Cover Image: Holiday Ever After

Holiday Ever After

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I'm a huge fan of Jill Shalvis and read anything she writes. I'm not normally a novella fan trust her to win me over. Each novella was a sweet read that will definitely get you into the holiday spirit.

Was this review helpful?

Holiday Ever After is a collection of three novellas that are supplements to Jill Shalvis' fantastic Heartbreaker Bay and Wildstone series. If you are familiar with this series, the characters in these short stories will be familiar and it's always enjoyable to get a little more background on some of these support characters in series like these.

I am, admittedly, a huge fan of all of the Heartbreaker Bay and Wildstone books and given the chance to read these 3 shorts in one place (two for Heartbreaker Bay and one for Wildstone) is a true treat.
They are fun, easy reads that all center around the Christmas holiday and all of the main players will eventually find their happily ever after.

If you are not familiar with or read any of the books in either of these series - these are a great introduction to them and a peek into what type of stories you should expect if you choose to continue with the other books available - which I highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

This book includes three short stories and each one is heart warming and gets you in the holiday spirit.

Second chance romance is my favorite and the second romance includes that and a wonderful family dynamic. I devoured the book in two days and recommend it!!

Was this review helpful?

Christmastime with author Jill Shalvis is truly merry! Holiday Ever After is made up of three wonderfully written holiday novellas; One Snowy Night, Holiday Wishes and Mistletoe in Paradise.

One Snowy Night takes place during a blizzard on Christmas Eve. Rory Andrews and Max Stranton are both traveling from San Francisco to visit their respective families in Lake Tahoe. Although they attended high school together, circumstances from their past have caused a huge barrier between them. Terrible road conditions bring them closer together, along with a great big goofy dog.

Holiday Wishes is a festive romance with a Napa Valley backdrop. Lottie Hartford owns and runs her late Grandmother's B&B, however she is quite lonely and relationship adverse. She is hosting a bachelorette/bachelor party which evolves into a wedding due to a horrible storm. Sean O'Riley is in charge of ensuring his brother's pre-nuptial activities are filled with fun and happy memories. Years ago, Sean and Lottie lost their virginity together and then lost touch. As they work on the planning together and survive the storm, their romantic feelings develop into much more.

Mistletoe in Paradise takes place on a motor yacht cruising along the Caribbean Sea. After years apart, Hannah Banfield and James Webber are back on the yacht, with unpleasant news to share with their respective parents. Along the way, they rekindle their feelings from way back when and finally find their happily every after.

I enjoyed all three of these sexy novellas. All the main characters were interesting and easy to get to know. If you are in the mood for some holiday romance, pick up this book.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

These are three great novellas that pull you in and keep your interest. In this book we have books from Heartbreak Bay and Wildstone.
First I felt it was genious to put books from both series together. Next I loved that they were all novellas so it read quickly.
Ig you are looking for a holiday romance you can cuddle on the couch with a blanket and you favorite beverage this is it.

** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

Was this review helpful?

Holiday Ever After gifts Jill Shalvis fans an early present. Her collection of holiday stories deliver everything that's naughty and nice while recognizing the importance of second chances.

Filled with strong female characters, you'll laugh along with their shenanigans and sympathize with their struggles. #HolidayEverAfter provides a cup of cheer that's needed this year.

Was this review helpful?

Holiday Ever After is a combination of novellas that Jill Shalvis wrote for a couple of her series. One Snowy Night and Holiday Wishes fit in the world of Heartbreaker Bay, and Mistletoe in Paradise fits in Wildstone books. I actually read One Snowy Night and Holiday Wishes when they released. However, I hadn't had a chance to read Mistletoe in Paradise. So lets dive into the stories.

One Snowy Night
Heartbreaker Bay 2.5

Now if you haven't read my original review of One Snowy Night, lucky for you I have it right here:
We actually got to see a lot of Rory in The Trouble with Mistletoe and if you haven't read it you have to see why Rory is reluctant to go home for Christmas. Even then it doesn't give a lot, but Rory left home and Willa took her under her wing. There is a lot jam packed into this novella, which could have been a little longer, but that is beside the point. Anyway, Max and Rory have been skirting around feelings, but there is a past issue. Poor Rory, life has been a little rough for her. The gist of things Max kind of holds a grudge, but conflicted with the idea of liking Rory.

Bottom line: Cute quick holiday read, and fills in the missing pieces of what happen with Max and Rory on the way home for Christmas.

Rating: 4 Stars

Holiday Wishes
Heartbreaker Bay 4.5

Another one I read. Who doesn't love a story that has couples stranded in a snow storm. Original review:
Gotta love the holiday time in Heartbreaker Bay. However, this time we aren't anywhere near the magic fountain. The gang finds themselves stranded at a B&B. No problem. Hahaha! Sean comes face to face with a blast from the past. Okay, Sean and Lotti use to be a thing in high school, but Sean was stupid and let the best thing get away. Now he's trying to make up for what he did when he was young and stupid. Lotti can't forget Sean, but she wants him to stay in the past, after all he broke her heart. There always seem to be magic in the air whenever true loves comes knocking on the door. Poor Sean he has to prove to Lotti that he's a change man.

We have met Sean in the previous books, I mean he's Finn's brother. However, he's in the background. Now he gets his chance to shine and find love. Jill brings out another sweet quick romance that tides you over until the next Heartbreaker Bay books comes out. Sean and Lotti are cute and sweet, but Lotti is hesitant. I mean who wants to get burn twice in one life. So, if you are in need of another sweet, cute read that centers around the holidays, Holiday Wishes might be want you need.

Rating: 4 Stars

These two little novellas fit into a series, and I stand by that you should read the previous books in the series. However, that is a suggestion.

Mistletoe in Paradise
Wildstone 5.5

In Mistletoe in Paradise we meet up with Hannah and James. Now these crazy two have a past. However, they were torn apart due tragedy. They weren't planning to see one another forever. The lack of communication usually the death of most relationships.

The story was okay, because I was trying to figure out how this was tied to the Wildstone books. I don't remember Hannah from the previous books. If she was in the books she's a super minor character. Anyway, she gets a story that is cute and has reconnections from someone from the past. It's basically a quick filler story when it was written. It filled in the time till the next book in the series. Now do you have to read the previous books to get the gist of this story no. It can be a standalone novella. This story could have been a little longer.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

In Holiday Ever After you get three novellas in from two series that focus on Christmas. It's a way to put you in the holiday mood. I enjoyed majority of the book. This also can give you a taste of a series that you haven't tried yet if you not sure if you want to commit. The first two stories are slightly intricate to the series, but they can be still read as a standalone.

Copy provide by Avon via Netgalley

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Was this review helpful?

An excellent novella collection featuring stories from two of my favorite Jill Shalvis series.

It's really nice and convenient to have them bound up into one volume. It's easy if you want to jump in and just read them as you go through the series. Also, it's perfect to read all three if you are looking for something to get you in the holiday spirit.

I love reading novellas, but they can be hard to get right. Even though they are shorter stories I don't want a rushed story or characters who feel flat. I appreciate that each novella is well paced with interesting characters who have great chemistry and banter.

I loved them all, but if I had to choose a favorite it would be One Snowy Night because it was my first holiday book from Jill and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it.

Was this review helpful?

This is a collection of three novella length Christmas stories in one book.
I really enjoy the writing style of this author so these were a true delight to read.
The stories had a common theme of second chance romances. The couples all had a past history but due to some hurts and misunderstandings they went their separate ways.
Being that it's Christmas time with joy being in the air it seems like the perfect time for a second chance at the possibility of love working out this time.
Some of these couples meeting up again was by mere coincidence but the outcome had the couples talking out the past and putting it behind them.
You can't always forget what happened in the past but you can forgive what happened.
I recommend these sweet holiday romances.

Pub Date 26 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I would just like to preface this review by saying I had no idea that these were all just short stories from the series Shalvis had already released. Because of this some of them were a little harder to follow along with and know what was happening exactly when it came to backstory between the two characters

One Snowy Night
This ended up being my least favorite short story of the three. I feel like because I didn't know the backstory to these two characters I was unable to enjoy the story and know why there was so much tension between them. I didn't get to like or connect with any of the characters and I like to do that when it comes to Christmas stories.

Holiday Wishes
This one blew me away. I had so much fun reading this one and seeing how they would be able to put their differences aside and work together. Being stuck with an ex who hates your guts sounds like a nightmare, but for Sean, it ended up being a good thing.
What Sean and Lotti were able to pull off in less than 36 hours was amazing and sounded beautiful considering the situation. They made a good team and I'm glad they got a second chance together.

Mistletoe in Paradise

Mistletoe in Paradise was my favorite of the three. Hannah and James are still dealing with things from several years ago. Hannah because she's kept herself so busy so that she didn't have to worry about her heart getting broken, and James by constantly being on the move and not stopping anywhere for long. This holiday though because of Hannah's dad they are spending together or at least that's what it's supposed to be, but once again Hannah's job gets in the way.
This one ended up being my favorite because of how Hannah and James acted together and how for just a short little while they got to be carefree again like they were when they were younger. I also liked how James was able to get Hannah to live for a change and not just be about her job 24/7.

As for if I am going to go and read the full series of any of these books... I don't know to be honest, this isn't usually the genre I read and to commit myself to two different 8 book romance series is a bit meh right now. Not saying never, but I think I'll stay away for now.

Was this review helpful?

This collection includes three sweet-and-steamy Christmas-themed novellas. All the stories have a second-chance, forced proximity theme. There's a lot of variety in terms of setting: one couple gets snowed in together, another trapped at a Napa Valley bed-and-breakfast with a bridal party, and the third stuck on a boat in the Caribbean. If you're a Jill Shalvis fan and enjoy holiday romance, don't miss this anthology.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Was this review helpful?

Oh my! Holiday Ever After by Jill Shalvis was an anthology of three Christmas novellas. You can read one per evening or do what I did and read them in a day and a half. I’m not a speed reader and started it one afternoon and finished it the next day.

I’m not a short story person but, I enjoyed these because they are a little longer and more involved than a short story. I loved every one of them. They were all different and fun. If you have a busy holiday season coming up, this anthology should fit right into your schedule.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you don’t like any sex at all in your books, this one will not be for you. There are some scenes. I wouldn’t call them vulgar but, they are there. Just a word of caution for some of my peeps.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #AvonandHarperVoyager and #Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Oh my heart...second chance romances around Christmas time?! Yes, please! I'm a sucker for romances that tie someone's past with their present. These stories were quick reads full of tenderness. I loved how there were three stories in this book- allowing for those pressed for time to fly through them. I haven't read many books by Jill Shalvis but I will be sure to make a point to grab them from now on.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to review this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

One Snowy Night
This is a short but sweet second chance story. We have know about Max and Rory from the Heartbreaker Bay series and now Rory needs a ride home to her parents where she has not been for quite a while and the only ride is with Max who she has had a crush on since high school. Max has been protective and sweet but wary of Rory for years but kept his distance but kept the reasons to himself. Now they are stuck in a truck for hours during a blizzard, with a dog, and those feelings finally come out. Will they go past Christmas?
Holiday Wishes
This was a sweet second chance romance between Sean and Lottie. Sean has volunteered to plan his brother's wedding and book the bachelor/bachelorette weekend at bed and breakfast and when they check in he runs into Lottie who runs the B&B. They were high school sweethearts and after he ghosted her they lost track of each other but now all bets are off. There are still sparks and as the weather has them trapped for the weekend and plans are changed, will they be able to plan a wedding, while getting closer, and find their way?
Mistletoe in Paradise
This was a short but sweet second chance romance bringing Hannah and James together. They both showed up for the holiday yacht trip for different reasons. Even though feelings are strained they find common ground but will all forces pulling them apart actually bring them together. I love these two together and this one brought such joy.

Was this review helpful?

This was a good sampling of Jill Shalvis work and overall I enjoyed the collection but I could tell definitely tell the difference between her older and newer works.

Was this review helpful?

I received this book from NetGalley/ publishers. I love both story's and all the characters in it. I couldn't put it down and loved the cover and the title. I can not wait for more of her books.

Was this review helpful?

When the weather outside is absolutely frightful getting a second chance at love will absolutely melt your heart. Amazing anthology of second chance romances!

Was this review helpful?

HOLIDAY EVER AFTER – Jill Shalvis
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-311500-2
November 2021
Contemporary Romance Anthology

One Snowy Night
Lake Tahoe

Rory Andrews and Max Stranton have known each other since high school, but they don’t talk about “that incident.” Somehow, they both ended up living in San Francisco, their lives so much different from what they expected when they were in high school. Yet, despite their somewhat shared past, Rory and Max aren’t exactly friends. But after Rory’s boss offers to let Max drive her to their hometown near Lake Tahoe on Christmas Eve, they are forced to be together. Alone, except for Max’s dog.

The drive doesn’t go smoothly for Rory and Max in One Snowy Night, but maybe this will give them an opportunity to revisit what happened their senior year. It also lays bare the mutual attraction between them that has simmered for months. Will being stranded overnight give them a chance to explore those feelings? Can they resolve their past history?

A sizzling start, One Snowy Night gives a chance for a couple to face their shared past—and their attraction for each other.

Holiday Wishes
Napa Valley

Sean O'Riley is in charge of the destination wedding for his brother and his fiancée that will take place just a few days before Christmas. They arrive at the bed and breakfast where the wedding party will stay, and the person at the check-in desk turns out to be none other than the woman Sean gave his virginity to in high school. Charlotte “Lotti” Hartford isn't happy to see him, and at first, is frosty towards him, but a thaw soon occurs. When a rainstorm closes all the roads around them, leaving everyone stranded, it's Lotti and Sean who start to plan alternative wedding plans for the happy couple. While working closely together, it leads to some late-night sexy business between Sean and Lotti.

Holiday Wishes is about former lovers who are reunited in the most unexpected way. As teens, Sean and Lotti had dated, and finally one night consummated their relationship, but as soon as she said the “love” word to him, he broke things off with her. She is still hurting from the rejection. But now they are together again, and there’s plenty of sexy hijinks afoot between them in Holiday Wishes.

Will Lotti and Sean get a chance to have their happily-ever-after?

Mistletoe in Paradise
Caribbean

Old childhood friends—and once secret lovers—Hannah and James haven’t seen each other in years. But they are forced together on a 70-foot sailboat that is sailing on a Christmas cruise in the Caribbean. Hannah’s stepfather, Harry, owns the sailboat and isn’t aware that the reason she agreed to come on the cruise is that she was forced by her mother to “serve” him with their divorce papers. She would’ve never come if she’d known James was going to be on board because their relationship ended badly after his brother died. Things were just never the same after Jason’s death. But now that Hannah and James are “reunited,” the old feelings return.

Mistletoe in Paradise is an engaging short tale set around Christmastime. It helps that Hannah and James are familiar with each other—and haven’t gotten over their breakup. Hannah thought she’d moved on—and that James had too. At first, she hopes to avoid being around him, but Harry makes sure to force them to spend a few hours alone on a remote deserted island. This allows them to talk—and rekindles the passion they once knew. The death of James’ brother Jason stands between them, which is more of a regret that they wished they could’ve done more for him. Guilt is sometimes hard to deal with. But even though they might find love between them again, Hannah and James do live on opposite coasts. How can they make it work? Then there is Harry…how will he react to the news that Hannah’s mom wants a divorce? He’s always enjoyed their many reunions.

A fun, entertaining novella that is a simply perfect read when time is so short, don’t miss Mistletoe in Paradise.

While each short story is a separate one, there is one thing in common: our lovers are stranded together and forced to face their attraction for each other. Snuggle up with a hot drink and HOLIDAY EVER AFTER. You won’t be sorry.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Review will also appear on the Romance Reviews Today website at http://romrevtoday.com/

Was this review helpful?

I got through one of the three short stories/novellas and found that this one just wasn’t for me. It could have been that I wasn’t in the mood for a Christmas/holiday book yet, however, I wanted to get it finished prior to the release date. Had this been released closer to the holidays and I didn’t feel pressure to finish prior to Halloween, then I might have been more inclined to get into this and feel differently about it.

Was this review helpful?

This latest book by this talented author, gives us three novellas. At least are previously published stories but always a joy to read again.
These are my two favorite stories.
ONE SORMY NIGHT
This story centers around two individuals that met in HS. Though even then they were secretly attracted to each other, events and misunderstandings drove them apart. When Rory Andrews needs to get to Tahoe to keep a promise to her family, Max Stranton, who is also on his way to Tahoe, grudgingly agrees to take her. From that moment on they are not only forced to face obstacles, but they also get a chance to know each other and open their hearts.
MISTLETOE IN PARADISE
This is a sweet, touching, second chance romance about childhood friends Hannah and James. Throughout their youth their families got together during Christmas , cruising in the Caribbean in Hannah’s step-father’s yacht. Six years ago they spent a night together, but each had a different goal in life, and went their separate ways. Neither letting the other one know that their hearts had been broken.
Now they are back in her step-father’s yacht for another Christmas cruise. But though each has grown professionally they are struggling . One has to tell their father they will not continue to work for them, and the other one is hiding themselves in work and have news for their step-dad.
Aside from the plot, it’s also a story about how the one’s childhood will affect the individual as an adult.
Also, that love and families are always evolving.
And lastly, that no matter where in the world one is, the one you love is your “ home base”.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by NetGalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Was this review helpful?