ANY GIVEN CHRISTMAS by Candis TerryWhere To Find Candis: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter
FORMAT: PDF
GENRE: Contemporary
PUBLISHER: Avon Impulse (November 22,2011)
ISBN: 9780062105233
Dean Silverthorne’s mother may be dead, but she still has matchmaking to do.
When an injury dashes NFL Quarterback Dean Silverthorne’s Super Bowl dreams, he heads back to Deer Lick, Montana with a chip on his wounded shoulder and more determined than ever to get back in the game. He loves his kooky family, but his trip home is nothing but a very brief Christmas visit.
His game plan didn’t include an instant attraction to Emma Hart, a feisty kindergarten teacher who seems to be the only person in Deer Lick not interested in the hometown hero. Or his dearly departed mom popping up with mistletoe in hand and meddling on the mind. Now Dean can’t help but wonder if there’s more to love than life between the goal posts.
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt
 |
| I really loved it! |
REVIEW:
Another great Christmas read. This one had me cracking up and rooting for the all star quarterback to be brought to his knees by a small town kindergarten teacher. A story of opposites attract and the magic of the holidays that brings people together. Plus, there's a friendly ghost involved. The quarterback's mother, to be exact.
Dean Silverthone, golden boy quarterback of the Houston Stallions can no longer play due to a hard sack resulting in a torn shoulder. He's in limbo, wondering when he can get back to playing with his team or if he ever would. He's returned home to Deer Lick, Montana for his baby sister's wedding to the local sheriff and to his surprise, find a woman who says no to him.
Emma Hart, kindergarten school teacher with a hussy for a mother, an unknown father and a loving grandmother with dementia, can't believe The Dean Silverthorne has struck up a conversation with her, much less ask her to dance. She's so over guys like him. The love 'em and leave 'em type. She's heard all the gossip and rumors, seen the tabloids with his picture splashed across it, skinny supermodels on his arm. Who was he to assume every woman would fall at his feet, tear off their clothes and beg him to ravish them. Not her.
At eighteen years old, Emma got her heart broken and since then, she's tried to stay away from any sort of relationship. She's focused on teaching, getting her Masters and spending time with her grandma even if she doesn't remember Emma. When Dean comes back into town for his sister's wedding, she wonders why he's paying so much attention to her. She does everything she can to keep him at arms length.
Dean returns to Deer Lick for the holidays since his shoulder is still healing. He hasn't forgotten Emma. Funny that. She's not his type. She's got curves, she's intelligent and she challenges him like no other woman he's know, excluding his sisters and mother. Driving the old clunker that once belonged to his deceased mother, he soon starts receiving A Christmas Carol-like visits from her. (Not as creepy as the ghosts in the original Christmas Carol). Apparently she's appeared to his sister before. At first, he thinks he's gone crazy and tries to rationalize his "hallucinations". Even in death, his mother is trying to play matchmaker with the help of his newlywed sister, Kate.
Emma doesn't want to have any sort of feelings for Dean but as she gets to know him better, there's a giving and compassionate side of him the rest of the world doesn't get to see. He's has a penchant for dealing with kids and is even able to break through to one of her autistic students. Emma keeps telling herself that once Dean's shoulder is healed and the doctor gives him the okay, he'd be on the next flight out. She tries to keep from falling but sometimes Fate has a way of bringing two unlikely people together.
Dean's life has always revolved around football, it's who he is. Now that his shoulder might force him to retire from what he loves, he's at a loss until Emma comes into his life and shows him that there's more to life than football.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "For twenty years he'd played it smart and safe. A guarded heart and reliable condoms. Emma Hart was his first without either." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)
OVERALL: This book surprised me. I thought Dean was going to be one cocky, all too confident, look at my swagger kind of football player but he's been raised right by his parents and can be knocked down a peg or two by his 2 sisters. I liked Emma. She was never one to back down. Take one injured all star NFL quarterback, a small town kindergarten teacher with a secret and one Christmas they'll never forget. Simmer in a hot tub with a sprinkling of teasing touches and witty banter. Add a few toe curling orgasms and some endearing cartoon pajamas. Heat up until it's too hot. Cool with some time apart. Throw in a meddling ghost mother and newlywed sister and you've got a recipe for a laugh out loud, sigh worthy, heartbreaking holiday read.
***review PDF provided by J.Edwards at HarperCollins in conjunction with Candis's blog tour with Goddess Fish***
