Holiday Spice is a good fit for those seeking a heartwarming and uplifting romance that explores the importance of family, love, and personal growth during the holiday season.

I really enjoyed Darcy’s story. Going back to the Shaughnessy family is one of my favorite series to read!

Holiday Spice is one of those romances that had to grow on me as a reader. I’ll admit that while I liked the two main characters in this book, it took me a good long while to love them (almost to the end), however there was something compelling about their story that made me stick with this book, add in the rest of the Shaughnessy family and I really couldn’t put it down because I had to know not only how things between the main characters turned out, but I was hoping for a series ending epilogue to give me the added closure I needed to say good-bye to this large, crazy, fun, and sometimes broken family. Characters than ran hot and cold, an attraction neither one can deny, and some help from Mother Nature made Holiday Spice both an entertaining and frustrating romance.

All of her life Darcy Shaughnessy has been loved, protected and somewhat put on a pedestal by her five older brothers and her father. Losing her mother when she was a baby has left Darcy always wanting her family to be whole. Gregarious and full of life, Darcy surrounds herself with people and will go out of her way to help those she loves, but inside Darcy is still a little girl looking for a mom, someone to confide in, and someone who will understand all the challenges in her life. While Darcy has had many jobs, she has yet to find her passion and that leaves her with time on her hands and being sent by her sister in law to help a cranky, temperamental artist finish out his book for publication.

Benjamin Tanner likes his life on his mountain, his art fulfills him, and he doesn’t mind being on his own. While he enjoys the time he spends with his brothers when they visit, they aren’t super close and he is okay with that. After his parent’s died in an accident, Ben did exactly what his parents would have wanted him to and that was to make sure his younger siblings got a good education and became productive members of society. Putting his skills to work to make sure that happened, Ben is happy to finally be at a place where he loves making his art again. Needing help with the book he was talked into doing he called his friend Savannah Daly, a journalist who did an article on him and someone he trusts, but now married and with a young daughter Savannah couldn’t drop everything to come and help, but she did offer to send her sister in law who she claims is a whiz at organization. Not really thrilled to have someone he doesn’t know in his home, Ben is apprehensive but the minute Darcy storms into his life he knows he might never be the same.

I’ll be flat out honest when I say that I had a lot of issues with Darcy’s hot and cold behavior and her propensity to run when the going got tough. While I get that she was the youngest of six, her immaturity really got on my nerves quite a bit. Ms. Chase did a good job with letting us see growth in her character and I did grow to like her, but it was towards the end and I would have liked more time with the new and improved Darcy. There was no doubt Ben was a bit surly and closed off and he had that introverted artist’s way about him which really threw the outgoing and vivacious Darcy and with the way she jumped to conclusions about Ben it really was a miracle they managed to turn animosity into more, but they did. I won’t deny the chemistry, it was there from the start but I’ll be honest these two were very, very different in the way they approached life and I wasn’t sure they could ever find a middle ground.

This story, this couple had to grow on me, it wasn’t an insta-love situation like I’ve had with so many of this author’s other books. These characters were very complicated, they had a lot of baggage and this book had a bit more angst than I normally like, but overall I did enjoy their journey and the awesome epilogue gave me the closure I needed to say good-bye to this series.

unfortunately, this one wasn't for me! I just wanted things to pick up quicker and this one was a little bit slower. I wanted more angst as well.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. Unfortunately, I was unable to get into it and will not be rating or reviewing at this time. It's a clear case of "it's not you, it's me" so I will try again at some point. If I fare better then, I'll rate and review then.

Holiday Spice will tell Darcy story and get excited for it.
Darcy is always the little sister to her family that she takes it with stride. But lately, she needs some peace from her family. And who wound't with her big family member. This is where she meets Benjamin. He is well-known for his art but he prefer solitude. And who can blame him. He likes his peace and quiet. Nothing wrong with it. But it is going to take some adjustment for Darcy.
Darcy loves being with people especially her family. She knows that there is nothing wrong with it. But Benjamin has another opinion about it And I do not blame him. I really felt that Darcy needs to understand. It's kinda selfish for her to expect so much from him that your making him change his ways. That is not love and that's what I had a problem with.
Beside Darcy behavior, their relationship is cute especially when Darcy fix her behavior.
Three Stars

I received this book free from the author. I haven't read the book and cannot give feedback at this time.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read all the books in this series and I feel like I have watched Darcy grow up during this this series.

Darcy and Ben are opposites in some ways but they still have feeling for one another. This was a very sweet story and great series. I love the Shaughnessys. This book is dual POV.

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.

The sixth book in the series and this is about Darcy. She travels to Washington to help Benjamin Tanner who is doing a book about his wood carvings. She is doing this as a favor for Savannah who married Riley in book number 4 and now have a baby and cannot go to Washington for Benjamin. Benjamin likes two things woodcarving and solitude. Darcy does not like solitude and goes a mile a minute when they first met and does not stop until he talks about Savannah for 20 minutes. The rest of her time she wants to finish the book and be gone. She thinks his work is amazing and she thinks he is very good looking but they mix like oil and water. Thinking that she is done and is at the airport she finds out she is stuck. Lo and behold Ben shows up and takes her back to his place and at first it gets just as bad as it was before she left. She clans his office amongst other things and then she finds out that he does not like or does Christmas. Not being able to understand she accepts and she wants to try to work with Ben on a relationship. He comes out to Carolina for Thanksgiving and things go well until the last day when he is tired of the family always being around. Both say things that they probably should not say now they are at opposite ends of the country trying to figure out their own lives first before or if they can be a couple. A wonderful story and like always Ian comes in and says and gives her what she needs. The ending is good and overall a good book. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

OMG this was everything I wanted for Darcy’s book and more! Be prepared for happy and sad tears. Ben is the perfect foil for Darcy’s often stubborn and slightly spoiled personality while she helps to balance his hermit tendencies. And snowed in together, well that’s just the icing on the cake!

Samantha Chase is amazing and this book did not disappoint. Can’t believe I forgot to come on here and review when I read it. Everyone should read it!

I received the ARC in return for my review. I absolutely love Samantha Chase, she is one of my absolute favorite authors. I have not read any others in this series but I didn't feel that it was all that necessary, even though hints of information from the other books was present. I did think that Darcy was a little bit and cold but seems like many women are so it felt more realistic. And Ben honestly was a dream, guy who works with his hands and lives in the mountains...yes please. And he was sweet, attentive and patient, even though he had issues with family Darcy was able to help him. I just loved it! Now I plan to read the others in the series.

Love the Shaughnessy family. Excited to finally get Darcy's story although know that means that the end of Samantha Chase's series. Being the youngest is always tough. Being the youngest of 6 is harder. Being the only girl AND the youngest has to be every girl's nightmare. Overprotective brothers and romance is a crazy combination.

Samantha Chase does it again. Love the romance but also love the ties that push and pull families together and apart. I really enjoyed reading this book,

Arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars
It was a good read for Christmas.
I found Darcy annoying, and Ben was not willing to overcome his issues. However I did enjoy this book, it was exactly what I wanted at the time.
You kind of need to read the previous books, I haven't, so maybe this is the reason why I found it hard to really connect to Darcy.
Will try the previous ones...

I always enjoy a Samantha Chase story and Holiday Spice was no different. I love the Shaughnessy's, but...well Darcy isn't my favorite. It is fine, I still really enjoyed the story. It was cute and fun and everything I love about the author's books, but she still isn't my favorite. I like her I just don't love her like I do her brothers. I think it is hard sometimes to write reviews for authors that you read a lot of. Sometimes there is just a character or story that there is nothing wrong with, you enjoy it, but at the same time you keep thinking of other books/characters you enjoyed more from them so then I think it comes across as not really liking this story when I did. Just not as much as some of the prior books in this series. It's still a good read.

Darcy feels really young to me in a way that I don't care for. Her brothers and family are a bit overbearing, want her to figure her life out and find a job and whatnot, but she doesn't know what she wants to do. She tries, she really does. She goes from job to job because nothing is fitting her the way she wants it to. And that is fine, but she also has some unresolved issues with her past which cause problems. And she is super stubborn, a bit insecure, and used to people bending over backward for her if she makes a big deal out of something. She is used to not having to work for things because her family lets her get away with not having to. So she comea across as really young when she meets someone who doesn't bend over backward for her. Who makes her work for things. Who doesn't just let her do whatever without challenging her.

Ben is happy living a recluse life. He lives in his cabin out in the woods with no one around and that is the way he likes it. He works in his workshop, makes enough money to support himself (and take care of his brothers when they were younger and needed him), and that is enough for him. He can be a bit grumbly, but he is a good guy.

When Ben first meets Darcy he is interested in her. Which is odd. Because he usually isn't interested in anyone. And things seem to be going well until suddenly Darcy has a problem with him. They are going to be working together for a few days so he is racking his brain trying to figure out what happened. One moment she is open and fun with him, the next she seems to hate him. And he can't figure out why.

Now see this is where I didn't care for Darcy. She jumps to conclusions and even when people point out she is wrong she is stubborn and sticks to her false assumptions. She just wasn't my favorite. I know she is used to jumping into things without thinking and she has her insecurities, but gah! Ben is such a great guy and she keeps trying to mess things up before they can even start. It was like if she could just get out of her own way they may be able to have something special between them.

Now these two don't have an easy go of it. Besides Darcy getting in her own way they both have baggage they need to deal with. And figure out how to find a compromise where they can both be happy. Darcy loves her family and is very close with them and Ben loves his family but doesn't talk to them much. She loves parties and people and he prefers to be alone. Can the two of them figure out a way to merge their two lives so neither of them ends up resenting the other? It was fun watching them come together even if Darcy was frustrating at times. I still wanted everything for Ben because he was pretty awesome.

This is the book I've been waiting for from the very beginning of the Shaughnessy series. Finally we get Darcy's story the little girl who grew up without a mother and the only Shaughnessy that doesn't remember their mother. Ben lost his family too and has closed himself off in a totally different way than Darcy. You really need to read this AMAZING BOOK and go on Ben and Darcy's journey with them. I promise you it's worth it!! I'm so sorry to say goodbye to these characters I'm going to miss them and Darcy's book was definitely worth the wait!! I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. Samantha Chase never disappoints. Her books are the perfect blend of romance and relationships.

Review: This is book six and the last book in The Shaughnessy Brothers series and it’s really their only sister, Darcy’s, story. While all the Shaughnessys, their spouses and children along with their dad and his girlfriend are in and out of the story it only adds another level to the book. There is such a depth to the characters and their feelings and interactions for and with each other. I loved that a lot of the story was played out around the holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Year’s! The prologue really set the stage for what’s to come.

Ben and Darcy don’t meet under the best of circumstances at his home in the mountains of Washington state. They start off on the wrong foot even though there’s an immediate attraction that neither is ready to acknowledge. She misinterprets of lot of what he says even though her sister-in-law, Savannah, vouched for him as a nice guy since they’re good friends. The misunderstandings put Darcy and Ben in several difficult situations since she’s working with him to get his book on his artwork ready for publication. The weather plays a factor too – good and bad – since she’s from North Carolina and is definitely not used to the snow and ice that’s outside his window. He’s an artist who’s starting to make a name for himself – he sculpts from wood – while she’s still trying to forge a career path and get a job. She relies on her family a lot probably because they lost their mom when she was very young and is the youngest of six. Ben has two younger brothers that he became responsible for after their parents died and doesn’t like to be around them or crowds a lot. They are polar opposites on several issues – family, socializing, where they live and how they love the holidays or not! The tension between Darcy and Ben turns into lots of loving but they’re not always on the same page even when they realize what they feel is love for each other. They each tend to react differently to stressful, unhappy and happy situations which causes issues and miscommunications. But they seem to get each other when others don’t even knowing each other for such a short time.

There are family and friends, Ben’s art, Darcy’s organizational skills, her unrealistic view of her life and her childhood, her protective brothers and sister-in-laws, his amazing house, misunderstandings, arguments, anger, sadness, tears, injuries, baking, happiness, laughter, the holidays, romance, lots of loving and love. The interactions between the characters had a reality to them and the descriptions of the art, Ben’s home and the mountains made me feel that I was there. There was wonderful closure with the epilogue and the happily-ever-after I was hoping for that panned out differently than I expected. I would love to revisit the Shaughnessy family again next Christmas just to be able to catch up on their lives (hint, hint)!

Chase has always been one of my favorite authors. I love the ways she portrays families and love. I’ve read all six books in The Montgomery Brothers series, the two in The Christmas Cottage series, three of the four books in the Life, Love and Babies series, but have many more to catch up on. Somehow I’ve only read the first book in this series, Made for Us, and now the last one. I can’t wait to read Love Walks In, Always My Girl, This Is Our Song and A Sky Full of Stars, books two to four respectively, and all have been added to my always growing TBR pile!

Definitely brings you in a holiday spirit. The the book is well written and super enjoyable. This is my first read from the series and I was able to follow the story perfectly. So you can read it as a stand alone too.

Samantha Chases latest The Shaughnessy Brothers Series book was the perfect way to get in to the holiday spirit! I can't wait to see what comes next!