Review: Lighting up Christmas by Sinclair Jayne

 

It’s her first Christmas alone…

Spending her first holiday without her large, loud family allows electrician Riley Flanagan more time to find commercial clients for Flanagan & Sons, the third-generation family business she’s taking over. But when the town council nixes her Christmas-themed light garden, she approaches new-to-town entrepreneur and vintner Zhang Shi, hoping to land him and his not yet open winery as a client. He’s not interested, but Riley never gives up that easily.

It’s his first Christmas celebration…

Zhang Shi bought a mountainside property and planted a vineyard to escape his corporate life in the Bay Area and reconnect with his nature-loving grandfather. Fiercely independent and private, Zhang reluctantly calls Riley to rig an emergency electrical fix shortly before he entertains some colleagues. Zhang’s determined to avoid the town’s Christmas celebrations, but Riley is hard to refuse and impossible to ignore. And as she pulls him closer into the tight-knit community, he’s no longer sure he wants to.

 

My Review:

An amazing, opposites attract holiday romance.

Looking for a place to escape his demanding high-tech job, Zhang Shi purchased a large parcel of land in the mountains of Oregon and started a vineyard.  He was also hoping to eventually lure his grandfather to come live with him.  Zhang really enjoyed the quiet solitude he had created until Riley Flanagan entered his life like a whirlwind and awakens something in him.  Riley is unlike the woman Zhang is attracted to.  She can be loud, outspoken and persistent.  Riley falls for Zhang pretty early on in the story, but it takes Zhang some time to let Riley close to him.  Zhang has built some thick walls around himself.  Riley had her job cut out for her.  As Christmas approaches, Zhang and Riley find themselves spending a lot of time together and eventually falling in love.  But will they have enough in common for their love to last?

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are the kind that really touch your heart.  They have real world issues that need to be worked through.  It was fun to see how they overcame each challenge.  I loved how the author not only told the story, but she also taught me a few lessons too.  Be sure to pour yourself a big glass of wine because you will be craving some while reading this book.

 

Review: Love and Latkes (Friendships and Festivals, #3) by Stacey Agdern

You can’t make a latke without breaking a few eggs…

Batya Averman is ecstatic when a latke fry-off committee chooses her as its web designer—until she learns the event is in Rivertown, New York, the hometown she fled years ago. But she’s no longer the girl with an embarrassing history and an unrequited crush on Abe Neumann. This delicious competition is Batya’s chance to further her career, and this time she won’t run.

Abe Neumann can’t pass up the opportunity to enter the town’s latke contest. He dreams of throwing caution to the wind and leaving his accounting firm, opening a Jewish deli, and choosing his own happiness. The prize money would bring him closer to making his dream a reality, but when Batya comes back to town, Abe remembers that a deli isn't the only thing he's wished for.

When the fry-off’s celebrity host has to pull out of the competition, Batya is determined to step up to the challenge. This Hanukkah, can Abe fix the past and convince Batya that dreams, like latkes, are better when they're shared?

 

My Review:

All you need is love….. And latkes….

This fun story reunites Batya with her former crush/classmate, Abe, when she returns to her hometown of Rivertown for a latke fry-off completion. 

I was pulled into this story pretty quick.  I liked the whole concept of former school crushes finally having a shot at love.  I liked the friendships in the story and the way the author built up the excitement for the ending.  I also enjoyed learning about Jewish culture, traditions and even words.

 

Review: The Texas Hero's Homecoming (Home to Texas, #3) by Charlene Sands

 

His final mission may be the most dangerous of all…to her heart.

Autumn Messina has finally put herself first and achieved her dream of becoming a teacher. She’s only sorry it’s come at the expense of having to sell the once thriving Messina Farm. Autumn loves her father and the farm, but she can’t do it all, and her brother has no plans to move back home. And then her brother’s best friend saunters back into her life even more handsome than she remembers and arrogantly full of plans and answers to questions she no longer wants to ask.

After exiting his special forces unit to return home to Last Stand, Sam Russell feels duty bound to help his best friend’s struggling family farm. He’s not expecting such fierce resistance in the form of a still-angry Autumn, who’s become even more beautiful and tempting in his years away.

Autumn doesn’t want his help, but Sam has never given up so easily. And what starts off as just doing his duty quickly becomes something much more personal.

 

My Review:

A sweet second chance at love.

When Sam Russell returns to Last Stand and discovers Messina Farm in disrepair, he vows to help them get back on track.  He owes it to his best friend, Joe Messina, who saved his life, while serving in the army in Afghanistan.  Joe’s sister, Autumn, doesn’t want Sam around.  She doesn’t want his help.  Sam is the man who broke her heart.  Autumn just wants to sell the farm and be done with it.  But first, she wants to hold one last Messina Farms Fall Festival.  As Autumn and Sam work together, they find themselves getting close again.  Will it be enough for love?

I found myself pulled into this story pretty quick.  Sam, recently dumped by his fiance, wasn’t ready for a relationship, and Autumn just didn’t want one with Sam.  So, it was fun to see how they overcame the hurt and found their way back together.  It sure wasn’t an easy road for them.  If you love a sweet romance, country life and family, you will enjoy this book.