Canadian Girl Book Blog
Written on Nov 27, 2019
Author ~ Amy Andrews, Kate Canterbary, J.H. Croix, Erika Kelly, Kimberly Kincaid, Maria Luis, Natasha Madison, Erin Nicholas, Lucy Score, Lili Valente and Willow Winters
Genre ~ Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance
Published By ~ Kimberly Kincaid Romance
Release Date ~ November 25, 2019
Format ~ ARC
Pages ~ 566
About Holiday Ever After
Available for TWO WEEKS ONLY: Eleven sweet and sexy holiday stories from New York Times and USA Today best-selling authors! Grab a cup of cocoa and curl up with this collection that will warm your heart and curl your toes.
Each story is a new standalone contemporary romance set within popular series, with no spoilers, no cliffhangers, never-before-featured couples, and hot happy endings. This anthology of quick reads (each can be read in an hour or so) will only be available as a collection for a very limited time. Naughty never looked so nice!
Kimberly Kincaid: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Erika Kelly: Planes, Trains and Head Over Heels
J.H. Croix: That Snowy Night
Amy Andrews: Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Red Bikini Trouble
Lucy Score: The Mistletoe Kisser
Lili Valente: MILF on the Shelf
Erin Nicholas: Must Love Alligators
Natasha Madison: Tempt the Assistant
Willow Winters: All I Want is a Kiss
Kate Canterbary: Professional Development
Maria Luis: Kissing a Gentleman
Holiday Ever After is a Christmas Anthology comprised of holiday novellas by Kimberly Kincaid, Erika Kelly, J.H. Croix, Amy Andrews, Lucy Score, Lili Valente, Erin Nicholas, Natasha Madison, Willow Winters, Kate Canterbary and Maria Luis. I was provided this ARC by Kimberly Kincaid in exchange for my honest and voluntary review of all of the novellas included in this anthology.
This is my introduction to all of the authors in this collection and none of the stories or authors disappointed. I am looking forward to diving into all of these authors' book worlds. Below you will find my reviews of all of the individual novellas. As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole collection and recommend this anthology to any romance reader as well as anyone who loves Christmas and the holiday spirit. I give Holiday Ever After 5 stars.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Kimberly Kincaid
Sofia and Emmett are both doctors at Remington Memorial Hospital. Sofia is a resident trying to pass her boards and has issues with studying for the orthopedic section which is Emmett’s specialty but Sofia can not stand his cocky ways. Sofia does not like Christmas ever since her father was killed by a drunk driver and now she is stuck on the night shift, three weeks before Christmas, with Emmett who she would like to avoid at all cost but that does not go as planned when they end up getting stuck in an elevator together. After admitting to Emmett her worries about the boards he agrees to help her study. Studying with Emmett has Sofia wanting him more with every study session. Emmett asks her to attend the holiday party with him hoping that he can get her to realize that there is nothing wrong with mixing work and pleasure as well as attempting to bring back her Christmas spirit.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside is a fun enemies-to-lovers story based in Kimberly Kincaid’s Remington Medical series. Sofia and Emmett’s bantering is very amusing and their chemistry was perfect. The holiday spirit was alive at Remington Memorial Hospital. I give Baby, It’s Cold Outside 5 stars.
Planes, Trains, and Head Over Heels by Erika Kelly
Dean is a grumpy football player that just wants to deal with his problems and then get back to his team for the playoffs but when his teammate asks him to pick up his cousins' friend at the airport he gets more than he can imagine in an overly chatty princess. Genevieve is the princess of St. Christophe and is just trying to get to her family for New Years but the snowstorm is making that seem impossible. Dean and Genevieve seem like total opposites but after opening up to each other they realize that they are more alike than they think. The only problem is that they live half a world away from each other and live totally different lives.
Planes, Trains, and Head Over Heels is an emotional story of two people who were getting by living their lives in the shadows of their family issues. Dean and Genevieve helped each other heal and move out of the shadows. I give Planes, Trains, and Head Over Heels 4 stars.
That Snowy Night by J.H. Croix
On her way to the ski lodge, Delilah skids off the road and into a ditch. Thinking she is in big trouble being on a quiet road she lucks out when she sees lights headed her way. When she sees her rescuer she realizes that she knows him. Alex just happens to be going to the same ski lodge that Delilah is heading to and gives her a ride. When Delilah tries to check in there are issues with her reservations and Alex comes to her rescue again. After spending a couple of weeks together at summer camp when they were teenagers and wondering what happened to each other they now have their second chance to find love with each other.
That Snowy Night is a calamity of errors that turns into a beautiful second-chance romance between Alex and Delilah when he rescues her on the side of the road in Alaska. I give That Snowy Night 4 stars.
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Red Bikini Trouble by Amy Andrews
Del and Theodora were high school sweethearts until Theodora left for school in Florida. When she returns home to Credence for Christmas break she is considering returning for good. While trying to outdo her ex-boyfriend by taking selfies in the lake in her little red bikini, Del steals her clothes causing her to have to confront him instead of ignoring him as she wanted. After her car will not start she is forced to take a ride from Del to get out of the snowstorm. Hiding out from the storm may just be what is needed to renew the flame that still seems to be burning between them.
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Red Bikini Trouble is a second-chance lovers story that has funny banter and steamy romance. I enjoyed the witty nature of the novella. I give Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Red Bikini Trouble 5 stars.
The Mistletoe Kisser by Lucy Score
Sammy is filling in for the local vet who is ill when Ryan shows up at the clinic with a sheep that he thinks he’s run over. Sammy returns the sheep to Ryan’s great-uncle’s farm and then goes into the house to find Ryan drunk in his uncles' recliner. After a drunken rant, Sammy decides to leave Ryan for the night and try to figure everything out in the morning. After realizing the whole reason Ryan is in town is a complete setup they head into town to confront the Beautification Committee. Ryan realizes the town has set him up and is determined to get out of Blue Moon as fast as he can. The setup game is not over when the town places Sammy and Ryan in each other’s path again to win a photo contest.
The Mistletoe Kisser is full of laughter right from the beginning of the story and keeps a smile on your face throughout the whole story. It was fun, romantic and full of holiday feels. I give The Mistletoe Kisser 5 stars.
MILF on the Shelf by Lili Valente
Maggie has just bought a house to flip and is realizing that it is more than she bargained for when she realizes the man who owned the house was a hoarder. Between the mess of the house and the ball that she is to attend, Maggie is a little stressed out that she tells Stephanie, the woman she hates the most in the world, that her boyfriend will be coming to the ball with her, only she does not have a boyfriend. Maggie texts her friend to get help with the hoarder issue which he sets her up with a new company to help her out and then texts her best friend, who owns a fake boyfriend dating service, to help her out with a boyfriend for the ball. Coop, Maggie’s fake boyfriend, is more than Maggie could have asked for. He’s sexy, funny and an all-around great guy. Too bad he’s a fake boyfriend and not the real thing. The only problem is that Coop does not want to be her fake boyfriend as he is taken by Maggie.
MILF on the Shelf is a truly heartwarming holiday story. I especially loved the Christmas toilet in the house to be flipped. There are a few laugh out loud spots. I give MILF on the Shelf 5 stars.
Must Love Alligators by Erin Nicholas
Six months after their almost kiss, Chase and Bailey are both back in the bayou for Christmas hoping to catch a glimpse of each other even tho they know that they are not compatible. While trying to wrangle up the otters and keep them hidden from Bailey, The Landry’s convince Chase to keep Bailey occupied.
Must Love Alligators is a fun story full of a calamity of errors, friends, family and holiday spirit. I give Must Love Alligators 5 stars.
Tempt the Assistant by Natasha Madison
Isabella has worked for Shane for five years and has been secretly in love with him the entire time. Shane has been secretly in love with Isabella for five years as well. Isabella decides that the company Christmas party is where she is going to try and get Shane to notice her. When she can not find him anywhere and overhears Jonah tell someone Shane is on a date, she has had enough and decides to leave not before saying to Santa “I wanted to end up with my boss” and then kissing him not knowing it is Shane.
Tempt the Assistant is a great friends-to-lovers workplace romance. I loved how the Christmas spirit helped bring love together. I give Tempt the Assistant 5 stars.
All I Want is a Kiss by Willow Winters
Olivia and Nicholas have been seeing each other for two years every time Olivia visits the East Coast for conferences. When Nicholas tells Olivia his job is changing and he has to move she thinks this is the last time they will be together.
All I Want is a Kiss is a story of stolen moments and how much a kiss truly can mean. I give All I Want is a Kiss 4 stars.
Professional Development by Kate Canterbary
Drew and Tara can not stand each other and are constantly fighting and this has final worn on Lauren’s nerves for the last time that she is sending them to a training weekend in New York to attempt to get them to be civil with each other or she is going to have to make changes at the school. When a blizzard starts to roll in, Drew thinks if they leave right away they will make it home before the blizzard hits. Unfortunately, the blizzard has other plans and causes them to find a place to stay for the night.
Professional Development is a true enemies-to-lovers story that proves love and passion can strike when you least expect it. I give Professional Development 5 stars.
Kissing the Gentleman by Maria Luis
Georgie has wanted Jean for three years and after making a fool of herself in front of him at the company Christmas party she is hoping to avoid him for the foreseeable future but Savannah, Georgie's boos, has other plans when she has Georgie and Jean working together for the Réveillon Dinner. Jean is not pleased about this as every time he works with Georgie she changes everything on him and drives him nuts. When Jean finds Georgie in his kitchen he is worried that she is going to try and change his menu for the Réveillon Dinner that he finalized three weeks ago. Georgie is just trying to make the desert menu better and different than all the other restaurants in town and Jean goes along with Georgie's idea and needs to get some space from her because of the thoughts that he is having about her. While heading into the dining room to get the bourbon for the recipe, Jean and Georgie are caught under the mistletoe and when everyone tries to get them to kiss. Jean kisses Georgie on the cheek saying sorry about all the other employees and the stupid holiday tradition to which Georgie replies that everyone knows how she feels about Jean. Jean realizes the mistake he just made and hopes that a Christmas miracle can help him fix everything.
Kissing the Gentleman is a fun read that shows the tradition of mistletoe and the Christmas spirit can bring out love. I give Kissing the Gentleman 5 stars.