A Kiss Under The Christmas Lights
Author: Peggy Jaeger
Reviewer: Jen Twimom
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
Set to take the CPA exams and start her career, Gia San Valentino is thrown for a loop when she finds herself instantly attracted to and completely taken with the wrong man. Unable to shake her feelings, Gia is emotionally torn because of an unknown, yet simple misunderstanding. Constantly surrounded by her family, Gia is worried the horrible truth will soon come out.
A Kiss Under the Christmas Lights is a delightful holiday novella centered on a large Italian family and its traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Gia’s life. The author invests time developing the San Valentino family, bringing heart to the story, and Gia’s loving, meddling family provides tender moments with a healthy side of humorous embarrassment. Told from Gia’s first person POV, we get to experience every laugh, fear, and joy along side her.
While this story isn’t an instalove tale, it is evident right from the start the Gia and Tim share something special. The love-at-first-meeting attraction comes across as right and true. However, due to a misunderstanding, Gia is emotionally wrecked and guilt-ridden over her attraction. After a while, it became stressful for me. It’s obvious to the reader what is going on, but Gia thinks she’s got the hots for an unattainable man. While the author does a great job of keeping Gia’s physical attraction appropriately compartmentalized, after their third meeting, I wanted her to be able to enjoy her feelings for Tim without the guilt.
With that said… the author successfully keeps the mood light, even when the book deals with serious situations. And while the romance is a huge part of the story, there are other things going on in Gia’s life, keeping the focus off her guilty conscience.
A Kiss Under the Christmas Lights is a sweet, light-hearted read. This holiday novella is a perfect gift to enjoy snuggled on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
About the Book:
With Christmas just a few weeks away, Gia San Valentino, the baby in her large, loud, and loving Italian family, yearns for a life and home of her own with a husband and bambini she can love and spoil. The single scene doesn’t interest her, and the men her well-meaning family introduce her to aren’t exactly the happily-ever-after kind.
Tim Santini believes he’s finally found the woman for him, but Gia will take some convincing she’s that girl. A misunderstanding has her thinking he’s something he’s not.
Can a kiss stolen under the Christmas lights persuade her to spend the rest of her life with him?
Release Date: November 30, 2016
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday, novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
Purchase Info:
Amazon