This Christmas by Jeannie Moon ***

***copy provided by publisher through NetGalley***

Ten years ago Jake broke Sabrina's heart by marrying a woman who carried his child, never knowing Sabrina was also pregnant.
It turned out, his wife's child wasn't his and they divorced, but Jake never returned...And Sabrina never told him about his daughter.

But now he's back, he's connected the dots and he wants to make amends. Will Sabrina let him?



This was a sweet little second-chances seasonal romance with a drool-worthy sweetheart of a hero, a cute little fruit of his loins that was definitely smarter than her mother, and set in a picturesque, idyllic little village.

It would've been much, much better if the heroine at the beginning wasn't a selfish and whiny bitch, and her family and friends had possessed a little more sense than just going along with whatever her reasoning for not telling a guy he was a father and then blaming the guy for not being there for the child he never knew he had.

And when she finally got over her selfishness, she was still a whiny scaredy-cat not trusting him because he abandoned her all those years ago (he thought he was doing the right thing) and not allowing him into her heart until her friends and family talked some sense into her.

It was cute and sweet, but it would've worked better with a different heroine. But then, a different heroine would've probably told the guy everything and we'd have no story.

Christmas Light by Jolyse Barnett *

***copy provided by publisher through NetGalley***

Jade Engel is back in her hometown, just for a month, and hooks up with her childhood friend whose pre-teen heart, she'd so callously broken twenty years ago...But soon the friends-with-benefits agreement starts chafing.


Is a bitchy heroine a new norm in the contemporary romance category? Because you can be strong and independent without being bitchy. The problem was, Jade wasn't strong or independent, since everybody treated her like a doormat and she let them. She even ruined her friendship with Ben back in school because she was worried about what others thought.
So, since she was obviously unable to make decisions, let everybody dictate her life (she was thirty and still obeyed her mother!), and almost ruined her and Ben's love lives the second time around, no wonder she was bitchy.

Poor Ben for having to put up with her...And doing all the work in the end.

All I Want for Christmas by Jennifer Gracen **

***copy provided by publisher through NetGalley***

Seven years ago, he broke her heart and left... Now she walks into his bar just before Christmas and it just might be the best present of all.


Yet another second-chance romance that would've worked better if it wasn't a constant mope-fest. I got the gist. He left for her own good devastating them both. She was afraid of trusting him again. He was trying to make her see he's changed. I got it! There was no need for repeating the same spiel over and over and over again.
The story was short as it was, the space could've been better spent with some character presentation and development instead of constant repetition.

In the end the characters were one-dimensional husks merely going through the motions.

I liked the premise, though.

Goodness and LightThis Christmas - Jeannie Moon  by Patty Blount *

***copy provided by publisher through NetGalley***

They met thirteen years ago when he gave her a crystal snowflake on the first Rememberance day. Now they meet again and he knows it's a good sign. She's not that optimistic.


This was a cute and sweet romantic story of (self)forgiveness, friendship, family and hope, yet it was completely ruined by an idiotic and extremely selfish heroine. Everything was about her, no one loved her, she was a black hole, she didn't deserve happiness...Boohoohoo.

Instead of romance we got drama, drama, drama.

What a pity.

Lexie has a great perk at work.  She can use the company gym, and even get a personal trainer.  Matthew is a sexy and energetic trainer who makes her into a puddle of goo with one look.

Matthew also has hidden talents.  There are many secrets he has, and is afraid to divulge.  One that could get Lexie fired, is the biggest one of all.  Lexie does not want to be attracted to her trainer, how cliche' right?  But when the feeling is mutual what's a girl to do?

This was such a fun read.  I enjoyed it, even though I wanted to jump into the book and slap a few people.  Overall a good story with rich characters.  I give this a 3/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

***This ARC copy was given by Netgalley and its publisher, in exchange for an honest review only.

Lexie moved to New York to both get away and go after her dreams. Lexie meets Matt, a personal trainer at her company's gym, who unbeknownst to her is also a Lit professor. Her boss requests Lexie to setup a date with one of the trainers at the gym. Low and behold they are the same guy. Lexie doesn't know or realize this, but Matt does.
Lexie struck me, at least at first, as a bit immature, naive, and unsure of herself. She had a Bad Thing happen to her with her high school boyfriend that she (of course) carried through to her current view of relationships. I didn't like that she allowed that *one* experience to have so much power over her. As the book progressed, she does grow.
I did like Matt, but I thought he allowed the deception to go on for a little too long. However, the reveal had drama. I did like the epilogue as it showed them about a year later.
I did like that Lexie's boss wasn't portrayed as a bitch (as women in power so often are).

eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing and NetGalley