Book Talk Review; Hensley Manor

So sweet

Cole hates Christmas. He finds it all ridiculous; the decorations, music, and the obsession with spending a fortune just to show people you care about them. He used to love the holiday season. But that was before his world came crashing down around him.

Now, the happy families and Christmas cheer only remind him of things he'd rather forget.

Everything changes when he visits Treasures of Old Antiques. The snow globe on the dusty shelf was just a silly trinket. So why did Cole feel an overwhelming sense of peace when he picked it up?

When he wakes up the next morning in a strange manor with no recollection of how he got there, he thinks he's officially lost his mind. And then he meets Ian Hensley, the sexy Bed & Breakfast owner. There's an instant connection between the two men; powerful and almost...magical. Though it's snowing outside, Cole and Ian stay warm and cozy between the sheets.

But what happens when Cole's stay comes to an end? He can't stay in the snowy, charming town of Evergreen Valley forever.

Welcome to Hensley Manor.

Breakfast is at 7:30 and lunch is at noon. Warm yourself by the fire and enjoy your stay. And be careful, you might just find what you're looking for this Christmas.

*Although this book is part of A Snow Globe Christmas series, it is a complete standalone, and it isn't a requirement that you read the previous books to follow along. We wish everyone a happy holiday season.*

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This book is so sweet. I'll be the first to admit that I do not like Christmas books that are toothache sweet or cheesy. I am a cynic and will be until the end of time. However, I did not feel like this book was "too much" like many other Christmas books out there. Yes, it's sweet, but it doesn't venture into the cheesy realm ever which is the important thing. 

Jaclyn Osborn wrote a book that reads like a gay Hallmark movie. Cole and Ian meet after Cole is magically transported to Ian's bed and breakfast set in the middle of the woods outside of a picture-perfect little town. 

Cole is a grinch. Christmas reminds him of the painful past he rather forget. Ian is sweet and caring but also lonely. The two fall hard and fast but there's still an air of sweetness about them. They're shy and timid, even after they fall into bed. What sets this book apart from other Christmas love stories is that even though it's fast they take their time. They get to know one another. It's not as simple as falling in love and having Cole suddenly appreciate the season. Eventually, all good things must come to an end, and when they do they're devastating. 

My heart ached when the author jerked with all of us. I wanted to cry for Cole. I so wanted nothing more than for him to get his happy ending. I knew that eventually, the bubble he was in with Ian would have to be popped, but I didn't expect it to be like it was. Jaclyn Osborn played us all before putting us back together. The relief was so welcome. My poor heart got whiplash from all the emotion. 

This book could have been any other cookie-cutter fantastical romance, but it wasn't. Jaclyn Osborn wrote a story that was both sweet and emotional and gives the readers a little Christmas magic all at the same time. 

*Quote- 

"Before I drifted to sleep, I thought of Ian. His face, his hands, and his laugh. But mainly I thought of how he made me feel; warm and comforted. As if I'd found my way home." 

"I felt whole. Like I'd been broken, and he was the part I needed to slide back in place and hold my fractured pieces together." 

We danced, hand in hand and heart to heart. Nothing had ever been more perfect. I'd found my way back home." 

"Maybe falling in love didn't have to have a time requirement. It didn't have to follow a certain guideline, like ten or more fucks and at least two months of knowing each other. That's bullshit. What I felt for Ian went beyond the realm of my understanding. How he made my heart beat slow and speed up at the same time. How he grounded me but also made me feel like I'd float away if I wasn't careful. When he kissed me, I trembled. When he held me, I felt like I was home. He's awakened me from a deep sleep and made me remember what it was like to be happy."