The
last thing Jeff wants is to spend time with the man who totaled his car—the one
he spent years restoring with his late father. But if he wants to resurrect his
childhood town’s annual outdoor hockey tournament, he’s got no choice.
The last thing Mika wants is to work with the guy who took off right after the
accident, without ensuring he was okay. And working together on organizing
Jeff’s proposed tournament sounds like a complete nightmare. He’s got enough on
his plate after surviving cancer.
Sparks fly as they’re forced to work together, but is that enough for them to
set their differences aside and pull off the tournament in only two weeks? Or
will they prove to be immune to the magic of Christmas?
Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Lighthouse Bay series!
For book one, Christmas Lane, click HERE.
Book
2
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Standing, he held a hand out to the man who was so much his type it was almost laughable. Three or four inches taller than Mika’s own five-ten height, dark brown hair that shone red under the warehouse’s lights, like the deepest shade of mahogany, with charcoal-gray at the temples and above his ears, and lines that fanned out from narrow eyes a dark shade of blue. A high forehead in a heart-shaped face and the physique of a footballer completed the package.
All of that wouldn’t have been a big deal on its own, but the way he held himself with the cool confidence of someone who knew his place in the world?
Yowza. Talk about Mika’s type wrapped in a black wool coat and a stubbled jaw more gray than brown. He’d have been giving Jeff his number if the guy wasn’t scowling at him.
Wait, that scowl...
Jeff stared at his outstretched hand. “No.”
“Uh.” Rearing back, Mika dropped his arm back to his side. “Excuse me?”
Zach crept up behind him, gaze swinging from Mika to Jeff. “What’s wrong?”
Jeff waved a hand at Mika. “This is the guy you want me to work with?” He put special emphasis on this, as though Mika were a criminal who’d steal his wallet when he wasn’t looking. Straightening his spine, Mika planted his hands on his hips.
Zach blinked once. “Yes?”
Holland Stone—Zach’s boyfriend and Mika’s ex—approached from where he’d been working on his float for the parade, clad in a dusty T-shirt and even dustier jeans. He squinted at Jeff before turning to Zach and Mika. “You two okay?” He held a hammer in one hand like he meant to wield it. Not that he ever would, but the image would’ve made Mika chuckle had he not been so confused.
And frankly? Kind of hurt. What the hell had he ever done to this guy?
“I can’t work with him.” There was no give in Jeff’s tone.
“Why not?” Zach stepped in close to Mika, butting in against his left side. “Mika’s the best.”
Aw. The ire in Mika’s chest faded a little at Zach’s words. It was nice of him to say, especially since Mika had made the worst of first impressions on him last Christmas.
The amount of disgust in Jeff’s scoff would’ve been impressive had it not been directed at Mika. “I’m not working with the guy who totaled my dad’s car.”
Mika’s head jerked back. “What?”
Zach and Holland swung their gazes his way.
“I didn’t!” Taking a step back, he raised both hands. “I’ve never totaled anybody’s car in my life.”
“Oh no?” Jeff argued, raising both eyebrows, and god, the sarcasm. “Not even a turquoise 1956 Chevy Nomad near the Bluffs in Pacific Palisades? About this time last year? Ring any bells?”
That was where Mika knew this guy from! Jesus, he was still holding a grudge? “Okay, first of all, I apologized, like, seven times. Second, I gave you my number. It’s not my problem that you didn’t call. Like I said—I would’ve paid to get it fixed. And third.” Leaning over the desk, he narrowed his eyes on a squinty-eyed Jeff Bellmoor. “Totaled?”
Jeff winced. “Fine. That’s maybe the wrong word.” Uttered so begrudgingly, it was a miracle he managed to say the words at all. “But like I said—it’s not about the damage.”
A huff of exasperation escaped Mika and he threw his hands up. “I don’t know what that means.” He hadn’t known then either.
“Never mind.” Rubbing his forehead, Jeff turned away. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series – the previous one I read back in 2018
when it was published, and I still remembered the fun of Zach and Holland and
all the angst of Lighthouse Bay’s formal Christmas celebrations. I was,
therefore, really happy to go back and join the team again. If you haven't read
Christmas Lane, I would definitely recommend that you do – and you will
meet Mika and understand a few things about him in advance of reading this
lovely romance.
There are so many lovely things about this story that I think you will enjoy
most of all if you read them fresh, so I am not going to say all that much
about the story. However, I will happily tell you that Amy Aislin is really
good at creating a town full of people that you want to know better, of quirky
fun shops and their owners. The Christmas market and parade give her an
excellent opportunity to give us a very rich world to step into and enjoy. I
loved how the story flowed, and how we inevitably get what we want, but not in
an easy way, and there are plenty of lessons learned along the way, as well as
a touch of magic/fate/wishes coming true, which adds to the romance.
I loved catching up with all the friends from the first book and that Mika had
a story which focussed on him and gave him what he desired more than anything.
Perfect!
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a fun Christmas read. It’s almost sickeningly sweet, soppy, and more
than a little twee, but it is full of Christmas schmaltz and cheer. Christmas
is the only time of year I tend to enjoy unashamedly sentimental romance, and
this year, as our second national lockdown makes November feel even colder and
darker, I’ve started on the Christmas cheer a little bit early.
CEO Jeff and actor Mika both find themselves back in their New England hometown
for Christmas. With Mika organising the town’s Christmas market and Jeff
organising a charity hockey tournament, the enmity between them quickly thaws
as they work together in the weeks before Christmas. Their story is set in a
picturebook small town and the writer has included every possible Christmas
detail. From inflatable Christmas yard decorations to Christmas baking, night
skating, Christmas quiz nights and more, Mika and Jeff enjoy a magical
courtship helped along by pretty Christmas lights and falling snow.
In a year where most Christmas gatherings and activities have been cancelled,
Mika and Jeff’s perfect fantasy Christmas is a lovely distraction. This is an
easy read. There are a few emotional moments but overall, the story feels light
and cheerful. There is humour and fun between Mika and his friends and Jeff’s
attempts to court Mika are very entertaining. There is a tiny bit of steam but
this feels like a family-friendly romance.
Angie – ☆☆☆
This was a low angst book. So low I found myself being bored. I couldn't
connect with the characters and I found myself skimming the book hoping it
would get better. No such luck. I'm sure others will enjoy this, it just wasn't
for me.
Amy's lived with her head in the
clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two
languages means she's read a lot of
books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class
had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates
eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she's been writing ever
since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn't at her full-time
day job saving the planet at Canada's largest environmental non-profit.
An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with
no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay
up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram
and Twitter, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter HERE.
Connect with Amy
Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Website
~ Goodreads
Facebook Group: Amy Aislin’s Readers
Hosted by
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided
a free copy of Gingerbread Mistletoe (Lighthouse Bay #2) by Amy Aislin to read
and review for this tour.
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