Short Story Review: His For Christmas by Jennifer Haymore

Title: His For Christmas (House of Trent #1.5)

Author: Jennifer Haymore
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Forever Yours
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Jennifer Haymore introduced sweet, but shy Lady Esme in The Duchess Hunt, the first novel in her House of Trent Series. But what readers may not know is that proper young Lady Esme has a secret: the youngest sister of the Duke of Trent privately pens erotic stories!

Society would never allow Lady Esme to share her own work, so her friend Jennifer Haymore is here to help—and just in time for Christmas!

His for Christmas is the steamy story of two travelers who find themselves stranded in an inn when an unexpected snowstorm blankets the English countryside. As the temperature drops, desire rises and the two strangers share a night of passion unlike anything either has ever experienced. When dawn breaks and the storm clears, will they continue on their separate journeys, or will they begin a new path together?

The year is quickly coming to a close which means it's time to break out the holiday reading. I don't usually go for themed books but there is something really appealing about holiday romances. I always end up reading a few during the holiday season. Though part of the House of Trent series, this novella can stand alone and you do not need to read the previous book in the series for enjoy this one.

His for Christmas is the story of Evan and Amelia, childhood friends who were once in love but have now grown apart. An unfortunate misunderstanding has Amelia believing the worst of Evan. Evan has never though himself good enough for Amelia and have given up hope of ever being with her. But when the two meet again one snowy Christmas, their old feelings resurface.

This is a short, sweet romance that isn't very deep but is still enjoyable. I really like stories about reunited lovers, especially when one is still mad at the other. Evan and Amelia are both very likable characters and I was rooting for them to find their HEA.

Because of the short format, there isn't much time for a lot of character or story development. It is a bit predictable and I had a hard time recalling much of the story only a few days after I read it. However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it for historical romance fans looking for a light read.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online atwww.jenniferhaymore.com and follow her on Twitter @jenniferhaymore and Facebook.

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Review: The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton

Title: The Heart of a Killer

Author: Jaci Burton
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

No one said coming home would be easy. But for Dante Renaldi, it's murder.

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.

The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Anna and Dante were once in love, until the night that changed both their lives forever. During a brutal attack on Anna, Dante and his three foster brothers accidentally kill her assailant. They decide to cover up the crime and go their separate ways, Dante leaving town for good. Twelve years later, he comes back to celebrate the wedding anniversary of his foster parents. But on the eve of his return, another brutal murder takes place, drawing them all back to that night twelve years go. Now a detective, Anna is called in to investigate the murders that implicate Dante and his brothers. And while Anna's attraction to Dante has only grown, she doesn't know if she can trust him or if he is the one she's trying to catch.

The Heart of a Killer is a romantic suspense novel by popular romance writer Jaci Burton. This was one of the first Jaci Burton books I ever read. While not my favorite of her books, it gave me a taste for her writing and eventually lead me to her Play by Play series, which I am a big fan of. 

The Heart of a Killer is one of those books that I read quickly and enjoyed but left no real lasting impression. Anna and Dante are both likable characters. I love stories about reunited lovers so it was fun watching them learn each other again. The chemistry was good and the buildup of twelve years of sexual longing created a lot of great tension between Dante and Anna.

While there were some interesting twists and turns, I didn't find the mystery to be very suspenseful. There were a few red herrings but I could see right through them. I figured out who the killer was before the end and didn't really buy the motive.

I don’t think The Heart of the Killer is one of Burton’s best and was an enjoyable but forgettable read. This would be a good book for an afternoon on the beach or a bit of light vacation reading.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at jaciburton.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @jaciburton

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Review: Seeing Red by Jill Shalvis

Title: Seeing Red (Firefighter #3)

Author: Jill Shalvis
Publication Date: Aug 6, 2013 (re-release, original published 2005)
Publisher: Forever Yours
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

IT ONLY TAKES A SPARK

Summer Abrams left everything behind-the warehouse fire that took her father's life, the town where her world fell apart, and her best friend in the world, Joe Walker. All she carried with her was guilt. Now, twelve years later, another fire has devastated the same warehouse, and Summer returns to Ocean Beach to search for answers. But what she finds first is an old flame that never went out . . .

Joe Walker has become the town fire marshal-sexy, strong, and an expert at keeping people at bay. The only person he ever let into his heart broke it and left town without a word. Now that she's back, Joe swears he won't fall for Summer again . . . but the heat between them is irresistible. As he tries to help her heal the past, can he take a risk on building a future with Summer?

I am a fan of Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor series and, when I saw that her publisher was re-releasing one of her older and unavailable books as an eBook, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Summer Abrams and Joe Walker have been best friends since childhood. Until one day a terrible warehouse fire changes everything for the both of them. After high school, Summer leaves town and doesn't look back. Years later a similar fire bring Summer back to town and she finds that Joe is no longer the chubby, awkward teen that he once was and is now a fire marshall. As Joe investigates the fire, it's clear that the connection between he and Summer hasn't died and they both want more this time.

I know a lot of people who have a thing for firemen. And after reading this, I can see why. Joe is kind, sensitive, has killer abs and is doing a job that saves lives. I don't know how much hotter he can get.

Summer, unfortunately, was not the best heroine. I understood why she left town all those years ago and kept her distance. I didn't agree with it but I could see where she was coming from. What I didn't like what how she treated Joe when she came back. She was extremely selfish in their relationship, using Joe as a way to relieve her stress when she knew her actions would hurt him in the end. Even when he tells her that he can't do casual with her, that he'll get hurt, she persists in pursuing a purely physical relationship because it makes her feel better. She doesn't think about how her actions will affect others, which has led to her current strained relationships. I just had a really hard time liking her and thought that Joe deserved better.

Seeing Red isn't Shalvis's best, though it definitely shows promise. If you are in the mood for a quick beach read or have a thing for firemen, this might be a good pick. Otherwise I would recommend picking up one of Shalvis's more current books.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at jillshalvis.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @JillShalvis

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