REVIEW: "For the Holidays" by Brenna Aubrey (Contemporary Romance)

FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Brenna Aubrey
	Publisher: Brenna Aubrey Genre: Contemporary Romance Publication Date: February 2021 Series: Gaming the System, #9 Standalone: No, read previous books first
Categories:
Nerds in Love, Holidays (New Years), Travel
Other Books by Brenna Aubrey
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Description from Publisher:
Mia: Hey you! Adam and I are organizing a holiday retreat this winter for all our friends. We are sooooo excited to invite you, too. We've rented a place in the mountains. There will be skiing, other snow sports and all kinds of fun. The whole gang will be there--Jordan & April, William & Jenna, Lucas & Katya, Heath and of course, Adam and me. Please come along with us! It’ll be epic.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
This was an entertaining visit with all of the characters of the series, complete with some nice lead-ins for what's to come. I felt like parts of it toward the beginning were a bit off for the characters, mostly Kat. She had slipped a bit to the Kat from the beginning of her story and wasn't the more mature version of herself I had recently read. This still caught its stride by about 20% in, and all the miscommunications between the couples felt realistic enough while still being amusing. By the last 20%, especially everyone's threads were being tied up and there were some really touching scenes that showed the character growth more. It would have been nice to get a bit more group interaction, though they did make me feel a bit old (I'm in my 30s!!) with how juvenile they were at the diner, so perhaps keeping them to smaller groups was better. Juggling 9 characters is no easy feat, after all, and I think it was done really well by Brenna! I guess I have to end this like this, because it's on the tip of my tongue (fingers?): I want more Heath!! He totally needs his own book!
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Brenna Aubrey
Brenna Aubrey is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of contemporary romance stories that center on geek culture. Her debut novel, At Any Price, is currently free on all platforms. She has always sought comfort in good books and the long, involved stories she weaves in her head. Brenna is a city girl with a nature-lover’s heart. She therefore finds herself out in green open spaces any chance she can get. She's also a mom, teacher, geek girl, Francophile, unabashed video-game addict & eBook hoarder. She currently resides on the west coast with her husband, two children, two adorable golden retriever pups, a bird and some fish.

REVIEW: "Stuck on You" by Portia Macintosh (Romantic Comedy)

STUCK ON YOU by Portia Macintosh
	Publisher: Boldwood Books Genre: Romantic Comedy Publication Date: September 17th 2020 Standalone: Yes <
Categories:
Stuck with You, Creatives (artist, photographer), Holidays
Other Books by Portia Macintosh
Description from Publisher:
Could a post-it note really lead to love...? Sadie doesn't have time for finding love. She's too busy as PA for famous artist Damian Banks. When she's not arranging exhibitions, she's organising his dry cleaning or dumping his never ending stream of girlfriends. But when she strikes up an unusual friendship with her desk share buddy, she finds a confidante and a new potential love interest. Problem is, they've never actually met... With Christmas just around the corner, can Sadie put herself first for a change and find what she's been looking for all along?The brand new romantic comedy from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Sophie Ranald, Mhairi McFarlane and Zara Stoneley.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
This was really cute, and a great holiday read (even 6 weeks after the holidays). Sadie works for a very important portrait photographer, Damian, who she was warned was a nightmare by the guy who shares her desk. She exchanges notes with Adam and he helps her to feel less isolated at a workplace where everyone else treats her like she is invisible. Her boss asks her to do some strange things, like break up with women he is seeing, or wait for the delivery of his TV while he goes in a date. He relies on her for a lot, not having many people that he trusts. The two wind up stuck together and socializing more as Damian tries to find inspiration for a new photo series. I laughed out loud at this often, even at the dad jokes. There was a wonderful amount of humor and levity, mixed well with more serious topics, like family dynamics and believing in yourself. I liked Sadie straightaway. She was someone who obviously felt a little lost and alone, but wasn't stressed out by it. The way she went with the flow and adapted to even the strangest of situations said a lot about her character, and that remained consistent even as other things changed. I also really like Damian, despite his supposedly being a boss from hell. He got sweeter as the book went on, so that I adored him by about halfway through.
My Source: I borrowed this via Kindle Unlimited to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Portia Macintosh
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