The Block Party

Holiday Series, Book 2

By: Nicole Pyland

Narrated by: Carolyn Eve

This is book two in the Holiday Series.

Talon Mitchell had gotten a job right out of college, had her own coffee mug at the office that no one else could use, and planned to keep her job as sales manager for a long time, because she had practically grown up working for this company. She was content and not looking for anything, when a new sales director showed up and changed everything.

Emerson Bagley just got a new job, and while she felt ready for the next step, when she sees someone she recognizes from a holiday party working on the same team, she can’t believe her luck - both good and bad. Good, because Talon Mitchell was very attractive, very smart, and seemingly, very interested in Emerson, too. Bad, because she couldn’t date someone who worked for her, especially in her brand-new job.

Feeling the simmering heat begin to boil over, the two women decide to at least take one step, and deal with the rest later. When neither of them had been prepared to seek out love, they managed to find it where they least expected it.

©2021 Nicole Pyland (P)2022 Nicole Pyland

Cute and Steamy!

Talon and Emerson's story is the second book in The Holiday series and it's a steamy one! Their chemistry is palpable from the start but considering they work together, they go the friendship route instead. As the two spend more time together, the stronger their pull gets. I loved being a part of their relationship development. It was clear from that start that while they were both attracted to one another, they genuinely liked each other.
Since this is part of a series, the book does include a lot of time with Talon's friends as it's setting up future books for the others. I didn't feel that this detracted from Talon and Emerson's story but made me want to read the other books in the series.
The narrator for the audiobook, Carolyn Eve did an excellent job! She kept me engaged, her pacing was awesome and I will definitely listen to more books narrated by her in the future.
I won a copy of the audiobook from Nicole Plyand but that didn't impact my review in any way. I'm just grateful to her for gifting me the audiobook!

Holiday Series, Book 2 is Smokin'

This is book 2 in the series of 6 friends that begins on New Year's Eve (Holiday Series).

This is Talon's story. Steamy doesn't begin to cut it! It's an inferno!

Emerson is hired as Talon's boss's boss, and they both struggle with their magnetic attraction.

Even though she's great at her job, Talon struggles with self-confidence. Her vulnerability with her friends when talking about how hard she was crushing on Emerson, but too scared to do anything about it is very realistic.

I now want a bouncy house! LOL

I read this book before listening to it. Sometimes, the narration doesn't work well, but in this case, it was great! I really enjoyed the narrator, Carolyn Eve, I was not familiar with her. She has a challenge with so many characters and did a great job brining them to life! Talon and Emerson's emotions for each other was so good. The narrator made you believe the intensity of the feelings between the two.

Nicole Pyland is an excellent writer. She really shows characters vulnerabilities in a realistic way. You definitely feel many different emotions reading her books! Highly recommended!

Perfect!

I love this story. It couldn't have been better! This whole series is a real challenge to pick a favourite but this one just does something to me.

Another Excellent Pyland Story

4.5 out of 5 stars

The Block Party is the second book in the Holiday series from Nicole Pyland – a series that I LOVED the first book, The Writing on the Wall, and I wanted to know what would happen to some of the characters that were introduced.

I thought that just with the first one, Pyland nails it. She’s able to write these complicated and unique characters in a way that makes me fall in love with them separately AND together. Sometimes the one character is the clear winner, but in Pyland’s books (The Block Party included), each character has their own quirks and things that make them unique. But they are so cute alone and even cuter together.

I was further into this book than I expected before I realized why it was called The Block Party, but once I realized it, it was a sheer sprint to the finish to see how it would end up. I knew from Pyland’s other books that this was going to weave in and out of the main story, and it had moments where they talked about where they saw each other/how they “met” before they met. And it all revolves around the same group of friends, extending out to the friends of those friends. Weaving together a tapestry of great stories that all work together and on their own (like Pyland’s characters)… wait a minute, I see a trend here!

Overall, The Block Party was excellent. I had tears in my eyes numerous times, and I enjoyed the growth/growing aspects of this one. I know that every human has moments where they need to figure out the next step(s), but I always find that in stories like The Block Party, I enjoy the struggles before knowing the solution, or at least the next step is right around the corner. Each of Pyland’s characters feels very real and exhibits characteristics of friends of mine who have gone through similar struggles, making her books that much better.

Add in the excellent narration by Carolyn Eve, and this was one that I devoured and one where I cannot wait to read other stories in the same universe/timeline.

Wooing The Boss

Talon Mitchell had worked at the same company since college and worked up to Sales Manager with a team that was always number one in sales. Emerson Bagley just got a new job and on her first day she recognizes a Talon as someone she saw at a New Year’s party. Both are immediately attracted and working together is definitely leading to a relationship. Great addition to the Holiday Series. Great narration.

Just ok

This story got a little too long and I struggled to finish. There was a lot of sexual descriptions, actually too many for me but some may enjoy that. I would have rather used my credit for something more interesting.