All I Want for Halloween

August 14, 2017
Harte (Just the Thing) balances sweet and heat in a novel with all the trappings of a Christmas romance—holiday decorations, cookie baking, and well-intentioned family ribbing—that’s set at Halloween. Sadie Liberato hopes to hook up at a posh costume party her brother is catering, and she succeeds with a devil who turns out to be scorchingly aggressive motorcycle shop owner Gear Blackstone. He’s hiding from the press that have made his life hell ever since his former best friend and girlfriend screwed him over in front of cameras on a reality TV show. Harte’s protagonists are full of fire when defending themselves or each other, and that bold energy extends to their mutual attraction and explosive sexual encounters, but their emotional relationship is warm and attentive, and the bulk of the plot’s drama comes from external conflict rather than arguments or misunderstandings between the lovers. For readers who want romantic holiday cheer that’s snarky rather than saccharine, and those who prefer their Halloween more harvest festival than horrorshow, this twist on seasonal storytelling will satisfy.

Narrator Brenda Eddy has listeners feeling the sparks fly between baker Sadie Liberato and motorcycle mechanic Gear Blackstone when they meet at a Halloween costume party. Gear had his own reality show for his motorcycle shop before he was betrayed by his best friend and then fianc�e. Given the description of Gear as a big, strong guy, the listener would expect Eddy to give him a deeper voice. Sadie is a tough, no-nonsense person, and Eddy expresses that confidence well. She also does an effective job portraying Sadie's brother and other secondary characters. The listener can easily visualize the confrontation between Gear's former fianc�e and Sadie, who has a fiery personality. Overall, Eddy narrates the story with flair. S.B. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine