More than Just One Night is a novella based in Australia by Chris Baxter. Widow Cora is running her family’s business after the death of her husband until her son returns to take over. In a night of letting loose in Sydney she has a one night stand with Alex… a younger and rather attractive man. Leaving before he wakes up she assumes it is over and done with until he shows up at her business as a mediator. 

What is a girl to do? With grown children, sisters, and a world on her shoulders we watch as she weighs out romance over responsibility. I don’t want to spill much more of the story as it is a rather fast paced read. The characters are enjoyable, the story fun and the conflict rather realistic. A great contemporary romance with a slightly more mature heroine. Loved it! 

More Than Just One Night

I think I am on a roll for trying books I am not generally in the market for. This romantic seasonal tale has a touch of sadness, healing and growth… Born from the grief of two individuals trying to make their way through life after loss. Joy finds a place in this story as does faith and compassion. Inspirational and at times heart rending, A Little Christmas Magic by Sylvie Kurtz is a gem.

Elly and her son Jamie are happy in their home, their family of two repairing their hearts after the death of Jim years previous from cancer. They are well known in town and determined to spend their life being happy as Jim wanted. This chef is still guarding her heart and has yet to love again. Jamie is a joy fill of silly knock knock jokes. 

Enter Logan, the broken ex cop dealing with the death of his beloved daughter Sam and completely not ready to love or really live again. Add in Christmas and put the two across the street from each other. Elly, the queen of projects has decided that Logan needs to smile again after a chance meeting and this book with its ups and downs is their road to joy. Inspirational, loving and rather silly at times… a modern story with a timeless message of healing, love and faith.

A Little Christmas Magic

Another traditional romance, Charity is a young maiden set on being… well… helpful. Dissapointed in love by the gentlemen in London who are altogether too predictable for her romantic ideals she is recalled home to her Kentish village where she is seen as a pillar of the community. She lives with her brothers after her parents passed away as did her twin (brother) and a younger brother. Even with a more modest dowry she has often been proposed to both in London and back home. Sadly this staid maiden is seen as the perfect wife and helpmate when all she wants is romance and spontaneity. 

Enter a bereaved local Lady and her artistic brother Tristan who sees Charity as a person of interest. With so much going on in the village, a bereaved widow to urge out the door and into society, brothers to look after and a noble man to yearn for there is all the elements there for a light hearted romance. 

This lovely Alicia Rasley novel is a wonderful period piece with lively characters and a beautiful setting. The countryside is a perfect backdrop for the trials and tribulations of love loss and village fetes. 

Charity Begins at Home