Review: Holiday Ever After

Holiday Ever After by Kimberly Kincaid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Holiday Ever After is a collection of eleven festive season short stories, each offering something different to keep readers hooked. Within the collection there were authors I have read before – Lili Valente, Natasha Madison, Willow Winters, and Maria Luis – and those sitting on my to-read list – Kimberly Kincaid, Erika Kelley, J.H. Croix, Amy Andrews, Lucy Score, Erin Nicholas, and Kate Canterbary – meaning I got more of authors I enjoy along with an introduction to those I’ve been curious about.

The first story in the collection – Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Kimberly Kincaid – was a three-star rating. It was quick and enjoyable, but it didn’t quite wow me in the way I had hoped. I think, in part, this is because I have not read any other stories by the author. With the number of other couples we were shown, I think I would have liked this couple more if I had more of their backstory. If nothing else, it has me curious about the rest of the series.

The second story in the collection – Planes, Trains and Head Over Heels by Erika Kelley – was also a three-star rating. It was addictive, but it was a bit too instalove for me to adore it. This, however, is just personal preference. I like things to develop over more time, whereas with this one it seemed to happen instantly. Although this one was too instalove for me, I enjoyed it enough to be super curious about the other couples we got to see in the story.

The third story in the collection – That Snowy Night by J.H. Croix – was a two-star rating. I really wanted to love this one, but it didn’t quite have enough depth for me. I wanted more of the backstory between the characters, not just a single flashback and regular references. I also wanted to know more about how our leading lady grew up, as it certainly played a part in her character. Although I wasn’t crazy about this one, the potential it showed means I remain curious about the author’s other work. As this was linked to a lot of other work by the author, there is plenty of choice for me.

The fourth story in the collection – Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Red Bikini Trouble by Amy Andrews – was a four-star rating. This one pulled me right it, leaving me with a huge smile on my face. I adored the characters and their banter, leaving me more than satisfied with their story. Without a doubt, I’ll be reading more of Amy Andrews soon.

The fifth story in the collection – The Mistletoe Kisser by Lucy Score – was also a four-star rating. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the aforementioned four-star rating, but it was close enough for me to round up. It was adorable and had me smiling throughout. It was a bit out there, which is why it wasn’t quite a full four-star rating, but it was fun enough to have me wanting more of the series.

The sixth story in the collection – MILF on the Shelf by Lili Valente – was another four-star rating. I was uncertain about this one; however, it quickly pulled me into the story, and I could not stop smiling. There were many adorable elements to it, pulling me in deep and leaving me to finish this one in the blink of the eye.

The seventh story in the collection – Must Love Alligators by Erin Nicholas – was also a four-star rating. I quickly fell for the characters and found the story to be filled with the best kind of humour. It wasn’t over the top, it was just enough to keep me grinning throughout. Add in the fact I adored the side characters, and I’m super curious about this series.

The eighth story in the collection – Tempt the Assistant by Natasha Madison – was a two-star rating. I’ve read and adored the first two books in the Tempt series, so I was eager for this one. Unfortunately, for me, this story did not have the magic of the Tempt books. I’m usually rolling over with laughter, but such wasn’t the case with this one. It all happened very quickly, and I was never given the chance to fall in love with the characters.

The ninth story in the collection – All I Want is a Kiss by Willow Winters – was also a two-star rating. I was tempted to give this one a three-star rating, but I found I was missing too many details to fall completely in love with it. On the surface, it was a sweet little read. When I stopped to think about it, I realised there wasn’t quite enough to make this one memorable.

The tenth story in the collection – Professional Development by Kate Canterbary – was another four-star rating. Although there was a point where things dipped a bit for me with this one, it wasn’t enough to drop my rating down, as I was hooked throughout. It pulled me in from the start and I adored watching the characters come together.

The eleventh story in the collection – Kissing a Gentleman by Maria Luis – finished the anthology off with a four-star rating. In truth, this was the story I was most excited to read. I adored these characters in Love Me Tomorrow – although you do not need to read it to understand this story – and was eager to see how things played out. Their story was adorable, making this a great conclusion to the anthology.

All in all, Holiday Ever After offers plenty to readers. There is something for everyone, and if you’ve yet to read some of the authors you’ll soon find yourself wanting more.

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