Leslie Kelly Don’t Open Till Christmas

Don't Open Till Christmas

Leslie Kelly

Harlequin Blaze, Dec 2005, $4.75

ISBN: 0373792263

Noelle Bradenton detests Christmas because her memories are all bad. Her opinion is proven when apparently Santa Claus robs the donations given to the Give a Kid a Christmas that her center is running. Chicago Police Detective Mark Santori investigates the theft; he also feels Yuletide is a downer as he finds the holiday season a big hypocrisy with the capitalists owning the season. The robbery fits into his mood; this is an all time low in disgusting human behavior with some Scrooge stealing from needy little kids.

As Mark investigates the theft, he and Noelle are attracted to one another. Noelle figures sex with the cop will be the perfect present for her while he dreams of unwrapping her clothing as the ideal Christmas Eve activity. Neither expected to want the other permanently under a mistletoe, but who will open the box filled with love first.

This humorous passionate contemporary holiday romance is fun to read because of the antics of the "bah humbug" lead duet. Each rejects Christmas until they meet one another and begin to see little miracles all around them. Fans will want to open this terrific blazing inspirational tale long before Christmas arrives.

Harriet Klausner