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The Christmas Inn
Explore this delightfully cozy and joyful novel of second chances at the most wonderful time of the year, from USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley.
A feel-good novel as delightful and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, The Christmas Inn is bestselling author Pamela Kelley’s most heartwarming and magical book yet.
Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall.
When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.
A feel-good novel as delightful and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, The Christmas Inn is bestselling author Pamela Kelley’s most heartwarming and magical book yet.
Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall.
When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2024
1968 people are currently reading
28502 people want to read
About the author
Pamela M. Kelley
53 books2,853 followersPamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women's fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you'd want as friends.
She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. :)
She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,164 reviews
September 22, 2024
The Christmas Inn by Pamela M Kelly
Contemporary holiday check lit, and romance. Multiple POV.
Riley Sanders losses her marketing job in New York right before Christmas. She travels home to Cape Cod to help when she finds out her mother has broken her leg and is struggling to keep up with the work at the B&B, the Chatham Coastal Inn. Riley can also use her marketing experience to boost demand which has been slowing.
Franny loses her sister at seventy-eight. She’s already arranged everything and paid for the gathering to be a celebration rather than a sad event. She’s also left Franny four letters that’s she is to open each week as she stays at the Inn.
Riley, her sister Amy and their mother Beth, reconnect more than they would have if Riley was in town just a couple of days for the holiday. Franny, Aiden, and Luke, guests at the Inn all benefit from the additional family and holiday celebrations.
Cape Cod is special to all of them and it’s going to be an enriching holiday season.
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker who does a wonderful job with the multiple couples and various family members. There aren’t a lot of volatile emotions in this story but I was able to hear the concern for the mother, the sadness from the loss of a sister, the worry from the father and the joy of Christmas from the child. This narrator has done hundreds of books and the professionalism shows in the flawless production. I did listen at 1.5 since that more closely matches my reading and speech patterns.
I enjoyed the audiobook a lot but between the two formats would recommend the print version because of the multiple POV’s. The first couple of sentences of each chapter does include the name of the POV that chapter is for, but it’s easier to identify that by seeing the name than waiting for the name to be heard. Having the chapter number announced does help to know the POV has changed. The child’s joy of Christmas and trains did endear me to the audiobook format.
A heartwarming story of love, made family and knowing what you want in the next phase of life.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher MacmillanAudio.
Contemporary holiday check lit, and romance. Multiple POV.
Riley Sanders losses her marketing job in New York right before Christmas. She travels home to Cape Cod to help when she finds out her mother has broken her leg and is struggling to keep up with the work at the B&B, the Chatham Coastal Inn. Riley can also use her marketing experience to boost demand which has been slowing.
Franny loses her sister at seventy-eight. She’s already arranged everything and paid for the gathering to be a celebration rather than a sad event. She’s also left Franny four letters that’s she is to open each week as she stays at the Inn.
Riley, her sister Amy and their mother Beth, reconnect more than they would have if Riley was in town just a couple of days for the holiday. Franny, Aiden, and Luke, guests at the Inn all benefit from the additional family and holiday celebrations.
Cape Cod is special to all of them and it’s going to be an enriching holiday season.
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker who does a wonderful job with the multiple couples and various family members. There aren’t a lot of volatile emotions in this story but I was able to hear the concern for the mother, the sadness from the loss of a sister, the worry from the father and the joy of Christmas from the child. This narrator has done hundreds of books and the professionalism shows in the flawless production. I did listen at 1.5 since that more closely matches my reading and speech patterns.
I enjoyed the audiobook a lot but between the two formats would recommend the print version because of the multiple POV’s. The first couple of sentences of each chapter does include the name of the POV that chapter is for, but it’s easier to identify that by seeing the name than waiting for the name to be heard. Having the chapter number announced does help to know the POV has changed. The child’s joy of Christmas and trains did endear me to the audiobook format.
A heartwarming story of love, made family and knowing what you want in the next phase of life.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher MacmillanAudio.
October 6, 2024
Over the past several years, I have come to depend on Pamela M. Kelley as being an author that is capable of delivering feel good books. Her books have managed to touch many of my emotions. The Christmas Inn: A Novel was another such book for me. It was the fourth book that I have read by her. I always enjoy the way Pamela M. Kelley includes characters from previous books into her newest novel. She had previously introduced the owner of the bookstore and the person who ran the coffee shop and managed to give them cameo appearances in The Christmas Inn. The setting for The Christmas Inn was Chatham on Cape Cod right before the Christmas holiday and during it as well. It takes place mostly at the Chatham Coastal Inn, a local B&B.
Riley Saunders grew up in Chatham. She always dreamed of leaving Chatham to go to college and then moving to New York where she would live and work. Her dreams came true! She left behind her high school boyfriend, Aiden, who had always hoped he and Riley would marry and settle in Chatham. That was not what Riley had been prepared to do, though. Riley loved living in New York City. She loved her apartment, and her job at a big marketing firm. She had a long term relationship with her boyfriend, Jack, who was on the track of becoming a partner in the prestigious law firm that he worked for. Riley lived in her apartment with her loyal little dog. This was the life Riley dreamed about when she was younger and she was living it now.
On an ordinary work day, Riley and her whole team were called together to find out that they were being replaced by AI. What a terrible time to be let go! It was just weeks before Christmas. Riley took her disappointment in stride, though, especially when she found out from her sister, Amy, that her mother had recently broken her leg. Riley planned to drive to Chatham to help her mother with the Chatham Coastal Inn that her mom owned. When Riley’s mom and dad divorced, Riley’s mom, Beth, acted on her dream of always wanting to own and run a B&B. She bought and restored the building and made it into the Chatham Coastal Inn. Beth was having difficulty performing all of her responsibilities at the Inn with her broken leg. Riley’s sister, Amy, who lived locally, was helping but she had a family of her own to take care of. Riley was more than happy to return to Chatham for a couple of weeks to help her mom out. According to her mom, bookings had been dropping recently. Beth hoped that Riley might also be able to help generate more reservations at the Inn by using her marketing experience.
When Riley arrived in Chatham, she was glad to be back. She did not get home that often so she was looking forward to seeing her sister and her nieces and spending time at the Inn. Riley soon learned that her high school boyfriend, Aiden, was a guest at the Inn. Aiden had been married but his wife had died about three years ago. A pipe had burst at his home, so while the repairs were being performed, Aiden and his young son, Luke, were staying at the Inn. How would Riley feel about seeing Aiden again? There would be no way to avoid running into him. In addition to Aiden and his son, Luke, an older woman named Franny was also a guest at the Inn. Franny’s beloved sister had just recently died. The two sisters had grown up in Chatham but when Franny got married she had moved to Albany and had lived there all her adult life, even after her husband had passed. She had made a life in Albany and only returned to Chatham for occasional visits. Franny’s sister had left her home to Franny and several envelopes with instructions to open one at a time in the order they were numbered. What will the content of the envelopes reveal? How will it affect Franny? How will Riley react seeing Aiden again after all this time apart? Will Riley be able to help Beth boost the reservations at the Inn?
The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley was such a feel good story. I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. It was about family, home, second chances, loss, grief, making decisions, friendships, pleasing others and making crucial choices. I am a big fan of the books that Pamela M. Kelley has written. I look forward to reading many more books by her. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Riley Saunders grew up in Chatham. She always dreamed of leaving Chatham to go to college and then moving to New York where she would live and work. Her dreams came true! She left behind her high school boyfriend, Aiden, who had always hoped he and Riley would marry and settle in Chatham. That was not what Riley had been prepared to do, though. Riley loved living in New York City. She loved her apartment, and her job at a big marketing firm. She had a long term relationship with her boyfriend, Jack, who was on the track of becoming a partner in the prestigious law firm that he worked for. Riley lived in her apartment with her loyal little dog. This was the life Riley dreamed about when she was younger and she was living it now.
On an ordinary work day, Riley and her whole team were called together to find out that they were being replaced by AI. What a terrible time to be let go! It was just weeks before Christmas. Riley took her disappointment in stride, though, especially when she found out from her sister, Amy, that her mother had recently broken her leg. Riley planned to drive to Chatham to help her mother with the Chatham Coastal Inn that her mom owned. When Riley’s mom and dad divorced, Riley’s mom, Beth, acted on her dream of always wanting to own and run a B&B. She bought and restored the building and made it into the Chatham Coastal Inn. Beth was having difficulty performing all of her responsibilities at the Inn with her broken leg. Riley’s sister, Amy, who lived locally, was helping but she had a family of her own to take care of. Riley was more than happy to return to Chatham for a couple of weeks to help her mom out. According to her mom, bookings had been dropping recently. Beth hoped that Riley might also be able to help generate more reservations at the Inn by using her marketing experience.
When Riley arrived in Chatham, she was glad to be back. She did not get home that often so she was looking forward to seeing her sister and her nieces and spending time at the Inn. Riley soon learned that her high school boyfriend, Aiden, was a guest at the Inn. Aiden had been married but his wife had died about three years ago. A pipe had burst at his home, so while the repairs were being performed, Aiden and his young son, Luke, were staying at the Inn. How would Riley feel about seeing Aiden again? There would be no way to avoid running into him. In addition to Aiden and his son, Luke, an older woman named Franny was also a guest at the Inn. Franny’s beloved sister had just recently died. The two sisters had grown up in Chatham but when Franny got married she had moved to Albany and had lived there all her adult life, even after her husband had passed. She had made a life in Albany and only returned to Chatham for occasional visits. Franny’s sister had left her home to Franny and several envelopes with instructions to open one at a time in the order they were numbered. What will the content of the envelopes reveal? How will it affect Franny? How will Riley react seeing Aiden again after all this time apart? Will Riley be able to help Beth boost the reservations at the Inn?
The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley was such a feel good story. I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. It was about family, home, second chances, loss, grief, making decisions, friendships, pleasing others and making crucial choices. I am a big fan of the books that Pamela M. Kelley has written. I look forward to reading many more books by her. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
November 14, 2024
Hallmark movies are mentioned numerous times in this novel which is fine because I love Hallmark. The problem is it doesn't work as a book here. I started getting bored, found it repetitious and filled with tedious details. I would love this book as a Hallmark movie and I hope it is turned into one, but as a book it didn't work for me.
December 5, 2024
Don’t waste your time. Detailed descriptions of every little mundane thing with too formal of dialogue.
May 11, 2025
**ARC of this book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**
I love when I randomly pick a book from my shelf and it hits the spot perfectly. The pleasure is doubled when the book delivers something I didn't even know I was craving. I usually do not miss the Christmas vibes, especially not in May. Not consciously at least. I've picked The Christmas Inn because I got an ARC couple months ago and was feeling kind of bad that I didn't picked it up yet. Two chapters in and the coziness of this story wrapped me like a blanket - every time I was putting it down I was feeling slightly surprised that it's not snowing outside.
We are following perspective of three women - Riley, her mother Beth and Franny. Riley just lost her job to the AI so she decides to move back home to help her mother, Beth, who recently broke her leg. Franny is one of the guests staying in the inn run by Beth. Our ladies will quickly form a strong bond that will naturally turn into friendship so all the lovers of found family trope should really enjoy this book. The coziness of this story is over the top so all the problems our protagonists face will be insignificant and easy to overcome. In this book the food is always delicious, the weather is always perfect, the people are always courteous and polite. Everything is smooth and effortless and, quite frankly, meaningless and I sank into this book gratefully. I really needed this kind of a warm hug of a story.
But it didn't prevent me from noticing all the shortcomings. The Christmas Inn is one of those books where the story is not told and rather is explained to you which occasionally made me feel like I was reading a middle-grade book dedicated to middle-aged women. The book nails the coziness and found family vibe but fails to deliver other emotions - all three protagonist will have their romantic moments but they will all sound quite hollow and insubstantial. Finally, I feel the coziness can keep you entertained for only limited time (for me it is around 150-200 pages) so for the last couple chapters I felt my interest waning quite a bit.
I'm not sure if I should recommend this book or not. It gave me everything I needed in this moment but I can't stop thinking that in the grand scheme of things it wasn't that good. If you've never read a Christmas book in May I would suggest trying one. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised as I was?
I love when I randomly pick a book from my shelf and it hits the spot perfectly. The pleasure is doubled when the book delivers something I didn't even know I was craving. I usually do not miss the Christmas vibes, especially not in May. Not consciously at least. I've picked The Christmas Inn because I got an ARC couple months ago and was feeling kind of bad that I didn't picked it up yet. Two chapters in and the coziness of this story wrapped me like a blanket - every time I was putting it down I was feeling slightly surprised that it's not snowing outside.
We are following perspective of three women - Riley, her mother Beth and Franny. Riley just lost her job to the AI so she decides to move back home to help her mother, Beth, who recently broke her leg. Franny is one of the guests staying in the inn run by Beth. Our ladies will quickly form a strong bond that will naturally turn into friendship so all the lovers of found family trope should really enjoy this book. The coziness of this story is over the top so all the problems our protagonists face will be insignificant and easy to overcome. In this book the food is always delicious, the weather is always perfect, the people are always courteous and polite. Everything is smooth and effortless and, quite frankly, meaningless and I sank into this book gratefully. I really needed this kind of a warm hug of a story.
But it didn't prevent me from noticing all the shortcomings. The Christmas Inn is one of those books where the story is not told and rather is explained to you which occasionally made me feel like I was reading a middle-grade book dedicated to middle-aged women. The book nails the coziness and found family vibe but fails to deliver other emotions - all three protagonist will have their romantic moments but they will all sound quite hollow and insubstantial. Finally, I feel the coziness can keep you entertained for only limited time (for me it is around 150-200 pages) so for the last couple chapters I felt my interest waning quite a bit.
I'm not sure if I should recommend this book or not. It gave me everything I needed in this moment but I can't stop thinking that in the grand scheme of things it wasn't that good. If you've never read a Christmas book in May I would suggest trying one. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised as I was?
September 16, 2024
So far, really enjoying my holiday reading binge and definitely filling up on some holiday fun, romance and some family craziness. The book summary pretty much lays out the start of the story. For Riley, there’s nothing like going back home to Cape Cod after getting laid off from her NYC job because she was replaced by AI. As luck would have it, Riley’s mom, Beth, broke her leg while tending to her Cape Cod B&B and is struggling with keeping the Inn full lately. Alas, super marketing whiz, Riley, home for the holidays to help out while Beth is on the mend. Riley does her marketing magic and voilà, reservations start coming in.
Can’t have a holiday romance story without a hunky widower or any other male who is single as a pringle. This hunk happens to be, Aiden, Riley’s high school sweetheart, who she dumped after graduation, before going off to college, because she had no intention of coming back to Cape Cod after college. Aiden, who did come back after college, so that he could take over his father’s accounting firm, so his parents could retire – to AZ, where millions of other east coast retirees flock to. Aiden married a townie and they had a son, Luke. His wife died three years earlier. Aiden and Luke are staying at the Inn through Christmas because of some unexpected home repairs. Aiden has decided that he and Luke are going to skip Christmas this year, unbeknownst to Luke.
Most of the story revolves around updating the promotion, branding and marketing of the Inn to get reservations back up to what they used to be. There are also the issues Riley is having with long-time boyfriend, Jack, who is a workaholic, much to Riley’s concern and displeasure. Riley and Beth have also decided to make this Christmas a special one for Luke, in spite of Aiden’s resistance. The guests at the Inn are a wonderful addition to the story, especially, Franny, an elderly woman who just lost her beloved sister and is mired in grief. Her sister left her some letters, messages about how to move on.
This story, including the romance sections, was kind of slow and a little bland; very G-rated for those that like to know that kind of stuff. There wasn’t even much drama until deep into the second half. The ending was nice and wrapped up the story in a big, pretty bow. The second half was better than the first half, which saved this story from a disappointing rating.
The character development of most of the characters was fairly good. The pacing was really slow, with the second half being a little better than the first half. The storyline was ok, once again, the second half was a little better than the first. The writing was fine, but one of the most surprising and funny things about the story were the recipes that Beth and Riley made for the Inn guests. I actually wrote a few of them down to try out. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.25 that I will be rounding down to a 3star review. I want to thank NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio #TheChristmasInn
Can’t have a holiday romance story without a hunky widower or any other male who is single as a pringle. This hunk happens to be, Aiden, Riley’s high school sweetheart, who she dumped after graduation, before going off to college, because she had no intention of coming back to Cape Cod after college. Aiden, who did come back after college, so that he could take over his father’s accounting firm, so his parents could retire – to AZ, where millions of other east coast retirees flock to. Aiden married a townie and they had a son, Luke. His wife died three years earlier. Aiden and Luke are staying at the Inn through Christmas because of some unexpected home repairs. Aiden has decided that he and Luke are going to skip Christmas this year, unbeknownst to Luke.
Most of the story revolves around updating the promotion, branding and marketing of the Inn to get reservations back up to what they used to be. There are also the issues Riley is having with long-time boyfriend, Jack, who is a workaholic, much to Riley’s concern and displeasure. Riley and Beth have also decided to make this Christmas a special one for Luke, in spite of Aiden’s resistance. The guests at the Inn are a wonderful addition to the story, especially, Franny, an elderly woman who just lost her beloved sister and is mired in grief. Her sister left her some letters, messages about how to move on.
This story, including the romance sections, was kind of slow and a little bland; very G-rated for those that like to know that kind of stuff. There wasn’t even much drama until deep into the second half. The ending was nice and wrapped up the story in a big, pretty bow. The second half was better than the first half, which saved this story from a disappointing rating.
The character development of most of the characters was fairly good. The pacing was really slow, with the second half being a little better than the first half. The storyline was ok, once again, the second half was a little better than the first. The writing was fine, but one of the most surprising and funny things about the story were the recipes that Beth and Riley made for the Inn guests. I actually wrote a few of them down to try out. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.25 that I will be rounding down to a 3star review. I want to thank NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio #TheChristmasInn
October 19, 2024
I picked up this book because I wanted a Hallmark-esque Christmas romance. I expected cozy vibes with a cheesy romance. Unfortunately this was too cheesy and poorly written. The dialogue was unrealistic, there were several sentence fragments on EACH page, and the characters drank way too much wine 😆. The only story line I cared for was Franny's. While Aidan was sweet, the FMC Riley was not very compelling. On the one hand, the plot moved super duper quickly. The characters make several life-altering decisions in a few short weeks. On the other hand, the book dragged on with so much filler about cheese, random get-togethers, and wine. I rarely give books 2 stars, but this was bad.
July 25, 2024
Riley has just been laid off from her job in Manhattan. When she learns that her mom has a broken leg, she heads home to Cape Cod for the holidays to help with Mom's bed and breakfast. One of the guests there is her old boyfriend from high school, a widower with a young son. He's appealing, but Riley has a (workaholic) boyfriend in NYC who is trying to get her a job at his law firm. Would she be happy working at the law firm? Could she get enough clients to freelance? We meet several other residents of the friendly small town, and I liked that there was a romance for people of all age groups. I was not familiar with this author, but this feel-good holiday story reminded me of other happily ever after favorites Debbie Macomber and Viola Shipman. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
December 17, 2024
Really don’t understand the average 4 stars on this. Every chapter felt exactly the same. Riley wakes up starving. They make breakfast at the inn. They go to town. They go buy cheese and wine. They set up for turndown service and wine and cheese hour. If I hear that term again I might lose it. Absolutely no character growth. Such a boring story. Not to mention the typos…one literally on page 6. The side characters were nice. But the repetitive writing made this so hard to get through. I don’t need to know what every single person orders each time they go out to eat. I don’t need to know what they are drinking! It felt like reading a diary when nothing of real substance happened so you just write down every single detail of your day.
September 13, 2024
Give me all the holiday romance, yes even in September, I’m always a sucker for a Hallmark style read and this one delivered exactly that vibe. I loved the Cape Cod setting which was primarily at an inn and I really enjoyed the cast of characters. Riley and her mom interact with a sweet group of characters who are staying at the inn and I liked them all but Franny the most, she was such a sweet woman. There were lots of food descriptions, I feel like people either love or hate that and I enjoy it so heads up there but overall this was a delightful little holiday romance that was fantastic on audio and provided me with such a sweet escape. The narrator is a longtime favorite for me and she was so engaging and entertaining.
August 14, 2024
3.5 STARS!
If you love Hallmark-type Christmas movies, then this book is calling your name. Set in a small town, this author dives into the feel-good, down-home story and she doesn’t miss a thing.
With three generations of women intertwined in this story, we get to dive deep into their lives while romances are budding around them.
Kelley is detailed in her descriptions and we experience every bit of the character’s lives, including who ordered what, who ate what, and received what gift. For me, that was a bit of overkill and it felt like fillers that could be trimmed for more exciting content.
The characters were likable and The Christmas Inn is a sweet, homey clean romance set in a darling small town setting.
While this book is entertaining, I was not overly drawn to any one character and some parts of the story seemed a bit flat. However, this story is loaded with all the things required in a Christmas romance.
~~~~~~~~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-christma...
If you love Hallmark-type Christmas movies, then this book is calling your name. Set in a small town, this author dives into the feel-good, down-home story and she doesn’t miss a thing.
With three generations of women intertwined in this story, we get to dive deep into their lives while romances are budding around them.
Kelley is detailed in her descriptions and we experience every bit of the character’s lives, including who ordered what, who ate what, and received what gift. For me, that was a bit of overkill and it felt like fillers that could be trimmed for more exciting content.
The characters were likable and The Christmas Inn is a sweet, homey clean romance set in a darling small town setting.
While this book is entertaining, I was not overly drawn to any one character and some parts of the story seemed a bit flat. However, this story is loaded with all the things required in a Christmas romance.
~~~~~~~~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-christma...
November 15, 2024
I was looking for an enjoyable Christmas Story. Not sure when Christmas Stories all became cheesy romance stories, but many are just fun to read, so I am in. This book had such great reviews but I thought it was so poorly written. No soul and really no heart. Very dry, very formula, lacked any emotional connection, it really seemed like a robo book. Lets see...what do those silly humans want/like...and all the components were just stuck in the sentences in a very callused way. So dry and predictable I could not wait to finish and put it on the pile to go to the sharing center. Best it finds someone else.
November 12, 2024
Truly some of the worst writing I’ve ever read. But I did finish it in 3 days
August 17, 2024
I received a free copy of, The Christmas Inn, by Pamela Kelley, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Riley Sanders lost her job right before the holidays, she decides to go home to Cape Cod, to help her mom, who is injured, run her inn. I am sure that an inn in Cape Cod at Christmas time, is beautiful, and Riley gets to spend Christmas time with her mom, on the cape. This was a lovely story.
December 31, 2024
I finished this book using the kindle accessibility reading feature which was the most robotic way to consume a book, but it was honestly pretty fitting with how this was written. The storyline itself was fine and cute (and of course painfully predictable) but executed so poorly and so anticlimactically. I remember teachers always reminding us to “show not tell” and this was a great example of what not to do - just a couple hundred pages of listing things that happened, adding some characters’ thoughts and feelings with no actual emotional processing, and sprinkling in painfully unrealistic and dry dialogue. I can get down with a cheesy Christmas novel, but I’d like it to evoke at least one single feeling instead of complete apathy. The one perk is I did find myself turning to this book when I didn’t want to use a single brain cell versus the other books I’m currently reading that require actual thought processing.
September 12, 2024
I love Christmas romance books and this one was fantastic, especially on audiobook. The narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, was excellent. It's a feel-good, cheerful, uplifting holiday read. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, then you should definitely give this one a go. Riley Sanders unexpectedly loses her job. She calls her sister to tell her, and finds out that their mom has broken her leg and that they need help at the Inn that they run, in Cape Cod. She heads there to help out. While there, she meets lots of lovely guests that are staying there. One is her HS sweetheart that's now widowed, and he's staying there with his son. This has all the warmth you could want from a holiday read. The setting on Cape Cod was perfect. The description of the Inn, the food, the characters….it was fantastic. I loved every minute.
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan audio for the gifted copies in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan audio for the gifted copies in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 20, 2024
If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
September 15, 2024
Thanks, Macmillan Audio, for the gifted audiobook. #macaudio24
The book was like if the Hallmark Channel and Food TV had a baby. Heaven help me. If you can read this without immediately pouring a big glass of Cabernet to sip along with a tray of gourmet cheese, you’re a stronger person than I am. I was googling varietals, blends, and manchego like a madwoman.
This charming, sweet story had tons of detail about everyday things: what they ate and drank down to the types of cheese and the exact number of nuts on their plate. Okay, I exaggerated on the last part, but this was down to the minutia. If it had been a thriller, I would have thought the writer was dropping important clues each time they mentioned a new wine. Is that the poisoned bottle? But it wasn’t. It was just a little story about regular people, living regular lives, while discovering and enjoying interesting wine and cheese. That’s it. And yet, it kind of worked. Like playing a happy movie in the background while you get dinner ready. Easy peasy.
Oh wait, the plot! Daughter loses her high-speed job in Manhattan and returns to help her mother run an inn in Cape Cod during Christmas. Runs into her (widowed) ex from high school. Her mom meets a handsome handyman. Chapters ensue. There are Christmas trees. And a lot of wine. Spoiler Alert: Happy Endings.
The book was like if the Hallmark Channel and Food TV had a baby. Heaven help me. If you can read this without immediately pouring a big glass of Cabernet to sip along with a tray of gourmet cheese, you’re a stronger person than I am. I was googling varietals, blends, and manchego like a madwoman.
This charming, sweet story had tons of detail about everyday things: what they ate and drank down to the types of cheese and the exact number of nuts on their plate. Okay, I exaggerated on the last part, but this was down to the minutia. If it had been a thriller, I would have thought the writer was dropping important clues each time they mentioned a new wine. Is that the poisoned bottle? But it wasn’t. It was just a little story about regular people, living regular lives, while discovering and enjoying interesting wine and cheese. That’s it. And yet, it kind of worked. Like playing a happy movie in the background while you get dinner ready. Easy peasy.
Oh wait, the plot! Daughter loses her high-speed job in Manhattan and returns to help her mother run an inn in Cape Cod during Christmas. Runs into her (widowed) ex from high school. Her mom meets a handsome handyman. Chapters ensue. There are Christmas trees. And a lot of wine. Spoiler Alert: Happy Endings.
December 1, 2024
Did no one proofread this book? So many typos they were distracting. Franny was called Fanny and Frannie within the same chapter. The same lady was called Heather and Phoebe almost in the same paragraph. Improper use of pronouns...just awful. I love a well written Christmas romance but this was boring and extremely sappy.
December 7, 2024
I love stories set in small coastal towns with big Victorian inns and Lelley delivered the perfect feel-good story from Christmas carols to a dying sister's wishes. The story begins when we meet Riley Sanders, a content creator living in the big city who gets laid off weeks before the holidays. It seems AI will do her department's work. A call from her sister Amy, advising her that their mother has broken her leg, prompts Riley to back her car and head to the inn with her cat in tow.
When Riley arrives, she soon meets the guests at the inn. First, there is Franny, a widow whose sister just died and left her with four unopened letters, one to be opened and fulfilled each week. Next, there is Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine-year-old son, Luke. The tale that unfolds was wonderful with two, no make that three romances, found family, new beginnings and more.
I loved everything about this tale, from the pups to the chocolate turn down service. I wanted to pack my bags and spend a week at the inn during the holidays. Franny's story was touching, and I loved the older woman and her experiences. Her sister was rather clever and allowed us all to see enjoy the cape. The second chance romance between Riley and Aiden was a slow-burn as Riley carved out what she wanted her future to look like. Riley and Amy's mom is a tough cookie, and I delighted in seeing a romance bloom for her.
If you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy a heart-warming story surrounding a lovely inn and town, look no further than The Christmas Inn. With all the attention to detail regarding Cape Cod, it's no surprise that the author calls the town home. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
When Riley arrives, she soon meets the guests at the inn. First, there is Franny, a widow whose sister just died and left her with four unopened letters, one to be opened and fulfilled each week. Next, there is Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine-year-old son, Luke. The tale that unfolds was wonderful with two, no make that three romances, found family, new beginnings and more.
I loved everything about this tale, from the pups to the chocolate turn down service. I wanted to pack my bags and spend a week at the inn during the holidays. Franny's story was touching, and I loved the older woman and her experiences. Her sister was rather clever and allowed us all to see enjoy the cape. The second chance romance between Riley and Aiden was a slow-burn as Riley carved out what she wanted her future to look like. Riley and Amy's mom is a tough cookie, and I delighted in seeing a romance bloom for her.
If you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy a heart-warming story surrounding a lovely inn and town, look no further than The Christmas Inn. With all the attention to detail regarding Cape Cod, it's no surprise that the author calls the town home. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
September 27, 2024
THE CHRISTMAS INN takes a turn that will make you unable to put this beautiful story down. While Riley is helping at the inn, she meets many wonderful guests. I loved Franny, a woman who recently lost her sister. She promised her sister she would stay in Chatham for a month which is why she is staying at the inn. She can’t stay at her sister’s home, too many memories. Riley also learns that her old boyfriend, Aiden, is staying at the inn with his young son, Luke. Neither Riley nor Aiden are looking for a relationship, but they can’t seem to ignore their growing feelings. It was cute watching these two dance around their feelings for each other. If you are a fan of Debbie Macomber, you are going to love this author’s books! All of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’d known them for a long time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Fresh Fiction. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.
You can read my full review at:
https://freshfiction.com/review.php?i...
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Fresh Fiction. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.
You can read my full review at:
https://freshfiction.com/review.php?i...
September 16, 2024
Riley returns home to help her mom. She brings new ideas to her moms inn to generate more visitors. She meets an old friend who she still has feelings for. An enjoyable holiday read.
September 24, 2024
Edited to add: on sale today!
This is a lovely Christmas-themed romance that follows all of the rules.
I will warn you that a few things will have you rolling your eyes in disbelief. For example, when trimming a Christmas tree, they put the lights on after the garland and ornaments. Then Riley's mother, who not only owns the inn but also has her own house, just ups and leaves the Inn for hours without ever letting us know that someone works the front desk.
The unique aspect is that three different romances follow women of three different generations.
I found the inclusion of every bite they ate and every sip they took to be a bit too much filler. There was a lot of repetition, also.
Not everyone is as picky about these things as I am, however, so I definitely recommend this book to those who love clean romances with triple happily-ever-afters!
*The ARC was supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Griffin, the author, and NetGalley.
This is a lovely Christmas-themed romance that follows all of the rules.
I will warn you that a few things will have you rolling your eyes in disbelief. For example, when trimming a Christmas tree, they put the lights on after the garland and ornaments. Then Riley's mother, who not only owns the inn but also has her own house, just ups and leaves the Inn for hours without ever letting us know that someone works the front desk.
The unique aspect is that three different romances follow women of three different generations.
I found the inclusion of every bite they ate and every sip they took to be a bit too much filler. There was a lot of repetition, also.
Not everyone is as picky about these things as I am, however, so I definitely recommend this book to those who love clean romances with triple happily-ever-afters!
*The ARC was supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Griffin, the author, and NetGalley.
October 8, 2024
Who needs a little more joy and happiness? Christmas novels have become a recent obsession,
and THE CHRISTMAS INN by Pamela Kelley is one of the best.
Protagonist Riley Sanders has lost her job to AI and decides to return home to help her mother run the Chatham Coastal Inn, on Cape Cod. Mom Beth, is recovering from a broken leg and could use the help. Next, we meet the other wonderful characters at the inn and in town.
I especially enjoyed the story of their lives together at the inn. There is so much to love: wine and cheese pairings, delicious breakfast treats, truffles, hot chocolate, and romance for just about everyone. Oh, and there’s a huge Christmas tree and a bookstore, too. Merry Christmas!
and THE CHRISTMAS INN by Pamela Kelley is one of the best.
Protagonist Riley Sanders has lost her job to AI and decides to return home to help her mother run the Chatham Coastal Inn, on Cape Cod. Mom Beth, is recovering from a broken leg and could use the help. Next, we meet the other wonderful characters at the inn and in town.
I especially enjoyed the story of their lives together at the inn. There is so much to love: wine and cheese pairings, delicious breakfast treats, truffles, hot chocolate, and romance for just about everyone. Oh, and there’s a huge Christmas tree and a bookstore, too. Merry Christmas!
September 8, 2024
There're parts of this story which I absolutely love, and then there were bits which bored me till I zoned out. We have 3 FMCs, all of them at pivotal times in their life and undergo a decent character arc over the course of the book. The setting and its descriptions were quite pleasant to say the least. I love that all of the characters get their happy ending in the end, but the process of getting there was pretty tedious. The writing was off at times, with way too much filler to unnecessarily lengthen the book and the character voices were at times hard to distinguish. The occasional scenes with lovely banter kept me going and that was the only thing that made the listen worthwhile.
September 8, 2024
The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelley was such a sweet, cozy read. I really enjoyed the characters, the gatherings, and the romance. It was a joy to read. I will be looking for more by this author.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
February 8, 2025
The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley is a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form and I absolutely loved it! I think going in with those expectations really set the tone for me, and it was exactly what I was hoping it would be. There is humor, second chance romance, Christmas cheer, single dad, and delicious food all wrapped up into this emotional story. I loved having the three viewpoints between Riley, her mom, and Franny and really enjoyed each storyline. This was the perfect read for wintertime, the holidays, or just any time you want to read a cozy hug in a book.
I listened to the audiobook, and it made this short read speed by even faster. I loved Stephanie Németh-Parker as the narrator, but I do wish she had been the narrator for only Riley with at least one other narrator for the older women. She didn’t try to change her voice at all, and I do think that was detrimental here. She sounded more Riley’s age than anyone else’s and it left me wanting more from the audio itself. The food in this book made me hungry and I loved the Cape Code setting in the cute inn. The writing is straightforward while still having heart, so I would keep that mind along with this being completely closed door and sweet.
Read this if you are looking for a light holiday read, love Hallmark movies, and enjoy multiple viewpoints each with their own romance.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I listened to the audiobook, and it made this short read speed by even faster. I loved Stephanie Németh-Parker as the narrator, but I do wish she had been the narrator for only Riley with at least one other narrator for the older women. She didn’t try to change her voice at all, and I do think that was detrimental here. She sounded more Riley’s age than anyone else’s and it left me wanting more from the audio itself. The food in this book made me hungry and I loved the Cape Code setting in the cute inn. The writing is straightforward while still having heart, so I would keep that mind along with this being completely closed door and sweet.
Read this if you are looking for a light holiday read, love Hallmark movies, and enjoy multiple viewpoints each with their own romance.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
November 28, 2024
DNF @ 40%. I couldn’t read about chocolate turndown services or wine and cheeses for another second of my life. This book was awful. Not a single thing happened in the 133 pages that I read. The excessive random details were soo annoying and unnecessary, I didn’t give a shit about any of the characters, the writing was horrendous and the dialogue was incredibly awkward and unnatural - I felt like I was reading a book that a robot wrote. The only positive thing I have to say about this is that the cover is pretty. I truly have no idea how this book has so many good reviews.
January 3, 2025
AI took Riley’s job - maybe it also took the author’s job given how this was written? The vibes of this book were honestly good and cozy but I could have told you how this was going to end in the first 100 pages. I wanted just at least one twist. Every character had like 2 descriptive qualities and one was always drinking wine.
December 31, 2024
Almost all of the book is useless description, it’s cute and fun at first, but when there’s no other storyline it gets boring
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