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mandyreads's review against another edition
5.0
Super cute short story! Review to come on release day!
It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE Jill Shalvis fan and love any and everything that she writes. I especially love her little in between the numbers novellas with her series they give you a look into minor side characters lives that you’ve always been wondering about. You also get a little something to tide you over until the next full length book is released. Also, if you’ve ever been curious about Jill’s funny, witty, and heartfelt writing, one of her novellas is a good place to jump in and try her out. They’re also read great as a complete standalone as her series are more about interconnected characters in the same town.
This story follows Rory and Max who are headed home to Tahoe on Christmas Eve and become unexpectedly stranded in the horrible weather. I loved this book because the pacing was perfect and and it also had just the right amount of steam and heart. This might just be a short story, but I felt that I really got to know Rory and Max as people and why they care for each other so deeply. The evolution of their relationship never felt rushed. This was easily another 5 cubes of sugar rating for me and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Heartbreaker Bay series.
Find more reviews at: https://bookspieandcoffee.wordpress.com/
It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE Jill Shalvis fan and love any and everything that she writes. I especially love her little in between the numbers novellas with her series they give you a look into minor side characters lives that you’ve always been wondering about. You also get a little something to tide you over until the next full length book is released. Also, if you’ve ever been curious about Jill’s funny, witty, and heartfelt writing, one of her novellas is a good place to jump in and try her out. They’re also read great as a complete standalone as her series are more about interconnected characters in the same town.
This story follows Rory and Max who are headed home to Tahoe on Christmas Eve and become unexpectedly stranded in the horrible weather. I loved this book because the pacing was perfect and and it also had just the right amount of steam and heart. This might just be a short story, but I felt that I really got to know Rory and Max as people and why they care for each other so deeply. The evolution of their relationship never felt rushed. This was easily another 5 cubes of sugar rating for me and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Heartbreaker Bay series.
Find more reviews at: https://bookspieandcoffee.wordpress.com/
kathydavie's review
4.0
A short story, 2.5, in the Heartbreaker Bay contemporary romance series and revolving around the friends who live and/or work around the Pacific Pier Building in Cow Hollow in San Francisco. The couple focus is on Rory Andrews and Max Stranton. Oh, and Carl.
My Take
A too-short story, more of a blip in the life and using third person point-of-view. The story was a bit irritating as both characters had this I-wanna-don’-wanna attitude going on. The fact that Rory and Max were incredibly decent characters made up for it. What made it great was their individual reactions to Carl, *grinning*.
It’s an “interesting” conflict. Or should I say sets of conflicts? Max wants Rory, but he doesn’t want her. And it all has to do with high school. Rory wants Max, but is shut off from him. And p-r-i-c-k-l-y…hoo, boy. And it has nothing to do with high school…
One thing to take away from the story is to always remember there are two sides to a story. Too often people hear one side and make up their minds from that.
The Story
Hours stuck in a truck on Christmas Eve with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school, and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history…and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.
They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past…and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.
The Characters
Rory Andrews fled her home in Lake Tahoe when she was seventeen and has been working for Willa for years. Her mother remarried and she has three half-sisters and a disappointed step-dad.
Max Stranton is a lethal weapon who works for Archer. Turns out, he also used to go to school with Rory back in the day. Carl is his big, lovable Doberman, who has been visiting Willa’s shop quite often. Cass is Max’s older, know-it-all sister.
Kendall is a friend of Cass’. Tabby is a friend-with-benefits. Cindy had been a very popular girl at their high school and the daughter of the basketball coach. She was also toxic as hell.
The Pacific Pier Building
Willa owns South Bark Mutt Shop, selling pet supplies as well as providing spa and babysitting services for pets. Old Man Eddie is a homeless man who is a fixture, and everyone does their best to take care of him.
The Cover and Title
The cover is steamy with Rory, wearing a Nordic-style cream sweater with diamond banding across the shoulders in gray, with her back to the steering wheel as she sits on Max’s lap. He’s wearing a deep khaki green sweater with a thin cream stripe with what appears to be a cable knit sweater in gray. Rory has a cat-who’s-liked-the-cream expression on her face while Max seems to be storing up the memory. Max’s snow-covered truck is a deep red with the title in a yellow script, each word angled across the door. The series information, in white, is below the title. In the upper third of the cover, the night is lit with old-fashioned streetlamps, casting a light royal blue glow in the background, although the sides are cast in shadow and bare tree branches. An info blurb is at the top in yellow while the author’s name is large and in white, centered above the truck roof.
The title is definitely a hazard that forces that confrontation, on this One Snowy Night.
My Take
A too-short story, more of a blip in the life and using third person point-of-view. The story was a bit irritating as both characters had this I-wanna-don’-wanna attitude going on. The fact that Rory and Max were incredibly decent characters made up for it. What made it great was their individual reactions to Carl, *grinning*.
It’s an “interesting” conflict. Or should I say sets of conflicts? Max wants Rory, but he doesn’t want her. And it all has to do with high school. Rory wants Max, but is shut off from him. And p-r-i-c-k-l-y…hoo, boy. And it has nothing to do with high school…
One thing to take away from the story is to always remember there are two sides to a story. Too often people hear one side and make up their minds from that.
The Story
Hours stuck in a truck on Christmas Eve with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school, and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history…and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.
They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past…and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.
The Characters
Rory Andrews fled her home in Lake Tahoe when she was seventeen and has been working for Willa for years. Her mother remarried and she has three half-sisters and a disappointed step-dad.
Max Stranton is a lethal weapon who works for Archer. Turns out, he also used to go to school with Rory back in the day. Carl is his big, lovable Doberman, who has been visiting Willa’s shop quite often. Cass is Max’s older, know-it-all sister.
Kendall is a friend of Cass’. Tabby is a friend-with-benefits. Cindy had been a very popular girl at their high school and the daughter of the basketball coach. She was also toxic as hell.
The Pacific Pier Building
Willa owns South Bark Mutt Shop, selling pet supplies as well as providing spa and babysitting services for pets. Old Man Eddie is a homeless man who is a fixture, and everyone does their best to take care of him.
The Cover and Title
The cover is steamy with Rory, wearing a Nordic-style cream sweater with diamond banding across the shoulders in gray, with her back to the steering wheel as she sits on Max’s lap. He’s wearing a deep khaki green sweater with a thin cream stripe with what appears to be a cable knit sweater in gray. Rory has a cat-who’s-liked-the-cream expression on her face while Max seems to be storing up the memory. Max’s snow-covered truck is a deep red with the title in a yellow script, each word angled across the door. The series information, in white, is below the title. In the upper third of the cover, the night is lit with old-fashioned streetlamps, casting a light royal blue glow in the background, although the sides are cast in shadow and bare tree branches. An info blurb is at the top in yellow while the author’s name is large and in white, centered above the truck roof.
The title is definitely a hazard that forces that confrontation, on this One Snowy Night.
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
4.0
*3.75/5*
Une courte nouvelle de Noël où l'on retrouve la magie des Fêtes et la plume légère de Jill Shalvis, pour notre plus grand bonheur !
Il y avait tant d'électricité dans l'air entre Rory et Max dans le tome précédent, que j'avais hâte de découvrir leur histoire. Coincés dans une voiture le temps d'un trajet de retour dans la ville de leur enfance, Rory et Max ne vont cette fois plus avoir le choix et vont enfin pouvoir régler leurs comptes, parler réellement et dissiper les malentendus.
Max est vraiment un héros à croquer, très protecteur, un rien sombre, bref, un personnage vraiment craquant. J'ai également beaucoup aimé Rory, cette fille est une vraie boule d'énergie, elle est loyale et forte, elle est adorable et surtout, elle ne se laisse pas marcher sur les pieds.
Bien que le récit soit vraiment très court, la mage et la rêverie sont bel et bien au rendez-vous, la tension amoureuse entre les personnages est vraiment bien rendue, Jill Shalvis a vraiment l'art de tisser une belle alchimie entre ses héros, où les joutes verbales ont la part belle. Une jolie réussite donc !
Une courte nouvelle de Noël où l'on retrouve la magie des Fêtes et la plume légère de Jill Shalvis, pour notre plus grand bonheur !
Il y avait tant d'électricité dans l'air entre Rory et Max dans le tome précédent, que j'avais hâte de découvrir leur histoire. Coincés dans une voiture le temps d'un trajet de retour dans la ville de leur enfance, Rory et Max ne vont cette fois plus avoir le choix et vont enfin pouvoir régler leurs comptes, parler réellement et dissiper les malentendus.
Max est vraiment un héros à croquer, très protecteur, un rien sombre, bref, un personnage vraiment craquant. J'ai également beaucoup aimé Rory, cette fille est une vraie boule d'énergie, elle est loyale et forte, elle est adorable et surtout, elle ne se laisse pas marcher sur les pieds.
Bien que le récit soit vraiment très court, la mage et la rêverie sont bel et bien au rendez-vous, la tension amoureuse entre les personnages est vraiment bien rendue, Jill Shalvis a vraiment l'art de tisser une belle alchimie entre ses héros, où les joutes verbales ont la part belle. Une jolie réussite donc !
shawniebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I love Karen White, the narrator for Jill's books.
trudyd's review against another edition
4.0
Max is driving home to Tahoe for Christmas. He isn't thrilled that he got shamed into taking Rory with him. She is his enemy. She destroyed his life in high school. He avoids her. And now he will be stuck with her for four hours in the cab of his truck.
Rory hasn't been home in more than six years. She isn't looking forward to the holiday. She really isn't happy that she will be driving with Rory. He was her secret crush in high school. When she became a runaway she left he and everything else behind, all accept her crush on Max.
Four hours on I-80 and I-5 have never been so dramatic. Silence filled the cab for good portions of the trip. They needed to talk but situations kept getting in the way. Heavy snow creates challenges and then a Highway closure forces them to talk. Rory shows she isn't what Max expected.
Discovery is a new beginning. Confessions of high school open doors for a better future. Admissions of love bring home of forever.
Rory hasn't been home in more than six years. She isn't looking forward to the holiday. She really isn't happy that she will be driving with Rory. He was her secret crush in high school. When she became a runaway she left he and everything else behind, all accept her crush on Max.
Four hours on I-80 and I-5 have never been so dramatic. Silence filled the cab for good portions of the trip. They needed to talk but situations kept getting in the way. Heavy snow creates challenges and then a Highway closure forces them to talk. Rory shows she isn't what Max expected.
Discovery is a new beginning. Confessions of high school open doors for a better future. Admissions of love bring home of forever.
holly_keimig's review
4.0
I read this in one morning over coffee after carrying it around with me for a bit meaning to read it. It was a sweet story that falls on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. Two old friends stuck in a snowstorm is a recipe for disaster/love. Excited that this one was not only in e-book form so I could read it. I really like the characters in the Heartbreaker Bay series.
mistysreads's review against another edition
4.0
Rory and Max are "background characters" in the Heartbreaker Bay books and this time they're front and center characters, with this being their story. They've always had a thing for each other, and strong chemistry. Since meeting in high school when they were kids, they affected each others lives. Rory has had a crush on Max since school, but Max knows why everything went south. Now they see each other frequently with having common friends and work in the same building.
It's Christmas Eve and Rory is trying to get home to see her family that she hasn't seen in years and will do whatever it takes to get there. Including accept a ride from the man that makes her crazy Max Stranton and his dog Carl. Through rough snowy conditions, the two spend hours together in Max's truck, traveling to Tahoe.
When Max takes Carl to get groomed every week, its not because he needs it but because Max wants to see Rory. Is the blizzard what they needed to see what they could have? Can they forgive each other for what happened in the past?
This was a short story and I was glad to see Max and Rory finally work things out and make a move, after watching them in the first two books. I am going to have to go back and reread Accidentally on Purpose (received as ARC) to see them as an established couple. This is a short story you can read as a stand-alone but you get more enjoyment getting to know these characters seeing them in the full books. Another great story to add to your bookcase full of Jill's books.
It's Christmas Eve and Rory is trying to get home to see her family that she hasn't seen in years and will do whatever it takes to get there. Including accept a ride from the man that makes her crazy Max Stranton and his dog Carl. Through rough snowy conditions, the two spend hours together in Max's truck, traveling to Tahoe.
When Max takes Carl to get groomed every week, its not because he needs it but because Max wants to see Rory. Is the blizzard what they needed to see what they could have? Can they forgive each other for what happened in the past?
This was a short story and I was glad to see Max and Rory finally work things out and make a move, after watching them in the first two books. I am going to have to go back and reread Accidentally on Purpose (received as ARC) to see them as an established couple. This is a short story you can read as a stand-alone but you get more enjoyment getting to know these characters seeing them in the full books. Another great story to add to your bookcase full of Jill's books.
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. In this novella, Willa's employee, Rory, needs a ride home for Christmas and she gets one from the last person she wants to see, Max, the guy who didn't have time for her in high school. The year's since she ran away from home have changed both of them as they discover when bad weather strands them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I recently picked up my first Jill Shalvis book and immediately knew it wouldn’t be my last. These are the types of quick-read romances that make me happy because they’re fun, but not entirely light and frothy. This little novella (which is shorter than it seems because it ends at about 60% on the Kindle) gives us a little extra taste of Rory and is a great addition to the Heartbreaker Bay series.
What Fed My Addiction:
A painful past.
Max and Rory have history, and we learn what happened as the novella progresses. The overall theme is similar to the last book in this series: one of the characters did something to the other that greatly affected them without even really realizing it. I love how this highlights how our actions can have a much greater impact than we know—all the more reason to be kind to one another (a message we could use in this day and age).
We are not who we used to be.
Change and forgiveness are also major themes of this short novella (see how Shalvis manages to pack a big punch in a small package?). Both Max and Rory were different people when they were kids in high school. They were typical teenagers—focusing almost solely on themselves—and they now have to live with the consequences of the choices they made back then. They have to forgive themselves and each other. Both had to grow up relatively fast, and they lived through some painful things, coming out stronger for it.
Carl the dog.
Carl is an adorable highlight in the book, and he brings Rory and Max together in a lot of ways because they both love him so much. When there’s tension between the two humans, Carl is right there to stick his big old wet nose in (quite literally) and break it.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Quick ending.
Since everything was building up to Rory getting home to her parents, I wish their had been a little bit more of that at the end.
If you’re looking for a fun (and steamy) quick read, I highly recommend this novella. I give it 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Inkslinger PR and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I recently picked up my first Jill Shalvis book and immediately knew it wouldn’t be my last. These are the types of quick-read romances that make me happy because they’re fun, but not entirely light and frothy. This little novella (which is shorter than it seems because it ends at about 60% on the Kindle) gives us a little extra taste of Rory and is a great addition to the Heartbreaker Bay series.
What Fed My Addiction:
A painful past.
Max and Rory have history, and we learn what happened as the novella progresses. The overall theme is similar to the last book in this series: one of the characters did something to the other that greatly affected them without even really realizing it. I love how this highlights how our actions can have a much greater impact than we know—all the more reason to be kind to one another (a message we could use in this day and age).
We are not who we used to be.
Change and forgiveness are also major themes of this short novella (see how Shalvis manages to pack a big punch in a small package?). Both Max and Rory were different people when they were kids in high school. They were typical teenagers—focusing almost solely on themselves—and they now have to live with the consequences of the choices they made back then. They have to forgive themselves and each other. Both had to grow up relatively fast, and they lived through some painful things, coming out stronger for it.
Carl the dog.
Carl is an adorable highlight in the book, and he brings Rory and Max together in a lot of ways because they both love him so much. When there’s tension between the two humans, Carl is right there to stick his big old wet nose in (quite literally) and break it.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Quick ending.
Since everything was building up to Rory getting home to her parents, I wish their had been a little bit more of that at the end.
Spoiler
Plus, it seemed strange to me that Rory’s dad was angry that Rory wasn’t home until Max spoke up and then he was suddenly super pleasant and all “we’re so glad you’re here!”If you’re looking for a fun (and steamy) quick read, I highly recommend this novella. I give it 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Inkslinger PR and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
alwaysbooking's review
5.0
I’m not a huge fan of novella’s, however since its Jill Shalvis I will always read it. I was super excited to get Rory and Max’s story as we have seen hints of them in the previous two books. You get more of Rory’s story in book 2 with Willa.
Rory and Max have undeniable chemistry but there is something that keeps them from getting close in previous books. It’s almost like they don’t want to like each other for past reasons. These reasons will come out in the novella. I don’t think these reasons are very big however to Max and Rory they seem huge. I love Rory’s determination she is a very strong character, and very no nonsense. Her love for Carl (the dog) makes me like her even more. I was less in love with Max’s character; he seemed a little too stubborn for my liking and maybe with a little more book we could’ve flushed it out a little more? He does seem to genuinely care for her and his dog which makes me like him a lot. However I would’ve liked to have seen more growth from both characters… I know it’s a novella…
All in all I really liked the novella I just really wanted more for these two, I wished they could’ve had a whole book to themselves. Everything just felt super rushed and I just wanted them to have a moment to settle into everything. I still love Jill Shalvis and can’t wait for the next book.
Rory and Max have undeniable chemistry but there is something that keeps them from getting close in previous books. It’s almost like they don’t want to like each other for past reasons. These reasons will come out in the novella. I don’t think these reasons are very big however to Max and Rory they seem huge. I love Rory’s determination she is a very strong character, and very no nonsense. Her love for Carl (the dog) makes me like her even more. I was less in love with Max’s character; he seemed a little too stubborn for my liking and maybe with a little more book we could’ve flushed it out a little more? He does seem to genuinely care for her and his dog which makes me like him a lot. However I would’ve liked to have seen more growth from both characters… I know it’s a novella…
All in all I really liked the novella I just really wanted more for these two, I wished they could’ve had a whole book to themselves. Everything just felt super rushed and I just wanted them to have a moment to settle into everything. I still love Jill Shalvis and can’t wait for the next book.