THE HOLLY & THE IVY BY: BRENDA M. COLLINS

THE HOLLY & THE IVY                         BRENDA M. COLLINS
Posted:  Nov. 14, 2013

  Police Officer Joey Frost has her hands full this Christmas in Carol Falls, Vermont. A vandal is painting the town red, green and every color in between, plus someone left baby Holly in the manger of the town’s Nativity display and no one has a clue where her mother is. But Joey can handle it all . . . until a snow storm blows Noel “Fletch” Fletcher back to town.
Joey and Fletch have a history. But he’s no longer the cute boy who kissed–and–dismissed her in high school. He’s grown into a dangerously attractive man—who also nabbed the promotion Joey was gunning for. When the Police Chief assigns them to work together, Fletch’s “by–the–book” law enforcement style is almost as irritating as the resurfacing of their old attraction. Is Fletch trying to distract her from her career aspirations? Or is true love going to be her surprise Christmas gift this year?

THE HOLLY & THE IVY, a 50,000 word sweet romance novella, is Book Three of "A Frost Family Christmas" trilogy. Each novella is a complete romance, with a mystery running through all three books that is resolved in this last story. The three titles in the series are;
BOOK 1: WHAT CHILD IS THIS by C. J. CARMICHAEL
BOOK 2: HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by ROXY BOROUGHS
BOOK 3: THE HOLLY & THE IVY by BRENDA M. COLLINS

MY REVIEW:

     Joey had a crush on Fletch since she was 16 years old.  Fletch worked on her parents maple farm the summer of that year.  She lived in Carol Falls, Vermont where she is now a Police Officer which she loves and has been told she is good at.  Fletch on the other hand she has hand no idea what ever happened to him after that winter after he stole that wonderful kiss from her that stole her heart too.

     You see Joey went out to the local outdoor skating rink in the park.  Her brother Jimmy was supposed to watch over her then walk her home.  So, after she had hung out with her girlfriends and it was time to go she met at the park bench where her and Jimmy had talked about.  Instead of Jimmy being there it was Fletch. 

     He helped her off with her shoes and when he helped her up he did not let go of her hand, they walked hand in hand all the way home.  She wanted to die. He explained being a “military brat” never making long term plans or friends because you never knew when his dad would get orders to move again.  All the while Joey was listening she was telling herself that he was warning her to not get not get attached to him.  But, it was too late she was already in love with him, she had been for a while.  When they got the door of the farm house she went to reach for her skates and he leaned down and kissed her and then he handed her the skates.

     The next morning she sees him at school and she is sure he sees her too.  He is talking to a cheerleader, but she goes by where they are talking and he doesn’t even acknowledge her.  He totally ignores her, which goes on for the next month, before his dad get orders to leave.  Then, without so much as a good-bye, he is gone. 

     Now with almost as much of the same impact as his leaving he appears without any type of warning.  All those old feelings come crashing back with a strange impact.  Joey doesn’t know if she is happy, angry, or just numb to her feelings for Fletch.  She knows she loves him she always will she just doesn’t know if she can ever trust him again.

     There strange and unusual meeting gave him not time to prepare what all he had to say to Joey and he had no idea she was a Police Officer.  Most of all it gives him no time to sort out how to tell her what he has wanted to tell her since he was 18 and she was 16 years old.  That he had fallen in love with her way before he kissed her and that kiss scared him to death.  Watch their love story unfold it nice to see.  Not to mention there is the mystery of the other two books that goes with this trio that is solved. 

     I do have to say that there are some follow-ups that I hope that one if not all of the authors will take up with each of their couples.  To let us see what has happened to them and the town’s people.