Bea Reviews How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews

Series: Meg Lanslow #22
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 24th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Meg's husband has decided to escalate his one-man show of Dickens' A Christmas Carol into a full-scale production with a large cast including their sons Jamie and Josh as Tiny Tim and young Scrooge and Meg helping as stage manager.

The show must go on, even if the famous―though slightly over-the-hill―actor who's come to town to play the starring role of Scrooge has brought a sleigh-load of baggage and enemies with him. And why is Caerphilly suddenly overrun with a surplus of beautiful caged finches?

How the Finch Stole Christmas! is guaranteed to put the "ho ho hos" into the holidays of cozy lovers everywhere with its gut-bustingly funny mystery.

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Negotiator by HelenKay Dimon

Series: Games People Play #2.5
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 14th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | iTunes* | Nook | Google Play | Kobo | Avon Digital
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Lauren Gallagher’s life changed almost three years ago. After her husband disappeared at sea, she was left with a failing pleasure boat company and more than a few secrets. Now, after years spent rebuilding the business and paying off the pile of debts, she finally feels in control. But when she finds her husband, actually dead, on the floor, she becomes the leading suspect in his murder investigation.

Garrett McGrath wants Lauren in his bed, not his heart. He doesn’t do emotions, but every time he sees her, holding himself back gets harder and harder. When Lauren comes under suspicion for killing her previously presumed-dead husband, he knows he has to help her, any way he can.

But as the danger becomes more intense and Garret and Lauren grow closer than either planned, they’re in danger of losing everything…including their hearts.

Review & Excerpt: Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

Series: Heartbreaker Bay #4.5
Publisher: Avon Impulse 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 7th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Avon | Book Depository* | Google Play | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

It’s Christmastime again in Heartbreaker Bay!

When Sean O’Riley shows up at the Hartford Bed & Breakfast for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, he’s just hoping to make it through the weekend. What he’s not expecting is to come face to face with the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago—a woman he’s never really forgotten.

The last time Lotti Hartford saw Sean, she told him she loved him while he said nothing. Now, ten years later, she’s just looking for a good time. For once, she wants to be the wild and free one, and Sean – the good time guy – is the perfect candidate.

But as the weekend continues, Sean realizes that after a lifetime of being the hook-up king, he’s ready to find happily-ever-after, and he wants it with Lotti. But will she open her heart to him again? As Christmas sweeps through the little B&B, he can only hope love and magic are in the air.

2017 HoHoHo Read-A-Thon Sign-up Post

Yes! I've been waiting for this event since last year's ended. The HoHoHo Read-A-Thon is a week long event, hosted by the Caffeinated Reviewer, focused on reading books with winter or holiday themes. They can be any genre - romance, mystery, etc. - and any length.

There will be a Twitter party, games and challenges, and prizes. For all of the details, and to sign up, go here

As always, I have a lot of books that fit this theme. My list is an ambitious one and I likely won't finish them all, but that's part of the fun. :) Also, I tend to be a mood reader so the list is subject to change. I have almost 2 dozen unread holiday/winter books, most of them from previous years so I may read one not on the list below.

Slay Bells Ring by Karen Rose Smith (ebook, mystery) - Read 11/9 - 11/11. Review on 11/27
How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews (ebook, mystery) - Started 11/14
A Wedding for Christmas by Lori Wilde (paperback,romance) - changed my mind 
Christmas in Destiny by Toni Blake (paperback, romance) - changed my mind
Burning Bright: Four Chanukah Love Stories (ebook,romance anthology)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (audio book, classic)
The Chimes by Charles Dickens (audio book, classic) -  Listened 11/9
Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis  - Read 11/8
The Negotiator by HelenKay Dimon - Read 11/11. Review on 11/14
Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan - Started reading 11/12
Sleigh Bells Ring by Jodie Griffin - Read 11/13

Bea Reviews Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan

Series: From Manhattan with Love #3
Publisher: HQN Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 29th, 2016
Challenges: Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon |
NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York!

Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner.

Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist? 

Bea Reviews Holiday With A Twist by Shannon Stacey

Publisher: Carina Press
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 21st, 2016
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge | Ho Ho Ho Read-A-Thon 
Buying Links: Amazon* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

After a messy breakup, Leigh Holloway is ready to start her life over. Until her parents put the family home on the market and call her back for one final, memory-making Christmas. The last thing she wants to do is deprive her mom of the perfect holiday, so she'll lie her way through the visit and worry about her future in the New Year. Too bad the only bar in town is owned by a guy she seriously wronged in high school.

Leigh's best friend broke Croy Dawson's heart, and Croy knows it was Leigh's fault. They've never liked each other, but Croy isn't cruel: he'd never turn away a pretty woman in need of some family-Christmas fortification. He doesn't expect her to drink just enough candy-cane martinis to tell him her secrets—and he definitely doesn't expect to get caught up in her holiday madness.

Despite the surprising love and laughter, Croy and Leigh can't escape the truth: he can't walk away from his family obligations and she has a life and career to reboot. But anything is possible if your holiday comes with a twist.

Sign-up & Tracking Post for Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-thon 2016

Once again, I'm joining in this read-a-thon. It's one of the few I do It's a lot of fun, challenging but not insanely so, and doesn't make you jump through endless hoops. The idea is to read as many winter or holiday themed books as you can in the week from November 9th through November 15th.