holiday

Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas by Sugar Jamison

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

18111068
Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, Secret Baby(ish), Holiday, Novella
Series: Perfect Fit, 1.5

Published: 10/1/13
Reviewed by Anne
111 pages
 
After reading Dangerous Curves Ahead, the first book in this Perfect Fit Series, I looked to see if Sugar Jamison had other books.  It turned out she’d already written this holiday novella.  I immediately requested it from NetGalley and was delighted to receive a copy of it.  When I realized it was about Dina, the toxic older sister featured in the first book, I was thrown off.  She was a total villain – someone I had no interest in seeing redeemed.  So I put off reading it.  My mistake!  It was good!
 
So, I read these two stories in order, but this novella really stands on it’s own quite well.  
 
Dina is off to find her baby daddy.  She had a fling with him and when she told him she was pregnant he disappeared.  She’s travelled across the country, on a bus, with her 10 month old son, to his home town.  To his family estate and mansion to track him down.  She’s done a lot of maturing and changing of her ways since her baby, Dash, was born.  She wants his father to provide some security for him.
 
She’s shocked to be shown in to see her ex-lover’s brother and find out that her party boy baby daddy was killed in a drunken skiing accident.  Not only is the man she was looking for dead, but she’s left with his brother, Ben, who she really didn’t get along with the one time they met.  So it’s a huge shock when Ben immediately offers to help her and Dash out.
 
“You are not taking my nephew to a cheap motel.  You will not be traveling with him on a bus.  Your destitution ends here.”
 
“You’re shitting me?”
“I shit you not.”  (Kindle Loc 199)
 
This is the start of a wonderful holiday season.  (Did I mention this all happens in December?)  Dina agrees that she and Dash will stay with Ben until after Christmas, in order to give Ben and Dash time to get to know each other, and for her and Ben to work out an agreement for raising Dash.
 
I really enjoyed the humor in this story.  The relationship felt rushed, and not just because of the novella format.  It takes place over a couple of weeks, which is not a lot of time for them to get to know each other and fall in love.  Some things were a little too perfect – like their built in housekeeper/babysitter, but I really enjoyed the story.  

Snowbound with the CEO BY Shannon Stacey

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

18471927

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, Novella
Published: 11/4/13
Reviewed by Anne
66 pages
 
Rachel has a crush on her boss, Adrian.  Adrian owns and runs a very successful construction/rehabilitation company, and unbeknownst to Rachel, he has a crush right back on her.  When they get snowed in together at a mountain resort, they spend some non-working time together, which leads to a weekend fling.
 
If I had a crush on my CEO boss and decided to have some no strings sex with each other, but then ended up falling for him, I think this is exactly how it would go down.  It’s emotionally messy.  They work very well together, but when it comes to personal stuff, they stumble around and try not to step on the other’s toes.  That was a little frustrating, but it felt so real!
 
It is a pretty short novella, but the story fit well in its pages.  It didn’t feel rushed yet it ended well.  The main obstacle they faced seemed realistic and the way they worked through it was believable, too. 
 
The story was still that great Shannon Stacey mix of sweet and funny.  It’s a quick and enjoyable holiday read that I recommend.

Heating up the Holidays

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Heating Up the Holidays 3-Story Bundle

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Blaze/Inferno
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, Novella
Published: 10/28/13
Reviewed by Anne
303 pages
 
Snowfall by Mary Ann Rivers (A) – First off, we start with Jenny, a microbiologist.  That’s right, a story featuring a female scientist!  Woo hoo!  Her love interest is the physical therapist she’s working with – and the conflict of interest there is very well handled.  The story is primarily about her personal journey to accept some changes in her life, and the love story is wrapped into that.  So good.  Mary Anne Rivers also wrote The Story Guy, which is one of my favorite reads of the year.  She is a new favorite of mine.  Fair warning – she writes in first person POV, from the heroine’s side only.  And it works.  Very well!  I highly recommend this story.
 
After Midnight by Serena Bell (A) – Miles is in a funk at a New Year’s Eve party.  He’s been (falsely) accused of embezzling from a charity he runs and was subsequently dumped by his fiancée.  Then he sees Nora dancing across the room.  She is happy and full of life.  They make eye contact and she surprises him by coming over to see him. The story of where things go from there is very good!  Well written with touches of humor that made me smile.  I haven’t read Serena Bell before but she going on my good list now!
 
Play With Me by Lisa Renee Jones (DNF) – So, I went into this one a bit hesitant because I associate with more suspenseful reads.  It had a strong start and I liked the heroine, but things started getting icky for me.  First our “hero” reminds one of his employees that she is “only cranky once a month.”  That was almost the end for me, but I think I was hoping our strong heroine would put him in his place.  But before we know it she’s essentially held prisoner for an entire day having her phone and computer and all contact with the outside world removed and no explanation given other than “there’s been a breach in security and we have to follow protocol.”  When our hero finally takes time to come tell her what’s going on, she quits (yay her!) only to be seduced by the mere touch of his hand shackling her wrist.  Umm.  No.
 
Despite not finishing the Lisa Renee Jones story, I’d still recommend this book based on the strength of the other two stories.  This may turn out to be a favorite year after year for me!  How about you?  Do you have a favorite holiday romance?