My Billionaire Fake Fiancé by Linda West was a heartwarming, friends to lovers read I couldn't put down! I read it in two nights AND the only reason I didn't finish night one was because of a family gathering! Two archrivals from a completely different social class find love at Christmastime, due to an angry ex fiancé and chauffeur's daughter. Allie is tasked to chauffeur Devlin and his fiancé to his family’s estate for Christmas. Little does she know that by the end of the trip she will be his leading lady. Well, that's at least what they will be telling his family. It was my first read from author Linda West, but I enjoyed her style of writing from the very beginning. I don't always enjoy a story written in first person, but she did it effortlessly. I felt like I was taking the journey along with the main characters. I appreciated that the author didn't take the billionaire cliché too far. Yes, I knew that was part of the story but her ability to make Devlin seem "normal" was welcomed. She didn't have Devlin whisking Allie away in his private jet or making the windows in his office turn cloudy for privacy with a click of a button. I have read a novel where the glass does that in some hot rich guys office. That's just WAY too much for me! The banter between the main characters is downright funny. A novel that can make me laugh and pulls at the heartstrings is a win-win in my eyes. This novel gets 5 stars from me and I guarantee this will not be the last novel I read by this author. Check out her website and a link to buy the book below. www.amazon.com/Billionaire-Fake-Fiance-Enchanting-Small-Town-ebook/dp/B07XPBPLSR/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=my+billionaire+fake+fiance&qid=1573180202&sr=8-3 www.lindawestauthor.com * I received a complementary copy for a honest review. All opinions are mine.*
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The Magic of Christmas by Alyssa Montgomery was my first read by this author. But I can tell you it won’t be my last. Rich and gorgeous, Jack, hates everything Christmas. I am talking Christmas trees make him physically ill. His troubled past at Christmastime is to thank for that so he usually takes an exotic trip to get as far away from the mistletoe and twinkling lights as he can. Except this year, his trip is cancelled, and he is stuck in London. When Jack returns home early and hears his cleaning lady playing the piano, enter sweet and strong-willed Grace. Although not his usual "type", Jack is drawn to her and the beautiful music she is playing on his piano. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It may seem like a typical "Billionaire" romance story BUT I am here to tell you it is much more! The plot was perfect and reminded me a little of Cinderella. Which is not a bad thing. To be honest, I read it in one night because I couldn't put it down. The author, Alyssa, does a wonderful job at intertwining the lives of the characters and making them both realistic and likable. She describes the settings and characters wonderfully. I just know in my mind Jack is super-HOT! and the book cover helps :-) I especially loved the ending when the story went almost a year in the future. I will say I would have liked to know a bit more about the months in between and have her further explain how the characters grew or even a few more interactions with each other. Maybe splitting the time jump in a 6-month interval for more context? Just a thought. All and all I would check this book out as soon as you can. Trust me.... you need Jack and Grace, at Christmastime, in your life! Check out the publisher’s website below to buy this one. TODAY. https://www.romance.com.au/9781489295019/the-magic-of-christmas/ * I received a complementary copy for a honest review. All opinions are mine.* A woman tells the tale of her magical Christmas Eve miracle to her young grandson.
The First Snowfall of Christmas Eve by Rebecca Amiss, is one short read you need in your life this holiday season! Rebecca draws you in to her story within the first few sentences. When the story takes you back in time, Rebecca perfectly describes the emotions of the young girl missing her father at Christmastime. I loved the concept of this short story! Honestly, if I see snow fall on Christmas Eve the first thing I will think is "There is a miracle happening somewhere in the world". That is powerful and so is this story. This story pulls at your heartstrings and you may even shed a tear. I know I did. If you are looking for a quick holiday read that pulls out all the feels.... this one is for you! Wrapped Up In Christmas, by Janice Lynn, is a perfect Christmas read for soooooooo many reasons!
Sarah Smith knows heartbreak. To mend her heart, she submerges herself in Church functions, charities and making quilts for soldiers. Bodie Lewis is trying to find his place in the world after the war. All he has ever wanted is to serve his country. When he must leave his mission due to injury, Bodie seeks refuge back to his hometown. On Bodie's journey home, he makes a stop in Pine Hill, Kentucky, to thank the elderly woman who sent him a quilt and wrote him a lovely note while at war. When he arrives, he meets Sarah, who is not at all elderly but the exact opposite. Bodie doesn't immediately tell her the reason he came to Pine Hill, so she assumes he is the latest contractor to help fix up her Bed and Breakfast. As Bodie helps Sarah transform her B & B, sparks fly, and both of their wounds start to heal. Okay, now that you have the synopsis, lets break down the soooooooo many reasons this is a perfect Christmas story. One, all Hallmarkies LOVE a good romance and there is no better time than at Christmas. Especially, a small-town Christmas story! Two, Janice Lynn knows how to write. The way she combines serious plots with the funny older ladies at Sarah's Church, you may laugh reading one paragraph but cry at the next. This book will touch all your emotions! I personally wish I could visit Pine Hill, KY and stay at the B&B. It sounds beautiful which Janice did a great job of putting us readers right in the center of it all thanks to her descriptive writing. Three, the characters are so likable. Each new character I was introduced to made me smile. I enjoyed the different dynamics and depth to each of them. Even Bodie's dog is a charmer! Okay, I could continue on, but you will just have to go buy it yourselves. Trust me, you won’t regret the purchase. If you love small town Christmas, military, dogs, and kooky humor, then this one is for you! A Gingerbread Romance by Lacey Baker will leave your heart full of Christmas spirit and your belly hungry!
I started reading this novel, not realizing it had already been turned into a Christmas Hallmark movie. Surprisingly, it was a Hallmark movie I hadn't seen yet. GASP! Trust me, I was just as shocked as you. However, I think it’s a good thing because I usually like to read books first, movies later. For me, sometimes the movies just leave some important stuff out. All and all I was glad. This novel takes you into the lives of Taylor and Adam. What’s that phrase.....Opposites attract? In this case, they definitely do. Taylor is a up and coming architect and Adam is a widower/baker. When Taylor needs help with her company’s gingerbread house competition, she begs for Adam's baking skills to make sure she wins and secures her a promotion in Paris. What Taylor doesn't bargain for is remembering all the things she loves about Christmastime and falling for not only Adam's baking skills, but the man himself. This is your traditional Hallmark, sweet romance, novel. So, if you like Hallmark and Christmas (like me) you can’t go wrong with checking out this book! I enjoyed one plot point in this novel. The author, Lacey, really involved Adam's world around his child, Brooke. She was a vital part in this novel. You were able to read about Taylor falling for Adam, but Lacey did a great job showing Taylor fall for Brooke also. Any story about a widower with children pulls at my heartstrings so it was lovely to see their relationship blossom along with Taylor and Adam. And as a warning, make sure to have a snack nearby when you are reading this. The book is based around gingerbread so all the yummy descriptions of the pastries can leave one’s stomach rumbling! New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ginny Baird bring us "An Unforgettable Christmas. This is the first Christmas novel I have read of Ginny’s, but it will NOT be my last. The love story between Angie and Sam is one we all dream of! Two coworkers find love at Christmastime. Widower and single mother Angie ends up taking care of Sam, who suffers a major fall and loss of memory during the holiday season. Angie comes to the rescue to try and help him remember his past, but they also form a bond that leaves them both making new memories together! Love is in the air just in time for Christmas. I hope this becomes a Hallmark original Christmas movie asap. For me, the story was a traditional sweet romance Hallmark novel, but offered so much more. I loved how Ginny incorporated the loss of Sam's memory and I welcomed the nontraditional Hallmark story line. At first, I did assume it would be another coworkers fall in love at Christmas type read. Don’t get me wrong, I love those too, but this story line piqued my interest to keep reading. I am so glad I did! Ginny does a great job at pulling you into the story and her scene descriptions make you feel like you are watching all the love and magic unfold right on the big screen. I felt like I knew these characters by the end. You will feel the magic of the holiday season after reading this one. Out of the Picture, by Tracy Gardner, is a must read! It is the 1st of the new series presented to us from the author and I cant wait for the next one to be published.
The characters are interesting, likable and I loved the banter between the three Shepherd sisters. The who did it mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat and Tracy does a great job making you want to solve the mystery right along with Savanna. I would have liked to read a bit more about the romance developing between Savanna and Aiden but the twist and turns mystery plot helped move the story along enough to keep me interested. What can I say? I am a sucker for Hallmark love stories! Hopefully their story will be continued in the next novel. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the Aurora Teagarden mysteries. Overall, great novel and this one should definitely be considered for the next mystery series on Hallmark! A Down Home Christmas, by Liz Talley, is just what you need to get in the Christmas spirit! If you love reading or watching ANYTHING Hallmark then this novel is for you. Honestly, Hallmark should definitely make this one into a movie. Kris, a up and coming country music star, takes a break from the glitz and glamour of Nashville, and finds himself back in his home town for the holidays. His plan is to spend a few days convincing his Aunt Tansey to move closer to him in a retirement home but she isn't going for it. Tory, the charming teacher next door, and Kris's Aunt join together to remind him of how much the farm means to their family and the joy it brings during Christmas. Liz Talley does a wonderful job at creating these characters and I loved how she explained each of their backstories. It was a fun, sweet read that will make you smile and also shed a tear! Highly recommend this book if you enjoy a sweet romance. I Take You by Eliza Kennedy is about a young woman who must decide between one man or the rest of the human population. The only problem is her pending nuptials are around the corner and she doesn't have much time to make her choice. This novel was a fun, sexy read that I had trouble putting down. At first, I didn't much care for the main character, Lily. She loves to drink and has no idea what monogamy is. I felt a little bad for her future husband because he was getting treated so badly but by the end of the book let just say she gets what is coming to her. Throughout the story I began to like her and realize why she is so screwed up. Lily is a charming and sarcastic character so it was hard to not start to fall in love with her. She is the girl who says the things most people wish they could, out loud. I enjoyed how the author wrote the main character. Lily has many depths to her and I think that is one of the reasons I started to like her. I also liked how every character and what role they play in Lily's life was explained. The author didn't go into huge detail but she gave enough information to the reader so it was a easy story to follow. The twists and turns of the novel were especially exciting. Every time I thought it was smooth sailing from here, another twist was introduced. It kept me on the edge of my seat.I thought the ending was good but it left me wanting more. I suppose that's a good thing. I would have liked to know where Lily ended up and ultimately if she gets married. Maybe there will be a second book which I would absolutely read. If you like a good romantic novel this is a book for you. You will laugh, smile and maybe even shed a tear. Check out the link below to buy I Take You by Eliza Kennedy www.amazon.com/Take-You-Novel-Eliza-Kennedy/dp/0553417827 I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review Reading the description of the book, what I thought it would be about and what I received was different to say the least. The story follows the lives of three classmates throughout their college years at Harvard and all the challenges they face on and off campus. From reading the book blurb I assumed this book would touch more on the murder of one of their fellow classmates, I was wrong. The author touched on the murder and the affair that one of the main characters was having with the supposed killer but out of the entire story that part would have barely taken up one chapter. I kept waiting to read more about the murder and the possible killer but the material kept coming up short. The story was very character driven, which I enjoyed. I do prefer to get to know my characters back stories but I do believe the author went a little too far back into their past. Some of it really wasn’t relevant to the story. Most of the chapters will leave you on the edge of your seat but unfortunately it will fall short and you may be disappointed. Overall, I will probably read more from the author because some of the story kept me interested. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review
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