Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon*
| Kobo | ARe* | Barnes & Noble | * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.
Blurb from goodreads:
The most wonderful time of the year is back with On The Naughty List, bringing perennial favorite holiday stories from Lori Foster and Carly Phillips, along with two Christmas stories that delighted readers a year ago. This sexy anthology will make you want to give your heart to Christmas again and again…Lori Foster has two co-workers plan a Christmas party side-by-side-and discover a love worth celebrating in Christmas Bonus Carly Phillips explores a "mistletoe moment" when a no-nonsense lawyer intent on seducing her boss meets his twin instead--and gives him a scintillating kiss that leaves him begging for more in Naughty Under the Mistletoe.In Sugar Jamison’s Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas, former wild child Dina Gregory returns home to New York to find the father of her young son. Instead, she finds his stuffy older brother, Ben. Ben can’t help but admire her tenacity—and her bold beauty. Could it be that Dina has reignited his Christmas spirit? Beth Ciotta brings two friends who, after years apart, together at home for the holidays. They don’t seem to have much in common anymore, but when the two get stranded together during a blizzard, they are forced to reexamine if they are better off as "just friends"? Or could it be that true love was there all along? in Some Kind of Wonderful.
Anthologies are great for when you want a story but don't have the time or interest for something lengthy. They also let you try new-to-you authors. This anthology has one author I've read before (Foster), one I'd heard of before (Phillips) and two completely new to me authors.
Christmas Bonus by Lori Foster - I've had mixed results reading Foster in the past but this one I enjoyed. It could have been fleshed out more, a longer story would have been good, and it had some unlikely events. Still, it was cute and sweet and had some hot sex scenes. 3, maybe 3.5 stars
Naughty Under the Mistletoe by Carly Phillips - I have heard good things about Phillips but I was disappointed. Full of cliches and outdated stereotypes, such as women supposedly not being sports fans, I rolled my eyes quite a bit as I read. It had cute moments but everything happened too fast and more character development was needed. 2 stars
Some Kind of Wonderful by Beth Ciotta - This was a weird mix Cyrano de Bergerac and the ghosts from "A Christmas Carol". Ciotta did a decent job pulling off the de Bergerac aspect but the Christmas Carol part didn't work although the overall story was Christmasy. Despite that, the story, for the most part, managed to surprise me and was cute. 3 stars
Have Yourself A Curvy Little Christmas by Sugar Jamison -This had a strong historical romance vibe. The heroine, an unmarried poor mother, shows up on the doorstep of the baby's father's house. Instead she finds his brother. The whole set up and follow through was like a dozen Regencies I've read despite being a contemporary set in the US. Once I got past that, it was a pleasant story and gave off a strong Christmas vibe. 3 stars.
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This quote is from the story Some Kind of Wonderful by Beth Ciotta. I want a kiss like this! Whew! *fans self*
He kissed her then. A soft kiss that tickled her sense, a kiss that teased of something wondrous. Oh yes, on a scale of one to ten, ten being perfect, this kiss was a twelve. Maybe even a twenty. Maya melted against Zach's hard body and gave over to his sexy expertise.
Anthologies aren't usually my thing, unless I'm reading for a specific author. These sound fun though. And yeah, that's a very nice quote. ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, when I pick up an anthology it's because there's an author in there that I want to read. It's rare that I'll pick one up that doesn't have at least one author I'm already familiar with.
DeleteSometimes anthologies work for me and sometimes they don't. I'm reading a Christmas one right now, too, and it's been cute so far.
ReplyDeleteAnthologies are really hit or miss but this one was good.
DeleteWhew boy I wouldn't mind one of those myself! lol
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be nice? Sigh.
DeleteLove Lori Foster. Do not think I read this. Sweet Kiss.
ReplyDeleteMy Quote-tastic
It was a nice kiss. :)
DeleteYum. This sounds like the perfect anthology to curl up by the fire with!
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like it. :)
DeleteI enjoyed this one too. :)
ReplyDeleteThat was great insight into the Sugar Jamison story. I don't read many historicals, but I totally get what you are talking about.
It just resonated so strongly all throughout the story. I'm glad it was clear what I was talking about.
DeleteI won't tell you how many bundles and boxed set I've bought recently... Thanks for sharing !
ReplyDeleteLOL You're not alone!
Delete