Holiday Reading List by Jayne
Sex, Snow & Mistletoe by Laura Barnard
Melinda is already having a crappy Christmas. Forced to attend some snotty bitch’s wedding is not the way to start out the holidays.
But when a car crash pushes her into the path of a handsome stranger she’s glad to follow his snowy, sexy and seductive path.
But is he too good to be true? And will she make it to the wedding before her best friend loses her mind with worry?
Please note this is a short story of 10k words
This is a short story rather than a novella. There’s a goodreads review that is absolutely perfect to describe it. “Bridget Jones goes to a winter wedding.” I was loving the first half even with the insta-sex in a car – which was broken down and our heroine and hero were trapped in the cold for the night. They had to keep warm somehow. Anyway, the attraction was immediate, he seemed like a nice guy and as I said, it was working for me. Then the second half arrived and all the Brit-Chick Lit stuff got even more amped up and we met the bride who is as awful as promised but still, did the groom have to say what he did in front of all the guests? If I ever reread it, I’ll stop halfway in. C
AmazonBNKoboAREGoogle Play Store
The 14 Days of Christmas by Louise Bay
I hate Christmas.
As CEO of my company, I’ve banned decorations from the office, festive music from the lobby and any kind of secret Santa gifts between employees are strictly forbidden.
I’m heading to the airport, away from the Christmas lights and the mulled wine, heading for sunshine and margaritas when I get a call from Granny. She’s sprained her ankle and needs my help filling in for her as head of the village Christmas Committee. Snowsly is the Christmas Capital of England and the last place I want to be in the lead up to Christmas.
But there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Granny.
When I arrive in Snowsly, I’m introduced to Celia Sommers who is Christmas’ biggest fan and therefore my own personal nightmare before Christmas. Worse than that, I have to work with her to make Snowsly’s Christmas market a success.
Celia is determined to get me in the festive spirit. It’s not going to work.It doesn’t matter if she’s smart and funny and easy to flirt with—if she doesn’t stop looking at me with her sparkling eyes and pouting her completely kissable lips, Celia is going straight to the top of my naughty list.
I enjoyed another Louise Bay book earlier this year and decided to take a chance on this one. Um, no. Hero hates Christmas due to family reasons while the heroine is hyper manic about it. I mean this woman REALLY loves Christmas. It didn’t take long for her to get on my last nerve. I was also puzzled by the number of things that kept pulling me out of the story because they just didn’t make sense. I think, though I didn’t read far enough to be sure, that Granny is one of those matchmaking types and maybe somehow she snagged the entire town into helping her but the reason for the hero to be there makes little sense as Granny only has a sprained ankle which shouldn’t exactly keep her from handling all the emergencies she’s dumping on her grandson who thankfully has the intelligence to research and the money to fix things that the heroine doesn’t seem smart enough to even look up on her phone. I bailed out of this one fairly quickly. DNF
AmazonBNKoboAREGoogle Play Store
Boxing Day at Winterview Lodge by Tamsin Bracknell
A seaside town. A broken heart at Christmas. A second chance.
Spending Boxing Day with your in-laws? Uncomfortable. Spending Boxing Day with your EX in-laws? Unthinkable!
Sophia and Ethan knew that splitting up a month before Christmas would be hard, but Sophia didn’t expect Ethan to confess that he hadn’t told his family that Sophia would no longer be going to Boxing Day at his parents’ seaside cottage in the tiny town of Porthglen. To give him a chance to tell them about the split in his own time, Sophia agrees to pretend they are still together for one last Christmas.
But things take a turn when Sophia finds herself developing feelings for one of Ethan’s childhood friends.
Sophia and Ethan broke up because they drifted apart. No big fireworks or cheating, just they’re not going to be able to make this work. When he begs her to help him out, she feels enough pity for the way his family will dog him that she agrees. Of course things are awkward to begin with but a revelation from Ethan does set Sophia off. Sophia is well rid of this damp squib and luckily there’s a really nice guy waiting in the wings. When I was read it and got to the end of chapter seven, suddenly there’s a page insert talking about the next book in the series and I’m thinking, “the heck … is this story over?? Because if so, this is a crappy end.” But it’s not. There’s another chapter to go. Also, I don’t know who proofread this book but they should be fired. It’s nice, it’s on KU and that’s how I’d access it. The grade would have been higher but for the proofing. B-
AmazonBNKoboAREGoogle Play Store
The Year Santa Took the Toys Back by Sheri Cobb South
When Sonny discovers a tool kit from Santa beneath the Christmas tree, he can’t wait to start fixing things around the house. He even pretends there are nails sticking out of the wall, just so he can hammer them back in. But Mama doesn’t like Sonny hammering on the walls. She says if he doesn’t stop, Santa Claus will take the tool kit back. But Santa would never take a kid’s Christmas present away…or would he?
This charming tale is based on the author’s own family history, now teaching its fourth generation of Cobb children to take care of their toys…or Santa might just take them back. It’s sure to become a holiday classic in your family, too.
This is a delightful story based on Sheri Cobb South’s father’s real experience. It’s during WWII and Sonny’s father is off to war, telling his son that he’s now the man of the house. Each sibling gets a toy (one toy only) and Sonny is thrilled with his tool box. His mother, though isn’t happy with the fact that if you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It takes a bit of tough love and a letter from Santa to get Sonny to shape up. The illustrations are lovely and looking at one page, I can see that Sonny’s bed is the exact same type my mother had. Sadly, this is not available in a digital format but the hardcover book is wonderful. A
AmazonBNKoboAREGoogle Play Store
Thanks for sharing this list, Jayne. The book by Sheri Cobb South sounds charming!
@Kareni: I just realized I forgot to add that the Cobb South book is only available in print. But yes, it’s charming.
I’m feeling picky/irritable today: Boxing Day with ex-in laws, which implies married, but they broke up, which implies relationship. I don’t know why I care — I really don’t — except this will bug me for days. Divorced or what?
Thank you, Jayne, for your list. A DNF for a Louise Bay book would break my heart (haven’t read this one); please don’t give up on her other titles.
@Darlynne: Boxing Day Book – not married, never married so I have no idea why ex-IN LAWS was used. Maybe whoever wrote the blurb never read the novella?
I was sad to DNF the Bay book but it was better for my mental health.
Boxing Day with a Winterview Lodge sounds like a twist on fake dating. Let’s pretend to be together to fool someone… except that instead of falling for each other or reuniting, it’s a meet cute for the heroine and someone else. Thats quite creative. I’d love to see more of this kind of thing. And why does it make me think a little bit of that great Sandra Bullock rom com, While You Were Sleeping?
@Janine: “These mashed potatoes are so creamy.” ☺