Rating: ★★★ | 400 pages | Avon | Contemporary | Twilight, Texas #8 | 10/31/2017
It’s Christmas time in the quirky little town of Twilight, Texas and that means it’s time for two unsuspecting strangers to fall in love.
Following the break up of his band and a sojourn through South America, country music star Cash Colton is about to go solo. He was only supposed to make a quick stop in Twilight for a benefit concert but finds himself a muse in the form of theater usher Paige MacGregor. Paige doesn’t recognize the famous country star, and despite her initial attraction Paige doesn’t have time to be anyone’s muse–she’s busy cobbling her life back together after her ex stole her identity and ruined her finances. But staying away from the sexy cowboy blowing through town is quite the challenge when he’s also her houseboat neighbor.
That’s right I said houseboats. It’s not super relevant to the story but the fact that they live on house boats is just kind of a fun detail.
This book has all of my favorite tropes; celebrity hero, Christmas, small towns with a personality, and then like that thing where it’s implied a small amount of magic exists. It’s heavily implied that this romance happens because Twilight’s First Love Cookie Club gave both Paige and Cash a batch of their matchmaker cookies. It’s kind of corny, but what’s a Christmas romance without a dash of whimsy ?
It’s a little slow start but once the romance got going between Paige and Cash I was all in. Paige is such a hardworking and caring heroine. She’s realistic and described as being not traditionally pretty or thin. I had trouble with Cash in the beginning of their courtship, because he kept putting Paige on the spot to do things that he knew made her uncomfortable; like pulling her on stage during a concert. He feels bad while he’s doing it and knows it’s wrong but yet continues to do it. If it weren’t for the grovel at the end I would have been a lot more annoyed with this.
This is my first Wilde and she writes in this lively, folksy, fun voice. Her characters have these random Gosh Dang It to Heckexpletives that are kind of silly but also endearing. Like Cash will occasionally quote his mentor and say McDang, son and Paige says stuff like holy jungle jaguar!
Also, while this is a holiday romance, Christmas is really more in the background. It’s not like there is a big lead up to Christmas Day or anything so this holiday romance can cheer you up all year long.
Book received as part of Avon Addict program