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Meadow Falls–trusting again
Meadow Falls
by Carolyn Brown
Angela Marie Duncan inherits the largest peanut farm in Texas from her father. That might be overwhelming to some, but Angela Marie has been working the peanut farm since she was a child so she knows everything there is to know from planting to harvesting to accounting.
Meadow Falls recounts Angela Marie’s blossoming after her indifferent father passes away. She depends on Mandy her 95 year old nanny and Mandy’s granddaughter Celeste for support as makes choices to shed her old life and rebuild. Celeste has been Angela Marie’s close friend from childhood. Celeste is reeling from a divorce, and Angela Marie has learned that men can be attracted to her for her money. Both have understandable trusts issues with men. Devon enters her life at just the time she needs someone to handle the many mechanical issues that arise on a peanut farm. He brings along his cousin Jesse who is an excellent carpenter who is hired to remake much of the large home. Tongues are wagging in the little town with a big gossip mill. Angela Marie and Devon encourage the rumors to keep unwanted attention away from her. This fake boyfriend trope works, but boundaries can blur.
I enjoyed the characters, plot twists, and romance in this clean novel. Mandy and her friend Polly add a welcome multigenerational vibe. If I had one criticism of this book, it would be that the characters “giggle” and “chuckle” too much. Laughing is great, but let’s pull out the thesaurus and vary the words a little! Otherwise, it was a good read, and includes a mystery of sorts—possible relationships that are suspected based on timeline and photos. It takes DNA samples to suss out the truth.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Publication: January 9, 2024—Montlake
Memorable Lines:
My thoughts kept running around and around in my head like young squirrels chasing each other around and around the tree.
“You don’t forgive to make the other person feel better. You do it to get that hard spot out of your heart. Hate and love cannot abide together. Hate is darkness, and love is light. Love produces peace. Hate eats away at you until there’s nothing left but a dark hole inside your chest that nothing will cure.”
I sat down on the top step and savored every flirty moment and every nuance. I held onto the vibes between us like I would a Fourth of July sparkler and loved every minute.
I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas–Romance in Scotland
I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas
By C.P. Ward
I found a Christmas story that would truly be good at any time of the year just because it is sweet and contains some “magical” charm—perhaps it was dusted by Christmas elves. The setting is Hollydell, Scotland, a minimally advertised winter resort that can only be reached by an old fashioned coal train. In fact, it is located literally at the end of the line! Renee tries to help out her long time best friend Maggie whose boyfriend of four years, Dirk, has moved to London in an important new job and seems to be distancing himself from Maggie, a lowly shopkeeper. At least that is the way she thinks of herself. Renee thinks that if Maggie invites Dirk to a romantic Christmas, he will show his true colors by either pulling a no show or asking her to marry him.
The locals and tourists are all amazing people, friendly and welcoming to Maggie introducing her to all the fun Christmasy activities. As Dirk keeps postponing his arrival, Maggie’s new friends insist that she participate in all of the events and foods that make Hollydell the only place they would want to be during the Christmas season. Henry is the very handsome, kind reindeer keeper who takes a special interest in Maggie, but as they grow closer he shares that he doesn’t do “holiday romances.” The area has some beautiful snowfalls despite Scotland not normally experiencing much snow. The setting is magnificent.
You just have to read this book to see if any romances develop and if they include Dirk. More importantly, you’ll want to find out if Santa makes an appearance.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. This is #1 in the Delightful Christmas series. My research tells me the books in this series would read like standalone, because the characters and locations of these books do not overlap. The connection seems to be solely Christmas.
2. This is my first read by this author, but there are 9 books in this series and there are other seasonal books by C.P. Ward. I’ll be returning for more sweet, clean novels..
Publication: September 30, 2018—AMMFA Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“We don’t get many visitors these days, but that’s intentional. We like to keep Hollydell special for those people who need it most.” She looked up and met Maggie’s eyes. “You see, those who really need us will always find us.”
“Nothing wrong with a good, honest job,” Emma said. “We can’t all be painting church ceilings. If you love what you do, you’re sorted. Money is just a number. Happiness is uncountable.”
“Things will work out, or they won’t, but one way or another, you’ll survive.”
A Christmas Romance in the Scottish Highlands–echoes of Cinderella
A Christmas Romance in the Scottish Highlands
by Donna Ashcroft
With a Christmas backdrop, we meet the talented Ella McNally who left art school to take care of her father. After he passed away, she took on the failing family house cleaning business. She is exhausting herself trying to pick up the load for her helpless stepmother and her selfish stepbrothers who frequently claim illness when it is time to work. Ella is too kind for her own good as she tries to fulfill a promise to her dying dad that she will keep the business afloat.
Alex is sent by his father from the family business in Edinburgh to the town of Mistletoe on a sabbatical of sorts to pursue his art interest under the world renown Scottish watercolor artist Henry Lockhart. He expects Alex to return with a landscape for the company’s main lobby. Alex can not remember a time when he has met his father’s expectations.
Ella and Alex get off to a rocky start, but they have to work together under Henry’s tutelage. He demands they look inside for their “truth” and put that into their art. Henry involves Alex in painting the set for the Christmas pantomime which will be “Cinderella” with Ella playing the part of Cinderella. When the actor playing the prince breaks both his ankles, they need to find a replacement quickly. By the way, Alex’s last name is “Charming.” There are fun, subtle echoes of the Cinderella fairy tale sprinkled through the book.
There is a nice subplot as the artist Henry tries to reconcile with Mae, Ella’s godmother who owns an art gallery. Henry learns a lesson about “truth” in art. Alex has never had a pet or been around children. In Mistletoe he finds that a little Yorkshire terrier is very attracted to him as is the housekeeper’s grandchild, Hunter. Hunter is like Alex in that his father doesn’t appreciate his interest in art and is disparaging of anything he does. Alex reaches out and tries to be an affirming father figure to the enthusiastic little boy.
Both Ella and Alex try to help each other with their respective domestic issues. but sometimes those efforts can backfire. It doesn’t help that Alex’s father is very much like The Grinch, and Alex himself has been raised under a philosophy reminiscent of Scrooge. You’ll need to read this romance to watch their attraction to each other blossom and discover how they attack the hurdles life throws at them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: As the book is a romance, one can expect a relationship between Ella and Alex. It starts off as enemies and progresses to a slow burn. Then the connection plummets off to an open door scene that was not necessary to the plot. Ashcroft is a good writer, but she missed the opportunity to be discreet and avoid an intimate descriptive passage. Is innuendo a lost art?
Publication: 10/18/2024—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
He was used to proving himself—but for the first time in a long time, he wondered if he’d ever reach a point in his life when he wouldn’t have to. Whether he’d ever be enough just as he was??
“No one is irreplaceable, not even you.” Alex nodded, numb to the ‘pep talk’ which was designed to make him feel insecure.
Alex mulled what to say. He knew every word counted, mere syllables had the power to snap a spirit or build it. His father had always had the same choice—why had he chosen to break it every time?
Mistletoe Season —Three Christmas Stories
Mistletoe Season —Three Christmas Stories
Return to Mistletoe
by Kathleen Fuller
Emmy Banks owns Mistletoe Antiques in the little town of Mistletoe, Missouri, where she grew up. Her 21 year old adopted daughter Carina and Emmy’s best friend Sheryl help out in the shop. At Christmas time Mistletoe is even more magical than ever.
A Christmas surprise is in store for Emmy, Sheryl, and Sheryl’s mother Maggie when Kieran shows up after a twenty-two year absence from the U.S. Kieran is Sheryl’s older brother. Emmy had a crush on him in high school, but he left for Ireland immediately after he graduated. There he acquired an Irish accent and spent 15 years renovating the family castle. Did he feel anything for Emmy fifteen years ago? Is there anything left to be rekindled? Will he just escape again when life gets hard?
Novellas are hard to write as there is so little time for character development. Fuller made me happy with this one. She filled in all the blanks, solved some problems, and provided a clean, gentle romance all the in the space of one short novella.
A Mistletoe Prince
by Pepper Basham
Most little girls at one time or another want to believe in the fairy tale future of marrying a prince and becoming a beautiful princess. Hardworking Charlotte Edgewood, despite having been told all her life by her druggie mother that she wasn’t good enough at anything, had held on to the dream of a rescue by a prince—until she couldn’t anymore. Raised by her father and an extended family of Edgewoods in the Appalachian mountains, she became an introverted carpenter with the nickname Charlie. She is forced into a leadership position when the manager of the annual Christmas fundraiser for The Wish that raised funds for children who would have no Christmas had to step aside. Charlie had worked with the program, but not in a capacity that would require speaking and managing.
Prince Arran of Skymar arrives in the U.S. to work with Luke Edgewood, Charlie’s cousin who is married to Arran’s sister. His parents want to expose him to carpentry work and service with The Wish to pull him out of a disastrous two year slump with outrageous behavior in response to a failed romance.
When their paths cross, Arran is certainly not the prince of Charlie’s dreams. I’ll let the author tell you how they met and if they were able to overcome their initial inauspicious meeting.
A Mistletoe Prince is a fun, Christmas romance that will leave you smiling and wanting to read more by Pepper Basham.
Say No to Mistletoe
by Sheila Roberts
Hailey Fairchild feels like a fraud because she has a blossoming career as a romance author, but she doesn’t have a stable relationship in her own life. As she says, mistletoe is her kryptonite; a kiss under the mistletoe dooms any possible romance to failure going all the way back to her sophomore year in high school when her neighbor Carwyn kissed her under the mistletoe. Extremely shy and introverted, bullied at school, and crushing on Carwyn, Hailey is totally embarrassed.
Many years later, when Hailey returns home for the Christmas celebration, she still has feelings for Carwyn who remains both handsome and nice, but how does he feel about her? Hailey is feted as the hometown hero with a book signing and speeches. She is stunned to learn that her brother Sam is dating Gwendolyn, her high school mean girl bully who hasn’t changed. Hailey is a very likable protagonist, trying to get along with her brother’s girlfriend, but Gwendolyn is everything a nemesis should be. Still mean. Still vindictive. Still out to belittle Hailey.
Roberts tells the story with flair from Hailey’s point of view. We get to hear what Hailey says in conversations, but also what she thinks. There is also some insight into the workings of a romance author. Say No to Mistletoe is a fun short read. It is the perfect length for this story with its interesting plot. It doesn’t require a lot of background to set up the story, and there is sufficient time and space for all of the elements of a good tale without lengthy character development.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: As a rule, I find novellas lacking, usually in the area of character development. There is just not enough time.I expected Say No to Mistletoe, as the last of the three novellas in Mistletoe Season, to be the one I didn’t like because the other two were so good, but I was certainly wrong. When the publisher chose these three authors for a mistletoe theme, they selected three authors known for their work in romance. These ladies created success with their well-written stories with good plots and lots of fun.
Publication: October 8, 2024—Harper Collins Christian Publishing (Thomas Nelson)
Memorable Lines:
Return to Mistletoe: Her cheeks reddened, and he would have thought it was cute if the tension between them wasn’t as thick as a castle wall.
A Mistletoe Prince: But deep inside, she wondered if her tomboyishness had something to do with the fact that if she put forth effort to look attractive or poised, and failed…then she was only proving Mama right. That Charlie wasn’t enough. And proving her mama right was the last thing she ever wanted to do.
Say No to Mistletoe: Moving away and adulting is all well and good, but their excitement over welcoming me back into the nest, knowing they love me and always will, no matter what? That makes me go all mushy inside and happy to have flown back.
A Christmas Duet–musical inspiration
A Christmas Duet
by Debbie Macomber
If you are looking for an easy and fast read with a Christmas setting, I can recommend Macomber’s Christmas romance A Christmas Duet.
Hailey is a high school music teacher. She has been composing music since she was a child, but she lost her motivation when her expected fiancé popped her bubble saying she needed to abandon her dream because she was not good enough to make it in the music industry. Three years and one destroyed relationship later she decides not to go home for Christmas. A friend offers a family cabin where she can seclude herself and compose to her heart’s content in little Podunk, Oregon.
When Jethro (aka Jay) is sent to rescue her from a “rabid raccoon” in the cabin, there is immediate attraction which only intensifies when they discover their shared interest in music. He used to be in a band and now is establishing his own production company.
What starts out as a quiet, inspirational time deteriorates rapidly when Hilary’s sister Daisy, who is obviously having an issue, surprises her as do a succession of others who don’t seem to understand the concept of being alone.
I don’t want to disclose any more of the plot, but it is fun and Hilary and Jay are both great people. My one small problem with the book is that Hilary’s mother is overkill in the “you need to get married and have grandchildren for me” department. Her actions certainly add tension to the plot, but I hope no one really is as pushy with their daughters as this mother is. Jay’s mother is much more reasonable and for me believable as a character. This is a feel good Christmas romance that I very much enjoyed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Publication: October 15, 2024—Random House (Ballentine)
Memorable Lines:
Not until his vehicle was out of sight did Hailey panic. She didn’t cook. What was she thinking? The poor man didn’t have any idea of what he was getting himself in for.
Since she’d taken a job at the high school, she’d become staid, caught up in routine and rarely venturing beyond what was comfortable. Being with Jay felt like she’d walked from winter into spring, where everything felt fresh and new.
This secluded cabin had more traffic than a Macy’s department store during the holidays.
I’ll Be Home for Mischief–giant gingerbread man
I’ll Be Home for Mischief
by Jacqueline Frost
The weather outside may be “frightful,” but an afternoon spent in Mistletoe, Maine, will be quite delightful for the readers of Jacqueline Frost’s I’ll Be Home for Mischief. With the whole tourist town celebrating its 150th Anniversary with full Victorian decor, the reader is immersed in all things Christmas. In fact, that is the town’s goal for visitors year round.
The main character, Holly, is the innkeeper for Reindeer Games Inn located on her parents’ Reindeer Games Tree Farm. As with most things in Mistletoe, citizens jump in to help each other when needed. Everything in Mistletoe has a Christmas theme and is intended to generate excitement and sales throughout the year.
Holly’s mom is determined to keep Mistletoe on everyone’s radar as she attempts to win the Guinness Book of World Records by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man. Everything has been carefully thought through and prepared, but when the dump truck disguised as a huge sleigh receives the tray with cookie dough on it via a crane, the unveiling for the audience produces an unwelcome surprise. Holly’s husband Evan is the local sheriff and he is immediately called to the scene.
The rest of I’ll Be Home for Mischief follows the usual next steps for a cozy mystery. Holly, who has a reputation for amateur investigating, just can’t resist despite her husband’s concern and warnings. There are lots of suspects and some danger lurking in the shadows. A little romance and some positive surprises are thrown into the mix.
Warning: these people bake and eat high carb treats like there is no tomorrow. They also caffeinate regularly. I think that must be how people survive the cold and snow of Maine. So, have some snacks and hot chocolate available for yourself while reading. After all, ambiance is critical when reading Christmas books!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery, Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: #5 in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Series. Thanks to the author’s skillful writing, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Publication: November 12, 2024—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
My maternal grandmother had infuriatingly tight lips. She never repeated anything that might be construed as gossip. Her advice, on the other hand, rarely stopped flowing. Especially when no one asked.
No amount of caffeine would ever get me moving like a ten-degree morning.
The lesson I hated most was that people sometimes did things in the space of a few minutes that they’d regret for the rest of their lives.
The Christmas Inn–big city or little town
The Christmas Inn
by Pamela M. Kelley
Riley Sanders left the Cape Cod area after high school graduation for the big city. After college she settled into life as a website content creator and manager in Manhattan. Her boyfriend works an obscene number of hours for a law firm. She thinks she has it all until life circumstances return her to the town of Chatham—at least temporarily. There she finds the family, friends, and community that she hadn’t realized she missed.
Her mother Beth is trying to manage a gradually failing inn with a broken leg. Riley is needed to help run the inn physically but also to expand the inn’s presence on the web to increase exposure and entice new visitors. There are lots of interesting characters in the story with several people reuniting with old flames.
The Christmas Inn is a clean, sweet romance with all the Christmas vibes. Between divorces and deaths, several people have difficult memories associated with Christmas, but they put on a happy face each year and muddle through. Riley’s former boyfriend has a sweet little boy who is excited about Christmas. He and his dad are staying at the inn while extensive repairs are being done on their house. His presence adds youthful enthusiasm to the extensive festivities in the community.
The book is replete with descriptions of the food and drink the characters consume. Everyone likes hot chocolate, and it goes well with the many cold, snowy events. The adults also enjoy a variety of wines and cheeses chosen from a local shop which is located near a bookshop in the friendly town. Riley has some big personal and professional decisions to make in this relaxing Christmas story, so grab a cup of cocoa and enjoy the plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: clean
Publication: September 24, 2024—St. Martin’s Press
Memorable Lines:
“We do use some AI here, but not at the expense of anyone’s jobs. We use it to enhance what we are already doing. I don’t believe in replacing people with machines.”
It was a mix of attorneys and financial types. The traders had a certain air about them, a cockiness that swarmed around them. They were incredibly impressed with themselves and expected everyone else to be equally impressed. Riley found it tiresome.
She’d thought they were on the same page. But maybe they were reading a very different book.
Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands–connecting at Christmas
Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands
by Donna Ashcroft
This story is about friendship, handling grief, and being controlled by others. Ross feels guilty over his parents’ deaths and his grandmother and older brother Simon seem to blame him as well. Grandmother Miriam is extremely harsh and controlling and has been grooming Simon for his role as Laird since his parents’ passing. Anything to do with Ross warranted only a passing thought.
Ivy Heart had lost her father to a heart attack. Her mother had to try unsuccessfully to salvage his failing business and wants her daughter to never have to struggle to survive. So she tries to control Ivy’s career choice.
There are interesting characters along the way—supportive ones like Connell and Bonnibell, part owners of Christmas Resort where Ross works as an adventure guide, and the curmudgeon loner Grizzle, a reluctant friend to Ross. Ross has two pets: a golden retriever Moose and a wild boar Snowball.
Ross and Ivy are attracted to each other, but Miriam’s manipulations cause trouble. Ross and Ivy have to come to grips with their pasts and what they want for the future.
Ivy and Ross were not really characters that drew me in. I liked the animals in the story better than the people. I found Ross’ relationship as an adult with his grandmother and Ivy’s with her mother to be unrealistic. The expectations of the adults were intertwined, but focused on their own emotional needs more than those of Ross and Ivy.
I enjoyed Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands to the extent that I wanted what was best for the protagonists, but I wasn’t engaged in how they accomplished that end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #4 in the Christmas Village Series, but can be read as a standalone
2. Contains one open door bedroom scene.
Publication: September 18, 2024—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
…he turned and headed towards the hallway, leaving Ivy feeling even more confused—because this was a man who wouldn’t speak to his own grandmother, but who’d brave bad weather to check on a friend.
“It takes a brave person to risk love and a stupid one to think they’d be happier without it.”
His whole life felt like it had just been through a washing machine cycle and everything he used to take comfort from had been rinsed away.









