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A Christmas Kiss
Warm up with these sweet and sexy holiday tales of love and romance…Sealed With A Kiss Celeste O. Norfleet Small town bad boy Dean Everett has made good in the tech world and now struggling Hayden, Georgia, is ready to welcome him home—along with his corporate headquarters. But Carmen Stiles is less than happy to see him. Dean had no idea he broke her heart when he left town after high school. Now he plans to make up for it—and as old friendship stirs new passion, Carmen just might let him—until she suspects he has no intention of really making things right for Hayden, or for her…. Mistletoe Lane Regina Hart Benjamin Brooks’s marriage ended when he learned his wife was having an affair—with his boss. Now he’s returned to Trinity Falls to start a new job—and ignore Christmas. Too bad his new employee, June Cale, won’t let him. June knows all about bitterness, and she’s determined to help Ben heal—through embracing the holidays. And soon he just might find himself embracing brave and beautiful June as well…. His Christmas Present Deborah Fletcher Mello Bianca Torres is already dreading Christmas with her parents in tiny Boone, North Carolina. But she’s not at all prepared for her father’s golf buddy, the sexy, successful, holiday-loving, aptly named Ethan Christmas. And when she and Ethan find themselves snowbound, Bianca discovers a whole new appreciation for the season…
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2015
57 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Celeste O. Norfleet
37 books187 followersNational best-selling author, Celeste O. Norfleet, was a late bloomer to romance. But as soon as she picked up her first romance novel, she was hooked. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Celeste is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design. An art director and graphic designer for many years, Celeste now devotes all of her time to writing and creating romance letting her artistic imagination flow through the computer keys. Her romance novels, realistic with a touch of humor, depict strong sexy characters with unpredictable plots and exciting storylines. Her young adult novels delve into dramatic fiction, reflecting current issues facing African-American teens. Celeste currently writes for Harlequin's Kimani Press Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Kimani Press TRU (young adult) lines. Celeste lives in Virginia with her husband and two teenagers.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 10, 2017
Not my book of choice, but I got it from a yankee swap last year. So I made the most of it... Now for a list of 12 cliches you can turn into a drinking game used for the 12 days of Christmas (I never touch alcohol but making this book into a game amuses me, just drink tea or hot choco instead)...
1. Older control freak woman (between her 50s-70s).
2. Successful handsome man (happens to be the richest man in town).
3. Successful beautiful woman.
4. The word "cinnamon" or "mint" appearing to describe the atmosphere.
5. A conflict between the couple, shortly after they have relations with each other.
6. The couple participates consumption worshiping, ops I mean, shopping for gifts.
7. The girlfriend "makes a gift" which ends up being just a picture(s) of loved ones on it.
8. A best friend, who is also supper success.
9. That same best friend always giving bad advice, as they do in the movies a lot.
10.The town is small.
11. The town can't mind there own business.
12. The town refuses to mind there own business, because without the happy couple in the story, there is nothing to gossip about, making the town completely boring.
I did however, enjoy the whole employer standing up for their employee cliche, so that was enjoyable. Also the writing is lame and primitive. And a partridge in a pear tree!!!!!!!
1. Older control freak woman (between her 50s-70s).
2. Successful handsome man (happens to be the richest man in town).
3. Successful beautiful woman.
4. The word "cinnamon" or "mint" appearing to describe the atmosphere.
5. A conflict between the couple, shortly after they have relations with each other.
6. The couple participates consumption worshiping, ops I mean, shopping for gifts.
7. The girlfriend "makes a gift" which ends up being just a picture(s) of loved ones on it.
8. A best friend, who is also supper success.
9. That same best friend always giving bad advice, as they do in the movies a lot.
10.The town is small.
11. The town can't mind there own business.
12. The town refuses to mind there own business, because without the happy couple in the story, there is nothing to gossip about, making the town completely boring.
I did however, enjoy the whole employer standing up for their employee cliche, so that was enjoyable. Also the writing is lame and primitive. And a partridge in a pear tree!!!!!!!
December 16, 2016
This was the chosen book for my book club and I was not a fan of it. The stories were very cheesy and all the stories were pretty much the same.
December 1, 2016
Enjoyed all three stories in A Christmas Kiss.
Loved "His Christmas Gifts" Deborah Fletcher-Mello, never disappointed when I read one of Deborah's book. Loved the idea of the older man younger woman. Ethan Christmas was a man after my own heart. Bianca was love and leave them type of woman but meeting Ethan changed all that. Loved Ethan's son Jarred and his boyfriend Stefan hope things work out for the two of them along with the long distance relationship between Ethan and Bianca.
"Mistletoe Lane" Regina Hart is nice to catch up with the people of Trinity Falls. Great love story with Benjamin Brooks and June Cale. Would sure like to know what happen with Nessa, Simon and Ethel. Did Simon ever acknowledge Noah as being his son, no mention of that. Darius was a great half brother to Noah. June met Simon while in college and he lied to her about not being married and when she became pregnant she was disowned by her parents and told by Simon to have an abortion, short short story.
"Sealed With A Kiss" Celeste O. Norfleet. Loved the bed and breakfast concept. Dean was dropped off to live with his grandparents in Georgia by his parents who were to busy to have a child. He met Carmen and they both had a lot in common. Dean was the town bad boy but that didn't matter to Carmen he was her bad boy. Upon high school graduation dean leaves Georgia to attend college and Carmen leaves to attend school in NY but returns to Georgia to help out her mom when her father dies. Dean has made it big in the computer world and after many attempts by Carmen's mom Marion Dean finally accepts a invitation to return to Georgia to be the Grand Marshall.
Great love story. Truly enjoyed all three.
Loved "His Christmas Gifts" Deborah Fletcher-Mello, never disappointed when I read one of Deborah's book. Loved the idea of the older man younger woman. Ethan Christmas was a man after my own heart. Bianca was love and leave them type of woman but meeting Ethan changed all that. Loved Ethan's son Jarred and his boyfriend Stefan hope things work out for the two of them along with the long distance relationship between Ethan and Bianca.
"Mistletoe Lane" Regina Hart is nice to catch up with the people of Trinity Falls. Great love story with Benjamin Brooks and June Cale. Would sure like to know what happen with Nessa, Simon and Ethel. Did Simon ever acknowledge Noah as being his son, no mention of that. Darius was a great half brother to Noah. June met Simon while in college and he lied to her about not being married and when she became pregnant she was disowned by her parents and told by Simon to have an abortion, short short story.
"Sealed With A Kiss" Celeste O. Norfleet. Loved the bed and breakfast concept. Dean was dropped off to live with his grandparents in Georgia by his parents who were to busy to have a child. He met Carmen and they both had a lot in common. Dean was the town bad boy but that didn't matter to Carmen he was her bad boy. Upon high school graduation dean leaves Georgia to attend college and Carmen leaves to attend school in NY but returns to Georgia to help out her mom when her father dies. Dean has made it big in the computer world and after many attempts by Carmen's mom Marion Dean finally accepts a invitation to return to Georgia to be the Grand Marshall.
Great love story. Truly enjoyed all three.
August 22, 2018
Sealed with a Kiss [Small town bad boy, almost run out on rail, Dean Everett has made good in the (tech world) and now struggling Hayden, Georgia is ready to welcome him home—along with his corporate headquarters, hopefully. But Carmen Stiles (family Bed & Breakfast) is less than happy to see him. Dean had no idea he broke her heart when he left town after high school, she sent him away because she knew he wouldn’t thrive in Hayden, nor would he use his full scholarship. Now he plans to make up for it—and as old friendship stirs new passion, Carmen just might let him—until she suspects he has no intention of really making things right for Hayden, or for her…. he’s planning payback, or is he?]
Mistletoe Lane [Benjamin Brooks’s marriage ended around Christmas Eve when he learned his wife was having an affair—with his boss. Now he’s returned to Trinity Falls to start a new job—and ignore Christmas. Too bad his new employee, June Cale, won’t let him. June knows all about bitterness having been duped by a married man and left pregnant and alone, and she’s determined to help Ben heal—through embracing the holidays. And soon he just might find himself embracing brave and beautiful June as well….]
His Christmas Gifts [Bianca Torres (researcher) is already dreading Christmas with her parents in tiny Boone, North Carolina. But she’s not at all prepared for her father’s golf buddy, the sexy, successful, real-estate mogul, holiday-loving, aptly named Ethan Christmas. She met his gay son first while traveling home, they strike up a friendship. Her mom thinks she’s been spending time with her new friend from the train. Then when she and Ethan find themselves snowbound, Bianca discovers a whole new appreciation for the season…]
Mistletoe Lane [Benjamin Brooks’s marriage ended around Christmas Eve when he learned his wife was having an affair—with his boss. Now he’s returned to Trinity Falls to start a new job—and ignore Christmas. Too bad his new employee, June Cale, won’t let him. June knows all about bitterness having been duped by a married man and left pregnant and alone, and she’s determined to help Ben heal—through embracing the holidays. And soon he just might find himself embracing brave and beautiful June as well….]
His Christmas Gifts [Bianca Torres (researcher) is already dreading Christmas with her parents in tiny Boone, North Carolina. But she’s not at all prepared for her father’s golf buddy, the sexy, successful, real-estate mogul, holiday-loving, aptly named Ethan Christmas. She met his gay son first while traveling home, they strike up a friendship. Her mom thinks she’s been spending time with her new friend from the train. Then when she and Ethan find themselves snowbound, Bianca discovers a whole new appreciation for the season…]
September 4, 2019
This was okay. I don’t expect a whole lot out of these romance anthology books. I read romance for the feel good escape and am not usually super critical. That includes this book, which was three novellas with no authors I was familiar with. I enjoyed the first okay though the plot was somewhat unbelievable to begin with and the twist...the reason for the conflict before the resolution, even more so. The plot overall was one of those suspend disbelief kind of things where you know realistically it’s unlikely a character achieved all they are supposed to have achieved in the time allotted. The conduct issue though-for some unknown reason it wasn’t so secret he couldn’t tell her mother about it but telling her would violate some business principle? Huh? Apparently he trusts her mother more than her? That yanked me hard out of the story.
Second story had one of the funniest typos missed in all the proofs I’ve come across. It read more like one of those autocorrect mistakes you get when texting fast than like a typo. It said she’d pinned a Christmas brochure to her chest rather than a Christmas brooch. That amused me. The three or four times someone shuttered instead of shuddered made me cringe a little, but whatever.
I didn’t fully read the third novella. I think I just wasn’t interested in a romance where the hero is more than 20 years older than the heroine. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a relationship like that. I know several people who have that kind of age difference and are happily together. But I didn’t feel like reading about it in great detail, so skipped and skimmed to the end.
Second story had one of the funniest typos missed in all the proofs I’ve come across. It read more like one of those autocorrect mistakes you get when texting fast than like a typo. It said she’d pinned a Christmas brochure to her chest rather than a Christmas brooch. That amused me. The three or four times someone shuttered instead of shuddered made me cringe a little, but whatever.
I didn’t fully read the third novella. I think I just wasn’t interested in a romance where the hero is more than 20 years older than the heroine. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a relationship like that. I know several people who have that kind of age difference and are happily together. But I didn’t feel like reading about it in great detail, so skipped and skimmed to the end.
December 20, 2024
Book synopsis: A collection of three cosy contemporary romances set in small US towns around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Kwanzaa featuring African American relationships.
Sealed with a Kiss (Celeste O. Norleet)- 2 stars
Synopsis: Carmen's quaint life at her family's bed and breakfast is upended when a highschool love turns up as the town's Christmas Grand Marshal and she must face her choices on the day he left their small town.
Review: This felt more like a rough edit than a polished story, with the romance moving way too quickly. There was no real substance for the romance that came too hot and heavy too soon.
Mistletoe Lane (Regina Hart) - 3 stars
Synopsis: Recently divorced Ben "Scrooge" Brooks has no time for Christmas and the painful memories it brings. As for Ben's attractive coworker June, moving back to Trinity Falls pushes her into the firing line for all the bitterness and hatred she left behind. Will a holiday fundraiser help heal both their hearts?
Review: A nicely paced story with real consequences and good romance, but no total "fix" or "happily ever after". The complex family relations across so many characters made it a little difficult to get into the story.
His Christmas Gifts (Deborah Fletcher Mello)- 2 stars
Synopsis: Bianca's Christmas cruise is cancelled when her mother breaks a leg and needs Bianca home to run Christmas. Will a chance encounter with a guy on the train home lead her to Mr Right?
Review: Big age gap relationships always make me feel a little uncomfortable, and all the sneaking around and lies added to that. The ending felt a little too miraculous and there wasn't a guaranteed "happily ever after".
Sealed with a Kiss (Celeste O. Norleet)- 2 stars
Synopsis: Carmen's quaint life at her family's bed and breakfast is upended when a highschool love turns up as the town's Christmas Grand Marshal and she must face her choices on the day he left their small town.
Review: This felt more like a rough edit than a polished story, with the romance moving way too quickly. There was no real substance for the romance that came too hot and heavy too soon.
Mistletoe Lane (Regina Hart) - 3 stars
Synopsis: Recently divorced Ben "Scrooge" Brooks has no time for Christmas and the painful memories it brings. As for Ben's attractive coworker June, moving back to Trinity Falls pushes her into the firing line for all the bitterness and hatred she left behind. Will a holiday fundraiser help heal both their hearts?
Review: A nicely paced story with real consequences and good romance, but no total "fix" or "happily ever after". The complex family relations across so many characters made it a little difficult to get into the story.
His Christmas Gifts (Deborah Fletcher Mello)- 2 stars
Synopsis: Bianca's Christmas cruise is cancelled when her mother breaks a leg and needs Bianca home to run Christmas. Will a chance encounter with a guy on the train home lead her to Mr Right?
Review: Big age gap relationships always make me feel a little uncomfortable, and all the sneaking around and lies added to that. The ending felt a little too miraculous and there wasn't a guaranteed "happily ever after".
March 1, 2018
This was not your typical romance, with the build up of lust, ending with happily ever after. It has it happy ending but you don’t get there with the conflict free fun we’re used to.
This is more about grown up love rooted in today’s world. The blending of families past and present and all that that entails is what this story about.
If you go into with that in mind you’ll enjoy it more. It has all the stress and strife that happens in the real world. It strips off the rose colored glasses that romance paints with and gets down to peaking behind the curtain.
I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of it.
This is more about grown up love rooted in today’s world. The blending of families past and present and all that that entails is what this story about.
If you go into with that in mind you’ll enjoy it more. It has all the stress and strife that happens in the real world. It strips off the rose colored glasses that romance paints with and gets down to peaking behind the curtain.
I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of it.
October 22, 2017
Loved the first story, the second story took me many times to get past the first pages and the third story not too bad.
January 1, 2018
An enjoyable Christmas anthology.
September 18, 2019
This is the 1st book I read by Celeste O. Norfleet. I'm sorry I stopped reading this story at chapter 2 because it didn't grab my interest.
February 26, 2017
I got this to read the short story by Regina Hart. Mistletoe Lane is the last story in the Finding Home series and it visits the small town of Trinity Falls, Ohio. June is the fundraiser at the Community center and wants to do a good job but has a boss who has reasons to not like the holidays. Ben is newly divorced so he is still angry about his failed marriage. These two find a way to get together and with the community have friends and support.
I've enjoyed this series and I'm sorry to see it over.
I've enjoyed this series and I'm sorry to see it over.
September 19, 2015
(ARC) This was another excellent Christmas anthology! I'm a sucker for a good Christmas story and Celeste Norfleet, Regina Hart and Deborah Fletcher Mello delivered a collection of three fantastic reads.
In Sealed With A Kiss by Celeste Norfleet we meet small town bad boy, Dean Everett and Carmen Stiles. Dean has made a name for himself in the tech world and he is back in Hayden, Georgia and now everyone loves him, or what he can bring to the small town. Carmen is not as excited about his return. But can she handle the passion that Dean's kisses stirs inside of her?
In Mistletoe Lane by Regina Hart, we return to Trinity Falls and finally hear more about June Cale. Vaughn's brothers move back to town and in this book it's all about Benjamin. June is determined to mak Ben love Christmas once again.
In His Christmas Gifts by Deborah Fletcher Mello it's Bianca Torres and Ethan Christmas! Bianca falls for her fathers friend and golf buddy when she returns home after her mother's accident. I highly recommend this anthology for readers who are in the Christmas spirit. This is definitely a book to put on your holiday reading pile. You will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by Shemah of Cilla's Book Maniacs.
In Sealed With A Kiss by Celeste Norfleet we meet small town bad boy, Dean Everett and Carmen Stiles. Dean has made a name for himself in the tech world and he is back in Hayden, Georgia and now everyone loves him, or what he can bring to the small town. Carmen is not as excited about his return. But can she handle the passion that Dean's kisses stirs inside of her?
In Mistletoe Lane by Regina Hart, we return to Trinity Falls and finally hear more about June Cale. Vaughn's brothers move back to town and in this book it's all about Benjamin. June is determined to mak Ben love Christmas once again.
In His Christmas Gifts by Deborah Fletcher Mello it's Bianca Torres and Ethan Christmas! Bianca falls for her fathers friend and golf buddy when she returns home after her mother's accident. I highly recommend this anthology for readers who are in the Christmas spirit. This is definitely a book to put on your holiday reading pile. You will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by Shemah of Cilla's Book Maniacs.
April 21, 2016
I loved all three stories, all by some of my favorite authors. Sealed with a Kiss (Celeste O Norfleet) was about a love and promises never forgotten. Old friendship, new passion.
Mistletoe Lane (Regina Hart) is about two co-workers, one who just wants to forget the Holidays due to a divorce. The other loves everything about the Holidays. She's determined to help him heal and embrace the Holidays - she understands hos pain.
His Christmas Gifts (Deborah Fletcher Mello), Bianca is dreading Christmas with her parents until she meets Ethan and spsrks fly between them. She's learning a new appreciation for the season.
Mistletoe Lane (Regina Hart) is about two co-workers, one who just wants to forget the Holidays due to a divorce. The other loves everything about the Holidays. She's determined to help him heal and embrace the Holidays - she understands hos pain.
His Christmas Gifts (Deborah Fletcher Mello), Bianca is dreading Christmas with her parents until she meets Ethan and spsrks fly between them. She's learning a new appreciation for the season.
October 30, 2015
Three best selling authors have given us three very precious stories on Christmas joy, forgiveness, and trust.
In Celeste O. Norfleet's storyDean Everett returns home, but how hard will he have to work to earn forgiveness.
Mistletoe Lane takes us back to Trinity Falls, Benjamin Bro but hoks hates Christmas, his friends set out to help him enjoy the holidays once agin.
Say what you will or may but in ahis Christmas gift by Deborah Fletcher Mello we learn love has no age or season.
In Celeste O. Norfleet's storyDean Everett returns home, but how hard will he have to work to earn forgiveness.
Mistletoe Lane takes us back to Trinity Falls, Benjamin Bro but hoks hates Christmas, his friends set out to help him enjoy the holidays once agin.
Say what you will or may but in ahis Christmas gift by Deborah Fletcher Mello we learn love has no age or season.
September 29, 2015
These Authors really know how to bring on the Christmas season! Three books, telling stories of "Bad Boys", journeys of hurt and healing and unexpected love! What more could you ask for?
December 16, 2016
The first two stories were pretty good, but the third was one of the worst things I have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews