One Christmas Eve by Shannon Stacey

Zoe Randall is divorced and doesn't need another disapproving man in her life. Especially not one she accidentally cut off and now is shooting LOOKS at her mildly provocative book display. But Preston Wheeler doesn't mean to be that disapproving. And he certainly doesn't mean to accidentally egg her on into making an even more provocative display about candy. The two finally can admit that they have an attraction to each other
Things that made me smile:
Book flirting (the catnip item I didn't know I needed in my life.)
A paragraph dedicated to Preston's forearms that got me quite warm)
Zoe's cousin telling her that she can only be treating Preston that way because Zoe is either projecting her ex on to Preston at him or is trying to create reasons to be mad at him because she is hot for him
Straitlaced and kooky discovering that they can be perfect for each other

At just under 100 pages, I really was surprised how much of Zoe and Preston's personalities we got as well as how much we got to see their relationship grow. Could have done without the last Big Misunderstanding because it didn't really fit but overall a delightful, bite-sized read.

Five stars
This book comes out November 11th
ARC kindly provided by Carina Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Finding Home Again by Brenda Jackson

The relationship between Bryce and Kaegen has been a thread through the other books in this series. Formerly high school sweethearts, Bryce and Kaegan had a falling out when he misinterpreted something he saw without talking to her about it. But after about fifty page, he's discovered his mistake and is ready to make it work.
That man did NOT do enough groveling in this book. Ten years of attitude and he is just like, "Oh no, I was wrong. Oh well, we should get back together."Frankly, their could have been a lot more of the two finding their way back to each other (like the last book in this series) and a lot less drama of the romance triangle.

Three and a half stars

Follows Forget Me Not

Followed by Follow Your Heart
This book came out October 29th
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Rancher's Wild Secret by Maisey Yates

Holden McCall wants one thing from Emerson Maxfield; the means by which to revenge his sister's honor. Emerson is going to inherit a chunk of her family's winery upon her marriage and Holden wants to use those shares to get revenge on Emerson's father. So he seduces her and then blackmails her into marrying him. There's... not a lot else to the story. But it was still an entertaining read, setting up stories for sure for Emerson's sisters, Wren and Cricket.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out November 5th
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin Desire and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

How to Embroider Almost Everything by Wendi Gratz

I've been on a crafting book kick lately including embroidery books. I'm just super curious if there's anything new out there in the world of needles and thread. The answer is, not really. But this is a fresh take with pictures that are good and instructions that, while not thorough, are better than most. This book also gives ideas for patterns - not full out patterns, just ideas.

Four stars
This book came out October 22nd
ARC kindly provided by Quarry Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Very Mummy Holiday by Lynn Cahoon

Jill Gardner leaves the murder trap that is her hometown and heads up the Oregon coast with her boyfriend and another couple. She doesn't know Kathi very well but the other woman is nice even if she does keep trying to get Jill to wear more makeup and lower cut shirts. But it's not like Kathi deserves to end up next to a skeleton when her and Blake's ATV turns over. Nor does she deserve the attention of the men in the area just because she resembles that dead woman.
Greg and Jill will have to help solve the mystery before Kathi becomes next in a string of victims.
This is the best of the Tourist trap novellas in awhile. Good mystery, not as much woo.

Four stars
This novella came out October 29th
ARC kindly by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Single All the Way by Karen King

Meg wasn't expecting to be single at 34 but that's what has just happened. She and her husband have just uncovered a fundamental difference and they have split. When she calls her mother to let her know, Meg discovers that Sally has left Meg's father. After years of floating, Sally has decided that she may only have a little time left but she doesn't want to spend it with someone who doesn't want to travel and who grumbles when she does. He doesn't even realize that Sally is serious about leaving.
The two ladies go to the Cornish Coast  where Sally and Ted had their honeymoon. There, they join in the Christmas festivities that are going on and learn a little more about themselves.
This book could have used another 100 pages to develop the characters and their situations a little bit more. This book was fast, fun, and fluffy and very surface level which works for some books but I wanted more from this one. We learned just enough about the characters to make me want more. I liked the ending and thought that King plotted the beats to make you understand what was going to happen and why.

Three and a half stars
This book came out October 28th
ARC kindly provided by Bookouture and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Snowy Little Christmas by Fern Michaels; Tara Sheets; Kate Clayborn

Starry Night by Fern Michaels
Jessie Richmond has a marketing job by day with a lovelorn talk show host job by night. She lives in CPhiladelphia and generally enjoys her life but when her uncle moves to Florida and tells her that she can have his book store in rural New York, Jessie suddenly has a life change that she's dealing with. Also a change? Working with contractor Ethan is getting her a bit flustered. And when the speed dating event she's putting on is snowed in, it's time for some romance.

A nice romance starter- it hints that romance might happen. 3.5 stars.

Mistletoe and Mimosas by Tara Sheets
Layla used to be the poor girl in town. Sebastian is not and he throws her off by being very nice one day and rude the next. Now Layla is a fancy pants real estate agent and Sebastian has moved back to town and is in need of a house so their paths cross again.
This story was okay but I never really warmed to Layla who was sort of more of the focus. The actual story was nice but I wish that there had bee more character development.

Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn
Kristen and Jasper have worked together for five years. It is understood that there will be no romance between them in order to keep their company going. But Jasper has always loved Kristen. And this Christmas, while trying to save their company, they are snowed in together and... welll. This is a romance so...
My favorite of the three stories, I liked that Jasper and Kristen knew each other well enough to respect and love each other even before the relationship began.

Four stars

This book came out October 29th
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own