Christmas on Peach Tree Lane - Jules Bennett (Carina Press - Nov 2020)

Event planner Violet Calhoun lives to deck the halls, and her quaint Southern hometown's fiftieth annual Tinsel Tour will be the event of the season. With a magazine crew on hand to document Peach Grove's transformation into a winter wonderland, this year's festivities have got to be the holly-est, jolliest yet. She does not have the time to deal with a Grinch—even a gorgeous one like Brady Jackson.

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.

A Highlander is Coming to Town - Laura Trentham (St. Martin's - Oct 2020)

Series: Highland, Georgia (Book 3)

Driven by familial duty, Holt Pierson has always followed the path expected of him. But lately, he’s been questioning what he wants and where he belongs. Will assuming the responsibility of the family farm make him happy or is there something else out in the wider world calling to him?

To Claire Smythe, the Scottish lead singer of touring band, the world has turned into a big, scary place and all she wants is to hide in little Highland, Georgia to lick her wounds. She’s doing a bang-up job of laying low until a handsome, overly curious Holt begins to ask too many questions she doesn’t want to answer.

Christmas is coming to Highland, Georgia, and with it a celebration that will bring together old traditions and new. As Holt draws her out of hiding and into the fabric of the small town, can Claire put past hurts behind her to embrace an unexpected love and future?

Very good book. I enjoyed my return trip to Highland, Georgia, and the chance to see Holt get his happy ever after. I felt bad for him in the first book, A Highlander Walks Into a Bar, when he lost Izzy to Alasdair. In that book, and the following one, A Highlander in a Pickup, he exhibits some restlessness, wondering if there is more to life. At the beginning of this story, Holt runs the family farm on his own while his parents travel the country in an RV. On a trip into town, Holt meets the prickly Claire when he rescues her groceries from a broken bag. A short time later, he comes to the rescue again when her bike has a flat. He is intrigued by the contrasts he sees in her - a bit of mystery, a crusty attitude, and hints of fun and flirtation.

Claire made her first appearance in the last book as the singer for the band The Scunners at the Highland Games. She traveled with them for several years but parted ways at the end of the games. Since then, she has worked as a caregiver for an elderly lady, Ms. Meadows. In the few months that Claire has been there, she has done her best to avoid spending much time in town. She has a pretty big secret, and she doesn't want to take a chance on revealing it. Claire has some big decisions to make about her future before going home to Scotland after Christmas. The last thing she needs is to get involved with a good-looking farmer.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Claire and Holt. They don't seem like much of a match at first. Claire is aloof, sometimes rude, but hides a good heart. Holt is handsome, charming, and seemingly unflappable. From the moment he met her, Holt was determined to get to know Claire better. In their first encounters, he is intrigued by the fun side that pokes through her prickly crust. He takes every opportunity to spend time with her until he breaks down her walls entirely. Claire doesn't know quite what to make of Holt at first. No matter how rude she is to him, it just rolls off his back. It isn't long before she enjoys his company.

The sparks of attraction that were there from the start soon burst into flame. The more time they spend together, the closer they get. It is soon apparent that both of them have been lonely and that being together makes a big difference in their lives. But Claire has been clear from the beginning that she has to go back to Scotland, which is warring with her growing feelings for Holt. An unexpected arrival in Highland accelerates decision time for Claire. I enjoyed this part so much because the growth in confidence and maturity that Claire has experienced surfaces in a very satisfying way. I wasn't surprised by her decision and loved how easy it was for her to do. I loved the follow-on of her visit to Holt and the happiness that resulted. The epilogue was excellent, with a few more surprises and a great deal of fun.

I love the small town of Highland. It was heartwarming to see how Claire was eased into the fabric of the town's life. She never stood a chance of staying aloof once she started hanging out with Holt. I had to laugh at her encounter with Anna in the drugstore, which was an unusual way to begin a friendship. I liked how Iain and the band helped Claire get back into her music. But my favorite resident was Ms. Meadows. Under that crusty exterior was a heart of gold, and I loved that she took care of Claire just as much as Claire did of her. I had to laugh at her protectiveness when Holt first showed up, and how his charm even worked on her. There were some wonderfully heartwarming scenes between Ms. Meadows and Claire.

A Highlander in a Pickup - Laura Trentham (St. Martin's - Feb 2020)

Series: Highland, Georgia (Book 2)

When a gorgeous new man - in a kilt - comes to town, life in Highland, Georgia will never be the same...

Iain Connors is the poster boy for the strong and silent type. Growing up a loner at Cairndow Castle in Scotland with only the cliffs and moors for company, it's understood Iain will assume the mantle of Cairndow groundskeeper when his father is ready to relinquish it. But his stint in Her Majesty's Armed Forces has opened up a whole new world - and now, rather than settle down, he accepts an invitation to travel to the States to take charge of the Highland Games. After all, he's led men into battle, how hard can planning a party be?

Anna Maitland is ready to step up for her best friend Isabel Blackmoor, who can't run the Games in their hometown this year. Surely Anna, a dance instructor with boundless energy, spirit, and charm, is up for the challenge? What she doesn't anticipate is a man in a kilt who turns up claiming he's the one in charge. What's worse about this Iain? He's so infuriatingly handsome that she can't help but fantasize about him whispering sweet-nothings in her ear in his rumbly, sexy brogue. . .

Another fun visit to Highland, Georgia. This one takes place a year after A Highlander Walks Into a Bar. At the end of that book, we find out that Izzy is pregnant and due at the same time as the yearly Highland Games. That means she won't be able to return to Georgia to help plan them, and that her mother will want to be in Scotland with her. Izzy asks her best friend Anna to fill in for her and later asks Iain to fly over and give her a hand.

Fast forward to the week before the games. Anna is a little stressed out, trying to run her dance studio and prepare for the games at the same time. She is determined to carry it off, thus showing the town that she also has what it takes to be the next mayor. She neither needs nor wants anyone else's help.

I loved the first meeting between Anna and Iain. She is dealing with the unexpected delivery of a highland cow and a sheep, arranged for by Alasdair. She is in a standoff with the sheep, which wakes up Iain, who arrived late the previous night. He expects to take over whatever needs to be done and is surprised to discover that Anna has no intention of relinquishing control. Instead, he finds himself relegated to animal wrangler.

I liked both Anna and Iain. Anna is feisty, fun, and full of energy. She has a big heart and loves her hometown. She has some emotional baggage, stemming from her father's abandonment and her struggles to please her mother. Iain is the strong, silent type, thanks to his upbringing at Cairndow. It's always been the plan for him to take over as castle groundskeeper, but he's no longer sure that's what he wants to do. Iain looks at this time in Georgia as a chance to consider all of his options. Iain also has some baggage resulting from his mother's departure from his life when he was a child.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Anna and Iain. It starts antagonistic as they butt heads over who is in charge of the games. Iain backs off but is prepared to step in if he's needed. I got a little frustrated with Anna and her refusal to accept any help from Iain, especially when she was clearly overwhelmed. Underneath the antagonism, sparks flew fast and furious between them. They tried to resist, of course. Iain Isn't going to be there long, and neither is looking for a relationship. I liked that Anna couldn't add to Izzy's stress by complaining about Iain, and instead began to include him. It didn't take too long for them to become friends and find ways to work together.

I loved watching Iain with Anna. He's never really been comfortable around women and tends to say the wrong things around them. That problem continues at the beginning, as he fumbles his words, making it easy for Anna to misunderstand him. But the more time they spend together, the more he relaxes in her company and the easier he can talk to her.

As the days passed, Anna and Iain grew closer, and the feelings between them stronger. Anna doesn't want to think about the end of the games and Iain leaving, but she's too afraid of his rejection to ask him to stay. Iain feels like he has finally found a place he can belong, but won't renege on his promise to his father. I ached for both of them as they faced a future without each other. I liked the lecture Anna got from Holt, though it took a while for it to sink in. Then a heartfelt talk between Iain and his father opened up a whole new life for Iain. I loved the ending and seeing how the problem was resolved. I enjoyed the epilogue and its lead-in to the next book. I can't wait to read it.

I loved spending more time in the small town of Highland. Small town stories are always fun with their closeness and quirky characters. I liked getting to know Loretta a little better. In the first book and the beginning of this one, she came across as something of a general pain in the butt. Her plans to run against Anna for mayor added to that impression. But a crisis involving her and her shop provided a more in-depth look at her and changed my opinion. I also enjoyed seeing more of Mr. Timmerman, the kiltmaker. He's such a dapper man that it was a bit of surprise to see him otherwise when he helped Anna, Iain, and Loretta with their problem. I also enjoyed the collaboration between him and Iain. One of the greatest things about Highland was the way they welcomed Iain. I loved their friendliness and how they included him and made him feel welcome.