A second chance romance that I actually liked? It must be the holiday cheer in the air! I’m always a little wary of second chance romances, but a book buddy recommended this Christmas read, and I decided to give it a shot. I’m glad that I did! It’s longer than a novella, shorter than a full-length novel, and just the right amount of holiday fun. I loved the light, easy feel, and the story is head and shoulders above most of the holiday romances I’ve read this year. I’m torn between a 4 and 5-star rating and I don’t think I’ll be completely happy with either one – but if you’re a second chance romance fan, then it’s definitely a fun read.
The story follows Jasmine, a woman whose career (and possibly life) needs a boost. She’s a thirty-something divorcee still living in her hometown, and her last job imploded in a big way. When she’s offered the chance at a new job as a PR person, Jasmine jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately, it involves bringing her high school boyfriend turned sports star back home for a visit. Jasmine and Matt only dated for a few months – 17 years ago – but Jasmine could tell that Matt had the potential to break her heart. So she dumped him without warning, and Matt has never really understood why. Now that they’re older and wiser, the chemistry is still there… and a fake relationship for the cameras brings all those feelings back to the surface.
In case you’re wondering, I have not read the first two books in this series – and it was not an issue. This one has me curious how Matt’s siblings’ love stories play out, and the books can be read in any order (except the epilogue). This was easy to binge in one sitting and felt more developed than a novella. It’s more like a short, fast-paced novel. The overall feel is light and low angst, with plenty of chemistry and likable characters. I really liked Matt, and I would’ve seriously enjoyed a whole book with these two. If you’re looking for a fun and sexy holiday read, then this is definitely a good one.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nNBMuT
Blurb:
My to do list:
Revive my crashed PR career.
Turn around the Kringle family business by Christmas.
Convince my ex-boyfriend, NHL legend Matt “the Mountain” Kringle, to help me, even though I broke his heart when we were seventeen.
Easy, right?
Matt is huge, he’s hot, and he’s the grumpiest player in the league. I’ll have to brave his bad attitude and his sexy beard if I want him to help bail out the family business and put my career back on track. I’ll also have to try to forget – again – what an amazing kisser he is.
None of it is going to be easy. Not when Matt’s arrival in town leads to the Airport Incident and the Candy Cane Scandal – talk about embarrassing. But as Matt and I navigate disaster after disaster together, I’ll have to get over the fact that I never got over him. And that love with Matt is a game I just might want to play.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nNBMuT
Check out the rest of the series!
Find the other two books on Amazon!
The Grump Who Stole Christmas: https://amzn.to/3oYsH1P
Very Merry Married: https://amzn.to/3l6O9kh
About the Author:
Julie loves reading and writing hot, sexy romances with awesome alpha heroes. Her favorite things are books, coffee, her perfect cat, and her husband, not necessarily in that order. She’s a writing addict who is always hard at work on her next steamy romance. You can find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/juliekrissauthor at her website at www.juliekriss.com.
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Jeeves Reads Romance 
This was a good book, so I went and read the second one. I’d give it a solid 5 stars. I liked the couple better. But maybe because I’d already read this one. Sometimes the familiarity helps in these connected books. I think I’ll read the first one to see!
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Glad to hear it – I’m going to read the second one next, the tropes seem like a good fit for me! I’ve never read either of the first two authors, so should be good to try.
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