claire cain – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 284 pages
Author: Claire Cain
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 20th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My cheery little life was chugging along smoothly until one small shift sent it off track until it imploded. I lost my health, my business plans, and even my apartment—Merry Christmas to me! It’s at this low point Colonel Gruff, a man I know dislikes me, finds me.

He’s the grumpy soldier with a personality like sandpaper, but suddenly he’s offering me a solution to my problems I can’t say no to, and in a matter of weeks, I’m Mrs. Colonel Gruff.

I’m giving him what he needs too—a wife for the holidays. We’ll play pretend for his family, and even though he hasn’t said why, I know convincing them is important. And though this is all part of the agreement, those sugar plum fairies dancing around in my chest every time he gets close aren’t part of the deal.

I’m not ready to give up mistletoe kisses with my fake husband, or this glimpse of his secret soft side. But we’re only married for the holidays. I can’t keep him—even if he’s all I want for Christmas.

Have Yourself a Married Little Christmas is a closed door romance without implied intimacy.

MISSING SOME CHEMISTRY.

I thought this was a sweet marriage of convenience romance (and I love a MOC trope). But I did struggle with the chemistry between the main couple. I wanted to feel more passion by the time those closing chapters were coming around and I don’t think it ever hit that level.

The holiday aspects were good and I adore forced proximity so there were many enjoyable moments throughout. I liked the characters well enough too and did think they got along well. I was tired of hearing Gruff talk about his ex-wife though (I understand a few mentions, but this seemed constant).

So I don’t know, kind of a mixed bag for me on this read. I’m glad it was a quick story at least and I still like CC’s books. This one just missed a few marks for me.

Overall audience notes:

Christmas Romance
Language: none
Romance: closed door

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 326 pages
Author: Claire Cain
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I’d always thought having a mortal enemy was for dramatic novels and movies, right up until my so-called friend Jude “Beast” Rawlins did the unthinkable and became just that—my enemy.

Five years later, we’ve both retired from the Army, and fate has landed us in a town too small to avoid each other. We steer clear when we can and butt heads when we can’t… until the day our jobs at Saint Security rope us into an assignment together posing as husband and wife.

Staying apart is impossible, and staying silent even more so. Everything inside me erupts, and I’m ready to finally put this beast of a man in his place for what he did.

Except, it turns out now I do the unthinkable and see Beast in a new way. In fact, I also get to know Jude, the man he is behind it all, the man I’d forbidden myself to ever notice. And I discover maybe this man never had to be my enemy.

What’s a woman to do when the one she’s always considered her enemy turns out to be just a man, one with a soft heart and an even softer touch? I’ve made so many mistakes in my past, I’m not sure I can trust myself, or Jude.

Can former enemies really have a chance at love?

MY FIRST CLAIRE CAIN BOOK!

And not my last. I enjoyed this quite a bit and I loved that this had veterans and a little bit of suspense and a good enemies to lovers romance to boot. I thought it all came together well and I loved the vibes of the whole book.

I adored Beast. I loved how soft and tender he was at his core. And I love an outpouring of the soul moments and the strength it took to do so. It was great getting lots of forced proximity and small town goodness is always my jam.

I haven’t read the previous books in this series and I don’t know if that hindered me a little bit. I was missing some context for the business Jude and Jess were involved in, but as things went a long I felt caught up enough to enjoy the story.

Overall audience notes: