3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mostly Good Christmasy Stories, December 8, 2011
This review is from: Holiday Kisses: A Rare Gift\Mistletoe and Margaritas\It's Not Christmas Without You\This Time Next Year (Kindle Edition)
Three good stories, one dud...
1) "This Time Next Year" by Alison Kent - Dillon Craig is a mountain doctor, tending his rural patients with the same care he tended his soldiers in Afghanistan. When Brenna Keating is stranded by Christmas snowstorm, Dillon takes her in and they spend the holiday together. Sparks fly, but Brenna is scheduled to leave on an overseas mission trip - can she and Dillon continue their relationship from a distance of several thousand miles?
This story was such a sweet tale, both sincere and romantic and yet the conflict didn't feel at all forced. Dillon and Brenna were both focused adults with live and careers, and their finding each other felt special. It was so obvious that they were meant to be together if time and travel weren't in the way. Plus the love scenes were gorgeous - yum. Lots of Christmas-y details made this story a terrific start to the anthology. Grade: B+
2) "A Rare Gift" by Jaci Burton - Calliope Andrews always had a thing for Wyatt Kent - even when he was married to her sister. Now that Wyatt's single again, and is working on an addition to Calliope's daycare, does the unlikely couple have a chance?
My first question after reading this was, why was this in a Christmas anthology? Other than the fact that the final scene took place at a Christmas party (and it could totally have been a Flag Day party for all the cheer and festivity it engendered), there wasn't anything holiday-ish about it. And that bugged me. As for the romance, it wasn't Burton's best work. I liked that Calliope went after what she wanted, and she made no apologies for being a confident female. Unfortunately, I don't think Wyatt was worth it. Aside from some general irritability, Wyatt didn't have much going on - and without a functioning hero, neither did this story. Grade: D
3) "It's Not Christmas Without You" by HelenKay Dimon - Carrie and Austin were small-town sweethearts back in West Virginia, but when she headed off to D.C. to pursue her career dreams, Austin was left behind. Austin heads to the big city with a plan to stir up some Christmas cheer - and to win back the girl of his dreams.
This story ended well despite some rough patches in the middle. I always love reading about a couple in love that just needs to find a way to make it work, and Austin and Carrie do that. If in the middle they both act a bit goofy and immature, well, I can forgive that as long as I believe they deserve their HEA. And in the end, Carrie and Austin do. Grade: B-
4) "Mistletoe and Margaritas" by Shannon Stacey - It's been two years since Claire Rutledge's husband, Brendan, died unexpectedly, and in that time, no one has been a better friend to her than Brendan's best friend Justin. The Christmas season, though, may bring out feelings that Claire and Justin aren't fully ready to face.
Shannon's story was absolutely fantastic, and made this anthology completely worthwhile - you must read it. With Kleenex, if possible. Unexpected bonus: some serious love scenes in a snow plow! 'Tis the season! Grade: A
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romancing the Book, February 2, 2012
This review is from: Holiday Kisses: A Rare Gift\Mistletoe and Margaritas\It's Not Christmas Without You\This Time Next Year (Kindle Edition)
Reviewed By~Patti
Review Copy Provided By~NetGalley
This Time Next Year - I really enjoyed this story right from the beginning I was routing for Dillon. He was such a sweet man I really wanted him to find love and happiness. The Grandma side story was wonderful too. It really touched memories of my own Grandma and that pulled me in on such a personal level that it was even more important that they get together. The story was believable with just enough magic. The characters were likable and human. I do have to say that you don't know whether or not they will make it long term until the very end.
A Rare Gift - This was also a great story with wonderful characters. I was so attached to Wyatt I wanted to slap the woman who hurt him in the past and made him so apprehensive about letting someone else get close. Calliope is a great woman with just enough stubborn in her to fight for what she wants. The dynamics were great. The sister thing made it a little odd but it was a new twist that was handled quite well.
It's Not Christmas Without You - This story was a bit more difficult for me. The stubborn went on a little too long for me but in the end it did make sense. Both of the characters had some secrets and insecurities to work out before they could finally be honest with themselves and each other. I did like the idea of the man chasing the woman but he was still a little too caveman for me at least in how he acted and things he said. I love that they are longtime sweethearts who do know each other so well that they are pretty accurate in which buttons they push.
Mistletoe and Margaritas - This one was quite a surprise. I really felt bad for Justin he was struggling so hard to do the right thing. Claire was not in a great position either but she at least was only dealing with current feelings and not having to struggle with feeling guilty about the past. It was a wonderful tale of friendship and family of loss and of hope.
After reading all four stories I would definitely say that this is a book I will be recommending to others and I will most definitely read it again. All of the women are strong and independent and the men are up to the challenge.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A nice holiday treat!, December 23, 2011
This review is from: Holiday Kisses: A Rare Gift\Mistletoe and Margaritas\It's Not Christmas Without You\This Time Next Year (Kindle Edition)
This Time Next Year - Alison Kent
Brenna Keating has big plans for her life after Christmas with her grandmother, but after being stranded for 3 days with reclusive doctor Dillon Craig, she's not sure her plans are enough to fulfill her.
Dillon doesn't want emotional entanglements in his life. He knows he's not over the traumas he saw in Afghanistan and doesn't feel right dragging anyone else into his messy psyche.
Together, though, Brenna and Dillon discover that Christmas can bring people together. Enough sparks are struck to torch a Christmas tree. What will it take for Dillon to heal and Brenna to honor her dreams?
This was a nice story. I really liked the characters and that Kent didn't take the easy way out in solving Dillon and Brenna's issues. 4 Stars.
A Rare Gift - Jaci Burton
Wyatt used to be married to Calliope's sister and it didn't end well. There's no way he'd ever get involved with Calliope herself, no matter how hot she grew up to be or how different she seems to be from her sister. Appearances can be deceiving, as he discovered while married to Cassie.
Calliope, on the other hand, has wanted Wyatt ever since she was just an awkward younger sister of the most popular girl in school. Now that she's got a shot at Wyatt herself, she's going for it. If only she can convince him to put the past behind and take a chance with her.
Not so much of a holiday tale as Kent's, Burton's story is about sparks and growing out of the past and taking a chance on the future. I really enjoyed these characters. 4 Stars.
It's Not Christmas Without You - Helen Kay Dimon
I love reunion stories, so off and on again lovers Carrie's and Austin's story had promise from the very beginning. Carrie left Austin to take her dream job at a DC Museum, 2 hours from the small town they grew up in and where Austin's family owns a business. When he can't get her to come home and stay home to be with him, Austin makes a last-ditch effort to make Carrie see how much they belong together by opening a Christmas tree stand across from her DC apartment.
When Carrie sees Austin again, the heat is as hot as ever, but he's no closer to understanding how much she loves her job and takes it seriously than he ever was. And she just can't be with someone who wants her barefoot and pregnant and ignoring her dreams in favor of his.
Truthfully, I started to feel like Austin was just a male chauvinist who would never get it and started to figure Carrie would just give in because she loved him. But Dimon didn't give this story a pat ending just to fulfill the romance at the expense of the characters. She ended up pulling together a highly emotional, romantic -- and satifsfying -- ending. This one really touched me, probably because I really am a sucker for happy reunions. 4.5 Stars
Mistletoes and Margaritas - Shannon Stacey
Stacey is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her stories are always full of humor and lots of love - romantic and family love. I was worried that I wouldn't like this one as much, since it wasn't in the same series as her Kowolski family that I love so much, but I was completely, pleasantly, wrong.
Justin and Claire's late husband were best friends. And since her husband died, Claire and Justin have been nearly inseparable. Both needed a friend to fill the whole, and, well, Justin has been in love with Claire forever. Not that he would ever let her know that.
Lately, though, Claire is starting to feel something for Justin that she's never felt before...like maybe he's more important to her that just her best friend. Like maybe she's ready to get back into dating and...well, sex. Only she knows that would ruin everything.
But at a holiday party one night, a bit too much to drink mixed with the festive holiday spirit, makes Claire take a chance. The next morning, though, both are filled with regrets. Claire because she's worried she completely ruined their relationship and Justin because he "stole" his best friend's girl.
This story was SO emotional. I really felt all the pain the two of them went through trying not to hurt the person they loved, even though he wasn't truly between them anymore. Even with the signature Stacey humor, my heart ached through much of the last third of the story, and there were more than a few tears as they worked to resolve the past so they could embrace the future.
This was, by far, my favorite story of the anthology and I finished it quickly (unlike a couple of the others that seemed to take forever to read because I wasn't nearly as engaged). 5 Stars!
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