Welcome to another great story taking place in Shady Grove, one of my favorites, by Beth Andrews who has become a must-read author. WINTER'S KISS captures your heart and sets a most enjoyable stage for a laugh out loud play. The characters in WINTER'S KISS appear to be alive thanks to Andrew's talented pen and talent. I fell in love with Beth Andrews almost immediately. Then I read her bio, which includes her love of the Pittsburgh Penguins. She had me at "Let's Go Pens."

Talk about complicated families and wealthy rather dysfunctional ones on their best days, and you have a snapshot of the Bartasavich family. Here is a family ruled by Senior who didn't have enough sense to keep his urges under control. He was used to getting what he wanted and seemed to have little regard for consequences. Perhaps that explains the very complicated nature of his offspring.

Senior has several children, wives, and ex-wives -- some who had children with other husbands. After all, Senior didn't have staying power. The Bartasavich family was resplendent with half siblings. And here's where we get to the complicated relationship that is at the core of WINTER'S KISS.

Oakes had grown up with the realization that women come and go in his father's household and therefore so did siblings. He had a good relationship with one of his half-brothers, Zach, whose mother went on to remarry and Daphne was the product of that second marriage. Are you following here? Remember, think dysfunctional, or at least unorthodox.

Oakes would slip into the role of big brother when Zach was overseas. Zach was overprotective when it came to his mother and sister. With the help of his father's wealth, Zach was now able to provide for Daphne and his mother. And Oakes had proven to be much more than a stand-in older brother. Even though her mother had drilled into her that there were few, if any, good men -- Daphne knew better. She had Oakes.

The years between Oakes and Daphne were a problem -- decidedly more for Oakes than Daphne. He was worried that Zach would be unhappy, and any feeling he was beginning to harbor for this woman eight years his junior would just complicate his already crazy family.

The relationship/friendship between these two people lend itself to some of the best and humorous parts of WINTER'S KISS. It is such fun to watch a really intelligent grown man have dialogs with himself over the impossibilities of fostering feelings with a younger gorgeous woman who is off limits. Or is she?

So if you are in the market for fun and sass then look no further than WINTER'S KISS by Beth Andrews. WINTER'S KISS is the fifth book that takes place in Shady Grove, but each story is unique. You will meet some of the other Bartasavich family who will become near and dear to you. Beth Andrews has quite an arsenal of great stories. WINTER'S KISS is guaranteed to be one that will be revisited often.

Book Summary

He didn't believe in fairy tales

Romantic fantasies and happy endings don't fit Oakes Bartasavich's reality. Of course, neither does his breathtaking attraction to Daphne Lynch. From his prestigious career to his volatile family, there's too much at stake to risk one kiss—let alone one night—with her.

But a snowy Christmas stranded together in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, shines light on everything he's fighting to deny. Daphne isn't just a beautiful temptation. She's a strong, intelligent, kind woman who deserves a happily-ever-after. One that Oakes isn't sure he can give her…no matter how much he'd like to.