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Alien Contact for Idiots #5.5
Alien Contact for an Enhanced Nutcracker
They both need a Christmas miracle
Holly Jansen, a young orchestra conductor down on her luck, is secretly hired by an alien king to conduct The Nutcracker on Kwadra Island as a Christmas present for his American wife. This big break seems like a Christmas miracle, but after she meets the lead dancer, she wonders if it’s a curse, instead . . .
. . . because the Kwadran queen has secretly ordered star dancer Rafael Sekwa to produce a potlatch dance honoring her husband’s ancestors—on the same date, time, and stage as The Nutcracker. The stubborn genius is determined to do so, no matter what, and Holly finds her ambition melting in the face of her growing admiration…and love.
Holly Jansen, a young orchestra conductor down on her luck, is secretly hired by an alien king to conduct The Nutcracker on Kwadra Island as a Christmas present for his American wife. This big break seems like a Christmas miracle, but after she meets the lead dancer, she wonders if it’s a curse, instead . . .
. . . because the Kwadran queen has secretly ordered star dancer Rafael Sekwa to produce a potlatch dance honoring her husband’s ancestors—on the same date, time, and stage as The Nutcracker. The stubborn genius is determined to do so, no matter what, and Holly finds her ambition melting in the face of her growing admiration…and love.
- GenresRomance
102 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2019
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 9, 2020
The Alien Contact for Idiots is a fun series about aliens who lived in a parallel universe and then their island home was transported off the coast of British Columbia. The humans are suspicious, some welcoming the aliens, others who are fearful. The Enhanced Nutcracker is a delightful holiday story about traditions. A heart-warming tale of a couple destined to be lovers.
January 28, 2022
A well-written plot and characters. A must-read. I volunteered to read an advance copy for an honest review.
September 11, 2020
Hoornaert writes sci-fi romance. This story is set in a future time, five years after the island of Kwadra (from an alternate dimension) plunked itself down southwest of the matching Vancouver Island just off Canada’s Pacific coast.
Holly Jansen is a former orchestra conductor. King Tro Eaglesbrood, the alien king of Kwadra, invites her to conduct a performance of The Nutcracker as a Christmas Eve surprise for his wife.
Holly finds out from Lissette Morneau, facilities director of the Welcome Centre, that Rafael Sekwa, the Haida dance master, besides being strikingly handsome, is also, ahem, enhanced. Also, he is not rehearsing The Nutcracker with his dancers, but something quite different. Queen Elinor, King Tro’s wife, has secretly commanded the troupe to perform a Christmas Eve potlatch as a surprise for her husband.
Neither Holly nor Rafael will abandon their own project in favor of the other’s. How will they resolve this dilemma? And what will they do about their growing attraction to each other, especially since Rafael has already stated that he wishes to marry Lissette?
Alien Contact for an Enhanced Nutcracker is book 6 of the Alien Contact for Idiots series, though it works as a standalone as well. Hoornaert is a master creator of worlds, and the romance is worth waiting for.
Holly Jansen is a former orchestra conductor. King Tro Eaglesbrood, the alien king of Kwadra, invites her to conduct a performance of The Nutcracker as a Christmas Eve surprise for his wife.
Holly finds out from Lissette Morneau, facilities director of the Welcome Centre, that Rafael Sekwa, the Haida dance master, besides being strikingly handsome, is also, ahem, enhanced. Also, he is not rehearsing The Nutcracker with his dancers, but something quite different. Queen Elinor, King Tro’s wife, has secretly commanded the troupe to perform a Christmas Eve potlatch as a surprise for her husband.
Neither Holly nor Rafael will abandon their own project in favor of the other’s. How will they resolve this dilemma? And what will they do about their growing attraction to each other, especially since Rafael has already stated that he wishes to marry Lissette?
Alien Contact for an Enhanced Nutcracker is book 6 of the Alien Contact for Idiots series, though it works as a standalone as well. Hoornaert is a master creator of worlds, and the romance is worth waiting for.
December 23, 2019
I very much enjoyed reading this book. This is a story I am recommending to my friends. I was entertained and thrilled to keep reading this story.
October 27, 2019
I confess that Ed Hoornaert has won me again! We have returned to Kwadra where his story of two artistes in conflict over whose work should be performed on Christmas Eve is set. King Tro Eaglesbrood has engaged conductor Holly Jansen to set up a performance of The Nutcracker Suite as a special surprise for his American wife. Meanwhile Queen Elinor has asked choreographer Rafael Sekwa to have his dance troupe perform a traditional Haida Potlatch as a surprise for her husband the king! Which performance will win out? The irresistible force meets the immovable object! On top of all this Rafe and Holly find themselves irresistibly attracted to one another but know that they will be irrefutably parted after the performance.
I love Nutcracker and could hear the music in my head throughout the book. Learning a little about the story of the Potlatch, the trickster Raven spirit and Mouse Woman was fascinating especially noting the similarities to so many other belief systems. I can never put one of EH’s books and this was no exception.
I love Nutcracker and could hear the music in my head throughout the book. Learning a little about the story of the Potlatch, the trickster Raven spirit and Mouse Woman was fascinating especially noting the similarities to so many other belief systems. I can never put one of EH’s books and this was no exception.
January 6, 2020
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3.5 stars
I haven't read the other books in this series, and I will admit I felt rather lost for a good bit of the beginning trying to figure out who (or what) the Kwadra were. I think this story would be more enjoyable to someone who has more familiarity with the world-building.
The first two-thirds of the story was just okay for me. There was a lot of tension between Holly and Rafe since they were both convinced that their way was the way it had to be for the performance (Rafe was definitely winning that argument). But I really liked the later part of the story. It had more of a sweet Christmas feel to it and I ended up really enjoying the last bit. Once they started working together I could see the HEA potential for these MCs.
3.5 stars
I haven't read the other books in this series, and I will admit I felt rather lost for a good bit of the beginning trying to figure out who (or what) the Kwadra were. I think this story would be more enjoyable to someone who has more familiarity with the world-building.
The first two-thirds of the story was just okay for me. There was a lot of tension between Holly and Rafe since they were both convinced that their way was the way it had to be for the performance (Rafe was definitely winning that argument). But I really liked the later part of the story. It had more of a sweet Christmas feel to it and I ended up really enjoying the last bit. Once they started working together I could see the HEA potential for these MCs.
October 22, 2019
This book is thoroughly entertaining! The MC, Holly (I know--awesome Christmas story name) is extremely likable. She's hit a patch of hard luck and then she gets a phone call that could turn everything around. When she answered that phone, I did laugh out loud. So well-written!
The male hero is also very well-written. The author does a wonderful job of world-building. The Kwadrans aren't just aliens that came out of the human mold. They have a different culture and a different language, different expectations...
A lot of the humor came from the two cultures meeting head-on.
Good ending, too--a happily ever after.
It was a fast read, and I could not put it down. I highly recommend!
The male hero is also very well-written. The author does a wonderful job of world-building. The Kwadrans aren't just aliens that came out of the human mold. They have a different culture and a different language, different expectations...
A lot of the humor came from the two cultures meeting head-on.
Good ending, too--a happily ever after.
It was a fast read, and I could not put it down. I highly recommend!
October 24, 2019
Holly is a conductor for an orchestra. However she doesn't have a orchestra to conduct. She is invited to Kwadra by the King to give a surprise performance for his Queen of The Nutcracker. When she arrives she meet Rafe who is in charge of the Ballet troupe. The Queen has asked that he do the Haida potlatch ceremony. No compromise for either Holly or Rafe. As Christmas Eve approaches and the performance of a lifetime is almost here Holly gets a great, creative, wonderful idea. Um, you'll have to read the story to find out what that idea is. It has a great HEA. Some of the reactions Rafe gets are laugh out funny when talking to Holly. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 3, 2019
A book in the Alien Contact for Idiots a well written story that I loved reading. Two cultures are to celebrate their Christmas stories. The story happens on Kwadra Island King Tro wants young orchestra conductor Holly Jansen to put on the Nutcracker as a Christmas present for his American wife Queen Elinor . In the meantime Queen Elinor has hired star dancer Rafael Sekwa to put on a potlatch dance honoring her husband’s ancestors at the same date and time. In a dream Holly finds a way to honor both traditions together. I recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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October 30, 2019This is an awesome story that I thoroughly enjoyed! I loved Rafe and Holly and watching them through out the story, she's a conductor in an orchestra and he's in charge of a ballet troupe. She is invited to Kawadra by the king to do a surprise performance of the nutcracker for the queen. It's a great Christmas story with well written characters and well developed plot you don't want to miss a definite must read for any fan!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 5, 2019
I found this to be an entertaining holiday quick read. Holly and Rafe was extremely likeable and so well developed. Their interactions were priceless, and the humor was refreshing. This extremely well written and a great read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews