Christmas in Rose Bend

Christmas in Rose Bend, by Naima Simone, book two in her Rose Bend series, a holiday romance with a prickly, grieving heroine and a cinnamon roll hero with a man bun. Nessa is an ER nurse grieving the loss of her mother and the man she thought was her biological father. Now the guardian of her young half-sister, they are spending the holidays in the small town of Rose Bend where they partake in Christmas events and holiday cheer; something Nessa usually tries to avoid. She and Wolf, the son of the innkeeper, find a lot in common as they face their pain on their journey to finding love. Nessa and Wolf are wonderful characters, each having baggage they need to deal with. They were perfect together. They have off the charts sizzling chemistry, a strong magnetic attraction, along with the knowledge and the ability to truly communicate with each other, even when things are difficult. The secondary cast of characters assists in making this story as good as it is, and hopefully getting their own stories. Ivy, Nessa's moody, 12-year-old half-sister, plays an important part in the overall story. The story not only sizzles with romantic heat, but it also tugs at your heart strings, and reassures you that good things happen to good people. I highly recommend Christmas in Rose Bend to other readers. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Two wounded souls find a love that heals With more angst than a dozen Hallmark holiday movies, this story is sure to tug your heartstrings and make you appreciate your family in whatever shape they are. Wolf grew up in an idyllic town with an idyllic family, but that still didn't protect him from a loss so great he may never get past it. Nessa has to deal with her own losses while putting on a brave front for her surly preteen sister. Her heart has been broken too many times, and she's understandably reluctant to risk it again. This was a bit of a slow-burn romance, but the emotions are painted so vividly that the characters really come alive. I enjoyed the first book, but I loved this one so much more. There's a lot of holiday fun packed into the story that was so well written I felt as though I was a part of the festivities. The HEA was holiday wish-fulfillment at its finest with every single one of Nessa's dreams coming true and I couldn't have loved it more. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Shame on me, this prolific storyteller has one-hundred-and-one books listed on Goodreads and this is my first time reading her clever craft. The characters were likable and realistically flawed, yet resilient while struggling with individual issues. The story hit all the feels with the angst well tempered with amusing humor and volcanic and gasp producing sensual steam, although the latter came much later in the tale. The storylines were relatable and easy to follow with generous servings of family drama, wry humor, a supposedly no-strings holiday romance with a short shelf life, and small-town community holiday festivities – and this little berg was really into Christmas. Ms. Simone’s Christmas tale provides a bit of tasty spice and is a higher octane alternative to the more chaste and commercially packaged seasonal eggnog out of the carton Hallmark moments broadcasting nonstop this month.