Review and SIGNED ARC Giveaway…Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Marina Adair

Regan Martin stopped believing in Christmas miracles six years ago when she lost everything—her house, her job, and her impeccable reputation in the wine industry—after she fell in love with a man she had no idea was married. Then Regan gets a chance for a fresh start in the Napa Valley. With her dream job, dream home, and her daughter enrolled in a wonderful new school, she starts wondering if holiday wishes really do come true.

But she soon tumbles back down to earth when she learns that her new boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca, the scorned wife’s brother. Gabe wants nothing more than home-wrecking Regan Martin out of his life, his sister’s world, and his family’s business. Mostly, he wants the lush beauty out of his head. Yet his attempts to run her out of town have him thinking twice, especially when he sees that Regan may hold the key to tracking down his sister’s stolen start-up capital. Even worse for Gabe, Regan might just be his Christmas wish and hold the key to his heart.

This is the first book in Ms. Adair’s St. Helena Vineyard Novel Series and I am so honored to have had the chance to read it before it hits the shelves!

Regan is a gal who is no stranger to disappointment.  She is also no stranger to strong character and certainly isn’t one for letting the bad outweigh the good that she does have in her life.  After all, she has a beautiful daughter and is about to start a new life in a new town.  Things are looking up, until her past threatens to come back and ruin things yet again.

Gabe is determined to make sure the home wrecker that ruined his sister’s marriage gets pay back in spades for what she’s done.  He’s been making sure her life has been less than easy for the past six years and yet here she is, in his town, working for his family’s business.  Although now, he starts to think that maybe this isn’t such a bad thing.  Maybe now, if he puts his charm on, he can get some info on where his cheating ex-brother in law may have run off to….with his family’s money.  Too bad he has no idea that he will in fact be the one who gets charmed and not the other way around.  Can he risk falling for the woman responsible for causing his sister so much pain?

From the very first page, I was brought in by the emotion coming from Regan.  She is such an amazingly strong character but not in an overbearing way that some heroines can come off as.  She’s strong in a way that is so admirable and has such poise and confidence that she is a character I won’t soon forget.  She’s been through some difficult times but is able to maintain her dignity and reminds us that sometimes you have to keep your chin up, square your shoulders and give it another try.

Gabe is loyal to a fault.  He’s been keeping his family together since the death of his parents and isn’t sure there’s any other option for him.  He is fierce and protective and sexy as hell.  He’s your girlfriend’s sexy, responsible older brother you would oogle when you went over to her house. He knows exactly how to push buttons…the ones that annoy and the ones that make you melt.  He’s so convinced that always figuring things out and having the answers for his family is enough for him….until Regan makes him start to want more.

Together they have an emotional ride ahead that if they choose to believe in each other, and not other people’s opinions, they can have a chance at something real and something they both deserve.  They also have help from unlikely allies who have big personalities and equally big hearts.

I loved this story.  Ms. Adair had my heart hurting so many times throughout this book but only because she did such an amazing job at telling Gabe and Regan’s story.  I felt so much for both of them and it truly was an enjoyable read with humor along with the heartache! This is a must read for any romantic!  Thank you, Ms. Adair, for an amazing story and I look forward to more in this series.

Oh! One last thing…the PTA mentions and shenanigans were HILARIOUS, and not entirely false (but you never heard that from me!  *wink*)

Five Loves 

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