A Christmas To Remember

A Christmas To Remember
Rating: 4 of 5 stars just because of the Jill Shalvis story. Otherwise, the average is closer to 3 stars.

My Review:
These stories were short and sweet, just enough to give you a happy holiday, romance sort of feeling. I think each one only took about an hour and a half to two hours to read. It looked like every story was connected to some of the authors' other works. I can't say that any gave me happy, can't put it down tingles, but for the most part I enjoyed the time I spent reading this anthology.

Dream A Little Dream by Jill Shalvis
This story is set in Lucky Harbor, about firefighter Ian. I think he appeared in at least one Lucky Harbor story before. Maybe Jack's story. This one was touching and gave me some sad tears at one point. It was cute and fun and very emotional. The characters already know each other so they're happily-ever-after was very believable. I think it probably could have been turned into a full-length novel because I would have loved to see more about these two characters.

Every Year by Kristen Ashley
I can't say I've read anything else by Kristen Ashley, so I didn't know what to expect here. This is the only one told in first person and also the only one that the initial romance already happened (meaning these two were already an established couple during the whole story). I found it really hard to follow because there were so many names and EVERYONE had a nickname in addition to their real name. I didn't care for the slang and I felt uncomfortable with the swearing at kids and the low view of women that was thrown in to this book. If you've kept up with Kristen Ashley's other books in this series, you'll probably be really touched by the hope and happiness that Shy and Landon find. But for someone new to the series (who also didn't care for the characters language usage), I won't be looking for more in this series.

Silent Night by Hope Ramsay
Have Yourself A Messy Little Christmas by Molly Cannon
A Family For Christmas by Marilyn Pappano
These other three stories felt a little fast – like a race to happily-ever-after. Each of the characters hadn't met beforehand, so within days having marriage proposed was a little unbelievable. I didn't get sucked in to the stories but they felt nice to read. They all had rather original storylines, in a Christmas-y sort of way and for the most part, I loved the snippets we get of the other stories in each series too. It did whet my appetite to check out a couple of the other series' (the last snippet was really depressing so I definitely won't be reading that book). So even though there was the one story I really didn't care for, this was a worthwhile set and I might read some of these stories again when I need a Christmas pick-me-up.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Always On My Mind

Always On My Mind
by Jill Shalvis
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Review:
I don't think I can made it through life without reading Jill Shalvis books. Even when I'm not totally happy with them, I need a hit whenever a new one comes out. They're so great to just sit and relax with. This one is no different. It was a nice, comfortable book with a good storyline and relatable characters.

Leah was a wonderfully complex heroine. She is caring and warm to everyone, but keeps people at a distance. She's still trying to figure out what to do with her life, even though we all sort-of know what she should be doing. She doesn't feel like she's ever accomplished anything, but she's pretty much perfect at everything she does. She's got the secret crush going which is very cute.

Jack is a tough firefighter who takes care of Leah and his mom and even a cast off dog that gets into lots of trouble. He's a hero that everyone likes and he's really hot. He takes the gossips in stride, doesn't have a temper, is secretly sentimental, and has loved Leah forever. He's so sweet and perfect, but he doesn't want to “find love” because he's afraid he'll die. He had some growing to do, but for the most part this felt like a book for Leah to grow more so than Jack. He has a few issues to work out, but mainly he's been waiting for Leah for always. I liked how much he cared for everyone and how he could play the hero without being reckless. He may live in his dad's shadow, but he doesn't need to go out looking for danger.

I felt a little like Jack and Leah both didn't quite line up with the image I had of them from previous books, but I can't say for sure what it was that was different. I liked who they were and I liked who they became but it felt like there was something significantly different. Maybe I will figure it out one day when I go back and read the whole series in a row.

We get a lot of the extra Lucky Harbor characters showing up in this book. For most of them, I think they were thrown in just to give the book a sense of place. Most of them didn't figure very prominently in the storyline. Even Lucille, the facebook gossip junky, was only mentioned a couple times. The main secondary characters, like Jack and Leah's family members and the other firefighters, were well written and kept the story well-bounded.

Some of the sexist talk still bothers me. I honestly don't know anyone that talks that way – calling someone a vagina, for example. It feels like that idea that you can't be an “alpha” unless you belittle femininity. I don't get it and I see so many great authors that write alphas without this, but I try not to let it get to me because I really like the writing and it's so nice to curl up and lose myself for a little while with one of these books.

I can't say I laughed out loud at these characters' antics and I did guess who the “villain” was within the first part of the book, but I had a smile on my face through the whole thing. I liked seeing where Leah and Jack would go. I felt like I was a part of their life and had a stake in their future. I was happy they worked out their problems and I liked seeing them each grow and sort through their issues.

This is a perfect book to pick up when you're waiting for the kids, in the middle of cooking dinner or when you just need some time to yourself. It's the kind of book I grab when I'm on the go. I know that I can pick it up and read a few pages and not get lost if I have to put it down again. I felt good every time I read it, even if I only had time to catch a few more pages before I was needed again. I'll look forward to the next installment of the characters from Lucky Harbor – and anything else Jill Shalvis writes in the meantime.