Divorce attorney Brady has plans to divest himself of his family's ancestral mansion and be back at his Atlanta firm by New Year's. Hanging so much as a wreath on the door is not a part of that plan. Nor is dealing with an annoying—though undeniably adorable—elf. But Violet is all about making holiday magic happen. As they work together to stage Brady's historic house, the town grump reveals he's more sexy than Scrooge. And after some mind-blowing kisses, what starts as a Christmas flirtation starts to feel more like a year-round affair…
Sweet small-town holiday story with a bit of heat and a whole bunch of Christmas spirit. With the death of the town's leading citizen, William Jackson, Violet is wholly in charge of planning this year's Tinsel Tour. Violet is determined that the fiftieth-anniversary tour will be the best ever, especially since a magazine crew is documenting every step. She needs the Jackson mansion because of its importance to the tour. She doesn't need gorgeous but Grinchy Brady Jackson getting in her way.
Attorney Brady arrived in Peach Grove on a forced vacation after a public blow-up with another attorney. A workaholic with no idea what to do with his days, Brady intends to clear out the house and put it up for sale as quickly as he can. He doesn't expect a steamroller disguised as an elf to upend his plans.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brady and Violet. Brady arrived in town exhausted, dejected, and riddled with guilt over not visiting his grandfather as often as he should have. Keeping the old homeplace makes no sense with his busy life in the city but facing the memories steeped in every room increases the guilt and pain. Violet's appearance in all her antler-wearing Christmas perkiness rubbed him the wrong way, and he flat-out refused her plans for the house. I loved his confusion as she rolls right past his objections, and within a couple of days, finds himself agreeing not just to her plans but also to helping her.
Over the next several weeks, Brady and Violet work together to stage his house for the tour. I loved seeing Violet's capacity for fun rub off on Brady. He has been so focused on work for so long that he's forgotten what it is like to enjoy life. I loved seeing Violet bring out that side of him with the help of an adorable puppy and reminders of small-town life. With the amount of time they spend together, it's no wonder that the sparks of attraction between them grow stronger and deepen into something more. Though both of them realize that Brady will return to the city by the New Year, it doesn't stop them from taking advantage of every moment they have together. There were so many fantastic scenes of them together, from stargazing to reading his grandparents' letters, from teasing to kisses, that it was easy to see Brady undergo something of a transformation. Though he's still focused on his return to Atlanta, it's also apparent that Violet and the rest of the town have gotten under his skin. I ached for Violet when he left, her pride keeping her from telling him how she felt. However, Christmas magic being what it is, I loved the ending. Brady's big moment was romantic, emotional, and beautiful.
The secondary characters were fantastic. Violet's best friends, Robin and Simone, were an excellent blend of support and common sense. I loved how the three of them were so determined to breathe life back into their town, though Violet seems to be the engine driving that train. It was fun to see them rein Violet in when she would fade out or get carried away. I would love to see them get their own stories. I also liked Violet's mom. They have an excellent relationship, and the additional activities of planning Lori's wedding added to Violet's life at a dead run vibe. I also loved Brady's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Brady, who had several sweet scenes with him.
No comments:
Post a Comment