Blame It on the Carols

Sugarplum Falls, Book 6

By: Samantha Baca

Narrated by: Daphne Winters

When my music career took off six years ago, I had to leave my small-town life and the man I was in love with behind. But when my mom called, asking for my help, I couldn't say no. Singing was what I loved, and helping the Sugarplum Sweethearts win the local caroling competition would be an honor. I could sneak in, spend some time with my mother, then get back to LA to prepare for my upcoming world tour.

What I didn't expect was to have an obsessed fan show up. Safety was the number one priority, and everyone assured me that I would be safer staying with Aiden—the former love of my life and current object of my heart's affection. But just because I would be physically safe didn't mean my heart wasn't in danger. It was clinging to old memories and holding onto hope for a future that wasn't an option for us.

With each day that passed, I felt myself falling more and more. I was on a steep and slippery slope that I couldn't afford to go down. Loving and losing Aiden once was enough to break my heart. Allowing it to happen again would shatter me completely.

©2024 Samantha Baca (P)2025 Samantha Baca

Small town Christmas Novella

Makayla comes home for the holidays to help her mom’s choir, the Sugarplum Sweethearts.What begins as a festive competition quickly turns complicated when an obsessed fan threatens her safety. This forces her to lean on Aiden, the man she has always loved. Their chemistry really brings the suspense to life, making the romance feel both sweet and exciting.

This novella is filled with music, second chances, and just a hint of drama. Daphne Winters brings the story to life with narration that perfectly captures the holiday spirit and the emotional journey of Makayla, making the whole experience even more enjoyable.

Huge thanks to Daphne Winters for the review copy!

Loved this second chance holiday romance!

Blame It On The Carols is book #6 in the Sugarplum Falls series. This magical town that LOVES Christmas seems to bring all the couples together. Aiden owns the town bar, Sugar Faced, and is a VERY eligible bachelor. However, his heart was broken by his high school sweetheart, Makayla, when she left to pursue a singing career. Now she's back to help her mom's choir win the Christmas Carol Competition. This town screams Hallmark, but the spice is definitely Passionflix! The author gives us some intrigue as well as Makayla has a stalker that has tracked her down. This is a second chance, small town holiday novella filled with romance and all the spice! The narrator was new to me and it was enjoyable. This is a standalone, but it is a small town, so you are going to have characters from the previous stories mixed in there. And Sam… the town romantic… he's up next for his HEA.

Not what I expected

I listened to this because it was one of my favorite narrators and it was Christmasy. She did a great job as always, but the story wasn’t what I was hoping for.

Makayla and Aiden

I am loving the Sugarplum Falls series. This book follows Makayla and Aiden who had been together six years earlier. I am so glad that Aiden came back into her life and helped to protect her from Kevin. During the carol competition, I am glad Makayla was able to have her spotlight moment which made her mom cry. It was such a sweet scene to listen to. I am glad that Makayla and Aiden were able to get their HEA. I was definitely laughing when Aiden talked about wanting to get her pregnant. I am also happy that Makayla didn’t have to deal with Kevin again. Overall, this was a great addition to the series.

“She still looked like the girl I fell in love with in high school, only more grown up.”

This was a light-hearted, super quick listen, and I gotta admit it was shocking the way that Aiden and Makayla went from 0 to 100 in no time.

I really enjoyed the flirty banter between Makayla and Aiden. The story was unexpectedly spicy with a lot of dirty talk. And it also had a side of mystery that made the story even more interesting.

Daphne Winters did an excellent job with this narration. I thoroughly enjoyed the way she brought the story to life.

Quote: “We are the family that we make and choose for ourselves, and there's no better way to spend the holidays than to share them with the ones we love.”