Christmas at Twilight
Series: Twilight, Texas # 5
Author: Lori Wilde
Publisher: Avon Romance
Release Date: October 28th, 2014
Source: Edelweiss
Purchase Links: Amazon - B&N - iTunes - Kobo
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It's Christmas in Twilight, Texas. The Cookie Club is baking, the town is decorated, and Delta Force Operator "Hutch" Hutchinson has finally, reluctantly, returned home . . .
. . . only to get pepper sprayed by the delicious- looking stranger who's taken over his house. She says her name is Jane, and she immediately sets down ground rules. Top priority: no touching. For Hutch that isn't easy—he was wounded in action, but one part is still working very well.
Then Hutch learns the truth. Jane harbors a frightening secret—she's really Meredith Sommers, on the run from a dangerous ex-husband and desperately in need of the safety Hutch can provide. In that moment, he vows he'd do anything in his power to protect her. And as Christmas approaches, they discover that their love can conquer the past and overcome any obstacle—but what price will they pay?
Lori Wilde's Christmas at Twilight is a romantic story of redemption and fighting all odds to fall in love. Although I ended up really enjoying the book, I had some difficulties getting into the story at first. Looking back, I realize that it wasn't necessarily the book that was keeping me from getting sucked in, it was the fact that I just finished a heart-wrenching love story and I don't I wanted to go through that again. I had moments where I wanted to stop reading, but yet I also wanted to continue. My love for Lori's work prevailed and as usual, I was in love with the characters by the end of the book. Both Hutch and Meredith broke my heart. They were characters that are incredibly broken from their pasts. Hutch was injured in an attack that killed his fellow soldiers. His injuries left him devastated and lost. Meredith, on the other hand, is on the run from her abusive husband. The horrors he put Meredith through are unspeakable. Hutch and Meredith are thrown together after his sister impulsively runs off and leaves her young daughter behind. I wanted these characters to find happiness so badly that I was rooting for them from the moment they laid eyes on each other. Although, that moment didn't go quite so well for Hutch. Poor man... What a way to say hello.
Christmas at Twilight felt different from the Lori we have come to love. In addition to the sweet romance between two deserving characters, Christmas at Twilight also touches dark topics, such as mental illness and domestic abuse. Lori does a fantastic job building broken and flawed characters that are not perfect. Hutch learns that mental illness runs in his family and he gathers the strength to over come it. Meredith learns to stop running from her past and becomes a stronger woman to be able to stand up for herself. Additionally, Christmas at Twilight also had a touch of suspense towards the end of the book. I almost wish that the suspense element of Meredith's ex-husband was more evident, especially when it comes to her gun. I would have loved if that was explained a bit more to add to the danger her husband posed. Now that I've had time to sit back and reflect on the story, I truly enjoyed the time I spent reading Christmas at Twilight. The characters woo'd me and I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. The pacing was perfect. Although over a month passes in the book, I felt that we don't miss anything in the relationship between Hutch and Meredith. We're present to watch their relationship grow and watch their relationship with the kids blossom. The ending, however, broke my heart for reasons I won't mention. I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. I adore spending time in Lori's fictional town of Twilight, Texas so much. I wanted to be there for the Christmas cookie exchange and to spend the holiday season with all of the fabulous citizens of this lovely small town.
Lori Wilde is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 70 works of romantic fiction. She is a two-time RITA award nominee, a four time Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice nominee and has won numerous other awards. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Christian University and holds a certificate in nursing forensics. An animal lover, Lori is owned by several pets, and lives in Texas with her husband, Bill.
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