What do you think?
Rate this book
Heart of the Wilderness #1
The Christmas You Found Me
Sarah Morgenthaler is back with a heart-mending contemporary romance featuring a single dad you'll fall for; a satisfying slow burn love affair; found family you'll root for; small town holiday magic; and all the quirky animals and snowy rustic scenes your heart desires.
Sienna Naples's family has taken care of their wild Idaho land for generations and Sienna can't imagine any other life. But at Christmastime, with her parents gone and her painful marriage finally over, it's full of memories...and incredibly lonely. Until a tall, handsome stranger and a little girl walk into her life and suddenly the holidays are alive again.
When single father Guy Maple shows up as the result of an ad meant to be a joke, the handsome Montana construction worker isn't joking. Money is tight this Christmas, and Guy's four-year-old daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease. She needs a kidney transplant, but if Guy can't prove that he can afford Emma's anti-rejection medications, his daughter isn't going to stay on the transplant list. Guy's willing to do anything, including marrying a stranger, to keep her safe. It's an impulsive marriage of convenience, and Sienna knows this isn't real, no matter how much she adores Emma, how well Guy fits in to the ranching life—or how much light and laughter is coming into their lives as a result. But the more time she spends with her new family, the more she fears losing the fragile, feisty little girl and the kind, devoted, hard-working, incredibly attractive man who is her husband—but is it only in name?
Sienna Naples's family has taken care of their wild Idaho land for generations and Sienna can't imagine any other life. But at Christmastime, with her parents gone and her painful marriage finally over, it's full of memories...and incredibly lonely. Until a tall, handsome stranger and a little girl walk into her life and suddenly the holidays are alive again.
When single father Guy Maple shows up as the result of an ad meant to be a joke, the handsome Montana construction worker isn't joking. Money is tight this Christmas, and Guy's four-year-old daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease. She needs a kidney transplant, but if Guy can't prove that he can afford Emma's anti-rejection medications, his daughter isn't going to stay on the transplant list. Guy's willing to do anything, including marrying a stranger, to keep her safe. It's an impulsive marriage of convenience, and Sienna knows this isn't real, no matter how much she adores Emma, how well Guy fits in to the ranching life—or how much light and laughter is coming into their lives as a result. But the more time she spends with her new family, the more she fears losing the fragile, feisty little girl and the kind, devoted, hard-working, incredibly attractive man who is her husband—but is it only in name?
304 pages, ebook
First published September 24, 2024
209 people are currently reading
10362 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,733 reviews
December 19, 2024
ok this was SO good and needs to be made into a movie ASAP! definitely a slow burn, no spice at all, and not a ton of christmas, but overall a great read and i’m excited there’s going to be more in the series!
February 7, 2025
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 4.25 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
This was such a random spur of the moment pick for me, and I'm so glad I grabbed it up. Honestly, one of the most emotional books I've read all year. Many misty eyed moments and a teary one at the end.
When newly divorced Sienna meets Guy, a single father with a four-year-old daughter in kidney failure, she learns that little Emma may lose her place on the transplant list because of insurance complications. Enter: marriage of convenience. Sienna and Guy get married so Emma can have insurance and keep her spot on the list.
This story really tackled some heavy topics, but did so in such a beautiful way. The characters were all so relatable and fleshed out perfectly. Guy the MMC is the world's sweetest single dad, my heart broke for him taking care of his sick little girl and so much of the care being out of his power.
I really didn't expect to get so choked up reading a Christmas romance, but there's so much more. This really isn't a corny Hallmarky type. It was light on the Christmas and heavy on the emotional struggle of having a sick child, it just happens to be during the holidays and it warms your heart a little more because of it.
Can't wait to try more of Sarah Morgenthaler’s books now!
Highly recommend - the audio was fantastic as well.
₊˚⊹♡ "𝓜𝓲𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓼𝓶𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓹𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼." ₊˚⊹♡
₊˚⊹ ࿔"𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻. 𝓐𝓫𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓾𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂, 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻." ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
⠀:¨ ·.· ¨:⠀
⠀ `· . ୨୧⠀
╰⪼ 🎄Single Dad
╰⪼ ❤️Slow Burn
╰⪼ 🎄Small Town
╰⪼ ❤️Holiday Magic
╰⪼ 🎄Found Family
╰⪼ ❤️Sick Child
╰⪼ 🎄Marriage of Convenience
╰⪼ ❤️Rancher FMC
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
This was such a random spur of the moment pick for me, and I'm so glad I grabbed it up. Honestly, one of the most emotional books I've read all year. Many misty eyed moments and a teary one at the end.
When newly divorced Sienna meets Guy, a single father with a four-year-old daughter in kidney failure, she learns that little Emma may lose her place on the transplant list because of insurance complications. Enter: marriage of convenience. Sienna and Guy get married so Emma can have insurance and keep her spot on the list.
This story really tackled some heavy topics, but did so in such a beautiful way. The characters were all so relatable and fleshed out perfectly. Guy the MMC is the world's sweetest single dad, my heart broke for him taking care of his sick little girl and so much of the care being out of his power.
I really didn't expect to get so choked up reading a Christmas romance, but there's so much more. This really isn't a corny Hallmarky type. It was light on the Christmas and heavy on the emotional struggle of having a sick child, it just happens to be during the holidays and it warms your heart a little more because of it.
Can't wait to try more of Sarah Morgenthaler’s books now!
Highly recommend - the audio was fantastic as well.
₊˚⊹♡ "𝓜𝓲𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓼𝓶𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓹𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼." ₊˚⊹♡
₊˚⊹ ࿔"𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻. 𝓐𝓫𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓾𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂, 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻." ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
⠀:¨ ·.· ¨:⠀
⠀ `· . ୨୧⠀
╰⪼ 🎄Single Dad
╰⪼ ❤️Slow Burn
╰⪼ 🎄Small Town
╰⪼ ❤️Holiday Magic
╰⪼ 🎄Found Family
╰⪼ ❤️Sick Child
╰⪼ 🎄Marriage of Convenience
╰⪼ ❤️Rancher FMC
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
December 22, 2024
Some cringy dialogue but also had its cute moments
December 14, 2025
4.5⭐
Genre ~ holiday romance
Series ~ Heart of the Wilderness, #1
Setting ~ Idaho
Publication date ~ September 24, 2024
Publisher ~ Sourcebooks Casablanca, Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 304 (p+ 25 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 24 minutes
Narrator ~ Haley Taylor
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ small town, marriage of convenience, found family, single dad, 4 year old with kidney failure, slow burn, strangers to friends to lovers, no steamage
Sienna is fresh off a divorce when her bff put an ad in the paper as a joke that she's looking for a husband for hire. Never expecting anyone to respond she's shocked when Guy shows up for an interview. You see Guy's 4 year old daughter, Emma, is in kidney failure and he needs insurance to take care of her. She can't possibly help this man, can she? After thinking about it some Sienna proposes a marriage of convenience. Guy gladly accepts and they're married in less than 24 hours of meeting each other. And I gotta say I don’t hate a marriage of convenience when it’s to try to save a baby’s life.
As you can imagine we get an emotional journey as we follow the difficulties that Emma faces while she waits for a kidney transplant, Guy as a father that is doing the best he can for his daughter, and Sienna as she slowly falls in love with both of them. Sienna's father has dementia, so that brings out some heart wrenching moments as well.
Overall, a heartwarming story with characters you can't help but fall in love with and root for.
Narration notes:
I thought she did a great job. She really gave Guy a somber tone, which worked well for everything this character is facing day to day.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ holiday romance
Series ~ Heart of the Wilderness, #1
Setting ~ Idaho
Publication date ~ September 24, 2024
Publisher ~ Sourcebooks Casablanca, Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 304 (p+ 25 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 24 minutes
Narrator ~ Haley Taylor
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ small town, marriage of convenience, found family, single dad, 4 year old with kidney failure, slow burn, strangers to friends to lovers, no steamage
Sienna is fresh off a divorce when her bff put an ad in the paper as a joke that she's looking for a husband for hire. Never expecting anyone to respond she's shocked when Guy shows up for an interview. You see Guy's 4 year old daughter, Emma, is in kidney failure and he needs insurance to take care of her. She can't possibly help this man, can she? After thinking about it some Sienna proposes a marriage of convenience. Guy gladly accepts and they're married in less than 24 hours of meeting each other. And I gotta say I don’t hate a marriage of convenience when it’s to try to save a baby’s life.
As you can imagine we get an emotional journey as we follow the difficulties that Emma faces while she waits for a kidney transplant, Guy as a father that is doing the best he can for his daughter, and Sienna as she slowly falls in love with both of them. Sienna's father has dementia, so that brings out some heart wrenching moments as well.
Overall, a heartwarming story with characters you can't help but fall in love with and root for.
Narration notes:
I thought she did a great job. She really gave Guy a somber tone, which worked well for everything this character is facing day to day.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
October 6, 2024
There are books that entertain and others that mark you forever. This novel undoubtedly belongs to the second category, weaving a story so moving that it becomes etched in your heart.
The plot revolves around Sienna, Guy, and his daughter Emma, whose lives intertwine in the most unexpected way following a "husband wanted" advertisement. What follows is a narrative that defies expectations, interweaving themes of love, family, and personal growth with extraordinary skill.
The author shines in her ability to create complex and believable characters. Sienna, in particular, is a masterful example of character development. Her internal struggles and emotional evolution feel authentic, making her journey even more impactful. Guy's noble motivations add depth to what could have been a cliché premise, while little Emma acts as the catalyst that brings these two unlikely adults together.
The most impressive aspect of this book is its emotional resonance. The narrative doesn't just touch the heartstrings; it makes them vibrate intensely. I found myself completely immersed in the characters' lives, sharing their joys and sorrows with an intensity that took me by surprise.
Although the story follows the general outline of a romance, it transcends the genre in significant ways. It's not just about two people falling in love; it's about the formation of a family unit, healing past wounds, and the courage to open oneself to new possibilities.
I must admit that the last 15% of the book left me completely devastated. Tears flowed uncontrollably as I read the final pages, experiencing every emotion alongside the characters. It was a cathartic experience that I've rarely encountered with a book.
In conclusion, this novel offers a reading experience that lingers long after the final chapter. It's a reminder of the transformative power of love, the strength found in vulnerability, and the beautiful unpredictability of life. For those seeking a story that offers more than a simple escape, this book delivers in spades, promising an emotional journey well worth undertaking.
Hay libros que entretienen y otros que te marcan para siempre. Esta novela pertenece sin duda a la segunda categoría, tejiendo una historia tan conmovedora que se queda grabada en el corazón.
La trama gira en torno a Sienna, Guy y su hija Emma, cuyas vidas se entrelazan de la manera más inesperada a raíz de un anuncio de "se busca marido". Lo que sigue es una narrativa que desafía las expectativas, entrelazando temas de amor, familia y crecimiento personal con una destreza extraordinaria.
La autora brilla en su habilidad para crear personajes complejos y creíbles. Sienna, en particular, es un ejemplo magistral de desarrollo de personaje. Sus luchas internas y su evolución emocional se sienten auténticas, haciendo que su viaje sea aún más impactante. Las nobles motivaciones de Guy añaden profundidad a lo que podría haber sido una premisa cliché, mientras que la pequeña Emma actúa como el catalizador que une a estos dos adultos improbables.
Lo más impresionante de este libro es su resonancia emocional. La narrativa no solo toca las fibras del corazón, sino que las hace vibrar con intensidad. Me encontré completamente inmersa en las vidas de los personajes, compartiendo sus alegrías y tristezas con una intensidad que me tomó por sorpresa.
Aunque la historia sigue los trazos generales de un romance, trasciende el género de maneras significativas. No se trata solo de dos personas enamorándose; es sobre la formación de una unidad familiar, la sanación de heridas pasadas y el coraje de abrirse a nuevas posibilidades.
Debo admitir que el último 15% del libro me dejó completamente destrozada. Las lágrimas fluían sin control mientras leía las páginas finales, viviendo cada emoción junto a los personajes. Fue una experiencia catártica que pocas veces he experimentado con un libro.
En conclusión, esta novela ofrece una experiencia de lectura que perdura mucho después del capítulo final. Es un recordatorio del poder transformador del amor, la fuerza que se encuentra en la vulnerabilidad y la hermosa imprevisibilidad de la vida. Para aquellos que buscan una historia que ofrezca más que un simple escape, este libro cumple con creces, prometiendo un viaje emocional que vale la pena emprender.
The plot revolves around Sienna, Guy, and his daughter Emma, whose lives intertwine in the most unexpected way following a "husband wanted" advertisement. What follows is a narrative that defies expectations, interweaving themes of love, family, and personal growth with extraordinary skill.
The author shines in her ability to create complex and believable characters. Sienna, in particular, is a masterful example of character development. Her internal struggles and emotional evolution feel authentic, making her journey even more impactful. Guy's noble motivations add depth to what could have been a cliché premise, while little Emma acts as the catalyst that brings these two unlikely adults together.
The most impressive aspect of this book is its emotional resonance. The narrative doesn't just touch the heartstrings; it makes them vibrate intensely. I found myself completely immersed in the characters' lives, sharing their joys and sorrows with an intensity that took me by surprise.
Although the story follows the general outline of a romance, it transcends the genre in significant ways. It's not just about two people falling in love; it's about the formation of a family unit, healing past wounds, and the courage to open oneself to new possibilities.
I must admit that the last 15% of the book left me completely devastated. Tears flowed uncontrollably as I read the final pages, experiencing every emotion alongside the characters. It was a cathartic experience that I've rarely encountered with a book.
In conclusion, this novel offers a reading experience that lingers long after the final chapter. It's a reminder of the transformative power of love, the strength found in vulnerability, and the beautiful unpredictability of life. For those seeking a story that offers more than a simple escape, this book delivers in spades, promising an emotional journey well worth undertaking.
Hay libros que entretienen y otros que te marcan para siempre. Esta novela pertenece sin duda a la segunda categoría, tejiendo una historia tan conmovedora que se queda grabada en el corazón.
La trama gira en torno a Sienna, Guy y su hija Emma, cuyas vidas se entrelazan de la manera más inesperada a raíz de un anuncio de "se busca marido". Lo que sigue es una narrativa que desafía las expectativas, entrelazando temas de amor, familia y crecimiento personal con una destreza extraordinaria.
La autora brilla en su habilidad para crear personajes complejos y creíbles. Sienna, en particular, es un ejemplo magistral de desarrollo de personaje. Sus luchas internas y su evolución emocional se sienten auténticas, haciendo que su viaje sea aún más impactante. Las nobles motivaciones de Guy añaden profundidad a lo que podría haber sido una premisa cliché, mientras que la pequeña Emma actúa como el catalizador que une a estos dos adultos improbables.
Lo más impresionante de este libro es su resonancia emocional. La narrativa no solo toca las fibras del corazón, sino que las hace vibrar con intensidad. Me encontré completamente inmersa en las vidas de los personajes, compartiendo sus alegrías y tristezas con una intensidad que me tomó por sorpresa.
Aunque la historia sigue los trazos generales de un romance, trasciende el género de maneras significativas. No se trata solo de dos personas enamorándose; es sobre la formación de una unidad familiar, la sanación de heridas pasadas y el coraje de abrirse a nuevas posibilidades.
Debo admitir que el último 15% del libro me dejó completamente destrozada. Las lágrimas fluían sin control mientras leía las páginas finales, viviendo cada emoción junto a los personajes. Fue una experiencia catártica que pocas veces he experimentado con un libro.
En conclusión, esta novela ofrece una experiencia de lectura que perdura mucho después del capítulo final. Es un recordatorio del poder transformador del amor, la fuerza que se encuentra en la vulnerabilidad y la hermosa imprevisibilidad de la vida. Para aquellos que buscan una historia que ofrezca más que un simple escape, este libro cumple con creces, prometiendo un viaje emocional que vale la pena emprender.
September 29, 2024
hermanas con el último 15% no pare de llorar, me fui a dormir con dolor de cabeza y la piel brillante, espectacular
October 14, 2024
the setup…
Sienna Naples has finally gotten her divorce, only to find her friends have announced the event in the town newspaper via an ad saying she’s looking for a husband in exchange for helping out on her family Idaho cattle ranch. It’s meant as a joke but when single father Guy Maple shows up with a serious offer, Sienna feels terrible because he’s in desperate need of a union that comes with medical insurance. His four-year old daughter Emma has stage five kidney disease and cannot go on the transplant list without having the means to afford the anti-rejection medications. After first turning him away, she has second thoughts and impulsively accepts his offer. Guy is a skilled construction worker who plans to take his vows seriously. Sienna immediately falls for Emma…and maybe this attractive man might win her heart, too.
the heart of the story…
While this isn’t a traditional Christmas story, it has all of the elements that embody the spirit of the season. I was taken by Guy immediately, his love and devotion for his daughter overwhelming. His entire life is committed to keeping her safe and alive but when he takes those marriage vows, he brings Sienna into that circle, no matter that it’s a marriage of convenience. It’s a cobbled together family and it makes a difference that all three embrace their new relationship.
the narration…
Haley Taylor is new to me but I’m now an instant fan. From her quiet, soft tone and perfectly paced storytelling, she created the perfect listening experience. She was outstanding.
the bottom line…
It’s a very slow burn romance but that felt right as the seriousness of Emma’s health issues were always at the forefront. Despite that, there were so many heart-tugging moments and the family that was hastily created started to gel in ways that also felt natural. I loved everything about this story, including the quirky animals on that ranch. It’s even better knowing it’s the start of a new series. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Sienna Naples has finally gotten her divorce, only to find her friends have announced the event in the town newspaper via an ad saying she’s looking for a husband in exchange for helping out on her family Idaho cattle ranch. It’s meant as a joke but when single father Guy Maple shows up with a serious offer, Sienna feels terrible because he’s in desperate need of a union that comes with medical insurance. His four-year old daughter Emma has stage five kidney disease and cannot go on the transplant list without having the means to afford the anti-rejection medications. After first turning him away, she has second thoughts and impulsively accepts his offer. Guy is a skilled construction worker who plans to take his vows seriously. Sienna immediately falls for Emma…and maybe this attractive man might win her heart, too.
the heart of the story…
While this isn’t a traditional Christmas story, it has all of the elements that embody the spirit of the season. I was taken by Guy immediately, his love and devotion for his daughter overwhelming. His entire life is committed to keeping her safe and alive but when he takes those marriage vows, he brings Sienna into that circle, no matter that it’s a marriage of convenience. It’s a cobbled together family and it makes a difference that all three embrace their new relationship.
the narration…
Haley Taylor is new to me but I’m now an instant fan. From her quiet, soft tone and perfectly paced storytelling, she created the perfect listening experience. She was outstanding.
the bottom line…
It’s a very slow burn romance but that felt right as the seriousness of Emma’s health issues were always at the forefront. Despite that, there were so many heart-tugging moments and the family that was hastily created started to gel in ways that also felt natural. I loved everything about this story, including the quirky animals on that ranch. It’s even better knowing it’s the start of a new series. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Read
December 28, 2024DNF at 40%
This was a sweet story, and when I first listened to the audiobook, I thought there was an editorial mistake/miss with pronouns... but no. The FMC's best friend's preferred pronoun was "they." It's such a bummer the author chose to do that. I don't want to read that in my books, especially Christmas stories.
This was a sweet story, and when I first listened to the audiobook, I thought there was an editorial mistake/miss with pronouns... but no. The FMC's best friend's preferred pronoun was "they." It's such a bummer the author chose to do that. I don't want to read that in my books, especially Christmas stories.
March 5, 2025
Beautiful heartbreaking lovely story, and no spice. Definitely recommend!
Solid 4 Stars!
Solid 4 Stars!
March 5, 2025
જ⁀➴ 4.75/5 ⭐️
꒰🧾꒱ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎
“miracles always come in small packages”
꒰ 🎄 ꒱ - this book follows the main character sienna naples who's recently divorced and lives on a farm. she finds herself alone for the holidays, the day of her divorce her friend jokingly puts up an advertisement for a fake husband. one man shows up, guy maple, who's young daughter is struggling with a chronic kidney disease. they decide on a marriage of convenience to help emma. she keeps reminding herself that he's just her husband on paper, but when it feels more like an actual marriage what do they do?
꒰ 🎀 ꒱ - this book is more on the idea of family and a wholesome story. there is romance but i don't think it's the main idea and importance of this story. it's actually so cute and i actually teared up at some parts. it's set during the holidays and Christmas, so it's a perfect book to read right now! it's clean and so cute, there is some implications of more than kissing but nothing on page. this is a slow burn and most of the romance takes place 60 ish % in.
꒰ 🎧 ꒱ i listened to the audiobook of this and really enjoyed it. i didn't get many quotes for that reason but there are some cute ones in this book.
────୨ৎ────
꒰ ❤️🩹 ꒱ - 𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀: she lives on her family's farm, where she grow up. she is such a sweet and authentic character. she's been feeling really lonely lately and guy and emma have been a major help with that. i loved how she grew in this book, mentally. she felt more confident and happy in general.
꒰ 🫶 ꒱ - 𝐆𝐔𝐘: he's actually the definition of a green flag. ik i've said this countless times, but he's so sweet, kind, caring, and so frickin thoughtful. he puts his daughter first before anything and you can feel it, how much he cares for her. he'd do absolutely anything for her. he's a single dad and has been single forever. he's struggling financially and he still tries to do stuff for sienna. he fell first and harder. i actually love him so much y'all.
꒰ 🦄 ꒱ - 𝐄𝐌𝐌𝐀: ugh sweetest girl ever y'all. like suffering with a kidney disease for 3 years and she's 4?? I wanted to cry for her so many times. it's emotional when the mc has a chronic illness/illness, but when's it's an innocent young child? oh gosh that just heartbreaking. i couldn't imagine being a parent and my child suffering for majority of their life. 💔 depressing thoughts aside she's actually adorable. she could see her dad falling for sienna way before they both acknowledged it.
“daddy looks at you funny”
4.5 ⭐️
started on: (2024.12.11)
finished on: (2024.12.15)
review: (2024.12.21)
➷ pre-review
this book was everything i didn't know i needed, full rtc but its clean + so wholesome.
i actually adored the characters and the plot was good 😌
➷ pre-read thoughts
- synopsis seems cute + in need of some christmasy books 🎄🤍
꒰🧾꒱ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎
“miracles always come in small packages”
꒰ 🎄 ꒱ - this book follows the main character sienna naples who's recently divorced and lives on a farm. she finds herself alone for the holidays, the day of her divorce her friend jokingly puts up an advertisement for a fake husband. one man shows up, guy maple, who's young daughter is struggling with a chronic kidney disease. they decide on a marriage of convenience to help emma. she keeps reminding herself that he's just her husband on paper, but when it feels more like an actual marriage what do they do?
꒰ 🎀 ꒱ - this book is more on the idea of family and a wholesome story. there is romance but i don't think it's the main idea and importance of this story. it's actually so cute and i actually teared up at some parts. it's set during the holidays and Christmas, so it's a perfect book to read right now! it's clean and so cute, there is some implications of more than kissing but nothing on page. this is a slow burn and most of the romance takes place 60 ish % in.
꒰ 🎧 ꒱ i listened to the audiobook of this and really enjoyed it. i didn't get many quotes for that reason but there are some cute ones in this book.
────୨ৎ────
꒰ ❤️🩹 ꒱ - 𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀: she lives on her family's farm, where she grow up. she is such a sweet and authentic character. she's been feeling really lonely lately and guy and emma have been a major help with that. i loved how she grew in this book, mentally. she felt more confident and happy in general.
꒰ 🫶 ꒱ - 𝐆𝐔𝐘: he's actually the definition of a green flag. ik i've said this countless times, but he's so sweet, kind, caring, and so frickin thoughtful. he puts his daughter first before anything and you can feel it, how much he cares for her. he'd do absolutely anything for her. he's a single dad and has been single forever. he's struggling financially and he still tries to do stuff for sienna. he fell first and harder. i actually love him so much y'all.
꒰ 🦄 ꒱ - 𝐄𝐌𝐌𝐀: ugh sweetest girl ever y'all. like suffering with a kidney disease for 3 years and she's 4?? I wanted to cry for her so many times. it's emotional when the mc has a chronic illness/illness, but when's it's an innocent young child? oh gosh that just heartbreaking. i couldn't imagine being a parent and my child suffering for majority of their life. 💔 depressing thoughts aside she's actually adorable. she could see her dad falling for sienna way before they both acknowledged it.
“daddy looks at you funny”
4.5 ⭐️
started on: (2024.12.11)
finished on: (2024.12.15)
review: (2024.12.21)
➷ pre-review
this book was everything i didn't know i needed, full rtc but its clean + so wholesome.
i actually adored the characters and the plot was good 😌
➷ pre-read thoughts
- synopsis seems cute + in need of some christmasy books 🎄🤍
December 18, 2025
**3.5-stars**
This had a slighly-odd, yet memorable, set-up. I mean, nothing brings people together at the holiday likes insurance fraud. Neverthess, I did have moments where I was loving it, but also other moments where I wasn't as much.
Overall, I feel like it was fairly charming. I'm not mad about it. It just seems like an odd version of love story, but somehow I was still rooting for the couple. This is a head-scratcher.
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
This had a slighly-odd, yet memorable, set-up. I mean, nothing brings people together at the holiday likes insurance fraud. Neverthess, I did have moments where I was loving it, but also other moments where I wasn't as much.
Overall, I feel like it was fairly charming. I'm not mad about it. It just seems like an odd version of love story, but somehow I was still rooting for the couple. This is a head-scratcher.
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
September 25, 2024
The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morganthaler
Heart of the Wilderness series #1. Contemporary romance. Chick lit. Single parent troupe.
Sienna Naples’s divorce is final. The painful marriage is finally over. It cost her more than she wanted to think about, but she was able to keep the ranch that’s been in her family for generations.
When a handsome man stands in front of Sienna and tells her he is applying for the job of her next husband, he is not joking. Funds are tight because his daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease and she won’t be able to stay on the transplant list if he can’t afford the medications and treatments she needs. She’s only four. Guy Maple is willing to do any job necessary to care for her. Sienna tells him the advertisement was an ill timed joke but seeing the sadness, the desperation and care he give his daughter, she wants to help. Sienna agrees to marry Guy so Emma can be covered on her insurance and they move to her ranch the very next day. Married. Sienna falls in love with both of them. They become a family. But Emma is a very sick little girl and no one knows if a miracle will occur in time.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story narrated by Haley Taylor. The performance is well done with distinct voices for Sienna and Guy and Emma. Tension came through clearly as well as the love they found. A lot of the dialog felt like it was being deliberately pitched low and soft to keep the sadness and worry front and center. It was a whisper at times though the volume was fine. Given the medical worry, and the practicality of a very restrictive diet for Emma and that she’s only four, there isn’t an abundance of joy in the book, so the tone fit. Of course there are tender moments and growing love so it’s not all sad either.
I listened at 1.5 to match my reading and speech standards.
Beautiful but on pins and needles the whole book. Knowing that kidney disease is a real condition and there simply aren’t replacement parts for everyone that needs them, this story is heartbreaking. Without spoiling it too much, read without the tension I had and know it’s romance at the core and yes, you can trust the author.
The story is sweet as the three grow close and become a loving family. The last ten percent is tense until the very end. I need some recovery time. My heart doesn’t like that level of stress.
Romance books. Because I need the happy.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Dreamscape Media.
Heart of the Wilderness series #1. Contemporary romance. Chick lit. Single parent troupe.
Sienna Naples’s divorce is final. The painful marriage is finally over. It cost her more than she wanted to think about, but she was able to keep the ranch that’s been in her family for generations.
When a handsome man stands in front of Sienna and tells her he is applying for the job of her next husband, he is not joking. Funds are tight because his daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease and she won’t be able to stay on the transplant list if he can’t afford the medications and treatments she needs. She’s only four. Guy Maple is willing to do any job necessary to care for her. Sienna tells him the advertisement was an ill timed joke but seeing the sadness, the desperation and care he give his daughter, she wants to help. Sienna agrees to marry Guy so Emma can be covered on her insurance and they move to her ranch the very next day. Married. Sienna falls in love with both of them. They become a family. But Emma is a very sick little girl and no one knows if a miracle will occur in time.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story narrated by Haley Taylor. The performance is well done with distinct voices for Sienna and Guy and Emma. Tension came through clearly as well as the love they found. A lot of the dialog felt like it was being deliberately pitched low and soft to keep the sadness and worry front and center. It was a whisper at times though the volume was fine. Given the medical worry, and the practicality of a very restrictive diet for Emma and that she’s only four, there isn’t an abundance of joy in the book, so the tone fit. Of course there are tender moments and growing love so it’s not all sad either.
I listened at 1.5 to match my reading and speech standards.
Beautiful but on pins and needles the whole book. Knowing that kidney disease is a real condition and there simply aren’t replacement parts for everyone that needs them, this story is heartbreaking. Without spoiling it too much, read without the tension I had and know it’s romance at the core and yes, you can trust the author.
The story is sweet as the three grow close and become a loving family. The last ten percent is tense until the very end. I need some recovery time. My heart doesn’t like that level of stress.
Romance books. Because I need the happy.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Dreamscape Media.
January 17, 2025
4.5 Stars
Not a holiday romance for the faint of heart, The Christmas You Found Me has a lot of heavy, poignant themes at the centre of its story, including (but not limited to) a heroine dealing freshly in the aftermath of a messy divorce and with an aging parent with advancing Alzheimer’s, as well as a hero caring for a chronically ill child, who struggles with very real, very on-page life-threatening health problems across the course of the story.
Despite the sometimes-sensitive nature of these themes, Morganthaler’s delivery was perfection, telling an emotionally engaging and deeply romantic tale, featuring a marriage-of-convenience between two strangers desperate to help save a little girl’s life, who form a beautiful little family as they quickly develop profound and unbreakable bonds of love and support, while coping in the face of all parents worst nightmare scenario.
Although the themes are heavy and I was brought to tears on a number of occasions, the overall tone of the story manages to capture a truly hopeful, charming, and inspiring feel, thanks to Morganthaler’s lovely, morish writing style, and the impressive depth and emotional connectiveness of her characters.
The small-town, farmland homestead setting also played a big part in my personal enjoyment of this story, I’m sure. It was a setting beautifully rendered with vivid and idyllic imagery of the Idadoan wilderness, that absolutely lived rent-free in my mind well after I turned the final page of the story.
As far as the romance is concerned, the love that developed between MCs Sienna and Guy was fast moving but very believable in these heightened circumstances. They were both such lovely, warm characters, who fitted together so damn effortlessly in their growing love for each other and for the little girl that brought them together. The romance is all things pure and non-explicit, but where I might usually gripe about such things, it felt perfectly satisfactory for the tone and nature of the story being told.
Rest assured, despite the emotional nature of the story, all things considered, this ended on a very happy and hopeful note, leaving me feeling warm and satisfied by the entire reading experience—so much so, that I’m now in eager anticipation for what’s in store in future sequels.
Not a holiday romance for the faint of heart, The Christmas You Found Me has a lot of heavy, poignant themes at the centre of its story, including (but not limited to) a heroine dealing freshly in the aftermath of a messy divorce and with an aging parent with advancing Alzheimer’s, as well as a hero caring for a chronically ill child, who struggles with very real, very on-page life-threatening health problems across the course of the story.
Despite the sometimes-sensitive nature of these themes, Morganthaler’s delivery was perfection, telling an emotionally engaging and deeply romantic tale, featuring a marriage-of-convenience between two strangers desperate to help save a little girl’s life, who form a beautiful little family as they quickly develop profound and unbreakable bonds of love and support, while coping in the face of all parents worst nightmare scenario.
Although the themes are heavy and I was brought to tears on a number of occasions, the overall tone of the story manages to capture a truly hopeful, charming, and inspiring feel, thanks to Morganthaler’s lovely, morish writing style, and the impressive depth and emotional connectiveness of her characters.
The small-town, farmland homestead setting also played a big part in my personal enjoyment of this story, I’m sure. It was a setting beautifully rendered with vivid and idyllic imagery of the Idadoan wilderness, that absolutely lived rent-free in my mind well after I turned the final page of the story.
As far as the romance is concerned, the love that developed between MCs Sienna and Guy was fast moving but very believable in these heightened circumstances. They were both such lovely, warm characters, who fitted together so damn effortlessly in their growing love for each other and for the little girl that brought them together. The romance is all things pure and non-explicit, but where I might usually gripe about such things, it felt perfectly satisfactory for the tone and nature of the story being told.
Rest assured, despite the emotional nature of the story, all things considered, this ended on a very happy and hopeful note, leaving me feeling warm and satisfied by the entire reading experience—so much so, that I’m now in eager anticipation for what’s in store in future sequels.
November 20, 2024
The Christmas you found me more like the Christmas of unfortunate events amirite
Not a single happy thing happened for the majority of this book . Its deals with the mcs divorce , a father with Alzheimer’s , loneliness & anxiety induced nightmares. The mmc has a daughter with kidney failure and an ex who doesnt gaf. Cows running amok. Its completely bleak for a romance novel tbh it was pretty depressing lol
But hey, Love
Not a single happy thing happened for the majority of this book . Its deals with the mcs divorce , a father with Alzheimer’s , loneliness & anxiety induced nightmares. The mmc has a daughter with kidney failure and an ex who doesnt gaf. Cows running amok. Its completely bleak for a romance novel tbh it was pretty depressing lol
But hey, Love
December 3, 2024
This was the sweetest and Warmest Christmas book. This book will give you all the feels. This was like a warm cup of hot chocolate and a blanket by the fire.
This book deals with emotional topics for anyone who deals with triggers: alzheimer's, loss of a parent, childhood sickness, and divorce. The Christmas You Found Me is a contemporary romance single dad trope book. Sienna is fresh off a divorce from an unstable ex and Guy is just trying to make ends meet since his daughter needs a kidney transplant asap. He needs to prove he can afford the transplant medication for her to stay on the list. The day Sienna's divorce is finalized, her friends put up an ad as a joke about looking for a new husband in exchange for work, and benefits are included. Out of desperation , But responds and is upfront with Sienna about the situation he's in. Sienna initially says no and tells Guy her friends placed the ad as a joke. They part ways, but when Sienna gets home, she can't stop thinking about the situation with Guy and his daughter Emma, so she calls Guy back and says, "Let's do the marriage on paper, of course if it'll help your daughter." What follows is their story, and Emma's story with her failing kidneys.
This book deals with emotional topics for anyone who deals with triggers: alzheimer's, loss of a parent, childhood sickness, and divorce. The Christmas You Found Me is a contemporary romance single dad trope book. Sienna is fresh off a divorce from an unstable ex and Guy is just trying to make ends meet since his daughter needs a kidney transplant asap. He needs to prove he can afford the transplant medication for her to stay on the list. The day Sienna's divorce is finalized, her friends put up an ad as a joke about looking for a new husband in exchange for work, and benefits are included. Out of desperation , But responds and is upfront with Sienna about the situation he's in. Sienna initially says no and tells Guy her friends placed the ad as a joke. They part ways, but when Sienna gets home, she can't stop thinking about the situation with Guy and his daughter Emma, so she calls Guy back and says, "Let's do the marriage on paper, of course if it'll help your daughter." What follows is their story, and Emma's story with her failing kidneys.
October 24, 2024
Sweet story that was initially driving me crazy with what I thought was an editorial miss of possessive pronouns…duh, at 34%, my error. Her girlfriend Jess had a preferred pronoun of “they”. Too many charming Christmas stories without the woke agenda. DNF and no more Sarah Morgenthaler. Just sorry I actually paid for this on Kindle..
September 6, 2024
If you're a big fan of Sarah Morgenthaler like I am, just know this one hits differently than her others. It's very emotionally heavy, but in the best possible way. My heart is still aching! The ending, along with the acknowledgments, brought me to literal tears. It's a truly special story, and I hope others will give it a try this holiday season.
It's a marriage-of-convenience romance following Sienna, a recently divorced rancher, and Guy, an exhausted single dad desperate to save his daughter, who is battling stage five kidney disease. Considering the timeline, this romance develops faster than I'd typically like, but the heightened emotions along with the cozy ranch setting at Christmas made me absolutely melt into their story.
I loved how open and honest Sienna and Guy were with each other. Married without truly knowing one another beforehand, they didn’t have the luxury of time for typical misunderstandings. So yes, it was fast paced—but with a life on the line, there was no choice but to be emotionally vulnerable from the start.
I found the ending a bit abrupt and perhaps too simplistic in its happiness, but it's a romance at heart. After such intense events and all the tears (seriously, have tissues handy), the blissful ending felt well deserved and deeply satisfying for these characters.
(heat level: fade to black)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
It's a marriage-of-convenience romance following Sienna, a recently divorced rancher, and Guy, an exhausted single dad desperate to save his daughter, who is battling stage five kidney disease. Considering the timeline, this romance develops faster than I'd typically like, but the heightened emotions along with the cozy ranch setting at Christmas made me absolutely melt into their story.
I loved how open and honest Sienna and Guy were with each other. Married without truly knowing one another beforehand, they didn’t have the luxury of time for typical misunderstandings. So yes, it was fast paced—but with a life on the line, there was no choice but to be emotionally vulnerable from the start.
I found the ending a bit abrupt and perhaps too simplistic in its happiness, but it's a romance at heart. After such intense events and all the tears (seriously, have tissues handy), the blissful ending felt well deserved and deeply satisfying for these characters.
(heat level: fade to black)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
December 9, 2024
The Christmas you Found Me
Themes
Found family, single parent, fake relationship/ marriage of “purpose”, the kindness of strangers, terminal illness
The Christmas you found me is an eloquently written tribute to love, faith and the kindness of strangers. Imagine this. It’s the day your divorce is finalized and your best friend puts up an add seeking a husband for hire. Even more embarrassing- There are applicants for this fictitious position and they set a meeting with one. Sienna is a woman who’s been so hurt she doesn’t know if she can trust let alone love another man again. Enter Guy a man so desperate to save his terminally ill little girl that he’ll answer an ad for a husband for hire as it specifies good medical insurance. Sienna touched by their story but so broken by what this day means wishes him well and takes his number intending to report any work opportunities she might hear about. As she thinks about it maybe it’s not so crazy? She’d be helping save a little girls life and maybe she would be a little less alone in the process. What comes next will inexplicably change your heart forever.
Tomorrow is not promised. Love fiercely and purposefully. Opening your heart after devistation is no easy task but think of all the beauty you’ll miss if you live in fear forever.
Themes
Found family, single parent, fake relationship/ marriage of “purpose”, the kindness of strangers, terminal illness
The Christmas you found me is an eloquently written tribute to love, faith and the kindness of strangers. Imagine this. It’s the day your divorce is finalized and your best friend puts up an add seeking a husband for hire. Even more embarrassing- There are applicants for this fictitious position and they set a meeting with one. Sienna is a woman who’s been so hurt she doesn’t know if she can trust let alone love another man again. Enter Guy a man so desperate to save his terminally ill little girl that he’ll answer an ad for a husband for hire as it specifies good medical insurance. Sienna touched by their story but so broken by what this day means wishes him well and takes his number intending to report any work opportunities she might hear about. As she thinks about it maybe it’s not so crazy? She’d be helping save a little girls life and maybe she would be a little less alone in the process. What comes next will inexplicably change your heart forever.
Tomorrow is not promised. Love fiercely and purposefully. Opening your heart after devistation is no easy task but think of all the beauty you’ll miss if you live in fear forever.
December 30, 2024
Actual rating: 2,5 stars
Unfortunately I didn't fall in love with Guy, like, at all. In my eyes he was a pitty project of MC and I couldn't look at him differently through the whole story.
It was like gender roles were swapped.
In my eyes man must be a provider and Guy was a decent guy who worked hard. Still, with him and his daughter moving to MC's property, not having a clue how to help around animals but always being there for her emotionally, he wasn't man enough.
I wondered if he would be with her if he didn't need her for health insurence.
Also, I don't buy that there would be no complications with mother of Guy's daughter. Even of she was suffering from post partum, she still had parents and the whole family on that side.
Unfortunately I didn't fall in love with Guy, like, at all. In my eyes he was a pitty project of MC and I couldn't look at him differently through the whole story.
It was like gender roles were swapped.
In my eyes man must be a provider and Guy was a decent guy who worked hard. Still, with him and his daughter moving to MC's property, not having a clue how to help around animals but always being there for her emotionally, he wasn't man enough.
I wondered if he would be with her if he didn't need her for health insurence.
Also, I don't buy that there would be no complications with mother of Guy's daughter. Even of she was suffering from post partum, she still had parents and the whole family on that side.
January 15, 2026
This was absolutely beautiful, lovely, heartwarming and every other adjective you can think of that conveys emotional depth.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job, though she was definitely a little more low energy. I think her soft approach fit the story and characters tho.
I cried a lot in this book and felt all the feels. It's a tough story in a lot of ways, but the romance is incredibly sweet and all works out for the best at the end. This is a little bit of a spoiler, but vital for anyone with a heart... the little girl survives and thrives... but it's a close thing. I'll add trigger warnings at the end because there are a lot of deep topics that might be hard for some to read.
We meet Sienna on the day her divorce has finalized and her best friend (who works for the newspaper) has put an ad in the paper for a "husband to hire" as a joke. Guy is on his last hope, with a sick daughter in Stage 4 (or was it 5) of renal failure. He sees the ad as a possible solution to not having enough insurance to keep his daughter on the kidney replacement list. If he can't show he can pay for the anti-rejection meds, they won't keep her on the list. He adores his daughter and will do anything to keep her safe.
This is SUCH a good single dad romance. Guy is lovely. He had a kid with a woman he dated in college and she couldn't handle having a sick kid so he's been on his own, not only raising an adorable child, but also dealing with her illness.
When Guy approaches Sienna because of the ad, at first she tells him it was a joke and she just got divorced. She's not looking for a new anything. But, she can't forget his daughter. Within a day, she's changed her mind and said she would marry him.
What follows is the sweetest progression of a strangers to lovers romance EVER!
We get an instant family with both of these loving and kind adults doing all they can to ensure that the little girl, Emma, thrives. With Emma and Guy, Sienna gets the family that she needs in a time where her ex was a big ol' punk and her other family isn't there anymore.
A lot of the tension in this book is outside of their relationship. Guy and Sienna are so kind and loving towards each other and Emma. It's no wonder that they fall in love in a sweet way. But, they have to deal with the harshness of managing a ranch in winter, a child dealing with a dangerous illness, an ex who was a jerk while married and still is when divorced, and a dad with dementia.
They support each other, literally holding each other as they cry through these hard times. Ugh, it was sooooo gooooooood!
Safety deets/trigger warnings
- Discussions of faith. I thought it was done beautifully. This was not an "inspirational" romance by any means, but Sienna is a woman of faith and she and Guy have a conversation about whether he's angry with God because of his daughter's illness. I thought it was beautifully done.
- Fade to black. This has some sexy times, but isn't explicit.
- Happy ever after. Not only do we see them thriving in a short epilogue in their relationship, we know that Emma is still around in the future. Thankfully (cause I really was worried), Emma gets her kidney transplant at the end, but it's an emotional journey and you can feel the pain of not being able to live a "normal" life at the same time where she is also very much a normal kid. Really well done, but could be a rough read for some because of how close to death she gets.
- No birth control discussed or used.
- No other women. The only mention of any other woman is the baby mama and she's not in Guy's life and hasn't been for a long time.
- The ex husband is around, but Sienna isn't interested. It sounds like they weren't sleeping together for a while even when they were married.
- Nontraditional gender roles. I love how they don't get caught up in "I'm the man. I do this." or "I'm the woman. I do this." Sienna is a tough rancher who is living on a 1,000 acre ranch alone, doing the work needed to keep it running. She doesn't "need" Guy. But... also, Guy steps up. He sees what needs to be done around the ranch and does it. He's pretty much a dream man because she doesn't have to ask him for help. He just finds a way to be useful and kind and loving. And hot. I also found it fascinating that he seems like he might be substantially younger than her but it's never mentioned. She's been married for a while and accumulated quite a bit with her husband. Her experiences make it sound like she would need to be in her 30s while the description of Guy's experiences include a 4 year old daughter born after a fling when he was a jr in college... so he seems like he's in his 20's. This is never explicitly discussed so who knows how old either of them are.
- Love the tough conversations here on a variety of issues. Emma is in a rough place. She's 4 and she's very sick. They try their best to be kind and protect her, but also, they don't lie to her or make things better than they are. She does naughty things and they are understanding but also parent her sooo soooo well.
- Lots of painful topics like emotional abuse in a marriage, postpartum depression, serious illness in a child (including near death), spiteful and traumatic divorce, parental abandonment, dementia, money struggles... but also, I felt like these topics were dealt with in such a beautiful and wise way.
- There is some interesting views on caretaking of the ranch land. Sienna feels like she and her family are stewards of land that was originally stolen from the indigenous people. I'd be curious to have a discussion with folks to see how they thought this subject was treated. It seemed thoughtful and respectful. It's a nuanced and difficult issue to own property for generations but also recognize that it probably shouldn't belong to you.
- Sienna's best friend uses "they" as they're pronoun. It's not a huge deal in the book.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job, though she was definitely a little more low energy. I think her soft approach fit the story and characters tho.
I cried a lot in this book and felt all the feels. It's a tough story in a lot of ways, but the romance is incredibly sweet and all works out for the best at the end. This is a little bit of a spoiler, but vital for anyone with a heart... the little girl survives and thrives... but it's a close thing. I'll add trigger warnings at the end because there are a lot of deep topics that might be hard for some to read.
We meet Sienna on the day her divorce has finalized and her best friend (who works for the newspaper) has put an ad in the paper for a "husband to hire" as a joke. Guy is on his last hope, with a sick daughter in Stage 4 (or was it 5) of renal failure. He sees the ad as a possible solution to not having enough insurance to keep his daughter on the kidney replacement list. If he can't show he can pay for the anti-rejection meds, they won't keep her on the list. He adores his daughter and will do anything to keep her safe.
This is SUCH a good single dad romance. Guy is lovely. He had a kid with a woman he dated in college and she couldn't handle having a sick kid so he's been on his own, not only raising an adorable child, but also dealing with her illness.
When Guy approaches Sienna because of the ad, at first she tells him it was a joke and she just got divorced. She's not looking for a new anything. But, she can't forget his daughter. Within a day, she's changed her mind and said she would marry him.
What follows is the sweetest progression of a strangers to lovers romance EVER!
We get an instant family with both of these loving and kind adults doing all they can to ensure that the little girl, Emma, thrives. With Emma and Guy, Sienna gets the family that she needs in a time where her ex was a big ol' punk and her other family isn't there anymore.
A lot of the tension in this book is outside of their relationship. Guy and Sienna are so kind and loving towards each other and Emma. It's no wonder that they fall in love in a sweet way. But, they have to deal with the harshness of managing a ranch in winter, a child dealing with a dangerous illness, an ex who was a jerk while married and still is when divorced, and a dad with dementia.
They support each other, literally holding each other as they cry through these hard times. Ugh, it was sooooo gooooooood!
Safety deets/trigger warnings
- Discussions of faith. I thought it was done beautifully. This was not an "inspirational" romance by any means, but Sienna is a woman of faith and she and Guy have a conversation about whether he's angry with God because of his daughter's illness. I thought it was beautifully done.
- Fade to black. This has some sexy times, but isn't explicit.
- Happy ever after. Not only do we see them thriving in a short epilogue in their relationship, we know that Emma is still around in the future. Thankfully (cause I really was worried), Emma gets her kidney transplant at the end, but it's an emotional journey and you can feel the pain of not being able to live a "normal" life at the same time where she is also very much a normal kid. Really well done, but could be a rough read for some because of how close to death she gets.
- No birth control discussed or used.
- No other women. The only mention of any other woman is the baby mama and she's not in Guy's life and hasn't been for a long time.
- The ex husband is around, but Sienna isn't interested. It sounds like they weren't sleeping together for a while even when they were married.
- Nontraditional gender roles. I love how they don't get caught up in "I'm the man. I do this." or "I'm the woman. I do this." Sienna is a tough rancher who is living on a 1,000 acre ranch alone, doing the work needed to keep it running. She doesn't "need" Guy. But... also, Guy steps up. He sees what needs to be done around the ranch and does it. He's pretty much a dream man because she doesn't have to ask him for help. He just finds a way to be useful and kind and loving. And hot. I also found it fascinating that he seems like he might be substantially younger than her but it's never mentioned. She's been married for a while and accumulated quite a bit with her husband. Her experiences make it sound like she would need to be in her 30s while the description of Guy's experiences include a 4 year old daughter born after a fling when he was a jr in college... so he seems like he's in his 20's. This is never explicitly discussed so who knows how old either of them are.
- Love the tough conversations here on a variety of issues. Emma is in a rough place. She's 4 and she's very sick. They try their best to be kind and protect her, but also, they don't lie to her or make things better than they are. She does naughty things and they are understanding but also parent her sooo soooo well.
- Lots of painful topics like emotional abuse in a marriage, postpartum depression, serious illness in a child (including near death), spiteful and traumatic divorce, parental abandonment, dementia, money struggles... but also, I felt like these topics were dealt with in such a beautiful and wise way.
- There is some interesting views on caretaking of the ranch land. Sienna feels like she and her family are stewards of land that was originally stolen from the indigenous people. I'd be curious to have a discussion with folks to see how they thought this subject was treated. It seemed thoughtful and respectful. It's a nuanced and difficult issue to own property for generations but also recognize that it probably shouldn't belong to you.
- Sienna's best friend uses "they" as they're pronoun. It's not a huge deal in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
no obsessed
December 1, 2024
Hear me out, I kind of loved it, kind of didn't. I really liked the main characters, they were sweet and soft. I loved the animals and the rural ranch town setting. Even the ex was okay. My problem was the timeline. To go from strangers to married to "I love you, we're a family!" in two weeks was insanity.
They ratcheted up insta-love straight into insta-family and it felt a bit icky to me. It's weird that after only a week and a half the kid is calling her mom and her dad is cool with it, right? I think if the story happened over a few months, it would've been 4-5★ for me. I understand this would've made it not a Christmas story, but there was barely any Christmassy stuff in it anyway.
They ratcheted up insta-love straight into insta-family and it felt a bit icky to me. It's weird that after only a week and a half the kid is calling her mom and her dad is cool with it, right? I think if the story happened over a few months, it would've been 4-5★ for me. I understand this would've made it not a Christmas story, but there was barely any Christmassy stuff in it anyway.
December 6, 2025
Wow, what an extraordinary way to wrap up my Christmas reading! This book ripped me apart. As you embark on this emotional journey, be prepared to have your heartstrings tugged from the beginning. I found myself deeply moved, crying through the final chapters and struggling to fall asleep afterward! The characters of Guy and Sienna shine brightly, their courage and vulnerability inspiring, while Emma's presence facilitates their beautiful bond. The tender moments between Emma and Sienna are especially heartwarming.
Read if you love:
🏘️small town
👨single dad
🤕sick child
💍marriage of purpose
🎄holidays
🫦sweet romance
🐮ranch animals
❤️🩹healing
Read if you love:
🏘️small town
👨single dad
🤕sick child
💍marriage of purpose
🎄holidays
🫦sweet romance
🐮ranch animals
❤️🩹healing
August 29, 2024
Thank you to net galley for this book. I was not expecting this book to hit me the way it did. But it did. I sobbed in several points and was deeply emotionally affected. Despite knowing there was a happy ending I was deeply invested and terrified it would end badly. There is also a lot of joy to this book too and I truly loved all of the characters. I strongly recommend this if you think you can handle the emotional triggers. I listened to the audio book and I strongly recommend it, the narrator is fantastic.
CW: parent with Alzheimer’s, grief, divorce, child sickness
CW: parent with Alzheimer’s, grief, divorce, child sickness
August 29, 2024
This book will fill you with laughter, sadness, but also a lot of love. 🎄💫
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
November 18, 2024
When it comes to Christmas books I usually gravitate far away from the fluffy hallmark variety.
If you can make me cry at Christmas? Even better. There's just something about real people experiencing hard things but loving each other through it anyway that really calls to me. And if I could describe this romance in one would it really would be wholesome.
The Christmas You Found Me is a heartbreaking and emotional story full of loss, hope, found family, and new beginnings. Did I mention this is also a modern day marriage of convenience story? My absolute favorite.
Guy a father desperately looking to find help for his young daughter who is dying of stage 5 kidney disease. Sienna is a divorced rancher who is still recovering from a toxic marriage but decides to jump into this new arrangement due to her kind and open heart.
The setting is wonderful. I loved that this was set on a ranch in a forced situation setting where both main characters fell in love under simple every day circumstances. It was cozy and really made even the smallest interactions really impactful. Guy is a genuinely respectful and good man. Sienna is really emotionally mature as well, making both of their healing journeys and their growing relationship believable especially under the special circumstances.
The heaviness of the story is balanced with enough glimpses of happiness and light. I really enjoyed the honest conversations that really made their relationship quite believable under the circumstances. Give me all the men with genuinely good hearts, we need more of them.
Add this to your Christmas Reading TBR. It's lovely.
**this is a closed door/fade to black romance, Would have been a 5 if not for some personal preferences but definitely a standout in my Christmas lineup!
If you can make me cry at Christmas? Even better. There's just something about real people experiencing hard things but loving each other through it anyway that really calls to me. And if I could describe this romance in one would it really would be wholesome.
The Christmas You Found Me is a heartbreaking and emotional story full of loss, hope, found family, and new beginnings. Did I mention this is also a modern day marriage of convenience story? My absolute favorite.
Guy a father desperately looking to find help for his young daughter who is dying of stage 5 kidney disease. Sienna is a divorced rancher who is still recovering from a toxic marriage but decides to jump into this new arrangement due to her kind and open heart.
The setting is wonderful. I loved that this was set on a ranch in a forced situation setting where both main characters fell in love under simple every day circumstances. It was cozy and really made even the smallest interactions really impactful. Guy is a genuinely respectful and good man. Sienna is really emotionally mature as well, making both of their healing journeys and their growing relationship believable especially under the special circumstances.
The heaviness of the story is balanced with enough glimpses of happiness and light. I really enjoyed the honest conversations that really made their relationship quite believable under the circumstances. Give me all the men with genuinely good hearts, we need more of them.
Add this to your Christmas Reading TBR. It's lovely.
**this is a closed door/fade to black romance, Would have been a 5 if not for some personal preferences but definitely a standout in my Christmas lineup!
November 27, 2025
Perfect holiday read and now one of my favorite marriage-of-convenience stories.
October 29, 2024
"What I never told you is the day we got married, when you looked at Emma and asked her what name she wanted to have… That was the moment I fell in love with you."
❤️🩹🥺💐⚘️🌹🏵🌼🌻🌲🎁
El amor es dorado como la luz del día, se siente coml un gran abrazo y una promesa silenciosa.
THE CHRISTMAS YOU FOUND ME, es un abrazo para el corazón.
Un single dad + matrimonio por conveniencia, ay, es de las cosas más tiernas, románticas, cálidas y puras que he leído.
HE LAGRIMEADO EN VARIAS PARTES, POR LO BONITOOOOOOO.
Sienna y Guy, han sido todo un sueño.
Su relación siempre fue bonita❤️🩹 Él era tan sunshine desde que se conocieron, y ella era tan linda, que amarlos fue tan fácil.
Además, Emma, ay, mi pequeña niña.
Qué bonita familia encontrada.
Creo que caí cuando Emma y Guy estaban esperando a Sienna en el juzgado con el vestido rojo navideño y el buque de rosas blancas.
EN ESE MOMENTO ME TUVIERON PARA SIEMPRE.
Es un libro sobre los regalos de la vida, el amor bonito y la familia.
Toca un tema importante relacionado con la salud de Emma (Insuficiencia renal, etapa 5) y la manera en la que la escritora logra transmitir los sentimientos paternos relacionados al cuidar a su hija de cuatro años, es tan realista que DUELE y es más doloroso saber que es una realidad que viven muchos niños.
Toda la historia se siente correcta y leerla aún más.
Es una relación muy bonita y que logra formar una familia aún más.
SOLO TENGO BUENAS COSAS PARA DECIR.
Guy, es el hombre definitivo y solo puede estar feliz de saber que Sienna tiene donde descansar y que él también puede descansar a su lado.
LO HE AMADO🥺💐⚘️🌹
❤️🩹🥺💐⚘️🌹🏵🌼🌻🌲🎁
El amor es dorado como la luz del día, se siente coml un gran abrazo y una promesa silenciosa.
THE CHRISTMAS YOU FOUND ME, es un abrazo para el corazón.
Un single dad + matrimonio por conveniencia, ay, es de las cosas más tiernas, románticas, cálidas y puras que he leído.
HE LAGRIMEADO EN VARIAS PARTES, POR LO BONITOOOOOOO.
Sienna y Guy, han sido todo un sueño.
Su relación siempre fue bonita❤️🩹 Él era tan sunshine desde que se conocieron, y ella era tan linda, que amarlos fue tan fácil.
Además, Emma, ay, mi pequeña niña.
Qué bonita familia encontrada.
Creo que caí cuando Emma y Guy estaban esperando a Sienna en el juzgado con el vestido rojo navideño y el buque de rosas blancas.
EN ESE MOMENTO ME TUVIERON PARA SIEMPRE.
Es un libro sobre los regalos de la vida, el amor bonito y la familia.
Toca un tema importante relacionado con la salud de Emma (Insuficiencia renal, etapa 5) y la manera en la que la escritora logra transmitir los sentimientos paternos relacionados al cuidar a su hija de cuatro años, es tan realista que DUELE y es más doloroso saber que es una realidad que viven muchos niños.
Toda la historia se siente correcta y leerla aún más.
Es una relación muy bonita y que logra formar una familia aún más.
SOLO TENGO BUENAS COSAS PARA DECIR.
Guy, es el hombre definitivo y solo puede estar feliz de saber que Sienna tiene donde descansar y que él también puede descansar a su lado.
LO HE AMADO🥺💐⚘️🌹
November 10, 2024
There are only two genders.
September 24, 2024
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for an ALC.
THE FEELS.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I easily hand off five stars to any book that makes me cry because it’s really hard to do so and this book earned those tears. I was a puddle finishing it and all of the emotions that came together (don’t worry, it’s a HEA!).
I loved these flawed characters leaning on each other through hard seasons of life. I was obsessed with Guy and his endearing qualities. A man who got up and did the hard things every single day. Who loved with such fierce loyalty. I loved everything about him and how well he balanced with Sienna. And I loved Sienna’s tenacity too. Her impulsivity to help someone in need became the best decision she ever made. The journey captured my attention and I couldn’t help but pick this book up because it continually draws you in.
The audiobook narration is AMAZING. I loved it. I loved how the narrator worked with Guy’s voice and how Emma’s voice wasn’t too childlike. I loved this soft romance set on a beautiful mountain filled back drop. It is filled with all the things I love and I am so thankful that Sarah Morgenthaler wrote another book. She is one of my favorites and this is a perfect holiday gem.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Holiday Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: fade to black
- Violence: low
- Content Warnings: a child with kidney failure (theme throughout), divorce, mentions of PPD (side character), emesis
THE FEELS.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I easily hand off five stars to any book that makes me cry because it’s really hard to do so and this book earned those tears. I was a puddle finishing it and all of the emotions that came together (don’t worry, it’s a HEA!).
I loved these flawed characters leaning on each other through hard seasons of life. I was obsessed with Guy and his endearing qualities. A man who got up and did the hard things every single day. Who loved with such fierce loyalty. I loved everything about him and how well he balanced with Sienna. And I loved Sienna’s tenacity too. Her impulsivity to help someone in need became the best decision she ever made. The journey captured my attention and I couldn’t help but pick this book up because it continually draws you in.
The audiobook narration is AMAZING. I loved it. I loved how the narrator worked with Guy’s voice and how Emma’s voice wasn’t too childlike. I loved this soft romance set on a beautiful mountain filled back drop. It is filled with all the things I love and I am so thankful that Sarah Morgenthaler wrote another book. She is one of my favorites and this is a perfect holiday gem.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Holiday Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: fade to black
- Violence: low
- Content Warnings: a child with kidney failure (theme throughout), divorce, mentions of PPD (side character), emesis
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,733 reviews