Review: Dear Santa: A Novel

Dear Santa: A Novel by Nancy Naigle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was sweet and for the most part well-written, but I still struggled to stick with it at times. The author was very good at including descriptive details in the story, but she seemed to repeat some of them in subsequent chapters, which made the story drag a bit. It didn't help that there was basically no progress in the romance between Angela and Geoff for the entire first half of the book.

Things improved when Angela and Geoff finally started to get closer, but the speed of their courtship was kind of suspect given the level of Angela's animosity towards Christmas Galore. However, they really did seem happy by the time the epilogue rolled around, and I was happy that Angela was able to find a new job that suited her so well.

Overall, while I can't say that I would necessarily recommend this book to a friend or read it again myself, I would pick up another Nancy Naigle book in the future.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: First Earl I See Tonight

First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This could have turned into a very dark story given the blackmail plot and the hero's traumatic backstory, but despite these weighty topics, the author managed to produce a remarkably sweet, funny, and enjoyable novel. The only thing that bothered me was the incredible coincidence of the blackmailer's identity. What are the odds that Fiona, the h, would randomly choose to propose marriage to someone so closely connected to her blackmailer? I found that part hard to believe, though at least the author's explanation for how the blackmailer discovered Lily's secret was credible.

In any event, the book was well-written, and I found both the H and h to be very likeable characters. I look forward to reading future books in this series.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Alaskan Holiday

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I have read and enjoyed many of Debbie Macomber's books, but "Alaskan Holiday" wasn't one of my favorites. I appreciated the book's message regarding the necessity of compromise in building a successful relationship, but that was one of the only aspects of the story that really resonated with me. For a couple of reasons, I had a hard time connecting with the main characters, Palmer and Josie. First, it felt as if I was starting in the middle of their story because by the time the book begins, Josie and Palmer have already known each other for six months and are supposed to be in love. However, it's hard to get a sense of their connection when we don't get to see their relationship develop from the start. They really didn't seem to have much in common, and it was hard for me to figure out what they saw in each other. Second, I just couldn't relate to their desire to live in the middle of nowhere, Alaska. That isn't the author's fault, and she did a good job in the second half of the book showing the positives of Ponder's way of life. It's not a place I could ever imagine myself living, though, which made the whole idea of Josie's potentially settling there hard for me to swallow.

I also found a lot of the secondary characters to be annoying and overly pushy. Jack, in particular, bothered me. All he seemed to do was demand that Josie cook for him, until he basically lost his mind and "fell in love" with Josie's mom at first sight. (Thank goodness that went nowhere.) He acted more like a spoiled 5-year-old boy than a 50-year-old man. If I were Josie, I would have told Jack to take a hike long before he ever came to visit her in Seattle. (What was up with Jack tagging along on that trip, anyway? Who wants a third wheel on a trip to visit their girlfriend, whom they haven't seen in weeks?)

Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't great, either. Given a choice between "Alaskan Holiday" and one of Macomber's Cedar Cove novels, I'd choose Cedar Cove without hesitation.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Kiss the Girl

Kiss the Girl by Tara Sivec
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, a PSA: Don't read this book on an airplane (like I did) unless you're OK with the people sitting around you thinking you're crazy because you keep randomly bursting into laughter. This book will absolutely make you laugh, and possibly cry, and probably have ALL the feels as you follow along with Ariel and Eric. Over the past couple of years, Tara Sivec has become one of my favorite authors because she is so good at infusing her stories with real emotion. It's so easy for me to connect with her characters because of that. (In this case, it probably doesn't hurt that Ariel so often says, out loud, the things I say in my head, but usually don't have the courage to say in real life. If she were real, I think Ariel and I would be best friends.)

I adored the first two books in this series, but I think this one may just be my favorite. (I guess I'll have to double check that by going back and re-reading the first two - what a hardship, right? LOL) I don't want to say much more than that because I wouldn't want to spoil things for other readers, but I will say this: goat yoga is awesome, and I would give anything to see something like that in real life. (Not necessarily participate, mind you, because I would definitely mind the poop, but watching would be hilarious. #poopdance)

Please, keep the books coming, Tara Sivec. A new release from you is always a special occasion in my house.

P.S. That epilogue? Perfection! :-)

*ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: The Christmas Wishing Tree

The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After 15 books, Emily March's Eternity Springs series is still going strong. Despite its rather weighty setup, "The Christmas Wishing Tree" is super cute and a worthy addition to the series. I really enjoyed getting to know Jenna and her son, Reilly. She was a great match for Devin Murphy, who we've gotten to know a bit in previous books. It was nice to see him finally get his own HEA.

The great thing about these books is that they can stand very well on their own for readers who do not have previous experience with the series, while also allowing longtime fans the opportunity to check in with favorite characters from past books. That was certainly true of this book, in large part because of the "Maternity Springs" baby boom. I look forward to watching the new additions grow up in future books in the series!

*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

View all my reviews

Review: The Promposal

The Promposal by Sariah Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was just as cute as the first one in the series. Reading that first book ("The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back") undoubtedly provided valuable context for the events of this one, but the author sprinkles in enough reminders along the way that readers new to the series probably won't feel too lost. The characters are, for the most part, very likeable, and it's nice to see how they've grown since their story began. It will be interesting to see where the author takes them in Book 3.

*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Second Chance At Two Love Lane

Second Chance At Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, as I have so many of Kieran Kramer's previous titles. The challenges facing Ella and Hank were concrete and easy to understand, and I appreciated that the author really made them work for their HEA. That said, there were a few little things that bothered me as I read, mainly in regards to the story's timeline. For example, both characters repeatedly mention that their breakup was "10 years ago," but if I'm remembering correctly, Ella says that she is 29. This is a problem because Ella and Hank's first date supposedly wasn't until after Ella graduated from college in Charleston and moved back to NYC, when she would have been 21 or 22. I get that people often round off when talking about numbers and time, but it still would have made a lot more sense if they had said their breakup was "ALMOST" or "ABOUT" 10 years ago, rather than repeatedly referring to it with an exact number. It also made it seem as if their relationship was very short, which didn't make sense since it was obviously such an important time in both of their lives.

On the bright side, Ella and Hank were both very likeable, and the secondary characters (especially Ella's Italian grandmothers, aka "the Nonnas," and Hank's cousin Pammy) were a lot of fun. I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of them get their own books.

This was the third book in a trilogy about three friends who own a professional matchmaking agency in Charleston, South Carolina. I have read the first two books, but I believe this one stands well enough on its own to be enjoyed by readers who are new to the series. The Charleston setting is delightful, especially for those (like me) who have had the pleasure of visiting the city. In fact, Kramer's descriptions of the city have me ready to plan a return trip right now! :-)

*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews