Title: Sweet on You: A Filipino Christmas romance

Author: Carla de Guzman

Genre/Themes: Contemporary Christmas romance

Release Date: 19 Oct 2020

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 Stars

It’s winner takes all this Christmas. And more than one competitor might just lose their heart for the holidays. 

 

Of all the weddings in all the world, Angie Roux had to be mistaken for a bridesmaid in this one.

Caledon, South Africa, is supposed to be just a stop on the way to Christmas in Cape Town, part of Angie’s long-avoided homecoming. She never expected to star in a bizarre comedy of errors, but here she is: convincing a handsome stranger to be her fake boyfriend for the day. 

Ezra Johnson, the handsome stranger in question, turns out to be a pleasant distraction from both the wedding and thoughts of her first family Christmas without her father. And he seems to loathe weddings just as much as she does. He’s the perfect temporary companion.

But a lot can happen in twenty-four hours. Including a connection so strong it tempts them both into thinking of something more permanent…

This is my second book by this author and just like the first one, I found it very enjoyable and lovely, overall. This one is, as you can guess by the title, a Christmas romance and as such it's full of feels and holidays spirit.

The hero and heroine are two people running from their past who meet by chance at a Christmas wedding and form a strong connection based on sharing secrets they haven't told anyone about before.

This is s quiet, introverted story, very much focused on inner conflict. I have to admit it felt a bit heavy at times - the guilt and self-recriminations both MCs feel are not easy to swallow but they both need to work through their emotions before trying to be with someone, start something romantically. There was lots and lots of inner turmoil and I had to put down the book a few times but it was fitting for characters. They are two ordinary people, albeit rather sensitive and caring about the others, who carry a lot of baggage from their past mistakes. WE see them  trying to stay optimistic, to take a chance and trust their hearts and go after that HEA they both want so much.

The story has the loveliest, epilogues, one full of holidays warmth and happiness.

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Blurb

If she has her way ...

Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn’t even remember her ...

He’ll get nothing but coal in his stocking.

Saddled with his great-aunt’s Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else’s capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he’s sure he’s never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him ...

Unless he tempers “naughty” with a special kind of nice ...

Willa can’t deny that Keane’s changed since high school: he’s less arrogant, for one thing—but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It’s time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish—and let the mistletoe do its work ...

Jill Shalvis is my favourite author when it comes to sweet and sexy small town romances. And her Holiday stories always leave me at a happy place. This one was no different.

I still need to read the first book this new series but starting with the second one was no mistake either. It was so much fun and full of all the warm feeling and cosiness and friendship and the good of humanity in general that I associate with Christmas time. What made me really happy about this story that it did use the Christmas theme (strongly and with a touch of humour) without overdoing it. We don't get the perfect happy biological family but rather the right circle of friends and loved one who stick for one another through bad times and good ones and make the Holidays really special.

The heroine, Willa, was just adorable. Quirky and insecure, dealing with the consequences of a rough childhood by caring for everybody (humans and animals alike), going out of her way to help others, to bring joy and happiness in their lives.

The hero, Keane, like all Ms Shalvis' heroes, was close to perfect. He did have to make up for past mistakes but his present behaviour more than compensated for his carelessness in the past. He is working man and despite having a family unlike Willa. he was just as lonely as her.

I loved the character growth both of them had to go through in the story. There was a sort of reversal of roles which I found refreshing. She started as someone looking for love and long-term commitment while he was convinced he was no relationship material. Somehow along the road she ended up with doubts about her ability to be with someone for the long haul (she did think she wasn't good enough and that made me so sad) and he developed the idea that building a home with her and spending his life here with her was the right thing for him.

The chemistry between Willa and Keane was great and the love scenes - smoking hot. There was the usual circle of great friends (hers in this case) and their interactions both playful and concerned - were nicely done and fun to read.

There will more books in the series coming soon - a novella, One Snowy Night by the end of 2016 and a full-length novel, Accidentally on Purpose, early 2017 and I can't wait to read them both.

Purchase links: Kindle / iBooks / Nook / Paperback / GooglePlay / Kobo / BAM

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules: 

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers. 

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

This week's teaser comes from a book I actually finished a couple of days ago - Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan. It is a sweet holiday romance which I greatly enjoyed (my review). It is a love story unfolding over the Christmas holidays in a traditional small town/winter resort setting. This is the first book in a new series by Ms Morgan and the next one is coming some time in 2014. 

Here is the teaser: 

"The large friendly kitchen had been part of his life forever. Now it was the closest he had to a boardroom and his infuriating, exasperating, interfering, lovable family were his management team. Two octogenarians, a grieving widow, his daredevil brother and an overexcited puppy with training issues."

Sleigh Bells in the Snow - Sarah Morgan

Goodreads Blurb

Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green's favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year. 

Jackson O'Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family's resort—it's in his blood, and he can't let it fail. Now that he's got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus. 

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she's out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it's terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn't believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?