holiday romance – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 338 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 22nd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Everyone loves a Christmas surprise––just not when it’s a spy in disguise.
Lacee:

I’ll be home for Christmas…alone was the plan, but everything changes when I bump into a handsome stranger who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. So there’s a new plan, a plan that involves a casual holiday fling. Merry Christmas to me.

But spending the holidays with Park Bradshaw in my charming hometown turns into Mission Impossible when I find out his knife skills go way beyond carving the Christmas ham.

Now I’m on the run, living out my own Christmas version of Die Hard, where making it home in time for Christmas is the least of my worries. I just want to make it home alive ––and hopefully not lose my heart to the one man I’m not sure I can trust.

Because as the countdown to Christmas ticks on like a bomb, I’m left wondering which side he’s on.

◆ Later On We’ll Conspire is a laugh-out-loud, closed-door romance full of sizzle, chemistry, and witty banter that might require you to suspend a little disbelief.

A LOT OF FUN.

If you’re looking for a unique holiday romance, this is it. Read this book. I’ve been waiting for this one since it was announced and it did not disappoint.

I loved the hidden identities spy mystery plot. It’s still kept light and humorous, but adds that bit of an intense edge that plays off of everything else beautifully. Lacee and Park end up having to work together and you wouldn’t believe the sparks that fly off of these two.

The plot meandered just a bit for me and I think that’s why I’m feeling closer to a four star. Don’t get me wrong, LOVED this book, but there’s something holding me back.

The story itself had me speeding through it and I liked the level of Christmas feels it gives. There’s plenty of fiery banter (and faaantastic) kisses that I love, especially in categorically sweet romances. The twists are easy to guess yet so entertaining to watch unfold. I laughed out loud quite a bit and think this is one of the better Christmas books I’ve ever read. I love when things feel fresh!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, gun violence, physical altercations

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Book Review: Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh

December 27, 2022November 4, 2022 GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 354 pages
Author: Catherine Walsh
Publisher: Bookouture
Release Date: October 4th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s meant to be catching flights, not catching feelings…

Molly and Andrew are just trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight.

Nothing romantic has ever happened between them: they’re friends and that’s all. But once a year, for the last ten years, Molly has spent seven hours and fifteen minutes sitting next to Andrew on the last flight before Christmas from Chicago to Dublin, drinking terrible airplane wine and catching up on each other’s lives. In spite of all the ways the two friends are different, it’s the holiday tradition neither of them has ever wanted to give up.

Molly isn’t that bothered by Christmas, but—in yet another way they’re total opposites—Andrew is a full-on fanatic for the festive season and she knows how much getting back to Ireland means to him. So, instead of doing the sane thing and just celebrating the holidays together in America, she does the stupid thing. The irrational thing. She vows to get him home. And in time for his mam’s famous Christmas dinner.

The clock is ticking. But Molly always has a plan. And—as long as the highly-specific combination of taxis, planes, boats, and trains all run on time—it can’t possibly go wrong.

What she doesn’t know is that, as the snow falls over the city and over the heads of two friends who are sure they’re not meant to be together, the universe might just have a plan of its own…

A totally gorgeous and escapist friends-to-lovers festive romance with a swoon-worthy hero. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Mhairi Macfarlane, and Christina Lauren.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED.

This one took me by surprise and I am so happy it did. WHAT A GEM. This is a must read for my holiday romance fans!!

The angst between these two friends as they turned to lovers was immaculate. I felt the tension from the get go and within a few chapters I was completely wrapped up in watching these two fall in love. I loved the brief flashback moments that recounted all of their plane rides together. It set the stage well for where things landed in the end.

And OHMGEE SWEET ANDREW. I was very much misty eyed when I got to some of those later chapters. Straight PUDDLE. Andrew was amazing and I love him and couldn’t get enough. I really liked Molly as the FMC too. She was realistic yet willing to do what she could for her closest friend. I loved the whirlwind of an adventure they went on, literally around the world to get home for Christmas.

I loved all of the Christmas and holiday spirit, the families were stellar. Always love a supportive and loving family as side characters. The ending was all the best things and now I want to read this author’s other books.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: Some strong
Romance: 2ish open door; low-med explicit
Trigger/Content Warnings: pregnancy (side character), childbirth, mentions of alcoholism

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Book Review

Book Review: A Not-So Holiday Paradise (Christmas Escapes #5) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

December 25, 2022November 21, 2022 GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★
Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 242 pages
Author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 16th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

THINGS YOU BRING ON A DESERT ISLAND…

1) Sunscreen, obviously. Because these Irish freckles of mine will burn, baby, burn, and lobster red is not a great color on me.
2) An extra dose of my seizure meds, just in case.
3) A backpack full of snacks, including but not limited to a canteen of Dr. Pepper, a box of mini Christmas cookies, and granola bars—the gross crumbly kind, not the chocolate chip kind, because I’m trying to be healthy.
4) Sunglasses, so that when I inevitably wind up staring at my brother’s best friend—who I haven’t seen in years—no one will be able to tell. I’ve been in love with him forever, but it would never work out; he lives on a literal island, while I’m still in grad school. It can’t hurt to look, though, right?
5) Also bug spray.

My packing list is all well and good for a quick port excursion as part of my family’s Christmas cruise. But when the cruise ship leaves me behind, with only the contents of my bag and my brother’s best friend to keep me company? Well, I’ve got problems–especially since I’m going to run out of medicine soon. And I don’t think they make sunscreen strong enough to block the sparks that are growing between Beckett and me…

Enjoy the other books in this series that can be read in any order:

UNIQUE.

This felt fresh to the holiday genre. Set on a cruise and a small island, it’s got a much different vibe without any snow around (but there’s a big storm, don’t worry!).

What I didn’t know would be my kryptonite was the phrase good girl used in here. Not commonly seen in sweet romance books I loved how this was used here! I’m going to need to see that more often ASAP.

There’s some great forced proximity moments between these two and I always love a brother’s best friend trope. I thought both of these played well. I didn’t always love the FMC, but I did love the epilepsy rep. And the MMC anxiety rep! Both of these were written well and I loved learning more about epilepsy from the author.

I thought the book overall was sweet and fast paced. I really just enjoyed reading it, ya know? There’s bit of a momentum loss towards the end but those last few pages help make it up and I love a down the years epilogue to feel all the flutters.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: on page epileptic seizure, anxiety depiction

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Book Review

Book Review: The Fake Santa Apology Tour by Julie Olivia

December 24, 2022November 7, 2022 GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance Novella
Length: 158 pages
Author: Julie Olivia
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I’m Birdie Mae, and let’s skip to the weird part of my story: Short-term relationships with good looking Santas are kind of my thing. And Nicholas Ryan is the good looking Santa I really don’t need in my life.

They say the spirit of Christmas finds you on holiday vacations, but instead I run into the only person who could get my Christmas lights twisted: freaking Nicholas. A man I haven’t seen in twenty years and who I never wanted to see again. Except now he’s my hot bartender, complete with a silver-fox beard, a twinkle in his eye, and looking a lot like my kryptonite: jingle belling Santa Claus.

It’s five days until Christmas, I’m stuck in a snowy town straight out of a Hallmark movie, and my ultimate goal? Avoid the Grinch who stole all my Christmases and pretend that our chemistry is simply just the magic of Christmas in the air.

QUIRKY.

I usually don’t write full reviews of novellas because they often don’t warrant a full breakdown.

BUT, I want everyone to know about this so I want to throw a few sentences out there that this was an amazing holiday novella. I absolutely adored it and it found me when I needed this kind of escapism.

It won’t be for everyone, but if you feel like giving it a go, DO IT. I loved the chemistry between Birdie Mae and Nic. They had some great enemies to lovers vibes that turned into a heated reconnection blast from the past that worked so dang well. The age gap was just right and alllll of those small town winter vibes are alive and well.

The pacing was fantastic for such a short story. I felt like I got enough back story + forward progress to enjoy these characters and could only imagine a full length novel between them. I’m curious now about Olivia’s backlist and will have to check that out!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance Novella
Language: some strong
Romance: 2 open door; med-high explicit
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: a parent with dementia (not on page but discussed), loss of a parent (recounted)