I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It Started With Christmas by Jenny Hale Also by this author: Coming Home For Christmas, Summer by the Sea, A Christmas to Remember, The Summer House
Published by Bookouture on 29th October 2018
Genres: Chicklit, Christmas, Contemporary, Love & Romance
Pages: 311
Format: eARC
Source: from Netgalley
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Bookshop
Holly McAdams loves spending the Christmas holidays at her family’s cozy cabin, with its little red door and twinkling lights, tucked in the snowy hills outside Nashville. But this year will be different. Someone unexpected is joining them…
After Holly and her beloved Nana struggle through a snow storm to reach the cabin, they discover gorgeous and wealthy Joseph Barnes, who has been renting the cabin for the last few weeks, is now snowed in. And it looks like he’ll be staying for the holidays.
Determined to make the best of the surprise situation, Holly tries to bring everyone together by baking delicious treats and decorating the cabin with plenty of festive sparkle. She finds herself growing close to handsome Joseph, who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before, even if Nana isn’t so keen on the dashing stranger with the mysterious past.
But charming and irresistible musician Rhett Burton is also back in town. Thrown into close proximity with the person who used to be her best friend and the man who broke her heart, Holly realizes it’s time to face her feelings and figure out what she really wants from her life. But to complicate things, both Joseph and Rhett have secrets to reveal…
Will Holly be able to find herself and the love she’s always dreamed of this Christmas?
Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book and for letting me take part in this tour. I have been a big fan of Jenny’s books for many years and I always know Christmas is coming when I hear about her latest Christmas story. It’s like my version of the Coca-cola advert!
This book made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me swoon.
Holly and Nana are still struggling with their grief of losing Papa 2 years ago. This Christmas they decide to return to the cabin to see if they can regain their Christmas spirit. At first, Nana was a really difficult character for me. Nothing Holly seemed to do pleased her. I did enjoy the change in Nana as she spent more time in the cabin. She soon became my favourite character. Holly has been trying to be strong for Nana but being back in the cabin brings all her feelings to the surface and makes some rather big decisions because of it. Holly is a sweet, loyal girl. She would do anything for the ones she loves.
Joseph Barnes, oh what a man. He was very easy to fall for. He was kind, good-looking and charismatic. The connection between him and Holly was instantaneous. From that very first night when they put the tree up you could feel the chemistry. I loved the Christmas gifts these two got each other too.
Not only is Holly stuck with a stranger this Christmas but her best friend Rhett has decided to come home. Rhett is a big shot musician. Just over 2 years ago he left for a tour and Holly hasn’t heard from him since. Now he’s declaring his love for her! Rhett was a little bit selfish to start off with and a little impulsive too. But deep down I think he has Holly’s best interests at heart.
On the surface, this may seem like a typical love triangle story but let me tell you now, its anything but. This story was realistic. The characters struggled but in the end, they do the right thing.
This story is warm and inviting from the start. It’s perfect for snuggling up on the sofa, heating on and hot drink in your hand. I can’t think of a better way to spend these long winter nights.
About Jenny Hale
When I graduated college, one of my friends said, “Look out for this one; she’s going to be an author one day.” Despite being an avid reader and a natural storyteller, it wasn’t until that very moment that the idea of writing novels occurred to me.
Sometimes our friends can see the things that we can’t.
While I didn’t start straight away, that comment sowed a seed and several years, two children, and hundreds of thousands of words later, I completed a novel that I felt was worthy of publication. The result is Coming Home for Christmas, a heart-warming story about friends, family, and the magic of love at Christmas.
I released my second book, Love Me for Me, this past summer, and my next novel, A Christmas to Remember is out now.
When I’m not writing, I’m a District Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages, a mother of two boys, and a wife to a very supportive husband.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
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