November Rain by Debbie Gould

Title: November Rain
Author: Debbie Gould
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60435-479-9
Genre: Contemporary
Length: 80 pages
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Heat Level: Spicy
Other: explicit sex
Reviewer: Valerie Mann
Date: January 10, 2010
Jessica Kauffman says goodbye to her husband Tyler—again. He’s been deployed to Afghanistan , this time to fight in the war. Their attempts to have a baby unsuccessful, Jessica remains home alone…but that isn’t strictly true. Through a unique bond, she connects with Tyler in their dreams, seeing, touching, and being with him. After finding out some precious news, Jessica’s world is soon turned upside down, plunging her into a nightmare. Tyler ’s plane has gone down, and the search is on to find him—dead or alive. Frightened for her future, she keeps the faith that Tyler will come back, believing their love is the key to his return. But will the Search and Rescue team find Tyler and bring him back home, or will Jessica have to face the rest of her life raising his child alone?

Owning a review site has its perks...finding gems like November Rain in my pile of books to assign is one of them. This story had everything I love in a romance—a big, strong, military man who thinks the world revolves around his woman. Add some drama and suspense and this made for one of the best novellas I’ve read in a long time. A most satisfying read and I am already looking for more from Debbie Gould!

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Mary's Christmas Wish by Sheryl Coumans

Title: Mary’s Christmas Wish

Author: Sheryl Coumans

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: 2008

Genre: Fairy Holiday

Length: 12 pages

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Heat Level: Sweet

Reviewer: Valerie Mann

Date: 12/22/09

After a life-time spent regretting her decision to give up the her true love, Sister Mary Cantrell faces her impending death alone. When a familiar looking visitor dressed in a Santa Claus suit offers her a chance to go back in time, to relive that life-turning event, she finds the answer she'd been seeking was always there.



This was a sweet story, filled with what-ifs and a nice resolution. Mary's guilt and regret is resolved with a holiday visitor who helps her deal with the pain and move on. Definitely a Happily-Ever-After story!

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Exiles From Christmas by Sandra Sookoo

Title: Exiles From Christmas
Author: Sandra Sookoo
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-61650-092-4
Genre: Contemporary romance
Length: 35 pages
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Heat : Sweet
Reviewer: Valerie Mann
Date: 11/26/2009

Can Jayne convince Santa to take her off the naughty list?

Santa’s nephews have come to Crystal Falls to run a cookie business. If they fail, they’ll have to go back to the North Pole and fill their uncle’s black boots when he retires. But sick of toys, elves, and the North Pole’s influence, that’s the last thing Landon and Aaron want. They’re looking for love.
Jayne isn’t much for sentimental family holidays and she certainly doesn’t believe in magic. Working in the Crystal Falls post office, she is mystified when she handles mail bearing a North Pole postal mark.
When Landon and Jayne meet, their attraction for each other is undeniable, but will the truth about Landon’s life make Jayne’s a believer, or will it be his love that finally melts her heart?

This was a wonderful Christmas story! Lots of adults don't feel the magic of Christmas anymore and Jayne is no exception. Add to the fact that she has a man who claims to be Santa's nephew and she begins to think he's off his rocker or perhaps she is because she's starting to believe him! I thought the story was very original, the worldbuilding was believable and the dialogue top notch. This is the perfect story to read in a comfy chair with a cup of hot chocolate and plate of warm cookies.

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Double Mitzvah by Erica DeQuaya

Title: Double Mitzvah

Author: Erica DeQuaya

Publisher: Amber Quill Press

Publication Date: 2004

ISBN: 1-59279-232-4

Genre: Holiday Contemporary

Length: 20 pages

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Heat Level: Sensual/Erotic

Other: Explicit language, oral sex, masturbation

Reviewer: Valerie Mann

Date: 12/01/2009

On the surface, Annie seems to have it all; good times, money and plenty of men to warm her bed. But her libido and emotions take a nose dive when she meets Joel, an Orthodox Jew with a devastating body and personality to match. Unfortunately for Annie (a non-observant Jew herself), Joel is devastatingly devout, and determined to save himself for marriage even as he relentlessly pursues her.Annie must reclaim her lost faith and sacrifice her desire for immediate gratification to claim the ultimate role as Joel's life-mate. But it isn't easy; as both fall deeper in love with each other, they must fight the passionate urge to consummate physically the deep bond they share emotionally.

This is one of those stories a reader picks up, reads, puts it away and never forgets. It works on so many levels and for such a short read, it has so much going on. I was blown away by the depth of the characters,and the incredible love Annie and Joel share. Joel is very devout, yet it doesn't come across contrived but very real and passionate. The fact that he loves his faith so much he wants his life-mate to have that same passion for it is great. Better yet, the author does an awesome job of weaving the intricacies of Judaism with real life and shows how beautifully entwined the two can be. For Annie and Joel, it's a blessing to be faithful, not a burden. And the love they have as a result of their commitment to it binds them together. I've read this story many times and each time, I get something out of it. Well done, Erica DeQuaya! I can't wait to read more of your work!

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