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jbarr5's review
4.0
Christmas in Snowflake Canyon by Raeanne Thayne
Genevieve Beaumont has returned from Paris and she has a deal with ther father that she can have her trust fund after she's
cleaned up and flipped her grandmother's house. Gen is an interior designer but one night she's had enough and heads to the local
bar where she looses it and ends up punching the assistant DA. Her and Dylan Caine both end up in jail.
His brother gets them off the charge with 100 hours of community service at his sisters cabins-Warriors Hope and she needs the cabins
decorated for the holidays before the warriors come for a few weeks time to recuperate from their wounds. Dylan has been there done that and just wants to put his time in but he's forced to do that with Gen and they are rather complete opposites.
As they spend more time together he can't help but love to hear her just talk and that gets him in trouble with her as he fantasizes about her. He thinks she's disgusted by his stump as he is an amputee...
Loved hearing the reception the warriors receive on their road to mending by learning how to ski, snowboard, etc.
Gen reaches out to a woman who got dumped and she plays matchmaker because she thinks Trey should not be alone for Christmas.
Love how the whole community comes together...
I received this book from Net Galley via Harlequin HQN in exchange for my honest review.
Genevieve Beaumont has returned from Paris and she has a deal with ther father that she can have her trust fund after she's
cleaned up and flipped her grandmother's house. Gen is an interior designer but one night she's had enough and heads to the local
bar where she looses it and ends up punching the assistant DA. Her and Dylan Caine both end up in jail.
His brother gets them off the charge with 100 hours of community service at his sisters cabins-Warriors Hope and she needs the cabins
decorated for the holidays before the warriors come for a few weeks time to recuperate from their wounds. Dylan has been there done that and just wants to put his time in but he's forced to do that with Gen and they are rather complete opposites.
As they spend more time together he can't help but love to hear her just talk and that gets him in trouble with her as he fantasizes about her. He thinks she's disgusted by his stump as he is an amputee...
Loved hearing the reception the warriors receive on their road to mending by learning how to ski, snowboard, etc.
Gen reaches out to a woman who got dumped and she plays matchmaker because she thinks Trey should not be alone for Christmas.
Love how the whole community comes together...
I received this book from Net Galley via Harlequin HQN in exchange for my honest review.
scoutmomskf's review
5.0
Wonderful book. I loved the beauty and the beast theme. Gen has been the girl that everyone loves to hate. While engaged to her fiance she was the epitome of a bridezilla. When she caught him cheating she dumped him and fled the country to recover. Now she's back, with her father cutting her off financially until she can get her act together. Dylan is back home in Hope's Crossing after losing a hand and an eye in Afghanistan. All he wants is to be left alone. When the two of them end up having to do some community service together, sparks start to fly.
From the moment Gen and Dylan met in the bar there was a connection between them that couldn't be denied. Gen is there trying to forget that she's stuck in town until she can fix up her grandmother's house and sell it. Dylan is there, waiting for his brother, because his family won't let him hide out in his cabin by himself. Both are getting annoyed by the Christmas carols being played on the jukebox, but Gen loses it first and starts a brawl with another patron over it. Dylan steps in to try to protect her and both end up arrested and sentenced to community service.
The place of their service is A Warrior's Hope, the local center for wounded veterans. Dylan isn't happy about it because it reminds him of everything he's lost. Not just the physical losses but the emotional ones also. In the same blast that injured him he lost five friends and he blames himself. All of these things make him feel that he is a "washed up army ranger with missing parts" and not someone worth being around. But he mans up and puts in the time. As he and Gen work together at their assigned tasks he finds that she is not the spoiled brat that everyone thinks she is. I loved the way that he sees the goodness in her that others take much longer to see. He also discovers that being around her is changing him. Just listening to her talk relieves some of the mental stress he is under and soon he is laughing and smiling more. I loved seeing him cave in to her demands when they were decorating the trees at the cabins. He doesn't quite understand what is happening to him and at times it really scares him. The occasional thought he has of getting closer to her tends to send him running in the opposite direction. His cynicism crops up now and then when her optimism gets to be too much for him. I loved the ending when his fears get shown up by her courage and he decides it's time to embrace life again.
Gen's time at A Warrior's Hope shows her that she can change from the spoiled brat she used to be into someone she can be proud of. She started by standing up to her father and not letting him get her off from her sentence. She was also determined to do the best she could at renovating her grandmother's house. I really enjoyed her enthusiasm for the project and the way that it spilled over into her interactions with Dylan. She really wants to change but it's really hard when the people around you can only see the old you and not the person you're trying to be. I loved the fact that Dylan was one who could see that the apparently snobby person on the outside was hiding the woman who was shy and not very sure of herself. The changes in her started to become really apparent when they were working at A Warrior's Hope. Her enthusiasm and talent for decorating the Christmas trees surprised everyone and started them looking at her differently. I loved seeing her start to connect with people and let them see who she really is. The party she went to with Charlotte started out so well, until she ran into one person who was a real nasty piece of work. It set her progress back a little until Dylan was able to show her that she couldn't let one person's opinion affect her that badly. I really liked the way that she saw Dylan for who he was, not the damaged surface. She realized that she was falling for him and got frustrated with his hot and cold attitude. I also loved seeing how her optimism and softhearted personality caused her to try to help one of the wounded vets who was staying at the center. In spite of Dylan's cynical attitude about it she was sure that she was doing the right thing. Her way of calling the vet, and by extension Dylan, on his stupidity on throwing away love was fantastic and incredibly moving. I loved the whole wedding planning scene and the way that she was embraced by the people who used to look down on her. It gave her the final boost of confidence that she needed to then go after Dylan and tell him how she felt.
The romance between Dylan and Gen was a slow build up as they had to deal with their own issues before they could truly open themselves up to the other one. Each was much better at seeing the good in the other person. I loved the attraction that was so evident between them but also that it didn't take over the entire story.
Once again I loved the people of Hope's Crossing. They all have their flaws and issues but they live their lives as best they can. Most are cautious about trusting Gen at first but are willing to be convinced. Dylan's family love him, but are also very good at getting up in his business. I loved seeing the way they came together to help Gen plan the wedding and encourage her to stay around.
From the moment Gen and Dylan met in the bar there was a connection between them that couldn't be denied. Gen is there trying to forget that she's stuck in town until she can fix up her grandmother's house and sell it. Dylan is there, waiting for his brother, because his family won't let him hide out in his cabin by himself. Both are getting annoyed by the Christmas carols being played on the jukebox, but Gen loses it first and starts a brawl with another patron over it. Dylan steps in to try to protect her and both end up arrested and sentenced to community service.
The place of their service is A Warrior's Hope, the local center for wounded veterans. Dylan isn't happy about it because it reminds him of everything he's lost. Not just the physical losses but the emotional ones also. In the same blast that injured him he lost five friends and he blames himself. All of these things make him feel that he is a "washed up army ranger with missing parts" and not someone worth being around. But he mans up and puts in the time. As he and Gen work together at their assigned tasks he finds that she is not the spoiled brat that everyone thinks she is. I loved the way that he sees the goodness in her that others take much longer to see. He also discovers that being around her is changing him. Just listening to her talk relieves some of the mental stress he is under and soon he is laughing and smiling more. I loved seeing him cave in to her demands when they were decorating the trees at the cabins. He doesn't quite understand what is happening to him and at times it really scares him. The occasional thought he has of getting closer to her tends to send him running in the opposite direction. His cynicism crops up now and then when her optimism gets to be too much for him. I loved the ending when his fears get shown up by her courage and he decides it's time to embrace life again.
Gen's time at A Warrior's Hope shows her that she can change from the spoiled brat she used to be into someone she can be proud of. She started by standing up to her father and not letting him get her off from her sentence. She was also determined to do the best she could at renovating her grandmother's house. I really enjoyed her enthusiasm for the project and the way that it spilled over into her interactions with Dylan. She really wants to change but it's really hard when the people around you can only see the old you and not the person you're trying to be. I loved the fact that Dylan was one who could see that the apparently snobby person on the outside was hiding the woman who was shy and not very sure of herself. The changes in her started to become really apparent when they were working at A Warrior's Hope. Her enthusiasm and talent for decorating the Christmas trees surprised everyone and started them looking at her differently. I loved seeing her start to connect with people and let them see who she really is. The party she went to with Charlotte started out so well, until she ran into one person who was a real nasty piece of work. It set her progress back a little until Dylan was able to show her that she couldn't let one person's opinion affect her that badly. I really liked the way that she saw Dylan for who he was, not the damaged surface. She realized that she was falling for him and got frustrated with his hot and cold attitude. I also loved seeing how her optimism and softhearted personality caused her to try to help one of the wounded vets who was staying at the center. In spite of Dylan's cynical attitude about it she was sure that she was doing the right thing. Her way of calling the vet, and by extension Dylan, on his stupidity on throwing away love was fantastic and incredibly moving. I loved the whole wedding planning scene and the way that she was embraced by the people who used to look down on her. It gave her the final boost of confidence that she needed to then go after Dylan and tell him how she felt.
The romance between Dylan and Gen was a slow build up as they had to deal with their own issues before they could truly open themselves up to the other one. Each was much better at seeing the good in the other person. I loved the attraction that was so evident between them but also that it didn't take over the entire story.
Once again I loved the people of Hope's Crossing. They all have their flaws and issues but they live their lives as best they can. Most are cautious about trusting Gen at first but are willing to be convinced. Dylan's family love him, but are also very good at getting up in his business. I loved seeing the way they came together to help Gen plan the wedding and encourage her to stay around.
chartsh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kairosdreaming's review
4.0
There's something insanely comforting about a holiday romance novel. Really. I don't know what it is but I love them, and I must not be the only one because there are quite a few out there. Who wouldn't want to get a nice mug of cocoa (spiked of course), sit by the fire, and read a lovely book? And this one fit the bill, albeit a little unconventionally at times.
After spending her credit cards to the max, Genevieve Beaumont is tricked into coming back to the States by her father who seeks to put her on a shorter leash. He wants her to fix up her grandmothers house for sale and actually start taking some responsibility for her life. However, plans go awry when she starts a bar fight over Christmas carols and ends up having to do community service with the dark, dashing, and wounded Dylan Caine. Dylan is a war vet who lost his eye and arm to a blast and has come back Hope's Crossing to live a quiet life in the mountains. So he is less than pleased when he has to do Community Service at a local charity for wounded warriors that his sister helped create. And he is even more displeased at his growing attraction to Genevieve.
These are some flawed characters. But in a realistic way. You've got your wounded war vet, who pushes people away from him thinking they won't like him since he isn't "complete." You've got your spoiled socialite who just wants to go back to France and shop her days away. And you've got your supporting cast making sure that these two fall in with each other every chance that they get. It's a good mix. I actually did like Genevieve despite her materialistic tendencies. She wanted to do good, she just seemed a little lost.
The situations were pretty realistic too. I mean, how much more realistic can community service and punishment get? No romantic meeting on mountaintops for these two. Just bar brawls. Although there was one thing that troubled me about the bar scene, and this may just be showing my ignorance of how the law works. Why is it that only Dylan and Genevieve got in trouble? The ADA was the one who made the first physical contact. I would think that they would have been charged for assault as well. But oh well, we probably didn't want to see them doing community service anyway. The writing is quite humorous. There were a couple of lines in there that made me laugh out loud. Especially the one at the front involving cookies. It's great, look for it. And there are no explicit sex scenes, but there is a lot of romance and cussing. So it's not one of your "tame" romances.
I really enjoyed this story and didn't even realize it was the sixth book in a series. Obviously it can be read as a stand alone but I think I'll enjoy seeking out the first five books.
Christmas in Snowflake Canyon
Copyright 2013
362 pages
**This book was received as part of a Good Reads Giveaway**
Review by M. Reynard 2013
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
After spending her credit cards to the max, Genevieve Beaumont is tricked into coming back to the States by her father who seeks to put her on a shorter leash. He wants her to fix up her grandmothers house for sale and actually start taking some responsibility for her life. However, plans go awry when she starts a bar fight over Christmas carols and ends up having to do community service with the dark, dashing, and wounded Dylan Caine. Dylan is a war vet who lost his eye and arm to a blast and has come back Hope's Crossing to live a quiet life in the mountains. So he is less than pleased when he has to do Community Service at a local charity for wounded warriors that his sister helped create. And he is even more displeased at his growing attraction to Genevieve.
These are some flawed characters. But in a realistic way. You've got your wounded war vet, who pushes people away from him thinking they won't like him since he isn't "complete." You've got your spoiled socialite who just wants to go back to France and shop her days away. And you've got your supporting cast making sure that these two fall in with each other every chance that they get. It's a good mix. I actually did like Genevieve despite her materialistic tendencies. She wanted to do good, she just seemed a little lost.
The situations were pretty realistic too. I mean, how much more realistic can community service and punishment get? No romantic meeting on mountaintops for these two. Just bar brawls. Although there was one thing that troubled me about the bar scene, and this may just be showing my ignorance of how the law works. Why is it that only Dylan and Genevieve got in trouble? The ADA was the one who made the first physical contact. I would think that they would have been charged for assault as well. But oh well, we probably didn't want to see them doing community service anyway. The writing is quite humorous. There were a couple of lines in there that made me laugh out loud. Especially the one at the front involving cookies. It's great, look for it. And there are no explicit sex scenes, but there is a lot of romance and cussing. So it's not one of your "tame" romances.
I really enjoyed this story and didn't even realize it was the sixth book in a series. Obviously it can be read as a stand alone but I think I'll enjoy seeking out the first five books.
Christmas in Snowflake Canyon
Copyright 2013
362 pages
**This book was received as part of a Good Reads Giveaway**
Review by M. Reynard 2013
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
kdf_333's review against another edition
3.0
soooo i read [b:Sugar Pine Trail|32905317|Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point, #7)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491134897s/32905317.jpg|53521775] and thought it was cute and wanted to read the start of the series. turns out the Caine's started in the hope's crossing series and not the haven point series.
ok the entire hope's crossing series was like a hallmark movie with a lil nicholas sparks thrown in. cuz in hallmark there is not as much bad stuff going like folks dying and whatnot, nick sparks likes death or dismemberment or some awful tragedy.
i enjoyed the hope's crossing series for that hallmark feel.
they were cute. they are good lil romances. no graphic sex, a lil bit of violence. a lot of dogs, kids, and family members. and nothing was mysterious. oh she tried, but nope. she tried to be all nicholas sparks and throw in some twists but nope it was hallmark. you saw the "surprises" coming a mile away. i really liked the big family and small picturesque town aspect. so hallmark.
even though i read them all one after another, the stories and characters were sufficiently different that i could enjoy each one.
not so with the haven point series. they have all the same stuff yet the no hallmark feels. except for the first one in the series([b:Snow Angel Cove|20821540|Snow Angel Cove (Haven Point, #1)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406525511s/20821540.jpg|40167366])and the last one[b:Sugar Pine Trail|32905317|Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point, #7)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491134897s/32905317.jpg|53521775]). (both of which have Caine's in them- like everyone of the hope crossing series does.) i am almost done with that series and it sucks. it started out very good with adian caine but it went downhill form there. why? cuz every book was VERY similar to the first one. i am literally recognizing entire phrasing. (like i am positive she used some of the exact sentences in all the books!) the lead characters all remind me of the previous leads. and they are so very quick to judge. like how can you be attracted to a person and feel this "hunger" (she uses that word A LOT) when you think they are mean or nasty or uptight or something else very unpleasant? the situations are even similar (crutches for everyone!) also every book is i really NEED help but i don't want your help but i guess i'll take it and try to be grateful and oh now i am in love.
i am saddened by this since i really enjoyed hope's crossing and the first and last book in the haven point series. oh welll...
ok the entire hope's crossing series was like a hallmark movie with a lil nicholas sparks thrown in. cuz in hallmark there is not as much bad stuff going like folks dying and whatnot, nick sparks likes death or dismemberment or some awful tragedy.
i enjoyed the hope's crossing series for that hallmark feel.
they were cute. they are good lil romances. no graphic sex, a lil bit of violence. a lot of dogs, kids, and family members. and nothing was mysterious. oh she tried, but nope. she tried to be all nicholas sparks and throw in some twists but nope it was hallmark. you saw the "surprises" coming a mile away. i really liked the big family and small picturesque town aspect. so hallmark.
even though i read them all one after another, the stories and characters were sufficiently different that i could enjoy each one.
not so with the haven point series. they have all the same stuff yet the no hallmark feels. except for the first one in the series([b:Snow Angel Cove|20821540|Snow Angel Cove (Haven Point, #1)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406525511s/20821540.jpg|40167366])and the last one[b:Sugar Pine Trail|32905317|Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point, #7)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491134897s/32905317.jpg|53521775]). (both of which have Caine's in them- like everyone of the hope crossing series does.) i am almost done with that series and it sucks. it started out very good with adian caine but it went downhill form there. why? cuz every book was VERY similar to the first one. i am literally recognizing entire phrasing. (like i am positive she used some of the exact sentences in all the books!) the lead characters all remind me of the previous leads. and they are so very quick to judge. like how can you be attracted to a person and feel this "hunger" (she uses that word A LOT) when you think they are mean or nasty or uptight or something else very unpleasant? the situations are even similar (crutches for everyone!) also every book is i really NEED help but i don't want your help but i guess i'll take it and try to be grateful and oh now i am in love.
i am saddened by this since i really enjoyed hope's crossing and the first and last book in the haven point series. oh welll...
setaian's review
4.0
When Genevieve left Hope's Crossing she didn't plan on returning. The daughter of the town's wealthiest and most snobbish parents she was never liked by the locals. Now back in town and broke, her father offers her a chance to bounce back. If she can renovate and sell her grandmother's house she can keep whatever money she makes as start up capital for the interior design business she wants to start.
But before she can even begin she finds herself in a bar room brawl with the Assistant District Attorney over Christmas carols being played on the jukebox while she was trying to drown her sorrows. Now on top of the renovation nightmare she has 100 hours of community service with the guy who stepped in to help her.
Dylan hates bullies and when he saw the District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney ganging up on Gen, he stepped in. The bar room brawl that followed got them both 100 hours of community service and Dylan is anything but happy about it. Not only must he work alongside Gen he also finds himself working for a community group that helps soldiers who have suffered severe physical trauma. Dylan who lost an arm and an eye in combat would rather be anywhere else.
Christmas in Snowflake Canyon is great. It's your run of the mill contemporary romance...cute and quirky, occasionally sad and also quite funny. If I have a criticism, Dylan's continual cold feet even when Gen was doing everything short of throwing herself at him got a little old after the 4th or 5th time, but aside from that it was pretty good fun.
But before she can even begin she finds herself in a bar room brawl with the Assistant District Attorney over Christmas carols being played on the jukebox while she was trying to drown her sorrows. Now on top of the renovation nightmare she has 100 hours of community service with the guy who stepped in to help her.
Dylan hates bullies and when he saw the District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney ganging up on Gen, he stepped in. The bar room brawl that followed got them both 100 hours of community service and Dylan is anything but happy about it. Not only must he work alongside Gen he also finds himself working for a community group that helps soldiers who have suffered severe physical trauma. Dylan who lost an arm and an eye in combat would rather be anywhere else.
Christmas in Snowflake Canyon is great. It's your run of the mill contemporary romance...cute and quirky, occasionally sad and also quite funny. If I have a criticism, Dylan's continual cold feet even when Gen was doing everything short of throwing herself at him got a little old after the 4th or 5th time, but aside from that it was pretty good fun.
bookwyrm_lark's review
4.0
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
My favorite Hope's Crossing story yet! Injured and embittered war veteran Dylan Caine finally gets his own romance in Christmas in Snowflake Canyon... and for a while, it seems he's too darn stubborn to accept it. After losing an arm and an eye in the war, Dylan may be the town's hero, but he's become cynical, reclusive, and completely unwilling to help out with Warrior's Hope, the charitable rest-and-recreation program championed by his future brother-in-law, Spencer Gregory. But that's before he's arrested in a bar fight started by, of all people, the mayor's spoiled ice-princess daughter, Genevieve. When the two are offered a plea deal -- 100 hours of community service with Warrior's Hope, and a clean record at the end of it -- both Dylan and Genevieve reluctantly agree.
I've been waiting for Dylan's story since I read Willowleaf Lane, the fifth book in the Hope's Crossing series, which featured his sister Charlotte and former good friend Spencer Gregory, now the instigator behind Warrior's Hope. And I wasn't disappointed. Dylan and Genevieve each have a lot of healing and a certain amount of growing to do at the beginning of this novel. Thayne does an excellent job of letting us into their heads, which makes both characters easier to understand and relate to to. Genevieve's slow transformation to a kinder, more caring and ultimately more respect-worthy character works because we see her struggle to change herself; I loved watching her become a better person, decision by sometimes difficult decision. Dylan's journey is compelling, too; it's so clear that what holds him back is fear of rejection, which is something most of us can relate to even if our own scars are less obvious than Dylan's. The growing friendship and attraction between them is good for both of them, and while there's a little sizzle, the romance here is mainly sweet.
All in all, Christmas in Snowflake Canyon is a heartwarming holiday romance that is sure to leave you smiling.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite Hope's Crossing story yet! Injured and embittered war veteran Dylan Caine finally gets his own romance in Christmas in Snowflake Canyon... and for a while, it seems he's too darn stubborn to accept it. After losing an arm and an eye in the war, Dylan may be the town's hero, but he's become cynical, reclusive, and completely unwilling to help out with Warrior's Hope, the charitable rest-and-recreation program championed by his future brother-in-law, Spencer Gregory. But that's before he's arrested in a bar fight started by, of all people, the mayor's spoiled ice-princess daughter, Genevieve. When the two are offered a plea deal -- 100 hours of community service with Warrior's Hope, and a clean record at the end of it -- both Dylan and Genevieve reluctantly agree.
I've been waiting for Dylan's story since I read Willowleaf Lane, the fifth book in the Hope's Crossing series, which featured his sister Charlotte and former good friend Spencer Gregory, now the instigator behind Warrior's Hope. And I wasn't disappointed. Dylan and Genevieve each have a lot of healing and a certain amount of growing to do at the beginning of this novel. Thayne does an excellent job of letting us into their heads, which makes both characters easier to understand and relate to to. Genevieve's slow transformation to a kinder, more caring and ultimately more respect-worthy character works because we see her struggle to change herself; I loved watching her become a better person, decision by sometimes difficult decision. Dylan's journey is compelling, too; it's so clear that what holds him back is fear of rejection, which is something most of us can relate to even if our own scars are less obvious than Dylan's. The growing friendship and attraction between them is good for both of them, and while there's a little sizzle, the romance here is mainly sweet.
All in all, Christmas in Snowflake Canyon is a heartwarming holiday romance that is sure to leave you smiling.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
thereadingbel's review
5.0
From the opening of this story you meet the two main characters Genevieve Beaumont and Dylan Caine who end up in a bar fight over the picking of Christmas songs. Genevieve is a rich socialite and Dylan is a wounded warrior who is pretty beat up from his service in the military. This is a classic beauty and the beast story. They both get into trouble and are punished by having to do community service at a wounded warrior event. Dylan himself a wounded warrior with the loss of his eye and hand in Afghanistan. When they both arrive to do their community service this is where the story takes off and both find themselves in a place where change comes to them after this experience. This is a story about hope, healing, and love mixed with humor and recovery. This was a great story depicting the wound warrior events that help veterans recover to return back into society even after suffering serious injuries from war. I cannot recommend this book enough it is a heartwarming story that pulls at you and makes you sad but then the author perks you up with some humor. I loved the characters and the ability for people to change.
iris2001's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0