melanie summers – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 302 pages
Author: Whitney Dineen and Melanie Summers
Publisher: 33 Partners & Indigo Group
Release Date: September 19th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Twas the text before Christmas…

Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.

Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.

Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? Find out in the fifth installment of the Accidentally in Love Series.

HOLIDAY CHEER.

We have found another win for the holiday romance books column.

I do admit you do have to let go of some drama aspects for this one (as you do with holiday books), but I thought it was overall really charming!! The romance got off to a nice meet-cute and I liked the banter between Holly and Archie. They had some sweet moments that built the relationship well.

The plot had those billionaire romance aspects that I know many will love and worked for me most of the time too. I loved the personal shopper side of it too. The combination just worked so well for me.

Faith was a cute addition that only increased the charm on this book. I loved the new family they were creating together and it had me showcasing a huge smile. Faith was cheeky and landed the anecdotes at the right moment.

It’s a lighthearted and quick holiday read that I think will bring the best kind of feels for the season.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: very little
Romance: make-outs
Trigger/Content Warnings: orphaned child (death of parents mentioned; off-page), a mother with dementia

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary romance
Length: 281 pages
Author: Melanie Summers
Publisher: Indigo Group
Release Date: August 15th, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ultra-private, ridiculously handsome Crown Prince Arthur has always gotten by on his charm. But that won’t be enough now that the Royal Family is about to be ousted from power once and for all. When Prince Arthur has to rely on the one woman in the kingdom who hates him most, he must learn that earning the love of a nation means first risking his heart.

Twenty-eight-year-old Tessa Sharpe, a.k.a. The Royal Watchdog, hates everything about Prince Arthur. As far as she’s concerned, he’s an arrogant, lazy leech on the kingdom of Avonia. When he shocks the nation by giving her the keys to the castle, Tessa has no choice but to accept and move in for two months. It’s lust at first sight, but there’s no way she can give in to her feelings—not if she wants to have a career or a shred of pride left when her time at the palace ends…

Can two natural enemies find their forever in each other’s arms, or will they ruin each other to save themselves?

EXCALIBUR.

I picked this up for what was hopefully going to be a distracted, royalty filled romance. Instead I was distracted by one thing that just bleh to me.

I couldn’t handle the Prince referring to his *manhood* as a scepter or Excalibur, over and over again. The first time or two, I shook it off, it fit the theme, okay sure. But the more it went on, the more I was just like…stop. Subtly was definitely lacking for this romance and I didn’t love it.

This did make me laugh at times and it was a quick read. The story was line was quirky and well put together for a royal romance read. My struggles with it didn’t detract from enjoying it. When the subtly was there, I did really like Tessa and Arthur. I thought the moments they were getting to know each other and flirting were cute.

I don’t plan on continuing the series since it wasn’t a total fit for me.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: some strong throughout
Romance: kisses / make-outs; a handful of open and closed door scenes
Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mention of losing a loved one from suicide