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Christmas House Romances #7
Starlight Haven
Their first Christmas kiss—on a high school stage—was their last. He intends to change that. It’s Christmastime, and Olivia Olsen has returned to her hometown of Mendon with the goal of giving back. Years ago, she sped away in a cloud of humiliation—at the insistence of her overprotective family. The last person she wants to see in Mendon is the person who not only remembers her embarrassment but who caused Cody Haught. What's Cody Haught doing in her hospital? And why is he even better-looking now?Dr. Cody Haught, bachelor surgeon at Mendon Regional Hospital, can't believe his eyes. Is the new hospital administrator actually Olivia Olsen, the best kiss of his life? The kiss that ruined all subsequent kisses for him? Is this holiday season the perfect chance for Cody to see whether he imagined the intensity and perfection of the kiss he stole from Olivia on the high school stage, or will he mess up and send her running before Christmas once again?Starlight Haven is a sweet dose of flutter-filled, snowy holiday romance, healing, and family Christmas traditions, all set in a small town hospital.The Christmas House RomancesYuletide Manor The Christmas Cookie House The Sleigh Bells Chalet The Holiday Hunting Lodge The Peppermint Drop Inn The Candy Cane Cottage The Hot Chocolate Shop Starlight HavenAuthor’s Note: All books this series of clean Christmas romances celebrate family, tradition, Christmas, belief, and love. They are all standalone romances, but they do connect in the small-town world and can be best enjoyed in a “loop.” Book 1 leads to book 2, and so on, and at the end, book 8 loops back to book 1, with recurring characters. In other words, a reader can start with any book, read the subsequent book, and then complete the loop.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2023
165 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Griffith
90 books351 followersDo you love free e-books? Check out my website to see how to get a free book. http://authorjennifergriffith.com
I love a story that ends with a kiss, whether it's a book or a movie. That's the big payoff! So that's the kind of books I like to write, and I call my style "cotton candy for the soul"-- light, sweet, gone. We all need a little escape from reality for a while, and escapist fiction can be the perfect remedy.
I'm a moderately bad housekeeper, I have a black thumb, and it takes a small miracle to get my hair to curl. My handsome husband and I live in the Arizona desert where we're raising our five children, who never let us stop laughing.
I love a story that ends with a kiss, whether it's a book or a movie. That's the big payoff! So that's the kind of books I like to write, and I call my style "cotton candy for the soul"-- light, sweet, gone. We all need a little escape from reality for a while, and escapist fiction can be the perfect remedy.
I'm a moderately bad housekeeper, I have a black thumb, and it takes a small miracle to get my hair to curl. My handsome husband and I live in the Arizona desert where we're raising our five children, who never let us stop laughing.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 22, 2025
Love at first kiss
Just love this book. The fact that Cody and Olivia get to relive their high school romance was awesome. Both of them still so very much into each other after all those years. Such a great romance book.
Just love this book. The fact that Cody and Olivia get to relive their high school romance was awesome. Both of them still so very much into each other after all those years. Such a great romance book.
July 5, 2024
Light-hearted romances have an Achilles heel - perhaps many, but at least this one - their main character usually has to be kind of a goober. There's a reason, though.
The story has to have conflict. If absolutely nothing stands in the way of the hero and heroine falling in love, then it's boring and over quickly. But, the conflict can't be too big or too dramatic. If it's too serious, then it stops being a light-hearted romance and gets more into the drama category. So what we end up with is minor conflicts keeping the two main characters apart. Which usually means that at some point in the story, at least one of the main characters is acting like a goober. As in, this problem is not actually a big deal, but the character needs to REACT as though it's a big deal to keep the plot going forward instead of ending the story. As in, "I love to draw but I am shy about showing anyone my art, and you walked in and saw the sketchbook open on my bed and looked at it, and now I CAN NEVER TRUST YOU AGAIN!"
It's absurd, but I accept that it's absurd. Well-adjusted people don't really react like that to minor conflicts, but I accept it for the sake of the genre. I have read several of the books in the Christmas House series, enjoyed them, and didn't have anything negative to say about any of them, other than the characters occasionally act like goobers.
But this book. THIS book...
I just couldn't with Olivia. She drove me off-the-wall batty. I actually didn't even finish it, which is REALLY rare for me. I will struggle-read through a book I hate just so that it doesn't best me, but I called it quits at about 75% of the way through this one. The conflict until that point had been acceptable - he wanted something superficial but accidentally fell in love; she has trust issues, particularly with him, but has forgiven and is trying to move on. She was more of a goober than he was, but still within acceptable limits.
And then this doctor - this surgeon hero, who by her own standards is intelligent, charming, kind, generous, caring, successful, financially secure, and OH so handsome - this doctor literally saves a patient's life for the second time, and she is furious. Absolutely furious with him, calls it quits, tells him off, because he had the audacity to save the life of her mother's ex-husband who had been abusive. It was a betrayal of HER trust. The doctor should have let him DIE, obviously, even though the doctor didn't know his patient had any connection to the family. But even if he had known, he STILL should have let him die.
That kind of ridiculous selfishness rocketed straight out of "goober" range and launched itself into 4-letter-word territory. I was so appalled that I stopped reading right then and there and didn't look back.
I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because I liked the main guy a lot and I thought he was kind of endearing.
The story has to have conflict. If absolutely nothing stands in the way of the hero and heroine falling in love, then it's boring and over quickly. But, the conflict can't be too big or too dramatic. If it's too serious, then it stops being a light-hearted romance and gets more into the drama category. So what we end up with is minor conflicts keeping the two main characters apart. Which usually means that at some point in the story, at least one of the main characters is acting like a goober. As in, this problem is not actually a big deal, but the character needs to REACT as though it's a big deal to keep the plot going forward instead of ending the story. As in, "I love to draw but I am shy about showing anyone my art, and you walked in and saw the sketchbook open on my bed and looked at it, and now I CAN NEVER TRUST YOU AGAIN!"
It's absurd, but I accept that it's absurd. Well-adjusted people don't really react like that to minor conflicts, but I accept it for the sake of the genre. I have read several of the books in the Christmas House series, enjoyed them, and didn't have anything negative to say about any of them, other than the characters occasionally act like goobers.
But this book. THIS book...
I just couldn't with Olivia. She drove me off-the-wall batty. I actually didn't even finish it, which is REALLY rare for me. I will struggle-read through a book I hate just so that it doesn't best me, but I called it quits at about 75% of the way through this one. The conflict until that point had been acceptable - he wanted something superficial but accidentally fell in love; she has trust issues, particularly with him, but has forgiven and is trying to move on. She was more of a goober than he was, but still within acceptable limits.
And then this doctor - this surgeon hero, who by her own standards is intelligent, charming, kind, generous, caring, successful, financially secure, and OH so handsome - this doctor literally saves a patient's life for the second time, and she is furious. Absolutely furious with him, calls it quits, tells him off, because he had the audacity to save the life of her mother's ex-husband who had been abusive. It was a betrayal of HER trust. The doctor should have let him DIE, obviously, even though the doctor didn't know his patient had any connection to the family. But even if he had known, he STILL should have let him die.
That kind of ridiculous selfishness rocketed straight out of "goober" range and launched itself into 4-letter-word territory. I was so appalled that I stopped reading right then and there and didn't look back.
I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because I liked the main guy a lot and I thought he was kind of endearing.
November 21, 2023
An enjoyable Christmas Story that takes place in the small town of Mendon, in this book 7 of the Christmas House Romance Series. The characters are fun and there is so much humor sprinkled throughout this book that will keep you laughing.
This story is a chance at getting the girl that he had feelings for back in HS. Dr Cody Haught (pronounced Hot) is the guy that once was a nerd and is now the Dr. December in a Christmas Calendar featuring doctors from all over the country, with the caption "saved the best for last". He is now a very capable surgeon who came back to work in his hometown, Mendon Regional Hospital. When the hospital gets a new administrator and it turns out to be Olivia Olsen, Cody is determined to get a second kiss with her. Their first kiss was when they were in HS and the drama director forced him to stand in at the last minute for the lead guy. He fumbled his lines but didn't fumble the kiss with Olivia, that brought down the curtain. He hadn't seen her since that day since her family moved her away right after the play to live with an aunt in another state. Olivia had been his inspiration and when he finally decided to become a good student in college, things she said back in HS helped him decide to go into medicine. He wanted a second kiss to decide if his "teenage hormones had invented the whole thing.....".
Olivia Olson remembers Cody as a guy who didn't put an effort into his school work. Hey, he destroyed her chance at getting recognized by the college drama scouts when he couldn't even remember the lines to the play. The kiss that they shared was memorable but getting sent away to live with an aunt in her junior year of HS wasn't the best experience. It actually gave her a very different direction in her life. Avoiding Cody Haught and his flirtatious lines was her primary objective. So why couldn't she get him out of her head.
The more she learned about him and saw his kindness towards others, she began to think maybe she had thew wrong idea about him.
Both Olivia and Cody had experiences from when they were younger that shaped their future. Would they share the secrets they kept hidden from everyone else with each other? Would they ever get to share their second kiss?
I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest unbiased review.
This story is a chance at getting the girl that he had feelings for back in HS. Dr Cody Haught (pronounced Hot) is the guy that once was a nerd and is now the Dr. December in a Christmas Calendar featuring doctors from all over the country, with the caption "saved the best for last". He is now a very capable surgeon who came back to work in his hometown, Mendon Regional Hospital. When the hospital gets a new administrator and it turns out to be Olivia Olsen, Cody is determined to get a second kiss with her. Their first kiss was when they were in HS and the drama director forced him to stand in at the last minute for the lead guy. He fumbled his lines but didn't fumble the kiss with Olivia, that brought down the curtain. He hadn't seen her since that day since her family moved her away right after the play to live with an aunt in another state. Olivia had been his inspiration and when he finally decided to become a good student in college, things she said back in HS helped him decide to go into medicine. He wanted a second kiss to decide if his "teenage hormones had invented the whole thing.....".
Olivia Olson remembers Cody as a guy who didn't put an effort into his school work. Hey, he destroyed her chance at getting recognized by the college drama scouts when he couldn't even remember the lines to the play. The kiss that they shared was memorable but getting sent away to live with an aunt in her junior year of HS wasn't the best experience. It actually gave her a very different direction in her life. Avoiding Cody Haught and his flirtatious lines was her primary objective. So why couldn't she get him out of her head.
The more she learned about him and saw his kindness towards others, she began to think maybe she had thew wrong idea about him.
Both Olivia and Cody had experiences from when they were younger that shaped their future. Would they share the secrets they kept hidden from everyone else with each other? Would they ever get to share their second kiss?
I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest unbiased review.
October 20, 2024
Hilarious and Hot Dr Haught
I chanced upon this book on sale in Kindle and snapped it up. I enjoy Jennifer Griffith's writings; she has a wide repertoire within the genre of romance.
I now think that Cody Haught (pun totally intended, I reckon) is my new favourite protagonist. He's a naturally kind-hearted person, and a surgeon with a really gifted diagnostician's mind. Strangely, the moment he meets his teenage and now adult crush, Olivia, he transforms into Mr Doofus (he said so himself). He conveniently misreads all her "Stop" signals as "Go get 'er"s. His one goal- to score an adult kiss so as to negate the impact of a stage kiss with Olivia when he was an accidental stand-in for their high-school play. "The kiss that spoils all kisses" for him it seems. The antics he goes through to find time with her and score that kiss, and all the times his attempts are thwarted, were just hilarious.
"My inner nerd always resurfaced when I was with Olivia"-in Cody's own words.
That he finally gets his adult kiss, and his HEA with his beloved Olivia, required many kind gestures, a genuine heart and lots of "divine intervention" so-to-speak.
This story is like a comforting bowl of chicken soup as I am nursing a cold while reading it. Many thanks to the author for such an enjoyable read.
I chanced upon this book on sale in Kindle and snapped it up. I enjoy Jennifer Griffith's writings; she has a wide repertoire within the genre of romance.
I now think that Cody Haught (pun totally intended, I reckon) is my new favourite protagonist. He's a naturally kind-hearted person, and a surgeon with a really gifted diagnostician's mind. Strangely, the moment he meets his teenage and now adult crush, Olivia, he transforms into Mr Doofus (he said so himself). He conveniently misreads all her "Stop" signals as "Go get 'er"s. His one goal- to score an adult kiss so as to negate the impact of a stage kiss with Olivia when he was an accidental stand-in for their high-school play. "The kiss that spoils all kisses" for him it seems. The antics he goes through to find time with her and score that kiss, and all the times his attempts are thwarted, were just hilarious.
"My inner nerd always resurfaced when I was with Olivia"-in Cody's own words.
That he finally gets his adult kiss, and his HEA with his beloved Olivia, required many kind gestures, a genuine heart and lots of "divine intervention" so-to-speak.
This story is like a comforting bowl of chicken soup as I am nursing a cold while reading it. Many thanks to the author for such an enjoyable read.
November 6, 2023
Starlight Haven is the seventh book in the delightful’Christmas House Romances’ series. Like all the books it can be read as a wonderful stand-alone.
Olivia and Cody were at school together. They were never a couple but their first kiss was on their high school stage. They both remember that moment very differently. Now they are both back in Mendon, one is delighted and the other horrified.
This is a very good read overall. The characters are great, they are likeable and have depth and a reality that is often lacking. The best thing about this book for me is the originality of the storyline. One event and two very different recollections of it. The way the two version gradually merge to create understanding and honesty is really fascinating. Along the way there are a range of events that made me chuckle out load and a few behaviours that made me cross. When a book makes you feel then you know it’s a good read .. this is one that I definitely recommend. I thoroughly enjoyed it and do not think it will disappoint anyone.
Olivia and Cody were at school together. They were never a couple but their first kiss was on their high school stage. They both remember that moment very differently. Now they are both back in Mendon, one is delighted and the other horrified.
This is a very good read overall. The characters are great, they are likeable and have depth and a reality that is often lacking. The best thing about this book for me is the originality of the storyline. One event and two very different recollections of it. The way the two version gradually merge to create understanding and honesty is really fascinating. Along the way there are a range of events that made me chuckle out load and a few behaviours that made me cross. When a book makes you feel then you know it’s a good read .. this is one that I definitely recommend. I thoroughly enjoyed it and do not think it will disappoint anyone.
November 14, 2023
Starlight Haven: A Small Town Christmas Medical Romance is a sweet Christmas second chance story by Jennifer Griffith. Known for writing cotton candy stories for the soul this seventh book in Christmas House Romances is certainly that. Olivia Olsen and Cody Haught seem to be stuck in their high school perspective especially after one on stage kiss. It is time for them to come to terms with that and to see it through adult lenses. Perhaps as adults there will be no spark. This Christmas it is time to find out.
A fun story where the scandal is simple even if Olivia believes it ruin her Jr year of high school. All I can say is move on, dear girl, move on. A delightful story as Cody pursues Olivia. It did seem more than once that she wanted to be caught. Real life should be this amusing.
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A fun story where the scandal is simple even if Olivia believes it ruin her Jr year of high school. All I can say is move on, dear girl, move on. A delightful story as Cody pursues Olivia. It did seem more than once that she wanted to be caught. Real life should be this amusing.
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 20, 2023
Starlight Haven by Jennifer Griffith (5 stars)
A story full of family in all its complexities. It’s also a story about long-held prejudices and misunderstandings between our hero and heroine.
When they finally open up to one another and become vulnerable, a beautiful love starts to grow, until … more misunderstandings happen. Our couple has to take the time to truly listen to each other and forgive themselves before they can move closer to their HEA.
Jennifer Griffith’s signature quirkiness and humor is definitely present, in spite of some darker past histories (including abuse) of our main characters. The miscommunications in this book were frustrating to read, but so typical of real life!
An enjoyable Christmas read with likable characters who aren’t perfect but who have hearts of gold. And an HEA that has been deserved and earned by our protagonists!
A story full of family in all its complexities. It’s also a story about long-held prejudices and misunderstandings between our hero and heroine.
When they finally open up to one another and become vulnerable, a beautiful love starts to grow, until … more misunderstandings happen. Our couple has to take the time to truly listen to each other and forgive themselves before they can move closer to their HEA.
Jennifer Griffith’s signature quirkiness and humor is definitely present, in spite of some darker past histories (including abuse) of our main characters. The miscommunications in this book were frustrating to read, but so typical of real life!
An enjoyable Christmas read with likable characters who aren’t perfect but who have hearts of gold. And an HEA that has been deserved and earned by our protagonists!
October 25, 2023
This book was perfect!
1. I loved how Cody and Olivia had a “scandalous past” really an incredible stage kiss.
2. I enjoyed how he was just trying to get Olivia’s attention and worried that he’d shown too much of his inner nerd. I loved the inner nerd! Who else would know all of the lyrics to Ten Minutes Ago?
3. There were so many moments of sacrifice and family. It was a really beautiful story about families. I cried.
4. The medical moments were fascinating and the company activities and trust building exercises were funny and sweet.
I am so glad that Olivia finally started to see Cody clearly. He’s definitely a catch!
1. I loved how Cody and Olivia had a “scandalous past” really an incredible stage kiss.
2. I enjoyed how he was just trying to get Olivia’s attention and worried that he’d shown too much of his inner nerd. I loved the inner nerd! Who else would know all of the lyrics to Ten Minutes Ago?
3. There were so many moments of sacrifice and family. It was a really beautiful story about families. I cried.
4. The medical moments were fascinating and the company activities and trust building exercises were funny and sweet.
I am so glad that Olivia finally started to see Cody clearly. He’s definitely a catch!
November 6, 2023
Oh, what a sweet addition to this series! This story is full of all sorts of relationships and not just romance. Broken hearts are mended, angry hearts are subdued and loving hearts are forged and in some cases, reconnected in wonderful relationships. I loved how their backstories interweaved without them realizing it. It was a bumpy road to get to their happily ever after but Cody and Olivia got there eventually.
Lovely, feel good, Christmas romance.
Potential triggers: memories of physical domestic abuse
No sex or language
A little violence
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Lovely, feel good, Christmas romance.
Potential triggers: memories of physical domestic abuse
No sex or language
A little violence
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
November 30, 2025
Cody and Olivia shared a kiss in a play in high school. Cody has dreamed about kissing her again ever since. Olivia thinks the kiss ruined her life. Now they end up working in the same hospital.
At first the characters seemed shallow. But then they start to peel back the layers. They both have wounds from the past that haven't healed yet.
Olivia's brothers tend to overreact whenever something reminds them of their abusive step-father when they were young. It turns out that Olivia also tends to jump to conclusions out of fear of getting hurt again.
It has an excellent ending.
At first the characters seemed shallow. But then they start to peel back the layers. They both have wounds from the past that haven't healed yet.
Olivia's brothers tend to overreact whenever something reminds them of their abusive step-father when they were young. It turns out that Olivia also tends to jump to conclusions out of fear of getting hurt again.
It has an excellent ending.
October 31, 2023
This is my voluntary review of a copy I received from the author.
They met in 7th grade and parted ways in 11th. They each view that last day completely differently, until she purposely looks back on it.
They both seem immature, looking at each other through their teen-aged lenses. As the story goes on, we and they see just how complex the other is.
Their history is equally complex, and that makes the story enjoyable.
They met in 7th grade and parted ways in 11th. They each view that last day completely differently, until she purposely looks back on it.
They both seem immature, looking at each other through their teen-aged lenses. As the story goes on, we and they see just how complex the other is.
Their history is equally complex, and that makes the story enjoyable.
November 3, 2023
I loved so much about this story. The first kiss between Cody and Olivia in the school play that had so much chemistry brings so much to the story, but their thoughts about it was different for each of them. There were team building exercises that made me laugh and were so fun. I love their dedication and love for family. I love how they were both so willing to help others, really spreading Christmas joy. This is such a fantastic book to a wonderful series!
November 14, 2023
In Starlight Haven the two main characters remember a shared event quite differently. This difference really made the story for me. Olivia and Cody are two very different people and their shared past has greatly influenced their present personalities, career choice, etc. Themes are anger, abuse and forgiveness. Ms. Griffith melds them together seamlessly. I admit to reading the perfect ending though tears. I was profoundly moved by this well written romance.
November 16, 2023
This was so good! I love Cody and Olivia. I loved that they had very different perspectives of the same night, both the best day and worst day of their lives depending on who you asked. I like that Olivia could admit that her perspective was wrong and she finally stood up to her brother to defend him. I also liked that her mom always knew what kind of person Cody was. The whole book was so good.
I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.
I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.
November 14, 2023
Cody and Olivia knew each other in school and after a misinterpretation at the school play they were both a part of Olivia was sent out of town by her brothers to family to finish high school. They met later in life and both fell in love with each although once again more misunderstanding‘s by her and her brother almost tore them, and their mother’s, lives apart. A HEA and well written.
November 21, 2023
Wonderful
As always a true delight to read! I love all of Jennifer's books and this one is right up at the top! A great job on this story, I loved the characters and the way Cody went to such effort to win Olivia over with out calling attention to himself yet still flirted with her only.
As always a true delight to read! I love all of Jennifer's books and this one is right up at the top! A great job on this story, I loved the characters and the way Cody went to such effort to win Olivia over with out calling attention to himself yet still flirted with her only.
December 22, 2023
Cody remembers his first kiss with Olivia as being pretty amazing but he wants a second kiss to make sure. She doesn't remember things the same way he does and she plans on keeping her distance. You have to admire Cody for his determination. This is a fun, clean romance with some very interesting characters.
January 1, 2024
first kiss
I loved the way Cody o
Persued Olivia no matter how many times she turned him down all because of a first kiss as teenagers. I disliked the way her family treated h and the fact that she couldn’t stand up for herself as an adult. Many secondary characters added interest and filled out the story.
I loved the way Cody o
Persued Olivia no matter how many times she turned him down all because of a first kiss as teenagers. I disliked the way her family treated h and the fact that she couldn’t stand up for herself as an adult. Many secondary characters added interest and filled out the story.
April 27, 2024
Just a Kiss or Love
Olivia has taken the job as the administrator of the hospital.
Then she discovered Cody is a
surgeon there. Olivia wants no part of him. Cody wants a second Chance
to see if their kiss meant anything.
Will he win out? Well written story with strong and believable characters. joy943
Olivia has taken the job as the administrator of the hospital.
Then she discovered Cody is a
surgeon there. Olivia wants no part of him. Cody wants a second Chance
to see if their kiss meant anything.
Will he win out? Well written story with strong and believable characters. joy943
December 2, 2024
Okay, the author got my attention and funny bone when she named the main character Dr. Cody Haught (Hot). I mean, do you not giggle when you say it? This is a second chance romance that should never have needed a second chance. You’re going to get romance, the previously mentioned humor, an interesting story line, and more than a few twists and surprises. I totally enjoyed this book.
November 15, 2025
Well, here I am, always finishing up my last Christmas book in January! 😊Seems like that always happens, but I'm not sad about it.
What I am sad about is that this is the end of this series of books I have thoroughly enjoyed these last two months! I would highly recommend them if you get the chance to read them.
What I am sad about is that this is the end of this series of books I have thoroughly enjoyed these last two months! I would highly recommend them if you get the chance to read them.
December 6, 2023
4.5 Stars. Cute Christmas story. Clean.
December 29, 2024
Cute storyline! Slow to start but then it got way better!!!
November 13, 2023
It is funny how Cody and Olivia share a kiss but each remember it completely differently. Their reunion doesn't go as he thought it would. The retreat was an eye opener for both of them. Somewhat of a mystery involved and some wrong information as well as misconceptions are involved in this story. Loved the ending!!!!
December 31, 2023
A small-town romance is rekindled. The female main character is caught up with insecurities which have to be resolved. Her family is strongly adversive to her romantic involvement. This is a typical Hallmark-eque book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews