Goodreads says, "Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).
When Callum's parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.
But then Laura's best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum's ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can't tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act."
I love all things Scotland, so I knew the setting would be a win for me in Christmas Fling. Plus, Lindsey Kelk always delivers a laugh-out-loud holiday rom-com, and that is what readers can expect with this one. Callum was giving Jamie Fraser vibes, so I really loved their slow-burning romantic moments as well as the fake dating that always leads to something more. There's a lot of miscommunication going on in Christmas Fling, but other than that, I thought it was a delightful holiday novel. I didn't love it as much as The Christmas Wish, but overall, it was charming with just the right amount of holiday spice.
Goodreads says, "Eight years ago, Anne Elliot broke Freddie Wentworth’s heart when she refused to give up her five-year plan for the sake of adventure. But despite big dreams, Anne, now thirty, is still living at home with hardly a plan in sight. Anne tries to be optimistic—she knows better than anyone that regret will get you nowhere—but that goes out when the window when, thanks to her father’s bad spending habits, her childhood apartment in is rented out to the very man still living in her head rent-free.
Freddie Wentworth never thought he would see Anne Elliot again after she dumped him for accepting a job overseas. He spent years trying to forget her, and he’s been mostly successful. So when a job opportunity takes him back to New York, he’s shocked to find out that Anne is not only his new neighbor, but also the former resident of his new Greenwich Village penthouse.
Nearly a decade after Anne and Freddie’s fateful romance, the only thing they still have in common is a desire to leave their relationship firmly in the past. But between a disastrous off-Broadway show and a drunken Thanksgiving dinner, nosey neighbors, and flirtatious friends, Anne and Freddie suddenly find their lives more intertwined than ever before. When old feelings start rising to the surface, they must decide whether to put their hearts on the line or walk away all over again."
Anne Elliot broke up with Freddie Wentworth years ago when he took a new job overseas, and it still haunts her to this day. She is living a pretty normal life in New York City until Freddie enters the picture again. Anne's father mishandled their money and, in turn, has to sell their sprawling apartment in New York City. Now Anne has a whole new set of problems; plus, the buyer is none other than Freddie himself! Anne is at a crossroads in both her work and personally. Freddie, who just sold his company, is also at a crossroads. The more time they spend together as they both live in the same building, the more they realize that the sparks are still there. Anne of Avenue A by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding is a wonderful retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion - perfect for fans of second-chance romances.
As the story continues, readers will delight in Freddie and Anne's second chance at love and in figuring out what went wrong the first time around. Also, readers will appreciate the personal journeys that both Anne and Freddie are on in Anne of Avenue A. Anne's life was all planned out, but it has taken an unexpected turn at work, and she must deal with the ramifications, all while navigating Freddie's return to her life. One of the best parts of the book was the New York City setting during the holidays. This definitely added to the charm of the book. Fans of Bellezza and Harding's For the Love of Austen series won't be disappointed by this heartwarming retelling. Persuasion is one of my favorite of Austen's novels, and I think they captured the spirit very well.
Have you read Christmas Fling or Anne of Avenue A yet? Let 'em know in the comments. Also, Christmas Fling is on sale for under a dollar as an e-book, which you can't beat, so pick up your copy today for the holiday season.
