Tag: julie christianson

Book Review: That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe (Abieville Love Stories #4) by Julie Christianson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 338 pages
Author: Julie Christianson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My holly jolly Christmas just went up in smoke. Literally …

Playing nursemaid to Bradford “Three” Fuller is the last thing I need for Christmas.

But for the next few days, I’m stuck in charge of my ex’s sparkling eyes, his ridiculous abs, and his (mostly) accidental kisses.

I don’t have a choice.

You see, Three’s only hurt because of me. And not like he hurt me a decade ago. Like … I literally concussed the man with a fire extinguisher.

Still, a make-or-break mission for my parents is what brought me back to the small town where he crushed my tender heart in the first place.

And if I screw up, I risk my mother’s approval plus the job at my father’s law firm I’ve worked for my entire life.

So I sure hope Santa stuffs my stocking full of self-control. And a defibrillator.

Because my heart just may be broken by this second chance with Three …

That Time we Kissed Under the Mistletoe is a full-length, closed-door romantic comedy in the Abieville Love Stories series, but the book can be enjoyed as a standalone.

As with all Julie Christianson’s romcoms, you’ll find plenty of sizzling chemistry, but no content beyond kisses.

CUTE AND LIGHT.

Sometimes what you need is a cute holiday romance and this hit that spot for me. I enjoyed the audiobook too (though I struggled with the FMC narrator a little). I haven’t read the other books in this series and had no issues loving on this one. It can easily be read as a standalone.

I loved all of the forced proximity moments for this second chance duo. The small town atmosphere with the holiday cheer was sweet and made for a nice listen. I loved that this was soft. Sara and Three were clearly into each other [again] from the moment they saw each other and I was smitten with the quiet scenes between them.

The lack of third act break-up was perfect. I loved that there was still character growth and tough conversations and the slight build of tension you need, but without the drama that can be oh so frustrating. I was charmed and another great read for my Christmas romance list.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Off the Wall (Only Magic in the Building) by Julie Christianson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
Length: 328 pages
Author: Julie Christianson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 9th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s in search of her soulmate. He avoids love at all costs. These neighbors are a total mismatch … until serendipity steps in.

Nori Sinclair has two goals in find the husband of her dreams, and purchase the beloved tea shop in her hometown, Serendipity Springs.

So when Nori finds herself short on funds to land a business loan, she joins a dating app that pays her to be their featured single in a month-long ad campaign.

Per her contract, all men are off-limits, except those matched for her by Swipe Rite.

This seems simple enough… until she keeps seeing herself in every mirror holding hands with Cash Briggs.

AKA her aloof, unavailable neighbor.

After a career-ending injury, ex-baseball player Cash is on a mission to help others who’ve been shattered like he was, inside and out. With his sights firmly set on a job in Los Angeles, he doesn’t have time for family or friends, let alone a relationship where he’d only get burned. Again.

Continually having to rescue Nori—his flustered neighbor, who seems desperate to avoid him—was not part of his plan.

While Cash and Nori fight their growing attraction, magnetic elements in their magical building draw them together, until they’re forced to choose between breaking all the rules or breaking both their hearts …

REALLY SWEET.

This book just made me smile. I feel like all of these books have brought the smiles. This series has been such a delight!!

I loved both of the main characters, Nori and Cash. I thought there was charming banter and chemistry from the beginning. The way Cash constantly found ways to be around Nori (even when he was resisting his feelings) was my absolute favorite. I love when a man is GONE.

The mirror aspect didn’t quite click for me, I felt like I never understood what was happening? I’m not sure it was needed for this book. (**I’ve also noticed that this is the third book in this multi-author series with the same dating a bunch of guys format and that felt a little repetitive**).

I enjoyed the Cash and Nori overcame their problems and started to lean on each other. There were really great characters ARCs. This was sweet and romantic and easy recommend.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content warnings: loss of parents (off page, brief)

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Book Review: Faking the Fall (Sweater Weather #4) by Julie Christianson

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 318 pages
Author: Julie Christianson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 21st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What’s a movie star to do when giving up the spotlight could hurt the ones he loves most?
My agent has this idea—an insanely bad idea—to reboot my Hollywood heartthrob status by having my long-lost love dump me … while I’m proposing to her on national TV.
The theory? Women everywhere will swoon over poor Lincoln James, scrambling to repair his vulnerable, shattered heart.
Trouble is, I don’t have any kind of love—long, lost, or otherwise.
To play my fake girlfriend, my agent enlists Hadley Morgan, my secret college crush. The one who dragged me to an audition that launched my career but left her in the dust.
Upping the ante, she offers Hadley a slot on the show she missed out on years ago. When the alternative publicity ploy is for reporters to dig up dirt on my family, I’ve got no choice but to go along with the ruse.
That’s why I’m in Harvest Hollow now—as one half of the dream couple HadLink—at least until Hadley explodes our relationship during a very public proposal.
Our breakup’s built into this deal. Too bad I’ve got real love for this woman.
But if I come clean, I risk Hadley’s big break, my family’s painful past, and my own rebooted heart.

A SWEET GEM.

I went into this with the best of hopes and I was gratefully charmed by the entire story. I absolutely loved the way LInk was written and how we learned more about his background and reasoning. I’m hit or miss on celebrity romances and I loved the way this one was crafted.

I also really liked Hadley too. These were both just two genuinely kind people trying to make the best decisions with the life they’ve been handed. I looooved the mutual pining and the increasingly tender moments they had as their connection reignited. It’s a sweet story with some good fake dating moments and let me tell y’all, the communication towards the end?? LOVED IT SO DANG MUCH. Exactly what I hoped for, made total sense, and really showed that Hadley and Link trusted and cared for each other. I am smitten.

The fall vibes are once again in this series, immaculate. These authors have all done a fantastic job of creating this world. I found this to be a super fast read and once that made my heart flutter.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: None
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones (happened prior to book)

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Book Review: The Even Odder Couple (Apple Valley Love Stories #4) by Julie Christianson

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 362 pages
Author: Julie Christianson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 25th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Spencer Crane thinks I’m a human tornado.

I think he’s a calendar app come to life.

While he schedules? I spin-out.

When I spontaneously combust? He overcompensates.

And this is why convincing my new boss to hire him is a completely brilliant idea.

You see, workplace romance is forbidden, but attraction between total opposites like Spencer and me is a non-issue.

I repeat: Non. Issue.

I only wish I hadn’t discovered Mr. Clark Kent Glasses is (secretly) scorchingly hot. Even worse, he’s funny and chivalrous, and shoving me straight out of my Tess the Mess comfort zone.

But we both need this job. Like, a lot. And if our boss catches wind of any fraternization, we’ll be fired. Not to mention my heart’s already at risk of being axed.

So when Spencer starts treating me like I’m a magnet and he’s a fistful of iron, I’ve got a tornado-sized problem on my hands.

Starting now, I’m doubling down. I absolutely cannot fall for Spencer Crane.

Even if my total opposite might be everything I need …

This heartwarming, hilarious romantic comedy has all the sizzle and swoon, but no explicit content. The entire Apple Valley series can be read in any order, so grab The Even Odder Couple today and get ready to fall in love! 

SILLY.

I know there’s a line for everyone on what’s too silly in a romance book. This one crossed that line for me in multiple facets and I think I’ve come to accept that this author isn’t for me. Her stories are sweet and there’s goodness here, just some frustrating things I’ve found that keep me from being fully immersed.

Spence was wonderful. I liked his nerdy and kind ways. He had that charming level of jealousy that I like he was clearly smitten with Tess. All good things for me.

Tess on the other hand? Would not shut up about some other woman that she thought (and then when was told otherwise, still forced) Spencer was into. It was annoying and relentless and I couldn’t handle one more mention of Kayla. Along with that, I thought the mayor was an odd character who didn’t quite fit either. You can fulfill the tropes you’re going after without a wild emphasis from other characters.

Anyways, I don’t know. The setting was fun too. I do love a camp setting and liked seeing that Tessa had found her element. The miscommunication running RAMPANT is about the only thing I keep circling back to when I think about this book. Oh well.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: snakebite

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