Life can't get much worse for Tessa Atwater after she loses her last remaining relative and her New York City bakery, so when a psychic tells her that she should head west to find her true love, she decides to follow her advice. Unfortunately, the trip doesn't start off well; there's a mix-up as she's boarding her flight and the smitten flight attendant gives her first class seat away to handsome Army Ranger Tre Russell, forcing Tessa to the back of the plane. Her travel woes continue when their flight is forced to make an emergency landing in Minnesota and can't take off again due to blizzard conditions. An uncomfortable night in the airport turns into an even more uncomfortable morning when the airport remains closed. The only way out is to drive, but there's only one rental car left. Tessa and Tre reluctantly agree to travel to Portland together, where Tessa hopes to reunite with her ex-boyfriend and Tre plans to spend Christmas with his family. Trapped together in a tiny car, they just might drive each other crazy - unless the magic of the season can somehow bring them together.
I adored Tessa and Tre's bickering and banter, and their relationship development was well paced considering the story's short timeline. They found themselves in quite a few challenging (and hilarious) situations as they traveled across the country, which forced them to work together and gradually begin to see each other in a different light. The challenges continued when they reached Portland and Tre's family, thanks to a plot twist I had only just begun to suspect might be coming. The authors did a fantastic job of laying out clues along the way without making the big reveal seem obvious. In the end, Tre and Tessa ended up exactly where they were supposed to be, and I couldn't have been happier with how they got there.
I highly recommend "Claus and Effect" for all contemporary romance and rom-com fans and look forward to the authors' next release.
I highly recommend "Claus and Effect" for all contemporary romance and rom-com fans and look forward to the authors' next release.
*Review copy provided by the authors via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "Claus and Effect"
Two strangers who couldn’t be more opposite find themselves on an unexpected cross-country road trip days before Christmas where whatever can go wrong, does.
He’s an Army Ranger.
She’s a baker.
He’s organized and rigid.
She’s messy and carefree.
He doesn’t do relationships.
She’s following her heart.
His family chat blows up his phone.
She just buried her last living relative.
The holiday season doesn’t seem so jolly as they venture from one mode of transportation to the next. But, they have to become friends and rely on each other if they’re going to survive all the obstacles thrown their way.
As the miles grow shorter, vulnerabilities are shared, and by the time they reach their destination, neither one of them is sure what they really want for Christmas anymore.
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