Pastels and Jingles Bells (Heavenly Bites #1) by Christine Feldman-Blog Tour and Review

PASTELS and JINGLE BELLS (Heavenly Bites Novella #1) by Christine S. Feldman-Blog Tour and Review

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Pastels and Jingle Bells
Heavenly Bites Novella #1
by Christine Feldman
Release Date: November 1, 2013

Pastels and Jingle Bells

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About the book: Release Date November 1, 2013

Trish Ackerly never expected to cross paths with Ian Rafferty again, but when she spots the former bully of her childhood years through her bakery window, she thinks she may just have been given the best Christmas gift ever: the opportunity to finally give Ian the comeuppance he deserves.

But clearly she does not have a knack for this whole revenge thing, because before she can make good on her plans, Trish gets inadvertently drawn into Ian’s life in an unexpected way that lets her see just how different the man is from the boy he used to be. In fact, much to her astonishment, she actually starts to like the guy.

A lot.

Trouble is, Ian doesn’t know who she really is, and explaining it to him is going to be a little difficult now—which is bad news, because Trish is starting to realize that all she really wants for Christmas this year…is Ian.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: Pastels and Jingle Bells is the first novella in Christine Feldman’s new series of contemporary romance novellas.

The storyline focuses on Trish and the painful memories of being bullied by the now devastatingly handsome and single dad Ian Rafferty. When Ian re-enters Trish’s life, she is prepared for the worse but she will be surprised when the boy that Trish once knew is not the man with whom she is falling in love.

The relationship between Trish and Ian begins as a business arrangement. Ian is a single father whose young daughter is withdrawn and with the Christmas holidays fast approaching he is in desperate need of help. Enter Trish Ackerly, an artist who has an eye for beauty and a woman he does not recognize from their previous history.

As the storyline progresses, so too does the relationship between Trish, Ian and Ian’s daughter who is beginning to come out of her shell with Trish’s help.

Because it is a novella, the storyline is fast paced. The background history between Trish and Ian is revealed when Trish and Ian share memories but some memories of Ian are ones that Trish had never known.

Pastels and Jingle Bells is a sweet, predictable storyline with a HEA. There is no foul language, no violence and no sex. It is a short contemporary novel perfect for the holiday season where two people get a second chance to rekindle a relationship started when one boy pulled the ponytail of a young girl as she walked to school.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

 

Pastels and Jingle Bells: Heavenly Bites Novella #1

It was probably inviting the worst kind of karma to be contemplating murder during the holiday season of all times, but that didn’t phase Trish Ackerly in the slightest as she stared through her bakery’s storefront window in shock.

It was him. Ian Rafferty, bane of her junior high school existence. She’d know that face anywhere, despite the changes in it. Sure, he was a couple of feet taller now and certainly broader shouldered, but as he glanced away from the winter scene she had painted on the window only yesterday and at a passing car that whizzed by much too fast on the busy city street, the profile he presented to her confirmed it. Yes, it was him. That same nose, the odd little scar above his eye, the familiar way he quirked his lips…

Her eyes narrowed. Ian Rafferty. That miserable, mean-spirited little—

Then he turned his face back to the window, and Trish gasped and dropped to the floor before he could spot her staring at him.
“What on earth are you doing?” came Nadia’s voice from behind the counter.

Trish huddled behind a tall metal trash can and glanced up through her dark bangs at her startled friend and business partner only to remember belatedly that they had company in the shop, namely wizened little Mrs. Beasley, whose startled eyes blinked at her from behind enormous tortoise-shell spectacles.

Well, there was little help for it now. “That guy,” Trish hissed, jerking one thumb in the direction of the window. “I know him!”

Both Nadia and Mrs. Beasley peered intently through the glass. “Mmm,” said Nadia appreciatively a moment later. “Lucky you, girlfriend.”

“No, not lucky me! That guy made my life a living hell in junior high. He’s a jerk, he’s a bully—“

“He’s coming in here, dear,” Mrs. Beasley interrupted her, with obvious interest in her voice.

With a squeak of alarm, Trish shuffled hastily behind the counter on her hands and knees and hunched into as small and inconspicuous a ball as she could.
Nadia blinked. “Trish, are you out of your—“

“Sh!”

“Oh, you did not just shush me—“

“SHH!” Trish insisted again, knowing full well that she’d pay for it later, and then she pulled her head down into her shoulders as much as her anatomy would allow.

The bell on the door jangled cheerfully then, and a gust of cold air heralded Ian Rafferty’s arrival.

About the Author pink

Christine Feldman

 

 

Christine S. Feldman writes both novels and feature-length screenplays, and she has placed in screenwriting competitions on both coasts.  She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her ballroom-dancing husband and their beagle.

Visit her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChristineSFeldman or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FeldmanCS.

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The Bargain by Christine S. Feldman – a Review

The Bargain by Christine S. Feldman – a Review

The Bargain

Links to order The Bargain: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

 

Description:
Tomboy Shannon Mahoney has always been a lot more comfortable with things like power tools than she is with high heels or lipstick, and she often wishes she could reinvent herself and finally tell her perfect boss, Drew Kingston, that she has had a crush on him since high school.  But she is just as tongue-tied and awkward around him now as she ever was, and long-familiar patterns are hard things from which to break free…Until one day Drew’s estranged older brother Michael comes to town, bringing with him a surprising opportunity for Shannon.

Ladies’ man Michael is a former bad boy looking for redemption.  He is desperate to atone for past mistakes that he made with his family, but younger brother Drew has cut him out of his life and refuses to even speak to him.  Which means Michael needs help getting to Drew.And so he approaches Shannon with a proposition:  if she will get Drew to agree to hear him out, Michael will mentor Shannon in how to win his brother’s heart.  Suspicious of Michael’s motives, Shannon initially enters into the bargain just to make sure Michael isn’t actually in town to cause trouble for Drew, but the two unlikely allies are surprised to discover that despite butting heads at first, they are beginning to enjoy each other’s company far more than either of them expected.And Shannon starts to realize that maybe love isn’t about reinventing yourself after all.  It’s about finding your perfect match.


Review;

The Bargain by Christine S. Feldman is a short, cute and fun read.  Ms. Feldman draws the reader in quickly and keeps the fun rolling all throughout the book.  Even though the events happen quickly and there isn’t a whole lot of back story, or slowly getting to know the characters, the book flows quite nicely and before you know it, you’re hooked and feel like you already know these characters. 

We meet Shannon Mahoney, a shy and quiet girl who is pinning away for, her idea of Mr. Perfect, Drew Kingston.  Problem #1, Drew has no idea about her crush on him, back in highschool, or to this day while she’s working for him as his assistant in his office.  Problem #2, Shannon’s too shy, quiet and just plain awkward around Drew, and for all other purposes, the opposite sex.  I really felt for Shannon, I totally saw where she was coming from and could relate to her to some point.  I think we’ve all had our moments in life where we’ve felt just the same way and weren’t sure how to progress.  This was one of the things I liked about Shannon.  She’s a very real character.  You are able to connect with her from the get go and either relate to her, or know of someone like her.  I liked how Ms. Feldman wrote this character and enjoyed watching her blossom from that shy little wall flower, into a more confident and sure woman.  One who knew what she wanted and wasn’t too afraid to go after it, once she worked up the courage of course.  Go Shannon. 

Micheal Kingston, Micheal Kingston, MMMM, oops I meant, hmmm, what was I going to say now???  😉  This man definitely knows how to make an entrance, and he knows the effect he has on woman.  However, when he encounters one Shannon Mahoney his life as he knows it will never be the same again.  Everything he thought he knew about woman completely goes out the window here. I really enjoyed this character and the way Ms. Feldman wrote him as well.  He’s suppose to be your typical bad boy who’s known for sowing his wild oats all though high-school and even now.  However, once he meets Shannon and starts to open up to her about his life, we see that the high-school bad boy, really isn’t all that bad.  Deep down inside is a gentle soul, who knows how to treat a woman right and will stand up for her no matter what and won’t let anyone hurt her.  Swooooooooon, sigh.  Okay, okay, where’s my Micheal Kingston?????  Who’s been hiding him from me?  LOL, 😉 Sorry I digress, back on track here. 

I really enjoyed this story. I liked both Shannon and Micheal and enjoyed watching them both blossom into someone they didn’t realize was hidden inside themselves. I enjoyed their interactions and conversations.  It was nice to see how they slowly began to fall for each other, but weren’t sure the other felt the same way.  There were some humorous moments too that balanced nicely with the serious parts.  Ms. Feldman did a wonderful job writing both characters, in keeping them real, along with the storyline.  She makes it very easy for the reader to get hooked quickly and relate to her characters and feel as if you’ve known them forever.  Who would’ve guessed that the shy, quiet little wall flower would find her perfect match in the resident bad boy.  Like they say, opposites attract, and this case, they really do. 

Until next time. Happy reading.  

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author

 

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