Fun read, while predictable it still managed to be provide character development and some tension. ( )

A little holiday magic to experience all year round. That's the best description for Holiday Spice. Every Shaughnessy has had their shining moment and taken a piece of my heart along the way, but Darcy sealed the deal. This time, Ms. Chase went for broke and laid claim to my heart in it's entirety. Darcy, the lone girl in a sea of men has grown into a lovely woman with a beautiful caring soul, but she still has wounds. Ben is a loner. He eats, breathes and sleeps woodcarving. When a cry for help leaves him stranded with an optimistic beauty, this lone wolf, may just find his soulmate. With an open heart and arms wide open, Ms. Chase ends her Shaughnessy series with a romance that has classic written all over it. ( )

Holiday Spice is the final book about the Shaughnessy's. Throughout the five brothers books, Ms. Chase has given us characters that have stolen pieces of our heart & made us fall in love with them. During their stories, Darcy was always there encouraging, mothering & keeping them together. Before they could embrace their HEA & their true loves, they had to come to grips with unrealized emotions from their mother dying so young. What makes Darcy's journey & acceptance so poignant is that she doesn't have all the memories of her mother like her brothers do.

Benjamin Tanner has never gotten over the loss of his parents. They were on vacation when an accident took both of them. He keeps everyone at arms length, especially his brothers. His mother's favorite holiday was Christmas & he hasn't been able to decorate or celebrate it since her death. Basically, Ben has become a loner & pretty much a recluse. He's a great sculptor that has been talked into creating a book & he's totally lost. It's so far out of his comfort zone that he needs help.

What a wonderful ending to this amazing collection. With each book, Ms. Chase had been building up Darcy's emotional intensity. Why couldn't she settle? When will she find her love? The journey that these two take us on as they find their way is unreal. They are both set in their ways & can't see the others' side. I'm wrung out just reading the story - crying, sympathy, anger, despair, grief, acceptance, laughter, & most importantly, love. This is the perfect ending. Darcy brought everything full circle. ( )