Review: A great way to kick-off the holiday season
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 4, 2013
REVIEWED BY SUNNYDREAM A LITTLE DREAM by Jill ShalvisI wasn't sure if I would like this short story since Melissa was the heroine and she hadn't been a model citizen of Lucky Harbor. However, I was impressed with how Jill Shalvis develops her character in this short story. Since I kind of have a thing for sexy firefighters, Ian was easy for me to love and I enjoyed how his emotions evolved throughout DREAM A LITTLE DREAM. I liked the love story, but I missed some of the typical Lucky Harbor gossip of Lucille and secondary characters we get in the full-length books by this talented author.RATING: B+EVERY YEAR by Kristen AshleyIn EVERY YEAR, Tabby and her family gives her boyfriend, Shy, and his brother a gift - a shot at a good Christmas. I enjoyed how the two families come together for the holiday, each working their way through the emotions of the day as they start new traditions together. Written from Tabby's point of view, I struggled a bit with the inconsistencies in her character. She was carrying out such a special, mature gesture, yet her language (for instance, the overuse of the phrase "my man" and calling a kiss "the bomb") had her coming off as immature. Shy was a bit rough with his grammar too. Even though this isn't my preferred style of writing, I liked the overall theme of this short story.RATING: B-SILENT NIGHT by Hope RamsayMaryanne is down on her luck and I was impressed, even in a short story, with how well-developed her character was. Over the course of the story, we were given clarity as to why Maryanne ends up on an all-but-abandoned farm and how the few special memories she holds dear got her there. The hero, Daniel, also is dealing with some tough situations. His backstory was well-developed too, which helped me understand why he is feeling a bit sorry for himself. I enjoyed how these two characters are thrown together and how they interacted with each other. The plotting felt a bit far-fetched at times, but overall, it was a cute story with cool connections to the first Christmas.RATING: BHAVE YOURSELF A MESSY LITTLE CHRISTMAS by Molly CannonLet's just get right to it...I loved everything about HAVE YOURSELF A MESSY LITTLE CHRISTMAS! Molly Cannon had me from the start! From her heroine, Dinah, a professional organizer, to the organizationally challenged hot accountant, Lincoln, I couldn't help but love this short story! I found myself inspired to go organize my sock drawer, and then give a passionate kiss to my accountant husband! Cannon accomplished a lot in this short story, including making me laugh out loud. I highly recommend taking a little time during this busy holiday season to read this one. It is worth it!RATING: AA FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS by Marilyn PappanoDr. Jared Connors, who grew up in a big city and is now trying to find his own way in rural Oklahoma, was a genuine hero in A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS. I appreciated his drive to get out of the shadows of his surgeon parents and make a life for himself that he could be proud of. What was even better? How Ilena, a widowed mother, helped ease the transition into his new life. I loved Ilena's love for her son and for her life, even though she had been dealt some difficult cards. Everything came together nicely in this short story.RATING: B+BOTTOM LINEI enjoyed this nice mix of holiday short stories. I made it pretty apparent which my favorite was, but I did enjoy them all. I truly feel in the spirit of the holidays and look forward to enjoying the love of my life this upcoming Christmas season.OVERALL ANTHOLOGY RATING: B+Note: I received a review copy of this title courtesy of the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review