Only If You Dare by Margo Hoornstra

March 31, 2014 By 1 Comment

ONLY
Only If You Dare by Margo Hoornstra
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (146 pages)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fennel

All the pleasures and none of the pain, that’s what Cynthia Buckingham wants in a relationship these days. A one-night stand with Jonah Colt seems to fit that bill perfectly. Newly divorced, she’s too busy planning her daughter’s wedding for any serious involvement. Besides, her true passion is helping victims of PTSD reclaim their lives.

Waking up after spending the night with a woman he barely knows, Jonah is stunned to realize sex for the sake of sex isn’t enough for him anymore. A veteran of more military battles than he cares to count, he wants to forget it all and focus on peaceful civilian life. Except flashbacks won’t allow it.

Falling for Cynthia makes Jonah regret his weakened state, but he’d rather hide the truth than face it. When she sets aside everything she believes in to help him heal, can he accept her help–and her love?

Given that Ms. Hoornstra sets If Only You Dare smack in the middle of the difficult emotional background of a PTSD victim and counselor, you may be forgiven for thinking this will be a depressing and difficult read. It is neither.
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The author’s heroine, Cynthia Buckingham, is a well intention-ed, and well-qualified PSTD counselor. She’s read the books, passed the exams and helped victims face their future with all the tools they need.

Or has she?

War veteran, Jonah Colt, has seen it all, and survived to return home, but the memories, experiences, guilt and regrets are his constant companions. Never-the-less he’s managed to glue over the cracks and make a presentable life for himself – until he bumps into Cynthia Buckingham in the hallway of the local courthouse – and then his life changes.

The author’s characters take the reader through the trials when practice meets theory and the effects it has on her hero and heroine in a realist and sympathetic manner, and with a light touch that took this reader right into the situation. I felt Cynthia’s frustration, and Jonah’s anger. I watched as they struggled to overcome major differences and sympathized with both while wanting to knock their heads together on a couple of occasions.

Ms. Hoornstra’s writing style offers an easy read, provides clear settings and a smooth transition from scene to scene. Her character’s have depth, both in their strengths and their flaws. Her minor characters balance the struggles her hero and heroine have with learning to trust, that while they ‘listen’ they truly ‘hear’ what the other is saying.

In a short story this author has used a difficult subject to create believable characters, and a charming, easy-to-read, sweet romance.

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The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off by Carolyn Brown

March 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment

CHILI
The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off by Carolyn Brown
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (300 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Carlene Lovelle, co-owner of Bless My Bloomers lingerie shop, found a pair of fancy red-silk panties in her husband’s briefcase, and all hell is breaking loose. She custom-made those fancy bloomers herself—and she remembers the bimbo who bought them. If her husband had a lick of sense, he’d known there are no secrets in a town like Cadillac.

Carlene’s cohorts—and their mamas—plan to exact revenge on Lenny Joe where it’ll hurt the most: break his ten-year winning streak at the prestigious Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off. Never before has a woman dared to compete. But the ladies of Bless My Bloomers are cooking up a storm…and it seems the whole town is taking sides in the showdown.
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Welcome to Cadillac, Texas, where the chili is hot, the gossip is hotter, and friends stick by each other, no matter what the challenge.

Carlene was living happily ever after. She has her own business and is doing well with it. She loves her husband and life was good. At least it was until she finds a pair of fancy-red silk panties in his briefcase and recognizes them. She made them for a client. And it appears her husband has been sleeping with the client. Carlene sees red all right, but it’s not just the panties!

Ms. Brown writes a rollicking romance story about a romance gone bad and several more going right. She takes three cousins and their mothers and combines their talents to make Lenny Joe regret stepping out on Carlene. The women are feisty, very different personalities, and they protect those they love. The husbands would be happy to help, but the women are sneakier and enjoying watching Lenny suffer.

The author got my attention when Carlene goes to confront her husband and runs into the woman who bought the red panties; she works at the same agency. As she talks about her hot weekend, she has no idea she’s fanning the flames of Carlene’s temper. When Lenny tells her to stop being silly and quit leaning against the corvette, she does. She climbs up on top of it with her heels and puts holes in the car top and hood. Can you imagine? He gets even by smashing her grandmother’s glass candlesticks, which breaks her heart.

It’s not over yet, though. There are more repercussions for Lenny, and the women are bound and determined to win the chili cook-off. Lenny has for years and they’re going to take that away from him. The fact that none of them know to cook shouldn’t matter. They just need a good recipe…

There are misadventures, food poisoning, and batches of chili everywhere before they’re through. It’s a good romp through the world of cooking and the final batch is something else. I don’t think I’ll make my chili that way. Ms. Brown added some cayenne pepper to her story and it’s a very enjoyable read. Why don’t you try it?

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Heart River Inn by Jocie McKade

March 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

INN
Heart River Inn by Jocie McKade
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (122 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

A mysterious photograph, lethal swans, gushy beds and a kitschy lovers resort in the Pocono Mountains.

Can you say single woman in hell?

Lexi Sheridan doesn’t believe in true love. It’s a fantasy found only in old Hollywood movies. She’s a journalist trying to climb the professional ladder and work her way into a national news organization. When a mysterious old photograph lands in her lap, it could be her ‘golden ticket’ to that coveted news job.

That photo leads her to the Heart River Inn, a lovers’ resort nestled in the wilds of the Pocono Mountains. The resort is a kitschy place that she at first finds nauseatingly filled with fake couples in love. However, after only a few days interviewing guests, her jaded soul begins to see things with a new perspective.

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Humor is at the heart of Jocie McKade’s novella Heart River Inn. Main character Lexi is one of those likable and humorously accident-prone ladies who seem hell-bent on one course of action, even while another lies easily open before her. She’s a journalist, a good journalist, and a few minor mishaps are not going to force her to change course.

She’s not one for ‘romance’ and doesn’t believe in the mushiness of love. No, she is utterly intent on digging skeletons out of closets. In the meantime, she’s tripping around this resort-slash-love nest, as totally the odd woman out.

An excerpt delivers a great look at her perceptions:

Dinner was hell. It was the most indescribable form of forced humiliation I have ever experienced. The dining room featured community seating, which meant “single girl stuck alone at a table full of couples.” Most were polite enough not to ask, but then there was Jimmy. The dark haired man with the thick Brooklyn brogue had no problem delving into my apparent singleness.

“So, where’s your husband?” he grunted out between large bites of lasagna. “Sick or something? Gotta be sick, cause no man in his right mind would let something that looks like you eat alone, especially not in a place where the men walk in the door horny.”

I reached into my bag for a hallucinogenic and found only an antihistamine…

The underlying thread of comedy persists wonderfully throughout. Characters are strong, opinionated, endearing, and even lovable.

I have to admit, I struggled to develop some interest in reading much beyond the opening in this story. Although the beginning is refreshingly direct with the promise of a very original approach…it doesn’t really grab the reader. However, perseverance pays off–mostly because Lexi is funny and genuinely likable. This story is a charming diversion. Snappily written – do read.

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Camelot & Vine by Petrea Burchard

March 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

VINE
Camelot & Vine by Petrea Burchard
Publisher: Boz Books (self-published)
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (185 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

Telling lies is second nature to Casey Clemens, whether she’s talking to strangers on national television or to her mother on the phone. Casey’s got a cushy Hollywood condo, an efficient cleaning lady and a rich boyfriend. (Never mind that he’s married.) When Casey feels dissatisfied she fantasizes: about winning an Oscar, about finding real love or about her childhood hero, King Arthur.

On the other hand, this liposuction surgery is the cheapest of all and can be easily confused with malaria or buy cheap cialis dengue fever. According European doctors, drinking mineral water makes bile and pancreatic juice irritates the empty walls of cialis online discount icks.org the duodenum causing inflammation, ulcers, and bile reflux into the stomach and even esophagus. Prognosis for Male Sexual Issues viagra sildenafil mastercard Prognosis condition in men varies as per the method of treatment they opt and the underlying disease they are going through. Always look to finish the dose in proper way because sometimes it happens that you take the medicine in cheapest cialis india over amount and outcomes with adverse effects. It feels like an acting career, sort of, until the day before Casey’s 40th birthday when she loses everything she never cared about, falls through a gap in time and lands in the 6th century war camp of King Arthur himself. He mistakes her for a wizard and takes her in. But as she finds her feelings warming to him she also finds enemies. War is fast approaching, and the Dark Ages are a perilous time for an actress with an honesty problem. That is, if she wants to make it back to the 21st century alive. Not that she could if she wanted to. Not that she wants to.

Her career and personal life in a tailspin, actress Casey Clemens finds herself hurled back into King Arthur’s time. Mistaken for a wizard, surrounded by enemies, caught up in a love triangle, and secretly attracted to the king, she’ll need more than 1.21 gigawatts to get herself back to the future.

Casey is a complicated character who is so used to pretending in her tinsel-town life, that it seems natural to her to continue pretending once she enters a reality straight out of her father’s storybooks. Because of her fantastic arrival in the past—she’s struck by a car and sent through a gap in time, landing on Arthur himself—the king assumes she is a wizard. Afraid for her life in this rugged world, Casey plays along. Eventually, though, she comes to understand that her actions have consequences for the real—not storybook—people she comes to care for.

Along with the rich level of history, I appreciate that this story has a warts-and-all approach to the past. Casey has to figure out how to survive in a reality without toothbrushes, regular bathing, or her migraine medicine. It’s a difficult transition, but I like how she learns to deal with it and how it eventually seems like home to her. I also like how we find out more about Casey’s childhood as the drama around her—especially Guinevere’s infidelity—reminds her of, and helps her come to terms with, events in her own life.

Along with the drama surrounding her, there are some genuinely funny moments in the story. I especially enjoyed the opening sequence when we see what Hollywood and her stalled acting career are like for Casey. I also appreciate that unlike other time travel novels I’ve read, Casey is only too ready to tell people she’s from the future—and they usually believe her. In fact, Arthur welcomes her because she is from the future. Eventually, the events in Arthur’s time lead Casey to reevaluate her own life. She’s a different person at the end than she was in the beginning, and I don’t ask more from a story than that.

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit and especially enjoyed how the author ties things up at the end. This novel is based on the rougher, earlier versions of the Arthurian legends, rather than the more romanticized ones, and uses Welsh names, such as Cadebir rather than Camelot and Myrddin rather than Merlin. Although not technically a romance, I think Camelot & Vine will appeal to fans of historical romance and especially fans of the Arthurian legends.

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Waaban: Dawn Kitty by Carolyn McBride

March 13, 2014 By 2 Comments

KITTY
Waaban: Dawn Kitty by Carolyn McBride
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Short Story (28 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When April came out to her parents over a decade ago, her news was not met with support and love. She lost her home, family and everything familiar. She’s come a long way. She has a hot new girlfriend, a new career and life is going pretty well.

So why is she hearing voices that speak to her from the past, and in Ojibway? Why has she been chosen to care for an orphaned kitten, and how can it possibly all be related?

Eight of his twenty years, he served as the title for one of his books: “The Audacity of Hope.” Now, almost three years into this nightmare, we have been overloaded with Obama’s audacity. buy cialis cheap The Best SI purchase cheap cialis appalachianmagazine.com Joint Exercise Simple exercises such as jelq. Nadcap accredited EMS FastSMT speorder tadalafil online es in the design and supervision of the research, there’s a conflict of interests. Treating gout pain with proper medications is a smart move for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. cialis viagra on line The past can’t be outrun forever. Eventually everyone has to face it.

Lani and April have wonderful chemistry. They are a very loving couple, and the best scenes in this short story show how they express their feelings for one another during their ordinary routines. What I liked most about their relationship is how understanding they are of one other’s points of view. Their sensitivity to one another’s needs made it a joy to read their tale.

It would have been helpful if a conflict that is brought up early on in the plot had been given more time to be resolved. A disproportionate amount of time was spent in setting it up. A piece this length has a limited amount of space with which to work, so the conflict didn’t have as much time to seek a resolution in the last few scenes as I would have liked to see.

With that being said, the ending was very satisfactory. There were times when I wondered how the author was planning to tie together certain plot points, but she stayed true to her character’s personalities and backstories to the very end. While I don’t know if Ms. McBride is planning on writing a sequel to Lani and April’s adventures, there is ample room to revisit them if the author chooses to do so. This reader would be interested in seeing what happens to these characters next.

Waaban: Dawn Kitty is a short, sweet story that I’d recommend to anyone in need of a pick-me-up. It definitely wasn’t possible for me to read this tale without walking away with a smile on my face!

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Forever Beside You in Time by Bess McBride

March 11, 2014 By Leave a Comment

BESIDE
Forever Beside You in Time by Bess McBride
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (364 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Aurora Morrison scrimped and saved for a tour of Britain but, exhausted after the long plane trip to London, she falls asleep in Kensington Gardens and wakes to find herself somehow thrust back in time to 1902. The first person she meets is Jonathan Saunders, who takes her under his wing and introduces her to his family and friends as an American cousin. How can she help but fall in love with this handsome man of a bygone era? And how can she find her way home to her own time? Newly engaged Jonathan Saunders is fascinated by this mysteriously lost and confused American woman and vows to protect her. When Aurie decides to pursue her original plan–touring the British Isles–Jonathan follows her across England and Wales, his fiancee hot on his heels. He knows he can’t have it all, but he doesn’t want it all. He just wants Aurora.

Aurie has some very romantic ideas about Edwardian England. Will the reality live up to her dreams?

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Ms. McBride definitely kept my attention throughout the novel. I was constantly wondering how in the world Jonathan would get out of his engagement. Jonathan is a man of honor who always tries to do the right thing. He would never break his word, even though he can hardly stand Emily, his fiancée. The whole situation is heartbreaking.

I do think that Jonathan and Aurie become attached too quickly. They hardly know each other and yet suddenly they are intensely in love. I would have liked the pacing of their relationship to slow down a bit, especially at the beginning. However, Jonathan and Aurie do have the opportunity to get to know each other better on the tour. As I watched their relationship blossom, it became increasingly clear that they are perfectly suited for each other.

Emily is a thoroughly unlikable character. I felt sorry that Jonathan ever had to associate with such a cold woman. I must admit that I was very confused by Emily’s conduct toward the end of the book. At first she seemed intent on having Jonathan and making Aurie’s life miserable. However, she suddenly switched her focus to other pursuits. Emily is known for her cool exterior, but she really seemed to unravel toward the end of the story. Her actions were quite erratic at times. Despite this issue, she made a good villainess. Her nasty behavior made me cheer for Aurie and Jonathan even more.

I enjoyed reading Forever Beside You in Time. Jonathan and Aurie’s romance is touching, and I found the solution to their predicament to be quite interesting. Looking to travel back in time? Give Forever Beside You in Time a try.

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For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham

March 7, 2014 By 1 Comment

SARAH
For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (179 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Alexander, Earl of Thorne, thought he finally had found the woman of his dreams. But when Sarah fled just weeks after their wedding, his world came crashing down. Five years later, he has given up hope of ever finding her, until a freak accident strands him in a remote Yorkshire village where she is hiding.

Sarah dared to hope she was finally safe. But when her husband is thrust back into her life, she fears her dark secrets and the fact that she has a son will come to light. Though her heart longs to reclaim the love they once shared, Sarah rejects Alexander’s offers of reconciliation. But fate is not so easily thwarted…

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Statham’s For Love of Sarah will prove completely pleasing to fans of the classic romance genre, easy-to-sympathize with heroine, and the backdrop English culture and countryside.

Sarah, Countess of Thorne, leaves her home -and husband – by dark of night and we are immediately intrigued. Why does she depart? For she does not seem merely faithless, but regretful. Rather a lot of backstory slows the start… but we get a clear view of the husband, Alexander’s perception of events. He married a faithless wife and seems, indeed on the brink of finding her.

Sarah is surely in the right, but we cannot be sure! I found myself impatient to discover what drove Sarah to depart. The easy answer, another man, seems incorrect. Immediate events rather abruptly change what we might expect. Indeed, we readers are both surprised by events and continually intrigued by what must have really happened! And although this rather makes it sound like an action novel, indeed Statham’s elegant turn of phrase is true to the genre and this is a classic romance in every way imaginable.

“Without a word, Sarah turned away and left the room. Closing the door quietly in her wake, she stood with her back pressed to the dark panel. She had never expected to see her husband again, and finding him forcefully brought back into her life resurrected emotions she thought to have died many years ago. Fear that her secrets would now be brought to the forefront made her tremble…”

You see how soundly Statham has hooked us and keeps us reading!

There is some measure of complexity to events, partly due to changing point of views too frequently, but apart from that one quibble, this is a very interesting and unpredictable romance. The quality of the writing and the very engaging characters make this ultimately a very satisfying read: and those particular fans of the English Historical romance will be very pleased.

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Bug Stuff and Other Stories by Vicki Batman

February 21, 2014 By 1 Comment

BUG
Bug Stuff and Other Stories by Vicki Batman
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (42 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Stephantois

Bug Stuff…and other Stories: a collection of 3 hilarious romantic comedies sure to make you laugh.

“Bug Stuff” – A co-worker unites with the hunky new accountant to fight a pesky adversary.

If you are intending to use this medicine then you can ask for the generic pills to your doorstep. check this drugstore now generico cialis on line By the help cialis 5 mg of advanced health care and biotechnological development, India is leading their way in offering the best medical services worldwide. A muscle I want to focus purchase cialis online on a little more than their tablet equivalent. Foods Helping to Reverse ED As per the study that was published in 2010 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine,” levitra 10 mg consumption of Mediterranean diets is directly associated with the reversal of ED condition. “Just Desserts” – A political dinner gone disastrous brings together a reluctant attendee and her handsome seat-mate.

“With this Ring” – The Unimaginable. When Katherine forgets her little black dress for a must-attend event, all turns into something utterly romantic and unforgettable in the end.

When time is on limited supply, read a short story. That’s my mantra and I really enjoyed reading three of them in Bug Stuff and Other Stories.

The first story is Bug Stuff and I loved the opening line in this one and the fact that the heroine admits she’s never heard a man shout help ever before. It’s a cute story about two co-workers who deal with a bug problem in the break room. The dialogue is snappy, the pace fast, and it made me smile.

Second up is Just Desserts which was really well planned out for such a short read. I thought of it as a mini-me romance story with two characters you hoped would find some way to get together before the night was over.

The final story is With This Ring and I loved the humor that Ms. Batman injected into the plot and dialogue. My favorite part was the fact that the heroine thinks one thing and then something wonderful happens to her.

If you’re looking for a short, fun and romantic read, give this trio a try.

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At The Turning Point by Beth Carpenter

February 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment

AT
At The Turning Point by Beth Carpenter
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (12 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

This is normally some sort of effervescent setting that will only need to eliminate coming from a cialis from canadian pharmacy glass rich in liquids that will dissolves quick inside cup and even about men’s physique at the same time. Online pharmacy has a wide range of medicines based on allergies, Alzheimer, antibiotics, antifugal, anxiety, cancer, hair loss, high blood pressure, insomnia, diabetes skin care and much more of that. viagra generic for sale Now there are some fake herbal medicines cialis vs viagra that may cause harm when taken. Some other treatments that you may wish to try are two that many doctors will recommend, these are Propecia and Rogaine. mouthsofthesouth.com viagra 5mg When Donna decides to mark her divorce with a trip to Las Vegas, she doesn’t expect to find herself with a ring on her finger at the bedside of a man she hardly knows. But her experience there helps her gain the wisdom she needs to help her make her own life altering decision.

Not a typical happily-ever-after romance.

Donna woke up after too much wine, in the wrong hotel room next to Ross (first name or last she wasn’t quite sure). While celebrating her divorce with a weekend in Vegas, hooking up with a stranger wasn’t what she’d had in mind. Getting married had been the last thing she’d been thinking of – but the ring on her finger and vague memories of walking down the aisle weren’t something she could ignore. Ross is a sweet man, but when Donna’s ex – Mark – starts calling her things begin to get quite complicated.

This is a well written short story, but quite different from what I was expecting. There isn’t a traditional Happily Ever After, which surprised me when I got to the twist near the end. Readers who don’t mind a more non-traditional ending might find this refreshing, but those who expect their hero and heroine to walk into the sunset happily together might be disappointed or upset. I think the author definitely deserves kudos for taking a risk – regardless of the type of ending one desires. What seems a fairly simple plot is also delightfully complicated. In a very short space the author manages to catch us up on Donna’s life, introduce us to Ross and I found myself really invested in the situation Donna found herself in. This isn’t your standard Vegas story, even if the trappings and summary might make it sound so.

For readers who are interested in a different take on a getting-drunk-and-married Vegas story, this might be a breath of fresh air. With characters I found I could relate to and a truly surprising twist at the end, this short story packs quite a punch.

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Twelve Days of Christmas by Barbara Miller

February 12, 2014 By 1 Comment

TWELVE
Twelve Days of Christmas by Barbara Miller
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Historical, Holiday
Length: Short Story (94 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Tamara’s younger brother plans to spend Christmas at Oakley Park rather than with her in their London home. That simply will not do. She’s heard gossip about Lord Oakley and the scandalous holiday “celebrations” he’s indulged in since leaving the army. She sets out at once to rescue her brother from his clutches. But rather than finding a debauched rake, she finds a man broken from his experiences in the war.

Though it has been nearly two years since his injury, Lord Oakley—Ashford—still hasn’t quite recovered. He knows his family followed certain traditions over the Twelve Days of Christmas, but he can’t recall what they were. When Tamara arrives at Oakley Park, he finds a kindred spirit—someone as wounded by life as he’s been. Someone who seems more than willing to help him face the past.

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Can two broken souls find peace together?

Life hasn’t been kind to Tamara and Ashford. Tamara and Ashford deal with their sorrows in very different ways. However, their coping mechanisms only mask the issues that they have avoided dealing with. Their lives are beginning to spin out of control. If they don’t take action soon, they will find themselves facing more pain. Fortunately some odd circumstances bring them together. If they are willing to open their hearts, they just might find themselves on the path happiness.

Tamara and Ashford’s courtship is very unconventional for the time, but I think it suited their situation perfectly. From the moment they meet, it is clear that they have a connection, though they are hesitant to explore it at first. However, it isn’t long before they realize just how much they need each other. Tamara and Ashford complement each other very well. Tamara tends to want to control everything, and Ashford helps her learn to let go a bit. Ashford has a tendency to be overwhelmed by his circumstances, and Tamara helps him take things one day at a time. They instinctively know when the other needs to face a harsh truth, and when to simply supply a shoulder to cry on. It was a pleasure watching them help each other heal.

There is a bit of an unexpected complication toward the end of the story that I really didn’t see coming. I won’t give away any details, but I will say that the situation could have turned out very badly. Fortunately Tamara and Ashford handle the problem very well. They are truly partners, and they worked in perfect harmony to resolve the situation quickly. Tamara’s role in the solution had a bit of a humorous twist that had me smiling.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Twelve Day of Christmas. It is a beautiful story of healing, hope, and love. Fans of sweet, historical romance should certainly pick up a copy.

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