4.5 Wine Glass #Audio #Review of One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

Title: ONE SNOWY NIGHT
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #2.5
Author: Jill Shalvis
Narrator:  Karen White
Format: Unabridged Audiobook, Two hours and 29 minutes
Published: Harper Audio, Nov 8, 2016
ISBN-10: 1455136336
ISBN-13: 978-1455136339
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Audible
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Audiobook.com
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 Wine Glasses

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. 

Linda's Thoughts:
"Merry Christmas... You deserve it."

One Snowy Night is the second festive Heartbreaker Bay story this year! Thank you, Jill Shalvis! It’s a delightful Christmas treat as Max and Rory embark on a road trip in the midst of a blizzard. It’s a cute and sweet bonus holiday novella for which I have just one complaint; I didn’t want it to end! I wanted more of Rory Andrews’ and Max Stranton’s story.

Rory and Max have had a love/hate relationship in this series. In One Snowy Night, we get to find out why! Max works in the same building as Rory and they see each other in passing a lot. There’s chemistry between them, but also long-held grudges.

Rory had a tough time growing up in Tahoe. She was bullied in high school and ran away from home before entering her senior year. She ended up in the San Francisco Bay area where Willa found her on the streets, gave her a place to stay, and a job at her South Bark Mutt Shop. Rory has promised her family repeatedly over the years that she would return home – only to disappoint them by being a no-show. This year, Rory is determined to make amends. She has committed to transporting her father’s Christmas gift to her mother – so she absolutely cannot bail this year. She planned to take the bus – but monies are tight. Willa stealthily intercedes and asks Max to give Rory a ride. However, unknown to Willa, Max was a popular jock at Rory’s high school and Rory’s high school crush. Rory can’t handle Max breaking her heart again.

Carl, Max’s loveable pooch, is an integral supporting character in this story as a passenger on the trip home too! I loved Carl!!!! AND I loved how Carl enjoyed being spoiled by Rory.

Even though One Snowy Night is book #2.5 in the series, this novella would work well as a stand-alone with its self-contained romance. Since its quick and involves a road trip with just three passengers, including Carl, the story lacks the entertaining interactions between the close-knit gang that have been so prevalent in the previous full installments. While I missed the gang, this novella did exactly what it was meant to do as a focused short story. Also, even though it’s not lengthy, there’s nothing short-changed; a whole lot transpires between Rory and Max.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from One Snowy Night:

“Tell me something. Are you always this stubborn or is it something special you save just for me?”
---

“I don’t know what that was,” he said. “You turn me upside down.”
--- 

“Where would you like to stop?” 
“At a bathroom.”
He let out a short laugh. “Okay, princess. I’ll just wave my magic wand and make one appear.”
--- 

“I’ve got you now… and I don’t plan for that to change.”

Karen White is one of my very favorite narrators and she nails the voicing of One Snowy Night. Her articulation is natural and perfectly paced. She makes it super easy to keep up with the characters. Her performance is nothing short of vocal magic. It’s icing on the cake. She delivers a really wonderful polished job. I honestly can’t imagine reading the books as opposed to listening to them with Karen performing.

This story really demonstrates how individual perspectives of the same events can be so different. As the couple delve into their pasts, they fan the flames of that spark of romantic magic that has existed between them since they were in high school. It’s a delicious second-chance-at-love story with a wonderful warm-fuzzies outcome. Now I can’t wait for Elle’s and Archer’s story in Accidentally On Purpose releasing Jan 2017!



Suggested Reading Order: 
Sweet Little Lies (Book #1)
The Trouble With Mistletoe (Book #2)
One Snowy Night (Book #2.5)
Accidentally On Purpose (Book #3) – Coming Jan 2017!