Tag Archives: Donna Kauffman

Santa in a Kilt by Donna Kauffman

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Santa in a Kilt
Author: Donna Kauffman
Series: Hot Scot Trilogy #3
In: Unwrapped (Erin McCarthy, Donna Kauffman & Kate Angell)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Scottish romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2011

Thoughts

The title of this novella is incredibly misleading, since there’s absolutely no Santa. In fact, there’s barely a mention of Christmas. It’s the time of year, but there is really no other relevance to the storyline there. The kilt part though? That’s definitely a BIG part of this story. And quite a yummy part if I’m being honest…

I thought Shay would be a lot more resilient to his eventual succumbing to the relationship with Kira. I mean, he had all sorts of resistance and well meaning intentions at the beginning. And I honestly thought that he would stuff up their burgeoning romance before the eventual happily ever after. In fact, everything about Shay was yummy, and since he didn’t epically stuff up, there wasn’t much to NOT like about him.

Kira was kind of what I’ve always wanted to be in a relationship… accepting. She was happy to take what she could and just, accept who and what Shay is. I try to do this in all my relationships, but must admit I’m not always successful. This was a beautiful way to round out the Hot Scot Trilogy, even if I haven’t actually read the first two books yet… something I’ll try to remedy soon.

<- Blue ChristmasSnow Angel ->

Image source: Amazon

Unwrapped by Erin McCarthy, Donna Kauffman & Kate Angell

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Unwrapped
Author: Erin McCarthy, Donna Kauffman & Kate Angell
In: Unwrapped (Erin McCarthy, Donna Kauffman & Kate Angell)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Short story collections
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology, eBook
Year: 2011

Thoughts

This was a fantastic anthology of cutsie Christmas romances. All three novellas were fun and adorable, incredibly fun and ridiculously yummy. I loved the winter feeling of each of the stories and the imagery of snow falling around.

Each of these novellas were fun and light, with just enough drama to make them interesting. Plus, each and every one had a great little happy ending. One that left me with a happy smile on my face.

What a great collection of authors, old and new. I love a good Christmas romance, and the length of these novellas made it perfect to read just before bed without keeping me up too late.

<- Snow AngelBlue Christmas ->

Image source: Amazon

Jingle Bell Rock by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Susan Donovan, Donna Kauffman, Alison Kent & Nancy Warren

Book Review, , , , , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for jingle bell rockbook cover

Title: Jingle Bell Rock
Author: Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Susan Donovan, Donna Kauffman, Alison Kent & Nancy Warren
In: Jingle Bell Rock (Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Susan Donovan, Donna Kauffman, Alison Kent & Nancy Warren)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 17th – 26th December 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Brava
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: He had the hotel employee set the packages on the floor in the living room, then tipped him generously for his time, service, and just because it was the giving season.

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Synopsis

Skip the mistletoe – you won’t need it after you indulge in these six tempting tales of romance filled with the sort of naughty-but-oh-so-nice men who make the season so bright it’s downright hot…

He See You When You’re Sleeping – Lori Foster
What Booker Dean wants for Christmas isn’t under the tree, it’s right next door. Frances Kennedy is everything Booker desires…and the gift he has planned for her involves a lot of delicious unwrapping…

All She Wants for Christmas – Janelle Denison
When sexy pediatrician Matthew Carlton plays Santa, pulling Faith Roberts on his lap, he has no idea what’s on her Christmas wish list…or how much he’ll enjoy fulfilling every bit of it…

Turning Up the Heat – Susan Donovan
Being stood up on Christmas Eve is bad enough, but now Valerie’s furnace is broken, too. Good thing that sexy repairman is available to raise the temperature dramatically…

Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Donna Kauffman
It’s been ten years since Suzanna York left Jace Morgan. Now, as fate reunites them during a holiday snowstorm, they’ll have plenty of time to discover that distance only sharpens certain hungers…

A Blue Christmas – Alison Kent
Thomas “Blue” Miller never expected to see Jessie Buchanan on his Christmas Tree farm again. But now that she’s here, he’s ready to show her exactly what she’s been missing…

The Nutcracker Sweet – Nancy Warren
Co-workers Daniel and Tara couldn’t hate each other more. So when they end up as Secret Santa partners, it’s a perfect chance for revenge and a dare that just may ignite the steamiest night of their lives…

Thoughts

What a fun and glorious little collection. Jingle Bell Rock is filled with six wonderful novellas that remind you that around Christmas time…anything is possible.

These are incredibly light-hearted and fun novellas. They feature people from all walks of life. People with different goals, desires and love. The thing that unites them all? Love and the festive season.

This year, I really needed something to get me feeling a little more of that holiday spirit. So I picked up a collection of anthologies off my shelves which feature Christmas and the holidays. This was most certainly one of the sweetest and cutest of the collections. There was a little bit of lust, but, ultimately I loved the fact that this was just so incredibly cute.

<- The Nutcracker SweetHe Sees You When You’re Sleeping ->

Image source: Goodreads

Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Donna Kauffman

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for jingle bell rockbook cover

Title: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Author: Donna Kauffman
Series: Men of Rogue’s Hollow #1
In: Jingle Bell Rock (Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Susan Donovan, Donna Kauffman, Alison Kent & Nancy Warren)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 24th December 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Brava
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: They hadn’t pawed.

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Synopsis

It’s been ten years since Suzanna York left Jace Morgan. Now, as fate reunites them during a holiday snowstorm, they’ll have plenty of time to discover that distance only sharpens certain hungers…

Thoughts

This is such a wonderfully cute and sweet reconciliation story. There’s a bit of a tragic backstory to Jace and Suzanna, but somehow there isn’t any kind of bittersweet feeling to this storyline. Which somewhat surprised me. After all, teenage sweethearts suddenly losing contact with each other, and not seeing each other for ten years? That kind of sucks. Actually, it really, seriously, and truly sucks if I’m being honest… so I was surprised that this was such a light-hearted and enjoyable story. Filled with that extra bit of lust.

I loved the premise of this story in that the four Morgan brothers are returning to their home and facing their demons. It’s the kind of introduction to a series that I generally lap up completely. So I can’t wait to not only add more of these stories to my shelves… but also I just loved this great introduction to a fun new world.

This story is kind of sweet, but mostly I just love that it’s got a lot of lust and forgiveness in it. I don’t know if I could be brave like Jace or Suzanna, and it’s such a hopeful story. one that warmed my Grinch-like heart at Christmas.

<- Turning Up the HeatA Blue Christmas ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance edited by Trisha Telep

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Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance
Author: Trisha Telep, Heather McCollum, Patricia Grasso, Marta Acosta, Jackie Ivie, Elle Jasper, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Debbie Mazzuca, Julianne MacLean, Susan Sizemore, Lois Greiman, Kimberly Killion, Anne Gracie, Leah Marie Brown, Donna Kauffman, Terri Brisbin, Annette Blair, Sandy Blair, Jackie Barbosa, Donna Grant & Connie Brockway
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 23rd November 2018 – 16th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: His hair was deep chestnut, a little long and brushed back from a widow’s peak, and his shoulders were wide in an inky black-blue suit.

Synopsis

Real Men Wear Kilts.

Enough to make even the hardiest Highlander blush, here you will find the steamy romantic history of Scotland laid bare. With swords, through sorcery and in the course of some of the hottest nights ever experienced on the Inner Hebrides, Scottish heroes stake their claims, both in the bedroom and out. Dreams come true and legends are born as ancient prophecies are fulfilled by time travellers from the future, in a Scotland where real historical figures exist side by side with pagan magic and werewolves. Dashing lairds and Scottish barbarians fight for love and honour in a wild, magical world.

Thoughts

Oh my gosh. I loved this collection! It had everything in it that I kind of love in the world – romance, Scotsmen and passion. I normally read short story collections because they are easy to put down… that wasn’t the case with this one. It was almost impossible to walk away from it and I now want to find other Scottish-inspired romances that give this same intensity of beautiful feelings.

Whilst the majority of the stories in this collection can be classified as historical romance, there are a sprinkling of contemporary romances scattered throughout. I did buy this collection with the intent of reading historical romances, but it’s kind of nice to have a hint of something a little more modern. It provides a great ability to change the pace of the stories and gives a little more variety.

I’ve read a few Mammoth Books now, and I love the variety of stories they provide under the same umbrella. These collections also run the gambit for story length – the tales in this collection are slightly longer than some other collections and I kind of loved that fact. It meant that I connected to the characters on a deeper level because I got to spend more time with them. And it made my heart skip a beat all the more quickly.

<- The Mammoth Book of Sea BattlesHighland Heart ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Next Time by Donna Kauffman

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: Next Time
Author: Donna Kauffman
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Science fiction, Scottish romance, Time travel
Dates read: 17th February 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: “I dinnae rightly know,” he said, which should have deflated her hopes entirely.

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Synopsis

Abby knows that she’s facing a very short life-span, so when she sees a ghost in the Scottish Highlands, she decides to find out more about him. What follows is an adventure that she couldn’t fathom experiencing.

Thoughts

This short story took a very different take on the idea of Scottish Romance. Especially when compared to the other stories in this collection. There was a very sci-fi, time travelling feel to it that focused more on the future and ideas of mortality. Most of the other stories in this collection focus on love and lust. And as a general, trend towards historical romance as their theme. This went the exact opposite direction.

I love a good time travel romance (I’ve probably only ever read two), but I do sometimes find that they can be a little hard to follow. Which meant that having a short story that focused on this idea was kind of perfect. It wasn’t hard to follow since it was a straight forward and cute short story. but it also had enough going on and enough complexity that I didn’t get bored. The perfect balance for someone with my tastes. And someone who is constantly studying and filling her head with other nonsense.

 <- After the Gloaming ReviewKidnapping the Laird Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia