USA TODAY bestselling author All she wants for Christmas… is to make him beg! After he broke her heart, Mazie Tarleton is definitely immune to the charms of J.B. Vaughan. Now she has him right where she wants him and it’s payback time–until a moment of white-hot desire takes them both by surprise! Suddenly, revenge is getting complicated. Maybe she can just say yes to a holiday fling…or … yes to a holiday fling…or is she already in way too deep?
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This was a good friends to enemies to lovers story. Mazie has known JB for most of her life. He is her brother’s best friend, and as a teen, she had a huge crush on him. When she was sixteen, she asked him to be her date for the spring formal. He turned her down, the rejection breaking her heart, and starting years of an unspoken feud. Mazie perfected the ability to avoid him, no easy feat as he was still her brother’s best friend. Then her chance finally came to get back at him. JB is a developer and has plans to renovate the block where Mazie has her jewelry store. She was the lone holdout, preventing him from starting his project. She had every intention of selling to him; she just wanted to make him suffer for as long as possible.
I had to laugh when JB showed up at the store right after one of Mazie’s conversations with the real estate agent. It had all the fun of “He’s right behind me, isn’t he?” The sparks definitely flew between them. I felt a bit sorry for him, as he really is a true Southern gentleman at heart. He has felt bad for years about the way he turned down Mazie’s invitation. He’d been young and not yet skilled in graceful rejections. He was also attracted to her even then, but he knew she was too young for him. Plus there was the whole best-friend’s-little-sister thing going on, and Jonathan’s threats if he were to meddle with his sister. He wanted to apologize ever since, but he had never been able to. Now, perhaps, he’ll have a chance to make things right. I loved how he challenged her to get her to see the property with him. Neither one expected to get locked up in the old bank vault there, or the passion that exploded between them. Only the untimely arrival of Mazie’s brother prevented them from taking that passion all the way. One thing it did do was push them into seeing each other again.
JB and Mazie were in the midst of a date that sizzled with sparks when he got word that his mom had a heart attack. Desperate to give her a reason to fight, JB blurted out that he and Mazie were engaged, creating all kinds of complications. Mazie was caught between a rock and a hard place when Jane proved to be more intuitive that she expected, and Mazie was committed to playing the loving fiancée. It isn’t long before the sparks burn out of control and JB and Mazie can’t keep their hands off each other. The connection between them continued to grow. Mazie quickly realized that her heart was in jeopardy once again, but couldn’t walk away. JB’s feelings for her grow also, but he is extremely wary. He’d been badly burned by a former relationship and he was reluctant to trust another woman. Be that as it may, there were some really sweet scenes between them. I loved his whole idea of giving Mazie the kind of Christmas that she’d dreamed of.
I ached for them both as misunderstandings and the insecurities from their pasts combined to rip them apart. I especially wanted to shake JB for his needlessly harsh and cruel comments to Mazie. I felt that he deserved every minute of the misery he felt until the truth came out. I loved his big moment at the end as he exposed his vulnerabilities and bared his heart to Mazie. Though she could have made him grovel a little more, I loved seeing Mazie get her heart’s desire.
I am intrigued by the glimpses of Mazie’s brother Jonathan. I love his friendship with JB, his love for his sister, and the love and respect he has for his father. The epilogue that is obviously a lead-in to the next book has me worried about him, and I can’t wait to read his story. I am also curious about their brother Hartley and what drove him away from his family.
Three things you can always count on when reading a Janice Maynard book is: 1) Realistic and believable characters. 2) Sweet and Sizzling Heat and 3) A HEA.
This start of the new series Southern Secrets doesn’t disappoint. I was hooked from the first page. This story combines three of my favorite troupes. Second chance romance,falling for your best friends little sister and enemies to lovers. That is a lot of pressure to put on a book and she nailed it.
Mazie has known JB since they were children and she used to love him then one night when they were teenagers he turned that love into hate. Now JB wants the property that Mazie’s store resides on and she isn’t going to give in to him so easy. When a tight situation turns their sparks to an explosion can either of their hearts survive the fall out it.
I can not wait for the next book in this series. May can not get here quick enough.
4 1/2 STARS!
A really fun holiday read! A sexy twist on a former friends/enemies to lovers story line brings Janice Maynard’s Southern Secrets miniseries to life! The characters are attention grabbing, successful business people and the past they share makes for built-in groundwork leading into her resentment towards him from the start. I look forward to getting her brother’s story soon!
Mazie Tarleton has never forgiven family friend J.B. Vaughan for breaking her teenage heart years ago, so now when he wants something from her for a change, she’s having a lot of fun stringing him along and refusing to give it to him.
J.B. actually liked Mazie a lot back then, but she was young and he knew it wasn’t a good time or place to act on their attraction … now however, now would be a good time! Spending time with her to get her to consider his business offer should be trivial, but every moment in her presence results in stronger feelings. When all is said and done, will they be able to walk away from each other?
Blame It On Christmas is the first book in Janice Maynard’s new Southern Secrets series. We are introduced to the Tarleton and Vaughan families of Charleston. Mazie Tarleton has loved Jackson Beauregard (J.B.) Vaughan since they were teenagers. But, J.B. broke Mazie’s heart and she has not forgiven him. Now that he needs something important from her, he will do anything to get her attention. Mazie is not so easily won over. When an unexpected incident throws them together, they discover their need for each other. Then a family emergency has J.B. telling lies and Mazie goes along with him. Since it’s Christmas, J.B. only wants good things for Mazie but his foolish stubbornness may just ruin that idea. Will it be a Christmas to remember for them or one that they just soon forget?
I did receive an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
“Blame it on Christmas” by Janice Maynard begins her Southern Secrets series with Harlequin Desire.
Mazie Tarleton has been in love with J.B. Vaughan since she was sixteen, but when he humiliated her, her love turned to hate. Now, J.B. wants the building her business is located in, so she vows to not let him have it.
J.B. has a reason for not being with Mazie when they were teens. His recent business proposition gives him a chance to make up for that mistake. When his mother becomes ill, he has the opportunity to make it up to Mazie even more.
A fake engagement brings J.B. and Mazie together, but it’s Christmas that leads them to a happily-ever-after.
“Blame it on Christmas” has a serious undertone with the storyline of Mazie’s mother, but it also has the spirit and hope of the holiday season.