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BOOK REVIEW: 12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson

December 29, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
How to end up in Christmas kissing lessons with your downstairs enemy…

Break apartment rules? Guilty.
Send holiday cards to the downstairs neighbor's grandma? Done.
Accidentally become said neighbor's fake girlfriend for a family Christmas photo? Wait, what?

I, Bonnie Miller, am no troublemaker. I’m just an anxious girl trying to keep my emotional support pup in a no-pets apartment building. But my downstairs neighbor is determined to be my personal Grinch and get us both evicted.

Just when I think things can’t get any worse, Elliot Eaton offers me a deal I can’t refuse. Suddenly I’m playing girlfriend and giving mistletoe kisses to my sworn enemy, all to keep my home.

Who knew that breaking one little rule would lead to a fan-mistletoe-tastic holiday?

12 Days of Mistletoe is a closed door, laugh out loud, warm your wintery heart romcom. If you need a book with all the feels, some mistletoe kisses, and lots of holiday spirit, look no further!

Review:

12 Days of Mistletoe was an enemies to lovers, fake dating, closed door Christmas romance that was so much fun! With deeper emotional moments to tug at your heart, and a cast of characters that will have you laughing out loud, this adorable story was so memorable!

She’s just a lying dog hoarder with pepper spray up her sleeve.
Beautiful faces are deceiving. Like a siren’s song.

Elliot Eaton was an elementary PE teacher who wanted to buy his Gran’s apartment complex, and had to prove himself to her in the meantime. In the midst he found a rule breaker, and that woman was Bonnie Miller. She was a passionate woman who worked multiple jobs so she could help out a cause near and dear to her heart. With her emotional support dog, Noel, I loved the two of them right away. Yet Elloit and Bonnie got off on the worst foot ever!

Elliot’s eyes draw to mine and I can’t help it—my gaze drops to his mouth. The mouth his grandmother says I must kiss to keep my dog. To keep my home.
It’s ridiculous.
It’s outlandish.
It’s a price I’m willing to pay.

A Christmas card picture, that went all kinds of wrong and had me laughing so hard I was crying, led Elliot and Bonnie to make a deal. She pretended to be his girlfriend, and in exchange she got to continue to live there with Noel. With a mischief making Gran, and side characters that popped from the pages, like Bill, I adored this book! It was filled with all the Christmas fun!

“Oh wow. Okay.” I choke on the words, a nervous tremor making its way down my back. “We’re doing this now? Like now now?”
“Yes. If it helps, I’ve placed mistletoe in every single one of my doorways for you.”

And while this book was laugh out loud funny, there was also a strong emotional side to this story too. Noel was the sweetest dog ever, and we got to watch her help Bonnie with her anxiety and panic attacks. I loved that we also got to see how Noel’s relationship with Elliot progressed, it warmed my heart. And while Bonnie and Elliot were continuing their fake dating around his family, it led to them having deep and meaningful conversations. So with fake kisses thrown in the mix, it became hard for them to tell anymore, what was real. And what was fake.

One should not be attracted to one’s fake boyfriend. It makes the word “fake” become confusing.

With Christmas tree adventures, sentimental ornaments, sweet kisses, drawing pictures that had me cackling out loud, and so many adorable moments, this book was so much fun. Plus, it ended with a fabulous and happy epilogue. This was my first book by Jen Atkinson, and I’m looking forward to reading another one of her books in the future!

“I might… need more practice.” My chest pounds with my thundering heart. Because this is more than putting myself out there. This is begging the man to kiss me.

BOOK REVIEW: That Christmas Kind of Feeling by Hannah Bird

December 28, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

That Christmas Kind of Feeling by Hannah Bird
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Amelia Lawrence is not a Scrooge.

She is, however, tired of spending Christmas with a family who doesn't seem to care that she's even present. When the hot coworker she's been fawning over says he needs a last minute house sitter to watch his cute pup Finley, Amelia jumps at the chance for an excuse to stay in town. Making a little money to pad her solo vacation fund is just a bonus.

What neither she nor Levi Abner could've predicted was a blizzard of epic proportions leaving them snowed in together for Christmas.

For anyone else, it would spell disaster. But not Levi. As an overgrown former college football player with a major holiday obsession, he's determined to remind Amelia that she's worth a little Christmas magic.

The problem? He's only got until the snow clears to do it.

Review:

That Christmas Kind of Feeling was a forced proximity, steamy and sweet Christmas novella! Amelia Lawrence was to pet sit her coworker’s dog during the holidays, so she wouldn’t have to go home. Yet Levi Abner found himself stuck at home with Amelia, when a blizzard struck. With snow swirling, the cutest dog ever, all the Christmas feels, and love in the air, I adored this book!

I wished for him, for this feeling, in the quietest parts of my heart for as long as I can remember. Someone to listen and really care about what I say. To show me I’m wanted and adored.

Levi was the most thoughtful and kindest man, who had a deep love for Christmas. I also loved his commanding presence, and how he could take control of a situation *side smirks*. Amelia was so easy to like. I got her internal struggles, and was rooting for her happily ever after. So with quiet yet memorable moments, like their talk by the fire. To baking cookies, sledding, and snow angels, this little novella had all the holiday charm! If you’re looking for a quick, emotional, and spicy holiday read, I can’t recommend this one enough! I can’t wait to read a full length novel by Hannah Bird next!

BOOK REVIEWS: Holding Fire & Hard Justice (Alpha Security #2 & #3) by April Hunt

December 27, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

Holding Fire (Alpha Security #2)
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

Alpha Security operative Trey Hanson is ready to settle down. When he meets a gorgeous blonde in a bar, and the connection between them is off the charts, he thinks he's finally found the one. But after their night together ends in a hail of gunfire and she disappears in the chaos, Trey's reasons for tracking her down are personal . . . until he learns she's his next assignment.

Elle Monroe never expected to see Trey again. The night they shared was incredible, but the last thing she's looking for is a relationship. Now that it's clear she's being targeted, though, she has no choice but to trust this man she barely knows with her life. And Trey's not just determined to keep her safe . . . he's determined to win her heart.

Review:

Holding Fire was another action-packed ride that was filled with romance, a beautiful found family, and a wonderful happily ever after. From their first meeting, Trey and Ellen had an instant connection that led to a steamy night together. When it ended in gunfire, Trey found out she was his next assignment. These characters were both so easy to love! Trey had a heart of gold who protected Ellen time and again. I loved that he was looking for his forever! And Ellen grew so much from that first page to the last. She found her voice and refused to be a chip in her ex or father’s game. Surrounding them were characters that now feel like family, and a storyline that made this book impossible to put down. Plus the steam between them was fabulously done. I listened to the audio, and this was another huge hit from April Hunt!

Hard Justice (Alpha Security #3)
by April Hunt
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A DATE WITH DANGER

As the first female operative at Alpha Security, Charlotte "Charlie" Sparks has her work cut out for her. Sure, she can wrestle a man to the ground and hit a target at 200 yards with the best of them. But sometimes, being surrounded by all that testosterone can drive a woman to distraction-especially when that distraction is six-and-a-half feet of cocky, confident, Alpha-trained muscle.

Ex-SEAL commander Vince Franklin has been on some of the most dangerous missions in the world. But pretending to be Charlie's fiance on their latest assignment in Miami is his toughest challenge yet. Vince and Charlie are like oil and water; they just don't mix. And when their fake romance generates some all-too-real heat, Vince learns that Charlie is more than just arm candy. She's the real deal-and she's ready for some serious action.

Review:

Hard Justice was a fabulous continuation of the Alpha Security Series! If you adored the previous books, this is a definite must read. In the last book, Holding Fire, you could feel the tension between Vince aka Navy and Charlie aka London. And in this book, diving into Charlie’s past, my mind was blown. Mix that with a fake engagement between Charlie and Vince and well I was screaming! Their banter was fabulous, the steam was perfect, and the story kept me guessing! I have come to love all of these characters and absolutely loved listening to another book in this series. This book even made me cry. If you love romantic suspense, forced proximity, men in uniform or characters that feel like home, definitely add this series to your tbr!

BOOK REVIEW: Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood & Funny Feelings by Tarah DeWitt

December 23, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

Review:

Ali Hazelwood has written some of my favorite romances, and this was not one of them. Rue was challenging for me to like or even click with, it took till 82% into the book. And while that last 18% was amazing, it was a little too late for me. I kept trying to figure out what Eli saw in her. He could be so kind, and I loved how he made sure she was safe. Whereas Rue was completely closed off and rigid. I am all for the reverse grumpy sunshine trope, but I desperately need to connect to the characters to enjoy any aspect of a book. So, when you add in that I was bored to tears with the buyout, and I didn’t like how they shared terrible stories with one another, this book was just not for me.

I like you when you laugh. I like you when you’re serious. I like you all the damn time.

Funny Feelings by Tarah DeWitt
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When falling in love is the punchline…

Farley Jones is a loud, chaotic, and hilariously clever standup comedian on the way to stardom. The only thing she loves more than the rush of telling jokes in front of a revved-up audience is her hot older manager Meyer, though he doesn’t have a clue. Keeping her feelings hidden from him is agony (a tragedy, even―in lieu of flowers, please send cash...) but Meyer has been Farley’s closest and most treasured friend, not to mention vital to the trajectory of her career. She can’t risk ruining their relationship by telling him how she truly feels. After all, who else would have the patience to put up with a hot mess like her?

A former standup star himself, single father Meyer Harrigan left the stage years ago in order to focus on raising his deaf daughter Hazel. Farley has been everything to them since she came into their lives three years ago, and despite his grumpiness, his protectiveness over Hazel, and his disdain for public attention, Meyer will do anything to make her standup dreams come true.

When the biggest opportunity of Farley’s career comes along and forces the pair to fake-date in order to stir up publicity, it doesn't take long for their act to bring all those other funny feelings out into the open. Like most matters of the heart, it quickly begins to feel like anything but a joke.

Touching on the creative spirit and all that comes with sharing that gift, Tarah DeWitt's Funny Feelings is a swoony story about friendship, love, and looking for the laugh in life.

Review:

Funny Feelings was an adorable, friends to lovers, fake dating, single dad, age gap romance. The characters were easy to like, the story-line was so enjoyable to listen to, and I loved the steam in the pages. One of my favorite things was the relationship between Farley and Meyer’s hearing impaired daughter, Hazel. It tugged at my heart, and I loved how easily they clicked. I also loved that we got little flashbacks here and there to see how Farley and Meyer met and how they progressed to where they were now today. It added so much to their story. This feel good romance played out with some wonderful tension and their happily ever after was fabulous!

BOOK REVIEW: Servant of Earth(The Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley

December 20, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In the underground Fae realm, only the strongest and most ruthless have power—but a young human woman forced into a life of servitude is about to change everything.

Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say half feral—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.

Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.

Review:

Servant of Earth was a fantasy that completely swept me away. The world was fascinating, the characters were multifaceted and kept us on our toes, and the storyline played out beautifully! This is a book I’ll definitely be re-reading down the road, because I couldn’t put this one down! With a heroine we could respect, morally gray Fae princes that captured our heart, and political intrigue with games abound, this book was so easy to love!

Kenna Heron became trapped in the underground kingdom of Mistei surrounded by the Fae. She found herself forced to help her new mistress pass trials to gain her immortality and became the new heir of Earth House. Right from the start, Kenna became an instant favorite. She was brave and I loved her ability to dive into any situation no matter how terrifying. Plus, she was smart and had such a good heart. Also I loved that she didn’t think twice about stabbing someone! Yet the world Kenna knew wasn’t as black and white as she thought it was. As new things and horrors became known, Kenna found herself in the middle of a rebellion that she couldn’t walk away from.

While there were multiple morally gray Fae princes in the pages, two of them captured my attention. I have extremely strong opinions on them, but I don’t want to say what they are because of spoilers. Just know that you should trust your heart and gut. Because it led me to screaming, I knew it!. And I was left excited to see what will happen next!

One of my favorite aspects about this story were the tests. And how Kenna had such an intricate role with helping Laura. I was fascinated and so nervous for them. I hung onto their every word. And as the story unfolded, I loved all that we learned. Rules became broken. Alliances formed and others became unknown. And those you thought you could trust seemed to hang on a precipice. This book was absolutely fascinating! Plus I loved how a certain object seemed to become its own character!

With secrets, murder, traitors, kisses, betrayal, twists, and tests, Servant of Earth was a romantasy book that was so easy to love! The ending left us in the perfect holding pattern, and I’m eagerly counting down till that next book releases. I listened to the audiobook of this, and it was beautifully done!