC!

When I started reading, my first thought was is this a reissue of an older book? But nope, just my confusion between MKA’s latest and a couple of Hallmark Christmas movies in a similar setting. But as always, the book is so much better!

Kerry and Murphy are brother and sister, except after their parents’ divorce, Murphy went to live with their father on the Christmas tree farm, and Kerry stayed in town with their mother. They rarely saw one another and basically grew up estranged. But when their dad has some health issues, Kerry is drafted into going with Murphy to New York City to the block where their family has sold Christmas trees for decades.

Kerry gets stuck driving Spammy up from North Carolina to New York – Spammy is the name given to their old camper because it looks like a canned ham. Sadly, it hasn’t been maintained, so the bathroom and kitchen are useless. Luckily for the siblings, their neighbors on the street take care of them, sharing their facilities and even food. Murphy drives up their old pickup truck, and they meet in New York.

As Kerry meets the neighbors, she finds herself attracted to Patrick, the divorced dad who shares the apartment with his ex-wife. Instead of making their son move back and forth between apartments, the parents do. Austin is quite precocious and lends some of the humor to this story. There is another neighbor, an elderly man, who frequents the block as well. No one knows where he lives, but he is very kind to Kerry and Austin, especially when he sees Kerry drawing. Turns out the old guy is an artist himself, and the three of them work together on a story for Austin.

But when the old man goes missing, Kerry and Austin are worried and determined to find him. Patrick puts the moves on Kerry, but she is hesitant about getting involved in NY, even though she lost her job a few months earlier.

I loved how all the neighbors pulled together for Kerry, Murphy, and the old man. There is a lot of kindness in this neighborhood, and it was touching to see it all play out. NYC often gets a bum rap about disinterested, non-caring people, but it’s like anywhere else: some good, some bad. If you want a feel-good holiday story, you can never go wrong with Mary Kay Andrews. This is another gem from one of my favorite authors.

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews. St. Martin’s Press (September 26, 2023). ISBN: 978-1250285812. 288p.

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THE BOOK CLUB HOTEL by Sarah Morgan

September 29, 2023

A Christmas Novel

From the publisher:

This Christmas, USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with another heartfelt exploration of change, the power of books to heal, and the enduring strength of female friendship. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Jennifer Weiner.

With its historic charm and picture-perfect library, the Maple Sugar Inn is considered the winter destination. As the holidays approach, the inn is fully booked with guests looking for their dream vacation. But widowed far too young, and exhausted from juggling the hotel with being a dedicated single mom, Hattie Coleman dreams only of making it through the festive season.

But when Erica, Claudia and Anna—lifelong friends who seem to have it all—check in for a girlfriends’ book club holiday, it changes everything. Their close friendship and shared love of books have carried them through life’s ups and downs. But Hattie can see they’re also packing some major emotional baggage, and nothing prepares her for how deeply her own story is about to become entwined in theirs.

In the span of a week over the most enchanting time of the year, can these four women come together to improve each other’s lives and make this the start of a whole new chapter?

Get lost in more holiday reads by Sarah Morgan:

Snowed In for Christmas

The Christmas Escape

One More for Christmas

A Wedding in December

The Christmas Sisters

https://amzn.to/3RE9O4b

Ericka, Anna, and Claudia met as college roommates, and now that they are pushing 40 – or just past it – and they are still the best of friends, even though they don’t see one another except for their annual hotel book club vacations. Claudia became a chef and lives in California, where her boyfriend of ten years has dumped her. While struggling through the breakup, she also loses her job. It’s just as well; the kitchen was a toxic environment, so bad that Claudia isn’t sure she even wants to cook anymore. Because of the breakup, the women postponed their summer book club meetup and pushed it to mid-December, right before the holidays.

Anna married her college sweetheart and they are still together, and very much in love. But Anna is in panic mode; her twins are graduating high school in the spring, and will be leaving for college. Empty nest syndrome has hit her hard, to the point where her husband asks if she wants another baby – it is possible, but is that what she really wants?

Erika is the uber-successful business woman in their group. She travels the world, and hasn’t had a serious relationship in, well, ever. She has a friend with benefits situation going on for many years, but is starting to wonder if he wants more…or if she does.

Instead of meeting up in a luxurious hotel in a city, Erika has booked them into a B&B in a picturesque small town in New England. The owner, Hattie, is a young widow with a precocious daughter. The B&B was her husband’s dream, and for the two years that he’s been gone, she has struggled to keep the place running. The head housekeeper is a terror, but she is mild in comparison to the award-winning chef running the kitchen. When the three friends check-in, everything changes – or soon will.

This is a story about friendship, family, and love. These characters came to life on the page and I loved how they fit into one another’s lives. Set in this beautiful inn in a small town that felt like a Hallmark Christmas movie come to life, only slightly more believable! This was my first Christmas book of the year, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Let the holiday reading begin!

9/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE BOOK CLUB HOTEL by Sarah Morgan. Canary Street Press; Original edition (September 19, 2023). ISBN: 978-1335005120. 368p.

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JUST LIKE MAGIC by Sarah Hogle

December 16, 2022

From the publisher:

The holidays were never her thing, until she accidentally conjures the Holiday Spirit…before her very eyes.

Bettie Hughes once knew the comfort of luxury, flaunting a collection of designer purses and an enviable dream home in Hawaii. That was before she lost all her money. Long obsessed with her public image, Bettie boasts an extravagant lifestyle on social media. But the reality is Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado, and her family has no idea.

Christmas, with its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when Bettie plays a vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” backward and accidentally conjures up Hall, the Holiday Spirit, in the form of a charming and handsome (if offbeat) man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest gift: a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé.

But as some of Bettie’s wishes lose their charm, she finds herself thrown off-kilter by Hall’s sweet nature. Suddenly, grumpy Bettie is finding her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the shorter Hall’s time on earth grows. Can Bettie channel the Christmas spirit and learn to live with goodwill toward all men? Or will her selfish ways return as soon as the holidays are over?

One of PopSugar‘s Best Books of 2022
One of Country Living’s Best Christmas Romances 2022
One of PopSugar’s Best New Holiday Romances 2022
One of Buzzfeed’s Best Romance Novels 2022
https://amzn.to/3PxfYA4

If you can’t have a bit of magic at the holidays, when can you? Hall is some sort of spirit, the Holiday Spirit to be exact, come to earth in beautiful male human form to help Bettie get her holiday spirit back. She measures less than 2 on the holiday spirit scale, and he needs to get her back up towards 10 again. Unfortunately, I didn’t like Bettie so I didn’t really care if she had holiday spirit or not.

But don’t worry! Bettie learns to be a better person because of Hall, but I had to slog through almost half of the book before I started enjoying it. Honestly, the only reason I didn’t put it down was because Caitlin (a former reviewer here) recommended it. She also warned me it was slow going in the beginning, but because I read on a Kindle, and the Kindle provides stats as you go, it wasn’t until I had read 44% of the book that I started to like it. By the end, I understood why so many people are raving about it.

Bettie comes from a family of super successful people, starting with her grandmother, a retired movie star, and her namesake. Bettie is a social media influencer with millions of followers. She was also super successful until most of her money was blown by her crazy, out-of-control spending and the rest stolen by the people around her. She is pretty much flat broke, homeless, and feeling vindictive. She is squatting in a house where the owner had died several months earlier. She keeps waiting for someone to show up and kick her out, but her luck is holding.

When she accidentally spills something on Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” record and plays it backwards, Hall appears, her Holiday Spirit guide, if you will. She can ask him for anything and if she adds the magic words, “make my wish come true” he has to do it. Within reason. Apparently, there is “legislation” regarding holiday spirits that involve all sorts of rules. Nonetheless, he helps her get revenge on some people, conjures her up her own home, and goes with her as her fiancé to her family home for Christmas. She is wearing Elizabeth Taylor’s engagement ring, since she wished for it.

As Bettie and Hall spend time together and she sees how is able to charm her entire family of self-centered miscreants, Bettie’s own behavior starts changing for the better. Actually, her whole family is changing because of Hall. Bettie is full of the holiday spirit by Christmas Eve, and sometime during the night Hall disappears. His work here is done – except there are so many more things he wants to try, human/Earth-type things, and he really misses Bettie, and she really misses him.

There is some magic involved in getting Bettie & Hall to their happy ending. I loved the second half of the book enough to recommend it. If you like some holiday magic in your romance, this is the book for you.

12/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JUST LIKE MAGIC by Sarah Hogle. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (October 4, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-0593539859. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: THE CHRISTMAS Wish by Lindsey Kelk

December 13, 2022

From the publisher:

Can a little Christmas magic mend a broken heart?

Newly single lawyer Gwen Baker is hoping that a family Christmas―countryside, a mountain of food and festive films―will salve the sting of her career hanging by a thread and her heart being trampled on. Because everyone else has their life sorted: even Dev, her boy-next-door crush, is now a tall, dark and handsome stranger with a fiancée. She can’t help wishing her future was clearer.

Then Gwen wakes up to discover it’s Christmas day all over again. Like Groundhog Day but with eggnog. And family arguments. On repeat.

As she figures out how to escape her own particular Christmas hell, Dev is the one bright spot. He might be all grown-up but underneath he’s just as kind and funny as she remembers.

Maybe, just maybe, her heart can be mended after all.

But how do you fall in love with someone who can’t remember you from one day to the next?
https://amzn.to/3hb7YrK

Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies; we watch it every February! So I was happy and a tiny bit scared to read this Christmas version. What if I hated it?? But I am happy to say that I worried for nothing. I loved this book!

This is a very British romcom, full of quirky characters, foods I had to look up (Hobnob is a cookie, I learned,) and a wonderful family that celebrates Christmas together every year, despite the fights and feuds. Gwen is the youngest daughter and as such, has always felt competitive with her older sister, Cerys. Cerys is beautiful, a lawyer like their father. and married to a misogynistic man. Gwen is also a lawyer, working for one of the top law firms in London, making her father very proud. Except she hates her job, and after a client put his hands on her, she clocked him and ended up basically suspended for two weeks. Her boyfriend of a few years just dumped her after admitting to having an affair with his receptionist, so Gwen is struggling, to say the least.

Christmas is always hectic at home, but one crazy thing after another happens, and when Gwen wakes up the next day, she is shocked to find out it is Christmas day. Again. And it keeps happening. Gwen is convinced that one of the family made a Christmas wish on the sixpence her mother baked into the Christmas pudding, but no one is admitting to getting it. She decides the only way to get out of this time loop is to make sure everyone’s wishes come true.

The only bright spot in all of this is that in trying to find out their wishes, Gwen also learns a lot about her family. Plus all the craziness is laugh-out-loud funny. It also gives Gwen time to reconnect with Dev, the boy next door that she had a massive crush on all through high school. They lost touch and hadn’t seen one another in about ten years. Rumor has it that he’s engaged, so Gwen is determined to keep her distance and not be the other woman, but it’s not going to be easy.

This book is such a fun read that I don’t want to give anything away. If you are looking for a Christmas romance that will have you laughing and smiling all the way through it, then this is the book for you. It certainly was for me – I loved it!

12/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE CHRISTMAS Wish by Lindsey Kelk. HarperFiction (November 15, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-0008544645. 352p.

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A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS by Brenda Novak

December 9, 2022

Silver Springs, Book 7

From the publisher:

Spend the holidays in Silver Springs, where the greatest gift of all is the love you never expected.

Up-and-coming TV anchor Emery Bliss can’t imagine anything more humiliating than the sex tape her ex revenge-posted online. That is, until it causes her to lose her job on top of her self-esteem. Seeking solace—and anonymity—in Silver Springs, Emery isn’t looking to get involved with another man any time soon. But when she’s thrown back into contact with Dallas Turner, she sees something that his many detractors have missed.

Being home for the holidays and his adoptive mother’s wedding isn’t where mountain climber Dallas feels most comfortable. Thanks to his troubled childhood, he’d rather be on a rock face alone than trying to connect with people. Emery, however, makes him want to overcome his past…somehow.

Both Emery and Dallas had been planning on a quiet, solitary Christmas, but the sparks between them are lighting a fire strong enough to last—possibly forever.
https://amzn.to/3W5sd9b

With this book, I think I am all caught up on this series, which is good, but also makes me sad. Hopefully, there will be more – I’m not ready to leave Silver Springs behind.

Emery’s co-anchor and boyfriend doesn’t react very well when she dumps him for being a controlling jerk. He has a secret sex tape with her that he releases online – revenge porn, especially difficult for someone in the public eye. Emery is devastated that he could do something like that to her, but he denies it. Instead, he blames his housemate. But he would have no reason to tape them (he’s gay) or leak the tape, but there’s really nothing to be done.

Then things go from bad to worse when she is fired from the TV station where she thought she would be launching her career. The boyfriend gets fired, too, but then rehired a short time later. Emery is livid and eventually hires a lawyer to sue the station for wrongful termination. Meanwhile, she goes home to Silver Springs for some solitude while she considers her next move.

Dallas is a world-renowned mountain climber, taking risks that most people don’t. He has been climbing for years, but finally has a sponsor, so the money is pouring in now. He goes home for Christmas, to the New Horizons school that his mom runs. He was one of the troubled boys she adopted, and he feels honored to help her out by teaching the boys to climb.

When Dallas and Emery meet up, the chemistry is palpable, but she doesn’t know what her future will bring, and he is bound to be alone, climbing his mountains. They have a lot to conquer to find their happy ending, but in Novak’s hands, a happy ending is guaranteed. Another terrific holiday romance from one of my favorite authors!

Silver Springs series in order:

12/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS by Brenda Novak. MIRA; Original edition (October 13, 2020). ISBN:‎ 978-0778310129. 368p.

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KEEP ME WARM AT CHRISTMAS by Brenda Novak

December 9, 2022

Silver Springs, Book 10

From the publisher:

Maybe this Christmas can thaw his frozen heart—and heal hers.

Hollywood starlet Tia Beckett knows one moment can change your life. Her career had been on the fast track before a near-fatal accident left her with a debilitating facial scar. Certain her A-lister dreams are over, she agrees to house-sit at her producer’s secluded estate in Silver Springs. It’s the escape from the limelight Tia’s been craving, until she discovers she’s not the only houseguest for the holidays. And her handsome new roomie is impossible to ignore.

Artist Seth Turner has good reason to keep his distance. Losing his wife after only a few years of marriage has left a deep scar, even if he is still happy to spend a semester teaching art classes at the New Horizons Boys Ranch for troubled teens. Despite nursing her own wounds, Tia finds her curiosity piqued by enigmatic Seth, whom she recognizes as something of a kindred soul. Maybe spending Christmas together could be another game changer for both of them—this time, for good.
https://amzn.to/3Hlf2Nk

I love Brenda Novak and I love this series, and somehow I missed this book! If I haven’t read it, it’s new to me and I’m always happy to find a new book to love! In a way, I feel lucky that I missed this when it came out, because this season I get to read THREE Brenda Novak Christmas romances! I started with Christmas in Silver Springs, now this one, and up next, A California Christmas. Life is good!

Seth and Tia are two scarred individuals; both have emotional scars, but Tia’s stems from a horrific car accident that has left her with bad scarring on half her face. That would make anyone unhappy, but Tia is an actress who recently had her first big break, a starring role in a movie that is generating lots of Oscar buzz. But with her looks gone, she knows her career is over, almost before it started. She is being hounded by the paparazzi, all gunning for a picture of her damaged face, so when the producer of her film offers up his home in Silver Springs if she would agree to water the plants and take care of his bird, she jumps at the chance to hide. And off she goes.

Seth grew up with some serious issues, and that landed him at New Horizons, a school for troubled boys where the owner eventually adopts him. He becomes one of eight boys that she has adopted, all troubled, and she gives them the love and guidance that was lacking in their lives. Turns out Seth has a real talent for art, and his career takes off when he is a young man. He married the love of his life, but a few years later, she dies, leaving him bereft. It’s been a few years, but he is still married in his heart, certain he will never meet anyone else, and nor does he want to.

Tia and Seth recognize the trauma they each have faced and eventually form a tentative, somewhat friendly relationship. And then it becomes more. But can they both overcome their tragedies and find a future together? At Christmastime, anything is possible!

I loved these characters and it is always a joy to be back in Silver Springs. These books stand alone pretty well, but I think maybe start with the first one to get the backstory, then move on to any of the others. I have been jumping around and still have another one to go, but I have loved all of these books. If you like romances with some substance, then this series is perfect for you. It was for me.

Silver Springs series in order:

11/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

KEEP ME WARM AT CHRISTMAS by Brenda Novak. MIRA; Original edition (September 28, 2021). ISBN:‎ 978-0778311256. 416p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

SINGLE AND READY TO JINGLE by Piper Rayne

December 2, 2022

From the publisher:

The girl who loves Christmas falls for the Grinch—it’s a Christmas miracle.

What started as a dumpster fire of a blind date turns into a deal.

In truth, it probably didn’t help that I showed up dressed like an elf but that’s a story for another time. Our start was rocky at best which is why it’s so frustrating that I can’t stop thinking about his sexy British accent. Or the way his chest and arms fill out his suit. Or his perfect hair with that single streak of grey at the front.

Santa likes lists and so do I, so here’s all the reasons why Andrew and I aren’t right for each other:

He’s my brother’s best friend
He’s the biggest grump I’ve ever met.
He hates Christmas.

That last one is big for a girl like me who thinks that the entire month of December should be a national holiday. So, when he calls for my help in planning his firm’s holiday party, I can’t pass up the opportunity to grow my small business. Bonus, we make a deal, and he agrees to attend three holiday events with me so I can make him fall in love with Christmas. As if I’d pass up an opportunity to make a Grinch’s heart grow three times its size.

It isn’t long until I discover Andrew has a very real reason to hate Christmas and I start to see him in a different light. That’s when the Christmas miracle begins.

https://amzn.to/3gIEEbQ

I love Piper Rayne books and this was a really fun read. The meet-cute is Christmas-appropriate; Andrew and Kenzie met on a dating app and arranged to have dinner together. To Andrew’s horror, the crazy woman in the elf costume, replete with bells on her elf shoes, is his date. Kenzie is an events planner, and her previous engagement ran late. She had the option of going home to change and being super late or showing up in her costume. She picked the latter.

Things get even more complicated very quickly when they realize that Kenzie is Andrew’s best friend’s little sister, who he calls Mac. short for MacKenzie. Kenzie’s brother and Andrew met in law school, but Kenzie’s never met him before. Andrew is pretty sure his buddy isn’t going to be thrilled that he is dating his kid sister, but since he is anti-Christmas (for good reason, it turns out) there is no way he is going to date the elf once this dinner is over.

Andrew is up for partner in his law firm, and the competition is one ass-kissing lawyer. When the senior partner’s trophy wife can’t find a party planner to meet her standards for the firm’s Christmas party, Andrew recommends Kenzie. It’s short notice and the woman is a bit nutso, but Kenzie agrees to do it but only if she can take Andrew on three holiday-themed outings. She is determined to get the Scrooge out of him.

Enemies to lovers is always a fun device, and Piper Rayne are masters at it. This book has it all – it’s laugh out loud funny, heartwrenching on occasion, has some real heat in the bedroom, brings the holiday cheer, and of course, the requisite happy ending. I loved it.

11/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SINGLE AND READY TO JINGLE by Piper Rayne. Piper Rayne Inc. (November 13, 2022). ISBN: 979-8887140902. 250p.