MELT MY HEART by Jules Barker

Title:  MELT MY HEART
Series:  Magic of Moonrise Cove #
Author:  Jules Barker
Publisher:  Jules Barker
Publish Date:   11.15.2021
Category /Genre:  Christmas, paranormal romance
Recommended for:  18+
Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from:  Jules Barker
Goodreads link: Melt My Heart
Date completed: 12.27.2021
 
Description from the publisher:
Vera Penwythe never thought she’d go for another relationship so soon, and certainly not a fake one. She’s moved back in with her Gran for the holidays after a humiliating break up left her in debt to her two-timing ex. But when a charming neighbor begs her to pretend to be his girlfriend until his mom recovers from heart surgery, she can’t resist. She yearns to feel needed and be part of something, even if it is all fake. Besides, this way she’ll get the benefits of companionship without the expectations and heartbreak of a real relationship. Vera may have the power to create frost with her hands, but she wishes she could freeze her heart to keep it safe.
 
Harry Levine never thought lying to his mom would lead to the best mistake of his life. But when his parents’ excessive PDA and a tumbling tower of ice cream tubs lead his parents to assume that Vera is the long-term girlfriend they’ve never met, Harry begs her to go with it. He can’t bear to tell his sick mom that he’s broken up with his girlfriend. Instead, he enlists Vera’s help to keep up the ruse until his mom is on the mend. That just means a few family parties, shared shifts at his dad’s magic-themed ice cream parlor, and—oh yeah, passing Vera off as the picky girlfriend he’s told them about. But what do you do when the lie you started becomes the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
 
Vera doesn’t trust her bad-guy radar and she doesn’t trust love. But Christmas at Moonrise Cove has a way of working its magic and soon her walls begin to melt. Will she be able to risk her heart to believe that something fake could ever become something real?
 
Melt My Heart is a standalone sweet romance that's part of a four book "Christmas Magic at Moonrise Cove" collection.
Read about her friends Tamsin, Charlie, and Juniper in:
Jingle all the Wave by Shelly Jasperson
Charming Charlie by Trish LeBaron
Trouble with Mistletoe by Cassandra West
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MELT MY HEART is the first book in the multiauthor Christmas Magic at Moonrise Cove series.  Each is a stand-alone holiday romance set in the mystical town of Moonrise Cove.
 
The cutest of meet-cutes is the beginning of the magic of this story.  Vera is Elsa from FROZEN without the temper and Harry is … well…. a Harry (Potter).  I loved everything about these two meeting, getting to know one another, spending time together, falling slowly in perfect love with each other and their families.
 
I love Christmas romances, but this is the Christmas-y romance-y best!
 
Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via StoryOrigin, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
 
Christmas Magic at Moonrise Cove Series:
1.      Melt My Heart (Jules Barker)
2.      Jingle All the Wave (Shelly Jasperson)
3.      Charming Charlie (Trish LeBaron)
4.      Trouble with Mistletoe (Cassandra West)
 
Also from Jules Barker:
·         Magic in the Moonlight (The Magic of Moonrise Cove #1)
 

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MY FAKE CHRISTMAS FIANCE by Julie Kriss

Title:  MY FAKE CHRISTMAS FIANCE
Series:  Kane Christmas #1
Author:  Julie Kriss
Publisher:  Julie Kriss
Publish Date: 10.22.2021
Category /Genre:  Holiday Romance, Comedy
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing:  A – near perfect
Received from:  Amazon purchase
Goodreads:  My Fake Christmas Fiancé
Completed:  11.07.2021
 
Description from the publisher:
Dear Wesley Kane,

We are not getting married. I know we had to get engaged as part of our companies’ merger plans, but a fake engagement is all I’ll agree to. For business purposes. We are never, ever getting married.

We have nothing in common. I’m the nerdy do-gooder girl with glasses and you’re the playboy with a new woman on his arm every week. I’m not your type, and you’re not mine.

Okay, so you’re incredibly gorgeous. And funny. And you keep giving me That Look. And you’ve ditched all your other girlfriends for me. And I’ve seen you in nothing but your boxer shorts, and I’m still thinking about it. Because…wow.

We have to be married by midnight Christmas Eve, and the deadline is getting closer. It doesn’t matter if you might be my dream guy. It doesn’t matter if I’m falling for you—it’s just a business deal.

We are never, ever—

Oh God, I just kissed you again.
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MY FAKE FIANCE is the first book in the Kane Christmas multi-author series.  Each story in the series is happening in the same overlapping time, so they can be read in any order.
 
I understand Penny. In so many ways she is me! Nervous, people-pleaser, she is so strong, but tries to hide her own wants and needs if she believes they will contradict another's.

Wes is also people-pleasing. A gentleman on a mission to please his family, his workers, but most importantly to always give Penny what SHE wants and needs.

I loved this fake fiancé romance. The true legality of such a clause being in a merger is far-fetched. Also, it bothered me that Kane Co was the underdog in this merger, but they got some very large concessions as part of the deal. ...including keeping their CEO. My recommendation is to suspend that part of your logical mind and just embrace the warm, fuzzy holiday romance.
 
Kane Christmas Series:
1. My Fake Christmas Fiancé (Julie Kriss)
2. Santa Baby Maybe (S. Doyle)
3. How My Brother’s Best Friend Stole Christmas (Molly O’Keefe)
 
Also from Julie Kriss:

• The Bastard (King Family #3)

• Heartbreaker (Cocky Hero #47)

• Jingle Bell Beard (Kringle Family Christmas #3)

Bad Billionaire Series:
1.      Bad Billionaire
2.     Dirty Sweet Wild
3.     Rich Dirty Dangerous
4.    Back in Black
Eden Hills Series:
1.      How to Date Your Brother’s Best Friend
2.     How to Date a Guy You Hate
Filthy Rich Series:
1.      Filthy Rich
2.     Sexy As Sin
3.     Dirty Talk
4.    Wicked Dangerous
5.     Cold Dark Heart
Forbidden Series:
1.      Forbidden
2.     The Player
Mason Brothers Series:
1.      Spite Club
2.     Crashed
Riggs Brothers Series:
1.      Drive Me Wild
2.     Take Me Down
3.     Work Me Up
4.    Make Me Beg
 

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SIGN, STEAL, DELIVER by Carrie Pulkinen

Title:  SIGN, STEAL, DELIVER
Series:  Gods of Thunder MC #2
Author:  Carrie Pulkinen
Publisher:  Carrie Pulkinen
Publish Date:   07.22.2021
Category /Genre:  Paranormal Romance, Chick Lit
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content.
Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC.
Received from:  Carrie Pulkinen
Goodreads link: Sign, Steal, Deliver
Date completed: 06.28.2021
 
Description from the publisher:
He may be the god of thieves, but he's not ready for the one who steals his heart.

Calico shifter Kat Gataki has a plan. All she has to do is swipe the key to the underworld so she can get down to Elysium and apologize to her sister for being a royal witch with a capital B.

It should be a piece of cake for a trained cat burglar like herself, but there’s one slight problem. The owner of said key happens to be Hermes…as in…the smoldering hot god from Olympus.

And no one steals from the god of thieves.

That’s what Hermes likes to believe until a trip to Mardi Gras introduces him to the most alluring cat burglar he’s ever seen.

Hermes wastes no time falling head over winged sandals for Kat, but following his heart soon lands him in a mess of trouble that only the Fates could see coming.

Kat has stolen both his key and his heart, and he only has twelve hours to find her. If he fails, they'll both be spending eternity in the underworld.

If you like quirky humor and heroes with heart, you'll love this Greek gods inspired paranormal romantic comedy!
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SIGN, STEAL, DELIVER is the second book in the multi-author Gods of Thunder MC series.  Each book in the series has one of the Gods from Mount Olympus finding their true fated mate on Earth.
 
It’s fun to be reminded that each of the Greek gods are assigned to more than one attribute.  Hermes is not just the Messenger God.  He is also the God of Thieves, the Divine Trickster, The God of Roads, Gods of Flocks, and God of Commerce.  I love when an author does the research to bring great trivia bits into a story, such as Hermes’ caduceus.
 
When Hermes and the Olympian Gods visit New Orleans, Hermes refuses to act as the Messenger while on vacation.  This is a great opportunity to “meet cute” Kat Gataki.  Having a cat-shifter as a cat burglar is the perfect irony.  Having her steal from the God of Thieves and steal his heart is just icing on the cake.  There is a lot of emotion in why she feels she must steal from him.  I won’t say why – that would be a spoiler – but I will say that I feel for her.  I understand.
 
I loved this story.  I have fallen in love with all of these gods and goddesses.  This was the first book I read from the series.  Though each book will stand on its own, after reading this one, I’m now greedy enough to want them all!
 
Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
 
 
Gods of Thunder MC Series:
1.      You Can’t Fight Lightning (Lisa Manifold)
2.      Sign, Steal, Deliver (Carrie Pulkinen)
3.      Bad Hera Day (Celia Kyle & Marina Maddix)
4.      Dead Ringer for Love (Julia Mills)
5.      Warrior’s Passion (T.L. Reeve & Michele Ryan) 
6.      Trident True Love (Paisley Tate)
7.      Goodness Gracious, Great God of Fire (Kinsley Adams)
8.      Drunk on Love (Mila Young)
9.      Not His Biker Goddess (Corinne O’Flynn)
10.  Art of the Hunt (Tami Lund)
11.  Hell Hath No Fury (Kerri Keberly)
12.  No Apollo-G Necessary (TL. Reeve & Michele Ryan)
 
Also from Carrie Pulkinen:
·         Bewitching the Vampire
·         Escorting Jessica
·         Reawakened
·         The Rest of Forever
·         Soul Catchers
·         Sweet Release
Crescent City Ghost Tours series:
1.      Love & Ghosts
2.      Love & Omens
Crescent City Wolf Pack series:
1.      Werewolves Only
2.      Beneath a Blue Moon
3.      Bound by Blood
4.      A Deal with Death  
4.5  A Song to Remember
5.      Shifting Fate (coming soon)
New Orleans Nocturnes Series:
1.      License to Bite  
2.      Shift Happens
3.      Life’s a Witch
3.5 Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire
4.      Finders Reapers  
Shift Creek Series:
Up Shift Creek
1.      Flipping the Bird
Spirit Chasers series:
1.      To Catch a Spirit
2.      To Stop a Shadow
3.      To Free a Phantom
 

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