A Dixie Christmas

By: Sandra Hill

Narrated by: Lee Ann Howlett

Two magnolias-and-mistletoe-inspired holiday stories from the best-selling author of more than 30 romantic, humorous novels.

Laughter and love combine in Sandra Hill's "Blue Christmas" - with a touch of Elvis magic. Wealthy Wall Street businessman Clayton Jessup III has only one reason for arriving in Memphis a few days before Christmas - to sell off his inheritance, an embarrassingly kitschy hotel named The Blue Suede Suites. His feelings for the Land of Elvis are dark: his long-dead Memphis mother abandoned him and his dad when Clay was a baby, and now Clay wants nothing to do with a southern legacy that couldn't be more different from his sophisticated big-city life.

But then he steps in trouble - literally - when he confronts the bizarre group of Elvis impersonators who've set up a living Nativity scene on his property. One slip of a wingtip in some sheep poop lands Clay in the care of gorgeous Annie Fallon, whose big-haired Elvis-girlfriend get-up can't hide her wholesome, sexy appeal.

Annie and her brothers have set up the Nativity scene to earn some badly needed money for their struggling dairy farm. The last thing she needs is an angry Yankee with a concussion and a come-hither smile...

In "Jinx Christmas", sexy NASCAR star Lance Caslow makes a last-ditch effort to win back his ex-wife Brenda. Five years ago, his reckless pursuit of racetrack fame tore them apart and broke Brenda's heart. Now Lance shows up in Louisiana determined to make things right this Christmas, not just for himself and Brenda, but for their young daughter, Patti.

He's got his work cut out for him, and desperate measures are needed. Lance will do anything to prove he's worthy of Brenda's trust again - even join the Cajun Christmas show starring a raucous Cajun family whose menfolk dance for charity events in little more than a smile....

©2011 Sandra Hill (P)2012 Bell Bridge Books

The perfect blend of spicy and sweet..............

A Dixie Christmas contains two novella length stories, and they are both the perfect treat for the holiday season. I enjoyed both books immensely, but I think the first was my favorite because I alternated between tears of hilarity, tears of frustration and tears of the awwwwwwwwwwww variety! In Blue Christmas, uptight, Scrooge-like Clay learns to open his heart in true Elvis inspired ways when he meets Memphis farmer Annie and her zany family. Of course, they are performing a live Nativity Scene as Elvis impersonators, so you can only imagine how much fun you will have listening to this story. As with all Sandra Hill books, the story has plenty of spice and steam in the love department, but it has just as much sweet and tenderness between all the characters in the book.

The second story is no different as two ex's try to find their way back to each other while attempting to survive the matchmaking magic of Tante Lulu from Hill's Cajun series. For fans of that series, I enjoyed revisiting some of the previous couples, but you don't need to read that series in order to enjoy the fun of Jinx Christmas. Both stories are a little unrealistic, but I prefer no reality in my holiday romances. If you just want to temporarily forget your holiday stress and fall in love with some truly entertaining characters, A Dixie Christmas is a great choice.

Lee Ann Howlett's narration is excellent. She has a light, almost bouncy voice that adds to the humor in the book. Her southern accent is pronounced but gentle, so she enhances the overall carefree spirit of the book. This is my first exposure to her narration, but it won't be my last.

I received a copy of this audiobook at my request in exchange for this honest review.

I wasn't a fan

The book has two characters who constantly fight and also say I love you way too soon. wouldn't recommend.

scrooge meets his match

A sweet holiday novella that is well written and overall fun to read / listen. I loved the opposites and the southern-isms. I live in the south and there were several in this read that I'd never heard of - and they always make me smile if not full out laugh! A fast paced romance read for sure! It also includes a bonus read which I also enjoyed - again well written / read with plenty of humor and a splash of steam. Both will give you a heart warming feeling just right for the Christmas season!

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

2 stories in 1

Sandra Hill is one of my top 25 favorite authors. Both Blue Christmas and Jinx Christmas are humorous and fun reads, that leaves me wanting more.
The narration brings you into the stories.
This audiobook was given to me for free at my request from the publisher or author or narrator and I provided this unbiased voluntary review.

A Dixie Christmas

A great time is had with this author’s works. This audio book comes with two short stories about finding love. These are quick and fun listens.

The first story is a take on the tale of Scrooge. When a strait-laced business man comes to the country, he finds more than he thought he would. Love is the last thing on his mind until he sees her and soon that is all that he can think of. Clayton and Annie are total opposites but as they say opposites attract. I enjoyed seeing these two meets and find the true meaning of the holiday.

The second story brings us Lance and Brenda. The two once had everything but Lance lost Brenda and he has since been trying to win her back. Their story is a fun little story that shows us just how far a man would go for true love. This is a memorable and entertaining story.

If you are a fan of this author, you will know that her characters and plots sometimes are over the top and silly. These two novellas are no exception. They are short and eccentric stories to enjoy and celebrate the holiday spirit.

Narrator Lee Ann Howlett does a good job of keeping the narration moving but I was not a fan of the voices that she uses for many of these characters.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Sultry & quirky

This little book was perfect to get me into the mood for the holidays. The characters were enchanting and I loved the Cajun setting. The story was quirky and put a big Christmas smile on my face. In both novellas I could really feel the chemistry between the two characters. Also, each story had a very cute setup.

I had a lot of fun reading this audiobook and finished the book in just two days. The narrator did a great job with the accents and I really enjoyed the way she brought the characters to life with her performance. If you are looking for something unique to spice up your holiday season, I recommend these fun holiday novellas.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Eeh.

I listened to the audio version of this book.
This just wasn't a very good book and I thought the narration was just as bad as the story. I listened to the whole thing, but couldn't wait for it to be over.

A little too goofy for me

This is a little too goofy; I like goofy but this was a bit too much. The grumpy leading man fell too quickly for the leading lady and then it was pretty predictable. The narration was enjoyable.
The second story was a tad better without lingering.
I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

A bit too kitchy

I so wanted to like these two short Christmas stories. I respect Ms. Hill, and wanted to lose myself in some holiday fun, but found myself grimacing more than laughing. The second story was better than the first, but still missed the mark in my opinion. I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.