All Wrapped Up

All Wrapped Up by Kimberly Kincaid

Christmas is coming to Pine Mountain—and it has a way of stirring up memories, good and bad. Nick Brennan may manage the Double Shot bar smooth as good whiskey, but his past is a hot mess. When he runs into a burning building to save a little boy, some people start thinking there’s more to his heroism than holiday spirit. And then the local reporter assigned to the story turns out to be gorgeous Ava Mancuso, the girl who got away.

Ava knows what it’s like to have a past. But the changes she’s seen in Nick since she knew him do more than set off her natural curiosity—his warm eyes and gruff charm have her instincts fired up. Still, all the chemistry in the world doesn’t erase history, even when Nick invites her to his little sister’s mistletoe wedding. Does he have a heart under all those secrets? Or is this going to be just another Christmas past?**

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington publishing for the book in exchange for a honest review. 

Pine Mountain is one of those places that you wish you could visit in real life. It's hard to believe that I was introduced to the town two years ago in an anthology. I knew then though that I was hooked and had to meet all the people from this town. Kimberly Kincaid hasn't disappointed. 

We met Brennan in another book, he's the manager of the bar that Teagan and her father own. He is quiet and doesn't share anything from his past. One day while out driving he smells smoke and its not just the normal smoke from someones fireplace, this is a fire. He doesn't even think twice he goes toward where he thinks the fire is and finds Joes Market is on fire. Everyone is out but then a mom comes running up saying she can't find her son, Matty.  Even though his mind is telling him to wait for the fire department, he knows if he waits Matty may no make it out. So he goes in, and searches for the boy. He finds him and brings him out on his back.  He doesn't want the attention it garners. He just wants to be the manager of the bar he works at. It doesn't work and there are gaggles of reporters at the The Double Shot wanting to get the exclusive. Who he wasn't expecting was Ava Mancuso. She was a blast from his past that he was not expecting he'd ever see again.

Ava was sick and tired of being given the crappiest stories her editor could come up with. She liked living near Pine Mountain so she took it. Her brother was there and that's the only family she had left. So here she was stuck doing stories on things like the Riverside Turnip Festival when she'd rather be reporting real news. When the firetrucks raced past her in her gut she knew that there was something news worthy going on and she had to get the exclusive no matter what. The fire was in Joe's Market and it looked like everyone had gotten out ok, except someone had gone in because a child was inside. The man that came out with the child on his back was none other than Nick Brennan.  The man she loved seven years ago, but the man she left one night without a note or explanation.

Like I said before I love going back to Pine Mountain. It's comforting and warm. This time was no different. I enjoyed watching Ava and Brennan dance around each other. It was a hard time to get the trust back with each other and for his past coming back. Brennan lived with so much guilt and sadness, he didn't want to rehash but soon realized that he couldn't run from it and he had to share it with Ava. Ava and Brennan are cute and hot together, he shows her how to be less serious and she helps him to see that he's not to blame for everything he thinks he is.

**Goodreads summary