Claire's Christmas Dance

Ms. Christensen has written an enchanting Christmas read that is the perfect length to squeeze in a sweet romance while sipping cocoa with a fluffy blanket during a much needed break from all the holiday madness.


The characters are well created and the romance delightful.

Sink into a comfy chair by the fire and read it from beginning to end in one lovely sitting.

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Claire has always dreamed of dancing at the Fielding House Christmas Ball, but she never dreamed she might dance into the arms of a gentleman not of her class. 


The Fielding House Christmas Ball is for everyone, including servants. This Christmas Eve a lady’s maid, Claire Walden, plans to attend for the first time, but when Mrs. Fielding’s grandson shows up unexpectedly the dance may take a different turn. Edmund is a gentleman of the upper class, but with a questionable background. When he shows an interest in Claire, she doesn’t want to risk her heart, but over time, Claire comes to know Edmund. As the Christmas Eve ball approaches, Claire wonders if love might be able to cross the lines of servants and high society. If she saves a dance for Edmund, will he steal her heart forever?

The Tannenbaum Tailors and the Secret Snowball

This is my first read by J.B. Michaels.

I picked this up because I thought it would be a fun read for my fourth grader but I never got around to having him read it because I was having so much fun reading it myself. 

It's an Indiana Jones meets the North Pole adventure! A mystery, a villainous group bent on destroying Christmas, and an elf who must save it all! 

A thoroughly enjoyable read with twists, turns, and high flying elves. And there's at least one more adventure book in this series. Hooray. 

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***READERS' FAVORITE GOLD MEDAL WINNER 2017***

They are the Tannenbaum Tailors: elves charged with maintaining Christmas trees in homes around the world.

Without the Tailors’ efforts, families might lose their Christmas spirit. And this year, one team of Tailors will be tested like never before.

With the North Pole itself under attack, newly promoted Captain Brendan is assigned a special mission: conceal the source of Santa’s power within a Christmas tree in Chicago. On Christmas Eve, Santa will pick it up.

The job would be simple, but the Tailors find themselves facing a serious threat”"the thieving Spiritless elves, already responsible for sabotaging the North Pole Home Tree, will do anything to gain control of the very thing that makes Christmas possible.

˃˃˃ Equally bad, Christmas spirit is at an all-time low in the Chicago home where Brendan’s assigned.

The family’s mother even wants to take the tree down before Christmas Eve! To save Christmas, Captain Brendan and his Tailors will have to use every spirit-raising trick they know”"and possibly even bend a few rules to pull it off.

˃˃˃ Combining holiday cheer with action and thrills,

The Tannenbaum Tailors and the Secret Snowball reads like Raiders of the Lost Ark in a Christmas tree.

Secondhand Hearts

It looks like Jo Noelle is embarking on a new series and I can't wait to meet more of the people in Peak City.

This is a quick read but there's nice development and conflict between the characters to get enough of the experience of a full length novel.

I really liked Elena and Chase. They seemed like people I'd like to hang out with.

My only bit of disappointment was due to the abrupt ending. I wanted just a few pages more to satisfy me, but the author knows best how to write their book.

Really like the cover.

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He's a country star trying to lay low. She's a pawn shop owner struggling to get by. Can their relationship last when she learns his secret? 

As a member of a top country-western band, Chase has the money and fame he's always wanted. When he meets the beautiful woman who owns Treasure Mountain Pawn, he has to hide both of those things from the one person he wants to know everything about him. 
 
When Elena sees Chase for the first time, his turquoise eyes and tousled brown hair convince her that she might believe in insta-love. Just in time, her brain takes over, reminding her that her business is in trouble, making her future uncertain—not a good time for love. 
 

But being with Chase is as easy as following her heart, until she finds he has a secret big enough to break it.

Dangerous Favor

Ms. DiPastena's third installment of this series takes no prisoners. In her beautiful medieval style she plunks your mind and heart into the era and tangles you up in the love and intrigues relative to marriage and honor.

The characters and tale are well crafted and bid you to continuously turn the page to see how she will untangle the web of deceit and innocence to a sigh worthy romantic and life threatening conclusion.

My only wish was that I'd read the previous books to remember better certain familial connections as it had been years between readings. This story may be read as a stand alone, but when the writing is at such a lofty level, why would you?

Amazon
Mathilde needs a champion.

Her father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. She has one chance to find and marry a man who can help her prove her father's innocence. Lord Therri, heir to a rich barony, has the wealth and connections Mathilde needs to delve into the mysteries of her father's past. Furthermore, Therri embodies all her romantic dreams.

Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections, but is smitten with Mathilde at a glance. She finds the knight intriguing, but believes he is only out to seduce her. While she seeks for a way to win Therri's attention, Etienne tricks her into granting him her favor, an embroidered white ribbon, for a tournament, setting in motion a dangerous chain reaction of events. Can Etienne save Mathilde from a nightmare from her past and prove himself the true hero of her dreams?

Poitevin Hearts, Book 3: Men and women living and loving amidst the political intrigues of medieval Poitou (a region of France once ruled by the Kings of England)

Dangerous Favor is a PG rated historical romance.

The Poitevin Hearts romance series is linked together by recurring characters, but each title is written as a stand-alone novel. They can therefore be read and enjoyed in any order.

Additionally, some characters in this series appear in titles not listed as a Poitevin Hearts romance. If you wish to read about the characters chronologically, the titles in order would be as follows:

Loyalty’s Web (Poitevin Hearts, Book 1)
Illuminations of the Heart (Poitevin Hearts, Book 2)
Loving Lucianna (Hearts in Autumn, Book 1)
Dangerous Favor (Poitevin Hearts, Book 3)
The Lady and the Minstrel

Seeking Mr. Dependable

A Jane Austen pact book...how could I resist?

I've enjoyed other books in this series and was equally delighted with Ms. Checketts work.

There's quite a bit of high emotion and suspense to this tale so be sure and take your heart medication first. There's depth to the characters, clean writing, fast pacing, and heart thudding kisses to keep the romance reader happily entertained. There are marvelous obstacles in their way, some from outside sources and some of their own creation.

A read now novel.

Amazon

A broken-hearted Romeo. A wrongly-accused woman. Can he keep her safe if she puts her life in his hands? 
Brooke Isaacson's ex-fiancé pulls a gun on her and she has no choice but to run. When she runs straight to Wyoming and into the arms of Ryker Redland, she's not sure if she's found her Mr. Dependable or found the biggest heartbreak of her life.
A deserted cabin and a territorial grizzly tracking them will either bring them together or be their death sentence.

The American (Billionaire Royals Book 6)

I picked up this book on the recommendataion of a friend. It is my first read by Ms. Summers, but I'm not sure if I'll be picking up anymore of her books soon.

The characters are wonderfully created and real. The pacing steady and quick. The challenges the characters pose to each other bring lightness and fun. There's a smidge of intrigue. Settings spot on.

My disappointment came at the end. The book stopped abruptly. I was midscene and the story was over. There were lose ends left untied.

Please understand, it saddens me to leave such a review. Authors work hard and have so many elements to juggle to bring a story and characters to life and on to the page into the reader's hands. This one simply missed the mark at the end for me.

Amazon

The Sixth book in the Billionaire Royals Series. Thane tires of his work as the press liaison in Torren. And longs to enter the business world. After a shocking announcement to his family, he moves to Manhattan and begins life as the newest billionaire royal in the fast paced business world.

Serving The Prince: Clean Contemporary Royal Romance (Royal Secrets Book 3)

This is my first read by Sophia Conrad and I found it wonderfully charming.

Julie is smart, attractive, and has a sense of morality and responsibility. All combine to make her a well rounded character and a good match for Max.

Max, with the world at his finger tips, wants to make a difference in his country and the world and yearns for a woman is can be more than giggly arm candy. His attraction to Julie is sweet and genuine.

A cozy satisfying page-turning read.

Amazon

She’s a waitress with no room for distractions. He’s a prince wishing for a simpler life. Is there any hope for a happily-ever-after?

Julie Winters’ life is simple: work and college. Her five-year life plan doesn’t allow for detours of any kind, and that includes no dating. With her family counting on the money she makes from her tips at the lodge, Julie is serious about her responsibilities. She definitely won’t let a man distract her, even when he looks like Max, a guest from Europe. 

But when Julie’s old car breaks down, the mysterious Max is the one to rescue her. And when she needs an archery tutor, Max volunteers for the job. Soon, they’re spending time together, and Julie likes it. Maybe a little too much.

Prince Maximilian Wolfe is in the U.S. to look for investors, not to find a girlfriend. His friend Prince Henry likes to go clubbing, but Max prefers the simple things. When he meets Julie at the restaurant where she works, he’s immediately intrigued by her beautiful brown eyes. Julie is different and genuine, and Max looks for ways to spend more time together.

There’s only one problem—Julie doesn’t know Max is a prince.


Current books in the Royal Secrets series:
— Book 1: Taming The Prince by Addison Quinn
— Book 2: Dancing with The Prince by Kennedy Larsen
— Book 3: Serving The Prince by Sophia Conrad
— Book 4: Dating The Prince by Addison Quinn
— Book 5: Forgetting The Prince by Kennedy Larsen
— Book 6: Rescuing The Prince by Sophia Conrad