Thursday 30 June 2016

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: HAPPY EVER AFTER IN CHRISTMAS by DEBBIE MASON

 
 
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Happy Ever After in Christmas
Christmas, Colorado #7
By: Debbie Mason 
Releasing June 28, 2016  
Forever
 
In Happy Ever After in Christmas (Christmas, Colorado #7) by Debbie Mason, Deputy Jill Flaherty has plenty of dreams she wants to come true such as becoming the town sheriff, buying the house she's always wanted, and finally confessing her long time crush to her brother's best friend in hopes he returns her feelings. Will her plan to confront Sawyer Anderson succeed? 
 
Sawyer Anderson has never thought of Jill Flaherty as anything more than the little sister of his best friend until now. Especially when she walks into his bar looking nothing like herself and ready to seduce a man. When that man turns out to be him, he's a lot shocked and maybe a little bit turned on. But with her being his best friend's little sister, will he ever have a shot at happy ever after with her when his best friend warns him to stay clear of Jill?
What an incredible and emotionally-charged read, encompassing the brother's best friend and matchmaking tropes; a heroine worried about her upcoming birthday, which makes her determined to go after the things she wants in life; and a hero unable to stay away from his best friends little sister, despite being warned not to pursue her. I really liked how this story with a friend pushing Jill to stop working so much and go out and have some fun. However, it was the moment Jill and Sawyer come face-to-face in a game her boss convinces her to play in that had me flipping the pages quickly. The way they tease each other goes to show how close the heroine is not only with her brother but with Sawyer as well. 
The dialogue really drew me into this story, and had me anticipating every moment Sawyer and Jill were together. Would Jill make a complete fool of herself? Would Sawyer finally realize how much Jill means to him? Would Jill give up on a future with Sawyer? Answers to those questions certainly had my eyes glued to every word, and the more I read of this story, the more I cheered for this couple to achieve their happy ever after. Even though the obstacles they had to overcome were tough such as another woman vying for Sawyer's affections and Jill's brother not approving of the hero being with his sister.
I really liked both the main characters, and found the secondary characters as entertaining as Jill and Sawyer. The women and men that are determined to match-make for Jill certainly make things interesting and amusing, especially with what one of the secondary characters reveal at Sawyer's bar, which ends with the hero getting in trouble. Also, there's what happens to Jill's nephew, which was scary and I could understand why she went into panic mode. Then again, with a nickname like the little boy has it was no wonder he did what he did.
As for Jill, she's strong, brave, hard-working, and I liked how determined she was to solve the cases she did. Honestly, she was a remarkable character and -- I reckon -- one of the best in this series so far. The way she was around Sawyer was amusing, because most of the time she stands up to him. Yet, at other times, it was as if she didn't know how to act around him, especially the moment when she was ready to finally admit her feelings. Would she tell him or wouldn't she? What would it take for her to admit her feelings? 
While Sawyer, he's confident and protective of those he cares about. It was palpable how much he loved Jill, even when he couldn't admit it until someone tricked him into facing the truth. I also liked what he tried to do for the heroine when they reached the make-or-break moment of their relationship, and Jill was determined to shut him out and not let him help her with what she was going through. 
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, which combined a heartwarming romance, plenty of emotion that had me either fighting tears or laughing at the characters antics, and a storyline that has me wanting to re-read this book. The way this story ended was perfect, as Sawyer proves to Jill that they can move on from their loss but also that there's no way they'll ever forget. Really, what he did was very precious for their future. I would highly recommend Happy Ever After in Christmas by Debbie Mason, especially if you enjoy the brother's best friend trope. Also, I would recommend reading this entire series, as Ms. Mason is a wonderful author. 
OVERALL RATING:   
 
 
BLURB:
It's beginning to look a lot like love . . .

As her thirtieth birthday approaches, Deputy Jill Flaherty decides it's time to live a little. When she walks into Sawyer Anderson's bar in her sexiest dress, she's not thinking that he's her brother's best friend or about the many women he dated during his years as a pro hockey player. All she's thinking is that it's finally time to confess to her longtime crush how she truly feels.
 
Sawyer is done being a player on and off the ice. Yet no one in the small town of Christmas seems to believe he's ready to settle down, not Jill, and certainly not Jack, who is determined to keep Sawyer from breaking his little sister's heart. But as Sawyer and Jill's relationship heats up, can he prove that he's her happy ever after?
 
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            "Sorry, no more whiskey for you. You're cut off," Jill said to one of Sawyer's regulars.
            "Boyo, she's cut four of us off. And she won't serve Jimmy," added Mr. Murray, another of his regulars and a Flaherty family friend.
            "Because he doesn't have any ID, and he looks like he's twelve," she defended herself.
            "He's twenty-three," Sawyer said, "Now why don't you sit down and sample the drink before you put me out of business."
            "Hey, I was protecting your license." She stepped closer and went up on her toes to whisper in his ear, "Mr. Murray's gout's acting up, and Jerry and whiskey aren't a good combination. I got called to his place twice this week. That's why I cut them off."
            With the feel of her chest pressed to his and the smell of her light floral scent, Sawyer was having a hard time staying focused. He cleared his throat. "And the other two?"
            "The girls you put in the penalty box. They were dancing on a table."
            "Okay, good call."
            "Yeah, I thought so too," she said, her brow furrowing as she looked toward the end of the bar where Ty sat. The hairstylist mouthed something to her, and her shoulders rose on a sigh. She wound her hair around her finger and gave Sawyer a wide smile.
            Jill. This is Jill, he reminded himself. "Here." He shoved the sports drink into her hand. "You, uh, should probably go sit down."
            "Oh, okay, I'll do that. " She glanced once more at Ty and nodded, having a little trouble unwinding her hair from her finger. Once she did, she pushed out her chest and walked away, swinging her hips. She tripped on the rubber runner behind the bar. "Dammit," she muttered. Placing her drink on the bar, she bent over and took off the stilettos.
            Sawyer stared at her heart-shaped ass. Jill had been hiding more than her long legs and what appeared to be a nice pair of breasts. Someone cleared their throat. He looked over his shoulder to see Mr. Murray grinning at him. "I'll take that drink now," the older man said.
            "You're cut off, remember?"
            "Jackson's awfully protective of his baby sister, isn't he? You two still best friends? I wonder how he'd feel--"
            Sawyer narrowed his eyes at the old man and got him his drink, his watered-down drink. He set the glass on the bar. "If your gout starts acting up, you've got only yourself to blame." He lowered his voice. "And I'm not interested in Jill. Not like that."
            "How come? Something wrong with your eyesight?"
 




Debbie Mason is USA Today bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their four wonderful children, an adorable grandbaby, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.
 
Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 




 

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