A snowy little Christmas.
A collection of short Christmas stories.
Love Christmas romance.
Didn’t disappoint, enjoyed them all.
Thanks for my advance copy by the publisher and NetGalley for my honest review.

Two Out of Three is Terrible
This is a set of 3 novella-length stories that occur at Christmas time. The first story; Starry Night by Fern Michaels is a solid 5 star, clean tale of community at Christmas. The next two, Mistletoe and Mimosas by Tara Sheets and Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn are too smutty for me. Both are about sex, not romance. For a short, novella length story to emphasize physical attraction does not leave enough room to have a plot about anything else. I was disappointed. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is a collection of stories by Fern Michaels, Kate Clayyborn, and Tara Sheets. What drew me in was Fern Michaels as I have never read the other two authors. The biggest surprise for me was the two stories I most enjoyed were Novella 2: Mistletoe and Mimosas by Tara Sheets and Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn. They definitely were fun holiday treats. Light and romantic, they were enjoyable and entertaining.Those two novellas were each given two stars, while starry night by Fern Michaels was a three star read for me which for some reason did not draw me in.

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review..

If you're looking for a good trio of holiday romances, A Snowy Little Christmas is the best option for 2019!

Starry Night by Fern Michaels is a strong opener. It's everything you'd want in a holiday romance (small town, interesting, if not a bit predictable premise) paired with a bit of sizzle, but nothing you'd feel uncomfortable reading out loud to your grandma. The protagonist Jessie Richmond is truly a woman juggling her responsibilities during her day job and her night shift as a "love doctor". While she helps guide others in matters of the heart, her own is more than a bit lonely. When her uncle leaves Jessie his bookstore, she takes a few weeks off to clear it out and put it on the market. The last thing she expects is to fall in love.

This was my first time reading anything by Tara Sheets, but Mistletoe and Mimosas is a solid romance with a sprinkling of holiday cheer! It was actually my least favorite of the three stories and I still couldn't put it down. Realtor (and part-time elf) Layla reunites with a sometimes crush, sometimes tormentor from her teens, the local vet, Sebastian. Sparks fly, but the pain Sebastian caused Layla in the past threatens to ruin the romance before it even starts.

Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn (another new to me author), is the only book out of the three that is less than squeaky clean. There is a bit of sizzle (and fewer articles of clothing) in this short, but well-written romance. Kristen and Jasper are partners in business and good friends. Until one kiss puts all that in danger, along with their biggest deal yet. The chemistry in this story was off the charts! I'm off to buy something else by Ms. Clayborn!

A Snowy Little Christmas - A collection of stories by Fern Michaels, Kate Clayborn, and Tara Sheets


Publication: 10/29/2019
Publisher: Kensington Books
Imprint: Kensington Zebra
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 336
ISBN-13: 978-1420146080

Spotlights are for books that I didn’t have time to review this month. But they are still great choices.

This collection would be a great holiday read and also an introduction to these three authors if you haven’t read them before.

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, Book Depository

Fern Michaels on the Web: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Kate Clayborn on the Web: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads

Tara Sheets on the Web: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads

Excerpt from A Snowy Little Christmas courtesy of Amazon’s Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

Sometimes love needs a little help from Mother Nature—and what better time than the holidays to let it snow . . . and snow . . . and snow . . .

STARRY NIGHT * Fern Michaels
As the host of a radio program for the lovelorn, Jessie Richmond is surprisingly lonely, especially with the holidays approaching. So she decides to make the trek to her uncle’s bookstore in rural New York state and hold a speed dating event—only to find herself snowed in—with one very special single . . .

MISTLETOE AND MIMOSAS * Tara Sheets
After years of hard work, real estate agent Layla Gentry has her dream home on Pine Cove Island. She’s perfectly content to be on her own. Until her childhood nemesis, Sebastian, comes to town. When a snowstorm and a stranded kitten bring them together on Christmas Eve, Layla discovers he’s all grown up—and she may have one more dream left . . .

MISSING CHRISTMAS * Kate Clayborn
It’s all work and no play for two longtime friends-turned-business-partners Kristen and
Jasper—until an unexpected kiss turns things personal. Will it mean the end of something, or the beginning? With a major contract in the balance, Christmas around the corner, and a lot of unspoken feelings, it may take an unpredictable blizzard in New England to seal the deal

A Snowy Little Christmas is available now from your favorite bookseller

About the authors:


FERN MICHAELS is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Sisterhood, Men of the Sisterhood and Godmothers series, as well as dozens of other novels and novellas. There are over one-hundred ten million copies of her books in print. Fern Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret. Visit her website at www.fernmichaels.com.


KATE CLAYBORN lives in Virginia, where she's lucky enough to spend her days reading and talking about all kinds of great books. At home she's either writing, thinking about writing, or--during long walks around her fabulous neighborhood—making her handsome husband and sweet-faced dog listen to her talk about writing. Kate loves to hear from and connect with readers—follow her on Twitter, on Instagram, and on Facebook. Visit her at www.kateclayborn.com to sign up for her newsletter.


Award‑winning author TARA SHEETS is a lover of fairytales and a staunch believer in happily ever after. She enjoys writing women’s fiction and lighthearted romance with a splash of magic. Tara holds a BA in Communications and is a graduate of the University of Washington’s Popular Fiction Writing Program. Her debut novel, Don’t Call Me Cupcake, won the 2016 Golden Heart® sponsored by Romance Writers of America. Tara now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her book‑loving family and a book‑eating dog named Merlin. Please visit her at www.tarasheets.com or on Twitter @Tara_Sheets.

What a lovely trio of quick Christmas reads!! I enjoyed each of the stories and they were each the perfect length for a nice break in the day. Each of these author's did an excellent job developing their characters and their stories despite the short lengths. A very nice anthology!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

There’s something about collections of short stories that is always a bit of a risk. Will you like all of them? Some of them? None of them? In the case of A Snowy Little Christmas, each story is better than the previous – and all of them feature a lot (A. Lot.) of snow.
Fern Michaels’ Starry Night felt to me, quite excessive on the descriptions. Because of that, I found it really difficult to fully submerge myself into the story. Which is a pity, because – as is so often the case – the plot in itself was actually quite promising. I actually had to force myself to keep reading this one – which isn’t really something you ever want to say about a book or story, is it?
Mistletoe and Mimosas, by Tara Sheets, was already a definite improvement from the previous story. It flowed along nicely – although it did feel at times to be a bit of a filler piece. You know, the story that would normally be the secondary characters’, glimpsed at, but not necessarily front and centre in a book. None the less, Sheets’ careful use of descriptions combined with the previous friction between the two main characters, made for a pleasant enough read.
It’s Kate Clayborn’s Missing Christmas, though, that saved this collection for me. From the first phrase, the author managed to strike a chord with me. That might be because I’ve personally be where the MC’s start (missing someone although they are right there). I prefer to think, though, that it’s mainly because the author managed to word those emotions so brilliantly. She sketches a quite complex image of two people who both have their (sound) reasons for doing as they do… Even if that means that, at times, they completely missed what was going on right in front of them. Altogether, this last short story would probably have been a 4.5-star rating if it had been a standalone. As it stands, though, it made me not that mind much having to read the first two stories, just to get to this one!

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Since this was an anthology, I'm going to review each story and give it a separate rating:

Starry Night - Fern Michaels
I thought this was super clunky and really light on the romance. The two MC's didn't even kiss at the end! It was weird and overly descriptive in places where it didn't really need to be. Did not love. 2 stars;

Mistletoe and Mimosas - Tara Sheets
This was pretty decent actually and cute. I liked the enemies to lovers trope and I liked the heroine quite a bit and once I got background on the hero, he grew on me as well. 4 stars;

Missing Christmas - Kate Clayborn
LOVED this one the best. Honestly, mainly just requested this title for the story by this author because I've loved her debut series. Loved the characters, the build up of the romance, the sweet way he tried to bring Christmas to her under the circumstances. And I love a good story where one characters is pining after the other one and this one was great because both characters were essentially pining after the other one secetly. 5 stars;

Starry Night by Fern Michaels
Jessie Richmond has a marketing job by day with a lovelorn talk show host job by night. She lives in CPhiladelphia and generally enjoys her life but when her uncle moves to Florida and tells her that she can have his book store in rural New York, Jessie suddenly has a life change that she's dealing with. Also a change? Working with contractor Ethan is getting her a bit flustered. And when the speed dating event she's putting on is snowed in, it's time for some romance.

A nice romance starter- it hints that romance might happen. 3.5 stars.

Mistletoe and Mimosas by Tara Sheets
Layla used to be the poor girl in town. Sebastian is not and he throws her off by being very nice one day and rude the next. Now Layla is a fancy pants real estate agent and Sebastian has moved back to town and is in need of a house so their paths cross again.
This story was okay but I never really warmed to Layla who was sort of more of the focus. The actual story was nice but I wish that there had bee more character development.

Missing Christmas by Kate Clayborn
Kristen and Jasper have worked together for five years. It is understood that there will be no romance between them in order to keep their company going. But Jasper has always loved Kristen. And this Christmas, while trying to save their company, they are snowed in together and... welll. This is a romance so...
My favorit of the three stories, I liked that Jasper and Kristen knew each other well enough to respect and love each other even before the relationship began.

Four stars

This book came out October 29th
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Snowy Little Christmas is collection of three novellas. They are all set during the Christmas season. There is one with nemesis', one with business partners, and one with friends.
I love novellas! When I don't have time to focus on a full book, I can drive right into a novella.
Three great short stories

C review: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/a-snowy-little-christmas-by-fern-michaels-tara-sheets-and-kate-clayborn/

Truly enjoyed "Missing Christmas" by Kate Clayborn 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A clean, dual POV that flowed rather well. Friends to and business owners to lovers, what a mess that could be, at least according to Jasper. I felt so bad for him, he truly had no way to understand commitment, forever or unconditional love. Kristen however, is all sunshine and rainbows, bubbly personality. It's why they run such a successful business. They get stranded and a lot of thoughts and feelings get revealed--and none of them to do with business. There's even an epilogue as they make new Christmas traditions--HEA here!
Really enjoyed "Mistletoe and Mimosas" by Tara Sheets 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Clean Romance--easy read, Layla and Sebastian, poor girl, rich boy way back in high school. All is not always as it looks from the outside, when these two finally get stranded at Seb's vet clinic, much is revealed. Layla's foster kitty, Toonces, unwittingly played a part in all this, which made for a bit of tense reading, but furbabies are always bonus in books for me.
There was a bit of humor throughout, but one line, very memorable, coming out of little Charlie “Then he’s taking her to pound town for dessert.” Big LOL here!
I could've used a more finished HEA, felt like it just stopped too fast considering it's a Christmas Romance, an epilogue would've been good here too.
An okay read "Starry Night" by Fern Michaels 3 ⭐⭐⭐
This was a good Christmas story. Smalltown togetherness and lots to do with all the townspeople participating. Descriptions were good, but I felt no romance here. I like it to be more visible, with a defined HEA.
I received an ARC thru Netgalley, thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'll admit I wanted to read this Christmas anthology because of Fern Michaels being a contributing author. However, the novella I ended up liking the best was by Kate Clayborn. I had never heard of her before, but her novella that was told from the dual point of view was different enough to really catch and grab my attention. The story line of two business partners who have been fighting their attraction to each other was fun, quirky and so much fun. I especially enjoyed the male character's expression of his feelings.
I love Christmas anthologies because you can complete a story in a short amount of time and get the feel good out of it before you have to put it down and do something else. This anthology was very enjoyable because all three stories had a "stranded in the snow with someone of the opposite sex" theme going for it. That is one of my favorite. This was definitely worth reading!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
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Fern Michaels' A Snowy Little Christmas was an enjoyable read. It is actually three short stories by Fern Michaels, Tara Sheets, and Kate Clayborn. Each is a completely different Rom-Com with the Christmas season as the backdrop. I would definitely recommend this book. Fern Michaels' A Snowy Little Christmas was an enjoyable read. It is actually three short stories by Fern Michaels, Tara Sheets, and Kate Clayborn. Each is a completely different Rom-Com with the Christmas season as the backdrop. I would definitely recommend this book.

A Snowy Little Christmas is an anthology with three novellas written by Fern Michael, Tara Sheets and Kate Clayborn. All involve the holidays and snow making for a magical collection.

Fern Michaels is a well known romance writer so her story, Starry Night is a headliner. It is a story of finding yourself in a place you never expected to love but do. The trip from urban to rural works for this story even if it is not my favorite of the three.

Mistletoe and Mimosas by Tara Sheets is why I was interested in this anthology. Having read some of the Holloway Girls books I wanted to read more by this author. This story did not disappoint. On Pine Cove Island. Layla and Sebastian not only made peace from high school bullying events but also find a real attraction to each other. This is an author to read with her endearing characters in this unique community.

Kate Clayborn is a newer author for me but Missing Christmas is quite an enjoyable story. This story may be my real find since I was impressed with how well-done it is. Of course, it didn’t hurt that “friends to lovers” is one of my favorite tropes.

Starry Night and Mistletoe and Mimosas were fun, warm, holiday treats. I enjoy novellas so I can savor one at a time and not feel like I am pressed for time. In Starry Night, Jessie is a spirited career woman who finds hidden treasures in the bookstore her uncle gifted to her. Some parts of story felt a little rushed, but it all come together nicely in a feel-good way. Mistletoe and Mimosas was probably my favorite of the three. Layla and Sebastian remind me a little of a modern-day Elizabeth and Darcy with the joys of the holiday season. Missing Christmas felt a little out of place for this collection of stories. The first two stories were generally clean reads, so I was surprised when the details in this last story were not in the same category of clean romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The first two stories are really good. Both are sweet, loving and have happily ever afters. The last one, I could not get into. It was so confusing, you couldn't tell if they were in the past or present.

This is a great mini trilogy for Christmas. The stories provide enough depth that you don't feel they are short stories and they end in Christmas cheer. This is a such a nice way to start a holiday - using the love is alive and it can find you model. I really liked it.

STARRY NIGHT * Fern Michaels

•I struggled to connect with the characters since the very beginning. The writing style was more of telling than showing and since this is a novella that made it difficult to enjoy it. In a novella the author has to go "straight to the point" and it didn't feel like that here.



MISTLETOE AND MIMOSAS * Tara Sheets
•I was reluctant to read it since the very beginning because from the synopsis I thought they were enemies when they were children but it was more like he bullied her. I hate that trope because I was bullied at school and it was awful, so it's a trope that reminds me things I would rather forget.

Anyways back to the book I felt Sebastian genuinely changed and he was a kind man, and he was good to Layla but I would have liked if they talked more about the past because Layla kept saying that he "made her feel miserable" but she never said exactly what he did, it seemed that he and his friends made fun of her because she was poor.

I would have liked the story except for that detail, and I found problematic the fact that in the present he told her that he was always fascinated by her.

In the end Sebastian was mean to her because he had problems in his own home.

He apologized and they had closure and in the end this was a story about forgiveness and how much a person can change. I mean Sebastian wasn't that bad, he was just a silly teenager when they were younger.

But as I said before I was bullied at school so it hits close to home and it left a bittersweet in my mouth.

I liked them as a couple in the present but I hated the past that they had together. If they were just nemesis I would have liked it more.

And Last but not least:
MISSING CHRISTMAS * Kate Clayborn

Well, I'm a fan of Kate's "Best of luck" book and when I saw on Twitter that this novella had the trope "forced proximity" (there's only one bed!!), "friends to lovers" and we add mutual pinning to the mix, I KNEW I HAD to read this book.
.
I was not disappointed. You know that feeling when you love and enjoy a book so much that you don't even know how to put it in words? Well, that's how I feel right now.

Jasper and Kris were so good together, I loved them, I'm not a fan of the first POV narrative but Kate's writing is so good and she does it so effortlessly that you can't help but love it.

I don't want to sound cheesy but I felt it in my heart🥺 when you finish a good book and it's that bittersweet feeling a mix of "this was so good, I LOVED IT" and "I never wanted it to end" 🥺 I ended it with tears in my eyes.

So beautiful🥺💕

a MUST read!

I'm a fan of Christmas stories and these three were really good, entertaining and engrossing.
They're full of Christmas spirit and you will root for the characters and enjoy the plot.
A good read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.