Review of The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

The Nine Lives of Christmas 

by Sheila Roberts 

Ambrose has always lived his life living for one person. That person is himself... that is until one day he was on his ninth life and asked for help from his creator and struck a deal. The deal that Ambrose struck is that he will do anything that he is asked for. In walks Zach a local firefighter who is always helping everyone but himself. Ambrose is unsure of what he is suppose to do to help Zach until he meets Merrilee at the local pet store. 

Merrilee has dreams.. but first she has to save up money so that she can go to college. She did not think she would meet a handsome gentleman at her work place.. However, Zach has no interest in starting a relationship or having more than friendship with Merrilee. Well that is what he thinks but Ambrose has other tricks up his sleeve. Will Ambrose be able to bring Zach and Merrilee together in time for Christmas?


My Review: 

This is my first ever book that I have read of Sheila Roberts and to be honest I had no interest in reading it until I saw the movie on Hallmark back in November. After starting to read this book I found that is was way better than the movie. 

Sheila did a great job of setting the scene and making you feel like you were part of the small town. In addition, I really liked the relationship that she built through out the story between Ambrose and Zach. I am not a huge cat person but it was nice to see those two characters relationship being built from the beginning of the book to the end. 

All in all I thought it was a well written book with great a great story and well developed characters. I am very inserted in reading more books from Sheila after reading "The Nine Lives of Christmas". 

Review of Yours for Christmas

Yours for Christmas
by Susan Mallery

Bailey Voss never thought she would have feelings for another guy but that changes when she meets retired NFL star Kenny Scott arrives in town. Kenny is not only handsome but also a nice generous guy. However, Bailey feels there is no chance with Kenny so she distances herself from him but that doesn't work for long when she is put in charge of a toy drive with Kenny by Mayor Marsha.

Will Bailey and Kenny be able to keep their distances and feeling aside or will love conquer all?


My Review: 

This is the 15.5 book that I have read in Susan Mallery's Fool Gold Series and it was just as good as the first 15 that I read earlier. I was very interested to see how she told Kenny's story and who she was going to have him fall in love with. As always Susan did a good job of building the backstory on the characters so you knew who they were after the first couple chapters.

The only thing that I would change in this book is that I would have built up the relationship between Kenny and Bailey's daughter more. I think that it would have added more to the story.

Other than that I don't think I would have changed anything else in this story. I am very interested to see what Susan does for the next three books this spring as she always surprises me!

Review: Change of Heart by Jude Deveraux

Change of Heart
by Jude Deveraux

Part 1 of Change of Heart tells the story of how Eli's mother Miranda and the billionaire got together. The story starts out with Eli and his friend Chelsea use Frank's letterhead to help people in need. However, when Frank finds out what he Eli and Chelsea are doing and reacts differently then everybody thinks he was going to. So when Frank offers to help Eli find happiness for his mother he jumps at the chance.

Jumping to Part 2 of the Change of Heart story we find Eli and Chelsea are both grown up and living different lives. However, they are brought together when Chelsea is home visiting and connects with Eli again. Chelsea finds that Eli is not the same boy that he used to be and is about to leave when they are brought into a mystery that they need to solve.
 
Will Eli and Chelsea be able to solve the mystery in time? Can Chelsea and Eli be friends again or even something more?

My Review:

I received this book free from Netgalley for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Jude Deveraux so when I saw this title on Netgalley I jumped at the change to read it. This is the 5th book that I have read of Jude's and was not disappointed with it.  I have to admit that I wasn't liking the story when I started reading it. However, once I got deeper in to the book and on Part 2 of it I really started liking it. I think the Mystery that Jude threw in there fit the book well and help me understand the characters better.

The parts that I didn't like was that she threw in the short Novella of Frank and Miranda in the beginning which I don't think was needed. I think that they could just have started off with Chelsea and Eli right away.

All in all I thought it was a good story and keep me interested once I got to Eli and Chelsea's story. That is why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend reading this book and I don't feel you have to read the previous books in this series of Jude's to understand it as she gives you enough of a back story.

Review: Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers

Home for the Holidays
by Rochelle Alers

Iris Nelson moved to Cavanaugh Island in hopes of leaving everything about her old life behind and for a chance to start a new one. She land a job at a locally bakery, a nice apartment and a best friend. What else could make this holiday season better? Maybe a gorgeous Army Master Sergeant Collier Ward.

Collier has always kept himself closed off from everybody but his family. That changes when he meets his sisters new best friend Iris. He connects with Iris like has never connected with any other woman. However, he is only in town for a short time. Should Collier give in and date Iris? Should Iris open up to Collier or just stay friends?

My Review:

This is first book that I have read of Rochelle Alers in her Cavanaugh Island series. I think that Rochelle did a great job of setting the scene of this book. I really felt like I was in the small town of Cavanaugh Island and Iris's next door neighbor. She did a great job of also really building the characters background story so that you would understand why they were the way they were.

In addition, I think that she did a  good job keeping the characters real. She did this by showing what abuse could do to a woman and what war does to our men who serve over seas. I was very impressed how real it was and made me want to read the book until the end.

Even though this was a short christmas novella I felt like it impressed me just as much as a regular book would. I am very interested to read more in this series and from this author.

Review: Christmas at Carriage Hill by Carla Neggars

Christmas at Carriage Hill

Summary:

All Alexandra Hunt has ever wanted to do is design. So when she gets the opportunity to create her cousin's fiances dress she jumps at the chance. Thinking she may never get the chance to design her own wedding dress she makes the most beautiful dress ever and is asked to come to the wedding. Alexandra happily agrees as she hopes that it will help her get over her latest relationship failure. However, things don't go as planned when who should show up at the same inn as Alexandria but her ex- Ian Mabry.

Will Alex be able to keep her distance away from Ian so that she doesn't fall under the love spell of the sexy fighter pilot?

My Review:

This is the second book that I have read of Carla Neggers and the 3.5 in the Swift River Valle series. I think that Carla did a great job of setting the scene in both locations that the book took place in which was London and Swift River Valley. As I read it felt like I was transported to those locations and part of the scenery. In addition, I think that the characters were well developed and believable. As a reader this is very important to me because if the story is unbelievable the book ends up being boring and not worth finishing. Lastly, I loved the historical romance that she brought into this book. You got to learn more about Alexandria's grandma and her love story. I would love for her to do a book that told their love story as I know I would enjoy it!

The other aspect of the book that I thought was good was when Carla caught the readers up on previous characters that were in the previous three books in the series. I always like when authors do this because it brings back my favorite characters and incorporates them into the next story so you don't lose out on their story even if it isn't the main attraction. I am very interested to see where she is going to take the series going forward and can't wait for read the 4th book that is coming out this spring.

Review of All I Want for Christmas by Jessica Scott

All I Want for Christmas is You

Major Patrick MacLean has only wanted one thing this Christmas and that is to be with the love of his life and his child. However, things don't go as he would like when his wife up and leaves with his daughter Natalie returning to her home town. Will Patrick be able to save his marriage and bring his family back together in time for Christmas?

Captain Samantha Egan has felt an emptiness insider her since the day that she returned home from the war. She is not sure if she can be the woman that Patrick once loved. So she packs up and leaves with her daughter and heads back to the only safe place she knows. Her moms house back in her hometown. Will Samantha be able to move pass the pain of war and move on with her life or will she continue to alienate herself from her family and friends.

My Review:

This is the first book that I have read of Jessica Scott's and the first that I have read in her Coming Home series. For not having read any of the previous books in the series I think that Jessica did a great job of making this a stand alone novel that a romance reader could pick up and enjoy. In addition, I also thought Jessica did a great job of developing the characters from the beginning of the novella to the end.

In regards to the content I think that she did a good job of describing life in the military. Although I don't personally live or work in the military from what she wrote i think she did an honest job and made it as real as possible.

I think all in all this was a great novella that I would definitely recommend to my reader friends ad other authors. I am very interested now in reading more books from this author and series!

Christmas Novella Blog Tour: Featuring Jill Shalvis, Jessica Scott, and Nadia Lee + Giveaway!

Love a great Christmas romance, but pressed for time? Pick up a holiday novella to satisfy your craving for a great happy-ever-after. This season contemporary authors Jill Shalvis, Jessica Scott, and Nadia Lee are all releasing Christmas reads. Today these authors stop by to spread the holiday cheer and discuss their characters' New Year's resolutions. Take it away ladies!

Jill Shalvis author of Merry Christmas, Baby

Chloe’s New Year’s resolution is to stop driving her sexy, gorgeous husband Sawyer batshit crazy. She knows she does it, and sometimes she does it on purpose, but she is going to try really hard to keep it to a minimum this year in the name of keeping the romance alive. Sawyer would say that was a great resolution but that he loves her just as she is and no changes are necessary. Yeah, we love him to death… Oh as for Sawyer’s resolution? He doesn’t make them.

Jessica Scott author of All I Want For Christmas Is You

Sam is going to work on getting her head fixed. She’s had a heck of time adjusting to coming home from the war so she’s planning on spending some quality time with Patrick and getting their lives put back together. They both know they’ve got a lot of work to do but the most important thing to Sam is that Patrick didn’t leave her when she’d royally messed up.

Patrick plans on spending time taking care of Sam. He hasn’t had a lot of time to spoil her and he wants to get to know her again. What are her likes and dislikes. Can he remember how to make her body sing. He’d got plans for New Years Eve that involve Sam and a bottle of champagne and not necessarily in that order.

Nadia Lee author of The Billionaire’s Holiday Obsession

Iain's resolution is to be more open to others and to new ideas (to make Jane happy). And also to make Jane laugh at least once a day.

Jane's resolution is to start her career as a private chef. And to visit at least two places she's never been before...which won’t be difficult, as she hasn’t done much traveling.

***

About the Novellas

Merry Christmas, Baby by Jill Shalvis

Wild child Chloe Thompson can't believe how much things have changed. She still can't get enough of her sexy husband Sawyer, but he seems to prefer working to impending fatherhood. So tonight, a very pregnant Chloe is escaping her troubles at the town Christmas party.

Sheriff Sawyer Thompson hopes surprising Chloe at the party will give him a chance to set things right. But as the snow begins to fall and the wind rages, he wonders whether he can make it back in time. While mother nature conspires to keep Sawyer and Chloe apart, an unexpected arrival will require them to kiss and make up . . . and ring in the happiest holiday Lucky Harbor has ever seen.

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Jessica Scott

All Major Patrick MacLean wanted was Christmas with the woman and child who were his family in everything but name. But Captain Samantha Egan has come back from the war a different woman than the one who left - and she doesn't know if she can love him anymore.

But neither of them counted on the determination of a little girl they both call daughter and if Natalie has her wish, her parents may have no idea what's coming for them. It's going to take Christmas miracle to bring these two wounded warriors back from the edge of a broken heart.

The Billionaire’s Holiday Obsession by Nadia Lee

Deep in debt and stalked by a deadly conman, Jane Connolly needs a job and a safe place to stay. With no one to turn to in an unfamiliar city, she can't refuse the kindness of a magnetic stranger.

A former mixed martial arts fighter, billionaire Iain Pryce couldn't walk away from a small town girl in a big city, especially when it's obvious she's in trouble. But her sweet spirit threatens the single principle he's been living under for the past thirteen years: don't lose control...

Click on link below for the Giveaway!

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