This Time Next Year

by Alison Kent

Brenna Keating is on her way to spend Christmas with her grandmother when treacherous roads and a skittish deer put her car in a ditch. Riding to the rescue—literally—is Dillon Craig, a reclusive doctor who insists she weather the storm in his cabin.

Since returning from Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers on the front lines, Dillon's made it a point to avoid any emotional involvement. But his unexpected guest has him dangerously close to breaking his own rules.

Brenna has a plan for her life—until she's stranded for three days with Dillon. Soon, the chemistry sizzling between them forces her to reexamine her priorities. The man is gorgeous, if taciturn, and a true hero in every sense of the word. No woman in her right mind could resist him, and so Brenna doesn't—even though she can't stay...

From anthology "Holiday Kisses"

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Novella, Chick Lit

109 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2011

About the author

I often read of or hear about authors who knew they were meant to tell stories from the time they left the crib. Me? I didn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was thirty years old - and then sold my first book at thirty-four. Still, it was obvious that I always knew I was going places.

Like so many other authors, I was a voracious reader from day one, devouring everything from Nancy Drew to My Friend Flicka, which I remember sitting hovered over the heater vent in the kitchen floor to read while my father made his coffee.

I moved on to my mother's Phyllis Whitney, Dorothy Eden, and Mary Stewart gothics before discovering my first true romances written by Lucy Walker and set in the Australian Outback. And then, at last, when I was 18 I found 'The Flame and the Flower'. (My son almost spent his life as Brandon because of that, but I spared him and named him Casey instead!)

Why write romance? Because love stories have always been a major part of the books I've loved. Father Ralph and Meggie Cleary. (I did name my daughter Megan after reading The Thorn Birds! Do you see a trend here?) The aforementioned Brandon Birmingham and Heather Simmons. Wolf Mackenzie and Mary Potter.

Even more so, it's because I love writing romance heroes. The men who sweep both heroines and readers off their feet - not to mention their authors, too!

I've spent several years happily writing action adventure romance for Kensington Brava along with hot and sexy series romances for Harlequin Blaze. Now I'm thrilled to be a launch author for Vows.

Reviews

[SuperWendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-done snowed-in-cabin-romance. Doctor hero who saw military combat, still haunted by his experiences and the fact that his father passed while he was overseas. Nurse heroine whose car lands in a ditch on the way to grandma's house before she heads to Malawi to do charity work. However, she's struggling with the fact that she'll be gone a long time, and this very well could be the last Christmas with her beloved gran (who isn't getting any younger...). Two grown-up characters who talk to each other, nice emotional baggage. A nice contemporary romance.

[KristenReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 to 3 1/2 stars

Overall, I enjoyed this Christmas novella but felt there was too much plot for such a short story. Because of that, the ending felt rushed and somewhat unsatisfying.

Note: This novella is part of the anthology Holiday Kisses: A Holiday Romance Collection.

[Ellen W-S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this short story. I felt the connection between Dillon and Brenna and was rooting for them to succeed! Will definitely rad this author again. Well-written and passionate story.

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to on audio. Narrated by Therese Plummer.

5 stars for the narration. Oh, Therese, how I have missed you! She has easily got to be one of the best narrators out there and I absolutely love her. She narrated the Virgin River series and she really did breathe life into a series of books that I had no idea could get any better. Her voice, performance and style is just perfection.

The book itself is really great. Well crafted with a hint of steam and an ending to melt even the coldest of hearts. A sweet and strong heroine finding love unexpectedly, an emotionally wounded army doctor finally learning how to heal and a snowbound cabin only just big enough for two at Christmas. Lovely.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, but the ending was too rushed.

[Tina "IRead2Escape" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book! This Time Next Year is a short story, yet packed with so much. The time these 2 characters spent with each other never felt rushed or like, we as the readers, were shortchanged.

Brenna Keating finds herself in a ditch, during a blizzard, without much hope. How could this have happened? She planned so well. Following the weather report she left in plenty of time to make it to her grandmother’s cabin in the mountains before the blizzard came through. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t watch the same report. This is so bad on so many levels. For one, it’s possibly the last Christmas she will have with her Grandma since she will be going to another country to volunteer her nursing skills. Her Grandma isn’t getting any younger. Who knows what could happen? Secondly, she is stranded in a blizzard and no options for escape. That is until Dillon rides up on his horse to save the day. He saves her life, takes her to his home to wait out the storm and makes her question her future.

Dillon Craig is getting through his life day by day. Still plagued by his memories and nightmares from his time in Afghanistan, he just puts one foot in front of the other and plods along. As a doctor for the people who live on his mountain he is well known and liked. It’s something to break up his day, even if it doesn’t erase his torment. Bringing Brenna home may have been the biggest mistake he’s ever made, but what choice did he have? He didn’t expect her to work her way into his heart and to get passed every defense he had constructed. On top of it all, this relationship has a guaranteed expiration date. Brenna is only in the US for a few more days.

He wanted her. She wanted him. So what if the timing was all wrong and they’d have only this? It was more than the men he’d lost had been given.

If I had to pick one complaint about this book it would be that it’s too darned short. I couldn’t get enough of these characters and their story. Like I said, you never felt short changed, but I could have read about them forever.

[Liberty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

I've finished what is currently slated to be my final holiday romance of the year. (Though, don't worry, there are more waiting in the wings if I manage to find the time.) This is another short story in the collection I was reading from my library. And my library was definitely the route to go with these. But this was the story I rated the highest in the collection. I found these characters to be more grounded in reality than the other stories. I also found this holiday romance to actually be romantic and holiday themed. We follow a woman who gets into an accident at the start of a blizzard. She gets saved by the doctor who lives on the property near where her car went off of the road. She is stranded in his cabin with him until the storm dies down and she can complete her journey to her grandmother's house for Christmas. But while snow is falling so are our two main characters. The only problem is the commitment she's made that will have her out of the country starting in the New Year.

Overall, it was sweet, romantic, and more serious than I expected. I didn't love that a chunk of this short story had her trying to help him deal with his PTSD of being a doctor on the front lines in Afghanistan. His trauma and their emotional bond really does make an impact in the story so I don't want to hate on it too much for that. But at the same time, like she's already cooking and baking and now she has to do all of this emotional work for this guy too? I don't love that. This was written over a decade ago so it's partially just a symptom of the times. But I still managed to have fun and enjoy this holiday romance.

[Rayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

> Brenna and Dillon found each other through very unlikely circumstances, and it made for a really captivating story. Snowed in stories always have a little extra steaminess.

> Among the heavy topics and the deep emotions they were feeling for each other, there was a lot of really light banter that showed how well they vibed together. And the fact the Dillon opened up to Brenna about his time in the war clearly meant so much. Those parts felt so personal to me, and they were quite heartbreaking. The healing they found in each other was lovely.

> I adored the Christmas traditions and wintery descriptions in this novella. Life on the mountain with Gran and Dillon sounds pretty great!

[SL Reads and Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but not my fave. Felt very old-fashioned. Gender essentialism paired with traditional gender roles. Little happening—trapped together during a blizzard—paired with huge emotional leaps (as are common in the romance novella form). Grandma—still living solo on the mountain and growing her own food—survived Pearl Harbor as an adult. Cell phones and satellite TV but no email. Very confused about the time setting.

[KDub · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella. The story was the perfect length and didn’t deter from great character development. It was sweet and heartwarming. This is a new to me author who I will have to read again.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Brenna and Dillon's story. Brenna is a nurse soon to be flying to Africa. Dillon is a military veteran doctor who now practices medicine in his small clinic and checking on his elderly and sick neighbors. It's heartbreaking to Brenna when she ends up snowed into Dillon's lodge and she is not able to spend Christmas (what could be the last one) with her grandmother. As Brenna breaks through Dillon's walls with her Christmas cheer, Dillon does what he can to make up for it. Overall, it was a really sweet story. It was really hard to watch Brenna leave for Africa, as it was a dream of hers and something she'd already committed to, but great to watch her come home. The homecoming itself wasn't fantastic, but it was still enjoyable. This is a HEA story with no cliffhanger.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only I could happen upon an amazing man in the woods.

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Time Next Year is a sweet Christmas novella written by author Alison Kent.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Dillon and Brenna in This Time Next Year; they seemed like kind and helpful people.

[Christi Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:
Rating: A+
I really loved this book. This is honestly my ideal in a holiday story...a snowstorm, a damsel in distress, a heroic taciturn sexy hero. Brenna is on the cusp of a new life and is coming to spend one final Christmas with her grandmother in the mountains of NC before she goes to live and work in Malawi as a nurse.

Things go awry when the snowstorm moves in 10 hours earlier than predicted and a deer gets in her way on the road. Dillon is a doctor who lives on the same mountain as Brenna's grandmother. Since returning from Afghanistan, he is living the life of a country doctor, treating the locals on the mountain and maintaining a fairly reclusive life. He has demons that remain from his military time and the choices that he had to make as a trauma doctor in a war zone. When Dillon finds Brenna in her wrecked car, after finishing up his mountain house calls, he takes her home with him where they become stranded for three days.

I loved both Dillon and Brenna's characters. Dillon is definitely scarred emotionally and Brenna recognizes that and respects that. There could have been a super-easy conclusion to this book, but I like that Alison Kent didn't go that route. She wrote a beautiful love story which became even more believable because of the way that she took this wonderful story! Just a perfect holiday, snuggle up in front of the fireplace and read, kind of story! LOVED IT!

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars This Time Next Year, by Alison Kent, was a decent read. I found Dillon very interesting, a doctor tortured by the people he couldn’t save during his tour of duty, but Kent never really convinced me that he would be able to connect emotionally with Brenna. He seemed resigned to the quiet life he’d set up for himself, not really looking to expand it and let someone into his heart. For that matter, I wasn’t sure Brenna actually wanted to connect emotionally with Dillon. She was on her way to Malawi and trying to find herself. The storyline was pretty well developed for a novella, at least in terms of the characters as individuals. I felt the spark between them, but it hit me as one of convenience more than chemistry. They were consenting adults trapped together by a snow storm. *shrugs* I don’t know. When they come together I simply wasn’t convinced that they were emotionally involved like the characters thought they were. The sex was good though. Not a hugely Christmas-y feel to it, but enough to call it a Christmas story. And the ending was cute.

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This review was posted at Under The Covers

* READ IN THE HOLIDAY KISSES ANTHOLOGY *

Breena is heading to her grandmas' house to spend what will most likely be her last Christmas with her. After this she's going to Malawi for a trip as a peace corp nurse basically and she probably won't come back next year for Christmas and her grandma might not last much longer. But Mother Nature has different plans for her and on her way there she gets hit with a snowstorm and slides off the road, crashes her car and gets almost snowed in. In comes Dillon to the rescue. He's the "mountain doctor" (as well as the mountain's most eligible bachelor) and he knows Breena's grandma is expecting her so he was on the look out and rescues her from freezing to death. He's got skeletons in his closet but with Breena he manages to open up and wish for things that he never thought he could have. But is she the woman to put those ghosts to rest?

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title was the perfect opening to this anthology. I really found myself wishing this was a full length story. Because, even with the constraints of a novella Kent really took the time to give them full personalities. Brenna and Dillon were complex. She’s torn between a lifelong dream and the reality she may not want to leave behind. Dillon is recovering from tours in Afghanistan, haunted by those he was unable to save as a medic in the Army.

I liked Brenna and Dillon together. I could tell that they were the perfect fit to heal each other’s wounds. I just wish that they had been given a full story to flesh out all the complexities Kent gives them. While the novella felt complete…the reader in me itched for a little more time. Maybe Kent will re-release in time as a longer work. I’d like to know more of their histories, spend some time with the mountain people, watch Dillon work on his woodworking craft shirtless…And I’d really love to see some of the love letters the characters sent to each other…Hint, Hint! lol.

http://thelibrarianreads.wordpress.com

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I won This Time Next Year on a Twitter contest from the Author Alison Kent and was quite excited because really who doesn’t love winning books?

This was the perfect little story for an afternoon spent in front of the fireplace, nice and toasty warm with my coffee. The H/h must have thought it was a good idea also because they had their own hot scene in front of the fireplace “wink wink”.

It’s Christmas time, a snow storm, a heroine in need of rescuing and a hero riding in to save the day on his trusty horse. Now they are stranded together and baby it may be cold outside, but Brenna and Dillon are heating up on the inside.

What more do you need to know?

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read something Alison Kent has written, it's like discovering her all over again. I loved this story. And Kent's writing. Brenna and Dillon drew me in. I loved their conversations, the fact they wrote to each other, the fact that they didn't have their HEA until they both did what they needed to do. There's this great quality in Kent's writing. I can't pin it down, but it combines realism with fun & humor, and yet deep emotion shines through. A lovely cabin romance. I wish this book had been 300 pages. Not because it needed it. I just didn't want to say goodbye to Brenna, Dillon, and Gran.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of all 4 stories in this anthology, this was my least favorite. Not because of Ms. Kent's writing or characters, but because I could tell where this story was going. I hate that. LOL. No two ways around it, though, as the title gives it away. LOL. Still, an enjoyable read and something I'll reread in Christmas seasons to come.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short sweet, predictable and a wee bit (Ok very) cheesy. Of course the hero has to be the dude on the horse. But you know what? I don't care if it was predictable and corny because I still found myself loving this book. I couldn't put this book down till the very end and I recommend you lovey readers to check this book out.

[Jeanette Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very, very much. While it was quite short, it had a well-fleshed-out romance, with sympathetic, well-rounded characters who want love and home and to make a difference in the world. Really, a lovely story.

[Donna]

This is a sweet holiday romance. It centers around two good souls (one troubled) that find each other and fall in love.

[ReadKnitHoard · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice enough Christmas story but the angst of OMG-she's-gonna-leave-and-go-far-far-away didn't really work for me.

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a short book with not much plot except boy gets girl. There was nothing special about the characters, and I'm sure they will be forgotten by tomorrow.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a sweet, heart felt short story...

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little novella

[Marjo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good dose of romance, a good dose of Christmas, and a well-plotted short story.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I didn't feel connected to the characters the way I want too. Still an enjoyable christmas short story