Since I didn't have a proper holiday read for December, when I saw this little New Year’s themed release pop up on my Facebook feed, I grabbed a copy. It’s the latest installment in Debra St. John’s “Holidays at the Corral” series, and while I haven’t read the others, I liked St. John’s “Wild Wedding Weekend.” NYE at the Corral seemed like a good bet…especially at 99 cents.

 

Shorter than a novella, but longer than a short story, it fit the criteria for January’s short read. NYE at the Corral is a cute friends-to-lovers story about a bartender and a waitress who are attracted to one another, but don’t want to risk ruining their friendship

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As Nick and Tina prepare for The Corral’s big New Year’s Eve bash, another co-worker teases them about being in love. They are of course, though neither is sure how the other one feels. Throughout the evening, they try to keep things normal and fail miserably.As midnight approaches, do they risk revealing their hearts?

 

The cover gives a big hint about how things turn out, and since it’s a romance novel, rest assured that neither Nick nor Tina end the night crying in their coffee at the local Denney’s. But the private angst each go through to work up the courage for that midnight kiss feels genuine. The ticking clock plot device works beautifully. 

 

St. John is a skilled writer and gives us two likeable characters and a believable conflict. I would have enjoyed a bit more info about the setting—I have no idea where The Corral is located—but understand that in a short book, there’s not room for a lot of detail.

 

It’s a quick, fun read with likeble characters, and I’ll probably drop by The Corral (wherever the heck it is) for another holiday party.