A Very Nantucket Christmas: Two Holiday Novels

by Nancy Thayer

Celebrate the holidays with New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer in this festive collection featuring two heartwarming tales set on Nantucket island.
 
A Nantucket Christmas
 
“As sweet and warm as a fresh-baked cookie.”— RT Book Reviews
 
The Yuletide season’s wonderful traditions are much loved by Nicole Somerset, new to Nantucket and recently married to a handsome former attorney. But the cheerful mood is soon tempered by Nicole’s chilly stepdaughter, Kennedy, who arrives without a hint of holiday spirit. Determined to keep her stepmother at arm’s length—or, better yet, out of the picture altogether—Kennedy schemes to sabotage Nicole’s first Christmas with her new husband. Yet, in the season of miracles, holiday joy has a way of coming to all, both naughty and nice.
 
An Island Christmas
 
“Thayer vividly depicts the joys and frustrations of family life against the beautiful Nantucket backdrop.”— Library Journal
 
It’s Christmas time and Felicia has returned to her family’s home on the island to marry her rugged boyfriend, Archie. Every snow-dusted street and twinkling light is picture-perfect for a dream wedding. Except a lavish ceremony is not Felicia’s dream at all; it’s what her mother, Jilly, wants. Worried that her daughter’s life with daredevil Archie will be all hiking and skydiving, Jilly embarks on a secret matchmaking campaign for Felicia and their handsome neighbor Steven Hardy. With the arrival of Jilly’s older daughter, Lauren, fueling tensions, and the family careening toward a wedding disaster, an unexpected twist reminds everyone of the true meaning of the season.

Genres: Christmas, Holiday, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Adult, Contemporary

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

Nancy Thayer has published 35 novels, including Family Reunion and Secrets in Summer. She has lived on Nantucket Island year-round for 38 years with her husband Charley Walters. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two fun & festive stories that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Margie Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This contained 2 Christmas novels in one - both were light, quick reads but just what I needed to put me in the Christmas mood.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Absolutely Loved This Christmas Book. This is An Excellent Holiday Book. Very Well Written. You Felt Like You Was Right There In The Story. I Really Loved The Snowy New England Setting. And The Wonder Characters. I Highly Recommend This Book. God Bless

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Includes two short Nancy Thayer novels, which I have reviewed separately: A Nantucket Christmas and An Island Christmas.

[Melissa T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was 2 books in one, and thankfully I liked the characters enough in the first book to be prepared to read more about them. These were both wholesome, fluffy, easy reads. One thing that irked me about the first book was that one of the characters, Kennedy, a grown woman, was calling her mother and father "Mommy" and "Daddy" and plotting to get them back together like a small child, even though they had moved on with other people. That really just grated on my nerves.

The 2nd book was quite the rolleroaster with seemingly every other chapter alternating between "everything is perfect" and everything is semi-disasterous" in that feel good, everything works out kind of way, so it was definitely a page turner for me.

I loved the island atmosphere and the friendliness of the different minor characters as well.

[Sandym24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are perfect books if you just want something cute and cozy for the holidays. Nancy Thayer captures the charm of Nantucket and the holidays with light entertaining storylines.

[Kourtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two short holiday stories. I think both would have been better if they were full stories. But, were both charming holiday reads.

[Suzete Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute stories for a quick read around the holidays. These stories focus on families at Christmas in a cute small town. Definitely has the feel of a Hallmark movie.

[Dorine]

I started reading this years ago and had every intention of finishing it. Then my reading tastes changed and I never got back to it. DNF

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful duo of good family stories.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Cute holiday book set in Nantucket. Two separate stories. I like the first one much better. But both were like reading a Hallmark movie and I was okay with that!

[☆Angel☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copyright Night Owl Reviews

I wanted to read A Very Nantucket Christmas because it is now time to get into the holiday spirit. This book is made up of two holiday novels, although I would call them novellas. The first is A Nantucket Christmas and the second, An Island Christmas both by Nancy Thayer.

To see my full review, please follow the link below:
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...

[Laura Fahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent holiday book

Very well written . You felt like you could picture and hear the characters in the story. I was looking for light reading to take my mind off the stressful holiday and this was the perfect book to take me away . Love it.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is 2.5 stars. But a very struggling 2.5 stars. I refuse to believe the women of Nantucket are this stupid. Granted, I've never been there before but I'm assuming they have more intellectual than the women of this story.
A Nantucket Christmas. I liked Nicole. She was down to earth and relatable. Her new husband Sebastián was also likeable. His daughter however, was obnoxious. Her character, a grown woman with a nice husband and child, whined through nearly all of the story. "MOMMY! DADDY!" Ugh! Give me a break!! Some chapters were from the little boys point of view. I couldn't stand those. Not that he wasn't a cute kid. I'm just not particularly fond of reading from a little boys perspective.
The best part of the book was when the boy found the dog. That turned around everything. And I loved how Nicole, Katya and Kennedy all came together to safely deliver Kennedys baby. The amount of growth with all three women made for a beautiful story.
An Island Christmas. This book was ridiculous. I really enjoyed Rex as well as the relationship he developed with Jilly. But Jilly. Why oh why was she made to be so incompetent. I feel like the author used her to explain simple things that don't need to be explained. Like, what neutering was. Or the fact that electric candles were used on the windows because real ones could cause fires. There were more and each one irritated me. Along with these were moments of her being hysterical because her husband did something adventurous. And seriously, who trues to ruin their daughters engagement by putting her with a former high-school sweetheart! She seemed pretentious and ignorant. I was happy to see that in the end, she accepted the crazy and realized that it is what it is. Still found her obnoxious and wanted to quit reading.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the first story, fifty-something retired nurse Nicole and her new husband whose name I've already forgotten live on Nantucket, and are preparing to have the husband's only daughter and her family over for Christmas. The eight-months pregnant daughter, Kennedy, despises Nicole, and is planning to break up the marriage over Christmas so her father will re-marry her mother. Of course it doesn't go as planned. In the second story, Jilly (WTH kind of name is that?) and her husband George are preparing for the Christmas wedding of their second daughter, Felicia. The tomboyish, outdoorsy, adventuresome Felicia is bringing her equally outdoorsy fiance Archie, of course, and Jilly's older and much more tractable daughter Lauren is bringing her family as well. Since Jilly hates the notion of Felicia marrying a man she finds uncouth, she's determined to break up the engagement and marry Felicia off to their neighbor, Steven. And she gets a cat who wreaks havoc on Christmas.

Blah. The only good thing about these books is the description; the setting is done really well and makes me want to move to Nantucket. But the characters and plots are so boring and predictable I almost gave up on the book many times. Nicole is a nurse, Kennedy is eight months pregnant, so what's going to happen? Could it be more obvious? And the author couldn't come up with a different plot for the second story? Well, okay, no one is pregnant, but the "let's break up an engagement or marriage I don't like even though it's patently none of my business and won't possibly succeed" is definitely recycled. And Jilly just seems like a moron most of the time. Skip this one.

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains two different stories, both set at Christmas, apparently about a year apart. I didn't like Thayer's writing style in the first book. In fact, I remember asking myself, what does it say when I care more about the family who dumped Snix off in the middle of nowhere (instead of doing the right thing by keeping the pet they chose or the better thing by dropping him off at a shelter where he could possibly be adopted by someone else) than I do about any of the other characters? I was glad that the family settled their differences by the end.

The second story was a bit better though the mother who was trying to set up her soon to be married daughter with the next door neighbor was a bit over-the-top. Also, homosexual characters show up without warning. Rex (the cat) was a welcome comic relief, being both charming and full of mischief.

[Sharen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Nantucket Christmas and Island Christmas came as a 2 book bundle. Two Nancy Thayer books in one...what could be better? Just finished A Nantucket Christmas. A whiney, scroogie, step-mother hating, pregnant, spoiled brat and her husband and little son come to Nantucket Island to spend Christmas with father and step-mother (who LOVES Christmas). I don’t know how to describe the book without spoiling it...so I will only say I thoroughly enjoyed it and think you will too. I will be moving on to Island Christmas soon. It’s going to be Christmas soon, so get this book and get in the Holiday spirit.

[Tina Meadows · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find characters like Kennedy in story one to be so tiring. Without a major indication of personal growth on her part, the book is unrewarding. She also portrays women in a very weak light. I prefer very strong female characters instead of small-minded characters who can’t seem to grasp life lessons that my 8 year old could grasp. Has she changed in the end? We don’t actually know. The quick wrap up would have you believe so, but people like this rarely change so dramatically so fast. The characters for me lacked depth that I kept hoping to find.

Wouldn’t exactly call this a spoiler but marking it as such so I don’t ruin the book for someone.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is more two books, than one. The connection between the two are two friends, who appear in both books. The two woman count on each other, and contact each other in times of need. Both mothers tend to interfere with their grown children's lives, but they both learn to accept the lives their daughter's picked for themselves. I love, that the couple in the second half of the book, decided to adopt a cat. It was fun to see the conflicts and confusion the cat causes, but he also brings the family much comfort and love.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Thayer's A Very Nantucket Christmas is a collection of two novels with some of the same characters. The characters are well-developed and likeable, the Nantucket holiday imagery is perfection. It is a quick read because it is so much fun that you can't put it down. The message that Christmas is more about family love than perfection in decor, etc., is both timely and helpful. If you are looking for a hopeful, warm, and fuzzy read, you can't go wrong with this book! Thayer paints a picture with her words and you can feel the love and the Christmas cheer on every page.

[kathleen n jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

How Fun!

At first I didn't know where the story was going. I loved what was happening, then things changed especially when a cat was added. Wow what a change and all for the better. What a great story of a family, their differences, their love, and how they all come together and create a fun, special story. So glad I read this. Different from most stories I have read and so enjoyable.

[Maribeth Enos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains 2 delightful Christmas stories set in the lovely and historic town of Nantucket. A Very Nantucket Christmas deals with finding a second love and the sometimes difficult and awkward task of blending families. An Island Christmas revolves around a wedding set in Nantucket at Christmas. Nancy Thayer is wonderful at telling realistic family sagas. These are both heartwarming stories and they will make you want to visit Nantucket in December to take part in the Christmas stroll and other fun island Christmas activities.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 3 out of 5]

About what I expected. Hallmark meets Nantucket, filled with Christmas decorations, festive food, and family shenanigans. Of the two books included, I enjoyed An Island Christmas more - the characters in A Nantucket Christmas skewed hateful or insipid, with little in between, though it was nice to find a thread of continuity between the stories in the friendship between Jilly and Nicole. Far from great literature, but fun for a light, festive read.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second time reading these books, I read each one when they were first released, but that did not curb my enjoyment any. Sweet ( sad, I cried through" A Nantucket Christmas" feeling so sorry for that poor puppy, and wanting to knock a knot on the original family's head) reads!!!
Thank you Nancy Thayer, I loved them both !!!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of non-fiction, so this was a nice break. The characters were believable and the storylines were, as well. In the first story, however, the chapters about the dog disrupted the flow of the story. It was almost as if I’d put down that book and started another. The dog segments added nothing and broke the mood.

[Pam Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

great Christmas read

Beautiful story along with the craziness a large family brings on a holiday. Loved how everything was put into perspective. Showed how unplanned things turn out the way they should. This was surely a warm happy story and showed what was really important. Would highly recommend as a great Christmas story.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

2 stories in one! I enjoyed both. Both have great storylines. However I have to say an Island Christmas was my favorite. Yay cats😻. Also I liked the way this story was not as predictable as you might think. In the spirit on Christmas I will be leaving my copy in a free little library for others to enjoy 🤶🏻

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first book I read by Nancy Thayer and the next 2 were fine but I miss that feeling of not being to put the book down. This was 2 stories and I read the first one. They are stand alone. An island Christmas was the one I read this go around. A book about Christmas and family, but it was just ok for me.

[Lindsey Lewandowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

While these holiday-themed short stories were light and a bit predictable, I was very much swept into the setting of Christmastime on Nantucket Island. Cozy escapism at its finest. I'll read more by Thayer.

[William Vignola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special Christmas stories in the beautiful Nantucket village

These two stories are about families and all their love and struggles during the Christmas season. Nantucket is described lovingly.