SMP Romance Holiday Blitz Featuring Deck the Halls by Donna Alward

Be sure to check out the other books on the tour:

Deck the Halls 

by

Donna Alward

Contemporary Romance

Blurb:  

With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas.

In the last year, George's life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he's still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center.

Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother's death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected.

With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?

Review:

I want to give three cheers to Donna Alward for telling George's story. He is older, was homeless, and has never forgiven himself for the death of his best friend in Iraq. He has been a side character in the first Darling, VT stories and started on the road to recovery when he takes a job sweeping up and watering plants at the Ladybug Garden Center. Now he is full time, has an apartment and even owns a truck. He is thrown back in time when Amy, the older sister of his brother-in-arms, finds him just before Christmas. She wants to know about her brother's last days but realizes that she must take it easy and give George the space he needs before he can tell his story. George is not your usual main characters and his story does not follow the usual path to an HEA. Instead George finds a path to accepting that he was not the cause of his friends death and he and Amy are looking forward not back. Both decide to see what happens as they celebrate Christmas with Amy's family.

Author Bio:

A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters plus the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist. Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta where her romance career began, writing about cowboys and the west. She is the author of Somebody Like You, Somebody's Baby, and Someone to Love.

Buy link:

http://smpromance.com/contemporary/deck-the-halls/

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 144 - A Talent for Temptation by Sabrina Jeffries, Deck the Halls by Donna Alward, Stand Down by J.A. Jance

A Talent for Temptation by Sabrina Jeffries
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Widow Meriel Vyse is living her life paying back her brother-in-law by spying on members of the ton when he asks. That means she cannot accept the suit of Quinn Raines even though she really wants to. When Quinn decides to change things all you know what breaks loose. A short fun read with to characters who want the same thing just have not know how it make it happen. I liked both Merrill and Quinn and loved how they finally found their HEA.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Deck the Halls by Donna Alward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I want to give three cheers to Donna Alward for telling George's story. He is older, was homeless, and has never forgiven himself for the death of his best friend in Iraq. He has been a side character in the first Darling, VT stories and started on the road to recovery when he takes a job sweeping up and watering plants at the Ladybug Garden Center. Now he is full time, has an apartment and even owns a truck. He is thrown back in time when Amy, the older sister of his brother-in-arms, finds him just before Christmas. She wants to know about her brother's last days but realizes that she must take it easy and give George the space he needs before he can tell his story. George is not your usual main characters and his story does not follow the usual path to an HEA. Instead George finds a path to accepting that he was not the cause of his friends death and he and Amy are looking forward not back. Both decide to see what happens as they celebrate Christmas with Amy's family.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Stand Down by J.A. Jance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wondered what happened to the Special Crimes unit Beau and Mel belonged to and this tell what happened. The unit is gone and then we see Mel in her new job. Beau is at loose ends but that does not keep him from springing into action when Mel is in danger. A nice bridge novella that tells two stories in a very short time.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #71 - Someone To Love by Donna Alward, Mistletoe Cowboy by Carolyn Brown, When All The Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krantz

Someone to Love by Donna Alward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Do opposites attract or do they just seem to be opposites? That is a question that Ethan and Willow have to answer when an unexpected attraction pops up between the two. Both are struggling with events from their past. One of my favorite things about this book is how Alward used Yoga as a big part of Willow's recovery. In a world where pills seem to be the answer to everything using meditation and relaxation as a big part of the cure is great to see. I loved Willow and how strong she was and how she realized that while she was recovering she was also marching in place and not going forward. A really nice story with great characters.

Mistletoe Cowboy by Carolyn Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You just have to pull for Sage and Creed as they find themselves snowed in. Add in a very ugly stray dog and a cute stray cat with kittens and you feel how cozy the Rockin C Ranch is. Of course there is Sage's grandmother who is trying to pull strings from a distance. She just knows that Sage and Creed are made for each other. A nice enjoyable Christmas or any time story.


When All The Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When All The Girls Have Gone is typical Jayne Ann Krantz. There are two very interesting characters who have the lead in the story. There is a plot inside of a plot. Expect plenty of twists and turns as the story unfolds. And for good measure a final surprise at the end. This was a book I did not want to put down. It held my interest and kept me guessing.

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