As always, Joanne Rock gave us an excellent book. Last Chance Christmas is a wonderful second chance story. After being in a horrible automobile accident in which she broke her leg and ribs she called in sick, only to find out that the company she worked for was going bankrupt.

So, after a ten year hiatus, she headed home for a hometown Christmas. Only, her parents had decided that this was the year that they would take their dream vacation to Hawaii.

Her luck went from bad to worse when she had no option but to turn to her high school sweetheart J.C for help.

Will she get a second chance at repairing a friendship with J.C. or will things only get worse? Find a cup of coffee or tea, light a fire and find out what happens.

I received this copy of Last Chance Christmas from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Short but heartfelt, Last Chance Christmas tells the story of a woman whose downtrodden luck brings her back to her hometown...and to an old teenage flame who walked away when she needed him a decade ago.

Owing to the short length of the book, everything about their relationship felt rushed, especially the speed at which they fell into bed and supposedly in love - despite this being more of a story pushing the Christmas-miracle (and thus everything is possible) trope. I certainly felt more for Shea than I did for J.C. and his thoughtless acts; only when he'd achieved everything he wanted did he then move in for the woman he left. As much as I loved reading about Shea's own journey of discovery, I wished it didn't feature such a self-centred male whom I couldn't quite get behind.

This book was light and easy read. Its novella length and I really felt it was perfect sized. The end seemed a lil rushed but otherwise an enjoyable read. Shea our heroine is a spunky woman who is very down on her luck. She had this amazing job but she got into a major car accident she learned her company was bankrupt so she is also unemployed. She decides to head home for the holidays and doesn't tell anyone. The surprise is on her because her parents are in Hawaii and the locks are changed and she is in a boot cast on her leg with no where to go. When all of sudden her high school boyfriend is there. He hangs out with her and decides to get her to spend christmas at his house with him. It was a light easy reading and I enjoyed JC and Shea. They were terrific together.

After being gone ten years, Shea Walker is back home for Christmas. She wanted to surprise her parents but the surprise is on her. They've decided to spend the holidays in Hawaii. She's hurt after being in a bad accident, unemployed since her company is going out of business, and now faced with the one person she never expected to see JC Royce. Pro Hockey player and the only man Shea has ever loved. Can she not catch a break???

You'll love this wonderful story of these two dealing with past hurts and getting to know the person they each are now. It's definitely one I recommend.

This is a short Christmas novella about two childhood friends who find their way back to each other over the Christmas holiday. Since it is a novella, their relationship progresses very quickly. I did like the ending and how J.C. won over Shea.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from Tule Publishing for an honest review.

I was given an ARC of Last Chance Christmas from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I really enjoyed this fast paced romance book by Joanne Rock. Shea and J.C. were both engaging characters who were well matched for each other. I liked the fact that they were sweethearts in the past who were given a second chance in this book.
I am going to give this sweet holiday romance four out of five stars.

It takes an almost tragedy and a chance encounter for two people to discover the benefits of home, heart and love. Joanne Rock's Last Chance Christmas has beauty of the season, the comfort of family and a chance to reconnect with a slower more uncomplicated way of life. Forced to slow down after a debilitating accident Shea seeks the comfort of home and familiarity to help her mend. She gets more than she thought when confronted with the one man she'd like to forget. I received an ARC of Last Chance Christmas in exchange for an honest review. Forgiveness, hope, charity and love prove to be the most precious assets on the path to healing the heart and body. Purely wonderful read.

This was a fun sexy second chance at love story and I really enjoyed it. Shay and JC have a history and a fair amount of baggage between them but they have great chemistry and I loved watching them overcome the past. My only critique of this book is that in my opinion it could have used an epilogue but that could be just me. If you’re looking for a fun holiday read this is a good choice. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Last Chance Christmas was an enjoyable holiday season read.

The storyline held my interest from start to end, the characters were relatable and I enjoyed watching them come together.

Thank you to Tule Publishing via NetGalley for the advance copy.

Shea Walker hasn’t had the best of luck lately. She is still recovering from a car accident and she recently lost her job. She hasn’t spent Christmas with her parents in a while, so she decides to make the long drive from New York City to Cloud Spin Vermont to surprise them. But the surprise is on her. When Shea arrives, she finds the house dark, no Christmas decorations and no one there to welcome her with open arms.

Professional hockey player JC Royce is surprised when he finds Shea at her parents’ house while he is working on the ice rink on their property. What is she doing there when her parents have gone to Hawaii for Christmas? JC isn’t going to let Shea get away from him this time. They both have unfinished business with each other. So, JC keeps it a secret that he doesn’t have the key to her parents’ house in order to get Shea to stay with him.

The reunion is going great between Shea and JC until Shea finds out JC withheld the fact that he had a key to her parents’ house and she could have been staying there. Will Shea let this small deception ruin what they have gained over the last couple days; especially when she is making plans to move back home and open a store? How far will JC go to keep Shea in his life this time?

I was pulled into this story from the start. I really liked JC and Shea and the descriptions of the town of Cloud Spin were easy to picture. There were small areas with different characters, but not so many to take attention off the main characters. I like that fact because sometimes authors have so many characters it’s hard to keep everyone straight. I would love to read more books like this.

This book felt like a generic, low budget movie. Heroine returns home to spend Christmas with her estranged parents after recovering from surgery/car accident three weeks prior and losing her job. After listening to a cheesy self-help radio talk show, she decides she needs to fix her past, so she can move on to her future. Task #1 Reach out to dear old dad who washed his hands of her when she decided ten years earlier not to pursue a hockey career. Task #2 Get over J.C., who broke her heart when he choose NHL over her. Well, surprise...surprise. Her parents went to Hawaii on vacation and none other than J.C. is standing outside their home.

She ends up staying at his house and reconnecting in more ways than one. With some steamy scenes, uninteresting subcharacters, and predictable outcome, I skimmed through this one in record time.

If you are looking for an uncomplicated, steamy read with a heroine who is quick to throw herself back into the arms of a guy she claims will likely break her heart again, this might be for you. I just expected a better storyline and didn't find the author's writing style engaging.

Title: Last Chance Christmas, Pages: 109, Author: Joanne Rock, stand-alone, HEA, no cheating, no love triangle

(This review is based on NetGalley ARC received in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. It will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and NetGalley.)

When Shea Walker is recovering from an automobile accident she decides she is going to head home for the holidays and try to mend her fractured relationship with her family. Shea doesn’t however let her parents know she plans on coming to town for Christmas and when she arrives she finds they have taken off to Hawaii for the holidays.

Tired from the long drive and without a key to her parents home Shea doesn’t have a place to stay so when she runs into her old flame J.C. Royce she reluctantly agrees to stay with him. J.C. and Shea had split up when J.C. chose a career in professional hockey over their relationship so Shea still harbors a grudge but decides she has chosen to confront past relationships so she should start with J.C.

A nice Christmas tale of two people brought back together that really never wanted to truly part. Loved the characters and where they were in their lives to make the story believable for them to come together. Being a novella the ending did seem a bit rushed but that happens a lot with the shorter stories so not a big let down.

Overall, nice romantic quick read.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Going home again after a decade away isn’t as easy as it sounds. Especially when you make that a spur of the moment decision while under the influence of post surgery pain meds and a take charge of your life speech from a radio life coach. Shea had recently had her car smashed, a broken leg that needed surgery, busted ribs, and an ‘oh by the way we’re going bankrupt’ announcement from the company she’d worked for – needless to say it hadn’t been a good few weeks. When she decides to mend fences with her family, especially her father who hadn’t taken her career choice decisions well or quietly – well, things didn’t work out quite as she had planned. Spur of the moment decisions rarely do.

The last thing she’d expected was to find her parent’s home dark when she pulled into the driveway after a painful and exhausting drive. After finding out that her old key didn’t fit the new door, Shea was understandably upset – the absolutely last person she expected to see come around the side of the house was J. C. – the boy she’d once pinned her dreams on, the boy who was supposed to choose her and a life together instead of an early draft into the NHL. The boy had become quite a handsome, imposing man and once he realized that she really was injured and hurting J. C. did step up and try to help her. Maybe he neglected to mention that he had a key to her parent’s house in his pocket. Perhaps he wanted to take care of Shea for just a bit, to remember the attraction they’d had once upon a time. He certainly didn’t expect that slight oversight to come back and bite him in the ass a few days later.

Shea had loved J. C. as only a teenager could. She truly believed that they would escape her father’s influence in hockey and head to New York to make a new life together. When J. C. crushed that dream by heading into professional hockey, when her father couldn’t understand why she didn’t want to follow her own athletic abilities and wanted to study design in New York City – Shea left, walked away and didn’t look back. But the grown up J. C. drew her back into that dream and a last chance for a second chance at a future together was just too much to ignore. Would she end up hurt again? Who knows, but she’s willing to take that chance.

Last Chance Christmas should be on your Christmas reading list this year and beyond. Shea and J. C. are a compelling couple. Both strong in their beliefs of right and wrong, both aware that the attraction between them had never really died out. If J. C. went a bit alpha and wasn’t totally upfront with Shea at first, it wasn’t from a power trip mentality but from a need to take care of a woman who once held his heart and a desire to see if they could get that magic back again. I enjoyed this story very much. The emotions between Shea and J. C. shimmered beneath the surface throughout this charming story. Maybe going home again isn’t easy, but sometimes the rewards are worth the risks.

*I received an e-ARC of Last Chance Christmas from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

This is a delightful second chance romance with complex characters, plenty of surprises and is a great read.

A decade after leaving her home town, fashion buyer Shea Walker was involved in a serious car crash which left her battered and bruised but she’s recovering from operations to help fix her broken leg and, having listened to a life coach whilst in recovery, is returning home to try to make peace with her past. She decided to do so after finding out she’s lost her job as the company she works for has gone bankrupt. Unsure of her future she’s planning on seeing her parents to talk things over again but arrives to discover they’ve gone to Hawaii for the festive season. She never expected to see her ex, an ice hockey star, JC Royce but he’s also been injured and is home to recover. Although he married, he’s now divorced and he’s never really got over his first love. Having her literally fall last his feet is a dream come true for him and he’s determined to work to regain her trust and love this festive season.

Shea is a feisty, highly independent, stubborn and determined young lady. She’s quick to react, slow to calm down and is in need of plenty of tic to help her recover from her injuries and the shock of losing her job. JC is a star hockey player, a handsome hunk who she’s never forgotten or forgiven for disappearing from her life all those years ago. The attraction is still there, will they let their hearts or their heads rule them? Is there any chance for them to achieve their HEA?

A lovely story of a community pulling together, celebrating, supporting and helping each other, working towards a common goal as well as a great second chance romance. The characters are well developed, the plot sound and it is an enchanting novella for the festive season that I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who enjoys their romance sprinkled with festive cheer and small community interactions.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley, too, for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for this, an honest review.

Tis the season where the Christmas movies and books are coming out. The time to hope, and maybe even start over. Shea is recovering from surgery to her leg after an accident, so she heads home to try to mend her relationship with her parents. When she pulls up though she finds nobody is home.

Her first love J.C. is there though. She has to decide if she can learn to figure him for choosing hockey over her when they were kids. A lot has happened and hopefully as adults they can find there way back to each other.

This was a cute story, it was on the shorter side so very quick read. I would have liked a more developed ending, as it wrapped up a little too quickly.

this was a sweet story. Amazing things can happen in a week.

Sweet, sexy read about second chance love. Lovely holiday read.

A must read this holiday season. I could not put this book down, from the wonderful characters of Shea and Royce of a second chance romance, and leaving the past behind them. From the festivities of the small town of Cloud Spin, Vermont. The descriptive writing brought me right in.

I highly recommend this book for your holiday reading. I received this book from netgalley for an honest review.

Shea and J.C known each other since their childhood. They both played hockey and they were really good at it.. Shea's father decided Shea's future in hockey but she felt it was too much and so unhappy, she decided to quit hockey and pursue a career in fashion. Whereas J.C. decided to pursue his dream of becoming NHL player. Shea wanted to patch up her relationship with her parents especially with her father. So she arrived at her parents house when she faced J.C. after not seeing each other for a decade. J.C had a key to her parents house but he offers his house instead. J. C. is back home after concussion. Both are taking time off from their work. Their injuries brought both together and both decided to open Shea's father ice rink. They had strong feeling for each other and when they were finding way back to each other. She gets phone call from her mother and she reveals J.C. had the house key all along. Shea ran away before, will she run away again?? or Will she talk to J.C and resolve???
I really loved how J.C wrapped Shea's Christmas presents with such a wonderful letter.. it was best part of the book.. I really enjoy reading this book.. I would recommend this book for this holiday season.

This sweet, little short certainly packed a punch. Shea and J.C.'s second chance story was unbelievably sweet. Could it be that easy? It was definitely obvious that they still had feelings for one another. To have their love last for a decade and still be so vibrant...well, it was just literally breathtaking.

Lovely second chance Christmas romance! I really enjoyed the characters and the smoothly flowing story. Definitely recommend!

Set in a small town in Vermont, “Last Chance Christmas” could have been a great holiday read but it faltered from page one with its slow pace.

The story is sweet and the protagonists – Shea Walker and J.C. Royce are lovable, yet somehow, they remained flat throughout. It was written that there was chemistry between them, yet though there were several steamy scenes, they failed to sizzle.

A high fashion buyer and NHL player could have done more yet they failed to show their go-getter personalities in “Last Chance Christmas”. Somehow, even with their supposedly Type A personalities, the story dragged. I was expecting so much more but Shea and J.C. just fizzled.

“Last Chance Christmas” is Rate M for Mature due to sexual content.

Joanne Rock writes a heartwarming Christmas story about second chances. J. C. is nice guy and a hot, professional hockey player. While he is recovering from a concussion, he is back in his hometown of Cloud Spin, Vermont waiting to be called back to the team. The last person he expects to see is Shea Walker, who is in town over Christmas. They haven’t seen each other in ten years when J. C. left Cloud Spin to pursue his hockey career. I thoroughly enjoyed this charming, well written novella that takes place in a small town and centers on forgiveness.

Review:

After a car accident, Shea Walker comes home to Cloud Spin, Vermont to mend fences with her family. What luck that her ex boyfriend, J.C. Royce, is on a time-out from the NHL with a concussion and has decided to come back to spend Christmas in Cloud Spin. Of course it doesn't take long for lots of sparks to fly. Will they get a second shot at love?

If you're looking for a easy read with tons of chemistry between the two main characters, I would recommend Last Chance Christmas. The author did an exceptional job building J.C. up as a super sexy NHL star. Bulging biceps - check. Rock hard abs - check. Irresistible, cute grin - check. How could a girl resist?

The ending was very sweet. It felt a bit rushed, but as this is a shorter story, I was okay with it.

I was given a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review.

Overall I like this book, and do recommend it. The only thing that cost it a star in the rating, was that I felt it could have been expanded on the background details. A lot of questions left hanging (why they broke up, was her father more involved, what about his marriage, more on the relationship between her parents, etc.). The book is good, and I did like the characters, but a quick jump from breaking up 10 years ago, to jumping into bed the next day. I liked the book, just wish more would have been shown around it instead of a quick rushed from beginning to end. Now, I may sound negative, and that is not the case. I did like the characters, and had trouble putting the book down, which is why I gave it 4 instead of 3 stars. A nice easy book for a Christmas read.

Joanne Rock brought the small town, Northeast Christmas to life in Last Chance Christmas. The snow, the ice rink, the friendliness of off the town’s people … it all brought back memories of winter’s past for me and made me wish for the simpler times that I grew up with.

Shea has convinced herself that it’s time to face her past and make peace with her father. She didn’t follow the path that he set for her in life. Forgoing the hockey career that her father wanted to go into fashion left her spending her Christmas’s traveling and, as she is finally figuring out, lonely. While coming out of anesthesia she hears a talk show about making amends, facing your past before you could move forward. Being on crutches and having some broken ribs, she decides to head home for the holiday, especially after the final blow from her employer. Finding an empty house and her ex-boyfriend at her home when she pulls out, she feels like the universe is totally against her. Then finding out that the one thing that the whole community looked forward to every year was not done by her father for the last two years, she knows that she has no choice but to stay.

J.C. can’t believe his eyes when he turns the corner and the one that got away was standing there. Shea. His first and only true love. Looking dejected when she finds out that her parents decided to go to Hawaii for the holiday, he can’t help but convince her to stay with him. Hey, there’s a new door on the house and she can’t get in. There is enough room in his big house for both of them, and the sauna, and the hot tub and the fireplace … should I keep going?

Well, as the towns people gather around and the festivities begin, Shea finds out the truth of just what J.C. did and she doesn’t know if she could handle him manipulating and lying to her again like he did so long ago. But, there’s a big problem, she never got over him, she’s still in love with him. Doing what she does best, she starts running. But this time, C.J. isn’t going to let her. He’ll make her listen to him and get her to understand this time around. He can’t lose her again.

Joanne Rock really rocked my world with the ending of this story. C.J.’s Christmas gift to Shea was so thoughtful, so romantic and so made me shed a tear. I was like, “Oh my God, how romantic”! C.J., even though he was a wee bit manipulative, was really a sweet and loving man. Shea definitely had a chip on her shoulder and it really took a lot for her to finally give in to her feelings. But, I really did enjoy this Christmas story. Like I said, it reminded me of growing up in the small town, of going to the outdoor skating rink that our school made, of snowball fights and just fun happy times with friends and family. So, thank you, Joanne Rock for bringing a smile to my face, for bringing back some wonderful memories and for writing a beautiful story about love lost then found and Christmas’ in a small town.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

Last Chance Christmas is a great read to get into the mood for Christmas, a second chance romance, a small town setting and snow. Shea is recovering from a car accident, lost her job and decides to spend Christmas in her hometown and make things right with her parents again. There she runs into her old flame JC. It was a quick and fun read, but that's at the same time my biggest complaint too, I wanted more. There is a lot of potential to the story and I liked the piece we got, but I would've liked more story, more scenes and a longer book. Their relationship progresses pretty quickly and a few things felt a bit rushed, like they happen too soon and a few plot lines aren't wrapped up, like Shea her relationship with her parents or how their future is going to be and what Shea will do next. Sure it wasn't necessary to know those parts, but I did want to know them.

Shea and JC are both great characters, I liked them and at the same time they also had some flaws. Those flaws made them real, but it also led to me wanting to shake some sense into them now and then. Shea is a headstrong women, who is used to running away and when things get hard she runs. I did like how she decided to come back to her hometown for a surprise visit and make things right with her parents. I liked how she followed her own dreams instead of following her parents wishes for her. She's willing to fix things now, but also afraid of getting hurt again. JC is used to taking decisions for others and thinks he knows what's best for them. He also is willing to admit when he does things wrong. Their issues are what drove them apart in the first place combined with JC not telling her something earlier and those issues almost keep them from making up now. It could be a bit frustrating at times, but at the same time I enjoyed seeing them figure things out.

I liked seeing these two meet each other again and figuring out what they want form each and from their life. They run into some issues, both from the past and their future. I liked the ending and how the story got wrapped up, there's a really sweet scene at the end. I just would've liked to see things go a bit slower. And they both avoided talking about the issues that separated them the first time, that it felt like they never resolved them. These two did have a lot of chemistry, but I had hoped for a bit more sweet scenes like the one at the end. There were a few of those, but it just felt like there wasn't enough time to really get to know these two and see them fall in love. And the conflict get's solved a bit too easily at the end and they never really talk things through.

The small town was a fun setting and I liked the role sport played and how this book showed both the bad and the good sides of it. The town likes their winter sports and it gives a certain charm to the town and how they and together in the spirit of sports and enjoy the outdoors. It shows how a town can come together for a common goal and I liked a certain scene where Shea and JC helped setting up a skate rink for local kids to play on and how it brought the whole community out. It definitely had some of those feel good Christmas type of scenes. The book also showed the damage sports can do in the form of JC's concussion and Shea her father who was still feeling the aftermaths of his injuries. I liked how the author didn't make it seem to rose coloured and also showed the bad sides of sport.

To summarize: I really enjoyed this novella. It really gets you into the Christmas mood. I liked the small snowy town and it was fun to see Shea return to her hometown and try and make things work with JC. Both characters had their flaws and at times it could be a bit frustrated. They did had chemistry, but I would've liked to see more of them falling in love again. There are some great scene between them and the end was really sweet. However I also felt like they didn't work out some issues and avoided talking about it. The ending also leaves things a bit open ended about their future and Shea never resolves things with her parents. All in all a great Christmas novella, although I had wished it had been a bit longer.

Last Chance Christmas by Joanne Rock

After an accident, Shea Walker returns home to make peace with her family for the holidays. Upon her arrival, she bumps into her ex-boyfriend and current NHL star J.C. Royce.

I like Shea. I think it is noble that she wants to reconcile with her family.

J.C. is home for the holidays after time off from a concussion. I do not condone his lying to Shea, but I appreciate his reason for it. I like that he is persistent. He is a good guy who gives back to his home town.

Shea and J.C. have great chemistry, despite Shae wanting to deny it. Neither are completely up front with each other, which makes them both very human and believable. I love J.C. Christmas present to Shea. It was very clever.

Joanne Rock created a well-written and heartwarming story that is perfect for the holidays. This was an enjoyable story that was hard to put down.

A feel good story especially if you are a sports fan, in this case hockey. In Last Chance Christmas by Joanne Rock the good and bad sides of the sport is shown. Not knowing much about the sport, there is a lot to think about with injuries producing long term effects on professionals. Then the good on how it builds confidence, creating team skills and brings a community together.

Aside from all this, the theme to me was the past must be faced in the light of today so that the future can be lived freely. This is what Shea has decided to do after hearing a talk radio speaker while in the hospital. Family, friends and old boyfriends come into play as she goes home to do this very thing. While there are aspects that I wished were developed more, it clearly shows how a person’s belief of past events is framed by their perspective.

The story pace is quick but smooth. The characters of Shea and JC ae developed with the supporting characters not nearly as much. I think the fact that it is novella in length limits the ability to be able to do more with the other characters. Since the focus is more on the relationship between JC and Shea, along with her feelings of the sport this story works. I can truly say that you do not have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this story but fans of the sport should love it.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.

Set in the town of Cloud Spin, Vermont, Last Chance Christmas is a fast paced story centred around injured ice hockey star JC Royce and his former girlfriend Shea Walker, who is also injured courtesy of a car accident.
JC is recovering from concussion and has returned to his home town to recuperate. Shea, meanwhile, has lost her job as a fashion buyer and has headed home to spend Christmas with her parents and try to patch up her strained relations with her father while she works out her options for the future. The only problem is that after a cold and painful drive to Cloud Spin she finds her parents have headed to Hawaii for Christmas, the door is locked and she can't get in. And JC is right there in front of her bringing up memories of their parting ten years ago.
I enjoyed this book both because it is a good story well written but also because it gave me a glimpse of a beautiful world that is completely foreign to me. I can't imagine a white Christmas or playing or watching ice hockey. I can't imagine roads being covered in snow but it all sounds magical and reading this book has made me want to go and check out all that winter beauty for myself.

A super cute Christmas short story about second chances and first loves.

Fun and steamy Christmas story, with lots of hockey, mending fences, and building new relationships with family and loved ones.
Shea and J.C has a hurtful past, that they both have done their best to forget and move on from, after all, it has been a decade. But now, face to face again, all those feelings are coming up an out again, maybe even stronger than before.
The scenes between J.C and Shea are full of banter and play, but you can hear the old insecurities and pain under some of the remarks. The attraction comes in full force, and they are not shy about acting on it. As they are trying to make a peace with their past, to be able to move on, they end up building a new relationship, one that even might help to have a new start between Shea and her parents.
Christmas shopping, old friends, Christmas tree that never quite gets decorated, broken bones and hurt heads as well hearts, are all healing during this delightful, romantic, and sentimental Christmas story of the hockey town in Vermont
~ Four Spoons

This book is about a second chance at love during Christmas time for 2 people who had a teenage romance, but ultimately ended up going their different ways. I happen to love Christmas romances, and second chance at love stories; in fact I just finished a book very similar to this one, I could read tons of these books and not be tired of this scenario, so I really enjoyed this book. Shea is returning to her hometown to hopefully rebuild her relationship with her parents; her dad wasn't happy with her career choice, and J.C. is back in town because he is on leave from his job as a pro hockey player due to a concussion. Shea and J.C. have never really forgotten about each other, but there are some hurt feelings between the two, so reconnecting is a bit difficult. Shea and J.C. have some really cute moments together, and they do have some sexy time, but I liked that they do other things too, and I enjoyed their chemistry with each other. I liked that J.C. really put himself out there for Shea, and how he helped Shea out with her injuries. The sauna and spa scenes were spicy, and I liked the banter between J.C. and Shea. I liked how the ending worked out, but I would have liked an epilogue. I liked the writing in this book, so I'll definitely check out more from Joanne Rock.

This is a great feel-good second chance love story. Shea and JC had been an item before he changed their plans and went of to the NHL leaving Shea behind. She's moved on to a career that fits her interests but isn't fulfilling her heart. When she tries to come home for Christmas after a serious car injury, she meets up with JC who is recovering from a concussion and while he helps her with little things and keeps her for the holiday the two get close once again. There is a lovely hea. If you are looking for a quick, sexy sports read, definitely check this one out.

Joanne Rock takes us to Cloud Spin, Vermont which is a small, ski resort town set in the Green Mountains. We are introduced to Shea Walker who is coming home for Christmas for the first time in years. She is a fashion buyer for a high end department store, or at least she was until recently. 3 weeks ago she was in an auto accident and ended up having surgery on her leg, but when she called her employer to take a medical leave of absence she was informed they were filing bankrupt and essentially she was out of a job. She heads home in hopes to mend her relationship with her parents and complete her recovery from the accident. Unfortunately when she arrives the house is empty and the last person she wants to run into is the first person she sees, JC Royce. He informs her that her parents are on a trip to Hawaii and not returning until after the holidays. Having no place to stay for the night JC offers to let her stay at his house until she can make other arrangements.
JC is actually home on a medical leave from the NHL after receiving a concussion. He plays professional hockey and understands more than anyone that Shea doesn't need to be alone with her injury. Of course he also has a hidden agenda. JC and Shea have a long past together and the way their relationship ended was not what he wanted and he realizes he has a lot to make up for. If he can help her out and get her to forgive him then this trip home he will have accomplished something. This is a wonderful book about second chances, forgiving and secrets that no one wants to come out. Shea is a complicated character and she weaves her way into the reader's heart quickly. JC is handsome and all man, but is he trustworthy? For me with his character that was the biggest question. The author uses vivid imagery to bring the setting to life. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance.
*I received this book through Netgalley for an honest opinion without bias or outside influence.

This a short story but is very in depth. Shea Walker comes from a hockey family her father was a pro as was her uncle and some cousins, and he had her life planed out for college then the National team, and Olympics. The problem was she had her own hopes and dreams and they had nothing to do with hockey. Her plan also included her boyfriend J.C. Royce who also happened to be the first player her father coached after he left the game that had a chance at a pro career. So when he opted for the draft and took the money for the contract in her mind they were done and she was done with hockey. She did college on her own and became a fashion buyer for a department store in Manhattan, she also very rarely made it back home to visit because of feelings her father has of her walking away from the game. Now ten years later she is driving back home to up State New York to see her parents and finish recovering from an accident she had in Manhattan, she is still with bruised ribs, a walking boot, and a left shoulder that hurts. But she makes the drive only to find out that her parents have gone to Hawaii for the holidays, but she falls or runs into J.C. who happened to be at her parents’ house working on the outdoor rink that used to be set up every year. Now she is at a cross roads because really what she also wanted to do was make some type of peace with her parents, but she now was forced to work on making up with J.C. who also seeing that she was hurt took her in to his place and now he was wanting to come up with a plan of his own to keep her there or keep them together. First she must let down some of her walls and he tells her he was wrong for not talking to for the draft. It is a start, read this short story to find out if they can find love. A good book.

This book tells the romance of a couple who is reunited after a hard breakup. The old flame is rekindled at first sight and the characters work through the pages to deal with their past and their current injuries. Together, they re-discover themselves and the other.
It is a sweet read but I found it a bit typical.

Absolutely loved this one!

a great read and a great chance at second chances especially with these characters.

Shea and JC are fab i felt the spark between them instantaneously.

Last Chance Christmas

By Joanne Rock

Tule Publishing - November 2015

Contemporary Romance

It was amazing what an accident, some pain medications, losing one's job, and talk radio could convince someone to do. At least those were the reasons Shea Walker listed as she found herself on crutches outside her parent's home when she arrived for the holidays. Unannounced. Maybe subletting her apartment and planning to spend Christmas with her parents without seeing if they already had plans hadn't been her smartest move, but she'd allowed a rift to develop and too many years to pass.

Thankfully, someone was around when she realized they'd changed the locks - without giving her a new key. Shea wasn't quite as thankful when she realized who it was. J C Royce. Another broken relationship. When Shea learned that her parents weren't just out for the evening, but had actually finally taken the Hawaiian vacation they'd always talked about, Shea knew that maybe this was the relationship she could mend. Maybe not forever, but heal the hurts of the past and maybe, finally, move on.

J C had never forgotten Shea. He had known that to pursue his hockey career he needed to allow her to spread her own wings. And in doing so, he'd shattered both of their dreams. But now, they were both older. Established with their own careers - his almost to its end. And maybe, he'd use this opportunity to have Shea at his home for the holidays.

Last Chance Christmas proves that sometimes giving a relationship one last chance can lead to happily ever after. Shea might have gone into this arrangement with J C just as an opportunity to put the past away, but her heart has other ideas. J C was her childhood crush, and she wouldn't deny checking him out on the television when given a chance, but J C also represented what she had run from. Hockey. She'd seen the toll the sport had taken on her father, uncle, and their family. As Shea spent time in J C's home, and in his company, I loved seeing how she also remembered how much she loved the sport. Loved J C. And how she started wanting not to just mend broken pasts, but heal them for the future.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a sweet second chance story that is well written. Shea decides to go home, which she has been avoiding, after being in a car accident, and then finding out that she doesn't have a job anymore. CJ, her first love, is also home recovering from a concussion he suffered on the ice. They both grew up playing hockey but decided on different paths because Shea saw too many long term injuries. Now they have a chance to make peace with their past, but will hockey stand in the way again?

I loved this book and would recommend

"Last Chance Christmas" by Joanne Rock is a second chance romance. This is Shea Walker and J.C. Royce's story. Shea and J.C. had plans for after she finished high school, but those didn't work out. They have barely spoken to each other in years.

Shea is a fashion buyer who is living a dissolute lifestyle. She ends up in a car accident that slows her down. Shea decides to go home for the holidays and make peace with her past and family. J.C. is now a hockey star and she never expected to meet up with him in her hometown.

Never say never because the first night in her hometown, she meets up with J.C. Circumstances put J.C. And Shea together. Will they be able to make peace with their past?

This is a really sweet, feel good, and steamy romance. It's a great book to read during the winter time. You get a great romance with snow, Christmas time, and a nice warm fireplace. FYI, contains mature content.

I have received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Tule Publishing, for an honest review.
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This was a second chance romance at Christmas time.

Shea Walker and J.C. Royce parted under less than happy circumstances in their youth. Since then Shea has rarely been back to her hometown since; and no it wasn't just her bad breakup with J.C., but her father's inability to understand that she didn't have the love for hockey that he did.

I couldn't really feel the romance between these two; in all honesty the story read like a "hey, I'm still attracted to my ex ... so lets bang". The story and characters did have some redeeming qualities but not enough to score a higher rating from me.

Rating 3 out of 5 Read@Book

Last Chance Christmas is the perfect holiday themed, Second Chance Romance. Hoping to rectify things with her family, Shea spends Christmas in her hometown after a car accident and losing her job. When she runs into her old boyfriend, JC, she realizes the sparks are only beginning to fly.