Such a good book. Two people who had known each other for most of their lives get thrown together by Carter's mother. Emery needed a place to hide out and Carter needed help with a new cookbook. Now he didn't want help, but he got it anyway. There were lots of cute scenes in the book, some hot romance, some misunderstandings and love. A very good read. I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review

When I received the ARC for “A Dash of Christmas,” my first reaction was, “Oh goodness, an early Christmas gift from one of my favorite authors!”

As it turned out, it was! A lovely read with lots of family moments, “A Dash of Christmas” is what holidays should be – a season of giving and forgiving.

Carter Montgomery and Emery Monaghan were childhood enemies; not friends, mind you. They were the same age, same grade in school and competing for the same things. That was, until they grew up.

But while Carter moved away to pursue a culinary career, Emery stayed in Albany to live and work. Then, they were thrown together again because Emery’s no-good fiancé has embroiled her in scandal and Carter’s mother Eliza wanted to play matchmaker.

In a roundabout way, this is a story of enemies to lovers, but the animosity was so long ago, it is just about 10% of the story. “A Dash of Christmas” is more of two people who had known each other all their lives rediscovering themselves and that they had more things in common than they realized.

And while Carter and Emery’s love story was the main plot, Samantha Chase also moved the Montgomery family’s story/history by giving it some imperfections. Though they seem to very ideal, the Montgomery’s could be dysfunctional, too.

Another great read from Samantha Chase and thank you for this early Christmas gift from you.

“A Dash of Christmas” is Rated T for Teens. Parental guidance is strongly advised due to some #MeToo movement moments.

Very unique premise for a Christmas story, yet so enjoyable and fulfilling that I couldn’t put it down. A sure winner for the upcoming holiday season. 5/5 stars

A Dash of Christmas is a well written, heartwarming story. Carter and Emerly are endearing characters with great chemistry.. There are also many wonderful secondary characters in this delightful story that I would love to read more about. This inspiring story really gets you into the spirit of Christmas. I would definitely recommend it.

Chase continues to charm hearts with real emotion and unforgettable characters. A Dash of Christmas is not only a romance, but a story of familial love. The Montgomerys are unpredictable, irresistible, heartwarming and hilariously, entertaining. This family invites us into their fold at the best of times, the worst of moments and all the drama in between. Add in a dash of matchmaking and an age old childhood rivalry and there is no getting better than that. Carter and Emery are reminder that sometimes less than perfect could turn out to fit just right.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, reading wise at least!
I know, I know...I'm with you on the whole reading seasonally appropriate titles, but when this one came across my inbox, I simply COULD NOT resist! Oh and guess what? I'm SO glad I didn't!
Emery and Carter have been going at it for YEARS. I mean REALLY going at it and you'd think at some point someone may have suggested that one or the other "doth protest too much". Yeah, but no...they simply saw the rivalry not the potential feelings beneath. Good thing there are meddling family members to intervene! Good thing (only not actually "good" good) there are scandals to make significant others run from their every day life, seeking the shelter of those who truly care. Good thing there those that we can call family that somehow don't even share a single drop of our blood. Good thing that bad times aren't known to last forever, especially if one is willing to try again.

Honestly, I found this potential couple to be refreshing and fun. They weren't hung up on each other, yet you couldn't call them bitter rivals as they never played dirty. Their lives were very different, but deep down they never lost the friendly part of their competition and mutual respect they had for each other...though that part they never planned on sharing...nor the looks...or the embrace...or the, and I'm getting ahead of myself. Trust me, they are characters to know and love, as are the meddlers in their lives that only have their best interests at heart. Now that doesn't mean their path to ANYTHING runs smoothly...like I said, scandals, and parental nightmares, and just so many things try to steal their moment...but they're both made of stronger stuff and when they make up their minds about something, come heck or high water, you best believe they'll achieve it.

Though my first time experiencing the magic of The Montgomery Brothers series, I can guarantee, it won't be my last as there are so many other stories I HAVE to explore! As for this one, it fit the enemies to lovers trope, though there was more friendly competition and badgering than true enemies tactics, and let's just say that all that pent up aggression and aggravation over the years made for a rather interesting situation when things finally came to a boil. Can we say dinner is served? HA! I just couldn't resist! All the food humor and puns had me laughing and smiling in turns. All the shared feelings (whether they wanted to or not!) and ridicule made for long talks and equally "revenge" worthy makeups. Being true to its title, there was wining and dining, but more on the home front than out and about the town, utilizing one of Carter's many...skills. *ahem* The recipes made ranged from interesting (fou fou) to divine (comfort food), and the final cut of the cookbook they were working on sounded truly inspired.

All in all, a wonderful read for the upcoming season, or really whenever because who couldn't use a good dose of holiday magic to brighten up their days! A perfect fit for Contemporary Romance fans with a storybook couple realistic enough to walk right off the page...and I'd want to know them, one and all.

I started the Montgomery series late in the game and every time I read one the books now, I kick myself for not making the time to go back to the beginning … yet. They’re all sitting on my kindle … waiting. *sigh* one day!!

I love this family Samantha has created. They’re sweet and fun and a joy to read. Best of all, there’s no surprises with her. When you pick up a Samantha book, you’re going to get a well written, low angst, sweet romance. Every time. Yeah Yeah, some are better than others lol and she isn’t perfect (who can please everyone all the time???) but she’s a go-to for me if I want a guaranteed feel good romance.

Okay, so Emery and Carter have been in a love/hate relationship since they were kids LOL Mom decides to meddle. Let the games begin ….. Adult Carter and adult Emery somehow manage to channel their rivalry into passion instead of one-up-manship and we get a glorious little holiday themed story full of excellent banter, chemistry, family and sweetness!

I really enjoyed this book by Samantha Chase. It has heart and depth and the idea of finding love with someone you thought was out of your league. I haven't read all of the books in this series, but didn't find that to be an issue. I think all readers, new and old, will love this story of love.
Emery Monaghan is furious with the situation that she finds herself in. She has been dating and engaged to a man her parents approved of. Not only does she learn that he has cheated on her with multiple women, but since he is in politics, his numerous affairs and the sexual misconduct accusations are all over the news. Emery can't leave her house without being attacked by the press and questioned. She just wants to be alone. The worst part is that her parents think she should stand by him and take him back. It makes her want to scream. Fortunately, the answer comes from a former classmate's mom. Emery leaps at the chance.
Carter Montgomery is completely committed to opening his new restaurant. He has no time to devote to his mother's current idea of creating a cookbook that can be sold for charity. He just wants to be left alone. He is shocked when he shows up at the family's New York City apartment to find Emery living there. She has been hired to make sure the cookbook happens. Carter isn't sure what to think. They competed and fought all through high school. How will they manage to get along now?
Watching Carter and Emery deal with their past relationship and all of the drama of Emery's last relationship is heartwarming. These two people may have their issues, but that they care about each other is apparent from the beginning. Now they just have to figure out how to navigate their relationship, family and their past.

IT was a good, light read, again, I would like to read the rest of the series because it seems there is some missing story lines. I will be finding more of this author to read!

While I’m sad that the Montgomery series is ending, I’m thrilled that it went out with a bang in A Dash of Christmas!
I really enjoyed the snarky chemistry between “frenemies” Carter and Emery. While these two had a lot in common as far as their competitiveness was concerned, they each came from very different families. Even though Chase and his siblings didn’t have a great relationship with their dad, the rest of their family more than made up for his last of support. Poor Emery was just a pawn to make her own parents look good.
This bickering duo made me both laugh and cry; they both had so many feelings stored inside themselves, it seemed that arguing was their fall back way to express themselves. That is, until they stopped fighting the inevitable and just went at it!
I loved the cameo appearance from other family members, especially since I’ve read the whole series! Definitely a stand-alone book, but just that sprinkling of characters added to the sense of family that emanates from every Samantha Chase book.

Will appear on the Romance Reviews Today site in Oct: http://romrevtoday.com/index.htm


A DASH OF CHRISTMAS – Samantha Chase
The Montgomery Brothers, Book 10
Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1492655961
September 24, 2019
Contemporary Romance

New York City & Montauk, New York – Present Day

Emery Monaghan has been humiliated by her now ex-fiancé’s arrest for inappropriate sexual behavior and all she wants to do is hide away while she licks her wounds. But the press won’t leave her alone, nor will her ex’s lawyer, who wants her to stand by her ex’s side in support. An old family friend, Eliza Montgomery, offers Emery the use of their family condo in New York City so that she can hide out, and she accepts. But the last thing she expects is an old nemesis of hers to show up: Eliza’s son, Carter Montgomery.

Carter is in town for business while on his way to Montauk where he’s working on opening his latest restaurant. His mother didn’t warn him that she’d already let Emery stay there, so imagine the surprise of both when he walks into the condo late at night to find a scantily clad Emery? They went to school together but they were never friends. In fact, they loved to snark at each other. Now they’re forced to spend a few days together. Carter’s mother has roped him into accepting Emery’s help in putting together a charity cookbook. How can they possibly do this when they hate each other?

Samantha Chase pens another tale in her Montgomery Brothers series and it comes with a Christmas theme. In A DASH OF CHRISTMAS, Carter and Emery never expected they could work together, but they do—and it heats up an attraction that’s been bubbling for years, though neither realized it. Carter is a world-famous chef who has opened a couple of restaurants and is poised to open a third in Montauk. He’s busy, but that doesn’t stop his mother from roping him in to edit a charity cookbook for her—with Emery’s help. Because he needs to be in Montauk, he invites her to stay there with him. But by then, there’s enough sexual heat between them that it won’t be in separate bedrooms…

Emery had been with her fiancé for years, but by the time he got arrested she’d already figured out he was a lying and cheating bastard and wanted out. It doesn’t help that not only does her ex want her back, but her parents support him. How can Emery be the bad person when she was an innocent party? Carter soon makes Emery realize how to get over her broken heart. But will she end up falling for Carter, despite the fact that it might be on the rebound? Or, is this true love?

In A DASH OF CHRISTMAS, readers get caught up with the Montgomery family as they appear in a few scenes, but this tale can easily be read as a standalone. The sizzling heat between Emery and Carter will have you reaching for an icy cold drink, while the emotional pain she feels from being betrayed by her fiancé will pull you to root for her. Set in the months of November and December, this tale will put you in a good holiday mood. Grab a copy of A DASH OF CHRISTMAS for a holly jolly read.

Patti Fischer

All the feels and Christmas too! So very sorry to see the end of the Montgomery clan but this one was done in the best way possible. Carter finally, FINALLY gets his happy ending and who would have thought it would come at the hands of his nemesis, Emery Monaghan. They have been competing with each other since grade school and now when she needs a safe place after her life blows up Eliza, Carter's mom, finds the perfect job for her...helping with the cookbook Carter is supposed to be working on but not putting any effort into. Watching these two banter and work together and finally take the plunge it was spectacular. Make sure you read all the way to the end. Love those letters! This could be read as a standalone if you really want to but why would you want to?

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

I can't believe this is the end of the Montgomery Brothers series! But I definitely think Ms. Chase saved the best for last.

A Dash of Christmas has all the best pieces of second chance romance, enemies (or frenemies) to lovers, "meddling" parents, sassiness and snark!

I loved it and did not want it to end!

So happy there is another book in The Montgomery Brothers series, at the same time I'm so sad it's the last one.
This book is about Carter and Emery. Carter did what no Montgomery did, he choose different profession, he is chef and he is trying to open his fourth restaurant. His mother needs help and he promissed her to put some recipes together for Christmas cookbook with profits for charity.
Emery, just find out that her fiancee cheated on her and is accused of inappropriate sexual behavior. She needs run away, hide but there is no one to help, till, Eliza Montgomery offered help. So she goes and stays in their apartament in Manhattan. Eliza didn't tell Carter that Emery was staying there and she'll help him with cookbook.
What she and Carter doesn't know, that Eliza and Monika have a plan for them.
Book was awesome, characters are great, reading about other Montgomerys was a big plus too.
Thank you Mrs. Chase for introducing us to Montgomery Family.

Christmas story plus Montgomery Brothers!

Emery Monaghan needed to get away because her family wanted her to support her now ex-fiancé in court after he was accused of taking advantage of women. Eliza Montgomery gave her place to stay and asked her to help with a charity cookbook with recipes by her son, chef Carter Montgomery who had been the bane of her existence during high school. Carter was ready to finish the plans for his next restaurant when he surprises Emery at his family’s apartment.

Emery and Carter were almost like oil and water because she likes comfort food and Carter likes to experiment with different ingredients which lead to some of the wonderful scenes where Emery and Carter have to deal with each other ending with a great story.

To any reader that hasn’t read any of the Montgomery Brothers, Shaughnessy Brothers etc. you need to start now because she has so many great books to read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Dash of Christmas is another delightfully emotional romance by Samantha Chase. When I received an invitation from the publisher, via Net-Galley, to read and review, the book description appealed to me, so I accepted. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Wow, what a great Christmas romance. I loved the characters and the plot. The writing is emotional but without too much angst. The pacing is steady and fits this story perfectly. The dialogue is real.

Emery Monaghan is an endearing heroine. She’s been embroiled in scandal, not of her making, and just wants to hide away for a while and lick her wounds. When a kind woman offers her a chance to get away and be a part of her church cookbook, she eagerly accepted. I could feel her pain and humiliation, and the betrayal from her parents who side with her ex-fiancée.

Carter Montgomery is a beta hero. He’s focused on his restaurants and is determined to open another one a bit different from his other three. Only, something is stifling his creativity, and the project is plagued by issues. The last thing he needs is to be placed in an awkward position when he shows up at his family’s townhouse in the city and finds Emery in residence, a woman who has always wanting to one up him. I could feel his frustration regarding his mother’s machinations.

The romance between Emery and Carter ignites slowly. After all, they’ve known each other since they were in elementary school. There’s always been the desire to beat out the other. Neither ever imagined that their bickering actually concealed an attraction they discover for each other. I truly wanted them to find their happy ending.

If you enjoy a Christmas romance that has substance with engaging characters and an interesting plot, then you will love A Dash of Christmas as much as I did. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but this is easily a stand-alone. I plan to try another one of the books in this series. Happy reading!

What an absolutely wonderful book! This latest trip back to the Montgomery family by Samantha Chase has left me so completely happy and satisfied. I love this family and their matchmaking and meddling and to add in this magical "dash of Christmas", it elevates the story to a perfect level for me! Carter and Emery's story is chock full of heart and soul, and is such a sweet, funny, sexy and heartwarming story. Carter and Emery light up the pages with their chemistry and banter! I adore their history, especially the fact that they drove each other crazy in school with their competitiveness and still drive each other crazy now. There's a fine line between crazy and love lol and they certainly find it! I honestly can't say enough about how much I love everything about this story from beginning to end.

This book was amazing. I loved the chemistry from the first argument between these two. I enjoyed the story very much. I hope we will be hearing from these two in other books. I can't wait for the next book.

This book!!!! Any fan of romance that has an enemy to lovers storyline needs to get this asap! That is my favorite romance trope and it's beautiully done in this book! Carter is a chef who has followed his own path in life despite his families constant attempts to steer him and set him up with a girl to settle down with. Emery thought she had found the perfect guy but he turned out to be no good and dragged her down in his mess the two are childhood rivals who get reuinted unexpectedly and the sparks start flying! Warm and hilarious with plenty of christmas vibes but also sassy and fun with the love hate relationship of the two main characters this is just the perfect hoilday romance! Pick this one up!!

When Emery’s fiancée gets her embroiled in a scandal, she needs a place to lie low away from the press’s prying eyes. Carters mom comes to the rescue, she offers her not only a place to stay but also asks for help in creating a cookbook for charity. And working on that cookbook means working with Carter, her childhood nemesis. Emery and Carter have years worth of animosity and competing against each other, but underlying all that is an attraction that they can’t stop themselves from finally giving in to. It also made way to some fun and entertaining banter between them. Their chemistry between them is full of passion and has an ease of friendship. A dash of Christmas is a warm and sweet story that will leave you with a smile on your face.