Is she the one who can bring new love into his darkened
heart?
As a new landlord, Dr. Gideon Bowen is more irritating
than ingratiating. Eden Berman should probably consider moving. But in the
spirit of the holidays -- and curiosity about Gideon and his enigmatic past --
Eden offers her friendship instead. As their relationship ignites, it's clear
that Gideon is more mensch than menace. With each candle of Hanukkah burning
brighter, can Eden light his way to love?
Good enemies to lovers story as two apparent opposites
find out they have more in common than they thought. This is the first book in
the aptly named Holliday, Oregon series, where the town goes all-out for
holidays. In this story, Hanukkah traditions form the background of Eden and
Gideon's romance.
Thirty-six-year-old divorced Eden is finally ready to consider
marriage again. Scarred from an accident when she was a teenager, she hides her
insecurities under a determinedly cheerful attitude. She lays it on especially
thick when dealing with her new landlord, whose grumpiness challenges her.
Gideon recently moved to Holliday and took over a retiring
doctor's practice. He's not the warm-hearted, house-call-making,
barbecue-giving doctor his predecessor was, so he has the reputation of being
cold and aloof. That's fine with him since emotions and medicine don't mix. If
only he could stay that way around Eden.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Eden
and Gideon. They start as antagonists, with Gideon irritated by her excessive
cheerfulness and Eden bugged by his refusal to loosen up. When he comes to her
rescue after a medical incident, she begins to suspect there's more to him than
meets the eye. Instead of continuing her provocations, she offers him
friendship instead. I liked seeing her pull him into her world at the same time
as she learned more about him. As they move from enemies to friends and then to
more, both begin to develop stronger feelings for each other. I loved how
Gideon's attention helped Eden past her insecurities about her scars. He didn't
ignore them, but he didn't make a big deal of them either.
Gideon had a more challenging time with it. He still hurt
so much from what happened with his wife that he swore he wouldn't let his
emotions get involved in his life ever again. There were times when his true
nature surfaced, such as when he treated Charlotte or his conversation with the
teenager, Jude. When he gave in to his attraction to Eden, the feelings she
stirred up scared him, and he tried to pull away. I ached for Eden because she'd
fallen so hard for him, and it hurt to have him end things. I liked how her
friends and family rallied around her. I had to laugh when Gideon finally
realized what an idiot he'd been and had to bare his heart in front of all of
them. His big moment was sweet and emotional, and I could feel his love for her
as I read it. I hope to see more of them in future books and see how their lives
progress.
I enjoyed meeting Eden's friends. Barney and Charlotte
were adorable in their love for each other and Barney's sweet care of Charlotte.
I laughed at Charlotte's comments about Eden's cooking abilities. Eden's best
friend Nikki was a trip. I'm not sure if I want her current engagement to
prosper or not, as I don't care for the way he makes her feel about herself. I'll
have to wait and see what happens. I loved Eden's brother Ryan and his fiancé, Ollie.
I like Ryan's support of Eden and the loving and teasing comments they exchange.
The pair that really intrigue me are Jeremy and Sophie, the constantly arguing
members of the two feuding families. The story of the jewels sounds
interesting, and I can see it running through several books in the series.
I liked seeing Hanukkah as a theme in the book. There
aren't that many, and I appreciate getting a look at other traditions. I laughed
out loud at the description of Eden trying to make challah, especially her
comment about the dough as a weapon.
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