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heatheradoresbooks's review against another edition
5.0
4.5⭐
Genre ~ contemporary romance, romantic comedy
Series ~ Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedies, #1
Setting ~ Oregon
Publication date ~ November 27, 2017
Est page Count ~ 188 (13 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 4 hours 46 minutes
Narrators ~ Nelson Hobbs, Teri Schnaubelt
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ small town, military man, veterinarian farmer, minimal steamage
I'm sad this is my last Christmas themed book of the year, but happy I can check another one off the kindle that's been there since December 2021. And I'm happy that I loved it so much!
Jade & Brandon
Jade and sister, Amber, own Jingle Bell Reindeer Ranch. How adorable is that? It's a fairly new business that they're trying to get up and running, so they hire Brandon as their Santa. Jade remembers Brandon from high school quite well, but does he remember her and the relentless bullying she went through 13 years ago? Sometimes that stuff is hard to forget.
Brandon is not a big fan of Christmas due to something heartbreaking that happened years ago. He is not the same person he was in high school, I mean who is really? I'm not saying he was awful back then, but now he's so sweet and book boyfriend material for sure. The scenes with his father were really sweet and heartbreaking.
Their chemistry was great. I actually expected a lot more action based on the cover, but there wasn't that much steamage and that was totally fine for them. It was a bit quick on the feelings though.
There was a little mystery to solve, some funny moments and some hard hitting ones to round out this delightful Christmas season read. Adding some reindeer trivia was a nice touch. Their Christmas gifts to each other were just perfect. Definitely recommend.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ contemporary romance, romantic comedy
Series ~ Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedies, #1
Setting ~ Oregon
Publication date ~ November 27, 2017
Est page Count ~ 188 (13 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 4 hours 46 minutes
Narrators ~ Nelson Hobbs, Teri Schnaubelt
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ small town, military man, veterinarian farmer, minimal steamage
I'm sad this is my last Christmas themed book of the year, but happy I can check another one off the kindle that's been there since December 2021. And I'm happy that I loved it so much!
Jade & Brandon
Jade and sister, Amber, own Jingle Bell Reindeer Ranch. How adorable is that? It's a fairly new business that they're trying to get up and running, so they hire Brandon as their Santa. Jade remembers Brandon from high school quite well, but does he remember her and the relentless bullying she went through 13 years ago? Sometimes that stuff is hard to forget.
Brandon is not a big fan of Christmas due to something heartbreaking that happened years ago. He is not the same person he was in high school, I mean who is really? I'm not saying he was awful back then, but now he's so sweet and book boyfriend material for sure. The scenes with his father were really sweet and heartbreaking.
Their chemistry was great. I actually expected a lot more action based on the cover, but there wasn't that much steamage and that was totally fine for them. It was a bit quick on the feelings though.
There was a little mystery to solve, some funny moments and some hard hitting ones to round out this delightful Christmas season read. Adding some reindeer trivia was a nice touch. Their Christmas gifts to each other were just perfect. Definitely recommend.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
4.0
Good story of love, family, and letting go of the past. Jade and her sister Amber own a reindeer farm where they are currently gearing up for the Christmas season. The biggest thing they need is someone to play Santa for all the kiddies. Instead of a nice, jolly old man, Amber hires Brandon, ex-high school jock and current Marine, home on leave. Jade isn't too thrilled, but beggars can't be choosers.
Brandon is home on leave as he deals with some family issues. Not one to sit around, he agrees to the job of Santa, even though he seriously lacks in Christmas spirit. But an unknown foe is creating problems for the sisters and Brandon is determined to keep them safe.
I loved the first meeting between Jade and Brandon. He overhears her telling Amber that they don't need the hassles of a "studmuffin Santa" and is highly amused by it. Jade's a little embarrassed but forges forward with information about the job. From the very start, there is honesty between them, with Jade admitting her misgivings about having him as Santa, and Brandon admitting that his high school reputation doesn't do him any favors, but that he hopes he's grown up since then. Underneath the exchange is a simmering attraction that neither wants to admit.
I liked both Brandon and Jade. Brandon is a good guy at heart. He has written off love and relationships for himself, thanks to witnessing the disintegration of his parents' marriage. But family is important to him. He spends his spare time helping his cousins build their resort. There are some terrific scenes with Brandon and several of those cousins that show the depth of caring among them. I loved the way that he visits his dad in the nursing home and tries to connect with him, and ached for his feelings of helplessness.
Jade was great. She is a strong and resourceful woman who has overcome a lot in pursuit of her dreams. Her high school years were a nightmare and she still has the emotional scars. Because of that time she has developed a core of independence. I loved watching her with the various reindeer, where her softer side tends to emerge.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brandon and Jade. The chemistry between them is undeniable, though both try to resist. Brandon reminds Jade of her time in school, even though he wasn't one of the problem kids. She has a hard time believing that he could be interested in her and she is wary of risking her heart. Brandon is convinced that he knows nothing of love and relationships and doesn't want to do anything to hurt Jade. I loved seeing them go from slightly hostile to bonding over x-rated cookies and the challenges that Santa has to face. As the heat between them built, it became harder for them to keep their hands off each other. Once they gave in to their passion, it opened them up to feelings that neither one was sure they wanted to deal with. It was sweet to see how much they started to care for each other, and frustrating to see them sometimes pull back. Brandon goes a little overboard in the protectiveness he feels for Jade, creating a rift between them. It takes a straightforward talk from his cousin Bree for him to see where he went wrong. I loved his realization that he needed to settle his past before he could move on to his future, and how he did it was a heartwarming and heart-wrenching scene. His big moment with Jade was fantastic, and the epilogue was great.
There was a nice bit of suspense dealing with the trouble that Jade and Amber were having at the ranch. There were odd things happening that Jade wrote off to coincidence or carelessness. Amber wasn't so sure, and one of the reasons she hired Brandon was also as Security Santa. Though the problems were just nuisances at the beginning, they began to escalate until even Jade couldn't deny that something was wrong. I loved the resolution of the problem and laughed out loud at how it happened. The culprit was not who I expected.
The book was full of quirky characters and fun situations, as well as deeply emotional ones. I loved some of Jade's conversations with her reindeer as she tried to work out her feelings for Brandon. I ached for Jade as I read about her high school years, and for Brandon when he talked about his mother and father. It was fun to see Brandon deal with the moms who brought kids to see him as Santa. I loved how Jade and Amber supported each other as sisters and friends and laughed as Amber tried to push Jade and Brandon together.
Brandon is home on leave as he deals with some family issues. Not one to sit around, he agrees to the job of Santa, even though he seriously lacks in Christmas spirit. But an unknown foe is creating problems for the sisters and Brandon is determined to keep them safe.
I loved the first meeting between Jade and Brandon. He overhears her telling Amber that they don't need the hassles of a "studmuffin Santa" and is highly amused by it. Jade's a little embarrassed but forges forward with information about the job. From the very start, there is honesty between them, with Jade admitting her misgivings about having him as Santa, and Brandon admitting that his high school reputation doesn't do him any favors, but that he hopes he's grown up since then. Underneath the exchange is a simmering attraction that neither wants to admit.
I liked both Brandon and Jade. Brandon is a good guy at heart. He has written off love and relationships for himself, thanks to witnessing the disintegration of his parents' marriage. But family is important to him. He spends his spare time helping his cousins build their resort. There are some terrific scenes with Brandon and several of those cousins that show the depth of caring among them. I loved the way that he visits his dad in the nursing home and tries to connect with him, and ached for his feelings of helplessness.
Jade was great. She is a strong and resourceful woman who has overcome a lot in pursuit of her dreams. Her high school years were a nightmare and she still has the emotional scars. Because of that time she has developed a core of independence. I loved watching her with the various reindeer, where her softer side tends to emerge.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brandon and Jade. The chemistry between them is undeniable, though both try to resist. Brandon reminds Jade of her time in school, even though he wasn't one of the problem kids. She has a hard time believing that he could be interested in her and she is wary of risking her heart. Brandon is convinced that he knows nothing of love and relationships and doesn't want to do anything to hurt Jade. I loved seeing them go from slightly hostile to bonding over x-rated cookies and the challenges that Santa has to face. As the heat between them built, it became harder for them to keep their hands off each other. Once they gave in to their passion, it opened them up to feelings that neither one was sure they wanted to deal with. It was sweet to see how much they started to care for each other, and frustrating to see them sometimes pull back. Brandon goes a little overboard in the protectiveness he feels for Jade, creating a rift between them. It takes a straightforward talk from his cousin Bree for him to see where he went wrong. I loved his realization that he needed to settle his past before he could move on to his future, and how he did it was a heartwarming and heart-wrenching scene. His big moment with Jade was fantastic, and the epilogue was great.
There was a nice bit of suspense dealing with the trouble that Jade and Amber were having at the ranch. There were odd things happening that Jade wrote off to coincidence or carelessness. Amber wasn't so sure, and one of the reasons she hired Brandon was also as Security Santa. Though the problems were just nuisances at the beginning, they began to escalate until even Jade couldn't deny that something was wrong. I loved the resolution of the problem and laughed out loud at how it happened. The culprit was not who I expected.
The book was full of quirky characters and fun situations, as well as deeply emotional ones. I loved some of Jade's conversations with her reindeer as she tried to work out her feelings for Brandon. I ached for Jade as I read about her high school years, and for Brandon when he talked about his mother and father. It was fun to see Brandon deal with the moms who brought kids to see him as Santa. I loved how Jade and Amber supported each other as sisters and friends and laughed as Amber tried to push Jade and Brandon together.
jcmbank's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tizzyxlish23's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
shereadsandbakes's review
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jessicalouise25's review
3.0
Nice story but something just missing for me to give it more than 3 stars. It took me a while to get through and I wasn't super invested in the characters. Still a fun read though.
lzw's review against another edition
5.0
Confession time: I’ve never read a Holiday romance before! I truly did not think I would be into it at all, I was freaking wrong! If anything, this hilarious/fun/refreshing story made me get into the Holiday mood early! Jade. Is. Amazing. Super sassy, intelligent, exasperated at times (I can identify;)-not to mention independent having overcome many obstacles in her life * she gives no F’s*. Brandon is not a stranger, they had some high school moments together-but that doesn’t mean she’s a fan-yet;) Great engaging storyline, hot scenes to melt the snow away, and hilarious witty banter! As always, Tawna keeps you laughing out loud throughout (loving the whole reindeer farm, animals in heat;)! Such an awesome Holiday read, go get this today!!!!
courtofmeows's review against another edition
4.0
A very cute read to get in the Christmas spirit. -- Brandon is a marine that just got off tour and decides to take some time off and go back to his tiny hometown. Coincidently, Jade and her sister Amber are getting their reindeer ranch up and running that year and decide that to help market the farm, they could have an area set up for kids to get their pictures taken with Santa and even feed the reindeer for an extra charge. Amber hires Brandon to be their Santa and to also secretly help keep watch over the farm as mysterious things have been happening. Once word gets out about there being a super hot Santa at the Reindeer Ranch, all the women in town flock to the farm making it a huge success. Throughout the season, little things keep happening that ultimately puts the farm at risk of closure. With the help of Brandon and a possible future partnership with another ranch, the culprit is found out and Christmas comes with a happy ending for all.
charmedangel's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0