Review: One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson #BlogTour #HarlequinBooks

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ONE CHRISTMAS WISH

Author: Brenda Jackson

ISBN: 9781335201980

Publisher: HQN Books

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It’s Christmas in Catalina Cove, a time of promise and second chances. But when you’re starting over, love is the last thing you’re wishing for…

Vaughn Miller’s Wall Street career was abruptly ended by a wrongful conviction and two years in prison. Since then, he’s returned to his hometown, kept his head down and forged a way forward. When he is exonerated and his name cleared, he feels he can hold his head up once again, maybe even talk to the beautiful café owner who sets his blood to simmering.

Sierra Crane escaped a disastrous marriage—barely. She and her six-year-old goddaughter have returned to the only place that feels like home. Determined to make it on her own, Sierra opens a soup café. Complication is the last thing she needs, but the moment Vaughn walks into her café, she can’t keep her eyes off the smoldering loner.

When they give in to their attraction, what Sierra thought would be a onetime thing becomes so much more. Vaughn knows she’s the one. Sierra can’t deny the way Vaughn makes her feel, but she’s been burned before. With Christmas approaching, Vaughn takes a chance to prove his love, and it will be up to Sierra to decide if her one Christmas wish—true happiness—will come true.

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One Christmas Wish is the fifth entry in the Catalina Cove series and my first novel by Brenda Jackson. Sierra Crane was raising her young goddaughter, running a small business, and still trying to heal after her ex-husband’s betrayal ended their seven-year marriage. Vaughn Miller has recently been exonerated for a crime he did not commit, after serving two years in prison. A return to his hometown and a fresh start has helped sooth the bitterness over all that he lost. When Sierra and Vaughn met there was instant chemistry, but Sierra was determined to keep her distance. She was slow to trust and unwilling to give up her independence for any man. But Vaughn knew his feelings were the real thing and was patient enough to wait until Sierra could see that, too.

Despite Sierra’s efforts to keep things with Vaughn casual, it was obvious she had feelings for him that ran deeper than she was ready to admit. While her hesitancy was understandable (to a point), I found Vaughn’s approach so refreshing. He was a man who had been burned in the past but was willing to put his heart on the line again for the woman he was quickly coming to love. His patience, his understanding, and his care and concern truly made him the star of the show for me. When some drama with Sierra’s ex happened late in the story, her stubbornness and insistence on “handling her own business” became a real stumbling block and it was frustrating to see her fight against someone who was so clearly on her side and trying to help. Thank goodness Vaughn had the patience of a saint!

There were a lot of characters mentioned throughout the story and while it was a bit overwhelming at times, it also helped set the stage and reflect what a tight knit community Catalina Cove was. The story did take place over the holidays, the seasonal elements were fairly mild: talk of the small town’s Christmas on Main Street, a tree decorating party. I found the story’s “twist” concerning the titular Christmas wish to be a bit over the top with the kismet aspect, and truly not necessary to the story, but it also didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

One Christmas Wish was a quaint small town romance with a strong focus on the community and those who called Catalina Cove home. Readers looking for a heartwarming comfort read with a bit of spice will surely enjoy Jackson’s One Christmas Wish.

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About Brenda Jackson

Brenda Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling.

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Facebook: @BrendaJacksonAuthor

Twitter: @AuthorBJackson

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