Once again we visit the McClendon family in A HUSBAND BY NEW YEAR’S. This time, author, Sean D. Young features Renee McClendon, the last single McClendon sister.
Renee has made a bet with frenemy, Julia that she will have a man by New Year’s that meets all the traits of her ‘perfect’ man that she has written in her journal. Mind you, there are no prospects at the time of the bet.
The problems revealed in both families lend credibility to the storyline.
A HUSBAND BY NEW YEAR’S is an enjoyable read, and I recommend it.

This book was super cute. I did not like the lying to each other, but understand it can sometimes be a trope used in romance, so it did not bother me too much. I would definitely buy this book and others from this author.

Renee McClendon has a list for her Mr. Right and nothing will stop her from finding a man that possesses her listed qualities. However, if she doesn't find her Mr. Right by her New Years deadline, she's decided to give up on her list. Yet, when chauffeur Patrick Dunlap comes into her life, Renee knows she wants to get to know him better. Will a lie be enough to keep them apart, or will the pair fight for their chance at happy ever after?

The McClendon sisters and the secondary characters of this series are definitely reasons to come back for each book of this series, but it was the hero in this book that really made this story for me. He's everything Renee wants in a man, and yet, there's something he's keeping from her. Something that could blow up in his face, if he doesn't deliver the truth before she discovers it for herself. Will Renee discover the truth before the hero tells her? Will she be able to accept the truth?

As for the way this story started, it drew me into this story immediately and had me sympathizing with the heroine. How could her friends tease her about her list of qualities she wants in a man? Yet, in saying that, I liked that she didn't particularly care what they thought and made the decisions that she does. No way is she going to let anyone convince her that her list is silly. Moreover, the heroine is resilient; hard-working, which is proven by everything she does in her career as a marketing consultant; and I liked that she took a chance on Patrick because he's a good guy. I also liked the tight bond she shares with her siblings, as they would do anything for each other and aren't afraid to offer advice when things become complicated for each other when it comes to relationships.

While the hero, he's been through tough times and I felt sorry for him when it came to his relationship with his brother. Will Patrick get to the truth of what's going on with the family company? Will he find a way to turn things around? Furthermore, the hero is confident, loyal and I liked how determined he was to win the heroine over. Yet, what I liked most of all about these two main characters is the challenges they face in their personal and professional lives that has them needing every single bit of courage and willingness to overcome the problems that arise.

Overall, this author has delivered a riveting read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was intense and had me liking these two together; the romance was on the sweet side; and the ending had me liking the lengths the hero goes to in order to win the heroine back. Luckily, the hero has the secondary characters on his side. I would recommend A Husband by New Year's by Sean D. Young, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope or books by authors Cheris Hodges, Rochelle Alers, Lena Hart and Synithia Williams.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters of this book. I frequently ot bored with the book, lost interest and had to start over several times. It was not my cup of tea.

I like the adorable cover, and it seemed like it would be a light, fun, romantic, holiday read, but I did not really enjoy this book. The story was a little too scattered, even for a fanciful romance. The character descriptions were a little perfunctory; I never felt invested in their lives.

This book was pretty good. It definitely held my attention, it was a sweet romance

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily leave my opinion

DNF'ing this one. Couldn't find the chemistry between the H/H. Fell flat for me

Renee, a public relations and marketing executive, has been unlucky in love. She knows what she wants from a man, and has a list of qualities she seeks in writing, but she can never find a man to fit her lofty standards. Renee’s frenemy, Julia, challenges Renee to find a husband by New Year’s, giving her a year to find the perfect partner. Renee can’t add or subtract from her list, and if she doesn’t find a husband by the new year, Julia can burn her list.

Renee thinks all hope is lost until she meets Patrick, a business owner who moonlights as a limousine driver in an effort to save his family’s company. Renee doesn’t know that Patrick is a partial owner of the limousine company, so she has some classist prejudices to overcome while dating him.

Sean D. Young’s holiday novel is presumably part of a series of novels involving the same characters. However, “A Husband by New Year’s” is perfectly capable of standing on its own as a heartwarming love story set around the holidays.

Some of the dialogue is a little wooden, the characters are a little bland, and at times it feels as though Renee and Patrick are on a listless plot bus ride to nowhere. Almost halfway in, and I felt the story would do well with some punchier conflict.

Overall, “A Husband by New Year’s” tackles some interesting themes such as relationships with family members and boundaries in friendships, which makes the story interesting. When things get hot and heavy, the narrative gives the characters some privacy, skipping to the next morning rather than assail readers with an explicit sex scene.

I really liked how both of the main characters were focused and career driven in life. It nice to see two characters who are on the same level and what the same things. As I was reading I really liked the beginning dynamics of Renee and Patrick’s relationship but I felt at times it got overshadowed with all the sibling drama. I wish we had more time invested with Renee and Patrick as a couple. It felt like the author was telling us not showing their relationship plus I felt like it they moved too fast and I had a hard time feeling their connection. The potential was there but it fell a little flat for my taste. This was my first time reading anything by this author and I like her writing style and the story did flow. Plus it had an important message about forgiveness and second chances. I will definitely be checking out more book from this author.

This is a sweet nice romance as another McClendon sibling finds their HEA. The story is well written but the pace was a little slow for my taste. The characters are very well developed and enjoyable. Overall a good read.

Renee McClendon has always been a list maker. They keep her on track and help her remember exactly what she wants. She even has a list of what would make her perfect guy. Now it's time to put that list to the test. Can she find Mr. Right by New Year's?? He might be right in front of her and she doesn't even realize it.

I'd recommend this one.

Renee McClendon has been writing in her journal every since her mother gave her one when she was younger. One of the main things that she write and re-writes is her list of the qualities of a perfect man. When her frenemy challenges Renee to actually find a man who fits all of those qualities, she takes her up. Her dates aren't going well (though work is). Too bad the man that interests her most is the "lowly" chauffeur. But it obviously doesn't bother her that much since she starts dating the man.
Patrick Dunlap isn't a driver in real life; he's the son of the man who owns the very lucrative company. He's in town trying to figure out why the company seems to be hemorrhaging money under his older brother's care. Too bad older brother doesn't seem to want him around. Good thing Renee does.
There was a lot going on in this story; not just the romance but relationships between Renee and her friends, Renee and her family, Patrick and his brother, Patrick and his father... It's a lot to fit into one book. I might've marked this book a little lower but I really appreciated the deftness of the author in adding Christianity to the story. I've had a few books lately where it's been heavy-handed and unappreciated.

Three stars
This book comes out November 13

What a lovely surprise! I’m usually not a fan of romances where one character lies to the other character, but the cover was just so gorgeous and the premise so interesting that I just had to request an ARC to review. And, I’ll readily admit, there were times where I wanted to grab Patrick by the shoulders and yell “Just tell her already!”, but this book (and Patrick!) is just so sweet that I’m willing to forgive the deception.

Patrick is… well, Patrick is pretty much the perfect man. He opens doors for Renee, acts protective of her, insists on paying for meals while all the while gently supporting her without taking over her life. One of my favorite Patrick moments, after Renee is apologizing for misjudging Patrick:

"Patrick raced over to her and drew her into his arms. 'Baby, I see your heart, I do.'"

Folks, I melted. And he's telling the truth! Patrick pays attention to her moods and to Renee in general. When they're together, he's wholly focused on her. Now, that’s not to say that Patrick is perfect himself. He has his own issues - family and professional - to deal with, and I felt like those issues and the ways he dealt with them fleshed him out into a real person. Renee is also a wonderful character - smart, accomplished, but with a tendency to want to check off her life goals like items on a list. It was fun to watch her realize that checking off marriage and a family weren’t going to as easy as she’d thought! I also loved Renee’s family. It was lovely to see how well they interacted, even the sisters who were polar opposites.

As for cons, it felt like some of the other characters, especially Renee’s other prospective boyfriends, were one-dimensional. I also felt like the whole Julia deal wasn’t truly wrapped up. I’m not sure if I’m missing something from a previous book, or if it’s meant to be dealt with in a later book. I understand Renee deciding she doesn’t need an explanation for Julie’s behavior, but I felt like, as a reader, I wanted it. I also wondered about what exactly was on Renee’s mysterious list. Though I can guess from the people she dates, the list itself is never explicitly written out in the book.

At heart, this is a sweetly romantic book about not making judgements based on a first impression, about forgiveness, and about love. Definitely recommended if you’re looking for something cozy and sweet to curl up with!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is another story concerning the McClendon family, with the focus of this story being on Renee. The story could easily been entitled 'Don't judge a book by its cover!' because it goes on to show how making assumptions based on first impressions can cause problems when those assumptions are inaccurate! It also goes to show that honesty is the best policy,too, if you want to avoid heartbreak.....

Enough of the proverbs, on to this story . . . . Renee was at a hen party for her sister with some of their best friends and Renee's frenemy, Julia. That's where Renee is challenged to find a man who meets the list of qualities she has written I her journal, which she's kept since being a teenager. She can't refuse the challenge and agrees to find the man within a year. She tries all she can to find such a paragon, but after dreadful blind dates and using an online matchmaking service unsuccessfully she has had enough and is ready to concede rather than put herself through more drama. That's when the chauffeur driving her home from another dreadful date proves a real temptation. As fate seems determine to bring her and Patrick Dunlap together, the chemistry between them builds . . . .but he's not just a chauffeur. His father owns the business. He's a very wealthy man. How will Renee react when she discovers the man she's seeing hasn't been totally honest with her - she already hates liars and he knows it!

This is a story filled with drama as both main characters experience problems concerning their siblings, work and family relationships. It is a story of facing up to the truth, being honest and realising none of us know just how long we have together making it even more important to prioritise relationships and be willing to listen to each other. It is a story with great secondary characters and an emotional plot, a great story to escape into, with a festive theme, though I hate the title's misuse of an apostrophe (sorry, pet hate!). For all those involved in the English education system, I feel a SPAG lesson coming on...... But don't let that put you off the story, definitely a blissful read!

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Another installment in the McClendon daughters finding love was thoroughly enjoyable as Renee and Patrick got to know each other while navigating work and family challenges along the way!

The best way to sum up Patrick and Renee is through the words of a familiar melody. The first line of an old Keith Whitley song fits this couple perfectly. I have always loved the tune, When You Say Nothing at All and in the opening verse of that song it says " It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart." Simple words, perfect description, beautiful sentiment. Ms. Young managed to convey a ton of realistic emotion in a classically uncomplicated story. The most gifted of artists are not remembered for the words they say or the things they do but the magic they leave behind. That is how A Husband By New Year's made me feel. Like I was standing in the presence of something special.