No Holly for Christmas Blog Tour

"As Brian McAlister struggles to move past being jilted not once, but twice by the only woman he's ever loved, he's all but given up on relationships. Then, on special assignment for the DA's office, he crosses paths with ex-socialite turned social worker, Holly Cavanaugh Winter-and romance blossoms. Widowed, practically penniless, and reduced to shopping at WalMart, Holly is dreading the approaching Holiday Season. However, her angst isn't due to her husband's untimely death the previous December 25th, but because of a secret that could reveal itself unless she can find a way to avoid the coming Christmas. Love at first sight quickly turns frigid for Brian and Holly when Holly gets pulled into a manhunt for an accused murderer who now has his sights set on her. His case unraveling, Brian finds himself tasked with keeping Holly and her two daughters safe while bringing an assassin and the powerful man who hired him to justice. A heart-warming story of suspense, healing, giving and receiving, No Holly for Christmas is the perfect addition to everyone's holiday reading list."

This isn't your standard Christmas story. Julie N. Ford has written a book full of romance and suspense - my favorite combination. The best thing about this book is the characterization. All the characters are flawed and their stories are interesting. As the book began, I found I could understand the characters and why they acted the way they did, though I didn't like them very much. As they developed I grew to like them. It was fun to watch the characters grow and change throughout the book.

It did take me just over a hundred pages to get truly caught up in the story, but I'm glad I read it through to the end because the suspense built and by the end of the book I couldn't put it down. If you want a Christmas story that is a little different, this is a good choice. You can read more about Julie here and purchase the book here.