BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Review of Holiday Sparks by Taryn Elliott

Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Format Read: Kindle
Release Date: December 20, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon   Ellora's Cave   AllRomance

Book Blurb (from goodreads): 
Darcy Tucker hates Christmas. Being lead supervisor at a department store shows her the very worst of humanity. When her holiday display is demolished, she turns to the least likely person she knows—her hot, tattooed tenant who seems to get off on the very idea of Christmas. Maybe she can get him to decorate the store and stop decorating her house.
Tattoo artist Ben Hartley may not look the part, but Christmas is his favorite holiday. When Darcy gets in a jam and reveals her vulnerable side, he finally gets to learn more about the sexy woman behind the cool façade.
 
Thrown in close quarters to fix her store, Ben and Darcy realize the only chilly thing between them is the temperature outside. One supremely hot kiss leads to a night full of passionate surprises. Now Ben has to show her that there’s more to life than work, and that the season of hope is full of sexy possibilities with or without a Christmas tree.
 
Reviewed By: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:

I don't hate Christmas but I spent 2/3 of my life working in retail, either part-time or full-time, and I can empathize with Darcy. Working in retail definitely kills some of the Christmas joy. I've enjoyed Christmas more since leaving retail. Ben was also relatable. While I don't have tattoos myself, many of my friends do, so I enjoyed getting an inside peek at how and what a tattoo artist does.

Darcy and Ben make for a nice couple. They have misunderstandings and emotional issues to work through and feel very real, like the couple next door. The storyline with Ben's brother was predictable and the resolution anticlimactic. I also didn't think it was necessary, as Darcy had enough emotional issues to drive the story; but, the incident with Ben's brother is what brings them together.

There's a sweet and steamy kissing scene between Ben and Darcy at the store when they're decorating the new tree. Elliott hit it spot on and it nicely defines both of them. Elliott's experience with graphic design really shows in this book as she exquisitely describes certain scenes; she's a very visual author. I often have a hard time visualizing things, whether it's a new furniture arrangement or a scene in a book, so I appreciate this quality. This is a sweet romance with some steamy love scenes and is an enjoyable read. 

A couple favorite quotes:
Salaried in retail was tantamount to slave labor.
"What? You think the bedding department hasn't been violated six ways to Sunday? Please."

I received this from the author for review.

 
If you like how the book sounds, go here to enter to win a copy.

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