Member Reviews
What a lovely book. Set at Christmas in the middle of nowhere. I loved the set up for the story and the probability that it would all go wrong. Great use of the internet and social media for mixing it all up. Great couple of love stories that could have gone any way. But it is a romance so you can keep your fingers crossed that it all ends up OK. I really enjoy Debbie Macombers' books, I am working my way through her back catalogue.
I just loved this book as once I started to read it, I couldn’t put it down. It has such a wonderful story of family and it was so heartwarming and Christmassy that I just couldn’t stop reading it. It has great characters as well.
I would highly recommend reading this book if you love a heartwarming Christmas book with a wonderful story of family with great characters.
I would like to thank Sphere and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.
I am a huge fan of Debbie's books. This one I read in just a few days. Hailey needs to escape from an ex boyfriend who suddenly wants her back. She has no interest in rekindling their relationship. She enjoys music and song writing. When she is offered a log cabin in a descreet hideaway she jumps at the chance to spend Christmas alone doing what she loves best. Here she finds a like minded soul and is thoroughly enjoying the experience when suddenly everything changes. I couldn’t wait to reach the end. Who doesn’t love a wonderful heart warming Christmas romance.
Hailey Morgan has a lifelong love of music, especially writing it. As a high school music teacher, she is able to share her passion with her pupils. Unfortunately, teaching doesn’t leave much time for writing her own music, and Hailey seems to have lost her creative spark.
When she is offered the chance to spend Christmas alone in a remote cabin to work on her passion she jumps at the chance. Telling her family she won’t be joining them is hard, but she needs to do something for herself.
Arriving at the cabin Hailey discovers some of the local wildlife has taken up residence. The local Mayor and store owner sends her son, Jay, to the cabin to help Hailey and there is an instant spark that isn’t only to do with their mutual love of music.
Just as Hailey and Jay are growing closer, her peace is shattered.
How will Hailey navigate the holiday season and will any of her relationships still be intact?
This is a really lovely, relaxing read, full of Christmas warmth and love. Perfect to cosy up with on a cold afternoon and lose yourself.
I just love Debbie Macomber books, her characters are well written and the story always keeps you reading. Story of Hailey who has been bombarded with messages from an ex boyfriend who wants to get back together and will not take no for an answer. he engineers an invitation to her parents house for Christmas so she takes matters into her own hands and accepts the use of her best friends grandparents holiday cabin deep in the woods and miles from anywhere with no wifi or phone signal. On arrival she finds a racoon keeping warm in the cabin and drives back to the nearest town to ask for help ! Help comes from Jethro and hansom young man who removes the furry critter, for a time all good until unexpected arrivals.
Good read really enjoyed it
My thanks as always to Netgalley, Publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK | Sphere and to the lovely Debbie Macomber for another lovely festive read
Predictable but a heartwarming story all the same. The ending did feel a bit rushed but I enjoyed getting to know the characters; most of them anyway!
I’d definitely buy this book for a friend and would happily recommend it to others for an easy Christmassy read.
Reading a Debbie Macomber book is just like receiving a huge warm Christmas hug and this one is no exception!
This was a beautiful story of finding yourself and love as well as making Christmas the celebration that you want and not the one imposed upon you. It was so well written that I have hardly put it down since I started reading it, the characters are so well written they feel like friends now and I really want to visit the Podunk Winder Festival as it sounds absolutely wonderful!
The story arc for this one was an incredible read, almost from the start I knew where I wanted this to go, or I thought I did! There were many surprises thrown in along the way that gave so many other options and made for such a lovely well rounded story, I would love to see this one made into a movie, it would be a beautiful one to watch.
This book has given me so many Christmassy vibes, it's just a pity it's only September, I have no hope of convincing my family that it's time the Tree and lights should go up but as ever after reading a Debbie Macomber book, I'm filled with the joy and spirit of the festive season!
Another great read for the Queen of feel good books Debbie Macomber.
Hailey is a musician who in recent years has let the opinions of others influence her decisions. She decides no more when her interfering mother invites an ex boyfriend to Christmas so heads off to a remote cabin the woods to concentrate on her songwriting.
She arrives to the cabin to find it occupied with some native wildlife and with the help of the mayors son Jay she gets the cabin free of unwelcome guests.
Jay is also a musician and together they begin the see the benifits of music in their lives.
Hailey needs to stand up to her interfering family and Jay is fighting a legal battle with his former band members.
But it’s Christmas and Debbie’s usual way of writing the ultimate feel good book love will always find a way.
A proper Christmas read full of romance , family, and friendship. Set in a charming , remote ski lodge where Hailey has escaped spending Christmas with her family and her ex boyfriend (who, after 3 years has decided he wants her back). She had shelved her song writing ambitions and settled down to life as a music teacher but her heart is totally devoted to creating music. So when her best friend offers her grandmother 's remote cabin, Hailey has no excuse for not indulging her passion for creating songs. However, nothing goes to plan. Arriving in the dark to find the electricity not working and the cabin occupied by a rabid raccoon, Hailey seeks help at the nearest store, which happens to be owned by the mayor. She sends her handsome son Jay, to help and they instantly have a connection, especially when Hailey discovers Jay is an accomplished musician turned producer. They quickly become attracted to each other and all goes well until her solitude is shattered! This charming book has so much to love. A real escapist read
Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for my ARC copy.
4.5 ⭐️
I absolutely adored this book, it felt like I was reading a hallmark christmas movie! From the setting to the characters to the whole plot, this may be a Festive read that I reread again next christmas. I highly recommend this book if you would like a quick, cosy, holiday romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC.
Hailey is a music teacher with song-writing aspirations who flees to a remote cabin in weirdly named Podunk for Christmas, to escape her boundary-free family and her ex Zach who can't take no for an answer. Of course they all find out where she is and descend anyway.
In the meantime, five minutes after arrival she meets hunky Jay and falls in love faster than one can say "Help, there are bats in the cabin!"
Gosh, where to start. I've obviously heard of Debbie Macomber, she's written books for decades and is very prolific. For me that seems to be the problem though.
It's a fast easy read but generic and predictable, with a lot of romantic drivel being spouted. Everything is rushed, we get no sense of Jay or anyone else. The cover is as old-fashioned as the clean story, there is barely a plot and there are no embellishments with quirky characters or cute pets.
Everything is traditional, with marriage proposals and fatherly blessings and as American as "apple pie, guns and the American flag" (direct quote).
People eat boxed mac and cheese, spaghetti with jar sauce and salad mix that comes with dressing, and salted popcorn. Urgh.
Hailey makes a very stupid career decision that really shouldn't fly these days, and when Charles pursues Hailey's sister Daisy, not taking no for an answer, it's suddenly fine because he's a good guy.
Seriously, this story was maybe acceptable 40 years ago. I prefer my stories a bit more modern so this fell flat for me.
2.5 stars rounded up
A heart warming Christmas story. Small town Christmas with all the trimmings. Deciding not to go home for Christmas due to an ex wanting to rekindle a long dead romance. Borrowing a remote cabin for the festive season and getting pulled in by the Christmas festivities in the local community. Jay finds a kindred spirit in Hayley but will work come between them?
Made me smile
Hailey decides to get away for the Christmas holidays to her friends empty cabin in the small town of Podunk. However little does she know she will not end up with the peace and quiet she was hoping for.
I loved everything about this book, the setting was brilliant and the characters were excellent.
A heartwarming Christmas story full of friendship, family, forgiveness and plenty of romance
Thanks to NetGalley, Debbie Macomber and Little Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I absolutely loved this book! I love acquiring books with a musical theme and I loved her and Jays story and how they come together. It was so beautifully written and the Christmas theme makes it all the more perfect. If you love Debbie’s work you will absolutely devour this one! I know I did!