Santa, Baby [Mass Market Paperback]

I really wanted to love this book, but the truth is, it's just OK.

Jennifer Crusie writes an action/spy novella In Hot Toy. Trudy is sent out on Christmas Eve to purchase the latest Hot Toy for her nephew. Of course the toy isn't in stock as everyone wants one. While going through other shelves hoping for a misplaced toy, she runs into a guy she dated 3 times. She thought he was the one. He never called back. The two get mixed up in spy game when they toy she finds contain secret Chinese codes. I thought her's was the best as it was entertaining and the couple's relationship was beleivable. Plus there are quite a few laughs thrown in. If it was just Jennifer Crusie's story I had to rate I would probably give it a 4.

In Lori Fosters Christmas Bonus you have Maggie who has recently taken over her fathers company upon his death. Eric is the employee everyone thought would take over the company. Eric and Maggie both have loved eachother secretly since they met. Eric stumbles upon some evidence of Maggies feelings and decides to act on it. I thought the plot was good, but the story just didn't live up to all it could have been.

In Carly Phillips Naughty Under the Mistletoe you have Toni, a woman who decides she is going to make the moves on her soon to be ex-boss at the Christmas Party. She ends up kissing his twin instead. I am a Carly Phillips fan and this story just fell flat. The couple fall in love after a one night stand. I just couldn't buy it.

These are 3 quick easy reads. Each has entertaining value, but it might be a book you want to check out at the library or borrow from a friend instead of buy.

Sure wish I had noticed that two of these stories are rereleases. The only new story in this anthology is the one by Jennifer Crusie. Luckily, I hadn't yet read the story by Carly Phillips, but as soon as I began Lori Foster's, I was overwhelmed with deja vu. Yep, I'd read it a long time ago. HATE when that happens. I would not have bought this book (even though I love Jennifer Crusie's work) if I'd known that 2/3 of it was old material. So given that, I was pretty disappointed overall.

I did enjoy Crusie's novella. It was funny, if completely unrealistic.

Foster's story is from 2000. It seemed even more dated than that for some reason. Like I said, I'd read it before, so it's hard to overcome my annoyance with that.

Phillips' story was decent. It was first published in 2001. The concept of meeting someone, having a one night stand, and falling in love isn't one that I really get into generally - so the plot wasn't that great for me.

SANTA, BABY contains one phenomenal new novella by Jennifer Crusie and two reprints from Lori Foster and Carly Phillips. See what happens when Christmas means romance is in the air....

A Major MacGuffin is the "Hot Toy" this Christmas in Jennifer Crusie's phenomenal new novella. Trudy Maxwell is determined to find a Major MacGuffin for her nephew, Leroy, this Christmas Eve after her dad forgets to buy him one. After all, Evil Nemesis Brandon has one, toxic waste packets and all. Trudy is determined that Leroy won't suffer the same heartbreak she and her sister suffered every year when Santa's gifts "fell off the sleigh". Unfortunately, Trudy soon finds herself embroiled in the midst of international espionage and she'll have to decide whether to trust Nolan Mitchell who stole her heart and dumped her several months earlier.

Jennifer Crusie is the master at writing a humorous romance! "Hot Toy" will have the reader laughing out loud nonstop as the antics of the characters are hysterical. The interplay between Trudy and Nolan is funny, but Trudy's conversations with her sister, Courtney, steal the show. The visual images described by Ms. Crusie are so uproariously vivid that one can easily see the carnage of the gingerbread men and the gumdrops sliding off of the roof of the gingerbread house! This reviewer can't remember when she has laughed so hard. Thank you, Ms. Crusie, for a story that puts humor into the entire "Hot Toy" chaos.

Lori Foster's "Christmas Bonus" is about an office romance. Maggie Carmichael inherited her father's business when all she really wanted was her father's right hand man, Eric Bragg. Unfortunately, Eric has been distant ever since Maggie became his boss. Will love blossom as a "Christmas Bonus" this year for Maggie and Eric?

Lori Foster excels at writing a steamy romance. "Christmas Bonus" is definitely a "feel-good" sort of story that is perfect for the holidays. The sexual attraction between Maggie and Eric is never in doubt. Most of the development of their relationship was believable but this reviewer was a bit irritated by comments made by Eric later in the book as it tainted the entire romance. If one eliminates those statements by Eric, then "Christmas Bonus" is an enjoyable holiday tale.

Carly Phillips puts a new twist on an old theme in "Naughty Under the Mistletoe". Toni Larson intends to seduce Stephan Corbin but finds herself with his twin, Maxwell. Will their one night of being "Naughty Under the Mistletoe" bloom into so much more or will their own insecurities get in the way?

Carly Phillips manages to pack a lot of emotional depth into such a short story. Both Toni and Maxwell have their own set of insecurities but each opens up to the other over an unusual game of pool. The blossoming of their romance after such a short period of time is surprisingly believable.

SANTA, BABY stands out as a superb anthology based on the strength of the Jennifer Crusie novella. For "Hot Toy" alone, this reviewer strongly recommends this anthology as I laughed until I cried over this story. Lori Foster and Carly Phillips offer two decent seasonal stories but fans of both should be cautioned that these are both reprints. SANTA, BABY proves to be an enjoyable seasonal anthology that should please fans of Ms. Crusie in particular.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES