Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Review: Christmas in Crickley Creek (The Crickley Creek Series) by Laurie Beach

 


She doesn’t need gifts under the tree this holiday season. What she longs for is a second chance.

Emma Shea Abernathy is fully aware of her social role: marry well, live extravagantly, and, most of all, exhibit perfection. And it started with saying “I do” to future governor Trent Broadway.

With her carefully crafted life in full swing, she knows she’s made a big mistake. Leaving it all behind, she hides out at her great-grandmother’s beach house in Crickley Creek. There, she discovers a secret room containing a well-preserved 1920s Prohibition speakeasy–and some surprising information about the women in her family. This leads to a new plan: to become a woman who acts contrary to what is expected. In other words, a Firefly Girl.

The problem is, no one else embraces her change of heart, especially her first love, Scruggs Willingham III. He still refuses to forgive her for marrying someone else. Despite the olive branches she extends throughout Crickley Creek, it appears she’ll spend Christmas alone.

Until a rare Christmas snow brings the one miracle she needs: the freedom to accept herself.

 

My Review:

I couldn’t get enough of this book!

Oh my gosh!  Y'all just need to buy this book.  It is one of the best books that I have read in a while.  The entire series is amazing.  It is beautifully written, heartfelt and inspiring.  The characters, the plot, the setting, everything felt so real.  This might be a Christmas story, but it is so much more.  It is pure southern magic. I felt whisked away to this sweet little town and didn’t want to leave.  This is the type of book (series) that I would love to see made into a movie one day.  It would be a hit.  I highly recommend this book and all of the series. 

Monday, October 23, 2023

Review: Christmas in River’s Edge (The Weaver Sisters Book 3) by Nan Reinhardt

 


You can go home again…

After a painful divorce from her high school sweetheart, triplet Jenny Weaver returns to River’s Edge with her young son. While happy to be reunited with her sisters and working at the family’s marina, she has no intention of jumping into the dating pool, especially going into the holidays. Then Gabe Dawson, once a shy nerd who tutored her in history classes, arrives home transformed into a handsome hunk who makes her pulse race.

Archeologist and history professor Gabe Dawson thought he’d long ago outgrown his teen crush on Jenny. Back in town for a few months to help his mom post surgery, he can’t resist reaching out to Jenny. She’s as beautiful, warm, and funny as he remembered and soon Gabe is reconsidering his future.

Gabe is determined to seize this second chance, but can he convince a very wary Jenny that a globe-trotter is ready to come home for good this Christmas?

 

My Review:

A sweet and heartfelt romance.

Jenny and Gabe are old friends from school.  Gabe always had a crush on Jenny and now that he is back in River’s Edge, he plans to make his move.  But is Jenny for a relationship so soon after her marriage ended?   This book had me hooked from the very start.  The story is well written with interesting characters that I cheered on as they found their way from friendship to a romantic relationship.  Jenny’s son Luke added so much to the story too.  He was a great addition that really tied the story together. I think this is the perfect way to end the Weaver Sisters series.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Review: Once Upon a Christmas Beauty (Bourbon Falls #2) Kyra Jacobs


 

This Christmas will be one for the books if they can open their eyes to the possibilities…

Mia Brooks-French threw everything she had into her marriage…until she walked in on her husband and his assistant. Now she’s shifted her focus to being the best mom possible to her sixteen-year-old daughter, her classroom of third graders, and her family’s struggling bookstore. Even Christmas is shaping up to be a challenge this year.

Unfortunately, businessman and bestselling author Alex Wellingham didn’t get the memo. This Christmas, he’s decided it’s finally time to go after the girl he’d firmly locked away in his memories. But Mia isn’t ready to let college bygones be bygones or risk her heart a second time.

His surprise trip to Brooks Books in flames, Alex accepts help from Mia’s sister, Delaney. The duo concocts a tale guaranteed to buy Alex time with Mia and the bookstore a featured guest for an upcoming charity event. But when snowflakes begin to fly and the fibs snowball, can Alex and Mia wake up and decide if this second-chance romance is the real gift of the season?

 

My Review:

A heartfelt friends to lovers/reunion romance.

After Mia’s divorce, she wasn’t interested in dating.  But her sister has other ideas when Mia’s old college friend shows up in town.  In school, Mia and Alex both had a crush on each other, but they never acted on it as Mia was already dating someone.  Seventeen years later, they are reunited.  But Alex has a secret and it could ruin their newly found relationship.  I enjoyed every bit of this book.  It was fun, emotional and a great love story.