Three novellas with a Christmas them from Cruisie, Alward and Baxter. Perfect for the holiday season. ARC from NetGalley.

For this full book I give it 3.25 out of 5 stars! Though I couldn't get into all of the novels that were included in this anthology, what I did read I enjoyed! All three are sweet contemporary small town romances that I recommend to those who are interested in that style of book genres.

Review By: From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews
-- read more of this review and my individual reviews for each included novella on my blog --

I was all set for three wonderful Christmas stories. What I got was something very different.

The first one: HOT TOY was a short story about trying to get the most wanted toy of the year. It was about how Jennifer Cruise tried to buy a sold-out toy for her nephew and the hoops she went through to do it. Is anyone as naïve as to go to a deserted warehouse just to get this toy? Very disappointing story.

The second one: CHRISTMAS AT SEASHELL COTTAGE was a stand-alone book I read two years ago. It was a great story about a doctor in a small town, an Ex-Navy Seal and a baby found in a nativity scene and held my attention.

The third one: CHRISTMAS WITH THE BILLIONAIRE RANCHER was nothing more than erotica. After the first three chapters of reading about their bedroom escapades, I stopped reading.

My suggestion would be to read Christmas at Seashell Cottage as a stand-alone book.

Like many anthologies, this one is a mixed bag. I absolutely adore Jennifer Crusie books, but her story, although cute and fun, wasn't quite up to my expectations. The other stories were decent, but I really wasn't blown away.

Cute, fun, and sexy short stories! Perfect for the Christmas season! I really enjoyed all three stories! I'd say each story is a 4 star read, but I added a star because I love Christmas romances! It's great to have these stories together! Here's my review for each story.

Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie -

This was cute and fun, and I loved that there was humor through out the whole thing. I loved Trudy's attitude, and how determined she was to get that toy for her nephew, no matter what she had to go through. The scenario was a bit out there, I don't really see that scenario happening, but hey, it was still lots of fun. There's not really too much romance in this; really only a couple kisses, but I still enjoyed the chemistry and banter between Trudy and Nolan. I also enjoyed Trudy's relationship with her sister; they have some fun conversations. I definitely wanted a bit more in the end, but this was a great read for me. Finished it in no time at all! I originally read this story in a different Christmas collection, so just a notice that this isn't a new story for this Christmas set. All in all, fun to read for the season. Entertaining Christmas read!

Christmas at Seashell Cottage by Donna Alward -

This one is cute, and the romance is sweet. I don't love the scenario with the baby, but I still enjoyed the story. The heroine, Charlie, is a bit reserved, and has a crush on the new guy in town, Dave. Charlie connects with Dave while volunteering at church, and they begin to grow closer, but when they find an abandoned baby in the manger in place of Jesus, things get a little hectic. Charlie and Dave are a cute couple, and I enjoyed reading about their relationship progressing.


Christmas with the Billionaire Bachelor by Mandy Baxter -

This one was the steamiest! Lots of sexy times, and sizzle. While the other 2 stories were on the more wholesome side, this one definitely goes the other direction. The connection between Chloe and Nate is great, and I liked the premise of this story. Nate's rich dad has died, and Nate has inherited lots of money. Nate and his dad didn't get along very well, since his dad sucked, so he doesn't want the money. Chloe needs money to keep her charity for young street kids open, so she plans to ask Nate, but once she meets him the connection between the two can't be denied. They get hot and heavy really fast, but they have some issues they need to work through. I liked Nate’s gruffness, and Chloe and him have some sweet moments. Entertaining read.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie - Well that was all kinds of adorable! I could relate to Trudy (toy hunting, not getting involved with whatever sort of mess she found herself in) and I really was rooting for her success. This little holiday novella had a little of everything, heart, humor, suspense. It was so wonderful and made me remember why I've always loved all of Crusie's books. Well done!

Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter - Probably more like 3.5 stars, but I enjoyed this. It was short and sweet, although Baxter took Nate and Chloe to sexy-time right away, which I wasn't ready for. I liked these brothers...clearly they have each other's backs, even though they're so different. I guess that's what happens when your father is a first class dirtbag. Good read by Baxter, although I would have expected a little bit more Christmas feel for the title.

Christmas at Seashell Cottage by Donna Alward - This one was just plain heartwarming. Charlie, the new doctor in town, and Dave, a temporary stop-in are thrown together when they find a baby in a manger (a real one, not your typical baby Jesus). The sparks start flying and it isn't long before the two of them and the baby become this kind of adorable unit. This is one I wish we got a little more of, so that we knew more about Charlie and Dave's lives and what made them who they are.

Overall, a fun Christmas set!

IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS - Jennifer Crusie, Donna Alward, Mandy Baxter

HOLIDAY ROMANCE COLLECTION

Plot - 4 stars -
- Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie is a hilarious story about Trudy, trying to find a very popular Christmas toy on Christmas Eve that is all sold out. She gets involved in more and more ridiculous situations involving thieves, spies, and secret agents.
- Christmas at Seashell Cottage by Donna Alward is a romantic holiday romance with sweet moments between a lonely man and woman. Charlie is a doctor who is trying to build a relationship slowly and carefully. When Dave finds an abandoned baby, they team up to care for it, and Dave feels himself more and more attracted to Charlie.
- Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter is more of a romance than anything much to do with Christmas. Chloe is the head of a non-profit sports foundation for children that is in dire need of money. And Nate has just inherited a lot of it.

Writing - 4 stars - I was captured right away by each story. It's fascinating to see so clearly that each author has her own unique style. They are all so different, but the combination was very nice since they blended well together.

Characters - 4 stars - Crusie's style is to create entertaining and light-hearted characters, with great senses of humor and witty banter. Trudy is smart and opinionated, and she made me laugh. Alward tends to write a much more romantic and sweeter story. Charlie and Dave were both warm and friendly, even though Charlie was a planner and Dave more of a wing-it kind of guy. But their relationship worked. Baxter can definitely write a hot and steamy romance, and this was no exception. Chloe and Nate are instantly attracted to each other, and the sexual heat was at top temperature right from the beginning.

Title - 4 stars - Pretty self-explanatory. It's a group of holiday stories, and the title lets you know exactly what you're going to get.

Cover - 4 stars - Gorgeous holiday blue with a Christmas tree on the front. It definitely catches your eye and certainly sets the stage for what's inside.

Overall - 4 stars - Relaxing, pleasant, fun, sweet, romantic, steamy. These are all words I'd use to describe this collection of holiday stories. There's certainly something for everyone, and the styles were varied and definitely kept my interest throughout. The stories were long enough to be able to build a solid plot and well-built characters. But they weren't so long that I lost interest. Well done and really set the stage for the upcoming holiday season.

A heartwarming Christmas romance book that will make you believe in love again. Couldn't stop reading. Great characters.

This was an anthology containing three Christmas novellas by three different authors. Each story was cute and entertaining. They each featured sweet and touching holiday romances. This is a good light-hearted one to pick up when you want a holiday read.

It Must Be Christmas is a delightful collection of short stories, all with a Christmas theme. I loved each story and for very different reasons. There is something here for everyone and I’ll bet all of them will call out to other readers.
Hot Toy
This is a short story that does not go where you think it will. At all.
Trudy has a sister and nephew who she cares for very much. So much that with one day’s notice, right before Christmas, she takes on a mission to find her nephew the one toy that everyone wants, which has been sold out for weeks, and the toy that five year old Leroy wants more than anything. Belief in Santa, a competition between mothers, and a past that includes a distant father are at stake. In an old, dusty toy store, she finds the special toy. She also finds a man who she might have been interested in at one time but now just wants him to go away. As Trudy makes her way to the checkout, Nolan dogging her heels, the strangest night of her life begins.
If this were the charming story about finding the perfect gift for a little boy it could end right here. But it’s not. This is actually a spy versus spy short story, with Trudy and the toy she actually has to protect with her life caught in the middle. Not knowing who to trust (and the reader doesn’t know, either), Trudy has to use her wits to overcome danger and the possibility that the toy of the year will fall out of Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve.
Delightful and a little bit angsty, all wrapped up in a budding romance, this is a fun short story to read when you’re tired of the Christmas rush and shopping. At least you don’t have Trudy’s problems! Read and enjoy.
Christmas at Seashell Cottage
This could be titled The Doctor and the SEAL, but that wouldn’t indicate the true Christmas story going on here.
Charlie has been forced all her life to meet the expectations of her parents. She is happy, but she is lonely. She has never learned how to socialize so she doesn’t see a lifelong love in her future. She joins the local church and volunteers to help decorate for Christmas, hoping to make new friends.
Nate is an ex-SEAL who has moved to Jewel Cove to be closer to his daughter, now living with his ex-wife and her husband. He’s working as a maintenance man on boats in the harbor when he catches Charlie’s eye.
The Baby. That is what he is called for most of the story, and in fact, we only learn his temporary name, not his real name. As the town gathers for the annual caroling and tree lighting, in front of the church and its outdoor manger scene, Charlie and Nate meet and a friendship begins to develop. Charlie and Nate linger to talk, and it is as they are leaving that Nate finds the doll in the manger has been replaced with a real baby. Did I mention this is in Maine? In December? Charlie takes him to her office to examine him and call the authorities. She makes a spur of the moment decision to foster him until his mother can be found.
The story is about Charlie and Nate, two people who are burdened by their pasts, and how they push each other away, while needing each other so badly. The baby is almost incidental, yet he is at the core of what could be. The ending of this short story includes an HEA and a HFN. You’ll have to read it to find out who is involved in which, but I promise your heart will melt.
Christmas With the Billionaire Rancher
We begin this story with a death and an unwanted inheritance. There is also a mystery that readers don’t even realize is a mystery until the harsh truth is revealed.
Nate and his three brothers were raised by a man who spent far more time with his business than he did with his sons or his series of wives. The last wife is left out of the will and Nate not only inherits a lot of money but he is also left to run his father’s business. The other three brothers already have fortunes of their own but Nate is an ex-SEAL and therefore not wealthy in his own right.
Chloe runs a charitable foundation that is going down the drain if she can’t raise $3 million dollars by Christmas Eve. She crashes the after funeral party intending to ask Nate for the money to keep her foundation going. One thing leads to another and she winds up in bed with him. It was supposed to be a onetime hookup but both Nate and Chloe find that their attraction is too much to let go.
Nate’s background in the romance department and Chloe’s need for the money are not revealed to each other that night or for a while, and of course, when the truth comes out hard feelings and a sense of betrayal seems to doom any further deepening of a relationship.
Of the three stories this is the most romantic and angsty. I loved all three stories and perhaps this one the most.

I enjoy Jennifer Cruise books and this was my first time reading works by the other two author's but the were enjoyable.