Friday, November 20, 2020

144. Holiday Hearts


Holiday Hearts. Dana Volney. 2020. 242 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence of The December Deal: Lilia Carrigan set her cup down on the small table in the coffee shop and took her seat in the corner with a view of the mountains. There had to be something she could do to raise money quickly. She opened her laptop and slouched in the hard wooden chair. 

Premise/plot: Lilia Carrigan needs a LOT of money--and quickly. Her father has been diagnosed with cancer and his insurance won't cover the experimental treatments that might save his life--or prolong it. When she overhears a conversation at the bar, well, she's brash and bold. Vincent Morgenstern needs a wife by New Year's Day if he's to keep his inheritance--his father's business. This is something he very much wants, but, he always dreamed of marrying for love and only love. Should he accept the bold offer of a stranger? Should Lilia and Vincent marry--for a year--to both get what they want???? Or will this marriage of convenience turn MESSY and UGLY?

My thoughts: I really love marriage of convenience stories. I do. This one was a solidly good read, anyone who enjoys that type of story will most likely enjoy it just as much as I did.

First sentence of A Heart for the Holidays:  “He doesn’t want a new heart?” Silver Morgenstern snapped her head up from her emails, which were piling up by the second. No one on the National Organ Transplant List ever turned down an organ. Or purposefully removed themselves from the list. 

Premise/plot: Silver (the sister of Vincent) Morgenstern, a former surgeon, manages the regional National Organ Transplant List. She notices that the man at the top or near the top of the heart transplant list has just submitted paperwork to remove himself from the list. WHY?????? She's tempted to take matters into her own hands. She decides to visit Fisher Tibbs and find out WHY he no longer wants a new heart. Can she convince him to change his mind? Will these two inspire hope and joy in each other? 

My thoughts: I really loved this story. Maybe I didn't find it perfectly perfectly magically wonderful. But it was SO GOOD. I really enjoyed all the characters and just the story itself.

First sentence of The December Deception: Lorelei Sullivan sat statue still, waiting for the verdict. The file folders were neatly stacked on the wooden table in the high-ceilinged courtroom and her navy leather-bound notebook was closed. She’d argued Shelia Monroe’s case of wrongful termination well, and she lacked only the words “we side with the plaintiff” from the jury foreperson followed by a hefty dollar figure for the win to be recorded legally.

 Premise/plot: Lorelei Sullivan has decided that if she isn't offered a partnership in the law firm, she'll give her notice and look for a job elsewhere. Her boss, whom we first met in A Heart for the Holidays, Henry Hale has no intentions of offering anyone a partnership. But he doesn't want to lose Lorelei--she's an amazing lawyer that brings in a lot of money. Can he keep her satisfied? Will more time together be his doing or undoing? 

My thoughts: I really liked the character of Henry Hale in A Heart for the Holidays. I wanted to love this story just as much as the other two. And it is good--solidly good. I liked both Lorelei and Henry. I liked meeting BOTH their families. 

Overall thoughts: I greatly enjoyed these THREE novellas newly published together. I would recommend to anyone looking for clean romance. OH. You should know this book and Kisses for Christmas are set in Casper, Wyoming. Through six novellas we are really getting to know the community--and time is passing so we get updates on previous couples as life goes on in town.

 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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