One Snowy Night (Heartbreaker Bay #2.5) by Jill Shalvis (A Novella)

Title: One Snowy Night: A Heartbreaker Bay Christmas Novella
Classification: Adult Ficton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Heartbreaker Bay Christmas
Format: Paperback; 160 pages
Publisher: Avon Impulse (November 8, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0062463578
ISBN-13: 978-0062463579
Author's website: http://jillshalvis.com/
Notes: This is a novella. I received an eARC (electronic Advanced Reader's Copy) of it from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.

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Rory and Max have known each other for years. They went to the same high school and grew up in the same town. She stayed in the shadows while he basked in the limelight of being the school's golden boy who excelled at basketball, baseball, and football. He is also the guy Rory once had a huge crush on, but he had never really noticed her. Now, years later, they're both living in San Francisco and when offers to give he a ride back home to Tahoe things get interesting. Will one snowy night change everything or will the past come between them?

This was a short but sweet short story that is perfect for the holiday season. If you're craving to read a book, but don't feel you have enough time between cooking, backing, decorating, traveling, and present hunting give a novella like this one a try. They'll fill that sweet spot and ease your craving.

While I wish this had been a full blown story, it is a novella so keep that in mind when you purchase this one. It's only 160 pages long and there are two excerpts from the previous books in the series at the end. This one can be read out of order, and you won't feel you missed anything. It'll just give you a tiny taste of what the series as a whole is like.

In the previous book of the series, 'The Trouble With Mistletoe', we got a hint that something was going on between Max and Rory, but we didn't know exactly what. In this book we finally find out their backstory and why it took so long for Max to make a move. Interestingly enough, Rory is a bit clueless about all that happened as she skipped town shortly before the proverbial sh*t hit the fan. Max, on the other hand, thinks he knows everything, but he doesn't know the half of it.

Rory has not had an easy life, and has only recently climbed out of her shell. Willa who pretty much rescued Rory, is attempting to set her up with just the type of guy she needs--someone who is trustworthy, reliable, and the kind of person Rory can lean on. Max is all those things, and his being gorgeous doesn't hurt matters at all. While Willa's tendency to stick her nose in where it doesn't belong can at times be annoying, her persistence in this case will finally pay off big time.    

Overall, I gave this one 3 1/2 out of 5 roses. I loved how the issues/misunderstandings between these two were resolved when they got stranded overnight together. I also liked how Rory made peace with her family after so many years. My main issue with this one was that it was too short--I wanted more. *sigh* There also appeared to be some slight inconsistencies between what we were told about Rory in 'The Trouble with Mistletoe' and what we were told in this one. I don't know if they'll be corrected before publication, but, at least for me, they didn't detract from the story. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the series: