Second chance romance, gorgeous book boyfriend with a killer British accent, and plenty of steam? Yes, please! After loving Hameroff’s debut novel Till There was You, I was excited to read Never Planned on You, and it didn’t disappoint.
On the night before Ali is due to return home to Baltimore after her semester in London, she finally meets her friend Artie’s reclusive roommate Graham. What starts as a friendly darts competition leads to matching horrendous tattoos and a night neither will forget. Flash forward eight years, and they run into each at her local coffee shop. The spark is still there, but the timing is all wrong, yet again. Will it ever be the right time?
This is a wonderfully swoon-worthy romance, the perfect read for Valentine’s Day. Both MCs were endearing, and the chemistry between them is off the charts. I really enjoyed Ali’s family and the way 3 generations of Rubin women and Graham’s grandmother play matchmaker for these two misguided soulmates. Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
If you love the idea of spending Christmas in the UK as much as I do, reading this wonderful story is the next best thing to being there. I really enjoyed Langdon’s 2023 Christmas offering, Christmas with the Lords, so I was excited to read this one. Although there isn’t as much humor, it’s still another heartwarming romance between the lord of the manor and a Londoner who desperately needs the escape and joy that a celebration of the holiday in the English countryside can provide.
Fallon is a highly successful, workaholic event planner who’s burned out and in need of a restful vacation. Instead, she accompanies her self-absorbed, neglectful soap opera mother to her soon-to-be stepfather’s country estate for three weeks around Christmas. There she meets his gorgeous son, Alexander and precocious grandson, Theo, who are both dealing with their own issues. Rather than taking it easy, Fallon agrees to plan her mother’s engagement party and work with Alexander to help launch his artisanal gin business at the annual village Christmas Fayre. As the days pass, Fallon begins to fall for this father and son but doesn’t see a future since she doesn’t want children, believing she’ll be as bad a mother as hers was. However, the appealing beauty of the Yorkshire moors, the warmth of the quirky extended Knight family (including eccentric Aunt Constance and effervescent sister Coco), and her mother’s apologies and efforts to heal their relationship help ease her loneliness and make her question if the frenetic pace of London is sustainable or even desirable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story which checks all the boxes for a cozy, clean Christmas romance. The only problem I had was Fallon’s negativity and hurtful decisions she made out of fear. All’s well that ends well, though, so I definitely recommend this charming holiday offering.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
4*
Sarah Morgan has written another heartwarming Christmas story. Set in both London and the Cotswolds, The Holiday Cottage is about finding family, forgiveness, a true home, and unconditional love and finally discovering the joy that is Christmas. I am a true Anglophile, so I appreciate how beautifully Morgan describes the charm of the fictional Winterbury including the sparkle of lights against the yellow stone shops and cottages, the Christmas market, and the wintry walks through the fields. The sweet friends-to-lovers romance between Imogen and Miles isn’t the central focus but adds another touching plot line to a story that’s full of emotion and second chances. I highly recommend adding The Holiday Cottage to your Christmas story collection.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Canary Street Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
