Kissing Santa Claus

August 31, 2009
A trio of treats fill out this anthology for readers in search of holiday happily ever afters. In Kauffman’s “Lock, Stock and Jingle Bells,” Holly Bennett returns from London to Willow Creek, Va., to deal with an unexpected gift from her mother and find a potential love interest in an old crush. Shalvis’s “Bah, Handsome” is the recession-influenced seduction of Hope O’Brien, a bed-and-breakfast owner, by an unhappy CPA employed by her Scroogeish stepbrother. Dimon goes tropical in “It’s Hotter at Christmas” to explore what happens when a cranky Kauai deputy police chief falls for a Philadelphia ad executive who can’t seem to stay out of harm’s way. It’s not quite hot enough to melt ice, but it’s good, disposable fun.

October 15, 2009
Continuing the Brava tradition of sexy holiday anthologies, this trio of steamy stories takes readers from cozy wintry towns to lush tropical resorts, providing romance with all the sizzle fans have come to expect. Holly Berry Bennett reluctantly returns to Willow Creek when her parents leave her in charge of their Christmas store and finds loveand uncovers secretswith an old school friend in Kauffman's "Lock, Stock, and Jingle Bells"; the owner of an endangered bed-and-breakfast is forced to give shelter to the gorgeous lawyer who's threatening to foreclose in Jill Shalvis's "Bah, Handsome"; and a woman with an unbelievable run of bad luck is stranded on Kauai, HI, during the holidays under the watchful eye of a determined cop in HelenKay Dimon's "It's Hotter at Christmas." VERDICT Unforeseen romance, a dash of mystery, and Brava's brand of hot sex add zing for fans who like their holiday reading on the lusty side.

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