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The Perfect Christmas

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What would make your Christmas perfect?

For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.

What other options are there? Well…she could hire a professional matchmaker. Simon Dodson has quite a reputation, but he's very choosy about the clients he takes on— and very expensive. Cassie considers him a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.

Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets this paragon. Three tasks that are all about being a charity bell-ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a mall and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (most of whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all—and then she's finally ready to meet her match.

But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!

351 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

1426 people are currently reading
5334 people want to read

About the author

Debbie Macomber

894 books20.6k followers
Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

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5 stars
3,287 (27%)
4 stars
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3 stars
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209 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,220 reviews
Profile Image for Mandy.
320 reviews415 followers
November 9, 2015
Such a lovely book! Just the right cozy novel I needed this time of year. A nice, little romance story with a happy ending. Can't wait to read more by this author. If you like a romance novel with laughs and happiness then you will love this book! Highly recommend for this time of the year. Great to read all snuggled up next to your loved one with a cup of cocoa.
Profile Image for Kat.
Author 14 books604 followers
August 25, 2022
This was another sweet Christmas novella length story that was perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. Cassie works in a lab where she spends all day alone with her microscope, and her best friend Angie, and doesn’t get to meet… well, anyone new except plastics samples, let alone men. So when her friend recommends a matchmaker, she doesn’t dismiss the idea completely.

Simon, the matchmaker, isn’t exactly a warm, fuzzy character. He’s pretty type-A, and tells Cassie she’ll have to complete three tasks before he’ll reveal her match (this is after paying $30K!) Cassie, being a good sport, agrees, and holiday antics ensure. This one had some funny scenarios for poor Cassie as she tried to get her tasks completed… I enjoyed that it had the perfect amount of holiday included in the tale. Simon took a little while to grow on me, but as with all Debbie Macomber sweet romances, he eventually comes around. This is a nice romance perfect for reading just before the holidays.

Profile Image for ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ.
886 reviews
December 6, 2022
Christmas 2022 - Nice

This was a short, sweet love story with a ridiculous premise. A woman determined to finally get married signs up with a matchmaker who has demonstrated excellent results at pairing people up with their "most suitable match." He happens to be incredibly handsome. Can you guess what happens next?
Profile Image for MelissaB.
725 reviews346 followers
November 24, 2010
Oh my this book was NOT for me. It reads like a cheesy Hallmark movie without any of the good emotional part of a romance novel. There was also no sexual tension or love scenes - just lukewarm kisses. The characters were cardboardy and seemed fakely wholesome - I couldn't relate to any of them. Blah Blah Blah - that's what I was thinking as I read it. No more Debbie Macomber for me, this is the poor man's non-romancy romance.
Profile Image for Sarah BT.
856 reviews48 followers
December 30, 2009
So I've never read a Debbie Macomber book and I really didn't think I would. Her books are cozy romances and grandma's read them. I even met Ms. Macomber at ALA and she was very sweet, but I didn't really think about picking up one of her books.

But then I was in the mood for a cozy holiday read and this showed up when I started searching for Christmas books. I have to say, if you're in the mood for a light and fun fast read, read a Debbie Macomber book. I finished this one in two nights-which is unusual when I'm reading during the week-I usually take a week to finish a book unless I'm reading on the weekends.

The story is predictable, but it's still cute. I liked Cassie and her tasks were pretty humorous. This is a book I could see easily being made into a holiday TV movie-it kind of read that way. (Debbie Macomber's other holiday offering this year, Mrs. Miracle, was made into a movie for Hallmark and it's currenly in my TBR pile and recorded on my Tivo.) I just wish the romance would have been a little better-there were some goofy parts at the end and I wasn't sure if Cassie's prince charming really was her best match. But there was plenty to smile about and there were some moments I really enjoyed. (Prince Charming had some shining moments too, so I can't say I didn't totally hate him).

Since Ms. Macomber writes a yearly holiday book, I could easily see reading a Debbie Macomber book at Christmas becoming a tradition of mine. You know it will be light, sweet and fun and it'll be a good book to read with some hot cocoa.

Profile Image for Amy | Foxy Blogs.
1,840 reviews1,045 followers
December 2, 2021
Cassie is in search of finding her perfect Christmas. For her, that involves a husband and kids. But Cassie is a single 33 years old who hasn't had much luck finding the perfect guy.

She hires a professional matchmaker for $30,000. That amount of money is what she had been saving for a wedding but without a partner that isn't going to happen. So, she invest that money in finding this guy with the help a professional matchmaker. Simon happens to be the matchmaker that she hires to help her. I have to say I was NOT a fan of his. And them getting together was BLAH to me.
Audiobook source: Audible
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Length: 4 H 13 M
143 reviews4 followers
December 27, 2019
Ridiculous. An insult to all womankind.
Profile Image for Mollie *scoutrmom*.
938 reviews38 followers
June 30, 2010
I'm surprised that such a skilled author as Debbie Macomber would put so little effort into making this a good book. The plot was lame, the hero's point of view was never shown, we are at a loss to understand his motivations. When Macomber tries to explain them at the end, it is poorly done, sounds like an essay.

The heroine never gained any respect from me. Her motivations are shown, but the actions she takes based on them baffled me. I never figured out why she fell in love with the one she did.

Sending it back to the public library to puzzle some other poor unfortunate soul.
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,397 reviews495 followers
December 13, 2025
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Contemporary Christmas romance. No intimacy.
Cassie Beaumont wants a husband and family. She is able to hire a matchmaker, though he doesn’t accept just anyone. When she first meet Simon Dodson, he’s rude and dismissive and refuses to answer her questions. Which just spurs Cassie on more. Ifs she’s going to give him $30,000 to find her the perfect match, she wants to know what qualifies Simon to make that decision.
Simon gives Cassie three tasks she must complete before being introduced to her match. She has success and some comical failures all of which Simon witnesses. Is she ready to meet her match?

Sweet and a bit old fashioned but a romance worth reading. I loved Cassie’s putting Simon on the spot, over and over again. He’s not used to anyone talking back to him! The conclusion brings all the characters together in a lovely wrap up that’s everything wanted.
Profile Image for Terri  Wino.
800 reviews68 followers
November 22, 2021
Barely two stars for this story. I realize it was originally published in 2009 and I read it in 2021, so one might think some bits wouldn't hold up as well over time. But good Lord, this read like it was written in 1950 in some aspects. First of all, Cassie came across as a desperate woman who measures her own worth based in whether she can nab a husband. Don't even get me started on the character of Simon. There was absolutely nothing to like about the man. He was a rude asshole who treated Cassie like shit. He came across as an arrogant jerk, and I couldn't see any reason why Cassie would fall in love with him after a few brief meetings when the majority of their time together most of his comments were belittling and demeaning to Cassie. Which made her seem all the more pathetic as she mooned over what a swell guy he was.

Characters aside, the entire plot was just ridiculous. The concept seemed like it would be a fun holiday story -- woman hires matchmaker, they end up falling in love (as expected). But how the hell can someone in Cassie's orbit afford to pay someone $30,000.00 to find them their "perfect" match? Because I can think of a ton of things to do with that money that would make me a whole lot happier than some guy I had to pass a series of tests to even be worthy to meet. Speaking of which, those three tasks Cassie had to complete for "Dr. Dominant" had no bearing whatsoever on establishing her match ability with another person. If they were supposed to be entertaining and humorous.. they weren't.

This was honestly one of the worst books I've ever read. I don't mind suspending belief for the sake of a happy holiday story and that "Hallmark" moment, but a woman would have to have a lobotomy to find the character of Simon Dodson attractive in any way.
Profile Image for Kay.
8 reviews
April 26, 2010
I've been reading the Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber and she was starting to getting on my nerves and this book just did it to me. In her books, everybody falls in love with somebody, gets married to that person, and starts having kids. Of course there mighy be some bumps on the road here and there but the conclusion is always the same; falling in love, getting married, and having children!
I'm not anty-family or anyuthing but this is just too much.
This book is especially ridiculus:This supposedly brilliant woman goes to a professional matchmaker to find a perfect husband at the cost of $ 30,000 and guess what falls in love with the matchmaker.
Too predictible and even condescending!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Donna Craig.
1,114 reviews48 followers
December 1, 2022
A well-written story for those silly women who think they can change a man. Still, it was quite enjoyable.
53 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2010
I can't believe I had to manually enter this book-Good Reads didn't have it. Anyway,this is just a quicky read. Debbie Macomber always writes a cutsie love story and I needed a light romance after reading two emotionally charged books-

This is about a 30 something woman whose biological clock is ticking and she pays a matchmaker $30,000.00 to find her a husband. But first he gives her 3 tasks to complete before he matches her with the prospective mate. So far it's cute, if it was a movie it would definitely be a chick flick-but hey what's wrong with that??
Profile Image for JanB.
1,369 reviews4,486 followers
December 10, 2009
Predictable and cute. A pleasant way to spend a few hours this Christmas season. There are no surprises, you know exactly where this is going to lead, but there are a few laughs along the way. Recommended for those who like their Christmas stories with a touch of romance.
Profile Image for Janice .
691 reviews8 followers
June 18, 2017
I Read this on the kindle

Enjoy this one must say that the fee the matchmaker asked was stupid maybe the very rich could afford it but other than that a nice story guessed the ending
Profile Image for Gina.
631 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2017
Loads of spoilers ahead.

You know which trope I hate the most in romance books? The trope where the guy is really insistent that he knows what's best for the woman, and she just doesn't understand how good he would be for her and how he knows she's actually in love with him and if she had any brains at all she'd understand they are 100% meant to be together and he's not going to give up or go away until she realizes this for herself, blah blah blah. It's annoying, it flies in the face of consent, and it's just... gross.

In this book Macomber does this exact thing, except this time the woman is the asshole. Simon very, VERY clearly tells Cassie he is not interested in a romance. He tells her not to fall in love with him because he is physically and emotionally unavailable, and then he goes on to prove over and over and over again this is absolutely true. There's no reason given in the text for why Cassie should fall in love with him, and a million different reasons why should run screaming for the hills, but of course, she falls in love with him anyway. And the climactic scene in the book is her explaining why he's wrong when he says he doesn't love her or doesn't want to get married and definitely doesn't want to have kids. And of course, he acquieses and they get their HAE ending. And I guarantee you they split up by June of the following year because they are a disaster waiting to happen and no good can come of it, and all because Cassie thinks just because she says it's so, it's so.

Don't get me wrong, Simon does his share of asshole stuff, too. Specifically, telling John NOT to take no for an answer and to keep pressing Cassie until she agrees to go out with him was so not cool. A true asshole move. If nothing else should have convinced Cassie that Simon was a true jerk, that should have been it. But at least she was smart enough not to give in.

Also, my second least favorite trope in romance books is "I'm a woman with wonderful friends and family and a fulfilling career and I'm good at lots of different things, but my life will never be complete without a man." Please. And it was 1000 times worse in this book, because Cassie is so desperate she's willing to cough up $30K to a matchmaker, which was just revolting to me.

This is my first venture into Macomber's work. The writing itself was okay, so it might be worth a look at another of her works. But I will be not be afraid to break the sound barrier setting the book aside if one of these lousy tropes shows up again.
Profile Image for Marian.
344 reviews11 followers
Read
August 16, 2014
I found this book to be a great read at a great price. Here are some of my thoughts.

Short Introduction: Cassie is a 30 something biologist who begins to grow discouraged about love as the holiday season approaches. Her best friend Angie offers her the number of a professional matchmaker named Simon Dodson.

After a few meetings with Dr. Dodson, he believes that he has found a most suitable match for Cassie. But before he'll introduce her to her dream guy, he requests that she perform 3 holiday tasks. Not sure what she's getting herself into, Cassie agrees and learns a lot along the way.

Plot: Although it was a little bit predictable, this plot was very intriguing. With Cassie being so sassy and upfront and Simon being so adamant about not getting into anything personal with her, it makes for some very interesting dialogue.

Writing: This story was written in 3rd person but it's told through the eyes of Cassie. A cool factor is that there is a "Simon says" quote at the beginning of the chapter. I thought that was pretty clever.

Bonus Factors: Christmas time! I'm very fond of Macomber's Christmas novels and this one is probably going to be one that I re-read every year.

Protagonist: Cassie is awesome. What really made her stand out was the fact that she had flaws, but she was comfortable with them. Her sassy attitude made for very interesting scenes between her and Simon.

Who Would I Recommend this Novel To? To anyone who enjoys Christmas and love/hate relationships.
Profile Image for Dawn.
308 reviews11 followers
November 30, 2012
This book was much better than A Cedar Cove Christmas in that it wasn't packed full of cringe-worthy puns. I enjoyed the story. Is it cheesy? Yes it is, but I still liked it.

Spoiler:


My only draw back is how quickly they fell in love. It wasn't a love at first type kind of love but I thought it was odd that she assumed he loved her because he was showing obvious attraction. Why wouldn't you assume that he liked you and wanted to be with you? Why assume that it must be love and he's already picking out baby names? The immediate talk about their love and children and some of the cheesy lines kept this from being a bigger hit for me. It felt a bit rushed and even more unrealistic than most romance novels.

I must also say that although I knew the storyline was drawing to a close I figured the book would cover more of their relationship. I didn't realize that the story only took up 2/3rds of the book I purchased. The other 1/3 included recipes, interviews and excerpts from other books. I've never owned a book with this much space dedicated to something other than the story. I'm glad I bought this second hand.
Profile Image for Kimberly.
983 reviews107 followers
December 28, 2018
I snuck in one more book during this busy holiday week. It was an incredibly light, quick read which is just what I needed while we had family in town. The story was definitely predictable and I didn’t quite connect with the love interest, but it had a few sweet and entertaining moments. What I enjoyed most was the three Christmas themed tasks that the MC had to complete in order to find her perfect match. She had to volunteer for a four-hour shift as a bell ringer, be one of Santa’s elves at mall and cook a traditional Christmas dinner for her surly neighbors. Each provided some laugh out loud moments and a few things to reflect upon. 🎄 Sweet dreams, my friends. Hope you enjoy your own version of the perfect Christmas!
Profile Image for Margaret  Mullis  Preston .
77 reviews15 followers
November 9, 2020
This story touched my heart deeply. Without giving to much of the story away - I will leave it as a "must read" this Holiday Season. If you want a good, clean romance to knock your socks off this is it. Really fell in love with most of the characters in this book - pretty much all of them (minus the flirty hippie neighbor). Their quirkiness and interwoven friendships made for an interesting read. Highly recommend this one!
Profile Image for Stacey.
259 reviews4 followers
January 22, 2010
I'm going to stop picking random books from the new release shelf at the library. I've never read this author before. The book is predictable, poorly written, unconvincing and dull. I actually fell asleep when the main characters were finally professing their love.
It only takes and hour or two to read and is very PG.
Profile Image for Sunshine.
241 reviews
December 17, 2025
I try to read this sweet Christmas book every year! Still one of my favorites!!

*needed the comfort of a fun, easy re-read this week so listened to it at bedtime. Love this sweet book.
Profile Image for Christina/ The Blog for Teachers, Readers, & Life!.
193 reviews49 followers
December 4, 2018
The Perfect Christmas: An Anthology
By: Debbie Macomber
2 Books in one The Perfect Christmas and Can this be Christmas?
Fiction, Humor, Romance, Holidays, Christmas

The Perfect Christmas

The Perfect Christmas Casssie is getting older and longs to settle down and have children. After a dismal dating spell, she turns to an expensive professional matchmaker named Simon. Unbeknownst to Cassie, Simon’s methods are extremely unorthodox.

What will Cassie do when Simon’s assignments for love lead to mayhem and hijinks? Will she give up her dream? This is a humorous enchanting read! 5 Stars

Can this be Christmas?

Can this be Christmas is a bonus read. An assortment of weary holiday travelers are stranded at a train depot during Christmas time. Can they band together and make the best of a difficult situation? Find out in this light read. 4 &1/2 Stars
https://www.teacher-librarian-forlife...
Awards/Recognitions: Macomber has won numerous writing awards including being a New York Times Bestselling Author many times over. She is also involved in a number of charities.
Profile Image for Sheila Samuelson .
1,206 reviews26 followers
December 14, 2020
Rating: 5 Stars!! (Wish i could rate it 10 Stars!!)
Review:
Another great Christmas Book by Debbie Macomber!!

At first the main character Cassie became a little annoying but thankfully she eased up and calmed down abit to become a likeable character.

This book was about Cassie a 33-year-old who becomes jealous of her college friend who seems to have the "perfect" life so Angie, Cassie's co-worker sets her up with a Professional Matchmaker for the perfect date for Christmas.

The characters were enjoyable to get to know and the storyline was easy to get into.

Can't wait to read more by Debbie this month and in the near future!!
Profile Image for Craig Mills.
26 reviews
November 1, 2024
Probably a 3.5….nice Holiday Story - easy read. Very Hallmark-ish.
Profile Image for Jackie Lane.
1,142 reviews609 followers
November 16, 2009
This was a laugh out loud, funny Christmas Story.

33 year old Cassie Beaumont received a Christmas photo before Thanksgiving and seeks to find the "perfect Christmas". When she was younger her father left her family during the holiday season and now she is looking to find love, marriage and a family, which, to date, have alluded both her andher brother. She employes the services of a matchmaker, recommended by her friend Angie.

The matchmaker tells her she needs to complete 3 task before he will introduce her to her "suitable" match, John.

This was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Tereza.
11 reviews
December 4, 2012
Well, I was looking forward to reading something light and fluffy and warm, but if this hadn't been chosen for book club, I'm not sure I would have finished it. I realize this book isn't meant to represent serious literature, but I think that rainbows-and-unicorns books can be happy and light without being so completely bland. Like boiled chicken and white rice with no salt. The writing was incredibly threadbare, and the connections strained, even more so due to the utter lack of character development. Even in the genre of flimsy chicklit, this is definitely scraping the botom of the barrel. But at least it was a quick read... :S
Profile Image for FlibBityFLooB.
949 reviews155 followers
November 21, 2014
This book was a boilerplate for predictable and blah romance. I wanted to like it, but I was left very unimpressed.

Plus, it aggrevated me that someone would pay $30,000 !?!?!?!?! for a matchmaker who was about as exciting as paint drying on the wall. On top of everything, I didn't even buy the romance at the end of the story. It was one of those -- yeah, you're in love... surreeee.

Serves me right for picking up a random audiobook from the library. :P
Profile Image for Krystal.
366 reviews8 followers
November 28, 2011
I loved this easy to read Christmastime novel! It was exactly what I was seeking. Light hearted, humorous, and seasonal. I have all ready recommended this to MANY people. This is a must read for individuals looking for a holiday tale!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,220 reviews

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