I'm so excited to be a part of Harlequin's Holiday Blog Tour! This might come as a surprise, but I usually don't read Christmas books. But when I read the descriptions for An Alaskan Christmas and A Wedding in December, they sounded like two books I'd really enjoy and I was right! They were perfect for getting into the holiday spirit and totally whisked me away to two totally different winter wonderlands (which I am for all experiencing in my imagination but snow in real life, not so much 😂). I'll be sharing mini-reviews for each of the books and I genuinely hope that I convince you to check them out!
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pub 9/24/19 by HQN Books
Contemporary Romance
Received e-ARCs from pub for review |
This was the best way to kick off my foray into holiday romances! It had everything I could've wanted – a hate to love relationship, best friends reconnecting, and a woman figuring out what she wants on her own terms. Erika Sheraton is a prestigious surgeon and workaholic. To the point where she's been ordered by the hospital to take time off. She decides to go to Wild River, Alaska where her best friend Cassie (who she hasn't spoken to in years) owns an adventure tour company. This allows them to reconnect, albeit awkwardly at first, and while this wasn't the main plot point it was still one I very much enjoyed. Sometimes life can get away from us and while that it isn't an excuse, it does happen but I like to believe second chances can happen too and that was well-done here. But my favorite part was undoubtedly when Erika reunites with Cassie's brother, Reed. Sparks fly immediately and both have memories of each other as kids that weren't entirely flattering. So naturally while there are sparks, there's a bit of antagonism too (but in a good way!). But they do find common ground through his search-and-rescue team and her being a skilled doctor who can't help herself in a disaster. Between that and their crazy chemistry throughout, it was impossible to not be sucked into their romance and adventures together and root for that happy ending.
Do I recommend? This was my first Jennifer Snow book and the first book in a series. I definitely plan to read the next one!
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A Wedding in December was another unexpected delight for a number of reasons! It follows
three romances – all very different but very sweet. The White family are all gathering in Aspen for youngest daughter Rosie's "whirlwind Christmas wedding" to Dan. That's romance number one and the one I'd rank third. For Rosie, she's always been babied and has been known to be impulsive but she knows she loves her fiancé. That is until the pressure from everyone starts to give her doubts. Next up is older sister Kate who is very cynical in general but even more so due to the demands of her job at the hospital. She wants nothing more than to stop the wedding but when she arrives, she finds herself in a romance of her own with the best man Jordan. I actually felt the chemistry between these two, which is why I'd rank them in the middle. And last but not least, there's the parents Maggie and Nick, aka my favorite romance of the whole book! (Bet you didn't see that coming. I certainly didn't!) Their girls don't know it but they've been separated for months and are on the brink of divorce but they decide to keep lying so they don't overshadow the nuptials. This means they have to pretend to still be a happily married couple. Except while they pretend, it gives them a chance to talk and reconnect and it was surprisingly swoony. The book alternates chapters between all three women and I honestly looked forward to Maggie's the most!
Do I recommend? I do! If you love romance novels that also include crazy family dynamics and alternating POVs, this one is for you.
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I hope I convinced you to check out these two books!
Thank you Harlequin for asking me to be a part of this.
And keep a look out for most posts from other bloggers on the tour!
I actually don't tend to read a lot of Christmas novels either, but both of these books sound really good! I'm actually particularly curious about Sarah Morgan's work - she often pops up on my radar when other people I follow have been reading her.
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