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My Review:Title: Twelve Dates of Christmas
Author: Laurel Greer
Series: Sutter Creek Montana #7
Published by: Harlequin Special Edition
Release Date: October 26, 2021
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Genres: Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Fall, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
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My rating:
Blurb:Can two rivals create mistletoe magic?
When a local wilderness lodge almost cancels its Twelve Days of Christmas festival, Emma Halloran leaps at the chance to convince the owners of her vision for the business. But Luke Emerson has his own plans—to keep the lodge in the family and protect his grandfather’s legacy. As they work together, Luke and Emma are increasingly drawn to each other. Can these utter opposites unite over their shared passion this Christmas?
4.5 stars — Well that was a delightfully cute and sexy Christmas read. We got a bit of an enemies to lovers feel, but the kind that I like where they just push and pull against each other, but part of it stems from their attraction, and the fighting doesn’t last. You know, enemies light.
Rounded down instead of up simply because it was a bit hard watching how long it took Emma to figure out compromise, and then how long it took her to understand he was compromising back.
Luke was a much more vulnerable character than I was expecting, and I kind of adored that. Especially since it didn’t take away from his ruggedness at all, it just showed how men can be just as multifaceted. Something that’s sometimes missing from Harlequins. I ached for all the wrong lessons he learned in his life, and the conclusion that he came to that he would only let people down. And I loved the way he saw the differences in his relationship with Emma, and kept wanting to fight for it despite those lessons. I also appreciated that he wasn’t overly embarrassed by his dyslexia, and would seek out help when he needed it.
Emma had her own damage to contend with, and I appreciated that while it wasn’t dramatic, it had just as big an impact. Sometimes the smallest things in our interactions with our loved ones can have the greatest impact, and usually completely unintentionally. I grew frustrated with her at times with how one track her mind could be. But I also loved how genuinely she cared about the people around her, and how earnestly she wanted to help and contribute…and just be *seen*.
I was totally expecting the same old fight over the attraction that happens in so many romance novels, but I feel like theirs kept the balance just right — fighting because of different wants, but not fighting it so much that I grew frustrated with them. Instead we got to see them go through the different stages, and kind of grow together. And I appreciated that their steamy times were very healthy.
On that note: this author always knows how to push the envelope of convention in the BEST WAYS. I feel like romance authors follow the same thoughts all the time, and might not understand the harm. There was a moment in the steamy scene where Luke said he wanted to see “how wet she was”, and she admitted that her body doesn’t work that way, and they got out the lube, and there was no shame, and it all proceeded in a healthy way, and I legitimately wanted to stand up and applaud. Because fuck yeah, women are different, and that’s totally cool!
Lots of great secondary characters in the cast of the town. I loved seeing what were clearly previous stories (which I now must check out), and the groundwork for future stories that I must now wait for.
Wow. Apparently I had a lot to say. That’s unusual, especially for a Harlequin. What can I say, it delighted me.
COYER Scavenger Hunt #6: Read a book with a Christmas theme.
I hadn’t heard of this one before, but now you have me wanting to try to fit it in before Christmas!
This author wrote a book in V&V, which is how I first came across her. I mean, it’s still a Harlequin, just kind of Harlequin++. Sometimes I just want that, you know?
Totally know what you’re saying. I just had to go look up her book to see if it was one I read. I gave up on that series way before that book. I might have to give this a try.