The Cabin at Candy Cane Lane by Laramie Briscoe {a review}

I want this familiarity, this peace. I've needed it for far too long, and if she's the person to give it to me, I'm not going to let it slip through my fingers again.

If you are looking for a Hallmark movie in book form, then The Cabin at Candy Cane Lane by Laramie Briscoe should be the book you pick up. This book is second chance romance, insta-love, forced proximity, small town, and it's set at Christmastime. 

My rating for The Cabin at Candy Cane Lane:

I am a sucker for a second chance romance. Add in one set at Christmas time with forced proximity as one of the tropes, and I'm a goner. This book was short, sweet, and steamy!

Holly has just returned to Blizzard Bluff after her life was flipped upside down. Not only did her wedding not happen, her apartment was all packed up as she was supposed to move with her husband, and now her job is on the line. Perfect timing to head back home to figure it all out. Meanwhile back in Blizzard Bluff, Lucas is there continuing to work at the family business, and feeling stressed. Not only is he stressed, he's also grieving the loss of his dad. It is when he takes a last minute job at a friends cabin, that his life is about to change when he runs into his high school sweetheart.

The Cabin at Candy Cane Lane was a hallmark movie in book format and I loved every second of it.  My only "complaint" is that it wasn't a full length novel. I would have loved to witness Lucas and Holly's relationship build, see some drama/conflict step in to mess things up, and then the reunion. But that is a minor complaint, and I know that this story was meant to be a novella. I mean in Laramie's newsletter today it was even stated:

Since I started writing, I've always wanted to do a Christmas novella that has Hallmark vibes with plenty of steam.

Well Laramie accomplished that! If you are wanting a holiday read in the month of December, go purchase this book!

Happy Reading,
Laura

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Holly, jolly and all that's naughty...

Holly Wreath

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. But not this year; at least not for me.

Laid off from my job, left at the altar, and wanting to bury my head until the new year I head to a family friend's cabin.

Blizzard Bluff was in my rearview as soon as I graduated high school, but now I'm heading back to lick my wounds.

The last person I expect to see is the boy who made my heart pound as a teenager. Only he's a man now, and he's going to be the one to turn my holiday around.

Thank you Laramie Briscoe, and Greys Promotions, for providing me with an advanced copy of The Cabin at Candy Cane Lane.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Bookish Q&A {Bookmas}

It's time for a bookish q&a! Where possible, my goal is to keep my answers to books I've read in 2022. There are a couple that will be from previous years, but since Bookmas is a chance to look back at the year, I feel it's best to give as current of answers as possible. Should you choose to answer these prompts, you can answer however you would prefer. (obviously)

Currently Reading

The Mysterious Mr Marcellus by Tomi Tabb

Last Book Read

A Greene Family Christmas by Piper Rayne

Favorite Book or Series

Um...I can't answer this! Choosing a favorite is too difficult. So I'll provide my current favorite series:
Totally Pucked by Maren Moore
Gold Hockey by Elise Faber
Tennessee Thunderbolts by Gina Azzi

The Edge by Kristin Turnage

An author I always recommend

Aven Ellis
She has so many different options within the romance genre. Looking for a royal romance series? Modern Royals. Looking for a hockey series? Aven has 3! How about baseball? Yep, the DC Soaring Eagles! Then there's her business romances in the British Isles series. They are all wonderful. She also has a soccer/football romance series starting up in 2023!

A book/series I DNF'd

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
I had loved Red White and Royal Blue, so I was excited to see how this book would be. It wasn't what I wanted, and I don't think I'll revisit.

A fictional place I'd like to visit

Oaks North Carolina
(aka the setting for The Edge series)

An OTP I love

Parker and Cooper
(Something So Right by Natasha Madison is their story, but they make appearances in many other books in the various hockey romance series.)

Favorite book cover owned

This is a difficult one for me as I don't tend to buy the book for the cover, I buy it for the story. If I must choose, I'm going with:

Everything is Ok by Debbie Tung

I love Debbie's art and storytelling. It is all so relatable for me.

Last disappointing read

Lukas, Sometimes by Tempest Phan
I found it really difficult to get invested in the story, and I didn't care for the characters.

A trope I love to see

Brother's Best Friend, or any iteration of that. It's one of my top 3 for a reason!

A trope I can't stand

This is a hard one for me. But I think I'd have to say cheating. I've read one book with that as a trope, and I wasn't a fan.

A fictional character that reminds me of myself

I have two that came to mind.
Holly Johannson from On Thin Ice by Aven Ellis and Jaye Jenkins from Compassion by Xavier Neal.

A highly anticipated book/series release

Made For series from Natasha Madison
How can I not? It's another hockey romance series that ties in with all the others. I HAVE TO READ THEM!

On my TBR

Too many books to even think about. My December Anticipated Reads post sums up my TBR for the month.

My comfort read

Everyone's a Aliebn When UR a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun

I haven't re-read this one yet in 2022, but I just love everything about this book.

A favorite side character

Miko from The Bennett Duet by Xavier Neal
I know this duet was from late 2020/early 2021, but I am still crossing all the crossables that Miko will get a book. If I can't have a full length novel, I'll settle for a novella. Just no short story please, I can't handle that teasing.

My favorite book to tv/movie adaptation

Hunger Games
I know, I know, that was a while ago. But I just loved how the action was brought to life, and I was fully invested. (note to self: rebuy this series!)

A villain I love to hate

Savannah from Vegas Aces: The Wide Receiver

If you've read any of the Vegas Aces series, then you know who Savannah is. She's pretty much the worst.

My favorite reading spot

It's a toss up between my comfy chair, and my bed. But I'm going to go with bed. After all that's where the majority of my reading takes place each night.

Latest book purchase or haul

I honestly haven't purchased anything recently. I have downloaded some freebies, but nothing else. I'm trying to hold off for Christmas, as people want gift ideas.

Longest book read

Driven: The Complete Series by K Bromberg

This was in 2021, but I don't know when I'll top 806 pages.

Shortest book read

The Crash by Skye Warren & Amelia Wilde

My bookish goals for 2023

Read 150 books
Restart my Instagram/Bookstagram (and figure out Reels)
Continue to review books

 Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Dashing Through The Snow book tag {Bookmas}

I am once again participating in BOOKMAS! So you can expect a non-review post each weekday leading up to Christmas. Then starting December 25 through January 5, I will be posting the 12 days of Christmas tag. To me it sounds like the perfect way to end 2022. There will still be review posts going up, but these non-review posts are just for fun, and also a way to recap the year.

Let's start BOOKMAS off with a book tag! I found this Dashing Through the Snow tag over on ZeZee with Books blog (courtesy of a google search), and according to ZeZee this tag comes from Astra at A Stranger's Guide to Novels.

When I read the questions for this book tag, I knew I had to participate. Without further ado, here are my answers.

One Little Favor by Julia Connors {a review}

She is everything I didn't know I needed, and I'll stop at nothing to make her mine.

One Little Favor by Julia Connors releases on December 2, 2022! This holiday novella is part of the Frozen Hearts series, and I adored this story. We first met Tom and Avery in One Last Shot, and I was hoping that we would get a peek at their relationship. Now here we are, and we're getting all the info. It's Christmastime, and after a phone call with his brother, Tom is in need of a favor. Naturally he turns to Avery, and thus begins their romance.

My rating for One Little Favor:

If you know me at all, you know that I love a good Hallmark Christmas movie. There is something about those romances that just warm my heart, and have me falling. One Little Favor was a steamier version of a Hallmark movie, and I loved every moment of it. From the forbidden workplace aspect, to the fake dating, to realizing that the feelings are not unrequited, it was all just so good. Then there was that situation with a coworker, and ooh the drama! Gotta love those moments of tension, drama, conflict in a romance story. It just has me rooting for the characters even harder.

Aside from the budding relationship with Tom, there's the relationship that Avery has with her parents, and that just made me so happy. I love that bond they have, and how they are a constant in each others lives. Then what Tom did for Christmas, that just won me over even more. That man was willing to do anything for Avery.

One Little Favor may be a novella, but by the end you'll feel as though you really know the characters. 

I must admit that I am falling for Julia's writing, and her characters. I cannot wait to see what Julia writes next. Once it's announced I'll be adding it to my TBR, I know that for certain.

If you are looking for a Christmas romance novella to read in December, then check out One Little Favor. You don't need to read any of the other books in the Frozen Hearts series to enjoy this one. (but if you do want to go back and read the series, the books are worth it.)

Happy Reading,
Laura

Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub

This is teeing up to be the worst Christmas ever.

First, my parents win a last-minute cruise and ditch me for the white sand beaches of the Caribbean.

Then, my annoyingly sexy boss, Tom, needs one *little* favor—in the form of sacrificing my entire weekend to help him revamp his office space. Now I’m forced to spend the last days before Christmas with the very person I’m trying to avoid.

Some sort of holiday spirit must be in the air, though, because the more time we spend holed up in his corner office together, the harder it becomes to keep our emotions off and our clothes on.

I may have also agreed to be his fake girlfriend, but that part’s unclear. Mostly because nothing that’s developing between us in that office feels fake.

Then he springs a surprise getaway on me—effectively making all my Christmas dreams come true—and suddenly it’s impossible to remember all the reasons getting involved with my boss is a terrible idea.

But no matter how hard he tries to convince me this can work between us, when reality hits, only one of us stands to lose everything. And it isn’t him.

Julia, thank you for providing me with an advanced copy of One Little Favor.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Wanting You Always by Lizzie Morton {a review}

Her voice is a siren, but instead of warning me to stay away, it draws me in, just like it always has, since the first time we met.

Wanting You Always is the brand new release from author Lizzie Morton. This is the first book in the Always series, and it is a spin off from the Always trilogy. Wanting You Always focuses on Sam and Sophie. These two have been best friends since the moment they met. They have been by each other's side through the good and the bad. They are the support system they each need. It's always been friendship, never more, but things are changing.

My rating for Wanting You Always:

First things first, I have not read the Always Trilogy, so I am going into the Always series not knowing anything about the characters, the band, or the history. Having now read Wanting You Always, I do feel that it may have helped me understand bits and pieces of this book had I read the trilogy. I say that because at times I was a bit lost with certain references to past events. Not only that I feel that I would have better understood the friendships, and the these bonds that they clearly have. That being said not knowing all of this, and the slight confusion didn't affect my enjoyment of this story. If anything it would have enhanced it.

Speaking of the story...I truly did enjoy Sam and Sophie's story. That best friends to lovers storyline hooked me in, and had me wondering how the fall would happen. It also had me waiting for the moment when those feelings were discussed, and how it would affect the friendship. Slow burn and I don't always get along, but this one I didn't really have a problem with. At times I was hoping things would pick up a bit more, but once those lines were crossed all was good. The rockstar vibe was just okay. It felt secondary, but at the same time it gave Sam this friendship that he so needed. I quickly found myself immersed in this world, and wanting to know more about each of the side characters.

Lizzie threw me a curve ball in the form of Russ, and everything that was discovered with his story. My mom heart was immediately gone for that kid. Then as his storyline developed my heart sank. While I don't like what happened in that situation, it did inspire what happened next. 

I think it was Russ that really gave Sophie the courage to rediscover herself. It was because of him that so much happened. Yes Sam was by her side throughout, but this was different. This was Sophie taking a stand, and I loved that. She found her voice and her passion, and she was going to battle.

Also, I love Grams. She's the best. Grams was the comedic relief that was needed from time to time.

While the start of the book confused me a smidgen, by the end I was loving the characters, enjoying their storylines, and rooting for that happily ever after. Not only did Sam and Sophie get their happily ever after, but their new found family did also. 

Now that Sam and Sophie's story is over, I need Shaun's story to be next. I won't accept anyone else. (okay maybe Sooz's story. maybe) Shaun is Sam's big brother, and if I'm reading things correctly, there is a spark between him and Sophie's best friend. So please Lizzie, say they are next!!

Go check out this best friends to lovers romance. I could not put it down, and cannot wait to return to this setting in the future. (rumor has it book 2 is coming in 2023!)

Happy Reading,
Laura

Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub

Sam Riley has been one of my best friends for as long as I can remember, it’s the wanting him part that is new.

With my personal life falling apart and Sam’s self-doubts putting his music career on the line, we do what we’ve always done best … we lean on each other.

Desperately trying to hold everything together, Sam manages to brighten the darkest of days.

In the middle of the storm, he’s my rainbow.

My person.

My one.

My constant.

Until we find ourselves tiptoeing the line of something more.

Deciding between what’s right and fighting for what we want feels impossible when it comes down to one thing …

Is loving your best friend worth the risk of losing them?

**Wanting You Always is Book 1 in a series of interconnected standalones which act as spin-offs to The Always Trilogy. Each book is a complete story and contains a HEA.**

Thank you Lizzie for providing me with an advanced copy of Wanting You Always. Being a part of #imwithlizziesband has been a wonderful adventure.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!