These stories were written in the late 80s and it shows. I'm not the target audience for the male hero who was written at that time.

Over all 3.5 stars

Woman Hater
★★★★☆
This is a love story about two damaged people. Winthrop is a man that was not only left emotionally, but also physically broken by a past relationship. The woman he was with had a devastating car accident while she was driving. When it became apparent that Winthrop would not fully recover she left him. This betrayal had left him hating women, especially rich ones. He refuses to even attempt to love or trust again. That is until he meets Nicki.

Nicki lived a privileged upbringing in that she wanted for nothing that money could buy. It couldn’t buy her parents love however and when her mother dies she blames her father and renounces him and all his money. At the same time her fiancé dumps her for reasons that leave her scarred. Now living in Chicago her boss wants her to go to his brother’s ranch for a month. Not being able to live without pay for that long she goes and as expected falls hard for the woman hating brother.

This is basically a story about two people learning to love and trust again. Of course they couldn’t do so without each other. I really enjoyed the dance of Winthrop and Nicki as they would get close and then pull back. There is also the side story of Gerald and Sadie which was nice and didn’t overshadow the main plot. I also loved Mary, the housekeeper; she added some much appreciated humor.

The Humbug Man
★★★☆☆
This is a quick sweet read. Maggie and Tate have both lost their spouses and have been alone for years. Tate has hidden his hurt with a cold attitude and distance; while Maggie has basically hid behind work and raising her son. Spending time at the ranch her father-in-law left her over Christmas put her next door to Tate. They’re attracted to each other and as Tate thaws out and Blake’s plans come together they fall in love.

Overall this is very sweet story of two lonely and hurt people finding each other. The pace is fast, but it needed to be for the length of the story.

(I received a copy from publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Darker Passions ( )

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

"White Christmas" republishes two stories first published in 1987 and 1988:

"Woman Hater" – When her boss communicates to Nicole White that he'll be spending a month in his family house in Montana and asks her to go with him, she tries her best to dodge it but eventually she agrees to going with him. And when she meets his brother, Winthrop Christopher, Nicole finds herself strangely attracted to him. Winthrop is known for his despise for the opposite sex, after being rejected by his girlfriend in the past, but there is something about Nicole that attracts him...

This story had a lot of potential, two characters, very hurt in the past, and determined to be alone, meet and end up falling in love and convince each other to give love another chance. It could have been very good. But it wasn't. Maybe it's because it's been published more than 25 years ago and the story is dated, but there were too many details that irked me and made me not like the story at all...

Where to begin? Maybe with the protagonist, Nicole. Am I supposed to believe a rich and neglected girl, raised in abundance, with two neglecting parents and who had a boyfriend is a virgin? I have nothing against virgin protagonists as long as the explanation is plausible and this one just wasn't... Of course the girl simply melts with Winthrop's advances and becomes completely silly when she seemed so decided and determined in the beginning.

Winthrop is only slightly better. I understand where his hatred for women came from, after what he went through, the contrary would be weird. And I understand his reluctance in accepting his feelings for Nicole, but that ending ruined it for me... Not even the hotter scenes redeemed it because we don't get the denouement.

Oh well, I did like the secundary characters, Winthrop's brother and the housekeeper that has brilliant lines. Oh, and the only thing Christmassy about it is the fact that it ends on Christmas Eve...

"The Humbug Man" - Maggie Jeffries became a widow before she gave birth to her son Blake. Ten years later, she's spending the Holidays at her father-in-law's ranch while she tries to figure out what to do next. Tate Hollister is her neighbour and the most unlikable man she's ever met. Which, of course, makes her try particularly hard to provoke him. If only Blake wasn't so infatuated with the man, she could avoid him in the little time she's going to spend there.

But then Blake gets lost and Maggie turns to Tate to find and rescue him. Maggie and Blake have no other choice but to move to Tate's house because Blake has a broken leg and the heating in their house isn't working. And as she spends more time with Tate and begins to know him, Maggie realizes there is a motive for his behaviour. And you can feel the attraction between them.

I liked this story better, even though it is also dated. Once again, the end was my least favorite part. ( )