First Chapter Review: The Very Best Christmas Present Ever by Evie Lester

I downloaded The Very Best Christmas Present Ever to my Kindle in December when it was free. This seasonal romantic comedy is only 99 cents right now.

BLURB:  This comic romance is a tasty morsel for the holidays to make even the truest cynic believe in love again.

Christmas is a time of togetherness, celebrations, family and love. But for Heather it is a time for second guessing and false hope. Fearing for her still young marriage and feeling abandoned in a time of great emotional need, she has pinned all her hopes on a Christmas present--a small gesture with great meaning--to renew her faltering relationship.

As her husband, Derek, an intern, spends long hours and late nights in the emergency room saving lives, Heather diligently and lovingly teaches her kindergarten class and wonders if her marriage is slowly, imperceptibly, slipping away. As Christmas approaches, she remembers the joy and the closeness she and her husband shared in holidays past, and grapples with her options for reigniting the spark they once shared. But did she get it all wrong when she decided that a mere sweet pastry from the hottest bakery in town was the answer to all her woes? Could it be that simple?

And how could a poodle skirt, a princess and bouncer help?

When all is said and done, Derek and Heather will come to know the regenerative power of love and Christmas, as the very best Christmas present ever touches both their lives and leaves their lives forever changed.

COVER: I'm not one to complain about seasonal settings, but this doesn't do it for me as the cover for a romantic comedy. I'm expecting a bit more whimsical. Though the silver and gold theme is lovely, and the two wine glasses hint at a couple living there, I want warm and toasty. Give me a fireplace with a couple sitting together on the couch in front of the tree, not this sterile Christmas tree photo that might appear on the cover of a magazine.

FIRST CHAPTER: Heather narrates the story of how she got the very best Christmas present ever. In the opening chapter, the gift giving has already happened, and she is sharing with the reader how it all took place.

KEEP READING: I'm not a huge fan of first person narrators. I don't want characters talking directly to me. It's just one of my peeves. Here, though, Lester really makes it work. The first chapter opens up with a great hook, and you're quickly ready to plop down and listen to Heather share her story. Within the span of very few pages, Lester sets up the conflict, introduces both characters (though Derek is only spoken about), and reveals Heather's occupation. The final paragraph begs the reader to continue. Well done. I definitely want to know how this turns out.


File Size: 1802 KB
Print Length: 65 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00H1FBLIM

This post first appeared at The Book Connection. I downloaded a free Kindle version of this book in 2014. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

First Chapter Review: Christmas in Time by Peggy Webb

Christmas in Time is a time travel novella by Peggy Webb. I downloaded it for FREE one day in 2012.

BLURB:   Everybody in her family and in the Gulf Coast town of Fairhope views Gilly as a woman whose life is plain and simple, one who has been content to spoil her great-niece Ann while living out her days in Windchime House. Only her best friend Margaret knows the heroic story of Gilly Debeau.

When Ann's Christmas gift of wind chimes catapults Gilly back in time, she finds herself seated at the café Parisiene, having tea with her Papa, whom she had accompanied on a business trip abroad, and enjoying her eighteenth birthday gift - return passage to America on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As the string quintet entertains the passengers, Gilly can't take her eyes off the handsome, talented violinist from West Yorkshire. Under William's spell, she falls for both the music and the musician. But does an over-protected, unsophisticated girl from Alabama dare defy convention in order to become a woman? And how will she ever explain to Papa that she is planning a future with a man she's known only three days?

On April 14, 1912, Gilly is wrenched away from everything and everyone she loves. Can she survive the icy Atlantic? Can William? Can their love survive a lifetime and beyond?

COVER: I love it. The elegant young woman with the wistful look definitely captures your attention. The sparkling jewelry and the sparkly background makes you think of Christmas.

FIRST CHAPTER: Gilly is decorating Windchime House for Christmas when the phone rings. The elderly woman discovers her great-niece Ann on the other line. After a brief conversation, Ann asks if her present has arrived yet. A distracted Gilly hasn't remembered to check the mail, so she tells a little fib. Soon after their phone conversation ends, Gilly's best friend since elementary school, Margaret Finely, arrives. The women make plans to drive to New Orleans on the weekend. Gilly hopes she's able to hide her secret from her best friend.

KEEP READING: Definitely. Gilly is a likable character from the moment you meet her. She's battling old age, lives all alone in Windchime House, and admittedly talks to herself. Her internal dialogue is funny, and you really want to get to know her better. She has a secret that no one else knows, not even her best friend. Though she's never been married, she gives Ann advice about her fiancé. She's just a great character all the way around.

While we see Ann's Christmas gift at the end of this chapter, the time travel incident hasn't happened yet, so the author has created an excellent cliffhanger. I would love to make time to finish this one, because it looks like it will be a blast.

• File Size: 327 KB
• Print Length: 62 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005R21Z6Y

This review first appeared at The Book Connection. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

First Chapter Review: Persephone Cole and the Christmas Killings Conundrum/Iced Diamonds by Heather Haven

The first chapter of Persephone Cole and the Christmas Killings Conundrum was sent to me by author Heather Haven. Since it was published in 2012, the author has opened her own publishing house, rereleased this book, and changed the title to Iced Diamonds, along with giving it a new cover.

BLURB: In late December, 1942, Persephone (Percy) Cole, one of Manhattan's first female PIs, has been hired to find out who killed a Santa Land elf and left the body in the storefront window of a swank 5th Avenue jewelry store. Was it the spoiled heiress whose big buck handbag was found on the scene? Or was it the rat who broke out of the big house to settle a score? Shortly after, the corpse of the Christmas Angel is discovered stuffed in Mrs. Santa's workshop. Will Santa Claus be next? With a penchant for Marlene Dietrich suits, pistachio nuts and fedora hats, this working mother finds diamonds to the left of her, diamonds to the right, and skullduggery aplenty. Armed with her noodle and a WW I German Mauser, Percy is determined to solve these crimes or it just might be the 'kiss off' for Christmas.

COVER: I absolutely love when a cover is designed that captures the essence of a book. So many of the details from the first chapter make their way onto this cover, that I already feel like I know Percy and where she lives.

FIRST CHAPTER: Percy receives a phone call from the owner of Waller and Sons Jewelry. An elf has been found dead in his storefront window, and he wants to know why. Though the police are already on the scene, Waller wants to talk to Percy face-to-face about hiring her, which would be great since Pop is laid up with a broken leg, and Percy is the sole support of her family right now.

KEEP READING: You betcha. In this first chapter, Haven manages to create a cast of characters you immediately connect with and care about: from Percy a street-smart, sarcastic dame with a penchant for Marlene Dietrich-style pant suits and pistachios to her boy-crazy younger sister Serendipity to her daffy mother and more. I don't always like so many characters introduced right away, but Haven did a fine job of giving them just enough interaction that the reader isn't confused.

The other thing I felt the author did well was add in the right amount of detail so that the setting and time period were clear without having to read the book blurb first. I had to chuckle at the plethora of ashtrays around the house to hold pistachio shells. Why it struck me funny I don't know, but it did.

I am eager to see how this mystery plays out. I hope to make time to read this entire book soon. Haven's style of humorous private eye stories continues with this latest endeavor. And I love it!


File Size: 372 KB
Print Length: 185 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Books We Love Ltd. (October 10, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B009OUMNMA


This review first appeared at The Book Connection. This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

First Chapter Review: Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken

Since I posted this review at The Book Connection in 2012, the author has turned this book into the first of a series. As a result, it got a new cover. 

TITLE: Unexpected Gifts

AUTHOR: Elena Aitken

BLURB: Let it snow! Cozy up to the Castle Mountain Lodge in the middle of the remote Canadian Rockies for Unexpected Gifts.

Christmas represents everything Andi Williams is supposed to have, and doesn't. Running away to a remote mountain lodge in the Canadian Rockies, sounds like the perfect way to escape, until a mix-up finds her sharing a villa with sexy, rough around the edges, Colin Hartford.

Colin's determination to enjoy the holiday he’s missed for the last five years, sweeps Andi into a season of joy that she’s not sure she’s ready for. Can Andi open herself up to everything the holidays have to offer...including love?

COVER:  Not bad. You can definitely tell it's a seasonal story. It doesn't, however, tell me it's a romance novel. If you don't want to put a couple in a romantic setting on the cover, then why not a snow-covered log cabin nestled in the woods with smoke filtering out of the chimney. This would indicate not only the setting, but the smoke reminds you of warmth and the people who might be snuggling up by the fireplace. For a romance novel, this cover is kind of cold.

FIRST CHAPTER:  The reader meets Andi Williams and her business partner, Eva. They run a party planning business, which is doing so well they have hired two girls to help out. This makes it easier on Andi, who is dealing with a recent tragedy that has left her feeling miserable. She just wants Christmas to be over. An unexpected change in plans has her heading to the Castle Mountain Lodge to spend the holidays by herself curled up with a good book in front of the fire.

KEEP READING:  Sure. The scene has been set for what we know is to come--Andi meeting with "sexy, rough around the edges, Colin Hartford." You don't know yet how they are going to meet and what the immediate result will be, but you're certainly interested. The tragedy that changed Andi's life makes her a sympathetic character who you want to see find happiness.

Eva is funny and beautiful. She genuinely cares about Andi and hopes things will get better for her, which is why she suggests the free invitation from the lodge as a way to escape it all. This breaks the mold in that the female and male lead haven't met in the first chapter, but it is done so well that you are already captivated by the story and are eager for Andi and Colin to catch first sight of each other.


Publisher: Ink Blot Communications (November 11, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0066HBGCM


I downloaded a free copy of this book to my Kindle. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

First Chapter Review: My Christmas Angels by Jason W. Chan

There are so many seasonal titles I wanted to read in 2012, but I couldn't get to them. After reading the blurb about this book, I picked it up for free on Kindle. Since this review was posted at The Book Connection, the author has released an updated second edition with a new cover. 

TITLE:   My Christmas Angels

AUTHOR:  Jason W. Chan

BLURB:  My Christmas Angels is a tragic yet heartwarming Christmas story about Greg, a single father in his twenties, and Angie, his lively six-year old daughter, living in poverty in Vancouver. When they are evicted from their home, they move in with Greg's ex-girlfriend, Jessica, for whom he still has feelings. Just as their romance blossoms, Angie suffers a concussion and slips into a coma.

Riddled with grief and guilt, Greg stays at his daughter's side night and day. As the Christmas season approaches, he comes to terms with the possibility that his daughter may never wake up. He is advised to keep busy so he buries his grief in doing good deeds. Uplifted, Greg takes solace in the realization that great tragedy can give birth to great blessings.

COVER:  Simple, yet nice. Appropriate for the story, but it screams self-published.

FIRST CHAPTER:  The book opens on a cold November day with an unknown person on a street corner waving a sign asking for help. The reader soon discovers Greg, a twenty-something father, is jobless and on the verge of being evicted. He is the narrator of this story, and the reader soon learns how he got to be where he is right now. Luckily, he has his daughter, Angie, to make his life better. A proud man, he refuses to take money from Angie's teacher, but ends up bringing his child to the local soup kitchen for a good meal. There he meets up with his ex-girlfriend Jessica. In the back of his mind, he wishes he could find a way to get Angie a Christmas tree with an angel on top like she wants.

KEEP READING:  Probably not. Between the awkward sentence structure and the lack of character depth, I don't think I could make it through the whole book. While Greg is a first person narrator, he doesn't draw me in. As desperate as his situation is, I can't sympathize with his plight. His actions don't really make sense. He's willing to stand out on a street corner and suffer that humiliation hoping for a few bucks, but when his daughter's teacher offers him a hundred dollars he turns her down, knowing his child will suffer for it. When he enters the soup kitchen and sees Jessica, he almost leaves without letting his daughter eat so that he's not embarrassed by Jessica finding out what has happened to him after all these years.

My understanding from reading other reviews of this novella is this is a true story. I would be curious what the real details are. This seems like a story of great promise, but it needs an editor to shape it into one that captivates readers.

Publisher: Jason W. Chan Entertainment Group (December 7, 2010)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004FN21J6

I downloaded a free copy of this book to my Kindle. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

First Chapter Review: Angel Be Good by Kathy Carmichael

I can't resist a modern-day Scrooge story. Why? Because I think the character Dickens created in A Christmas Carol is fascinating and his redemption inspiring, so I enjoy seeing how others bring this type of character to life.

TITLE:  Angel Be Good

AUTHOR:  Kathy Carmichael

BLURB:  Miracles still happen in modern day New York when "Scrooge" (Nathaniel Danvers) meets Heaven Can Wait (Daphne), who has been sent to give him one last chance at redemption. Angel Be Good captures the essence of the classic Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and offers a touch of humor and romance. This sexy romantic comedy is the perfect holiday feel-good read.

COVER:  Fabulous! The deep red silky dress against the green cover truly captures your eye. The ornament hanging off the author's name is a nice touch and lets the reader know this is a seasonal tale without turning the book over to read the back cover blurb. The genre is clear from the words, "Heartwarming, Sexy & Fun."
 
FIRST CHAPTER:  Nathaniel Danvers wakes from a dream where his deceased parents have implored him to mend his ways. Dismissing it as an effect of the rum punch from the office Christmas party, he begins making out the pink slips for employees that will be let go after the holidays. Have to keep those employees on their toes.
 
A crash in his outer office draws his attention, but he knows he's alone, since everyone else has gone home to celebrate Christmas Eve. When a sexy, beautiful woman marches through the door without even knocking and says, "Hiya, Nat ol' boy," he's not sure what the heck is going on. Suddenly trapped in his office by this woman, she informs him that his dream was very real and she's here to make sure he changes his ways.
 
KEEP READING:  Yes, but if I hadn't read the prologue first, I wouldn't really know what was going on in the first chapter. We discover Daphne is given a second chance to live a full life by helping Nathaniel's guardian angel, Leonard, convince Nat to change his ways--which isn't going to be easy. The conversations between Leonard and Daphne make the book worth reading, and it's pretty funny to watch Nathaniel's confusion over who Daphne is while thinking she's off her rocker because she's talking to some guy named Leonard who he can't see. What I thought was unique is how helping Nathaniel connects Daphne to part of her past.
 
Paperback: 218 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (November 4, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1466482109
ISBN-13: 978-1466482104
Kindle edition: ASIN: B002YK45IW


This post first appeared at The Book Connection. I picked up a free copy of this book for my Kindle, but looks like only available in paperback now. I was not compensated in any way for this review. 

First Chapter Review: The Cowboy's Christmas Miracle by RaeAnne Thayne

This is one of the first e-books I sampled after Santa brought my first Kindle. I happen to be a sucker for cowboy stories. I enjoyed the sample and purchased the book a few months later. I've tried to make room in my schedule to read it, but it seems I always have other requests ahead of it. Now that I've read the first chapter, I really want to make time to continue this story.

TITLE:  The Cowboy's Christmas Miracle

AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne

BLURB: Christmas was tough for widow Jenna Wheeler and her four children. But even though she'd sold part of her family's land to make ends meet, she was determined to spin the holiday into the stuff of magic--no matter what it took. Now if she could only find a job....

Maybe her new landlord could oblige--gorgeous, child-averse Carson McRaven. He needed a chef, and he knew the lovely Jenna could do a bang-up job--if only she could keep her brood out of his hair. But as he found himself catapulted into the cheerful chaos of her family...not to mention Jenna's arms... he learned more about the spirit of Christmas than he'd ever dreamed.

COVER:  Nice. Definitely a cover one would expect to see on a romance novel: man and woman in each other's arms, the background appropriate to the story. I'm not sure, however, which house this is supposed to be. I'm guessing Jenna's, since Carson is a bit of a Scrooge, but the first chapter led me to believe things are tight financially and that Jenna is overwhelmed. That house on the cover is rather elegant looking; not quite what one would expect from a struggling mom.

FIRST CHAPTER:  This story opens with Carson McRaven coming upon the widow Wheeler's "brats" who are up to no good again. One of the three boys is walking along the rail fence on his property. It seems after the death of her husband, Jenna sold the majority of the land to Carson, but kept a small corner of it for her family to live.

The boy falls off the fence and hits his head, so Carson drives the boys up to their house, where Jenna and Carson have a tense discussion over her ability to keep her children off his land. Neither, however, can deny their secret attraction to each other.

KEEPING READING:  Oh yes! This first chapter is the perfect set up for Carson and Jenna to get more involved in each other's lives. Her kids are thorns in Carson's side. Jenna is overwhelmed with caring for her family all alone and trying to start up her catering business, so she can support her brood. Her youngest child, the only girl, is still a toddler. You know by this chapter that Carson and Jenna have had this "keep your kids off my property" conversation more than once, and he's not too happy that her stupid kid got hurt and he got stuck bringing the boys home. You also get a glimpse into how one of her sons feels about Carson when he accuses him of stealing their land. Definitely a story you want to read well into the night.

Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Silhouette; Special edition (November 1, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0373249330
ISBN-13: 978-0373249336


This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

First Chapter Review: A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman

TITLE:   A Simple Amish Christmas

AUTHOR: Vannetta Chapman

BLURB: Annie Weaver always planned to return home, but the 20-year old RN has lived in Philadelphia for three years now. As her time of rumschpringe is about to come to an abrupt end, bringing for Annie an overwhelming sense of loneliness. She returns home and finds herself face-to-face with a budding romance with an Amish farmer and Annie has several important choices to make.

COVER:  I love this cover! It's why I picked up a FREE copy of this book when it was available. The buggy, the snow covered grounds, and the red barn in the distance make me think of a simpler time. The touch of holly gives it a Christmas feel, and I like the fonts they used.

FIRST CHAPTER:  Now, I am someone who reads prologues, so I dove into that first. Annie Weaver is almost seventeen when she leaves home to live with her Englisch cousins. Chapter One opens three years later in December 2009. Christmas is coming and Annie is feeling homesick. Now an RN, she is making her early morning rounds when her supervisor tells her she has an emergency phone call.

KEEP READING:  Definitely! Since I enjoy exploring different cultures and faiths, I like Amish fiction. I don't read a lot of it, but I've read enough to be familiar with many of the terms used in these novels. I have to admit, I was a bit confused at the very beginning because it seemed like Annie and her best friend Jenny were at school, when actually, they are in the employee area of a hospital where there are lockers. This was further compounded by Jenny being an Amish schoolteacher. It wasn't until Jenny asked about Annie's nursing cap, scope and I.D. that I knew what was going on.

The introduction of a young cancer patient that Annie visits that morning adds a sentimental touch, but it's the superb cliffhanger ending of this chapter that makes me want to read on.


Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press; Original edition (October 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426710666
ISBN-13: 978-1426710667


This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

First Chapter Review: One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

TITLE:  One Imperfect Christmas

AUTHOR:  Myra Johnson

BLURB: Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she’s allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves—most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she’s one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit’s end. Nothing he’s done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa’s adolescent rebellion isn’t helping matters. As Daniel’s hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

COVER:  I'm a bit cool on the cover. The cream colored door is rather plain. I like the carrot that adds in the "im" to the title. The broken ornament is a nice touch. I would rather have seen a messy living room with a Christmas tree and some ornaments on the floor. If I were making a purchase based upon cover alone, I might have passed this one by.

FIRST CHAPTER: The story opens three weeks after Christmas. Natalie wishes her husband's schedule didn't take him away so much and hopes their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion can be kept under control. She's also dreading the arrival of her in-laws. Her mother-in-law is a total neat-nick. Natalie didn't inherit the cleaning gene from her mom, who also keeps everything tidy. When her mother calls and asks Natalie to help take down the Christmas decorations, Natalie explains how busy she is. It will be a decision she regrets.

KEEP READING?:  Yes. Though at first, I felt the story started off a bit slow: wife feeling sorry for herself as her husband is rushing off in a different direction, feeling neglected by her daughter, and dreading the impending in-law visit. The pace picked up as I moved through the story, and it ended so strong, that I continued reading all of Chapter 2. I definitely want to see how this turns out!


Paperback: 274 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 2009)
ISBN-10: 1426700709
ISBN-13: 978-1426700705



This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I received no monetary compensation for this review.