ARC Review: Snow Kissed by Jessica Clare, Jen Frederick & D.S. Linney

Snow Kissed

A Christmas Anthology

Authors: Jessica Clare, Jen Frederick, D.S. Linney

Publisher: Pear Tree LLC

Publication Date: December 18, 2013

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC via authors

~Synopsis~

Reindeer Games by Jessica Clare.

When mouthy Luna is voted off of Endurance Island: Alaska first, she's a little bitter about it. The only thing that assuages her pride is knowing that Owen(the sexy-but-douchey guy that ousted her) was out next. This means, unfortunately, that they're spending a lot of time at the Loser Lodge together. But will their fiercely competitive natures bring them together for the sexiest Christmas of all?

Undressed by Jen Frederick

Noah and Grace's happy ever after hits a stumbling block in the form of one shady professor threatening Noah's scholarship eligibility. Noah is given the choice of throwing his New Year's MMA fight for a big payoff or accepting that the true meaning of love isn't measured by the thickness of his wallet but the depth of Grace's big heart.

The Sound of Snow by DS Linney

Widowed billionaire Gabriel Trentham never expected that the new nanny he hired would be the same woman he spent an unforgettable night with six months earlier. She's determined to keep it professional between them now, but will a blizzard provide him the opportunity he needs to change her mind?

~Reviews~

Reindeer Games by Jessica Clare

Reindeer games was a sweet, fun and romantic Christmas story and I really enjoyed it. Luna and Owen are both contestants on Endurance Island, a survivor type reality show. It’s the Christmas version and thus they are thrown together in frigid Alaska to compete for $1million dollars. They both end up on the same team and butt heads immediately. I think they are both very competitive leaders  but Owen was kind of a douchebag. He was on Luna’s case from the get go and he never listened to her ideas. He made her look like a fool despite her logic in the games and ended up getting her voted off first. Unfortunately for him but very deserving, he’s voted off second and they end up alone in the Loser’s lodge.

There was chemistry and attraction there for sure but Luna thinks he’s a Neanderthal and Owen thinks she’s a loud mouth. Being stuck together forces them to interact and as they get to know one another, sparks fly and they are able to see the good qualities in each other that they were blind to before. I liked the idea of enemies becoming lovers and found it fun and refreshing. However, I found Owen’s major turnaround in character a little too convenient. He goes from a total dickhead to these sweet and charming guy in a matter of minutes and I’m not even sure I can believe they were the same guy.

Undressed by Jen Frederick

This is a Woodland Hills novella centering around Grace and Noah’s first Christmas together. If you’ve read Undeclared, you know who I’m talking about and you’re as giddy as I was to get a little more of these two. Noah and Grace are spending their first Christmas together as a couple and despite their solid relationship, there’s always something that threatens to get in there way. Noah has a big fight with huge financial potential on New Year’s day but his shady professor wants him to throw the fight and is promising him an even bigger payout. He’s also threatening Noah’s scholarship. Noah has a lot of insecurities when it comes to money and they really show through in this novella. He can’t get past his tough childhood and he really thinks that money is the solution to all his problems and that it is the only way to keep Grace around forever. Grace doesn’t care about money one bit and she definitely goes out of her way to try and prove this to Noah and be sensitive of his feelings.

Noah’s insecurities bothered me a little because I loved him and he is this really amazing guy so seeing him so insecure was tough. I loved the way Grace respected Noah’s feelings and she did some pretty amazing things for Noah to prove her love for him. As irritated as I was with Noah for acting like a fool, I was proud that he made the right decisions in the end and he overcame those insecurities about money. He finally saw through his money hungry gaze to see that Grace would choose him over money any day of the week. Also, I am a huge fan of Jen’s weekly story from her newsletter, the Charlotte Chronicles, so the epilogue in this novella made me smile so hard. I loved it!

The Sound of Snow by D.S. Linney

The Sound of Snow was sweet and sexy and a fantastic Christmas novella. Gabe is still wallowing over the death of his wife 4 years earlier when he meets Ria at a hotel bar. They hit it off and Gabe is instantly attracted to her like no one before. They spend a sexy, steamy night together but Ria is gone when Gabe wakes up in the morning. Six months later, she shows up at his door to interview for the new nanny position, unaware that he is one and the same. The chemistry is definitely there and six months hasn’t negated any of the sparks.

I liked the way Ria instantly connected with his children and she was like a real life Mary Poppins. Gabe has such a strained relationship with his kids and Ria helps reignite it. She definitely puts his family back together again and this only more solidifies his feelings for her. This definitely had a little insta-love which I’m not a big fan of but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. I still really liked the characters and the plot and found this to be a great Christmas novella.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Review: Snowed Over by Angie Stanton

Snowed Over

Author: Angie Stanton

Publisher: Vanguard Management Inc.

Publication Date: October 12, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Holiday

Source: eBook from publisher via Inkslinger PR

~Synopsis~

To college student, Katie Brandt, ‘Home for the Holidays’ sounds like hell. When her parents separated, their holiday traditions shattered like a dropped ornament. What could be worse than celebrating Christmas with her suddenly single mom and mom’s new boyfriend?

Alex Walker, an engaged 20-year-old, dreads going home for his own reasons. He has a daunting task ahead of him and wishes he could skip the holidays altogether. So when a friend of a friend needs a ride north, Alex finds that having beautiful Katie seated by his side proves to be just the distraction he needs.

A simple ride home for Christmas turns into a nightmare when light snow rages into a full-scale blizzard. Katie and Alex find themselves stranded, and a vacant cabin becomes a haven from the storm.
Under different circumstances, time alone with Alex would be the ultimate Christmas gift, but Katie knows Alex is engaged and she must hide her growing attraction.

However, Alex harbors a secret that just might change this holiday from the worst Christmas ever, to the best.

~Review~

I love Christmas time and I have really enjoyed reading Christmas novellas to get into the spirit. When I read the synopsis of Snowed Over, I knew I had to read it. I love the idea behind two people with incredible chemistry stranded in a cabin together for Christmas. It screams romance to me!

Katie is headed to her mom’s new “non-boyfriend’s” cabin for Christmas and she’s not happy about it. It’s the first Christmas since her parent’s divorce and she’s not feeling the holiday spirit. She end up getting a ride with Alex, a friend of her roommate’s brother whose headed the same direction. Alex is on his way home where his fiancé still lives but he’s less than thrilled. Things aren’t so great in paradise and he’s finally ready to let go. When Katie and Alex are caught in a horrendous snow storm, they must hole up in an abandoned cabin until the storm blows over. With an undeniable chemistry between them, things are bound to heat up.

Katie is obviously hurting from her parent’s divorce and she is deeply bothered by the way her Christmas is going to go. She is frustrated with her parents, who refuse to talk about the divorce or explain to her what went wrong. I felt like she acted a little immature towards her mother but I can’t say I wouldn’t have acted the same way because of the hurt she is feeling. The holidays are a time for family and after 19 years of family tradition, change can be hard. I was surprised by how selfish her mom was about the whole situation. She was clearly attracted to Alex but I liked the way she handled herself and that she was always mindful of the fact that he was engaged, even though she didn’t know his situation.

Alex seems like a really good guy and the way he took care of Katie when they were in trouble was really sweet. He kept her safe in a dire situation and made sure that that she was safe. I felt bad for Alex because his fiancé, Trina, really had him wrapped around her finger. She did some messed up stuff to him and she was really selfish. However, I found Alex to be a little weak. The fact that he stayed with her so long and allowed her to manipulate him the way she did bothered me. It took meeting a genuine girl like Katie for him to really see the toxicity of his relationship with Trina.

The chemistry between Alex and Katie was great and it was obvious they were attracted to each other. Being stuck in a cabin together at Christmas is kind of romantic and they really get a chance to know one another and develop feelings for each other. They both confide in each other their displeasure with their current holiday situations and they end up spending a sweet Christmas Eve together, making a romantic dinner with what supplies they can find and I was really sweet and romantic. Once their rescued, Katie’s afraid she won’t see Alex again but her rescues her right when she needs him and it was really sweet. Clearly they were a perfect match and Alex could finally truly be happy.

Overall, this was a cute novella. It was a bit under-developed in the plot and I felt like Katie’s situation with her mom and her parents was left unresolved. However, it was a cute and romantic story that I really did enjoy. I wouldn’t mind being stranded in a cabin at Christmas with my very own hot hero.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books, she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in a rural setting with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head she began to write them down and the rest is history.
She loves dipping french fries in chocolate shakes, all natural disaster movies and Broadway Musicals. Angie is a proud double finalist of the 2011 National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em, as well as a finalist for the Golden Quill Award.
When not writing, Angie is concocting ways to make more dreams come true, whether it be tickets to a Broadway show or convincing her family they should rent an RV and travel the country.
Please "Like" Angie on Facebook at facebook.com/AngieStantonAuthor.

*An eBook was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.*

ARC Review: Christmas Catch by Chelsea Cameron

Christmas Catch

(12 NA’s of Christmas Novella)

Author: Chelsea Cameron

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: October 25, 2013

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC via Inkslinger PR

~Synopsis~

Two years ago, when Ivy Emerson bailed from the tiny fishing village she’d grown up in to go to Columbia, Sawyer McCallister was the only thing she was sad to leave behind, and she still didn’t look back. But when her mother guilts her into coming home for Christmas, she crashes headfirst into Sawyer, who’s also returned after being away. 
Now that they’ve both been dragged back to Saltwater, Maine, they might just realize it’s where they belong. Together.

~Review~

This is the first book I have read by Chelsea Cameron, and while it’s only a novella, I absolutely adored it. She has a unique writing style that I can’t quite describe but I’m over the moon with it. Chelsea did a great job with character development and I really enjoyed the plot.

Emerson grew up in a very small town and she couldn’t wait to get out and go off to college. When she left, she also broke it off with her high school sweetheart, Sawyer who was going to another school. After not being home for the holidays in 2 years, Emerson comes back to town and runs right into Sawyer. All of the feelings she pushed aside come rushing back and she may have the second chance she didn’t even realize she was looking for.

I liked Emerson, a lot. She is confident, smart and she’s got this feisty attitude. She reminds me a lot of myself and I really connected with her. Growing up in a small town, every one dreams of getting out and do bigger things. Emerson is no different and she works her tail off to get accepted to Columbia and moves to the city. She feels like an outcast in her family because no one understands why she doesn’t want to stay in small town Maine, get married and pop out a bunch of kids. It’s obvious she has a bit of a strained relationship with her family but they just love her and miss her. She slowly comes to realize how much she actually misses them too. Her mom is hilarious and she’s always coming up with ways to push Emerson and Sawyer back together.

Sawyer is sweet and it is clear that he is still in love with Emerson and he still wants to be with her. Emerson isn’t quite over Sawyer yet and every time she sees him again, all the feels come rushing back in. Her resolve to stay away from him slowly melts with each chance meeting and all it takes is for Sawyer to stand up and fight. I loved how he challenged her and helped her see what she was missing out on by staying away from home. His life was changing but he wasn’t asking Emerson to give up her dreams, just to change them and accommodate for other things, including him. Emerson was easy to convince, especially by the swoony Sawyer.

Even though this is a short novella, I enjoyed just as much as a full length book. I found the depth of the plot fantastic for a novella and I could easily connect with Emerson and get a sense of who she was as a character. I’m excited to read a full length book by Chelsea Cameron if this is what she can do with a novella.

~IPOD Picks~

“In Love on Christmas” by N’Sync

“The Gift” by 98 Degrees

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Ho Ho Ho Read-a-Thon VLOG Recap

I had a blast participating in the Ho Ho Ho Read-a-Thon hosted by Kimba @ Caffenateied Book Reviewer and Jennifer @ Bawdy Book Blog.  Check out my VLOG recap below!

GOODREADS

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

GOODREADS

Review: Warmth in Ice by A. Meredith Walters #HoHoHoRAT

Warmth in Ice

(Find You in the Dark #2.5)

Author: A. Meredith Walters

Publisher: Self-published

Publication Date: October 26, 2013

Genre: Contemporary/Holiday

Source: Purchased

~Synopsis~

It’s Maggie and Clay’s first Christmas together…

***Spoilers for those who have not read Find You in the Dark or Light in the Shadows***

Clay and Maggie have gone through the dark and come out on the other side. For the first time, they are on this journey together. Fighting for something they both need and can’t live without…each other.

But a long distance relationship is hard. Particularly for two people who are still trying to build something solid on a shaky and troubled foundation. Clay is finally out of treatment and is living in an out patient halfway house. He struggles with what he wants to do and where he wants to go. Questions he worries he will never have the answers to. Maggie is trying to transition into college life and learning how to create a future with someone who is over a thousand miles away.

As the months pass and they struggle with being a part, old insecurities and fears take root and threaten a love that has come so far.

When Maggie decides to fly to Florida as a surprise for Clay on Christmas, she is unsure whether it will be the first step toward what they both desperately want or whether it could possibly be the end of it all.

But with the holidays approaching, Maggie and Clay are reminded that even when the days are coldest, you can still find the warmth and that hope and love are the greatest gifts of all.

~Review~

Wow, I didn’t realize how much I missed Maggie and Clay until I read Warmth in Ice. This is quite honestly one of my favorite contemporary series. I truly love their story and the journey they took together. It’s a tumultuous one and they have been through a lot together.  This book warmed my heart because I have always been rooting for them and to see everything start to fall into place is heartwarming.

Warmth in Ice starts a few months after the end of Light in the Shadows but before the epilogue. Clay is in Florida and working hard to get better for Maggie while Maggie is getting ready to start college in D.C. Being apart is really hard for them and the insecurities that have plagued them both start to resurface. They both feel like the other is pulling away from them but when Maggie surprises Clay on Christmas Eve and they spend their first Christmas together, they are never more sure about each other.

I loved that this novella was still deeply emotional despite it being so short. From the moment I met Clayton Reed, he has owned my heart and as I watch him struggle with his emotions, it breaks my heart a little. I love how much Clay loves Maggie and how far he has come. However, he will always struggle for control and some of his old ways threaten to surface the longer they are apart. Maggie has come a long way too and she knows what Clay really needs to get better. Sometimes it seems easier to just placate him like she used to but she knows better now and I liked that she can call him on his shit now and it is actually better for Clay.

When Maggie surprises Clay for Christmas, it was so adorable how excited he was to see her and you could tell that he had never really had a good Christmas growing up because he was like a kid in a candy shop as he celebrated the holiday with Maggie. Everything she did to make the holiday special for him was so sweet and it was obvious that all of the fears and worries they both had been having melted away and they wouldn’t be coming back. It only took 3 days together to solidify everything they knew to be true and I think this is what Clay really needed to really begin the healing on his own. He would always have Maggie’s love and support no matter how far apart they are. The way Maggie’s parents showed their support of her and Clay was really nice and I think it also truly helped Clay to move forward on a positive note. The gift Clay made for Maggie was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. To quote Clay, “Best. Christmas. Ever.”

The epilogue fully closed out Clay and Maggie’s story and while I’m sad to say goodbye, this was the perfect closure. While this is a Christmas novella, it was so much more than that. If you haven’t read this series and met Maggie and Clay, you should definitely read them now. They will take you on an emotional journey that will make you laugh, cry, and root for their happiness to the very end.

~IPOD Picks~

“Mistletoe” by Colbie Collait

“The Night Before Christmas” by Brandon Heath

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Review: Cross Country Christmas by Tiffany King #HoHoHoRAT

Cross Country Christmas

(Woodfalls Girls Novella)

Author: Tiffany King

Publisher: A.T. Publishing LLC

Publication Date: November 1, 2103

Genre: New Adult

Source: Purchased

~Synopsis~

With the holiday season upon her, Jamie Foster is once again stressed about making her yearly visit back home to Woodfalls, still single. Fate intervenes in the form of Grant Johnson, a boy she grew up with, who catches the same flight while returning home from a business trip.

When a malfunction sends their plane crashing down on the runway upon takeoff, Jamie and Grant decide to rent a car and make the nine-hundred-mile drive home together. Ironically for them, anything that can go wrong does as they face one hysterical hurdle after another.

Christmas may finally bring Jamie the gift of love she has always wanted if she and Grant can manage to overcome a few obstacles along the way. Ho-ho-ho!

~Review~

This is a year when I know I’ll need some holiday spirit and whenever I have one of these years, I fully rely on Christmas movies and music to help bring it. I’m excited to discover Christmas reads as another avenue to lift me up for the holidays. Cross Country Christmas was the perfect read for this. Fireplace on, Christmas music playing, hot chocolate and Baileys in hand and I was ready to immerse myself. This book was just like the sappy Christmas movies I watch every year and I loved every minute of it.

Jamie moved away from Woodfalls four years ago with the idea of finding true love in mind. She has been in love with Grant since she was a kid but felt like he never noticed her. She comes face to face with Grant on a flight back home for Christmas. When plane troubles and a freak snowstorm leave them stranded together for a couple of days, things quickly heat up. Will Jamie find the love she’s been searching for in the boy who was always right in front of her?

I really liked Jamie and Grant. Jamie was like an accident waiting to happen, especially in the presence of Grant. Why wouldn’t she continuously humiliate herself in front of the boy she has crushed on for years? She is a strong, confidant women but she instantly turns into a klutzy mess around Grant and it cracked me up. She has this witty sarcasm she uses to deal with her feelings for Grant and it had me laughing out loud at times. While Jamie is oblivious, it is clear Grant has feelings for her and teasing and subtle flirting is how he shows it.

From the moment they meet again on the plane, they’re attempted trip home is one disaster after another and I found that to be a really fun and entertaining plot line. As they spent more time in close proximity with one another, the sexual tension continued to build. Being in Jamie’s head, I knew she was attracted to Grant but I could sense his feelings for her too and the anticipation was killing me. When they finally opened up to one another, it was a beautiful moment and despite all his joking and teasing, Grant was actually a really sweet guy. While his charm wasn’t surprising, his thoughtfulness and attentiveness was.

Plot development can be tricky with a novella since they’re so short but I think Tiffany nailed it. Even in such a short time, I was still able to get a feel for who the characters were and I was able to connect with them. She is excellent at writing steamy love scenes without overdoing it and still making it sensual and swoon worthy. What I liked most about this novella? It had an excellent mix of humor and romance.

~IPOD Picks~

“All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey

“Home for Christmas” by N’Sync

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Cover Reveal: The 12 Days NA's of Christmas

The 12 Days of Christmas Just Got Hotter!

Today I get to share with you the covers of 12 upcoming New Adult Novellas written by some of our favorite bestselling New Adult authors! These are 12 separate Christmas novellas (not an anthology or box set) that will all release November 1st! Some of the novellas are stand-along and some are related to that author's existing series. Check out each of the covers and then see a little bit about each upcoming title and author below!

I am so excited for each of these novellas because I can't wait to do some holiday reading this year to lift me up and put me into the spirit!

These novellas are sure to get you ready for whatever you have planned for the holidays.

About Magan Vernon and OFF THE MARKET:

www.maganvernon.com

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106538-off-the-market

Etta Davis must decide if a second chance with an old flame is worth taking her house, and her heart, off the market.

About Zoe Dawson and BRAVE:

www.zoedawson.com          

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106546-brave    

His heart was closed, his emotions buried, he was a man on the edge of self-destructing. This Christmas, snowbound in Colorado little did he know that courage would be found in another searching for the strength to be brave.

About Tiffany King and CROSS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS:

http://authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18107073-cross-country-christmas---the-12-na-s-of-christmas?from_search=true

A hilarious, heartwarming Christmas tale about finding love in the least likely situation.

About Chelsea Cameron and CHRISTMAS CATCH:

http://www.chelseamcameron.com/ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106783-christmas-catch

She swore she was never going back to the tiny fishing village she came from. So did he. But when they’re both dragged back to Saltwater, Maine, they might realize it’s where they belong. Together…

About H.M. Ward and A LITTLE CHRISTMAS ROMANCE:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106682-a-little-christmas-romance---the-12-na-s-of-christmas

A sexy and sweet holiday treat.

About Breena Wilde and FROSTED MIDNIGHT:

https://www.facebook.com/BreenaWildeBooks

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106653-frosted-midnight

Willow St. James needs a miracle and an encounter with Austin Merrick at midnight on Christmas Eve may be just the answer she's looking for.

About A. Meredith Walters and WARMTH IN ICE:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Meredith-Walters/311504738868378

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106519-warmth-in-ice

 Clay and Maggie struggle to build a future while overcoming the demons of their past. And during the heat of a Florida Christmas they are reminded that theirs is a love worth fighting for.

About Sawyer Bennett and IF I RETURN:

http://www.facebook.com/bennettbooks

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106691-if-i-return

What was supposed to be a quiet Christmas holiday turns into a life changing event for Hope and Jack. The only problem? Jack is headed off to war, and there is no guarantee he will come back.

About Shelly Crane and WIDE SPACES:

http://www.shellycraneauthor.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18068475-wide-spaces---the-12-na-s-of-christmas

When they found each other, they knew that life had given them a second chance. But a life together that saved them will become a life they think is lost forever.

About Addison Moore and WINTER KISSES:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Addison-Moore/140192649382294?ref=hl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18107070-winter-kisses---the-12-na-s-of-christmas

 Having a one-night stand with your ex is never easy. She thinks its revenge sex. He thinks its make-up sex. Things can only go wrong from here.

About Marquita Valentine and ALL FOR YOU:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMarquitaValentine

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106807-all-for-you--the-12-na-s-of-christmas

The only thing West Diaz wants for Christmas is McKenzie Walsh's forgiveness, but she's not ready to make nice, until, that is, he willingly humiliates himself in public to prove he's not the same guy who bullied her in high school. But can one simple act overcome years of torment?

About Sarra Cannon and A SEASON FOR HOPE:

www.sarracannon.com

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18106973-a-season-for-hope

After a devastating breakup, Bailey Houston just wants to give up on life. But can sexy med-student Judd Kohler teach her that Christmas really is a season for hope?