Customer Reviews

Santa, Baby

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I really wanted to love this book, but the truth is, it's just OK.

Jennifer Crusie writes an action/spy novella In Hot Toy. Trudy is sent out on Christmas Eve to purchase the latest Hot Toy for her nephew. Of course the toy isn't in stock as everyone wants one. While going through other shelves hoping for a misplaced toy, she runs into a guy she dated 3 times. She thought he was the one. He never called back. The two get mixed up in spy game when they toy she finds contain secret Chinese codes. I thought her's was the best as it was entertaining and the couple's relationship was beleivable. Plus there are quite a few laughs thrown in. If it was just Jennifer Crusie's story I had to rate I would probably give it a 4.

In Lori Fosters Christmas Bonus you have Maggie who has recently taken over her fathers company upon his death. Eric is the employee everyone thought would take over the company. Eric and Maggie both have loved eachother secretly since they met. Eric stumbles upon some evidence of Maggies feelings and decides to act on it. I thought the plot was good, but the story just didn't live up to all it could have been.

In Carly Phillips Naughty Under the Mistletoe you have Toni, a woman who decides she is going to make the moves on her soon to be ex-boss at the Christmas Party. She ends up kissing his twin instead. I am a Carly Phillips fan and this story just fell flat. The couple fall in love after a one night stand. I just couldn't buy it.

These are 3 quick easy reads. Each has entertaining value, but it might be a book you want to check out at the library or borrow from a friend instead of buy.

Sure wish I had noticed that two of these stories are rereleases. The only new story in this anthology is the one by Jennifer Crusie. Luckily, I hadn't yet read the story by Carly Phillips, but as soon as I began Lori Foster's, I was overwhelmed with deja vu. Yep, I'd read it a long time ago. HATE when that happens. I would not have bought this book (even though I love Jennifer Crusie's work) if I'd known that 2/3 of it was old material. So given that, I was pretty disappointed overall.
I did enjoy Crusie's novella. It was funny, if completely unrealistic.
Foster's story is from 2000. It seemed even more dated than that for some reason. Like I said, I'd read it before, so it's hard to overcome my annoyance with that.
Phillips' story was decent. It was first published in 2001. The concept of meeting someone, having a one night stand, and falling in love isn't one that I really get into generally - so the plot wasn't that great for me.

SANTA, BABY contains one phenomenal new novella by Jennifer Crusie and two reprints from Lori Foster and Carly Phillips. See what happens when Christmas means romance is in the air....

A Major MacGuffin is the "Hot Toy" this Christmas in Jennifer Crusie's phenomenal new novella. Trudy Maxwell is determined to find a Major MacGuffin for her nephew, Leroy, this Christmas Eve after her dad forgets to buy him one. After all, Evil Nemesis Brandon has one, toxic waste packets and all. Trudy is determined that Leroy won't suffer the same heartbreak she and her sister suffered every year when Santa's gifts "fell off the sleigh". Unfortunately, Trudy soon finds herself embroiled in the midst of international espionage and she'll have to decide whether to trust Nolan Mitchell who stole her heart and dumped her several months earlier.

Jennifer Crusie is the master at writing a humorous romance! "Hot Toy" will have the reader laughing out loud nonstop as the antics of the characters are hysterical. The interplay between Trudy and Nolan is funny, but Trudy's conversations with her sister, Courtney, steal the show. The visual images described by Ms. Crusie are so uproariously vivid that one can easily see the carnage of the gingerbread men and the gumdrops sliding off of the roof of the gingerbread house! This reviewer can't remember when she has laughed so hard. Thank you, Ms. Crusie, for a story that puts humor into the entire "Hot Toy" chaos.

Lori Foster's "Christmas Bonus" is about an office romance. Maggie Carmichael inherited her father's business when all she really wanted was her father's right hand man, Eric Bragg. Unfortunately, Eric has been distant ever since Maggie became his boss. Will love blossom as a "Christmas Bonus" this year for Maggie and Eric?

Lori Foster excels at writing a steamy romance. "Christmas Bonus" is definitely a "feel-good" sort of story that is perfect for the holidays. The sexual attraction between Maggie and Eric is never in doubt. Most of the development of their relationship was believable but this reviewer was a bit irritated by comments made by Eric later in the book as it tainted the entire romance. If one eliminates those statements by Eric, then "Christmas Bonus" is an enjoyable holiday tale.

Carly Phillips puts a new twist on an old theme in "Naughty Under the Mistletoe". Toni Larson intends to seduce Stephan Corbin but finds herself with his twin, Maxwell. Will their one night of being "Naughty Under the Mistletoe" bloom into so much more or will their own insecurities get in the way?

Carly Phillips manages to pack a lot of emotional depth into such a short story. Both Toni and Maxwell have their own set of insecurities but each opens up to the other over an unusual game of pool. The blossoming of their romance after such a short period of time is surprisingly believable.

SANTA, BABY stands out as a superb anthology based on the strength of the Jennifer Crusie novella. For "Hot Toy" alone, this reviewer strongly recommends this anthology as I laughed until I cried over this story. Lori Foster and Carly Phillips offer two decent seasonal stories but fans of both should be cautioned that these are both reprints. SANTA, BABY proves to be an enjoyable seasonal anthology that should please fans of Ms. Crusie in particular.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Santa Baby is an anthology of holiday novellas featuring, Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips, two familiar authors for me and an author who is new for me.

HOT TOY by Jennifer Cruise is the story of Trudy Maxwell, who is out on Christmas Eve trying to find a Major MacGuffin, the Tough One Two, the latest toy craze, for her five year old nephew. Not only is she out of luck on finding the toy but when she runs into Nolan Mitchell, a professor of Chinese literature, who she had dated a three times, Trudy knew her night had just turned gotten worse. She had thought he was the one, he had never called again. Nolan apologizes for his behaviour, but she is having none of it. When she finds a Major MacGuffin from a previous year she has no idea that this particular version is about to throw her into a world of spies and espionage involving Nolan, secret codes and the toy she is now in possession of. Watching this couple's relationship blossom through it all, is an entertaining read. This story has everything a reader could want, suspense, love, and in places humour. Jennifer is a new author for me, but one I will be reading in the future.

CHRISTMAS BONUS by Lori Foster, although a reprint is a novella I hadn't had the pleasure to read, and this story is a pleasure. Maggie Carmichael, had gone from college to President of Carmichael Athletic Supplies after her father's death. This put Eric Bragg who had been a friend and her father's right-hand man in a very difficult position as he was now her employee. Eric had always had hot feelings toward Maggie, but had bid his time waiting for her to grow up because of a ten year age difference although now it looked like his was going to be a statistic of unrequited love due to unforeseen complications. Unknown to him, Maggie had always had a crush on him and intended to do everything in her power to get Eric to notice her as a woman, not as a boss, now that they must work together to plan a Christmas party for the staff. Secrets are about to be uncovered, desires acted upon and readers are in for a sensual, hot read. Lori has again given her readers a terrific read that will sizzle the pages.

NAUGHTY UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Carly Phillips is also a reprint and the third novella, again not one I had read before but enjoyed. Antonia Larson, a lawyer had now been named senior associate in the new offices of Corbin and Sons. Since she was going to be in a different office now, she felt she could finally act on her plan of seducing her boss and not have to worry about work and office protocol. Maxwell Corbin, an PI, was at the annual Christmas party as an obligation to his father and dreading every minute of it. When he gets a scorcher of a kiss from one elf, his world is turned upside down. Toni realizes at once she has just kissed the twin brother to Stephan Corbin, her colleague and friend under the mistletoe rocking her world. This is one sizzling read as Max and Toni act upon their desires to discover one another. Only Max wants more than a one night stand, but there are obstacles still to be overcome and he only hopes that he can pull it all off to their mutual satisfaction. This is one delightful hot read, and Carly delivers in her usual style.

Santa Baby is a great read, for all readers and proves that Christmas is a magical time of year and really is the season of miracles. I recommend this novella for a super read by three great authors.

Good work here, and well worth the price. Crusie is in her groove--women with families, mystery, adventure and heroic men who are just going to have to cope. Special credit for actually paying attention to what a certain government agency does, since at least two solid professionals have bungled describing that same agency recently. Crusie understands about men and women, but she doesn't ignore the rest of the world either, which is why we love her. Anyhow, buy the book. And someday tell me about the non-Crusie parts.

"Hot Toy" by Jennifer Crusie. On Christmas Eve, Trudy Maxwell seeks a Major MacGuffin figure for her five years old nephew, but none are in stock when Chinese Literature Professor Nolan Mitchell arrives at the toy store looking for the same item. He apologizes for not calling her after their three great dates. When she finds the toy, everyone is stunned with this magic miracle. However, she finds herself in trouble as that is a hot toy with an enigmatic past and future involving espionage and the sexy professor she adores.

"Christmas Bonus" by Lori Foster. Eric Bragg has loved Maggie Carmichael for several years, but he hid his feelings waiting for her to graduate college first; he was not prepared for her father to name her as president of Carmichael Athletic Supplies, which makes her his boss so he still hides how much he wants her. She secretly loves him too. This Christmas perhaps with the help of a loyal matchmaking staff love will blossom under the office mistletoe.

"Naughty Under the Mistletoe" by Carly Phillips. This Christmas associate attorney Antonia "Toni" Larson plans to seduce her boss whom she has been attracted to for quite awhile. Maxwell Corbin reluctantly attends the party tossed by his family, the partners at Corbin and Sons though he thinks the name should be Corbin and Complaint son since only his twin stayed with the firm and he is a suburban private investigator. Toni thinks Max is Stephen when she kisses him under the mistletoe burning both from their head to their toes.

Though the weather outside is frightfully wintry, these three Yuletide romances will heat readers even Scrooges and Grinches with delightful contemporary romances starring likable protagonists.

Harriet Klausner

It really pains me to say this; but, Santa Baby is short on story line and character development. Jennifer Crusie's novella, "Hot Toy" saved this volume from a one star rating; however, even this piece was not quite up to Crusie's usual rollicking good fun standards. If it were stand alone piece, I would probably have given the novella 3 stars.

Lori Foster and Carly Phillips really disappointed me though and dragged the book down irretrievably. Foster's "Christmas Bonus" lacked everything but sex, of which it had way too much. And Phillips' "Naughty Under the Mistletoe" was so unbelievable that even the sex fell flat.

All in all, I was thoroughly disappointed and saddened that Crusie's name is linked to this book. All three authors are much better writers than what was delivered by this book. Save your money and read some of their other works such as, Faking It by Jennifer Crusie.

Crusie's novella is what her collaboration "Don't Look Down" should have been -- a fun, action-packed story with a believable romance thrown in the mix. Crusie is so good, she gets us to imagine these two could really find a spark of romance after their crazy few hours together. It's the best of the three, though I really don't know why these were packaged together. This couple barely have a few kisses together.

Foster and Phillips' stories were the usual sexy, saucy tales that seem to be the norm for this kind of anthology. Foster's is slightly better; the couple at least has a history that makes you root for them to finally consummate their feelings. Phillips' was a bit of a dud, where the two fall madly in love after a one night stand. Yawn.

Get this one at the library if you must, just to read Crusie. Don't invest your hard-earned money.

As a huge Jennifer Cruise fan, I snapped up this book when I saw it on the shelf at the local store. Cruise's novella "Hot Toy" was fast-paced, entertaining, and definitely worth the price of the book. Though the story featured spies, a sexy secret agent, and hidden secret codes, the story was believable and entertaining because of the excellent pacing, the storyline development, and Cruise's wonderful characterizations.

Unfortunately, the other two stories in the anthology didn't live up to the caliber of "Hot Toy". Both "Crhistmas Bonus" and "Naughty Under the Mistletoe" read more like soft-porn than holiday stories. Neither one came across as even remotely believable - both consisting of love scenes with a sparce amount of story-line around them. If you're a big fam of the styles of Lori Foster and Carly Phillips, then perhaps you would enjoy these stories - they definitely were not my style and enough to put the two authors on my do-not-buy list.

Overall, I'm glad I bought the book only for Jennifer Cruise's novella. I will definitely read "Hot Toy" again, though once was more than enough for the other two.

Read the print thoroughly - this is a 3 part "novella" - one by Crusie, one by a mediocre author (Foster) and one by a Harlequin-type, bodice-ripping, soft porn disgrace (Phillips). Crusie's novella is not her best, but it shows the witty, erudite, sexy fun read those who are her fans have come to expect, albeit with no character development to speak of. The Foster novella, while mildly entertaining, doesn't begin to rise to Crusie quality. The Phillips horror is a soft porn, nasty piece of pseudo-writng which, if it were a movie, would go straight to video. How many times can you use the cliched "feminine mound" in the course of a 189 page novella? Way too many!!! Cliche sex scenes abound, there are too many. I have not been familiar with Carly Phillips "over 20 books" and after this inclusion of nasty foolishness, I will avoid them. In the vernacular, she sucks, and the whole book does not deserve the $7.99 price tag. Pay $.25 on the remainder table, if you pay anything at all.