Veena’s review of Maybe This Christmas (O’Neil Brothers, Book 3) by Sarah Morgan
Contemporary Romance published by HQN 28 Oct 14
This is the delightful conclusion to the O’Neil Brothers trilogy as the entire family bands together to bring Tyler and Brenna together happily ever after. Apparently everyone but Tyler knows that Brenna loves him and has loved him since high school. Interestingly, Tyler. with his playboy ways and reputation, values their friendship so highly that he’s resisted temptation and never even kissed her, despite his intense attraction to her. But now that his two brothers have found their own happiness, Tyler is in trouble because his entire family, including his daughter, have decided to take a hand in bringing them together. What will happen to their relationship once the kissing starts? Well, isn’t Christmas a season for miracles?
Tyler is dealing with a lot this holiday season. He wants to be the best dad ever to the daughter he’s recently been reunited with. He needs to resist Brenna, who, thanks to his interfering family, is sharing his space in a very up-close-and-personal way. He needs to do what he can to help his family ski resort by lending his name and fame to drive up business, but he’s missing being out there with his old buddies from the US ski team who are in the news. If his plate isn’t full enough, his daughter Jess’ mother is coming to town and that cannot bode well. Talking about bad stuff happening, Brenna is going on an actual date with the delightful sheriff no less. Poor Tyler!
Poor Brenna as well. There’s a good man in the sheriff, and under duress to hide her feelings for Tyler, she lies to her mom, saying she has a date with him. Unfortunately, while the good sheriff would definitely like to take things further, Brenna’s heart is really taken. As she befriends Jess, the author does a great job of revealing the similarities between their school experiences and really telling us the back story of Brenna’s friendship with the O’Neil brothers, most particularly Tyler.
Tyler is revealed as far more than a self-centered jock who takes advantage of the groupies who throw themselves at him. He continues to befriend and shelter Brenna to the extent of taking on tasks that he dislikes, because he knows how hard it will be on Brenna to do them. As Brenna’s back story emerges, it amazes me how much teenagers are like lemmings in how they follow the leader of the pack without using their brain to figure out right from wrong. Poor Brenna and now poor Jess, who resist the pack. It can make for some very difficult school years.
It’s been clear that Brenna does not have a good relationship with her mother and the O’Neil’s have more than amply fulfilled the hole left in her life and heart. We do, however, get a better understanding of what drives Brenna’s mother, and I definitely feel more than a twinge of sympathy. It’s sad that they lost so many years of what should be a warm and loving relationship because of her mother’s misguided motives through love of her daughter. I’m glad that’s cleared up and Brenna can be whole from that perspective going forward.
What I find heartwarming is the O’Neil brothers, who stood by Brenna rather than Tyler when he goes through his denial stage and hurts Brenna. They really are her family, and while she mourned the lack of family she really didn’t understand how much of one she truly had.
Grade: A
Summary:
This winter, ex-skiing champion, reformed heartbreaker and single dad Tyler O’Neil has only one mission—making sure his daughter, Jess, has the best Christmas ever. The fact that his best friend, Brenna, is also temporarily moving into his chalet at the overbooked Snow Crystal resort is a delicious distraction he’s simply going to have to ignore. Theirs is the one relationship he’s never ruined, and he’s not about to start now.Ski pro Brenna Daniels knows all about the perils of unrequited love—she’s been in love with Tyler for years. But living with him is absolute torture… How can she concentrate on being his friend when he’s sleeping in the room next door? Then when Tyler kisses Brenna, suddenly the relationship she’s always dreamed of feels so close she could almost touch it. Could this be the Christmas her dreams of a happy-ever-after finally come true?
Other books in this series:
