Review: Loved this so, so much!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 25, 2013
This is a year when I know I’ll need some holiday spirit and whenever I have one of these years, I fully rely on Christmas movies and music to help bring it. I’m excited to discover Christmas reads as another avenue to lift me up for the holidays. Cross Country Christmas was the perfect read for this. Fireplace on, Christmas music playing, hot chocolate and Baileys in hand and I was ready to immerse myself. This book was just like the sappy Christmas movies I watch every year and I loved every minute of it.Jamie moved away from Woodfalls four years ago with the idea of finding true love in mind. She has been in love with Grant since she was a kid but felt like he never noticed her. She comes face to face with Grant on a flight back home for Christmas. When plane troubles and a freak snowstorm leave them stranded together for a couple of days, things quickly heat up. Will Jamie find the love she’s been searching for in the boy who was always right in front of her?I really liked Jamie and Grant. Jamie was like an accident waiting to happen, especially in the presence of Grant. Why wouldn’t she continuously humiliate herself in front of the boy she has crushed on for years? She is a strong, confidant women but she instantly turns into a klutzy mess around Grant and it cracked me up. She has this witty sarcasm she uses to deal with her feelings for Grant and it had me laughing out loud at times. While Jamie is oblivious, it is clear Grant has feelings for her and teasing and subtle flirting is how he shows it.From the moment they meet again on the plane, they’re attempted trip home is one disaster after another and I found that to be a really fun and entertaining plot line. As they spent more time in close proximity with one another, the sexual tension continued to build. Being in Jamie’s head, I knew she was attracted to Grant but I could sense his feelings for her too and the anticipation was killing me. When they finally opened up to one another, it was a beautiful moment and despite all his joking and teasing, Grant was actually a really sweet guy. While his charm wasn’t surprising, his thoughtfulness and attentiveness was.Plot development can be tricky with a novella since they’re so short but I think Tiffany nailed it. Even in such a short time, I was still able to get a feel for who the characters were and I was able to connect with them. She is excellent at writing steamy love scenes without overdoing it and still making it sensual and swoon worthy. What I liked most about this novella? It had an excellent mix of humor and romance.