*I received a free copy of One Snowy Night from via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis Series: Heartbreaker Bay #2.5
Pages: 160
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Heartbreaker Bay with a fun and festive holiday novella!
It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.
Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.
They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.
One Snowy Night is a short novella in the Heartbreaker Bay series, featuring Rory and Max, and there is hotness, romance, cold, ice and doubts from a past event coming to the surface.
While I enjoyed One Snowy Night, I was sad it was so short, as I think Rory and Max could hold up a full length novel with their story. And because it was short, only the span of a night and morning, and it was spent on the road, I missed all their friends! One of the things I love the most in a Shalvis story is the amazing friendships and funny banter.
It was clear in the prior Heartbreaker Bay novels that Max and Rory had chemistry, what wasn’t clear, however was that they had history. Because they both kept that to themselves, thinking the other had done something close to unforgivable. When they had to spend time together in the car, they were finally able to discuss what had happened years earlier, and the consequences which they still felt in the present.
If you’re not familiar with this series, I think you’d be confused with this novealla, as the character development is slight. But because I had already met Rory and Max, I did know some of their quirks, so I was good to go. Written in third person present tense, the omniscient narrator worked well for me, as there were plenty of dialogues as well.
As always when their gazes locked, Max’s was a disconcerting mix of heat and… something else that she couldn’t quite figure out, as he was good at hiding when he wanted to be. She never quite knew how to take the heat because it seemed reluctant. He was attracted to her but didn’t want to be.
As she passed through, their bodies brushed together, his hard as stone and yet somehow also deliciously warm, and hers… softened. There was no other word for it.
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: ailynk
an interesting novella, but you are right it will be hard to follow because I haven’t read the others. nice review though.
It was a nice novella, but I would have loved to learn more about the main characters, as I really enjoyed them as side characters in the other books in this series 🙂
I just recently read the second book in this series, but I didn’t realize Rory was part of the first book too. That’s good to know – I should try to read that one too before I pick up this novella.
All the side characters are present in the other books, which is just one thing a love about Shalvis, Nicole!
Sounds like it was good, but needed more page time. Good to know that it’s best read in order to know the characters better. Nice review, Lexxie!
It was good, Sophia, I think I’m just a very greedy reader, because I wanted more 😀
it’s rare to see one not as good as the others.
I think it’s because I’m almost always frustrated with novellas, Melliane 🙂
I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I had some issues with Max blaming Rory for what happened in high school. Because, seriously that was his own doing, and after all this time he should have accepted that. But, he does sort of, by the end of the novel.
I did like it though. Just not love. Glad you liked it too.
Yeah, it was his own doing, and she didn’t even know back then that he got in trouble… But I think sometimes, it’s easy to blame others for our troubles, you know?
I’m sorry this one left you wanting, Lexxie. Maybe Shalvis will go ahead with a full-length novel for Rory and Max? I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that. I look forward to starting this series though – after I catch up in Cedar Ridge. 😉
Happy Monday! *BIG HUGS*
Heh, that would be great, Brandee 🙂 And this series is just as amazing as Cedar Ridge 😉 {{{big hugs}}}
This one sounds really good, but I will try to read the others in the series first so I appreciate it a bit more and get a better feel for the characters, since you said it’s a short one. I love Jill Shalvis
I love Jill Shalvis, too, Julie 🙂 And this series is really great, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the friendships and the romances both 🙂
i think this is the reason i dont like novellas and stay away 🙁 everytime i read one I usually love it, but it falls short because I always feel like the characters in them have a bigger story to tell.
Yeah, I should know better, Lily 😀 But at the same time, I love Shalvis so much I just can’t stay away 😀
Great review and I totally know what you mean about novellas — they are almost inherently too short for a meaningful/realistic romance! I am curious about this series though
The romance part was good, because it was clear from the first two books that Max and Rory had chemistry, and that something was going on with them. And the series is awesome!
I liked the whole road trip bit of it but I did wish it was a bit longer. The end was a spot too quick for me. But still a nice little tide-me-over 🙂
Yup, me, too. And I liked that Max and Rory finally had to spend some time alone together 😀 Tide-me-overs can be good, but also a little frustrating from time to time. I’m glad I have the next full novel on my kindle already 😀
I don’t usually read Christmas themed books but I do have a few I want to try this year. I really want to try something from this author!
Nereyda│ Nick & Nereyda’s Infinite Booklist
You should definitely try a Shalvis novel, Nereyda, she’s an awesome contemporary romance author!
This sounds like a fun little novella, but it probably wouldn’t be right for me because I haven’t read the other books in the series. Great review! 🙂
Then you should pick up the two novels, Anna 😉
I’ve got this one loaded on my Kindle and ready to read. I love Shalvis.