From USA TODAY bestselling author of The Book Club Hotel, Sarah Morgan returns with a heartfelt story of friendship, finding yourself, and the surprising ties that bring us together. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Jennifer Weiner.
To the outside world, Imogen is a marketing dynamo. Her colleagues don’t know that while her high-achieving professional image is real, the happy childhood stories she spins are as fake as her pretend enthusiasm for Christmas. Working 24/7 has always been her solution to surviving the festive season—until burnout leads to a catastrophic blunder.
Suddenly, Imogen is handed a holiday gift she definitely doesn’t want: enforced time off work to recuperate. Then an invitation arrives from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. From the thatched roof to the cozy open fireplace, Holly Cottage is a picture-perfect haven… Can it provide the fresh start Imogen so desperately needs?
For Dorothy, helping Imogen offers a longed-for chance to make reparations for her own past. But as her daughter Sara keeps reminding her, it brings risks, too. Yet Dorothy knows that only a leap of courage will allow her family to grow and heal. And perhaps this Christmas, with Dorothy’s help, the new life that Imogen is slowly piecing together could be better than anything either of them could imagine…
Perfect for fans of: Rebecca Serle and Jojo Moyes The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan Strong, hardworking women Complex family relationships Christmas Hallmark movies
“Morgan’s latest is sure to serve up some holiday cheer as Imogen learns the meaning of family and friendship and finds her own love story. This delightful Christmas tale is the perfect antidote to loneliness and feeling overwhelmed over the busy holiday season.”—Booklist Reviews
“Imogen will find that there’s much more to life than work and that perhaps she’s able to have love and family after all . . . Though the pacing is a bit uneven, this latest from Morgan is a poignant holiday novel with a touch of romance.”—Library Journal
Imogen is all about her work. She has no other life outside of work, although she does have a couple of photos on her desk of a fake family and a fake dog, neither of which is hers. As an event planner, she excels, but she keeps taking on more and more clients until the unthinkable happens and an important event implodes. Imogen’s boss isn’t mad about that so much as she fears Imogen is going to burn out in flames, so she orders her to take the month of December off, and suggests she spend it with her family.
Unfortunately, that’s not an option. Imogen was raised by a single mother who was extremely abusive and unstable, and she avoids her as much as possible. But when her favorite client, Dorothy, offers her the use of her Cotswold country cottage, Imogen decides to take her up on it and get a much-needed rest. Dorothy invites her to lunch, but a visit to the restroom reveals family photos that turn Imogen’s world upside down. Learning about her own family is an eye opening experience, but Imogen is helped along by a neighboring veterinarian. They all spend that month together, and Imogen finally finds the happiness she never knew she was missing.
I found parts of the story confusing at times, but eventually, it all made sense. I liked seeing Imogen come out of her shell and finding family and love was just a bonus. A perfect read for the holidays!
11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE HOLIDAY COTTAGE by Sarah Morgan.Canary Street Press; Original edition (September 24, 2024). ISBN: 978-1335499097. 352p.
Two very indoor people rough it on a remote island after getting swept up in an archaeologist’s hunt for a famed jewel in this dazzling new adventure rom-com by Kerry Rea, author of Lucy on the Wild Side.
If Emily Edwards knows one thing, it’s that you don’t go to a remote island by yourself. Ever the type A personality, Emily doesn’t want to hike around an unfamiliar island, but she’s determined to fulfill her late father’s national park bucket list, starting with Isle Royale National Park—home to wolves, bears, and hundred-year-old shipwrecks. She has no choice but to hire a tour guide, and there is only one that isn’t booked solid.
Ryder Fleet, co-owner of Fleet Outdoor Adventures, wouldn’t call himself a wilderness expert, and he definitely doesn’t know how to find true north. But when his dormant adventure guide business suddenly finds life again after a random inquiry, Ryder somehow finds himself on a ferry to Isle Royale with a very beautiful, no-nonsense woman. What this woman doesn’t know is that his brother Caleb, who died two years ago, was the outdoorsman of their business, while Ryder just did the marketing. But how hard could it be to hike up a few mountains?
Pretty difficult, actually, when murder is involved. Emily’s perfectly planned trek turns disastrous when she and Ryder witness a brutal crime and are suddenly forced to evade a group of archaeologists on the hunt for a jewel. As they spend nights together too close for comfort, they realize their shoddily built fire isn’t the only thing that’s kindling, and that they must trust each other if they want to escape the island with their lives—and hearts—intact.
“The great outdoors brings peril and passion in this high-octane rom-com…Rea ramps up the suspense, but never races through the relationship itself, allowing it to develop at a natural pace amid the drama. The characters slowly reveal their hidden depths…igniting an attraction that inspires them to want to save each other. It’s the perfect mix of danger and delight.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Rea takes readers on a delightful adventure that’s packed with action, twists, and humor in this forced-proximity rom-com. Hand to fans of Jo Segura and Sarah Hawley.”—Library Journal
“This hilarious novel doesn’t take itself too seriously and is a quick, fun read.”—Booklist
Emily lost her father over a year ago, but is still feeling guilty that she kept putting off going to national parks with him. Now that he’s gone, she feels it is her mission to spread his ashes at the top park on his bucket list, Isle Royale National Park. Emily much prefers a five star resort to doing anything outdoors, but guilt is a powerful motivator. This particular park requires some outdoor survival skills for sure, and since she doesn’t have any, she invites her boyfriend along. But two weeks before their trip, he dumps her.
Frantic, Emily tries every tour guide she can find until she reaches Fleet Outdoor Adventures, and miraculously, they have a guide available. What they don’t tell her is that her guide, Ryder, is actually the marketing person at this company but since his brother, the actual guide, passed away, the company has sort of fallen apart and is on the verge of going under. This is the last attempt to try and save it, so off Ryder goes into the wilderness on a truly madcap adventure.
Things don’t start off well when he almost misses the ferry that takes them to the park. Emily is not impressed with Ryder, to say the least, and the more they hike the less impressed she is. Ryder can only fake it for so long until he admits he is just as clueless as she is.
Meanwhile, Emily met an archaeology professor from Harvard on the ferry who tells her about a shipwreck he is researching. When they run into him in the woods, he claims his mentor tried to kill him because they found a rare blue diamond on board the wreck. Turns out to be the other way around, and Emily and Ryder realize they are in deep trouble when they witness a murder. And then they become the hunted.
This is more silly than serious, despite the guns and goons. Ryder and Emily slowly find a way to get along, and then more feelings develop. This was a really fun read with a lot of laughs between the murder attempts, and the forced proximity trope works really well here. Rea has become a must-read author for me, if only for the laughter – and what could be better than laughing?
11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE JEWEL OF THE ISLE by Kerry Rea.Berkley (November 26, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593815649. 336p.
This year Macomber has THREE Christmas romances out; one novel, and two novellas packaged together in one book. They are exactly what her fans expect – sweet and happy holiday reads!
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A solo holiday trip inspires one woman to rediscover her passion—and remember that, sometimes, duets are more fun—in this romantic Christmas novel from #1New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. “A perfectly delicious Christmas bonbon of a novel.”—Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Santa Suit and Bright Lights, Big Christmas
Hailey Morgan’s life has always revolved around music. She once had big dreams of becoming a professional songwriter, but the reality of life has led her to working as an assistant high school band teacher in Portland. As the holidays approach, Hailey dreads the annual tradition of spending Christmas with her family and dodging her mother’s meddling questions about her love life.
When Hailey’s close friend offers her the use of her family’s empty cabin for a rejuvenating solo holiday retreat, Hailey finally decides to do something to make herself happy. However, her arrival in the small town of Podunk, Oregon, is anything but peaceful when she discovers the cabin has been invaded by several wild animals. Luckily, Jay, the son of the town’s main store proprietor—and an incredibly handsome and charming former musician to boot—is more than willing to help.
Soon Hailey and Jay are nearly inseparable, chopping down and decorating a Christmas tree, sipping hot cocoa in front of a cozy fire, and best of all, playing music together. Jay’s positive feedback and encouragement inspire Hailey to believe she might succeed as a songwriter after all. But even in her snow-dusted oasis, family holiday drama still finds Hailey, interrupting and threatening her newfound peace and confidence. Meanwhile revelations from Jay present complications of their own. Suddenly her Christmas paradise has become a winter storm and Hailey must weather through the challenges to stand up for herself and embrace the holiday spirit.
Two stories to celebrate the holiday season with the good people of Cedar Cove…
A Cedar Cove Christmas
Mary Jo Wyse finds herself in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve, stranded, pregnant and alone. And there’s no room at the local inn… So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her ranch, where they’ve got a spare room over the stable. And luckily a paramedic named Mack McAfee is there to help when Mary Jo goes into labor. The people of Cedar Cove join them in celebrating the birth of baby Noelle. But no one has more to celebrate than Mack…because this Christmas brings him faith, hope and love.
1225 Christmas Tree Lane
Beth Morehouse expects this Christmas to be one of her best. But someone leaves a basket of puppies on her doorstep, and now she’s determined to find them all good homes. Also complicating things is the invitation her daughters extended to their dad…whom Beth divorced a long time ago. As always in life, there are surprises. More than one family’s going to have a puppy under the tree. More than one scheme will go awry. And more than one romance will have a happy ending!
MISTLETOE AND MISCHIEF by Debbie Macomber. MIRA; Reissue edition (October 1, 2024). ISBN: 978-0778368212. 368p.
I enjoyed both of these books! Reading Mistletoe and Mischief was like visiting an old friend. I was happy to be back in Cedar Cove again, even if I didn’t remember a lot of the characters. I thought maybe this was Macomber’s way of ending the series, but it didn’t feel like an ending. There are at least a dozen books in this series, and I’ve enjoyed them all. Please note that these have been previously published as individual books.
The Christmas Duet was a fun read about an aspiring songwriter who escapes her overbearing family for a Christmas alone – but it doesn’t turn out that way. A sweet romance blooms during most of the book, followed by family and a happy ending. Pure entertainment the way Macomber does it!
Christmas is both naughty and nice this year when a single dad and his best friend’s sister celebrate with some secret (steamy) romance and festive fun, perfect for fans of Maggie Knox and Lyssa Kay Adams.
Charlotte Calhoun has avoided Hayden Porter, her older brother’s sexy-as-sin best friend, ever since that mortifying night when he flat-out rejected her. Fine. Except this Christmas season, they’re thrown together at a snowy ski resort for her brother’s bachelor party, complete with mistletoe, cozy fireplaces, and adjoining rooms. She can tell herself to get over Hayden, but holiday cheer is turning to holiday lust every time he is within ten feet of her.
Between being a full-time single father and his high-pressure college coaching job, a romantic relationship is off the table for Hayden. But he’s fought his attraction to Charlotte for as long as he can. A one-night stand is starting to sound like a good idea—as long as her brother never finds out. But with two long weeks until the wedding, hiding their growing feelings is going to take a Christmas miracle.
From the BookBitch: This was a fun, sexy Christmas romance and completely entertaining – everything I want in a Christmas romance.
Annie Jones is stuck repeating Christmas Eve until she finds everything she’s been missing in life in this heartwarming time travel Christmas romance for fans of Miracle on 34th Street, Groundhog Day, and Josie Silver’s A Winter in New York.
Annie Jones works hard designing windows for iconic New York City department store Lawson’s Finest. So when her Christmas window display gets upended by some rambunctious kids on Christmas Eve, the all-too-realistic store Santa gives Annie a little decorating tip on how to start over. With help from friendly security guard Braden Tate, Annie repairs the damage and heads home. But when she wakes the next morning, she’s bewildered to find that it isn’t Christmas day at all, but Christmas Eve all over again.
Trapped in a time loop, Annie doesn’t know how she’ll ever make it back to the present. Luckily, she has an infinite number of chances to get things right. As little everyday choices bring her closer to Braden and to Christmas day, Annie starts to picture what her new life― one full of friendship, love, and community―could look like.
From the BookBitch: “Groundhog Day” is one of my favorite movies, and this book has a similar premise around Christmas Eve instead. Annie was a sweet character, as was Braden, and as the days keep repeating, they learn more about one another and themselves – and how much reaching out to strangers can matter.
The magic of Christmas—and a second shot at romance—is in the air in Shelter Springs this holiday season…
Amanda Taylor isn’t a fan of Christmas, but as the owner of a local soap shop, ignoring the holiday season isn’t an option. To forget the pain of Christmases past, Amanda focuses on making the season bright for her customers at the Shelter Springs Holiday Giving Market. But when her beloved grandmother, Birdie, starts dating the dashing new resident of the Shelter Inn retirement community, Amanda smells trouble. Fortunately, Rafe Arredondo, the grandson of Birdie’s charming suitor, is equally dubious of the match. Unfortunately, he’s just as fiery as his grandfather—and Amanda has zero interest in getting burned.
As a single father, paramedic and assistant fire chief, Rafe has more than enough on his plate. Sure, he and Amanda share a common goal in keeping their grandparents apart. Still, that doesn’t mean he should allow himself to feel as drawn to her as he does. Even if she is great with his young son. Even if she does help the burden of his own painful past feel a little lighter… But when their paths keep crossing at the holiday market, it starts to feel like fate, prompting them both to wonder if taking a chance on love might gift them everything they’ve been wishing for.
From the BookBitch: This is the second book in the Shelter Springs series, and I loved it. Not sure why the publisher is harping on the grandparents relationship; that is really a subplot. It’s the heat between Rafe and Amanda that makes this story fiery and unputdownable.
A witty, warmhearted novel about coming to terms with grief, taking a chance on unexpected connections, and finding family in time for the holidays
For wedding singer Mel Hart, the holidays have always retained a certain magic. Her mother, Connie, always managed to pull off spectacular Santa hijinx that convinced Mel to keep believing in Santa way longer than other kids. Those moments meant everything to Mel because the rest of the year, life was unpredictable because of her mother’s alcohol use.
But two weeks before Christmas, Mel gets a call from the hospital: her mother has died.
Then a woman shows up on Mel’s doorstep, claiming to be Connie’s estranged best friend, promising to tell Mel a different narrative—one in which Connie was almost a famous country music star, if only a man hadn’t gotten in the way. Instead of spending Christmas alone in her dead mother’s house, Mel agrees to stay with Barb for the holidays, finding herself in the middle of Barb’s complicated family and uncovering secrets while fighting an attraction to Barb’s in-the-middle-of-a-divorce son. As Christmas approaches, Mel reckons with how little she knew about her mother’s past while reexamining her own future.
A Home for the Holidays is a moving exploration of complicated grief, mother-daughter relationships, loving someone with addiction, and the redemptive power of opening one’s heart to love in all its forms.
From the BookBitch: I loved learning with Mel about her mother’s life, and seeing her relationship blossom. While not your typical Christmas romance, the additional depth here was welcome.
Can one Amish woman give a struggling widower with five rowdy boys a helping hand—and chance at love—this Christmas season?
Phoebe Kropf knows everyone thinks she’s a bit odd—and more than a little accident-prone. She doesn’t understand why they fuss over her at home rather than see her as a bright, independent Amish woman. So when a friend asks Phoebe to help care for a house full of young men in nearby Sweetbrier Creek, she leaps at the chance to prove she’s more than her shortcomings . . .
Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head with his five orphaned brieder to care for and all the Christmas orders his woodworking shop needs to fulfill. When he asked for help with some cooking and cleaning, he wasn’t expecting a housekeeper as unconventional—or lovely—as Phoebe. Yet her warm care and holiday traditions win their hearts one by one. And soon the farmhouse finally starts to feel like home again. When the Christmas season and Phoebe’s time there is nearly at an end, will Seth convince her that the greatest gift would be her staying . . . as part of their familye?lationships come into play here when team captain Beckett’s sister moves into the same building as his teammate, Garrett. Garrett is tasked with watching out for Jennie, and he does, happily. But as they grow closer, their friendship soon turns into a more physical relationship. When big brother finds out, that happy ending seems in jeopardy.
From the BookBitch: I love Amish romances, and this was a good one – light on the preaching/religion, but heavy on the character development. I loved seeing Phoebe realize her self-worth.
Bask in the warm glow of the menorah in this debut Jewish romantic comedy featuring a hard-of-hearing hero and a Chanukah meet-cute, perfect for fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon and Jean Meltzer.
Andie Williams is not looking forward to spending her first Chanukah alone after her father’s death. About to lose her job, with her only prospect across the country for another work opportunity, she could use some chutzpah to make it through the eight nights alone.
Leo Dentz has had a crush on the girl across the hall from his apartment for years but has never had the courage to say anything—until she drops her grocery bags and he notices her drug store Chanukah candles. Ready to take a chance outside of his comfort zone, Leo offers to join Andie on the first night, sharing his dinner with her.
As Andie and Leo fall for each other one night at a time, and the clock ticks down on Andie’s move, will this season of miracles light their way forward?
“White combines scrumptious descriptions of comfort food, massive winter lights displays, and believable family drama in her entertaining holiday contemporary.” —Publishers Weekly
Yes, it’s a Hanukkah miracle – another holiday romance set around Hanukkah instead of Christmas. Now my regular readers know I LOVE Christmas romance; in fact, I’ve read so many this year I’m going to have to do a compilation review (coming soon!) But I am thrilled to be reading my second (or third?) Hanukkah romance this season, and it’s a good one. It’s also a debut novel, so hopefully more to come.
Andie is one of those amazing preschool teachers you wish for but rarely get. Sadly, her school has lost its funding so she’s looking for another job. Preschool teachers usually make bupkis (nothing much) and tend to burn out, so you wouldn’t think it would be hard to find another job. Yet Andie would like a job that pays more than minimum wage, and benefits would be nice, too. And she finds it – unfortunately, that job is in Ohio, precipitating a real soul-searching decision. She loves living in Boston, but as a young single woman with no family, she has no obligations to stay there. Except the memories of her father, and she is torn about leaving their apartment and all the memories it holds.
Leo lives down the hall from Andie and has had a crush on her for a couple of years now. He had a bunch of ear infections as a child that he never outgrew, and eventually lost his hearing, and he wears hearing aids. It was interesting to see a young person with that issue.
Their meet-cute happens when Andie drops a bag of groceries, revealing Hanukkah candles. Leo finally gets up the courage to ask her to spend her first night of Hanukkah with him. Leo finally realizes this is his big break, his chance to get to know her better and see where it goes. When he finds out she is moving for a new job, he realizes he has eight nights to get her to stay.
Leo has some family issues of his own. He works with his brother, both working for their father in their grandfather’s antique business. When Leo and his brother were teenagers, they were fooling around in the shop and broke some valuable pieces. Their father has never forgiven them. Now that he is getting ready to retire, his sons want to buy the business from him, but he doesn’t think they deserve it and is entertaining offers from outsiders.
Andie and Leo grow closer, but problems arise when he offers to fix her beloved mother’s desk. It is an antique and in terrible shape. But Andie lost her mother as an infant, and it is all she has of her so she very reluctantly lets Leo take it to the shop. You can see what happens next from Mars, but this is a romance so a happy ending is guaranteed.
There is some humor here, and some steamy sex. But mostly, it is about family and love and Hanukkah, and it is a terrific holiday read. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this new author.
11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
EIGHT NIGHTS TO WIN HER HEART by Miri White.Alcove Press (October 15, 2024). ISBN: 978-1639108923. 304p.
From the author of the viral TikTok sensation, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and The Cinnamon Bun Book Store, comes the only spicy grumpy x sunshine Christmas romcom you need this year!
Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town that’s too cute for its own good.
Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor taking a break from his life in California. And most importantly, taking a break from his latest run of disastrous dates.
After a run in with Kira in her fields, Ben has no intention of offering to help the grumpy owner set up her tree farm, despite the fact she’s clearly got no idea what she’s doing.
Kira knows she should stop being so stubborn, but her farm is not all cute and cozy like people always show on social media, it’s borderline dangerous with no heating, and she’d rather no one saw it.
But somehow fate finds Ben at Kira’s farm once more, and as Kira watches him swing an ax at the first tree, she finds herself appreciating his strength and questioning why she refused help in the first place…
The Christmas Tree Farm is a spicy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!
Tropes:
Grumpy x Sunshine
Small Town
Forced Proximity
One Bed
“A charming break from reality”– Publishers Weekly
I’m not really a TikTok girl – I prefer reading to viewing videos, so I wasn’t aware of these books until they were traditionally published. This is a fun series though, and I especially love the ties to the Gilmore Girls, one of my favorite TV shows that I watch repeatedly. I do like long-form videos, like TV shows and movies; apparently, I don’t like the 30-second videos. Anyway, while this isn’t set in the Gilmore world, it is set in a small New England town full of quirky but loveable characters, and that works for me.
Kira has grown up in the lap of luxury in Georgia, but when her sister meets her true love and moves to Denmark with him, she decides it’s time for her to move on, too. She impulsively buys a Christmas tree farm in New England with the last of her trust fund and moves into the farmhouse, which is badly in need of renovation. It’s freezing and needs a new heating system, among other things. She avoids town and is living a hermit-like existence until she realizes if she doesn’t get some income from this place, she’s going to either freeze to death or have to move back home, and neither option is the least bit palatable.
Bennett is in town visiting his family. He followed a girlfriend to California, but she dumped him, Repeatedly. His family is thrilled he’s back, even temporarily. Their meet-cute happens when Bennett walks his dogs through Kira’s fields. She’s not happy with him, but they keep running into one another and it turns out he is a bit of a fixer. A nice guy who likes to help. And even though she hates to admit it, Kira needs help.
Eventually, she opens her Christmas tree farm to the public, and business takes off. Kira is intrigued by this nice guy, but even more so once they really get to know one another. Turns out Mr. Nice Guy isn’t exactly nice in bed, which works for Kira. But Bennett is going home to California so geographically, this isn’t going to work. Until they make it work.
I love the setting, the characters are believable and interesting, and the romance sizzles. This was another fun read in a series I’ve really been enjoying. Looking forward to whatever comes next!
THE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM by Laurie Gilmore. One More Chapter (October 22, 2024).ISBN: 978-0008610746. 368p.
Love comes home for the challah-days in this sparkling romance.
Snow is falling, holiday lights are twinkling, and Abby Cohen is pissed. For one thing, her most annoying customer, Seth, has been coming into her café every morning with his sunshiny attitude, determined to break down her carefully constructed emotional walls. And, as the only Jew on the tourism board of her Vermont town, Abby’s been charged with planning their fledgling Hanukkah festival. Unfortunately, the local vendors don’t understand that the story of Hanukkah cannot be told with light-up plastic figures from the Nativity scene, even if the Three Wise Men wear yarmulkes.
Desperate for support, Abby puts out a call for help online and discovers she was wrong about being the only Jew within a hundred miles. There’s one other: Seth.
As it turns out, Seth’s parents have been badgering him to bring a Nice Jewish Girlfriend home to New York City for Hanukkah, and if Abby can survive his incessant, irritatingly handsome smiles, he’ll introduce her to all the vendors she needs to make the festival a success. But over latkes, doughnuts, and winter adventures in Manhattan, Abby begins to realize that her fake boyfriend and his family might just be igniting a flame in her own guarded heart.
“This novel will melt everybody’s hearts, but Jewish romance readers in particular will be thrilled to see Hanukkah reflected so authentically and lovingly. … This holiday treat is as wonderfully sweet and gooey as the traditional Hanukkah doughnut.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“Latkes and jelly donuts (sufganiyot) are a must for this read!”—Booklist (starred review)
“Reads like a dream of a Hanukkah Hallmark movie. I bet it would make an excellent holiday gift for a reader in your life.”—Deb Perelman, creator of Smitten Kitchen
Elliot has created a niche for herself, writing terrific Hanukkah romances. I’m sorry to say this book sort of got lost in the shuffle with so many holiday reads in October, until I got my newsletter from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorite recipe websites. Turns out Elliot has a day job helping Deb with her newsletter and possibly the website as well. Not totally clear on what she does, but Deb mentioned this new book was out and sure enough, I found it on my Kindle. Thanks for the reminder, Deb!
Abby grew up in New York City but had a rough childhood with parents who were emotionally abusive. She escaped to a small town in Vermont and bought a small cafe there, with an apartment above. She’s on the small business committee in this small town, so when they decide to have a Hanukkah festival to bring in tourists, they turn to Abby, the only Jew in town. Unfortunately, what this town knows about Hanukkah is that it’s a Jewish holiday, and that’s about it. When they suggest to Abby she decorate the large Christmas tree with blue and white lights and slap some yarmulkes on the three Wise Men, she realizes this is not going to be easy.
Desperate for help, she jumps on a dating app, looking for any Jews in the area. She gets an immediate reply from Seth, her most annoying customer. He’s such a morning person, and Abby isn’t, and his smiling face every morning drives her crazy. He’s willing to help with the Hanukkah festival, but he has an ulterior motive. They strike a deal; he’ll help her find vendors, and she will spend Hanukkah with his family. All his mother wants is for him to bring home a nice Jewish girl and Abby fits the bill.
The Hanukkah festival isn’t happening during Hanukkah, but rather between Christmas and New Year’s because the small town in Vermont doesn’t know any better. Abby’s business is barely breaking even, so she’s all in on bringing in more tourists, even if the festival isn’t exactly what she envisions it to be.
Abby and Seth stay with his family on the Upper West Side of New York City for the eight days of Hanukkah. There, Abby reconnects with the Jewish community and realizes how much she’s missed that connection. This really brought back memories for me – when I was first married, my husband and I moved to Dallas for his job. In the early 1980’s, there was a very small Jewish community there. We had to drive half an hour to get a bagel. We joined a temple, and that helped a bit, but it wasn’t ideal for a Jewish woman who grew up in New York and went to school in South Florida. I worked with a woman who thought I had horns growing out of my head. She was kind, just ignorant, and had never met a Jew before. So I truly related to this Vermont issue in the book.
As Abby and Seth fake date for his parents, Abby starts seeing the good in Seth and finds he isn’t quite as annoying as she first thought. And when she accidentally runs into her parents, he’s there for her, and that makes all the difference. They meet lots of Hanukkah vendors, and even though the town wants her to use Christmas vendors, she stands firm, and the festival is a huge success. And Seth and Abby find their happy ending, too.
This was a terrific holiday romance, and I’m thrilled it was about Hanukkah for a change. I loved it!
LOVE YOU A LATKE by Amanda Elliot. Berkley (October 8, 2024).ISBN: 978-0593815830. 368p.
From the #1New York Times bestselling author Adriana Mather comes a heartwarming tale of love, family, and pastry perfection.
Maddi DeLuca is coming home for the holidays with her nine-year-old son, only it’s not the triumphant return she might have hoped for. She recently broke down on a reality TV baking show, letting the entire country know she feels like a colossal failure. And she can be certain her mother will remind her of all the ways she hasn’t lived up to expectations over the years.
Ten years ago, all Maddi dreamt of was running her father’s beloved bakery in their tiny coastal town of Haverberry Cove, MA. Her best friend, Wilder Buenaventura, had his own dream–a life with Maddi. And for one brilliant moment when they were seventeen, those dreams collided. They baked together. They loved each other insatiably. But like a fallen soufflé, their relationship imploded, taking their lifelong friendship with it.
If she had her way, Maddi would have stayed in California, hiding her head in its beautiful white sands. But at her mother’s request, she has returned to her hometown to help deal with an urgent matter concerning her father’s will and his nostalgia-filled bakery. What Maddi doesn’t know is that this issue also mysteriously involves the one person she’s spent forever trying to forget–Wilder. Now she finds herself forced to make an impossible decision: give up her father’s bakery and her lifelong dream, or find a way to coexist with Wilder without murdering him with a cookie cutter.
“Mather makes her adult debut with this delightful tale…Romance fans will delight in the story, the addition of sweet bakery treats, and the showdown between the judgmental town, the snooty Buenaventuras, and the pull of the love that got away.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“A delicious second-chance romance…[Mom Com] is a heartfelt tale about learning to forgive both oneself and others. Readers will not want to miss Maddi and Wilder’s second chance at love.” —Publishers Weekly
This was my first read by Mather, and considering this is her adult novel debut, I guess that makes sense. The cover appealed to my foodie sensibility, I always like a good second-chance romance, and I love finding new authors, so this book was a win-win-win for me!
Maddi adored her father and grew up helping out in his bakery. But they had a falling out, and she moved away. She and her son come home for the holidays, and she’s not sure how long she’ll stay – she had a very public breakdown and needs to reset. There’s no place like home for that, except she finds out her father left his beloved bakery to her and her arch nemesis, Wilder.
They have a history together but went their separate ways. Wilder’s family is wealthy, and he works in the family business. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll just say Wilder and Maddi need to work together or lose the bakery, and neither wants that. As Maddi learns what’s been happening in Wilder’s life and he gets to know her all over again, feelings develop.
This was a completely engrossing story, and I couldn’t put it down. I loved these characters and how they finally found their happy ending, and the bakery was just an extra treat!
12/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
MOM COM by Adriana Mather.Blackstone Publishing Inc; Paperback edition (November 14, 2023). ISBN: 979-8212877176. 350p.
From the authors of A Merry Little Meet Cute comes a steamy holiday rom-com cowritten by #1New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone—about an actress and a perpetually single former boy-band member reunited as costars on a steamy holiday film!
Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel.
Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?
With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself.
They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?
“Well-developed protagonists with immediate chemistry and witty dialogue balance the emotional story as characters process big life changes and family trauma. Skillful, sympathetic writing weaves the conflict seamlessly into the storyline, creating a novel that will make readers laugh, cry, and cheer. This sexy, joyful romantic comedy from Murphy and Simone (A Merry Little Meet Cute) is a delightful read.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Murphy and Simone present another superbly written, splendidly witty holiday romance featuring another pair of expertly nuanced protagonists and a plot that flawlessly balances sizzling sensual heat and sweet romantic affection while joyfully celebrating body positivity.” — Booklist (starred review)
This book really appealed to me as a former Hallmark Christmas movie fan. I pretty much stopped watching them a few years ago when Netflix started making their own Christmas movies. The Netflix movies just felt more modern and realistic, and frankly, I was tired of the same half-dozen actors making the same movie over and over again. I hear they moved them to Europe this year, and that’s a nice change but not enough to bring me back. On the other hand, the Lifetime channel has a new Christmas movie with sex scenes!* I’ll be checking that out for sure.
Anyway, back to this book: a really fun, super sexy Christmas tale set in the world of made for cable Christmas movies. The Hope Channel is starting a new venture, turning their traditional Hallmark-style Christmas movies into adult versions. Soft porn, if you will. Talk about going to extremes! Their new female lead is Winnie, one of their mainstay Christmas movie stars who has had some disruption in her life and career and needs to start over. The male lead is Kallum, a former boy band member with a past that has come back to haunt him – an old sex tape has gone viral. Both think this is their opportunity to get on the right side of fame – sort of.
Winnie was brought up in a strict Christian home, married the man of her parents’ dreams, and divorced him when she caught him cheating. Her parents think she should forgive him and get back to making sappy movies, so they are really incensed when they find out she will be starring in this adult flick. The only problem is that Winnie has no sexual experience beyond her husband, and he was more about wham-bam-thank-you-mam than seeing to her pleasure. Embarrassed, she decides to ask her new co-star for help as he seems to have the experience she lacks.
Lots of laughs, some drama, and a whole lot of heat make this a terrific holiday read. I loved that there is an actual small town centered around Christmas all year long that everyone flocks to make these movies. I hope that’s a real thing! This was a fast, steamy read with a lot of heart and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
“[Thayne] engages the reader’s heart and emotions, inspiring hope and the belief that miracles are possible.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Come home to Shelter Springs this Christmas, where hearts are warm and hopes are bright…
Growing up at the Shelter Inn hotel, Natalie Shepherd envied guests who could come and go as they pleased. So when it was time to finally leave for college and put the lush green mountains around Shelter Springs—along with the cloud of loss that seemed to follow her family—behind her, she swore she’d never come back. But now her sister McKenna needs a favor. On pregnancy bed rest at doctor’s orders, McKenna needs a helping hand with her two young daughters and someone to take over the inn during the hectic holiday season, and Nat can’t refuse. And just when things can’t get worse, she runs into her late brother’s best friend, Griffin Taylor…
Griff has mixed feelings about Natalie’s return. She’s just as beautiful and full of life as he remembered, but there’s a secret he’s carried for years about her brother—and the guilt is eating away at him. Still, Christmas in this small town is filled with treasured traditions and new adventures that hold the promise of something sweet and lasting. From matchmaking seniors to rambunctious nieces, it seems everyone is hoping Nat and Griff will put loss behind them and find a happy new beginning…
“The magic of the Christmas season comes alive in bestseller Thayne’s poignant latest holiday romance…Thayne’s depiction of the Christmas season is timeless, complete with marshmallows and a Christmas Eve snowstorm, while her characters’ emotions feel authentic and often painful. The result is a good balance of light and dark.” —Publishers Weekly
This is my favorite kind of Christmas romance – some laughs, some drama, an impossible romance that leads to the inevitable happy ending. A sweet romance touched by the holiday is like a gift for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I can’t imagine growing up in a hotel, but Natalie and her sister McKenna did just that. Now their parents are gone, Natalie is a digital nomad, pet-sitting around the world, and her sister has turned the hotel into a home for seniors. But McKenna’s young daughters can be a handful, and after a couple of miscarriages, her doctor has put her on bedrest for her latest pregnancy. Her husband is forced to work overtime through the holiday season, so McKenna sends Natalie a plea for help. Without giving it a second thought, Natalie heads home to help out.
Natalie doesn’t know her nieces very well beyond Facetime chats but is quickly thrust into her new parenting role. Meanwhile, her late brother’s best friend, Griffin, is now a family doctor practicing in the small town. After an unfortunate jingle bell up the nose incident, Natalie is drawn to the doctor she always had a crush on growing up. And he is drawn to her as well.
They both have a lot of pain in their pasts that they deal with as best as possible. Together, they feel stronger but Natalie makes it clear she has no intention of staying in town once her sister’s baby is born. And Griffin has too many ties to this small town to consider leaving, so their romance seems doomed.
As Natalie gets to know her nieces and the seniors who live in Shelter Inn, as well as all the people in this small town, it becomes clear that leaving will not be as easy as she originally thought, and Griffin is a big part of that.
If you like sweet holiday romances, this is the book you’ll want to read this holiday season – don’t miss it! I loved it.
11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
CHRISTMAS AT THE SHELTER INN by RaeAnne Thayne. Canary Street Press; Original edition (October 10, 2023). ISBN: 978-1335009258. 304p.
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