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Gift-wrapped
288 pages
A festive, tension-filled second-chance romance where old misunderstandings melt away under the heat of an unexpected holiday reunion.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like curling up with a classic, comforting holiday movie where the drama is high but the happily-ever-after is guaranteed. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, driven by the crackling, unresolved tension between two people who have spent years nursing old wounds and wild assumptions. It wraps the reader in a cozy yet emotionally charged atmosphere, balancing the festive cheer of the season with the sharp sting of family betrayal and past rejection. The prose is accessible and dialogue-heavy, keeping the focus squarely on the characters' internal tug-of-war. It is a perfect, bite-sized escape for readers who delight in vintage category romances, alpha heroes with grand gestures, and the deeply satisfying unraveling of a stubborn misunderstanding.
- Mood
- festive
- emotionally charged
- cozy
- tense
- Tone
- dramatic
- earnest
- romantic
- wry
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- second chances · family misunderstandings · holiday reunions · unresolved tension
- The writing
- Accessible and emotionally direct, relying on snappy dialogue and internal monologue to drive the romantic tension.
- The arc
- Moves from defensive suspicion and lingering heartbreak to passionate surrender and joyful reconciliation.
- Who it's for
- Fans of classic, fast-paced category romances who love a good misunderstanding and a determined, globe-trotting hero.
Content notes
- family conflict
- past rejection
About the book
He wasn't the Christmas gift she'd expected -- or wanted
Steele Murdoch -- a man as wild and passionate as the Tasmanian Outback. In the two years since he'd rejected Anne, she'd never forgotten him. Or forgiven him.
She'd certainly never imagined she'd see him again. And now, here he was, claiming to have traveled halfway round the world simply to take her to lunch. Ha! Why would a man who was probably her glamorous stepmother's lover travel ten thousand miles to see Anne?
Steele was up to something! And it just might mean risking her heart to discover what....
Description from Open Library.
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