Series:
Christmas Pact (Book 3)
A reunion in a winter wonderland!
Workaholic lawyer Thea never expected to literally
collide with childhood friend, tech billionaire Zayne, on the slopes in Japan.
Memories of their teenage kiss sizzle to the surface, yet so does the heartache
of their goodbye. They clearly have unfinished and unforgotten chemistry! But,
with their futures going in different directions, can a snowbound Christmas
bring them back together -- for good this time?
Good conclusion to the series. When the three Kendall
sisters' parents suddenly decided to go on a cruise rather than do the family's
traditional Christmas, they were shocked and dismayed. But they rallied to
support their parents' dream and challenged each other to do something
different for the holiday. Each one spent two weeks in a surprise location
picked by her other two sisters. Thea was sent to Japan.
Thea is an unrepentant workaholic, determined to become a
partner in her law firm. She has put everything else aside—from social life to
ideas of a family of her own. She is convinced that she doesn't have the temperament
to handle a family. Even though she is half a world away from her office, she
continues to devote time to work rather than the fun and relaxation her sisters
intended. Even her venture onto a higher-level ski slope is motivated by the
desire to impress a possible client.
Imagine Thea's surprise when she literally collides with her
childhood friend, Zayne, on the ski slope. They were practically inseparable as
children, with Thea spending a lot of time escaping her stressful home life by
hanging out with his family. When they were teenagers and experimented with a
kiss, their ease with each other changed, and things were never quite the same.
They haven't seen each other since they went off to different colleges. Now,
Thea is a successful lawyer, and Zayne made a name for himself with his tech-savvy
businesses.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Those
early sparks of attraction are still there, and the intensity freaks out Thea.
The last thing she wants is anything distracting her from her goals. Zayne is
also surprised by the resurgence of those sparks and wants to spend some time
with Thea. Neither is looking for a relationship, but resuming their friendship
is a possibility. But can they ignore the sparks?
I liked watching Thea and Zayne get to know each other
again. Zayne looks at Thea and sees the beautiful woman she has become but
doesn't understand her belief that she is too selfish to have a family. He thinks
that all she needs is a better work-life balance to see that she can have it
all. He offers to help her have the fun her sisters expect her to experience,
as well as help her prepare for her upcoming client meeting. Thea is wary but
can't resist spending time with him. Zayne is at a crossroads in his life. He
sold his business for bunches of money and doesn't know what he wants to do
next. He asks Thea to help him figure out his next steps so he can spend more
time with her.
I liked seeing them get to know each other as adults.
There are some terrific scenes of them opening up to each other about their
fears and other issues that have haunted them. I ached for Zayne and the guilt
he felt over his father's death. I liked how Thea helped him look at things from
a different perspective. Thea has a few rough moments when Zayne calls her out
on her tunnel vision about having a family. An unexpected blizzard throws a monkey
wrench into Thea's work plans, and she doesn't react well, putting her new
rapport with Zayne at risk. It takes some self-examination for each of them to
realize love is the most important thing.
I enjoyed the glimpses of Japan and the Japanese culture
the author included in this book. The descriptions were so vivid I felt as
though I was there.
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