Who needs mistletoe?Most people wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy … that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once . . .
Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.
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This helped me get in the mood for Christmas. Jill Shalvis is one amazingly talented author that I adore.
A Jill Shalvis novel is a surefire, no fail, smile-the-whole-way-through, joy for me read to read. When I think of classic contemporary romance, she inevitably is one of the first authors who comes to mind. She pens the kinds of stories that are full of heart and soul, rich with humor, vividly detailed, romantic love stories that I can’t help but be swept up in. They’re sweet and sexy with terrific banter and full of as many laugh-out-loud moments as they are passionate, sizzling hot ones. The sixth book in her Heartbreaker Bay series, Hot Winter Nights was a great example of her style of warm and cozy contemporary romance, and it was a cover-to-cover pleasure to read.
A truly engaging story with a dual-pronged arc, Hot Winter Nights was the perfect story to usher in fall. Not exactly a Christmas story, there were, however, holiday-themed elements that contributed to the suspense arc of the plot. Shalvis is known for her swoon-worthy, sexy alpha males, and she gave her readers a strong and seriously hot one in Lucas. He’s suffered through losing people close to him, and as a result, he’s a bit closed off emotionally. Molly is kind of the same, having grown up without her mother but with a military veteran father dealing with severe PTSD who needed substantial care, requiring a young Molly to grow up quickly. An accident in her teen years left her with physical scars and a limp, which, unfortunately for the strong-willed and proud Molly, just makes the (many) men in her life a bit overprotective, something she abhors. What I liked most about Lucas was how he immediately understood that about her, and he looked past all of that to see the capable, clever, resourceful woman that she was, and instead of holding her back under the guise of protecting her, he was the only one who encouraged her to fly.
I really liked Molly and Lucas as a couple, they were very well paired, and I think part of that was because they were so in sync with each other that they actually seemed like a couple before they officially became one. I loved their internal dialogue, and how those private revelations gave the reader insight into the thoughts and feelings of these two characters who weren’t very emotionally demonstrative. Since neither Molly nor Lucas shared their emotions readily, these glimpses into what was going on in their heads played a significant role in building the depth of the relationship. They also had incredible chemistry, something they both fought at first. Where they may not have eagerly or easily communicated what they were feeling outside of the bedroom, they definitely had no problems doing so inside of it.
I can always count on Jill Shalvis to deliver an entertaining and charming story with endearing characters, and she certainly did that here. Hot Winter Nights was a captivating blend of heart-string pulling moments and a steamy love story with lots of wit and humor and a truly interesting suspense plot that kept me just as invested in the story as the romance did. Always well written and developed, Ms. Shalvis’ writing, for me, epitomizes everything I love about classic contemporary romance. Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis gets 4.5 smooches from me!
~ Danielle Palumbo, Red Cheeks Reads
LOVE! I’m always a sucker for best friend’s little sister romances and this was no exception. This latest installment of the Heartbreaker Bay series was delightful, finally giving a much deserved HEA to Molly and introducing a plethora of new secondary characters that I seriously hope we’re going to get books about. Two thumbs up and a WHOOEEE for Lucas. That man is sexy.
4.5 stars
Excellent chemistry. I mean really, coming off the pages. Molly and Lucas are not only dripping in sexual chemistry, they also have emotional chemistry and are so much fun together. I loved this story.
If you read the last story in this series, About That Kiss, you know most of Molly’s story. You just don’t know it from her point of view. And we, as readers, haven’t gotten to know Lucas on too deep of a level until this book. Lucas has a wonderful family and had a great childhood, but he also has had to deal with loss and heartbreak. Although Lucas and Molly had completely different upbringings, they can relate to each other in so many ways. Sometimes people who seem so opposite actually have the same issues.
Lucas is the perfect guy for Molly. He sees her strengths and, although he’s a protector by nature, can’t help but want to see Molly explore her strengths. And Molly quickly sees past Lucas’ tough guy Romeo façade to realize he would be easy to fall in love with.
This story is amazing. I love everything about it. One of my favorite things is Lucas’ mom’s explanation of what love really is. So true and so insightful.
This group of friends and, in some cases, coworkers keeps growing and growing. I love reading about them all and learning how that magic fountain has done its work on every couple in this series.
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/hot-winter-nights-book-review/
Jill is a great written . I enjoy everything she writes.
I’ve never met a Jill Shalvis book I didn’t love! Hot Winter Nights was hysterical and steamy and heartwarming all at once. The heroine, Molly, has a disability from a traumatic injury and has to deal with people thinking she is weak and needs protecting because of it. Along comes Lucas. He sees her as a strong, self-sufficient woman capable of doing anything she wants. You just can’t help loving a guy like that. And then there’s that body…
This book had a little mystery (Bad Santa type) going for it, which is unusual for a Shalvis book. She added lots of laughs along with the intrigue that keeps you giggling through it. This was just a great book.
I adore the writer’s sense of humor (I think we both have the same strange sense of humor–kindred spirits?). Ms. Shalvis never fails to leave me happier at the end of a book than I was when I started it! All I can say is she can’t die before I do–or at least stop writing before I die!
Jill Shalvis never fails to hit it out of the park with each book she writes. This is book 6 in the Heartbreaker Bay series and it is another awesome read. She makes you fall in love with and root for her characters. She also has the skills to put together great couples that you can’t get enough of. Molly and Lucas were no different. Molly is strong and independent and kick butt. Lucas is an alpha man that doesn’t do relationships. Well never say never. I totally recommend this book but I also recommend reading the previous books because seriously why wouldn’t you!
I loved it. The hero is so supportive of the heroine when her brother and boss are not. He stands by her and gives her the credit when it’s her due. Great storytelling.
About Last Night is the sixth book in Jill Shalvis’ heartwarming and funny Heartbreaker Bay series. This time around we get to see Lucas Knight get flustered and confused when he finds out he spent a night with a gorgeous brunette, who happens to be his friend and coworker’s sister. He’s always been attracted to Molly Malone but he definitely didn’t have a death wish to act on that attraction. Now if he can only remember what happened last night! Molly’s little crush on Lucas takes a back seat especially when Santa’s elves hires her to help find out if Santa’s been skimming on their pay. But Lucas seems to be up in arms trying to find out really happened between them (not that she’ll be telling anytime soon!) When her case against Santa becomes a little bit more complicated than she first thought, she recruits Lucas to help in solving the mystery. But the longer they spend time together, the more their simmering attractions tend to boil over. Now if they can solve the Santa thing and have enough guts to tell her brother what happened between them, they might get their HEA unscathed!
About Last Night, will have you laughing and swooning at the same time! Molly and Lucas are two characters you root for till the end!
This book pulls you in from page one.
So far, this is my favorite of Ms. Shalvis’ stories. I love Molly and Lucas. They are cute together and have great chemistry. I laughed out loud a few times. Love the way the story starts and the witty banter throughout. I find Molly & Joe’s curmudgeon dad entertaining. This was a fun read with a little danger thrown in. I look forward to the next book in this series.
This is another terrific book by Jill Shalvis. Lots of great banter, some suspense, sizzling chemistry, and as always, a lot of fun to read. Enjoy!!
Jill Shalvis never fails in making her readers fall in love with her books. She has a way of making the reader feel as if they are part of the story. I always feel disappointed when I’ve finished one of her books.
It’s a Jill Shalvis book. Need I say more?
What’s better than a Jill Shalvis holiday story? I love all her romances and the holidays make this one even better Stay inside, sit by the fire and got lost in this feel good holiday romance
Molly and Lucas are such a wonderful couple together that I couldn’t put this book down. I think I read it from start to finish in one day. While Molly’s “disability” left me yelling “That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works!” at least once a chapter, I was invested in the love story enough I didn’t let it bother me too much, and that says a lot considering I have nearly the same condition as Molly. Let’s just say I don’t wear heels, or climb up on tables, but that’s the joy of fiction, it’s just that, make-believe. (This is fair warning for anyone who it might bother.)
This book was super steamy, and at the same time, super romantic, which isn’t always easy to do. I did like the mystery aspect, save for the unrealistic way Molly was able to physically solve it, and that made the story about more than just the animalistic lust they found themselves in at every turn. I loved how afraid Lucas was of Molly’s brother, Joe. Honestly, the best part of the book was finding out his reaction to their secret relationship! Lucas’s family was wonderful, and their shenanigans definitely made for a few laugh out loud moments during the book. In true Jill Shalvis style, she tied their relationship up with a beautiful bow and made us look forward to our next couple in the series. Hot Winter Nights is a character-driven novel you don’t want to miss whether it’s December or July.
As I have come to expect from Jill Shalvis and her writing, Hot Winter Nights, is a wonderfully crafted tale. This sixth book in the Heartbreaker Bay series is just as delightful and engaging as the previous books. The story features Molly Malone (finally!), the office manager for Hunt Investigations. While being extremely good at her job, she hankers for more of the “investigative” work…. now if only her big bro Joe would let her! Mix in a hunky co-worker Lucas who also works for Hunt Investigations and Molly’s secret crush and this reader knows there is going to be some hot scenes. Lucas Knight is a co-worker at Hunt Investigations and he feels he is just not good enough for Molly, or any long term relationship for that matter.
It may have started out as a simple case for a number of neighbourhood old ladies working as elves trying to find out why Santa is “bad” turns out to be a truly dangerous and intricate case for Molly. Luckily, Molly brings Lucas in to help her (against his better judgement since NOT telling the boss can have dire consequences). Throughout their investigations, Molly proves herself as a proficient, careful and capable investigator. Molly and Lucas worked well together to solve this case, even if working in such close proximity upped the temptation to further any personal relationship.
I found in this book of the series that the reader gets a more detailed perspective on the inner workings of Hunt Investigations. That was refreshing and added more depth to the story on a completely different level. The way that Molly and Lucas worked together as investigators, irrespective of Molly’s tendencies to act first and think about her safety later, was like a well oiled machine. You could tell that all Molly needed was guidance and she would be ready for the nitty gritty investigative work that Hunt Investigations was known for.
The author does not disappoint on the “hotness” scale. Whew. I love how Molly torments Lucas with the one night that he does not remember! Did they or didn’t they? Only Molly remembers It is priceless. The progression of their relationship is refreshing to read. I do love them together. Now if Lucas can survive the wrath of Joe when “Molly and Lucas” are found out….
I love the support and encouragement the female characters give Milly throughout the story. Seems they know what is best for Molly…. Or should I say who? It was refreshing to come in to contact with all the characters from the previous books, just like meeting up with old friends on a Friday night.
This was a great addition to the Heartbreaker Bay series and I cannot wait to read the next book, Playing for Keeps.
Another great read by one of my favorite authors!
We are back with book 6 in the Heartbreaker Bay series by Jill Shalvis! And Hot Winter Nights simply has it all! Falling in love with his friend’s sister, a bunch of crazy grandmas and staking out Santa!
Hot Winter Nights is Molly Malone’s book, and if you have read any of the other Heartbreaker Bay series, then you know Molly is PI Joe Malone’s (About That Kiss) sister, and with her overbearing brother and hardcore father who is the takes the grumpy old man award, add to that her injuries that she sustained as a teen and her unrequited love for Lucas Knight, her co-worker at Hunt Investigation. So when some elderly friends need help, and everyone around her says no, Molly sticks out on her own.
After suffering a gunshot wound, that has cause Lucas to be off work from Hunt Investigation for a few weeks, has driven Lucas mad! Not only is he missing the gritting PI life, but working with his best friends Joe and Archer, but he can’t even push his luck and go back early, cause Archer is also his boss. But when he wakes next to this hot redhead who turns out to be Molly, he is torn. He knows he wants Molly, but he can’t “have” her! Not only because of the bro code but because he doesn’t feel worthy of her love. But when Archer tells Lucas to watch out for Molly on her investigation, that is putting too much temptation in the way!
But this book is more than just a simple romance, this book is about taking a chance, learning to live with your past and being a stronger person, even when everyone around you wants to wrap you in cotton! And that is one of the other things I love about Jill Shalvis writing, there is always a bigger picture.
Again another awesome book by Jill Shalvis! And one that really does need to be made into a movie!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that I can always count on Jill Shalvis to give me all the swoony sighs I desire when I read. I was a little apprehensive going into Hot Winter Nights, not because of the storyline or characters or anything, but because I wasn’t sure I could get into a holiday-themed read when it’s still in the upper 80s here. Turns out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about it. I just turned up the AC and lived vicariously through the characters, pretending it’s closer to Christmas — and a heckuva lot cooler — than it really is! Escapism, am I right?
Molly and Lucas’s romance was delightful. It was the perfect mix of best friend’s sister (or brother’s best friend, depending on how you look at it!), office romance and friends first. Molly was strong and feisty and totally relatable. Lucas was swoony and sexy and protective. They were both pretty bad ass, to be honest. I enjoyed their, ahem, unconventional start partially because I enjoyed how Molly kept leading Lucas to believe they slept together and he forgot it. I thought it illustrated the playfulness between them perfectly. But, at the core of all of this were two characters who just fit together. They had A+ banter and chemistry. It was easy to root for them.
Hot Winter Nights gave me the swoons and the sexy times I need when I read, along with a good dose of suspense as Molly and Lucas worked to figure out the Bad Santa case. The setting was delightful, as always, and I enjoyed seeing several of my favorite characters from earlier in the Heartbreaker Bay series again. It was a really fun read. One I can totally see myself rereading once winter is actually here and I’m in the mood for all the holiday romance.
FAVORITE QUOTES
“The kiss started out as a diversion, but ended up something else entirely.”
“Love isn’t pretty and romantic. You know that, right? Love is just stumbling through life with your best friend.”
“Sorry, but when a woman says ‘first of all,’ you should run hard and fast because she’s got research, data, charts, and is about to destroy you.”