I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I just could not finish this. I was not able to get into the story.

This is the second book in the Cloud Bay series, but it can be read as a standalone. I did not read the first book in the series, and still enjoyed this book very much and never felt that I was missing anything. Mina Harper was happily married when her husband was killed by a drunk driver. She refuses to have anything to do with alcohol, so is surprised when she becomes friends with local bar owner, Will Fraser. Will believes in love at first sight, and has been in love with Mina for five years, but did nothing about it as she was married. Will and his brother Stefan, own the bar and have also been distilling their own whisky with their first batch finally ready to go, five years in the making. When Mina falls and injures herself on a stormy, wintry night, Will comes to the rescue taking her to the hospital and staying with her during the night when she is dealing with a concussion. Mina finds herself thinking about Will when he leaves and they become friends, eventually sharing secrets and having a Christmas fling. Will Mina be able to drop her shield that she has been protecting herself with and allow Will in, all the way in? Is a Christmas Miracle about to happen?

Mina's story is one of grief, heartache and mourning. She has shut herself away with nothing but her painting and her sister. Everyone grieves differently and for different periods of time, so I liked that no one tried to tell her she needed to get over it. Will is adorable. I like that he has pined for Mina for five years and didn't hesitate to come to her aid when needed. There is some background given about Mina's family, which I liked or I would have had a lot of questions. Mina is adamant that she and Will can be nothing more than a Christmas fling, but feelings have a habit of changing things. They are cute together, but there were times I was frustrated with Mina's reasoning. There is some angst, as all romances tend to have, but there are a lot of heartwarming moments. There are some steamy scenes which I am not a fan of, but there were few and they were not too descriptive. This was a sweet, holiday romance with good character development, an engaging plot and an uplifting ending. I will go back and read the others in the Cloud Bay series.

This started out ok but Mina was a bit too much - too self involved, too demanding, too naive, too everything for me to truly enjoy the romance.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I really loved the cover on this book - I should've realized it was centered around Christmas but I didn't til I was already into the book. It was a great book to start getting me into the festive spirit with the holidays coming up! The Christmas contests that they participated in were super fun sounding. The characters in this book were good, Mina was a little self-destructive for me and Will definitely set himself up for failure with putting a time limit on the relationship, but they had a sweet enough romance. I think one of my favorite parts of the book was when Angie got her just desserts and got in trouble with her Dad because she was being a big big butt head. The book overall was sweet if a little cheesy for me. There was a good build up of tension but I had trouble getting into the story. I did love the Christmas festivities piece of it though! Good seasonal read.

A SEASON OF YOU - Emma Douglas

#2 in the Cloud Bay romance series

SWEET HOLIDAY ROMANCE - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Will has always had a crush on Mina Harper, but first she was married, plus she's always been a step above--one of the famous Harper children. But now that she's widowed, he's finding himself more and more attracted. When she shows some interest, he's thrilled but cautious.

Writing - 4 stars - Douglas has created a warm and welcoming environment in Cloud Bay. First we saw its wild side with Book #1, but now we see the day-to-day quiet side with people who live there year-round and enjoy the solitude. As they ready for their first-ever Christmas Festival, we meet a few more of the local townsfolk and get to participate in some of the town's activities.

Characters - 4 stars - These are very appealing characters, but I don't feel as though we get to know Will very much. He has lived on the island for 5 years, but he's pretty much a surface character--someone who owns the local bar, distills whiskey, lives with his brother, and has had a crush on Mina for years. But there's not much more than that, and I would have enjoyed getting to know him better. We do get deeper into Mina's personality, and that made her a much more rounded and interesting character. I liked how she is trying to find her way through her painting, avoiding the Harper name and searching for a way to get over her husband's death. Her skepticism about Will's alcohol-related job is understandable, to a point, because of the way her husband died. Her nervousness about beginning a new relationship also makes sense.

Title - 3 stars - I'm not quite sure what this means. I guess it represents the caution that both Mina and Will are exhibiting about their relationship, thinking that they'll only commit to a season at first.

Cover - 5 stars - This is a spectacular cover! Love the colors and the gorgeous scenery, both of which drew my eye immediately. And it well represents the setting for this romance.

Overall - 4 stars - A sweet romance. There doesn't seem to be a major passion here, but the characters fit together nicely and seem to grow together fairly slowly. I enjoyed watching them find their way to each other.

I read the first book in the Cloud Bay series and did not like it. Just barely 2 stars. That was several years ago and I just haven't felt the gumption to read the second book in the series that I got before reading the first book, Since I have not read it in the over 2 yeas since requesting it and it's a Christmas book and Christmas is just a few weeks past, I think it is safe to say that I will not feel like reading this one in another 10 or 11 months. I will not be reviewing it, of course on Goodreads or anywhere else. Since a star rating is required on this site, I will give it just a middle score of 2 stars.

This isn't my usual type of book but I really enjoyed the setting and the characters. It had a nice seasonal feel and other elements I look for in holiday romance. A nice read.

A festive Christmas story worthy of a Hallmark movie... this is an adorable tale for love, hope, and beauty. I enjoyed this gorgeous book and recommend it to those who just love Christmas romances.

This was a wonderful Christmas story and I really love all christmas stories as I've stated in the past. This was a heartbreak to redemption story that I think anyone would enjoy!!

I was gifted this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

A Season of You is the second book in Emma Douglas’ Cloud Bay series. Cloud Bay is the township found on coastal California Lansing Island. This story takes place during the holiday season from midNovember to Christmas. On a dark, stormy evening in midNovember, bar and distillery owner Will Fraser sees unusual lights out his office window. When he goes to explore, he finds Rock heiress Mina Harper has taken quite a tumble in her attempt to change a flat tire in the rain. There is a gash on her head and she has lost consciousness. Will immediately loads Mina in his vintage restored Mustang, along with her lab Stewie, and heads for the emergency clinic.

With a mild concussion and a strained shoulder, Mina is released to Will with the promise that she will not be left alone that night. That is fine with Will, who has loved her from afar since the moment he saw her when he first arrived on the island. But when he learned she was married, and then she was widowed, he made no efforts since he barely knew her anyway. However, when they are put together in such a way, he is certainly going to explore where it might go.

The last thing Mina expected was the strength of her attraction to Will. When he makes a proposal that they seek their own Christmas miracle by spending time together he doesn’t initially think of the down side that this special “project” is set to be completed Christmas Day.

Mina has suffered great loss with desertion by her famous photographer mother, the death from cancer of her rockstar dad, and the death of her young husband to a drunk driver. She is just now feeling almost whole and is too wounded to risk another loss. But when the actual threat of loss rears its ugly head, there are unexpected outcomes that just may bring the Christmas miracle after all.

This is a lovely stand alone story with well formed characters in a lovely setting. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it.

**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This book focuses on the youngest Harper sibling, Mina and a man we first met in the first book, Will Fraser.

Mina married young and lost him in an accident near the Salt Devil to a drunk driver, however when Mina gets a lat tire and then hurts herself it is Will that rescues her and initially looks after her.

Will is a patient man and ultimately has to forgive Mina for being a little silly and welcome here back into his open arms.

We still see Faith and a little bit of Caleb in this book, and hear a little more about Lou along with Faith's friend Leah.

Another brilliantly written book and i am looking forward to reading book three.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Will has been in love with Mina since the minute he saw her. However, Mina was married so Will kept his distance from her. Now she’s a widow whose husband was killed by a drunk driver while Will is the owner of a whiskey distillery. One day, Mina meets with an accident and Will saves her which puts them back on each other’s paths. But can Mina really move on from her loss especially considering Will’s career?
This was a really sweet Christmas read which I found incredibly enjoyable. Will and Mina have very clear chemistry and I loved watching their relationship unfold. There was no fluff. Their relationship was sweet and real- they both had issues which they worked through and I haven’t seen that in too many romance books. This is a well-written book with great characters. I can’t wait to read the sequel! This book is a must for anyone who enjoys Christmas or contemporary romance fiction.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO A SEASON OF YOU BY EMMA DOUGLAS?
A Season Of You by Emma Douglas is the second book in her Cloud Bay series and it is set during CHRISTMAS. I’ve only read one other book in her Cloud Bay series, No Place Like You, which is the third book. So I guess I am reading them in reverse order? Anyways, I love Christmas! Even though it is June as I write this review, I still am fond of the winter season. I had to listen to A Season Of You when it became available on Scribd but also when it was the shortest audiobook in my Scribd TBR. Friends, I am trying to whip through my outstanding Netgalley books as quickly as possible. This means I am listening to ALL the Netgalley books on audio — out of season even!

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Emma Douglas’s A Season Of You is about main characters Mina and Will. Mina is a widow whose husband was killed by a drunk driver. She works in search and rescue. Anyways, one night a freak accident happens and Will comes to her rescue. Will has always had a thing for her, but first she was married. Then, her husband was killed due to alcohol and well, he owns a whiskey distillery. Mina and Will then end up beginning an affair — but Mina isn’t sure if it is the real thing. There’s also a Christmas festival, FYI and a dog. And well, that’s a kind of quick run down of the plot.

HOW DID I LIKE A SEASON OF YOU?
Frankly, I enjoyed A Season Of You much more than No Place Like You. Maybe it was the Christmas theme? Or, it could be that Mina and Will have more chemistry than the couple in that other book. I cannot even remember the names of the people from that couple. Anyways, this was a mostly pleasant lesson. I liked seeing Mina’s interest in painting. Also, the committees for the Christmas festival that the town was putting on was 100% worth reading for.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
I really gelled with this audiobook. There’s nothing wrong with the narration at all. Nina Alvamar is the narrator and her voice is perfect for the book. She kept my attention. I rarely was bored. Plus, she nails how I think Mina would sound. This audiobook is a super quick listen at eight hours and sixteen minutes.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO BUDDY THE ELF, HOW MUCH CHRISTMAS SPIRIT DOES THIS BOOK HAVE?
I keep repeating this OVER AND OVER, but THERE IS A CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL. I think that is exactly what Cloud Bay needs. Although, okay it is been almost twenty days since I listened to this audiobook and now maybe I am remembering that wrong. However, Mina spends a lot of time painting scenery and backdrops for the town’s store fronts. There’s Christmas romance. I wouldn’t say this book is BURSTING with cheer, but it is a good warm up to the most wonderful time of year.

Douglas is a fantastic author. A Season of You pulled me right in and made me fall in love. It's a holiday story about love after loss. This is one I could read over and over again. Great Job!

Will and Mina’s story will take you on a journey. Mina’s past with Will’s optimistic outlook has no barrier against Mina’s reserve. Will has been in love with Mina and finally makes his move. A wonderful story ! Hope there is more in this series!

I love this series. Emma Douglas is one of my favorite small town writers. Her stories are full of heart and heartache, but always end with an HEA.

This book was not given to me. Therefore I could not review it!

Heartwarming story with great characters. MIna and Will manage to find a special relationship after heartbreak.

In A Season of You, we find ourselves back in Cloud Bay. If you haven’t read the previous book in this series you might want to pick it up and read it so that you get a grasp on some characters that are found within this story.

Sometimes we find that fate takes us on a different path then what we had expected. Will and Mina had met over five years ago. At the time Mina was happily married. She recently started living with a broken heart her husband was killed by a drunk driver. For Will it was love at first sight but he was unable or didn’t want to act his love for Mina because she was married.

Ms. Douglas throws us a curve as she brings Will and Mina together. Mina had tragedy at the hand of alcohol and drunk drivers while Will and his brother own a whiskey distillery.

Despite it being Christmas…it takes a while for this romance to take off. But it was nice to read a tender, slow and really sweet romance between these two. Mina had a hard time opening up to Will because of her past and his involvement in the distillery.

Adding Christmas to Will and Mina’s story helped bring magic to the romance as the magic helped bring everyone including family together. Family dynamics are also a big part of this story which adds to bring lifelike situations adding to the texture of the story.

I found the story and characters to be very likable and relatable. Everyone has a past and sometimes it takes the right person or circumstance to free us and help us move on. I liked this well written addition to the Cloud Bay series. It held my attention with all the characters and the tender romance between Will and Mina. I found it to be very emotional with the play between someone who creates the alcohol and having lost a loved one to a drunk driver. It showed strength to fall in love again and get over the whole issue with alcohol.

I think I might have enjoyed this story a little more if I had read the first in the series, or maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. The plot was super slow and made it difficult for me to binge-read (and I am definitely a binge-reader!) The characters were sweet, but the climax was just a little too big for the plot itself. With a little more action and less narration, this might have been a better read.