About the Book:
Title: Tinsel and Tea Cakes
Author: Jill Piscitello
Series: Christmas Cookies
Page Length: 91
Publication Date: Dec. 14, 2021
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Synopsis: Hair stylist Scarlett Kerrigan lost her job and her apartment. To alleviate a touch of self-pity, she succumbs to her stepmom’s pressure to attend a wedding in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Unfortunately, she runs into the vacation fling who promised the moon but disappeared without an explanation. Months have passed, but she is not ready to forgive and forget.
After a chaotic year, executive Wes Harley settles into his family’s event venue, The Timeless Manor. His carefully structured world is shaken to its core when Scarlett arrives for the Victorian Christmas wedding weekend. The feelings he never quite erased flood to the surface.
When secrets are revealed, will a magical chateau and a sprinkle of tinsel be enough to charm Scarlett?
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My Review:
A quick and sweet holiday romance with unique and dynamic characters and a bit of a mystery, Tinsel and Tea Cakes is the perfect cozy read. The story follows Scarlett, a hairstylist who lost her job and apartment and is attending a wedding as her stepmother’s plus one. Though the venue is idyllic, Scarlett, unfortunately, runs into an old fling who hurt her by promising a future and then ghosting her.
A member of the family who owns the wedding venue, Wes is shocked when he sees Scarlett. He regrets the way things ended with Scarlet, and his feelings for her are as strong as ever. Will Scarlett understand why Wes never contacted her, and will she give Wes a second chance?
I really enjoyed the slow-building, second-chance romance between Scarlett and Wes. It’s clear from the beginning that both characters have unresolved feelings for each other, and their chemistry is still strong. I like how they begin reconnecting and filling in the blanks on what happened in the year since they last saw each other.
Other characters are unique and interesting additions to the novella, especially Scarlett’s stepmother and Wes’s daughter. Scarlett’s step-mother is a spitfire, and she has such a vivacious personality. I love how she embraces life and encourages Scarlett to do the same. And Wes’s daughter is a charming and sweet little girl. Wes has a unique situation and family dynamic since he lives on the property with other family members, and it’s interesting to see how he balance work and his personal life.
The setting sounds breathtakingly beautiful, and I could easily imagine the wintery and idyllic weekend wedding venue. The White Mountains are so beautiful, and this is actually where my family and I vacation several times a year. It’s wonderful to see the majestic beauty of the area captured on the page. The author does a great job of creating a lovely and romantic backdrop for Wes and Scarlett’s romance.
I thought this was a fun and entertaining holiday read, and I would definitely recommend it to readers who like contemporary romance novellas. Thanks so much to the author for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance!
- The setting.
Recommendations:
This is a great novella for readers who like sweet contemporary romances.
Thank you so much for this lovely review. I appreciate every word!
You’re so welcome!!
I’m definitely looking forward to some holiday reads in the next couple months!
Me too! 🙂
There’s a whole Christmas Cookie collection of novellas. I’ve read a few that were wonderful!
Oooh, I didn’t know that! I’ll have to check them out.
This sounds like a sweet novella, Julie. I have not heard of the White Mountains, so will have to check them out. Wonderful review.
Thanks so much, Carla! It’s a quick and cute read!