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All I Want for Christmas
In Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers, Sasha Wolfe has been talking up her new girlfriend to her overbearing mother for months, and when her skeptical sister dares her to invite this new squeeze over for family Christmas, Sasha accepts the challenge. After all, how hard can it be to bring your nonexistent girlfriend home for the holidays?
In Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings, Hannah Monroe is ready to dazzle customers with her pop-up shop at NYC’s winter holiday market. NYPD beat cop Toby Beckett, who just wants to protect and serve, barely notices the spirit of the season until events keep pushing her into Hannah’s path.
In A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley, Mira Donahue’s bar, Mirage, is the hottest Christmas party venue in Boston, despite Mira’s secret: she hates Christmas. When self-described Queen of Carols Courtney Rivers books Mirage for her company’s holiday party, she clashes with Mira over the plans. Then a freak storm strands them in the bar, and more than miracles abound.
In Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings, Hannah Monroe is ready to dazzle customers with her pop-up shop at NYC’s winter holiday market. NYPD beat cop Toby Beckett, who just wants to protect and serve, barely notices the spirit of the season until events keep pushing her into Hannah’s path.
In A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley, Mira Donahue’s bar, Mirage, is the hottest Christmas party venue in Boston, despite Mira’s secret: she hates Christmas. When self-described Queen of Carols Courtney Rivers books Mirage for her company’s holiday party, she clashes with Mira over the plans. Then a freak storm strands them in the bar, and more than miracles abound.
255 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2020
25 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Georgia Beers
61 books1,511 followersLambda and Golden Crown Literary Award-winning author Georgia Beers lives in Rochester, New York. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, and published her first lesbian novel in 2000.
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December 14, 2020
4.5⭐️ – These are novellas so get ready for things to go fast. No worries though, Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley are talented writers and the romance feels real but never rushed.
I enjoyed all three stories and I love how they fit together. They’re very different, both in tone and level of heat (Fiona Riley has not been dubbed Queen of Steam by accident) and balance each other really well.
Georgia Beers gets the ball rolling with Triple Dog Dare, and it’s a beauty, probably one of my favourite Christmas novellas ever. And, seriously, who doesn’t like a Christmas fake romance novella?
Sasha (Brooke’s boss in 16 Steps to Forever) has been lying for months to her mother about having a girlfriend but when her older sister dares her to bring her non-existent girlfriend to their mother’s for Christmas, Sasha can’t resist proving her wrong. Even if she’s right. Lucky for her, her very attractive neighbour, Kennedy, is an actress and needs money. Who better than a gorgeous woman who is totally Sasha’s type to play her girlfriend for a couple of days? Really, what could go wrong?
From the first time they talk, the connection between Sasha and the younger woman is there. As usual with Beers, it’s not overstated, it just is. It’s organic. Kennedy is smart and funny and yes, she needs the money but that’s not her main motivation to agree to Sasha’s bound-to-fail plan. She genuinely wants to help. The story is told in first person from Sasha’s point of view, which allows the reader to fall in love with Kennedy in real time, as we only see her through Sasha’s eyes. I absolutely love Kennedy and Sasha together, and I also really enjoyed the whole family dynamics. 5⭐️
Maggie Cummings’ Hustle & Bustle tells a very different story. Hannah and her best friend and business partner Priya are in New York for the winter holiday market, where they’re showcasing their organic beauty products. As they finish setting up their booth, Hannah stumbles into Toby, one of the cops working the market. Hannah never thought she could fall for a cop but life is full of surprises and so is Toby, who doesn’t fit any of Hannah’s preconceived ideas of New York police officers.
The first words that come to mind when I think of Maggie Cummings’ novella are gentle and cute. Hannah and Toby are both shy, each in her own way. They ease into what both think is friendship, both wary of hoping for more as they live in different cities, but it steadily does anyway and of course, they’ll work it out, in their own mellow way. 4⭐️
Fiona Riley brings up the rear with A Christmas Miracle. Why am I not surprised hers is the novella featuring a Grinch? Mira – yes, you’ve met her in Bet Against Me – hates Christmas, all the more so as it’s also her birthday (she’s not happy having to share it “with a fat man in a red suit”). This year especially, everything seems to conspire against her: her best friend and events coordinator is going on maternity leave and for the first time since she was born, her mother won’t be there either. Enters Courtney, a lover of all things Christmas. Courtney is hoping to be promoted to the events department of her company and organizing this year’s holiday party should help prove she’s worthy of the promotion. She has booked Mira’s bar, Mirage, Boston’s hottest bar, but despite sizzling chemistry as soon as they lay eyes on each other, Courtney and Mira disagree on the party plans. Not for long, however, as Mira can’t resist Courtney’s enthusiasm and joyful enjoyment of fake snow and garlands and the way she morphs from innocent to flirty in a blink. Add a snowstorm and let Christmas magic do its thing… A Christmas Miracle is light and sexy and the perfect way to conclude this anthology. 4.5⭐️
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed all three stories and I love how they fit together. They’re very different, both in tone and level of heat (Fiona Riley has not been dubbed Queen of Steam by accident) and balance each other really well.
Georgia Beers gets the ball rolling with Triple Dog Dare, and it’s a beauty, probably one of my favourite Christmas novellas ever. And, seriously, who doesn’t like a Christmas fake romance novella?
Sasha (Brooke’s boss in 16 Steps to Forever) has been lying for months to her mother about having a girlfriend but when her older sister dares her to bring her non-existent girlfriend to their mother’s for Christmas, Sasha can’t resist proving her wrong. Even if she’s right. Lucky for her, her very attractive neighbour, Kennedy, is an actress and needs money. Who better than a gorgeous woman who is totally Sasha’s type to play her girlfriend for a couple of days? Really, what could go wrong?
From the first time they talk, the connection between Sasha and the younger woman is there. As usual with Beers, it’s not overstated, it just is. It’s organic. Kennedy is smart and funny and yes, she needs the money but that’s not her main motivation to agree to Sasha’s bound-to-fail plan. She genuinely wants to help. The story is told in first person from Sasha’s point of view, which allows the reader to fall in love with Kennedy in real time, as we only see her through Sasha’s eyes. I absolutely love Kennedy and Sasha together, and I also really enjoyed the whole family dynamics. 5⭐️
Maggie Cummings’ Hustle & Bustle tells a very different story. Hannah and her best friend and business partner Priya are in New York for the winter holiday market, where they’re showcasing their organic beauty products. As they finish setting up their booth, Hannah stumbles into Toby, one of the cops working the market. Hannah never thought she could fall for a cop but life is full of surprises and so is Toby, who doesn’t fit any of Hannah’s preconceived ideas of New York police officers.
The first words that come to mind when I think of Maggie Cummings’ novella are gentle and cute. Hannah and Toby are both shy, each in her own way. They ease into what both think is friendship, both wary of hoping for more as they live in different cities, but it steadily does anyway and of course, they’ll work it out, in their own mellow way. 4⭐️
Fiona Riley brings up the rear with A Christmas Miracle. Why am I not surprised hers is the novella featuring a Grinch? Mira – yes, you’ve met her in Bet Against Me – hates Christmas, all the more so as it’s also her birthday (she’s not happy having to share it “with a fat man in a red suit”). This year especially, everything seems to conspire against her: her best friend and events coordinator is going on maternity leave and for the first time since she was born, her mother won’t be there either. Enters Courtney, a lover of all things Christmas. Courtney is hoping to be promoted to the events department of her company and organizing this year’s holiday party should help prove she’s worthy of the promotion. She has booked Mira’s bar, Mirage, Boston’s hottest bar, but despite sizzling chemistry as soon as they lay eyes on each other, Courtney and Mira disagree on the party plans. Not for long, however, as Mira can’t resist Courtney’s enthusiasm and joyful enjoyment of fake snow and garlands and the way she morphs from innocent to flirty in a blink. Add a snowstorm and let Christmas magic do its thing… A Christmas Miracle is light and sexy and the perfect way to conclude this anthology. 4.5⭐️
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2020
All I Want for Christmas
Three Novella collection written by Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley
Overall, 4 Stars, because of the strength of Georgia Beer’s story.
5+ Stars for Georgia Beer’s Triple Dog Dare. Another excellent story by Beers. In lesser hands the common trope of going home for Christmas with a fake girlfriend would be nothing special, but this was wonderful. Add a slow burn romance and this story made it on my annual Christmas story re-reads list. Heck, I’m going to read it again before this year is up, for sure.
Sasha Wolfe is the owner of a very successful real estate company and is the single middle daughter in her family. Her recent widower mother, Maggie, her older sister, Melody and younger sister, Cat still live in the small town where they grew up. Tired of the three of them asking her when she was going to get a girlfriend, Sasha did the next best thing. She made one up aka “Jennifer”. For months she had been appeasing them by telling them about Jennifer. Only her skeptical sister Melody saw through Sasha and insisted Jennifer was fake. “Well, Melody said, if she is real then bring her for Christmas. I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU!” Without thinking, Sasha agreed to bring Jennifer. Now she just had to find a girlfriend, named Jennifer. Sasha must’ve been good that year, because she recently met her neighbor, Kennedy Davis who agreed to play Jennifer. Kennedy, is an actress, teaches Drama at the community college, is active in LGBTQ organizations and is in a financial bind. So Sasha told as much family info and facts to Kennedy (aka Jennifer) on the long drive home. It was a slow burn romance for the couple and for the family. But how long can they keep up the subterfuge? Kudos for the excellent epilogue.
Note: Sasha is also in Georgia Beer’s latest novel, 16 Steps to Forever which features her friends, Macy and Brooke who make a cameo in this story.
3.5 Stars for Maggie Cummings’ Hustle and Bustle, the second story in this collection. The story begins in early November and Hannah Monroe is setting up her booth in the annual Christmas Park Holiday Market in New York City. The Market runs from November thru to Christmas. Hannah owns Gaia’s Glow, a natural skin care company. She doesn’t have a storefront so she sells online and at various retailers. So she hopes her booth will bring in new customers. NYC cop, Toby Beckett has been assigned the Holiday Market and it suits her as she enjoys walking this beat, amongst the shoppers, venders and helping to keep them safe. Their meet cute happens in the first days of the Market when a teen shoplifter Toby was bringing in for questioning, crashes into Hannah’s booth. Toby returns later to apologize to Hannah for any damages the teen may have caused. And so begins a sweet friendship to lovers romance. But how will they solve the problem that Hannah normally lives in Hudson, NY, hours away from NYC? I liked one year later epilogue.
3 Stars for Fiona Riley’s A Christmas Miracle, the final story in this collection. Mira Donahue owns the bar, The Mirage, which has been voted the best bar in Boston. One of the busiest times of year is the Christmas holidays, which brings in many private party bookings. Unfortunately for Mira, her events coordinator, Kelly is out on Maternity leave earlier than expected. Leaving Mira to coordinate the various Christmas parties along with managing the bar. Although, Kelly left Mira detailed notes and information for each client, Mira felt overwhelmed, add to the fact that Mira HATED Christmas she was not a happy camper.
Courtney Rivers on the other hand LOVES Christmas. She is an administrative assistant at her company and is thrilled to be assigned as this year’s Christmas Party coordinator. She’s hoping if it goes well, she would be hired to the Events Coordinator position that is currently open. As luck will have it, because of a cancellation she was able to book The Mirage. Mira and Courtney clash over Courtney’s party plans to impress her boss. Will Courtney be able to perform a miracle and change Mira’s attitude towards Christmas? Throw in “stranded in a snowstorm” troupe, anything can happen.
It’s frustrating that I can’t explain exactly why, but I felt this was the weakest of the three stories.
An advanced readers copy was given to me by Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Three Novella collection written by Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley
Overall, 4 Stars, because of the strength of Georgia Beer’s story.
5+ Stars for Georgia Beer’s Triple Dog Dare. Another excellent story by Beers. In lesser hands the common trope of going home for Christmas with a fake girlfriend would be nothing special, but this was wonderful. Add a slow burn romance and this story made it on my annual Christmas story re-reads list. Heck, I’m going to read it again before this year is up, for sure.
Sasha Wolfe is the owner of a very successful real estate company and is the single middle daughter in her family. Her recent widower mother, Maggie, her older sister, Melody and younger sister, Cat still live in the small town where they grew up. Tired of the three of them asking her when she was going to get a girlfriend, Sasha did the next best thing. She made one up aka “Jennifer”. For months she had been appeasing them by telling them about Jennifer. Only her skeptical sister Melody saw through Sasha and insisted Jennifer was fake. “Well, Melody said, if she is real then bring her for Christmas. I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU!” Without thinking, Sasha agreed to bring Jennifer. Now she just had to find a girlfriend, named Jennifer. Sasha must’ve been good that year, because she recently met her neighbor, Kennedy Davis who agreed to play Jennifer. Kennedy, is an actress, teaches Drama at the community college, is active in LGBTQ organizations and is in a financial bind. So Sasha told as much family info and facts to Kennedy (aka Jennifer) on the long drive home. It was a slow burn romance for the couple and for the family. But how long can they keep up the subterfuge? Kudos for the excellent epilogue.
Note: Sasha is also in Georgia Beer’s latest novel, 16 Steps to Forever which features her friends, Macy and Brooke who make a cameo in this story.
3.5 Stars for Maggie Cummings’ Hustle and Bustle, the second story in this collection. The story begins in early November and Hannah Monroe is setting up her booth in the annual Christmas Park Holiday Market in New York City. The Market runs from November thru to Christmas. Hannah owns Gaia’s Glow, a natural skin care company. She doesn’t have a storefront so she sells online and at various retailers. So she hopes her booth will bring in new customers. NYC cop, Toby Beckett has been assigned the Holiday Market and it suits her as she enjoys walking this beat, amongst the shoppers, venders and helping to keep them safe. Their meet cute happens in the first days of the Market when a teen shoplifter Toby was bringing in for questioning, crashes into Hannah’s booth. Toby returns later to apologize to Hannah for any damages the teen may have caused. And so begins a sweet friendship to lovers romance. But how will they solve the problem that Hannah normally lives in Hudson, NY, hours away from NYC? I liked one year later epilogue.
3 Stars for Fiona Riley’s A Christmas Miracle, the final story in this collection. Mira Donahue owns the bar, The Mirage, which has been voted the best bar in Boston. One of the busiest times of year is the Christmas holidays, which brings in many private party bookings. Unfortunately for Mira, her events coordinator, Kelly is out on Maternity leave earlier than expected. Leaving Mira to coordinate the various Christmas parties along with managing the bar. Although, Kelly left Mira detailed notes and information for each client, Mira felt overwhelmed, add to the fact that Mira HATED Christmas she was not a happy camper.
Courtney Rivers on the other hand LOVES Christmas. She is an administrative assistant at her company and is thrilled to be assigned as this year’s Christmas Party coordinator. She’s hoping if it goes well, she would be hired to the Events Coordinator position that is currently open. As luck will have it, because of a cancellation she was able to book The Mirage. Mira and Courtney clash over Courtney’s party plans to impress her boss. Will Courtney be able to perform a miracle and change Mira’s attitude towards Christmas? Throw in “stranded in a snowstorm” troupe, anything can happen.
It’s frustrating that I can’t explain exactly why, but I felt this was the weakest of the three stories.
An advanced readers copy was given to me by Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2020
‘All I Want for Christmas’ was the perfect Christmas themed anthology to bring me into the holiday spirit. It has three novellas written by some of BSB’s most popular authors right now.
‘Triple Dog Dare’ by Georgia Beers, 4.5 Stars
This is a slow burn and fake dating romance with Sasha, who is dared by her older sister to bring her girlfriend home for the holidays. There’s one small problem, she doesn’t have a girlfriend. She hires her neighbor, Kennedy, to be her girlfriend for the weekend with her family.
This brought out all the sap and feelings I want with my holiday stories. Sasha and Kennedy are practically strangers when this starts but their connection and chemistry is noticeable from the beginning.
It’s told in first person POV and kind of goes between present and past tense, which is explained in the epilogue. I really liked how this was set up and that there aren’t “I love you’s” issued after three days together. The epilogue really worked here and left me feeling happy for these two.
‘Hustle and Bustle’ by Maggie Cummings, 3 Stars
This one was a cute and steamy friends to lovers romance set in New York City. Hannah is the owner of a small business that has a pop-up shop in Central Park’s holiday market. Toby is a police officer who volunteers to work the market for the holiday season.
This had an adorable meet-cute and only got cuter from there. Toby and Hannah are both very sweet but are a bit cautious of starting a romance knowing Hannah will be heading home, in Hudson, after the holidays are over. They start hanging out as friends, with some assistance from Hannah’s nosy best friend and co-owner, Priya.
The reason it’s rated a 3 is because I think Cummings got a little heavy with police talk and I didn’t think a holiday novella was really the space for it. I also thought the “I love you’s” came a little too early for me to really believe it. Though the epilogue was a nice touch and left me feeling better.
‘A Christmas Miracle’ by Fiona Riley, 4 Stars
Mira is the owner of a popular bar and Courtney is in charge of planning her company’s Christmas party at said bar. I wouldn’t consider this a work place romance as they don’t actually work for the same company, though their jobs is how they meet.
I thought this was one was very sexy and sweet. It starts off a little slow but really takes off once Mira and Courtney meet. I really enjoyed how fun and flirty this one was. It really doesn’t go into feelings or emotional depth to believe in a happy ever after so it may feel more like a happy for now to some. But I was left smiling and really believed this was only the beginning to their happily ever after.
I would recommend this for anyone wanting a few fun holiday novellas.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in an exchange for an honest review.
‘Triple Dog Dare’ by Georgia Beers, 4.5 Stars
This is a slow burn and fake dating romance with Sasha, who is dared by her older sister to bring her girlfriend home for the holidays. There’s one small problem, she doesn’t have a girlfriend. She hires her neighbor, Kennedy, to be her girlfriend for the weekend with her family.
This brought out all the sap and feelings I want with my holiday stories. Sasha and Kennedy are practically strangers when this starts but their connection and chemistry is noticeable from the beginning.
It’s told in first person POV and kind of goes between present and past tense, which is explained in the epilogue. I really liked how this was set up and that there aren’t “I love you’s” issued after three days together. The epilogue really worked here and left me feeling happy for these two.
‘Hustle and Bustle’ by Maggie Cummings, 3 Stars
This one was a cute and steamy friends to lovers romance set in New York City. Hannah is the owner of a small business that has a pop-up shop in Central Park’s holiday market. Toby is a police officer who volunteers to work the market for the holiday season.
This had an adorable meet-cute and only got cuter from there. Toby and Hannah are both very sweet but are a bit cautious of starting a romance knowing Hannah will be heading home, in Hudson, after the holidays are over. They start hanging out as friends, with some assistance from Hannah’s nosy best friend and co-owner, Priya.
The reason it’s rated a 3 is because I think Cummings got a little heavy with police talk and I didn’t think a holiday novella was really the space for it. I also thought the “I love you’s” came a little too early for me to really believe it. Though the epilogue was a nice touch and left me feeling better.
‘A Christmas Miracle’ by Fiona Riley, 4 Stars
Mira is the owner of a popular bar and Courtney is in charge of planning her company’s Christmas party at said bar. I wouldn’t consider this a work place romance as they don’t actually work for the same company, though their jobs is how they meet.
I thought this was one was very sexy and sweet. It starts off a little slow but really takes off once Mira and Courtney meet. I really enjoyed how fun and flirty this one was. It really doesn’t go into feelings or emotional depth to believe in a happy ever after so it may feel more like a happy for now to some. But I was left smiling and really believed this was only the beginning to their happily ever after.
I would recommend this for anyone wanting a few fun holiday novellas.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in an exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2020
No duds here.
Anthology books are hit or miss for me. Usually, I'll only like one or two of the offerings. But these three short Christmas stories were worth the read and put me in the holiday spirit.
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers has Sasha bringing a tenant home to meet her family because she has been lying about having a significant other for the past 6 months. Who doesn't love fake relationships? This was also satisfyingly lengthy and had forgotten that this was a complication of stories. This was sweet and I felt like it had more depth than expected. FYI, I was surprised to find that Sasha is in Beer's newest release, '16 Steps to Forever.'
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings has us swooning over a butch cop that is not at all what Hannah expects. She has ideas about cops and she doesn't want anything to do with them. Especially when she is only in NYC for a little while for her pop-up shop. This one also felt like it had quite a bit of depth for a short story. Have to give these authors some well deserved praise for that. One thing I love about reading Cumming's books, is that she really immerses the reader in and around New York. It's like you are really there having experiences with the characters.
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley gives us a trillion tons of chemistry for the finale. A scrooge bar owner has to host a holiday party that Courtney is throwing for her workplace so that they will recognized her efforts to get that overdue promotion. The flirting in this story was top notch. Really enjoyed it.
Overall, this is the perfect collection of quality holiday romances to get you in the Christmas spirit.
I recommend this to those who like to read about romance, Christmas, overbearing families, whiskey, sincere butches, magical NYC, bars, Christmas themed cocktails, snow storms, and old couches.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
Anthology books are hit or miss for me. Usually, I'll only like one or two of the offerings. But these three short Christmas stories were worth the read and put me in the holiday spirit.
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers has Sasha bringing a tenant home to meet her family because she has been lying about having a significant other for the past 6 months. Who doesn't love fake relationships? This was also satisfyingly lengthy and had forgotten that this was a complication of stories. This was sweet and I felt like it had more depth than expected. FYI, I was surprised to find that Sasha is in Beer's newest release, '16 Steps to Forever.'
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings has us swooning over a butch cop that is not at all what Hannah expects. She has ideas about cops and she doesn't want anything to do with them. Especially when she is only in NYC for a little while for her pop-up shop. This one also felt like it had quite a bit of depth for a short story. Have to give these authors some well deserved praise for that. One thing I love about reading Cumming's books, is that she really immerses the reader in and around New York. It's like you are really there having experiences with the characters.
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley gives us a trillion tons of chemistry for the finale. A scrooge bar owner has to host a holiday party that Courtney is throwing for her workplace so that they will recognized her efforts to get that overdue promotion. The flirting in this story was top notch. Really enjoyed it.
Overall, this is the perfect collection of quality holiday romances to get you in the Christmas spirit.
I recommend this to those who like to read about romance, Christmas, overbearing families, whiskey, sincere butches, magical NYC, bars, Christmas themed cocktails, snow storms, and old couches.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
December 8, 2020
So, this was the first Christmas themed book of the year for me and it worked perfectly! I immediately decided to decorate my house afterwards :-) All three stories are well written and make an enjoyable holiday read.
After reading some reviews I decided to read the stories in the opposite order, so first the story by Riley, then Cummings and finishing with the story by Beers. This worked well for me (and I recommend to read them in this order), as this is the order I would place them in if I were to rate them separately, saving the best for last. That being said, they all bring something else to the table, a different feeling and a different experience (while all being Christmas themed stories) and I enjoyed this diversity.
A Christmas Miracle – Fiona Riley
This story was light, fun, and super flirty, and it had the most prominent Christmas vibe. The latter is caused by Courtney who’s is the biggest fan of Christmas, in contrast to Mira, who sort of hates Christmas. They meet when Courtney is organizing a Christmas party at Mira’s bar. It is written in the third person with POVs of Courtney and Mira. I wouldn’t describe this as a love story with a whole lot of character development, but there was excellent chemistry (definitely a case of insta-lust) and I enjoyed it for the fun story it is. I do think the blurb gives away too much of the story, so I would recommend not reading the blurb.
Hustle & Bustle – Maggie Cummings
As mentioned all stories bring different feelings, this one is definitely a love story and is all about the characters. So sweet and honest, and I had the feeling of having read almost a full-length novel. Nothing felt rushed or skipped and I loved the epilogue that gives the story the ending it deserves. Toby and Hannah meet at a Christmas market where they both work. They are hesitant about dating as Hannah is only in the city temporarily, but they slowly give in to dating and I totally believed in their HEA.
The story is told in the third person with POVs of Toby and Hannah and the characters are wonderful, Toby is sweet, gallant, sometimes a bit shy, but has a very open personality. Hannah is smart, has some anxiety problems, and is unconsciously sometimes a bit prejudiced. The latter does actually lead to some interesting discussions and I liked that Cummings doesn’t shy away from touching upon loaded topics like police brutality in a light and easy manner without becoming preachy.
Triple Dog Dare – Georgia Beers
We’ve had fun and flirty, we’ve had love, then this is excitement. I love a good fauxmance and this one is a fine example. The planning stage of Sasha’s fauxmance, the start of the holidays with her family and her fake girlfriend and finally the stage where she realizes she’s totally falling for said fake girlfriend, it’s so entertaining to read. Written in the first person from Sasha’s POV I connected very well with Sasha and swooned with her over her fake girlfriend. I liked how there was no insta-love, but the epilogue is an excellent addition to the love department.
I also enjoyed the family feeling in this book, especially Sasha’s mom is so sweet and sad and her interactions with the dog in the story are super cute!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
After reading some reviews I decided to read the stories in the opposite order, so first the story by Riley, then Cummings and finishing with the story by Beers. This worked well for me (and I recommend to read them in this order), as this is the order I would place them in if I were to rate them separately, saving the best for last. That being said, they all bring something else to the table, a different feeling and a different experience (while all being Christmas themed stories) and I enjoyed this diversity.
A Christmas Miracle – Fiona Riley
This story was light, fun, and super flirty, and it had the most prominent Christmas vibe. The latter is caused by Courtney who’s is the biggest fan of Christmas, in contrast to Mira, who sort of hates Christmas. They meet when Courtney is organizing a Christmas party at Mira’s bar. It is written in the third person with POVs of Courtney and Mira. I wouldn’t describe this as a love story with a whole lot of character development, but there was excellent chemistry (definitely a case of insta-lust) and I enjoyed it for the fun story it is. I do think the blurb gives away too much of the story, so I would recommend not reading the blurb.
Hustle & Bustle – Maggie Cummings
As mentioned all stories bring different feelings, this one is definitely a love story and is all about the characters. So sweet and honest, and I had the feeling of having read almost a full-length novel. Nothing felt rushed or skipped and I loved the epilogue that gives the story the ending it deserves. Toby and Hannah meet at a Christmas market where they both work. They are hesitant about dating as Hannah is only in the city temporarily, but they slowly give in to dating and I totally believed in their HEA.
The story is told in the third person with POVs of Toby and Hannah and the characters are wonderful, Toby is sweet, gallant, sometimes a bit shy, but has a very open personality. Hannah is smart, has some anxiety problems, and is unconsciously sometimes a bit prejudiced. The latter does actually lead to some interesting discussions and I liked that Cummings doesn’t shy away from touching upon loaded topics like police brutality in a light and easy manner without becoming preachy.
Triple Dog Dare – Georgia Beers
We’ve had fun and flirty, we’ve had love, then this is excitement. I love a good fauxmance and this one is a fine example. The planning stage of Sasha’s fauxmance, the start of the holidays with her family and her fake girlfriend and finally the stage where she realizes she’s totally falling for said fake girlfriend, it’s so entertaining to read. Written in the first person from Sasha’s POV I connected very well with Sasha and swooned with her over her fake girlfriend. I liked how there was no insta-love, but the epilogue is an excellent addition to the love department.
I also enjoyed the family feeling in this book, especially Sasha’s mom is so sweet and sad and her interactions with the dog in the story are super cute!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 28, 2020
This is a compilation of three novellas by these BSB authors under the common theme of Christmas.
'Triple Dog Dare' by Georgia Beers tells the story of Sasha, Brooke's boss from '16 Steps to Forever', who pays an actress to pose as her girlfriend for the holidays. It's a cute and funny romance that focus on family and the Christmas spirit.
'Hustle & Bustle' by Maggie Cummings features the story of beat cop Toby and Christmas market seller Hannah, who meet and fall for each other in a holiday market. With the setting of New York City during Christmas, this is sweet, romantic and increases a notch the heat of this compilation.
'A Christmas Miracle' by Fiona Riley is the hottest of the three. It features the love story between bar owner Mira, who hates Christmas, and Courtney, in charge of organising her company's Christmas party. Add an unborn baby, a snow storm and super hot chemistry to make this story enjoyable and super hot.
Overall, a very good Christmas compilation to get you in the holiday mood. 4 stars.
'Triple Dog Dare' by Georgia Beers tells the story of Sasha, Brooke's boss from '16 Steps to Forever', who pays an actress to pose as her girlfriend for the holidays. It's a cute and funny romance that focus on family and the Christmas spirit.
'Hustle & Bustle' by Maggie Cummings features the story of beat cop Toby and Christmas market seller Hannah, who meet and fall for each other in a holiday market. With the setting of New York City during Christmas, this is sweet, romantic and increases a notch the heat of this compilation.
'A Christmas Miracle' by Fiona Riley is the hottest of the three. It features the love story between bar owner Mira, who hates Christmas, and Courtney, in charge of organising her company's Christmas party. Add an unborn baby, a snow storm and super hot chemistry to make this story enjoyable and super hot.
Overall, a very good Christmas compilation to get you in the holiday mood. 4 stars.
December 9, 2020
If you are looking for something to read this holiday season, then check out All I Want for Christmas by Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings, and Fiona Riley. This is a collection of three novellas, each written by one of the authors.
In ‘Triple Dog Dare’ by Georgia Beers, Sasha Wolfe must find someone to be her faux girlfriend over Christmas to convince her family that she is not alone in the world. In ‘Hustle and Bustle’ by Maggie Cummings, Hannah Monroe, an entrepreneur with a pop-up shop at New York’s winter holiday market meets a NYPD cop named Toby Beckett who just might be the one to rock her New Year for years to come. Finally there is ‘A Christmas Miracle’ by Fiona Riley. This novella is about Mira Donahue, who hates Christmas, even though she owns Mirage, the hottest Christmas party venue in Boston, but maybe Courtney Rivers, the Queen of Carols, can change her mind.
All three novellas are lovely stories with well-developed characters and great holiday settings. They are long enough to allow you to connect with the characters and their stories, and short enough to allow you to read each one in one sitting. I loved all three novellas, and they helped put me in a holiday mood. If you need a little boost to help start this festive season, then try this collection.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
In ‘Triple Dog Dare’ by Georgia Beers, Sasha Wolfe must find someone to be her faux girlfriend over Christmas to convince her family that she is not alone in the world. In ‘Hustle and Bustle’ by Maggie Cummings, Hannah Monroe, an entrepreneur with a pop-up shop at New York’s winter holiday market meets a NYPD cop named Toby Beckett who just might be the one to rock her New Year for years to come. Finally there is ‘A Christmas Miracle’ by Fiona Riley. This novella is about Mira Donahue, who hates Christmas, even though she owns Mirage, the hottest Christmas party venue in Boston, but maybe Courtney Rivers, the Queen of Carols, can change her mind.
All three novellas are lovely stories with well-developed characters and great holiday settings. They are long enough to allow you to connect with the characters and their stories, and short enough to allow you to read each one in one sitting. I loved all three novellas, and they helped put me in a holiday mood. If you need a little boost to help start this festive season, then try this collection.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
December 26, 2020
This holiday novella collection has three very different stories.
Content warning: loss of loved one
The first one is “Triple Dog Dare” by Georgia Beers (5 stars). This fake-dating story between Wolfe Realty owner Sasha Wolfe, who is Brooke’s boss in 16 Steps to Forever (my review here) and her neighbor Kennedy Davis, who is a drama teacher, is the best romance novella I have ever read! There is also a wonderful dog that is just the sweetest. Sasha and Kennedy’s romance development is incredibly cute. I laughed so many times and also smiled through the whole story. It has zero angst and completely adorable, making me go all mushy inside and lose all words except for “awwwwww.”
Content warning: racial profiling?, outing of a trans person
The second one is “Hustle & Bustle” by Maggie Cummings (3 stars). This is a meet-cute romance between NYPD officer Toby Beckett and shop owner Hannah Monroe. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, with most of the scenes happening in the heads of the characters. Overall, it is a cute story but a little dragging. There is mentioning of police brutality but it is more like acknowledging the system without any real actions. I do appreciate the inclusion of an off-page trans character (but the outing is not okay) and multiple POCs though.
The last one is “A Christmas Miracle” by Fiona Riley (2 stars). I couldn’t get into this one mainly because of my personal ambivalence toward the insta-lust between bar owner Mira Donahue and administrative assistant Courtney Rivers despite the story being mostly well-written. Their flirty scenes were bold and great, and both characters are pretty likable. However, there is also a very random one-sided reveal scene in the final chapter that unfortunately doesn’t read smoothly enough for me.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content warning: loss of loved one
The first one is “Triple Dog Dare” by Georgia Beers (5 stars). This fake-dating story between Wolfe Realty owner Sasha Wolfe, who is Brooke’s boss in 16 Steps to Forever (my review here) and her neighbor Kennedy Davis, who is a drama teacher, is the best romance novella I have ever read! There is also a wonderful dog that is just the sweetest. Sasha and Kennedy’s romance development is incredibly cute. I laughed so many times and also smiled through the whole story. It has zero angst and completely adorable, making me go all mushy inside and lose all words except for “awwwwww.”
Content warning: racial profiling?, outing of a trans person
The second one is “Hustle & Bustle” by Maggie Cummings (3 stars). This is a meet-cute romance between NYPD officer Toby Beckett and shop owner Hannah Monroe. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, with most of the scenes happening in the heads of the characters. Overall, it is a cute story but a little dragging. There is mentioning of police brutality but it is more like acknowledging the system without any real actions. I do appreciate the inclusion of an off-page trans character (but the outing is not okay) and multiple POCs though.
The last one is “A Christmas Miracle” by Fiona Riley (2 stars). I couldn’t get into this one mainly because of my personal ambivalence toward the insta-lust between bar owner Mira Donahue and administrative assistant Courtney Rivers despite the story being mostly well-written. Their flirty scenes were bold and great, and both characters are pretty likable. However, there is also a very random one-sided reveal scene in the final chapter that unfortunately doesn’t read smoothly enough for me.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2020
I wasn't going to pick this book up, but had to after finding out that Georgia Beers's short story revolves around Sasha. Sasha is Brooke's boss in 16 Steps to Forever, Ms. Beers's latest book. While reading that book, I was thinking I would love reading a romance that stars Sasha. So, here I am...
Usually, with multi-story collections, there's stories one likes and stories one dislikes. However, I really enjoy the 3 novellas included here. As mentioned above, I do have a bias for Sasha's story, but Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley also crafted sweet and adorable romances. Perfect short reads that will warm your hearts.
Usually, with multi-story collections, there's stories one likes and stories one dislikes. However, I really enjoy the 3 novellas included here. As mentioned above, I do have a bias for Sasha's story, but Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley also crafted sweet and adorable romances. Perfect short reads that will warm your hearts.
December 14, 2020
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers: 5 stars!! This is by far my favorite novella in the collection. Sasha is fascinating in Beers’ 16 Steps to Forever, so being inside her head (this novella is in first-person) was a real treat. I love how Sasha is accomplished and put-together, but also kind of a hot mess at the same time?? I mean, she’s been faking a girlfriend for months, which is hilarious. So, of course, a fake-dating situation ensues, and it is DIVINE. This almost reads like a rom-com (serious Written in the Stars vibes over here!). Kennedy, the love interest, is the kind of warm person you just want to hug. For such a short story, there’s an unbelievable number of cute moments. And since this is Beers, there is a lovable canine protagonist too. <3
Hustle and Bustle by Maggie Cummings: 3 stars. This one is sweet, but it wasn’t magical for me, and that was mostly due to the pacing. The buildup to the MCs’ romance is slow for a novella – almost on par with a full-length romance. When the romance finally takes off, I feel like things happen way too fast. The characters rush into love, and (my biggest complaint) the holiday events with Hannah’s family are just glossed over! This novella is well-written, though, and both MCs are sweet and likable. I also appreciated that police brutality was addressed.
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley: 3.5 stars. This one is cute and has several funny moments. It’s more, um, insta-sexual than I normally enjoy, but that’s just personal preference. My main complaint is the meet-cute, wherein one of the MCs acts OOC and weirdly unprofessional (imo). However, I enjoyed this more than I didn’t, and there’s a certain moment in the final scene that turned me into a pile of goo!
Hustle and Bustle by Maggie Cummings: 3 stars. This one is sweet, but it wasn’t magical for me, and that was mostly due to the pacing. The buildup to the MCs’ romance is slow for a novella – almost on par with a full-length romance. When the romance finally takes off, I feel like things happen way too fast. The characters rush into love, and (my biggest complaint) the holiday events with Hannah’s family are just glossed over! This novella is well-written, though, and both MCs are sweet and likable. I also appreciated that police brutality was addressed.
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley: 3.5 stars. This one is cute and has several funny moments. It’s more, um, insta-sexual than I normally enjoy, but that’s just personal preference. My main complaint is the meet-cute, wherein one of the MCs acts OOC and weirdly unprofessional (imo). However, I enjoyed this more than I didn’t, and there’s a certain moment in the final scene that turned me into a pile of goo!
May 11, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
All I Want for Christmas was a really cute holiday book to dive into. Yes, I know it's May and everything but I'm me - deal with it. In this, you will get three short stories by Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley. Honestly, each story was just really cute for me and I flew through all the lovey dovey stuff happening in this.
Out of the three, I think it's safe to say that I don't necessarily have a favorite. Each story had a few things that really tugged at my heart strings. The first one is all about a fake girlfriend who becomes a real one eventually. Plus the Yorkie was freaking adorable. Then there's the cop falling in love and quitting her job to follow her dream. Last, but not least, a freak storm brings two a bit closer to one another and I was there for it all.
Each couple made me smile. The romance was a unique to them in their own way. It's safe to say that these were very easy to devour and fall in love with. Also, I'm not sure how I would handle meeting someone who hates the holidays. Just saying. As for someone who was born near Christmas - I love all things Christmas. Movies, songs, cookies - you name it, I love it.
In the end, I need more holiday books stat!
All I Want for Christmas was a really cute holiday book to dive into. Yes, I know it's May and everything but I'm me - deal with it. In this, you will get three short stories by Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley. Honestly, each story was just really cute for me and I flew through all the lovey dovey stuff happening in this.
Out of the three, I think it's safe to say that I don't necessarily have a favorite. Each story had a few things that really tugged at my heart strings. The first one is all about a fake girlfriend who becomes a real one eventually. Plus the Yorkie was freaking adorable. Then there's the cop falling in love and quitting her job to follow her dream. Last, but not least, a freak storm brings two a bit closer to one another and I was there for it all.
Each couple made me smile. The romance was a unique to them in their own way. It's safe to say that these were very easy to devour and fall in love with. Also, I'm not sure how I would handle meeting someone who hates the holidays. Just saying. As for someone who was born near Christmas - I love all things Christmas. Movies, songs, cookies - you name it, I love it.
In the end, I need more holiday books stat!
November 16, 2020
I needed to bring some holiday cheer, or actually just general cheer into my world. These three short stories by some of my favourite authors hits just the spot.
My favourite story is actually the first one, for me it would have been best if the first and last story would have been swapped. Now it goes from a really good and funny story to an ok one, to a mediocre one in my opinion. In Triple Dog Dare Georgia Beers introduces us to Sasha. Sasha has been lying to her family about dating someone for months. When she hires her actress neighbour to go home with her for Christmas Sasha's sisters are ready to find out what is going on.
Story 2: Maggie Cummings' Hustle & Bustle. Hannah has set up her Christmas pop-up shop for her skincare company. She meets an NYPD officer on the first day. Pushed by her business partner Hannah sets out on friendly dates, only to find out there might be more.
Story 3: A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley. Mira owns the hottest place in town to throw parties, when a new customer wants to throw her company's Christmas party at Mira's bar she is immediately enchanted.
The banter and the characters in Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers are the best ones for me. I feel like I could have read an entire book about these two. The secondary characters in that one were also a great addition to the story. It might be because I really enjoyed the first story I had high hopes (and expectations) for the next two, they didn't pan out for me the way I'd hoped. Hustle & Bustle is still ok, some real worries and emotions there. But A Christmas Miracle, it is cliched and more of a fling story than a love story, at least in my opinion and compared to the other two stories. All 3 of the stories are pretty cliched, but in the first 2, it didn't bother me. All 3 authors know how to write a story and develop characters, even in these short stories it shows. I'd recommend reading the stories in backward order. It's lovely light and joyful reading, just what is needed for a little (holiday) cheer. It's a solid 3.5 stars (4 rounded up because of Georgia Beers)
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
My favourite story is actually the first one, for me it would have been best if the first and last story would have been swapped. Now it goes from a really good and funny story to an ok one, to a mediocre one in my opinion. In Triple Dog Dare Georgia Beers introduces us to Sasha. Sasha has been lying to her family about dating someone for months. When she hires her actress neighbour to go home with her for Christmas Sasha's sisters are ready to find out what is going on.
Story 2: Maggie Cummings' Hustle & Bustle. Hannah has set up her Christmas pop-up shop for her skincare company. She meets an NYPD officer on the first day. Pushed by her business partner Hannah sets out on friendly dates, only to find out there might be more.
Story 3: A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley. Mira owns the hottest place in town to throw parties, when a new customer wants to throw her company's Christmas party at Mira's bar she is immediately enchanted.
The banter and the characters in Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers are the best ones for me. I feel like I could have read an entire book about these two. The secondary characters in that one were also a great addition to the story. It might be because I really enjoyed the first story I had high hopes (and expectations) for the next two, they didn't pan out for me the way I'd hoped. Hustle & Bustle is still ok, some real worries and emotions there. But A Christmas Miracle, it is cliched and more of a fling story than a love story, at least in my opinion and compared to the other two stories. All 3 of the stories are pretty cliched, but in the first 2, it didn't bother me. All 3 authors know how to write a story and develop characters, even in these short stories it shows. I'd recommend reading the stories in backward order. It's lovely light and joyful reading, just what is needed for a little (holiday) cheer. It's a solid 3.5 stars (4 rounded up because of Georgia Beers)
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
December 16, 2020
Three high quality Christmas novellas. I enjoyed all of them for different reasons and am actually struggling to decide on an overall rating so I’ve rated them all individually below:
Triple Dog Dare - Georgia Beers
5 stars - I loved this story. Sasha was interesting as Brooke’s boss in 16 Steps to Forever but she’s great in this. I love the premise of needing a fake girlfriend for Christmas in order to try and win a date from your sister. Sasha and Kennedy are great both as a fake couple and a real one. I loved the back any forth between Sasha’s sister and Kennedy as she tried to trip them up and how Beers deals with the grief of lost ones at Christmas, the emotions around really falling for one another and the guilt in lying without making this a heavy story. I’d have loved this if it was a full novel too.
Hustle & Bustle - Maggie Cummings
4 stars - Toby is a cop with a social work background. She’s sweet and romantic at heart. She meets Hannah at Central Park Christmas market where she’s running a stall. I liked the diversity snuck into the story and enjoyed spending time in New York during the Christmas season. I enjoyed this storyline but I’m not sure I’d have enjoyed it as much without the New York setting. The narrative is sweet and sincere, with as much of a slow burn sweetness as is possible to get in a novella. The epilogue left me sated with a nice ending to Toby and
A Christmas Miracle - Fiona Riley
3.5 stars - I haven’t had the opportunity to read Bet on Me yet, so I’m only aware that Mira is a character in the novel and am coming to this not knowing anything else about her. I enjoyed this story but wasn’t able to connect with it as much as the other two works. I liked both Mira and Courtney as characters and they work well together on the page. This had more angst in it than the other stories due to the tensions at work for Courtney and the issues Mira was having her bar due to staffing so I felt pulled out of the Christmas fantasy a little. The humour was enjoyable though and I liked the journey both characters took in the short period of time the story covered.
I’d happily recommend this collection to anyone looking for some fun wlw Christmas reads.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Triple Dog Dare - Georgia Beers
5 stars - I loved this story. Sasha was interesting as Brooke’s boss in 16 Steps to Forever but she’s great in this. I love the premise of needing a fake girlfriend for Christmas in order to try and win a date from your sister. Sasha and Kennedy are great both as a fake couple and a real one. I loved the back any forth between Sasha’s sister and Kennedy as she tried to trip them up and how Beers deals with the grief of lost ones at Christmas, the emotions around really falling for one another and the guilt in lying without making this a heavy story. I’d have loved this if it was a full novel too.
Hustle & Bustle - Maggie Cummings
4 stars - Toby is a cop with a social work background. She’s sweet and romantic at heart. She meets Hannah at Central Park Christmas market where she’s running a stall. I liked the diversity snuck into the story and enjoyed spending time in New York during the Christmas season. I enjoyed this storyline but I’m not sure I’d have enjoyed it as much without the New York setting. The narrative is sweet and sincere, with as much of a slow burn sweetness as is possible to get in a novella. The epilogue left me sated with a nice ending to Toby and
A Christmas Miracle - Fiona Riley
3.5 stars - I haven’t had the opportunity to read Bet on Me yet, so I’m only aware that Mira is a character in the novel and am coming to this not knowing anything else about her. I enjoyed this story but wasn’t able to connect with it as much as the other two works. I liked both Mira and Courtney as characters and they work well together on the page. This had more angst in it than the other stories due to the tensions at work for Courtney and the issues Mira was having her bar due to staffing so I felt pulled out of the Christmas fantasy a little. The humour was enjoyable though and I liked the journey both characters took in the short period of time the story covered.
I’d happily recommend this collection to anyone looking for some fun wlw Christmas reads.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2020
I've read and seen so many Christmas novels and novella's that I was really hesitant to read this book. I'm glad I bought it though 'cause I really liked it. My favourite of the three would have to be Triple Dog Dare, then A Christmas Miracle and finally, Hustle & Bustle. It was a great collection of Christmas shorts for sure.
December 27, 2020
Don't mind me, just breezin' through all the same holiday lesfic romances that many are these days. This novella trio was pretty good, my favourites being Triple Dog Dare by Ms. Beers and A Christmas Miracle by Ms. Riley, two authors I normally like. Ms. Beers seemed to get back to some of her classic roots that I was a fan of and the spark I haven't seen in her latest ones was back. And I can't believe I am saying this, but I liked that she kept the story sweet and PG, it worked for this story. There was no wild sex in the parent's house over the holidays, which always creeps me out and is an instant mood dampener. I wish Sasha and Kennedy had a full-length book though.
Ms. Riley's addition was unique, and for some reason strong confident women who own high end successful bars sets a great stage for me. Mira and Courtney meet under interesting circumstances and their flirty banter is hot and fast, because why not, it's the holidays. Merry Christmas to me.
I wasn't a fan of the coupling in Ms. Cumming's novella, Hustle and Bustle. For some reason the chemistry just wasn't there and MC Toby as the cop was just too OTT for me. NYC as a Christmas setting was awesome though, I've been there over the holidays and the energy is infectious.
Ms. Riley's addition was unique, and for some reason strong confident women who own high end successful bars sets a great stage for me. Mira and Courtney meet under interesting circumstances and their flirty banter is hot and fast, because why not, it's the holidays. Merry Christmas to me.
I wasn't a fan of the coupling in Ms. Cumming's novella, Hustle and Bustle. For some reason the chemistry just wasn't there and MC Toby as the cop was just too OTT for me. NYC as a Christmas setting was awesome though, I've been there over the holidays and the energy is infectious.
December 27, 2020
Lovely Christmas novellas. I liked all three of them, but the first one ‘Triple Dog Dare’ from Georgia Beers best. That was a 5 star story for me. I like her writing and love fake relationship stories. So this story made a very good beginning of this book.
Then there was ‘Hustle and Bustle’ which I liked very much too. This was a very warm and cute story, with a slow beginning. The attraction between Hannah and Toby turned very quickly into love, but that was okay as this was not a full length book, so there was less time to let their relationship develop a little slower. A 3.5 star story.
Last was ‘A Christmas Miracle’, also a very nice and fluffy read. Just right for Christmas. A 3.5 star story too.
Recommend this book.
Then there was ‘Hustle and Bustle’ which I liked very much too. This was a very warm and cute story, with a slow beginning. The attraction between Hannah and Toby turned very quickly into love, but that was okay as this was not a full length book, so there was less time to let their relationship develop a little slower. A 3.5 star story.
Last was ‘A Christmas Miracle’, also a very nice and fluffy read. Just right for Christmas. A 3.5 star story too.
Recommend this book.
March 20, 2021
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers
I had just finished reading 16 Steps To Forever and fell for secondary character, Sasha, so when I found out she had her own story in this collection, I started it straight away. Following the Georgia Beers currently writing theme, this one is fun, flirty and laid back. It was a joy to read and could have easily stayed in Sasha and Kennedy’s world longer.
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cumming
This was 100%, my favourite of the three novellas. Toby is my idea of a dreamboat. Toby and Hannah’s story is fast-paced and just fun to be immersed in. It has a wealth of unforgettable characters; even the secondary characters were good fun. Maggie Cummings was able to pack so much into such a short space. #swoon
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley
Fiona Riley knows how to get me every damn time! Talk about sexy and honestly; she writes the best dialogue without a doubt. I weirdly get her characters and feel like between the sass and the sarcastic sexy banter I’d get on with them exceptionally well. What a book to finish on!
I had just finished reading 16 Steps To Forever and fell for secondary character, Sasha, so when I found out she had her own story in this collection, I started it straight away. Following the Georgia Beers currently writing theme, this one is fun, flirty and laid back. It was a joy to read and could have easily stayed in Sasha and Kennedy’s world longer.
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cumming
This was 100%, my favourite of the three novellas. Toby is my idea of a dreamboat. Toby and Hannah’s story is fast-paced and just fun to be immersed in. It has a wealth of unforgettable characters; even the secondary characters were good fun. Maggie Cummings was able to pack so much into such a short space. #swoon
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley
Fiona Riley knows how to get me every damn time! Talk about sexy and honestly; she writes the best dialogue without a doubt. I weirdly get her characters and feel like between the sass and the sarcastic sexy banter I’d get on with them exceptionally well. What a book to finish on!
December 27, 2020
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a collection of short Xmas stories, and while I enjoyed all of them, the first was my favourite.
Edited to add that I didn’t realise when I read this that Sasha from Triple Dog Dare features in Beers’ 16 Steps to Forever, which I loved, so I re-read this after reading that and enjoyed it even more.
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers features Sasha, who owns a real estate company and Kennedy, a drama teacher. They are also neighbours, so when Sacha needs someone to play her fake girlfriend to prove her sisters wrong, Kennedy fills the role. Sacha’s family are still adjusting to the loss of her father, so the holidays are difficult for them. This also features a cute little Yorkie, and plenty of family fun, it’s a very sweet story that features one of my favourite tropes. 4 stars
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings features Troy, a NY cop and Hannah, who owns her own cosmetic type company and has a market in NY for the holidays. Since Tory is assigned to the market the spend a lot of time tighter and their relationship unfolds realistically (though the way they talked seems a bit young at times). There are also POC, trans and fluid characters. It’s a nice sweet romance with the requisite HEA. 3.5 stars
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley was probably the weakest of the three, but still enjoyable. This features Mira, a bar owner who was born on Xmas and is therefore not fond of it, and Courtney, and event planner who is holding a Xmas party at Mira’s bar. The two meet and are instantly attracted and then get together pretty quickly. They had good chemistry and the flirting was cute, but for some reason it just didn’t gel as well as the other two stories. 3 stars.
Overall, this is a lovely set of Xmas stories and if you’re a fan of any/all three authors then you’ll enjoy it. 4 stars
This is a collection of short Xmas stories, and while I enjoyed all of them, the first was my favourite.
Edited to add that I didn’t realise when I read this that Sasha from Triple Dog Dare features in Beers’ 16 Steps to Forever, which I loved, so I re-read this after reading that and enjoyed it even more.
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers features Sasha, who owns a real estate company and Kennedy, a drama teacher. They are also neighbours, so when Sacha needs someone to play her fake girlfriend to prove her sisters wrong, Kennedy fills the role. Sacha’s family are still adjusting to the loss of her father, so the holidays are difficult for them. This also features a cute little Yorkie, and plenty of family fun, it’s a very sweet story that features one of my favourite tropes. 4 stars
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings features Troy, a NY cop and Hannah, who owns her own cosmetic type company and has a market in NY for the holidays. Since Tory is assigned to the market the spend a lot of time tighter and their relationship unfolds realistically (though the way they talked seems a bit young at times). There are also POC, trans and fluid characters. It’s a nice sweet romance with the requisite HEA. 3.5 stars
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley was probably the weakest of the three, but still enjoyable. This features Mira, a bar owner who was born on Xmas and is therefore not fond of it, and Courtney, and event planner who is holding a Xmas party at Mira’s bar. The two meet and are instantly attracted and then get together pretty quickly. They had good chemistry and the flirting was cute, but for some reason it just didn’t gel as well as the other two stories. 3 stars.
Overall, this is a lovely set of Xmas stories and if you’re a fan of any/all three authors then you’ll enjoy it. 4 stars
December 12, 2020
This is probably one of the better collection of stories I have read to date. All three authors are great at crafting stories in their full length romances and they really do a good job with creating a novella that gives the reader enough to make the story feel complete. All three of these stories gave the right amount. Honestly, I was expecting Beers to give us a full length story about Sasha Wolfe, but after reading Triple Dog Dare I found it to be perfect. Hustle and Bustle and A Christmas Miracle were just as good as Triple Dog Dare.
I for sure recommend these three novellas. 4.25 stars
I for sure recommend these three novellas. 4.25 stars
December 20, 2020
3.5 stars.
To start off, I should say that I’m new to the worlds of both Christmas (I’m a Jew lol) and Romance. But I’ve always been curious about both, and why not dip a toe in now?
Anyway, this book, a collection of 3 f/f romance novellas, is delightful and delightfully low stakes. They’re cozy, sweet, and more sort of slowly building than high drama, so you have to like that style.
I think a novella is the ideal length for me for a romance book? I often am on the edge of my seat during the lead-up, and then once they kiss/get together I’m thrilled for a sec and then get a little bored.
I loved the first one (I’m a sucker for a fake relationship). I didn’t love the second one (a cop romance, no thanks), although it ended up being slightly better than I expected. The third, which is a classic “hates Christmas”/“loves Christmas” is very cute, and the ~sexiest~ of the three. I don’t typically love when the leads meet and immediately flirt intensely (give me clueless pining plz), but this one did a good job of keeping the tension alive, and it also made me smile a whole lot.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It’s out now!
To start off, I should say that I’m new to the worlds of both Christmas (I’m a Jew lol) and Romance. But I’ve always been curious about both, and why not dip a toe in now?
Anyway, this book, a collection of 3 f/f romance novellas, is delightful and delightfully low stakes. They’re cozy, sweet, and more sort of slowly building than high drama, so you have to like that style.
I think a novella is the ideal length for me for a romance book? I often am on the edge of my seat during the lead-up, and then once they kiss/get together I’m thrilled for a sec and then get a little bored.
I loved the first one (I’m a sucker for a fake relationship). I didn’t love the second one (a cop romance, no thanks), although it ended up being slightly better than I expected. The third, which is a classic “hates Christmas”/“loves Christmas” is very cute, and the ~sexiest~ of the three. I don’t typically love when the leads meet and immediately flirt intensely (give me clueless pining plz), but this one did a good job of keeping the tension alive, and it also made me smile a whole lot.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It’s out now!
December 20, 2022
i would give this book an easy breezy 5 stars solely for ‘triple dog dare,’ the novella by georgia beers. aside from the fact that it was driven by some of the most iconic sapphic romance tropes (a fauxmance?? there was only one bed?? AND an age gap….?? come on!!) it was also genuinely hilarious, so well paced and an ultimate comfort read for the season!
that being said though, the 2 stories that followed definitely had a lot to live up to and unfortunately felt slightly anticlimactic. while ‘hustle and bustle’ by maggie cummings wasn’t necessarily a book i would’ve sought out on any other day, i’d give it a 3.5. the plot development in this one was a little too stilted for my liking, with the beginning being way too slow for a novella and then moving way too fast. it felt as though the development was both too slow and way too fast at the same time and as a result of that, i wasn’t as captivated or invested in the story as i would’ve liked to be.
lastly, ‘bet against me’ by fiona riley was definitely the weakest out of the 3. i’ve really tried and failed in the past to get onboard the fiona riley train, given her status as a the ‘steam queen’ and whatnot. i find that a majority of her characters noticeably lack depth and end up feeling very two dimensional - this applies to her main characters as well as the sides. i also find that some of her stories tend to be too sexual way too fast (like i’m talking MC’s describing in detail how they want to f*ck each other upon first meeting) and it icks me out…HOWEVER i think that’s possibly cause i’m more of a slowburn kinda girl and my criticism of riley’s stories can possibly be written off as a matter of personal preference!
all in all though, i definitely think this anthology does decent job at capturing the magic of the season! (georgia beers CARRIED though…)
that being said though, the 2 stories that followed definitely had a lot to live up to and unfortunately felt slightly anticlimactic. while ‘hustle and bustle’ by maggie cummings wasn’t necessarily a book i would’ve sought out on any other day, i’d give it a 3.5. the plot development in this one was a little too stilted for my liking, with the beginning being way too slow for a novella and then moving way too fast. it felt as though the development was both too slow and way too fast at the same time and as a result of that, i wasn’t as captivated or invested in the story as i would’ve liked to be.
lastly, ‘bet against me’ by fiona riley was definitely the weakest out of the 3. i’ve really tried and failed in the past to get onboard the fiona riley train, given her status as a the ‘steam queen’ and whatnot. i find that a majority of her characters noticeably lack depth and end up feeling very two dimensional - this applies to her main characters as well as the sides. i also find that some of her stories tend to be too sexual way too fast (like i’m talking MC’s describing in detail how they want to f*ck each other upon first meeting) and it icks me out…HOWEVER i think that’s possibly cause i’m more of a slowburn kinda girl and my criticism of riley’s stories can possibly be written off as a matter of personal preference!
all in all though, i definitely think this anthology does decent job at capturing the magic of the season! (georgia beers CARRIED though…)
December 10, 2020
Georgia Beers, Triple Dog Dare/ Sasha Wolfe loves her family, even her very nosy older sister. Sasha’s mother keeps waiting for Sasha to find the right one. You know her soul mate. She has been lying for a few months now telling them that she does indeed have a girlfriend, she doesn’t but when she makes plans to go home she is challenged by her sisters to bring this mystery woman home for the holiday. Now to find someone willing to play her GF.
Living in the same apartment complex is Kennedy Davis, super nice with nothing to do for the holiday so when Sasha approaches her with her plan she actually agrees. And that is how Sasha ends up taking the pretty neighbor along with her dog home for the holiday.
Again Ms Beers has given us a quick read filled with lots of fun. Great read.
Maggie Cummings, Hustle and Bustle/ Hannah Monroe has just set up her pop-up shop in the holiday market in New York City. Not too far from her home in Hudson she needs these sales to keep her and her best friend Priya’s business up and going. She meets a city cop, Toby Beckett and it isn’t long before the two women find time each day to flirt with each other. But how will this relationship ever work when they don’t even live in the same town. How oh how will they ever cope with this.
Ms Cummings has written a story set around Christmas with some very likeable characters. Fun Read.
Fiona Riley, A Christmas Miracle/ Another nice read. This one has Courtney Rivers who is given the job of arranging this year's event. Courtney Rivers hasn’t got a lot of time to plan this party. She needs a place to hold this event and the only place that isn’t booked is Mirage, Boston’s very busy bar. Even though she doesn't care about the holiday she knows it’s good business to host these parties . So we have one lady who hates the whole idea of Christmas and another who doesn’t understand how anyone else could hate it.
Ms Riley, along with Ms Beers and Ms Cummings should be happy with the way they all brought the season to life for their fans. All three books are nicely paced with great MC’s and supporting cast. Very, very enjoyable reads.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books
Living in the same apartment complex is Kennedy Davis, super nice with nothing to do for the holiday so when Sasha approaches her with her plan she actually agrees. And that is how Sasha ends up taking the pretty neighbor along with her dog home for the holiday.
Again Ms Beers has given us a quick read filled with lots of fun. Great read.
Maggie Cummings, Hustle and Bustle/ Hannah Monroe has just set up her pop-up shop in the holiday market in New York City. Not too far from her home in Hudson she needs these sales to keep her and her best friend Priya’s business up and going. She meets a city cop, Toby Beckett and it isn’t long before the two women find time each day to flirt with each other. But how will this relationship ever work when they don’t even live in the same town. How oh how will they ever cope with this.
Ms Cummings has written a story set around Christmas with some very likeable characters. Fun Read.
Fiona Riley, A Christmas Miracle/ Another nice read. This one has Courtney Rivers who is given the job of arranging this year's event. Courtney Rivers hasn’t got a lot of time to plan this party. She needs a place to hold this event and the only place that isn’t booked is Mirage, Boston’s very busy bar. Even though she doesn't care about the holiday she knows it’s good business to host these parties . So we have one lady who hates the whole idea of Christmas and another who doesn’t understand how anyone else could hate it.
Ms Riley, along with Ms Beers and Ms Cummings should be happy with the way they all brought the season to life for their fans. All three books are nicely paced with great MC’s and supporting cast. Very, very enjoyable reads.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books
December 31, 2020
3.5 stars. There were three short stories in this one. The first one is about Sasha Wolfe and how she has made up an imaginary girlfriend for months due to her mother's insistence she should not be alone. When her mother tells Sasha to bring her girlfriend home for the holidays, she decides to hire her neighbor and actress, Kennedy Davis. Kennedy needs money after her ex-gf used her credit cards and wracked up debt before leaving, and Sasha is willing to pay her to fake it. They both do not expect to start to have feelings for one another while they fake a romance.
I enjoyed this one. Sasha was a character in Georgia Beer's other book, 16 Steps to Forever, and I was hoping there would be more written about her. She is a good character and I enjoyed their romance. This was also the strongest of the three short stories in y opinion, but I enjoyed their chemistry and how they both felt attracted to one another.
The next story was about Hannah Monroe who is running a holiday market shop and starts to spend time with NYPD officer, Toby Beckett. Toby enjoys being a cop sometimes, but hates the politics of it all. Her and Hannah start to feel sparks for one another, but she knows Hannah's presence in NYC is temporary, as she is only there for the holiday season.
I enjoyed this one, it was a cute little story. Although, both characters seemed to fall for each other pretty quickly and it seemed to move quick, but it was a short story. To me, this story was the weakest of the three stories. I did enjoy it, it wasn't a bad story. I just did not particularly like Toby as a character and their chemistry was interesting.
The third story was about how Courtney Rivers needs the perfect venue for her company Christmas party. She decides to book Mira Donahue’s bar, Mirage, which is a hot bar for the holidays. They start to spend time together planning the party, and when they get stuck together over storm, sparks fly and they can't deny their attraction to each other.
This story was definitely more steamy than the other two, as the characters have an instant attraction, but I thought it was well written and easy to read. I enjoyed how their relationship progressed and how it ended. I thought the story worked well and they both were well enough developed for a short story,
Overall, I would recommend this short story collection. It was three short stories about Christmas time that were easy to read and they were all enjoyable stories written by good authors.
I enjoyed this one. Sasha was a character in Georgia Beer's other book, 16 Steps to Forever, and I was hoping there would be more written about her. She is a good character and I enjoyed their romance. This was also the strongest of the three short stories in y opinion, but I enjoyed their chemistry and how they both felt attracted to one another.
The next story was about Hannah Monroe who is running a holiday market shop and starts to spend time with NYPD officer, Toby Beckett. Toby enjoys being a cop sometimes, but hates the politics of it all. Her and Hannah start to feel sparks for one another, but she knows Hannah's presence in NYC is temporary, as she is only there for the holiday season.
I enjoyed this one, it was a cute little story. Although, both characters seemed to fall for each other pretty quickly and it seemed to move quick, but it was a short story. To me, this story was the weakest of the three stories. I did enjoy it, it wasn't a bad story. I just did not particularly like Toby as a character and their chemistry was interesting.
The third story was about how Courtney Rivers needs the perfect venue for her company Christmas party. She decides to book Mira Donahue’s bar, Mirage, which is a hot bar for the holidays. They start to spend time together planning the party, and when they get stuck together over storm, sparks fly and they can't deny their attraction to each other.
This story was definitely more steamy than the other two, as the characters have an instant attraction, but I thought it was well written and easy to read. I enjoyed how their relationship progressed and how it ended. I thought the story worked well and they both were well enough developed for a short story,
Overall, I would recommend this short story collection. It was three short stories about Christmas time that were easy to read and they were all enjoyable stories written by good authors.
December 20, 2020
Of the three short stories, I think I enjoyed the first one the most. But all three were good choices for a holiday anthology. Sweet with a side order of happy ending is the way to go!
Just what I needed during these messed up times.
Just what I needed during these messed up times.
November 16, 2020
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
My review would be between 3 and 3,5 stars.
There are three lesbian stories in this book that can easily be read as standalone short Christmas stories. I will rate individually:
Triple Dog Dare is an easily 4.5 stars story and of course is from Georgia Beers, one of my absolutely favorites! The plot is the classic fake dating story and both MCs were so cute and the development in their relationship felt so organic. I loved this one and I kind of wish this story was the entire book as I didn't like the other two so much.
Hustle & Bustle, well this one was a 2 stars and sadly full of lesbian cliches and white cop syndrome stereotypes. Maybe my mood wasn't good but this one didn't fell right to me.
A Christmas Miracle. This one it was a 2,5 stars. I really think Fiona Riley is a great LGBT author but I admit I struggled with her last novel and this story actually felt a little bit flat and boring to me even though the plot was interesting.
My review would be between 3 and 3,5 stars.
There are three lesbian stories in this book that can easily be read as standalone short Christmas stories. I will rate individually:
Triple Dog Dare is an easily 4.5 stars story and of course is from Georgia Beers, one of my absolutely favorites! The plot is the classic fake dating story and both MCs were so cute and the development in their relationship felt so organic. I loved this one and I kind of wish this story was the entire book as I didn't like the other two so much.
Hustle & Bustle, well this one was a 2 stars and sadly full of lesbian cliches and white cop syndrome stereotypes. Maybe my mood wasn't good but this one didn't fell right to me.
A Christmas Miracle. This one it was a 2,5 stars. I really think Fiona Riley is a great LGBT author but I admit I struggled with her last novel and this story actually felt a little bit flat and boring to me even though the plot was interesting.
January 2, 2021
Three novellas by Georgia Beers, Maggie Cummings and Fiona Riley, under the theme of Christmas. Three great stories by three amazing authors. A great read for the holiday season.
December 26, 2020
This was a really cute collection to end the holiday season with! It contains three short stories, but unfortunately, only one of them I really fell head over heels for.
Triple Dog Dare - 5-ish stars:
This was the one I enjoyed the most. To begin, it has my favorite trope of all time: fake-dating. Therefore, I was destined to love it. Not only that, but the writing was the most mature of the three stories and I felt like I actually knew the characters. They were deep, well-characterized, and they didn't feel like Hallmark knock-offs. This is the only of the stories that I could see myself enjoying as a full novel, even if a tad cheesy at parts.
Hustle & Bustle - 3-ish stars:
This one was honestly a bit forgettable. I appreciated how the characters' relationship developed over time. However, I found both of them a bit boring. Much of their relationship was one of the girls (I can't remember her name) making assumptions about the other (Toby) and then finding that she had stereotyped her all along. I didn't really love that and didn't find it all that compelling of characterization. It was cute, definitely sexier than the first story, but I think I much preferred the first story's plot.
A Christmas Miracle - 2 stars:
This one felt very Hallmark. I was a bit bored, not going to lie, and neither of the characters had distinct voices. For the only story that was dual-narrated (I believe), you really couldn't tell. More so, I didn't like how both of the characters seemed entirely different when they were around their family. Their interactions together were sexy, but honestly only that, and their interactions with family were calm, reserved, and caring. I had trouble reconciling the two personalities of Courtney and Mira that were displayed.
Anyway, this collection is definitely really cute and I don't regret reading it! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I would also like to say that the one thing I really appreciated about this collection was that, yes, all characters were gay, but it was never a point of conflict. They were just girls in love and happy. There were no parental issues, no coming out stories, nothing that would make this anything less of a feel-good collection, and that made me really happy to see.
-Book Hugger
Triple Dog Dare - 5-ish stars:
This was the one I enjoyed the most. To begin, it has my favorite trope of all time: fake-dating. Therefore, I was destined to love it. Not only that, but the writing was the most mature of the three stories and I felt like I actually knew the characters. They were deep, well-characterized, and they didn't feel like Hallmark knock-offs. This is the only of the stories that I could see myself enjoying as a full novel, even if a tad cheesy at parts.
Hustle & Bustle - 3-ish stars:
This one was honestly a bit forgettable. I appreciated how the characters' relationship developed over time. However, I found both of them a bit boring. Much of their relationship was one of the girls (I can't remember her name) making assumptions about the other (Toby) and then finding that she had stereotyped her all along. I didn't really love that and didn't find it all that compelling of characterization. It was cute, definitely sexier than the first story, but I think I much preferred the first story's plot.
A Christmas Miracle - 2 stars:
This one felt very Hallmark. I was a bit bored, not going to lie, and neither of the characters had distinct voices. For the only story that was dual-narrated (I believe), you really couldn't tell. More so, I didn't like how both of the characters seemed entirely different when they were around their family. Their interactions together were sexy, but honestly only that, and their interactions with family were calm, reserved, and caring. I had trouble reconciling the two personalities of Courtney and Mira that were displayed.
Anyway, this collection is definitely really cute and I don't regret reading it! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I would also like to say that the one thing I really appreciated about this collection was that, yes, all characters were gay, but it was never a point of conflict. They were just girls in love and happy. There were no parental issues, no coming out stories, nothing that would make this anything less of a feel-good collection, and that made me really happy to see.
-Book Hugger
December 15, 2020
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall rating: three stars.
Overall thoughts: I really liked the first and last stories, they felt very Hallmark-y and made me feel all cozy. That being said, the second story made me extremely uncomfortable and brought the overall rating down for me.
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers
Rating: four stars
Content warning: alcohol, mentions of a relationship that involved financial abuse
I loved this story so much! The whole story revolves around someone having to bring a fake girlfriend home because of a dare from her sister and I loved it. I may not have any sisters, but I have a cousin who is close enough to one so I could definitely relate to the premise. I have never been one that says I love fake dating, but in this story it was so good. I also loved the dog, I always love a dog.
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings
Rating: one star
Content warning: mentions/discussions of police brutality, police presence (nearly constant, one of the main characters is a cop), arrests, alcohol, sexual content
There is a chance you may be able to tell why I hated this story from the content warnings. This novella features a main character who is a cop and when the other main character says she doesn't like cops in general, she starts to go on about how all cops aren't like that and just want to change the system and it just, wasn't it for me. There is a scene where the cop main character is so concerned about a young POC who got arrested because of how it could affect his life forever and she just. Never brings it up on checks on him again despite being "so interested in changing the system and helping as much as she can." I just. Really didn't like this one, I felt uncomfortable the whole time. If you want to read this collection I would honestly skip this one.
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley
Rating: four stars
Content warning: explicit sexual content, alcohol
There were certain scenes in this story that felt like they belong right in a Hallmark movie and I really enjoyed it. There are lots of fun tropes like being snowed in and flirting on the first meet without realizing they are supposed to be having a business meeting. Despite this being a novella, it didn't feel like this story moved too fast and it honestly felt like a natural relationship progression. Oh, there was also a lot of talk of Christmas decorations and I very much enjoyed.
Overall rating: three stars.
Overall thoughts: I really liked the first and last stories, they felt very Hallmark-y and made me feel all cozy. That being said, the second story made me extremely uncomfortable and brought the overall rating down for me.
Triple Dog Dare by Georgia Beers
Rating: four stars
Content warning: alcohol, mentions of a relationship that involved financial abuse
I loved this story so much! The whole story revolves around someone having to bring a fake girlfriend home because of a dare from her sister and I loved it. I may not have any sisters, but I have a cousin who is close enough to one so I could definitely relate to the premise. I have never been one that says I love fake dating, but in this story it was so good. I also loved the dog, I always love a dog.
Hustle & Bustle by Maggie Cummings
Rating: one star
Content warning: mentions/discussions of police brutality, police presence (nearly constant, one of the main characters is a cop), arrests, alcohol, sexual content
There is a chance you may be able to tell why I hated this story from the content warnings. This novella features a main character who is a cop and when the other main character says she doesn't like cops in general, she starts to go on about how all cops aren't like that and just want to change the system and it just, wasn't it for me. There is a scene where the cop main character is so concerned about a young POC who got arrested because of how it could affect his life forever and she just. Never brings it up on checks on him again despite being "so interested in changing the system and helping as much as she can." I just. Really didn't like this one, I felt uncomfortable the whole time. If you want to read this collection I would honestly skip this one.
A Christmas Miracle by Fiona Riley
Rating: four stars
Content warning: explicit sexual content, alcohol
There were certain scenes in this story that felt like they belong right in a Hallmark movie and I really enjoyed it. There are lots of fun tropes like being snowed in and flirting on the first meet without realizing they are supposed to be having a business meeting. Despite this being a novella, it didn't feel like this story moved too fast and it honestly felt like a natural relationship progression. Oh, there was also a lot of talk of Christmas decorations and I very much enjoyed.
November 6, 2020
More to come, but this was 100 percent what I needed right now. Low-angst, HEA, queer holiday joy. Individual reviews of the three novellas will pop up on my short fiction project, Short Stories 366, under this tag over the next few weeks of November.
January 1, 2021
3.5/5
I really loved the first novella.
It had Fake Dating, my favourite trope, the characters were really well fleshed out and likeable and the writing was great. Overall the vibe was very cute and it was a fun ride! 5/5
The second novella seemed pretty dull and predictable. I loved the social anxiety rep but that's about it. Maybe the problem was that the love interest was a cop or that the characters seemed shallow, or maybe it was the writing style that felt like it wanted to seem "cool" by adding weird phrases that made me cringe.
And in one conversation, someone gets outed as trans by someone else. It's just a casual sentence but that behaviour is in no way criticized even though it is not acceptable! 2/5
The third novella started with insta-flirting (like insta love but well... Flirting) which I found to be weird. After that, some rather steamy scenes in a nice writing style followed and made up for that first impression. This story, which I first thought pretty predictable, still took some small turns and surprised me positively. 4/5
Thanks to netgalley for providing me with a free ARC
I really loved the first novella.
It had Fake Dating, my favourite trope, the characters were really well fleshed out and likeable and the writing was great. Overall the vibe was very cute and it was a fun ride! 5/5
The second novella seemed pretty dull and predictable. I loved the social anxiety rep but that's about it. Maybe the problem was that the love interest was a cop or that the characters seemed shallow, or maybe it was the writing style that felt like it wanted to seem "cool" by adding weird phrases that made me cringe.
And in one conversation, someone gets outed as trans by someone else. It's just a casual sentence but that behaviour is in no way criticized even though it is not acceptable! 2/5
The third novella started with insta-flirting (like insta love but well... Flirting) which I found to be weird. After that, some rather steamy scenes in a nice writing style followed and made up for that first impression. This story, which I first thought pretty predictable, still took some small turns and surprised me positively. 4/5
Thanks to netgalley for providing me with a free ARC
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