I was going to do a proper review for this, but I've decided not to. I don't read short stories very often because I just don't like them. I need a longer story I can sink my teeth into. Romance short stories especially don't work for me--a real love story can not be told so quickly, imo. I think this is a big part of why this anthology was so disappointing to me.I was seduced into buying it because I'm a Jennifer Crusie fangirl. I love her books. Her story, "Hot Toy," was cute--it's got her funny dialogue. But the plot was so, so far-fetched that I couldn't get past it. Was it supposed to be a joke?
I've never read Lori Foster or Carly Phillips and these stories didn't make me want to change that. Both the stories could have been titled "People Have Sex with a Christmas Tree in the Background." They felt sort of trashy. And not in a good way. I was squicked out by "Christmas Bonus," which had a 32-year-old who has been horny for a girl he's known for five years, since she was 17. ICKY! And "Naughty Under the Mistletoe" was better, but so cliche. Two strangers meet and four hours later, he's thinking, "For the first time, he wanted to connect with a woman in more places than in bed." Ugh. It had some truly cringe-worthy sentences.
10 comments:
Hot Toy isn't bad... I think if it would have been longer, she could have pulled it. But you know, a lot of short stories are like that: oh, it's short so let's make it completely unbelievable. As for the two others, i didn't bother reading them :P
Well, I just got this one from the library. Like you, I want to read it for the Crusie story. I usually don't read all of the stories in an anthology ~ I pretty much stick to the authors I know I like. Like you, I'm not a big fan ~ I like to have a full story. Novellas just seem to rush to a conclusion.
LMAO! That title had me cracking up! hehe I don't like holiday themed books, so short stories wouldn't even be considered-no matter who wrote them. Especially about Christmas. CORNY.
I'm awful. I know. :P
I want this book sooooo bad since I am a fan of all three authors. Now I think I'm right here, that only JC's story was new the other stories were reprints. But you should try CP's Chandler Brother Series, Very Good! And LF's Winston Brothers Series, also Very Good. I love all these authors so even with a bad review I know I'll be getting it. lol.
I got this one as a gift and it has so many things going against it *sigh*. I'm not normally a fan of anthologies but I can do them. I don't really care for Lori Foster, I've tried a few of hers. And I don't like Carly Phillips. And I really don't care for Christmas romance stories. At least I didn't pay for it.
I think I considered buying this one for about a second and then remembered that most anthologies don't work for me.
Still, I want to see if I can find some of my older Christmas anthologies that are stacked in that 'closet of horror'. I know I have a few great short stories in there that would be nice to revisit.
CindyS
OMG!!!! 32 and 17?! 32 and 17?!??!?! O_o
Double the yukness!!!!!
LOL
I picked this up at the UBS - mostly for Jenny's story. i used to really like Lori Foster. I'm not sure what happened. One of us changed and I think it was me. :o) Carly Phillips? Meh.
I like the holiday themed anthologies. Especially the Halloween ones, since I'm a paranormal fan. I must be in the minority.
Nath--Yes, you're right. Hot Toy might have been better if she's had more time to develop the plot. Maybe the complicated spy network thing was a bad choice for a novella!
Devonna--I think short stories must be really hard to write effectively, don't you? I can't really imagine trying to cram a plot and characters with any kind of complexity into one.
Ames--Don't you like Christmas?! LOL. But you're right xmas stories can get really cheesy.
Jazz--Well, I hope it works better for you than it did for me!
Kristie--Can you drop a hint about bookstore gift cards without sounding ungrateful?! LOL.
Cindy--If you find some good christmas short stories, blog about it! There have to be some good ones out there, and I love Christmas so that I think I could get into them. Maybe.
Mailyn--He's 32 and she's 22 when the story actually takes place. But he's "liked" her (in a highly sexual way) since she was 17. Yes, ucky!
C2--Isn't it funny how some authors you thought were great you later decide, what the heck was I thinking?! Do you know any good Christmas anthologies? I want to find one. :)
OK I still say that's yucky if he was horny when she was still underage. Child molester! LOL
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