Review: Flirting with Alaska by Belle Calhoune

Author Belle Calhoune brings us back to Moose Falls, Alaska in the second book of her charming series, Falling for Alaska. In this book, we get to dive into the life of the middle brother Caleb, a reformed bad boy who unexpectedly falls for a local single mom in this small town romance.

When a reality show destroys his reputation and puts his Hollywood dreams on hold, Caleb finds himself needing to take some time to get things together and what better place for that to be than Moose Falls, Alaska. Between the beautiful scenery and his family business there, this being the perfect place to get out the spotlight, clear his head, it will allow him the chance to take a break and help with the business.

Being the charmer he is, his charm seems too irresistible to all the ladies there except one, a single mom who was all familiar with the type of guy he is. After watching the reality show debacle that involved him, and all the gossip surrounding him, he was the last person she’d have interest in. She’s had enough of his type and was not going to be swayed by his charm.

As they are brought together by a project at his family’s business and find themselves working closely together, she sees another side that softens her criticism of him. As time goes on, they both find themselves open to the possibilities and when your guard comes down, between the beautiful setting and their heartfelt connection, this Hollywood star might just have found his leading lady.

I love this series. There’s so much to love about the characters but in reference to this book, Caleb’s journey from being a punchline to someone adored and respected, his relationship with Sophia and how that evolved and changed him dating a single mother was such a wonderful read. Sophia is someone that will be relatable to those single moms out there who struggle with balancing being a mom and finding love, she is someone to be admired. These two characters with their own struggles who when they let their guards down became vulnerable, allowed them to grow which made them characters that you were not going to accept less than to be together. It was definitely a slow burn but one worth it.

Of course we see familiar faces returning as integral parts to their storylines. I just love the familial community and warmth they bring to the book. The beautiful setting and the small town vibes bring an authenticity that places you in the heart of Alaska. Flirting With Alaska, with its heartwarming story of second chances, redemption and unexpected love will be perfect for those who love romance.

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Review: Under the Mistletoe Collection: Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood and Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

About the Book - Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

For two former childhood friends, a blustery winter storm stirs some frosty—and scorching—memories in a delightfully sexy short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.

Ali Hazelwood’s Cruel Winter with You is part of Under the Mistletoe, a collection of sexy December romances to warm the cold winter nights. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

About the Book - Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

A single mother working in a thrift store. A gentle giant farmer who can’t find jeans that fit. When opposites attract, they find themselves making alterations in more ways than one in this smoking-hot short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.

Evie Crowe is starting over in a strange town with her newborn, and men are the furthest thing from her mind. If only the quiet, hulking farmer, Luke Ward, would stop coming into the thrift shop and piquing her reluctant interest. Evie wants to stay single all the way—she can’t trust anything more than friends-with-holiday-benefits. But Luke is in it for the long haul. He’s fixed on making this a Christmas Evie will remember forever. If she gives him a chance.

Tessa Bailey’s Merry Ever After is part of Under the Mistletoe, a collection of sexy December romances to warm the cold winter nights. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

With the holiday season upon us, I decided to get in the mood by reading the first two books in the Under the Mistletoe Collection.  Of the two, I much preferred Cruel Winter with You by a long shot. I found it to be entertaining. I liked Marc. He was incredibly kind and so down bad for Jamie—even though she didn’t realize it at times. However, he had said some rude things to her while they were growing up, and I would have loved to know his feelings at that moment. I don’t recall him apologizing to Jamie either. There are quite a few time jumps within the novella; however, I think they are perfectly placed and much needed.

Merry Ever After didn’t feel like a holiday novella. The plot could have taken place in any other season, and almost nothing would change. It was too fast-paced and so much unnecessary smut. I liked the tropes in this one, but I didn't like the writing and execution. Evie’s son felt almost nonexistent and there was no emotional depth.

Final Thoughts

Cruel Winter with You feels like a holiday novella with two characters being forced to communicate while snowed in. Marc and Jamie had known each other for years, and for most of his life, Marc had crushed on Jamie. The book is unfortunately slightly hurt without the POV of Marc. All and all, it’s a short and sweet holiday novella.

With Merry Ever After, I decided to give Tessa Bailey another chance after avoiding her books for years. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this one. The dialogue felt silly, and the pacing was just too fast.

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Review: All by My Elf by Olivia Dade & Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria (Under the Mistletoe Collection)

About the Books

All by My Elf – Olivia Dade

Secret crushes, spicy Christmas treats, heinous holiday traffic, and a fateful snowstorm bring good friends together in a funny, sexy short story by bestselling author Olivia Dade.

Nina and William are underpaid adjunct professors at the same university, where winter break is no break at all: ’tis the season to make extra money. When their holiday side hustle has them stranded by a blinding blizzard in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do but cuddle up for warmth and play a hot and bothered game of Never Have I Ever to pass the time. But in the game of love, secrets never stay secret for long…

Olivia Dade’s All by My Elf is part of Under the Mistletoe, a collection of sexy December romances to warm the cold winter nights. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

Only Santas in the Building – Alexis Daria

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially for a comic book illustrator whose late-night naughty fantasies become real in a festive and spicy short story by bestselling author Alexis Daria.

All Evie Cruz wants for Christmas is a nap. And maybe some ornaments for her naked Christmas tree. And while she’s making a list, she wouldn’t mind unwrapping her sexy upstairs neighbor like a present. Luckily, the building’s Santa-themed party and a surprise sprig of mistletoe give her just the opening she needs to make all her wishes come true.

Alexis Daria’s Only Santas in the Building is part of Under the Mistletoe, a collection of sexy December romances to warm the cold winter nights. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting

Review

Out of the four novellas in the Under the Mistletoe Collection, All by My Elf certainly felt the weakest. I struggled to get through it and often found myself confused. When I finished reading it, I had to go back and reread the beginning because I was missing bits of information. The information had been provided in the beginning, but it confused my brain. In addition, I didn’t particularly see any chemistry between Nina and William.

Only Santas in the Building is the strongest novella in the collection. I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of my favorite things about it is that it felt like a holiday novella while reading. Evie has been struggling to decorate for the holiday season due to work deadlines and the emotions tied to losing her grandmother. However, a neighbor within the building has anonymously been leaving ornaments at her door. It’s predictable, but still a very cute read.

Final Thoughts

Only Santas in the Building emerges as the current victor from the Under the Mistletoe collection. It has the most depth, the best relationship, and feels the most like Christmas. On the other hand, All by My Elf falls flat, suffering from a confusing start and lackluster romance.

Buy on Amazon:

All by Elf: Amazon Kindle | Audible

Only Santas in the Building: Amazon Kindle | Audible

Review: A Legend in Baking by Jamie Wesley

Jamie Wesley’s A Legend in Baking serves up a wonderful mix of romance, laugh out loud moments, and the temptation of those cupcakes, all frosted with the right amount of social media drama and personal growth. This delicious addition to the Sugar Blitz series, centers on August Hodges, a cupcake baking football player who is a silent partner in the business, finds himself going viral after an incident that instantly grabs the hearts of ladies all over. Teamed up with Sloane Dell, a social media enthusiast, they deliver a charming, sweet romance that gives them the hea they were destined for. 

August Hodges tries his best to stay the silent partner. When a couple of guys came in and said some disparaging things, he found himself being the next viral hit grabbing the hearts of ladies everywhere. With the help of the little sister of one of his co-owners, Sloane Dell saw this as an opportunity not only to capitalize on the moment to promote them but also draw up some excitement for the upcoming second location and let the community get to know them better.

Despite their history together, Sloane decides to power forward to not only help them get to where they need to be but also help jumpstart her career in social media. To be able to work together, they agree to leave their past in the past. The only problem is when a steamy moment brings to the surface unresolved feelings towards each other, they are put in a situation that challenges the task at hand and tempting the fate of what's meant to be.

A Legend in Baking balances its lighthearted plot blending subjects of personal and chasing dreams. August and Sloane, their journey was worth the wait. The perfect tale of the wrong time but the right person finding their fate later is always a good read. If you are a fan of sweet romances and a little spice you will find this as sweet as those devouring cupcakes. Loveable characters, moments that will make you laugh, and who wouldn’t want to be in a cupcake shop will satisfy your sweet tooth with the sequel in this wonderful series. If you haven’t read the first book, Fake It Till You Bake It, make sure to catch it because you won’t want to miss this fun series.

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Review: My December Darling by Lauren Asher

About the Book

Catalina

Playing the part of my sister’s maid of honor is easy even if she’s marrying my ex.

But playing nice with the best man? An impossible task given our history.

Sure, Luke Darling may be suspiciously kind, incredibly handsome, and stubborn to a fault, but regardless of how hard he tries to make me see otherwise, I’m not interested.

It’s on me to remind him that he’s my ex-boyfriend’s best friend.

And the one I’m secretly starting to wish I met first.

Luke

My job as the best man is a simple one, except for one minor issue.

I’ve spent so much time avoiding my best friend’s ex that I didn’t consider what could happen if I started craving Catalina Martinez’s company instead.

She is only in Lake Wisteria for the winter wedding, but her January departure date won’t stop me from pursuing her.

Getting her to date me would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle, but I’m determined to make her mine.

‘Tis the season to fall in love…even if I’m the only one taking the risk.

Review

The romance between Catalina and Luke was the weakest part of this story. I won’t lie and say that they didn’t have any cute moments because they did. I adored that they both loved Legos and that that was something incorporated into their romance. However, other than that, I was not blown away by their spark. I felt that they would have done better as a supporting romance rather than the main romance.

What was more surprising to me about My December Darling was how Asher handled the trope of a sibling getting with the main character’s ex. It was refreshing to see no toxicity and read about how Catalina’s sister and ex, genuinely wanted her to be happy and pushed her towards Luke. I appreciated Catalina’s relationship with them both and loved her maid of honor speech. I thought it was nicely done. I also loved the growth of the relationship between Catalina and her mom. They were on rocky terms, and it was sweet that they could work that out.

Final Thoughts

The romance in My December Darling is the unfortunate weakest part of this novella. However, that should not discourage readers. It’s a sweet read. Despite the disappointing romance, Asher does deliver on several other things. The book provides a heartwarming family dynamic and also does really well with highlighting friendships. In addition, the book feels like the holiday season.

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Review: Dishonestly Yours by Krista and Becca Ritchie

About the Book

A USA TODAY BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHORS OF THE TIKTOK SENSATION, ADDICTED TO YOU!

Starting fresh is the only way Phoebe can escape a life of crime, but her best friend's older brother complicates honest dreams in this gripping new series from the authors of the Addicted series.

Phoebe Graves grew up in a family where deception and seduction are as commonplace as breathing. The Graves and her best friend Hailey’s family have been on the run their whole lives, but after a high-stakes con job goes south, Phoebe and Hailey decide to run away and start over. The small Connecticut town they settle in seems too good to be true.

The biggest flaw in their plan is Hailey’s frustratingly handsome brother, Rocky, who insists on coming with them. Living honestly isn’t in his DNA, and his past with Phoebe is downright messy. He’s everything she wants, but nothing she can have.

Phoebe worries that Rocky will tempt them back into their old ways, where lying is second nature. She doesn’t want Rocky to mess up the new life she’s begun for herself. The longer she stays in town, the more she realizes what it means to have a reputation—and what a normal life with the man she loves could look like

Review

Dishonestly Yours was different than I had expected. For the most part, I was entertained.  And I feel that the Ritchie twins did incorporate some beats that make their book shine. However, something was missing that I can’t quite put my finger on.

It was interesting that Rocky and Phoebe reminded me a little of a couple from their other books. I didn’t mind as much because there are some huge differences. As for the romance, I think it was a solid introduction to these two characters. I wish they hadn’t discovered their feelings about each other in this book. I wanted more longing and a little more dislike of each other before confessing their feelings.

Final Thoughts

After reading Dishonestly Yours, I am invested in how this series will play out. I think it has an interesting premise and that these are interesting characters. This was a solid start. I think the twists were unexpected and did increase my chances of reading the next book. As for the characters, I did love Phoebe. And I loved her friendship with Hailey. Most of the plot depended on that friendship, and I think the authors really sold that. Unfortunately, I’m not fully invested in the other characters. There’s nothing wrong with them per se. I’m hoping that the second book will sell me on them.  

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