Review: Frosted Midnight: A Christmas Novella (The 12 NA's of Christmas) by Breena Wilde

Frosted Midnight is proud to be a part of The 12 NA's of Christmas
12 New Adult Novellas.
12 Bestselling Authors.
November 2013

Willow needs a miracle...
Twenty-year-old Willow is a librarian in the tourist town of Bandon, Oregon. During the summer the town is bursting with interesting people from all over the world. 
Two summers ago she met Austin. He was everything she ever wanted in a man: smart, funny, and gorgeous. But after eight perfect weeks he left, and she hasn't heard from him since. 
Until Christmas Eve. She receives an email from Austin asking her to meet him at midnight so he can explain. 
It might be a booty call, but Willow has to see him one last time, even if it's just to say good-bye.

ebook 92 pages

Published November 1st 2013 by Breena Wilde Books

Genre: New Adult

 

Kristine's Thoughts:

Although I enjoyed this book I feel the story would have been served better as a full length novel. There are a couple of major issues (that I won't give away) that needed a little more face time in order to be truly believable. As a novella they were dealt with a little too quickly for my liking.

I really liked Willow with her fire, quick mouth and no nonsense attitude but I felt that Austin's character wasn't developed enough to fully appreciate. I wish I could have known a little more of his back story. Again, another reason that a full length novel would have been more enjoyable

 

As with all novella's that I review, I am keeping this short so that I don't give anything away. If you like a quick and easy read about young love/lust with a lot of descriptive, steamy sex scenes then you should definitely read this novella. At 92 pages you will have it read in no time. I did like it but I think I would have loved it as a full story with all of the gaps filled in.

About the Author

 

Breena Wilde has been writing for years. She's the international bestselling author of the BLURRED LINES series. She's sold more than five hundred thousand books under another name in the last year. Breena loves to write about love, loss, and the strength of the human spirit.

 

 

 

 

Website- 

http://www.breenawilde.blogspot.com

Twitter-BreenaWilde 

Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/BreenaWildeBooks  

Review: A Heart is a Home: Christmas in Texas by K.E. Saxon

How does a smart, easygoing serial monogamist tame a closet Bohemian?

Adam Taylor believes selling his childhood home is the only way to put the past…and the memories behind him. Then he meets Joy Pettigrew. The uptight real estate broker isn’t what she seems.

Freaky and Joy Pettigrew no longer mix. She’s a corporate girl now. She plans to make the sale, get the commission, and never look back. So how does she keep the truth from Adam Taylor long enough to get him to sign on the dotted line? He swears he wants to sell his grandfather’s house and move on. She knows he’s lying to himself. He insists she throw off the façade she’s hiding behind. She knows she’s lying to herself. She also knows he’s going back to Houston. Nothing she does will change his mind…and even their shared passion won’t convince her to go with him.

She’s already home. After all, Christmas is just around the corner and everyone knows you spend Christmas at home.

ebook, 178 pages

Published October 8th 2012 by Passion Flower Publishing

 

Terri's Review

 

I downloaded this story from Amazon as part of my mission to feature Christmas stories during the month of December.

 

I have to admit that I was disappointed in this read and did not enjoy it too much.  The premise of the story was fine, two opposites meet and deny their attraction until they give in to the chemistry.  Although typical I did expect this based on the synopsis given.

 

Where I struggled was with the character of Joy.  She was uptight with no personality and I found it difficult to like her.  I know the basic idea was that Adam broke down her icy exterior however it did not really work for me.  The chemistry between the two felt imagined until they fell in to bed.  This part would not disappoint those who like their steamy love scenes however I felt that it was not enough to sustain the rest of the story. Adam on the other hand did have a little more substance and I like how he grieved the passing of his grandfather.

 

If you are looking for a Christmas read for the holiday season I say to skip this one.  If you are looking for a steamy read without the Christmas then you may want to give this one a try.

 

 

About the Author

K.E. Saxon is a third-generation Texan and has been a lover of romance fiction since her first (sneaked) read of her older sister's copy of "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. She is a member of the West Houston Chapter of Romance Writer's of America and is a devoted subscriber to the Romance Divas online forum. She has two cats, a 24-year-old cockatiel, a funny, supportive husband, and a garden that's been fried by the recent drought. When she isn't in her writer's cave writing, you can find her puttering in her organic vegetable garden or in her kitchen trying out a new recipe. An animal (and bug) lover since before she could speak, she made pets of all kinds of critters when she was a kid growing up. Her mother even swears that she made a pet of a cockroach one time (but K.E. doesn't believe her). She likes to write funny, sexy romances.

Website:  http://www.kesaxon.com
Twitter:  KESaxonAuthorGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KESaxon    

     

Review: A Cold Creek Christmas Surprise by RaeAnne Thayne

USA TODAY bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne brings readers back to the ranch for an emotional holiday visit with The Cowboys of Cold Creek!

Hardened rancher Ridge Bowman has long told himself he has no need for love—just work and his little girl are enough to get him through. But when his "cleaning lady," Sarah Whitmore, gets injured on his staircase, well, of course he has to invite her to spend the holidays with him. It's only the responsible thing to do.

Only, Sarah isn't really there to work on his house. She came bearing precious artwork belonging to Ridge's late mother, and possibly a secret that could devastate them both. But as Christmas draws closer, so does Ridge—and Sarah convinces herself that she will tell him what she knows as soon as the holiday is over. She might be the key to his past—if only he could be a part of her future…

Paperback, 224 pages

Published November 19th 2013 by Harlequin

Terri's Thoughts:

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  I was in search of a good Christmas read and since I had not previously read any of Thayne's work I went in to this without any expectations and an open mind.

I have to admit that I enjoyed this read quite a bit and perhaps a little more than I thought I would.  Since this was an instalment in a series of book about Cold Creek I was worried that I would not be able to read this as a stand alone novel.  I was wrong.

This was a story about family, Christmas and forgiveness.  I fell in love with the entire Bowman family and I can understand why there are twelve stories written around this family and town.  Although the story does follow the typical formula one would expect in this type of novel I found that there was more depth in the characters and the storyline than other stories I have read in this genre.  One thing I really liked was that this story did not have any sex scenes in it.  While not opposed to this I do find that often the attraction between two characters is only physical and I struggle to find any other connection.  This was not the case in this read.  The attraction between Sarah and Ridge was an emotional one and therefore in my opinion made it a much more interesting read.

I do have to admit that it seemed hard to believe that there were so many wonderful people in one family however I suppose that is the reason this is fiction.  If I wanted reality I would not have picked this book up.  It was a great escape and just the Christmas read I was looking for.  I am now curious about the other Cold Creek stories and I will be spending some time catching up with the rest of the series.

I am glad I was introduced to Thayne's work and I will be reading more of it in the future.

About the Author (from Goodreads profile)

I'm not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all -- through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor -- I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try -- their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I've come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the "that's-it!" feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can't imagine my life any other way.


Website:  http://www.raeannethayne.com   
Twitter:   #raeannethayne

 

Review: Warmth in Ice (A Find You in the Dark Novella) by A. Meredith Walters (The 12 NA's of Christmas)

*Warmth in Ice is proud to be a part of The 12 NA's of Christmas*
12 New Adult Novellas. 12 Bestselling Authors. November 2013
***********
It’s Maggie and Clay’s first Christmas together…
***Spoilers for those who have not read Find You in the Dark or Light in the Shadows***
Clay and Maggie have gone through the dark and come out on the other side. For the first time, they are on this journey together. Fighting for something they both need and can’t live without…each other.
But a long distance relationship is hard. Particularly for two people who are still trying to build something solid on a shaky and troubled foundation. Clay is finally out of treatment and is living in an out patient halfway house. He struggles with what he wants to do and where he wants to go. Questions he worries he will never have the answers to. Maggie is trying to transition into college life and learning how to create a future with someone who is over a thousand miles away.
As the months pass and they struggle with being a part, old insecurities and fears take root and threaten a love that has come so far.
When Maggie decides to fly to Florida as a surprise for Clay on Christmas, she is unsure whether it will be the first step toward what they both desperately want or whether it could possibly be the end of it all.But with the holidays approaching, Maggie and Clay are reminded that even when the days are coldest, you can still find the warmth and that hope and love are the greatest gifts of all.

Kindle Edition, 96 pages

Published October 26th 2013 

Genre: New Adult

 

Kristine's Thoughts:

 

I'm going to keep this short and simple for two reasons. The first being that it is only 96 pages long and the second being the extremely detailed synopsis. I had already read the entire Find You in the Dark series so I was very familiar with Maggie and Clay. In this novella we get to experience their first Christmas together. I was happy to revisit their story but I did find it a little slow at first. It didn't really tell you anything you didn't already know from reading the series. At the point when Maggie decides to plan her surprise visit is where it picked up and became more enjoyable for me.

 

Although I did like Warmth in Ice I did not enjoy it as much as the rest of the series. I would recommend reading the series before attempting this novella because I don't think you would appreciate it otherwise.

 

 

About the Author

 

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including The Find You in the Dark series and Bad Rep.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

 

 Facebook-http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Meredith-Walter...

 Twitter-AuthorAMWalters

  

Review: The Christmas Star by Diane Darcy

When an old woman makes a wish upon a Christmas star, miracles start to happen. A manipulative angel and a zany Christmas season are exactly what it takes to get Jason and Elise in the same vicinity again. But can they forgive each other and forget old resentments and hurts? Well, Christmas is a perfect time for miracles. Throw in the hunt for the perfect tree, a sledding competition and a desperate-for-grandchildren mother, and you have the perfect recipe for...love?

Kindle Edition, 97 pages

Published (first published October 10th 2011)

Terri's Review

I found this story on Amazon during my hunt for Christmas themed reads.

This was a short story that focused on the theme of forgiveness.  In fact the theme of forgiveness was more present than the theme of Christmas however the two intertwined nicely.  I enjoyed the parts of the book that took place outdoors such as when Jason and Elise went sledding.

I must admit that I had difficulty believing the chemistry between Jason and Elise as their history was not really explained during the story.  I also found Elise to be a little too stubborn at times as I felt she expected too much of others.

At the end of the day it was a pleasant love story with a positive theme to get you through the holidays.

About the Author

Website:  http://www.dianedarcy.com

Review: Three Broken Promises by Monica Murphy

Breakout New Adult sensation Monica Murphy returns with a hot new contemporary romance—a heartfelt story of second chances, forgiveness, and redemption.

Commitment. That’s what I really want from Colin. Ever since my brother, Danny, died in Iraq, Colin’s done so much to help me, including giving me a job at his popular restaurant so I can leave my crappy waitressing job at the strip joint. But lying in bed with him every night to comfort him from his horrible nightmares isn’t enough anymore. I know he feels guilty about Danny’s death, about not going to Iraq, but I can’t keep living this double life.

I love him desperately, but he’s got so many demons, and if he can’t open up to me now, then he’ll never be the real partner I need him to be. I gave him a month, and now I’m out of here. If he truly loves me like he says, he knows where to find me.

Kindle Edition, 240 pages

Expected publication: December 31st 2013 by Bantam 

Genre: New Adult

 

Kristine's Thoughts:

 

* I received a copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group-Bantam Dell via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

 

This book started off with a bang. There was so much sexual tension and chemistry that I wanted to put a do not disturb sign on my door and power down my phone. I always enjoy it when there is a build up to a relationship because it makes it that much more powerful when it finally happens.

 

Jen and Colin have known each other for years. Colin was Jen's older brother Danny's best friend until he died fighting in Iraq two years ago. He has many regrets and demons but promised Danny he would look out for Jen and take care of her.

 

Jen has secrets of her own. Colin rescued her from the strip club she was working at after fleeing her parents home. He gives her a place to live and a job, a promise of friendship and security but her secrets still haunt her and seem to follow her.

 

Both have deep feelings for each other but both are afraid to admit it. They both feel like they are not good enough for the other and their secrets keep them apart. Even as Jen crawls into Colin's bed night after night to comfort him from the terrible nightmares that plague him, they won't admit their true feelings.

 

Although I was routing for the two of them to get together, it dragged on a little too long for my liking. There was so much talking in their heads about why they couldn't be together and why they weren't good enough that it got a little dull after a while. I wanted to reach inside the book and shake both of them. If I'm honest, it got a little annoying at times.

 

I did like the book and there are some pretty steamy, melt the pages parts to enjoy but I feel like the story would have been better served if it just a little bit shorter with a little less talking themselves out of being together. My rating would probably be much higher if it wasn't so repetitive. Having said that, I do think that most new adult contemporary romance fans will enjoy this book.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills of Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes new adult contemporary romance and is the author of One Week Girlfriend, Second Chance Boyfriend, Three Broken Promises and Four Years Later.

 

Website-http://monicamurphyauthor.com

 Twitter-MsMonicaMurphy
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor 

Review: Perfect by Autumn Jordan

Dylan Kincaid totally screwed up Thanksgiving and now he’s faced with Christmas. Thrown into the frightening role of both mother and father while his brother and sister-in-law are off serving their country, all Dylan wants is to make Christmas perfect for his two nieces. But time is running out.

Down on her luck Charleston, S.C. restaurateur, Darcy Witherspoon is licking a wounded ego when she arrives in Black Moose, VT and meets the handsome Maple tree farmer. Wanting a happy holiday herself, she teams up with Dylan to make a perfect Christmas.

Neither is interested in a holiday affair, but the magic of Christmas has something more everlasting in store for the couple. An absolutely perfect love!

Kindle Edition, 228 pages

Published November 7th 2012 by Nobal Oak Publications

Terri's Review

I found this read on Amazon while I was searching out some Christmas themed stories to feature on my blog for the holiday season.

I was relieved that this story focused on the holiday's and was not just one of those stories that put Christmas in the title.  The whole premise of the story was that Dylan wanted to make Christmas perfect for his two nieces while their parents were oversees serving their country.

Enter Darcy and the sparks fly instantly.  The chemistry between the two was so obvious that I could feel it.  Then add in the typical plot of the two trying to fight their attraction to each other for "practical" reasons and you have a nice Christmas read.

While I have a hard time being convinced that chemistry and love is so instant this book took me away to where it was.  I guess if it had not then then it would not have served it's purpose of taking me away to a world outside of reality.  Add in a couple of adorable children and I was transported for a little while to a mountain village during the holidays.  While reading this I was inspired to get a move on my Christmas wrapping so it served it's purpose as advertised.

A nice quick read just in time for the holidays!

About the Author

Award-winning author Autumn Jordon is a quiet nut with a reputation for finding trouble. She lives with her husband, who supplies her with support and tons of laughs, along the Appalachian Trail in northeast Pennsylvania.

Crafting stories has always been part of her life. When AJ’s not writing, she enjoys her family, her dogs and cat, her friends, great books, gardening, walking the trails and traveling with her own hero. No matter what Autumn is doing, she’s busy dreaming up ideas to put the characters of her romantic thrillers in grave danger.
Website:  http://www.autumnjordon.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AutumnJordon