Christmas Rekindled A Bangers Tavern Romance
Women's Humorous Fiction/City Life/Friendship Romance
Sadira Stone
October 5, 2020
221
Bartender River Lundqvist has a damn good reason for hating Christmas. Bangers Tavern is the perfect place to lay low over the holidays—until Charlie walks in. His first encounter with the saucy server nine years ago was utter humiliation. Her reappearance stirs up powerful desires and hopes for a new start. But the timing is all wrong.
Back in Tacoma to care for her estranged dad over the holidays, freelance web designer Charlie Khoury braces herself for the suckiest Christmas ever. A temporary job at Bangers Tavern gives her a chance to escape Dad’s criticism and blow off some steam. But why does the hunky bartender seem to hate her?
A pretend girlfriend is just what River needs to keep his family off his back—until a kiss under the mistletoe flares hot enough to melt the North Pole. When greedy developers threaten Bangers Tavern, River and Charlie must team up to save it. Their sizzling chemistry feels like the real thing—but everyone knows rebound relationships don’t last.
Come to Bangers Tavern for an enemies-to-lovers tale of reconciliation, found family, holiday cocktails, and the steamiest Christmas miracle ever.
Reviewed by Sylvia A. Reddom
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
So when first they met in college, she was older and thought he was immature. All true.
Who knew that a short 9 years later their paths would cross again – very closely in fact.
It happened – right back in the same bar, in their hometown, at Christmas. What could go wrong?
Seems like everything could – and yet they kept being reunited, time and time again. And family and friends had a lot to do with it.
River Lindquist told himself he was the best bartender Bangers Tavern had ever employed and he could help save it. Whether his over-the-bridge family approved or not.
Then Charlie Khoury walked back into the bar and his life – and the bar owner hired her back again! She was everything he remembered – beautiful as ever and feistier than he knew. And she did not even remember him or the last time they had close physical contact.
She raised the temperature in the room even though it was the middle of a cold winter season. He would just have to ignore her and get on with his job and figure out how to make it through Christmas with his family.
Charlie, a designer is only back in town to help out with her estranged Dad while he recuperates. She only takes a side job to stay out of her Dad’s way and keep her sister Anna happy. Seems fair, since her sister has been “carrying the weight” of Dad duty for some time, and he is not an easy patient.
Thrown together by chance, the two star crossed “lovers” are brought even closer together when Charlie gets hired part-time by Dawn , owner of Bangersand a long-time family friend who Charlie owes more than a couple favours.
Throw into the mix: two sets of parents who want to run their kid’s lives (mostly because they love them), River needing a pretend girlfriend for family events and Charlie needing someone to help with her cranky Dad – and you can see how they will all come together for mutual benefits.
Surprisingly it all starts to work out – and then potential new developers threaten Bangers future.
Another great reason for Charlie and River to join forces and work together. Surrounded by family and friends, the duo set out to prove they can win any battle for the bar – and maybe their own true love.
Warm and loving, these down to earth, believable characters take you on a lovely holiday romp, with hopes for a better New Year for everyone.
The first story in a series which is sure to grow a huge following.