HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

By Lisa Plumley
Zebra (2008), 344 pages, $6.99 (paperback)


There’s no place like “Home For The Holidays,” and there’s nothing like reading about romance at Christmas.
Lisa Plumley once again gifts readers with a Yuletide story sure to put you in a holiday mood, with characters certain to make you laugh – and shake your head.
Rachel is a rather annoying small-town-girl-turned-LA-snob, who gets an unfair comeuppance in the big city, and decides to hide out and lick her wounds back home during Christmas.
Reno is the local hero, the small-town kid who made it big in the NFL, who then returned home to run a sporting goods store and endear himself to the locals by being the go-to-for-any-favor man about town.
So, he was only doing one of his favors when he agreed to pick up Rachel at the airport.
Their courtship was rather unorthodox, since Rachel was in full LA-is-so-much-better-than-this-place mode, and Reno was determined to change her mind. There was also the fact that Reno was suffering a lot of guilt because his best buddy fancied himself in love with Rachel, and was counting on Reno to hook him up.
Oh, and then there were Reno’s parents, who separated over Tom’s insensitive Christmas gift.
In other words, this is vintage Plumley. She’s created a cast of characters that are a bit eccentric, quirky and likeable and spun a story that will make you smile.


Overall rating: 4 of 5 hearts. It’s really tough to not like a holiday book. And it’s really tough not to like the quirkiness and fun that Plumley infuses in all her stories. And there’s lots of Christmas in this one as well!


Hunk appeal: 10. Reno is just a good guy. Almost too good, at times. He loses points when Rachel discovers he was supposed to be setting her up with his best friend, by deciding he’s the affronted because she doesn’t understand how he felt.

Steamy scene grade: XXXX. A good guy.

Happily-Ever-After: Good. It’s another hero-rushing-after-heroine-to-stop-her-from-leaving scene. But hey, it works! Reno goes after Rachel, catches her, apologizes – accepts her apologies – and both say very mushy, very romantic stuff that makes it a good ending.



Also this week…..

BIG SKY WINTER

by Diana Palmer (2008, hardcover) 4 of 5.

Actually, this is a two-in-one, with both stories written in 1986. But as most of her stories are, these two are timeless and you’ll enjoy them every bit as much now as you would have 22 years ago.
In the first story, “Rawhide & Lace,” Ty is a homely rancher, who is nasty and cruel to the woman he loves – the beautiful model Erin. Of course it’s a self-defense mechanism, to keep her from breaking his heart. It doesn’t work – in more ways than one. His nastiness runs Erin off, but not before their passion resulted in a pregnancy. She tries to tell him, but he’s nasty again. Soon after, she wrecks her car and loses the baby and her career.
Ty finds out about that shortly before Erin inherits half of his ranch – with the stipulation that she lives there. She doesn’t want to, but knows a lot of innocent people would lose their jobs if she refuses. Ty is determined to make up for his part in Erin’s accident, but still slips into nastiness often. Of course they end up married, and eventually happy – after clearing up misunderstandings and learning each other’s true feelings.
“Unlikely Lover” is the sequel to “Rawhide & Lace,” featuring Ty’s former nemesis and neighbor, Ward. Mari is the niece of Ward’s cook, and becomes an unwitting pawn in auntie’s matchmaking scheme. Even though Ward and Mari are both aware of the aunt’s plot, they succumb to the love that simmers between them.
Of course Palmer’s name is on the cover, so they have to suffer many self-erected obstacles before they can embark on happily-ever-after. But of course, they finally get there.