Holiday Review: Some Kind of Christmas by Jody Holford

Some Kind of Christmas by Jody Holford

Published: November 6, 2017

Format: free Kindle read

Ratings: 3.5/5

Synopsis

Knowing she has to spend Christmas alone, Ellie Wexly tries to make the most of her holidays. When a kitchen mishap brings her past, literally, barging through her door, her plans change. Cooper Walsh didn't realize what he wanted for Christmas until he answered a routine fire call. Now, he knows exactly what he wants: Ellie. This Christmas and every one after.

My Thoughts

In this short Christmas romance, Ellie thinks her day has started off as bad as it could but by the end, she will have everything she has been wishing for. Ellie accidentally has a kitchen disaster and when a hot firefighter comes to her rescue little does she know that her past has come back to haunt her. Ellie knows this guy he is her brothers best friend growing up and her crush back in the day. They soon spend the day together and as time passes both realize that they have fallen for each other. She’s been hurt and wants to take her time and he simply wants her and just wants to make this Christmas her best yet. I really enjoyed this little gem I found it cute and romantic and I didn’t even mind the insta-love factor that was going on. I found Cooper respectful of Ellie and their past together and the fact that he wanted to make her Christmas special since she was by herself gave him big points in my book. This was definitely a good read.

Holiday Review: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz

Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz

Published: 1965

Publisher: Running Press

Format: via Overdrive

Ratings: 5/5

Synopsis

Start this holiday season off with a bang by celebrating with the PEANUTS gang in the timeless classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. Read along with Charlie Brown in his heartwarming quest to uncover the true meaning of Christmas with Snoopy, Linus, and friends!

My Thoughts

I’ve never been one for cartoons even when I was a kid but there was always something about Charlie Brown that I connected with. So even now I still wait anxiously every year for A Charlie Brown Christmas to come on the tv and I sit there smiling at the Peanuts gang as they dance and tell us what Christmas really means. If you haven’t read this what are you waiting for? It’s the best Christmas book with a message that all of us should take to heart.

Holiday Review: Restoring Christmas by Kate Kasch

Restoring Christmas by Kate Kasch

Published: June 20, 2018

Publisher: Createspace

Format: free Kindle read

Ratings: 4/5

Synopsis

The Christmas season is not all sugarplums and twinkle lights – at least not for Adrienne and Gretchen Harkins. Torn apart by tragedy, the sisters have been living estranged lives in New York City. That is until a mysterious red envelope shows up on both their doorsteps with news that forces them to reconnect and return to their hometown. In order to save the house they grew up in the sisters have to work together to restore their home and their relationship . . .and they only have five days to do it.

When all the odds seem stacked up against them, Adrienne and Gretchen find help . . . and love, in the most unexpected of places. Thrown into a race against the clock, can they pull off a Christmas miracle or will they lose their home, their family and true love in another Christmas disaster?

My Thoughts

Gretchen and Adrienne are two sisters who try to ignore Christmas ever since their parents past away four years ago during the holidays. Each has gone their own ways and have lived separate lives but this holiday season they both get a letter saying that their childhood home is going to be sold if they don’t pay what is owed. So they meet up and decide to go back to the home that holds both cherished memories and sad ones at the same time. They have five days to try to get the money together and save their home.

Adrienne soon bumps into her ex-boyfriend whom she left without a trace years ago and with his help and others in town try and fix up the house in hopes of winning the town Christmas home contest and use that money to save their house. With time Gretchen and Adrienne begin to grow closer together and realize what is truly important.

I really loved this tale of family and learning what is important in life. These sisters let what happened in the past separate them but with all the time they have spent together and being back in their hometown they sense that feeling of family and don’t want that to go away. This is truly a great Christmas read that will give you that cute and cozy holiday feeling.

Holiday Reviews: One Snowy Night & Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

  One Snowy Night and Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

Published: November 8, 2016 / November 7, 2017

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3.5/5 & 3/5

My Thoughts

One Snowy Night is a cute and cozy read about Rory who is stuck and has to go home for Christmas and her only way to get there is by Max. Max is her old high school crush and let's just say that time has been very good to him. Rory has to get home in time to deliver her mom’s present but a snowstorm has other plans and soon she and Max become close. I loved how finally Rory just lets go and enjoys herself, she really just enjoyed the moment and it was perfect. This was a very cute read one that will definitely have you rooting for Max and Rory.

Holiday Wishes is about Lottie who owns an inn and Sean who comes to celebrate his brother’s upcoming wedding. Soon a snowstorm has everyone stranded there and then Sean recognizes Lottie as someone from his past but when he talks to her she seems to not know who he is. Lottie definitely knows who Sean is but seeing how he took her virginity then never called her after she doesn’t want anything to ever do with him ever again. Since they are trapped in together they soon talk and get to know each other again and the truth comes out about that night from years ago. The chemistry they have is undeniable and soon sparks fly and there is no doubt they are want to see where this can go. This is definitely a more steamy read but nevertheless, it is a good one, if you want something fun and sexy this is the one for you.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 25, 2011

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

Gretchen Daniels has recently moved into a condo with her two children to be closer to her mother, Miriam. As they build a life together in their new community, they notice a mysterious young woman, Melissa McCreary, who lives next door. She has few possessions, little personality, and keeps to herself. One day a local landlord who is looking for Melissa knocks on Gretchen's door for assistance. Melissa's mother has died and in the coming weeks the landlord needs Melissa to empty her mother's apartment. Gretchen reaches out and offers to help Melissa, but the apartment is a gut-wrenching shamble of a home. There is little worth saving except for a few photos and a note that is discovered on the crate beside the bed. It is unfinished, but in the two scribbled lines, Melissa discovers secrets about her family that she never could have imagined. Can two very different women embark on a journey that explores a long-buried need for forgiveness, hope, and redemption?

My Thoughts

The Christmas Note is the tale of Gretchen who has moved to be closer to her mom and whose husband is in the military. She has a neighbor Melissa who is not neighborly, to say the least. While Gretchen and her kids try to be nice and friendly Melissa is used to keeping to herself and she wants to keep it that way. One day when Melissa is gone someone shows up and tells Gretchen that Melissa’s mom has passed away and that she needs to tell her. While Gretchen doesn’t know how to tell her this news once she does she tries to befriend Melissa to help her through this hard time, but what Gretchen doesn’t know is that Melissa and her mom weren’t close at all. Melissa soon discovers that her mom kept a huge secret from her and now she’s on a mission to find out what her mom hid all these years. This secret it turns out is much closer than she ever realized and not only that but she finds out her mother isn’t who she thought she was, she learns she had hardships in life. Though all this Melissa and Gretchen become friends soon they will discover that life has other plans for them. This was a feel-good read that shows us that fate does exist. People are bought into our lives for a reason and Melissa and Gretchen will discover that. Nothing screams Christmas than a miracle and these two will definitely find theirs during the holidays.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 13, 2009

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love.

Christine Eisley is the mother of seven-year-old Zach and five-year-old Haley. Her ex-husband provides little, if any, child support and makes life difficult for Christine by using the children as pawns. She works long hours as a waitress to make ends meet, but her job is in jeopardy because she’s often late to work due to the unreliable teenaged sitters she’s forced to use. When Christine saves the life of a woman who works in Wilson’s department store, the owner of Wilson’s wants to find her, to thank her, but Christine has disappeared, losing another job once again. He sets his grandson, Jason, to the task of finding the mysterious “Christy.” Jason, an accountant by trade who has lost his job to downsizing, thinks he is “above” working at Wilson’s. Soon, he discovers that this new task gives him more than he bargains for.

My Thoughts

In The Christmas Secret, we met Christine who is a single mother and who is trying to make ends met when she helps a woman who has a health crisis at a local department store, she leaves and the woman never knows who saved her life. Christine’s ex-husband is threating to take the kids away so Christine tries to find a new job but it seems like nothing she does can get her ahead of things. She soon meets Jason but due to a miscommunication he doesn’t know her true identity and while they hit it off Christine thinks he is sent my her ex to spy on her. Jason’s grandfather is on a mission to find the person who saved his employee's life and little do they know its none other than Christine. I liked this read with Christine’s mission to make a better life for her and her kids however all she needs is a little help and a break to make it happen. Will Christine get a Christmas miracle to change her life or will Christmas be nothing but heartache for her kids? This is one read that was cute and inspirational with a little romance through in for good measure.

Holiday Review: Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle

Published: October 16, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Format: via publisher

Ratings: 4/5

Synopsis

Angela Carson wants nothing more than to be the third-generation to run her family’s holiday store, Heart of Christmas, successfully. They’ve weathered over sixty tourist seasons, major hurricanes, and urban sprawl, in their old decommissioned lighthouse. But the national chain that set up shop in their small North Carolina town of Pleasant Sands may be more than Heart of Christmas can survive.

Encouraged by her niece to ask Santa for help, Angela gives in and lets the words fly in a way that, if Santa were real, would no doubt land her on the naughty list. What’s the harm when it’s just a computer-generated response?

Geoff Paisley has been at his mother’s side running the mega-chain Christmas Galore for the last ten years. When his mother falls ill, Geoff promises to answer the town’s Dear Santa letters in her stead. Soon he realizes the woman he’s been corresponding with on Dear Santa is Angela. How could the woman that grates his every last nerve in person have intrigued him so deeply through those letters?

When Geoff reveals that he’s her Dear Santa, will Angela be able to set aside their very public feud to embrace the magic of the holiday and possibly find true love?

My Thoughts

In Dear Santa, we met Angela who runs her family’s holiday store and while as of late the store isn’t doing too good this year it seems as though this might be its last especially since the new big box store Christmas Galore has come into town. With its mega savings and everything you could ask for Angela just can't compete. One day her niece advises her to write a letter to Santa via an app and Angela who is all against technology finally agrees and soon she and Santa are messaging back and forth. Who is this “Santa” and will her wishes come true this Christmas?

Geoff didn’t think that his new store would cause this much trouble but when the owner of the local Christmas store blames him for her store closing he tries to get her off his mind but it seems everywhere he goes he bumps into her and soon he finds himself liking her more and more. He is also dealing with his mother who he is partners with but when her health takes a turn for the worse he soon finds out things about her and her past that he never knew about.

As time goes by Angela knows that Geoff isn’t to blame for her store closing she has seen it coming for years, but now she must decide what she wants to do in this new chapter in her life and she wants to make the right choice. Not only is she dealing with that her feelings for Geoff that can't be denied any longer she has to tell him since they have been spending so much time together. So will these rivals become more or will business come between them?

I really enjoyed this read it was cute and cozy and how could you not like a romantic Christmas read? Was it predictable? Yes, we all know they will, of course, end up together but who cares as long as its done right I have no problem with it and this was done right. So if you like a romantic read then pick this one up and enjoy!

12 Days of Clean Romance: Taming Scrooge by Sophia Summers

 

Taming Scrooge by Sophia Summers 

Ezra Stone wishes Christmas would go away. Star Henley wants to save it. When a desperate city council, panicked about losing their iconic main street, urges Star Henley to charm her way into developer Ezra Stone’s life, they hope to change his mind, unaware they could break his heart. If the small town, Sanders Corners, can’t save its tree festival and protect their Main Street festivities, her father’s tree business and her Christmas shop will go out of business along with the rest of the town. She can’t let that happen, even if it means ingratiating herself into the cold, hard life of their town’s one and only billionaire nemesis. When a conniving city council forces them to work together on the festival of trees, the two clash as often as they connect, but everything could change on December 25. 

 

He reached into the decorated boughs and her heart pinged just a tiny amount in sympathy. Balls fell and clattered down around him, his whole arm lost in the decorated greenery. It wasn’t easy, and she did want the tree to stay intact for the short drive. “Look, I’ll call Colton up here to help you.” “Yes, you’d better.” When he pulled his hand back out, he pinched his fingers together and released them, the adhesive obvious. She smirked. Sap was a bear to wash off. “This soon becomes more trouble than it’s worth.” “Pardon me?” “This giving of the tree thing. I appreciate the help loading. But no one will be there unloading.” He seemed to stop himself, but his irritation was obvious. “Well, I suppose our apologies are in order.” He waved his hand. “It’s ok, I understand tradition and all that. Look, I’ll try to load it and we’ll make sure someone plants it afterward.” He reached his hand back in and started sliding the tree closer to the back of the truck. Colton arrived, threw burlap over the top, wrapped it securely, and then he and another man hefted the tree up into the truck. Mr. Stone nodded. “Thanks.” He climbed up into his truck. Then his appraising glance returned. “I’m here for the duration of the build. Wanna go to dinner sometime?” “What?” The word, her tone, escaped her lips before she could stop it. “Are you asking me out?” He grinned, a smile that she guessed women melted over. “I am, you free?” “No, I’m not.” Was he for real? His face became a mask, then he nodded. “Good enough. Thanks again.” His truck door closed, and he pulled out of the parking lot. Clinton clucked his tongue, watching him pull away. “Wait, is he driving your truck?” She groaned. “No. He has the same one.” Too bad such a remarkable looking man with great taste in trucks was so ungrateful, involved in destroying her town and her store and entirely void of holiday spirit. 

     

 A fun, clean, quick Christmas story. I liked the loose references to A Christmas Carol. Great escapist. This book was written so well that I could picture myself in town on main street at the Christmas Shoppe!! Only other thing I will say is, grab a cup of hot chocolate, a blanket and curl up in your favorite comfy reading chair because you won't want to put the story down until it's finished! I loved this book! It is funny, heartwarming and romantic. What can you do when you are both attracted and infuriated with someone? A very good book.I very much love Christmas stories. This is one of the best Scrooge stories I have read... a good clean book for everyone. Truth and trust win out in this sweet romance with Scrooge getting his Star! I could picture this town and their quaint shops. Sophia Summers continues in her engaging writing style. 

     

Author Sophia Summers 

Billionaires, Royals, Marriages of convenience, Cowboys, and Spies. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Sophia Summers is an award-winning author who just wants to relax a little and enjoy a great beach read. She lives in a quiet southern town brimming with an extra dose of hospitality and a whole lot of charm. She writes historical romance under a different name.  

       

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Code or $25 in PayPal Cash Ends 1/1/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader & Clean Wholesome Romance and is sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   

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Holiday Review: The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 1, 2007

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 4/5

Synopsis

Each Christmas we are given a promise from heaven. And each year on earth we make promises to each other.

This is a story about how a promise from one person to another shows us the true meaning of faith, remembrance, and love. Seven years ago Gloria endured a family tragedy that almost shook her faith entirely. Each Christmas she places a card in an envelope on her tree, restating a promise she made to her husband before he died. Now, having moved from her small town and all the painful memories it held, she is building a life by caring for people in need. Whether it's a young mother who can't pay her electric bill or a family who needs some extra food, Gloria always finds a way. Miriam is a thorn in Gloria's side. Miriam is a constantly critical, disapproving neighbor who looks with suspicion at all the good things Gloria does. When a twist of fate makes them roommates instead of neighbors, it's the ultimate test of patience and faith.

Chaz has a good job as head of security at Wilson's Department Store, but each night he returns home to an empty apartment. He longs for a wife and family of his own but realizes that the life choices he's made have alienated him. He befriends a young boy whose mother has fallen on hard times, giving him a chance to have a life he thought impossible. In The Christmas Promise, the lives of these characters collide and we learn that even as we move ahead, the past is never far behind. And when we are forgiven much, we love much.

My Thoughts

This is the type of book that in my opinion embodies what Christmas is. In The Christmas Promise, we have Gloria and Miriam who are neighbors and who couldn’t be more different. Gloria is very friendly always offering a helping hand to everyone she meets and Miriam well she is more about herself but when Miriam house floods Gloria offers to let her stay in her house until her house is fixed. While there Miriam sees all that Gloria does for everyone and can't believe it, she thinks no one could be that selfless. Gloria loves doing the things she does but she made a promise years ago on Christmas and vows to keep it. Little does anyone know that Gloria has a pain in her heart but prays that one day it will be filled. A mysterious man named Chaz longs for a family but he has had hard times in his life and when he meets a young boy and his mother he soon discovers that faith and love aren’t beyond his reach. This is a touching story that focuses on faith, family, and love and shows us to never give up because second chances can be around the corner. If you want a heartwarming story than definitely check out this one.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 25, 2005

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 5/5

Synopsis

Patricia and Mark Addison have long given up the hope of having a meaningful Christmas. But this year, Patricia's job as a social worker will lead her to a very special five-year-old. Against her better judgment, Patricia bends the rules and takes the little girl to her own home. Through the presence of Emily in their house and her penetrating questions about heaven, the Addisons learn that there is no sorrow so great that faith cannot help you find your way through. And Christmas will once more be a time of joy in their home.

My Thoughts

This is by far my favorite Donna VanLiere read so far. It’s cute, heartwarming and touching all at the same time. Patricia and Mark’s marriage has been going through the motions for a while now but all that changes when Patricia who is a social worker brings home Emily during the holidays. Emily has had a hard life for a little girl so when Patricia decides not to send her to CPS right away during Christmas Patricia starts to remember the real meaning of the holidays through this little girls eyes. Patricia reveals that she lost her son during this time of year and that’s why she hasn’t really enjoyed them since and also why she and Mark aren’t as close. Emily soon makes both of them see what's important and they remember how much they love each other and how Emily has opened up their hearts again to love. This is a sweet and cozy read one that will fill your heart with love and joy only like a magical holiday read can.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 28, 2003

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

In The Christmas Shoes, young Nathan Andrews was a child who lost his mother to cancer. Now his deepest wish is to become a doctor. When a stranger named Robert gave him the money to buy his mother a pair of shoes for her last Christmas, both Robert and Nathan learned the deepest lessons of love and giving. Now a medical student in his third year, Nathan realizes there are still things to be learned about faith, blessings, and sacrifice. Lessons he will learn from Meghan Sullivan-a young woman born with a hole in her heart that has not kept her from becoming a champion runner. And lessons learned from a young boy named Charlie, who teaches how to live a life of true courage. Together, they will help guide Nathan through the darkest period in his life. The Christmas Blessing is inspiring about hope existing in the darkest places, and love is always the greatest gift of all.

My Thoughts

This is an inspirational story of love and faith focusing on a young doctor named Nathan who becomes friends with Meghan and Charlie who will show him the true meaning in life. Nathan has had dark periods in his life but now he is in medical school and through others, he has learned that while he has had struggles in life others have had it worse yet have continued to live and love life. Nathan will soon find the miracles in life and with that comes love…the love of his life and all the happiness that comes with it. I enjoyed this short read as always Donna VanLiere novels are inspiring and have that comforting feel. You want a hopeful and romantic read this is a good one.

TisTheSeasonAThon TBR

Happy Holidays!!

I know it’s a bit early but I’m here to share my TBR for an upcoming readathon. I’ve always wanted to participate in one but I never had the time or just hadn’t found one I really wanted to join, but I finally found the one for me it’s the TISTHESEASONATHON! It runs December 3-9.

Yes, a whole week filled with Christmas reads so, of course, I’m so there! It’s hosted by some wonderful Booktubers and Instagrammers if you don’t know them please go check them out they are awesome!

@bookables

@acourtofcrownsandquills 

@btwnchapters

@chelseadollingreads 

@superspacechick

On Twitter Tistheseasonnn 

So here are the challenges you can do as many or as few as you like and you can also double up if you want. Now on to my list of books and which challenges they go with.

CHALLENGES

1. Book with red or green on the cover

2. Book to read while listening to Christmas music

3.  A warm and fuzzy read

4. A short read [250 pages or less]

5. Holiday-themed book

6. [Bonus] The group read

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5 & 6

There's my list I hope you join us in this fun readathon!

Book Blitz: North Pole Unlimited by Elle Rush

Nick and Eve by Elle Rush
(North Pole Unlimited, #3)
Publication date: November 19, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Nick’s plan: dodge his grandmother’s matchmaking attempts by claiming Eve is his date for Christmas. He probably should have asked Eve first.
Although Nick Klassen is grateful when Eve rides to his rescue after he breaks down outside of December, Manitoba, he can’t run fast enough when his meddling grandmother tries to set him up with the pretty tow-truck driver. Then he gets an idea.
Between juggling extra hours at work and a never-ending Christmas to-do list, Eve LeBlanc doesn’t have time for a new man in her life. But ever since she picked Nick up on the side of the road, she’s been running into him everywhere.
His flirtations started innocently enough but when his grandmother invites “his girlfriend” to the family’s Christmas dinner, Nick realizes if he wants to stop pretending about Eve, he must come clean. Once Eve learns of his deception, he’ll need Santa’s help to turn their fake relationship in the real thing.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT

Eve rolled to a stop in the driveway. “This is impressive.” Strings of unlit Christmas lights framed his grandmother’s two-story house and circled the spruce tree in the front yard. Plastic candy canes stuck in the snowbanks lined the sidewalk, and a pinecone-studded wreath twice the size of the one on the tow-truck’s grill hung from the screen door.
“You should see the inside. Can you wait till I’m certain her car will start? She hasn’t run it in a couple weeks,” Nick said.
His grandmother must have been watching from the window because the front door opened before they hit the first step. “Come in, it’s freezing out here,” she said.
The entranceway and the adjacent living room were fully Christmas-bombed, from the reindeer-shaped sofa cushions to the double-decker white candy bowl stand, which had a Frosty face and top hat stuck to the top of the wire frame. Nick held back a snicker as Eve spun in a three-sixty and breathed a quiet, “Whoa.”
“You’re not kidding,” he whispered back.
“I’m Adelaide Klassen. Who might you be?” his gran asked. She was dressed for her appointment. After a lifetime of seeing her in business suits at the office, it was always a shock to Nick’s system to see his grey-haired grandmother in jeans and a plaid, flannel shirt.
Eve gave Adelaide’s hand a hearty shake. “Eve LeBlanc, the tow-truck driver.”
“It’s lovely to meet you. Are you a special friend of Nick’s?”
Nick sighed. She was starting, and they’d been in the house for thirty seconds. “No, Gran, she’s not my girlfriend.”
“I just picked him up on the side of the road. I must say he is the cutest stray I’ve come across in a while,” Eve added with a smile.
“Don’t encourage her!”

Author Bio
Elle Rush is a contemporary romance author from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When she’s not travelling, she’s hard at work writing books which are set all over the world. From Hollywood to the house next door, her heroes will make you sigh and her heroines will make you laugh out loud.
Elle has a degree in Spanish and French, barely passed German, and has flunked poetry in every language she’s studied, including English. She also has mild addictions to tea, yarn, Christmas decorations, and HGTV renovations shows.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Newsletter

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Holiday Review: Four Days of Christmas by Emma St. Clair

Four Days of Christmas by Emma St. Clair

Published: December 7, 2017

Format: free Kindle read

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

You can't really know someone in four days...can you?

Natalie isn't looking for romance after getting out of a long-term relationship with the guy she thought was The One. But when she takes a job as an elf in the mall's Santa's Workshop Photo Place over college break, sparks fly...with more than one man.

There's Alex, the handsome photographer with a secret, and then Santa himself, the mystery man behind the costume who keeps her laughing. Will she know either guy well enough to choose by their last day of work on Christmas Eve? Or will a shocking discovery about Santa's Workshop make her walk away from both?

My Thoughts

Four Days of Christmas was a middle of the road read for me. The plot was okay nothing special and some of the romance was a little forced for me. There were two guys and I liked her chemistry with one guy more than the other but I felt like they forced one more than the other. While there were some parts I didn’t gel with, overall it was a nice holiday read. The romance was interesting and the banter was fun, it's a short read that doesn't take up too much time.

Holiday Review: Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber

Published: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her—minus her photo—and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects—or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

My Thoughts

Merry is all about taking care of her family so much so that she basically has no life. She works but doesn’t date and her family thinks its time for that to change. So her brother makes an online profile for her and decides Merry needs a man in her life and makes it his mission to find her someone. Her brother has the best intentions and soon Merry meets someone who grabs her attention. They have great conversations and they share things with each other that neither one has shared with no one else. However, despite the flirting and great convos neither one has a profile picture so they don’t know who they are actually talking to.

Merry is a hard worker but her boss is not a very kind man. He doesn’t really appreciate his workers and honestly doesn’t really pay attention to things around him. He’s a smart and rich guy but decides he wants to try online dating and find someone real and soon he finds the perfect person and she is much closer than he realizes. As you can imagine that person is no other than Merry. Now, this isn't a spoiler since you find this out real quick but this book definitely has a You’ve Got Mail kind of vibe going on. He figures out who she is before she does and the things he does for Merry are so cute.

I really enjoyed this story all be it, it was so predictable it was really cute and heartwarming. I love Debbie Macomber’s Christmas reads because they have that element of Christmas magic to them and this one isn’t any different. So if you want something fun and romantic than look no further than this holiday rom-com.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 16, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: via publisher

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Thirty-two-year-old Amy Denison volunteers at Glory's Place, an after school program where she meets seven-year-old Maddie, a precocious young girl who has spent her childhood in foster care. Unbeknownst to Amy, Maddie is a mini-matchmaker, with her eye on just the right man for Amy at Grandon Elementary School, where she is a student. Amy is hesitant - she's been hurt before, and isn't sure she's ready to lose her heart again - but an unexpected surprise makes her reconsider her lonely lifestyle. As Christmas nears and the town is blanketed in snow and beautiful decorations, Maddie and the charming staff at Glory's Place help Amy to see that romance can be more than heartache and broken promises.

My Thoughts

It wouldn’t be the holiday season without a new Donna VanLiere read. I think her Christmas reads are the sweetest and cutest books around and her newest doesn’t disappoint. In The Christmas Star we meet Maddie who is seven and in foster care. She goes to the after-school program at Glory’s Place and soon meets and strikes up a great friendship with its newest volunteer Amy. They hit it off and soon Maddie decides to find someone for Amy and makes it her mission.

Amy is looking for something more to do with her life. She is single and after being divorced for a while she decides she needs something else in her life so she tries her hand at volunteering at Glory’s Place. She doesn’t think she will become attached to any of the kids but soon she finds herself really caring for Maddie. They become fast friends and soon Maddie as her heart.

Maddie knows exactly the right person for Amy, it’s the nice janitor at her school and every time she plans on having them met something always happens. I love how just when you think they will meet they seem to always miss each other by mere seconds. However when they finally meet sparks fly but for totally different reasons then you think. I really did like this twist in the story I actually didn’t see that happening.

I think this story is cute and charming and I love this community of people that Donna VanLiere has put together in her books. I enjoy the people and how there is always an element of magic and Christmas miracles. These books are a series but all can be read as stand alones. So if you want a great Christmas read look no further than these books.