Tag Archives: Wrap Me Up

A Very Dare Christmas by Carly Phillips

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: A Very Dare Christmas
Author: Carly Phillips
Series: Dare to Love #6.5
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

I read Riley and Ian’s story a little while ago, and although time has made some of the details fuzzy, I really enjoyed visiting them a few years after the fact. This short story does give away a few parts of the series that I haven’t yet read, but not enough that I’d call spoilers. And, honestly, it was just really nice to read about the Dare clan and their happily ever afters. Particularly since it is set at Christmas.

With two young children of my own, and reading this at Christmas, I can completely sympathise with Riley’s level of exhaustion. Particularly around the holidays when you are trying to juggle extra familial obligations and making that time of year magical and beautiful. Honestly, the moment when Ian just decides that they should have an extra set of hired helping hands around the house… man, I wish we had that kind of money.

This was a cute, fun, short look back into the lives of all of those in the Dare to Love series. I also love that it was a reminder of what Christmas can look like for those with a big, chaotic family. Mine might not be quite that big, but that chaotic, joyful feeling is still captured perfectly within the pages of this story.

<- SnowboundOne Cruel Wedding ->

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One Cruel Wedding Night by K.A. Linde

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: One Cruel Wedding Night
Author: K.A. Linde
Series: Cruel #5.5
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

As with a few of the stories in the Wrap Me Up Collection, I’m not entirely sure how this fits in as a Christmas story. I mean, it was a good story. And it was in the right time of year, but there really wasn’t any kind of Christmas theme. Rather, it was a bit of a visit into the Cruel world. One that I do look forward to visiting again, even if it feels like a lot of the people in this universe are kind of arseholes.

Although I plan to read Cruel Money and more of the Cruel series, I am a little on the fence about how I felt about this short story. I absolutely loved the writing, but I didn’t love the characters. I also felt like this story was a little bit unfinished. I mean, there are hints that both of the characters are going to get their happy endings. But can’t quite reach it yet. Again, it makes me want to try out the series and see how it unfolds.

This was a great marriage of convenience story with a bit of a twist. There isn’t an immediate moment of clarity and joy between the two characters. In fact, you finish this short story with both of them still kind of hating on one another. With just one or two walls crumbling. I’m fascinated to read more of their tale in Cruel Marriage.

<- A Very Dare ChristmasSkating on the Stars ->

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Snowbound by Catherine Cowles

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Snowbound
Author: Catherine Cowles
Series: Tattered & Torn #0.5
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

This was a much shorter story than I was anticipating from the opening. There was a lot of drama and information – so I thought that it would be a much longer story. But it worked really well being so short. There was a lot of drama and action, so you can’t help but turn the pages as quick as possible as you rush to the end. Plus, since there’s a whole heap of backstory that is shown in a very short amount of time, you pretty much jump straight into the drama and romance. Which is sometimes nice.

Although this is set at Christmas, it’s not really much of a Christmas story. Honestly, if I hadn’t read it in a Christmas collection (Wrap Me Up), I wouldn’t have even realised that it was based at that time of year. Mostly the whole Christmas thing lends itself to the atmosphere and the snow, not really anything else. Whilst I would have loved a whole heap more Christmas celebrations, it still worked wonderfully.

It scares me how often I read stories about women who, to start the drama are on the run from a stalker. It’s honestly not a surprising trope as it happens more often than I want to think about. I also found that the stalker in this was particularly unpleasant and upsetting. I don’t know what it was about Cowles’ writing of the bad guy that was so creepy, but I was definitely grateful for the ending and intrigued to see if Cowles can get the goosebumps raised with her other works…

<- Christmas Shopping for a BillionaireA Very Dare Christmas ->

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Songbird by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Songbird
Author: L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid
Series: Rugby #4.5
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2023

Thoughts

This short story really didn’t do what I expected. I thought, that, being Cosway and Reid, that it would be a complete and contained happily ever after. Instead, it was really a story full of possibilities. It did have its own beginning and end (because all stories kind of have to). But it felt more like a prologue leading into the possibility of a relationship, not the formation of one. Honestly, I just felt a whole lot of hope when I finished this short story. which was kind of incredibly beautiful.

I’ve always loved the idea of Christmas as a time of change and miracles. Songbird is very much about that one perfect Christmas eve. One that makes you truly believe that change is on the horizon and that miracles can (and do) happen. Even writing this review, I have a slightly dreamy look on my face as I think about all of the happy little feelings that this short story inspired in me.

There was something ridiculously romantic about this story. Even though it was just a moment in time, I think the setting, the timing and just the beautiful writing made for an incredibly romantic tale. You’ll definitely be left hoping for another story in this universe, one in which these two find their happily ever after and eventually get to meet again.

<- Wrap Me UpNeanderthal Seeks Illusionist ->

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Neanderthal Seeks Illusionist by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Neanderthal Seeks Illusionist
Author: L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid
Series: Hearts #0.5, Knitting in the City #0.5
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the Knitting in the City series. And, thus far, I’ve loved the Rugby series by Cosway and Reid. So, I was really pleasantly surprised that there was a crossover short story between the KITC series and the Hearts series. I may not have quite started Six of Hearts yet, but now I’m chomping at the bit to do so. I mean, if this short story is enough to go by (and I’m betting it is). I’m going to love it just as much as I’ve loved everything else by these two authors.

As someone who is already madly in love with Janie and all of her intricacies, I love that this was her before she met Quinn. You can already feel the cracks that are opening up in her happiness with her current life. And, I’m sure that it’s some great hints into who Jay was before his happily ever after. Again, it hints at some of the cracks in Jay’s life and the things that he’s wishing for. A great way to introduce two characters and their potential growth to new readers.

As someone who is built a little bit like Janie, I can completely understand how she spends most of this story just wanting to figure out how the illusionist does his tricks. In fact, I look forward to reading Six of Hearts to figure it out for myself. So now I have yet another book on my to read pile…

<- SongbirdMaking Her Melt ->

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My Present This Year by Sierra Simone

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: My Present This Year
Author: Sierra Simone
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

Reading the beginning / introduction to this story, I was expecting something that was going to be really taboo and trip my ick switch. After all, its step-siblings falling for one another. However, it really wasn’t taboo as I expected. Mostly because it was two people who became step-siblings when they were already adults. I mean, some of the conversation as they built their relationship felt a little uncomfortable. But still, not really a taboo story at all.

As someone who is not into the BDSM scene / lifestyle (I’m not sure of the correct word here), I did find this short story to be a little bit too DomSub. However, again, whilst it flirted with my limits, it really didn’t cross them. It felt like Simone took the safer route to make this more palatable to more people if I’m being honest. Something that I really appreciated.

This might have been a short story set at Christmas, in a Christmas collection. But, honestly, I didn’t find it Christmassy at all. That didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story though. And it is definitely one that I would suggest to other people, although maybe not reread myself.

<- Making Her MeltChristmas Shopping for a Billionaire ->

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Skating on the Stars by Debra Anastasia

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Skating on the Stars
Author: Debra Anastasia
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

This is one of those proposal stories which just featured everything going seriously wrong. I mean, some of it was a little cliché and silly. But, mostly I just loved the raccoon and the chaos that it inspired. It was a fun short story, and I will always think of the racoon when I reflect on this short story.

This might have been in a Christmas collection, but it is most definitely not a Christmas story. It takes place at valentines. Which, since I was reading this in anticipation for Christmas, was a little bit disappointing. But, it was still pretty cute and sweet.

I love that the couple featured in this story consider themselves married already, they just haven’t been through the ceremony. I would love for this kind of attitude to be a little more normalised in the romances that I read. It’s really sweet that they’re already committed and not questioning themselves and their commitment at all. Incredibly cute and sweet.

<- One Cruel WeddingWrap Me Up ->

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Making Her Melt by Skye Warren

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Making Her Melt
Author: Skye Warren
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Short story
Year: 2023

Thoughts

It admittedly took me a little while to get into this short story. I liked some of the idea, but I always feel a little cringy about any story with someone crushing on their best friend’s partner. I mean, honestly, if my best friend crushed on my SO and then acted on it? Yeah… I don’t even have words for the feelings there. Yet, somehow these kind of starts generally turn into pretty decent stories. As did this one.

Making Her Melt isn’t a romance for the ages, nor is it one that I’m chomping at the bit to read again. But, it was a nice balanced story. One that I did end up really enjoying. Particularly since I almost DNF’d it after one of the scenes. In particular, the threesome moment. I mean, it was kind of seriously uncomfortable and gave you the major discomforts reading it. Then, the bit that made me not necessarily fall head over heels for this story – they never dealt with the fall out from this. I mean, seriously.

One of my favourite (and one of the most redeeming things) about this story was the way in which Lia realised that she needed to figure herself out first. Instead of diving head first into the relationship that she obviously wanted to pursue, she took a step back and tried to figure out what was best for her first. I love when there are stories which feature a female lead who just tries to short her own shit out independent of the relationship. This definitely ticked all of those boxes.

<- Neanderthal Seeks IllusionistMy Present This Year ->

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Wrap Me Up by Miscellaneous

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: Wrap Me Up
Author: L.H. Cosway, Penny Reid, Skye Warren, Sierra Simone, Julia Kent, Catherine Cowles, Carly Phillips, K.A. Linde & Debra Anastasia
In: Wrap Me Up (Miscellaneous)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary romance, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology, eBook
Year: 2023

Thoughts

This was a really sweet and fun collection. Not as Christmas-themed as I was anticipating, but a nice trend towards the holiday season. About half of the authors are authors I’ve read before. The other half were new to me. Both of which made me incredibly happy – it’s fun discovering the old and new. Plus, some of these short stories introduced me to series that I haven’t yet dived into… something that, again, I always enjoy.

I do wish that a lot of these stories were more themed around Christmas. They were enjoyable, but I really read this at the festive season… because Christmas. So it was a little disappointing when it didn’t adhere to that. However, it was a fun collection, just one I would read at any point of the year.

This might not have felt very Christmassy, and I didn’t necessarily love every single story in the collection, but it was one that I will definitely read again in the future. Mostly because there are some pretty awesome authors scattered throughout.

<- Skating on the StarsSongbird ->

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