Book Review: A Lighthouse Cafe Christmas by Jennifer Faye

Author: Jennifer Faye

Title: A Lighthouse Cafe Christmas

Series: Bluestar Island #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella

Format: ebook

Pages: 184

Published: November 16, 2021

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

As Bluestar Island prepares for a very special Christmas wedding, Santa’s sleigh crashes into The Lighthouse Café, reuniting Bluestar’s beloved waitress with her former fiancé.

In this holiday novella, Darla Evans has carved out a quiet life for herself as a waitress at The Lighthouse Café. Up until this point, she’s conveniently avoided the one man who shattered her heart and her dreams. But when a wedding draws him back to the island, she knows their meetup is unavoidable.

Tech entrepreneur William “Will” Campbell has returned to his childhood home to be the best man in his father’s wedding. But first his father has a very special task for him—to restore a sleigh in time for the wedding. However, there’s not much time until Christmas. He just might need some help.

As snowflakes cover the small town of Bluestar, Will and Darla work together to make it a very special holiday wedding. With the past looming between them, will the magic of the season open their hearts and allow them to find love again?

Review:

Continuing on with the series! I've been excited about this one...mainly because of the cover lol. 

Here we have Darla and Will. Darla has been living a nice and simple and quiet life as a waitress. She has successfully avoided Will since he broke her heart years ago. However, there is a wedding coming and she knows Will will be there. Will is back to be the best man at his father's wedding. His father has tasked him to restore a sleigh for the wedding. There isn't much time, so he will need some help. Will and Darla must work together but their past is looming around them. Will the magic of the season help erase the old hurts and let them try again?

Oh no. I am in the minority here...............

I didn't really like this one. I struggled to like Darla or Will. I struggled to care. I think it would've been better if they just stayed friends. 

I managed to push through because I was curious to see how they would fix everything (sleigh and their broken hearts). I also have liked the series up until now so I was hopeful it would eventually suck me in. 

Sadly......not for me. But I love the cover!

2 stars from me.

 

Book Review: The Christmas Catch by Toni Shiloh

Author: Toni Shiloh

Title: The Christmas Catch

Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance, CF

Format: Paperback

Pages: 224

Published: September 1, 2024

Where I got It: My shelf (Used book store)

Summary: 

When two high school sweethearts reunite, will they take another chance at love or let life sideline them at Christmas?

Benched with a career-ending injury, NFL wide receiver Jahleel Walker is forced to return to his hometown of Peachwood Bay, Georgia, during the holidays to heal, despite his rocky relationship with his father. Nothing shocks him more than running into Lucille "Bebe" Gordon.

Bebe Gordon came home to Peachwood Bay three years ago with a divorce certificate and her daughter. When Jahleel returns--for the first time in eight years--all the memories of the past come rushing back. The connection between them is still strong, but Jahleel has no plans to stay in Peachwood Bay, and Bebe won't risk him leaving her again. As their hometown's Christmas festivities bring them together, Jahleel must decide if he's only home for the holidays or if the Christmas spirit that brought them together will last all through the year.

Review:

While at the used book store, I saw this, and it sounded cute. Look at that cover! Plus, I've been meaning to read more Football romances. And it's Xmas? *chef kiss*

Here we follow Jahleel and Bebe. They were High School friends and then sometimes more than friends. However, things fell apart when they went to college, and Jahleel had the NFL in his sights. Years later, Jahleel is back home with a career-ending injury. Bebe has been back home for the last three years, but with a divorce certificate and a kid. As their hometown's Christmas festivities bring them together, they must decide whether they can overcome the past and find love again. 

Christian Fiction REALLY needs to have a label on it. The cover states "Sweet Romance," and that is fine! I love a nice, sweet, and clean romance, but as I started diving in..........the religious stuff was peppered on heavily. I looked on Goodreads and yep....Christian Fiction. Sighs. Normally, I don't mind sprinkles of religious chat, but when it is saturated in it...I literally can't.

I pushed on as much as possible, but it was a LOT. I started skimming because I was really curious about how these two would finally find love again. I was invested at this point, but I, for sure, had to do some serious skimming. 

Overall, this was very sweet, and I liked Bebe and Jahleel, but the religiousness was too much for me. I don't mind a bit of religion mixed in, especially if it helps the plot and character development, but this one had A LOT. Meh. 

2 stars. 

 

Blodeuedd's Monday Review: A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid

Release date: 07-29-25

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher: HarperCollins

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Gary Furlong

Fantasy/from spotify

To be honest, my mind managed to drift a lot while listening...like a lot.

It just felt like nothing ever happened. Effy and Preston are at Uni. She finally studies Lit but no one wants her there. She suffers from PTSD and sleeps a lot, but that is the thing this is not her book.

This is Preston´s book, and I was not that interested in when he started dreaming he was some underwater King. I honestly had no idea what was happening. I had to look at book 1 and it seems I was confused there too. But there it worked because I really liked the book and the confusion there was was things real or not. While here I mostly wondered if the country they are at war with is fake France or Scotland.

The narration, I do like Saskia, she is amazing! And her voice fits the story so well. The guy was good too. But not even they could save this story as nothing happens

All stories come to an end.

Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairy tale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.

But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?

With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.

As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.

Are dreams ever truly just dreams?

Audiobook Review: A Christmas Truce by Emma Bennet

Author: Emma Bennet

Narrator: Stephanie Racine
Title: A Christmas Truce

Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published: October 20, 2023
Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

Photographer Libby just got fired. Again . Then she gets home early to find her boyfriend in bed with another woman. And just like that, her dreams of a Christmas Day proposal are shattered.

Libby lands a new job as a personal assistant to enigmatic businessman Seth Coleman. He’s terse and demanding — it’s no wonder Libby keeps messing up.

Then one day an adorable Golden Retriever puppy is delivered to the house. As Libby helps Seth train Barney, she realizes that there’s a surprisingly sweet side to this CEO . . .

But everything goes wrong when Libby finds out that Seth’s company just bought the community centre where they’ve been training Barney. It’s not only puppy classes, it’s a lifeline for the whole village. Libby is devastated when Seth says it’s ‘just business’. So she packs her bags.

Until disaster strikes and Libby is forced to spend her favourite time of the year with a man who doesn’t even own tinsel. It’s up to Libby to bring some much-needed Christmas spirit. Starting with a truce, since they’re going to be stuck together whether they like it or not.

But Libby might just find magic under the mistletoe after all if she can encourage Seth to open his heart to Christmas . . .

Review:

Randomly stumbled upon this little number, and it was short and Christmas-y...so why not?

Here, we follow Libby, who simply can't catch a break. She has just been fired...again...and found out her boyfriend has been cheating on her. Christmas is around the corner! What can she do? She is in luck...she lands a nice assistant job to a famous businessman, Seth. Catch is she has to live onsite and deal with his grumpy and particular ways. One day, he buys a dog without a warning to Libby. She teams up with Seth to train this dog. Could this dog change the overly serious and grumpy Seth? Maybe, just maybe, there will be a Christmas miracle.

This was very sweet. Seth is for sure a grump, but he has a heart of gold. He donates a lot of money and does a lot for his staff. I loved Seth, and I got his mindset about buying the community center. It was up for sale, so why not?

Libby is super judgey and not reliable. She seems like a nice girl, but damn she is ready to quit after EVERYTHING. Like, dude. Nothing is perfect...grow up. She really needed to grow up seriously. I'm obviously not Team Libby.

BUT I did like that Libby and Seth are super flawed, and they seem to balance each other out really well. It was lovely seeing them find a balance professionally and then personally. Their Christmas hangout was sweet.

BARNEY was the true star of the show. Loved that lil puppers.

The narrator was alright. All the girl voices sounded the same, and all the guy voices sounded the same, so you have to really pay attention.

In the end, I did enjoy this. Some moments made me roll my eyes, but it was a nice holiday read. I'll give this 4 stars.

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #60