Hi, book buddies :-) This holiday romance has the cutest cover ever. Don't you agre? And the book is ready to be enjoyed, so let me tell you all about it.
MY OPINION
It might be a little early for a holiday romance, but I couldn’t help myself.
This author has created a cute, sweet romance that appeals to my most fervent Christmas spirit. It features musical oldies, festive clothes, pine trees, lit-up decorations, and traditions upheld in a community of families and local businesses. Even a perfect gingerbread latte. You can't go wrong with that 😉
The couple is made of antagonists. Candice is a little lady, feminine and determined to bring Christmas joy to everyone and funds to charity events. On her crosshairs, we find her opposite, a grumpy and stubborn workaholic who's lost his Christmas spirit and hates to waste his valuable time on unnecesary socializing.
The meet-cute is quite convoluted and absolutely crafty. I loved it so much! The setting, the bait, the twist and the outcome. Charlie and Candice engage in a tug-of-war of perspectives and social events that turns out to be sweet and heart-warming.
Their personalities may clash but also meld in surprisingly tender ways. I loved their outings together, the tree farm, the hectic season, the sweetness of slowly warming up to each other. The grumpy man starts to enjoy the sunny and compassionate company of this girl, and it really feels like a Hallmark movie.
I have to admit that I didn’t like Charlie's mother. That woman behaved like an emotional tornado. Luckily, this adorable couple brings out the best in each other and the Christmas events end up as successfully as their cute romance.
It's such a pretty story, the best in the series, and perfect to boost the last part of the year.
Holidate
by Monica Murphy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publishing date: October 15, 2019
Cover Designer: Hang Le
An all-new standalone contemporary holiday romance
by New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author Monica Murphy is LIVE!
Candice Gaines loves Christmas. Not only does she bask in the twinkling lights, sing Christmas carols and go crazy with the decorations, she’s also in the giving spirit, donating much of her time and wealth to various charities in the local area.
Charlie Sullivan despises Christmas. Though it keeps his family afloat, considering they own Sullivan Family Christmas Tree Farm, the main provider for Christmas trees on the Monterey peninsula. He’d much rather work among the trees versus have to deal with people.
But Charlie’s parents are taking on more philanthropic projects—and as their oldest child, they want him to be their official public representative. He just has to play nice and convince everyone he’s not a total holiday hater.
When Charlie’s mom asks Candice to accompany him to a variety of holiday parties and events, she reluctantly agrees. She thinks Charlie is a big ol’ Grinch, but is determined to change his mindset and help him spread Christmas cheer. Charlie finds Candice too chatty, too sweet, too much. Do people like her really exist?
Why yes, yes they do. The more time they spend together—along with a few kisses under the mistletoe—the more they start to like each other. Hopefully Charlie can convince Candice he doesn’t have a heart that’s two sizes too small before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.
A stand-alone, contemporary romance.
Find this cutie
ENJOY AN EXCERPT
I go chasing after Charlie, thankful
he hasn’t hopped back on that ATV and torn out of here. He’s headed straight
for the giant red building, and I follow behind, having to pick up my step
since one of his long strides equals about three of mine. He’s just so stinkin’
tall.
And handsome.
And gruff.
And he smells good. Have I mentioned
that? He smells like a pine tree, of course, and his scent is mouth-wateringly delicious.
Ugh. I hate myself sometimes.
He pushes open the door of the
building almost violently, sending it swinging wide, and I sneak in behind him,
causing him to turn and practically snarl at me when he realizes I’m standing
in front of him.
But I forget all about his snarl
when I see how enchanting this room is. It’s not an office, but an actual
store, filled to the brim with holiday decorations and knickknacks for sale.
Candles are burning—I can smell cinnamon and spice wafting in the air. The
scent of the real pine trees laden with ornaments standing in the room also
lingers, and I breathe deep, closing my eyes for a moment so I can take it all
in.
When I open my eyes, it’s to find
Charlie standing there, his hands on his hips, his brow lowered. “Are you okay?
That head injury still flaring up and giving you trouble?”
I roll my eyes. “No, you idiot. I’m
enjoying the festive atmosphere.”
Oh, that was mean. I shouldn’t have
said that.
But I don’t think he even noticed.
I slowly turn in a circle, pure
delight flowing through my veins. I don’t know what to look at first, it’s all
so beautiful. And there are layers upon layers of decorations. On the walls,
cluttering shelves and tabletops, overflowing giant baskets. And of course
there are the trees. They almost sag with their bounty of sparkling ornaments
and twinkling lights. It would probably take me hours to explore it all, and
I’m dying to start my exploration right at this very moment. “This store is so
adorable!”
“My sister Victoria runs it.” He
glances over at the counter where the register sits, but no one’s there. “I
don’t know where she’s at, though. Maybe you could talk to her about—whatever
it is you want to talk about.”
No way is he pushing this agenda
onto his sister. Isabel wants Charlie to do this, and no one else.
“We’ve wasted the past five minutes
with you huffing and puffing and refusing to speak to me.” I reach into my
large bag and pull the folder out I wanted to show him. “Give me ten minutes.
That’s all I need to talk about what we’re going to do over the next few
weeks.”
He grimaces. Sighs. Tugs the cap off
his head, all that gorgeous hair spilling across his forehead, and my fingers
literally itch at the chance to push it out of his eyes.
But I restrain myself.
Barely.
Meet Monica:
Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.
She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she's not writing, she's reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She's a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.
Connect with Monica:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934418.Monica_Murphy
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934418.Monica_Murphy
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm
Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com
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Isn't it cute?
