Friday, May 11, 2018

A Holliday Sisters Novellette Series Review

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Noelle the First by by Nicole Falls

Blurb:
Despite sharing a birthday with the holiday, Christmas just wasn't Noelle's thing. As a kid she had been in love with the holiday, but adult Noelle just saw it as another day to get through. 

Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle. 

With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.
 

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Brave Hearts by Nicole Falls

Blurb:
Despite sharing a birthday with the holiday, Christmas just wasn't Noelle's thing. As a kid she had been in love with the holiday, but adult Noelle just saw it as another day to get through. 

Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle. 

With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.
 Faced with the possibility of losing one of her closest friends, Valora Holliday finds herself 

In the very unique position of offering a solution to his problem and a way for her friend to remain in her life. 

Francisco Mora is blindsided with a clerical error that places life as he knows it in the balance. When Valora offers the perfect solution to get him out of this jam, he’s hesitant, thinking it’ll ruin their bond. 

But, what's a little marriage between friends, right?
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Started From a Selfie by Nicole Falls

Blurb:
Despite sharing a birthday with the holiday, Christmas just wasn't Noelle's thing. As a kid she had been in love with the holiday, but adult Noelle just saw it as another day to get through. 

Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle. 

With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.
 Faced with the possibility of losing one of her closest friends, Valora Holliday finds herself 

In the very unique position of offering a solution to his problem and a way for her friend to remain in her life. 

Francisco Mora is blindsided with a clerical error that places life as he knows it in the balance. When Valora offers the perfect solution to get him out of this jam, he’s hesitant, thinking it’ll ruin their bond. 

But, what's a little marriage between friends, right?
Review + Rating
Series: FOUR OUT FIVE STARS
I am once again completely blown away by this author's works. It's not easy to squeeze depth, romance--true romance, and quality into novellas. It's like trying to get your point across on Twitter--sometimes it takes more than one tweet. But, Falls manages to do so, so effortlessly--that I'm left trying to figure out what sorcery she uses, to pull it off. Because, sis has that juice.

 In book one, Noelle The First, Noelle is the Grinch--hating the holidays--but suffering through them for family, much to her own chagrin. The traditions she once enjoyed, seem lackluster--with both of her parent's now gone.

Unbeknownst to her, her sisters devise a plan, including her long lost friend, Jay to bring back the joy of the holidays--in a twelve days of Christmas-esque way.

 I love the holidays--I think I'd probably remind you of one of the Who's if you'd see me during that time. The decorations, the stores, the lights, the music--all of it--I just love it. So this novel, although not timely--put me in holiday spirit.

It will work for now, even though it's not the holidays. I don't know about you, but, I tend to keep holiday novels for the winter--but this was a pleasant read--in spite of that.

 Because I'll be reviewing three books in one post, I'm just going to talk about the things I liked in the novels, and then give a roundup.

 Noelle--cracked me up, because she kind of reminded me of myself. A hard ass, but sometimes unnecessarily so--questioning things that need no questioning, and struggling to just go with the flow--but all the while keeping a semblance of an open mind.

 She didn't jump into anything quickly--but her apprehension didn't deter the romance that quickly developed.

 Jay was a grown man--but inside was a child that was still crushing on his next door neighbor--but it was really cute. He romanticized the holidays--and I'm still swooning after the finish.

 I think readers will really enjoy getting to know Noelle--her sisters, and watching the romance develop between Noelle, and Jay. Between the nicknames--which by the way are adorable--and the way they interact--you'll be grabbing for book two---before you even finish book one. A solid novella--with all the things you'd look for in a lengthier book.

 Book Two:Brave Hearts Ya'll, what is my beating, bleeding heart? This read really quickly but I absolutely loved it. Valora is about to lose one of her closest friends due to a clerical error on his Visa paperwork. He's at risk of losing his residency in the United States, and on a whim Valora offers marriage as an escape.

When two friends who have never been romantic--find themselves in a romantic situation--all kinds of things happen.

 In a blast to the past, type of story-telling, Valora relays for her sisters the truth behind her and her husband's marriage--and what ensues is both laughter, reality--and down right swooning--at least for me. I swooned.

 It's so easy to imagine you would never marry someone for a green card--but I think the decision would be harder--if you didn't want to lose the person. For Valora--it was that simple.

He was her friend, and she didn't want to see him lose all he worked so hard for.

I absolutely loved getting a peek into how they met, and how they wound up getting married. I don't have much to say on this one, but it was a solid and quick read.

 Book Three: It Started With A Selfie If I had to choose, this was my least favorite of the three--simply because unlike the other novellas, the ending felt a incomplete. I wanted more of their story--I felt like there was more to give.

 Ms. Falls, can you give us a little more of the third Holliday sister?

 I will say I loved how they met. I think I would love being the person that someone finds on social media, hunts down--and falls in love with. I think it's a form of modern day romance.

 This is exactly what happens with the third Holliday Sister, she sees this guy out in public--takes a picture with him in the background--with a hashtag, and gets caught in a simmering media frenzy. The two meet and it's nothing short of romantic.

Of course--it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows--but by the end, despite the fact that I wanted more, I was pretty happy with the story.

 The series as a whole, is humourous, familial, romantic--and all around good reading--but Falls has not failed me yet, so I'm not surprised.

2 comments:

  1. I cant believe I haven't heard of this author yet! I mean, I do love reading shorter works that still read as though they're hundreds of pages long. I'm glad you enjoyed this! I'll have to check them out. :)

    - Aimee @ Aimee, Always

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    Replies
    1. It really is a cute series of books! Thank you!

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