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Magical Emerald Hollow #1
Chasing Cheer
Christmas Cheer is way too abundant in small-town Emerald Hollow… and Holly is desperate to find out why.
When Holly Claus visits a small town in Oregon on one of her normal Cheer-collecting missions, she never imagines that everything she knew about holiday Cheer would be thrown out the sleigh.
Holly has always been efficient in her work of traveling around the world, collecting Cheer to power the North Pole and its dream-making operations there. But she’s never been quite as good at collecting it as her father was, and she’ll do anything to figure out why- including blending in in a small town full of Cheer.
Ash Hayes is working nonstop to build up his tourism business at The Emerald House in rural Oregon, even going so far as to enter the town in a Hallmark competition for Best Small Town Christmas Faire. Driven by a desire to make the town a desirable destination after his mom ran away from Emerald Hollow as a child, Ash feels like he has the future of the town riding on his shoulders.
When Ash and Holly meet, sparks fly, but she isn’t looking for love, and he isn’t looking for someone who leaves. Little do they know, magic may intervene in their carefully laid plans.
Holly’s arrival in town sets in motion a change in Holly’s Cheer magic that upends everything at the North Pole. If Holly doesn’t get to the bottom of what’s causing all the Cheer in Emerald Hollow, Christmas itself may be at stake.
In this sweet small-town twist on the classic Christmas tale, experience holiday magic like never before.
When Holly Claus visits a small town in Oregon on one of her normal Cheer-collecting missions, she never imagines that everything she knew about holiday Cheer would be thrown out the sleigh.
Holly has always been efficient in her work of traveling around the world, collecting Cheer to power the North Pole and its dream-making operations there. But she’s never been quite as good at collecting it as her father was, and she’ll do anything to figure out why- including blending in in a small town full of Cheer.
Ash Hayes is working nonstop to build up his tourism business at The Emerald House in rural Oregon, even going so far as to enter the town in a Hallmark competition for Best Small Town Christmas Faire. Driven by a desire to make the town a desirable destination after his mom ran away from Emerald Hollow as a child, Ash feels like he has the future of the town riding on his shoulders.
When Ash and Holly meet, sparks fly, but she isn’t looking for love, and he isn’t looking for someone who leaves. Little do they know, magic may intervene in their carefully laid plans.
Holly’s arrival in town sets in motion a change in Holly’s Cheer magic that upends everything at the North Pole. If Holly doesn’t get to the bottom of what’s causing all the Cheer in Emerald Hollow, Christmas itself may be at stake.
In this sweet small-town twist on the classic Christmas tale, experience holiday magic like never before.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2023
77 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Heather Schneider
7 books172 followersHeather Schneider enjoys writing cozy novels with a light romance and mystery angle, often inspired by some of her favorite places.
Heather lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their Chiweenie, Toby.
When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, listening to podcasts, traveling, or spending time with family.
Heather lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their Chiweenie, Toby.
When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, listening to podcasts, traveling, or spending time with family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
September 28, 2023
*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*
*1.5 Stars*
Summary: This would’ve worked better as a cute, don’t-think-too-hard-about-it movie with great holiday vibes, but I didn’t enjoy it as a novel.
Overall, I can’t find much that I truly enjoyed about this book. It’s told in dual perspective — which I don’t think was really needed — and really got me in the Christmas mood, which is saying a lot because Halloween is around the corner. It’s hard to pinpoint the things that didn’t work for me without using examples, so I wish my Kindle notes and highlights were visible but the ARC isn't marked as a book in my Kindle Library, so they won't show up unfortunately.
Things I Liked:
- The Vibes: Like I keep saying, this book really threw me headfirst, ten feet deep into Christmas and the holiday spirit. There was a small town, northern-esque woods, the North Pole, and even a cozy inn/cafe/restaurant.
Things I Didn’t Like:
- Telling Not Showing: There was a lot of this… and I mean a lot. It was extremely apparent when it came to the side characters (more about that in the next point), but for example, Holly (the MC) would do something for Ash or the town or the festival etc, and it would be summarized in two sentences, without any description of what or how she did it. Like “I started working on the decorations. When I finished I closed up” — this isn’t a real quote but it pretty much summarizes how the story went. This was also the case with the characters and their emotions. We’re told they’re becoming friends or falling in love but we don’t actually see any of it, which not only made it hard to connect with the characters and the world, but it also made it hard to even care.
- Underdeveloped Side Characters: I swear, every single side character is either a blink and you miss it character who’s barely in the story, OR they’re a character you learn nothing about until they drop two sentences of backstory to “build them up” and yet… that’s it. This was most apparent with Sofia, as we don’t learn anything about her until late in the novel and even then her military background is never mentioned again nor is it even relevant to her character other than to add facts to her sheet. This is also apparent with everybody in Emerald Hollow (the town) that apparently forms a bond with Holly or some sort of connection. We never see any of it, we just hear about it! Especially with Enzo, who bonds with Holly because she can speak Italian magically (ugh, more about that below), but then we don’t even get to hear their conversation! It literally goes something like “we had a short conversation in Italian then he went to get our food” or something like that, and then we’re supposed to believe they formed a bond? Sure. The underdeveloped side characters don’t stop with the humans though — every single elf in the North Pole is literally just a decoration for the story. We know some of their names, their job title… and that’s it. That’s literally it. And apparently the epilogue seems to be setting up a random sequel with one of these elves who we know practically nothing about, other than the fact that he has a sister?? Also the fact that one of the groups of elves were called Keyblers… yeah. Also also, I still don’t know what differentiates the two types of elves, like not really. Maybe it went over my head, but it wasn’t explored at all past a single description at the beginning.
- Worldbuilding/Magic System: This part comes in three: 1: The fact that almost every Christmas story where Christmas magic is real and there’s a North Pole workshop and everything — still takes place in the real, human world for a majority of the story — I’m a bit tired of it. We got barely anything of the North Pole and the elves like I said before, they were just there for decoration, and we focused on a real human town. I just wanted to dive more into Holly’s world and we didn’t… at all. Which is weird because this version of the North Pole is unique and different from most others (they deliver dreams instead of gifts), yet we never get any explanation or in-depth description of said process or how their world works. That leads me to part 2: I still don’t feel like I understand the world that was created here or the magic system. There are no “rules” to anything, it all just happens because “magic” (more about that in point 3), and there’s even questions raised at the end at how the Christmas magic works when it comes to soulmates and choosing the next Claus and questions of free will VS destiny, but all of that is brought up at the end!! And doesn’t get answered!! Just some lazy excuse that “we don’t know and may never know” like… what? It was the basis for the whole plot, but we’re not going to explore it? Also, we were introduced to different abilities out of nowhere and they’re mastered out of nowhere and it just felt very… shallow (more about that later). This all brings me to point 3: Magic dependency. It honestly started to annoy me when Holly would depend on her magic to do everything. Everything. Like lighting a fire or decorating a fair. And here’s the thing — the magic is NEVER explained. What does it look like? How does it work? What does Holly look like when she’s doing the magic? None of these questions were answered and so it would be super confusing whenever she would just make something happen and we didn’t read about it happening at all. It also annoyed me that everyone is praising Holly and (apparently) falling in love with Holly’s “magical-ness” and her many skills when all of these things aren’t things she can actually do!! It’s just her magic!! She gets credit for being so cool and good at everything, when she has nothing to do with it!! I never use the term Mary-Sue, but OMG I think I met one in Holly. Also, the magic was just a lazy excuse imo to get Holly out of difficult situations or to get the author out of having to explain or write out something. For example, she needs to book a room, so apparently her magic “thinks” she should get one and somehow makes it that her room is free and no one asks any questions about it. All her meals are free because her “magic thinks she needs it” and all her hot cocoa is free because her “magic wants her to have it.” Random holes in her ear appear when a friend gives her earrings at the very end because… magic thought she needed them. Like… what? We couldn’t have an interesting segment of Holly learning how to do or experience human things (which is apparently what the whole book is about!!!) and struggle through them? Also, the ending with (SPOILER in italics bc if I add spoiler tags it removes the spoilers without giving the option to click on it, weird) Ash becoming a Claus through magic because the magic chose him and blah blah blah… is never explained, nor do they ever talk about how their living situation is going to work if he’s going to become Mr. Claus.
- Lack of Depth: Yeah, like I mentioned before, there wasn’t much depth to the side characters, but I felt the same about the MCs. They were all pretty surface level, and we didn’t get to explore who they really were. There’s also insta-attraction/idolization (which I hate when stories do this, making the love interest(s) seem holier than thou and almost magical and like they can do no wrong when you barely know them), plus insta-love at the end where the drop the L-Bomb and the classic “I’ve been wanting to do this since we met/the day I first saw you.” Like, sure, Jan. Plus, big character moments or reveals or heart to hearts are brought up and resolved so quickly. Also, small details throughout the story get changed or forgotten about or mixed up with others, which was a bit annoying. I kept asking myself — wait, did I read that wrong? No.
That being said, I wish I had enjoyed this book but left feeling disappointed. It was overall predictable and didn’t explore what it set up.
*1.5 Stars*
Summary: This would’ve worked better as a cute, don’t-think-too-hard-about-it movie with great holiday vibes, but I didn’t enjoy it as a novel.
Overall, I can’t find much that I truly enjoyed about this book. It’s told in dual perspective — which I don’t think was really needed — and really got me in the Christmas mood, which is saying a lot because Halloween is around the corner. It’s hard to pinpoint the things that didn’t work for me without using examples, so I wish my Kindle notes and highlights were visible but the ARC isn't marked as a book in my Kindle Library, so they won't show up unfortunately.
Things I Liked:
- The Vibes: Like I keep saying, this book really threw me headfirst, ten feet deep into Christmas and the holiday spirit. There was a small town, northern-esque woods, the North Pole, and even a cozy inn/cafe/restaurant.
Things I Didn’t Like:
- Telling Not Showing: There was a lot of this… and I mean a lot. It was extremely apparent when it came to the side characters (more about that in the next point), but for example, Holly (the MC) would do something for Ash or the town or the festival etc, and it would be summarized in two sentences, without any description of what or how she did it. Like “I started working on the decorations. When I finished I closed up” — this isn’t a real quote but it pretty much summarizes how the story went. This was also the case with the characters and their emotions. We’re told they’re becoming friends or falling in love but we don’t actually see any of it, which not only made it hard to connect with the characters and the world, but it also made it hard to even care.
- Underdeveloped Side Characters: I swear, every single side character is either a blink and you miss it character who’s barely in the story, OR they’re a character you learn nothing about until they drop two sentences of backstory to “build them up” and yet… that’s it. This was most apparent with Sofia, as we don’t learn anything about her until late in the novel and even then her military background is never mentioned again nor is it even relevant to her character other than to add facts to her sheet. This is also apparent with everybody in Emerald Hollow (the town) that apparently forms a bond with Holly or some sort of connection. We never see any of it, we just hear about it! Especially with Enzo, who bonds with Holly because she can speak Italian magically (ugh, more about that below), but then we don’t even get to hear their conversation! It literally goes something like “we had a short conversation in Italian then he went to get our food” or something like that, and then we’re supposed to believe they formed a bond? Sure. The underdeveloped side characters don’t stop with the humans though — every single elf in the North Pole is literally just a decoration for the story. We know some of their names, their job title… and that’s it. That’s literally it. And apparently the epilogue seems to be setting up a random sequel with one of these elves who we know practically nothing about, other than the fact that he has a sister?? Also the fact that one of the groups of elves were called Keyblers… yeah. Also also, I still don’t know what differentiates the two types of elves, like not really. Maybe it went over my head, but it wasn’t explored at all past a single description at the beginning.
- Worldbuilding/Magic System: This part comes in three: 1: The fact that almost every Christmas story where Christmas magic is real and there’s a North Pole workshop and everything — still takes place in the real, human world for a majority of the story — I’m a bit tired of it. We got barely anything of the North Pole and the elves like I said before, they were just there for decoration, and we focused on a real human town. I just wanted to dive more into Holly’s world and we didn’t… at all. Which is weird because this version of the North Pole is unique and different from most others (they deliver dreams instead of gifts), yet we never get any explanation or in-depth description of said process or how their world works. That leads me to part 2: I still don’t feel like I understand the world that was created here or the magic system. There are no “rules” to anything, it all just happens because “magic” (more about that in point 3), and there’s even questions raised at the end at how the Christmas magic works when it comes to soulmates and choosing the next Claus and questions of free will VS destiny, but all of that is brought up at the end!! And doesn’t get answered!! Just some lazy excuse that “we don’t know and may never know” like… what? It was the basis for the whole plot, but we’re not going to explore it? Also, we were introduced to different abilities out of nowhere and they’re mastered out of nowhere and it just felt very… shallow (more about that later). This all brings me to point 3: Magic dependency. It honestly started to annoy me when Holly would depend on her magic to do everything. Everything. Like lighting a fire or decorating a fair. And here’s the thing — the magic is NEVER explained. What does it look like? How does it work? What does Holly look like when she’s doing the magic? None of these questions were answered and so it would be super confusing whenever she would just make something happen and we didn’t read about it happening at all. It also annoyed me that everyone is praising Holly and (apparently) falling in love with Holly’s “magical-ness” and her many skills when all of these things aren’t things she can actually do!! It’s just her magic!! She gets credit for being so cool and good at everything, when she has nothing to do with it!! I never use the term Mary-Sue, but OMG I think I met one in Holly. Also, the magic was just a lazy excuse imo to get Holly out of difficult situations or to get the author out of having to explain or write out something. For example, she needs to book a room, so apparently her magic “thinks” she should get one and somehow makes it that her room is free and no one asks any questions about it. All her meals are free because her “magic thinks she needs it” and all her hot cocoa is free because her “magic wants her to have it.” Random holes in her ear appear when a friend gives her earrings at the very end because… magic thought she needed them. Like… what? We couldn’t have an interesting segment of Holly learning how to do or experience human things (which is apparently what the whole book is about!!!) and struggle through them? Also, the ending with (SPOILER in italics bc if I add spoiler tags it removes the spoilers without giving the option to click on it, weird) Ash becoming a Claus through magic because the magic chose him and blah blah blah… is never explained, nor do they ever talk about how their living situation is going to work if he’s going to become Mr. Claus.
- Lack of Depth: Yeah, like I mentioned before, there wasn’t much depth to the side characters, but I felt the same about the MCs. They were all pretty surface level, and we didn’t get to explore who they really were. There’s also insta-attraction/idolization (which I hate when stories do this, making the love interest(s) seem holier than thou and almost magical and like they can do no wrong when you barely know them), plus insta-love at the end where the drop the L-Bomb and the classic “I’ve been wanting to do this since we met/the day I first saw you.” Like, sure, Jan. Plus, big character moments or reveals or heart to hearts are brought up and resolved so quickly. Also, small details throughout the story get changed or forgotten about or mixed up with others, which was a bit annoying. I kept asking myself — wait, did I read that wrong? No.
That being said, I wish I had enjoyed this book but left feeling disappointed. It was overall predictable and didn’t explore what it set up.
December 14, 2025
A wholesome Christmas romance perfect for fans of small town and Hallmark love stories 🥰
Things to love ❄️😍
❄️Cute doggo and reindeer
❄️Unique take on Santa lore
❄️Small town setting
❄️Green flag love interest
❄️Kisses only romance
❄️ Modern setting with mild magic
❄️All the holiday vibes
❄️Short chapters and easy-to-read prose
Christmas-y things you'll find inside 🎁🎄
🎁Ugly sweater party
🎁 Christmas faire and parade
🎁 Delicious hot chocolate
🎁 Cutting fresh Christmas trees (with a cute guy 😏)
🎁 Elves, North Pole, reindeer, and, of course, Ms. Claus herself
I'm not much of a contemporary romance reader, but the story is sweet and charming despite the plot being somewhat predictable and the magic rules a little inconsistent.
Ash was such a wholesome guy and I loved his passion for his small town and for its people. I didn't connect much with Holly, but they definitely made a sweet couple and the author established their compatibility in a believable way. I also enjoyed Ash's friend Sofia and her friendship with Holly.
I've read Heather Schneider's more recent work, Evergreen Academy and enjoyed it a lot so I think it's safe to say her writing only improved since this book. For me, the prose was a little simplistic and sometimes leaned too much on telling rather than showing, but it was a relaxing read and perfect for just unwinding after a long day. The story feels very much like reading a Hallmark Christmas movie, which isn't really my cup of tea, but if that's your vibe I think you'll love this cute story!
Things to love ❄️😍
❄️Cute doggo and reindeer
❄️Unique take on Santa lore
❄️Small town setting
❄️Green flag love interest
❄️Kisses only romance
❄️ Modern setting with mild magic
❄️All the holiday vibes
❄️Short chapters and easy-to-read prose
Christmas-y things you'll find inside 🎁🎄
🎁Ugly sweater party
🎁 Christmas faire and parade
🎁 Delicious hot chocolate
🎁 Cutting fresh Christmas trees (with a cute guy 😏)
🎁 Elves, North Pole, reindeer, and, of course, Ms. Claus herself
I'm not much of a contemporary romance reader, but the story is sweet and charming despite the plot being somewhat predictable and the magic rules a little inconsistent.
Ash was such a wholesome guy and I loved his passion for his small town and for its people. I didn't connect much with Holly, but they definitely made a sweet couple and the author established their compatibility in a believable way. I also enjoyed Ash's friend Sofia and her friendship with Holly.
I've read Heather Schneider's more recent work, Evergreen Academy and enjoyed it a lot so I think it's safe to say her writing only improved since this book. For me, the prose was a little simplistic and sometimes leaned too much on telling rather than showing, but it was a relaxing read and perfect for just unwinding after a long day. The story feels very much like reading a Hallmark Christmas movie, which isn't really my cup of tea, but if that's your vibe I think you'll love this cute story!
September 23, 2023
4.5 stars
Chasing Cheer has all the Christmas feels and seriously can you ever have too much Christmas cheer, never is my opinion. However, our MC finds things strange and so the story begins. It is a Christmas tale with a twist.
This Rom Con is fun and set in a sweet small town Emerald Hollow and had me laughing out loud. It is worthy of a Hallmark movie. It is easy to imagine the smells of Christmas pines, the eggnog, the roasting nuts, the joy of the people and the love of the season.
Holly Claus collects cheers and one small town changes things for her so much that Christmas could be in jeopardy.
Chasing Cheer is the perfect book to curl up with a hot chocolate if you in the colder months like me or sip a glass of wine enjoying the warm weather. Either way it is perfect for some much needed me time.
To enjoy the fun, you will have to grab a copy. Enjoy!
Chasing Cheer has all the Christmas feels and seriously can you ever have too much Christmas cheer, never is my opinion. However, our MC finds things strange and so the story begins. It is a Christmas tale with a twist.
This Rom Con is fun and set in a sweet small town Emerald Hollow and had me laughing out loud. It is worthy of a Hallmark movie. It is easy to imagine the smells of Christmas pines, the eggnog, the roasting nuts, the joy of the people and the love of the season.
Holly Claus collects cheers and one small town changes things for her so much that Christmas could be in jeopardy.
Chasing Cheer is the perfect book to curl up with a hot chocolate if you in the colder months like me or sip a glass of wine enjoying the warm weather. Either way it is perfect for some much needed me time.
To enjoy the fun, you will have to grab a copy. Enjoy!
September 23, 2023
The dedication alone will make you want to curl up with a secret recipe hot cocoa and a fuzzy blanket.
Holiday romance stories always capture my attention and I was so impressed with the uniqueness the author managed to include.
The magic was so enchanting, it practically had twinkling lights. The chemistry between characters was tangible and I loved the dual POV.
There were a surprising number of plot turns that I didn’t see coming and that readers don’t often get with holiday romance stories.
Combine all of this with cute animals, well developed and lovable side characters, and a holiday city so well described you wish you could visit!
A must read for any holiday romance lover! It’s like Christmas in a book, complete with a hot cocoa, a charming location, and a true love story!
Holiday romance stories always capture my attention and I was so impressed with the uniqueness the author managed to include.
The magic was so enchanting, it practically had twinkling lights. The chemistry between characters was tangible and I loved the dual POV.
There were a surprising number of plot turns that I didn’t see coming and that readers don’t often get with holiday romance stories.
Combine all of this with cute animals, well developed and lovable side characters, and a holiday city so well described you wish you could visit!
A must read for any holiday romance lover! It’s like Christmas in a book, complete with a hot cocoa, a charming location, and a true love story!
January 3, 2024
Holly is Santa Claus's daughter. After her parents passed on, she became the current Ms. Claus and her duty is to go around the world gathering Cheer, a source of energy for the North Pole. Then, on Christmas Eve, she delivers dreams to every human on earth; what those humans do with their wishes, depends entirely on them.
But Holly's gathering abilities are nowhere near what her father's were, and she has to be away most of the time, searching for happy places and big events to reach her monthly quota. And even then, the lights are dimmer and the energy is less radiant than what it used to be.
Holly leads a lonely life, not having family or close friends besides the elves that she barely gets to see. Until one fall, when she visits the town of Emerald Hollow for their fall festival and meets Ash.
Ash is the owner of the local Inn/Restaurant/Coffee place and the hearth of their community. They bond almost immediately and suddenly Holly's cheer quota gets filled in one afternoon, with the brightest light she's ever gathered. She decides to stick around and find out what's the secret to Emerald Hollow's magic.
This was a cute story. I didn't like the third person narration but I enjoyed the change of pov once every few chapters.
I liked the idea of a small, cozy town full of people that enjoy spending time together. It's why Hallmark movies work. And the romance was a bit too magical/insta love but it's exactly what you expect of this type of book.
It was a bit too much of telling and not showing, like half of the bonding time between characters happened in one phrase. The rest of the townspeople were only referred to as background characters and most of them didn't even have a name, besides one server and Enzo the Italian restaurant owner.
The big "fight/break" near the end was Holly thinking she had ruined the festival because she told Lucas (Ash's childhood friend and ex partner) where the Christmas fair decorations were... And then she ran away. This didn't make any sense to me and ended up feeling forced. Or maybe her instinctive reaction to problems is to run and let people deal with the damage. Sure, she told herself that it was for the best and that she had a duty to Christmas and the elves, but that cowardly reaction was boring as a plot device and hard to relate.
I'm not sure how she didn't realize that Ash's mom was probably an elf, but I'm sure it'll be explored in future stories.
The magic as a way to make Holly perfect got to be annoying. At first I was fine with it but eventually I was kinda tired of reading about how amazing Holly is and how she can do anything on her first try.
Overall, it was a sweet read for Christmas time.
Also, "Hago hablo español" means nothing in Spanish and the fact that it seems like they used Google translator to translate what I guess was "I do speak Spanish" and no one thought to check on it made me roll my eyes. Please, try to be more diligent about using other languages in your books.
But Holly's gathering abilities are nowhere near what her father's were, and she has to be away most of the time, searching for happy places and big events to reach her monthly quota. And even then, the lights are dimmer and the energy is less radiant than what it used to be.
Holly leads a lonely life, not having family or close friends besides the elves that she barely gets to see. Until one fall, when she visits the town of Emerald Hollow for their fall festival and meets Ash.
Ash is the owner of the local Inn/Restaurant/Coffee place and the hearth of their community. They bond almost immediately and suddenly Holly's cheer quota gets filled in one afternoon, with the brightest light she's ever gathered. She decides to stick around and find out what's the secret to Emerald Hollow's magic.
This was a cute story. I didn't like the third person narration but I enjoyed the change of pov once every few chapters.
I liked the idea of a small, cozy town full of people that enjoy spending time together. It's why Hallmark movies work. And the romance was a bit too magical/insta love but it's exactly what you expect of this type of book.
It was a bit too much of telling and not showing, like half of the bonding time between characters happened in one phrase. The rest of the townspeople were only referred to as background characters and most of them didn't even have a name, besides one server and Enzo the Italian restaurant owner.
The big "fight/break" near the end was Holly thinking she had ruined the festival because she told Lucas (Ash's childhood friend and ex partner) where the Christmas fair decorations were... And then she ran away. This didn't make any sense to me and ended up feeling forced. Or maybe her instinctive reaction to problems is to run and let people deal with the damage. Sure, she told herself that it was for the best and that she had a duty to Christmas and the elves, but that cowardly reaction was boring as a plot device and hard to relate.
I'm not sure how she didn't realize that Ash's mom was probably an elf, but I'm sure it'll be explored in future stories.
The magic as a way to make Holly perfect got to be annoying. At first I was fine with it but eventually I was kinda tired of reading about how amazing Holly is and how she can do anything on her first try.
Overall, it was a sweet read for Christmas time.
Also, "Hago hablo español" means nothing in Spanish and the fact that it seems like they used Google translator to translate what I guess was "I do speak Spanish" and no one thought to check on it made me roll my eyes. Please, try to be more diligent about using other languages in your books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2023
Holly Claus has been out and about gathering Cheer to help power the North Pole. While visiting in Finland she sees a flyer for a small festival in rural Oregon. The Emerald House seems to be the focus of all the abundance of cheer and for the first time since Holly took the reigns to the North Pole she feels different. She meets Ash Hayes and everything about him feels like it is meant to be right but can a human accept the magical life Holly Claus lives?
This was a whimsical delight of a story. I thought this book captured the spirit of Christmas and the descriptive details only enhance the tale that pulls you in right away. Great book for some hot chocolate, cool air and a blanket to nestle in.
This was a whimsical delight of a story. I thought this book captured the spirit of Christmas and the descriptive details only enhance the tale that pulls you in right away. Great book for some hot chocolate, cool air and a blanket to nestle in.
December 1, 2025
This book is so delightful! I really like how Heather created a unique story around Santa Claus & the North Pole without it feeling juvenile. I liked the world building aspects she introduced such as collecting Cheer and delivering Dreams. It was a fun modern twist on Christmas. All the characters are delightful and I wish I could be friends with them in real life!
If you love the Disney Santa Clause movies, squeaky clean small town romances, cozy fantasy, or Christmas, this book is for you!
If you love the Disney Santa Clause movies, squeaky clean small town romances, cozy fantasy, or Christmas, this book is for you!
October 22, 2023
Holly Claus lives in the North Pole and is the daughter of the famous Santa Claus and she is in charge of collecting the Cheer which powers her home, but she has never been as successful as her father and has to spend a lot more time away from home collecting it, be it at festivals, concerts, or theme parks and she is always trying to find new sources. Ash Hayes is a young man with a twinkle in his eye, he lives in Emerald Hollow and owns a business there, but he also helps the rest of the town out when he needs to and this keeps him very busy, but he loves it and thrives in the atmosphere the towns hard work has created.
When Holly starts out her new Cheer cycle, she decides to do something a little bit different, she finds a flyer about a fall festival in a small town and realises that it isn’t something she has tried yet and that it would be a great opportunity to test a theory she has about small towns and how much Cheer they have, so she hops in her faithful sleigh and heads to Emerald Hollow, but as soon as she enters the nearest place, her Cheer watch goes mad and she cannot understand why, especially when she meets the owner, but she is determined to find out why. Ash is busy preparing for the fall festival the town holds every year, but this year he has also decided to try and boost the Christmas faire that they have, he even enters them into a Hallmark contest, something which will help the town bring in the tourism it so desperately needs, so when a beautiful woman orders one of his famous drinks in his restaurant, he cannot help but be drawn to her and he cannot understand why, but he decides to get to know her a bit first.
As the festival approaches, Holly and Ash spend time together and cannot deny that there is an attraction there, but Holly cannot afford to be distracted and when she mentions that she is leaving after the festival, Ash realises that that isn’t something he wants, he wants someone who stays, however, when she agrees to come back for the Christmas faire, he is glad. Things are not as they seem though and when Holly returns home with her bumper load of Cheer, things start to change for her, but is this change a good or a bad thing and where does Emerald Hollow and Ash fit into it all? Will Holly be able to figure out why her Cheer meter is reacting how it is before Christmas comes around and everything that comes with it, or will everything fall apart and slip between her fingertips? This is a new take on a old festive tale where small towns, Cheer and romance mix to create a magical story that everyone can enjoy.
When Holly starts out her new Cheer cycle, she decides to do something a little bit different, she finds a flyer about a fall festival in a small town and realises that it isn’t something she has tried yet and that it would be a great opportunity to test a theory she has about small towns and how much Cheer they have, so she hops in her faithful sleigh and heads to Emerald Hollow, but as soon as she enters the nearest place, her Cheer watch goes mad and she cannot understand why, especially when she meets the owner, but she is determined to find out why. Ash is busy preparing for the fall festival the town holds every year, but this year he has also decided to try and boost the Christmas faire that they have, he even enters them into a Hallmark contest, something which will help the town bring in the tourism it so desperately needs, so when a beautiful woman orders one of his famous drinks in his restaurant, he cannot help but be drawn to her and he cannot understand why, but he decides to get to know her a bit first.
As the festival approaches, Holly and Ash spend time together and cannot deny that there is an attraction there, but Holly cannot afford to be distracted and when she mentions that she is leaving after the festival, Ash realises that that isn’t something he wants, he wants someone who stays, however, when she agrees to come back for the Christmas faire, he is glad. Things are not as they seem though and when Holly returns home with her bumper load of Cheer, things start to change for her, but is this change a good or a bad thing and where does Emerald Hollow and Ash fit into it all? Will Holly be able to figure out why her Cheer meter is reacting how it is before Christmas comes around and everything that comes with it, or will everything fall apart and slip between her fingertips? This is a new take on a old festive tale where small towns, Cheer and romance mix to create a magical story that everyone can enjoy.
September 18, 2023
4.5 stars. Better-than-Hallmark in book form but certainly for all of those who love Christmas and a holiday romance!
This book was the perfect choice to take with me on vacation as the weather starts to cool down (and it has left me with a serious craving for hot cocoa). Emerald Hollow has the cozy small town vibes that those into this theme with love, complete with endearing love interest. Holly is our protagonist and is written very well; I have enjoyed the stories surrounding a Claus heir and how they have carried on the legacy. Sofia and other supporting characters were also great, and I loved the Kebler and Kringle elves being the two group names!
What I think really drew me in was the collection of Cheer to sustain the North Pole, which is a great take on the whole idea of being in Santa Claus being what keeps Christmas going. The concept of how the North Pole plays into the idea of how the regular world interprets/stereotypes the Clauses and their home versus how the North Pole actually functions was also really great. It's certainly a big task to create a new spin on Santa Claus and Christmas, and I think it was accomplished well.
Where it loses half a star for me is (trying very hard to not be spoiler-y here!):
1. I feel like the way Ash's ex-business partner and friend was set up as a villain led it to feel anti-climatic when they finally confronted each other. It just seemed like he would be more evil. I feel meh about it.
2. The way it's written about how Ash's hot cocoa is so close to the North Pole recipe feels like it's hinting at some sort of deeper secret of how that came to be, but then it gets played out as something that's all part of the magic. Not a huge knock for me because it ultimately works, it just felt as though there was something more.
3. I don't know that the Epilogue added anything for me. It felt like when you're watching a movie expecting for there to be a bonus scene and there isn't.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. While it's clear Holly and Ash are drawn to each other from their first meeting, the rest of the book was a good slowburn.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was the perfect choice to take with me on vacation as the weather starts to cool down (and it has left me with a serious craving for hot cocoa). Emerald Hollow has the cozy small town vibes that those into this theme with love, complete with endearing love interest. Holly is our protagonist and is written very well; I have enjoyed the stories surrounding a Claus heir and how they have carried on the legacy. Sofia and other supporting characters were also great, and I loved the Kebler and Kringle elves being the two group names!
What I think really drew me in was the collection of Cheer to sustain the North Pole, which is a great take on the whole idea of being in Santa Claus being what keeps Christmas going. The concept of how the North Pole plays into the idea of how the regular world interprets/stereotypes the Clauses and their home versus how the North Pole actually functions was also really great. It's certainly a big task to create a new spin on Santa Claus and Christmas, and I think it was accomplished well.
Where it loses half a star for me is (trying very hard to not be spoiler-y here!):
1. I feel like the way Ash's ex-business partner and friend was set up as a villain led it to feel anti-climatic when they finally confronted each other. It just seemed like he would be more evil. I feel meh about it.
2. The way it's written about how Ash's hot cocoa is so close to the North Pole recipe feels like it's hinting at some sort of deeper secret of how that came to be, but then it gets played out as something that's all part of the magic. Not a huge knock for me because it ultimately works, it just felt as though there was something more.
3. I don't know that the Epilogue added anything for me. It felt like when you're watching a movie expecting for there to be a bonus scene and there isn't.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. While it's clear Holly and Ash are drawn to each other from their first meeting, the rest of the book was a good slowburn.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 5, 2023
3.5 stars
This is a clean Christmas romance that probably could be a movie.
This story is unique to all the Christmas stories I've read. I've never seen a North Pole where the elves weren't manufacturing toys to deliver on Christmas Eve. Instead they were putting together dreams to deliver. Not the kind of dream one might have during sleep and not remember in the morning. They were more dreams for life. Possibilities about what could be in their lives if they only try to follow the dream. And the concept of Christmas Cheer being different than Christmas cheer (upper case vs. lower case c) was interesting too. But you'll have to read the book to see how that all works.
The cover is really cute and inviting. I loved that. But I have mixed feelings about the book. It took me a while to finish it. I wasn't drawn in initially. I found the writing too wordy and too descriptive much of the time and that was distracting to me. I really don't care if someone is wearing a blue puffer coat unless it has something specific to do with the plot. There were too many details that I just didn't care about. That made the story feel slow in pacing to me. It took a long time for something to happen to move the plot along.
But then by the end of the book, it felt different. I don't know when it changed exactly but I was no longer distracted by all the words. What was on the page was important. Ash and Holly meeting again was like watching a movie and I had that deep sigh of contentment moment.
But I also wanted to know what happens next. How do they resolve where to live? Fulltime at the North Pole? Part time in Emerald Hollow? Does Ash keep the Emerald House or give it up to follow Holly? I noted that this is book 1 in a series so perhaps one will get those answers in book 2 but I wanted to know now. I think I would have preferred to see what happens to resolve my questions told in the epilogue instead of what appears to be the set up for the next book.
Clean Christmas romance
Potential trigger: abandoned by parent
*I received an advanced copy from the author in an online giveaway and voluntarily chose to review it.
This is a clean Christmas romance that probably could be a movie.
This story is unique to all the Christmas stories I've read. I've never seen a North Pole where the elves weren't manufacturing toys to deliver on Christmas Eve. Instead they were putting together dreams to deliver. Not the kind of dream one might have during sleep and not remember in the morning. They were more dreams for life. Possibilities about what could be in their lives if they only try to follow the dream. And the concept of Christmas Cheer being different than Christmas cheer (upper case vs. lower case c) was interesting too. But you'll have to read the book to see how that all works.
The cover is really cute and inviting. I loved that. But I have mixed feelings about the book. It took me a while to finish it. I wasn't drawn in initially. I found the writing too wordy and too descriptive much of the time and that was distracting to me. I really don't care if someone is wearing a blue puffer coat unless it has something specific to do with the plot. There were too many details that I just didn't care about. That made the story feel slow in pacing to me. It took a long time for something to happen to move the plot along.
But then by the end of the book, it felt different. I don't know when it changed exactly but I was no longer distracted by all the words. What was on the page was important. Ash and Holly meeting again was like watching a movie and I had that deep sigh of contentment moment.
But I also wanted to know what happens next. How do they resolve where to live? Fulltime at the North Pole? Part time in Emerald Hollow? Does Ash keep the Emerald House or give it up to follow Holly? I noted that this is book 1 in a series so perhaps one will get those answers in book 2 but I wanted to know now. I think I would have preferred to see what happens to resolve my questions told in the epilogue instead of what appears to be the set up for the next book.
Clean Christmas romance
Potential trigger: abandoned by parent
*I received an advanced copy from the author in an online giveaway and voluntarily chose to review it.
September 25, 2023
4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the first book of the author's that I've read and I would like to read more from her. This is the start of the Magic Emerald Hollow Series and can be read as a standalone, though it seems as if some things will be furthered explored in the next book. The book's blurb is straightforward. It's a sweet third person dual pov Christmas romance about two individuals unexpectedly falling in love.
As Ms. Claus, Holly's responsibility of collecting Cheer has kept her busy going from place to place and not allowing her to settle in one place for too long. Although she has the community of elves, she's mostly been on her own. When she's called to Emerald Hollow, she gets comfortable and begins to envision a life there - especially as her friendship with Ash grows. As the owner of The Emerald House, Ash takes pride in running it and uplifting the community. He may place a lot on his shoulders but he truly cares about the town. When he meets Holly, he can't help but to be drawn to her and want her to be a part of his life.
Because Holly was busy trying to figure what was going on with the Cheer and Ash was focused on making sure the town was perfect for the contest, their romance is a clean slow burn. I didn't mind the pacing at all because they both had things they needed to work through and I liked how their friendship gradually developed into something more. It was natural and sweet. I really enjoyed Holly making friends and having a routine that was so different from the wandering life she lived. I liked Ash accepting Holly's help and feeling like it was okay for him to allow her into this heart. The conflict was low stress, though I wasn't expecting things between him and his ex partner to be resolved as easily as it was. That and the mystery surrounding Ash's hot cocoa were built up making me think that there was going to be more to it than there actually was. However, that didn't stop me from liking the story. I liked the twist on the classic tale and how easy the story was to read. I liked the side characters and hope we see some of them in the rest of the books of the series. I really enjoyed this cozy book and know Christmas lovers will too.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the first book of the author's that I've read and I would like to read more from her. This is the start of the Magic Emerald Hollow Series and can be read as a standalone, though it seems as if some things will be furthered explored in the next book. The book's blurb is straightforward. It's a sweet third person dual pov Christmas romance about two individuals unexpectedly falling in love.
As Ms. Claus, Holly's responsibility of collecting Cheer has kept her busy going from place to place and not allowing her to settle in one place for too long. Although she has the community of elves, she's mostly been on her own. When she's called to Emerald Hollow, she gets comfortable and begins to envision a life there - especially as her friendship with Ash grows. As the owner of The Emerald House, Ash takes pride in running it and uplifting the community. He may place a lot on his shoulders but he truly cares about the town. When he meets Holly, he can't help but to be drawn to her and want her to be a part of his life.
Because Holly was busy trying to figure what was going on with the Cheer and Ash was focused on making sure the town was perfect for the contest, their romance is a clean slow burn. I didn't mind the pacing at all because they both had things they needed to work through and I liked how their friendship gradually developed into something more. It was natural and sweet. I really enjoyed Holly making friends and having a routine that was so different from the wandering life she lived. I liked Ash accepting Holly's help and feeling like it was okay for him to allow her into this heart. The conflict was low stress, though I wasn't expecting things between him and his ex partner to be resolved as easily as it was. That and the mystery surrounding Ash's hot cocoa were built up making me think that there was going to be more to it than there actually was. However, that didn't stop me from liking the story. I liked the twist on the classic tale and how easy the story was to read. I liked the side characters and hope we see some of them in the rest of the books of the series. I really enjoyed this cozy book and know Christmas lovers will too.
August 27, 2023
“To everyone who starts listening to Christmas music before it's socially acceptable.’
The cover of Chasing Cheer by Heather Schneider looks christmas-y, and I love the pink color.
Holly Claus travels the world in search of Christmas Cheer to power up the North Pole. She finds out that Christmas Cheer is way too abundant in the small-town Emerald Hollow and Holly, while trying to blend in, is desperate to find out why. When she meets Ash Hayes who enters the town in a Hallmark competition for Best Small Town Christmas Faire, sparks fly and secrets will come out.
This book was such a joy to read. The writing style is lovely and the story flows. You really get the feeling of Christmas with reindeer, decorations and snow. Holly is a bit naive, even though she travels the world. She is a character I loved and my favorite of all characters in this novel. The interaction Holly has with the townsfolk had me smiling a lot. Since Holly does not interact with people apart from the elves and such on the North Pole she gets into humorous situations.
There is (of course) Christmas and Christmas magic in the novel, but there’s also mystery and romance, and you get the feeling of Christmas while reading this book. If Chasing Cheer was made in a (Hallmark) movie, I would definitely want to see it.
Chasing Cheer is a magical and super cute lovely, relaxing read, and a Christmas story unlike any other I have read. And who says you can’t read a Christmas book all year round? If you like to read a lovely story and get immersed in the storyline, with a lovely character, than this is the book for you.
The cover of Chasing Cheer by Heather Schneider looks christmas-y, and I love the pink color.
Holly Claus travels the world in search of Christmas Cheer to power up the North Pole. She finds out that Christmas Cheer is way too abundant in the small-town Emerald Hollow and Holly, while trying to blend in, is desperate to find out why. When she meets Ash Hayes who enters the town in a Hallmark competition for Best Small Town Christmas Faire, sparks fly and secrets will come out.
This book was such a joy to read. The writing style is lovely and the story flows. You really get the feeling of Christmas with reindeer, decorations and snow. Holly is a bit naive, even though she travels the world. She is a character I loved and my favorite of all characters in this novel. The interaction Holly has with the townsfolk had me smiling a lot. Since Holly does not interact with people apart from the elves and such on the North Pole she gets into humorous situations.
There is (of course) Christmas and Christmas magic in the novel, but there’s also mystery and romance, and you get the feeling of Christmas while reading this book. If Chasing Cheer was made in a (Hallmark) movie, I would definitely want to see it.
Chasing Cheer is a magical and super cute lovely, relaxing read, and a Christmas story unlike any other I have read. And who says you can’t read a Christmas book all year round? If you like to read a lovely story and get immersed in the storyline, with a lovely character, than this is the book for you.
September 12, 2023
This is such a cute book! Without giving away too much of the plot, while this is a Christmas story, it includes themes that are applicable to life year-round. I feel like two big themes are realizing where true happiness can be found and realizing that life is about balance. The characters were so likable. Now, I definitely want to visit Emerald Hollow, Oregon. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, it's not a real place.
I feel like this book is a combination of your traditional Christmas story themes mixed with some unique takes on the life of the Claus family. This added to the appeal for me.
I read this book very quickly. Let's just say that I finished it in less than a day, and I may have continued to do some exercises that allowed me to read and work out mostly so I could have an excuse to continue reading.
When reading a book, one of my biggest concerns is if the book is clean. I'd label it as "cleanish." There are a few of the milder swear words, and in some cases, they are used in ways that some readers may not even view them as swear words. There is no violence or sexual content. Mild kissing is as far as it goes.
If you like slightly cheesy Christmas stories, this is one that you won't want to miss. I wouldn't put it as my favorite Christmas story ever, but it was really good. I think that it would make a really cute Christmas movie. I'm not sure if this is the start of a new series or if it's planned as a standalone novel. I've seen it listed both ways. I could see doing another book or two. If that happens, I'll read them.
I received an ARC of this book through BookSirens, and I am writing this review voluntarily.
I feel like this book is a combination of your traditional Christmas story themes mixed with some unique takes on the life of the Claus family. This added to the appeal for me.
I read this book very quickly. Let's just say that I finished it in less than a day, and I may have continued to do some exercises that allowed me to read and work out mostly so I could have an excuse to continue reading.
When reading a book, one of my biggest concerns is if the book is clean. I'd label it as "cleanish." There are a few of the milder swear words, and in some cases, they are used in ways that some readers may not even view them as swear words. There is no violence or sexual content. Mild kissing is as far as it goes.
If you like slightly cheesy Christmas stories, this is one that you won't want to miss. I wouldn't put it as my favorite Christmas story ever, but it was really good. I think that it would make a really cute Christmas movie. I'm not sure if this is the start of a new series or if it's planned as a standalone novel. I've seen it listed both ways. I could see doing another book or two. If that happens, I'll read them.
I received an ARC of this book through BookSirens, and I am writing this review voluntarily.
September 23, 2023
I knew this book was going to be a great one when the dedication says, "To everyone who starts listening to Christmas music before it's socially acceptable."! This book was just what I needed today as I plan out putting my Christmas tree up next week (October 1)!!
Holly Claus is responsible for gathing all the Cheer and bringing it back to the workshop each quarter so the work can proceed without interuption. She's thrilled to travel the world doing "market research" while accomplishing this task. There are trips to Disneyworld where she rides the ride that plays the song that will be an earworm for awhile. It's a trip to Finland that changes everything though. Seeing an ad for a festival in Oregon, USA has her intrigued and having to go and check it out.
Ash is a business owner in Emerald Falls, Oregon. He owns an inn attached to a restaurant and he's very well known and respected around town. He works hard to keep his family's legacy going. He's super excited that Hallmark is going to come and check out the festival that he's planning. This could be the break he's looking for in acquiring more excursions for his business customers.
Holly finds herself in an inn with a quaint restaurant and the best hot chocolate she's ever had away from home. The owner of that inn, Ash, is impressed that she's impressed with his hot chocolate. Afterall, it's a family recipe!
I just loved this story. It's very uplifting and happy, and full of cheer!! I am really hoping that this isn't the end of this story with Holly and Ash though...especially Ash!
Holly Claus is responsible for gathing all the Cheer and bringing it back to the workshop each quarter so the work can proceed without interuption. She's thrilled to travel the world doing "market research" while accomplishing this task. There are trips to Disneyworld where she rides the ride that plays the song that will be an earworm for awhile. It's a trip to Finland that changes everything though. Seeing an ad for a festival in Oregon, USA has her intrigued and having to go and check it out.
Ash is a business owner in Emerald Falls, Oregon. He owns an inn attached to a restaurant and he's very well known and respected around town. He works hard to keep his family's legacy going. He's super excited that Hallmark is going to come and check out the festival that he's planning. This could be the break he's looking for in acquiring more excursions for his business customers.
Holly finds herself in an inn with a quaint restaurant and the best hot chocolate she's ever had away from home. The owner of that inn, Ash, is impressed that she's impressed with his hot chocolate. Afterall, it's a family recipe!
I just loved this story. It's very uplifting and happy, and full of cheer!! I am really hoping that this isn't the end of this story with Holly and Ash though...especially Ash!
October 21, 2023
As the new(er) head of the Claus business, Holly has to work hard for the cheer to power the North Pole. It doesn’t help that she has to work harder than her father to gather cheer leading her to being out of range for most if the year.
When Holly visits a small Oregon town on a Cheer hunting whim, all she thought she knew about collecting Cheer goes out the window. Emerald Hollow is full of it. Cheer that is. So now she’s determined to figure out why and how she can use the small towns abundance of Cheer to help the North Pole.
Emerald House is more than just a business to Ash Hayes. It’s his world, and everything he’s ever known. After taking over the family business, Ash is determined to bring tourism up in Emerald Hollow, even if it means entering their tiny town into a Hallmark contest.
Holly’s not planning on staying but the amount of Cheer in Emerald Hollow could put Christmas at stake and leave her wanting more at the same time. Ash doesn’t want to love someone who leaves. Neither of them have a choice anymore.
I really struggled at the beginning, I felt that it was written in a very roundabout, odd manner for the first few pages, but it really cleaned up after the first chapter.
It turned out to be a super sweet and adorable holiday read that I’m really glad I stuck around for. A fast-paced storyline once it was in motion and plot that reads like a Hallmark movie and this girl is sold.
I loved the characters and I can’t wait to see what lore we can get from Emerald Hollow and I can only hope it’ll be a bit more holiday fun!
When Holly visits a small Oregon town on a Cheer hunting whim, all she thought she knew about collecting Cheer goes out the window. Emerald Hollow is full of it. Cheer that is. So now she’s determined to figure out why and how she can use the small towns abundance of Cheer to help the North Pole.
Emerald House is more than just a business to Ash Hayes. It’s his world, and everything he’s ever known. After taking over the family business, Ash is determined to bring tourism up in Emerald Hollow, even if it means entering their tiny town into a Hallmark contest.
Holly’s not planning on staying but the amount of Cheer in Emerald Hollow could put Christmas at stake and leave her wanting more at the same time. Ash doesn’t want to love someone who leaves. Neither of them have a choice anymore.
I really struggled at the beginning, I felt that it was written in a very roundabout, odd manner for the first few pages, but it really cleaned up after the first chapter.
It turned out to be a super sweet and adorable holiday read that I’m really glad I stuck around for. A fast-paced storyline once it was in motion and plot that reads like a Hallmark movie and this girl is sold.
I loved the characters and I can’t wait to see what lore we can get from Emerald Hollow and I can only hope it’ll be a bit more holiday fun!
September 24, 2023
Chasing Cheer was a cute holiday romance. Reminiscent of the holiday Hallmark movies, which is funny being that’s a common reference. I’m it’s intentional. The author wrote a cute story which led to beautiful character growth and self discovery.
Holly is in her prime to lead, just one problem she’s not grasping the cheer aspect of her job. Holly is the new “It girl” of the North Pole, now that Santa and Mrs. Claus have moved on. She grasps and embraces her job with so much love and support, she just doesn’t understand cheer. She knows what it does, just not how to collect it efficiently. That is until an adventure lands her in Emerald Hollow face to face with the man about town Ash.
What does this town have that’s so different?
How can she unlock that?
Ash is constantly running ragged, but he does it for his love, his home town. Till one day he meets a woman who has him tongue tied, that can only be described as Christmas personified. Still running around making sure everything is perfect. The young woman now occupies his brain in a way he doesn’t quite understand. Pulled to her by an unknown force.
Will he concede to that force?
Who is this woman?
All that and so much many more questions come about while reading this story. Why would I choose it? Simple holiday romances are a guilty pleasure, especially if they turn into a Hallmark movie in my mind. This was one of those times.
Holly is in her prime to lead, just one problem she’s not grasping the cheer aspect of her job. Holly is the new “It girl” of the North Pole, now that Santa and Mrs. Claus have moved on. She grasps and embraces her job with so much love and support, she just doesn’t understand cheer. She knows what it does, just not how to collect it efficiently. That is until an adventure lands her in Emerald Hollow face to face with the man about town Ash.
What does this town have that’s so different?
How can she unlock that?
Ash is constantly running ragged, but he does it for his love, his home town. Till one day he meets a woman who has him tongue tied, that can only be described as Christmas personified. Still running around making sure everything is perfect. The young woman now occupies his brain in a way he doesn’t quite understand. Pulled to her by an unknown force.
Will he concede to that force?
Who is this woman?
All that and so much many more questions come about while reading this story. Why would I choose it? Simple holiday romances are a guilty pleasure, especially if they turn into a Hallmark movie in my mind. This was one of those times.
September 25, 2023
An enjoyable and engaging festive contemporary romance which kept me happily turning the pages. Holly Claus visits the small town of Emerald Hollow to discover why ‘Christmas Cheer’ is so abundant there. Holly travels around the world collecting ‘Cheer’ which then powers the North Pole and its dream making operations, but however efficient she is she always feels that she’s not as good as her father was. Ash Hayes is working to build up his tourism business at The Emerald House and enters the town in a Hallmark competition for ‘Best Small Town Christmas Faire’. His Mum ran away from the town as a child, and he’s keen to make the town a desirable destination again.
Sparks fly when Holly and Ash meet, but neither of them are looking for love, and she’s got a job to do and he definitely does not want a relationship with someone who’s going to leave. Meanwhile, Holly’s arrival sets in motion a change in Holly’s Cheer magic that upend everything at the North Pole, so Holly must find out what is causing all the Cheer in the town or Christmas may be at risk. In this town full of Cheer it’s magic may intervene in Ash and Holly’s relationship and maybe they will find love. This was a lovely heartwarming festive romance with likeable and relatable characters and a wonderful setting, both of which was brought to life by the descriptive narrative. The story was full of Christmas magic and it has left me feeling full of festive Cheer!
Sparks fly when Holly and Ash meet, but neither of them are looking for love, and she’s got a job to do and he definitely does not want a relationship with someone who’s going to leave. Meanwhile, Holly’s arrival sets in motion a change in Holly’s Cheer magic that upend everything at the North Pole, so Holly must find out what is causing all the Cheer in the town or Christmas may be at risk. In this town full of Cheer it’s magic may intervene in Ash and Holly’s relationship and maybe they will find love. This was a lovely heartwarming festive romance with likeable and relatable characters and a wonderful setting, both of which was brought to life by the descriptive narrative. The story was full of Christmas magic and it has left me feeling full of festive Cheer!
April 29, 2024
This book is purely magical. To say I loved it would be an understatement. It was such a cute concept with the daughter of Santa Claus falling in love with a human. Holly was the most adorable thing ever! She was so likable, but also very naïve when it came to things in the human world. She reminded me of Buddy the Elf, but not as silly. She had an innocence about her which made her more endearing, and someone you would want to have as a friend.
Ash is now one of my favorite boyfriends. I loved how kind he was to everybody, and a hard worker. That’s very attractive in a man. But sometimes it hurt him because he didn’t allow anybody to help him, until Holly came into town. The fact that he was able to forgive made me like him even more.
The relationship that was budding between them was so pure and sweet. I love that this book was wholesome and allowed the couple to fall in love the right way. This book just made me smile throughout it.
I have never read anything by this author, and I hope she writes more books like this. It just flowed. It made me want to put on Christmas music and start working on my ugly Christmas sweater. Please read this. It’s so worth it. It should be made into an audiobook or movie.
I was given an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
Ash is now one of my favorite boyfriends. I loved how kind he was to everybody, and a hard worker. That’s very attractive in a man. But sometimes it hurt him because he didn’t allow anybody to help him, until Holly came into town. The fact that he was able to forgive made me like him even more.
The relationship that was budding between them was so pure and sweet. I love that this book was wholesome and allowed the couple to fall in love the right way. This book just made me smile throughout it.
I have never read anything by this author, and I hope she writes more books like this. It just flowed. It made me want to put on Christmas music and start working on my ugly Christmas sweater. Please read this. It’s so worth it. It should be made into an audiobook or movie.
I was given an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
October 2, 2023
4 1/2 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
You can never read a holiday Christmas story to early...and this book gives you all the feels that of Christmas of friendship, hope, forgiveness, magic, love and Cheer! I really enjoyed this story and I cannot wait to see what is next from this author.
Holly Claus is focused at her job on hand, making sure she is collecting Cheer to help with using it back at home, the North Pole. Holly has visited many places where her job takes her, while visiting her friend in Finland, she sees a flyer about a up and coming festival in Emerald Hollow, Oregon. Holly takes a chance to visit this little town, not expecting to fall in love with everything it has to offer. Holly meets Ash Hayes in the midst...and sparks fly between the two....but both are initially in denial of their feelings. Ash is busy, being a business owner and trying to get the holiday festival up to peak....but slowly his walls around is heart start to fall the more he spends time with Holly. What Ash does not know is who Holly truly is or where she is from. When Holly's Cheer goes into chaos...will she be able to save Christmas and be honest with Ash of who she truly is?
This is a sweet story that was very enjoyable and just what I needed :).
You can never read a holiday Christmas story to early...and this book gives you all the feels that of Christmas of friendship, hope, forgiveness, magic, love and Cheer! I really enjoyed this story and I cannot wait to see what is next from this author.
Holly Claus is focused at her job on hand, making sure she is collecting Cheer to help with using it back at home, the North Pole. Holly has visited many places where her job takes her, while visiting her friend in Finland, she sees a flyer about a up and coming festival in Emerald Hollow, Oregon. Holly takes a chance to visit this little town, not expecting to fall in love with everything it has to offer. Holly meets Ash Hayes in the midst...and sparks fly between the two....but both are initially in denial of their feelings. Ash is busy, being a business owner and trying to get the holiday festival up to peak....but slowly his walls around is heart start to fall the more he spends time with Holly. What Ash does not know is who Holly truly is or where she is from. When Holly's Cheer goes into chaos...will she be able to save Christmas and be honest with Ash of who she truly is?
This is a sweet story that was very enjoyable and just what I needed :).
December 20, 2023
"Heather Schneider's 'CHASING CHEER' is a literary masterpiece that marries the quintessential elements of small-town charm with a dash of enchantment, forging an indelible narrative that encapsulates the very spirit of the holiday season.
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With a compelling and lyrical style of writing, Schneider transports readers to the idyllic haven of Emerald Hollow, where the atmosphere resonates with Hallmark vibes and an inventive twist on North Pole lore unfolds.
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Schneider weaves her tale through the dual points of view, skillfully immersing us in the lives of her protagonists, Holly Claus and Ash Hayes. Through their perspectives, we embark on a heartwarming journey, delving deep into their hopes, aspirations, and the touch of magic that unexpectedly ignites between them.
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The essence of 'CHASING CHEER' lies in its exploration of found family and the inexorable magic of Christmas. As we traverse the scenic landscapes of rural Oregon, we become ensnared by the entrancing narrative, deeply rooted in the spirit of the season. Holly's quest to uncover the enigma behind the surfeit of Christmas Cheer in Emerald Hollow breathes life into a captivating mystery, thereby setting the stage for an extraordinary adventure.
.
With a compelling and lyrical style of writing, Schneider transports readers to the idyllic haven of Emerald Hollow, where the atmosphere resonates with Hallmark vibes and an inventive twist on North Pole lore unfolds.
.
Schneider weaves her tale through the dual points of view, skillfully immersing us in the lives of her protagonists, Holly Claus and Ash Hayes. Through their perspectives, we embark on a heartwarming journey, delving deep into their hopes, aspirations, and the touch of magic that unexpectedly ignites between them.
.
The essence of 'CHASING CHEER' lies in its exploration of found family and the inexorable magic of Christmas. As we traverse the scenic landscapes of rural Oregon, we become ensnared by the entrancing narrative, deeply rooted in the spirit of the season. Holly's quest to uncover the enigma behind the surfeit of Christmas Cheer in Emerald Hollow breathes life into a captivating mystery, thereby setting the stage for an extraordinary adventure.
August 12, 2023
She had me at the dedication: To everyone who starts listening to Christmas music before it's socially acceptable.
The book is fantastic. Imagine the feeling you get at your happiest moment of the Christmas season, and that is the book. Magical realism is weaved throughout while magic is everywhere. It's your classic women's fiction of finding yourself, and a great Hallmark story of happiness. I loved the meaning behind the idea of 'gathering cheer' and just what Holly needed to do to find it. It was also a fun take on what Santa actually brings us for Christmas.
I was surprised to get Ash's point of view throughout the story, but it added a nice balance. If we could get Sofia's story next, that would be awesome!
The writing especially was beautiful. I feel like it's been a long time since I've read a book where I noticed just how smoothly the writing flowed. I rarely skipped over passages to get to the good stuff. Everything felt purposeful. If you love women's fiction and/or Christmas, this one is for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is fantastic. Imagine the feeling you get at your happiest moment of the Christmas season, and that is the book. Magical realism is weaved throughout while magic is everywhere. It's your classic women's fiction of finding yourself, and a great Hallmark story of happiness. I loved the meaning behind the idea of 'gathering cheer' and just what Holly needed to do to find it. It was also a fun take on what Santa actually brings us for Christmas.
I was surprised to get Ash's point of view throughout the story, but it added a nice balance. If we could get Sofia's story next, that would be awesome!
The writing especially was beautiful. I feel like it's been a long time since I've read a book where I noticed just how smoothly the writing flowed. I rarely skipped over passages to get to the good stuff. Everything felt purposeful. If you love women's fiction and/or Christmas, this one is for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 24, 2023
I love Christmas and this book is getting me into the holiday season even though it is only September! Holly, known as Ms. Claus in the North Pole, is the main character. She took over at the North Pole when her parents passed on and she is struggling to get her Cheer quota for the North Post to shine its light brighter. She finds a flier for a Fall Festival in Oregon and decides to check it out. Her Cheer spikes and she wants to know why. She meets some fun locals, Ash and Sophia, and promises to come back for the Christmas faire. There is something about Emerald Hollow and something about Ash that is helping her fill up her Cheer and she decides to try and learn as much as she can while she is in town. Ash runs the Emerald House and also is working with the town to make it a place that people want to come and stay. His mom left when he was young and he has been trying to make the town an amazing place to live and stay since he came back to town. Holly helps decorate, she loves the almost perfect hot chocolate, and she makes friends with humans. This was such a fun concept and I loved it!
September 25, 2023
Chasing Cheer is the first book in the Magical Emerald Hollow series. Holly Claus is out collecting cheer and lands in a small town in Oregon. Ash Hayes is trying to bring more people to the same small town and trying to get everyone more spirited. When the two meet, will the holiday sparks fly?
If you enjoy a light-hearted romance or the occasional holiday Hallmark movie this book will hit all the right buttons. The story is light and full of holiday cheer. I like that the characters are looking for something other than a romance but still find one. Holly is cute and determined to do an excellent job to help the North Pole. She works under the pressure of her father's shadow and wants to show she is up for the job. Ash is trying to get his business bustling and looking at all the options to bring more tourism business. I liked both the characters and the story. I have been in the mood for some lighter reading fare, and this hit the mark. Usually, I do not read holiday stories until closer to the holidays, but this gave me a nice break from the summer heat. I look forward to what the rest of the series brings. When I need more magic, I will look for something by this author.
If you enjoy a light-hearted romance or the occasional holiday Hallmark movie this book will hit all the right buttons. The story is light and full of holiday cheer. I like that the characters are looking for something other than a romance but still find one. Holly is cute and determined to do an excellent job to help the North Pole. She works under the pressure of her father's shadow and wants to show she is up for the job. Ash is trying to get his business bustling and looking at all the options to bring more tourism business. I liked both the characters and the story. I have been in the mood for some lighter reading fare, and this hit the mark. Usually, I do not read holiday stories until closer to the holidays, but this gave me a nice break from the summer heat. I look forward to what the rest of the series brings. When I need more magic, I will look for something by this author.
September 27, 2023
5 Star’s
Chasing Cheer (Emerald Hollow Book 1) by Heather Schneider
Chasing Cheer is the first book in the Emerald Hollow Series and a wonderfully written Contemporary Romance that I absolutely loved reading. This was just what I needed to pull me out of the funk I’ve been in lately. Everything about this book screams happiness, love, magical love and so much more This author done a wonderful job re-creating a Christmas classic with a twist. This is a newer author to me but I’m a fan already. The characters are fun, relatable, fully developed and creative. They make the story come to life and I can picture the vivid colors and even picture it in my mind. Emerald Hollow sounds like my kind of town and I could picture myself living there. Holly and Ash. Holly travels a lot collecting cheer to take back to the North Pole. But a stop in Emerald Hollow is about to change everything she thought she knew. Ash is trying everything he can to save his small town. But things are about to change for him as well. I highly recommend reading this sweet Christmas story to find out what happens next. I look forward to reading more from this Author.
Chasing Cheer (Emerald Hollow Book 1) by Heather Schneider
Chasing Cheer is the first book in the Emerald Hollow Series and a wonderfully written Contemporary Romance that I absolutely loved reading. This was just what I needed to pull me out of the funk I’ve been in lately. Everything about this book screams happiness, love, magical love and so much more This author done a wonderful job re-creating a Christmas classic with a twist. This is a newer author to me but I’m a fan already. The characters are fun, relatable, fully developed and creative. They make the story come to life and I can picture the vivid colors and even picture it in my mind. Emerald Hollow sounds like my kind of town and I could picture myself living there. Holly and Ash. Holly travels a lot collecting cheer to take back to the North Pole. But a stop in Emerald Hollow is about to change everything she thought she knew. Ash is trying everything he can to save his small town. But things are about to change for him as well. I highly recommend reading this sweet Christmas story to find out what happens next. I look forward to reading more from this Author.
October 6, 2023
A sweet take on Christmas magic! Holly is traveling around the world to find cheer so the elves can continue making Christmas magic. What Holly doesn’t realize is that she’s stuck in a never ending cycle that she created herself. What is she missing? Interactions with people!
A bit of magic brings Holly to spot a flyer about a fall festival in Emerald Hollow.
The flyer intrigues her and Holly decides to see what the festival is all about. As she starts to connect with the people in the Emerald House and in the town of Emerald Hollow, Holly finds changes she never expected! As she meets Ash and his friends, Holly begins to find the joy in helping with the festival decorations. Meeting Ash and other people in Emerald Hollow is the start of something special for Holly, the elves, and for Ash!
I read this book as the first holiday book for the season as we move into October. It really got me looking ahead to the Holiday season and thinking about other Christmas books to read this year. The story is great, the atmosphere is perfect, and adding some romance is the icing on the cake or maybe I should say hot cocoa!
A bit of magic brings Holly to spot a flyer about a fall festival in Emerald Hollow.
The flyer intrigues her and Holly decides to see what the festival is all about. As she starts to connect with the people in the Emerald House and in the town of Emerald Hollow, Holly finds changes she never expected! As she meets Ash and his friends, Holly begins to find the joy in helping with the festival decorations. Meeting Ash and other people in Emerald Hollow is the start of something special for Holly, the elves, and for Ash!
I read this book as the first holiday book for the season as we move into October. It really got me looking ahead to the Holiday season and thinking about other Christmas books to read this year. The story is great, the atmosphere is perfect, and adding some romance is the icing on the cake or maybe I should say hot cocoa!
October 22, 2023
Chasing Cheer is Book One in the Magical Emerald Hollow Series. It is a fun, whimsical, contemporary romance with a Christmas vibe. The story centers around the characters of Holly Claus and Ash Hayes. Holly is traveling the world to collect cheer to power the North Pole when she meets Ash in a small town in Oregon. The two have instant chemistry but she is not looking for love and he is not looking to have a relationship with someone who will not be sticking around. Holly and Ash are lovable characters that you know instantly are clearly meant to be together. The chemistry is instant and magical which kept me reading to see what would become of them and if they could make a relationship work. I loved the magical picture the author painted which really drew me into the story. The book was well written, and the scenes were so vividly described it was as though I was fully immersed in the scenes with the characters. It felt like I was watching a movie play out in front of me and I could visualize myself surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of the Christmas season. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
October 22, 2023
This book was an unexpected twist on the Santa Clause story, mixed with a happily-ever-after story. Holly Clause spends most of every year gathering cheer from the human world to power the North Pole. Everything Holly thinks she knows about the cheer and how it works changes when she finds a flyer for a festival in a small Oregon town, and decides to check it out, figuring that a festival is probably a good source of cheer. When Holly arrives, she quickly realizes that the town and the people in it are different, and the cheer works differently for some reason. Holly spends a little bit of time there, then has to go home, but decides to go back for their Christmas Faire to help the town and the friends that she’s made. What she doesn’t expect, is to fall in love with a human, a man named Ashe, and the effects it will have on her magic. There is a good bit of world building in this book, and the cliff hanger definitely leaves me curious what the future will bring for Holly, Ash, and the rest of the characters we’ve come to care about.
December 24, 2024
⭐️ 4/5
“𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆.”
This book is pure Hallmark Christmas magic! I genuinely do think this would make a cute movie. For a holiday romance, this is unique, whimsical, and charming. Holly and Ash’s slow-paced romance was full of fun moments and I could easily picture each festival and event they worked together on. There was a perfect amount of drama, chemistry, and mystery when it came to the growth of the plot throughout the book. There were also very real themes of family abandonment, work-life balance, and finding community which I found meaningful to each character’s development. I loved immersing myself into the magic of Emerald Hollow just like Holly did with endless amounts of hot cocoa, sparkling snow, and beautifully decorated festivals. This is simply a feel-good book that you don’t have to think about logic or depth behind everything and just enjoy the holiday vibes.
“𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆.”
This book is pure Hallmark Christmas magic! I genuinely do think this would make a cute movie. For a holiday romance, this is unique, whimsical, and charming. Holly and Ash’s slow-paced romance was full of fun moments and I could easily picture each festival and event they worked together on. There was a perfect amount of drama, chemistry, and mystery when it came to the growth of the plot throughout the book. There were also very real themes of family abandonment, work-life balance, and finding community which I found meaningful to each character’s development. I loved immersing myself into the magic of Emerald Hollow just like Holly did with endless amounts of hot cocoa, sparkling snow, and beautifully decorated festivals. This is simply a feel-good book that you don’t have to think about logic or depth behind everything and just enjoy the holiday vibes.
January 4, 2025
The Best Kind of Magic
I finished reading Chasing Cheer earlier today, dived right into Finding Cheer (Book 2), and wrote a review for Book 2 which truly belongs here as well, with some small edits.
……………………………
North Pole magic is rather unique. It has a mind of its own and is imbued with goodness. It brings goodness into people's lives, unexpectedly, and brings the kind of goodness they did not know they needed. It's not all sweetness and light. There are very real difficulties to face. But the North Pole magic will not be denied. It's an uplifting read. I was so pleased to find Book 2 on Kindle Unlimited!
I love this kind of book where you get to know the people of a small town, then in the next book get to know them and the others in their circle even better.
Content: Clean
My thanks to Writer Heather Schneider for her talent and for putting book 2 on Kindle Unlimited. Her team of cover artists, proofreaders, and editors also deserve a shout out.
As always, my reviews are independent of where I source a book.
Happy Reading!
~ LJ Sagian
I finished reading Chasing Cheer earlier today, dived right into Finding Cheer (Book 2), and wrote a review for Book 2 which truly belongs here as well, with some small edits.
……………………………
North Pole magic is rather unique. It has a mind of its own and is imbued with goodness. It brings goodness into people's lives, unexpectedly, and brings the kind of goodness they did not know they needed. It's not all sweetness and light. There are very real difficulties to face. But the North Pole magic will not be denied. It's an uplifting read. I was so pleased to find Book 2 on Kindle Unlimited!
I love this kind of book where you get to know the people of a small town, then in the next book get to know them and the others in their circle even better.
Content: Clean
My thanks to Writer Heather Schneider for her talent and for putting book 2 on Kindle Unlimited. Her team of cover artists, proofreaders, and editors also deserve a shout out.
As always, my reviews are independent of where I source a book.
Happy Reading!
~ LJ Sagian
September 24, 2023
I normally don't read Christmas themed books (much more of a Halloween girl myself), but I couldn't help but be enchanted by the pink and heartwarming cover. The story inside is sweet, not too spicy (my kind of romance), and keeps you hooked from beginning to end.
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Holly is explaining how humans do things on Earth (in relation to Christmas, Santa, etc.)- made me laugh out loud! The chemistry and relationship building between Ash and Holly is spot on, with both ups and downs like reality. The plot is refreshing and fast paced, with the writing in a cheery (but not overally cheery) style, perfect for a "feel good" holiday read.
The book hooked me in from the first chapter, for author Heather Schneider describes scenery at atmosphere to feel as if you are there, whether Oregon or the North Pole. The ending wasn't something I would write, but fits the story.
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Holly is explaining how humans do things on Earth (in relation to Christmas, Santa, etc.)- made me laugh out loud! The chemistry and relationship building between Ash and Holly is spot on, with both ups and downs like reality. The plot is refreshing and fast paced, with the writing in a cheery (but not overally cheery) style, perfect for a "feel good" holiday read.
The book hooked me in from the first chapter, for author Heather Schneider describes scenery at atmosphere to feel as if you are there, whether Oregon or the North Pole. The ending wasn't something I would write, but fits the story.
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