I really enjoyed this sweet romance - the characters were well developed, layered and REAL, and the story was a great one!

Allie was a bit of a superhero without coming across as a do-gooder - raising her teenaged sister, running a shelter for homeless kids, and generally nice - even helping out her manipulative mother when she herself was hard up, having lost nearly everything in an apartment fire. She's up against a hopeless situation when a real estate developer plans to buy the building housing the shelter she runs and turn them out on the street.

Ethan is a hard-working billionaire businessman that she knows via mutual friends. He has been trying to get her to go on a date for a long time but she sees him as not her type. However, he is the only one to turn to when she finds herself in front of her smoking building with nothing but her purse and her pajamas.

Money isn't everything and he has his own struggles with earning his father's respect and his place in the family business. Unfortunately, to do that means he might end up putting Allie out on the street, and he struggles with doing what needs to be done to show his worth versus what is right.

Conflicts abound, and as the story unfolds I found myself drawn to the characters. Touching and sweet, (and in love with their one-eyed dog) I'm looking forward to reading more by Victoria James.
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The past few weeks I have spent becoming acquainted with quite a few new authors. One of the stand outs has been Victoria James. I was introduced to her work by a friend and had to catch up on what I had been missing. The central theme in her works is the power love has to influence so many areas in life. She writes about characters that are easy to relate to and that is what makes her stories such precious finds. I received an ARC of The Billionaire's Christmas Proposal. I love how she creates family bonds through enduring friendships and helping hands. With her stories you become so invested in the stories that it is hard to leave when they end. ( )