Review: "Unexpected Christmas" by Eliza Peake

Unexpected Christmas by Eliza Peake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jake Henderson and Lia Gray had a short but intense romance the summer after they graduated from high school. When it ended, Lia left town for college and has been focused on building her career in advertising ever since. After being passed over for a promotion, however, she decides to come home to Madison Ridge for the holidays. She volunteers to help her mom with the town's annual Christmas festival and is assigned to Santa's workshop, hosted by Jake at his family's auto repair shop. Spending time with her old flame is awkward at first, but it doesn't take long for them to fall back into their old friendship - and more. The problem is that Lia's only in town until Christmas Day, when she's scheduled to return to her life in Seattle. Can Jake give her a reason to stay in Madison Ridge?

I enjoyed this sweet yet steamy story, though there were a few aspects I thought could have been fleshed out a bit more. I would have liked to know more about Jake and Lia's teenage romance, as well as why Lia felt that her parents favored her brother Landon. Also, early in the story it seemed as if Jake and Lia's mothers were trying to play matchmaker for them; unfortunately, that plot thread was dropped after the four of them had breakfast together to make the initial arrangements for Santa's workshop. It's a shame because that could have been a cute addition to the story. At any rate, Jake and Lia had fantastic chemistry and their steamy scenes were absolute fire. I really liked them as a couple and was rooting for them the whole way.

I'd recommend "Unexpected Christmas" for all contemporary/small town romance fans. It was the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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