Happy Ever After in Christmas by Debbie Mason

As her thirtieth birthday approaches, deputy Jill Flaherty decides it's time to live a little. When she walks into Sawyer Anderson's bar in her sexiest dress, she's not thinking that he's her brother's best friend or about the many women he dated during his years as a pro hockey player. All she's thinking is that it's finally time to confess to her longtime crush how she truly feels.

Sawyer is done being a player on and off the ice. Yet no one in the small town of Christmas seems to believe he's ready to settle down, not Jill, and certainly not Jack, who is determined to keep Sawyer from breaking his little sister's heart. But as Sawyer and Jill's relationship heats up, can he prove that he's her happy ever after?

Series: Christmas, Colorado #7 | Publisher: Forever | Genre: Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For: Pick Your Own Genre--Contemporary

Ooh, I’ve been waiting for this book and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Jill Flaherty has been in love with her brother’s best friend for most of her life and now that she’s turning thirty, she’s finally decided to let Sawyer in on her feelings. Sawyer has earned his reputation as a player but he’s decided it’s time to settle down and when Jill walks into his bar wearing a sexy red dress, he’s finally seeing her as more than just his best friend’s kid sister. When their relationship finally heats up, Sawyer has to prove that he’s finally ready to settle down.

 

Okay, so I’m not going to lie, I plowed through chapter one only to get stuck on chapter two.  I had trouble getting into the second chapter and for some reason—perhaps because the hockey game—it felt a bit choppy to be. Although, thankfully, chapter three picked back up and I was hooked until the end.

 

Sawyer has always piqued my interest. He’s Jack’s best friend and there’s an interesting bit of history between Grace (Jack’s wife) and Sawyer. He’s earned his reputation as a player but he finally realizes that he wants to settle down and have a family. Jill’s always been one of my favorite Christmas, Colorado heroines. She’s very independent and she’s also a workaholic. I was so glad when she finally confessed her love for Sawyer and decided to act upon it.

 

The romance between Sawyer and Jill was slow burn, they really didn’t start anything until the end of chapter 15 yet they had this amazing chemistry. And I liked that their relationship felt real. They struggled and really had to work through a lot to finally get their HEA.

 

It’s always lovely to revisit the Christmas, Colorado. The residents are a bit meddling so I’m always intrigued to see what they come up with.

 

So, this is part of a series yet each book does work as a standalone. I’ve been slowly trying to catch up on this series and I haven’t felt like I’ve missed anything from not having read the entire series.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed Sawyer and Jill’s story. They went through highs and low and I really felt for them.

Christmas, Colorado Series

The Trouble with Christmas

Christmas in July

It Happened at Christmas

Wedding Bells in Christmas

Snowbound at Christmas

Kiss Me in Christmas

Happy Ever After in Christmas
7.5- Miracle at Christmas