Customer Reviews

'Twas the Night

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

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Three friends are returning to their hometown for a wedding. No one feels like going, but they can't miss it. But when the weather get them stuck, the only way to travel for the wedding is with the Santa Brigade.

The Santa Brigade is a basically a bus full of senior citizens doing good things for the poor kids, etc. It isn't exactly what they were thinking for traveling, except if maybe, in that bus, are the women of their dreams.

Each love story is cute and funny. The men, Sam, Stan and Kevin, were very stubborn at the beginning, but as the story unfolds, you learn aspects of their life and the reasons why they are that way.

The women weren't so easy either. Each one of them have their reasons to not be with their man, but obviously love is stronger than anything else.

What I liked most was that each story remind you that love is never easy, not even on Christmas. And that you always have to give something back.

Every character was well developed and each one had a personality. Not only the protagonists, but the other characters too. Sometimes the men were unrealistic, but I think that happens in almost every romance book.

I loved the three couples and the senior people were so funny. It's difficult to combine a love story with seniors, but the authors manage to write something heartwarming, romantic and funny at the same time.

It was amazing how these three authors wrote each one a chapter. If I didn't know this, I would have thought it was only one writer. Each chapter was from the point of view of a couple and it's always interesting to know what the others have in mind.

Overall, it's a sweet romantic story perfect if you want to read something light to get in the Christmas mood.

What a great book for the season. I love a funny book. TWAS THE NIGHT definitely kept me laughing, but this was also a "feel good" book when I closed it. The book reads seamlessly as a novel despite the three authors. And I had trouble deciding which couple was my favorite. If you like romance, holidays and humor, then get this book.

I downloaded this free book for my Kindle not expecting much. With freebies you just never know. I was so pleasantly surprised by this novel. Each of the couples stories were wonderful and uplifting. I loved the humor in this book. The Santa Brigade seniors were such a hoot. The authors did such a great job of writing their parts I would have never guessed it was written by more than one person. I highly, highly recommend this book. I would have gladly paid for it, it was that good!

A story about the holiday season has never been as hilarious as when these three authors conspired to write a romance and came up with a hit that almost defies description - an anthology that isn't.

I got the biggest kick out of how these three talented ladies wrote this story. It reads as one well put together romance but each author told about their hero and heroine and ran with it while following a single story arc. I am a huge fan of Sandra Hill but I have to tell you, I thought it was going to be easy picking out her unique style and sense of fun and silliness, and it wasn't. I couldn't do it. Ms. Jensen and Ms. Holmes obviously have the same funny bone because I could not stop laughing and grinning throughout the entire book and it didn't matter that I couldn't tell who wrote what - it was seamless and wonderful.

My first hint that this book was going to be special for me was the wedding announcement. Imagine my surprise that it was being `held' at a church which went by the name of one I attended - another one up in the mountains in an out of the way locale. I thought that was cool. The next is the format. Each chapter is a countdown to the date of that wedding. It was a genius touch. It just goes to show that amazing things can happen in the course of a day's time.

First a reader will meet Navy Commander Samuel Merrick, a man who comes across as a bit of a Scrooge. Readers will feel for him because although he's a man to be respected and reckoned with now, he has a back story that will pull the heart strings of any romance reader. The dialogue and repartee is witty, clever and has a natural flow to it. He blew his chance at love the first time around due to his youthful choices and he's about to get a second chance. Mr. Smooth makes a lot of silly moves and I had a ball watching him court his very skittish miss.

The glue that is tying the entire book together is one man, Mr. George Garrison. He stood by three young troubled boys in their youth and this book celebrates what an early positive influence can have on the men they become.

I love the line about the constipated dog and how it segues into the Santa Brigade, the central story arc. It's a bunch of senior citizens who travel by bus bringing cheer to people all over. The bus driver is a hoot and I still can't get over the name the men call her and I can't even mention it here. I enjoyed how the book almost from the get-go was peppered with colorful and vibrant secondary characters that are like the sprinkles and decorations on my favorite holiday cakes. Even though there are a lot of names and characters, I got to know who was who after a time and I felt like I was on the bus with the guys as they fell in love amidst chaos and snow.

Speaking of which, Sam's first and only love is Reba Anderson and she's on that bus. She herself has some unresolved issues from when she was younger but they get put to rest in a spectacular fashion during the course of Sam's courting her. She certainly didn't make it easy on the poor guy and I adored her for it.

Next I got to meet Kevin Wilder. He's a private investigator and bounty hunter and he finds a lot more than he bargained for which of course is why it made for a great story. He too has a back story of why he has the nickname J.D. and it also made me feel sad for him and very glad he was going to get his happily ever after but not until he gets his head on straight. That takes a bit of doing because he's delightfully sidetracked by an Amish babe. I love what kept happening to his wallet. Just her introduction had me giggling. She turns out to be Callie and she is a lot more complicated and amusing. I had a laugh-fest with her rendition of `German' words. It prompted some seriously cute dialogue between her and Kevin. And that was just the beginning. She was a wonderful addition to the Santa Brigade and it made Kevin really take stock of his life and what was truly important. In the end he had to face what his heart wanted and had to decide if it was worth the choice he had to make. What a wonderful bit of romance that was!

The last guy I met was Stan Kijewski an ex-football star who is in the middle of trying to come to terms with the tragic turn his life took. He's got his pride and doesn't want to let anyone know how much he's hurting on the inside, never mind on the outside. He was doing well at faking it until two things happened. He met Dana Freeman and found himself also joining the Santa Brigade because he also wanted to get to George's wedding in time. The funny thing about their relationship is that Dana knows exactly who Stan is and she certainly has her own opinions about him but for some reason their wires are crossed and they keep getting mixed signals about each other. That was total entertainment because they both really liked each other but they thought each hated the other. It's what it took to make them see the light that made their romance enjoyable and fun to read.

Readers are going to enjoy every step of that bus ride along with Sam, Kevin and Stan, and the women who claim them and who make the guys do magic tricks and get haircuts and other interesting `manly' things. This is the book to read for romance readers who like to laugh and smile while happily sighing from a love story well told - well, in this case three love stories. For me this book has re-readability because of how it made me feel after I was done. I was happy, satisfied and had a silly grin on my face. I don't have to restrict myself to reading this book during the holidays because when I am reading it, it's a celebration in and of itself. Sometimes the best things in life come from when you are doing good things for other people. I think these three authors are due for good times because they certainly provided me with some.

In a nutshell, `Twas the Night is a sensational and humorous romance that's a must read for all readers who love the humor of Ms. Hill. Get ready for a great time.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews.

And Spicy?? (and I'm not talking the holiday eggnog either)

The plot is pretty much as outlined in the blurb---basically three guys who are trying to get home for the Christmas Eve wedding of their mentor, and along the way meet the gals that they didn't even know they were ready for.

Some serious themes along the way such as homelessness, impending loss and domestic abuse..but with a message of hope for the future and even redemption--quite fitting for the holiday season!

Lest you think this is too serious, do not be alarmed. Yes, some serious themes, but the overriding tone is light and the supporting characters are fleshed out and often quite hysterical!

The ending is a little predictable and pat, but really was appropriate for the story. Easy reading for a nice holiday story, with SPICE. Might be a little more heavy on the 'hot' end of the scale for some... R rated I suppose.

Recommended!


JTG

This book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review:

Three men, Sam, Kevin and Stan, set out to attend their beloved mentor's wedding on Christmas eve and due to weather conditions, must accept a ride on the Santa Brigade. Not what they consider a good time except God or Fate also put three woman on that bus that will change their lives forever.

The Santa Brigade is a collection of Senior Citizens that travel to spread good cheer, presents and hope to needy families. They are quirky, resourceful and a whole lot of fun! Sam, Kevin and Stan are terrified at the prospect of traveling with this group because they represent the memories of their childhood and the seniors are not afraid to remind them of their bad-boy pasts.

There was so much I liked about this book. From the seniors wit, to the resourcefulness of the entire crew, and their dedication to reaching each destination, no matter the obstacles. The authors managed an in-depth characterization for all three heroes and their ladies, and I was very satisfied with their happy-ever-afters. Also, if I didn't know beforehand that three authors penned this story, I would never had guessed - it was that seamless. Congratulations - your methodology was successful in my opinion!

As I closed the book, before I could even think about my review, I had to research the homeless shelters in my area. I felt both humbled and ashamed that I have not played a bigger part in my community to help those in need. I'd like to thank the authors for such a wonderful book but also for opening my eyes to the plight of the homeless and needy children everywhere, and how just one person can make a significant difference. Imagine if we all pitched in...

With the heaviness of all that the holidays bring, Twas the Night lightens the load. This easy to read novel will make you smile. It definitely got me in the Christmas spirit and was my escape during traveling over the holidays. This is not a heavy read, but a light hearted romance that will be a respite from the stress of holiday time.

This book was great. It was loaded with Christmas spirit. A little romance and a lot of funny parts from some funny charatures. Three different authers and it worked you could not tell from one to another. All three stories were great. I had a harder time getting into Stan and Dana. But her having a crush on Stan was funny. I got this book for free but it is worth buying. I would love to see a part 2, it was left open. Wonderful feel good book.

Twas the Night was written by 3 different writers, each writing as the "person" of one of the 3 main characters. The writing style was seamless, and unless you knew this part of the book, you'd never have known it was penned by 3 different voices.

Each picked up right where the other left off; no one missed something the other had said, or meant, or anything that would give you pause to wonder what was going on.

The storyline is great, it's a really feel good story about the Christmas spirit, the kindness of others, love and generosity. There were several laugh out loud, touching moments that made me really glad I took the time to read the book. With Christmas so close at hand, this was the perfect time to read the book, as it reminds you what Christmas is really all about, with some fun, and love mixed into the equation.

Take the time to read this book; I think you'll be glad you did. I could hardly put it down and enjoyed every page of it. I'm going to look into other books by the individual authors and hopefully, they'll prove to be as good as this combined work was. Thank you for reading my review.

I was curious to read a book written by three authors and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. A seamless concerto that interwinds perfectly.
It is a light read, with some hot detailed sexy parts & humorous phrases that just cuts through the pages of the book.
An all-ends-well story, ready to be read in cold winter days preferably nearing Christmas.