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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Mini-Review: Naughty or Nice


Naughty or Nice

by Kari Lee Harmon


Blurb:

Being nice is safe, and being naughty is overrated, but getting McScroogy to find the joy in Christmas is beginning to sound oh so merry.
Samantha Darling, Boston advertising executive, has spent her life making a list and checking it twice, but she’s through being nice. All being nice got her was a broken heart when her fiancé cheated on her last Christmas Eve, ruining her favorite holiday, and then ran off with the small town boutique owner. After one too many All Powerful Peppermintinis, Samantha decides to give naughty a try. She breaks into the shop in Redemption Massachusetts and puts her spin on the Christmas display in the front window. Only, the window doesn’t belong to Stowe’s Boutiques, it belongs to Snow’s Antiques, and Nathan Snow is none too pleased. This was his year to win the Best Christmas Window display contest against his rival, but Samantha ruined it. While he might not like Christmas, he knows winning this contest will bring in business. He makes Samantha a deal. Create a winning display by Christmas Eve, and he won’t press charges. Samantha has no choice but to agree and has learned her lesson, but finds a bonus in her punishment. The challenge of getting the scrooge to find the joy in Christmas. Except losing her heart wasn’t part of the deal.

Review:

I really loved this short holiday story.  Though I don’t technically celebrate Christmas, I just love holiday themed stories, music, and even movies, so sue me! I got this as a free read from the publisher and was thrilled to have the chance to try it because I fell in love with the summary when I read it.
Sam is witty and sweet, but when her friends get her drunk her naughty side leads her right into trouble and the arms of her fate.  Waking up mostly naked, in the wrong place, with an entire small town staring at her hung-over, Sam is appalled and unable to believe the screw-up she’s made.  But looking on the bright side, she gets to see Tall, Dark, and Sexy again.  She decides that as she serves her punishment, working to correct her mistake, she needs to find her Christmas spirit again and share It with Nathan.
Nathan has never liked the holidays, mostly because dealing with his family even for those few days, is not worth the heartache. Enchanted as much as he is angry with Sam, Nathan decides to manipulate the situation so he has a chance to get the sexy Sam into his bed, or his window display area—whatever works.  But as she works to make his window display the best in the town, Sam slowly starts to teach Nathan the true reason for the season.  Soon Nathan comes to understand that family and friends, and even love are the most important things, not only at the holidays but all through life.
The chemistry between Nathan and Sam is intense to say the least.  Combustible might be a better word.  You’ll need to save this one for a very cold night or turn the AC way up just so you don’t catch fire.   A few times I wished I could reach into the book and smack Nathan upside the head, but thankfully he finally pulls his head out of his butt and admits he loves Sam.  Sam is insecure about her own personal appeal, but Nathan makes her feel so sexy and loved that she slowly builds herself up, even if she has a bit of a relapse in the end.  These two were awesome together and totally realistic.
I’ve never read anything else by this author, but I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to more of her novels.  This was a relatively quick read, but intense and erotic.  Fun and sweet.  Sam and Nathan are perfect together and they obviously need each other to make their lives whole and complete.  The plot was hilarious from start to finish.  I think that if I ever got drunk enough to be as stupid as Sam I would hope it turned out this well for me.
Happy holidays and may it be sexy!

Rating:  3.5 stars

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