A slow burn romance and a witty story. It starts off a little rocky for both Cara and Reid, a year ago he was a client there to get handwritten everything from Cara but the engagement fell through and so here they are a secret message in the program and an admittance that he hates New York. Cara has a big opportunity but she is drawing a blank and her best friend, Sibby, has been pulling away from her slowly over the months and Cara is at a loss of what to do. Cara and Sibby use to walk the streets of NYC and point out all the hand drawn signs it is what inspired Cara to do what she does. Cara would prefer someone walk with her, for safety and just because she's lonely; she thinks of Reid and his passing comment about not seeing the right signs and although she knows that he meant metaphorically she wants to show him the city through her eyes. The first outing didn't go well but Reid apologized in the best way possible that showed he really was listening to her. From then on they had a easy friendship that turned into something more.   


Overall, it was a fulfilling story from start to finish. Cara imagines certain words in certain fonts and I can just imagine in my head floating around the person as they spoke. I have to say they have a great first kiss, swoon. It is a slow burn a bunch of little things happen before the big things and it's just Cara and Reid getting to know each other and us getting to know them. I liked the bit at the end it was unexpected and really cemented their relationship. It was wonderfully written the description and imagery with the letters was beautifully done. It's a great way to either start your year or end it.

A 3 overall.
Starry Night
This was too descriptive for a novella. I could argue it would be too desciptive for a full length novel too. Either way, it took me out of the story. Not read FM before and not inclined to after reading this.
Mistletoe and Mimosas
While I liked both characters, I think the subject matter and subsequent love story would have been better in a full length novel. Layla was bullied growing up by Sebastion's friends. While he didn't participate, he also did nothing to stop or discourage the bullying. Layla was poor, Sebastion rich.
For most of the novella Layla thought about the past and limited her interactions with Sebastion, so their romance was too fast for me. I did like the writing and will be checking out more from the author.
Missing Christmas
Having known each other for years, this was a nice, believable romance. I liked the alternating points of view.

I did a buddy read for this one, so for all my thoughts, comments, and quotes (plus you get the insight from someone who really loved this) - Buddy Read Beginner's Luck

So, right off the bat, I have to say, this is written in first person pov with dueling chapters from the heroine and hero and in present tense. I am not the biggest fan of either, especially romance in present tense, this obviously, hurt my enjoyment of the story. If you don't have such qualms, then your mileage with vary.

This was a little slower pace with a very good realness tone to it. Our hero and heroine, Ben and Kit, deal with real life issues regarding trust, bitterness, pain, and hurt. Ben's stems from his mother leaving him to be mostly raised by his dad and Kit's from her father being an alcoholic with a gambling problem. 

I was a little shocked, because of how the series synopsis seemed to highlight that Kit and her two friends won the lottery, how much it wasn't a focus. Kit buys a house to fix up and it gives her the money to do that, which in the prologue, we know Kit wants. 

The feel of the story gave a strong women's fiction but if women's fiction focused on a hero as much as heroine. The friendship between Kit and her two friends was lovely to read about. Like I said, this deals with real life issues. I felt like the story ended up feeling a little uneven to me because of how it was hard for me to get into in the beginning, then the slower middle, and then the last 30% was fast moving with a Big Misunderstanding, family drama, and relationship upheaval. 

A lot of people loved this story and I ended up bumping it up a star because of a wonderfully written emotional moment and generally the last 30% was heartaching emotion. If you don't mind first person and present tense, you'll probably want to check this one out.

“Inside,” he says, and that one word is hotter than the speech.

More comments and quotes - Buddy Read Beginner's Luck

I want to bang my head against the nearest wall. Instead, I cross to the sink to wash my hands, then start grabbing silverware for the table.

He wanted to bang his head against the nearest wall. Instead, he crossed to the sink and washed his hands, then started grabbing silverware for the table.

I can't help it, the sentence reads better to me, more formal?, professional?, adult?, the second way.

More comments & quotes - Buddy Read Beginner's Luck 
I swear I'm going to (try) quit complaining about the tense/pov and focus on the story and characters now.