NOVEMBER WRAP UP
Window Shopping
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Well, this was definitely not a Christmas book. I mean, it happens at Christmas, but wow, it was one of the raciest books I have ever read. Fifty shades of Grey has nothing on it! I was totally open-mouther surprised as I was NOT expecting this. Liked it, but didn’t love it.
Stella has just got out of prison after serving a four year sentence, and while walking in Manhattan, she stops in front of the windows of Vivant, unable to stop herself from thinking how much better she would have done it. Because window merchandising was her dream. A stranger approaches her with curiosity and asks her opinion, which she hesitantly but than freely provides. Little did she know that she is talking to Aiden, the GM of the store. Seeing something in her, he invites her to apply for the position of window decorator. Initially to scared to do so, due to her recent past, she agrees and gets hired on probation. During this time, Aiden and Stella spend more time together, slowly falling for each other, trying not to let it show. Because the rules are clear: no fraternizing between employees, unless a love contract is signed. But when Stella’s first window is unveiled and it’s a huge success, the two of them cannot deny any longer, and they are so close to the edge of taking the next step, until Aiden pulls back: he cares for Stella and doesn’t want to create any issues in her newly conquered life. When Stella gets hired permanently and is accused of stealing some earrings, two things happen: Aiden stands up to his family for the first time, and Stella realizes she is in love and ready to sign and seal the contract. When someone from Stella’s past is about to ruin it all, Aiden’s love will make her stronger and able to fight her past demons.
Seven Days of Us
- AUTHOR: Francesca Hornak
- TOPIC: Novel
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I was conflicted for a while about the book and took me a bit to fall into it, but I ended up liking it.
Wouldn’t call it one of my favorites, but I did like the intricate family and life issues that are touched during the story: adultery, secret love, marriage, family, belonging, sisterhood. And for me, anything that happens during Christmas, is always a winner.
The Birch family is together for the first time in years under the same roof. But it’s a different kind of Christmas: a quarantine one. Olivia is coming home only because she has to, but having just finished helping during a Haag epidemic abroad, she is forcing the whole family to be in lockdown with her for a week. And of course, younger sister Phoebe is less than thrilled with this, as she just got engaged to George and would rather spend Christmas otherwise. Andrew, the father, and ex war correspondent, is closing himself in the study, sulking not only about the restaurant reviews he now writes, but also about a mysterious email he recently received from Jesse…a son he never knew he had. Emma, the mom, also has her secrets to hide: she was diagnosed with cancer and doesn’t want to ruin Christmas by divulging the news.
While they all battle their own secrets and emotions, Jesse accidentally falls inside the house ( literally ), Emma secret comes out in the open, as does Andrew’s, George breaks up with Phoebe and Olivia mistakes an unexpected pregnancy for Haag infection. Never a dull moment for sure, and un unexpected ending, though sad, makes the whole book really worthwhile.
All About Us
- AUTHOR: Tom Ellen
- TOPIC: Novel
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Even though the storyline has been probably overdone throughout the years, for me it’s always the winner and didn’t make me love the book any less.
Think The Christmas Carol meets Groundhog day.
Ben is unhappy with his life. He is married to Daphne since 10 years, and when an old flame reappears in his life, Alice, he starts questioning himself whether he took a wrong decision all those years back by choosing Daphne. So on Christmas Eve, instead of being home setting up the tree while his wife is out for a work event, he decides to hit the pub, where he meets a strange old man that gifts him a clock. A broken one at that, because it stopped one minute before midnight and never moves.
Once home and feeling sorry for himself, he visits the attic half drunk and finds a box full of past memories. The next thing he knows, when he wakes up he is not in the attic…but back in time. To where it all started.
During the book, Ben moves throughout the years, past, present and future, every night at midnight. His experiences, thoughts, memories are touching. The regret and lessons learnt are many. The opportunity to do good where he once did wrong, presents itself many times. The only challenge? Only he will remember the changes he is making to his own decisions…no one in the present will know. So what is the point?
Ben is the point. His life, his future, his family.
This Time Next Year
- AUTHOR: Sophie Cousens
- TOPIC: Novel
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Loved Loved Loved this novel! Been on my shelf since last December but didn’t get around to read it until now. And totally get the hype that surrounded the release of this title: totally worth it!
Minnie is scared of her birthday. Which falls on 1st January. Because every year, something bad happens. This year, she reluctantly joins her boyfriend to a party, only to find herself locked into the bathroom of the club…the whole night. Just proving her point that it’s best to stay at home on her birthday. Saved by a handsome stranger, things get worse when she realizes who that is: Quinn, a boy who was born the same day as her, in the same hospital, and that stole the name that was meant for her. Along with her luck. Set on proactively hating him, fate has other plans, and while they continuously bump into each other, Minnie discovers two things: he is not that bad, and he is not lucky in all aspects of his life. While Minnie struggles to keep her business afloat with her best friend, Quinn has to deal with his mom who never quiet recovered her divorce. But it’s only when they two worlds melt into each other, that the magic will really happen. And it will become clear that luck is something you make for yourself, not something that happens to you.
Second First Impressions
- AUTHOR: Sally Thorne
- TOPIC: Novel
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I love Sally Thorne and my second read by her didn’t disappoint.
Cute, funny, full of banter and emotions.
Can’t wait to see what she will write next.
Ruthie has worked all her life at the front desk of a luxury retirement residence, forgetting during this time that she is young and beautiful, and not one of the guests residents. When she is left at the helm of the operation during her boss’s vacation, she accidentally meets the son of the owner, who is a developer. Teddy, on the contrary, is a free spirit, penniless, chasing the dream of opening his own tattoo studio. Absolutely gorgeous and gifted with the most beautiful hair anyone has ever seen, he stirs something in Ruthie that she forgot was inside of her. Since Teddy needs a place to stay and get himself back on his feet, the father places him in the half cottage next to Ruthie, who in return assigns him the worst job ever: personal butler to the most demanding and eccentric ladies in the residence.
Convinced he will fail like all the others, she is in for a surprise: Teddy can charm everyone, not only her. Clear from the beginning that he won’t stay long ( the butler job comes with a handsome pay that will make his tattoo studio wish come true ), she tries hard not to fall for him, and her new intern/friend is making sure of that, by setting her on dating websites and making a full plan about bringing Ruthie back to this century.
When everything comes crumbling down, with the news of Teddy’s father’s intentions to redevelop the residence into something else, both Teddy and Ruthie will be put in front of a hard decision: will Teddy stay next to Ruthie to help her overcome the crisis? And will Ruthie finally move on and join Teddy to start a new chapter in her life?
Books & Mon 