Review by Booklist Review
Ivy Snow has excelled at living her life on a temporary basis by moving around and avoiding any hint of a long-lasting friendship, let alone a romantic relationship. However, much to her surprise, after moving into the Heartbreaker Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, Ivy finds herself putting down roots and taking ownership of her very own taco truck. While Ivy is gradually opening up to the idea that long-term friends and a steady business are not bad things, she is still adamantly opposed to the idea of becoming romantically involved with any man. However, that all changes when Ivy meets Kel O'Donnell, a ruggedly handsome cowboy and Idaho law-enforcement officer on a forced vacation. RITA Award-winning Shalvis (Playing for Keeps, 2019) serves up another rewarding addition to her Heartbreaker Bay series with a holiday-sprinkled contemporary romance that deftly pivots between snarky humor and sexy romance without missing a beat, while also celebrating the power of forgiveness, family, and friendship.--John Charles Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Shalvis's faintly Christmassy eighth Heartbreaker Bay contemporary (following Playing for Keeps) comes complete with a light kiss of mystery, a healthy dose of romance, and the comfort of familiar characters. To say that Ivy Snow has issues with her family is an understatement. She's the daughter of an absentee father and lounge singer mother; her childhood was spent moving faster than she could settle in, usually dodging the police. Now she owns a food truck in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco, and she's determined to put down roots. Kel O'Donnell is a cowboy cop from Idaho, visiting his family (and revisiting his youth) in San Francisco while on a mandated break from work. He's fighting nightmares until he meets Ivy. Her fiercely independent and prickly nature distracts him from his self-reflection and piques his chivalrous instincts. The development of non-romantic relationships alongside the romance adds delightful layers to a familiar tale, even if there's only a scant nod to the holiday festivities. Readers will enjoy this return to the small-town-in-the-big-city atmosphere that Shalvis has honed to perfection. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Police officer Kel O'Donnell is recovering from a work-related injury in San Francisco when he meets the woman of his dreams, who happens to be selling tacos out of a food truck. Ivy Snow is smitten with her friend's mysterious cousin but knows better than to trust anyone after a childhood spent outrunning the law with her no-good, criminal brother. When there's a break-in at Ivy's apartment and then at the food truck, Kel jumps into protector mode, leaving Ivy reluctant to accept the help. Both see a side to the other that no one else sees, and they begin to forge a bond based on this unique understanding--not to mention the red-hot passion that promises to last longer than the holidays. VERDICT Bringing readers a tough outsider heroine and a hero whose wounds run deep, Shalvis (Playing for Keeps) knows how to write characters readers adore and keep them coming back for more.--Kathryn Howe, Saint John Free P.L., NB
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