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Noel, Montana #1
Hope for Christmas
Welcome to Noel, Montana, where it's Christmas 365 days a year! The idea of a town that celebrates Christmas 365 days a year is lost on Hope Tavener......until she finds herself in the small town of Noel, Montana. Intending to spend only a day or two tying up the loose ends of her recently deceased grandmother's will, Hope has no idea what is in store for her. Eccentric townspeople, a mother with an agenda and more Christmas "spirit" than she can handle, soon make her visit to Noel far more interesting than she ever expected. As if she doesn't have enough problems, she finds herself falling for the town's gorgeous mayor. Tucker Reed is not her type.....or is he? Before long, Hope finds herself in a battle to save not only her grandmother's beloved bakery, but also her heart. Look for Book 2 in this series - Head Over Heels For Christmas, coming in NOVEMBER 2013.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 2nd edition with a few minor editorial and creative changes.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 2nd edition with a few minor editorial and creative changes.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2012
49 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Hayden
57 books49 followersJennifer Hayden was born in Washington State. During her childhood and young adult years, she spent many hours lost in the adventures of a good book. She began writing her own stories at the age of 12 when she "ran out of books to read at the library." By the time she graduated from high school, she already had a job as a secretary/office manager, where she eventually met her husband, Mike. For the next several years, she wrote in her spare time, sharing her manuscripts with friends and family. At the urging of two good friends, she decided to go for broke and leave her secretarial career behind in pursuit of this magical literary journey. She now has 54 books available.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 16, 2012
What a shame...this author had a cute concept some likely characters, a decent plot idea -- but then couldn't move the story...it went on and on and on with the same few sly wink-type innuendos was or wasn't Hope going to jump the mayor or was or wasn't he going to jump her -- instead they could have worked together, developed a smooth growing relationship -- strengthinging the bonds formed by their grandmothers who had been neighbors, and lived happily every after in the town that celebrates Christmas all year and is peopled by folks like Jingle Bells and Merry down at the cafe.
It could have worked and been fodder for a made for TV Christmas movie...instead, somewhere in Montana, this story line is STILL dragging on and on and not getting anywhere.
It could have worked and been fodder for a made for TV Christmas movie...instead, somewhere in Montana, this story line is STILL dragging on and on and not getting anywhere.
December 19, 2012
The adorable cover drew me to this one, along with the story synopsis. However, that's where it stopped and just never got moving. Great idea that just didn't take shape. (Amazon freebie)
December 21, 2014
Wonderfully uplifting story, great development, and a magical Christmas read! Thank you, Jennifer! Have to get book two now. :)
January 2, 2015
Wonderful must read
So well written, great character awesome love story. You get it all. Sweet sexy heartwarming and even a little supernatural. Would read again.
So well written, great character awesome love story. You get it all. Sweet sexy heartwarming and even a little supernatural. Would read again.
December 31, 2020
Hallmark quality
I think a lot of people will like this but it wasn't for me. A typical Christmas movie/book vibe. I didn't like the manipulative quality to the story even if it made sense.
I think a lot of people will like this but it wasn't for me. A typical Christmas movie/book vibe. I didn't like the manipulative quality to the story even if it made sense.
December 10, 2017
Is this a real town? If so I need to visit. Cute story. Fast romance like most Christmas books. I really like Tucker Reed and Hope.
September 7, 2019
Cute Christmas story
This was a very cute Christmas story. It was easy to read and I fell in love with the characters.
This was a very cute Christmas story. It was easy to read and I fell in love with the characters.
December 31, 2020
Just what I needed to read at just the right time - A light, cheery Christmas tale.
December 3, 2014
Hope for Christmas is the first book in the Noel, Montana series by Jennifer Hayden. It is a cute Christmas story of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is also a ghost story of sorts. The characters were realistic, or most of them,; the setting was very cute; and the plot was intriguing. I really liked reading this.
Hope Travener has had a difficult relationship with her mother for years. Her mother has finally hit the wall. Holly’s mother had died 6 months ago and Holly had not gone to the funeral nor did she seem to be paying any attention to her mother’s will. She had never taken Hope to visit her Grandmother nor talked about her to Hope. Hope had grown up in isolation from family since her father died. Her Mother has now gone through six husbands and six divorces. All Holly cares about seems to be herself. Now Hope has to clean up one more mess.
Hope travels from Seattle to Noel, Montana where Christmas is celebrated 365 days a year. She enters town and feels as if she has gone down Alice’s rabbit hole. The town is overly decorated for Christmas, the streets are all named Christmas names; the stores are all geared to Christmas, even her Grandmother’s bakery- Christmas Eve’s Bakery. When she doesn’t see a For Sale sign or any sign of life at the bakery, she tries the door and finds it unlocked. She tries the lights but they don’t come on. She is \ run over by a man who is followed by two women. When Hope gets to her feet, she is introduced to the three, Tucker Reed, Mayor; Jingle Bells and Merry, bakers. After an interesting conversation that seems out of this world, Hope goes to her Grandmother’s house which is way overly decorated for Christmas like a Gingerbread house. She goes back to town to the tavern Tucker said he ran and got a stiff drink. Was this real?
Tucker takes her to Angles, her Grandmother’s friend and Tucker’s Grandmother. Agnes lives next door to her Grandmother’s house and is ninety-one years old. She is the executor of Evie’s will but seems to have forgotten to put the places up for sale. She has paid all the bills and kept the bakery going but forgot the sale of the bakery and business or has she?
Thrown into a weird situation and then getting angry with her mother and threatening to apply the codicil to the will, Hope stays a few days in Hope. She is threatened by Jilly, Miss Nowl 2012 to stay away from Tucker, warned to stay away from him by Merry and others, visited by the ghost of her Grandmother, caught in compromising situations, and fought with her mother again. Will this never end?
Hope Travener has had a difficult relationship with her mother for years. Her mother has finally hit the wall. Holly’s mother had died 6 months ago and Holly had not gone to the funeral nor did she seem to be paying any attention to her mother’s will. She had never taken Hope to visit her Grandmother nor talked about her to Hope. Hope had grown up in isolation from family since her father died. Her Mother has now gone through six husbands and six divorces. All Holly cares about seems to be herself. Now Hope has to clean up one more mess.
Hope travels from Seattle to Noel, Montana where Christmas is celebrated 365 days a year. She enters town and feels as if she has gone down Alice’s rabbit hole. The town is overly decorated for Christmas, the streets are all named Christmas names; the stores are all geared to Christmas, even her Grandmother’s bakery- Christmas Eve’s Bakery. When she doesn’t see a For Sale sign or any sign of life at the bakery, she tries the door and finds it unlocked. She tries the lights but they don’t come on. She is \ run over by a man who is followed by two women. When Hope gets to her feet, she is introduced to the three, Tucker Reed, Mayor; Jingle Bells and Merry, bakers. After an interesting conversation that seems out of this world, Hope goes to her Grandmother’s house which is way overly decorated for Christmas like a Gingerbread house. She goes back to town to the tavern Tucker said he ran and got a stiff drink. Was this real?
Tucker takes her to Angles, her Grandmother’s friend and Tucker’s Grandmother. Agnes lives next door to her Grandmother’s house and is ninety-one years old. She is the executor of Evie’s will but seems to have forgotten to put the places up for sale. She has paid all the bills and kept the bakery going but forgot the sale of the bakery and business or has she?
Thrown into a weird situation and then getting angry with her mother and threatening to apply the codicil to the will, Hope stays a few days in Hope. She is threatened by Jilly, Miss Nowl 2012 to stay away from Tucker, warned to stay away from him by Merry and others, visited by the ghost of her Grandmother, caught in compromising situations, and fought with her mother again. Will this never end?
December 16, 2012
I got this book for free the other day because it sounded like a nice Christmas story, and it was. It was a bit unrealistic, but romance novels usually are. The story moved along at a decent pace and was very predictable, everyone lived happily ever after. I liked the Christmas aspect of the story and Noel, Montana sounds like a place I'd like to visit. It was a cute little town filled with quirky, unforgettable characters. If you like little love stories, then I would recommend it. It's nice to read a book sometimes that doesn't require much thoughy, you can just sit back and enjoy.
June 9, 2013
This is a feel good Christmas story with a predictable ending. I read it in the month of June when I was at home with a cold. Because of the circumstances I might have rated it a bit higher than it deserved. I enjoyed it as light, uncomplicated reading. I would not recommend it for a young teen, because it focused heavily on physical attraction and explicit scenes.
December 27, 2014
Hope for Christmas
This was a touching story. Hope had the burden of carrying out her grandmother Evie's last wishes. She never knew her grandmother but after her death, she became familiar with the ghost. Hope battles her mother Holly for the bakery and house of her grandmother. During her time in Noel, she falls for Tucker and they have a wonderful love affair.
This was a touching story. Hope had the burden of carrying out her grandmother Evie's last wishes. She never knew her grandmother but after her death, she became familiar with the ghost. Hope battles her mother Holly for the bakery and house of her grandmother. During her time in Noel, she falls for Tucker and they have a wonderful love affair.
December 23, 2012
Very sexually-explicit romance set in town that celebrates Christmas all year round.Big city girl comes to town to settle her late grandmother's estate, encounters her ghost and a cute lawyer turned bar owner. Eventually she decides to preserve her grandmother's legacy and keep the guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2013
Too much language for my taste. Got about 15% in and decided not to waste my time any more. The main guy character owns a bar as well.
December 20, 2012
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read with humor, love and a cute story line. I little sexy at times, but not too much. Just an all around great escape read.
December 13, 2012
eh...no....to sugary sweet, to boring characters...
December 26, 2012
I had trouble getting into this one. I didn't like how mean everyone was to Hope in the beginning. It did get better towards the end
December 26, 2012
Enjoyed this story, a love story, parents and adult children finally reconnecting and learning to get along. & Christmas. What could be better
December 27, 2012
With a Christmas book I expected something nice and uplifting. Instead I got a book that focused on physical attraction. I would not recommend this book.
December 27, 2012
I enjoyed reading this book. It's quirky and cute and perhaps a bit much even for Christmas but I truly liked it.
December 31, 2012
This was cute. I wish there could have been more to the story. Maybe more details of the mother/daughter and father/son relationships, but over all I really enjoyed reading this.
January 5, 2013
This could be a higher rating than this feel good Christmas book deserves, but it was a nice change for the holidays. I would read this author again.
January 30, 2013
Is a great book to read
November 27, 2015
Quick, easy, happy-ending Christmas story. Not especially well written and doubt if I'll read anymore in the series.
January 21, 2016
Good wee story found it easy to like/dislike the characters. Plot a bit predictable but lovely :)
January 14, 2016
A little of everything. At first I wasn't sure, but as I kept reading, I grew to love this book. Ghosts and all!
November 13, 2016
This was a really wonderful love story that had conflict, sass, and a stubborn ghost all wrapped into a town that lives for Christmas. A really fun read!
Want to read
November 26, 2020Since I DNFd this one, I won’t rate it. Just not my cup of tea. I did read 39% of it, so more than enough to know. Happy reading!
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 24, 2012
Light and cheesy. Hope for Christmas is very straightforward with no surprises.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews