Tag: Christmas Books

Book Review: A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

This is a short review of a Christmas book that I read last week.

Book Description (A Ferry Merry Christmas)


Avery and Reed Bond grew up sharing a close-knit relationship, weathering life’s storms side by side. Even so, Avery often finds herself exasperated by her brother’s relentless matchmaking, while Reed can’t resist teasing his sister—after all, isn’t that what siblings do?

Facing their first Christmas without their beloved Grams, the woman who lovingly raised them, Reed and Avery decide to spend the holiday together at Reed’s home. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when the ferry Avery’s traveling on stalls in the middle of Puget Sound, stranding its passengers and leaving Reed waiting a now undetermined length of time for her arrival. What is at first an inconvenience threatens to ruin the plans of a number of commuters, but Avery and Reed soon discover that this unforeseen delay might end up being be a perfectly timed blessing in disguise.

While stuck on the ferry, Avery meets a handsome sailor and witnesses a Christmas miracle that reignites her belief in the holiday spirit. Meanwhile, Reed runs into a coworker who’s also waiting for a family member to arrive, and sparks a surprising and delightful connection.

In this tale of holiday magic, the Bond siblings find themselves taking a chance on love, proving that sometimes the best moments in life come when we least expect them.

Book Review

Cover of A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber. Image consists of book cover of girl in Red on a Ferry in Puget Sound. The book cover is placed in a red background.

This holiday novel by Debbie Macomber is a sweet and happy read. A ferry on the way to Seattle breaks down in the Puget Sound. As the hours stretch on, the personal stories of some of the people on the ferry, and some of the people waiting for them, are shown to us. There are estrangements–a husband and wife who are separated, and sisters who haven’t spoken for years.. There are also some sweet, clean romances, both on and off the ferry..

I did not feel transported to the Christmas season, however, Besides the occasional talk about Santa and holiday plans, this novel could have been set anytime. That being said, it’s a lovely, uncomplicated comfort story, perfect for the holiday season or anytime. If you’re looking for a challenging read, this is not it, but if you’re looking for comfort and uncomplicated romance, it’s right here.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books

Two Christmas Book Reviews:

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

Hi everyone! Below are some mini reviews of two Christmas books: A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber and The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson.

Hailey Morgan had always planned to have a career in music. When her longtime boyfriend Zach let her know three years ago that he didn’t consider her talented enough to succeed, she tearfully let him go, but the doubt that he created has plagued her ever since.. Now he is back and wants to be a part of her life. To make it worse, her mother has invited him to Christmas dinner! Offered an escape to a cabin in a small town in Oregon, Hailey takes advantage of a chance to rekindle her songwriting and possibly start a new life.

This is a sweet, happy story that will transport you to the Christmas season. There are some outcomes that seem a little farfetched, but I was willing to set that aside and soak in the Christmas spirit. This is the kind of story that you can read by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. Recommend.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Madison has returned home to her family’s Christmas tree farm, which she co-owns with her sister, Addie, after a fire. She is met with a property in decline and a sister who doesn’t seem to want her there. To make things worse, her old crush is living nearby. Despite Addie’s lack of interest, Madison takes on an ambitious project to save the farm before it is too late.

This is a sweet family Christmas story. The ending is very predictable, but it’s a nice, easy read during the holiday season. Light up the tree, curl up with this one, and soak in the Christmas spirit.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS

A CHRISTMAS DUET

THE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

BonnieReadsAndWrites13 Comments

Thank you to The Book Date for hosting “It’s Monday!”

Hi everyone! I’m officially retired, but still working on our move. Doug brought down a second U-Haul truck Sunday, and we’re going back Monday to try and get the rest. Our little house is full! The second bedroom is crammed with boxes, and there is some finishing and painting left to do before we unpack a lot of them. But we are here, in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, and I am stoked!

I have been blogging less as life has just been so busy, but I miss it! My posts may be a little shorter but I’m going to try and blog more during this hectic time.

CURRENTLY READING

I’m reading several books for The Historical Novel Society, and they are due in a couple of weeks. I will post about them after the reviews are published November 1st.

WHAT I JUST FINISHED

WHAT I’M READING NEXT

I actually already started the Nora Roberts book, which is the second book in a wonderful series. I’ve usually got more than one book going at a time. The Christmas Tree Farm is one of several Christmas books that are coming out soon. Yep, it’s that time of year.

Question of the Day: What Are You Reading?

I hope you all have a wonderful week, and I will keep the blog posts coming!

Blog Tour and Book Review: The Cranberry Inn #Family #CountryInns #Bookouture #Christmasbooks

BonnieReadsAndWrites6 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A feel-good Christmas romance about fresh starts, the importance of family and learning how to follow your heart. Perfect for fans of Mary Alice Monroe, Rachel Hanna and Carolyn Brown.

As twinkling lights go up and snowflakes begin to fall, Laurel Hanover and her eight-year-old son are going home to the Cranberry Inn in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Laurel can’t wait to leave New York behind to help her father run the family business, and make snow angels with her son, even if it’s just for Christmas. But when she walks through the door, she’s shocked to find the inn in disrepair, and a letter saying her father will be gone until Christmas Eve…

No one in town knows where Laurel’s father is, and she doesn’t know whether to be worried or angry – but she won’t let the inn go under, and nothing will get in the way of the perfect Christmas for her son. Seeing the worn-out wooden bannisters, bare of festive lights, she immediately recruits her childhood friend, brooding local carpenter Joel Hutcherson. They might disagree on whether any walls actually need to come down, but each rip in the carpet makes Laurel more concerned for her father, and Joel is a welcome distraction. And when he admits that Laurel was his first crush, she realises she’s falling for him.

But then Laurel uncovers a card with beautiful, ornate writing amongst her father’s things and learns the real reason he disappeared. And it changes everything. Worse still, she thinks Joel knew the truth all along.

Laurel thought this was going to be the perfect Christmas – that maybe she had found her happy. But now there’s nothing to stop her from running back to New York the moment the baubles come down… is there?

BOOK REVIEW

This is a sweet Christmas story about family, memories, and moving forward. The characters are endearing and the story is heartwarming. The reader is transported to the Christmas season in a lovely mountain town where Laurel is trying to get the Inn ready for an unexpected guest, since her father has gone away on a mysterious trip. Memories of lost loved ones and coming back home again are major themes in this story. It is also about learning what you really want in life and having the courage to start over again. This is a book to enjoy with a good cup of coffee on a chilly day, while looking forward to your own holiday celebration. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Christmas read.

I received a free copy of this book from Bookouture via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning journalist and novelist who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. Her novels center around second chances, family relationships and, of course, romance. She is the author of the Lake Summers series set in the fictional town of Lake Summers, nestled in the Adirondacks Mountains, which includes the books The Lilac House and The Bluebell Girls. Before joining with Bookouture, she published The Last Dreamer, a women’s-fiction novel from Lake Union Publishing, along with hundreds of articles and essays in major and regional publications about family, home and relationships. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach or the mountains whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: husband, her three kids, and her indefatigable shih-poo!


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BUY LINKS

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

*Kindle Unlimited Subscribers can read this book for free.