Review: Santa, Baby

Santa, Baby by Lisa Renee Jones
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I should preface this review by stating that I would not have picked up "Santa, Baby" if it hadn't been included as a freebie in the back of Lisa Renee Jones's 2019 release, "Tangled up in Christmas" (which, for the record, I very much enjoyed). Based on the back cover description, "Santa, Baby" did not seem like it would be my cup of tea, and unfortunately, I was correct. I am not a fan of insta-lust/insta-love plots, which is exactly what this story turned out to be. I had a hard time finding any real emotional connection between the main characters, Baxter and Caron. All of the emotions were overshadowed by the steam, which will certainly appeal to some readers, but not to me.

For some reason, this book felt really dated to me even though the characters used cell phones and other modern technology. (Baxter did use a phone booth at one point, though, which was kind of funny.) I can't really explain it, but this book felt more like something that would have come out of the 1980s than something published in 2009. Maybe because it was originally a Harlequin title? Whatever the reason, it added something of a cheese factor to what IMO was already a relatively weak plot.

In addition, it really bothered me that so many women in this book were described as "blonde bombshells." I understand the origin of the term, but it seemed like it was being used in a derogatory sense here. In other words, the women Baxter had dated in the past were all nothing more than stereotypical "dumb blondes," as opposed to the "shy and pure" brunette Caron, who was essentially perfect in every way, which was why Baxter fell in love with her.

Finally, I hated the subplot with the female FBI agent, Sarah, who came across as a total witch. Her relationship with her partner made no sense to me for a lot of reasons, but particularly the fact that based on his initial description, I thought he was at least twice her age. What exactly did she find so attractive about him, and after the chauvinistic way he treated her, why would she hook up with him at the end of the book? Did she just feel bad for him because of the sob story he told her about his sister?

I've read a lot of holiday-themed stories this year and it's safe to say that this one was not my favorite. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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