anacoqui's review
3.0
I have previously read and enjoyed Kat Latham's Knowing the Score London Legends #1, which has the honor of being the first sports romance I have read and enjoyed.
I read all three stories in this Anthology and enjoyed two of them.
Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth
In Tinsel My Heart a now famous director Jack Whittaker returns to Minnesota to fill in for his directing partner, former best-friend Ty, who has let Jack down once again due to his drug addiction. Jack is unwilling to let Becca Huntley,their mutual old-friend suffer because of Ty.
This is a story of unspoken feelings, lingering misunderstandings and regret. The circus atmosphere of the Holiday theater production coupled with a overly crowded cast of colorful secondary characters and Jack's hostility toward Becca kept me from connecting with this story. I kept wanting to shake the characters and have them stop talking so much without actually saying something. 2 out of 5 stars.
Season of Second Chances by Brighton Walsh:
On Christmas Eve Claire is exactly where she doesn't want to be: Stuck in O'hare airport with her former fiancee the only person to turn to. Rather than spend the night in the airport floor as hotels fill-up with stranded travelers Claire accepts Logan's offer of a place to stay. It is painfully confusing offer to accept. It has been two years since she walked away from Logan after too many cancelled dates, lonely dinners due to Logan's workaholism. Claire has made a new life for herself but going back to their old apartment reminds her of all she had hoped they would have.
I quite liked this story. Claire wariness and Logan's desire to prove to Claire that he is a different man than he was when she left him were naturally addressed without turning Logan into a perfect man. 4 out 5 stars
Mine Under the Mistletoe by Kat Latham
Ashley Turner has swapped houses with Oliver Stansfeld leaving behind sunny San Diego for what she hopes is the idealize English Christmas she grew up hoping for. Oliver is fleeing London and all the feelings and grief Christmas there would mean.
But Christmas for Ashley and Oliver is not turning out as planned. Oliver is stuck in London after deep snows ground all flights out, so he heads back to his house and his bed to wait for the airport to re-open. His bed isn't empty however as Ashley made it in to London in one of the last flights to land. Their introduction is hilarious and worthy of the best of British farce.
This a story of about the best of intentions, horrible mistakes, regret, loss and choosing love, set in a beautifully drawn modern London.
I almost wrongly nitpicked myself out of enjoying this story due to a small insignificant detail about Christmas lights and the difference between British and American plugs in the first few chapters. However there is nothing to nitpick about the romance in this story. I really loved how Ashley and Oliver got on, how naturally their relationship developed with all its hesitancy, false-starts and set-backs. I thought the resolutions were also natural and emotional. 5 out of 5 stars
The Publication date was Dec.5, 2013, Digital ARC provided for free by Publisher via NetGalley.
I read all three stories in this Anthology and enjoyed two of them.
Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth
In Tinsel My Heart a now famous director Jack Whittaker returns to Minnesota to fill in for his directing partner, former best-friend Ty, who has let Jack down once again due to his drug addiction. Jack is unwilling to let Becca Huntley,their mutual old-friend suffer because of Ty.
This is a story of unspoken feelings, lingering misunderstandings and regret. The circus atmosphere of the Holiday theater production coupled with a overly crowded cast of colorful secondary characters and Jack's hostility toward Becca kept me from connecting with this story. I kept wanting to shake the characters and have them stop talking so much without actually saying something. 2 out of 5 stars.
Season of Second Chances by Brighton Walsh:
On Christmas Eve Claire is exactly where she doesn't want to be: Stuck in O'hare airport with her former fiancee the only person to turn to. Rather than spend the night in the airport floor as hotels fill-up with stranded travelers Claire accepts Logan's offer of a place to stay. It is painfully confusing offer to accept. It has been two years since she walked away from Logan after too many cancelled dates, lonely dinners due to Logan's workaholism. Claire has made a new life for herself but going back to their old apartment reminds her of all she had hoped they would have.
I quite liked this story. Claire wariness and Logan's desire to prove to Claire that he is a different man than he was when she left him were naturally addressed without turning Logan into a perfect man. 4 out 5 stars
Mine Under the Mistletoe by Kat Latham
Ashley Turner has swapped houses with Oliver Stansfeld leaving behind sunny San Diego for what she hopes is the idealize English Christmas she grew up hoping for. Oliver is fleeing London and all the feelings and grief Christmas there would mean.
But Christmas for Ashley and Oliver is not turning out as planned. Oliver is stuck in London after deep snows ground all flights out, so he heads back to his house and his bed to wait for the airport to re-open. His bed isn't empty however as Ashley made it in to London in one of the last flights to land. Their introduction is hilarious and worthy of the best of British farce.
This a story of about the best of intentions, horrible mistakes, regret, loss and choosing love, set in a beautifully drawn modern London.
I almost wrongly nitpicked myself out of enjoying this story due to a small insignificant detail about Christmas lights and the difference between British and American plugs in the first few chapters. However there is nothing to nitpick about the romance in this story. I really loved how Ashley and Oliver got on, how naturally their relationship developed with all its hesitancy, false-starts and set-backs. I thought the resolutions were also natural and emotional. 5 out of 5 stars
The Publication date was Dec.5, 2013, Digital ARC provided for free by Publisher via NetGalley.
jaimearkin's review
5.0
Are you looking for a sweet, definitely sexy and absolutely wonderful holiday read?
You need to pick up this Novella by Brighton Walsh.
In Season of Second chances we meet Claire and Logan... exes who went their separate ways several years ago. Claire finds herself stranded in the airport and Logan just happens to come to her rescue offering her a place to wait out the storm... and spend her birthday.
Despite being apart for two years, their chemistry certainly hasn't diminished and spending time in the place they once called home together reminds Claire of all the reasons they worked ... but also all the reasons they didn't.
If you guys have read other stuff from Walsh, you know she can create a swoony guy... Logan is no exception to that. Do hot, single dads make you swoon? Because Logan has a 7 year old daughter and the interactions we see between them will have you swooning just as much as Claire was.
And despite what I felt was an over-reaction on Claire's part at one point, you can't help but identify with her and the way she feels about Logan. Does she love him? yes... but sometimes loving someone isn't enough to make a relationship work and that is the call she had to make years ago and the issue arises again, just when she thinks they will be able to make things work.
Realistic characters, a love story that will have you fanning yourself on one page and swooning over sweet stuff on the next, and excellent writing is what is in store for you when you pick up The Season of Second Chances! Get this one as soon as you can! It's the perfect holiday read!
You need to pick up this Novella by Brighton Walsh.
In Season of Second chances we meet Claire and Logan... exes who went their separate ways several years ago. Claire finds herself stranded in the airport and Logan just happens to come to her rescue offering her a place to wait out the storm... and spend her birthday.
Despite being apart for two years, their chemistry certainly hasn't diminished and spending time in the place they once called home together reminds Claire of all the reasons they worked ... but also all the reasons they didn't.
If you guys have read other stuff from Walsh, you know she can create a swoony guy... Logan is no exception to that. Do hot, single dads make you swoon? Because Logan has a 7 year old daughter and the interactions we see between them will have you swooning just as much as Claire was.
And despite what I felt was an over-reaction on Claire's part at one point, you can't help but identify with her and the way she feels about Logan. Does she love him? yes... but sometimes loving someone isn't enough to make a relationship work and that is the call she had to make years ago and the issue arises again, just when she thinks they will be able to make things work.
Realistic characters, a love story that will have you fanning yourself on one page and swooning over sweet stuff on the next, and excellent writing is what is in store for you when you pick up The Season of Second Chances! Get this one as soon as you can! It's the perfect holiday read!
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