'Twas the Night by Sandra Hill, Kate Holmes, Trish Jensen

All aboard for the Santa Brigade!!

When I requested this book from netgalley.com, I was expecting your standard holiday anthology. But as I tried to determine which stories were 1, 2, and 3, I was surprised to learn that this was not an anthology at all, but a single story written “round robin” style by 3 authors. I’m glad I didn’t know that upfront because I probably would have passed on it. Why is that, you ask? Well, with an anthology, if you start 1 story and don’t like it – maybe the story itself isn’t appealing, or you don’t like the author’s writing, you can move on to the next. But with a book like this, you’re kind of forced to read through the "bad" to get to the good. Well, I’m happy to tell you that there was no "bad," and I’m so glad I had the chance to read this book.

‘Twas the Night is a contemporary romance, however there are actually three couples involved, each the focus of their own happily ever after. The way it was written was ingenious, if you ask me. Each author was writing about a different hero, with all three stories overlapping. Chapter 1 was about Sam, chapter 2 was about Kevin, and chapter 3 was about Stan. Then in chapter 4 we're back to Sam, chapter 5 is Kevin again and so on and so on. We were seeing similar scenes, the same happenings, but through different eyes, and I loved how seamlessly it all flowed together.

Now on to the story itself.

Imagine this – It’s a few days before Christmas and Sam, Kevin and Stan are trying to make their way back to Snowdon, Maine for their dear friend and mentor George’s wedding. Well, it just so happens that there’s a horrible snow storm and all planes have been grounded and trains halted. So how are they going to make it back home in time for the wedding? The Santa Brigade, of course! The Santa Brigade is made up of a bunch of senior citizens and others who spend their holiday on a bus traveling from one homeless shelter to another, spreading Christmas cheer to young and old alike. It was such a funny, heartwarming part of the story that I found myself cheering them on as they made their way to each place, sometimes having to call in hilarious favors for snow plows and assistance breaking into stores, as much as I did the couples and their budding relationships.

I just can’t emphasize enough, what a wonderful, feel good story this was. There was nothing intensely thought provoking or life altering to the story, but the romances were touching and there was enough steam to keep things interesting. It was definitely cheesy in places but really, it was worth every minute of every hour it took to read it.

I wavered between a 3.5 or a 4 star rating, but because in the end I was left with fond memories of their exploits and a huge smile on my face, I'm giving this story a full 4 stars. 'Tis the season, after all!

***Slight Spoiler/Question For Anyone Who Might Know***
This story was first published 9 years ago and what I read was the newly republished version. The epilogue invites us to the wedding of the three couples taking place in July 1st, 2011. Does anyone know If there’s another story related to this one being released at that time?

Red-headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells

Red-headed Stepchild is the first book in the Sabina Kane series. We’re introduced to, of course, Sabina Kane, who is half mage, half vampire. We’re also introduced to a hilarious demon named Giguhl, a nymph named Vinca and a hot mage named Adam.

This is my first read by author Jaye Wells, and I enjoyed it. There were some very funny moments, and I have to be honest here and say that I think Giguhl, who spent a good part of this story as a bald cat, is probably my favorite character of the book. There were times I really liked Sabina, and times I didn’t. She’s not a heroine I connected to in a big way, and found myself more concerned about the outcome of the secondary characters than I did her. In fact, it took me well over ½ the book before I became interested in her at all, and to really love a story, I need more than that from my heroines.

One of my favorite scenes takes place with Giguhl and Sabina, when she tries to use magic to send him back home:

"Are you sure you can handle it? I mean, you've never done magic before, right?"

“It seems pretty straight forward. You game?”

He jumped off the couch and looked back at me. “Sure. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Twenty minutes later, we had our answer.

“I can’t freaking believe this!”

I cringed. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m bald!” Giguhl continued. “I look like a freak.”

“It’s not that bad,“ I said. But it was. Oh my lord was it bad. I’d never seen an uglier cat in my entire life. “Look at the bright side, you won’t have to worry about shedding anymore.”

Urban Fantasy isn’t my favorite genre, but that said, Red-headed Stepchild is a pretty decent beginning to a promising series. And as I mentioned before, I did end up liking this book more than I thought I would, but the world in general didn’t grab me and suck me in as I had hoped it would, and even though I did enjoy Giguhl, Vinca and Adam, I’m not sure I’ll continue on with the series.

However, I have been known to change my mind :)

3.25/5

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Anyone who reads historical romance has probably already been introduced to the art form that is Lisa Kleypas’ storytelling, so you’ll understand when I say that there really are no words to describe just what a talented writer she is. Therefore, I’ll save you all a lot of time and keep this short.

It must not be easy to give readers the feel of a full length novel in a short story such as this because very few authors actually do it. But with Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, we were given a truly sweet story with just the right amount of holiday magic. It’s a heartwarming tale that has all the right ingredients to make this a 5 star read. There’s Holly, an adorable little girl whose loss broke my heart. We have Mark Nolan, a very sexy hero who, because he understands the importance of family and was willing - without hesitation - to give up his own life’s plans to care for niece, earned my respect. And finally, Maggie Collins, a truly enjoyable heroine who I came to admire because while she had heartbreaking emotional baggage, she didn’t let it ruin her life. And I haven’t even mentioned Mark’s brothers, Alex and Sam, who were amazing men in their own right and will no doubt have fabulous stories. Wow! All this was accomplished in just over 200 pages.

And why did that surprise me? In a way, it didn’t – this is Lisa Kleypas we’re talking about here – but this was my first contemporary read by her, so I had no idea what to expect. Silly me! There are some authors who might be fabulous writing within the confines of one genre but can’t venture any further than that or they lose their magic. And then there are some authors who, regardless of the genre, can do no wrong. Lisa Kleypas is one of those rarities, and Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is without a doubt, proof of that.

And look at this - I went on longer than I had intended, but when it comes to Ms. Kleypas' stories, that's easy to do.

I'm very excited that Rainshadow Road will be out soon, because I just don't think I could wait much longer!
5/5 Stars

Christmas Mischief by Mary Jo Putney

This book of 3 short historical romance stories by Mary Jo Putney is my first read by this author. Anthologies are hard for me to review and rate because I worry I’ll say too much, so in this case I won’t give away much about the storylines because they’re short enough that to do so would be to spoil the reads entirely.

The Christmas Cuckoo - 3/5 stars

A case of mistaken identity gives this holiday tale a humorous twist. This was a sweet story, but without much substance to it, then toward the end, things became more interesting. I had finally started caring about Jack and Meg, and then before I knew it, the story was over. I wish I’d had more time to spend with the Lambert family, to see how things would come together.


Sunshine for Christmas - 4/5 stars

According to the author, this story is related to a secondary character, Lord Randolf Lennox, who had lost his lady love because of a “single bit of foolishness when he was young.” He had appeared in the full length novel called The Rake (originally published as The Rake and the Reformer ), and Ms. Putney decided that he was deserving of a happily ever after, too.

The first story, The Christmas Cuckoo was my first read by this author and I had expected that this one would have the same feel, but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotion in this story and I really enjoyed it! So much so, in fact, that I want to get my hands on The Rake!


The Christmas Tart – 3.5/5 stars

This was another sweet story about finding love and acceptance in the most unusual of circumstances. I enjoyed the Phillip’s and Nicole’s stories, and it was nice to see a happy hero, one who had been raised in a loving home and who appreciated family.


The Bottom Line - These three stories were fun to read. There was very little, if any, heat at all, but the romances made for sweet and enjoyable reading.

3.75/5 stars

Naughty and Nice Holiday Anthology

Holiday Sparks -  Shannon Stacey  3.5/4 Stars

Chloe Burke has come home to house sit for her parents who have taken a holiday cruise. It’s been a long time since Chloe has been here, and much to her surprise the house is an accident waiting to happen. She learns this the hard way when she tries use the microwave and loses electricity to half the house. Had she found the note her mother left explaining that she shouldn’t use the microwave while the light over the sink was on, she wouldn’t have had the problem. This note listed several other things she shouldn’t do - such as blow dry her hair in the bathroom with the light on.  Concerned for her parent’s safety, she decides that for Christmas she’ll have her parent’s house rewired and puts in a call to the town’s electrician who, unbeknownst to her, is very happy to hear from Chloe.

Scott Quinn has had a crazy secret crush on Chloe Burke ever since high school, but when she moved away to Boston, he moved on with his own life, too – not that she’d ever noticed him anyway. Now she’s back and in need of his electrical skills, and he can’t help but imagine his other “skills” he’d like to impress her with.

Holiday Sparks is my first read by this author and I enjoyed it. This was a sweet, romantic story with enough sizzle to heat things up and make this a sexy holiday read.

All She Wants for Christmas –  Jaci Burton 4 Stars

A deep hurt and betrayal sent Riley Jenson running from her home in Deer Lake, from Amanda, who she thought was her best friend, and from Ethan, who she thought was her boyfriend. But catching them in bed together told her she’d been wrong about all that. She wasn’t about to stick around and ask questions – she didn’t need to – the answers were right there in front of her eyes. Now, 10 years later Riley is a huge Nashville star and she’s come back to her hometown, strictly for business. She doesn’t want to see Ethan or Amanda, who married after she left, and plans to do anything she can to avoid them. But what she doesn’t know is that Amanda has passed away, and fate—and her agent—bring Ethan and Riley face to face again. Can they work things out and let go of all the hurt they’ve known these past 10 years? Well, it’s Christmas time in Deer Lake and anything is possible.

I enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I would. When I learned that Ethan had slept with his girlfriend’s best friend, I was tempted to skip the story, but since I’m reading/reviewing this for Netgalley, I thought it only fair that I stick it out. I’m glad I did. It turned out to be an awesome story of understanding and forgiveness, and a steamy holiday read.

Unwrapped – Megan Hart 3 Stars

Leah and Brandon Long are spending their first Christmas together as newlyweds skiing in Vail, but a twisted ankle has Leah off the slopes with nothing but time on her hands. So what are the newlyweds to do? Well, skiing is out of the question, but they manage to fill their days with some easy going sightseeing and lots of sex.  I liked the message of the story, about letting go of the past and learning to trust, learning to give and take, but I wish it had been a more obvious part of the story and not just there at the end. 

Unwrapped is an epilogue type short connected to Taking Care of Business and No Reservations, and while I wasn’t confused at all by having not read those two books, I didn’t have much of an emotional investment in the couple. The sex was plentiful and would have probably been very erotic had I cared more about Leah and Brandon. I was also disappointed that this story didn’t have that same holiday magic that the previous two did.

Believe – Lauren Dane – 5 stars.

I loved this story! Believe is another epilogue type short in this anthology, this time connected to the novel Second Chances, which I haven’t read yet. I wasn’t at all lost while reading Believe and was actually surprised to learn this wasn’t a standalone because it was so well written and I felt completely invested in and connected to Rori Helm and Jude Callahan, not only as a couple, but as people trying to heal from a rocky past and the death of Rori’s husband, Zach.

Years after Zach’s death, Rori and Jude are a couple, trying to make their own history together, a life without Zach’s memory influencing them. They both love and miss him, but now is their time together and they want to move forward instead of living in the shadow of the past.  Jude decides that a Christmas getaway together is just what they need and arranges a secluded cabin where they can devote themselves to one another and not have to worry about friends and relatives dropping by while he’s got his beautiful woman naked, tied up, and screaming for…well…you get the idea

This is a very hot, sexy story, with some light BDSM and I will definitely be getting my hands on Second Chances.

Lust by Charlotte Featherstone

“High and mighty they call me. Frigid. But I am neither of those things. I am Chastity—my name and my virtue. It is who I am, my entire being. It, I fear, is my prison.”

Every one hundred years, seven women are born, each the embodiment of one of the seven blessed virtues; chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness and humility. Chastity Lennox is one of four sisters who were born Virtues and she has lived her life believing that she’d never feel what a woman should feel for a man. She believed herself to be merely a vessel whose body would be a thing for her future husband to take his own pleasure from, finding her joy and solace in the children she would bear him. She never believed she’d know passion, arousal - lust.

“You do not know the power of the Dark Fae,” she murmured, wringing her hands. “Their glamour, it is the most beautiful in the world. Their seduction, the sweetest, most heady arousal you have ever felt. Even as your mind hates them, your body—“ she trembled then steeled herself, “—your body desires them, craves them. These women, they may not have a chance to protect themselves if they fall prey to a Dark Fae’s glamour.”

Thane is a fey prince, a Dark Fey, who, because of his father’s transgressions, has been cursed to bear one of the seven cardinal sins. He, along with his brothers, each embody one of the dark sins; vanity, gluttony, envy, wrath, avarice, and sloth, and drawn to his Sin’s opposite, needing her to break the curse on his family, Thane is determined to make Chastity his, in every possible way. He’ll take his time, woo her, seduce her, win her over, for only if she comes willingly to his Unseelie court will the spell be broken. But Thane’s sin is Lust. It lives within him, a separate being and it fights Thane, demanding to possess the innocent Chastity - now - and Lust will not be denied.

“Like the visit from the angel Gabriel to Mary, my father was visited in his slumber from the faery queen, who foretold the coming of our births and the importance of not only myself, but my three sisters. In his dreams, it was whispered to him the part we would play in a world that we had not yet seen—a world it seems, we will never really become a part of.”

Lust is a story of blessings and curses, virtues and sins. It’s a tale of right and wrong, good and evil, innocence and guile. I loved how quickly I was pulled in and how it had me feeling sympathetic for both the Seelie ("good") and the Unseelie ("bad") Courts. I found myself loathing the “good” guys and cheering on the “bad” guys and wishing that somehow, both sides could win!! Truth be told, I wasn’t just pulled into the story, I was enveloped by it.

“Yes, yield to me. Let me come to you as I am. Embrace the darkness in me, and let me take you…corrupt you.”

Charlotte Featherstone knows how to write erotica, there’s no question about that, but this book was so, so much more. It’s magical, mystical, fanciful, sensual, and most definitely erotic. But most importantly, it's a truly romantic experience - a love story. While reading Lust, I felt like I was living the fairytale – the Dark Feyry Tale – and I didn’t want it to end.

"I am a virtue. A savior in my new home, for the Unseelie Court is now home. The Dark Fey my family. I have given up my mortal life to become the first of seven women to save a dying court – a court as misunderstood as I once believed I was.

My family resides “up top” in the mortal realm. I come to them at night, in their dreams, through the magic of my husband. I miss them, especially my sisters whose fates are entwined with mine. I speak to them of the splendor of the court, the pleasures that await them – the princes who desire them. But they are still virtues, and not ready to heed to call of desire. But still, their Sins await them, ever patient, ever proud. Ever eager to give them a taste of the desires harbored within a dark fey. Soon they will come. They will listen to their hearts, and they will trust as I have trusted. We will be reunited—in this world. I am certain of it."

It's not often I'm left so in need to have the next book in my hands, but I am truly - truly, looking forward to Vanity, the second story in The Sins and the Virtue series.

5/5 stars

----This ebook was provided to me by NetGalley.com