Sleigh Bells In The Snow by Sarah Morgan

SLEIGH BELLS IN THE SNOW

BY: Sarah Morgan

Publication Date:

SUMMARY

Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green’s favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.

Jackson O’Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family’s resort—it’s in his blood, and he can’t let it fail. Now that he’s got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she’s out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it’s terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn’t believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?

ABOUT SARAH

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. Described as ‘a magician with words’ by RT Book Reviews, she has sold over 11 million copies of her books. She has been nominated three years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice; in 2012 for her book ‘Doukakis’s Apprentice’ and 2013 for ‘A Night of No Return’. She also won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their ‘Top Pick’ slot.

As a child Sarah dreamed of being a writer and although she took a few interesting detours along the way, she is now living that dream.

Sarah lives near London with her husband and children, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying.

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Jaime’s Thoughts

Sleigh Bells in the Snow is a wonderful holiday read. Kayla Green no longer enjoys Christmas… instead she spends the time working and avoiding every single thing that represents the holiday. When she’s given the opportunity to spend Christmas in a secluded cabin in Vermont, she jumps at the opportunity.

Jackson O’Neil left home years ago… he created his own amazingly successful business, but comes home when he finds out that his family resort is in trouble. His only answer is to have the best PR person help him make it the success it once was. Kayla Green.

Neither was counting on the fact that they would be attracted to each other and from the very first meet they find themselves fighting their attraction…Because Kayla doesn’t do relationships as much as she doesn’t do Christmas. Once you find out her reasons for her dislike of the holidays it all falls into place and I definitely found my thoughts full of sympathy for her.

”Loneliness could be felt at any time, of course, but there was something exquisitely painful about the loneliness that came along with Christmas.”

I really enjoyed the characters in this first book of the O’Neil Brothers series. We get to know not only about Jackson and Kayla, but we also get to know the entire O’Neil family and those that work for them. Each was unique and wonderfully developed and I’m looking forward to see where Morgan takes each of the characters … I have my suspicions, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see!

The family dynamic that Morgan shares definitely made this book incredibly interesting… all the different characters and how they interact are really what ultimately makes the story. From the gruff and grumpy grandfather to the sweet and understanding mother to the former competitive skier now turned ski instructor brother and his daughter you quickly realize that each of them is an important part of this story.

And so is the location. Having never been to Vermont, Morgan made it easy to imagine the resort and the cabins around it. Dare I say, I’d love a trip to Snow Crystal and a night in the cabin that Kayla got to stay in. And I’m not that much of a fan of winter or snow.

Here’s where I have to complain a bit. Because if I noticed it… I’m sure someone else will. There was way too much telling instead of showing. We’re told repeatedly as a reader that Jackson and Kayla have this amazing chemistry but I never actually read it… sure the sexy parts are sexy, but there are 30 instances of the word ‘chemistry’.

“…thinking about him and the chemistry. And that kiss.”

“she felt the chemistry flare.”

“his eyes dark, the sexual chemistry so intense she couldn’t breathe.”

“the sheer force of the chemistry shocked her because it was as sharp as it was unfamiliar.”

“…ripped through her, the sexual chemistry so intense the heat threatened to burn right through them.”

You see what I’m saying right? I never want to see the word chemistry in a romance book again because after I spotted it a couple times it was like fingernails on chalkboard every time I saw it afterwards.

That was my only complaint here for sure though…

If you’re looking for a sweet & sexy holiday story definitely pick this one up. The writing is wonderfully done and the characters are ones you’ll find yourself caring about more and more with each turn of the page.

Thank you to Harlequin for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.