Merry Ex-Mas by Courtney Walsh Reviewed

 

About the book:

Title: Merry Ex-Mas

Author: Courtney Walsh

Genre: Inspirational Rom-Com

But that’s about to change. This year, I’m traveling to my small hometown to convince my producer to make me the permanent host of Good Day Denver.

The plan: Charm viewers by sharing my favorite family Christmas traditions, and in turn, get the likes, clicks and shares to land the job.

Not the plan: Running into my ex-boyfriend.

In my house.

For Christmas.

But here he is, a guest of my mother, who apparently had more trouble letting go of Max Weber than I did.

Unfortunately, he is as handsome and charming and talented and annoying and frustrating and flirty as ever.

Even more, unfortunately, he seems to have a plan of his own—to convince me to give him a second chance.

Which is not happening.

There’s just one problem—my viewers love him. More than that, they love us. Me and Max. My ex.

The boy who broke my heart.

The boy I now have to fake flirt with to win over the hearts of my viewers.

But it’s not their hearts I’m worried about. . . it’s mine. 

Goodreads || Amazon || 

My Thoughts

This was a fun Christmas rom-com, filled with hilarity, Christmas traditions, and all the quirkiness small towns are known for.

I could empathize with Marin's frustration over her ex-boyfriend Max being at her folks' house. My ex-husband comes to Idaho every Christmas and while I'm happy he spends some time with his daughters I'm nervous I'll run into him somewhere. So, to come home and find him hanging out with my folks would be a bit much.

Courtney Walsh's second-chance romance tropes are always perfectly crafted with just enough backstory making the reader feel like they've been reading about these characters through several books. 

Christmas may be over but the season isn't so you have time to grab this book and enjoy a bit more of Hallmark swoonyness in this fun, flirty, not fake, sweet Christmas story.

About Courtney Walsh

Courtney Walsh is a novelist, artist, theatre director, and playwright. She writes small-town romance and women’s fiction while juggling the performing arts studio and youth theatre she owns and runs with her husband. If For Any Reason is her eleventh novel. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category, and her contemporary romance Just Let Go won the Carol Award in 2019. A creative at heart, Courtney has also written two craft books and several full-length musicals. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children and a sometimes naughty Bernedoodle named Luna.

Website || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter 

The Wedding Dress Christmas Novella by Rachel Hauck - Reviewed

About the book:

Title: The Wedding Dress Christmas
Author: Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Hauck House
Genre: Inspirational Christmas Romance

December comes to quaint Hearts Bend, Tennessee, with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.

For JoJo Castle there is no place like home. Her onetime love of adventure ended when her life in the big city came crashing down. Now that she’s home, she never wants to leave again.

Country music sensation Buck Mathews has charmed the world with his smile and his music. However, news of his mother’s illness brought him home to Hearts Bend for the holiday season.

Working with her cousin Haley in The Wedding Shop, JoJo has no aspirations of love. But when her high school crush returns to town, her buried feelings surface.

Busy with his career, Buck hasn’t had time for family and friends, much less love. Seeing JoJo in The Wedding Shop reminds him there are things more important than his career.

But JoJo and Buck have opposing life goals, and there’s no middle ground. Can love, especially the kind that touches hearts at Christmas, overcome her fears and his quest for greatness?

With the help of a very special wedding dress, there just might a Christmas miracle. 

Purchase a copy HERE!



About Rachel Hauck:

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.

Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.
A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.

At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.
A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

You can follow her on these platforms:

Website || Facebook|| Twitter || Instagram 



My Thoughts:

“Everything she needed, everyone she loved, was right here in Hearts Bend. And The Wedding Shop was her favorite place in town. Especially at Christmas.”
I love Hearts Bend, and returning to it in this Christmassy, romantic and whimsical story was just what this book reader needed.

Rachel Hauck pens a story that is perfect for the Christmas season, really any season. Ms. Hauck seamlessly tied together the previous books into this one in setting, characters and continuity. 

Through flawed characters, Ms. Hauck shows God's love for us and our need for Him. Whether we've allowed fear to weigh us down, as JoJo has or for Buck find out what is really important in life. 

I've loved Rachel Hauck's books since I read Diva NasVegas now Nashville Sweetheart back in 2007. What keeps me waiting on pins and needles for a new release by Rachel Hauck is her heart and love for God that she weaves into every book she pens. 

I highly recommend this book!!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I

A Caffeine Conundrum (The CafFUNated Mysteries Book 1) by Angela Ruth Strong Reviewed

Title: A Caffeine Conundrum
Author: Angela Ruth Strong
Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink

Solving a murder mystery is harder when you don't trust your partner...or their taste in beverages.
Sassy city girl Tandy Brandt moves to the small town of Grace Springs to start a coffee shop, never imagining she'll be competing with local beauty queen Marissa Alexander and her dream of running a tea house. Unfortunately, the current store owner dies before selling the location to either of them, and they both become murder suspects.
The unlikely pair team up in an attempt to discover the real killer, though with the secrets in Tandy's past and Marissa's infamous clumsiness, they could be their own worst enemies. Despite their differences, they follow clues to question a sweet, apple pie baking antique store owner, a GQ Santa in the retirement center, and a hipster millionaire with no social skills. Will they be able to figure out whodunit and prove their innocence before one of them goes to jail...or worse?

Amazon || Barnes and Noble || 

About Angela Ruth Strong:

Angela sold her first story to a national magazine while still in high school and went on to study journalism at the University of Oregon. Her debut novel LOVE FINDS YOU IN SUN VALLEY, IDAHO released in 2010 to a four-star review from Romantic Times. Angela loves connecting with fans and mentoring aspiring authors, which led her to start IDAhope Writers. She currently lives in Boise with her husband and three kids.

Website || Twitter ||

My Thoughts:

A Caffeine Conundrum is a quirky, humorous, cozy mystery with characters that are snarky, and sassy. 

Sleuthing partners Marissa and Tandy couldn't be more different from each other which makes their sleuthing teamwork all the more entertaining. Marissa loves tea and Tandy loves coffee. That is just the beginning of their differences. 

I adored all of the clumsy antics Ms. Strong placed Marissa in, probably because I could identify with them. Marissa's sense of family and family history clouds her ability to look at the murder objectively.

Tandy, bless her heart, she is just a city girl mess. She really just needed to take a deep breath or two. Her ability to look at the murder objectively brings a logical side to solving the case.

In this first book of the series, Ms. Strong tells the story from both Marissa and Tandy's point of view.

Usually in cozy mystery's I can figure out the culprit, uh, nope, Ms. Strong had me guessing until the end. 

This book is full of caffeinated fun, with lots of sweet Christmas references. 

My Bottom Line:

A Caffeine Conundrum is a fun cozy mystery with lots of snark and sass. The mystery is well done. With today being the first day of fall what better way to celebrate it than falling into a good cozy mystery with Christmas fun. I highly recommend this book!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Christmas & Church services on Sunday are you Attending

I know before I write anything this is going to be a controversial subject. Before we hit fall many pastors were tweeting about what churches were going to do on Christmas day, even saying that some were not holding service and how "sad" that was. Christ said that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath, yet in modern day Christianity we seem to get all tied in knots over it. Me personally I think it's ridiculous! Sunday is called the day of rest yet it is anything but! Have you tried to get yourself and small children out the door for church, and get dinner in a crock pot on Sunday morning? You need to be up at the crack of dawn. That is not restful! Add Christmas on top of it and you have complete and utter chaos! Kids will be diving for the Christmas gifts under the tree and parents will be pushing them out the door for church. Then it is getting back after church and cooking the big holiday meal. Don't get me wrong I am not anti-church, I attend every Sunday. Our church is having a candle light service Christmas-eve and a combined service on Christmas day. I think personally going as a family to the candle light service Christmas-eve and spending the day together on Christmas is a better solution than fussing around on Christmas day to allow kids to open a few gifts, get them dressed in perfect Christmas wear, and out the door.