Review of Happy Ever After in Christmas by Debbie Mason

Brief Summary: 

Jill Flaherty has had a crush on Sawyer Anderson since she was little girl and her brother was best friends with him. Through the years, Jill has watched Sawyer date and have flings with other girls, graduate high school and have a career as a pro hockey player but never got the courage to express her feelings for him. Fast forward to her 30th birthday, still single Jill decides that maybe this will be the year she will confess her feelings to Sawyer. Will she be able to get her true feelings out or will her nerves discourage her? Can she convince Sawyer that she is more than her brother's little sister?  

Sawyer Anderson has been the town player on and off the ice for years but now at this time in his life he decides that maybe he wants something more. Little does he know that Jill maybe the one girl who will make him settle down. Can he convince her that she is more than just a fling? Will he be able to show her that he is her happy ever after or will life through a roadblock in the way? 

My Review:

I received this copy from Netgalley and the Publisher, Forever in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This is the third book that I have read of Debbie Masons and the 7th book in her Christmas, Colorado series. Debbie does a great job of creating well developed, multi-dimensional characters that grab your attention from the first couple chapters in her book and holds you until the end. She did not disappoint with this book. An example of this was that she took the readers through a waterfall of experiences and emotions that the characters experienced through the book from love, friendship and danger.

In addition to the developed characters that Debbie created she also was able to create a great back drop and scenery for this book. She was descriptive enough to allow you to picture the town and people in the community but not go overboard where you were waiting for the chapter to end.

Lastly, I really enjoyed the storyline in the book. Debbie incorporated humor, friendship, family, danger and sadness all in one book. Someone would worry that would be hard to do being that it wasn't a super 600 page novel but Debbie did it and it was well written. Can't wait to see who she chooses for the next book. I am secretly hoping it is Sawyer's manager as she deserves happily ever after but we will have to wait and see.

Review of The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods

Brief Summary:

Abby O'Brien Winters hasn't set foot in Chesapeake Shores since leaving almost ten years ago. However, when her marriage dissolves and her sister calls for help, Abby decides that maybe a visit to her hometown might be the thing that her family needs right now. Little did she know that she would run into her old high school flame, Trace Riley. Will old feelings resurface or has time created too much space between them.

Trace Riley lost Abby ten years ago so when she shows up back in town to try and save the Inn her sister Jess bought he thinks this might be his second chance. However, first he has to get him to trust again after her last relationship didn't end so well. Will Trace be able to show her that there is still something there between them? Will Chesapeake Shores once again become home again?

My Review:

This is the first book that I have read of Sherryl Woods' even though I own quite a few. To be honest I read it because of the new movie/tv show that are coming out on Hallmark Channel. I think Sherryl did a great job of creating well developed characters. She gave you enough information about their past so that you could understand how they got to their current state but didn't go overboard. In addition to creating well developed characters she also did a great job setting the scene. She made the town of Chesapeake Shores a town that everyone would want to come visit and live in.

An interesting story line that I liked that Sherryl included in the book was the relationship between Abby and her sister Jess. Most romance authors concentrate on just the main two characters and sometimes include outside characters into it at times. But in Inn at Eagle Point Sherryl did a great job including how the relationship of Jess and Abby and how their mother leaving affected their life.

One of my favorite quotes in the book was one that Trace said about how Abby was a good mom. I know author readers were all thinking what I was at that moment. Aww... Here is the quote:

"Look, being a bad mom is taking off when some of your kids are too little to understand why you're leaving. Being a bad mom is leaving a seventeen year old daughter to take over and try to make things right. You lived that with Megan. You know firsthand what its like to have a mother you can't count on. You will never allow your girls to feel that kind of pain." He tucked a finger under her chin. "Don't ever let me hear you question your mothering skills again."

Can't wait to read the next book in the series.