Member Reviews

Olivia Santini is the assistant manager of the Evergreen Resort and Spa and now that the manager post is vacant, she wants the top job badly. Hayley Boyd Markham is the artistic soul of a family of business people but when she gets into trouble for partying too much, her father and owner of the Evergreen Resort sends her there incognito as the new manager. The morning before starting her new job, a chance meeting in the woods with Olivia leave them both wishing for more but when Olivia realises who her new boss is things get complicated…

This is a sweet lesbian workplace romance book, angst-free and an ideal light winter read. Georgia Beers have written a few workplace romances, my favourites ‘Too close to touch’ and ‘Blend’ but this one is by far her sweetest. The author chose the landscape of upstate New York as the background to this story which is where she was born and bred. Her descriptions of the area are beautiful and the winter setting gives the story a cozy feel.

Both main characters are likeable and the reader can tell that they belong together. As usual, Ms. Beers builds the chemistry between them to a sizzling point, their attraction undeniable, the sex scenes hot. While I found the romance part spot-on, the business aspects seemed a bit unrealistic and naive, but having said that, they didn’t affect my enjoyment of the main story.

Overall, a cute and sweet workplace romance, recommended if you are looking for a cozy winter read. 4.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

See al my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com

Was this review helpful?

Star crossed would be lovers meet briefly and feel immediate sttraction.

They go their separate ways only to find out they work together- Hayley ihas the job olivia has long coveted and is the new manager who appears inept at her job.

The romance builds slowly despite the complication of work, families, and misunderstandings.

Enjoyable book with string characters- I'll be buying the next book by Georgia Beers without hesitation

Was this review helpful?

I was really looking forward to reading this book and I really wanted to love it so much. Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case for me this time. I felt like the plot kind of meandered along and I just couldn't connect with the characters at all. I, honestly, just didn't care.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Bppk for an advanced copy provided for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Olivia is an Assistant Manager at Evergreen Resort & Spa. She has loved the place ever since she was a teenager. She has some ideas to upgrade and make improvements to improve the bottom line and get more customers through the door.

Hayley is the youngest and the only daughter of the Markhams that own the Resort that Olivia works for. She is grieving the loss of her mother and her spending is getting out of control. Her father sends her to the resort as the new Manager to get her to take some responsibility in her life.

This is a good holiday romance. Olivia wanted the Managers position that became available at the resort when the previous manager left. She thought it was hers, all that had to be done was the paperwork. When she found out someone else got the position she took an instant dislike to them. Then she found out it was the woman she met in the woods – Hayley. Both the main characters were sweethearts from the beginning. If I had to pick a favourite, I think it would be Olivia. I enjoyed the story line, the secondary characters were great and the pace was just right.

If you like holiday romances then this could be the one for you.

Was this review helpful?

When you go into a romance book, you already know what to expect, and I guess that is the main reason why we all choose to read this genre.
When starting this book, I went in fully believing I knew the plot of the book, however, I was pleasantly surprised that the drama was practically non existent, and the plot took some unexpected turns that I was really not expecting.
Lately whenever I read Georgia's books, there has been a realness to them, its not all fluff or hardship, it just seems relatable and makes you believe everything that is happening, which to be honest, is quite refreshing.
I fully recommend all of her books, she is royalty when it comes to romance, and I can only hope there are many books of her to come.

Was this review helpful?

This book was given to me ad ns ARC in exchange for an honest review from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

This book was very. typically Georgia Beer, and I am not sure of I like that anymore. It was the exact same premise as her last few books. All of them were enemies to lovers, but with the boss and employee twist, and I now some of them were not boss and employee, but there was always a power imbalance. So I read this book, but sine it felt so familiar like her last few, I did not love it. I also find it amusing that there was a direct quote from Dogma (the movie) in this book, and maybe she didn't take it from Dogma it is a quioe that I attribute to that movie and I find that annoying. There could have been more originality there.

As I have said this book was not my favorite, not because I didn't like it, but because the book felt like all of her other ones and not in a good way. The basic premise of the book is Haley comes to work at the hotel that Olivia has been working at forever. Olivia is upset because Haley got the manager position that she wanted. They met in the park and were instantly attracted to each other, Loe and behold Haley is the new manger and Olivia is flabbergasted by this. They go through a lot of the book doing the dance of will they, won't they. You have the tertiary characters who were fine, but the mother was a little odd of a character, one who was a little too supportive of her daughter having sex, Also the end when the mother and father get together and the daughters are dating is just odd.

I thought the overall romance happened at a good pace, but I did not like either of the protagonist. Also the twist, you know the reason why they can't be together, I saw coming from a. mile away, you can only mention a characters name so many times before you realize that that person is going to show up and it isn't going to be good. The story was VERY predictable and that bothered me. It is a book that is very indicative of the type of writing that Georgia Beers does, but her books are becoming predictable, and for me that means that they are also becoming unenjoyable. I would love to see he write a book about anything else. Something more like the books she wrote years ago.

Was this review helpful?

This was just a all-around wonderful read. Perfect time of the year to read it also, loved the Fall/Winter time-line (yes my favorite time of the year). The two main characters are very likable and well written . Olivia, the home town woman who just wants to advance in her career at the place she has worked at since college, and Hayley who is thrown into a town/job she does not want.

The story time-line is about 4-5 months long, and takes place in a resort type town in up state NY (which I have only been through once while heading to Canada, but the way Ms. Beers writes, I can just feel the town and the woods, and I really want to go back and visit!). The only character I never warmed up to is Hayley's father (which when you read the book you will understand). Ms. Beers wrote the father as an antagonist, and she did a wonderful job seeing as I disliked him from the start :-).

The story-line moved along at a good pace, I actually read the book in one afternoon. I loved the ending, it wasn't rushed at all (like some romance that are trying to tie everything up at the end in like 5 pages), and I yes I had a smile on my face when I closed the book.

Thank you Ms. Beers for another wonderful story and introducing us to Hayley, Olivia, and to upstate NY!

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-A Warm Story

Was this review helpful?

Evergreen resort and spa isn't doing super well (though not horribly either). Olivia, the assistant manager who was really quite acting as the manager doesn't get the management job when it comes open.

Instead, Haley, the daughter of the owner (although no one knows this) is punished and the punishment is that she is supposed to help the Evergreen Resort make a bigger and better profit in the next four months or she doesn't get her allowance back. Even though, she's never ever run a business like this at all.

Of course, the two women fall in love too, even though there are a ton of bumps they can see, and some that Olivia can't see too.

Most of the book was really good. It was a pretty typical lesfic plot, but, the characters really jumped off the page at me (I now am hungry thanks to the food in this novel too).

I do feel like the ending was too easy though. I mean, the conflict was a big one during most of the book, and yet it seemed to be semi-brushed aside a little bit. But, up until that ending it was an awesome book.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars. I really liked this book. It's a sweet winter story with secondary characters as well fleshed out as the main characters. The scenery descriptions are so well done you can visualize the beauty (and I'm not one who often "sees" the story in my mind). The contrasting family dynamics added interest and a balance to the book's sweetest factor. I was surprised at how sad the family issues made me feel a few times. I definitely recommend this book. This is a book I will happily reread over and over again.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I adored this book. One thing about me is that I am a Christmas girl. I watch all the Hallmark movies and want to live in a little town that decorates for Christmas with all the frills. That’s what Georgia Beers gave me with this book. I know that when I read a Georgia Beers book she will have well developed main characters and give me all the feels. This one didn’t disappoint. The chemistry between Olivia and Haley was off the chart since their 1st meeting that day in the woods. Then there’s the dog Walter who sometimes steals the show. Olivia knows that Haley is not qualified for the job and is sometimes just downright rude. Although there is attraction Olivia can’t move past not getting the job. When you find out what is behind Haley acting out you understand her attitude.
Olivia Santini is proud of her work ethic. After seven years as the assistant manager of the Evergreen Resort and Spa, she has ideas to improve the bottom line and increase reservations. When her manager resigns, Olivia puts in her résumé and waits for the interview. The job is practically hers—all she needs is the paperwork.
Hayley Boyd Markham is the youngest Markham, the only girl, and the most spoiled. An artistic soul in a family of business-minded type As, she’s always felt like a bit of a screw up. After an embarrassing party situation, her father puts a hold on her allowance and gives her an ultimatum: Spend the winter as manager of the Evergreen Resort and Spa and show him it can turn a profit. Only then will he reconsider her future (and her inheritance).
A chance encounter in the woods is filled with chemistry and promise, and though neither Olivia or Hayley is looking for love, they both feel the possibility.

Was this review helpful?

Geogia Beers does it again! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Olivia and Haley had immediate chemistry when they met one cold morning, but naturally when Olivia found out that Haley took the job she was supposed to get, romance wasn't quick to happen. Both of these main characters were extremely likable. Olivia's mom was a doll and Haley's dad finally admitting how he wronged her was poignant. I enjoyed the fact that there wasn't a whole lot of unnecessary drama in this book. It was just a nice book with two nice and normal main characters navigating the choppy waters to one another. Thanks Georgia for another great book!

Was this review helpful?

Gorgeous cover, although the jacket should have been red! This is an extremely solid romance and perfect to read in the fall and winter. The mains are well developed and the writing style is just what we've come to expect from Georgia Beers. My only complaint is that we heard about their chemistry and their attraction to each other, but didn't really get to feel it in the scant two love scenes. My favorite parts though were the full-circle wrapping up of all the open loops at the end, plus the surprise relationship that started to develop.

Was this review helpful?

4 Stars. This novel is about Olivia Santini, an assistant manager of the Evergreen Resort, a hotel owned by Markham company. She gets a new manager, Hayley Boyd Markham, who does not seem to really know what she is doing. Hayley, has to hide she is a Markham and is given an ultimatum by her father to help the hotel or he will not give her allowance back. Before Olivia meets Hayley as her manager, she meets her on a walk in the snow with her dog, Walter, and is instantly attracted to her. Hayley asks Olivia out but then finds out who Olivia is. They both try to avoid their attraction to each other, as they have to work together.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was the quality of novel I have expected from Georgia Beers, as it was a solid novel with good character development. There was a lot of tension between the two characters as they try to resist their attraction to one another. I usually enjoy this author, so I was not surprised when I really enjoyed this novel. I read the whole novel in about 2 days. It was cute and the perfect Christmas time novel to read. The characters had a lot of good interactions that made you want to know what was going to happen next. I definitely recommend this novel.

Was this review helpful?

Very Good Read!

One thing you can be sure of when you pick up a Georgia Beers book is that it will be very well written. I really enjoyed how the connection between Hayley & Olivia started of very well but that connection (and the possibilities it held for the future) had to be put on hold because it turned out that Hayley would be Olivia's boss. With this unexpected turn of events, Olivia had to do her best to ignore her attraction to Hayley. And as much as it would have been justifiable for Olivia to sabotage Hayley (since Hayley took the job Olivia wanted), Olivia truly loved and enjoyed her job and was willing to assist Hayley (even though sometimes reluctantly). I must say that I enjoyed both characters: Hayley was not the typical "spoiled child" even though her father owned resorts. And then Olivia, despite not getting the job she wanted was able to put that disappointment aside and still be professional and helpful. As the story unfolded, I kept asking myself several questions. If Hayley is an artist and knew this was her passion, why was she not actively pursuing being an artist? Also, the indiscretion of a bar charge of such a small amount seemed trivial but I guess that is what propels Hayley's Dad to issue her the challenge of managing a failing resort in order to have her "shape up".

In the end, I was happy to see how Hayley and Olivia were able to work through the "lies" and "omissions". I was also glad to see Hayley's dad come to realize how hard he had been on her and began to work on mending his relationship with Hayley.

Overall, a well written book. Definitely add this to your must read list!

Was this review helpful?

This is a decent and pleasant read. I can imagine the walk and the first meeting so clearly as Georgia Beers always sets the scene so well. Delivering a nice family atmosphere. A cute dog. Alongside an enjoyable romance. The dialogue works well. I like the friend talks in the freezer. It’s not a hot read, but it is rather sweet. Surely a Christmas stocking buy as it’s a prefect read for winter.

Was this review helpful?

Georgia Beers is one of the few writers where every new book goes to the top of my to read list. You can count on her to give you a solid romance with flushed out characters and usually a dog worked in there somewhere too. Not every pairing or the setting of the story might be completely up your alley but you'll get super romantic scenes, a good story and a happy ending without fail.

That being said, this is the story of Hailey and Olivia. Where Hailey comes into the hotel Olivia works at and takes the manager job that was supposed to go to OIivia without anyone knowing she's actually the daughter of the boss put into that position as punishment for being too entitled.

There are some little parts that felt too easy within the plot, but since I pick up one of Georgia Beer's book to get lost in someone else's romance it didn't detract from the book in any way. You'll overlook some little flaws if the rest is great don't you?

Was this review helpful?

4 Stars for this Georgia Beers romance. This may well become an annual holiday re-read for me.

Hayley Boyd Markham is the youngest (much younger than her two half-brothers) and the only daughter of Benton Markham, Founder and CEO of Markham Resorts. An international company with many resorts to its name. Hayley’s mother died a couple years prior and Hayley is floundering. Her father’s business never interested her as her interests lie in her painting, photography, spending and partying. The last two escalating to the point her father takes notice. He cuts her off and puts her in charge of an aging resort in Colorado. Her father gives her the winter season to show Evergreen could turn a profit or she will be permanently cut off. Even though she has a business degree, it may not be not enough with zero experience as well as desire.

Olivia Santini is the assistant manager of Evergreen Resort and Spa. For all intents and purposes, she had been doing the job as the Manager for a number of years because of her incompetent boss. When her boss leaves, Olivia feels the manager job will be hers. That is until the new manager arrives, a Hayley Boyd. Who turns out to be the woman that she met while walking her dog earlier that morning. Both felt an instant attraction, even exchanging numbers to meet again for coffee.

I really liked that Beers had them meet and like each other before meeting at the resort. It avoids the usual storyline of attraction between two adversaries. I also appreciated how Beers wrote Hayley and Olivia. Too often stories with spoiled rich girls, the characters are unlikable until they change. I was rooting for Hayley from the very beginning. She was set up to fail by her father. Some of the resort employees realize that she is in over her head, especially Olivia and certainly Hayley herself. But Olivia, being the person she is and because she loves Evergreen, she teaches Hayley the ropes and continues to keep the resort running while Hayley works very hard to learn. A lesser person would have quit or let Hayley sink.

Overall, a nice romance with likable main and supporting characters. In other words, a classic Georgia Beers romance and that is a very good thing.

An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review

Was this review helpful?

What a holiday delight! I love how Beers writes stories about the part of New York that's not NYC. Living in NYC, I can't help but nitpick at things (I have a nitpick, too!), so it's more fun to just imagine the idyllic Evergreen Hills. For the final stretch of this read, the weather's been a little chilly, too. Perfect.

First of all, I'm so, so grateful to Georgia Beers for not letting the drama segment of the story not go over the top. Some romances I've read this year had stakes or betrayals so hurtful that I had bitter feelings at the end. For this, however, I was ready to love again and smile through the epilogue.

This story stars Olivia and Hayley, who manage the Evergreen Resort and Spa. Maybe I'm on Twitter a tad too much, but I was pissed off about: nepotism, just to make a rich guy's point, gave the job to someone undeserving over a perfectly competent person already at the job. Oh, capitalism. Other than that, I just let Beers guide me through their romance. I wasn't a huge fan of the first meeting (I mean, we all knew Hayley would end up being the manager. I just waited it out), but I squealed and giggled through their flirting once they let go of their awkwardness and animosity. I absolutely loved the chapter or so spanning over Christmastime. Their smolder was pretty hot.

My tiny nitpick: Hayley's from NYC and she apparently missed the smells of Manhattan. The smells? The food and scenery, yes. But, the smells? Absolutely not.

Side character question: Did Tess end up with Mike, the bartender? Did I miss them eventually ending up together?

I love sweet romance and this really scratched that itch. Lovely. 3.8 stars!

Was this review helpful?

3.75 Stars. This was a really nice holiday romance. I was saving this book to read last of the Bold Strokes October releases. My hope was to save the best for last because Beers is a favorite of mine. I was also surprised to see that this was my fifteenth book read by Beers. However, I have not been immune to some talk about how Beers has struggled a bit with some of her recent books. I’m happy to say with how enjoyable her last two books have been, I think we can all relax since the Beers we know and love is back. This was a sweet romance I think anyone would enjoy.

While living in New England, I see enough of snow not to be a snow fan. However, I still really enjoyed the setting of this book. The snow, the resort, the holidays, it just gave the whole book this blanketed warm feeling I got while reading. I do actually wish I had read this in December instead of October, to get me in the mood for the family holidays. I think I might have even liked this book a little more reading it after Halloween since I mostly have ghosts and supernaturals on the brain right now. So if you are considering picking this book up reading it in November or December might be a better idea.

I was really happy with the characters and the sweetness of their romance. The angst and conflict you can see coming, but I liked that Beers switched it up enough that it actually worked for me. The ending was very satisfactory and didn’t feel rushed which is always a big plus.

While there is not a long book, there were a few things little things I thought could have been edited out. For instance the character of Hayley has inner thoughts about how her father is setting her up to fail. Then Hayley talks to someone and tells them her father is setting her up to fail. Then we get a POV of Haley’s father and he tells us he is setting Hayley up to fail. I get it already. As a reader you can tell me something once and I will get it. If it’s really important tell me twice and I will not forget. Tell me something three times and I start to feel like you don’t trust me as a reader to understand simple things.

In the grand scheme of this book my complaints where small and I enjoyed this sweet holiday romance. This is a romance I could picture being one of those Hallmark Christmas movies if they actually shocker had lesbian characters. If you are a Beers fan or a holiday romance fan, I don’t think you can go wrong with this pick.

Was this review helpful?

Another fantastic romance from Georgia Beers! Her work continues to evolve into beautifully crafted stories with deep emotions. So much is conveyed in a short period of time in this story. I'm also thrilled that this takes place during the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, which are my favorite times of the year for love stories, especially when there is snow.

Olivia has been the assistant manager at the Evergreen Resort, basically doing the job of the manager due to his incompetence. When she is overlooked for the manager's job, she is a very bitter and surly character, one that I didn't much care for at first. But when she meets Hayley while out on a walk one day in the woods, her life changes. Hayley turns out to be the new manager, only because her father owns the resort and is punishing her by bringing her into the family business and making her work. I really liked the Hayley character, mainly because even though she is in over her head, she still tries to plow through things. She doesn't give up. She tries to learn, even if it is not what she wants to do. Both she and her father are still grieving the loss of her mom 2 years earlier, so there are lots of emotions there, from the anger and loneliness that her father feels, to the sadness that Hayley feels. The reader gets to feel those emotions as the holidays come on and how different her experiences are to Olivia, who has her family close by.

The relationship that builds between Olivia and Hayley is filled with passion. They both know that it isn't a good thing to get together because they work together, but they can't fight the feelings that they have. When they finally are together, sparks fly and make for a wonderful love scene.

I could very easily see this book being turned into a movie. The way it is written and paced sets itself up to be shot as a movie, which I would love to see.

I highly recommend this as a sweet love story for the holidays.

Was this review helpful?