Review: Sleigh Bells Ring by RaeAnne Thayne

Is it even Christmas without a RaeAnne Thayne book? The answer is NO IT IS NOT! I adore Thayne’s Christmas books so obviously this book was an easy yes to reviewing. In all honesty, I had this one on pre-order months ago because I didn’t want to miss one of her Christmas books. Thayne is such a great romance writer without being overly steamy and I never want to miss one of her books!

This book is a standalone but there are mentions of other characters from previous books that she has written. But I want to be clear this is absolutely a standalone book! But if you are a long time fan of Thayne then you will recognize familiar characters in this book. I read this one in one sitting and found it really enjoyable and exactly what I was expecting from Thayne.

Thayne is a prolific writer and has written a number of novels (series and standalones) but for me her Christmas books are where it’s at! I have read her other novels which are great but she captures small town romance and Christmas so so so well and I often recommend her Christmas books to friends, family and of course people all over my social media! If you are looking for a quick, feel good holiday romance this is an excellent choice!

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Review: Mistletoe Season (Carolina Girls #2) by Michelle Major

It’s officially Christmas reading season for me and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. I loved the cover and it just screamed Christmas magic for me even if I haven’t read anything else by Michelle Major, this one just screamed read me for some reason. I know that Michelle Major is we well known romance author with quite a few series under her belt so I felt confident that I would enjoy this book by a beloved writer!

While this is part of a series, it is not necessary for a new reader to go back and read the other books. I felt right at home in the book and with the characters without having read the first book which is usually typical for most romances. It was very evident that Major is a skilled writer with experience crafting romances and chemistry between her characters. I enjoyed this one so much and actually ordered a couple of her other books to read in the coming months.

If you love holiday romances this book is going to be a great option for you. The cover is stunning and eye catching, and not to mention the story within will warm your heart and make you feel cozy and satisfied. So pick up your eggnog or hot tottie and settle in for some holiday romance with this charming read!

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Special Feature: Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey

To say that I adore Kristy Woodson Harvey is the biggest understatement of the year! I basically fan girl her so hard, I love her Peachtree Bluff series and was so sad when it came to an inevitable end—–or so I thought. I was over the moon when I saw we were getting a Christmas book to follow up to the Peachtree Bluff series!

I cannot wait to start this book next month. I don’t really do much holiday reading until November after all the spooky books, and I am so looking forward to this book being my first big holiday book next month! So be watching for my review soon. If you love feel good contempo lit with heart, charm, and strong character building then do not miss this series and seriously—it’s a holiday book DO NOT pass on this one!

I love that we are going to catch up with some favorite characters of the series and see how things are going back at Peachtree Bluff. I loved so many of her characters in this series so seeing them again is going to be so great. If you are looking for holiday reads this should be at the top of your list even if you haven’t read the other books in the series, I think this could read as a standalone and be fine. I cannot wait to share my thoughts on this one and you should get it now since it’s out and get ready for the holiday season now!

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Review: A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes

I adore Anita Hughes. I have been a big fan for a while though I have only really read her holiday romances, I have enjoyed each one for a number of different reasons. I think the biggest thing that I have loved about her romances are the locations! Every time I crack open a Christmas romance by Hughes, I am automatically transported to some where cozy and even a bit magical.

Her novels have been set in London and Paris at Christmas as well as other more ‘local’ locations for me like Vermont. Each location gets a heavy holiday makeover and I always find myself wondering why I don’t go somewhere for the holidays! This year my family and I are going somewhere remote for Thanksgiving but we usually stay in Oregon or go to Arizona for Christmas but some day I would love to do Christmas in Paris or Vermont thanks to Hughes’s books!

Her latest novel is set in New York and while not necessarily exotic or ‘cozy’ this setting has a distinct feel all it’s own! I really liked this story the best out of her Christmas books and while I feel like I say that every time Hughes comes out with a new holiday book, in this case I really mean it. It has a little Maid in Manhattan feel to this rom-com full of all the Christmas charm that I love from Hughes!

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Special Feature: Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis

Is it really time for Christmas books? The answer is apparently yes. I normally don’t break out my Christmas reads until at least November but I do have a couple of holiday books I wanted to get on your radar before the season got into full swing and this right here is one of them. While this book has a distinctive winter vibe, I am not exactly sure that’s it qualifies as a Christmas book officially.

The summary indicates that this story will explore the romance between two strangers who are stranded together in a blizzard—-in March. So it sounds like this might not be the Christmas romance you were hoping for but it does have a winter feel and even if it’s still a little on the warm side and we are just going into spooky reading season, this book should definitely be on your radar for this upcoming season!

I love stories about the twists of fate. When I was a teenager one of my favorite films was Only You with a young RDJ and Marisa Tomei. The theme of fate was heavily featured in that movie and from then on I just loved books and movies about fate and romance which is why this book sounds so good to me! Fate/destiny also play a big role in this one and I cannot wait to check it out! Early reviewers are praising this one highly so be sure to check it out!

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