Book Review: One Small Secret (Gift-Wrapped Romance) by Esther Hatch

December 30, 2024November 20, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 214 pages
Author: Esther Hatch
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 13th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ruben Palmer is on every woman’s Christmas wish list. Except mine.

I grew up with him and bested him in practically everything we did together–debate, grades, mini-golf, you name it. So I’ve built an immunity to his boy-next-door charm. Sure, sometimes I might accidentally type his name into my search engine, but his dimples, hotel empire and thirst-trap photos don’t tempt me. I’ve got my sights set on earning my way to the top of the Palmer Hotel empire, and nothing is going to get in my way.

Until my step-sister leaves her secret toddler with me before skipping town for three months. Now suddenly everyone thinks he’s mine, and instead of powering my way to the top, I’m struggling to not get fired. And instead of Ruben staying on the executive floor where he belongs, he’s invading my apartment, breaking dates with starlets, and looking disappointed that I decided to settle down with anyone except him.

But I know Ruben, and Ruben doesn’t settle down. So there’s no way I’m giving him my heart. Not even for Christmas.

WELL.

This wasn’t all bad, truly. I just feel like there was a whole lot going on for 200 pages and I think I got off on the wrong foot with the way the entire plot was set-up. It left me with more questions than answers.

There were a lot of good swoony moments and the kissing scenes were fantastic. I did like the second half more and I adored Ruben the most. He really did roll with the punches and had some of my favorite love confession scenes. I liked all of the holiday content and office place romance. There’s good banter and it’s witty. While things didn’t fully click for me, I look forward to more contemporaries from this author.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment

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Book Review: Solo for the Season (Gift-Wrapped Romance) by Martha Keyes

December 26, 2023November 14, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 206 pages
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 8th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

MAGGIE

After being dumped last Christmas, I’m taking extreme measures to ensure nothing and no one ruins my happy holidays this time around. I’ll be safely wrapped in a cocoon of kitschy Christmas decor, complete with surrounding winter wonderland at the ultimate holiday mountain cabin. So what if the countless elf figurines make me a little uneasy or if there are a couple hiccups with cabin maintenance? There’s a bigger the assistant manager happens to be one of (many) teasing classmates from my childhood and my former crush. He keeps showing up to my cabin to fix things. I’m more worried about what he might break…. WES Here at Crystal Peaks Resort, I’ve got everything I tall trees, fresh air, and no cell phone service. This is my happy place, and if I prove to my boss I can handle the job, the management position here will be mine. Everything is falling into place. Until the newest guest arrives. The quirky cabin she’s in is the bane of my existence, causing issue after issue. But the more I’m there, the more I realize the real obstacle between me and my future proving to my boss I can keep a professional relationship with the guests. Or one guest in particular.

A Gift-Wrapped Romance is a five-part multi-author series that can be enjoyed in any order!

THIS WAS SWEET.

I love short and sweet Christmas romance books. This was a gem and I loved Wes and Maggie. The setting was fun with the explosion of kitschy holiday goodness and all of the snow that I’m grateful I never see in real life.

One of my favorite aspects was that even though Maggie was still a little affected by some of the teasing from high school she didn’t let that completely overwhelm her being kind to Wes initially. And the fact he gave her a genuine apology was beautiful. I love see characters act their age and to try their best to communicate instead of running away.

The only tiny thing I didn’t love was Brielle. The conflict that came to that added pages, but not content. I just could have done without.

That last 20% though? I loved it. I loved how not for one second did Wes try to hide that fact he had fallen for Maggie and that they found a way to make things work between them. It was precious.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Merry Kismet (Gift-Wrapped Romance) by Anneka R. Walker

December 25, 2023November 6, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 202 pages
Author: Anneka R. Walker
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: November 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

BRIE

Things I should never have done:

Put my ex-boyfriend’s name on my Christmas wish list.
Grin dumbly at him when he shows up at my door.
Think it’s kismet that he’s staying on the other half of my duplex for the holidays and means we’re meant to be together. Because we’re not. He broke my heart in High School and never looked back.

ROCKWELL

Things I will never do:

Move back to Bearwood.
Repeat my parents’ mistakes by getting married.
Kiss Brie Holland under the mistletoe. I know how good her kisses are, and if I want to make sure number one and two don’t happen, I’m going to have to keep her safely in the friend zone until I’m out of Bearwood for good.

LACKED CHEMISTRY.

I did think some of this was sweet, but the first half was hard for me to wrap my head around. I couldn’t quite get behind some of the thought processes and choices that ultimately had me frustrated.

There was plenty of good Christmas spirit and the tiny dash of magical realism was charming. I liked the main characters in general and the second half was much better. It’s a sweet and simple holiday read that might work for you more than it did me.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce

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Book Review: Cabin Crush (Gift Wrapped Romance) by Kasey Stockton

December 24, 2023October 31, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 200 pages
Author: Kasey Stockton
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 27th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can what happens at the Christmas cabin stay at the Christmas cabin?

Rachael
I’ve had a crush on my brother’s best friend my entire life. Once, in high school, I even got a taste of what it would be like to be with him thanks to some well-placed mistletoe: incredible and humiliating. We always spend Christmas with Max’s family at our cabin, and every year I have to suffer through a blissful week with him in a completely platonic way. His steady stream of girlfriends have made him off limits . . . until now.

It’s Christmas.

We’re at the cabin together.

And Max Dawson is single.

Max
I’ve never looked forward to Christmas less in my entire life. My parents’ holiday will be ruined after I tell them my news, and to make matters worse, I blabbed to Rachael on the drive out to the cabin. Now she has to keep my secret until I’m ready to share with my family.

Which is probably why she’s acting so weird. Watching me. Touching me. Flirting.

It would be terrible if I wasn’t enjoying it so much.

But her brother has made it clear she’s off limits. And besides, I kissed Rachael once, and we all know how that ended.

So we definitely shouldn’t do it again.

Right?

CHRISTMAS MAGIC.

Oh my gosh I adored this book. It’s a short and sweet holiday romance that was the perfect length. I loved watching Max and Rachael come together. They had some magnetic chemistry and the brother’s best friend trope was well crafted. I couldn’t get enough of the cozy cabin with the long time family friends doing all of the holiday traditions.

The romance was excellently swoony and sweet Max was oblivious and I loved it. There were plenty good forced proximity moments and I liked the growth for each character personally. For a short book (under 200 pages) I thought it packed everything needed for a complete story arc.

Definitely recommend for the holiday season!!

Overall audience notes: