Book #Review: Christmas In The Billionaire's Bed (Kavanaghs of Silver Glen 3) .@JaniceMaynard .@HarlequinBooks

Book Title: Christmas In The Billionaire's Bed
Author:  Janice Maynard |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Christmas Roamance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook, Mass Market paperback

Cost: $5.25

Pages: 192

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: December 2, 2014
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Synopsis:

Whatever possessed Emma Braithwaite to move to Silver Glen? She had no illusions that being in Aidan Kavanagh's hometown would reignite the love they'd shared in England years ago. But now that Aidan's returned for his brother's Christmas wedding, it's clear Emma's explosive attraction to the billionaire has lost none of its power. She is the cool English beauty whose betrayal once shattered his heart. So Aidan's not looking for reconciliation—all he wants is Emma in his bed! Needless to say, Emma has other ideas: she's not settling for anything less than commitment this time…

I've loved Harlequin for many years, I'm a huge Yule junkie and I absolutely love Christmas/Yule Romances, so when I got the chance to read Janice's book, I was on it like tinsel on a Christmas tree.

Janice always manages to make her character relateable, they make you love them, fall for them, lust after them and of course want to kick their butts into gear when they act out.

I love happy endings, but Christmas happy endings are always better, I love when Christmas magic works to help bring our protagonists together.

These two are former first loves torn apart by youth and family and are brought back together when their friends get together and get married over the holidays.  Even though they are no longer together, Emma has moved and created a home for herself in her former love's hometown, of Silver Glen, the former English lady, has created a thriving business and finds happiness by being apart of the community even if the piece of her heart is no longer with her.  I loved that she was willing to become more and move on from the past somewhat even though he wasn't there.  Aiden doesn't come home much if he can help it, each time he comes home something else bad happens.  Faced with a looming wedding Aiden is shocked to see the woman who broke his heart  and made him doubt love is friends with his family.

Even though he can't trust her, he is still attracted to her, and decides to use her as a distraction from the past.  They get together and have some seriously steamy moments.  Even a few that make you feel for them and understand where they are coming from, why they feel the way they feel.  They both have secrets and reasons and when it all comes out and boy the emotions.  I loved it and man it totally helped to pull me out of my reading slump.  I loved it.  A good christmas story.

It's apparently a part of a series, it doesn't read like a book in a series, You only get glimpses of the other characters, but this story really focuses on Emma and Aiden and their story.  So you don't have to read in chronological order to get the story.  I do however want to look into the other books to see how those stories unfold.

★★★★★

Happy Reading

#Review: The Stag Lord

Book Title: The Stag Lord
Publisher: Spence City ( Spencer Hill Press)

Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy
Series/Standalone: Series Book 1
Format: ebook, physical 

How I got it: Blog Tour Company

Publication Date: Dec 2014

Synopsis:

On the run across America from a vengeful shape-shifter, Bannerman “Bann” Boru has only one thing on his mind: keeping himself and his young son, Cor, alive. At any cost. Until he meets Shay Doyle, healer and member of a secret group of immortal Celtic warriors, the Tuatha De Danaan, living in modern-day Colorado. When Cor is injured, Bannerman is forced to accept her help. He quickly realizes that the golden-haired Healer is shield-maiden tough and can hold her own on the field of battle with the big boys. And Shay soon discovers that there is more to Bann than meets the eye. Now, with the shape-shifter Cernunnos teaming up with the local pack of Fir Bolgs (Goth wannabes with a nasty taste for children), Bannerman, Shay, her wolf-dog, Max, and the rest of the Doyle clan must figure out how to battle one insane god

I've been in a reading slump for ages. I haven't been enjoying reading since late august, but then this book came on my radar and I jumped at the chance to review it. And boy am I glad I did. I laughed when reading this book, teared up a bit, got mad on the character's behalf, felt all the feels and even fell in love.

I totally loved reading this book, I loved Bann and his wittiness, his sharp tongue and how much he loved his son. He was willing to do anything to make sure his son survived and had a happy life and i loved him more for it.  An old world Knight of the Fey, he spent his life living by the code he'd been raised by and he was devastated when push came to shove the ones who should have had his back bailed and left him and his son out in the cold.

I personally loved Shay the Healer who is also a Knight of the Fey.  I absolutely loved her devotion to her craft, her people. and her family.  Her family's devotion to her was wonderful to read and it just made me so happy to see a  healthy family dynamic being portrayed in the story.  Shay is stubborn, witty, fun and just the kinda healer I would love to have taking care of me.  She pushed Bann's buttons when she needed to and totally cared for Cor from the second she met him.  She totally made their lives more fun while being the one connection to 'humanity'.

Even though as a Celtic Pagan I should totally be offended of the portrayal of one of the Old Gods, I wasn't, I absolutely loved the lore, the presence of the other Celtic stories and the coming alive of the legends. It totally made me love the myths even more. And actually made me want to back and read even more of the ones I haven't yet.

This story was full of adventure, love, lore, sarcastic and witty characters and just great fun.  It also had it's villains, the idiots and quite a few WTF moments. I loved it.  And of course that ending??!!! Totally threw me for a loop. I can't wait to read more of her writing. It was extremely engaging and just what I needed to kick my slump.

Available for Pre-order:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

Go to Goodreads and add it to your reading list!

Go get you a copy and enjoy!!
 ★★★★☆

Happy Reading

Book #Review: Naughty and Nice ( A Christmas Anthology)

Book Title: Naughty and Nice (Three Holiday Treats)
Author: Ruthie Knox, Molly O'Keefe, Stefanie Sloane

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Format: ebook

Pages: 233

How I got it: Pubisher via NetGalley

Publication Date: November 2012
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Synopsis:

’Tis the season for romance with three original holiday-themed novellas! Unwrap this festive eBook bundle and discover why these authors are quickly becoming the biggest names in the genre. Ruthie Knox tells a heartwarming contemporary story of first loves given the gift of a second chance; Molly O’Keefe releases the ghosts of Christmas past with a prequel to her novel Crazy Thing Called Love; and Stefanie Sloane weaves an irresistible Regency tale of fiery passion that burns deep on a cold winter’s night. ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Molly O’Keefe Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are spontaneous, in love, and prepared to elope the day after Christmas—that is, if Maddy’s family doesn’t throw a wrench in their plans. After all, Maddy’s barely out of high school and Billy’s a notorious bad boy. Maddy doesn’t care about Billy’s rough past—all she cares about is living in the here and now. But after Maddy’s mother stops speaking to her in protest, and a Christmas Eve heart-to-heart with her father leaves her with butterflies, Maddy starts to get cold feet. She loves Billy, but is she taking this big step too soon? ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane After being jilted by her fiancé, Jane Merriweather turns to her dear childhood friend, the Honorable Lucas Cavanaugh, for support—and unlocks the smoldering desire simmering in the man’s troubled heart. Frightened by his newfound feelings, Lucas flees to Scotland. But when the Christmas season brings them together again, one glance is all that’s needed to reignite his yearning. If Lucas can convince Jane that his intentions are as pure as the falling snow, they’ll turn a dreary December into a joyous Yuletide affair.

I gave the book an overall 3 stars.  Cute stories, great for Christmas. I liked it, especially Molly's story.  Really enjoying this so far. The stories were quick and

Story 1 Room At The Inn ( A Contemporary) 3 Stars
Julie moved to town even though her relationship with Carson had imploded, she created a profitable life for herself there. She waits for Carson who is the love of her life to wake up and realize his life is with her. Carson is on effing idiot, yep and Julie should have moved on.  How would have that felt for 16 years??? To wait, to be lonely, to know that he is out there loving someone else?? Hell no. I would not have given this man 16 years of my life.  I would have moved on. He kept coming back home and using her, then would leave with another piece of her heart. Great grand gesture but too little too late Sir.  Julie is way too forgiving he was reckless with your heart way too much. Way too often.   It's a good Christmas story about forgiveness and the miracle of love. However I'm too much of a pessimistic to ever wait that long for one person to realize you are worth so much more than he thought.

Story 2: All I Want For Christmas is You (A Contemporary) 3 1/2 Stars
Cute I wish she'd done an epilogue letting us know what happens to them.  Hopefully they have made it.  I'm rooting for them even if her mama isn't.  After this was posted I realized that this was actually the beginning of a story.  I'm going to check them out in the next one.

Story 3 One Perfect Christmas (Historical)  3 Stars
Why she gotta be horsefaced though?? Clearly she had something he wanted because he dropped the "pretty girl" for horseface.  This was however the most Christmas like of all the stories and it was my introduction to the authors work.  Cute story even if it's physically impossible to do what she does in the end.  No really try it.  Still cute though.


I really enjoyed the stories presented, it's why I love anthologies, you get a few good stories and get a chance to be introduced to new authors without having to do too much to get it.  Christmas stories always put me in the mood as well for Yule and I'm totally pumped I got to read this one.

 ★★★☆☆

Happy Christmas/ Yule and Happy Reading