Short Take Reviews: In a Holidaze and The One for Me

 


IN A HOLIDAZE

Christina Lauren
Series: N/A
Published: October 6, 2020
Source: Gallery Books and Netgalley
4 stars

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

*****

In a Holidaze took all the things I love most about Christina Lauren’s contemporary romances and combined them all together to make a feel-good holiday story that had me smiling from start to finish.

Mae and her family spend every Christmas at a snowy Utah cabin with their lifelong friends. But this latest trip ends with much awkwardness (a drunken hook-up with her longtime crush’s brother – ack!) as well as the news that the cabin may be sold. A desperate plea to the powers that be to show her what will make her happy is the catalyst that finds Mae reliving the last week at the cabin again… and again and again… with varied results.

I loved Mae’s story and watching her journey from feeling stagnant in her job, and life in general, to someone who spoke her mind and made bold choices. Rounding out the story was a cast of secondary characters who practically leapt off the page. I fell in love with this close-knit group and all their many Christmas traditions. The romance played out in a way that made my heart happy and feeling completely satisfied. In a Holidaze was the perfect holiday read!


Corinne Michaels
Series: Arrowood Brothers #3
Published: August 18, 2020
Source: Purchased (Audible)
4 stars

Devney Maxwell has been my best friend since we were six years old, but she has no idea I’m in love with her.

Even when I’m on the road playing professional baseball, she’s my home—the only one I’ve ever known. But when I return to Sugarloaf to care for the family farm, I discover she’s trying to talk herself into a life with the wrong man … and I become desperate.

It only takes a single, perfect kiss to change everything.

I have six months to get it right with Devney—to convince her to leave this town and turn that kiss into forever.

I aim to do just that as I spend my days coaching her nephew’s baseball team, fixing up the farm, and loving her with all I have. Finally, it seems like our relationship is secure and we’ll find a way to make it work.

Then tragedy strikes, changing her life forever. She’s needed here more than ever, but as for me—there’s no way I can stay.

I know she’s the one for me, but I might have to let her go…

*****

I have been loving Corinne Michaels’ Arrowood Brothers series and The One for Me was no exception. It didn’t hurt that the friends-to-lovers trope (used so well here) is one of my favorites. Sean and Devney had been best friends since childhood. They saw each other through family traumas and formed a lasting bond. When Sean, a professional baseball player, returned to the small town of Sugar Loaf, he couldn’t keep denying that his feelings for Devney went well beyond friendship. Devney took some convincing but when she needed to move out of her parents’ home and went to stay with Sean… that helped speed up the process. 😊

In typical Michaels’ fashion, there was some serious heartbreak. As soon as I realized what was about to happen during a pivotal scene, I thought: Oh my goodness, she's done it again. Corinne is going to make me cry. (And then cue all the tears.) As much as the tragedy that occurred broke my heart, seeing the love and support that came in the aftermath made me melt. Devney was so strong and resilient, and Sean was so loving and willing to do whatever it took for them to have a future together. And while I had guessed the big secret/plot twist well before it was revealed, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment in the least. The solid foundation these two had as friends gave their relationship a steadiness and intensity that gave me all the feels. I could keep reading book after book about the Arrowood brothers and the women who love them. 


HAVE YOU READ EITHER OF THESE BOOKS?

Monthly Wrap Up | October 2020


 
WHAT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER
  • The weather started acting fall-ish in October and there were fewer and fewer days that topped 90 degrees. Thank you, Mother Nature.
  • Mid-month my company announced a voluntary return to the office. I began working a hybrid schedule - a few days a week in the office, a few days working from home - and it went well. The office is still largely empty but it's nice to have a small bit of normalcy and routine back.
  • I took part in Maureen's Book Club for the third month in a row (since its inception, actually) and totally enjoyed the October pick, Gypsy King by Devney Perry. It's one that had been on my TBR for a while so bonus points there. 
  • I was able to see one of my sisters and that was a real treat. We text all the time, but due to COVID it had been months since I'd seen her in person. I drove to her house at the beach to deliver her birthday gift and we stood a safe distance apart on her driveway and talked and caught up. It was great. :)
  • I'm not a TV watcher, but October actually saw me tuning in to a couple Hallmark Christmas movies... and enjoying them. Under normal circumstances I would pay them no mind (like every other year), but the sweet escapism was a welcome distraction and I imagine I'll be watching more of them.

WHAT I READ IN OCTOBER


4.5 STARS
The Lies That Bind - Emily Giffin
Muses & Melodies - Rebecca Yarros

4 STARS
Irresistible - Melanie Harlow
Gypsy King - Devney Perry
The Roommate - Rosie Danan

3.5 STARS
Broken Outsider - Lora Richardson
Where Do I Begin? - Elvis Duran

3 STARS
Heartache and Hope - Jay McLean

FORMATS
Total Read: 9
1 physical book
3 Kindle/e-books
5 audiobooks
(2 ARCs: Muses & Melodies, Broken Outsider)

TOP OF THE HEAP
Muses & Melodies, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
While I didn't have a five star read in October, I did have a couple that stood out above the rest. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was beautiful and emotional and I cried all the tears for/with Lydia. Silver wrote about grief in a way that made me feel Lydia's loss like a physical blow. Lydia's journey throughout the book was filled with highs and lows and the feeling of coming full circle was completely satisfying.

Muses & Melodies was the perfect wrap-up to the Hush Note trilogy - and surprisingly emotional. I loved Zoe but it was Nixon that gave the story the rawness that had me hurting for him. I loved the relationship between him and Zoe and her selflessness was something special.   

THE ONE THAT WASN'T FOR ME
Heartache and Hope
This book has a lot of five star reviews so I guess this is another case of it's-not-you-it's-me. Too much drama, too much misery. The tagline should be: Girl has sad back story, boy has sad back story, much misery and teen angst ensues. I was just over it. By the halfway point I realized I didn't really care what happened. So yeah, it wasn't bad but it just wasn't for me. There's a second book but I don't care enough to go there.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BLOG

I had 12 blog posts in October and shared six reviews: 

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING

   

Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater (Part One) - T.M. Frazier

Listening To: I'm excited to be delving into Invisible Girl, another one of Lisa Jewell's combination mystery/thriller + domestic drama. As usual, she doles out bits of information slowly and the story builds so gradually. Already it's obvious that things are not what they seem and people are definitely not who they seem. As always, I have theories but I am fully prepared to have them blown to bit by unexpected twists.

Reading: I'm also delving back into the King series. I've missed this dark and twisted world and I'm excited to finally get Preppy's story. He is so deliciously messed up.   



WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE READ IN OCTOBER? 
WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW?

Top Ten Tuesday: Name That Tune | Book Titles as Song Titles

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


THIS WEEK'S TOPIC:
BOOK TITLES THAT WOULD MAKE GREAT SONG TITLES

This was a fun one mostly because it was so easy. Crazy how many book titles lend themselves so easily as song titles. And some of those have such a vibe that you just know what kind of song it would be.


I'm torn between a country song and a folky singer-songwriter vibe.
An atmospheric song from an indie band.
Heavy metal, obviously.
Actually, this is a song title by ELO from the early 80's.
A country song, no doubt.
Something by Maroon 5.
An adult-contemporary love song.
A Taylor Swift song about an ex.
A power ballad.
A pop/rock song from Imagine Dragons.


HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE BOOKS?

The Sunday Post #229 | November 8, 2020

     

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
 and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead. 
What a wild week it's been. Between election results that tipped one way and then the other, and record-high numbers of COVID cases, it's been... interesting. Can we just fast forward six months or so?

Oh, and will someone send some cooler weather my way? I mean, I appreciate that it's no longer in the 90's, but still... something below 80 would be nice.

I got all domestic and made a big batch of homemade marinara this week. It simmered in the slow cooker all day and then I divvied it up into bags and popped them in the freezer. I used some a few nights later and it was really tasty but next time I'll put the immersion blender to use for a smoother sauce (I am so not a fan of chunky sauce). I also think it needs a little sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Anyone have some good tweaks for a basic marinara?

I fell down a rabbit hole of old made-for-TV movies this week. Somehow I came across one on YouTube (I wasn't even searching for it) and that was my downfall. Before you know it I was finding all these old TV movies from the 80's (and even late 70's): Surviving - about teen suicide and starring Molly Ringwald, Midnight Offerings with Melissa Sue Anderson, Something About Amelia with Ted Danson, and on it went. Is anyone of a similar age and remembers those? Back in the days long before Lifetime movies? :)
  
This week's 80's music fix is Africa (1982) by Toto. Loved the original version back in the 80's and love the remake from Weezer last year.


Review: The Girl in the Love Song by Emma Scott

THE GIRL IN THE LOVE SONG
Emma Scott
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult/New Adult, Romance
Released: June 1, 2020
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 stars

Miller Stratton is a survivor. After a harrowing childhood of poverty, he will do anything it takes to find security for himself and his mom. He’s putting all his hopes and dreams in the fragile frame of his guitar and the beauty he creates with its strings and his soulful voice.

Until Violet.

No one expects to meet the love of their life at age thirteen. But the spunky rich girl steals Miller’s heart and refuses to give it back.

Violet McNamara’s life hasn’t been as simple as it looks. Her picture-perfect family is not so perfect after all. Her best friend Miller is her one constant and she is determined not to ruin their friendship with romantic complications.

But the heart wants what it wants. As Miller’s star begins to rise to stratospheric heights, what will it take for Violet to realize that she’s the girl in all of his love songs?

Talk about a heartbreaker! It’s not like I expected anything different from Emma Scott, but the angst was off the charts here, my friends. Miller and Violet met at the age of thirteen and were instantly the best of friends. Their friendship was deep and meaningful, and they shared the secrets of their home lives with each other – things no one else knew. Their bond only strengthened over the years and although they both loved each other, neither of them were willing to speak up about their feelings and risk their friendship. They needed and depended on that friendship too much.

We were both only thirteen, but that day I knew I'd love her forever.

Emma Scott managed to make my heart hurt for Miller in the first few pages. From the very beginning I ached for the boy who was living in poverty,  whose mother wasn’t strong enough to provide the care and support he needed, and whose home life became unwelcoming and then dangerous when his mother’s boyfriend moved in. His situation was unimaginable but probably all too realistic. With Violet, her life looked charmed from the outside – a beautiful home in an upscale neighborhood, successful parents, a golden future – but behind closed doors there was tension and anger. The dynamic at home was bad enough that it tainted Violet’s view on love and relationships and so she continued to stifle her feelings for Miller, convinced that love couldn’t last and only led to heartache.

I play for her the songs I'd been writing in her room, with her sitting not a foot from me, oblivious to how perfect she was.

And therein lies the angst. These two people who were in love, who only felt truly seen by the other, who were like each other’s missing piece… but neither would take that chance. All through high school, they danced around each other, coming together and pulling apart like magnets. Sometimes it was circumstances that kept them apart but most often it was their own fears. But despite my frustration with all the time they were apart and pining, there was a lot to love. Like Miller’s utter devotion to Violet, and Violet’s unwavering belief in Miller. And the depiction of found-family was just… perfection. *chef’s kiss* The connection and support between Miller, Ronan and Holden was so special. (And I love that we’ll get Ronan and Holden’s stories in the next books.)

For a few beautiful, shining moments, he'd been all mine. Now he belonged to the world.

It was all wrapped up with an epilogue that made me both smile and brought on happy tears. So, even though the stubbornness and the angst had me wanting to knock Violet and Miller’s heads together at times (or lock them in a room together until they sorted it all out), the destination was absolutely worth the journey.


YOU CAN FIND THE GIRL IN THE LOVE SONG HERE: