Sleigh Belle

ARC REVIEW

Firstly I want to state that Sleigh belle is such a cute title.

I really loved the concept of Christmas meets beauty and the beast meets mystery. This book had small town festive vibes, with a mysterious mansion and letters, mixed with a grumpy vs sunshine romance. These are all things I loved.

The pacing was good, the spirit of Christmas alive and the grumpy versus sunshine trope was on point.

Where it lost stars was the dialogue. Where the prose was strong, the dialogue was weak and stilted. None of it really sounded like how people speak and it was riddled with exclamation points.

I don’t mind an exclamation point but they’re a strong thing to use and namely are used for exclamations or shouting. So unless characters were constantly shouting it was so out of place. It gave me whiplash and unfortunately I couldn’t unsee them. Namely when one appeared and they were just speaking or in one instance ‘grumbling’.

The large family was nice and I especially loved the sprinkled Christmas magic with the bell. The fact the dog was called Jingle was also a nice touch.

I also really enjoyed the tie in with the characters art and finding out about the reason to Jake’s aversion to Christmas.

Overall, this is a quick, easy, festive read.

3.5 stars.

Genevieve Elizabeth

13 reviews2 followers

December 3, 2023

First, thank you to the author for allowing me to be an ARC reviewer for Sleigh Belle!! My all time favorite princess movie is beauty and the beast, and honestly I loved reading a book with a similar storyline. While I did feel it could have been a bit longer and gone a bit more in depth towards the end, I found it to be a great quick read and it was cute. I loved the character development of the “Beast” Jake and I loved how the story played out between Jake and Belle. If N.D Testa chooses to write a follow up novella of Jake and Belle I would be interested in reading it! It was a great pick for a holiday romance book and I adored it!
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CiCi | bookameme

869 reviews51 followers

November 30, 2023

A Cute Holiday Romance

Quote:📖
Home is not a place. Home is whatever makes your soul happy.

Thoughts: 💡
This was a really cute Christmas story where the down on her luck FMC melts the grumpy hero’s heart of ice. The side characters were cute and I loved how close Belle was with her family.
The relationship was adorable and exactly what you would expect from a hallmark-esque Christmas romance.

Writing Mechanics: ✍️
The writing was well edited, the characters had depth, and the plot was cute and well put together. It wasn’t the deep dark plots I usually read but it was enjoyable for a holiday romance.

Fun Bits:
⚜️ Hallmark Christmas Movie Vibes
⚜️ Close Knit Family
⚜️ Small Town Setting
⚜️ Broody MMC Finds His Soft Side

Note:✨
Standalone

Stats:📊
Clean Romance
Character Dev: 5 💙💙💙💙💙/5
Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance📕
Tropes: Beauty & The Beast Retelling, Small Town, Hallmark Vibes, Grumpy x Sunshine📘
POV: Single 💃🏻

Amanda

20 reviews3 followers

ARC review

This was such an adorable story from beginning to end. I loved the modern beauty and the beast vibes throughout the book. It's a must-read if you love small-town romance and scavenger hunts with a hint of mystery. There are cute little twists and turns in the plot which I love! I even loved the character in the book that gave definite Kris Kringle vibes! This is a cute read for anyone that loves to fill December with Christmas-y books!

Destiny Imperati

1,057 reviews39 followers

December 15, 2024

ARC Review ✨️

☆Belle & Jake♡

Belle is back in her hometown of Falls Village Vermont. Much to her surprise, Frost Manor is not decorated like normal. Not only that, but a prank ends up turning into a police investigation. She decides to make a deal with the owner of the manor, Jake, aka The Beast of Frost Manor. As she starts her new life there, she quickly starts unraveling secrets of Jake's. Belle realizes that Jake has given up love and Christmas forever. Now, it's up to her to try and melt the ice around his heart.

I ended up loving this story so much. It was cozy, mysterious, and festive. The tidbits of Beauty and The Beast mixed with Christmas was the best. The author had some incredible writing skills and put together the mystery aspect perfectly! Belle and Jake were so good together. I loved how much depth they had to their character and how they ended up fitting perfectly together. I highly recommend checking this story out!

Tropes:
🖤Grumpyxsunshine
🖤Beauty and the Beast meet Christmas
🖤Small town
🖤holiday romance

Thanks to the author for the ARC!

PagesOfRaleen

301 reviews12 followers

December 5, 2023

This was so adorable and I loved the mystery. Pasquale was an amazing character that added a whole other heartfelt level to the story. And the author described things so well that k could picture the whole town, easily. Highly recommend this book!

arc

Jessica Fuller

417 reviews80 followers

October 26, 2023

I just want to say a huge thank you to the author for allowing me to beta read this book. It was such a nice read. It was cozy and romantic and fun. I loved Belle and Jake’s journey throughout the book and the mystery they had to solve together. The author did a fantastic job of bringing the scenes to life with her descriptions. I felt like I could see the Christmas decorations right in front of me. If you’re looking for a lovely, cozy Christmas read look no further. You won’t regret picking this one up.

Constance Bell

78 reviews5 followers

I received an ARC copy to read in return for an honest review. Thank you to N.D. Testa for trusting and allowing me to read your book! This book is a solid 3.5 stars for me, and was a cute and cozy Christmas read!

In this lovely story, we follow along as Belle returns to her hometown in Vermont after the heartbreaking loss of her beloved career. Her heart is broken further when she arrives at Frost Manor to find No Trespassing signs and no Christmas decorations. She soon discovers that her grandmother's beloved friend, Sam, who has passed and left his treasured home to his grandson, Jake, has left his home in the hands of one who is known around town as 'The Beast' because he seems bitter and unfriendly to everyone, and constant secludes himself and avoids going to town.

We take the journey with Belle and Jake, discovering why each of the characters are who they are, and we get to watch them emerge as they should be. Sam sends them on a 'wild goose chase' as they both like to say continuously, finally finding the hidden messages to each of them, where he admits he was playing matchmaker. The mystery of solving the puzzle and searching for clues added a fun, lighthearted piece to the story of Belle and Jake.

I did find all of the holiday-inspired names to be a cute addition since this was a story taking place around the Christmas holiday. The town seemed to be highly focused around the Christmas holiday, with so many names being themed, but it was a cute aspect.

For a quick, cozy read, this is definitely worth taking a dive into!

Brit

167 reviews9 followers

“It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas”

This book had me dreaming of a white Christmas. Being Aussie my holiday season consists of sun, beaches and BBQs but this book transported me to a cozy place in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a scarf patting Jingle 🙂

This was a sugary read which was a lot of fun. I’m not sure I’m sold on the love story but I love a happy ending. The riddles and mystery that wound through this story was a layer that gave this more depth and I really enjoyed trying to work out what they meant. (I would have never worked out the first riddle!).

Overall this was a delightful read that has gotten me more excited for the silly season

Smixxon.reads

8 reviews1 follower

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you want a cutesy little Christmas romance, this is the one! This read like a hallmark movie in my mind. I loved watching the character development of both Jake and Belle progress throughout the book, especially Jake's when Belle was finally able to pull him out of his Scrooge/Beast stage. The changes in the relationship between Jake and Belle flowed smoothly throughout the book, I loved the mystery and the twist that brought them together in the end. N.D. Testa's descriptions are so well written they will draw you in and keep you there for the whole book. If your in a winter slump and are having a hard time finding the Christmas spirit this year, give this book a try!

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

Brittany Broom

38 reviews5 followers

I recieved this book as an ARC read. I am so thankful to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this!

This book had me feeling like I was inside of a Hallmark Christmas movie! From the quaint little town, to the edgy male character, to finally the main character who is a career driven female who left her small town behind to go to the big city.

I can sit and watch Hallmark movies all day long, so being able to read one? Was a dream come true! There were moments where even I didn’t even know what was going to happen next.

The entire story line was so well thought out and so enjoyable to read! Nice pace along with quirky lines, absolutely a joy to read.

I cannot wait to see what other great reads N.D. Testa will come out with!!

Happy Holidays!

Amber Kirsten

Author 2 books12 followers

November 22, 2023

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to beta read.
This book is perfect to read on a cold day snuggled up by the fire wrapped in blankets.
It has a cozy romantic Hallmark vibe.
With a hint of beauty and the beast Christmas in its own way.
This book didn't have the spice or supernatural twists I am used to reading, so it took several steps back from that, and was a nice cozy read for me.
I would have loved for a little fluff, nothing too crazy, but great for a cozy romance.

TheBookishEditor

19 reviews1 follower

December 1, 2023

Before I begin this review, I want to thank N. D. Testa for allowing me to access Sleigh Belle. This book has already been published, so check it out now!

I love the book's overall feel! It has major Christmas vibes and a cute, fun mystery that, of course, leads to some fluff and romance. On top of that, this is a loose retelling of the classic Beauty and Beast, creating an intriguing story that is great to read while trying to unwind this holiday season.

This book is exactly how it's marketed to be: major Hallmark and Christmas vibes; even the characters' names are reminiscent of Christmas. With that said, some things did draw me out of the book, including typos here and there, and admittedly, I was not the biggest fan of the main character, Belle, or any of the townsfolk.

Belle is nosy and, like the rest of the people in town, has a certain entitlement. What do I mean by this? Well, everyone in this town seems to believe that they have some sort of claim over Jake and what he does with his property, to the point that the kids in town vandalize his property, and everyone calls him a beast. They do all of this because Jake doesn't want to decorate the property like his late grandfather used to do every Christmas.

Honestly, I think Jake was in the right most of the time. I would be angry if people kept on knocking on my door, calling me a beast behind my back, and then telling me that it is unfair that I don't do what they tell me to do with my private property.

Belle also has no sense of privacy or respect for Jake. She even takes a picture out of his trash and keeps it in her car, keen on investigating the woman in the picture because she believes Jake won't tell her who the woman is if she asks him. With all this said, at the very least, Belle is self-aware of how pushy she is about Christmas and even tells Jake that she is sorry for prying into his personal business. I will also add that Belle is much more likable when the focus is on her trying to find happiness and regain a sense of passion for living.

I thought the plot was cute and simple. There is a bit of mystery when Sam, the former owner, dies and leaves Belle a mysterious gift. This mystery gift leads her on a scavenger hunt. She quickly recruits Jake's help to determine the clues, sparking a romance between the two.

The author did a great job of depicting the physical setting. I could vividly imagine the snow, Christmas vibes, and decorations, but the setting as a whole was not realistic regarding the town's people and culture. The people are really into Christmas and seem to be entitled to how Jake should live during this season. A lot of the characters even have Christmas-inspired names. None of this is necessarily bad per se, as I can imagine this in a sort of Whoville setting, even if they are supposedly in Vermont. But I wish the townspeople at the end of the story would have at least owned up to how entitled they were and admitted that they should have left Jake alone and given him some privacy as he requested.

As I mentioned, Testa is great at describing things and giving details that help readers visualize the scenes. Everything was easy to understand and read, and the writing was consistent throughout. However, the dialogue at times did not seem realistic, and there were a lot of grammatical errors.

I would recommend this story to anyone who wants a quick, easy Christmas book with romance! This book may not be for those who can't get past the entitled characters in this book or a typo here and there, but it is well worth reading if you want to read a book that goes all out with the Christmas vibes!

femmefiction_

68 reviews

November 25, 2024

Sleigh Belle is the perfect read if you're craving all the cozy holiday feels, a sprinkle of Christmas magic, and a heartwarming small-town romance. This enchanting story wrapped me in a blanket of nostalgia, bringing back all the best parts of Christmas—warm fires, twinkling lights, and unexpected love. Be prepared to instantly be put in the festive spirit and escape into a charming winter wonderland.
Bell Winters returns to her hometown of Falls Village after a heart-wrenching turn of events. Finding herself unexpectedly unemployed and unsure of her future- she returns to her hometown in hopes of finding comfort and having a quiet Christmas. Her first stop is Frost Manor, the once grand home of the Frost family, which she discovers is now in disrepair. Saddened and angry, she returns home to share the news with their family. Her niece and nephew, along with several other children in town, vandalize the manor in an act of retaliation- and get caught in the act. To avoid pressing charges, Belle strikes a deal with the owner in exchange for repairing the damages.
The owner is the so-called "Beast" of the village, Jake Frost- a disgruntled, guarded man who wants nothing to do with Christmas.
As Belle works at the manor, she uncovers Jake's past and realizes his beastly attitude is a defense against the pain of a lost love. Slowly, their interactions shift from strained exchanges to friendship, and Belle sees that Jake isn't as cold-hearted as he appears.
Working together they uncover clues to a scavenger hunt left behind by Jake's late grandfather, Sam. This hunt leads to two gifts, each with deep emotional meaning that sheds light on the family's history, love, and loss.
Meanwhile, Belle becomes torn between staying in Falls Village and returning to New York where her career is still uncertain. As her feelings for Jake grow, she fears opening her heart, because Jake has vowed never to love again..
This beautiful Christmas story, loosely based on Beauty and the Beast culminates in a heartwarming Christmas moment where the magic of Christmas brings Frost Manor back to life.
I loved how the heart of the story centered on the idea of second chances- and the connection between Belle and Jake beautifully embodies the themes of renewal and healing that Christmas so often represents.
This book is the best of both worlds- you have a lovely Christmas story and a beautiful small-town romance. This holiday season open yourself up to some Christmas cheer and read this wonderful story, I highly recommend it to all.

indie-arcs

Bree Carmichiel

27 reviews

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sleigh Belle is a cute Christmas romance loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast with a bit of mystery added in. The overall idea of the story was great. Im a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine romance with a happy ending, and this book hits the mark on that. It is also a fluffy, quick read that gets you into the Christmas spirit. That being said, it was hit and miss for me, and ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed.

I found this story to be lacking depth.The characters, the businesses, even pets' names are almost always related to Christmas or winter in some way to a point of obnoxiousness. I think a little variety would have gone a long way in this regard. For a romance story, there is not much actual romance/relationship building throughout the story. The main premise of this story is decorating the manor for Christmas and solving the riddles. The romance feels like an afterthought. In the end, everything is very rushed, and the conflict resolution is unrealistic. I also found Belle to be annoying and emphasized with Jack almost all of the time.

There are several typos and inconsistencies throughout the book that make it feel unfinished. Additionally, a lot of information included, especially in the dialogue, felt very unnecessary (i.e. explaining the difference between how a date is written in Europe vs. in the USA). In the beginning of the book, there are a lot of characters introduced in a small amount of time, some of which do not speak again for the remainder of the story.

I did like the mystery added with the scavenger hunt/riddles and the gala at the end. I think making the gala a charity event honoring Jakes grandparents was a nice touch.

Overall, I think anyone who enjoys reading christmas romances and hallmark stories would enjoy reading this holiday season.

Coffeenbooks

1,897 reviews33 followers

December 5, 2023

- Grumpy/sunshine
- Christmas romance
- Riddles

I really liked the nods to Beauty and the Beast in this cute Christmas story. The little riddles to find the clues related to an item Belle has added a bit of whimsy and intrigue.

Belle finds herself moving back home after her job in NYC has been eliminated right after Thanksgiving. She is looking forward to spending time with her family while she searches for a new job. One of the things she's looking forward to the most is seeing Frost manor all lit up in its splendor and to visit the wishing bell to make a Christmas wish. The former owner of Frost manor is no longer around and his grandson inherited the grounds. Belle is dismayed to find the manor locked up and dark. Hoping to at least visit the bell, Belle is surprised that the grandson is so adamant that he be left alone.

After some of the town's teens express their displeasure at the lack of spirit the manor now has, Belle volunteers to clean up and repair the damages so that Jake Frost (love that name!) doesn't press charges. She's hoping to accomplish two things while doing the clean up: Convince Jake to decorate for Christmas and look for clues related to the riddle Jake's grandfather left her.

Only after a icy incident does Jake begin to thaw to Belle's presence. He even helps her find clues. But will he share with Belle why he doesn't have holiday spirit?

This book is appealing aesthetically as well. The charming chapter illustrations are the perfect touch to the story. Altogether, this is a lovely story.

Alexandra Boyd

32 reviews

Thank you so much to author N.D. Testa for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this novel! (And how appropriate that I zoomed right through it on the debut day!)

If you're someone who loves a festive setting, romantic sleigh rides and a fairytale retelling, I think you will greatly enjoy this novel. "Sleigh Belle" introduces us to Belle, a young woman forced to return to her family home in Vermont after a failed career in New York City, and Jake, a young man who has turned his heart to stone in order to escape the pain of past heartbreak. Through old traditions and the meddling of a man who saw romance before its time, Belle and Jake are brought together during the holidays as she desperately attempts to keep the Christmas traditions of her home town alive.

I felt this was a solid 3.5 star novel that is perfect for people who enjoy a fast paced plot and a happy ending. The biggest reason I can't quite give this a 4 is because the dialogue between characters sometimes pulled me out of the narrative. Some of it was great! But there were a lot of places where I felt that people just...don't talk like that. So it pulled me a little bit from what was happening in each chapter. The sentence structure was short and sweet but sometimes just a little too short to truly grant me a picture of where the characters were at the time.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I do appreciate that I had the opportunity to be a first time ARC reader!

C.J. Lopez

Author 23 books94 followers

August 15, 2024

Wrap up the presents, hang the wreaths, and get ready to dive into the Christmas spirit because this book is an absolute must-read.

I can't believe I let this gem sit on my shelf for so long, but now that I've finally read it, I'm completely immersed in the festive feels. This story has me yearning for snowflakes, twinkling lights, and everything merry and bright.

N.D. Testa has truly mastered the art of capturing holiday magic. I’ve never read anything that swept me up into the spirit of the season quite like this. If you're not already in the mood for Christmas, this book will do the trick. I'm definitely checking out more of her holiday reads!

Imagine a perfect blend of Beauty and the Beast and Miracle on 34th Street, all tied up with a modern twist. This story brings together small-town charm and an enemies-to-lovers romance that hits you right in the feels.

After finishing this charming tale, I’m ready to pack my bags and move to this cozy little town, where the traditions are heartwarming, and the bakery sounds absolutely irresistible. The characters were so endearing that I even found myself reading parts of the story aloud to my mother and niece—just to share the joy it brought me.

I’m so glad I finally read this book, and you will be too. So, grab yourself a cup of hot chocolate, snuggle under a blanket, and if it’s summer like it was for me, crank up the A/C to get that cuddly winter vibe. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Jennifer Lynne

1 review

March 10, 2025

This is Jennifer Mlott reviewing “Sleigh Belle” . I received this ARC for free for an honest review. This is such a fun cozy read for getting into the Holiday Spirit! This story is like a Beauty and the Beast retelling meets a Christmas Hallmark movie! This is a story about Belle who has been going through a rough time losing her job in New York City and decides to come back home to celebrate Christmas with her family. Her hometown is famous for the The Frost Manor. It is always adorned with beautiful Christmas Decorations during the Christmas Season until Sam the owner of the manor passes away. The manor is then given to his grandson Jake who is a Scrooge who hates Christmas and is refusing to allow anyone to celebrate on the frost manor grounds. The town is upset with the loss of Sam and the loss of the ability to hold the Christmas Traditions at The Manor. Some kids decide to trash the manor and get caught spray painting and breaking the manors windows. Belle defends the kids and takes the blame and makes a deal with Jake to fix up the manor. Renovating the manor leads to realizing items are missing and this brings on a scavenger hunts for envelopes filled with clues left by Sam. Where is the missing clapper from the traditional Wishing Bell that grants wishes? Whats Sam’s End Game? And will this bring Belle and Jake closer? This was such a fun read and I highly recommend this book if you are looking to get into the Christmas Spirit this coming Holiday Season!

Waseema

209 reviews4 followers

This read was just right for what I was looking for. A funny, well written holiday romance. The story starts with Belle who has returned home for the holidays, and she visits her old friends as well family. One of her visits is a local manor that used to be the hub of the Christmas celebrations. However, since the owners death this year the house is not participating. She meets the new owner, who turns out to be a super hot ex military man, and ends up helping him restore the manor.
The story is a light hearted romance but on top of that, there is an underlying theme of finding yourself and your passions again. And learning to love. Sam the old owner sends Belle and Jake on a joint adventure hoping the lessons he wants them to learn can be learnt. Can he save Christmas for Falls Village! Definitely worth finding out.
What I loved was the writing style of the author, the narrative was enjoyable and there were clear thought processes for Belle and Jake, their separate voices came through clearly and their back history was appropriately provided. The story moves as such an amazing pace for me, i didn't lost in concepts or stories at any stage due to the clarity of the writing style. It made this book so enjoyable. A must read for Christmas.

Booksta

544 reviews41 followers

January 9, 2024

"𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆. "

𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖊𝖝𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖙:

❄ 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘮-𝘤𝘰𝘮
❄ 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 & 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵
❄ 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
❄ 𝘎𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺/𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦
❄ 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺

"𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅."

I loved every second of this story. This was a perfect Christmas mystery/Love story with lots of Hallmark vibes. And if you know me you know just how much I ADORE Hallmark movies.

"𝑹𝒆𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆'𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚. 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒅𝒂𝒚."

This book definetly brought all the feels from feeling iritated at Jack to feeling sad to feeling warm fuzzy feelings. This book has it all.

"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆, 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆, 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉. 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅, 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏."

Jade

7 reviews1 follower

November 28, 2023

firstly, thank you kindly for the author for sharing this ARC with me, very much appreciated.

This book was super cosy, I loved the vibes. I don’t normally read books set in snow or cold places but I really liked how the author made Falls Village into this winter wonderland that felt like snuggling up with cable knit socks and hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire.

The vibes of the book really made it for me. The story follows Belle, a recently unemployed art curator who goes home for the holidays and finds her towns prestigious manor undecorated for the first time in..ever. She ends up working with the new owner, a grumpy, intimidating yet handsome man, who’s set against following his grandfathers tradition of turning the manor into a Christmas icon.

The story is peppered with some banter, some mystery and some slow burn romance. I was hovering between 3/4 stars for this book. I didn’t really feel the main characters falling for each other, it was, in a way, written too perfectly. But the rest of the book is like that, it gives very Hallmark vibes, where everything works out just as it should. In the end I gave 4 stars because I did tear up at the end.

Jessica Hurst

207 reviews6 followers

Thank you so much for sending me an ARC of this book!!

If you’re looking for a cute, quick and cozy read about Christmas then this is definitely a read for you.

I enjoyed the plot and the vibes of this book, the whole wishing bell thing is really cute and the grumpy x sunshine tropes is definitely one of my favourites but there are some things that just bothered me whilst reading.

I’m not one to let grammar get in the way of enjoying a book and I don’t really have brilliant grammar myself, but this book had exclamation marks at the end of every sentence. Not only this but 80% of the dialogue was things that no one would really say, but that isn’t to say there wasn’t some good pieces.

As much as I enjoy a plot around Christmas I felt like maybe this town based their whole life’s around Christmas as everything and everyone was named after some sort of festive or winter themed thing. I get loads of people will enjoy this but it’s not for me personally.

I did also enjoy the big family dynamic and the small town trope too.

Overall I would still recommend to someone looking for a quick Christmas read 💛

TheCatInTheStacks

30 reviews1 follower

December 7, 2023

This book was so sweet and a perfect little holiday pick-me-up! If you have ever watched a Hallmark movie and wondered what a book version might look like – here’s your chance to find out!

Belle Winters has just moved back to her hometown in Vermont after losing her job in New York City. On her first day back she has a less than friendly run-in with Jack Frost, the estranged grandson of a local philanthropist, who the town has dubbed the “Beast of Frost Manor”.

A riddle and small gift left for Belle in Jack’s grandfather’s will, sends her on a holiday scavenger hunt to locate an item that is an essential part of a Christmas tradition done on the estate for over a decade. Belle enlists Jack, despite his apparent dislike for all things Christmas, to help her figure out his grandfather’s riddles.

Throughout their excursion of Frost Manor, Belle learns that Jack is hiding a battered heart under his surly and unpleasant exterior that he shows everyone else…and that maybe love and a little bit of Christmas magic can thaw two frozen hearts.

Thank you to the author for gifting me an advanced copy of the book!*

Srishti Sareen

31 reviews

💌 Sleigh Belle by N. D. Testa
The book is the human embodiment of Beauty And The Beast. It revolves around the main characters Belle, Jake, and the Christmas mystery/miracle. The delicate, romantic, and mysterious relationship showcased in the novel kept me waiting for their kiss. I won’t spoil the moment for future readers by telling about how and where it happened but, all I would love to confess is that they do kiss and it was magical. While reaching the end of the book, at one point I was angry at a decision Belle was going to make but Nicole beautifully overpowered that emotion and made the end of Sleigh Belle worth the read. She did an amazing job because of her efforts all the agitation vanished as if it had never been in existence before.
The portrayal of Frost Manor’s precious owner, Sam (Jake’s grandfather) was the moment that I cherished throughout the book. His riddles, passions for Christmas, and letters were pleasurable rides.
If love was ever displayed in the simplest form it would be Sleigh Belle’s journey. It had a beginning, a middle, and an end. There was no murder, emotional trauma that was triggering not just for the character but the reader too, or even sexual activity. It’s shocking how without any of these acts the novel was wholesome. Her work was complete and did not require any other crutches to help her novel to walk. The novel spoke and walked on its own and that's what made me happier.
—Love S

S Myers

70 reviews2 followers

November 25, 2023

Sleigh Belle by N.D. Testa was an incredibly cozy read that was the perfect transition for me in preparation for the Christmas season. This story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and Testa found the balance between remaining true to the original fairytale and also incorporating some whimsical twists to make it her own. I enjoyed the character growth of both Jake and Belle throughout the novel, and there were several moments throughout the story that I found myself smiling. I can't think of any part of the story that felt like a drag--it was a cohesive and enjoyable read from start to finish.

The author also did a lovely job in accurately marketing this book; it perfectly matched the cozy, Hallmark-holiday vibe that I was expecting. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends and family who are in search of a feel-good holiday story as we enter the holiday season.

I recieved an ARC copy of this book in exchanged for my honest review.

Gaila M Raine

69 reviews

November 30, 2023

Honest ARC Review.

I really, really wanted to like this. The concept was so amazing. Compared to every other rendition of Beauty and the Beast I’ve read, the concept for this takes the cake.

However, the punctuation was not it for me. Nearly every other sentence in the dialogue had an exclamation point. Now, exclamation points are great for excitement or yelling, but not a simple conversation. The characters are yelling at each other throughout the entire novel, even when the dialogue tag says “she murmured” or “he grumbled”. This was the only thing that turned me off the story as a whole. I try to overlook grammar with ARCs, but there were so many! Maybe the author fixed it before publishing.

Overall, the reason I'm giving this three stars instead of two is because the concept was so well thought out.

2/10 recommend unless the punctuation is fixed. Then 8/10.

3/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
N/A spice
2/5 Comprehensible ✍️🏽✍️🏽
Predictability - Above Average

Crystal Anne Mitchell

33 reviews2 followers

Wow. What a beautiful and beautifully written love story! I normally don't decorate for Christmas before December but this love story got me very excited for the festive season and I decorated a month early!

This story warmed my heart and made me root for the potential couple, Belle and Jake. They deserve all the good! All the lovely descriptions of the small Vermont town getting ready for Christmas but missing one main piece made me nostalgic for my childhood Virginia Christmases.

It had so many encouraging messages of moving forward fearlessly and not getting stuck in the past. Its a love story but also guidance for any life path.

This book needs to become a movie! I with this for the author that her vision that she shared with us will be shared cinematically. Thank you N.D. Testa! I am ready for the magic of Christmas!!!

Aimeereadsromance

42 reviews1 follower

January 14, 2025

when I started reading this book, I was sceptical. im a big disney fan and Beauty, and the Beast is one of my favourites, so I wasn't sure how this was going to play out. But wow, N.D. Testa did an amazing job in this retelling of beauty and the beast, She has created this image in the story that follows the story line of this beloved disney couple and it works I completely fell in love with this book. I can imagine it's not to everyone's taste but if you are a believer in magic and love romance this story is for you im so glad I have read it and I would recommend to anyone that is like me and loves this type of story, you won't regret it. Happily ever after. ✨️ Home is not a place it's a person. ✨️

Nellie

55 reviews11 followers