Book Review: Christmas on 4th Street by Susan Mallery

Christmas on 4th Street

Author: Susan Mallery

Series: Fool's Gold #12.5

Published September 24th 2013 by Harlequin HQN

There's nowhere better to spend the holidays than with New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery in the town of Fool's Gold, where love is always waiting to be unwrapped... Noelle Perkins just got a second chance at life, and she intends to make the most of every minute. That's why she ditched a frustrating legal career to open her own store in Fool's Gold, California. The Christmas Attic celebrates everything that's magical about her favorite season. Business is booming, and as a bonus, gorgeous army doctor Gabriel Boylan has offered to help out during the holiday rush.

Gabriel's memories of Christmas past contain more sour grapes than sugar plums, thanks to a drill sergeant father who ran his home like a boot camp. Spending the holidays with his family while he recuperates from injury sounds as appetizing as last year's eggnog. Still, there are some enjoyable distractions in town, including sunny, sexy Noelle...and the red-hot mistletoe kisses they can't stop sharing.

Gabriel didn't think he was made for happily-ever-afters. But when fate hands you a love as sweet and surprising as this, only a fool could refuse....

Christmas on 4th Street is a very sweet romance filled with realistic characters with dark pasts but a bright future! Gabriel doesn't have good memories from his past Christmas and he isn't a family guy, but he needs to recover from an injury and that means spending the holidays with his parents and brother's family. It's not going to be a fun time except for Noelle, the pretty and happy owner of a Christmas shop in town.

Noelle is all about Christmas, and she is a sweet girl. I was surprised when I found out about her rough past, but she definitely is optimistic and falls easily in love with Gabriel even when knowing he wasn't the right guy. Gabriel doesn't believe in marriage and still have the same problems with his father. But between kisses everything starts to change and soon it's difficult for him to stay away from Noelle.

I thought Gabriel and Noelle were a cute couple. I liked their chemistry, and as always with Susan Mallery books, it was a well written romance and enjoyed the addition of family issues. Gabriel was a little too difficult to convince, and he ending was a too fast and cheesy for me, but still liked the HEA and enjoyed their story.

Overall, Christmas on 4th Street is totally recommended for this season when you need to read about cute couple with lots of snow and love. It can be read as a stand alone, actually I've only read another holiday novella from this series called Only Us.

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