Whew. That’s what I always think about a Tessa Bailey book. So much feeling, so much passion, so much intensity. 

Wreck the Halls has all of those things, plus a friends to lovers romance arc that shouldn’t work for me bc it moves so quickly & yet it does. 

Melody Gallard & Beat Dawkins meet when Melody is 16 & feeling a distinct lack of confidence largely thanks to how the media portrays her appearance. She & Beat are the kids of a legendary rock duo that split decades ago, & they feel an immediate connection. 

Years of not talking later, they’re offered the chance to make mega bucks if they’ll allow themselves to be filmed as they work on convincing their mothers—members of the Steel Birds—to reunite for a Christmas Eve concert. 

This book is not fated mates but it has those overtones to me. These people have a primal, body- & soul-deep connection that I would call call sweet even as they rock each other’s faces off. 

The chemistry is great, the friendship is great, & it has this moment where Mel gets sent to jail & unruffable Beat is very RUFFLED & he’s like hell no I’m about to call the President (not really but basically). 
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But there are a couple of things about the plot that I either wanted less of or more of, respectively . Like his orgasm denial kink. Totally cool with the kink itself but the rationale that is consistently offered for it just doesn’t work for me . 

Anywho, this is another hot, passionate offering from a queen of DIRTY/TENDER MOMENTS & I had a lot of fun with it.

​If I’m looking for soft & cozy Roan Parrish is always a good bet & the title of this upcoming release--The Rivals of Casper Road—(not to mention those adorable FREAKING PUMPKINS on the cover!!) sucked me in.

Give me all the fall stuff.

This ended up being everything I said in the first paragraph: soft, cozy. Sweet. Pumpkin-y ;).

The basic set-up of this one is that after suffering a big heartbreak Bram Larkspur has moved to Garnet Run, Wyoming, home to some of Parrish’s other beloved characters.

His new neighbor is prickly Zachary Glass, a stiff, reserved type who has won the neighborhood Halloween decorating competition several years in a row.

Thanks to a couple of unfortunate moments they end up as rivals for a brief moment, & then they become something else (hint: something with smooching).

This is just a fast, heartwarming read between a prickly & the sunshine one with an epilogue that ended things on an awww note.

I’m really happy that these two Harlequin releases of Roan’s just go for it & these covers make me all kinds of happy.

I’ve been dipping my toes into holiday romance novels so to speak & Helena Greer’s Season of Love has some winning qualities but ultimately falls somewhat flat for me.

Miriam Blum is an antique upcycler who’s estranged from most of her family, including her horrible father, her mother who remains married to him, & the beloved aunt who owned the one place she felt totally comfortable, a Christmas tree farm.

At the beginning of the book Miriam’s aunt has passed & Miriam’s going to return to that farm after many years away to sit shiva. Back to the other people she loved but hasn’t had a meaningful relationship with in years, including a cousin.

But there’s a new person living on the farm, Noelle Northwood, who immediately dislikes Miriam, & Miriam’s time at home is complicated by the presence of this person who doesn’t like her but whom she’s attracted to.

There’s a lot to appreciate about this Queer romance, including Jewish rep, romantic moments on the ice, & how Miriam finds her way back home & to an old artistic love.

But in general, I wasn’t a huge fan of Noelle (whose brashness & personality might feel authentic in some ways but also gets a little off putting for me in moments) and a secondary storyline which is a little puzzling at times. Also, a lot seems to happen to Miriam personally & professionally & it’s a little unsettling how quickly it did.

Overall, there’s potential here & I can see a lot of people relating to & enjoying this sweet romance, but it didn’t really work for me.