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Once upon a Christmas
- Will appeal to fans of light romantic comedies by such authors as Susan Anderson, Rachel Gibson, Patti Berg, and Kasey Michaels.
445 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2005
130 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Plumley
63 books153 followersBest-selling author Lisa Plumley has delighted readers worldwide with more than three dozen popular novels. Her work has been translated multiple languages and editions, and includes contemporary romances, historical romances, paranormal romances, and a variety of stories in romance anthologies.
Her fresh, funny style has been likened to such reader favorites as Rachel Gibson, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, LaVyrle Spencer, and Jennifer Crusie, but her unique characterization is all her own.
Lisa’s alter ego is cozy mystery writer Colette London, whose Chocolate Whisperer mystery series featuring globe-trotting chocolatier (and amateur sleuth!) Hayden Mundy Moore includes Criminal Confections, Dangerously Dark, and The Semi-Sweet Hereafter. It will continue with Dead and Ganache in October 2017 (all from Kensington Books).
Her fresh, funny style has been likened to such reader favorites as Rachel Gibson, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, LaVyrle Spencer, and Jennifer Crusie, but her unique characterization is all her own.
Lisa’s alter ego is cozy mystery writer Colette London, whose Chocolate Whisperer mystery series featuring globe-trotting chocolatier (and amateur sleuth!) Hayden Mundy Moore includes Criminal Confections, Dangerously Dark, and The Semi-Sweet Hereafter. It will continue with Dead and Ganache in October 2017 (all from Kensington Books).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
June 20, 2020
This book is made up of three short stories - Mistletoe and Holly, Christmas Honeymoon and A Baby For Christmas. The first one (Mistletoe and Holly) is very cute and I love the chemistry between Holly and Sam. My only complaint is the ending is very rushed. The second one (Christmas Honeymoon) is funny. The dog Ginger is probably my favorite character. The last one (A Baby For Christmas) is stupid.
January 24, 2021
A fun festive anthology
4 stars
This is a set of three contemporary festive tales all written by Lisa Plumley.
Mistletoe and Holly
Accountant Holly Aldridge has her life planned out to perfection including having the perfect boyfriend. So when he dumps her out of the blue she refuses to let the dream of a perfect life disappear and is determined to win him back. Her first plan of attack is to make him jealous by getting a new roommate - six-feet plus, gorgeous Sam McKenzie. Sam thinks Holly is crazy to want her ex back and he is just as determined to prove to her that together they could have a sizzling new romance by Christmas.
This is an excellent story to start off this anthology. Holly likes things to be perfect but she's believable and someone you can definitely relate to. I loved Sam and the way he managed to get under Holly's skin and disrupt her perfectly ordered world! The actual story was fun, sweetly sexy and had a small bit of that Christmas magic. Very enjoyable.
Christmas Honeymoon
To help her newlywed cousin out of a problem - Stacey Ames agrees to pose as the bride for an all expenses paid Vegas honeymoon. The only problem is that Stacey's fake husband turns out to be her infuriatingly sexy ex Dylan - who broke her heart not so long ago. Fortunately Dylan isn't the type to give up and is determined to prove to Stacey that love is better second time around.
I really like second chance love stories so I was looking forward to reading this tale. Sexier than the first story - I liked both Dylan and Stacey and the way they acted towards each other. This was another fun and light story with engaging characters and believable and interesting situations. Another excellent story.
A Baby For Christmas
Chloe Carmichael has loved her best friend and neighbour Nick Steadman forever so she is over the moon when some kahlua, coffee and sympathy turn into a hot and heavy tryst. With the hangover from hell, Nick has no idea what happened between them but Chloe will always remember. Especially since she will be having his baby as a Christmas memento.
This had to be the worst story of the three and I really wasn't enamoured with it. Nick was too slow to realise his feelings, Chloe was a little too needy and weird and the situations were just too ridiculous to be believed (who honestly would take her dog, cat, hamster and bird for a jog?). It wasn't a terrible story but it really let the book down in comparison to the first two and personally I found instead of being funny it was just cringe-worthy!
Overall - I really enjoyed this set of stories - the first two at least. Fresh and fun, they really put a smile on your face and I will definitely be looking out for other stories from Lisa Plumley in the future. If you're looking for short and sweet stories with a pinch of Christmas spirit then this is the book for you.
January 1, 2015
This was free ebook download for me and it was chosen strictly for holiday/Christmas reading. It is three short stories/novellas in the romance genre. Both were predictable, light, and totally forgettable.
Mistletoe & Holly - The heroine is not very likeable as she seems rather more enamored of what the guy she wants represents than true love. More than a little boring and hard to feel any sympathy for Holly. Sam is interesting but not developed, and there is no explanation to why he falls for Holly. Yawn.
Christmas Honeymoon- A cuter set-up and you like both Stacey and Dylan. A slight uptick.
A Baby for Christmas - Oh, right. Talk about your over-used plot. Chloe and Nick are good friends who fall in bed one night after too much, yep ... Alcohol. Chloe pretends nothing happened but something clearly does. Entirely too predictable and done to death.
For free, for holiday these are okay. Noticed it's still free if your interested in light holiday reading, but I do mean light... very light.
Mistletoe & Holly - The heroine is not very likeable as she seems rather more enamored of what the guy she wants represents than true love. More than a little boring and hard to feel any sympathy for Holly. Sam is interesting but not developed, and there is no explanation to why he falls for Holly. Yawn.
Christmas Honeymoon- A cuter set-up and you like both Stacey and Dylan. A slight uptick.
A Baby for Christmas - Oh, right. Talk about your over-used plot. Chloe and Nick are good friends who fall in bed one night after too much, yep ... Alcohol. Chloe pretends nothing happened but something clearly does. Entirely too predictable and done to death.
For free, for holiday these are okay. Noticed it's still free if your interested in light holiday reading, but I do mean light... very light.
January 3, 2008
My mom gave me this to have a fluffy read while home for Christmas. The book is a compliation of three short stories, and they were all awful. They were boring and predictable, and the characters were all unlikeable. Blegh.
December 20, 2009
I liked all 3 stories. I loved that the guy in each story was head over heels in love with the girl with none of that "I want to be a bachelor forever" stuff. We ALL know that they will change their minds anyway!
November 9, 2016
AMAZING HOLIDAY READ
This book is perfect for the Christmas season and any other time of year. It made me smile and laugh and cry, and I've read it multiple times. The stories are exciting, romantic, and hilarious, as well as inspiring. As a HUGE Christmas fan, I really enjoyed this book with a cup of hot chocolate and Christmas music playing inthe background as I read. But holiday fan or not, you'll love this book!
This book is perfect for the Christmas season and any other time of year. It made me smile and laugh and cry, and I've read it multiple times. The stories are exciting, romantic, and hilarious, as well as inspiring. As a HUGE Christmas fan, I really enjoyed this book with a cup of hot chocolate and Christmas music playing inthe background as I read. But holiday fan or not, you'll love this book!
December 24, 2018
This is a box-set of three unrelated stand alone stories. The first is the best of the three, the second was quite weak and the third was ok. All are light, easy reading. The plausibility is stretched a bit, the romance not entirely credible, but told quite well. The tales are set around a Christmas holiday for at least part of the story.
They are enjoyable but ultimately they are transient and won't stick in the mind for long. A good way to while away a few hours in the midst of the Christmas hustle and bustle.
They are enjoyable but ultimately they are transient and won't stick in the mind for long. A good way to while away a few hours in the midst of the Christmas hustle and bustle.
December 21, 2021
This was a set of three Christmas books in one and so I have rated them individually and then averaged out the scores which is why it only gets 2/5 because I felt that the last two stories were a lot weaker than the first. The first story was a fairly well rounded out Christmas romance nothing different to what I read before but decent enough. The second story was awful it fitted with all the usual tropes and I sped read through it. The third story was just okay.
January 24, 2019
First story was fine.
Second and third were just absolutely ridiculous with stupid characters who I could not believe would be so stupid.
Also Christmas stories? Only in so much as some stories are August 3rd stories as one of the days in them happens to be August 3rd.....
Second and third were just absolutely ridiculous with stupid characters who I could not believe would be so stupid.
Also Christmas stories? Only in so much as some stories are August 3rd stories as one of the days in them happens to be August 3rd.....
January 11, 2020
Cute, predictable Christmas short stories. Not usually a fan of short stories, but these had likeable characters. Also, stories didn't feel like they needed more time than what they were given.
August 10, 2020
A Fun Read!
Each of these three stories were so much fun to read! There is love, laughter, real life issues, and great characters.
Each of these three stories were so much fun to read! There is love, laughter, real life issues, and great characters.
January 26, 2023
Great trio of stories
My favorite was the third story. Very unique. They were all good. Not your typical stories. Easy to read and easy to relate to.
My favorite was the third story. Very unique. They were all good. Not your typical stories. Easy to read and easy to relate to.
December 28, 2014
Title: Once Upon A Christmas
Author: Lisa Plumley
Publisher: L. P.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:
"Once Upon A Christmas" by Lisa Plumley
Book Description.....
This Christmas, chill out and cuddle up with these enchanting holiday stories...
Mistletoe and Holly
Accountant Holly Aldridge scrupulously plans everything in her life—until her boyfriend gets spontaneous by dumping her right before Thanksgiving. Still, Holly's sure he'll reconsider, given a little time...and a reason to be jealous. That reason, all six-feet-plus of him, is her new roommate, Sam McKenzie. If Sam has his way, Holly will have a sizzling new romance by Christmastime...
Christmas Honeymoon
Some women would consider it the perfect Christmas gift: an all-expenses-paid Vegas honeymoon. But Stacy Ames isn't some women. Actually, she's supposed to be posing as her cousin Janie. Too bad Stacy's faux hubby turns out to be her infuriatingly sexy ex, Dylan. Fortunately, mistletoe and free champagne have a way of turning "too bad" into very, very good...
A Baby for Christmas
Kahlúa, coffee, and sympathy—it's amazing the trouble they can get a girl into. Chloe Carmichal was only trying to help her best pal (and secret crush), Nick, drown his sorrows. She never expected they'd end up having a hot-and-heavy tryst that Nick's hangover would make him forget, but that Chloe will always remember...since she'll have his baby as a Christmas memento...
What I enjoyed about this novel....
I enjoyed all three of this author Christmas contemporary stories that were quite different from each other. They were three well written anthologies having their own story line with entertainment, humor, personality and some interesting characters that will keep your interest all the way till the end offering some with fun, humorous, heart warming love and romance. These three stories are a good collection for the Christmas holiday season that will offer a roller-coaster ride to some happiness and sweetness in all that the holiday brings.
Author: Lisa Plumley
Publisher: L. P.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:
"Once Upon A Christmas" by Lisa Plumley
Book Description.....
This Christmas, chill out and cuddle up with these enchanting holiday stories...
Mistletoe and Holly
Accountant Holly Aldridge scrupulously plans everything in her life—until her boyfriend gets spontaneous by dumping her right before Thanksgiving. Still, Holly's sure he'll reconsider, given a little time...and a reason to be jealous. That reason, all six-feet-plus of him, is her new roommate, Sam McKenzie. If Sam has his way, Holly will have a sizzling new romance by Christmastime...
Christmas Honeymoon
Some women would consider it the perfect Christmas gift: an all-expenses-paid Vegas honeymoon. But Stacy Ames isn't some women. Actually, she's supposed to be posing as her cousin Janie. Too bad Stacy's faux hubby turns out to be her infuriatingly sexy ex, Dylan. Fortunately, mistletoe and free champagne have a way of turning "too bad" into very, very good...
A Baby for Christmas
Kahlúa, coffee, and sympathy—it's amazing the trouble they can get a girl into. Chloe Carmichal was only trying to help her best pal (and secret crush), Nick, drown his sorrows. She never expected they'd end up having a hot-and-heavy tryst that Nick's hangover would make him forget, but that Chloe will always remember...since she'll have his baby as a Christmas memento...
What I enjoyed about this novel....
I enjoyed all three of this author Christmas contemporary stories that were quite different from each other. They were three well written anthologies having their own story line with entertainment, humor, personality and some interesting characters that will keep your interest all the way till the end offering some with fun, humorous, heart warming love and romance. These three stories are a good collection for the Christmas holiday season that will offer a roller-coaster ride to some happiness and sweetness in all that the holiday brings.
July 13, 2013
Lua-De-Meu
Lisa Plumley
Sabrina 1409
2005
Não é a oitava maravilha do planeta, mas até que é interessante.
Vale a pena pelas sandices de Stacy e pelo charme e a boa vontade de Dylan, que além de lindo é mega apaixonado por Stacy e só a bobalhona não percebe.
Stacy por ser muito intensa e verdadeira, só se mete em confusão e Dylan está lá sempre a ajudá-la, nem que pra isso tenha que se machucar e fazer papel de bobo.
Ela é apaixonada por ele, mas não quer dar o braço a torcer. E ele, tem medo que ela fuja, então, esconde seus sentimentos por ela.
Depois de muita confusão proporcionada pela maluquete da Stacy eles acertam os ponteiros e tudo fica numa boa.
4 estrelinhas pela gargalhadas que pode proporcionar.
RECOMENDO!!!
Lisa Plumley
Sabrina 1409
2005
Não é a oitava maravilha do planeta, mas até que é interessante.
Vale a pena pelas sandices de Stacy e pelo charme e a boa vontade de Dylan, que além de lindo é mega apaixonado por Stacy e só a bobalhona não percebe.
Stacy por ser muito intensa e verdadeira, só se mete em confusão e Dylan está lá sempre a ajudá-la, nem que pra isso tenha que se machucar e fazer papel de bobo.
Ela é apaixonada por ele, mas não quer dar o braço a torcer. E ele, tem medo que ela fuja, então, esconde seus sentimentos por ela.
Depois de muita confusão proporcionada pela maluquete da Stacy eles acertam os ponteiros e tudo fica numa boa.
4 estrelinhas pela gargalhadas que pode proporcionar.
RECOMENDO!!!
December 12, 2014
I have read Mistletoe and Holly and really enjoyed it. I'm sure that I'll enjoy the others in this collection just as much when I read them (I finished this Nov. 17 and have gone on to others in my "Christmas collection"....not because I didn't like this book, just to experience other authors.
The review for this: I fell in love with Holly. She was funny, quirky and very "likeable". Lisa did a terrific job with all of the characters. I felt like they were people I knew and could identify with. The story was cute and I laughed a few times picturing the different situations that she got into. It was a great read and I loved the ending.
A great read...not just for Christmas, but anytime.
The review for this: I fell in love with Holly. She was funny, quirky and very "likeable". Lisa did a terrific job with all of the characters. I felt like they were people I knew and could identify with. The story was cute and I laughed a few times picturing the different situations that she got into. It was a great read and I loved the ending.
A great read...not just for Christmas, but anytime.
December 22, 2013
Well the title began like a fairy tale and I love fairy tales.... I also love reading Lisa Plumley. She is a fun, romantic writer with lovable characters. I especially love that the men have untraditional jobs and some are a bit nerdy. Can't go wrong with any of the three stories in this book but my personal favorite was Mistletoe and Holly.
December 20, 2014
Romantic Holiday Stories
These stories were well written and they each had their own personality. The characters were very realistic and entertaining which made the stories a lot more interesting. The women in these stories have a strong independent personality unlike how some romance novels portray lead female characters.
These stories were well written and they each had their own personality. The characters were very realistic and entertaining which made the stories a lot more interesting. The women in these stories have a strong independent personality unlike how some romance novels portray lead female characters.
December 18, 2014
I only got through the first story out of three, which was about 200 pages more than I thought I could last through, just trying to at least finish that one story. It was long and drawn out. I was getting to the point where I was skipping over parts of conversations because they were so repetitive and monotonous. The plotline was not very realistic, and the characters weren't very endearing.
December 22, 2014
This could be a fairly interesting Christmas story, and although not really a sexually explicit story, it is a very sexually "suggestive" romance. There are three separate stories in this package but I only read the first one because I don't want my Christmas stories to revolve around body chemistry and hard breathing. Bleh!
December 5, 2015
I LIKE IF YOU HAVE TO GET IT WAS GOOD
It's kind of like having a second thought about the book it does give you a lot of insight about affairs and people in love but not for me I like it I gave it a five because I like it that much but it was too long too boring and too much stretched out
It's kind of like having a second thought about the book it does give you a lot of insight about affairs and people in love but not for me I like it I gave it a five because I like it that much but it was too long too boring and too much stretched out
April 23, 2011
This was a great anthology of short Christmas stories by Lisa Plumley. She has a gift of being able to make you laugh and cry, carrying you on the journey right along with her characters. All three stories were winners.
December 22, 2013
This book actually has three different stories in the one book. I try to read at least one fiction Christmas book during the Christmas holidays and this one didn't my expectations. It moved slow and didn't keep attention. It might have just been me, it wasn't a bad book.
December 24, 2014
Refreshing
I found these two books very refreshing and hard to put down. The characters and situations they got into very cute and enticing. I loved the characters and the reactions they had to each situation.
I found these two books very refreshing and hard to put down. The characters and situations they got into very cute and enticing. I loved the characters and the reactions they had to each situation.
December 27, 2014
Three good stories
Loved the stories. ESpecially Loved Nick and Chloe as neighbors and best friends who finally get together. I laughed and enjoyed their humor. Took forever for them to admit their love. Great ending.
Loved the stories. ESpecially Loved Nick and Chloe as neighbors and best friends who finally get together. I laughed and enjoyed their humor. Took forever for them to admit their love. Great ending.
July 13, 2015
Truth wins out
Being honest in the beginning saves a lot of pain later. Planning for the child together would be a very special bonding between two people who really loved each other anyway but didn't want to be the first to admit it.
Being honest in the beginning saves a lot of pain later. Planning for the child together would be a very special bonding between two people who really loved each other anyway but didn't want to be the first to admit it.
December 30, 2015
Loved it. Sweet, pure hearted, clean love story. Easy, relaxing reading. Wodefuld recommend reading.
I haven't had time to read a book in a long time. Loved it. Sweet, pure hearted, clean love stories. Easy, relaxing reading. Would definitely recommend reading.
I haven't had time to read a book in a long time. Loved it. Sweet, pure hearted, clean love stories. Easy, relaxing reading. Would definitely recommend reading.
October 13, 2014
Great read
This was one of the best holiday reads I have read in a long time. Thank you for a great story.
This was one of the best holiday reads I have read in a long time. Thank you for a great story.
October 28, 2014
Is a great book to read
November 22, 2014
Three stories in one. Two were not "clean" romances. Didn't enjoy any of them very much. Oh well.
May 12, 2015
I've been fonder of serial killers than I was of this heroine.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews