Audio shorts: Two (bookish) holiday romances for your listening pleasure

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, okay, it’s a pretty good time of the year… but it’s a great time for short stories and novellas that tie into the holiday season.

Here are my quick takes on two short audiobooks that lifted my spirits and distracted me from shopping lists and an end-of-year crunch at work.

Title: The Christmas Book Hunt
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Publication date: December 1, 2024
Print length: 126 pages
Audiobook length: 3 hours 26 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Purchased
Rating:

A heartwarming meet-cute short story from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Bookshop.

A Christmas mission…

Mirren’s beloved great-aunt Violet is seriously ill. Her one Christmas wish is to be reunited with a long-lost hand-illustrated book from her childhood, a challenge Mirren gladly accepts to give Violet some much-needed festive cheer.

An enchanting journey…

With no sign of the cherished volume online, Mirren falls into the fascinating world of rare books. From London to snowy Hay-on-Wye and Edinburgh’s cobbled streets, she chases leads from bookshop to bookshop—and bumps into mysterious, charming Theo, who, unbeknownst to her, is searching for the same book for reasons of his own…

The start of a new chapter?

As the two join forces to track the book down before time runs out for Violet, will Mirren find her Christmas miracle—and maybe even a kiss under the mistletoe… ?

For fans of Josie Silver, Jill Mansell and the Queen of Christmas herself, a snow-swept love story to warm even the coldest winter’s day.

Jenny Colgan can always be counted on for sweet, cozy stories with clever plots and relatable characters. In this terrific short story, Mirren finds herself dreading the family’s holiday get-together, largely because of how stressed out her mother gets weeks in advance. And in the weeks leading up to this Christmas, Mirren learns that her beloved great-aunt Violet is terminally ill, with only a short time left to live.

When Mirren visits Violet to see what she can do for her, Violet makes it clear that there’s only one thing she wants: the book of poetry she remembers her father reading to her when she was a child eighty years earlier. The book is A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson — easy enough to find — but she’s yearning to see the exact edition her father shared all those years ago. The problem is, she’s referring to an illustrated edition that doesn’t seem to actually exist. There are rumors, sure, but as Mirren contacts countless rare book dealers, it seems clear that she’s on a wild goose chase. But the book means so much to Violet, so Mirren is determined to continue the search.

However — one cut-throat antiquarian book dealer wants the book too, and assigns his intern/nephew Theo to follow Mirren and get his hands on the book first. Since Theo depends on his uncle for his livelihood, he has no choice but to comply — but as he follows Mirren to small towns in Wales and Scotland on their Christmas book hunt, the two strike up a friendship, and possibly even more.

Theo and Mirren’s dynamic is sweet and silly, as they follow clues and get into all sorts of sticky situations while hunting for the book — but it’s complicated, since Theo is with Mirren under false pretenses, at least at the start. Of course, before long, he’s in it to help Mirren fulfill Violet’s dying wish, and would never dream of betraying her, but by not being honest from the start, there’s a barrier to the growing feelings between the two.

Of course, this is a Christmas romance, and the overall tone is upbeat and joyful, even when misunderstandings and conflicts pop up. As a story focused on tracking down a rare book, it’s a lovely treat for book lovers. Mirren’s devotion to Violet is especially touching, and the conclusion of the book hunt is both surprising and utterly right.

The Christmas Book Hunt is such a gem! It’s a lovely listen in the lead-up to the holidays.

Title: Booked for the Holidays
Author: Liz Maverick
Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Andrew Eiden
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication date: November 14, 2024
Print length: n/a
Audiobook length: 3 hours 41 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Free via Audible
Rating:

Brighten the holidays with this funny, heartfelt rom-com about the stories—and the love—that we never forget.

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year.

When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

As Hanukkah unfolds, Abi and Dov cozy up in his grandmother’s brownstone apartment working their way through his writer’s block and untangling plot threads. Before long, the novel starts taking shape … and so does their simmering attraction. Will their own story end once the book is written, or is this just the first chapter?

Another holiday listening delight! I’m over the moon to discover a Hanukkah romance that’s sweet and funny — and a great choice for people who love books about books!

Abi is an aspiring editor at the publishing house that publishes D. B. Ziegler’s hugely popular cozy mystery series. When the author misses the deadline for her newest manuscript, Abi’s bosses send Abi over to offer a pep talk and try to coax the author to finish up. What she discovers is D. B. Ziegler’s grandson Dov, who informs Abi of sad news: His grandmother has passed away, and made him promise to finish her final book for her. Problem 1: He’s not a writer. Problem 2: No one can know that she passed until after he turns in the book.

Abi is shocked and sad — Debra Ziegler is her favorite author! She’s also determined to help Dov in whatever way he needs, offering story input, a “bible” of key events and people in the series, and ongoing reminders to stop baking and get back to typing!

As Dov and Abi work together, they develop a quirky, bantering dynamic. With “Snowmageddon” shutting down streets and subways, Abi is forced to hunker down with Dov as they eat Hanukkah treats, light the menorah, and figure how to finish the series in a way that will honor Dov’s grandmother and satisfy her legions of fans.

Booked for the Holidays is a lot of fun, and I really liked the approach to celebrating Hanukkah, keeping it low-key but meaningful, and infusing the entire story with a cozy warmth.

It’s also lovely to see how much Dov loves and respects his grandmother! He and Abi have a great connection, and the story flows easily and quickly.

Another great choice for holiday audio entertainment!

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15Jan2023

Book Review: The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Holiday Trap
Author: Roan Parrish
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date: September 6, 2022
Length: 442 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Purchased
Rating:

For fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Alexis Hall comes a charming, hilarious, and heartwarming LGBTQIA+ romcom about two separate couples finding love over the holidays from acclaimed author Roan Parrish!

Greta Russakoff loves her tight-knit family and tiny Maine hometown, even if they don’t always understand what it’s like to be a lesbian living in such a small world. She desperately needs space to figure out who she is.

Truman Belvedere has just had his heart crushed into a million pieces when he learned that his boyfriend of almost a year has a secret life that includes a husband and a daughter. Reeling from this discovery, all he wants is a place to lick his wounds far, far away from New Orleans.

Enter Greta and Truman’s mutual friend, Ramona, who facilitates a month-long house swap. Over the winter holidays, each of them will have a chance to try on a new life…and maybe fall in love with the perfect partner of their dreams. But all holidays must come to an end, and eventually Greta and Truman will have to decide whether the love they each found so far from home is worth fighting for.

The Holiday Trap has some cute moments, but is far too long and has way too many implausible plot points and annoying characters moments to rise above a 3-star read.

Our two main characters, Greta and Truman, are stuck in lives that clearly aren’t working for them. Greta’s large family is smothering and overly involved and controlling, and living on an island in Maine, there’s really no escaping their endless interference. Truman thinks his life in New Orleans is going well, until he discovers that his boyfriend of one year actually has a family, and Truman is just the bit on the side.

When a mutual friend suggests that they swap places for the holidays, Greta and Truman both agree — because really, it couldn’t be any worse than their current situations. And of course, in their new locations, they each find exactly what they’re looking for — love, community, and purpose.

Greta falls immediately in love with an outspoken, quirky woman who demands honesty and teaches Greta about stating one’s own needs and listening to others. She also finds meaning through a local gardening club, and becomes involved with a community garden and the beekeepers she meets.

Truman arrives on the island with low expectations, but soon discovers that his very favorite author may once have lived there, and then stumbles across the man of his dreams at the local florist shop.

For both, true love seems to arrive within approximately three weeks, so that before their brief swap agreement is even over, they’ve both resolved to make it permanent and start their lives over in their new locations. They’ve also changed themselves in significant ways, learning to speak up and pay attention to what they really want and what makes them happy.

Also (and annoyingly) in this brief time, they find themselves overflowing with amazing new ideas for how to improve their friends’ business ventures, which the friends seem to appreciate and embrace. (If I were in any of the friends’ shoes, I would find this intrusive and presumptuous AF, but hey, maybe that’s just me).

There are sweet interludes and funny moments, but overall, this romance drags on, has too many personal epiphanies crammed into such a short amount of time, and takes its perfect romances far over the edge into not-at-all-believable territory. And the fact that Greta and Truman seem to always have the perfect idea that perfectly solves other people’s challenges… so incredibly annoying.

I’m not sure why this is called The Holiday Trap. It’s not especially about the holidays, other than taking place during December when holidays are happening, and I have no idea what “trap” has to do with anything. Nobody ends up trapped in their new locations or relationships. May The Holiday Swap was already taken?

In terms of steaminess, this book’s sex scenes are graphic, so be aware of that if you prefer understated steam rather than outright step-by-step descriptions of intimate encounters.

Overall, the plot really doesn’t hold up particularly well. Truman is an endearing character and Greta is okay, but their huge personal awakenings and finding of soulmates just don’t feel plausible. The Holiday Trap is good entertainment, but I’ve read a lot better.

8Dec2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Home for the holidays

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is a Holiday Freebie, where we each come up with our own holiday-themed top ten list.

I was drawing a blank, until I started thinking about holiday celebrations in books, and from there, I started thinking about great fictional families that I’d want to celebrate the holidays with.

So, ta-da! Here are ten fictional families who I wish would invite me over for some holiday cheer…

The Weasleys (Harry Potter series): I mean, obvious, right? I love the entire Weasley brood, and I hope if I went the Burrow for the holidays, I’d get one of Molly’s traditional sweaters.
The Bennets (Pride and Prejudice): Or really, one of several families in Jane Austen novels, mainly because I’d like to dress up and go to one of their balls.
The family of All-of-a-Kind Family (All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor): I loved these books as a kid, and always wished I could celebrate Hanukkah or any of the Jewish holidays with them! Even living simple lives, they make everything seem like such fun.
The children of Marsyas Island Orphanage (The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune): Let’s hear it for found families! I love this book, and love the way the children and their headmaster form such a warm and wonderful family. I think opening presents with this group would be all sorts of fun.
The Columbia Basin Pack (Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: Here’s an entirely different sort of found family — the werewolves of the Mercy Thompson series. The pack house seems like such a fun place to be, even though it’s usually crowded, loud, and bit out of control. I can only imagine how wild Christmas morning must be. (I kind of hope it’s a tradition for all the big wolves to wear Christmas jammies too…)
The Covey family (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han): I love Lara Jean’s family dynamic and how awesome her dad is, and you just know that the food will be amazing — especially if Lara Jean is doing the cookies!
The March family (Little Women by Louisa May Alcott): Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents! But hanging out with Jo and Beth (my faves) and Marmee would be awesome anyway.
All the characters in In a Holidaze (by Christina Lauren): To be honest, I’m not sure if I’m more interested in the people or in their Christmas cabin, but either way, I’d love to be there.
The Murry family (A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle): Hanging out with Charles Wallace and Meg would be fun, and I bet their Christmas would be all science-y and also filled with witches.
Emily & Simon and everyone else in Willow Creek (Well Met by Jen DeLuca): I know the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire is a summer event, but can you imagine how amazing it would be as a Christmas celebration? All those fabulous costumes and revelries in the snow?

That’s it! I wasn’t sure I could get to 10, but somehow I made it (mainly by including a couple of family-esque groups as well as more traditional families). I’d be happy to be invited to celebrate with all of these folks!

What was your holiday topic this week? If you wrote a TTT post, please share your link!

27Sep2020

Book Review: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: In a Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication date: October 6, 2020
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

As a rule, I do not read Christmas-themed books. But, rules are made to be broken, especially when the Christmas-themed book in question is by Christina Lauren, the author duo whose books I always seem to love.

In a Holidaze is a feel-good holiday story with a little bit of Groundhog Day mixed in as a twist. Maelyn Jones loves her family’s Christmas tradition. For as long as she can remember, her parents, their college best friends, and the assorted offspring gather at a cabin in Utah to catch up and celebrate. It’s the best sort of found family.

The only downside for Mae is that her teen crush on Andrew Hollis, the older of two brothers who are sons of the cabin owners, has morphed over the years into unrequited love. For ten years, Mae has pined for Andrew, but Andrew has never looked at her as more than a kid sister.

This year, Mae’s holiday gets complicated. On the last night at the cabin, she drunkenly makes out with Andrew’s younger brother Theo, which she instantly regrets. Not only that, but Andrew’s parents inform everyone that they’re selling the cabin, so this is the last year of the traditional Christmas holiday together.

Mae is upset and depressed, and not at all excited about going back to her disappointing life and job back home. A random car accident on the drive back to the airport launches Mae into an impossible new reality — she wakes up back on the airplane on the way to the cabin to start the holiday all over again.

Of course, no one else realizes that anything weird is afoot, but Mae is freaking out. After a couple more reboots, each caused by a seemingly fatal accident, Mae is determined to stop being so cautious and timid and just go for what she wants… and that includes telling Andrew how she feels.

From here, it’s a feel-good romance, as lifelong friends discover passion and deep emotional connection. The setting is such fun — a snowy cabin, a big family, holiday traditions like sledding and setting up the tree and having snowball fights, board games and drinks by the fire. The big extended family is of course very invested in the Mae/Andrew romance, and some complications arise that almost ruin everything. But, this is a holiday romance, so despite some fears along the way, I was pretty confident that things were going to work out just fine.

Christina Lauren books are always a good time, and I really liked this one. I loved the set-up — the large group gathered at the cabin for a week — and how the different friends and family present interact, support one another, act out, make fun of each other, and show just how strong a family of friends can be.

Mae and Andrew are sweet together, and the only issue I had was that I spent the 2nd half of the book holding my breath in case another random reboot would happen and wipe out all the wonderful relationship steps these two managed to take.

In a Holidaze is really a sweet read, and is a perfect choice for when the weather turns colder. Ideally, this book should be read while wearing flannel, under a big cozy blanket, in a comfy chair next to the fireplace, while snow falls outside. Don’t forget the hot chocolate!