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Indigo Island #3
The Trouble with Christmas
At 35-years-old, Cole Stanton is burned out. His high-paced, uber-successful career has left him yearning to start over. He finds Indigo Island, buys a restaurant and settles into an uncomplicated life. But Christmas is a mess. He has over-committed the small restaurant’s resources again, and is over his head. He finds himself longing for everything he has left behind, until a chance encounter with gorgeous Lily offers a spark of salvation to his business and, perhaps his life.
Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
108 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2014
42 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Kaira Rouda
42 books3,003 followersKaira Rouda is a USA TODAY and #1 Amazon and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction exploring beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her suspense novels include BEST DAY EVER, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, ALL THE DIFFERENCE, THE NEXT WIFE, SOMEBODY'S HOME, THE WIDOW, BENEATH THE SURFACE, UNDER THE PALMS, THE SECOND MRS STROM, WHAT THE NANNY SAW and JILL IS NOT HAPPY. Her next novel, WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS, is out February 3, 2026.
She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Visit her webiste, KairaRouda.com for more. Connect with her on Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.
If you'd like to host Kaira at your book club, please reach out through her website KairaRouda.com
Sign up to receive a monthly email from Kaira with exclusive sales news, book excerpts, sweepstakes, and giveaways at: kairarouda.com/signup/
She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Visit her webiste, KairaRouda.com for more. Connect with her on Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.
If you'd like to host Kaira at your book club, please reach out through her website KairaRouda.com
Sign up to receive a monthly email from Kaira with exclusive sales news, book excerpts, sweepstakes, and giveaways at: kairarouda.com/signup/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 8, 2021
4 Solid Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free, A 2014 Early Review
If you like a romance between people who have lived a little, been through some adversity, and come out the other end as warm wonderful people, then this Christmas Love story is for you. Tule Publishing and Kaira Rouda have come up with a new winning series. They have introduced a feel of the South with families and locales we want to know more about.
A gifted copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * Spoiler Free, A 2014 Early Review
If you like a romance between people who have lived a little, been through some adversity, and come out the other end as warm wonderful people, then this Christmas Love story is for you. Tule Publishing and Kaira Rouda have come up with a new winning series. They have introduced a feel of the South with families and locales we want to know more about.
A gifted copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
September 25, 2015
Soo... not sure what I just read or how to event start this review. In a sense I am a little ticked with this book.
Yup this is also my 3rd Christmas read this September. Someone seems to be in a holiday mood huh? Kind to think of it, the book before this one centered around Halloween. Humm... anyway getting off track. Hope this review doesn't sound too harsh.
Okay, I really went with an open mind when I picked The Trouble with Christmas as my next read. I really had been in a holiday mood, plus my netgalley account was getting kind of cluttered due to missing a bunch after having my son and let's face it this looked like a quick read. Who doesn't like quick reads? Especially if you have an infant almost constantly in your other arm, like right now... heh Typing one handed /flex
Anyway. I am stalling. Like I said, I am not sure where to begin. I really wanted to like this book, but it kind of went down hill fast for me. Long story short, or short story, shorter... Lily has just been dumped by her fiance. He apparently broke off their engagement for an “arranged” marriage and he was also marrying.. up for money. Okay, whatever. So Lily is heart broken when her best friend since childhood swoops in and takes her away on a family trip to Indigo Island.
Now I will warn you. Some things upset me as the story went on so there might be SPOILERS. If you do not want to see them, you can just stop reading now... I will just tell you ahead of time, I gave this book two stars instead of one because the romance had SOME redeeming qualities. Okay? Now, if you don't want to know why I was so upset, and don't want to read spoilers, you can stop beyond this point.
SPOILERS AHEAD
First, I felt like Lily moved on too quickly. This was sort of an insta-love book. One moment she is blowing snot bubbles over her ex of five years, the next moment she is drooling over some local of Indigo Island. The guy is hot, so.. yup that's that.
-Avery her best friend keeps hoping that Lily would become her sister in law and get together with her brother James, who apparently has a girlfriend in this book, and appears roughly a hand full of times and none of their communication had left me believing there was anything between them. What really pissed me off here? Lily says something during family dinner that apparently upsets James, which I did not feel he should have been upset about it and Avery was quick to point out that Lily has hit a nerve.. umm why? To top it off... James, who she knew all her life and did not feel anything towards apparently out of no where, thought that the two of them can have a future together and then literally forces himself on her... sorry but....the hell?
There is a lot of The trouble with Christmas lines and all the problems with it.. I did not know that Christmas was such a troubled holiday...
At one point Lily calls Bob her soul mate, but later says she never felt anything like this with Bob or any man that she felt with Cole.... flip flopping much?
Cole calls Lily exasperating because she teases him a bunch but won't sleep with a man she just met right away – why? Not that it matters, the panties dropped not too soon after that.
Avery let's Lily borrow her lingerie... what? NO, NO, NO. I am sorry, I don't care if she is your best friend, sister, or mother.. why would ANYONE borrow someones lingerie.. ew.. no!
The book was so fast paced there was just too much going too fast, it was kind of like watching a movie on fast forward... Maybe it would have benefited in slowing down?
Anyway...
I did think there was some parts of the book that was nice. Like them helping a local diner with the Christmas meals, thought Cole's tension with the owner was odd... And some parts of the romance was sweet, but a lot of it was too fast and too odd. Unfortunately, I found too much negatives in the book to fully enjoy it. But that's just me. I know a lot will still enjoy it, and that's fine, but that was just my two cents. I am sure it is still a comfy quick Christmas read for many, but for me, too many things had put me off.
I got a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
Yup this is also my 3rd Christmas read this September. Someone seems to be in a holiday mood huh? Kind to think of it, the book before this one centered around Halloween. Humm... anyway getting off track. Hope this review doesn't sound too harsh.
Okay, I really went with an open mind when I picked The Trouble with Christmas as my next read. I really had been in a holiday mood, plus my netgalley account was getting kind of cluttered due to missing a bunch after having my son and let's face it this looked like a quick read. Who doesn't like quick reads? Especially if you have an infant almost constantly in your other arm, like right now... heh Typing one handed /flex
Anyway. I am stalling. Like I said, I am not sure where to begin. I really wanted to like this book, but it kind of went down hill fast for me. Long story short, or short story, shorter... Lily has just been dumped by her fiance. He apparently broke off their engagement for an “arranged” marriage and he was also marrying.. up for money. Okay, whatever. So Lily is heart broken when her best friend since childhood swoops in and takes her away on a family trip to Indigo Island.
Now I will warn you. Some things upset me as the story went on so there might be SPOILERS. If you do not want to see them, you can just stop reading now... I will just tell you ahead of time, I gave this book two stars instead of one because the romance had SOME redeeming qualities. Okay? Now, if you don't want to know why I was so upset, and don't want to read spoilers, you can stop beyond this point.
SPOILERS AHEAD
First, I felt like Lily moved on too quickly. This was sort of an insta-love book. One moment she is blowing snot bubbles over her ex of five years, the next moment she is drooling over some local of Indigo Island. The guy is hot, so.. yup that's that.
-Avery her best friend keeps hoping that Lily would become her sister in law and get together with her brother James, who apparently has a girlfriend in this book, and appears roughly a hand full of times and none of their communication had left me believing there was anything between them. What really pissed me off here? Lily says something during family dinner that apparently upsets James, which I did not feel he should have been upset about it and Avery was quick to point out that Lily has hit a nerve.. umm why? To top it off... James, who she knew all her life and did not feel anything towards apparently out of no where, thought that the two of them can have a future together and then literally forces himself on her... sorry but....the hell?
There is a lot of The trouble with Christmas lines and all the problems with it.. I did not know that Christmas was such a troubled holiday...
At one point Lily calls Bob her soul mate, but later says she never felt anything like this with Bob or any man that she felt with Cole.... flip flopping much?
Cole calls Lily exasperating because she teases him a bunch but won't sleep with a man she just met right away – why? Not that it matters, the panties dropped not too soon after that.
Avery let's Lily borrow her lingerie... what? NO, NO, NO. I am sorry, I don't care if she is your best friend, sister, or mother.. why would ANYONE borrow someones lingerie.. ew.. no!
The book was so fast paced there was just too much going too fast, it was kind of like watching a movie on fast forward... Maybe it would have benefited in slowing down?
Anyway...
I did think there was some parts of the book that was nice. Like them helping a local diner with the Christmas meals, thought Cole's tension with the owner was odd... And some parts of the romance was sweet, but a lot of it was too fast and too odd. Unfortunately, I found too much negatives in the book to fully enjoy it. But that's just me. I know a lot will still enjoy it, and that's fine, but that was just my two cents. I am sure it is still a comfy quick Christmas read for many, but for me, too many things had put me off.
I got a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
November 10, 2014
Everyone would be a couple, except for her. That was the trouble with Christmas. There were just too many expectations and not enough sprinkles of magic when someone needed them.
Yep. Lily's alone again. Her dad abandoned her mother when Lily was a teen. Her mom is/was an alcoholic and out of the picture. And now Bob has cut their engagement, announcing his impeding marriage to a known socialite. Christmas pretty much sucks. Which is why Lily allowed Avery, her BFF, to helicopter her off to Avery's parents' estate on Indigo Island.
While there, Lily meets Cole, and his altruism is such a shock to her system. Bob was a narcissist, and Lily--a hardworking pastry chef--never measured up to his, or his family's, expectations. Being the center of Cole's attraction is pretty heady for Lily.
Cole's got 99 problems, but a girl ain't one. He's haunted by his free-wheeling days as an investment broker. Cavalier portfolios left a number of his clients financially and psychologically ruined, and the emotional fall out caused him to change paths quickly. Now, all he wants to do is fix the business of Marshside Mama's, a local eatery, but his high fallutin' ideas have pushed the restaurant even closer to the brink.
Meeting Chef Lily is a Christmas miracle, if Cole allows himself to believe such exist. The attraction is magnetic, but their cooperation is kismet. Lily applauds Cole's initiative, but recognizes his skills set isn't in the kitchen. She works with Sally Ann, the restaurant's owner and and cook, to create a Christmas menu that brings to locals in in droves. And the way Lily and Cole fit together? Delicious.
This is a fun Christmas novella with good pacing. I was a bit alarmed by how fast the attraction built--from a spark to a blaze--but there are moments where Lily pulls back on the reins and finds that she too can have some power in a relationship. Avery's family is indeed too good to be true, but I love me some socially-conscious billionaires. I was really happy to see Lily figure out the trouble with Christmas, after all...
The trouble with Christmas wasn’t because of the holiday at all. Christmas was what people made it. It was their choice to focus on the bad things that had happened to them and the people who had hurt them, or choose to focus on the magical, light-filled, sparkling season that promised hope and dreams would come true.
October 11, 2017
No
I thought that the story was progressing real quick. At 39% the story ended. The rest of this book is other quick reads. I will not be reading this again. If I had known that this was several “bonus” books I would not have gotten it even free.
I thought that the story was progressing real quick. At 39% the story ended. The rest of this book is other quick reads. I will not be reading this again. If I had known that this was several “bonus” books I would not have gotten it even free.
November 11, 2014
Lily is a pastry chef who was just dumped by her fiance right before Christmas, and given the shocking news that he was marrying someone else on Christmas Day. She was devistated. Luckily her friend Avery came to the rescue taking her to her family's Indigo Island home to get away and recover.
Cole was on Indigo Island to repair some bad karma from his previous career. He helped save a small restaurant on the island from bankruptsy and was trying to make things right, but knowing next to nothing about the restaurant wasn't doing so well.
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or in this case, love at first collision? When Lily heads to the local store to get cookie decorations, she literally runs right into Cole who was on his way out of the store. There is instant electricity between them. After talking for a bit she learns of his issues with the restaurant and figures throwing herself into a project would be a good distraction for her right now.
I loved Lily and Cole and how they worked so well together to save the restaurant. Avery's family was wonderful as well. They are so loving and caring and they genuinely want Lily to be happy. Lily and Cole really brought out the best in each other and made a wonderful team.
Cole was on Indigo Island to repair some bad karma from his previous career. He helped save a small restaurant on the island from bankruptsy and was trying to make things right, but knowing next to nothing about the restaurant wasn't doing so well.
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or in this case, love at first collision? When Lily heads to the local store to get cookie decorations, she literally runs right into Cole who was on his way out of the store. There is instant electricity between them. After talking for a bit she learns of his issues with the restaurant and figures throwing herself into a project would be a good distraction for her right now.
I loved Lily and Cole and how they worked so well together to save the restaurant. Avery's family was wonderful as well. They are so loving and caring and they genuinely want Lily to be happy. Lily and Cole really brought out the best in each other and made a wonderful team.
October 28, 2014
Lilly, a pastry chef, has just been dumped via phone by her fiance so she heads to an island off the coast of Georgia with her best friend Avery Putnam's family to celebrate the holidays. She meets Cole and they immediately are attracted. Cole Stanton is a Wall Street Investment banker and is burned out. He feels his high-paced career decisions caused an investor to commit suicide. So he has moved to Indigo Island, bought a restaurant hoping to start overt and settle into a more simple life. But Christmas is a mess because he knows nothing about being a restaurant owner and is in over his head. A chance encounter with Lily offers a way out for his business and perhaps his life.
Lily feels an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers him help to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Pros: Good descriptions of setting and food.
Cons: The romance and sexual relationship were too quick. I could not feel the sexual chemistry and there was really no conflict in the story. Just a feel good story of holiday meals, parties, and two people in a relationship.
Lily feels an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers him help to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Pros: Good descriptions of setting and food.
Cons: The romance and sexual relationship were too quick. I could not feel the sexual chemistry and there was really no conflict in the story. Just a feel good story of holiday meals, parties, and two people in a relationship.
October 26, 2014
Review originally posted on booksandspoons.weebly.com/book-blog
When it's a Christmas story, with a heroine who is a pastry chef, and food is a major point in the story -- it is pretty much an instant winner with me.
And The Trouble with Christmas didn't disappoint. It is a heartwarming tale with many positive life messages, closeness and love of a family, as well as adorable romance.
The Putnam family, the closeness, the care and acceptance of Lily, and each other, as well as the community, is enough in itself to put you into Christmas spirits.
How the whole island pulls together, to 'save the Christmas' of a restaurant is inspiring.
For Cole and Lily to realize and accept the love and joy within each other, in such a stressful time in their lives is breathtaking. And all the life lessons Lily learns in the process is uplifting.
Just a cheerful story to get you into the joyful Christmas spirits ~ four spoons!
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley for honest and fair review
When it's a Christmas story, with a heroine who is a pastry chef, and food is a major point in the story -- it is pretty much an instant winner with me.
And The Trouble with Christmas didn't disappoint. It is a heartwarming tale with many positive life messages, closeness and love of a family, as well as adorable romance.
The Putnam family, the closeness, the care and acceptance of Lily, and each other, as well as the community, is enough in itself to put you into Christmas spirits.
How the whole island pulls together, to 'save the Christmas' of a restaurant is inspiring.
For Cole and Lily to realize and accept the love and joy within each other, in such a stressful time in their lives is breathtaking. And all the life lessons Lily learns in the process is uplifting.
Just a cheerful story to get you into the joyful Christmas spirits ~ four spoons!
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley for honest and fair review
October 24, 2014
Lily Edmonds just got dumped by her fiance right before Christmas and to make things worse on Christmas day the jerk is marrying someone else. Come in best friend Avery with a solution; Avery takes Lily to her family's home on Indigo Island to try and cheer her up.
Cole Stanton is the new guy on Indigo Island; having left behind an unfulfilling life, he is trying to make a go at it as a restaurant owner. When Cole and Lily meet is like love at first sight, Lily is of course more guarded granted that she was just recently crying her eyes out over her broken engagement.
The story is sweet, there is no drama or conflict between Cole and Lily, the story is about both of them coming together over shared interest and bonding. This is the perfect, optimistic, cheery holiday read everyone.
Rating 4 out of 5
Read@Book
Cole Stanton is the new guy on Indigo Island; having left behind an unfulfilling life, he is trying to make a go at it as a restaurant owner. When Cole and Lily meet is like love at first sight, Lily is of course more guarded granted that she was just recently crying her eyes out over her broken engagement.
The story is sweet, there is no drama or conflict between Cole and Lily, the story is about both of them coming together over shared interest and bonding. This is the perfect, optimistic, cheery holiday read everyone.
Rating 4 out of 5
Read@Book
November 6, 2014
I would give 3 1/2 stars.
Lily had the standard being jilted by her fiancé and him getting married on Christmas, while Cole was a little more complex. He was a Wall Street money maker, who ditched everything, even family and moved to Indigo Island to right his wrongs the only way it made sense to him, except that wasn't his expertise and he was bombing at it. Lily is whisked away to the island by her best friend Avery. Lilly's chef expertise is able to save Cole bacon.
The chemistry is okay and the issues were easily resolved. My favorite quote from the book was "The trouble with Christmas wasn’t because of the holiday at all. Christmas was what people made it. It was their choice to focus on the bad things that had happened to them and the people who had hurt them, or choose to focus on the magical, light-filled, sparkling season that promised hope and dreams would come true. "
Lily had the standard being jilted by her fiancé and him getting married on Christmas, while Cole was a little more complex. He was a Wall Street money maker, who ditched everything, even family and moved to Indigo Island to right his wrongs the only way it made sense to him, except that wasn't his expertise and he was bombing at it. Lily is whisked away to the island by her best friend Avery. Lilly's chef expertise is able to save Cole bacon.
The chemistry is okay and the issues were easily resolved. My favorite quote from the book was "The trouble with Christmas wasn’t because of the holiday at all. Christmas was what people made it. It was their choice to focus on the bad things that had happened to them and the people who had hurt them, or choose to focus on the magical, light-filled, sparkling season that promised hope and dreams would come true. "
November 11, 2014
A sweet Christmas story
A quiet Christmas with her best friend and family at their plantation home is just what Lily Edmonds needs after being dumped by her fiance of five years.
Cole Stanton needed a change from his fast paced life in Boston. Indigo Island seems like the perfect place to start over. He has bought a restaurant and wants to make a success of it. He had no idea how hard it is running a restaurant.
Lily and Cole quickly become friends after bumping into each other at the store and she decides to help him with his Christmas menu. Will the spirit of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
A quiet Christmas with her best friend and family at their plantation home is just what Lily Edmonds needs after being dumped by her fiance of five years.
Cole Stanton needed a change from his fast paced life in Boston. Indigo Island seems like the perfect place to start over. He has bought a restaurant and wants to make a success of it. He had no idea how hard it is running a restaurant.
Lily and Cole quickly become friends after bumping into each other at the store and she decides to help him with his Christmas menu. Will the spirit of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
November 9, 2014
A trip back to Indigo Island, during Christmas time, what more could Lily ask for? I loved this book, it had the Island, it had likable characters, Christmas, a pastry chef and a restaurant in need. Lily has to get away from the bad breakup and her best friend Avery insists that she go to Indigo Island with her family. Once there the island starts to work its magic on Lily until she stumbles into Cole and sparks begin to fly! I look forward to the next island adventure.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2015
Another really good Christmas treat story! There's no real drama per say, we just have two people who have the means to help each other out and do. And while they're at it, they fall in love, of course :) It is Christmas after all! LOL Very sweet short love story with two great characters with a little sizzle between them. .... just in time to get ya in the spirit of the holidays!
ARC provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review!
ARC provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review!
November 3, 2014
I loved this story. Cole and Lily learned that when you least expect-- good things can happen. This story really grabbed my attention and touched my heart. Finished in one day. Can't wait to read the rest of this series. Enjoyable read that will leave you smiling.
November 21, 2018
Though it is 500 pages long, only about 230 are the actual story. The rest is another book by the author!
This is one of the many Xmas books (freebies) I had downloaded. I spent two hours literally going through and deleting the majority of my free crap this week. This one I kept. It’s deleted now, though.
It’s not bad so much as short and moves too quickly. Probably never should have even downloaded it as it’s really not my type of thing.
This is one of the many Xmas books (freebies) I had downloaded. I spent two hours literally going through and deleting the majority of my free crap this week. This one I kept. It’s deleted now, though.
It’s not bad so much as short and moves too quickly. Probably never should have even downloaded it as it’s really not my type of thing.
November 21, 2016
Sweet
A sweet romantic story. A lesson in what we view as disappointment in love, it may may not be what destiny actually has planed for us works for the better.
A sweet romantic story. A lesson in what we view as disappointment in love, it may may not be what destiny actually has planed for us works for the better.
December 1, 2018
Did not finish. Editorial problems, story inconsistencies.
March 7, 2017
The whole book made no sense.
November 11, 2014
Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books
I received a copy of this book from InkSlinger PR, for a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!
I was instantly attracted to both the title and the summary for this book. It started off really strong and had me instantly curious and excited to get to know these characters. The trouble with some novellas though is having to squeeze so much into such a small space. Sometimes it works but others, especially when you're telling someone's love story who have no prior knowledge of each other at the start of the book, you dip into the whole insta-love problem.
In The Trouble with Christmas I definitely felt that sort of rushed falling into forever vibe. Which was sad for me because everything was great up until about an hour after Lily and Cole meet. Lily was so sad and nursing a 2 week old broken heart after five years with the guy and I just felt so awful for her. I was loving how her best friend Avery and Avery's entire family were there and supportive of her. To them she is part of their family and it was heartwarming and left me with a smile and filled me with hope.
The way that Lily and Cole meet was just the cutest and sweetest thing ever. I was falling into full on swoon mode! But it lost something after that moment. That's when everything started to jolt forward at warp speed. Cole confessing secret shame of his past within hours of meeting her and other situations and bits of dialogue that didn't exactly feel natural or smooth. I understand feeling an instant connection to someone and an attraction, this though went beyond that into instant trust and "we just met but let me tell you about the things from my past that I'm embarrassed about."
So while, yes, I was a bit bothered by the pacing, there were still things that I couldn't help but like about this book. There was still always and underlying sweetness and cuteness to Lily and Cole's story. It would have been perfect as a full length novel, that much I could tell for sure. I truly was sucked in and excited from the opening chapters. The bottom line is if you aren't bothered by insta-love you will probably really enjoy this book and if not this one probably won't be for you.
I received a copy of this book from InkSlinger PR, for a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!
I was instantly attracted to both the title and the summary for this book. It started off really strong and had me instantly curious and excited to get to know these characters. The trouble with some novellas though is having to squeeze so much into such a small space. Sometimes it works but others, especially when you're telling someone's love story who have no prior knowledge of each other at the start of the book, you dip into the whole insta-love problem.
In The Trouble with Christmas I definitely felt that sort of rushed falling into forever vibe. Which was sad for me because everything was great up until about an hour after Lily and Cole meet. Lily was so sad and nursing a 2 week old broken heart after five years with the guy and I just felt so awful for her. I was loving how her best friend Avery and Avery's entire family were there and supportive of her. To them she is part of their family and it was heartwarming and left me with a smile and filled me with hope.
The way that Lily and Cole meet was just the cutest and sweetest thing ever. I was falling into full on swoon mode! But it lost something after that moment. That's when everything started to jolt forward at warp speed. Cole confessing secret shame of his past within hours of meeting her and other situations and bits of dialogue that didn't exactly feel natural or smooth. I understand feeling an instant connection to someone and an attraction, this though went beyond that into instant trust and "we just met but let me tell you about the things from my past that I'm embarrassed about."
So while, yes, I was a bit bothered by the pacing, there were still things that I couldn't help but like about this book. There was still always and underlying sweetness and cuteness to Lily and Cole's story. It would have been perfect as a full length novel, that much I could tell for sure. I truly was sucked in and excited from the opening chapters. The bottom line is if you aren't bothered by insta-love you will probably really enjoy this book and if not this one probably won't be for you.
November 10, 2014
The Trouble with Christmas By Kaira Rouda
(Southern Born Christmas Book 4)
At 35-years-old, Cole Stanton is burned out. His high-paced, uber-successful career has left him yearning to start over. He finds Indigo Island, buys a restaurant and settles into an uncomplicated life. But Christmas is a mess. He has over-committed the small restaurant’s resources again, and is over his head. He finds himself longing for everything he has left behind, until a chance encounter with gorgeous Lily offers a spark of salvation to his business and, perhaps his life.
Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
how did Lily Edmonds and Cole Stanton meet?
Cole Stanton offers Lily a business challenge .what is the business challenge?
will Lily Edmonds and Cole Stanton be more than friends?
who is your favorite character in this story?
And why?
Does the joy of the holiday season bring Lily Edmonds and Cole Stanton together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
The Trouble with Christmas By Kaira Rouda is a wonderful well written 5 stars book.
I highly recommend reading The Trouble with Christmas By Kaira Rouda.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Kaira Rouda.
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
more books by Kaira Rouda.
A Mother's Day: A Short Story by Kaira Rouda
Lines in the Sand (Indigo Island Book 2) by Kaira Rouda
Weekend with the Tycoon (Indigo Island Book 1)by Kaira Rouda
Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda
In the Mirror by Kaira Rouda
Southern Born Christmas
Book 1: Holiday at Magnolia Bay by Tracy Solheim
Book 2: Just in Time for Christmas by Kim Boykin
Book 3: A Very Married Christmas by Erika Marks
Book 4: The Trouble with Christmas by Kaira Rouda
(Southern Born Christmas Book 4)
At 35-years-old, Cole Stanton is burned out. His high-paced, uber-successful career has left him yearning to start over. He finds Indigo Island, buys a restaurant and settles into an uncomplicated life. But Christmas is a mess. He has over-committed the small restaurant’s resources again, and is over his head. He finds himself longing for everything he has left behind, until a chance encounter with gorgeous Lily offers a spark of salvation to his business and, perhaps his life.
Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.
Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
how did Lily Edmonds and Cole Stanton meet?
Cole Stanton offers Lily a business challenge .what is the business challenge?
will Lily Edmonds and Cole Stanton be more than friends?
who is your favorite character in this story?
And why?
Does the joy of the holiday season bring Lily Edmonds and Cole Stanton together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?
The Trouble with Christmas By Kaira Rouda is a wonderful well written 5 stars book.
I highly recommend reading The Trouble with Christmas By Kaira Rouda.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Kaira Rouda.
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
more books by Kaira Rouda.
A Mother's Day: A Short Story by Kaira Rouda
Lines in the Sand (Indigo Island Book 2) by Kaira Rouda
Weekend with the Tycoon (Indigo Island Book 1)by Kaira Rouda
Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda
In the Mirror by Kaira Rouda
Southern Born Christmas
Book 1: Holiday at Magnolia Bay by Tracy Solheim
Book 2: Just in Time for Christmas by Kim Boykin
Book 3: A Very Married Christmas by Erika Marks
Book 4: The Trouble with Christmas by Kaira Rouda
November 19, 2014
The Trouble With Christmas by Kaira Rouda was a charming southern holiday romance. This book is perfect for those who are foodies and appreciate the art of cooking. It is also perfect for those that enjoy a light romance with mature characters.
Pastry Chef Lily Edmonds has been dumped by her fiancé right before Christmas. Their long term relationship came to an end out of the blue. She is reeling from the shock, hurt by the betrayal, and dreading the holidays. Everyone has someone special to celebrate the holidays with. She feels like she is imposing on her friends by tagging along for the Putnam family holiday celebrations on Indigo Island.
Cole Stanton has moved to Indigo Island after experiencing a shocking blow that made him question his life and career choices. Indigo Island is place to start over and make a new life that helps people rather than destroys them. He has invested in a failing local restaurant. He is determined to help bring this business back to life. He is determined to make the other side of Indigo Island just as appealing as the tourist side.
When Cole and Lily meet by accident, they are instantly attracted to one another. Once they begin to get to know one another they realize they have a great deal in common. Cole has the drive and determination to rebuild the restaurant. Lily has the knowledge and know how to make their Christmas Dinner Special a success.
What starts out as a project to help Cole’s restaurant and local community turns into love. It also brings the entire Indigo Island together to celebrate the holidays.
The Trouble With Christmas was a lovely story about love and friendship. It focused on the best reasons for giving. It focused on friendship and community.
Kaira Rouda wrote a charming holiday romance.
April 9, 2015
I love stories that demonstrate the struggles and the healing of older adults (30 yrs +). Because it shows that just because you're engaged or have a career, that your life's not over. You still have things that can go very wrong. You can still have the wool pulled from under your eyes. That's what I feel happened in this short story (novella)
Cole Stanton, our lead male, has gone through some rough stuff and needs a change of scenery. He needs to pick up the pieces and start over. Lily, the lead female, has gotten her heart crushed and needs to do some healing of her own. Their individual stories really intrigued me.
The circumstances in which they comes together aren't necessarily my favorite moments, in fact I didn't really enjoy their meeting all that much. I didn't even enjoy their relationship as much as I thought I would -- there was an element of instalove that, despite this being a short story, could have been written a little better and should have been paced a little slower. Especially toward the ends.
What I DID love about this read, and why I'm giving it the rating that I am, is the family dynamic. The supporting family in the book was awesome. They were probably my favorite and the most memorable. Avery, James and their parents were just a lot of fun. There's so much story to be told with that family.
Cole and Lily's relationship was interesting, but it didn't grip me in a way that I was hoping, especially for a short story. I loved their cute moments together, but I think I just needed a little more. The progression of the plot felt a teeny bit choppy at points, but I honestly just really enjoyed this book for the family.
I would read more from Kaira Rouda, though. There's so much potential for me to fall in love with her writing...
Cole Stanton, our lead male, has gone through some rough stuff and needs a change of scenery. He needs to pick up the pieces and start over. Lily, the lead female, has gotten her heart crushed and needs to do some healing of her own. Their individual stories really intrigued me.
The circumstances in which they comes together aren't necessarily my favorite moments, in fact I didn't really enjoy their meeting all that much. I didn't even enjoy their relationship as much as I thought I would -- there was an element of instalove that, despite this being a short story, could have been written a little better and should have been paced a little slower. Especially toward the ends.
What I DID love about this read, and why I'm giving it the rating that I am, is the family dynamic. The supporting family in the book was awesome. They were probably my favorite and the most memorable. Avery, James and their parents were just a lot of fun. There's so much story to be told with that family.
Cole and Lily's relationship was interesting, but it didn't grip me in a way that I was hoping, especially for a short story. I loved their cute moments together, but I think I just needed a little more. The progression of the plot felt a teeny bit choppy at points, but I honestly just really enjoyed this book for the family.
I would read more from Kaira Rouda, though. There's so much potential for me to fall in love with her writing...
December 11, 2014
Lily Edmonds didn’t know much about happiness. It seemed every time it looked like something was going right in her life it got sidetracked and went very, very wrong. Everything except her best friend and the Putnams, her family. So when the latest disaster happened, her fiancé breaking off their engagement right before Christmas, it’s not that she is surprised so much as in denial. However her best friend won’t allow that for too long and off they go to Indigo Island for what could be the best of the worst Christmas ever.
Cole Stanton was determined to start again. He hadn’t realized it wasn’t going to be easy though. Feeling responsible for the downfall of a family was a heady thing and it seemed like every time he tried to make up for it he something else went wrong. Now at Christmas time he had to figure out what was going to salvage the holiday and the new business he was running. Would he be able to? Or was it another disaster in the making?
When Cole and Lily first meet at the General Store they know something has happened between them, they just don’t know what it is or if it will last. Christmas is the time for happiness and special things might just happen when you least expect them. Will Lily be able to see that her past might just be preparing her for her future? At Christmas anything can happen.
This is and interesting love story that is part of the Indigo Island series but can certainly be read as a stand alone. The plot has a great base and the characters are relatable. The story moves quickly and the romance is mixed with business needs. This is a story for those who can fill in the blanks with their own imaginations and are willing to take out what may be considered reality to most.
Cole Stanton was determined to start again. He hadn’t realized it wasn’t going to be easy though. Feeling responsible for the downfall of a family was a heady thing and it seemed like every time he tried to make up for it he something else went wrong. Now at Christmas time he had to figure out what was going to salvage the holiday and the new business he was running. Would he be able to? Or was it another disaster in the making?
When Cole and Lily first meet at the General Store they know something has happened between them, they just don’t know what it is or if it will last. Christmas is the time for happiness and special things might just happen when you least expect them. Will Lily be able to see that her past might just be preparing her for her future? At Christmas anything can happen.
This is and interesting love story that is part of the Indigo Island series but can certainly be read as a stand alone. The plot has a great base and the characters are relatable. The story moves quickly and the romance is mixed with business needs. This is a story for those who can fill in the blanks with their own imaginations and are willing to take out what may be considered reality to most.
December 19, 2014
*I will try to avoid spoilers.
The Trouble with Christmas by Kaira Rouda
Lily is a thirty year old pastry chef who has had her heart broken. She dated Bob for five years and had gotten engaged. She thought she had met the "one." Of course, they had plans for the future, as any engaged couple would. Until, to her surprise he had broken it off.
Lily and Bob had been invited to go to Indigo Island to spend the holiday with her best friend Avery Putnam, and Avery's family.
After, Avery had learned what had happened she insisted that Lily still go to Indigo Island as planned to clear her head, a fresh start for the new year.
While on the island she stumbles upon a heart stopping attractive man, named Cole Stanton.
Cole Stanton aged thirty five was an investment banker but after a deal went bad he came face to face with the reality of how his career path was hurting people. So, being riddled with guilt he decided to move to Indigo Island for a fresh start and became the co owner of a local restaurant.
Yet, Cole's good intentions went sour and Lily is happy to get back in her element and help out.
The two both came to the island for a new beginning. However, the trouble with Christmas is wondering if Christmas magic is at hand or is it possible for something sweet to come out of sour circumstances with the right ingredients.
I LOVED this book! This is the perfect read if you like the feel of holiday television programs. I was looking for an enjoyable read that had that same Christmassey feel and found it with this book!
*Checkout and follow my blog:
http://wicked-blogs.blogspot.com
The Trouble with Christmas by Kaira Rouda
Lily is a thirty year old pastry chef who has had her heart broken. She dated Bob for five years and had gotten engaged. She thought she had met the "one." Of course, they had plans for the future, as any engaged couple would. Until, to her surprise he had broken it off.
Lily and Bob had been invited to go to Indigo Island to spend the holiday with her best friend Avery Putnam, and Avery's family.
After, Avery had learned what had happened she insisted that Lily still go to Indigo Island as planned to clear her head, a fresh start for the new year.
While on the island she stumbles upon a heart stopping attractive man, named Cole Stanton.
Cole Stanton aged thirty five was an investment banker but after a deal went bad he came face to face with the reality of how his career path was hurting people. So, being riddled with guilt he decided to move to Indigo Island for a fresh start and became the co owner of a local restaurant.
Yet, Cole's good intentions went sour and Lily is happy to get back in her element and help out.
The two both came to the island for a new beginning. However, the trouble with Christmas is wondering if Christmas magic is at hand or is it possible for something sweet to come out of sour circumstances with the right ingredients.
I LOVED this book! This is the perfect read if you like the feel of holiday television programs. I was looking for an enjoyable read that had that same Christmassey feel and found it with this book!
*Checkout and follow my blog:
http://wicked-blogs.blogspot.com
February 1, 2015
A lovely sweet Christmas story set on Indigo Island. This is actually the third book in the Indigo Island series but works well as a standalone, too.
Lily Edmonds is a pastry chef and engaged to be married to Bob until she got the call to tell her he was dumping her to marry someone else on Christmas Day. He told her to keep the ring! Devastated, she is reluctant to tell her best friend, Avery, but - as usual - once she knows, Avery comes to the rescue! She finds another chef to cover her job and arranges to whisk Lily off to her family home on Indigo island for Christmas.
Already on the island is Cole Stanton. He’s recently purchased an island restaurant which was in danger of going bankrupt. He’s also trying to make up for his past life and make things better for others - but he knows nothing about the restaurant business other than as a customer and he’s drowning, and the business is still in danger!
When the two literally bump into each other the attraction is instantaneous and hot. The electricity between them sizzles - but can they trust it and will it last? They introduce each other and Lily offers to help him sort out the restaurant. How can she go from being devastated at losing Bob to instant attraction to Cole? Can she trust her feelings? Can Cole overcome her reluctance to have a relationship with him? Will this be a disastrous liaison or a recipe for true love?
A heart warming, lovely festive read that works well whatever the season, a great book to escape into!
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too, for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lily Edmonds is a pastry chef and engaged to be married to Bob until she got the call to tell her he was dumping her to marry someone else on Christmas Day. He told her to keep the ring! Devastated, she is reluctant to tell her best friend, Avery, but - as usual - once she knows, Avery comes to the rescue! She finds another chef to cover her job and arranges to whisk Lily off to her family home on Indigo island for Christmas.
Already on the island is Cole Stanton. He’s recently purchased an island restaurant which was in danger of going bankrupt. He’s also trying to make up for his past life and make things better for others - but he knows nothing about the restaurant business other than as a customer and he’s drowning, and the business is still in danger!
When the two literally bump into each other the attraction is instantaneous and hot. The electricity between them sizzles - but can they trust it and will it last? They introduce each other and Lily offers to help him sort out the restaurant. How can she go from being devastated at losing Bob to instant attraction to Cole? Can she trust her feelings? Can Cole overcome her reluctance to have a relationship with him? Will this be a disastrous liaison or a recipe for true love?
A heart warming, lovely festive read that works well whatever the season, a great book to escape into!
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too, for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2015
I have received and ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange of an honest review.
I have enjoyed this book. It was a pleasant quick read for today's afternoon.
In here we meet Lily, a pastry chef who was just dumped by her fiancé, with whom she has been for 5 years. What is more, he is getting married just few weeks after he broke up with her with a simple text: Sorry. After her best friend hears what happens she is taken by her and her Family, to Indigo Island for Christmas. There she meets Cole. An ex-banker from Wall Street, who tries to repay his sins by helping others on the Island.
Cole moved to Indigo Island after one of his investments falls through and his clients are faced with loss and tragedy. He blames himself and tries to repay his sins by buying a family restaurant from Sally Ann, whose nephew run away with all her savings and money from the restaurant. Quickly he realises that he has no idea about this industry and is faced with business that just went from bad to worse. And then he meets Lily, who decides to help him.
Both of them have past that is making them careful about trusting others, but they can't deny the pull they feel towards each other. Quickly they give up to it and together they fight to save the restaurant.
The story had so much potential to be great, but the romance was way too quick for me and especially the ending. And also I managed to get better glimpsed of Avery character then the full picture of Cole or Lily, but other than that I really liked it.
I have enjoyed this book. It was a pleasant quick read for today's afternoon.
In here we meet Lily, a pastry chef who was just dumped by her fiancé, with whom she has been for 5 years. What is more, he is getting married just few weeks after he broke up with her with a simple text: Sorry. After her best friend hears what happens she is taken by her and her Family, to Indigo Island for Christmas. There she meets Cole. An ex-banker from Wall Street, who tries to repay his sins by helping others on the Island.
Cole moved to Indigo Island after one of his investments falls through and his clients are faced with loss and tragedy. He blames himself and tries to repay his sins by buying a family restaurant from Sally Ann, whose nephew run away with all her savings and money from the restaurant. Quickly he realises that he has no idea about this industry and is faced with business that just went from bad to worse. And then he meets Lily, who decides to help him.
Both of them have past that is making them careful about trusting others, but they can't deny the pull they feel towards each other. Quickly they give up to it and together they fight to save the restaurant.
The story had so much potential to be great, but the romance was way too quick for me and especially the ending. And also I managed to get better glimpsed of Avery character then the full picture of Cole or Lily, but other than that I really liked it.
January 6, 2015
Lily thought she had her life on the path she wanted. She is a successful pastry chef and engaged. Then her fiance breaks it off with plans to marry someone else a few weeks later, on Christmas. To help her heal, her best friend Avery whisks her off to her family's home on Indigo Island where she can relax and recover around the family that has been her support most of her life.
Cole gave up a successful career on Wall Street and moved to Indigo Island to start over, buying a floundering restaurant and planning to open and Boys and Girls club, intending to give back in any way he can.
A chance meeting brings Lily and Cole together, and despite the attraction they both feel, Lily finds a new purpose in life with her plan to salvage Cole's restaurant.
I love the plot and the way Lily jumps in to helping save the restaurant. It is obvious she is good at what she does and it is an enormous boost to her self-esteem. The characters were fun, as well. My biggest issue was the pacing of the romance. Lily is completely heartbroken, but meets Cole and is ready to move on. Cole starts planning a future before he gets to know Lily. I also was a little disappointed in the way the relationship/behaviors between Lily and Avery's brother James were handled. I would have liked more time to pass before the conclusion of the book, giving them more time to develop a solid relationship.
Overall, a sweet holiday story.
Cole gave up a successful career on Wall Street and moved to Indigo Island to start over, buying a floundering restaurant and planning to open and Boys and Girls club, intending to give back in any way he can.
A chance meeting brings Lily and Cole together, and despite the attraction they both feel, Lily finds a new purpose in life with her plan to salvage Cole's restaurant.
I love the plot and the way Lily jumps in to helping save the restaurant. It is obvious she is good at what she does and it is an enormous boost to her self-esteem. The characters were fun, as well. My biggest issue was the pacing of the romance. Lily is completely heartbroken, but meets Cole and is ready to move on. Cole starts planning a future before he gets to know Lily. I also was a little disappointed in the way the relationship/behaviors between Lily and Avery's brother James were handled. I would have liked more time to pass before the conclusion of the book, giving them more time to develop a solid relationship.
Overall, a sweet holiday story.
February 14, 2017
I received this eARC as part of a blog tour.
Cole and Lily, two people who want a fresh start. Lily still hurting from her long time fiance breaking their engagement last minuet to marry another woman only a few weeks later. Cole wanting a new start in a new feild of work after his career in banking brought a tragic loss to one particular family.
While I liked these characters, their story seemed to me the least belivable. They've known each other for not even a month and are already so in love they get married, and one is still reeling from being dumped. Maybe if the engagement happened a year later or something I'd buy it, but not after only 2.5 weeks and a few good romps. It was a cute concept, but not very likely. This book also felt the longest, but with the least going on.
I was actually expecting more of a rival between James and Cole for Lily since James claimes that he's had feelings for her since the kiss they shared when they were younger. And part of me would have accepted the quick engagement more believable if it was from someone that has loved her for years, rather than someone who feels they are in love after only a couple weeks. (insta-love in YA is annoying, insta-love in adult books is even worse). I enjoyed this read, I just didn't find it very believable.
Cole and Lily, two people who want a fresh start. Lily still hurting from her long time fiance breaking their engagement last minuet to marry another woman only a few weeks later. Cole wanting a new start in a new feild of work after his career in banking brought a tragic loss to one particular family.
While I liked these characters, their story seemed to me the least belivable. They've known each other for not even a month and are already so in love they get married, and one is still reeling from being dumped. Maybe if the engagement happened a year later or something I'd buy it, but not after only 2.5 weeks and a few good romps. It was a cute concept, but not very likely. This book also felt the longest, but with the least going on.
I was actually expecting more of a rival between James and Cole for Lily since James claimes that he's had feelings for her since the kiss they shared when they were younger. And part of me would have accepted the quick engagement more believable if it was from someone that has loved her for years, rather than someone who feels they are in love after only a couple weeks. (insta-love in YA is annoying, insta-love in adult books is even worse). I enjoyed this read, I just didn't find it very believable.
December 24, 2014
This is SO not the kind of romances that I usually read, but something stopped me in another book I was reading and I'd had enough angst. I needed sweet. This was the first sweetness that I saw so I went with it. Why not start getting into the Christmas mood? This was the perfect book for the moment. It is not terribly original. The jilted woman (chef) goes away with her friend (and her wealthy family) to an island for the holidays and runs into the perfect man (former investment banker) but shies away because her heart was just broken. I liked that he wasn't painted as too perfect in that he has a past that he was running from. There was also some sexy-time that crept in there when I wasn't expecting it and I really liked that... kept me going. You know they'll be together but it was still fun to go along with the adventure as Lily helps him save his restaurant (which he knows nothing about) and realizes that only she can make herself happy (with him on the island). If you're into cooking, Christmas decorations, or sweet HEA you'll love this book! The only disappointment I has was how quickly and dramatically the ending finished up. I would have been okay if things hadn't been so final and just left hopeful and happy. Maybe it's just too many angsty kinky romances on my kindle. <3
November 15, 2014
The Trouble with Christmas was a super fast read with an extremely quick insta-love story.
Lily, our heartbroken heroine, got the news of her life when Bob the butt broke off their engagement. Devastated and struggling to keep her head above the waters of despair, Lily decides to join her BFF for a holiday getaway. While vacationing, she runs into a gorgeous do-gooder,Cole. Sparks fly and love wins out.
This story was very, very light, very, very fluffy and a little too insta for my taste. It was over before it began really. The conflict was minimal, the I- think- we- should-wait-but-I-have-to-have-you-now relations were kind of confusing, and the proposal announcement was cheesy.
Despite the aforementioned, this story was likable and a large part of that was because of the colorful characters. I liked Avery and her family. I liked Sally Ann. Most of all, I really liked James. He intrigued me, so much so that I would totally read his story if he had one.
Rating: 3-/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Insta-love romance lovers
Status: Mild
Conflict/Drama: Minimal
Chemistry/Intensity: Yes (+/-)
HEA: Yes
A complimentary e-copy of this title was made available by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest critique.
Lily, our heartbroken heroine, got the news of her life when Bob the butt broke off their engagement. Devastated and struggling to keep her head above the waters of despair, Lily decides to join her BFF for a holiday getaway. While vacationing, she runs into a gorgeous do-gooder,Cole. Sparks fly and love wins out.
This story was very, very light, very, very fluffy and a little too insta for my taste. It was over before it began really. The conflict was minimal, the I- think- we- should-wait-but-I-have-to-have-you-now relations were kind of confusing, and the proposal announcement was cheesy.
Despite the aforementioned, this story was likable and a large part of that was because of the colorful characters. I liked Avery and her family. I liked Sally Ann. Most of all, I really liked James. He intrigued me, so much so that I would totally read his story if he had one.
Rating: 3-/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Insta-love romance lovers
Status: Mild
Conflict/Drama: Minimal
Chemistry/Intensity: Yes (+/-)
HEA: Yes
A complimentary e-copy of this title was made available by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest critique.
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