Hey there everyone, I know what you’re thinking, but yes, I’m still alive! The first week of the year has kept me busy and I haven’t managed to blog anything until now. Which means, yet again, I have procrastinated writing some reviews I’ve been sitting on. Today I’m going to share my review on a couple of short stories I read recently. Be on the lookout soon for reviews on some amazing full length stories I read and loved.
Jessica’s Christmas Kiss by Alison May
Published: December 12, 2015
Book Blurb:
Real Christmas miracles only ever happen in the movies – don’t they?
When Jessica was fifteen, she shared the perfect kiss with a mystery boy at a Christmas party. It might have only lasted a moment, and the boy might have disappeared shortly afterwards but, to Jessica, it was just a little bit magic.
Fourteen years later, and Jessica is faced with a less than magical Christmas after uncovering her husband’s secret affair. And, whilst she wouldn’t admit it, she sometimes finds herself thinking about that perfect Christmas kiss, back when her life still seemed full of hope and possibility.
But she never would have guessed that the boy she kissed in the kitchen all those years ago might still think about her too …
My Review
Jessica’s Christmas Kiss is the third book in the Christmas kisses series by Alison May, but as I did, can be read alone.
This was a wonderful festive short Christmassy novel about falling in love during the magical and romantic Christmas season and ultimately about living in the now. It was the first book I’ve read by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last. Says it’s the third book in a series, but it can be read as a stand alone story.
‘‘But that’s my point. You can’t choose when you fall in love. Love is just love. There’s no right time or right way of finding it.’
5 stars for this fun festive Christmas story
I received a complimentary copy from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Currently $1.99 on Amazon or free on Kindle Unlimited.
Christmas Cravings by Emma Hamilton
Published: November 20, 2015
Book Blurb: How could everything that seemed so right suddenly have gone so wrong for Mia? Snow is on the ground and Christmas lights twinkle in the German Christmas market. The warm, spiced wine is just right, but there’s still one key ingredient missing from her romantic dream. Will Mia’s Christmas turn out to be sugar and spice and all things nice – or a deflated soufflé of loneliness and regret?
~Christmas Cravings is a festive romance standalone episode from the Greedily Yours series. ~
~ About the series: Mia Maxwell loves food. She loves it so much that she’s made it her career. She owns a food PR business that fills her days, and by night she’s a food blogger with a burgeoning audience. With her ‘Culinary Confessions of a Greedy Girl’, Mia takes the reader on a delicious journey, searching for top dishes and the perfect man. ~
My Review
Christmas Cravings was written as part of the Greedily Yours series. I have not read the other books in the series, but as I did, this story can be read alone. I enjoyed Hamilton’s writing, but not necessarily the writing style. I don’t particularly like stories that start off by knowing there’s a problem of something that went wrong in a relationship, and then it proceeds to tell the story of where it all went wrong. I was also a bit confused on the timeline of things from present to past and back again.
It turned out to be a nice Christmas-themed love story. It wasn’t my favorite story format, but it did turn out to be a decent story. I would give this one a 3. I see potential in the author, but this one was a bit slow for the first half and a bit confusing on the timeline. The story seemed to drag on for the first half of the story and I think if the author hadn’t gotten into the back and forth timeline format, it would’ve been a 4.
3 Stars for this Christmas-themed love short story
I received a complimentary copy from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Currently $0.99 on Amazon.
Cat and Jemima J by Jane Green
Published: May 5, 2015
Book Blurb: From New York Times bestselling author Jane Green comes an original short story featuring Jemima, the main character from Green’s beloved novel Jemima J, and Cat, the main character from her upcoming novel Summer Secrets.
My Review
I received a copy of this short story while it was free on Amazon. Currently free on Amazon.
So Not Steven by Jessica Redland
Published: May 26, 2015
Book Blurb: An amusing short story by the author of ‘Searching for Steven’.
After having been told by a clairvoyant that she was about to meet Steven, the man of her dreams, Sarah starts looking for this mysterious man. After a series of disastrous dates, will this be the Steven she is looking for?
My Review
Sarah was told by a clairvoyant that her true love was named Steven. In the full length novel she finds him, but I couldn’t figure out at what point this short story took place.
This was an entertaining short story but I gave it four stars because I couldn’t quite figure out where it chronologically fit in with the full length novel. I enjoy Jessica’s writing and would recommend this, in addition to the full-length novel, Searching for Steven and one of her other novels Raving and Rhys 🙂
I received a copy of this short story while it was free on Amazon. Currently free on Amazon.
Thank you so much, Joy, for picking ‘So Not Steven’ and promoting the other two books. That’s so lovely of you. I thought I’d clear up where it fits with the novel. It was actually a removed chapter! When I originally wrote ‘Searching for Steven’, Sarah went on quite a lot of dates with Stevens that didn’t quite go to plan. In the editing process, we decided that the dates – although often amusing – didn’t move the story along so some of them were removed. I particularly loved this date so we decided to give it away for free on Amazon as a sample of my writing. It was meant to include an explanation that it was a removed chapter but I don’t think it does! Really pleased you enjoyed it, even without knowing the context. I’m looking forward to reading Alison May’s book. I loved her first Christmas Kisses one and have the next two on my Kindle and think I may be unconventional and read them away from Christmas!
Best wishes
Jessica x
You’re very welcome Jessica 🙂 I’m so glad you shared where the short fits in with the story, as that now that makes so much more sense!! In that case, I think I’ll be updating my review on it, with a little note of where it fits in!
Reblogged this on Jessica Redland Writer and commented:
Thrilled to be featured on the ‘Living Life With Joy’ blog today for my short story, ‘So Not Steven’ 🙂