Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn ~ Book Review

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn ~ Book Review

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn

As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclaimer for more details.

Three reasons you should read this Hallmark Christmas Romance:

About Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn

Title: Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy
Author: Janice Lynn
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn

When a quilt shop owner 
finds a former Marine’s journal,
she longs to heal his heart…

When Sophie Davis sorts through a box of donated books to her church, she’s surprised to discover a soldier’s journal. As the daughter of a veteran who watched her father struggle over the years, she feels a deep connection to the man who wrote the emotional entries.

Former Marine Cole Aaron battled to find peace after returning to civilian life. He’s always needed to protect others. Now, fighting fires in Pine Hill, Kentucky helps him put out the demons within him. When Sophie shows up at the fire hall with his journal from when he’d first returned stateside, Cole can’t believe it was in the box he’d donated. Not wanting to face painful memories, he tells her to trash it.

Sophie and Cole are drawn together as they both volunteer for their community, but it’s hard for Cole to let down his guard, and he doesn’t need anyone’s pity. After all he’s been through in the past, can he find faith in a more hopeful future…one touched by joy?

This heartwarming romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Dilly Duchess Potatoes.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn was a very holiday romance. If you love Christmas, then you’ll get plenty of it here. It screams holiday madness from every page.

Sophie Davis LOVES Christmas. And this year, she’s determined to make the life of Cole Aaron fuller. She knows things about him that no one else does. Because she read his journal. She had good intentions, but it still bothered me the entire book. Why didn’t she check out the rest of the box it was in before she read all of it?

Cole is understandably upset when he finds out Sophie read his journal. And it was a journal of some pretty dark moments and thoughts in his life. But he’s way too much of a jerk about it too. In fact, he’s kind of a jerk about Christmas in general. Taking part in town events as his civic duty instead of because he wants to.

Sophie and Cole circle each other throughout the entire book. It’s very on-again, off-again – mostly on Cole’s side. He ran hot and cold, and it switched within a second. Sophie is a saint to have not given up on him. But they make a wonderful couple. They balance each other out.

The highlight of the book for me was Sophie’s quilting. I’ve always admired the creativity and craft that goes into making a quilt. And Sophie does such wonderful things with hers. Her dedication to making others’ lives better was amazing. It was really my favorite part of the book.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Pick up your copy today!

More from Hallmark Publishing

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Snowball's Christmas by Kristen McKanagh
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My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts ~ Book Review

My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts ~ Book Review

My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts

As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclaimer for more details.

Three reasons you should read this Highland Romance:

  • My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts is an adventurous tale that seems to get to the heart of the Scottish Highlands and settle in for a bit.
  • Lady Ravenna Walsingham is a fascinating character that may be forced to choose between loyalty to her country and loyalty to her heart.
  • Laird Ruairi Sutherland isn’t quite sure what to think of Ravenna – the governess – and as he sees how good she is to his son, he can’t help but feel more.

About My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts

Title: My Highland Spy
Author: Victoria Roberts
Series: Highland Spies #1
Genre: Scottish Romance

My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts

This Highland Laird won’t bow to the Crown

Laird Ruairi Sutherland refuses to send his only son away to be educated by the English. And he most definitely will not appear in Edinburgh to pay homage to a liege who has no respect for Scotland. So he does what any laird would do-he lies to the king. The last thing Ruairi expects is a beautiful English governess to appear on his doorstep.

But this lady spy might make him…

Lady Ravenna Walsingham is a seasoned spy who is sent to the savage Highlands to uncover a nefarious plot against the Crown. Playing the part of an English governess-a job easier said than done-she infiltrates the home of Laird Sutherland, a suspected conspirator.

If she doesn’t betray him first

Ravenna soon discovers that the only real threat Sutherland poses is to her heart. But will the proud Highland laird ever forgive her when he discovers the woman he loves in an English spy?

My Review of My Highland Spy:

My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts is an incredible story – not just a romance (although there is plenty of that), but also a spy adventure. Lady Ravenna Walsingham is more than what she seems at first. She’s an accomplished spy in His Majesty’s service.

She’s sent to spy on a highland laird that refuses to send his son to be educated by the English. This is horribly suspicious, and Ravenna is perfect to infiltrate his home in disguise as an English governess.

Laird Ruairi Sutherland isn’t out to harm the crown. He just wants his son raised in his own way and not sent away from him for the English to raise. Ruairi is a wonderful father, and I fell in love with him because of the care he took for his son.

But we must have some conflict, and this is where things maybe fell a bit flat. I think it was too obvious from the beginning to Ravenna that Ruairi wasn’t up to any shenanigans, but it took her a loooong time to come to that conclusion. The court intrigue just didn’t seem to fit properly.

The romance was great. These two make an amazing couple. Ravenna’s strength and independence pair well with Ruairi’s stubbornness and family devotion.

There are several side characters that stole the show at times – one of which is a wolf-dog. But the people of the clan are enjoyable and you will grow attached.

Pick up your copy today!

Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole ~ Book Review

Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole ~ Book Review

Marilia the Warlord by Morgan Cole

As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclaimer for more details.

Three reasons you should read this Female-led Fantasy:

  • Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole is a fantastic start to a rich, new fantasy world.
  • Marilia is an unlikely hero and a very strong female lead.
  • The world and its characters are magically interwoven to complete a world full of interesting characters and new places full of adventure and discovery.

About Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole

Title: Marilia, the Warlord
Author: Morgan Cole
Genre: Fantasy

Marilia the Warlord by Morgan Cole

Born the bastard daughter of a painted lady, Marilia was told she would live out her days within the walls of her mother’s brothel, a companion for the rich men of Tyrace. But after a terrible betrayal, Marilia’s world turns upside down. With the help of her twin brother, Annuweth, she flees the only home she’s ever known in search of the one man who can offer her a chance at a better life: one of her deceased father’s friends, the Emperor of Navessea’s greatest general.

My Review of Marilia the Warlord:

Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole, was an amazing start to a new fantasy series. I love finding new fantasy authors and worlds to explore, and Morgan Cole has built a beautiful world and some fascinating characters.

Marilia is a smart child, but has few prospects of ever leaving the pillow house where she was born. But the fates have put her and her twin, Annuweth, in a position to find a way out. It isn’t easy, but they find themselves in the household of a great fighter from another land… and off they go!

This new life is just the beginning of their journey. Marilia is determined to earn a place in her new country. And not one of a meek woman taking care of the home. She has a brilliant mind for strategy, and she puts it to use.

Throughout it all, Marilia and Annuweth have an on again off again sibling rivalry that almost dooms them both. Their relationship was so true. I loved how real they both were – the love, the hate, the absolute devotion.

There were plenty of side-characters to fall in love with as well. They are so richly developed and have such important roles to play, and very few would fall into the typical fantasy stereotypes.

Throughout the book, Marilia and her friends have victories and defeats, and Marilia has to overcome it all. There really isn’t an end. The book wraps up just enough to bring a conclusion while drawing me inevitably to the sequel to continue their journey.

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book***

Pick up your copy today!

Titanlord A Thousand Ashes by MG Darwish