Kisses and Lemon Snowflake Cookies by N. Jade Gray
Christmas Cookies
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeFireman Dustin Keith didn’t realize women would be coming out of the woodwork after he posed for the local fundraiser calendar. But the one who catches his eye is a baker with trust issues. Can he scale the wall she’s built around her heart, or is fate destined to extinguish the flames of desire before they engulf his heart?
Lauren Badini came to Cedar Bend to lend a helping hand at her aunt’s bakery, not fall for Mr. July. The image on the calendar she received last Christmas fueled her fantasies, but the in-person version is too hot to handle. But if life after her ex has taught her anything, it’s okay to look…but don’t touch.
Perfection is overrated.
This novella had an excellent sense of humour. By far my favorite funny moment in it happened in the first scene after Lauren accidentally burned a tray of gingerbread men. I couldn’t stop giggling at what happened next, although I really should leave any further details up to other readers to discover for themselves. It gave me a good feeling about finding out what would happen to the characters next.
I would have liked to see more character development in the storyline, especially when it came to Dustin and Lauren. The audience learned basic facts about their occupations, but I didn’t see much personal growth in either of them. It would also be tricky for me to describe their personalities in any specific detail. I sure would have liked to have more information about that as well.
Some of the most memorable scenes were the ones that explored Dustin’s close-knit group of friends. They were a wonderful source of emotional support not only for him but also for one another. Their antics also contributed to the humorous moments in this tale as well. I loved the fact that they were such a funny and supportive group.
The two main characters both struggled with their communication skills. It was a little tiring for me as a reader to see them go through the cycle of seeing or hearing something they disapproved of and then immediately reacting to it in a negative manner without checking to see if their assumptions about those interactions were actually accurate. This was one of the biggest areas where I thought Lauren and Dustin could have both shown personal growth. I would have understood if it had happened a couple of times, but it popped up so often that it was a little bit too much for my tastes.
There was a twist in one of the final scenes involving something that happened to Dustin while he was at work that made me smile. I didn’t see it coming in advance, but it fit in with the plot quite well. It was lovely to be surprised by that moment and then wait quietly to see how everything would be resolved. This was the best portion of the story in my opinion.
I’d recommend Kisses and Lemon Snowflake Cookies to anyone who loves firefighters.
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