Naughty & Nice: Room at the Inn / All I Want for Christmas is You / One Perfect Christmas

Crooked Creek Ranch #2.5

by Ruthie Knox, Molly O'Keefe, Stefanie Sloane

’Tis the season for romance with three original holiday-themed novellas! Unwrap this festive eBook bundle and discover why these authors are quickly becoming the biggest names in the genre. Ruthie Knox tells a heartwarming contemporary story of first loves given the gift of a second chance; Molly O’Keefe releases the ghosts of Christmas past with a prequel to her novel Crazy Thing Called Love; and Stefanie Sloane weaves an irresistible Regency tale of fiery passion that burns deep on a cold winter’s night.

ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox

Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come. (30,000 words; approx. 100 pages)

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Molly O’Keefe

Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are spontaneous, in love, and prepared to elope the day after Christmas—that is, if Maddy’s family doesn’t throw a wrench in their plans. After all, Maddy’s barely out of high school and Billy’s a notorious bad boy. Maddy doesn’t care about Billy’s rough past—all she cares about is living in the here and now. But after Maddy’s mother stops speaking to her in protest, and a Christmas Eve heart-to-heart with her father leaves her with butterflies, Maddy starts to get cold feet. She loves Billy, but is she taking this big step too soon?

ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane

After being jilted by her fiancé, Jane Merriweather turns to her dear childhood friend, the Honorable Lucas Cavanaugh, for support—and unlocks the smoldering desire simmering in the man’s troubled heart. Frightened by his newfound feelings, Lucas flees to Scotland. But when the Christmas season brings them together again, one glance is all that’s needed to reignite his yearning. If Lucas can convince Jane that his intentions are as pure as the falling snow, they’ll turn a dreary December into a joyous Yuletide affair.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Contemporary, Anthologies, Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Historical Romance

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2012

About the author

Ruthie Knox is the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. She writes both mystery and romance, usually with co-author Annie Mare. You can find Ruthie's books under the pen names Ruthie Knox (mystery and het romance), Mae Marvel (queer romance), and Robin York (New Adult romance). Ruthie and Annie are married and live with two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, two glorious cats, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.

Reviews

[willaful · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Christmas anthology is a bit of a hodgepodge, including one contemporary short story, one prequel to a full-length novel, and one historical story.

"Room at the Inn" by Ruthie Knox is just what I'd hope to find in a Christmas romance anthology, a cheerfully sentimental story but one that's far more lusty than sappy. A modern reimagining of "It's a Wonderful Life," it looks at what might have happened if George Bailey (here, Carson Vance) had managed to leave Bedford Falls, and leave the girl who loves him behind. Knox has some fun with the homage -- Julie may be unmarried and work part time at the library, but she's certainly no old maid -- but drops most of the expected plot trappings in favor of examining why someone might feel so strong a need to leave his home and family, and what might bring him back. The result feels fresh rather than cliched; I particularly liked what she did with Leo Potter, the expected villain of the piece. The weak link in the story is Carson; he's very handy with tools (heh) but I didn't quite see the qualities that kept Julie loving him for so many years of brief flings on his visits home. Still, this left me with a big smile on my face.

"All I Want for Christmas is You" is a terrific beginning of a story. This new practice of including prologues in anthologies is aggravating -- but I have to admit, in this case it's successful, because I really want to find out what happened to these characters. It's a vivid vignette about two young childhood sweethearts on the verge of a life changing decision. Billy is from a poor and dysfunctional family but his hockey skills are a key to a better life, and he wants Maddy there with him. Maddy also has a chance to improve her life and be the first of her family to go to college, but she would rather marry Billy -- or would she?

It was heartrending to read about these two, so young and naive and uncertain of everything except their love for each other. Along with the obvious issues facing them, disturbing undercurrents are only hinted at. Maddy is afraid of Billy's anger -- is he violent towards her? What was the "accident" that's briefly mentioned? A unresolved prequel with no novel following it is frustrating.

After the contemporary stories, it was hard to switch gears for "One Perfect Christmas" by Stefanie Sloan, a Regency tale. It was a bland, basically plotless short story about two long time friends afraid to admit their feelings to each other. A donkey gets into the action, allowing for some "ass" jokes. I admit to strongly disliking cute historicals, so this might have more appeal for others than I saw in it.

The book ends with excerpts from upcoming novels by the three authors, including one for Crazy Thing Called Love, which gives an unsurprising but depressing follow-up to Billy and Maddy's relationship.

This was really a mixed bag, but since it's quite reasonably priced, it's worth getting if you're interested in one or two of the authors.

(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley)

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had wanted to read this anthology because I have been wanting to read some good contemporaries lately and I have heard good things about Ruthie Knox and Molly O'Keefe and have enjoyed Stefanie Sloane's historicals so I was very happy to win a print copy from Goodreads First Reads program! It gave me a great taste of each authors writing and I will be on the lookout for their full lengths now for sure!

Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox
Carson and Julie have a past and every time Carson returns home, he ends up in Julie's bed...and then leaves her. Well, Julie has had enough of her heart being battered and tries to take a stand against Carson but as he spends time helping her fix up her inn, the mutual feelings become far to evident again. Will Carson chose his job or Julie? This was the longest of all the stories so there was more time to explore the feelings and I really enjoyed it. Yes, it is a story told many times over but if this is a taste of Ruthie Knox's writing, I know I am in for a treat! Heartwarming, sexy and a delight. 4 stars

All I Want for Christmas is You by Molly O'Keefe
Maddy is about to turn eighteen and marry her hockey player boyfriend, Billy. All she needs to do is tell her parents, who want her to go to college and follow her dreams, not set them aside for Billy. Will Maddy follow her heart and defy her parents wishes or take a new path? This was a prequel of sorts for Maddy and Billys full length story, Crazy Thing Called Love (out Jan 29th) and I will definitely be picking it up now to see how this couple grows and finds each other again. It is short but sexy and has good writing and a nice sense of family. Looking forward to more. 3 1/2 stars

One Perfect Christmas by Stefanie Sloane
I did think it was odd having two contemps and then a historical romance but as Stefanie Sloane was the only author I was familiar with beforehand, I was looking forward to it. Lucas and Jane are friends but when Jane gets jilted she drinks a bit too much and confesses her true feelings for Lucas...whose feelings just happen to be the same. Yet Jane bolts early in the morning and refuses to talk to him. What becomes clear to all around them is the feelings between Lucas and Jane and they do what they can to push them together. A sweet, delightful Regency Christmas tale that could definitely have benefited from being a bit longer and having more of their backstory told. Still, I liked it! 3 1/2 stars

Overall, a nice blend of Christmas romances and samples of these talented authors writing. I know I will be picking up more from each one of them

[(✿◠‿◠) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars to Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox

Yes, this was the one and only reason I bought this book. You slap Ruthie's name on something and I'm going to buy it. She is quickly climbing the ranks to be my favorite romance author, and with good reason. Her characters are strong, sassy and fun. Her plots are fresh and witty, without a formula or cliche in sight. And the sex? Whoa mama.

I'm also anxious for the tease we got of Along Came Trouble. Will be looking for that!

2 stars to All I Want for Christmas

I was extremely confused when I read this...this...well, let's be honest and call it a prologue, yeah? It's set in 1996, so I was expecting things to pick up to present day at some point in the story. Not so, my friends. This was just the start of Billy and Maddy's story. We find out at the end of the book where other excerpts are that their story will actually be continued in a novel. That in and of itself is irritating enough. Besides that, though, I just didn't care enough for the characters or the writing style to continue on with their story.

Regardless of the other two excerpts in this book, the $1.99 cover price is worth it for Knox's words alone and perfect for a little Christmas reading.

[Jenny E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought it for the Ruthie Knox... loved the Ruthie Knox story (and I usually hate second-chance-at-love stories!) fun Christmas read...loved the ending...love Ruthie Knox!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled when I won this book on Ms. Knox's blog! I've never reviewed an anthology before, why not start with a Christmas one!
Room at the Inn...... by Ruthie Knox
Carson Vance moved away from Potters Falls, N.Y. a number of years ago, and didn't look back. He is a Federal Contractor, building embassies all over the world. He wasn't even able to get home for his Mom's funeral six months ago. Recently he was notified of a bad fall his Dad had taken, and his need to return home , now! The person sending him this message is his former lover, best friend Julie. He had brought her to Potters Falls for a visit. She stayed, loving the town and the people; he left. It's a very romantic tale, Julie needs to trust him again, giving in to the love she couldn't forget , and Carson needs to come back to his true self, and Julie. All accomplished while decorating, celebrating, and heating up the holidays.
AllI want for Christmas is You.........by Molly O'Keefe 
Billy and Maddie are young lovers, have been together since childhood.. Maddie is seventeen, two days from her eighteenth birthday. Billy is twenty, recently drafted to the NHL minor leagues. Billy's family is toxic; drugs, alcohol and despair fill their lives. Maddies family is very protective and have high hopes for college and a career. They are going to spend Christmas Eve with Maddie's family, and announce their plans to marry on her birthday. It is a sweet love story, but I was a little uncomfortable with how young they both were, and all the strikes against them.
One Perfect Christmas........Stephanie Sloan
This delightful story involves a very handsome gentleman, a beautiful young woman, whose family is very down on their luck, and a donkey named Reginald.
Lord Lucas Cavanaugh, a very proper gentleman, is tasked with returning a wandering donkey to Jane Meriweather's home. Lucas realized a few months ago, that Jane was the love of his life. Jane, after a recent broken engagement, had celebrated with " spirits" and got a little tipsy professing her undying love to Lucas. He immediately left town.
It's Christmas time, and Reginald in his own way is determined to get Lucas and Jane together. It involves snow, a broken down shack, and of course, Reginald!
An enjoyable book for readers looking for some early Christmas.
Pat Fordyce

[Dabney · Rating 3 out of 5]

this review was originally published at DearAuthor.com


Dear Ms. Knox, Ms. O'Keefe, and  Ms. Sloan:

I suspect a conspiracy. Every anthology I've read this year, composed of three novellas, contains one novella much weaker than the other two. I can't figure out if the point is to get the writer of the lesser work to be considered a writer on par with the other writers in the anthology, or if it's a way to get something purchased simply because it's connected to authors who write and thus sell well. Naughty and Nice is  a classic example of the two good, one bad syndrome. The first novella, Room at the Inn, an inspired re-imagining of It's a Wonderful Life by the wonderful Ruthie Know is, well, wonderful. I liked it enough to add it to my best of 2012 list. The second, All I want for Christmas by Molly O'Keefe is a prequel to the next novel in her quite good Crooked Creek Ranch series and, though unsettling, is well-written and interesting.  The third, One Perfect Christmas by Stephanie Sloan has almost nothing to recommend it: it's dull, predictable, and full of forced scenes. I've never read any of Ms. Sloan's other works--she has a series called Regency Rake s that's not been reviewed here at Dear Author. One Perfect Christmas is not an inducement for me to do so.

Room at the Inn is a holiday gift of a tale. I've always had a few quibbles with Capra's Christmas classic,  It's a Wonderful Life . I've longed for George to be able to see the world and have Mary and for Mary to have had a fulfilling life whether or not she's Ms. George Bailey. I almost feel that the message of the movie is the rather dark life may be wonderful but living it isn't at all inherently so. Don't misunderstand me--I enjoy watching Capra's classic. I love the fact this revered and popular American cultural icon celebrates of the lives and dreams of America's everyday working men and women. But, when I read Ms. Knox's sly reboot Room at the Inn, I got all tingly inside. Her George Bailey--here named  Carson Vance--and Mary Hatch--here named Julie Long--transcend them limits of the characters that inspired them in ways that are a joy to behold.

Carson and Julie met years ago in college. From the moment they sat down next to each other, they've been enmeshed. For the first couple of years, when they were still in school, they lived together, bickering madly, making love every chance they got. When Carson brought Julie, a Manhattan rich girl, to visit his parents and home in the upstate New York town of Potter Falls, Julie found a place she wanted to stay forever. She's lived the past sixteen years of her life in Potter Falls...without Carson.  Ever since he was a boy, he yearned to escape from Potter Falls, see the world, and do great things in it. He's a traveled the globe, building embassies for the Foreign Service, never staying anywhere for more than a year.  Over the past sixteen years, he's come home every few years, checking on his parents and, until six years ago, making love to Julie "at the wrong moments for the wrong reasons. In back rooms, broom closets, hallways. One memorable occasion behind the woodpile." Currently, though, sex with Julie is not on his Christmas list.

He’d stopped allowing himself “accidents” with Julie years ago, when his mother had not-so-delicately implied that he was stringing her along, and she needed to get on with her life.

If it were up to Julie, the two would probably still be knocking snow boots.

Julie had never been able to resist him—had in fact only quit sleeping with him because he’d stopped trying to get her to. Which was both a profound relief and a terrible blow to her pride.

....And he always did this to her. One minute in his presence, and she was thinking about kissing him. Five minutes, and her mind’s eye would be screwing him on the kitchen table. Within an hour, she’d be spinning impossible fantasies again.

This holiday season, it's the first time Carson's come home in three years--he notably missed his mother's funeral. His mother Glory and his father Martin were Julie's parents of choice and closest friends. While Carson has been to the far reaches of the planet, Julie has stayed and made a happy, meaningful, productive life for herself in Potter Falls. She's the lifeblood of the little town, making her little corner of the world a loving, interesting, engaging place. Since Glory died, Martin has seemingly slowly fallen to pieces and Julie--and his father's social worker--made it clear to Carson he needs to come home and spend some time taking care of his dad. When Carson arrives home, his father tells him he can either sleep on the couch or he can ask Julie if he can crash in one of the rooms in the gorgeous old mansion she's turned into a successful seasonal Inn. Carson, despite knowing it's a bad idea--he knows he'll never be able to give Julie what she really wants from him--decides purgatory with Julie is better than trashing his back on the sofa so he heads over to her place and asks for a room.

“I need a room.”
“I don’t have any rooms.”
“Sure you do. The lot’s empty.”
“I’m closed right now. I only open in the winter for a few weeks around Christmas. Right now, I’m just cleaning and decorating.”
“How can you make a living if you’re only open in the winter?”
“Isn’t that kind of a personal question?”
Carson’s mouth quirked. “We don’t do personal questions anymore?”
“We don’t have a personal relationship. We’re not friends. We’re not—”
She shouldn’t even say the word lovers. Too many memories attached to it. And not just ancient, sixteen-year-old, buried-deep-beneath-the-earth memories. It was only five or six years since the last time she slept with him. Before that, for about a decade, they’d hooked up practically every time he blew through town—on his initiative and hers. Her place, his car. Anywhere.
So many errors in judgment attached to the same crooked smile. The same pair of hands. The same tall, lean, hard body.
When Carson came to Potter Falls, he just sort of … happened to her.

Nonetheless, she agrees to let him stay and he offers to help her get the place in perfect running condition for her soon to arrive holiday guests. It's a great set-up. Julie has never stopped loving Carson and his absence has, in romantic ways, limited her life. But in other ways, she's thrived. She has the home she's always longed for in Potter Falls with good friends, work (including a part-time job a the library!) she enjoys, and people who care for her profoundly. Carson, faced with Julie in all her adult glory, begins to question what it is that might really make him happy for, the longer he stays in Potter Falls, the more he comes to suspect his current choice of being always away isn't necessarily the right one for who he is now. Julie and Carson struggle with each other in fresh and real ways--I loved their relationship.

Room at the  Inn also has a lovely anti-villain in Leo Potter, Carson's ex-best friend, current enemy, and owner of almost all that is Potter Falls. Ms. Knox has an attuned ear for dialog and every time Leo opens his mouth, he's funny, wise, and, in all the best ways, determined to find a happy ending for all in Potter Falls. Here, for example, he elegantly queries Carson on why Carson, in tenth grade, stopped being his closest friend.

Leo sort of smiled and shook his head. He leaned back against the booth, his legs widespread, his open face disarmed in a way that made Carson uncomfortable. “Do you even remember why you hate me?”
“I don’t hate you.”
“Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. I’m curious. Do you remember?”
“ ’Course I remember.”
He hated Leo because they’d been best friends. From somewhere in the mists of time around second grade all the way through to their sophomore year in high school, Leo was always over at the house, eating Mom’s cookies, playing Legos, watching TV, and doing homework with him. Until they’d fought.
“Then say it.”
“We argued.”
“About?”
“About me leaving.” Story of his life.
Carson took a bite of the grilled cheese. It was dry and cold, and he had to work hard to chew it.
“You said Potter Falls was a shitty little backwater, and you couldn’t get out of here fast enough.”
“And you said you were going to own the place one day, and I was going to die alone out in the world somewhere, and nobody would notice or care.”
Leo nodded. “So why was that it for us?”
“What do you mean?”
Leo leaned forward. “It wasn’t much of an argument, Carse. You insulted Potter Falls, which you knew damn well means a lot to me, and I was pissed off because I cared more what you thought than anybody else. And jealous because you were going to leave me here for something better, and I knew even then I’d never leave. I said something in the heat of the moment that I later regretted. We were fifteen. Why didn’t you ever get over it?”

Lastly, a Room at the Inn is as hot as the Heat Miser.  It won't surprise anyone Carson doesn't successfully play the role of the Virgin Mary at this particular inn. I adored the love scenes between Carson and Julie and have a particular fondness for two: one in which Julie asks about Carson's preference for "Cowgirl" and the other in which Carson explains what it means when he, in certain contexts, agrees to eat dirt. I can't bring myself to spoil even a line of these for Dear Author readers so, if you're curious, read the damn novella. I give it an A-.

 

 

(The following review contains spoilers in that it shares knowledge about the main characters gleaned from an earlier published book by Ms. O'Keefe.)

I confess to being somewhat disconcerted by Ms. O'Keefe's All I Want for Christmas is You. Any who have read the second book in the  Crooked Creek Ranch  series know, in the present, the protagonists of this book, Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins, are estranged and divorced.  All I Want for Christmas is You is actually the prequel to Ms. O'Keefe's next novel--it tells the modern-day story of Maddy and Billy-- due out in January. The four short chapters which make up this novella tell a story of Christmas past, one where Maddy is two days away from turning 18, Billy is 20, and the two are planning, on Maddy's birthday, the day after Christmas, to elope. Knowing a) the two did indeed marry and b) it ended badly, makes the novella hard to read as anything but a cautionary tale.

As the novella begins, Maddy has come to Billy's depressing home to collect him for a holiday dinner with her parents where Billy and Maddy plan to tell the Baumgartens about their impending nuptials. Billy and Maddy live in a run-down part of Pittsburgh--Billy in particular comes from an awful family whose family members exist only to drag him down to their depths. Billy has a ticket out of his dead-end world: he's a second round draft pick in the NHL and is currently playing in the Junior A's in Rochester. He's ready to leave town--he's rented an apartment in Rochester--and he wants to take Maddy with him. Billy cares for only two things in life: hockey and Maddy.

Maddy's life is externally and internally richer than Billy's. She's the only daughter of loving parents who've worked to give her a warm and supportive home. Furthermore, unlike Billy, Maddy's school smart. She's already managed to cram her whole senior year into the first semester so she can graduate early. She loves Billy every bit as much as he loves her just not quite so single mindedly. Maddy has the chance to be the first person in her family to go to college but she'd rather run away with Billy...or so she thinks most of the time. Her parents want what's best for her. They see how young she and Billy are, how much he loves her, how hard their life together will likely be.

All I Want for Christmas is You is a melancholy story.  As written by Ms. O'Keefe, Maddy and Billy come across as so damn young. I thought they were too damn young--especially Maddy--to marry. There are aspects of their relationship that make me uncomfortable. Billy has a temper Maddy is very aware of--I worried what that might portend for the two as they faced all the stress adult life brings. Billy is Maddy's first and only lover and the power of that connection--as is so often true in first love--obscures the darker edges of Billy's overwhelming need for her.  As I turned the pages, I hoped they would not marry on Maddy's birthday; I couldn't see a happy ending for them as Mr. and Mrs. Billy Wilkins, ages 18 and 20. I concede my perspective on their marriage is colored by knowing that it doesn't work out the way they dream it will but, even had I not known their future, I wouldn't have wanted them to tie the knot at City Hall.

Ms. O'Keefe is a terrific writer. Her characters seem genuine and her depictions of place--both physical and social--are stellar. She's deftly nuanced; her books create a layered and complex world where choices are never starkly right or wrong. Here, Billy gives his seventeen year old sister, already a hard-core junkie, the money she asks him for:

“Oh, sorry,” Denise whispered, shuffling sideways out the door. “Hey, Billy … do you … do you have any money?”
“Yeah,” he whispered back. “Check my coat pocket downstairs.”
“Thanks.” Denise’s eyes lit up as much as they ever did anymore, and she hurried from the room, pulling the door shut behind her. When Billy turned back around he caught sight of Maddy’s scowl. “Babe, it’s twenty bucks.”
“Twenty bucks she’ll spend on drugs.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Not give her money.”
Billy shrugged, but she could see right through him, like she always did, like she always had, and the sad truth was that Billy was lost with his sisters.
Their parents in the years since the accident had become non-issues. His father never stepped foot back in the house and Billy’s mother had lost any sort of usefulness years ago. She was a shell, full of booze and regrets, unable to look at Billy without bursting into tears. Which left Billy caught, with no idea how to help Janice and no idea how to say no to Denise. Not when he’d just been given the key to his NHL dream. His salary, even in the minors, was more money than he’d ever had. And it just wasn’t in Billy’s nature not to share.

All I Want for Christmas is You is not an upbeat holiday read. It is, however, interesting and tragic in a way rarely found in romance. I'm glad I read it and I'm glad Ms. O'Keefe is willing to take risks even in the cheeriest of seasons. I give it a B-.

 

 

The first time I tried to read One Perfect Christmas I couldn't get through it. There was a disgruntled donkey named Reginald, a hero named Lucas wandering around his estate in the snow while walking Reginald and reading a heavy-handed missive from his mother (Lucas's not Reginald's), and a heroine named Lucy who loves Lucas but is determined she must marry another. I read for about fifteen minutes, realized I hadn't registered any of what I'd read and put the book down. I'd not have bothered to give it another go had I not decided to review the collection.

The second time I tried to read One Perfect Christmas I was able to make myself finish it. I took in Lucy's silly behavior, Lucas's odd responses to all sorts of things including but not limited to the ass, Lucy's declaration of love, Lucy's declaration of non-love, and Lucas's meddlesome mother. I realized I didn't like Lucy, Lucas, or the ass and didn't care if any of them ended up together. And, given that I was almost certain neither Lucy nor Lucas would wed or bed Reginald (although Lucy's ass and Reginald are, at one point, are both grabbed by Lucas), it came as no surprise when they bedded and promised to wed each other.

I can't recommend it, not even to those who like light sweet historicals. It's just too dull and mundane. I give it a D.

[Sometime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read "Room at the Inn" and my rating is for that short story alone.

"Room at the Inn" is a second chance love story and I am verrrry picky when it comes to that trope. First the good: great writing, love Ruthie Knox, the ending was sweet with an epilogue. Now the not so good: All this book did was make me mad. It had all those things that annoy me about 2nd chance romance. 16 year separation. That is about 12 years too long to put up with his crap. Well, technically he drifted into town every few years to hop in her bed and then leave her behind broken-hearted a few days later. Rinse, repeat. Julie annoyed me that she let herself be treated this way. Yes, she had other relationships and tried to move on but every time she sees Carson she becomes WEAK and lets him use her and dump her AGAIN. This drove me nuts. I can't respect a character like that. And when someone finally tells Carson some hard truths, he sees the light. So why did we wait 16 years to have this conversation? It was too long to let his bad behavior go on and expect me to still like and respect him as a character. Sorry, 2 stars from me.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

'Tis also the season for Holiday anthologies, as Loveswept gets into the swing of the holidays with this trio of Christmas themed stories. Unlike the Carina Press holiday bundles, these stories are not available separately, so if you want one, you have to get them all.

I say that because, as with so many story bundles, one person's cuppa tea is another person's day-old coffee grounds. But this holiday treat is priced as a virtual stocking stuffer at $1.99, so it's not a big deal. Or it's a great deal, take your pick.

Speaking of picks...the pick of this litter is Ruthie Knox's contemporary story, Room at the Inn. It's also the longest story, so Ms. Knox has the most time to develop her characters and her background. Inn takes the second-chance at love theme and really works it. Carson and Julie are on more like their tenth chance. Maybe their twentieth. Carson comes back to his small upstate New York home town as seldom as possible, because two things always happen; he fights with his father, who he feels like he always disappoints, and he falls into bed with Julie, who he always leaves. He knows he's breaking her heart every time, but he can't resist her. And vice-versa. But he can't stay in Potter Falls. He has an important job. One that takes him as far away as possible.

Until his father manufactures a breakdown, and forces him back for longer than 10 days, and life wraps him back in the place he left behind. He finally stays still long enough to see that his home, his old friends, his old frenemies, and even Julie, are not quite the same people he thought they were when he was 20, not now that he's 35. And neither is he.

Escape Rating for Room at the Inn: A-

Molly O'Keefe's All I Want for Christmas is You is a prequel short story to the third book in her Crooked Creek Ranch series, Crazy Thing Called Love. And it felt very short and slightly incomplete to me. There was too much backstory that I didn't know about the town and the people, and I didn't feel for why Maddy wanted to rescue Billy quite so badly that they HAD to get married on her 18th birthday. Too many of the motivations behind the events were missing for me. Especially since I know that this is not a happily ever after, just a set up for a later story.

Escape Rating for All I Want for Christmas is You: C-

The last story in the group is Stefanie Sloane's One Perfect Christmas. This one is a Regency romance, and also a friends into lovers story. This one drove me crazy! It wasn't long enough. I could tell that there was oodles of backstory between Jane and Lucas, but we only catch glimpses of it. They were childhood friends, having grown up on adjoining estates. But she's loved him forever, and he never realized it until recently. Now she needs to marry for money, and would love to marry him. He even has money. It would be perfect. But only if he also loves her, which he does. Misunderstandings abound. There's even a wandering donkey for comic relief.

This is a case of the story being bigger than the format allowed. I needed more!

Escape Rating for One Perfect Christmas: B

[Annie]

Posted on Under the Covers

ROOM AT THE END by Ruthie Knox – 3.5 stars
The whole reason I got this anthology was because of Ruthie. I adore her books and her writing style. She is so readily able to craft fun, flirty and sexy contemporaries that stand out in your mind long after you finish the book. While I enjoyed this story, I cannot say that it is my favorite of Knox. A lot of the time I felt that there was a lot of telling instead of showing the past romance that Carson and Julie had. I would have liked to really see the relationship bloom in this story rather than hear about what happened in the past. However, that is not to say that Knox makes up for it as you continue to read. She does a great job of creating an inviting, Christmas-y atmosphere at the inn that you can’t help but smile about. In the end, I found this story to be enjoyable.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Molly O’Keefe – DNF
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find myself getting into this story. I found the characters unlikeable and just couldn’t fall into place with O’Keefe’s writing style. This one was a DNF for me.

ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane – 3 stars
This story is my first Sloane title and I must say, I enjoy her voice a lot. Her writing is smooth and free-flowing, making this short story a very easy read. I found myself able to submerge myself into the world that Sloane has created and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere she brought to her story overall. The characters were well-rounded and fleshed out for a shorter title and I thought the romance bloomed at a good pace. After reading this, I think I will consider checking out more of Slone’s titles in the future. Her Regency Rogues series sounds promising!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars, based solely on the Ruthie Knox story

Spoilers ahead
Ruthie Knox has become one of my favorite contemporary authors, so I was happy to see this collection with a Christmas story. I didn't explicitly make the It's a Wonderful Life connection until I read her author notes at the end, but it was there, tickling at my mind. I'm sure that on re-read I'll catch even more references.
I only gave the story 4 stars because of the ending. I generally dislike big public declarations and I like them even less when they hijack another event. We may be enthralled with the h and h's story, but the other people at the church service have their own lives and cares and I couldn't help thinking that they might not appreciate their Christmas church service taken over by this couple, whose floor time went on way too long for having an audience.

The second story was very depressing to me. It was hard to imagine that this very young couple should really be getting married, especially when she had to give up college to do so. Lo and behold, we discover that this is a prequel to a novel about this same couple, now divorced, and how they get back together. It was actually a rather interesting and well written story, but was not romantic in a good or healthy way. I am interested in reading their grown up story though.

The third story was a very disjointed historical. I could not understand the motivations or actions of either of the characters. It seemed like they loved each other and so what was keeping them apart? And what the hell did the damn donkey have to do with anything? The author seems to have some talent as a writer but needs a lot of work in plotting and characterization. I am not inspired to seek out more of her work.

[iloveladyporn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story.
No hot raunchy sex but sex scenes nonetheless.
I just wanted to shake Carson and get him to wake up to all that he had in Potter Falls but he was leaving. My heart was racing when he finally realized his life was nothing without Julie and he had to get to her ..... which took a bit but not too long. There was even a Epilogue which if i have told you I LOVE Epilogues!!

CONTENT RATING

Romance: 3 out of 5
Kink: 2 out of 5
Raunch: 1 out of 5
Overall Hotness: 3 out of 5

All I want for Christmas is You

Short story(first story was twice as long)
My heart went out to Billy he really was a shinning star in a shit storm of a family.
Not really sure why they were getting married so quickly but it didn't matter their love for each other is what was important. Maddy's parents make her rethink her decision and question even her parents marriage.
I won't tell you if she goes through with it or not as that is the ultimate question.
This is a prolog to Molly O'keefe's book Crazy thing called Love coming out Jan 29,2013 which is Maddy and Billy's story after this event.

CONTENT RATING

Romance: 3 out of 5
Kink: 1 out of 5
Raunch: 1 out of 5
Overall Hotness: 3 out of 5

One Perfect Christmas

Well at first I couldn't follow along the story just wasn't making sense to me but after a bit it all came together. It's a cute story about childhood friends that have been in love with each other find the courage to tell each other.
One hot sex scene nothing raunchy.

CONTENT RATING

Romance: 3 out of 5
Kink: 1 out of 5
Raunch: 1 out of 5
Overall Hotness: 3 out of 5

Read more reviews on my blog iloveladyporn.com

[Katie_la_geek · Rating 3 out of 5]

For this review and more visit my blog

*I was provided with an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Naughty and Nice is an anthology made up of three stories. Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox, All I want for Christmas by Molly O’keefe and One perfect Christmas by Stephanie Sloane.

Room at the Inn is a cute little holiday romance that I quite liked. It had some hot scenes and a touch of sweetness which is just what I like. The only issue I had with it was that Carson was a little bit to selfish for my taste but it wasn’t off putting at all.

All I want for Christmas is my favourite of this bunch. It was sweet with a little bit of drama. I found this story of young love to be quite realistic. I really enjoyed it. Apparently this short story is a prequel to the authors other works so I will have to check it out.

I LOVED the first half of One Perfect Christmas, it was a great regency romance that was cute and funny with good characters. But it was tainted by the sudden and squeezed into the end sex scene, where the sensible and virginal lead character suddenly seemed to have the skills of a hooker. It was off putting.

This is an entertaining anthology that brings a little holiday magic to a dreary afternoon.

[Kelly_Instalove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Room at the Inn = Grade: A

Mother of God, he had great hands.

I have a major Author Crush on Ruthie Knox because she knows *exactly* how to Push My Buttons.

All I Want for Christmas Is You = Grade: B-

"Any promise you make...half of the promise is commitment and the other half is faith. Faith that your commitment is enough."

This was my first by O'Keefe - I was disappointed in the story as an HFN prequel, but there was enough honest emotion and realistic angst to keep her Crooked Creek series in my TBR queue.

One Perfect Christmas = Grade: C-

Blast that word, "if." Two letters, without which there was no hope.

Also a first for Sloane - unfortunately, nothing about this really impressed me. I'm a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope and the h/h were likeable, but the story was oh-so-predictable and I found some of the smexing to be awkward instead of sexy. Any Regency has to be very, very different to stand out among the hundreds of others out there, and this one was just too cookie-cutter to be memorable.

[Ridley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm just going to stop after the Knox novella. I'm all set with teaser prequels that lack an HEA/ending, and fluffy historicals don't entice me.

I loved Room at the Inn a lot... until the ending. I think Grand Gestures are cheap and lazy as a rule, but this one felt even weaker tacked onto the end of such a thoughtful and emotional story. How does staging a humiliating, public scene in a church during Christmas Eve services strike anyone as romantic? How does a narcissistic, emotionally manipulative stunt like a public proposal atone for 16 years of narcissism and emotional abuse? Protip: it doesn't. It spoiled what had been a top notch story. I'm rating it three stars as the hero's redemption/change of heart was completely believable and accounted for, and I could see their HEA, but the church stunt was BS.

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for All I Want for Christmas is You

Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are preparing to elope the day after Christmas. But, they first have to face her parents and that has both of them worried. She's barely 18, he's 20 and a 2nd round NHL draft pick and their futures look pretty rosy but they are both so young.

This is the backstory for Maddy and Billy's upcoming story in the Crooked Creek series and it is really effective as a teaser. In Can't Hurry Love, we discovered that they had a past and here we find out how they started as a couple. It's short but packs a lot in a few pages. They were pretty well developed and also managed to steam it up without it feeling gratuitous. Theirs is not your typical holiday story but it captures the sentiments of the season. I'm hooked and cannot wait to read the next book.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox gets 4 stars. This story gave me the Christmas warm fuzzies. I really enjoy Knox's voice and I liked this story a lot. She's packed quite a bit of story into this novella and as an homage to It's a Wonderful Life it really hit my sweet spot. My only quibble is with the tired old inexplicably commitment-allergic male, but I did love his Grand Gesture which felt exactly right in the context of Christmas in an idealized snow-covered town. Schticky, but in a good way.

All I Want for Christmas Is You by Molly O'Keefe gets 3 stars. My first by this author pleasantly surprised me and thumbs up to any romance author who can do that.

Did not read One Perfect Christmas. I've lost what little ability I used to have to tolerate regency England and I'm not even going to try.

[Janga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most anthologies, this one was uneven. But I'm a big Molly O'Keefe fan, and I bought the book for her story, "All I Want for Christmas Is You." It's a prequel to her upcoming Crazy Thing Called Love, which was a five-star read for me. Reading the prequel after the novel was a bit strange because I knew what a small part of the story it was. But I still loved the characters and found the story bittersweet. I love a risk-taking writer, and O'Keefe definitely takes risks.

[Gitte TotallyBookedBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a fab Christmas Anthology, really well written short stories. My favourite was definitely Room at The Inn by Ruthie Knox however, I enjoyed the others too and they were new Authors for me. Overall in this one we have everything you’d want from short yummy Christmas stories and I was pleasantly surprised how deep we managed to get with some of the characters. The heat factor stays pretty much at the simmering stage but there’s plenty of romance and heart-warming moments.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruthie Knox story only:

Room At The Inn

Great characters and a good story. I wasn't crazy about the church scene at the end, but it was more that it was unbelievable than anything else. The rest of the story seemed more grounded than the rom-com scene in the church. However, that's a minor quibble. This is a really great story from a very talented author.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out promising. These were the first stories from each of these authors. I would give the first story a 3.5 and a 2.5 for the others. Enjoyed Ms. Knox's story enough to pick up About Last Night, we shall see....

[Book Reading Gals · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Naughty & Nice

Series: Standalone Anthology

Author: Ruthie Knox, Molly O'Keefe & Stefanie sloane

Genre: Romance erotica

’Tis the season for romance with three original holiday-themed novellas! Unwrap this festive eBook bundle and discover why these authors are quickly becoming the biggest names in the genre. Ruthie Knox tells a heartwarming contemporary story of first loves given the gift of a second chance; Molly O’Keefe releases the ghosts of Christmas past with a prequel to her novel Crazy Thing Called Love; and Stefanie Sloane weaves an irresistible Regency tale of fiery passion that burns deep on a cold winter’s night.

ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox

Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Molly O’Keefe

Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are spontaneous, in love, and prepared to elope the day after Christmas—that is, if Maddy’s family doesn’t throw a wrench in their plans. After all, Maddy’s barely out of high school and Billy’s a notorious bad boy. Maddy doesn’t care about Billy’s rough past—all she cares about is living in the here and now. But after Maddy’s mother stops speaking to her in protest, and a Christmas Eve heart-to-heart with her father leaves her with butterflies, Maddy starts to get cold feet. She loves Billy, but is she taking this big step too soon?

ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane

After being jilted by her fiancé, Jane Merriweather turns to her dear childhood friend, the Honorable Lucas Cavanaugh, for support—and unlocks the smoldering desire simmering in the man’s troubled heart. Frightened by his new found feelings, Lucas flees to Scotland. But when the Christmas season brings them together again, one glance is all that’s needed to reignite his yearning. If Lucas can convince Jane that his intentions are as pure as the falling snow, they’ll turn a dreary December into a joyous Yuletide affair.
Room at the Inn is a holiday gift of a tale. I’ve always had a few quibbles with Capra’s Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve longed for George to be able to see the world and have Mary and for Mary to have had a fulfilling life whether or not she’s Ms. George Bailey. I almost feel that the message of the movie is the rather dark life may be wonderful but living it isn’t at all inherently so. Don’t misunderstand me–I enjoy watching Capra’s classic. I love the fact this revered and popular American cultural icon celebrates of the lives and dreams of America’s everyday working men and women. But, when I read Ms. Knox’s sly reboot Room at the Inn, I got all tingly inside. Her George Bailey–here named Carson Vance–and Mary Hatch–here named Julie Long–transcend them limits of the characters that inspired them in ways that are a joy to behold.

Carson and Julie met years ago in college. From the moment they sat down next to each other, they’ve been enmeshed. For the first couple of years, when they were still in school, they lived together, bickering madly, making love every chance they got. When Carson brought Julie, a Manhattan rich girl, to visit his parents and home in the upstate New York town of Potter Falls, Julie found a place she wanted to stay forever. She’s lived the past sixteen years of her life in Potter Falls…without Carson. Ever since he was a boy, he yearned to escape from Potter Falls, see the world, and do great things in it. He’s a traveled the globe, building embassies for the Foreign Service, never staying anywhere for more than a year. Over the past sixteen years, he’s come home every few years, checking on his parents and, until six years ago, making love to Julie “at the wrong moments for the wrong reasons. In back rooms, broom closets, hallways. One memorable occasion behind the woodpile.” Currently, though, sex with Julie is not on his Christmas list.

He’d stopped allowing himself “accidents” with Julie years ago, when his mother had not-so-delicately implied that he was stringing her along, and she needed to get on with her life.

If it were up to Julie, the two would probably still be knocking snow boots.

Julie had never been able to resist him—had in fact only quit sleeping with him because he’d stopped trying to get her to. Which was both a profound relief and a terrible blow to her pride.

….And he always did this to her. One minute in his presence, and she was thinking about kissing him. Five minutes, and her mind’s eye would be screwing him on the kitchen table. Within an hour, she’d be spinning impossible fantasies again.

This holiday season, it’s the first time Carson’s come home in three years–he notably missed his mother’s funeral. His mother Glory and his father Martin were Julie’s parents of choice and closest friends. While Carson has been to the far reaches of the planet, Julie has stayed and made a happy, meaningful, productive life for herself in Potter Falls. She’s the lifeblood of the little town, making her little corner of the world a loving, interesting, engaging place. Since Glory died, Martin has seemingly slowly fallen to pieces and Julie–and his father’s social worker–made it clear to Carson he needs to come home and spend some time taking care of his dad. When Carson arrives home, his father tells him he can either sleep on the couch or he can ask Julie if he can crash in one of the rooms in the gorgeous old mansion she’s turned into a successful seasonal Inn. Carson, despite knowing it’s a bad idea–he knows he’ll never be able to give Julie what she really wants from him–decides purgatory with Julie is better than trashing his back on the sofa so he heads over to her place and asks for a room.

“I need a room.”
“I don’t have any rooms.”
“Sure you do. The lot’s empty.”
“I’m closed right now. I only open in the winter for a few weeks around Christmas. Right now, I’m just cleaning and decorating.”
“How can you make a living if you’re only open in the winter?”
“Isn’t that kind of a personal question?”
Carson’s mouth quirked. “We don’t do personal questions anymore?”
“We don’t have a personal relationship. We’re not friends. We’re not—”
She shouldn’t even say the word lovers. Too many memories attached to it. And not just ancient, sixteen-year-old, buried-deep-beneath-the-earth memories. It was only five or six years since the last time she slept with him. Before that, for about a decade, they’d hooked up practically every time he blew through town—on his initiative and hers. Her place, his car. Anywhere.
So many errors in judgment attached to the same crooked smile. The same pair of hands. The same tall, lean, hard body.
When Carson came to Potter Falls, he just sort of … happened to her.

Nonetheless, she agrees to let him stay and he offers to help her get the place in perfect running condition for her soon to arrive holiday guests. It’s a great set-up. Julie has never stopped loving Carson and his absence has, in romantic ways, limited her life. But in other ways, she’s thrived. She has the home she’s always longed for in Potter Falls with good friends, work (including a part-time job a the library!) she enjoys, and people who care for her profoundly. Carson, faced with Julie in all her adult glory, begins to question what it is that might really make him happy for, the longer he stays in Potter Falls, the more he comes to suspect his current choice of being always away isn’t necessarily the right one for who he is now. Julie and Carson struggle with each other in fresh and real ways–I loved their relationship.

Room at the Inn also has a lovely anti-villain in Leo Potter, Carson’s ex-best friend, current enemy, and owner of almost all that is Potter Falls. Ms. Knox has an attuned ear for dialog and every time Leo opens his mouth, he’s funny, wise, and, in all the best ways, determined to find a happy ending for all in Potter Falls. Here, for example, he elegantly queries Carson on why Carson, in tenth grade, stopped being his closest friend.

Leo sort of smiled and shook his head. He leaned back against the booth, his legs widespread, his open face disarmed in a way that made Carson uncomfortable. “Do you even remember why you hate me?”
“I don’t hate you.”
“Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. I’m curious. Do you remember?”
“ ’Course I remember.”
He hated Leo because they’d been best friends. From somewhere in the mists of time around second grade all the way through to their sophomore year in high school, Leo was always over at the house, eating Mom’s cookies, playing Legos, watching TV, and doing homework with him. Until they’d fought.
“Then say it.”
“We argued.”
“About?”
“About me leaving.” Story of his life.
Carson took a bite of the grilled cheese. It was dry and cold, and he had to work hard to chew it.
“You said Potter Falls was a shitty little backwater, and you couldn’t get out of here fast enough.”
“And you said you were going to own the place one day, and I was going to die alone out in the world somewhere, and nobody would notice or care.”
Leo nodded. “So why was that it for us?”
“What do you mean?”
Leo leaned forward. “It wasn’t much of an argument, Carse. You insulted Potter Falls, which you knew damn well means a lot to me, and I was pissed off because I cared more what you thought than anybody else. And jealous because you were going to leave me here for something better, and I knew even then I’d never leave. I said something in the heat of the moment that I later regretted. We were fifteen. Why didn’t you ever get over it?”

Lastly, a Room at the Inn is as hot as the Heat Miser. It won’t surprise anyone Carson doesn’t successfully play the role of the Virgin Mary at this particular inn. I adored the love scenes between Carson and Julie and have a particular fondness for two: one in which Julie asks about Carson’s preference for “Cowgirl” and the other in which Carson explains what it means when he, in certain contexts, agrees to eat dirt. I can’t bring myself to spoil even a line of these for Dear Author readers so, if you’re curious, read the damn novella. I give it an A-.





(The following review contains spoilers in that it shares knowledge about the main characters gleaned from an earlier published book by Ms. O’Keefe.)

I confess to being somewhat disconcerted by Ms. O’Keefe’s All I Want for Christmas is You. Any who have read the second book in the Crooked Creek Ranch series know, in the present, the protagonists of this book, Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins, are estranged and divorced. All I Want for Christmas is You is actually the prequel to Ms. O’Keefe’s next novel–it tells the modern-day story of Maddy and Billy– due out in January. The four short chapters which make up this novella tell a story of Christmas past, one where Maddy is two days away from turning 18, Billy is 20, and the two are planning, on Maddy’s birthday, the day after Christmas, to elope. Knowing a) the two did indeed marry and b) it ended badly, makes the novella hard to read as anything but a cautionary tale.

As the novella begins, Maddy has come to Billy’s depressing home to collect him for a holiday dinner with her parents where Billy and Maddy plan to tell the Baumgartens about their impending nuptials. Billy and Maddy live in a run-down part of Pittsburgh–Billy in particular comes from an awful family whose family members exist only to drag him down to their depths. Billy has a ticket out of his dead-end world: he’s a second round draft pick in the NHL and is currently playing in the Junior A’s in Rochester. He’s ready to leave town–he’s rented an apartment in Rochester–and he wants to take Maddy with him. Billy cares for only two things in life: hockey and Maddy.

Maddy’s life is externally and internally richer than Billy’s. She’s the only daughter of loving parents who’ve worked to give her a warm and supportive home. Furthermore, unlike Billy, Maddy’s school smart. She’s already managed to cram her whole senior year into the first semester so she can graduate early. She loves Billy every bit as much as he loves her just not quite so single mindedly. Maddy has the chance to be the first person in her family to go to college but she’d rather run away with Billy…or so she thinks most of the time. Her parents want what’s best for her. They see how young she and Billy are, how much he loves her, how hard their life together will likely be.

All I Want for Christmas is You is a melancholy story. As written by Ms. O’Keefe, Maddy and Billy come across as so damn young. I thought they were too damn young–especially Maddy–to marry. There are aspects of their relationship that make me uncomfortable. Billy has a temper Maddy is very aware of–I worried what that might portend for the two as they faced all the stress adult life brings. Billy is Maddy’s first and only lover and the power of that connection–as is so often true in first love–obscures the darker edges of Billy’s overwhelming need for her. As I turned the pages, I hoped they would not marry on Maddy’s birthday; I couldn’t see a happy ending for them as Mr. and Mrs. Billy Wilkins, ages 18 and 20. I concede my perspective on their marriage is colored by knowing that it doesn’t work out the way they dream it will but, even had I not known their future, I wouldn’t have wanted them to tie the knot at City Hall.

Ms. O’Keefe is a terrific writer. Her characters seem genuine and her depictions of place–both physical and social–are stellar. She’s deftly nuanced; her books create a layered and complex world where choices are never starkly right or wrong. Here, Billy gives his seventeen year old sister, already a hard-core junkie, the money she asks him for:

“Oh, sorry,” Denise whispered, shuffling sideways out the door. “Hey, Billy … do you … do you have any money?”
“Yeah,” he whispered back. “Check my coat pocket downstairs.”
“Thanks.” Denise’s eyes lit up as much as they ever did anymore, and she hurried from the room, pulling the door shut behind her. When Billy turned back around he caught sight of Maddy’s scowl. “Babe, it’s twenty bucks.”
“Twenty bucks she’ll spend on drugs.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Not give her money.”
Billy shrugged, but she could see right through him, like she always did, like she always had, and the sad truth was that Billy was lost with his sisters.
Their parents in the years since the accident had become non-issues. His father never stepped foot back in the house and Billy’s mother had lost any sort of usefulness years ago. She was a shell, full of booze and regrets, unable to look at Billy without bursting into tears. Which left Billy caught, with no idea how to help Janice and no idea how to say no to Denise. Not when he’d just been given the key to his NHL dream. His salary, even in the minors, was more money than he’d ever had. And it just wasn’t in Billy’s nature not to share.

All I Want for Christmas is You is not an upbeat holiday read. It is, however, interesting and tragic in a way rarely found in romance. I’m glad I read it and I’m glad Ms. O’Keefe is willing to take risks even in the cheeriest of seasons. I give it a B-.

Review by: Helen

http://www.thebookreadinggals.com

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review on Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust 10/17/2012
Blow Off Some Holiday Steam!
NAUGHTY AND NICE Anthology

NAUGHTY AND NICE
Three Holiday Treats
Ruthie Knox, Molly O'Keefe and Stefanie Sloane
On Sale: November 05, 2012
Pages: 210
ISBN: 978-0-345-54436-0
Published by : Loveswept/Random House

Synopsis
’Tis the season for romance with three original holiday-themed novellas! Unwrap this festive eBook bundle and discover why these authors are quickly becoming the biggest names in the genre. Ruthie Knox tells a heartwarming contemporary story of first loves given the gift of a second chance; Molly O’Keefe releases the ghosts of Christmas past with a prequel to her novel Crazy Thing Called Love; and Stefanie Sloane weaves an irresistible Regency tale of fiery passion that burns deep on a cold winter’s night.

ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox

Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Molly O’Keefe

Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are spontaneous, in love, and prepared to elope the day after Christmas—that is, if Maddy’s family doesn’t throw a wrench in their plans. After all, Maddy’s barely out of high school and Billy’s a notorious bad boy. Maddy doesn’t care about Billy’s rough past—all she cares about is living in the here and now. But after Maddy’s mother stops speaking to her in protest, and a Christmas Eve heart-to-heart with her father leaves her with butterflies, Maddy starts to get cold feet. She loves Billy, but is she taking this big step too soon?

ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane

After being jilted by her fiancé, Jane Merriweather turns to her dear childhood friend, the Honorable Lucas Cavanaugh, for support—and unlocks the smoldering desire simmering in the man’s troubled heart. Frightened by his newfound feelings, Lucas flees to Scotland. But when the Christmas season brings them together again, one glance is all that’s needed to reignite his yearning. If Lucas can convince Jane that his intentions are as pure as the falling snow, they’ll turn a dreary December into a joyous Yuletide affair.
www.randomhouse.com

This has three very nice stories ranging in heat from 'Yowza!' to 'Mm, That's Nice." My favorite story was the first, ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox. In this clever story a man has traveled around the world to find that what he really needs is at home. The story was well-written, sad and sexy. It had a certain small town, Capra-esque feel and that is the feeling, the author states in the afterword, that she was going for. Not the difference in whether a character existed or not, but whether their high school dreams had come true or not. It made me think about what life would have been like if I had been able to make the somewhat sophomoric dreams I had had as a teen happen.

A nice quirk: the roles of the villain and the guardian angel are combined into one best friend.

A nice and hot relationship where a woman who doesn't want to give into the feelings she has for a man realizes she can't deny them. Will he realize the same thing about her?

The second story, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU involves an almost eighteen year old girl and her slightly older boyfriend/fiance and their plans to marry on her eighteenth birthday. As the more intellectually driven of the two, she is wondering whether she'll have the power to not defer her dreams for his career as a hockey player if they marry. And as a man who truly loves her will he have the strength to let her have space and time if she needs it? It's the most emotionally conflicted and exploratory of the stories with a Romeo-and-Juliet vibe (but not the outcome). The young people here are much more mature and self-knowing than I was.

It's also about a mother trying to prevent her daughter, Maddy, from marrying young when she doesn't "have to" and thus, through Maddy's success in school either live vicariously or find redemption. it's also about Maddy's father, who is wiser than he perhaps seems. It's a very warm and heartfelt tale.

The final story is a Regency romance with an ass, a virgin, a duke (I think Lucas is a duke since his mother is the dowager duchess), and a wise man. There's sort of a manger involved too. The ass is an ass as in donkey. In the way of Regency heroines, Jane must marry to save her family from ruin. Much like in the first story, Lucas has sought adventure around the world because he was afraid to face his feelings for his neighbor, Jane. He's bravely faced all sorts of creatures and fighting but this one woman scares him. WIll he save the day or, will another?

This was a bit typical but had a few surprises. Jane is smarter than fashionable and kind. Her father's ineptitude with finance has required her to be more forthright and managerial. She will speak her mind and doesn't simper. She is willing to marry without love but would much prefer Lucas. The two most different and atypical characters are Jane and her potential suitor, Mr. Needles, a botanist.

All in all this was a very enjoyable anthology, or bundle as RH is calling it. It's at a great price point for sending instead of a holiday card to a few special people. I plan to send it to a friend and my sister. It is only available as an e-book. Recommended for some light and steamy holiday reading.

Do you need to de-stress during the holidays? I don't have kids, rarely travel anywhere for Christmas and still find the holidays taxing. With kids and a job and getting over the river and through the woods I don't know how people do it!

Between this, that and the other things we must accomplish during the holidays, an anthology like this doesn't require a commitment, but offers a respite of relaxation. Aside from being soothing it helps us flee the commercial side of the holiday with a little warmth and love. It's a 'feel good' book and has NO calories (unlike eggnog).

[Liz F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted on Kindles & Wine



Ruthie Knox’s A Room at the Inn



Julie is a homebody. She grew up in a wealthy family where she was simply ornamentation. She longed for something else, something more—a family, a sense of belonging, community. She found all of that and more in Potter Falls. I really like Julie. She’s this tough, I-can-handle-it-myself kind of girl and she has a little bit of an ice princess exterior. But on the inside, she’s not so pulled together and she’s pretty vulnerable.



Carson is a world traveler. He isn’t looking for home or community. He’s looking to get away and has been since his mom died a few years ago. This time, Carson is home for a while to help his dad but they drive each other nuts so he goes to the town inn, which is a mansion that Julie owns. Julie wants to turn him away but he makes her an offer she can’t refuse: free manual labor! Which, of course, sets them up to have plenty of encounters and chances for Sexy Time!!



The author writes the tension between them perfectly! There’s the sexual tension, of course, and there’s also this Carson-is-kind-of-a-jerk tension. I didn’t even really like Carson until about halfway through the story! And then, I end up rooting for the damn guy!



This was the longest of the three novellas in the anthology. The characters in the story have a lot of hinted-at history so it works as a short story, but I would have enjoyed it just as much if it had been a full-length novel.



Novella Rating: B+





Molly O'Keefe’s All I Want for Christmas Is You



This novella seemed really, really short. It’s possible, though, that it only seemed that way because the story takes place over a day or two.



Maddy is about to graduate high school; Billy is her boyfriend who is 20 years old. Maddy grew up in a modest but loving home. Billy grew up virtually without parents since his were absent or drunk most of the time. There really isn’t anything I can say about the story without giving everything away. Since reading it, I found out that this is a prequel to another of Molly O'Keefe’s books. I’m glad to hear that because I was thinking that I missed the point of the story. I don’t know if I’d say that Maddy and Billy have chemistry or not because I feel like I didn’t get a good sense of them as a couple. What I can say is that I really liked Maddy and Billy as individual characters. I liked Maddy’s devotion to Billy. Even though she’s young, her emotions felt genuine. I mean, I didn’t have the urge to think, “Yeah, but you’re just a kid – what do you know about love?” Billy is great too. It sounded like he had such a crappy upbringing and for him to become a decent person is a miracle. I kept waiting for him to be a jerk to Maddy but he never was. He was just as devoted to her as she was to him.



The writing and the characters were certainly good enough for a full-length sequel; however, I don’t care for books/stories about people so young. This was a little too close to a YA story and that’s just not my cup of tea. I would recommend it to someone who enjoys YA characters and story lines but I don’t think it really fit well in this anthology because of the younger characters and lack of romance.



Novella Rating: C





Stefanie Sloane’s One Perfect Christmas



This little historical novella was pretty great. A few of Stefanie Sloane’s books have been on my TBR for a while now so I was thrilled that she had a story in here.



Just like in Ruthie Knox’s novella, Stefanie Sloane gives our hero and heroine a fully fleshed out backstory and plenty of history together so I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. Lucas is a titled Englishman and Julie is about to be an impoverished, unmarried woman. Lucas and Julie have been friends forever, nothing more. When Julie’s fiancé elopes with another woman, Lucas helps her deal with it and get over it. But during that time, he also realizes that he might have more than just friendly feelings for her. Lucas needs to act fast because Julie has to find a husband sooner rather than later and she’s about to meet one of her prospects at a dinner party.



This novella was a lot of fun. Julie is smart and witty back when being a smart and witty woman wasn’t such a great thing. But she’s also very sweet and kind. Lucas is a pretty great guy too, so this isn’t one of those stories about opposites attracting. Julie and Lucas are perfect for each other, all they have to do is realize it! My only “negative” comment would be that it ended really abruptly. I really thought there’d be at least one more chapter. When you read this, you’ll know what I mean, even if you don’t agree. It didn’t take away from liking the book; it just surprised me.



Novella Rating: B+





Bottom Line

I really enjoyed this anthology. Each story was unique and mostly complete. They all take place in or around Christmastime which ties them all together. I think I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to get in the Christmas mood and/or someone who wanted to try out a new subgenre of romance or new author. Since this book has contemporary and historical stories that are all pretty brief, it would be an easy way to give these authors a shot.



Overall Anthology Rating: B+



Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

[Romance Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars to Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox

Yes, this was the one and only reason I bought this book. You slap Ruthie's name on something and I'm going to buy it. She is quickly climbing the ranks to be my favorite romance author, and with good reason. Her characters are strong, sassy and fun. Her plots are fresh and witty, without a formula or cliche in sight. And the sex? Whoa mama.

I'm also anxious for the tease we got of Along Came Trouble. Will be looking for that!

2 stars to All I Want for Christmas

I was extremely confused when I read this...this...well, let's be honest and call it a prologue, yeah? It's set in 1996, so I was expecting things to pick up to present day at some point in the story. Not so, my friends. This was just the start of Billy and Maddy's story. We find out at the end of the book where other excerpts are that their story will actually be continued in a novel. That in and of itself is irritating enough. Besides that, though, I just didn't care enough for the characters or the writing style to continue on with their story.

Regardless of the other two excerpts in this book, the $1.99 cover price is worth it for Knox's words alone and perfect for a little Christmas reading.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 Stars

I’m a sucker for Christmas anthologies because they usually contain several short stories that I can read quickly during the rush of the season. It’s such a busy time of year and so having the luxury of sitting down and reading for long stretches of time isn’t possible, these anthologies indulge the reader in me yet give me time to do all the things necessary during the Christmas rush.

Room At The Inn by Ruthie Knox 4.5 stars
I absolutely adore lover’s reunited stories and this one is very good. Carson Vance has returned home to help his father who suffered a recent fall and is not taking the death of his wife well at all. Carson has spent most of his adult life traveling across the world working for the U.S. Government building embassies and other buildings. He loves the travel and his job; he mostly loves being away from his hometown of Potter Falls. Julie Long has lived in Potter Falls for 16 years; she owns a bed and breakfast and works at the town’s library. She’s also serves on several committees around town and loves every minute of it. Brought up in a well off family, Julie felt at home the first time she visited Potter Falls with her then college boyfriend, Carson.

Julie loved the town then and now and all Carson every wanted was out of it.
These two share a lot of history, some good, some not so good. While it’s obvious these two have major chemistry, it’s also obvious that they share way more than that. On this trip back they both agree to be friends and nothing more, they shared a “bed buddy” type of relationship for year but stopped that about three years ago. Julie realizing she needed more out of life and Carson realizing Julie was never going to get it if they kept hooking up whenever he was in town. Carson soon finds himself helping her restore her bed and breakfast as well as taking care of his Dad. Eventually they succumb to the overwhelming urge to be together again both knowing that Carson will eventually leave.

It was hard not to like both Julie and Carson. Julie is just such a selfless character, always doing and thinking of others before herself. Although Carson grew up in the town, the town’s people call Julie “one of their own” and make no bones about telling her to be careful of Carson. Carson is somewhat more complex, it’s obvious he’s tried to disconnect from the town and feels he can never do right in his father’s eyes. I really love the way he finds his way back to Julie and starts to mend his relationship with his father. His old friend (Leo) someone he considers his “competition”, is the one to kick him in his butt and helps him realize just how good is life has always been. This is a great example of how a secondary character can become a fan favorite; Leo is definitely a hero in my book.

Ruthie has such a way with words and just makes you feel all the emotions these characters experience. Despite the length; this book has fully developed characters, a satisfying love story that transcends time, very sexy love scenes, and an amazing proposal in front of a very large audience. This is one holiday story you’ll want to snuggle up with and enjoy!

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Molly O’Keefe 3.5 stars

Let me warn you that this is a super short story, it’s only four chapters and to me it seems more like a prequel to story. It’s good, but it definitely left me wanting to know what happens after…..

Madelyn Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins have plans, big plans. In two days she’ll be eighteen and they’ll be married. It’s Christmas Eve and tonight they plan to tell her parents of their plan. This is really a sweet and romantic story of two young people who want to spend their lives together. There’s no doubt they love each other madly, but it’s also hard not to wonder if they’ll make it.
The story is interesting in that her mother and father don’t react they way she expects them to. They also share some news with Billy that she has kept secret which leads him to start having doubts. Madelyn starts to wonder if she’s doing the right thing and it’s not quite the happy Christmas Eve celebration they planned.

I did like this story and I think it was well written in the fact that everyone’s reactions seemed genuine. It just left me hanging and I personally have a hard time with that. I’m hoping at some point Molly will revisit these characters so we can see if things turn out well for them.

One Perfect Christmas by Stefanie Sloan 4.0 stars

I’m not a big fan of historical fiction; I rarely read it however I thoroughly enjoyed One Perfect Christmas. It features a pretty sassy heroine and a loveable but somewhat clueless hero and a suitor who does the right thing for both of them.

Lord Lucas Cavanaugh has returned home after some time away traveling trying to deny the feelings he has developed for his pretty neighbor, Jane Merriweather. They shared a moment seven months ago and upon realizing his feelings, he promptly fled leaving Jane feeling worried and embarrassed.

Both these characters are fun and interesting. Lucas is a tad over confident but it’s easy to forgive him because he is a man in love. Jane is loveable but clueless. She refuses to see Lucas as any more than a friend and asks his help in landing the suitor her mother has found for her. He of course agrees so that he can sweep in and have Jane for himself.

This is a fun and entertaining story with great sexual tension leading up to one hell of a sexy scene. Although short, it was engaging and I will be checking out this author’s other offerings soon.

[Christi Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Naughty and Nice
Author: Anthology
My Rating Overall: A


Genre: Holiday Romance
Series: -
Main Characters: anthology
Release Date: November 2012

ISBN: e-book
Publisher: Loveswept
Links to Purchase:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Sexual Intensity: hot

Tis the season for romance with three original holiday-themed novellas! Unwrap this festive eBook bundle and discover why these authors are quickly becoming the biggest names in the genre. Ruthie Knox tells a heartwarming contemporary story of first loves given the gift of a second chance; Molly O’Keefe releases the ghosts of Christmas past with a prequel to her novel Crazy Thing Called Love; and Stefanie Sloane weaves an irresistible Regency tale of fiery passion that burns deep on a cold winter’s night.
*******************


Title: Room at the Inn
Author: Ruthie Knox
My Rating: A+
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Main Characters: Julie and Carson
Sexual Intensity: hot

Story Overview:
Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come.

My Review:
A+ rating
Yes, this is a story that left me with tears in my eyes. It was such a GOOD story! Sixteen years....that's how long ago Carson left Potter Falls and the love of his life, Julie, there. He's been back for short visits, but never stays, even though every single time the chemistry and feelings between him and Julie are always explosive.

Julie came to visit Potter Falls when she was dating Carson in college. Having grown up in NYC with a family that was all about their things, she found a life and a home in Potter Falls, even though Carson refused to stay there and share it with her. For Carson, Potter Falls has always meant this crushing pressure on his chest. He feels like he's suffocating there and never stays. Julie stayed, adopted his parents, and saved his mother's life...in every way.

This story was so incredibly creative and wonderful. I couldn't figure out just what Carson's problem was, but when it's really revealed why he feels this crushing pressure in this town, my heart just broke for him. *gah* SUCH A GOOD STORY!! So heartfelt. So emotional. So absolutely PERFECT as a Christmas story. Truly, this story is simply wonderful!! It's definitely one I will read every single year. Read it...you won't regret it!!

***************************

Title: All I Want for Christmas is You
Author: Molly O'Keefe
My Rating: B+
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Main Characters: Billy and Maddy
Sexual Intensity: hot

Story Overview:
Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are spontaneous, in love, and prepared to elope the day after Christmas—that is, if Maddy’s family doesn’t throw a wrench in their plans. After all, Maddy’s barely out of high school and Billy’s a notorious bad boy. Maddy doesn’t care about Billy’s rough past—all she cares about is living in the here and now. But after Maddy’s mother stops speaking to her in protest, and a Christmas Eve heart-to-heart with her father leaves her with butterflies, Maddy starts to get cold feet. She loves Billy, but is she taking this big step too soon?

My Review:
B+ rating
This is a novella which features the beginnings of Billy and Maddy's marriage. They are the couple in the upcoming novel, Crazy Thing Called Love, releasing in late January. But in this portion of the story, they are very young. Maddy is about to turn 18 and Billy is 20 and on the verge of heading into the NHL. They plan to get married on her 18th birthday which is the day after Christmas, but Maddy has doubts and so does her family.

They are so young in this and definitely act that way throughout the novella, but I loved having this little insight into their backstory. Back story is VERY important to know when you head into their current story (which I was lucky to also have an ARC of so that I could jump right into it when I finished this. HINT: It's an AMAZING book...my review won't be up until it's release date, but I gave a HUGE A+ to Crazy Thing Called Love. Seriously, that book is so good. You want to read this one to get you ready for that one.)

But back to this book...it's a novella when they are very young. It's very angsty, but also very sweet. The novella only covers 3 days, but these two have been together/friends/dating for 8 years. It's short, it's sweet, but it gives you just a taste of the tempestuous relationship between this volatile hero and emotional heroine.
**********************

ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane

Story Overview:
After being jilted by her fiancé, Jane Merriweather turns to her dear childhood friend, the Honorable Lucas Cavanaugh, for support—and unlocks the smoldering desire simmering in the man’s troubled heart. Frightened by his newfound feelings, Lucas flees to Scotland. But when the Christmas season brings them together again, one glance is all that’s needed to reignite his yearning. If Lucas can convince Jane that his intentions are as pure as the falling snow, they’ll turn a dreary December into a joyous Yuletide affair.

My Review:
I am not going to rate this novella, simply because I don't read or enjoy historical novels that often anymore. I did read this one and it was written really well. This just isn't a style of novel that's to my tastes.

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Room at the Inn originally posted here

Dysfunctional relationships are a dime a dozen in Romance. They make the journey entertaining and the emotional payoff sweeter. Damaged characters mean internal conflict, so the story can focus on its characters and their path to the happily ever after. It’s certainly not the only type of relationship portrayed in the genre, but it is one of the most common. We usually see these people falling in love and finding emotional stability in each other. Some of them have to redeem themselves, some have to grovel, but in the end we know they are going to be happy, and that they deserve it.

But sometimes I find a romance that, regardless of how much I want to see the characters happy, is so dysfunctional that the idea of them together makes me uncomfortable. Books like that never work for me because bad romances make bad Romances. But is that always the case? Can a damaged relationship with deeply flawed characters still be a good book and a good representative of the genre? Ruthie Knox’s newest story, Room at the Inn, is a perfect example of a bad romance that thoroughly worked for me as a reader. I’m sure I liked it, but I wonder why, and if liking it is enough to make it good.

The story is yet another version of one of Romance’s tropiest tropes that ever troped: love-phobic hero can’t wait to leave his hometown, and when he finally does it, he leaves the love of his life behind. The heroine is left brokenhearted and can’t let go as much as she tries, but now he’s back in town and they get a second chance. However, this story is a bit different, the hero, Carson, met Julie in college. He brought her to his hometown when her mother was dying, and Julie ended up saving his mother and finding a place to belong. The problem was that Carson couldn't wait to leave again, so she gave him her blessing and he left her there. As the years went by, they hooked up every time he came back to visit. But that was all there was to their relationship, occasional sex, and an inability to let go and move on that was deeply rooted in a love unwilling to die no matter how much pain it was forced to endure. And there was a lot of pain.

This is a Christmas story, but there’s nothing light and fluffy about it. I thought it was a sad novella about two people who had great chemistry between them, but lacked the emotional maturity to be in a healthy relationship. Carson was selfish and self-centered. He didn't want Julie, but didn't want anyone else to have her either. He never stops to think about how much he’s hurting her, and revels in the fact that Julie can’t let go of her feelings for him. His daddy issues developed into commitment issues and he’s so focused on himself that he can’t see the damage he inflicted on his family and friends. Julie, on the other hand, was weak and a pushover. She tried to have relationships with other men, was even engaged once, but she admits to sabotaging those relationships because of her love for Carson. But being with him made her as miserable as being without him. She tries to resist him, but the battle was lost before it begun. She’s living with so much heartache but is incapable of confronting him about it:

"Her eyes filled with tears. She thought she made a difference, too. The kind of difference Glory had made. That the smell of sweet rolls mattered, and the fate of the factory building. The rescue of a stately mansion. Ordinary, everyday kindness.
He made her feel so small sometimes. Judged and found wanting. Diminished.

And he didn't even know it."

I know there’s nothing new about anything I've said here, and in the hands of a less talented author I probably would have dismissed it as a bad book with insufferable characters. But the problem was that even while I kept taking note of these issues, I was completely riveted by the story.

Perhaps part of the reason why I enjoyed it so much was that it felt authentic. Carson and Julie didn't know how to be together, but they didn't know how to be apart either. I've met people like that in real life, hell, not that long ago I was them. Carson wasn't a heroic hero, charming, yes, but not heroic. But I liked him even while I disliked him. They also had incredible chemistry, and the sex was fantastic. It’s part of what makes Ms. Knox a great author -- her characters feel like they belong together, even if it’s uncertain whether they deserve each other or not.

But I’m sitting here and I keep thinking that as much as I loved Room at the Inn, I can’t deny that the romance was terrible. And the only reason I can believe in their HEA is that they were miserable apart from each other, so anything that’s not being separated means happiness. Yes they love each other, but I’m not sure they deserved being happy together.

So I guess the question is what makes a Romance good? Is it the enjoyment factor alone, or does the relationship, the romance, have to be good as well? I loved this story, and the quality of the writing was great, but I’m not sure if I would call it good.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox - 4 stars

Carson couldn't wait to get away from his home town and left as soon as he was old enough. Apart from the occasional visit home he hasn't looked back since but now thanks to his father's ailing health it looks like he's going to be trapped in a longer visit. The only thing even slightly attractive about staying in town is spending time with his ex girlfriend Julie but Julie has had her heart broken by him one too many times and she isn't going to let him back in without a fight.

The main reason I wanted to read this anthology was for the story by Ruthie Knox, I've read and loved her work in the past so I had high hopes for her contribution and Room at the Inn didn't disappoint - it was my favourite story in the anthology. Carson has spent his whole life running from his feelings, he was so convinced that he would lose Julie one day that he ran out on her before things could get serious (now there's some typical man logic at work if ever I saw it!). Since then he has been so busy focusing on staying away from home that he's forgotten what is missing from his life. I found it quite amusing watching him go from desperately trying to escape to realising that Julie is all he has ever wanted and having to convince her that this time he means it. It would have been easy to feel sorry for Julie but after getting her heart broken she picked herself up, dusted herself off and got on with building a life for herself. She may not have had the man she loved in her life but she was determined to chase her other dreams and you have to admire her for that. Room at the Inn is a really sweet, and definitely sexy, story of two lovers who are reunited and given the opportunity to try again and I really enjoyed reading it.

All I Want for Christmas is You by Molly O'Keefe - 2.5 stars

Maddy and Billy are childhood sweethearts who are desperate to start their lives together. They come from very different backgrounds - Maddie is from a wealthy and happy home while Billy is a bad boy from the wrong side of town - but that has never changed the way they feel about each other. Now with Billy's sporting career about to take off they have plans to get married on Maddy's 18th birthday. Maddy is desperate for her parents approval to get married but what will they think when they find out about the couple's plans and will the wedding actually go ahead?

I'm going to be honest and admit that my personal experiences probably coloured my view of this story so that is probably one of the main reasons I didn't enjoy it. I could really relate to Maddy and Billy's plans to get married and live happily ever after, it was something I desperately wanted myself at that age so I didn't find it at all shocking that they wanted to marry so young. I really liked Billy, I admired him for the way he had coped with his poor upbringing and become so determined to make a success of himself. He worked hard to help his sisters and he obviously really cared about Maddy and would do anything for her. He was so sweet and I badly wanted him to get the happy ending he deserved. My main problem was with Maddy - I just didn't warm to her at all. She came across as very selfish and I never really felt that she loved Billy as much as he loved her. I actually got to the point where I didn't want them to marry because I didn't think she deserved someone as nice as him. Reading All I Want For Christmas actually left me feeling miserable which is the last thing I want from a romance - especially a Christmas one! I have since found out that this is a prequel for Molly O'Keefe's next novel Crazy Thing Called Love (due to be published early next year) so perhaps Billy and Maddy's story will reach a more satisfying conclusion in that book but unfortunately I'm not interested enough to want to carry on reading.

One Perfect Christmas by Stephanie Sloane - 3.5 stars

Jane and Lucas have been friends since they were children but it wasn't until recently that they both realised they had feelings for each other that go way beyond friendship. Lucas is frightened by the strength of his love and rather than admit how much he cares he chooses to bury his head in the sand. Until he is shocked by the sight of another man attempting to court Jane that is, then he decides it's all out war and he must make her realise that they belong together.

I have to admit I was quite surprised to find a regency romance as part of this anthology, I'd just assumed that all of the stories would be contemporary romances, but it made a nice change so I'm not complaining. One Perfect Christmas was a sweet and fun friends to lovers story that had me smiling the whole way through. Both main characters were likeable and made a cute couple but I have to give a major shout out to Reginald the matchmaking donkey who I adored. My one complaint would be the way Jane goes from virgin to sex goddess on their very first encounter. I'm all for a hot sex scene but it has to be believable and fit the characters and unfortunately that wasn't the case here. I still enjoyed the story overall though and will definitely check out more of Stephanie Sloane's books in the future.

[Kaetrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox.

Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox
Why I read it: I picked this up from NetGalley. I have only read the Ruthie Knox story.

What it's about: (from Goodreads) ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox

Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come.

What worked for me (and what didn't): Having read and enjoyed Ride with Me and About Last Night, I was keen to read the Christmas novella I'd heard a lot about on Twitter. I was prepared, from Brie's review for the main characters to be flawed. I read somewhere (where I cannot now remember) about it being possible to perceive Julie as being somewhat stalker-y given that she moved to Potter's Falls, donated a kidney to Carson's mother, nursed his mother, took over all of her roles in the community etc. I suppose, partly because of all my prior reading, I didn't find those things as problematic as I might otherwise have done. Perhaps, because of it, my take is a bit different to the other reviews I've read.



It is clear that Carson and Julie have a deep and intense connection. It is equally clear that they have tried to get on with their lives without each other but when one is in the other's orbit, they are inevitably attracted - like a gravitational pull.

But maybe she was projecting. Maybe he wasn’t really conveying as much testosterone-laden intensity as she imagined.

Maybe she thought he only looked like a territory-conquering slab of rough-and-tumble male charisma because he’d conquered her territory, tumbled her rough, and left her behind a long time ago.

Now he just stopped by every so often to replant his flag.

And, it seems, that Carson, as much as he tries to resist, is drawn back to Julie even if she is in Potter's Falls, the last place on earth he wants to be (at least for most of the story). I was pleased that Julie had had other relationships and hadn't pined away even as she acknowledges later in the story that ultimately those relationships failed because she wasn't over Carson. I respected that the reason Carson had stopped having sex with her some years before was because his mother had had a quiet word to the effect that what he was doing was unfair on Julie (even if Julie did not realise that).

I appreciated that both of them didn't want this attraction - neither saw it leading to a happy ever after.

He wanted to feast on her for as long as she’d let him, until he didn’t need her so fucking much anymore.

It wouldn’t work, of course. He wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t use her up or shake her off or run away from her. He’d tried all that. He’d tried everything.

It was that aspect of the story which compelled me. The impossibility but necessity of their connection. It's the romance equivalent of a locked room murder mystery.

In the end, when Carson's deep down reason was revealed, I felt - kind of - like it was a bit of a cop out. I was so curious as to how their fundamental conflict could work out - if it could work out, that when it was about Carson's fear and not his wanderlust after all, I was a little deflated.

It didn’t make any sense to construct a life so narrow, the death of one person brought an end to it. Carson needed to be more. He’d left this place behind and made something of himself. Seen the world. Built things, structures that would last long after he was gone.

I didn't think either Julie or Carson pathetic and I think, given the construct of the story, that their HEA is solid. But the more interesting conflict was, for me, left along the wayside. How could things have worked out if he just couldnt' stay full time in Potter's Falls? Perhaps the answer is that they couldn't and that's why. But I would have liked to have seen it.

I loved the writing (as usual) and enjoyed the story and characters and I liked the way the "villain" was actually not a villian at all. I even didn't mind the grand gesture at the end of the story - mainly because I felt that Carson needed to let the town know that he would take care of Julie to be completely accepted, given how protective of her they clearly were. I also liked that Carson and his dad had made some inroads into improving their relationship but there was no miracle cure. I thought Julie was perhaps just a little too perfect but I certainly bought into their mutual passion and connection.

Favourite Quote:

“This is something you need to know[...]” he said. “If you tell me something while you’re not wearing a shirt, I’m not going to remember it.”


Grade: B

http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

LIked Knox's story, but the rest were pretty flat.