Wrapped Up in You by Jill Shalvis

Ivy Snow has a successful food truck business in San Francisco.  She has spent her lifetime constantly on the move around the country.  She is happy to finally be making friends and saving money for a stable place of her own.  When she meets Kel O’Donnell, an Idaho sheriff visiting his cousin, she immediately has her guard up, but their two hurt souls yearn for each other.  When Ivy’s past catches up with her, will the two be able to move on from their former hurts and have a happy ending?

I really loved the characters in Wrapped Up in You.  Shalvis writes wonderful three-dimensional realistic characters with all of their faults and virtues.  The romance was also very sensual, yet not too graphic.  I loved it.  I am not a fan of “swords and sheaths” type of romance that goes into too much detail.  There is just enough detail to be sexy, without losing the mystery of romance.

Overall, Wrapped up in You was what my Great Grandma would fondly call a good story with great characters and romance.  I think I’ve found a new favorite romance author.

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow.  Thank-you!

A Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer

A Christmas house party has been planned in the English countryside that has brought together a motley crew of characters that seem to share a mutual disdain for each other.  When one guest in murdered, the local police call in Inspector Hemingway from Scotland Yard to solve the crime.  Which one of the house guests is the murderer?

This is the first Georgette Heyer mystery that I have read, but I am a huge fan of her Regency romance.  I’ll admit this one read a bit slow for me and I think I need to try out another of her mysteries to see if I like them or not.  The fact that almost all of the characters were extremely unlikeable made it hard for me to get into the novel.  The mystery itself was very clever.  I had a suspicion about the murderer, but they way it was all put together was unique and very interesting.

Overall, A Christmas Party was a clever mystery with unlikeable characters.  I need to read more of Heyer’s mysteries to determine if I like them or not.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey

Carols and Chaos is a perfect book for the fans of the “downstairs” antics on Downton Abbey.  Set during the Regency period in England, Carols and Chaos is the story of lady’s maid Kate Darby and valet Matt Harlow.  Kate belongs to the household at Shackleford Park, but Matt is there acting as a valet to two brothers who are guests.  Kate and Matt have a lot in common and sparks fly between them.  They soon find themselves entwined in a mystery when Matt’s friend, footman Johnny goes missing.  Where has Johnny gone and is foul play involved?

I didn’t know until the end that this book is a follow-up to Suitors and Sabotage.  It worked as a stand alone novel.  I need to read this other book as well.  I really loved the scenes in Carols and Chaos of Matt and Kate together.  I also enjoyed the mystery.  It was interesting seeing Kate’s small-town life in the village nearby.  I do wish there would have been more of Kate and Matt actually working at the estate and enjoying more of the Christmas festivities.

Overall, Carols and Chaos was a fun book for the holidays.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com