LIFE IS SWEET by Elizabeth Bass

Becca is trying to make a fresh start, owning her own bakery after a childhood career in Hollywood.
Matthew is staying with his girlfriend's daughter, Olyvia, while his girlfriend is away on business. The hopes and dreams of these three folks are about to collide.

The full plot is a lot more complicated than that, but I don't want to give too much away. This is a contemporary romance (nothing real steamy). It is a story of friendship. It is a story of adult relationships. It is a story about parenting. To me, the ending felt a little like it came out of left field, but all the threads were tied up at the end, and I enjoyed following the story all the way through.

4 out of 5 stars
(There is a little swearing in this book)

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

FRIDAY: Making Spirits Bright (anthology)

  

Summary
Four stories in one book.
Making Spirts Bright by Fern Michaels - Melanie, wealthy yet lonely, contemplates adopting a child to share her life. Then she meets Bryce. She'd really like to get to know him better, but will he want to date a woman with adopted kids? And what if the horrible woman at the adoption agency won't let her adopt at all?
Runaway Christmas by Elizabeth Bass - While Heidi is pouring everything she has into making her New York City restaurant stay afloat, her sort-of-step-niece, Erica, borrows her step-mother's credit card to fund a trip from Texas to New York for Christmas. Heidi thought she'd be spending Christmas alone, but she finds love and family instead.
Home for Christmas by Rosalind Noonan - Jo lost her husband Shane in a tragic skiing accident. She and her daughter have stayed in Jo's home town, building a business there and staying close to Jo's family. When someone threatens everything Jo counts on, she takes action. Unfortunately, some of her decisions could ruin the fragile new relationship in her life.
Christmas on Cape Cod by Nan Rossiter - Maddie spends Christmas with Asa and his son, Noah, and Asa's parents. While she misses her own family, this Christmas is a special one, full of tree-trimming, Christmas surprises and love.


Review
This was a nice holiday read. Sometimes when I read a book like this, I will enjoy the first and maybe the second story, but will lose interest before reading the last ones. Not this time. I read and enjoyed all four stories (although, I had a hard time following the family relationships in the final story). My favorite was probably Runaway Christmas, followed by Home for Christmas. 


3 out of 5 stars


Recommended for: readers looking for romantic holiday stories, or novellas instead of full length novels.


Cautions: none that I recall