Book Review: Holiday Hearts A Sweet and Wholesome Romance Bundle by Josie Riviera

Holiday Hearts A Sweet and Wholesome Romance Bundle by Josie Riviera
A Snowy White Christmas by Josie Riviera
Starts out with Margaret and she's back in town where she grew up hoping to buy the mobile home she was raised in. She gets a part time job being an elf at Christmas at the store with others in hopes to save the money for the sale.
Story also follows Fernando, her love from high school. She had left shortly after school ended to the west coast to model but she has other secrets she keeps from him.
He is into real estate and he has secrets he hides from her. Some things just don't make it into their conversations.
They do get together for meals and visits with his family but she has her own life. Part of his secret comes out at the sale. She is devastated.
Felt story was a bit rushed at the end when secrets are revealed as to who Emmy's father is.
Like this book because of how hard each of them is struggling-her with taking care of her daughter who has disabilities. He has given his brother (who has disabilities) a kidney and they are recovering still.
Glad she realizes over time what's really important as things are revealed.
Love hearing of the holiday festivities, how children handle being disabled and fit into society, charity and caring for others in this story set in Upstate New York.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
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Candleglow and Mistletoe by Josie Riviera
Noelle is traveling to Snowy Rock and going to tend to her aunt's candle store.
After the crash she gets help from Gabe, a local and she's terriried of the icy roads.
She had also met a little girl and her mother-who had gotten injured....
What I like from the start are the music she plays-sounds so comforting and soothing as do the candle scents.
Like hearing all the tips on the candle making process and why it burns when wax gets too low.
Like Gabe's career and learning about it. She is able to find another piano to play because she's aunts is broken.
She opens up about her past and marriage...
There are other conflicts as he's taken Lucille out for Thanksgiving dinner and she's the owner of the other candle shop in town. Love hearing of the scenes and activities they do, so precious.
Love that Holly has come to set the record straight about Gabe...and that she had gotten through the performance with her ex.
Author bio and excerpt from A Snowy White Christmas is included. Other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
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A Portuguese Christmas by Josie Riveira
Wanted to read this book because I am also Portuguese.
Starts out with Krystal and she lives in Newport, RI (on the same island as where I live) and she's in a surfing competition in Portugal and her cousin and her family are there with her.
The surfer cutting into her space causes her to go under the wave and get banged in the head from the surfboard-her angel. No more surfing til her concussion reside and she will be in Portugal for Christmas.
Love hearing of the traditional food as it was also served at our house in RI. My father and his family were Portuguese and lived within a hands throw from one another-like our own community, living on ancestiral lands.
Story also follows Adolfo who attended the surf competition and found himself tending to Krystal. He was just a farmer growing olive trees and her cousin had told him he needed a break from his work.
She also designs swimsuits and hopes that some day it will earn her money.
Love hearing of the sightseeing around the town, designs of the structures, food and decorations of the holiday season. Bull fight really intrigued me as I've yet to see one in person.
While she is stuck there she calls her brother Julio and hopes he will not put their father in a nursing facility til she gets back, she thinks he'd like to live with her, taking care of him. She just needs to win this competition.
She is still grieving the loss of her husband, a surfer himself. Adolfo is very senstiive to others needs and he is passionate.
Just recall an 80 foot wave that a man had surfed, off the coast of Portugal just a few weeks ago-the largest ever anyone had surfed.
Francisco is out of jail now and he will be hired on to help at the olive vineyard. He is very amorous and he takes it upon himself to bring her to practice surfing at the ocean.
She knows it will go against what Adolfo has to say about it as he knows she is not recovered from the injury. Same work ethics we were raised with.
Love hearing of the salted cod fish as I have one wooden container that the cover slides off. Misunderstandings and you wonder how things will turn out.
Concussions recently in the news also is brought up. Love the snowmen out of sand with the twins Descriptions are so very detailed you feel as if you are there.
Note from the author, a recipe! acknowledgements, about the author, and other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.