REVIEW: All I Want For Christmas by Jenny Hale

Title: All I Want For Christmas
Author: Jenny Hale
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October, 2016
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Christmas
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: All I Want for Christmas is a big, cozy Christmas story about the importance of family, the strength of childhood friendships, and learning to trust your heart.

Fans of Carole Matthews, Susan Wiggs and Susan Mallery – and anyone who likes the glow of Christmas lights and the rustle of wrapping paper – will fall in love with this feel-good Christmas treat.

Christmas comes once a year . . . But true love comes once in a lifetime.

Snowflakes are falling, there’s carol singing on every corner, and Leah Evans is preparing for a family Christmas at her grandmother’s majestic plantation house in Virginia. It won’t be the same now that her beloved Nan is gone, but when Leah discovers she has inherited the mansion, she knows she can give her daughter Sadie the childhood of her dreams.

But there’s a catch. Leah must split the house with a man called David Forester. Leah hasn’t heard that name in a long time. Not since they were kids, when Davey was always there to catch her.

Now David is all grown up. He’s gorgeous, successful, and certain of one thing: Leah should sell him her half of the house.

They can’t agree, but as they share memories over wine by the log fire, Leah notices a fluttering in her stomach. And by the look in his eyes, he’s starting to feel it too.

Will it be Leah or David who must give up their dreams? Or, with a little bit of Christmas magic, will they finally understand Nan’s advice to them both about living life without regrets … and take a chance on true love?

My Thoughts: Jenny Hale is quickly becoming my favorite go to author for my Christmas reading fix. She decorates the atmosphere in her stories with all the holiday cheer and whimsy one can expect for the season. The story comes to life with the love and togetherness the holiday brings and is a delight for me as a reader.

Leah has inherited her childhood home from her grandmother and the memories of growing up there are what are driving her to giving her daughter the best childhood she can. Leah doesn’t count on there being a catch to the inheritance. Leah discovers she is co-owner with her childhood friend, David, whom she hasn’t seen in years. As children, they were thick as thieves, but now they are grown up and are on opposite sides of what is to be done about the house they both love.

I liked both Leah and David and empathized with them and the situation they find themselves in. Initially, I couldn’t understand why Leah’s grandmother would name them both beneficiary of the home and when I learned they both had distinctively different plans for the house, thought there would be no way these two former childhood buddies could resolve this conflict. David impressed me right away with his kindness and compassion towards Leah. He makes her a very generous offer that she is torn over taking and the guilt she is sure she will feel if she does. Leah has had to rely on herself to raise her young daughter as the father hightailed it out of there early on, so putting her trust in people isn’t something Leah does easily. Though life has dealt her a rotten hand, I loved that Leah is not bitter or angry at the world. She has a big heart and wants what is right and fair for everyone.

Grandma’s advice to Leah and David is to live life without regrets and they discover Grandma had a few of her own. As they work together to uncover the secrets, they become close and with just the right amount of nutmeg in the eggnog, you have a Christmas miracle that brings together families and friends to embrace the joy of the season. This story made me want to be there, sitting in front of the log fire or in the kitchen that I envisioned big and bright, copper pots hanging over a monstrous island, with the scents of Christmas in the air.

My Final Verdict: A feel good Christmas story of love and friendship to keep the reader toasty warm during the winter chill, I recommend this story any time of the year, eggnog optional.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of All I Want For Christmas from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Title: The Couple Next Door
Author: Shari Lepena
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: July, 2016
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: It all started at a dinner party. . .

A domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently friendly neighbors--a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal, and the secrets between husbands and wives…

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family--a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

My Thoughts: With The Couple Next Door, new to me author, Shari Lepena, delivers a suspenseful and intriguing story about a couple who suffer a parent’s worst nightmare when their baby daughter is kidnapped from her crib while they are next door at a dinner party. So many thoughts ran through my head as I read this story. I couldn’t understand what would compel a parent to leave their child alone after their babysitter cancels on them. Why didn’t they cancel and stay home? Why didn’t they take their daughter with them? As the story unravels, more details, lies and shocking deceptions are brought to light.

As a reader, it’s important to me to have a connection with some or all of the characters; feel empathy for their situation; care about them. All I felt for Anne and Marco Conti was contempt. The more I got to know them, the less I liked them. They are mired so deeply in their dysfunction, it’s a miracle they can drag themselves out of bed each day, much less bathe or feed themselves. That would usually be enough for me to give up on the story and chuck the book against the wall. But no, I turned into one of those annoying people who slow down to a snail’s pace in traffic when there’s an auto accident just to gawk and stare. I couldn’t stop reading this story. I had to find out what happens. I desperately needed closure on whether baby Cora is found alive, but I also needed to find out what these twisted and moronic people would do next.

There were moments when I felt sorry for Anne and Marco, but it didn’t last long. Like the Detective assigned to the case, my only concern was getting the baby back in one piece. We find out early on how the kidnapping went down, but the author does a wonderful job of throwing some red herrings into the story to keep us all guessing.

My Final Verdict: Readers who like intense plots with flawed characters that keep you engaged will enjoy this intriguing suspense story.

REVIEW: Swimsuit by James Patterson

Title: Swimsuit
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: June, 2009
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: THE BEACH...
A breathtakingly beautiful supermodel disappears from a swimsuit photo shoot at the most glamorous hotel in Hawaii. Only hours after she goes missing, Kim McDaniels's parents receive a terrifying phone call. Fearing the worst, they board the first flight to Maui and begin the hunt for their daughter.

...WILL NEVER BE...
Ex-cop Ben Hawkins, now a reporter for the L.A. Times, gets the McDaniels assignment. The ineptitude of the local police force defies belief--Ben has to start his own investigation for Kim McDaniels to have a prayer. And for Ben to have the story of his life.

...THE SAME FOR YOU AGAIN.
All the while, the killer sets the stage for his next production. His audience expects the best--and they won't be disappointed. Swimsuit is a heart-pounding story of fear and desire, transporting you to a place where beauty and murder collide and unspeakable horrors are hidden within paradise.

My Thoughts: For the first time, in probably ever, I have to start a review with a warning. This book was extremely graphic and violent and it took me a couple of attempts to get through it. I love this author and have read other titles of his that have been graphic, but this one really got to me. I’m glad it didn’t stop me or I would have missed a really intriguing and interesting story. This book doesn’t pull any punches. It starts right off with the abduction, rape and gruesome murder of a young model. If you can hold your cookies through that bit, then you are made of stronger stuff than I was. Where this story really pulled me in was the way the killer plays an apparent cat and mouse game with everyone, how brazen he is in selecting his victims and ending their lives without regard, be they young models, elderly people or even children.

If that’s all this story was, then I would say, don’t waste your time. You’ve read one serial killer gruesome slice and dice, you’ve read them all. No, this story goes beyond that when the killer forces our hero, Ben, to write his tell-all memoir. Yes, you got that right. Forced…Ben has no choice, if he wants to live. Ben has to find a way to keep ahead of Mr. Psycho and figure out who he is so he can bring him down, all while letting Mr. Psycho believe he’s writing the book. Psycho dude is a master of disguise, so this whack job shows up anywhere and anytime he wants taking Ben completely by surprise. I felt like Ben doesn’t have a clear grasp of who he is dealing with and the danger he is putting himself and his girlfriend in by poking that bear. But, it makes for intense reading moments. What will happen next? How does the killer seem to know Ben’s every move?

My Final Verdict: This was definitely not my favorite by this author. There were a lot of holes in the story and the ending was very weak for me after the rollercoaster ride the book put me through. If you are seeking an intense and graphically violent story and mindless hours of entertainment, lock your doors and give this one a go.

REVIEW: Bah, Humbug! by Heather Horrocks

Title: Bah, Humbug! (Christmas Street #1)
Author: Heather Horrocks
Publisher: Word Garden Press
Publication Date: September, 2011
Genre: Chick-Lit / Christmas-Holiday
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Lexi Anderson is an up-and-coming, Martha Stewart-type TV hostess whose two kids love the Jared Strong adventure novels, which happen to be written by their new neighbor, Kyle Miller.

For the first time in his writing career, Kyle has writer's block - until he sees the snowman on his lawn and realizes this is the perfect place for his villain to hide the weapon. He digs into the snowman to discover two things: the weapon fits into he body just under the head, and the snowman was supposed to be the back drop for Lexi's next show.

From this improbable beginning comes friendship. Can there be more for a woman who is afraid to get close again and a man who has shadows from his childhood?

Families join together and hearts are healed as this couple goes walking in a winter wonderland.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this charming Christmas story that brings two people together for the holiday. I enjoyed how Lexi and Kyle meet and at first glance, I wondered if they would get along. Destroying your neighbor’s snowman isn’t a good way to begin, but happily, Lexi doesn’t hold a grudge and a friendship begins to blossom. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that her kids absolutely love Kyle and are two of his biggest fans.

Where Lexi is all about Christmas and the spirit of the holiday, Kyle is the complete opposite. No decorations, no cheer, no spirit. He’s on deadline and struggling with writer’s block. Who has time for any of that nonsense? He even puts off his family when they ask him to host a family Christmas gathering. Soon, Kyle finds more reasons to participate in the festivities and by letting go of his anxiety gives him the boost he needs to overcome his writer’s block.

I had a little difficulty accepting how quickly Lexi and Kyle jump from friendship to love and how a little Christmas decorating and hosting a gathering cures Kyle of the grief he has carried his whole life and why he avoided Christmas. But I’m a sucker for a happy ending, so it was all good.

My Final Verdict: Excellent choice for readers who want a little Christmas cheer and whimsy in their reading, but don’t have the time to sit down and read a full-length novel.