Review: Short and Sweet Holiday read. Off the Market was cute and enjoyable.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 11 23, 2013
Review for Ramblings From This Chick. ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.comOff the Market by Magan Vernon is a Christmas themed novella. This one was short and sweet and definitely puts you in the mood for the holidays. I haven't ever read anything by Magan Vernon before so I wasn't sure exactly what her writing style was like, but I ended up liking it and thought that the characters were likable. This novella is a cute read if you are looking for some Christmas spirit and a little bit of second chance romance.Etta can't believe that she is being asked to show a house on Christmas Eve, but her coworkers are all with their families and have plans. Not only does someone want to see a house on Christmas Eve, but it isn't just any house. The house used to be her high school boyfriend Andrew's house. Even though she broke up with him right before heading off to college, she has never gotten over Andrew. She has avoided him since coming back to town figuring that he never wants to see her again after she left and broke his heart. But when the potential buyer shows up to view the house, it is none other than Andrew. Andrew has never been able to get over Etta, and he is ready to get her back. Can Andrew and Etta pick up where they left off years ago? Can they have a second chance at the love they once shared?I liked Andrew and Etta. They were fun to read about and they both seemed to be really genuine. They were sweet together, and you could tell that they both never stopped caring about each other. Sometimes with novellas, I struggle with the ability to find a relationship believable because of the short length. But I really found these two characters to be real and their connection seemed to be one that had endured all the obstacles that had been in their way. They were great together, and I loved getting to see some of their back-story and how they were together originally. I really enjoyed watching these two reunite and see that even though years had gone by, that there was a lot that hadn't changed. Andrew and Etta had great chemistry together, and I loved that they could admit they still had feelings for each other without waiting forever.I did feel that even though they had a past and the feelings were still there, that the time frame on this one was a little quick for me though. The entire story takes place in the span of about twenty-four hours and that just didn't seem quite real to me. It was a little rushed considering that they hadn't spoken in years and then went to being together and buying a house together that quickly. I wish that we had been given a bit more time to really see their relationship sort of develop and grow. I also felt that although the characters were likable, we didn't really get to know them that well either. I think this is because of the short length of this novella. Overall though, this one was an enjoyable read. I thought it was fun and flirty while being quick and adorable. If you are looking for a short holiday read that ends with an HEA, this is probably a novella that you will enjoy. Andrew and Etta were cute together, and you couldn't help but feel a little in love with them and Christmas just by reading their story.**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**