This was a NOOK freebie.
1. And a Dead Guy in a Pear Tree by Leslie Kelly - 0 star
Horrible plot and badly drawn characters left me feeling cold. I now remember that I read another Kelly story in another anthology (about baseball players) and didn't like that one either. There was no suspense or tension at all in this book.
2. Seduced by the Season by Merline Lovelace - 4 stars
Exact 180 from the first story. The most charming, but not too sweet, story about two smart, kind people set in dreamy Dublin. The cute meet was actually realistic, there was a perfect amount of back story for each of them, the sex was hot but overly done, and their first date was watching the sunrise at Newgrange on the Winter Solstice. I want to read a lot more from this author.
3. Evidence of Desire by Debra Webb - 4 stars
I really liked this story except for the heavy-handed way the author compared the heroine's traditional feminine looks to the hero's former lover more practical, less girly style. The balance between suspense plot and romance was perfect; a bit surprised at who the villain was at the end. I would read more from this author.
4. Season of Wonder by Marta Perry - 1 star
I couldn't connect with the heroine and their were a few plot holes in her story. The kid was okay and so was the hero. The best part of this story was the South Carolina island vibe mixed with the Christmas season. This was not a romantic suspense story but an inspirational contemporary romance. Could have done without the nosy family members. Not interested in reading more from this author.
I can't give this book as a whole a rating due to the wildly different qualities these stories possess.
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