“I want to move to Rivers End. I feel like I already have friends there.” Dani Collins, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Blue Spruce Lodge seriesThe MacAllisters of Rivers End boxed set includes books #1–4If you love heartwarming, sweet and sexy contemporary small town romance, then come home to Rivers End and fall in love with the MacAllisters and the Murphys. They just want to settle down … MacAllisters and the Murphys. They just want to settle down and lead normal lives in their small Vancouver Island town, but romance blossoms in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them…
Silver Bells (Isaac MacAllister + Jenna Murphy, Beginnings)
Big River Lodge owner Isaac MacAllister has no time for romance. He’s got enough on his plate with a spritely kindergartener to raise and a business to run. But he doesn’t bargain on the appearance of the irresistible Jenna Murphy. Jenna just wants to escape work and family for a while. In Silver Bells, will she let one sexy dad and his sweet daughter Sara derail her plans for her holiday… and her life?
Tipsy (Shannon MacAllister + Lucas Heyes)
Shannon MacAllister wants to ring in the new year with someone who is nothing like her ex. She gets her wish. Too bad Lucas Heyes, world-class kisser, is a family traitor who lost her trust five years ago. Lucas wants to mend fences with the MacAllisters and start afresh in Rivers End. In Tipsy, will this dark horse convince Shannon to open her heart and risk trying again?
Reindeer Games (Eli Murphy + Ginger Lewis)
If wandering homeless in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve isn’t rock bottom, it sure feels like it to Jenna’s estranged brother Eli Murphy. So when Ginger Lewis rescues him, he finds himself fantasizing about a future he doesn’t deserve. But the last thing Ginger needs is a mysterious bad boy with a criminal jawline. Before the Reindeer Games are over, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be spilled.
Wedding Bells (Isaac MacAllister + Jenna Murphy, Happily Ever After)
In Wedding Bells, Isaac MacAllister is this close to making Jenna Murphy his, forever. Then his ex—Sara’s mother—rolls into town, bringing unfinished business with her. Sidelined by the drama, Jenna knows she should strike out on her own. But how can she, when she already sees Isaac and Sara as family?
While all the Rivers End stories can be read as standalones, you may want to read this series in order to preserve any plot surprises and get the full picture of how the characters lives weave together! The following is the suggested reading order:
The MacAllisters of Rivers End
#1 – Silver Bells (Isaac + Jenna, Beginnings)
#2 – Tipsy (Shannon + Lucas)
#3 – Reindeer Games (Ginger + Eli)
#4 – Wedding Bells (Isaac + Jenna, Happily Ever After)
#5 – Elfed (Lindsay + Noah)
more
This is a fabulous box set. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed each book individually and it is wonderful to have all four books together as they are connected. If you like good, well written books set in an amazing location, wonderful characters, Christmas, romance, a little mystery and some humour all at the same time then this is the collection for you. I definitely recommend this boxed set, it is one I will read again and again.
Fun and funny adventures – and misadventures! Complete with cute puppies and other furries, crazy exes, stalking exes and wanna bees, and general growing and trusting again – but somehow all sweet and heart warming stories.
enough to keep you warm during all of your holiday break – one calorie-free bite at a time!
The MacAllaster’s of Rivers End is a collection of four short stories that are all interconnected. Each are sweet, focused on the connection between the main characters, with just the perfect amount of outside drama. I loved reading each get their happy ending and then having the characters show up in the next book!
Silver Bells – Jenna is avoiding everything Christmas and family related, but when she’s injured at a remote cabin, Isaac and his daughter come to her rescue. But at the end of her visit, will she decide to return to her life or stay with the family she’s always wanted? This novella was so sweet and I loved Jenna and Isaac! There’s a lot of heart and emotion that was spelled into this romance, I loved the addition of little Sara into the mix, especially her Christmas wish to Santa, and am loving the beginning to this series!
Tipsy – Lucas and Shannon have been adversaries, but Lucas has also always loved Shannon. One tipsy New Year’s Eve will change everything for them, though, but just as they start to open their hearts fully, will Shannon be able to fully trust Lucas? This book was sweet and full of miscommunication, but I loved the relationship between Lucas and Shannon! I loved that he knew he’s always loved Shannon and I loved that he was willing to do anything to show her that she’s changed. Shannon had some trust issues when it came to Lucas (and herself), but I loved what she was willing to do to show Lucas he wasn’t alone anymore. This romance was definitely about second chances and acceptance and finding that happy love!
Reindeer Games – Eli has made a mess of his life and is thankful for the chance that Ginger offers him. As their feelings start to develop, his secrets start coming out. Can Eli clean up his life and will Ginger give him a second chance? I loved this redemption story for Eli and loved Ginger for him. They had some secrets from their past that turned them into the people they are today, but Ginger helped Eli see the good of staying, of wanting, of being the best you could be for someone else. I loved some of the side characters in this romance, but loved some of the connections and references to the previous stories, too. This romance was fast paced, full of heart, second chances, and finding that special person!
Wedding Bells – Jenna and Isaac both want to take their relationship to the next phase, but are they moving too fast? When Isaac’s ex shows up, will she want to be a permanent place in little Sara’s life? Will Jenna and Isaac be able to go all in together? What a great way to wrap up this collection of stories! We get to see all of the main characters from the past three books and now Jenna and Isaac get to tell more of their romance! My heart ached when there were moments of miscommunication or when one or the other was torn on the best course of action. Their relationship definitely hits some rocks in this story, but it helped make the characters more real to see situations that anyone could encounter. I loved how both characters handled everything and loved how Sara played into the story. This has been a fabulous, sweet, light hearted collection of stories and I loved reading each one!
Happy pairings wrapped up in a cute, romantic set of holiday novellas
May 18, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
I enjoyed each of these short romances set during the winter holidays in a small Canadian town. The obstacles and angst contributed to make the happy pairings sweeter, but they never overpowered the positive vibes of the romances. Add in some cute dogs, with a big shout-out to Maxine the pampered bulldog, and some young kids who were major scene stealers. The romancing was mostly closed door, but the connections between hero and heroine were solid. I particularly liked the characters, their backstories and their interactions in Reindeer Games, the third novella in the set. Each is a full story, but the characters all occupy the same small town of Rivers End and most are related and wind in and out of each others’ stories.
Good writing with happy vibes, I will be looking to reading more CJ Hunt romances
SILVER BELLS
I found myself laughing at some of the things that happened in this story. It is a sweet romance with two lovable main characters.
I enjoyed reading this lovable romance book. Very entertaining, good characters
It was a short read that went very fast.
REINDEER GAMES
A great addition to the series. This story is emotional, heart-warming and exciting which includes a dog. What more could you want.
Highly recommend.
WEDDING BELLS
An entertaining, fast paced, well written and enjoyable read
Captivating story from start to finish
I can’t wait for more from this author.
TIPSY
An entertaining, fast read and love story with a happy ever after. A few laughs.
I can’t wait for more from this author.
I received an ARC from Hidden Gems for these books as part of a group of stories.
I loved reading about each character in this box series, especially Sara and her daddy Isaac. The characters grow so much within the story. I love how instantly attractive Jenna Murphy and Isaac McAllister are in Silver Bells. Jenna’s mouth vomit is hilarious. I especially loved Jenna and Isaac with Sarah, so adorably cute. Then in Tipsy we get to met Isaac’s sister Shannon McAllister and her encounter with Lucas, the ex’s brother. I loved the interaction and connection they had, they are so cute together. In Reindeer Games we get to meet Eli Murphy, Jenna’s brother whom is always in trouble. I was so happy that he wasn’t who he seemed to be. I loved Ginger Lewis in this book and how strong she is. Ginger sees the good in people, especially Eli and that forces him to re-evaluate his life, and stop running. In Wedding Bells drama hits Isaac’s and Jenna’s quiet life when his past comes back to haunt him and make trouble. I loved that we are back with Isaac, Jenna and Sara in this book and get to find out about their HEA. These books are all short reads that I highly recommend. I loved each story.
Small town living. Big city problems. Heartwarming solutions. CJ Hunt has a way with words. The MacAllisters of River’s End gives four examples why. From laugh out loud to heartache central the MacAllister family are not afraid to put emotions on full display. Hunt has a direct line hearts, because she gives readers something to relate to. Wrapped inside of each story is beautiful story, with a life lesson at the center and a mesmerizing romance.
Silver Bells
Oh my gosh! This story is just so cute and so much fun. I spent pretty much the whole book giggling. I loved Jenna’s attitude about Christmas – she’s not really a grinch she just needs a break from Christmas 24/7/365, all day, everyday. Isaac is an absolute sweetheart. A devoted single dad who’s also ready and willing to step up and help a damsel in distress. And Sara pretty much steals the show. You now what Hollywood says about working with children and animals… I’m just so glad I have the next book and can immediately dive in to read more about Rivers End and the MacAllister family.
Tipsy
Dear heavens! This is the cutest thing I’ve read since the last one in this series. And like Jenna and Isaac, Shannon and Lucas had me giggling for the whole book. In fact, Shannon has several priceless lines that I plan to cherish for a long time to come. Sugar-fueled demons in child form? I realize I’m paraphrasing a little, but that one’s a keeper. Lucas is just as sweet and charming as his former brother-in-law and I loved watching him get the happy ever after he’s been dreaming about with the family he wants rather than the one he got stuck with.
Reindeer Games
Now I better understand why the “evil brother” in the first book was a pretty nebulous evil. He needed to be redeemed in this one, so he couldn’t be full-out villain. Eli’s running from some bad decisions and his past as a screw-up isn’t doing him any favors. Ginger’s history means she’s more sensitive to bad decisions, it just doesn’t always mean that she makes better ones. I both loved and hated that this book wasn’t the same kind of giggle-fest as the previous books. It has a more serious tone – though it still has plenty of fun moments – which meant I was quickly invested in what was going on with these characters. But I was missing a little of the over-the-top silliness of the earlier stories. I still can’t wait to read more about the quirky inhabitants of Rivers End.
Wedding Bells
Wow. What a way to wrap up the MacAllisters. There’s drama and angst, but plenty of fun and silliness too. Just when everything looks like it’s all finally going to work out the way they want it, Sara’s mother shows up after five years, bringing chaos in her wake. What will it take for Jenna and Isaac to get the happy ever after they’ve been dreaming about? I still love Isaac in this book, but he falls from Perfect Book Boyfriend to mere mortal for some of his behavior here. I adored watching Jenna as she focused on what she wanted and needed in her life. That’s a lesson more of us woman should probably learn. The ending is perfectly adorable and I hope we get to see more of the MacAllisters in future stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic boxed set of the MacAllisters of Rivers End.
This review is for Reindeer Games
In this book there was a bit of mystery. Not really knowing what kind of guy Eli really is, I was looking for clues. This kept a little spice going in a story that has so much love between friends and co-workers. A fast paced story that warms the heart!
You never know what you might find on the road!
C. J. Hunt has written a series of books set in Rivers End. Although there are different names for each series, the characters are shared throughout the stories. Most of the characters do not share today’s typical stupid formula of not communicating when there’s trouble or imagined trouble; instead are likable and realistic. All the books are well written, fast paced, interesting and have humor. Some of the books are clean; some have cursing or vulgar language; and/ have sex. Personally, I don’t think the sex and vulgar language actually fit in with the sweetness and love that these romances share. I think the sexual tension is more important than what technique so-and-so used; plus written sex is boring. These are quickly read books and are perfect for a couple hours of relaxation.
The MacAllisters Series:
Silver Bells #1 – Heartwarming and fun, and a magical Christmas time frame. A well written, funny, interesting small town romance. There’s plenty of sexual tension, but the story is clean and fast paced. The characters are interesting, realistic and didn’t do stupid dialog or actions. This should be an entertaining small town series. 4*
Tipsy #2 – Picks up the same week as Silver Bells ends, on New Year’s eve. Well written and interesting with humor and set at a fast pace, along with likable characters. I didn’t care that there was a lack of communication instead of a different form of creating a problem between the main characters. I didn’t care for the sex and bad language and think clean works better for this story. That aside I like the story and with the addition of Oona, how The MacAllisters is connected to A Touch of Magic. 4*
Reindeer Games #3 – This cover is too cute.This book starts on Christmas day, where Silver Bells ended. Well written and interesting with the truth about a bad brother from another book. The pace is fast and the characters are believable and there’s a dark side to some of them. I didn’t care for the vulgar language, but the storylines are good. 4*
Wedding Bells #4 – This book picks up in May and adds to the story of the main characters from Silver Bells. Well written, likable characters and a fast pace make this a quick read. There’s a little bit of suspense concerning one character, but it adds to the other storylines. I didn’t care for the vulgar language; find it out of place. 4*