Stina Lindenblatt

*This is a review of Playing By Heart by Sylvie Stewart - part of the Holiday Heart-On Anthology.

Cute and sweet
5 stars

I’m a big fan of Sylvie Stewart - she’s great at filling her stories with a combination of comedy and likeable, relatable characters. While this is the first short story of hers I’ve read - she still manages to make it everything I hoped and expected. But that’s not to say it didn’t leave me wanting more - but in the best possible way.

At a Christmas in July pet pageant (I mean, why the hell not?) Kat luck turns around when her crush turns up with his adorable dog. Better yet, he’s in a bind and the only one who can help him out, is Kat! And cue the music!

I liked both our characters instantly and they have the cutest chemistry. It’s quite nice to read a story with such innocent smittenness. It’s not that the story is innocent (although there’s only kissing), it’s just that they’re so totally adorable that it feels fresh.

For such a short story, I still definitely believed in their connection. Of course I wanted more. And of course I wish it was longer. But I was sucked in immediately and was left satisfied and with a smile on my face. I couldn’t ask for much more.

—-

Playing By Heart is Sylvie Stewart’s contribution in the larger Holiday Heart-On anthology. This set of 18 festive stories has been pulled together to raise money and awareness for women’s heart health. 100% of proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women® movement. There’s a whole set of different stories (averaging around 40 pages each) with different styles, tones and steam levels.

In this anthology you’ll also get:

🎅🏻 Playing by Heart by Sylvie Stewart
🎅🏻 Better than Christmas by Brenda St John Brown and Serena Bell
🎅🏻 Hang Your Heart by Arell Rivers
🎅🏻 Hockey Hotties Heart-On by Piper Rayne
🎅🏻 Hell of a Heart-On by Marika Ray
🎅🏻 Hardware Hard-On by Tracey Pedersen
🎅🏻 Christmas Eve with KXBZ by Roxie Noir
🎅🏻 Heartly in Love by MK Meredith
🎅🏻 Love by Chance by Claire Marti
🎅🏻 Christmas Cabin by Elizabeth Lynx
🎅🏻 Mistletoe Wishes by Stina Lindenblatt
🎅🏻 Rock Hard Around the Christmas Tree by Tawdra Kandle
🎅🏻 Always Be My Babka by Melonie Johnson
🎅🏻 Hooking Her Heart by Sophia Henry
🎅🏻 Santa Claus is Coming by Hope Ellis
🎅🏻 Heart-On for Her Beaver by Dylann Crush
🎅🏻 Heart Healthy Hot Sticky Buns by Kameron Claire
🎅🏻 Ants in Santa’s Pants by Amy Award… (mais)

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 Stars)
Title: Fix Me Up, Cowboy
Author(s): Stina Lindenblatt
Character(s):
― Kate Snow: 28 years old, Brown Eyed
― Noah Daniels: 28 years old,
Setting: Copper Creek, Montana
Tag(s): Romance, Contemporary
Content Rating: R
POV: Alternates between Heroine/Hero
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s): N/A
Overall Opinion:
Who doesn't love a good old cowboy romance? “Fix Me Up, Cowboy” was a heartwarming tale that brought together Kate and Noah who in the past had trouble with their own love lives. The romance between them was very natural and as the reader you were able to get a sense of how well they fit together. Their flaws, the great characters and bubbling start of a hot steamy connection before the small town cowboy and socialite definitely brought this story together.

… (mais)

So I did like it, however there was something missing that I just never got. It was fast paced so it kept you pretty entertained. I liked Isabelle and I read this book in one go. I also liked Jayden and he was trying to protect his friend not thinking that she was strong enough to go out in the field, my opinion she is a grown as woman she can decide..Anywoo so they do get there assignment which they have to fake a relationship and you know that nothing stays fake, feelings will get blurred, lines will get crossed and sexiness will happen, this my friends I enjoyed it, and the secondary characters liked them too. and Yes I cracked up my issue was there really was no suspense to me I just felt everything was contrived.

rcvd an ARC at no cost to author...(netgalley) voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions… (mais)

I did not start at the beginning and now I have to do so since there were couples that were in here and situations and characters that were mentioned that made me feel that I would get more if I had started from the beginning. This is Hannah and Wes's book. Wes has had a crush on Hannah since the beginning and now he is in charge of his niece since his brother and sister in law passed away, that part and his interactions with his niece brought tears to your eyes. He is not sure if he is ready or if he even wants a relationship with Hannah and so he goes back in forth with that and then there is Hannah she had a tough up-bringing so she feels like no man would stick around for a baby that is not his even though said baby is from a turkey baster (author) not an actual man. After Wes fully commits himself to this relationship he goes full force in proving that he is there for Hannah and the baby..

rcvd an ARc at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions… (mais)