Weekend Reads #8 – Christmas in Snow Valley Blog Tour

Posted November 8, 2014 by Lillian in Features, Reviews / 2 Comments

Weekend Reads #8 - Christmas in Snow Valley Blog Tour

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you all have had a great week 😀 Today I am so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Christmas in Snow Valley, a bundle of 6 short, clean romances set in the little town of Snow Valley, Missouri. What I really liked about them is that each story is roughly 100 pages and takes only a couple of hours to read, but in those couple of hours you get a chance to know and love the characters. Each story has a Christian theme and is centered around the Christmas holiday. If you are looking for a sweet romance to get you in the mood for Christmas, I highly suggest them! Below is my review for one of the six stories and keep reading afterwards for a short excerpt and your chance to win a $25 gift card 😀


I received this book via I Am a Reader. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Weekend Reads #8 – Christmas in Snow Valley Blog TourChristmas in Snow Valley by Cami Checketts, Cindy Roland Anderson, Jeannette Lewis, Kimberley Montpetit, Lucy McConnell, Taylor Hart
Series: Snow Valley Anthologies #1
Published by Birch River Publishing on 2014-11-03
Length: 583 pages
Reviewing eARC from I Am a Reader
Rating:

Christmas in Snow Valley is packed with six wonderful Christmas novellas sure to bring romance into your holiday season.

Snow Valley, Montana, is a small community with the tradition of doing Christmas big. Festivities begin with tree lighting in the town square the day after Thanksgiving and continue until the culminating romantic Christmas Ball. From the Polar Express to a Winter Carnival, there’s something for every wonder-filled child—and every couple who’s in love—or about to be.

An Unexpected Kiss by Cindy Roland Anderson
Lucy Phillips doesn’t want to spend her Christmas vacation dodging her ex-boyfriend, so when he turns up at the airport to give her a ride home, Lucy panics and asks a complete stranger to kiss her. Although the kiss is incredible, Lucy never expects to see the guy again. Is it bad luck or destiny when Lucy comes down with a sore throat and the new doctor in Snow Valley is none other than the guy she kissed at the airport?

Feels Like Love by Jeanette Lewis
Christmas in Snow Valley is the perfect way for April Winston to introduce her city slicker fiancé, Scott Mecham, to life on a farm. If only Wade Hadley, hometown boy and high school sweetheart, will cooperate! But Wade has no intention of letting April go without a fight. This Christmas, Wade is determined to overcome their painful past and show April that she already has what she’s been seeking all along.

Full Court Devotion by Cami Checketts
Kazlyn is too busy with her schooling and future plans to enjoy life, let alone fall in love with a man who has heartbreak written all over him. Tyrese Hamilton, a college basketball star and major heartthrob, is intrigued when Kazlyn doesn’t pursue him or even seem interested. Ty’s career is in jeopardy, and he needs a miracle and Kazlyn to save him.

The Christmas Eve Kiss by Taylor Hart
When Molly O’Hare gets a prediction that she will kiss her true love on Christmas Eve, she thinks it’s utterly ridiculous. But when she gets teamed up with Kevin Snow, aka her ex-boyfriend, to decorate a Christmas tree, things start to change. Too bad getting over the past is hard and seeing him kiss another girl is even harder. Now Molly is left with a choice—run away from home and heartbreak or let Christmas work out a miracle all of its own.

Risking it all for Love by Kimberley Montpetit
Succumbing to family pressure, Jessica Mason reluctantly comes home for Christmas. Ever since her high school boyfriend’s death from a car accident three years earlier, Jessica and religion have not been compatible. So, when she visits Michael’s grave, she’s surprised to meet the handsome James Douglas, Pastor John’s nephew, who’s studying for the ministry. James can not only dish back Jessica’s finely-tuned sarcasm but understands grief all too well, turning Jessica’s world upside down. Is she ready to take another risk on love?

Blue Christmas by Lucy McConnell
As head of Snow Valley hospital’s fundraising effort, Paisley Hackett barely has time to organize the craft show, cookie decorating party, and the annual Christmas Ball. What she doesn’t have time for is falling in love with Clay Jett, the incredibly handsome bass player who sweeps into town. She’s been burned by a tourist romance before and, with everything going on, Paisley will have to work overtime to protect her heart from Clay and his swoon-worthy ballads.

Review of The Christmas Eve Kiss

The Christmas Eve Kiss by Taylor Hart is one of six stories that can be found in the Christmas in Snow Valley bundle and is a story about forgiveness. Molly O’Hare escaped to Colorado after her long-term boyfriend ended things and she found a letter in her attic written by her father. Here she works hard to forget the life she had and is told by her boss that she now has enough money to buy into the company and own her own store. On the heels of this she receives a frantic call from her mother. Her father has had a heart attack. Dropping her life in Colorado, she rushes home to Snow Valley, but awaiting her are all the things she ran from.

Sweet Characters

Molly is a very relatable character. She was raised in church, loved Christmas, and her best friend was also the man she loved. She seemingly had everything then it was all ripped out from under her. So she did what any sensible woman would do, she ran away, starting a new life else where and cutting those she loved out as much as she could. Hurt and angry even two years later, Molly’s never gone home. Then the call about her father comes and she has no choice. I like her and I feel sorry for her. She’s put up walls around her emotions and the only thing left is bitterness. She’s hurt by her father’s letter and angry at her best friend. I loved reading her progression as she slowly realizes that it’s time to confront the past so she can have a future. It’s very real!

Kevin is the best friend, the man we should all hate because of Molly’s anger towards him. He just “needed space” two years ago, now he’s every where: helping with chores on her parents’ ranch, at the hospital, and even waiting on her outside. I like Kevin. He is sweet to Molly and it is so obvious from his first introduction into the story that he is head over heels in love with her. He knows he made a big mistake and he plans to stop at nothing until she’s taken him back.

Molly’s parents I just adore! They are this sweet older couple who love Molly with all their hearts. Her father is a strong, stoic man who has a strong Christian background. Her mother “flutters” (I love that description!). They are hurt by Molly’s sudden departure in their lives and are so happy to have her home despite the circumstances. They want to keep her there. And her father has only one question. Why did she leave in the first place?

Swoon-worthy Romance

This story was super sweet. I don’t really know another way to describe it. I mean it was the kind of romance story that makes you go “Awe!” a hundred times and then even has you dabbing your eyes a bit. The plot revolves around Molly’s problems: her ex and the letter. Ultimately Molly has a decision to make: she can confront her past and forgive or run away again.

There was a strong Christian theme that ran through out the story with her hatred of the Christmas holidays and then her return to Snow Valley and everything that points her home. It’s a prodigal return. One that definitely left tears in my eyes!

My Conclusion

Overall the story was a sweet romance that left me with such a contented, warm-hearted (literally, my chest felt light and warm) after finishing it. The strong Christian influence was a plus as was the story being a true clean-read. It’s always a relief to read without all the profanity and sexual situations that tend to be in books nowadays. If you enjoy romance, Christmas, and just a really good read I highly suggest you pick it up for your holiday reading pleasure 😉


Excerpt from The Christmas Eve Kiss

“Hey, Mol.” Kevin said it before I got there. “Are you coming to sell me something? Mud pies, snow balls? Let’s see, what else did I buy from you over the years?” He snapped. “Rocks. Do you remember when I paid a nickel for a bag of rocks?” He let out a soft laugh.

Mol. He had said ‘Mol’ like he still could say it. Like he was still that boy that I went to the swimming ditch with. Like he was still my best friend. Like he cared about me. He couldn’t talk to me like that. “Why are you doing the chores?” I demanded.

His chin jerked up and he gut laughed. “You sound angry.”

“I am angry.” And I was. So angry. For so long angry. He sat here like…like…like he could just sit here and talk to me about the past and do chores for my parents.

His face got serious. “How’s your dad?”

This question almost dispersed my anger. “He’s fine.”

Kevin put his hand on the rope above his head; his eyes slowly searched my face. “What do you think of the swing?”

“What?” He kicked his legs back and then forward. “I dug her out of the shed today.” The side of his lip tugged up. “I could use a push here.”

I shook my head, trying to understand this ludicrousness. “Wh-no. No. Kevin, you and I are not people who push each other on swings anymore.”

The speed of the swing increased with his leg pumping. “Oh.” He cleared his throat. “Right. Well, I just thought it would be fun to swing on it again.”

Fury. Damnation. Hell itself wouldn’t describe the way I wanted to push his swing off the tree track or whatever… “Well, it’s not fun. It’s not fun to swing or push or see you sitting out here.” I looked at my bedroom window. “Have you just been waiting for me to come out like some stalker?”

He lifted his eyebrows. “You look good, Mol.”

I didn’t respond.

He grinned. “Let’s try this again. I say ‘you look good.’ You say, ‘thank you, Kevin, you look amazing. What—do you do like one hundred push-ups a day? You look like it. Plus, I know you’re not a crazy stalker.”

I wanted to be anywhere except here.

“C’mon, you used to love it when I’d have conversations for us.”

I longed to chip more paint off my fingernails, but they were hidden in my gloves.

“What do you want?”

“I just want to know about you, what you’re doing?”

Before I could stop myself, I said. “Really? You want to know? Because I thought we ‘needed time.’” I air quoted and then hated myself. For showing myself.

About Taylor Hart

Taylor Hart has always been drawn to a good love triangle, hot chocolate and long conversations with new friends. Writing has always been a passion that has consumed her daydreams and forced her to sit in a trance for long hours, completely obsessed with people that don't really exist. Taylor would have been a country star is she could have carried a tune. Find Taylor at:


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Grab your copy for just .99 cents!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Smashwords * iTunes

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/20/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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