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Hey friends. Its time to recap what I read in December. But first. It is a new year. Last year I knocked my reading goal off the charts. My goal was 20 audiobooks and 100 books in total. I ended the year reading and listening to 134 books. My goal for 2024 is 150 books total. I enjoy reading and getting lost in a good book. It is relaxing to me and a great stress reliever.
Total physical/kindle books: 4
Total audible: 9
Total books for 2023: 134
Goal: 100 books 20 audiobooks
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How cool is this I got from good reads in the middle of December. When they sent it, it said I had read 138 books (my total I had was 125)
Title: Once Upon a Christmas Carol
Author: Karen Schaler
Genre: romance
How I Read It: audiobook with audible
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Amazon Description: Rachel Rinehart’s Christmas season is on the brink of disaster when her record label suddenly drops her, threatening to end her music career. Then she receives a mysterious Christmas card, and everything starts to change....
Inside the card are lyrics to a classic Christmas carol urging her to return home to Crystal Falls, the snowy mountain town she left behind 15 years ago.
Once she arrives in Crystal Falls, a stroke of fate brings her face-to-face with her first love, Matt Meyers, who’s now a devoted single dad. Rachel continues to receive mysterious cards filled with Christmas carol lyrics and clues she must follow—all leading her back to Matt. Is it the work of a hometown matchmaker, or could it be Christmas magic? And will the music and majesty of the season help Rachel discover where she truly belongs?
My Review: A charming Christmas novella second chance romance that makes you feel like your in a cute Christmas movie in a small town.
Title: Tangled in Tinsel
Author: Trilini Pucci
Genre: Reverse Harem
How I Read It: audiobook
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Amazon Description: Imagine being snowed in with four hot successful men.
P.S. they’ve all played the hero in too many of your naughtiest dreams.
Problem is, you work for them, and that makes them off-limits.
Except now they’re looking at you like you’re Santa’s cookies.
And they definitely want to take a bite.
Talk about making you reconsider your life choices.
These four are aiming for Santa’s naughty list, and I’m pretty sure I’m getting:
Jace
Reed
Alec
…and Cole
for Christmas.
It might’ve started as a decorating job.
But it ended Tangled in Tinsel.
My Review: Spicy Reverse Harem Christmas novella. A quick listen without much of a story line beyond the spice. I enjoyed it, I may have blushed a little, some laughing, but I was left wanting more of a story.
Title: Sleigh Bells Ring
Author: RaeAnna Thayne
Genre: Christmas Romance
How I Read It: kindle
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: Employed as the live-in caretaker of Angel’s View Ranch, Annelise McCade is just trying to make it through the holidays with both her sanity and her niece's and nephew’s faith in the magic of Christmas intact. The six-year-old twins recently lost their mother, so Annie tells herself it won’t be a problem to bring them to her workplace. The Sheridans haven’t visited Angel's View in years, not since the patriarch, Wallace, died. They would never know the twins were there…until Tate Sheridan shows up out of the blue two weeks before Christmas.
But Tate surprises Annie by asking them to stay and help him get the house ready for one last family Christmas before the ranch is put on the market. Annie and Tate have three days to work their magic before the Sheridan clan arrives—and to work through the growing attraction between them. But Annie simply can’t fall for the man who's about to put her out of a job and a home. Still, the sparkle of the season is impossible to deny…and this Christmas has surprises in store for everyone.
My Review: Clean, sweet, heart warming Christmas romance. All the characters are likeable and I could see as my friends.
Title: Shadowed Obsession
Author: Penelope Black
Genre: Reverse Harem
How I Read It: ARC kindle
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Amazon Description: A whirlwind romance of small-town secrets, why choose dilemmas, and heart-stopping suspense.
In Rosewood's scorching summer, I'm torn between the irresistible playboy with a haunting secret, my ever-present white knight, and the broody single dad.
I foolishly thought the hardest thing I had to do was entertain the five-year-old boy I spent my days nannying.
But I should've known better. I should've known danger lurks in the most unlikely places.
And as the shadows close in, I find myself faced with an impossible choice. One that I know that will change everything.
My Review: Penelope does it again. She is the queen of drawing you in, then leaving you with a cliffhanger. Shadowed Obsession is book 2 of a 3 book series. This book has lots of action but leaves you with lots of questions and wanting more.
Tropes:- small town- why choose- single dad and nanny- motorcycle club- family- jealous- second chance
Thank you Penelope and Valentine Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review
Title: My Not So Secret Santa
Author: Sara Whitney
Genre: Christmas Romance
How I Read It: Kindle
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: I’ve got a secret.
The new girl at work? The one I’ve got a crush on?
She’s got a crush too—on the stripper who’s dressing like Santa every weekend in December.
And that’s my secret. I’m him. The Saturday night Santa stripper.
Liv has no idea it’s her new work buddy under the fake white beard and tiny red hot pants, and every time she blushes when she talks about him, I burn with jealousy over myself.
But Liv’s also starting to get close to me—the real me—and seems interested in Christmas Eve activities that’ll put us both on the so-naughty-it's-nice list. I just hope she’ll still want to sit on Santa's lap after I tell her the truth.
My Review: Fun, hot, sexy Santa with some comedy, heart warming dialogue, and secrets that need to come out.
Title: His Holiday Pact
Author: Ayla Asher
Genre: Christmas Romance
How I Read It: audiobook on Chirp
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: Kayla Summers has had enough of her mother’s insistence that she find a man and get married. At thirty-three, she’s a successful attorney and has a fantastic life. Knowing her mother will grill her constantly over the upcoming holidays about her single existence, she dreads the visits home.
Carter Manheim is a self-proclaimed bachelor, dead set on seducing every beautiful woman in Manhattan. And why not? His parents’ disastrous marriage and divorce proved that lifelong commitments just aren’t viable. As his mother’s health worsens, his only wish is to give her one last happy holiday, even if it entails bringing home a girlfriend.
When Kayla’s sexy neighbor proposes they take each other home for the holidays as fake partners, she’s floored. However, getting her mother off her back is her number one priority and she agrees to the arrangement. Now, if she can only keep her heart from becoming emotionally entangled with the player of the century, she’ll be just fine…
My Review: Fake relationship turns real. I enjoyed the characters growing up and together. Hot romance but not over the top. This could be a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Title: Love is the Point
Author: Carlos and Alexa Penavega
Genre: devotional
How I Read It: physical book
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Amazon Description: Love in action is what life is all about! Take a 100-day journey to recognize the ways that God shows love in your life and discover opportunities to share that love with those around you in this daily devotional--.
In What If Love Is the Point? Carlos and Alexa PenaVega shared how putting God at the center of their marriage, parenting, and career choices dramatically changed their lives and brought real fulfillment. Now, in Love Is the Point, they've created a 100-day devotional, inviting you to join them on the adventure of experiencing God's love and boldly sharing that love with others.
This relevant and inspirational devotional will
- inspire you to focus on God and his love in their everyday lives;
- encourage you to see all of the ways that God shows his love whenever we seek him; and
- Challenge you to put God's love into action through reflection questions, tips for how to love people we don't automatically connect with.
A practical and moving follow-up to their first book, this devotional reminds you that whether you are facing hardships or celebrating happy occasions, you can hear God's quiet voice that encourages and empowers you to live with hearts full of love.
Because love is the point.
My Review: Loved learning about Alexa and Carlos, how they met, their backgrounds in the spotlight and more. They share their journeys in their faith without being pushy with it.
Title: Her Christmas Cowboy
Author: Marie Richards
Genre: Christmas Romance
How I Read It: audiobook on Chirp
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: Luke Carsen needs to honor the stipulation in his late adoptive father’s will for him to be married in order to take co-ownership of the family ranch. But he’s too broken to love again. Recovering from the wounds of war is one thing, but the wounds from a previous relationship is another.
Jemma Smith grants wishes for the ill through her Grant-A-Wish app, but can she grant her dying grandfather’s last wish to see her settle down before Christmas? She’d always dreamed of getting married and knows her grandfather just wants to see her happy, but she’s not getting any younger and it’s too late for her now, isn’t it?
After meeting Luke through his matchmaking aunt, Sue Mae, Jemma wonders if she could make this work. Or will a marriage of convenience be all they can handle to appease their folks?
My Review: A marriage for convenience with two people who are against a serious relationship let alone marriage. But things change but will they share how they really feel. I was drawn into the characters with heartwarming back stories.
Title: Christmas at The End of Main street
Author: Meg Easton
Genre: Christmas romance
How I Read It: audiobook on Chirp
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Amazon Description: All either of them wants for Christmas are some jingle bells, to deck the halls, and for everyone to stop finding them dates.
Macie Zimmerman would love to get married and start a family. But after so much searching, she's sick of having hope that something will work out. All she needs is a good six months of no dating-- time she could spend building her business, Paws and Relax, and hanging out with the animals who show her all the love she needs-- to be able to face it again. If only she can keep everyone in town from trying to find her a husband.
High school teacher Aaron Hall plans to never get married. He got engaged once, and it turned out as awful as his parents' marriage had. But that doesn't stop all his married friends from trying to convince him otherwise. And worst of all, his students are now determined to find him a wife before the end of the school year.
This Christmas, Macie and Aaron are teaming up to make everyone believe they're dating each other so they'll quit trying to line them up with others. But as this fake relationship takes them to holiday parties, events around town, and his school's winter formal, and "fake" starts to feel "real," can they overcome the obstacles in their way?
My Review: A cozy fun holiday fake romance. Characters a likeable and relatable. We all have a friend who is tired of being set up on blind dates, why not take it in their own hands to get everyone off your back for a little while with a fake relationship to get you through the holidays.
Title: A Christmas Date
Author: Camilla Isley
Genre: Christmas Romance
How I Read It: audiobook on Chirp
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Amazon Description: No one wants to be single at the holidays.
Even Little Miss Grinch, Nikki, a successful and independent woman, must face her bachelorette status at the most horrible time of the year.
December is her personal version of holly-jolly hell: a merry torture made of couples kissing at every corner, forced vacation days, and an inescapable family reunion.
And when her baby sister announces she’s engaged—to Paul, the man Nikki is secretly in love with—and that he’s spending the holidays with them, Christmas starts looking bluer than ever.
Nikki can’t possibly survive an entire week trapped home as the family’s spinster. But she has no time to meet men or to try the newest dating app, she’s too busy working as a video producer for an advertising agency.
So what’s a girl to do?
Nikki has the perfect solution: to hire a fake boyfriend.
Luckily, her job gives her access to an endless catalog of gorgeous actors to choose from.
But Nikki will soon discover that keeping business and pleasure from mixing isn’t so easy, and that she might not be immune to a little mistletoe magic. Especially not when she picked out the perfect man as her Christmas date...
A fun, festive romantic comedy with lots of bad behavior and Christmas spirit. Like a creamy hot chocolate with marshmallows, you won’t want to put this deliciously hilarious novel down. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Sally Thorne, and Jo Watson.
First Comes Love is a series of interconnected romantic novels. However, each book in the series can be read as a standalone.
My Review: Super cute fun holiday read. Was a huge fan of the narrator, felt like they tried to hard. I also felt like the end of the book was rushed just to get finished.
Title: Her Stand In Fake Fiancee
Author: Cindy Roland Anderson
Genre: romance
How I Read It: audiobook with audible
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: She secretly has a crush on him. He knows she’s off-limits. What happens if they break all the rules? When someone posts a picture of Presley trying on a diamond ring with a mystery man, the whole world assumes she’s getting married. Instead of setting the record straight, her publicist decides this is the perfect launch for her career and confirms the engagement. Under pressure from the network to reveal her fiancé on national TV, her older brother’s best friend volunteers to fill the role. Only, it’s not a fake relationship for Presley. She’s loved Kade for years. He’s just doing her a favor…At least that’s what she thinks...Until they kiss under the mistletoe. You’re going to love this book because everybody loves forbidden kisses under the mistletoe.
My Review: Another cute fake romance story. What starts off as neighbors turns into friends could it turn into more? I love the chemistry between the two main characters. Not your typical fake romance story. Lots of adventure, laughs, and sweet. The narrator did a great job at conveying emotion and keeping you wanting more.
Title: Cyclone
Author: Janie Crouch
Genre: Romantic Suspense
How I Read It: Audiobook on Book Funnel
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: Meet Zac Mackay. Military codename: Cyclone.
He's a widower, a protector, a hero.And the person who could destroy Anne's life.
Doctor Anne Griffin is back in Oak Creek, Wyoming, only because she has no other options. Here, she was always the shy, stuttering girl, invisible to everyone.
Except Zac Mackay. The very reason she left in the first place.
Zac’s years in Special Forces taught him survival skills, and he’s created a company—Linear Tactical—to teach those skills to others, so they never have to live in fear.
Then why is Annie, the last person he’d ever want to hurt, afraid of him?
Zac’s determined to wipe the fear from the eyes of the woman who has never been far from his mind. And fix the mistakes—his mistakes—that put that look there in the first place.
But a predator has set his sights on Annie. And now survival skills will become much more than lessons…
My Review: Rollercoaster of emotions, suspense, and excitement. I loved all the characters and the chemistry. There were parts when Zac drove me nuts with the way her treated Annie, but ended up redeeming himself. there were also parts were the story seemed to drag but overall a good listen.
Title: Wild Ride
Author: Jayne Rylon
Genre: erotic romance
How I Read It: audiobook with chirp
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Amazon Description: Can a marriage of convenience turn into true love? Maybe...with the help of the right man.
Quinn has made mistakes—like sleeping with the wrong people. It’s taken him time to figure out what he wants in bed and out of it. Understandable, since he’s attracted to both men and women and surrounded by a network of friends who seem to have no trouble finding love in any combination.When he meets Trevon—the sexiest man ever—on the side of the road, only one thing keeps Quinn from pursuing him: Trevon’s even sexier wife, Devra.
Like Quinn, Trevon and Devra have led rough lives. Financial and safety concerns forced them into a marriage of convenience they both secretly wish was more.
The lessons Quinn’s past taught him should put the brakes on his fantasies of propositioning Trevon and Devra for a one-night ménage. But the need to atone for his previous transgressions, along with pure temptation, drives him to bring the struggling couple closer, even if it means breaking his own heart in the process.
My Review: Arranged marriage with so many secrets. Twisting relationships with lots of love, emotions, and true commitment. The narrators were amazing but the story felt like it dragged on.
Currently Reading
What are you reading this month?
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