Publishing Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: Avon Books - HarperCollins
Pages: 384
My Review: This was one of the December reads for my #supersexybookclub - we wanted something Christmas themed for the holidays and we found this one. This is my first time reading something by Jill Shavis, and I definitely enjoy the humor in her writing. The story follows Lucas, an investigator, who is recently healing from bullet wounds and taking pain meds. He wakes up one morning after mixing alcohol with his meds to find his longtime crush, Molly, in bed next to him. Although nothing really happened between the two, Molly enjoys playing with him. They both like each other, but things are difficult because 1) they work together, and 2) Lucas' partner at work also happens to be Molly's brother. When Molly offers to help some elves at a Christmas village uncover why the Santa owning the place isn't paying his workers decently, Lucas is sent to babysit Molly so that she doesn't get herself into a lot of trouble. They work with some hilarious elves, and there's lots of laugh out loud moments that involve some elf costumes. There's the mystery of what's really going on there, while Lucas and Molly find themselves drawn to one another. They've taken on this no-strings-attached attitude, which like always, doesn't really end well since they start falling for one another. While I do enjoy Shavis' writing, I did find Molly a bit unbearable at times and I also felt there was so much wrapped up in this short book. Molly and her brother have a past experience that forever shaped them, and I felt that should've been highlighted more. I know this book is technically #6 in the series, but they can all be read as standalones, but I'm definitely curious to go back and read the other books in the series to get a better picture of all the other characters in the book. I will say, I did enjoy the christmas/holiday elements most!
Available for purchase:
Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Publishing Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: HQN Books
Pages: 384
My Review: The story follows Callen Laramie, who has made a name for himself and a successful business in Dallas, and has no plans to return to his hometown of Coldwater, Texas. That is, until he gets a wedding invitation to his foster father, Buck's wedding. Even though Buck saved Callen and his brothers from a horrible foster family, everything about Coldwater just reminds Callen of what he's been through, so he's not too keen to be there. There's also someone that he's always had feelings for but never acted on: Buck's daughter, Shelby. You immediately see that there's chemistry between the two, and with the no-strings-attached attitude they've adopted because Callen doesn't plan on staying long, doesn't really seem to be working out for them. We learn that there's a reason why Buck wanted Callen to return so much. I will say though, I know that this is the first of the series so there's a lot of groundwork being put to set up for the future books, but there was just so much in this book that I feel some parts were a little rushed, especially the end. The book is really more about the Laramie brother's relationship with Buck's family and how they are able to find forever homes for those stuck in the foster care system. It's also about rehabilitation when you learn that a loved one is sick, and what comes after that. There's also healing from the trauma of the past. In a way, the love story kind of became secondary, and this really read more like Callen's story. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I wish there was more than the couple of pages towards the end with the giant love declaration and the hint of HEA. I'm sure we'll see more of Callen and Shelby in the next books. This was my first time reading something by Delores Fossen, and I'm definitely intrigued about the other Laramie brothers, especially Judd, whose book is next I believe? It's a nice little read that got me in the mood for the holidays because it features a wedding on during Christmas time.
Available for purchase:
Harlequin - Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the Harlequin Publicity Team in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publishing Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: HQN Books
Pages: 496
My Review: Yes, this is another one where it's my first time reading something by the author. I was sent this book, and technically, it's #4 in a series that can be read standalones. The main story follows McKenna, who has come to Gold Valley in search of her birth father with nothing. She dreams of having a perfect happy ending like the one she read in Anne of Green Gables. She ends up on Get Out of Dodge farm (lol, I love that name), and they offer her a job to help her get back on her feet. She is immediately attracted to Grant Dodge, who is really closed off. I have to admit, when I first started the book, I really did not see the fascination with Grant. Sure, McKenna thought he was good looking, but he wasn't particularly engaging and was really stand-offish. The reader comes to learn about what keeps him so closed off, and his story-line ends up much deeper than I anticipated. The story deals with finding your family, your sense of home, but also learning to grieve properly and let go of the past. In the end, I did like that McKenna and Grant came together on equal footing and were able to finally shed their past and expectations. I'm definitely curious about the other characters and I do like Yates' writing, so I am going to check out the other books in the Gold Valley series. This book also included a novella at the end titled Snowed in with the Cowboy, and it follows Chloe, who is fighting an attraction for her step-brother. It's not a particular trope that I often read, or even enjoy for that matter, and because it's a novella, it's extremely short and it didn't feel fully fleshed out in my opinion. I also get that they've known each other for a long time, but it did feel a bit insta-lovey. I recommend picking this up for the main story, but the novella was unfortunately, not my cup of tea.
Available for purchase:
Harlequin - Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the Harlequin Publicity Team in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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