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cupcakegirly's review against another edition
These are 3 eNovellas together in print (for the first time). I haven't read the entire Play-By-Play series, so I can't speak to whether or not these enhance it or not, but I enjoyed what I read.
As stand alone short stories, these are entertaining and steamy. Well, 2/3 are. I got a few pages into the final story and realized it wasn't going to be my cup of tea.
Jaci Burton fans won't be disappointed.
Thank you, Berkley Romance for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
As stand alone short stories, these are entertaining and steamy. Well, 2/3 are. I got a few pages into the final story and realized it wasn't going to be my cup of tea.
Spoiler
Nbd, threesomes just aren't my jam.Jaci Burton fans won't be disappointed.
Thank you, Berkley Romance for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
merlin_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Another book I've had on my shelf for forever that I'm finally getting around to. Jaci Burton's books are always funs reads. She knows the right amount of romance and sports to add to keep it interesting. Because if you're calling this a sports book, you gotta know something about sports.
So this book is broken down into three novellas:
Holiday Games: A continuation of previous couple Elizabeth and Gavin as they set out to try to have a baby. Elizabeth wants nothing more than to get pregnant but it's just not happening for them - and not for lack of trying. Taking place over Christmas and including a wedding, we got to see the family dynamics that make these books what they are. At times I felt there were too many people in a scene, but once I remembered everyone's names it was easier to keep track.
Holiday on Ice: Almost a second chance novella. Trick and Stella dated previously, but neither of them wanted the attachment so it just ran its course. However, now Trick wants to settle down and he believes Stella is the girl for him. Too bad she's still a flight risk. This was cute set against New York at Christmas. Full of fun banter, it was great to see these two learn to let their guards down.
Hot Holiday Nights: This was the first book by Burton I've read where she had threesomes and it was definitely the steamiest out of the 3 novellas. Taking place over Christmas in Hawaii, Tori finds herself attracted to a hot shot surfer and his manager. So why not have both? While I think the love part came rather quickly, I did enjoy the story. I would have liked a little epilogue of sorts to see where these three ended up because I really wanted to know how they were going to make everything work.
Overall, this was a fun selection of stories. And I liked that even though this is part of a bigger book world, you could still just read these and enjoy them for the romances they were.
So this book is broken down into three novellas:
Holiday Games: A continuation of previous couple Elizabeth and Gavin as they set out to try to have a baby. Elizabeth wants nothing more than to get pregnant but it's just not happening for them - and not for lack of trying. Taking place over Christmas and including a wedding, we got to see the family dynamics that make these books what they are. At times I felt there were too many people in a scene, but once I remembered everyone's names it was easier to keep track.
Holiday on Ice: Almost a second chance novella. Trick and Stella dated previously, but neither of them wanted the attachment so it just ran its course. However, now Trick wants to settle down and he believes Stella is the girl for him. Too bad she's still a flight risk. This was cute set against New York at Christmas. Full of fun banter, it was great to see these two learn to let their guards down.
Hot Holiday Nights: This was the first book by Burton I've read where she had threesomes and it was definitely the steamiest out of the 3 novellas. Taking place over Christmas in Hawaii, Tori finds herself attracted to a hot shot surfer and his manager. So why not have both? While I think the love part came rather quickly, I did enjoy the story. I would have liked a little epilogue of sorts to see where these three ended up because I really wanted to know how they were going to make everything work.
Overall, this was a fun selection of stories. And I liked that even though this is part of a bigger book world, you could still just read these and enjoy them for the romances they were.
holls_marie28's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
A quick holiday themed sports romance collection of novellas! My favorite of the three was definitely the second one following Trick and Stella because I think that one had the best development of the romance/relationship at the center of it. The third novella was a fun read but it just didn't feel believable to me that the characters were in love because they knew very little about each other.
kb33's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Little sprinkles of sexism throughout the first book. Also, almost exclusively telling us everything that happens instead of showing. It’s extremely dull, and there’s nothing very festive/no holiday feel until the end, which is full of stress preparing for family to come over on Christmas.
The second book also feels pretty dull. Lots of telling us that Trick and Stella have chemistry, but very little showing us their chemistry. Not festive.
Third book I’ve read before and left a review for it separately.
The second book also feels pretty dull. Lots of telling us that Trick and Stella have chemistry, but very little showing us their chemistry. Not festive.
Third book I’ve read before and left a review for it separately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexism
Minor: Infertility
ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
Holiday Games
A continuation of the Riley family, Liz and Gavin are back at it in this book. And are they at it alot. A lot. A LOT. Yes, they're trying to get pregnant so there's a lot of sex. About as much as a usual Burton book but compressed into a short story.
A good story if you've read the previous books (since most of the story centers around the prep for and Jenna and Tyler's wedding), I think, but otherwise, it's, like, 50% sex and not much else.
Three stars
Holiday on Ice
Stella is a dancer and Trick, a hocky player. They hooked up off and on for about a year but neither was serious and their relationship sort of fizzled when they both got busy. But now they're in the same bar at the same time and the sizzle is still there. Could it be that there's something more?
I love when romance short stories start with a previous relationship; that means that it's not as hard to believe that true love might happen that fast.
Four stars
Hot Holiday nights
Holy menage, Batman! Warn a woman, NetGalley! This part suffered for me because this is NOT one of my favorite romance tropes. I generally like Burton's writing, even if it does get a little more explicit than I like. For the rating, this is my personal opinion. Do I think that regular Burton readers will enjoy the story? Probably. Do I like that Victoria was the leader in initiating this triad? I gave it a whole extra star because of that. I liked that she was confident in herself and her men.
When Victoria Baldwin finally takes a vacation, little does she suspect that she'll be falling in love. And falling in love.
Three stars
A continuation of the Riley family, Liz and Gavin are back at it in this book. And are they at it alot. A lot. A LOT. Yes, they're trying to get pregnant so there's a lot of sex. About as much as a usual Burton book but compressed into a short story.
A good story if you've read the previous books (since most of the story centers around the prep for and Jenna and Tyler's wedding), I think, but otherwise, it's, like, 50% sex and not much else.
Three stars
Holiday on Ice
Stella is a dancer and Trick, a hocky player. They hooked up off and on for about a year but neither was serious and their relationship sort of fizzled when they both got busy. But now they're in the same bar at the same time and the sizzle is still there. Could it be that there's something more?
I love when romance short stories start with a previous relationship; that means that it's not as hard to believe that true love might happen that fast.
Four stars
Hot Holiday nights
Holy menage, Batman! Warn a woman, NetGalley! This part suffered for me because this is NOT one of my favorite romance tropes. I generally like Burton's writing, even if it does get a little more explicit than I like. For the rating, this is my personal opinion. Do I think that regular Burton readers will enjoy the story? Probably. Do I like that Victoria was the leader in initiating this triad? I gave it a whole extra star because of that. I liked that she was confident in herself and her men.
When Victoria Baldwin finally takes a vacation, little does she suspect that she'll be falling in love. And falling in love.
Three stars
klndonnelly's review against another edition
4.0
Full Review at All About Romance.
http://allaboutromance.com/book-review/mistletoe-games-by-jaci-burton/
http://allaboutromance.com/book-review/mistletoe-games-by-jaci-burton/
ritareadstrash's review against another edition
3.0
Let's break this rating down:
Holiday Games- 4 stars
It's great to see Liz and Gavin again. I loved their book.
Holiday on Ice-3 stars
A bit unrealistic, but we'll chalk it up to holiday magic. A cute story nonetheless
Hot Holiday Nights-1 star (If I could give negative stars, I would)
I understand suspension of reality for books, but this was suspension of anything realistic. I have nothing against the M/F/M relationship, but I found myself rolling my eyes every time they opened their mouths.
Holiday Games- 4 stars
It's great to see Liz and Gavin again. I loved their book.
Holiday on Ice-3 stars
A bit unrealistic, but we'll chalk it up to holiday magic. A cute story nonetheless
Hot Holiday Nights-1 star (If I could give negative stars, I would)
I understand suspension of reality for books, but this was suspension of anything realistic. I have nothing against the M/F/M relationship, but I found myself rolling my eyes every time they opened their mouths.
bookedinsideout's review against another edition
I didn’t even finish the first story in this hat trick… of the two sex scenes I read there was no foreplay, and the rest was boring (and why was there so much football talk in a book about baseball?). I don’t think this is an author for me.
tiggerreads's review
3.0
It was fun to catch up with the Rileys. And, Jaci Burton makes the "old" married couple sexy. :) (Like she wouldn't.)
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