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Savannah Martin Mystery #5.5

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*** 18,000 word holiday novella ***

It's the morning after the events of A DONE DEAL, and Savannah is looking at Rafe Collier, a pair of fuzzy handcuffs, a economy sized box of condoms (one of which plays Christmas carols), and the rest of her life... but first, there's Christmas dinner with the Martins to get through.

Between Margaret Anne at her most poisonous, the ugliest Christmas sweater the world has ever seen, and yet another engagement ring under the tree, Savannah has plenty to worry about, not the least of which is whether Rafe will still want to stick around after dessert.

Contains an unedited excerpt of Savannah Martin mystery #6, KICKOUT CLAUSE, scheduled for release in spring 2013

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2012

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About the author

Jenna Bennett

72 books534 followers
Jenna Bennett writes the USA Today bestselling Cutthroat Business mysteries featuring Southern Belle and new-minted real estate agent Savannah Martin in Nashville, Tennessee.

As Jennie Bentley, she writes the New York Times bestselling Do-It-Yourself Home Renovation mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime, featuring designer and amateur sleuth Avery Baker and her boyfriend, handyman Derek Ellis, who renovate houses in Waterfield, Maine.

She also writes a variety of romance for a change of pace.

aka Jennie Bentley

The DIY series:

FATAL FIXER-UPPER (November 2008)
SPACKLED AND SPOOKED (August 2009)
PLASTER AND POISON (March 2010)
MORTAR AND MURDER (January 2011)
FLIPPED OUT (October 2011)
WALL TO WALL DEAD (September 2012)
HOME FOR THE HOMICIDE (December 2013)

The Cutthroat Business series:

A CUTTHROAT BUSINESS (May 2011)
HOT PROPERTY (June 2011)
CONTRACT PENDING (July 2011)
CLOSE TO HOME (September 2011)
A DONE DEAL (December 2011)
CONTINGENT ON APPROVAL (November 2012)
CHANGE OF HEART (May 2013)
KICKOUT CLAUSE (October 2013)

Soldiers of Fortune series:

FORTUNE'S HERO (December 2012)

Various:

ISLAND GETAWAY (October 2012)
VIRGINIA CREEPER (October 2013)
BEFORE YOU (March 2014)

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Community Reviews

5 stars
289 (46%)
4 stars
221 (35%)
3 stars
93 (14%)
2 stars
21 (3%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for MaryBeth.
78 reviews
January 26, 2013
I can't wait for the next book! In the meantime I'll reread this story a few times. Fun!
Profile Image for Karen.
287 reviews19 followers
November 25, 2018
This is a holiday novella in the Savannah Martin series. There isn't a crime, just a nice story in teh series to get readers through the holidays.

Usually I like to read series in order (and I have this OCD about it!) but I had to read it out of order because I had to find out what happened with Savannah and the bad boy. I will go back to book 2, but I just couldn't wait.

NOTE: Bennett also writes contemporary romance and the relationship scenes reflect that . They're not explicit, but are a bit more than most cozies.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,000 reviews49 followers
March 2, 2024
That was one heck of a holiday celebration. Most of this story was pretty adorable. The older generation, however, made me want to break fragile things. I enjoyed witnessing this first Christmas for Savannah and Rafe and I’m looking forward to seeing every last one of the holidays in front of them.
363 reviews2 followers
March 17, 2018
This one is about nothing but sex. It’s a little much for my taste. I enjoy the series. They have a storyline & some light mystery but I don’t need this much detail about someone else’s sex life. If I could give it a negative star rating, I would.
510 reviews2 followers
September 10, 2017
This novella is more harlequin since there is no mystery. It is about Savannah introducing Rafe to her family and their reactions. A cute light read!
162 reviews
May 2, 2019
Great Setues

I gave read the entire series and obviously enjoy it very much. I would recommend the book to those that like action and romance
190 reviews1 follower
April 28, 2020
Fills in the missing gaps from some of the other books in the series.
68 reviews
July 8, 2021
Another superb book. I read books 1-18 before I saw these short stories in between ,now have to read 2 more. This book was a great “filler inner” so to speak as to what happened at Christmas until the next full size book came out. Couldn’t put it down, I was done in no time. Another great read
Profile Image for Bette Stanek.
1,940 reviews4 followers
September 30, 2013
Aww. Very cute. Very quick. Very sweet. Plenty of smiles and a few outright chuckles. Can't wait to start the next, and final?, book of Savannah and Rafe. After I read the very first book my review had a comparison to the Stephanie Plum series. I had said this series had fallen short. I now take it back. This series gets better with each book. It's been a pleasure to watch Savannah grow into her own. It's also nice to know she can firmly commit, something which totally annoys me in the Stephanie Plum series. Kudos to Savannah and Jenna Bennett. Now, on to the final book (which may not be the final one?).
Profile Image for Caroline.
Author 34 books216 followers
December 13, 2012
I've enjoyed reading each of the Savannah mysteries in the series and I was happy to find this holiday novella. It was short, sweet, very well written, and touching too. Despite the short length, and the fact it wasn't a mystery, it was still very satisfying. Jenna Bennett is a must-read author to me, she never disappoints. I'm happy to see there will be a 6th mystery soon. I highly recommend the entire series - I can confidently recommend that you buy all five books and start reading the first - you won't be disappointed.
Profile Image for ❂ Murder by Death .
1,071 reviews142 followers
January 15, 2013
Ok, there's no mystery in this short novella, but it's pure happy-ending fun! For just a few pages, Ms. Bennett gives us Rafe and Savannah with no mysteries, no shooting, no misunderstandings (ok - one misunderstanding but it doesn't lead to anything bad!) and lots of Christmas cheer. A quick read but worth it!
Profile Image for Amanda.
1,392 reviews325 followers
January 15, 2013
this is a nice short story for fans of Savannah and Rafe. It took place the day after The Done Deal. The Christmas with in-laws such a pressure, and I can feel for Rafe. I hope he manage to get it over with. LoL.
3,078 reviews29 followers
September 1, 2014
This is a short holiday novella featuring Savannah Martin and Rafe on Christmas Day. They have become a couple and attend Christmas dinner Catherine's house along with the rest of Savannah's family. It was a quick easy read.
Profile Image for Beth.
759 reviews59 followers
October 18, 2015
Okay I spent the last 5 days reading the 10 current novels of this series and two short stories. Yes it was that good, in fact I didn't stop to update my feed so I'll put this short review on the whole dang set. its a goodread, go for it.
2,316 reviews36 followers
January 3, 2013
Loved it! A beautiful and hilarious wrap up of the Christmas Day following Done Deal. I was so excited to discover that JB had decided to continue Savannah series, too.
Profile Image for Kathryn Moore.
403 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2014
a short story # 5.5 More of the same "I love you Rafe." This series started out so good but then it went to more Rafe and Savanah and less on the "mysteries.
Profile Image for Jane Chizmar.
157 reviews2 followers
May 11, 2015
Story content was very uncomfortable for me. I usually read cozy mysteries and look forward to reading stories by Jenna in her Do it yourself home renovation series.
Profile Image for Kandy.
1,204 reviews11 followers
December 4, 2015
Cute story about a woman from a well to do family who falls for a guy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Profile Image for Morghan.
304 reviews13 followers
January 29, 2016
This is the perfect Christmas novella. It's sexy, sweet, and a little emotional. Perfect end to the first half of the series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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