I’m not really sure how I felt about this short story. I mean, it was a little bit cute with a happily ever after. But, Lee was a little bit too controlling for my tastes. I love a good Alpha male, but this tripped over into a whole other region for me. A story that I mostly enjoyed, but one that I probably wouldn’t bother reading again if I’m being honest.
Along with Lee being a bit too controlling, I found Georgia and her unrequited love to be a little bit sad. There’s plenty of romances I read with unrequited love, but these people tend to have a will of steel about them. Or at least a reason for understanding the space between them and the focus of their affections. I didn’t really get that feeling with Georgia and Lee. He just treats her like nonsense, and she sticks it out? Not my favourite romance is definitely what I’m saying here.
As much as I didn’t love this short story, I also didn’t hate it. It was fairly easy and enjoyable to read. And honestly, it was the most Christmassy story in the whole of the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology so far. An enjoyable diversion, just not one I would look at repeating.
I really want more of Josh and Neisha, this is their beginning and honestly, I want more of them. However, the link in the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology wasn’t working, so I’m just going to have to try out some more Theodora Taylor books in the meantime. It’s not exactly disappointing to have another intriguing author on my TBR list. I also love that unlike the preceding short stories in the anthology, This Christmas only has a brief appearance at the Morelli Christmas Gala. One that is just the culmination of the tale, not the integral part. And it doesn’t actually involve a Morelli.
Even though Neisha is honestly borderline stalkerish with her obsession and Christmas cards. I like that she is able to recognise that her behaviour is not exactly healthy. And ultimately tries to pull away and move on positively afterwards. It may not quite work. Particularly as her yearly Christmas cards are what wins Josh’s heart. But it’s always nice when an obsessive character recognises how unhealthy their behaviour actually is. Plus, there’s a whole heap of history between them that Josh doesn’t even recognise. Honestly, just writing this makes me want more of their story!
Even if I struggled to find the next story for Josh and Neisha, I love that there are other couples in this world that I can dive into. There is so much I wanted to unpack in this short story that I’ll probably read again. I can’t imagine what reading a novel by Taylor will be like.
Title: The Seeker’s Shadow Author: Isadora Brown Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again) Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2020
I absolutely loved the idea of this story, and it started out really, really promising. Even though I found that the writing was somewhat unpolished, I was really enjoying where the story went. However, I started to get bogged down and confused in all of the different plot lines and contradictions. Honestly, there was just too much going on and too many large battles to face. I felt that it would have been nicer if the three big stories (Rumpelstiltskin, Ella and Jack) were maybe separated out a little bit more. About halfway through the story I realised that there was too much going on and I didn’t actually care what was going to happen next.
Title: Sacrifice Me Author: Sarra Cannon Rating Out of 5: 2 (Managed to read it… just) Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2014
I struggled to get into this from the very outset, honestly, even reading the blurb made me think that this was like many of the other YA stories that I’ve read. And then I started reading it. There were a dozen or more “I”s on the first page alone. And it just made it next to impossible to fall in love with this story. So onto the next one.
Title: The Savage Wild Author: Roxie Noir Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Contemporary romance, Survivalist romance Pace: Fast Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2018
I read this survivalist romance from cover to cover, pretty much in one sitting. Partly because it was just a bad night, but mostly because this was just an all round amazing story. Honestly, not only did I want to know all about Imogen and Wilder getting together and forgiving the past, but also, I wanted to know that they actually survived. And what happened in the past – because that isn’t entirely clear from the beginning.
The Savage Wild was my first ever survival romance, it was fairly intense and the whole survival thing made it impossible to put down. I’ve never experienced much of the snow, which made this doubly fascinating. Whilst logically I can think of some of the dangers, there were a few that I hadn’t thought of. And it was nice to know the different ways in which one could survive such a thing. I don’t ever plan to test that, particularly as Imogen and Wilder ended up there due to a plane crash, but still…
Imogen’s work and experience as a biologist is incredibly familiar. I did similar long-term field trips myself when I was studying. They’re not glorious, they’re not necessarily even clean, but they are a lot of fun. In amongst all of the insanity and unique experiences of being stuck at a remote research station with your peers. Plus, she perfectly captures the single-mindedness of researchers.
To start with Wilder was really cruel, particularly when you find out just why their past so negatively influences Imogen. I actually could understand Imogen’s hatred – there was no misunderstanding there. She was entirely justified. I actually wasn’t sure how I’d be able to begin to accept and like him if I’m being honest. But somehow Noir managed to convince me that I actually did want him to have his happily ever after, and I ended up forgiving him too.
Title: Return of the Nutcracker Prince Author: Jasmine C. Caldwell Rating Out of 5: 2 (Managed to read it… just) Pace: Slow Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2023
I swear I’ve tried to read this story two Christmases in a row now. I mean, I love the nutcracker, so I am completely in love with the idea of this. But in reality? I just CANNOT connect and give a damn about the characters. I need to feel some kind of interest or connection to want to keep reading a book, and this had none of that for me. Which is disappointing to say the least, but onwards to new amazing (and not so amazing I’m sure) books on my TBR.
This is another Carina Alyce novella which is the start of a romance, one that ends on a cliffhanger and makes you desperate to dive into the next story. Sadly, I couldn’t actually find Jordan and Claudia’s full-length tale. But, I’m definitely keen to try and find it again in the future. Luckily for me, I have plenty of other Alyce stories in my shelves to fill in the time!
Queen of Diamonds ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Rather than the couple being together for their happily ever after, they are at a pretty big crossroads in their lives. Plus, there’s the hint that Claudia may or may not be the guilty party that Jordan has been hunting for. I want to believe that she’s innocent, but I also kind of like the idea that maybe she isn’t, and maybe she’ll still end up with the gorgeous policeman anyway…
Alycecreates a wonderfully high-paced novella with a whole lot of steamy yum thrown into it. There is the constant foreshadowing that things aren’t going to end well, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that I raced towards the end of this tale. It was one that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I really want to read more and more of Alyce’s writing now!
Title: My Favorite Holidate Author: Lauren Blakely Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Christmas, Contemporary romance Pace: Medium Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2024
Fable and Wilder are one of my favourite fake relationship couples that I’ve read in a while. They both obviously have feelings for one another from the beginning, but they’re small and subtle. Not the big, tricky forever love that I often read about. Yet, they’re also intense enough that both enjoy using their fake relationship ruse as an excuse to act on their feelings. And to get to know one another better. It’s a little bit of a love at first sight kind of feeling, but not one that made me want to roll my eyes at the predictability.
Brady might be a great catalyst for all of the nonsense that occurs in My Favorite Holidate, but he’s actually a total creep. I mean, the cheating and the horribleness is one thing, but as the story goes on, he just gets easier and easier to completely hate. He is absolutely detestable, and constantly jumping in to just be irritating. He doesn’t even seem like much of a threat to Fable and Wilder’s happiness until the very end. Mostly he’s just creepy and irritating. But then, when he does completely overstep, I love that he is completely shut down. I’m a big one for poetic justice and the “bad guy” getting their Just Desserts. But this was definitely one of my favourite ways in which this was done.
I love Fable’s creativity and the way in which she is able to create something out of nothing. I used to love making Christmas ornaments with my mum and sister, but they were most definitely never anywhere near as good as the ones which Fable creates. The fact that this gift giving is part of her love language and the way in which she shows her affection is also incredibly cute. Honestly, I spent a lot of my reading of this imagining the amazing things that Fable was able to create.
Wilder is the opposite from Fable – where she is creative, he is analytical. They might have similar personalities, but they have very different approaches to the way they experience their lives. he might be an incredibly driven man, but he’s also immensely sweet and kind of adorable. Having said that, it’s the two other women in his life who totally steal the show. His daughter, Mac, is really sweet and a bit of a firecracker, plus I love that she has a good relationship with her mother – not something I’ve read heaps of lately. Then there is Bibi. I would read a whole series of books which feature Bibi in some way, shape or form, she is an absolute hoot!
I loved the entire premise of this book and the whole journey was a lot of fun. Plus, even though this might be a standalone romance, it connects in with two more Lauren Blakely series that I can’t wait to dig my teeth into! Not that I need anymore books on my TBR… but I love that I have them to add anyway!
Title: Love Me Like You Do Author: Erika Kelly Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again) Pace: Slow Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2024
I really like the beginning of this Christmas romance and felt like it had a whole lot of potential. But then, when I put it down, I literally forgot all about it. I figure if I put a book down and forget that I’m even reading it for a day or two, it might not be the book for me. I did give it a second and third shot after forgetting that I was even reading it… and honestly, it just didn’t click. I think that it was a little bit too slow and filled with description. Honestly, it was an okay book, but I have so many on my shelves that are must reads, that I just couldn’t quite dive into it.
Title: Joyful Courage: Calming the Drama and Taking Control of Your Parenting Journey Author: Dr. Casey O’Roarty Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Mental health Pace: Slow Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2019
I picked this up because, as with everything, I’m trying to find ways to improve on my parenting skills. Particularly as I now have a Threenager on the loose. Whilst I don’t regret reading this, there weren’t necessarily any new ideas or wisdom imparted during this read. However, it was good to reflect on skill sets and emotional regulation that I know about, just haven’t necessarily been practicing lately. Rather than being a groundbreaking read for me, it was one in which I could use the words to reflect and remember some of the tactics that I’ve already been working on, but often forget about in the heat of the moment.
One of the aspects of this novel that I enjoyed the most is that it gave me a name with which to refer to that out of control feeling. The moment before I become “Yelley Mum”, I know that I’m starting to let my emotions run away with me. I’ve boarded the “Emotional Freight Train”. And now, everytime I manage to hop off on time and not turn into out of control yelling mum, I smile to myself and wave goodbye to the train in my mind’s eye. I like that just being able to name the feeling that I know we all have has helped me to minimise the frequency with which it barrels through our lives.
Although there were no new techniques suggested in this for me, I’m also aware that I’ve been through a fair bit of therapy and I’m currently studying to become a therapist. Examining my responses, triggers and emotions is all part of the parcel. But, it still reminded me to do so in my own parenting journey as well as my personal life. And for someone who hasn’t necessarily had the opportunities to use these techniques, this would be a great and open way to start exploring some of these ideas.
Earth and Skye 