Re-Writing Christmas: A Small Town Holiday Romance

by Kyra Lennon

When Nova McKay heads to her elderly neighbour’s house for their regular afternoon tea, she’s greeted by an unfamiliar face.Donovan, her neighbour’s grandson and renowned travel blogger, has been forced to return to England for the first time in ten years to spend some time with his recently widowed grandmother. It isn't long before Nova realises that Donovan is actually "little Donnie", the boy she played with during her childhood Christmas holidays, when his family visited town to see their relatives. Now, he's tall, broad, and sexy, and the attraction between them soon begins to crackle.However, in the twenty years since they last saw each other, the fun-loving kid Nova used to know has hardened into a cynical adult. Unwilling to deal with his self-centred attitude, Nova sets out to remind Donovan that small-town life isn't the drag he's making it out to be.Will she be able to melt his cold heart, or will he walk away leaving Nova's Christmas memories tainted forever?***Re-Writing Christmas is a standalone small-town friends to lovers holiday romance set in England (UK). It has elements of hurt/comfort and grumpy/sunshine, along with a feisty grandmother, and a large dose of festive cuteness.

Genres: Christmas

217 pages, Paperback

Published December 8, 2023

About the author

Kyra is a self-confessed book-a-holic, and has been since she first learned to read. When she's not reading, you'll usually find her hanging out in coffee shops with her trusty laptop and/or her friends, or girling it up at the nearest shopping mall. Lennon is a proud supporter of several charities. She currently volunteers for her local cat shelter as a fundraiser and social media guru. Kyra has also had stories published in charity anthologies to raise money for Cats Protection, the British Heart Foundation, and the Innocence Project.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyralennonwr...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KLennonWrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyralennonw...

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/kyralennon/

Reviews

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story for Christmas, two childhood playmates coming together as they are now adults in their twenties.
School teacher Nova McKay and travel writer and blogger Donovan Cain.
Donovan returning to the UK to Dawlish in Devon to spend Christmas with his recently widowed gran he's not staying be back travelling.
Dawlish a tranquil seaside town at this time of the year then he meets the girl next door.
And Nova is Donnies childhood playmate that changes all that for him bringing back the spirit of Christmas with a hit list.
This book is so beautiful, as this couple started off as childhood playmates then adults then lovers.
Enchanting story to fill up your eyes with some emotional reading. Definitely a good Christmas read.
Loved it

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a read to get you in the mood for Christmas then this is definitely the one. Nova went to visit her neighbour every Friday for a chat after work. It was even more important now for June as her beloved husband had passed away. Imagine Nova’s shock when the front door was opened by a grumpy grandson who was visiting and accusing her of trying to take advantage of his Nan. This wasn’t the only shock Nova had as it turned out that he was an old childhood friend that she played with every Christmas when he visited his other grandfather. Can Nova help Donovan get back the loving relationship he had with his Nan years ago, before he had grown up and left home to travel the world. The story follows the ups and downs as they navigate their way through this unexpected chance to reminiscence Christmas’ from their childhood

[Kyra]

My entire heart is still full of this book, even after having finished writing it for over a week.

I wrote this book as a shoutout to the town where I grew up, using characters I concocted for a short anthology piece last Christmas.

What the story turned into has blown my mind because I haven't written anything as fluffy as this in a long time. It turned something Hallmark-ish, and I am not sad about that! It's the feel-good book you read when you want to feel warm and fuzzy, and I am both proud of it and still quite obsessed with the characters.

If you really like cheesy, feel-good books, I think this will be perfect for you! <3

[Clare Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to beta for this book, and it really helped me to get into the Christmas spirit, living vicariously through Nova and Donovan as they reconnected.
Nova's positivity and love for those around her are exactly what draws Donovan to her, as much as he tries to resist initially. She's infectious and I found myself smiling my way through the book, even when things got a little hairy between them.
This is a lovely small town Christmas story that will get you in the mood for the festive season. Would definitely recommend.

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star Review Re-Writing Christmas by Kyra Lennon

I enjoy stories set around the holidays and this was a good one.

From the first chapter I was invested in Nova and Donovan’s story. The writing was strong and you cannot help but be drawn into the story that the author wove.

Could the magic of the holidays bring to old playmates together and in doing so create a wonderful future?

The characters were easy to relate to and I found myself drawn to them.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written small town holiday romance. The author takes you into their lives as they come together with the magic of Christmas. She paints her scenes perfectly and delivers a terrific read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Stephanie Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely Christmas read. It was very nice finding out how Nova & Donovan first got together & I loved that their history went even further back. Looking forward to reading more of this couple in the Oakwood Lane series. I love the magic and excitement in the build up to Christmas & Kyra Lennon did a great job of describing the experiences.

[Emma Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the chance to beta read these festive words from Kyra Lennon.

The book, set in a small English coastal town enabled me to feel festive without all the pomp and circumstance of a large city Christmas.

Great story, and characters (even if I wanted to hit Donovan in parts!) the story flowed nicely and left me wanting more.

[Jacqueline Johnston Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this friends to more, sweet, small town romance. This was such a great story reliving old memories, romance and humor. It kept me completely entertained. I love the way the characters were made. They were multi layered with some grumpy/sunshine going on. There were struggles but the happy ending arrives. I definitely recommend this charming, holiday book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Clare Dugmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Kyra Lennon's writing since the beginning, so when she told me she was releasing her first book in three years, I was very excited. Even more so because it was an expansion of a short story she'd written the previous year. I remember loving Noa and Donovan's story in its short story form, and desperately wanting more. Kyra did not disappoint.

Before I go on with my review, full disclosure, Kyra and I have been friends for many years and she asked me to beta-read this story ahead of its release. However, all opinions are my own. In fact, there was more than one occasion where I was honest about something not working. To her credit, Kyra fixed those issues and made the story stronger.

If you've read any of Kyra's books, you will know at their heart, they're always about real people, with real feelings. Even if you haven't been in the exact situation yourself, you can still relate to it perfectly.

Kyra writes human emotions in a way that is completely encapsulating. This story deals with both an older woman dealing with her first Christmas without her beloved husband, and two childhood friends being reunited, one of whom carries a lot of baggage to sort through.

Through these characters, you get an in-depth look at grief, but also the power community has, the magic of Christmas, and that first feeling of falling in love. There are so many swoony, melty moments I lost count, but I especially enjoyed the male MC speaking Italian to the female MC. And the flirty, playful banter between Nova and Donovan was terrific.

Something I wasn't expecting in this story, and was blown away by, was how Kyra featured her hometown of Dawlish, Devon. In many ways, this is a love letter to Dawlish and you can see how important the seaside town Kyra grew up in is to her. The places and people were perfectly described so that you actually felt like you were living through each moment with Nova and Donovan.

All in all, a fantastic book, with lots of real emotions, heart-melting romance, and heart-warming festive feels.

[Susan McWhinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good wholesome story of 2 people reconnecting after many years apart. From childhood friends they reconnect and both feet "something" but were both unwilling to place a name on it.

When Donovan first meets Nova, living next to his Nan, he was suspicious. What does a young woman want from an old lady? But this all stemmed from some unfortunate events in his past, that made trust hard for his to accept.
It did not take long for him to realise Nova was his Nan's best friend and she took it upon herself to look out for her ever since she lost her husband, Donovan's Pop.
But the name Nova meant something to him and when he realised she was his childhood friend from many years ago he could not believe his eyes.
She soon had him realising that travelling the world being a blogger was not the only thing that mattered. Family Mattered!
His regrets over not visiting more often was wrapped in Nova "re=writing" his past Christmas experiences without his family.
Feelings soon develop, and the slow burn of this story makes you vested in the Nova and Donovan relationship.
Certainly a closed door romance, so no heat between the pages but was written well. so can be overlooked as the wholesome story it is.
A first time read for me, and am impressed in the overall start, the context and the final HEA!
How they reach that HEA whilst Donovan still wants to travel and Nova has a life of her own in Devon is for you to read and enjoy.

[Christine Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nova McKay loves the small town life and Christmas festivities. Happy to spend time with her recently widowed neighbor, Nova is shocked to discover her grandson Donovan is visiting for the holidays and that he was the same boy who she spent Christmases with in her childhood. He's now a grumpy and cynical adult, and she sets out to bring back the Christmas spirit in him. Yet as they relive childhood activities, they begin to fall for one another. Will Nova be able to melt his heart or will he be gone again after Christmas, leaving her in pieces?

I loved this holiday romance so much. I want to participate in all the holiday fun along with them! The characters are beautifully written and realistic evoking a powerful emotional sleigh ride. Nova and her widowed neighbor both had my heart right away, and while it took a little bit for my heart to melt for Donovan, he won me over. The history between Nova and Donovan is so sweet and their romance develops that way. I smirked along with his grandmother, seeing it happen along the way, even if Nova and Donovan didn't at first. Even as I write this review, I still have the warm fuzzies from this book. Highly recommended.

[Ann (Literary Lust) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For readers seeking an emotional, thought-provoking, and heartwarming Christmas story, I highly recommend Re-Writing Christmas. Kyra Lennon had me reaching for tissues more than once, and I absolutely adored leading lady Nova.

Although some moments were difficult to read, this story stirred up many happy memories. Especially at this time of year, I feel the absence of loved ones who are no longer here, yet I also appreciated the reminder to make every moment count - to right wrongs, be honest, and not keep feelings bottled up.

Nova's personality shines throughout, and her relationship with June is one of the book's highlights, as are her connections with her family and friends. Donovan may not always present himself in the best light, but I loved witnessing his character development, especially through Nova's influence.

I could not put the second half of this book down. I'm feeling thoroughly Christmassy now - ready to embrace the festive season.

4 stars

[Soft and Sinister · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a quick read for me, set against a charming UK backdrop. I have to admit, I wasn’t a big fan of the MMC; even by the end, I felt he still wasn’t completely redeemed. The FMC, on the other hand, was an absolute sweetheart, she's exactly what you’d expect from a small-town teacher. Everyone adores her (myself included).
The story itself was a bit of a struggle to get through at times, though that might just be because I needed more spark between the characters. Still, I’m giving it a solid 3.75 stars thanks to the MMC’s character growth (he had to grow up sometime!) and the lovely relationship between the FMC and her neighboring “nan.”
If you’re looking for a cozy small-town romance you can finish in about four hours, this is your next read.
https://softandsinistersisters.blogsp...

[Wendy Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical romantic story that is modern and realistic. I was interested, gripped and entertained, it's emotional and I definitely had a few tears in some places but there are the light hearted moments that had me smiling. I loved the connections old and new. The characters were easy to understand and empathise with, June and Nova had a lovely relationship already and I do think that helped with Donovan finding his bond with his nan. It's sentimental, seasonal and wonderful read.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Action-packedEasy-to-readEntertainingHappily Ever AfterOriginalPage-turnerRomanticRealisticTear-jerkerUnpredictableWittyWonderful characters

[Jackie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-Writing Christmas is Nova and Donovan’s childhood playmates to lovers story and it’s a magical holiday romance that touched me on so many levels.
Donovan returns to the West Country to spend Christmas with his recently widowed gran. The last thing he expects is to bump into the girl who was his summer playmate all those years ago. They are both now in their twenties and it doesn’t take long for the magic to begin.
This was an entertaining and magical read with great characters and a story that holiday movies are made from.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the chance to beta-read this book, and I can say it was truly a delight. I was hooked from the beginning.
Packed full of the magic of Christmas and a small-town romance, it was a delight to watch Nova and Donovan on their journey as they fell for each other. There were so many moments that just made my heart melt.
I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christmas Romances, with festive magic and two characters that just connect with each other.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story.
Donavon is a blogger and travels all over the world, but as Christmas approaches he decides it is time to go home, well to his nans. Nova is a teacher and lives next door to his nan and is a bit taken aback when she calls round checking in on her. There first meet is a bit frosty but as the days go on they realise they are old friends from way back when they were kids.
It's a light hearted read.

[S.M. Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

I'm very new to the genre having only started reading romance this year and often not a fan of cutesy reads, but I enjoyed this little Xmas story. The characters are fun and relatable, there's good banter and an iconic character in the male MCs nan. Definitely got me in the Xmas spirit!

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, especially because I live in the town where the story was set, so all of the places mentioned were familiar to me.

This was a lovely Christmas story that will get you feeling festive!

[Angelica Larsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awesome book that I enjoyed a lot. I love the storyline and all the characters within. Will definitely check out more books from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vanessa-Ann Dowsett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed, it was a nice Christmas story, but was there any need to use so many swear words, on several occasions 3 'f'words in the same sentence, I am not a prude but it spoiled a good story for me