The Plight Before Christmas, a full-length romantic dramedy by USA Today bestselling author Kate Stewart, is live, and is my latest 5-star read and fave for 2021!
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Blurb
Clark Griswold was onto something, at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.
When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree.
Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed.
Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage.
I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog.
I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart.
I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday.
I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push.
I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match.
Fa la la la la, la FML.
Review
5 massive stars!
Oh my God, this book is a sensational piece of Christmas perfection! Laugh-out-loud funny, yet with drama and emotion that had me tearing up, amazing family dynamics, and a heartwrenching, swoony second-chance romance that owned my heart. It made me feel all the feels, and I loved every freaking moment of it!
Whitney Collins has had a rough few weeks. She missed out on the promotion she was after, she broke up with her latest hookup and, arriving at her family’s cabin for Christmas, her car died. At least she has the love and comfort of her hilarious family to look forward to. Until her brother shows up with a friend and colleague who is alone for the holidays… none other than her first love and the man who shattered her heart in college, Eli.
It’s been 17 years since Eli and Whitney were together. She’s shocked by his reappearance, but it’s clear from the start that Eli is there for a reason. It’s not an easy reunion, dredging up a lot of pain and confusion for Whitney, and Eli is clearly hurt and feeling guilt for what happened between them in the past. There is so much unsaid between them, but the chemistry is electric.
It’s initially all about the snark, but things quickly change as old feelings are dredged up, and they find themselves looking back at what they had, what they lost, and where they are now.
I might have convinced myself I came out of selfish curiosity to deliver an overdue apology, but that’s no longer the case at all. I find myself in the same position I was in the second I let her go—filled with longing and soul-crushing regret.
It’s as complicated and as simple as this—after nearly a lifetime apart, I don’t just want her. I want her back.
It’s a fantastic set-up, and the emotion between Eli and Whitney is so intense! In the midst of the Christmas chaos and hilarious family moments, they have a lot to sort through, and they slowly begin to talk and open up, they see each other as the adults they are instead of the kids they were when they met. Eli knows he has a lot to make up to Whitney, and he’s a man with his heart on his sleeve as he does exactly that.
She’s mine. She has to be because my heart is hers and always has been. It’s never been so clear.
I loved her then, soul-deep.
I love her now, perpetually.“I’m asking for another chance with you.” … “God, if you would only let me.”
The story of Eli and Whitney’s past is revealed in glimpses as they both remember what they were to each other, and though hints are dropped as to what happened between them in the past, it’s not until the tension in the present is well and truly at peak levels that we see it all. And when the big moment finally comes, oh my God, the feels! I had tears streaming down my face, and was cherishing every single word, relishing the swoon and falling even more in love with these characters.
“Fuck then, I want you now. I want to know whatever I don’t. I want to try this again as the man I am, not the terrified boy I was. I’ll do whatever you want if it means feeling this way again because, with anyone else, I’ve never fucking come close.”
Oh my God, this is a beautiful love story! I loved Eli and Whitney so much. They are fantastic individually, and together, they are just everything – playful, passionate, and so meant for each other. I could feel the emotion between them and I was practically bouncing with anticipation while I was reading, ready for the next stage, but not wanting to miss a moment of the journey to get there. It’s perfectly paced, and so beautifully written, and I loved every moment!
“You were, are, the love of my life.”
*dreamy sigh*
More than just Eli and Whitney’s story, there are multi-layered stories for the family which add so much to the book. And as much as I adored Eli and Whitney, I fell in love with the entire Collins family, who are real, funny and flawed, and going through their own stuff as well. The group as a whole is just fantastic – from her Elvis-obsessed father, her wise mother, her hilarious siblings and their partners and down to her tween and infant nieces and nephews, they all bring so much to the story and it felt like I was in the room experiencing everything with them.
This is such a wonderful read. It made me laugh and made me cry, and I have so much love for each and every one of these characters. There’s an epilogue which finishes off the story beautifully, but if Kate Stewart ever wants to revisit this family with a novella or something in the future… I am here for it!
5 huge stars.
An Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author and Texas native, Kate Stewart, lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance, as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense. Kate’s title, Drive, was named one of the best romances of 2017 by The New York Daily News and Huffington Post. Drive was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice awards for best contemporary romance of 2017. Her works have been featured in USA TODAY, BuzzFeed, and translated in five languages.
Kate is a lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.
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