Mistletoe in Paradise by Jill Shalvis

3 Star

Hannah is forced by her mother to serve her stepfather with divorce papers for Christmas.  What she doesn't plan for is her former boyfriend showing up for a boat ride.  They are stuck together for the near future.  Will they be able to work through past hurts to find their happy?

For a short story this wasn't a bad story but it wasn't my favorite either.  I wanted more backstory for Hannah and James.  It was interesting to see them work through their problems but I think more backstory would have helped me get there faster.  If it had been a longer story the issues I had wouldn't have been there and I would have connected better with the characters.  Overall, it fit into the series but left me wanting more.

Short Story Wildstone

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The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis

4 Star

Waze spent her childhood as a foster child.  She had one perfect home that ended in tragedy and she went back into the system before aging out.  Her foster sister never gave up on her and when Cat is engaged to be married Waze is forced to go home again.  There she will have to confront her past in hopes to having her HEA.

I am going to start with this is book 6 in a series but you don't need to have read the rest of the series to enjoy this book.  It is set in the same location and sometimes overlapping characters but nothing you would need to know to understand the story.  Jill Shalvis does an amazing job creating characters and plots that pluck at the heartstrings.  This book is no different.  This book includes two couples getting a happy ending and I really enjoyed the getting there.  I was very vested in finding out how everything was going to work out.  For Cat and her fiancé I didn't want them to have their happy ending.  He was a dick and deserved to be shown the door way sooner than he was.  There was some backstory for all of the people that would have enhanced the story overall but it didn't detract from the story.  Can't wait for the next book. 

Book 6 Wildstone

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Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis

 

3.5 Star

Piper has spent her life taking care of everyone around her.  After the death of her parents she stepped in and helped raise her siblings.  Now that they are all out of the house it is time for her to finally spread her wings and go after her dreams.  Before she can do this she needs to fix up her grandparents home to sell it.  When the area is hit by a massive storm she runs into a mystery man Camden.  The connection she feels for him is surprising.  What's even more surprising is the return of her brother and sister.  Her siblings are keeping secrets and want her to help them without dishing the dirt.  Will she be able to spread her wings and follow her dreams?

This book was pretty good.  I enjoy the writing style of Jill Shalvis.  The reason for the lowish rating is I had big issues with the siblings as well as the wish washy Piper.  If the book had been all about Piper and didn't have the siblings issues I would have loved this book.  Both of the siblings were selfish individuals.  Which angered me so much.  They kept secrets from the sister who raised them and never judged them and some big things they kept from them.  One of the secrets nearly breaks Piper and Cam up because he knew what the secret was.  If you are starting out with Shalvis start with a different one because this didn't show why I love her books.

Book 4 Wildstone

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