Holiday Ever After

by Jill Shalvis

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

“One Snowy Night” by Jill Shalvis is book # 2.5 in the Heartbreaker series. It can be read as a stand-alone, however, it should be noted that this story is about characters who have been featured in the previous books in the series.

I have been following the Heartbreaker series from the start, so I was happy to know that Rory and Max would be getting their story. When I realised that this would be a novella, I was a bit wary. Why? Well with novellas the stories are generally short and at times you may find that events are not satisfactorily wrapped up. That being said, I decided to take my chances, after all, it’s Max and Rory’s story.

From reading the previous books in the series, I recognized that these two were attracted to each other, but never once did they act on it. The reason for this became clear in “One Snowy Night” Not only did these two have chemistry they also had a history which dated back to their high school years. Rory had no clue that Max blamed her for ruining his life back then. Now with a little interference from well-intentioned friends, these two find themselves travelling together as they return home for the Christmas. They now have the opportunity to confront the past and in the process heal old wounds.

I enjoyed the intense interaction between the characters. It was great learning about their pasts which assisted me in getting to know and understand them better. It was fun watching them coming to terms with the issues of the past and starting a new chapter in their lives.

Despite the length, I enjoyed this installment. (The book ended at about 59%. The rest of the book is excerpts from the other books in the series.) It was fun, sweet and entertaining. All in all, it was a great addition to the series. That being said, just as I feared the ending was not satisfactorily wrapped up. I wished that more details were provided as it relates to Rory’ relationship with her family and Max. It ended rather quickly for my liking.


If you are looking for a quick, funny and entertaining read “One Snowy Night” will do the trick.


Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis is book #4.5 in the Heartbreaker Bay series. Like the other books in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. However, if you want to get the full benefit of this fun and adorable series, I would recommend you start at the beginning.

Holiday Wishes features one of my favourite tropes, a second chance romance. Combined with my favourite holiday and a weekend wedding and I knew I would be in for a treat.

The Story
A short and sweet Christmas read that allowed me to hang out with the Heartbreaker gang while enjoying the development of the romance between the protagonists. A well-written story with relatable characters and steady pacing made this a worthwhile read.

The Characters
Sean is a character with whom I am familiar. When I met him in the first book in the series, I found him to be immature and irresponsible. However, in this installment he demonstrated that he was not the irresponsible and immature young man persons perceived him to be. I loved this side of him.

I could not fault Lotti for her initial reaction to seeing Sean again after all these years. It could not have been easy for her to face the one person who had the power to break her heart into tiny pieces. However, in spite of her fears the one thing she could not deny was the explosive attraction between them, which was as strong as ever.

It was a treat watching them navigate their un-resolved feelings and off the chart chemistry. I loved them together, and I silently hoped that they would get it right this time around.

Conclusion and Recommendation
Fans of the series will enjoy this Christmas themed novella. If you have not started the series, then I recommend that you do so as soon as you can as you are missing out on some fun and awesome stories.

Another hit from one of my favourite authors and a great addition to the Heartbreaker Bay series.

Mistletoe In Paradise
I have been a fan of Jill Shalvis ever since I read her Heartbreaker series. Since then, I jump at every opportunity to read her books. Therefore, when the offer to read and review Mistletoe in Paradise appeared in my email, my response was an automatic yes. A point to note, despite this being a part of the Wildstone series, it can stand on its own.

Set on a boat, sailing the Caribbean Sea, Mistletoe in Paradise provided me with a sweet, second chance, friends to lover’s romance. In this story the reader met Hannah, her step-father Harry and James.

Now Hannah and James have been friends since childhood and as the years went by their feelings for each other developed beyond friendship. However, losing someone close to them both coupled with their thirst for different things in life led to them drifting apart. A few years later, Hannah is a workaholic with no social life and no time for relationships. She lives for her work, and so she was far from amused when her mother’s actions placed her in a position of delivering bad news to Harry, while spending time with him on his boat for the holidays. To make the situation worse, James would also be on the trip, not what she had signed up for.

I had a wonderful time with this novella. I laughed, and I teared up watching James and Hannah trying to deny their feelings and realising that it was an exercise in futility. Time and distance in no way dimmed the spark which existed between them.

I admired Hannah for her dedication to her job, but she needed to find some balance. I loved the fact that they communicated with each other and in the process managed to resolve the issues that initially tore them apart. The question is though despite coming to terms with their past, will their relationship survive the current situation given their different lifestyles?

Suitable for fans of the author and for readers who enjoy short and sweet romances