Whiteout by Dani Pettrey and Lynette Eason

 

Whiteout by Lynette Eason and Dani Pettrey 
4 Stars (3.5 Rounded Up)
Novella Collections

I always enjoy a good Christian, romantic suspense read and these were some great novellas! Very much an on the edge of your seat read for both novellas in this collection.

If you are looking for a good quick winter read, check these out because both have snowed in, avalanches type of storylines, with high-stakes suspense. 

The first one, Dani Pettrey's, follows Joel and Cassandra in a second chance romance. She left him at the alter years ago over this crazy situation with a stalker she had. Now, they are back around each other when they are both part of a destination wedding party. Everyone ends up being snowed in at an abandoned lodge with their friends after a tragic avalanche happens. But is her stalker lurking in every corner? Will she reveal the real reason she left so long ago?

I was really engaged in this one! Loved the characters and suspense. It was very intense though, with several murders taking place. 

In the second one, Lynette Eason's, we follow Dr. Maya who is escaping her past and planning a retreat for veterans at the ranch she has inherited. She runs into her high school crush, Gideon, and soon realizes someone is targeting her. They work together to find the person who is after her. I liked this one but I think Dani's was my fav! I just connected with those characters more.

content warnings: mentioned of friends being murdered semi-detailed and disturbing  POV of killer, would be triggering probably to someone who has been through a stalker situation so be aware of this content, no language, clean romance.

I recommend for anyone who likes Christian romantic suspense and wants something quick. Thank you to Revell for a complimentary copy for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Oh, and the audio narration is great!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8295558431

Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780764245978_whiteout

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4q3sSpZ

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Christmas At Tolliver's Bookshop by Elle Christopher

 

Christmas at Tolliver's Bookshop by Elle Christopher
4.5 Stars  - rounding up to 5

Y'all, this was seriously the most adorable little Christmas read! So cozy and cute! It had the snowed in trope, and at a BOOKSTORE at that, which I LOVED! It's set in the south, Georgia - also a bonus for this southern Tennessee girl!

It has small town charm, lots of good book and bookstore details, no spice or language - and a lot of chemistry between our couple within only 60 some odd pages!

I read this on Kindle Unlimited and it was such a cute quick read. 

We follow Lila and James, who meet while she is working at the bookstore and they have a very instant connection. I love it wasn't all based on attraction but it was based on common interests, like poetry, reading, helping others during the holidays, etc. 

Overall, this is a great quick read to pick up while sitting in front of your tree, drinking coffee, or hot cocoa - and a soft blanket. I loved it!

Content: kisses only, clean romance, no language, 1 mention of "the universe", clean, secular fiction

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8120541124
Amazon: https://amzn.to/48Usgh6

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Playing for Keeps by Mandi Blake

 Playing for Keeps by Mandi Blake
4 Stars 

This was another great Christmas read by Mandi! She always brings the faith and sweet romance that I enjoy in books! This is a second chance romance story between Justin McKinnon and Caroline Taylor. Their families have hated each other for decades and when Caroline asks Justin to pretend to be her boyfriend one day many years ago, their spur of the moment kiss turned into a secret romance...just like Romeo and Juliet with their feuding families. 

Cut to many years later....they still love each other but as things would have it, they went their separate ways unwillingly. Caroline owns the bakery in town but no guy she has dated since Justin has worked out for her. She has been hung up on her first love (Justin) in the back of her mind for so long. Justin is back in town after escaping his abusive father years ago, and is ready to work things out with Caroline, if it be in the Lord's will for them.

Really enjoyed the Christmas elements, family and faith thread in this one. I also loved seeing characters from previous Mandi books from this series. This can be read as a standalone but it's nice knowing characters like Alicia from another book in the series.

We had some great themes of forgiveness and grace and Mandi always points the reader and characters back to Jesus. 

Recommended for anyone who loves Christmas Christian Romance books. The romance is clean with no language. Thank you to Mandi for sending me a copy to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7836925016
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/45GXdTm

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Coffee We Spill by Chelsea Michelle

 Coffee We Spill by Chelsea Michelle
4 Stars 

Ok, this one had the cozy mystery I was looking for! :) This is the 3rd book in the Novella Mini Mystery Series - you need to read their full book though, Transactions We Expose probably before this one, I didn't and I think I can see where I was spoiled a smidge on some things but by the time I get back to the full novel, I will probably have forgotten that info, haha.

But I have had fun with these mini-mystery novellas. This one is my favorite of the 3 I have read. I like how this one really focused on the mystery of someone missing and Michelle being a possible suspect. 

Essentially, Michelle’s coffee shop is doing well but a a new coffee truck competitor rolls into town and then the owner suddenly goes missing. Blood stains are discovered on Michelle’s back door, she becomes the prime suspect, and her sister Chelsea jumps in to help prove her innocence. 

The pacing really worked well, it was fast and engaging and I liked the mystery part the best. Looks like Michelle's love life is hopefully settling down too, we will see about that.

This has good faith and prayer content too with the sister's struggles as they learn to trust the Lord.

Looking forward to more in this series and I will eventually go back to the full length story before this one. :) 

Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7832841164
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W2rPdv

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Chaos We Unravel by Chelsea Michelle

Chaos We Unravel by Chelsea Michelle 
Book 2 in A Watson Twins Mini Mystery Series
3 Stars

Like the first novella, we have a light, faith centered mystery that can be read in one sitting. This one centers around the 4th of July celebration in Maple Springs with a mysterious fire that turns the picnic into a lot of chaos. The sisters Michelle and Chelsea work together to try and figure out what's going on in their amateur sleuthing. I like this doesn't have any murder in it, just them trying to figure out the happenings in the town. 

The cozy mystery element here is fun because it has the small-town charm, family moments, and that wholesome “faith and family” tone that makes the series generally easy to enjoy. Novella length makes this easy to read quickly and just enjoy it for what happens. 

Where the book is starting to lose me a bit was the ongoing romantic subplot with Michelle. After breaking up with her boyfriend of two years for seemingly no clear reason other than she isn't sure what she wants or if she still loves him anymore, she really needs to make up her mind for me. She is entertaining attention from another guy after her break up with Kyle, and Kyle is still hanging out as friends all the time with her and she still has these mixed thoughts throughout so it's just she now seems a little inconsistent or frustrating. With the aftermath of that potential relationship, I found myself wanting her to either take time to reflect or make up her mind or something. It’s hard to root for her romantically when she feels so directionless in that area. I know that's realistic but still a bit frustrating. I am hoping book 3 clears some things up :)

Overall, this one was a quick Christian cozy mystery with a fun summer setting and family-driven plot. While the mystery side holds up, I’m hoping the next one bring more clarity and maturity to Michelle’s romantic storyline.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7982939926
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hh3c6D

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

 

Hours We Regret by Chelsea Michelle

 

Hours We Regret - Chelsea Michelle
Book 1 in the Watson Twins Mini Mystery Series
3.5 Stars 

So I have an advanced copy of book 3 in this series, so I figured, when the books were on sale for .99, I would pick the series up to read before I review book 3! This is an author duo under the name Chelsea Michelle. It is a Christian Cozy Mystery Mini Series, meaning the books are short novellas. This one is meant to be a very fast, prequel introduction to the series and characters. While it's short, we are introduced to Chelsea and Michelle, twin sisters in this small town and danger arises when one of them goes missing and they have been discussing the serial killer on the loose so the stress arises when one of them went missing. There is a bit of romance drama too with one of the sisters throughout.

I liked the overall setup, especially the way the story explores fear versus faith and the close twin sister relationship. The pacing kept me engaged and I certainly wanted to keep reading to figure out what happened. But because it's a novella/shorter story, you do want to keep going and wish it had a more closed ending, but it's meant for you to move on to the next one I suppose, haha.

That said, it’s clear this story is meant to introduce readers to the series and characters, so I’m curious to see how things develop in the next installments.

If you enjoy small-town Christian cozies with light suspense, family themes, and nice faith moments with prayer, this is a nice, easy read to kick off the series.

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7982896989

Amazon: https://amzn.to/474wKQi

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

On A Midnight Clear by Tracie, Karen and Misty (3 in 1 Novella Collection)

 On A Midnight Clear by Tracie Peterson, Karen Witemeyer and Misty M. Beller
 (3 in 1 Novella Collection)

This was a good collection of Christmas novellas centered around the Nativity story. Each one had something unique and different. 

Novella #1: The Shepherd's Heart by Tracie Peterson - 5 Stars 

Loved this one so much. On the western frontier in 1875, we see a widowed sheep rancher with his children, Vincent Duran. He needs a mother for his two children after losing his wife and other children. He and his remaining two children have been through so much grief. Angel Lewis agrees to marry him, a marriage of convenience if you will. They brace a winter storm and find love again. I loved seeing Angel walk through the grief with this family together, helping the children understand what happened and about how to trust God even through hardship. Seeing the real meaning behind Christmas on display through the Nativity story was the best too. I have never read a book by Tracie, but now I have to check out her books!

Novella #2: No Room at the Inn by Misty M. Beller - 4 Stars 

Also on the western frontier but in 1861, Hope and her brother run an inn. A blizzard forces everyone to stay at Hope's home, where a romantic interest occurs between Hope and Noah. Everyone literally has "no room at the inn" and they have to figure out how to all stick together during this storm. Meaning of Christmas is shared and we have very much a Pioneer tale at Christmastime. 

Novella #3: A Star in the West by Karen Witemeyer 4.5 Stars

This one is set in Waco, TX in 1890. This one had a "3 wise man" and a "baby" storyline. A thread of Christmas redemption in Christ too that I really enjoyed. Frank is a Harvard Math Professor who comes to Waco and meets Stella. He is socially awkward and she doesn't see herself as she should. They interact a lot together and there was also some fun humor was in this one too but the ending had serious topics involved and a mention of a brothel / women working at the brother but the redemption in Christ is shown in the situation. 

Overall, this is a great collection that is going to be a good one for the Christmas season, especially to my friends who appreciate good Christian content in their Christmas novellas.

Thank you to Bethany House for a complimentary copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7904838827
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780764245725_on-a-midnight-clear
Amazon: https://amzn.to/464ugSP

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Hope for the Hero by Mandi Blake

 

Book Review: Hope for the Hero by Mandi Blake - 3 Stars

This one is part of the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series. I have loved all of the Mandi Blake books I have read so far, but this one wasn't quite my fav. I just didn't connect to the couple as much and wished their enemies to lovers was a bit less of them fussin with each other for so long. 

We have Tessa and Adam - Tessa wants to get a job at her brother's security company and when she gets the job, her and Adam are working together and he is so grumpy lol. His boss says he needs an assistant to help him since he works a lot but they do not get along whatsoever. They eventually come to care for one another but it just wasn't a fav. While I liked the faith portions with Adam as he tried to figure out his beliefs as he worked through the emotions of his mother passing away years ago and his Dad not being around, I wanted more from the romance itself. I also wish Tessa was a bit more compassionate about what Adam was going through.

Overall, while this one isn't a fav and it was an average Christmas read for me, I still LOVE and support Mandi in her writing - her newest Healing the Cowboy knocked it out of the park for me, so it's hard to compare and beat that one for me. I will say I also didnt love the narrator in this one so that mayyyyy have caused some issues for the enjoyment for me too.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6926060564

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3BJORzi

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Guarded by the Hero by Mandi Blake

 

Guarded by the Hero - Mandi Blake

4 Stars 

Cute, quick Christmas read from Mandi! We are in Freedom Ridge with Heath Mitchell, who served in the Marines but now spends time as the head of security for the Freedom Ridge Resort. He meets a friend of his sister and she becomes a client who needs protection as he is the bodyguard like figure. Claire has some things from the past that resurfaces and he has to help protect her. They grow close together and the rest is history.

Enjoyed this one pretty well. As usual, Mandi has good faith elements and sweet clean romance.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6926059884

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BzhfnQ

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton

Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton - 5 Stars 

Another new favorite Christmas read y'all! I loved this one so much. We have friends to move, brother's best friend, forced proximity, cabin at Christmas time, family elements, all the things you want in a cute romance for Christmas! We see Rachael, who has had a crush on her brother's best friend Max forever. The story starts from their past experience kissing under the mistletoe when she she was humiliated at a christmas party. Cut to many years later and Max has always had a girlfriend since then...until now at the family cabin this Christmas. He tells Rachael his secret he needs to tell his family this season and there are a lot of flirty moments between them as they start to get closer in a way they never have before as just friends....

Read if you love:

🎄Friends to More

🎄Childhood Crush

🎄Brother's Best Friend

🎄Cozy Christmas Vibes

🎄Family Bonding

🎄Festive Traditions

🎄Sweet Romances

🎄Heartwarming Ending

🎄The Grinch

Such a great one y'all! Highly recommend you check this out. The audio narration was great too.  Romance was clean with kisses only, no language.

 

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6926062943
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZMuNW5

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

 

Silent Night, Holy Night by Colleen Coble

 

Silent Night, Holy Night by Colleen Coble - 3 Stars

All is Calm, All is Bright was more of a fav for me here but this one had two novellas for the Rock Harbor series.

The first novella is Silent Night. Bree and her search and rescue dog Samson follow the trail of a troubling mystery into the snowy forests of Rock Harbor. We see her and her husband Kade preparing for Christmas guests when word arrives that a parachuter has disappeared in the North Woods, along Lake Superior's icy shore. Bree and Samson plunge into the search. I really didn't connect with the characters in this one and it did not feel like a mystery - it was more so their infertility journey and adoption discussions etc. Very odd novella for me I would rate this one 2 star. Didn't feel Christmas to me at all either unfortunately but I liked the second one more.

The second novella is Holy Night. We see a phone call derail a Christmas wedding....Leia and Bane are looking forward to their Christmas wedding on the beach and everything is going to plan until Leia gets a phone call that turns everything upside down. Her sister, who has down syndrome and cannot take care of herself, is kidnapped and instructs her to cancel her wedding or risk her sister's life. The story takes off here.

I liked the suspense in this one but wasn't crazy about Bane's character and how he couldn't move on from what was going on in the suspense itself. Leia was just reacting in the only way she knew how with her sister's life on the line. Didn't feel christmas-y at all here either but I did like the sister and suspense part. I would give this 3 to 3.5. 

I don't plan to keep this one just because it wasn't a fav but if you want more short Christmas romantic suspense novellas, pick this up too. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7066631285
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/21488

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4g77GeM

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

All is Calm, All is Bright by Colleen Coble

 

All is Calm, All is Bright by Colleen Coble - 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 

I liked this overall but wish it was a bit more christmas-y. 

The first one, All is Calm was probably my favorite and most engaging one. In that one, we have Brendan and Lauren. We are at Bluebird Ranch, a place Brendan always considered a little piece of heaven. They have a ranch that pairs children with horses, run by one of his old Marine friends. He is recovering from a job injury and is back at the ranch to spend Christmas healing. Lauren was a 17 year old foster kid when she was at Bluebird Ranch years ago and it was the safest place she knew. Now she is on the run from a murder investigation where she was a witness - she takes her horse (who was going to be put down falsely accused) and runs to the ranch where she feels safe. She meets Brendan and he is very suspicious of her actions and past. Romance blooms when they start working together and the rest is history.

I liked this first one because of the family ranch vibes it gave with a little girl, horses and a bit of mystery. Romance was too instalove for me but I liked the characters and the narrator was good. Would recommend because it does end with Christmas time that I liked.

For the second novella, All is Bright, we have Delilah who is a manager of Tidewater Inn. She has been planning a Christmas wedding for her friends at the grand hotel overlooking the ocean. A truck runs her off the road one night and she barely escapes death. Then she starts getting threatening phone calls and  Sheriff Tom stops by the inn and volunteers to help. Tom has always had a soft spot for Delilah and wants to protect her but things get crazy and they get separated. 

I enjoyed this one too, while not as much as the first one, it had a solid suspense element. I just wanted to more Christmas vibes here. 

Overall, would recommend if you want a quick audiobook listen for christmas romantic suspense.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7066565851

Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/21818
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fdke2M

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Christmas Tree Connection by Elle Rush

 

Christmas Tree Connection by Elle Rush 
 A Short Story in the Christmas Kisses and Cookie Crumbs Series - 4 Stars 

Y'all this was absolutely adorable. Set in 1970s, Adelaide and Victor work together to turn a season holiday tree farm gig into a holiday romance happy ending! We follow Victor Klassen who is opening his North Pole Evergreen tree lot and needs to get an edge over his competition so the cutest bank teller in town, Adelaide North, has beautiful stained glass ornaments so he asks her for help and the story goes on from here.

I love that this was set in the 70s because it gave such a unique twist on a classic Christmas and reminders of slowing down and spending time as families together. The romance was sweet and just a wholesome short story to read in one sitting at Christmas time.

This is part of 12 clean romance short stories during the Christmas Season on Kindle Unlimited so this is one I read through my KU subscription. Hoping I can get to more but what a fun way to sample some of these author's writing styles! Elle Rush is a new author I plan to check out! 

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7048576185
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4if7NpU

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Cornered by Lynette Eason, Lynn H Blackburn and Natalie Walters

 

Cornered Novella Collection - Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn and Natalie Walters - 4 Stars

Y'all I really think Romantic Suspense books are PERFECT in Novella format! I loved this one. After reading Targeted and now Cornered, I think this author trio should definitely continue these! They are fun, short reads with just the right amount of suspense and romance I prefer! Highly recommend to my Romantic Suspense fans!

5/5 The first novella is In The Dark by Lynette Eason. This features accountant Steph Cross who is cleaning out her co-workers desk after her shocking and unexpected death. It seems like an accident, but when she finds a cryptic note in her desk that looks like she was investigating something, it looks like her death was no accident at all. Detective Tate Cooper comes in and is determined to help her figure everything out before someone else gets hurt. Steph has quickly become someone important to him and he will do anything to help keep her safe. This is tied to her Lake City Heroes series and since I have read books 1 and 2 in that series, I really liked this novella because I was familiar with the setting.

4/5 The second novella is In Downfall by Lynn H. Blackburn. This features chef Cassie Quinn who fills in as chef at an exclusive mountain resort. The kitchen gets destroyed, she is in danger and thrown into a situation where her ex-boyfriend, Detective Donovan Bledsoe, has to help her. I haven't read Never Fall Again, but this is in the same setting of Gossamer Falls. I have to dive into that series now because this one was again, great suspense and romance! We had good depth with the characters here because they had history together. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was some of the second chance stuff because second chance can be hit or miss with me, but I did like their characters and ending to the romance.

3.5 to 4-ish /5 The third novella is In Perilous Obsession by Natalie Walters. This features Lahela Young, the sister of Kekoa from the S.N.A.P agency series. I really liked our characters here because it was familiar to me, as I have read the novella and book 1 for the S.N.A.P agency series. It is hard for me to remember the character names for some reason so I had a hard time there, but overall it was good. Lahela becomes the target of someone with a twister obsession to right a wrong. She turns to her friend Briggs Turner, who used to be a police officer, but wants to help protect Lahela in what is going on. The ending in this one was very unique in the suspense, wanted a little more romance here but great suspense and action.

Overall, these are some AWESOME novellas that I think a lot of y'all will enjoy! Highly recommend these author's books and series to look into if you want some good Christian romantic suspense options.

Thank you to Revell for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6737999848
Baker Book House (Recommended): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/579837
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3B7ar0k

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson

12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson 

4 Stars 

A Super Cute Christmas Rom-Com!

Read if you love:
❄️Fake Dating

❄️Cute Clean Christmas Romances

❄️Lots of Holiday Spirit

❄️Dogs

❄️Apartment Neighbors

❄️Enemies to Lovers - Done Right!

❄️Anxiety and Service Animals Represented

❄️An Awesome Meddling Grandmother

This one was super cute yall! A new fav Christmas rom-com for me! My first Jen Atkinson book and looking forward to reading more by her. I really liked this twist on Fake Dating, haven't seen this done before. 

In this book, Bonnie struggles with anxiety, managed with medication and her sweet service dog, Noel. She lives in an apartment complex and life is pretty good. All until Elliot, the landlord's grandson, decides to send her several unsolicited notes threatening to turn her in for keeping a dog when she shouldn't have one. When push comes to shove, Bonnie decides to go talk to Elliot at his apartment, getting thrown in the middle of his family festivities. Elliot persuades Bonnie to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his family but his grandmother isn't buying it. She meddles in the situation and Bonnie and Elliot end up dating for the next 12 days....the rest is history!

I loved these characters so much, seeing the anxiety rep with Bonnie and the passion she has for service animals, working in her non-profit, she was just a solid FMC. I loved seeing Elliot grow to understand Bonnie for who she was and how he truly supported her. His gran was also such a great character, one of my favs! Loved her sass! And you can't forget her precious dog Noel! She steals the show :)

Overall, a great Christmas read that shines light on mental health, also makes you laugh and has all the great spirit of the holidays you want in a book! :)

*Romance was clean with kisses only.

Thank you to the author for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6943501506
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hUzep6

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Rescued by The Hero by Mandi Blake

 

Rescued by the Hero - Mandi Blake

4 Stars 

Book 1 in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge Series

Super cute and quick Christian Christmas read! Really enjoyed buddy reading with my friend Melissa this one. 

Read if you like: 

Clean Christian Romance
Brother's Best Friend Trope

Fake Dating 

A Touch of Suspense
A Mountain Resort Vacation Setting
Dual POV

While its hard to measure up to her newest Christmas book, Healing the Cowboy, this one was still super cute and brings all the hallmark, Christmas cheese vibes you want during the holiday season. Our main couple is Aiden Clark and Joanna Drake. Joanna escapes to Freedom Ridge for the Holidays in Colorado. She runs into her brother's best friend at the ski resort and they instantly hit it off. Trouble arrives though in Freedom Ridge when Joanna's crazy, stalker co-worker - Keith - follows her to town. He has been interested in her for a while and she's been denying his advances. Because of all of the unwanted attention from Keith, Joanna asks Aiden to pretend to be her boyfriend and the fake dating turns into real feelings really fast. :) Unfortunately, Joanna's brother Zach isn't too keen on a real relationship between Aiden and her so they have to keep their feelings under wraps until the time is right.....The story kicks off here.

This was super cute like I said - just what you want in a cute Christian Christmas cheese-y romance book for this time of year. Even though it's a quick romance, I was still here for it! The only things I wasn't crazy about was how Joanna's brother was so against them together but he didn't take the issues with Keith as serious as I hoped he would have, but other than that, it was a solid 4 star read for me! Highly recommend!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YByuMG

Series Link: https://amzn.to/3YD4RL1

Mandi's Books in this Series: https://mandiblakeauthor.com/collections/heroes-of-freedom-ridge-signed-paperbacks

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Healing the Cowboy by Mandi Blake

 

Healing the Cowboy by Mandi Blake 
5 Stars

OK MANDI GOT ME AGAIN WITH ANOTHER 5 STAR BOOK YALL! Healing the Cowboy is her newest release and its SO good! PERFECT to read this Christmas season you guys! 

Read if you love:

❄️Clean Christian Romance

❄️Great Faith Content in Books

❄️Friends to Lovers Trope

❄️Opposites Attract Trope

❄️A Mistletoe Kiss

❄️Found Family

❄️Forgiveness Thread

❄️Horses and Cowboys

❄️He Falls First Trope

❄️She Takes Care of Him Trope

❄️Christmas Setting but also includes Thanksgiving 

❄️Cinnamon Roll MMC

❄️Nurse FMC

❄️Cozy Romance Books

I absolutely loved this! Healing the Cowboy is part of the Christmas Ridge Series but can be read as a standalone. We follow Nora St. James who returns home to find her father's gambling problem has resulted in a detrimental future to the family ranch. With the weight of family responsibilities on her shoulders, she is set firm on keeping life together, leaving little room for romance. Enter in Clint Taylor, her charming best friend who works on his family's farm and is determined to win her heart. We start the book with him being ready to confess his feelings for her but things happen and those feelings don't get told just yet. Clint gets injured and Nora, as a nurse, takes care of him and we see their dynamic build, showcasing the tension between friendship and romance shift, as Nora grapples with her feelings while tending to his injury. 

The setting of Redemption Ridge provides a cozy, festive backdrop in Colorado - y'all know that's bound to be a BEAUTIFUL setting at Christmas time! 

As always, Mandi does a great job showing us what Nora is going through and her journey toward opening her heart. The faith content - perfect, as always. I LOVED Clint and seeing how much he loved her and wanted to share his feelings with her was chef's kiss! This is exactly the type of Christmas book I love to read during the holidays. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Mandi Blake for sending me a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Goodreads Review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6737988339
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3NLK5Ui
Mandi's Shop (Recommended): https://mandiblakeauthor.com/products/healing-the-cowboy-signed-paperback

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Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller and Pepper Basham

 Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller and Pepper Basham - 4 Stars Overall

3 Christmas Novellas

Overall, these 3 novellas are charming and heartwarming holiday romances that perfectly show the magic of Christmas. I really enjoyed each of these, with Kathleen and Sheila being new to me authors! Looking forward to reading more by those authors. Pepper is one of my favorite authors and her's was my fav because we had Luke show back up! :)

Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller - 4 Stars

This was a unique Christmas romance between two characters in their 40s. I really liked that because you don't see those ages of characters portrayed much.  In this one, we have Emmy Banks, who is fully rooted in her community with her antique shop. Set in Mistletoe, Missouri, the shop add an extra layer of charm to it. Kieran O'Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother's 70th birthday. We see him reconnect with Emmy, his sister's close friend, and spend time helping her in the shop. A romance ensues and the rest is history. :) I really liked the characters and small town - a very cozy read. I loved that he was Irish too, added a nice layer to the story.

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham - 4 Stars 

We are back with our Skymar characters and this time Princess Ellie's brother is getting his romance! Prince Arran St. Clare lost his fairytale life in exchange for a 3 month "punishment" in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. He has to prove he is ready for royal life so he has to participate in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. The fundraiser not only forces Arran to get involved but also allows him to interact more deeply with the locals, helping him grow as a person. For anyone who LOVED the Skymar series like I did, this is a MUST read yall! (Specifically Loyally, Luke readers will love this the most!) We see Luke and Ellie again - which were lovely! Really enjoyed the faith elements in this too. A must read for those who enjoyed a mix of royalty, small-town charm, and a holiday romance.

Say No To Mistletoe - Sheila Roberts - 4 Stars 

This one made me laugh out loud several times! I loved the mistletoe mishaps here. It's giving Christmas rom-com. We have a romance author, Hailey Fairchild, who always has a disaster under the mistletoe. Her handsome neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team, kissed her under the mistletoe many years ago and it was an embarrassing moment. Now, back home, she is determined to say no to mistletoe, until a second chance erupts between her and Carwyn. :) I really liked this one. I really needed the laughs and this one delivered!

Overall, this anthology is a great one to pick up during the holiday season. Very lighthearted, hallmark like novellas that are bound to be enjoyable!

Thank you to the Thomas Nelson for providing a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6712042004
Baker Book House (Recommended): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/583641
Amazon: https://amzn.to/487UaUN

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Christmas at Harringtons by Melody Carlson

                               Christmas at Harringtons by Melody Carlson 

5 Stars 

What a wholesome Christmas story! I loved this one. I find I love her Christmas books with family and redemption elements more than the ones she writes with romance and this one had great family elements and faith threads of forgiveness, second chances through Jesus 💛

In this story, we have Lena Markham and she finds herself broke and with no where to go after being released from prison from false accusations made by her ex-husband. She is trying to start over and lands a job as Mrs. Santa at a department store, due to her wonderful red coat. She is trying to keep her past a secret the best she can and start over. She meets a beautiful young girl with her Mama and helps them out along the way, and makes several friends from the very beginning in this new small town. We see the true redemption, forgiveness and second chances shown in this story and it's filled with great holiday spirit.

No real romance in this book, which I prefer in Melody's books honestly. She writes great family Christmas stories and redemption in Jesus well. Highly recommend.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6844845902
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3XBSsGx
I could not find this one Baker Book House's website.

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Waiting for Christmas Lynn Austin

 

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin 
4 Stars 
A great companion story to All My Secrets by Lynn Austin

 “Maybe that’s all God asks of us. Some people are given the opportunity to do grand things in life, but if we just make a difference in the lives of the people God puts in our paths, I think He’s pleased with that.” 

What a sweet Christmas story set in 1901 during the Gilded Age. All My Secrets was a favorite of the year for me this year and we follow Adelaide and Howard from that story. We see them as newlyweds together and they find Jack, a young boy who is missing from his family and says he is not an orphan. We see the journey of Addy and Howard trying to do the right thing and help this young boy and reunite him with his sister and family. Finding this young boy on her doorstep changes their lives completely. 

This novella was filled with the spirit of Christmas. Addy and Howard working together as a newly married couple on something very serious really brings them together in showing their support for one another. We see some details surrounding women's suffrage and her husband's support for her efforts.  Howard really is a hero for Addy who really supports his wife in everything she wants to do.

If you're looking for a novella that really captures the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season, check this one out. It's definitely going to tug at your heart strings and Lynn Austin never disappoints in her storytelling!

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6712104596
Amazon: https://amzn.to/47ef2JI
Baker Book House (Recommended): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/580038

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.