Review - - Falling for Alaska

Falling for Alaska

by Belle Calhoune

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: March 26, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

A small-town restaurateur and a big city former football player go head-to-head in this heartfelt enemies-to-lovers romance . . .
 
As the oldest of three brothers, former pro-football player Xavier Stone is no stranger to making tough calls. Like returning to his small hometown of Moose Falls, Alaska to help run his grandmother’s hard cider company and gastro pub. He agrees to keep an open mind, but between working with his estranged father and confronting heavy childhood memories with his brothers, Xavier’s ready to rush back to civilization. Even the stunning woman who runs his grandmother’s restaurant seems to instantly dislike him . . .

True Everett knows better than to let a ridiculously handsome man distract her, especially when it’s the same guy who stands between her and owning Northern Exposure, the tavern she manages. She didn’t pour her soul into the restaurant just for Xavier to swoop in and snatch away her dreams. But amid all the barbs—and, fine . . . all the sparks—flying, True glimpses the man beneath the swagger. That version of Xavier, the real one, might just steal True’s heart.

PJ's Thoughts:

Belle Calhoune is one of my favorite authors writing sweet, small-town romance and Alaska is one of my favorite romance settings. Put the two together and I was more than ready to be swept away by this first book in a new series featuring the three Stone brothers.

Falling for Alaska is a fun, charming read with emotional undertones. Xavier and True have great banter, wonderful chemistry, and a lot of fun. I love how Calhoune grows their relationship over the course of the book in addition to their own individual journeys. True's relationship with her younger brother (I adored him) and Xavier's complicated family ties all play significant roles in the evolution of these characters. I'm eager to discover more about the backstory of the Stone family as well as what happens going forward with Xavier's brothers, their grandmother, and their parents. There are issues still to be addressed. The Alaska setting is an important character as well, immersing me in her majestic, though sometimes dangerous, beauty. 

If you're looking for a sweet romance with plenty of chemistry, banter, meddling family, humor, and emotion, I recommend giving Falling for Alaska by Belle Calhoune a try. 

Review - - Cut the Cake

Cut the Cake

by Leigh Duncan

Heart's Landing - Book 1

Publisher: Gardenia Street Publishing

Release Date: March 29, 2024

*Previously published by Hallmark Publishing

as A Simple Wedding (March 10, 2020)

Reviewed by PJ

Will a fake bride miss her chance at real love?

From the time she and her cousin played dress-up and took turns pretending they were brides, Jennifer Longley has dreamed of the day she’d have her very own Heart’s Landing wedding. Now, she finally has her chance to visit the charming seaside village where lovers stroll arm in arm past Bow Tie Pasta, Dress For A Day and Forget Me Knot Flowers. But there’s a catch—as the personal assistant to a famous movie star, Jenny’s only in town to make wedding arrangements for her boss, and to avoid a media circus, she must pretend she’s the one getting married. But once Jenny reserves the venue, orders the bouquet and, best of all, samples the cake for the simple wedding her boss described, the movie star changes all the plans.

While the other store owners grumble about a wishy-washy bride who can’t seem to make up her mind, Nick Bell is intrigued by the bride-to-be who visits his bakery every afternoon for sweet treats and conversation. He can’t help but befriend her. But when sparks fly between the town’s most eligible baker and Jenny, Nick finds it more and more difficult to remember that she’s already spoken for.

As Jenny deals with her boss’s ever-changing demands, she tries to hide her attraction to Nick. But things get more and more complicated … and what will happen once everyone learns the truth about the woman who is only pretending to be a bride?

PJ's Thoughts:

If you're a fan of Hallmark Channel movies there's a good chance you're going to love Leigh Duncan's Cut the Cake. This book brings the small, wedding destination town of Heart's Landing to life with vivid descriptions and fills the wedding-related businesses with likable people readers will want to know better. The story flows smoothly, like a gentle summer's ride down a lazy river, with occasional bumps but a sweet landing at the end. 

Jenny is an engaging character and I easily became invested in her, happily nudging her along the path of friendship with Nick and hoping for more. Nick is such a good guy...and he bakes! I fell for him right along with Jenny. Duncan does a good job of strengthening their friendship, and deepening their emotions, without crossing any relationship boundaries. Remember, Jenny is pretending to be engaged to someone else and planning her own wedding. I also appreciated the decisions made near the end of the story, giving Jenny and Nick the necessary time to strengthen their feelings without secrets between them. Kudos to Duncan for giving them the time to grow and solidify their relationship after all is revealed. 

If you're looking for a sweet, fun, feel-good romance filled with likable main characters, plenty of colorful secondary characters, and one high-maintenance cousin, I recommend giving Cut the Cake a try.  

*Cut the Cake is a retitled reissue of A Simple Wedding which was originally written by Leigh Duncan and published by Hallmark Publishing. Hallmark has closed their publishing arm and the rights to the book have been restored to the author. Duncan is reissuing the three books in her Heart's Landing series with new covers and titles but the same heartwarming stories. Watch for book two, Save the Dance (formerly A Cottage Wedding) on May 31, 2024 and book three, Kiss the Bride (formerly A Waterfront Wedding) on July 30, 2024. 

Review - - A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale

A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale

by Karen Schaler

Publisher: Hawk Tale Publishing

Release Date: October 5, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

A charming Christmas village, a storybook castle, a royal ball, and a gorgeous prince are the last things New York City reporter Kaylie Karlyle expects to find on her holiday freelance assignment to Europe. But when the family she’s interviewing turns out to be the royal family of Tolvania, Kaylie has a meltdown when the quirky queen wants her to write a Christmas fairy tale for the spunky, young princess. Kaylie must battle the princess’s father, who doesn’t trust the media, and her own insecurities about writing anything beyond the news.

To spark inspiration for the fairy tale, the queen recruits the prickly Prince Alexander to show Kaylie the family’s most spectacular royal holiday traditions. And sparks definitely fly when the only thing Kaylie and the prince agree on is that they’re both more “bah humbug” than “ho, ho, ho.”

But somewhere between sleigh rides and snow angels, merrymaking and mistletoe, upside-down Christmas trees, and a legendary Christmas crown, Kaylie and the prince open their hearts to Christmas and start believing in themselves and each other. It’s a real-life fairy tale in the making until Kaylie discovers a secret about a royal Christmas heirloom that jeopardizes everyone’s happily ever after. Can the magic of the season save this holiday happy ending?

PJ's Thoughts:

Every winter I look forward to snuggling up in a cozy blanket, dimming the lights, and losing myself in one of the 150 new  Christmas movies on the TV. Okay, maybe not quite that many...but a lot. Going into each movie, I already have a good idea of the mechanics of the plot. There will be slight variations here and there but, overall, no big surprises. And you know what? I don't care. I still watch every movie with anticipation, still feel my gut clench when one of the lead characters accidentally breaks a promise to the other, still swoon at the grand romantic gestures, still cry happy tears when all obstacles are overcome and our couple pledge their love and lives to one another. :::Sigh::: What can I say? I love a happy ending. I love the whole process of reaching said happy ending. I love a book that unrolls like a vibrant, colorful movie across my mind. And that's exactly what I got with Karen Schaler's A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale.

Schaler has created a cast, a setting, and a story worthy of Christmas Fairy Tale status. She brought a small European village to life, filled it with lively characters, introduced us to a grumpy, widowed, over-protective Prince and his precocious daughter, a loving, matchmaking Queen, a cynical New York City reporter, and a dog who darn near stole the whole show. Then she sprinkled the story with beautiful snow-packed forests, upside down Christmas trees, divine chocolates, custom-made snow globes, family traditions, and more. Were there surprises? Not really. Was it predictable? Yep. Did I care? Not in the least. 

If you're looking for a sweet Christmas romance that whisks you away to a fairy-tale castle in Europe, makes you laugh, touches your heart, reminds you of the joy to be found in family and friends (and dogs), then serves up a feel-good, fairy-tale ending, give Karen Schaler's A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale a try. Best served (in my experience) with a mug of hot chocolate and a tissue (for those happy tears). 

 

Review - - A Second Chance for Love

A Second Chance for Love

A Sea Glass Bay Romance Book (anthology)

by Anna J. Stewart, Kayla Perrin, Melinda Curtis and 

Cari Lynn Webb

Publisher: CAEZIK Romance

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

 

With Mother’s Day approaching, four women living in a picturesque coastal town discover a second chance at love when they finally find their happily-ever-after partners in this anthology of contemporary romance novellas.

MOM WANTED
Claire Bishop’s life as an art teacher in Sea Glass Bay is full and rewarding, but her heart longs for a family she’ll never have. When she agrees to help out widower, Sully Vaughn, by taking care of his daughter after school, Sully is concerned his little girl, Lindie, is growing too attached to her favorite teacher. Sully is trying his best to protect his child from the heartache of loss that nearly destroyed him, but he hasn’t taken into account his passion for the dynamic woman—nor Lindie’s determination to lay claim to the perfect mom.

FATHER WANTED
Jazzy Dunbar is enjoying life as a single mom, proving that you don’t have to have a man to have it all. Jeremiah Caldwell, a good friend, made the perfect sperm donor. He’s happy with their “no strings attached” relationship ... or is he? He wants to be more than a sometimes-father in baby Caleb’s life. Jazzy doesn’t want to ruin their friendship by allowing their attraction to flare, but when a serious situation threatens, will Jeremiah be able to prove that they can have love and the perfect family?

HERO WANTED
Single mom Leah Martin needs to find a wedding date for her ex-husband’s wedding. Their son, Owen, is going to be the ringbearer and her attendance is required. But this florist has no time to date around the busy Mother’s Day holiday, which is why she agrees to let her friends set her up for a blind date. Hank DeLeon’s bar shares an alley with Leah’s florist shop, which is the perfect location for a restaurant if she’s willing to relocate. When he’s asked to take her on a blind date, he has to wonder: is this a great chance for a business proposition? Or a once-in-a-lifetime chance at love?

FAMILY WANTED
After a corporate restructuring at her accounting firm, Paige Duffy moved north to Sea Glass Bay and opened a handmade candle booth at the coastal town’s popular local craft market. Now her severance is running out and Paige discovers she’s pregnant from a one night stand. Charter boat owner, Gavin Cole, lost his grandfather six months ago, promising him he’d finally pursue his dreams of sailing the open ocean. But when Paige tells him that she’s pregnant with his child, Gavin must decide what adventure he really wants: the one he’s always dreamed of, or the one he never believed possible.

PJ's Thoughts:

If you're a fan of sweet, small-town romance, liberally sprinkled with humor and heart, supportive female friendships, second chances at love, engaging characters, and a solid family foundation (in whatever form that may take), you'll want to pick up a copy of A Second Chance for Love. 

Stewart, Perrin, Curtis, and Webb all bring their own unique spin to these stories while also giving readers a seamless transition from couple to couple, maintaining consistency among the characters as well as the setting. I enjoyed the different relationships that played out over the course of all four stories. I became invested in the four main couples, but also in several secondary characters. I'm curious to know if there are more anthologies planned for this quartet, or possibly more stories for certain characters by individual authors? I'd certainly be in line to buy them.

This anthology is a bit like a box of assorted sweets. There are varied tropes, diverse characters, and heroines (and heroes) at different stages of their lives. You may have your personal favorite but they're all equally good and sure to satisfy.  

Have you read any of the authors in this collection?

Sea Glass Bay looks like a place I'd like to visit. What beach would you most like to visit? Or, do you prefer relaxation in other places?

I love that all of the heroines in this collection have booths at their local street market. Does your town have craft, farmers, or some type of other street market? Which booths are your favorite to visit?

Two people who post a comment before 11:00 PM, April 27 will each receive a print copy of A Second Chance For Love. 

*Must be 18

*U.S. addresses only

 

Review - - A Waterfront Wedding

A Waterfront Wedding

by Leigh Duncan

A Heart's Landing Novel - Book 3

Publisher: Hallmark Publishing

Release Date: April 20, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

It’s the wedding of the year…

But who will get to host it?

In Heart’s Landing, Evelyn wants to prove she’s a good manager of the Captain’s Cottage by the bay—a favorite place for weddings. Meanwhile, Ryan has invested his life savings to remodel the town’s old boatworks into a brand-new wedding venue.

When a Marine and his bride win the Wedding in a Week contest, they have seven days to put together a romantic, all-expenses-paid event. It’ll be written up in Weddings Today magazine. But will they choose Evelyn’s cottage or Ryan’s boatworks?

The rival business owners cozy up to the bride and groom, helping them plan their military wedding. And even though Evelyn and Ryan both grew up in Heart’s Landing, they learn they never truly knew each other until now. But can they trust each other when only one of them can win?

PJ's Thoughts:

If you enjoy feel-good Hallmark movies, you are going to love this book. Leigh Duncan brings the town of Heart's Landing, in all its wedding-themed glory, to vibrant life. I don't need to be getting married; I just want to spend a week there soaking up the atmosphere. And by atmosphere, I mean dinners at the Italian restaurant on Bridal Carriage Way, tastings at I Do Cakes, horse-drawn carriage rides, and bicycling along the shore. Then there's the award-winning, premiere wedding venue at the Captain's Cottage. But, wait, there's a new kid in town and it looks like his waterfront wedding venue just might give the perennial favorite a run for its money.

This book was an absolute delight. I love a good friends to lovers romance and this one gave me that, plus more. We have childhood friends who are reunited when Ryan returns to town, but now they're business rivals who each are determined to be the venue selected by the special couple chosen to receive an all-expenses paid Heart's Landing wedding.  When Ryan and Evelyn are forced to work together to guide the couple through the week-long series of events, they begin to rediscover friendship as adults, a friendship that gradually starts to deepen into more. But always underlying those feelings is the knowledge that one of them is going to lose out when the couple makes their venue choice. And for Ryan, that could mean not only the end of a dream but the end of his business before it even has a chance to get off the ground. 

One of my favorite parts of this book is the community Duncan has created. I love how she weaves relationships together - family, romantic, and business - without ever being confusing or overwhelming. By the end of the book, I felt as though I knew these people and was part of their community. Ryan and Evelyn's romance is sweet but with a solid depth of emotion. I was cheering for them. And I thoroughly enjoyed the secondary romance between the couple who won the contest. It was fun to get to know them a bit, both individually and as a couple. 

I don't know if Duncan plans any more books in this series but I would happily return to Heart's Landing if she does. I wouldn't mind seeing these characters brought to life on the Hallmark Channel either! 

 

Review - - A Heartfelt Christmas Promise

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise

by Nancy Naigle

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: September 29, 2020

Reviewed by PJ

 

Vanessa Larkin was supposed to be spending Christmas in Paris, France on a business trip she hoped to enjoy as a working vacation. Instead, she’s been assigned to Fraser Hills, North Carolina—home of the Best Fruitcake in the USA—to convert her company’s property into warehouse space and shut down Porter’s, the fruitcake factory. Offering retirement packages and selling locals on new job opportunities may not spread holiday cheer, but Vanessa believes she’s helping secure the town’s future.

Mike Marshall’s family founded Porter’s. For decades, the factory served as the lifeblood of the community until his grandfather sold the business to a Chicago corporation. The sale cost the town its independence—and the Marshalls their family ties. A horse farmer, Mike was never involved with his grandfather’s company, but still felt Fraser Hills lost part of its identity. And as a widower raising a teenage daughter, he’s suffered enough losses in one lifetime. News of the factory’s closing means losing another piece of the town’s legacy.

Far from the skyscrapers and rapid pace of the city, Vanessa finds herself enjoying the easygoing rhythms of rural living. With Mike as her guide, she learns to appreciate the simple pleasures found in shared holiday festivities among friends. Fraser Hills is a town she is growing to love—and Mike is someone she is falling in love with. Now all Vanessa needs is a Christmas miracle to give her newfound friends and home a gift they’ll cherish for many New Years to come.

PJ's Thoughts:

Much like the Hallmark Christmas Movies I fill my DVR with every winter, A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is a sweet, charming, small-town romance that had me dreaming of the scent of pine trees in the air and rich, sugary cookies in the oven. It's a story of life choices, starting over, forgiveness, slowing down enough to rediscover the joys that have been there waiting for you all along, and realizing it's never too late to give love a chance.  

Naigle has brought the town of Fraser Hills to life, along with her citizens. She has me wanting to drive into the mountains to try the banana pudding at the Blue Bicycle Bistro, pick up a bouquet of flowers at The Stalk Market, sing along at the Christmas Parade, hang out with an enterprising teen while sampling a piece of fruitcake at Porter's (and I don't even like fruitcake), snuggle an adorable, mischievous Lab puppy (with a very big best friend), share a cup of coffee with the goodhearted folks who call Fraser Hills home, talk Mike Marshall into a wagon ride pulled by his magnificent Percherons, and meet the woman who saved a town and discovered everything she didn't know she needed in the most unlikely of places.  

If you enjoy charming, heart-tugging, Christmas romances set in scenic mountain towns, with lively townspeople, adorable animals, a business in peril, more than one romance brewing, and, of course, happy endings all around, pick up a copy of Nancy Naigle's A Heartfelt Christmas Promise.