They couldn’t be more different. Or more perfect for each other. New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey returns with a warm and cozy opposites-attract Christmas story. Zoe Randall is busy living her life as she damn well pleases. She’s back in her favorite town, her divorce in her rearview mirror, and living out her childhood dream of running a bookstore with her cousin. She has no … cousin. She has no interest in the uptight nerd who opened his boring-ass business next to her shop…until he complains about one of her sexy window displays.
Then it’s game on.
Preston Wheeler knows he takes life a little too seriously. But when the saucy bookseller next door starts pushing his buttons, he can feel that changing. Beautiful, vivacious Zoe challenges him in all the best ways, and soon he’s pushing her buttons right back: teasing and flirting all the way through the holiday season.
As Preston loosens up and Zoe is treated to the man behind the suit (particularly his forearms), she realizes she’s more interested than she cares to admit. And Preston comes to see the beauty–the absolute delight–in adding Zoe’s bright splashes of color to his once very black-and-white existence.
This book is approximately 34,000 words
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Funny, warm and a perfect holiday read. Shannon Stacey brings love to the holidays with One Christmas Eve.
I’ve never done Christmas in July before and now I am so happy I’m doing it, cause this Christmas novella From Shannon Stacey hit all the feels. I love her Christmas stories, they always manage to capture the spirit of the season with warm and fuzzy feels with laughter and love. The romance between Preston and Zoe is delightful, ardent, and sweet. They both have been hurt before, wounds they carry nearly wrecking their dreams and hopes for the future. This story had me laughing out loud with the banter, swoon and sigh with the passion between the protagonists, and even tear up with the power of love, with the magic of the season, and cheer for conquering life’s hurdles. A potent tale in a shorter form of a novella.
~ Five Spoons
Entranced and delighted…that is how I felt reading this one. Zoe is back in town after her divorce and opened a bookstore with her cousin who has settled into wedded bliss (after the first book in this series *which you do not need to read to know what is happening*) and they have a new neighbor. He is buttoned up and drives a boring car and *gasp* is an estate lawyer. He looks down his nose at her window displays. That does not stop her from trying to get under his skin and sends him romance books with sticky notes. Oh, these two do like to try to get to each other and when they are together the chemistry cannot be denied until that kiss cannot be denied and then all bets are off. Decorating for Christmas turns out to be fun and when you add color to a beige life it is wonderful what happens.
One Christmas Eve is the second book in the Cedar Street series from Shannon Stacey. Ms. Stacey became an auto-read author for me with her very first Kowalski story, and I love her new series every bit as much.
Zoe Randall and her cousin Carly run the local bookstore and it is Zoe’s job to do the window displays. When Preston Wheeler opens up his business next door, he and Zoe start off on the wrong foot when he complains about her sexy Halloween display. Let me just say I loved this fast-paced opposites-attract Christmas novella. Added bonus for me was it taking place in a small town. For some reason, I love the small town setting in stories centered around a family.
Preston and Zoe both have stuff in their pasts that could have been a deal breaker for them becoming anything more than business neighbors. I loved they each strived to move past what had occurred in their respective past to have full and happy lives. I loved that Zoe found a way to initially communicate through the super sexy books she would recommend to readers at their store, and shared those books with Preston to open up communication lines. As a lover of books, this spoke to me as such an ingenious idea for two people who seemed to be such polar opposites. I loved seeing them fall in love so quickly, and the pacing of the story totally worked for me. This is the perfect story for anyone who loves a novella-length contemporary romance.
Rating: 4 Stars (B+)
Review copy provided by publisher
Favorite Quotes:
Disapproval. Zoe knew that look. She’d divorced the man she’d thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with— a man who’d claimed to love and cherish her— because of that look, so she wasn’t about to accept it from a total stranger. Arching one eyebrow, she gave him her best bitch face. And not the resting kind, either. Hers was a fully active bitch face.
“Just… be neighborly.” “Oh, should I run home and bake him a pie first?” “I’ve had your pie and I’m going to vote no.”
My Review:
This was my first experience reading Shannon Stacey and I’m not sure what took so long for her to ping my radar, as she seems to have been quite busy with a veritable library of books listed under her name. I plan to make amends to the talented Ms. Stacey for my slacking as I enjoyed her easy-breezy writing style, snarky humor, and wily wit. I picked a nice place to start with this light, small-town, holiday romance with opposite attraction. The characters were endearingly quirky and likable while the story held my interest, was easy to follow, and developed at a good pace with tasty bites of steam, levity, and a sweet HEA for all involved.
Shannon Stacey never fails with wit, charm and the sexy she brings to her books and One Christmas Eve is no exception.
The story of Zoe Randall and Preston Wheeler will knock your socks off and make you feel festive.
Randall is new to town and he Zoe got off on the wrong foot but the chemistry between them is more than palpable.
I could not put this book down until I finished the last word.
A short, sweet holiday-themed romance with enemies-to-lovers vibe–so much fun to read!
I haven’t (yet!) read the first book in Ms Stacey’s latest series ( One Summer Weekend ), but it wasn’t a problem since this one worked very well as a standalone. (Of course now book 1 is sitting near the top of my TBR, but that’s a whole other story ;)) One Christmas Eve was a lot of fun to read–especially in the beginning, when there was a good deal of animosity between Preston and Zoe, there might have been a certain amount of snort laughing going on on my end.
The hero and heroine are wonderful–of course I was partial to quirky bookstore co-owner Zoe, with her maybe not-quite-appropriate window displays–but Preston’s tendency toward the uptight was a delight as well. Their black moment was fairly low-key but still devastating–fortunately, it wasn’t too angsty to resolve, and the “one Christmas Eve” wasn’t permanently ruined. And then we get a bonus one in the epilogue… 🙂
The secondary characters were a lot of fun as well–Chloe and Noah from the first book and Chloe and Zoe’s grandfather Joe–and the setting of the bookstore was just perfect. I mean, a library would have been even better, but a bookstore is still pretty good 😉
I can’t wait to see what Ms Stacey has in store for us next!
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Light, fun (gotta love Zoe), quick (just over an hour from start to finish) read. If you are looking for a feel-good story, this is for you.
This is book 2 in the series, but could honestly be read as a stand-alone.
3.5/5
Thank you #netgalley and #HARLEQUIN – Carina Press for the eARC.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Ruthie –
This is the second in the series, and I would say that you could read it as a standalone, although Noah and Carly from book one are important side characters here too.
Zoe has opened a bookstore with her cousin Carly, and she has a lot of fun doing cheeky window displays which have caused a little trouble with the local council! But she is standing firm, refusing to be cowed or made to feel small by anyone, ever again. Newly divorced, we learn just what a douche she was married to… and we get to understand why her reaction to new neighbour Preston is so snarky.
Even at that first snarky stage, their conversations are full of chemistry, which gives the reader a sure sense of a fun twist to ensure that they end up with a happily ever after. That it should rely in no small part to post-it notes in raunchy reads is a wonderful touch.
I really enjoyed the mixture of book shop, holiday season, family issues, interesting ties, and a man very willing to satisfy a woman. A very enjoyable read, thank you, Shannon Stacey.
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
This is the second book in the series, but the main characters from book one are prominent in this one too. While you don’t necessarily have to read book one, it’s a cute story.
Zoe owns a bookstore with her cousin, Carly. While Zoe gets her kicks by making up fun, sometimes racy window displays, she knows that it sometimes causes a stir among the town’s people. Zoe doesn’t really believe in love, but she wants to believe. Zoe wants to live her own life, on her own terms. What she doesn’t need is a prickly, stuck-up neighbor.
Preston is wanting to head out on his own. He’s sick of the grind in the city. So when he finds the perfect location in a quaint little town, he can’t wait to set up shop. What he isn’t expecting is a racy window display, right next door. His clients will run away if this keeps up. And while he is trying to fit in, he makes a terrible first impression on his neighbor.
While the two of them get to know each other, Zoe’s meddling friends give helping shoves and both Zoe and Preston realize how much they have in common. This is a sweet story, but while I liked the premise, I just didn’t think they had great chemistry. It seemed incredibly forced at times for me. But it was still a cute story.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Short, fun story about two people who have been hurt in the past, and who, in spite of their differences, turn out to be exactly what each other needs. Zoe moved to her favorite town after her divorce and opened a bookstore with her best friend. After years of suffering through her ex’s attempts to stifle the more vibrant parts of her personality, Zoe refuses to bow down to anyone else’s opinion ever again. This has gotten her into trouble with the town council on occasion when they object to her sometimes over-the-top window displays.
Preston is a financial planner who is tired of the rat race in the city. Looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, he finds Cedar Street to be the perfect place to set up his new office. That is until he gets a good look at the display window of the bookstore next to his office. Those racy displays are not the first impression he’s looking forward to for his new clients.
I loved Preston and Zoe’s first face-to-face encounter. Preston was already a little stressed over the opening of his business and being cut off by a driver that morning. Being faced with a racy store window managed to get on his last nerve. But he couldn’t just take a deep breath and let it go. Since he had to get the key to his office from the bookstore owner anyway, he went in, got the key, and then made a comment about the “unsuitability” of the window. Zoe, who takes great pride in her creative displays, was not amused, especially since Preston’s attitude reminded her far too much of her ex’s. Words were exchanged, leaving both with bad first impressions. Unfortunately for both, underneath the aggravation were also sparks of attraction, something neither was happy about.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship. Though initially antagonistic, it didn’t take long for Zoe and Preston to begin a fun sort of flirtation. I liked the way that Zoe used her windows to poke at Preston’s uptightness, and how Preston quickly began to appreciate Zoe’s quirkiness. I loved seeing the chemistry building between them, though each was wary of doing anything about it. Zoe was still recovering her sense of self after her ex’s attempts to stifle her. She is reluctant to trust her heart to someone who has the potential to be just as judgmental. Preston’s self-esteem with women has taken a beating from former girlfriends who break up with him because “he’s too boring” so he’s in no rush to get involved with someone so colorful. I liked watching them get to know each other and discover that they balanced each other quite nicely.
There were some cute scenes of them together, especially as the chemistry heated up. I laughed out loud at the scene after Abe’s party, when Zoe took an obviously drunk Preston home and refused to take advantage of him. I ached for them both as their feelings for each other grew, but their fears held them back. The big misunderstanding at the end was heartbreaking as it played right into those fears. I liked the visit Preston received from Noah, who gave him some good advice. Preston’s big moment at the end was sweet and romantic. The epilogue was terrific. I loved seeing them a year later and the changes in both of them.
I really liked this sweet holiday story. Preston is an estate planner and Zoe owns the bookstore next to his office. They get off to a bit of a rocky start, but that means they are always thinking of each other, and their attraction turns from slow burn to a flame after a kiss. While they may be opposites, I thought they really worked well together, and Preston isn’t really quite as “boring” as he thinks he is.
There’s a really cute bit with Zoe and Preston communicating via books they share with each other. And while there really aren’t any surprises here, I really thought this romance works well as a holiday themed novella and it left me feeling good. There’s a nice heat level and One Christmas Eve ends with a heart-warming look into the future, which I loved. Love this cover too!
Enjoyable, sweet, holiday romance.
Well, this was simply adorable.
I am always a little bit tickled when an author can make me fall in love with a novella. I often find them too short, the pacing rushed, and I struggle to find the connection between the characters. Not so here. This is a short read, for sure, but I had no trouble sinking into the sweet, sexy, utterly adorable connection between Zoe and Preston.
I particularly adored the quirky, fun way they found to communicate with each other. This is an opposites-attract love story and I loved how Ms. Stacey tied them together in the end. I can’t say it enough – it was utterly adorable, super fun, and I could not be more satisfied.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I also purchased a copy.
This was a wonderful story. I absolutely adored reading it. This is a novella and I was able to read this in matter of a few hours.
Zoe Randall was such a colorful character. Preston Wheeler is a solid dependable man who loves a good neutral gray color. These two are opposites right from the beginning. Preston’s face gives him away when he looks at a window display of the book store right next to his new business of estate planning. Zoe is offended at his displeasure and the two exchange some words. The following is a road where both characters have to overcome past hurts that were inflicted upon them by others to get to their HEA.
I adored reading this novella. It was written in my favorite dual POV format. Seeing into their thoughts especially when in a situation that was similar to one in their past and why they acted the way they did, well it was really enlighting.
This was a sexy read. There were a few “bedroom” scenes so I would highly recommend this to anyone over the age of 18.
One Christmas Eve by Shannon Stacey is book Two in the Cedar Street Series. This is the story of Preston Wheeler and Zoe Randall. I haven’t yet read the previous book, so for me this was a standalone book. Zoe and her friend have opened a bookstore and starting a new chapter in her life.
Preston is Zoe’s business neighbor and they start to have disagreements that leads to a spark of words but what really getting hot is their connection to each other.
Quick enjoyable Read.
Zoe, owner of a bookstore, gets a lot of flack for their window displays. But her new neighbor’s reaction makes her extremely angry, it doesn’t help he is hot. This starts a trend of displays and social media posts that are just meant to get Preston riled up. Instead it makes him like her more and more.
I quite enjoyed the interactions between these two. It was funny seeing them both attracted to the other but trying to remain distant. This was a cute holiday story that I enjoyed from the start. It was perfect for getting into the holiday spirit.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
Book 2 of the Cedar Street series and I loved this book. A quick, fun enemies to lovers’ book. Zoe and Preston were so good together. The attraction and chemistry between them was so hot. They both had issues in their past relationships that caused them to be leery about starting a new relationship with anyone. This book had me laughing, swooning and tearing up. Very good characters and a very good storyline. Ms. Stacey didn’t disappoint with this story. Loved it.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I’ve gotta say, I love this series so far. The stories are short and sweet while being romantic and steamy. The author does an amazing job of pulling you in immediately and forging a connection between the characters almost as fast. Yes, these are short stories so it’s definitely insta-love. But it’s dealt with in a fun and quirky way.
My goodness, Preston is a dream. It really tugged my heart to know that any woman had ever made him feel bad about himself. He may be a bit straight-laced when it comes to work and he likes things to be a certain way, but he’s interesting and amazing and fun to be around.
As for Zoe, any man trying to tamp her flame doesn’t deserve her. She’s sexy and smart and deserves all she craves. Unfortunately, her ex-husband made her feel bad about voicing her wants and needs and she has a shield up around her heart when it comes to any many she thinks might be passing any sort of judgement on her.
While Zoe has to learn to trust and not jump to conclusions, Preston needs to learn to have confidence that he is enough for the right person. They go on this journey together, with some inevitable bumps along the way. I loved it all.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
I have to admit that I really like One Christmas Eve better than One Summer Weekend. I’m not sure why. Both are very well written with characters I really enjoy. In fact, I enjoyed both stories, but holiday romances are my jam!
This one started off with a bang. I love how Preston had his nose up in the air about the way the book decorated their windows. I’m use to the women in my books kinda acting stuck up, it was nice to have a man do that. It wasn’t over the top so you didn’t think him a total jerk, you were just put out about it.
Soon said window becomes much of a fun point to the story. You’ll have to read the book to understand what I mean. Not giving anything away here!
I love Zoe and felt for her. I really wish the story had some interaction with her parents but I also understood why it didn’t. I can’t believe parents would act the way hers did but I’m also not shocked. I’m just so happy she has her cousins and grandfather for a family bond.
The back and forth between these two is so much fun! I kinda wish we had more pages so I could have had more to their story. But I will admit that the short page count didn’t detract from it being a wonderfully complete story. It didn’t feel rushed or that something was missing like some novella’s can feel. Since both stories are novella length you shouldn’t have any problem reading them in order and being about to enjoy One Christmas Eve during the holidays.
I always love reading Shannon Stacy and with One Christmas Eve, it was no different. You’ll love these characters and how they interact with each other. They both learn something about themselves and with the help of each other, they learn to deal with and grow.
Enjoyable short sweet and sexy read. Loved Preston and Zoe. Their banter (and inevitable chemistry) had me hooked from the start. Looking forward to another visit to Cedar Street.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
OMG!! I love this book. One Christmas Eve is a fantastic holiday romance by Shannon Stacey. This is a fairly quick read, perfect for those with limited reading time. Ms. Stacey has loaded readers’ stockings with a well-written book packed with outstanding characters. Kudos to Ms. Stacey on dialog and character interactions that made this book a fun read. Zoe moves and opens a bookstore with her cousin after her divorce. Preston opens his new estate planning business next door to the bookstore. Preston and Zoe’s story is full of drama, laugh-out-loud humor, sizzle and holiday fun. This book was just plain fun to read and I look forward to reading more from Shannon Stacey soon. One Christmas is book 2 of the Cedar Street Series but can easily be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.