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The Sleigh to My Heart
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26She’s supposed to make the sleigh fly. She’s not supposed to fall.
Allison Moreno came to Hollybend, Texas, for one fix the Grand’s Christmas spectacular, prove one disastrous Broadway production didn’t end her career, and get back to New York. She has three weeks, one temperamental flying sleigh, and absolutely no room in the schedule for distractions.
Especially not Rylan Miller.
Hollybend’s relentlessly helpful firefighter lieutenant has been voluntold into serving as both safety liaison and Firefighter Santa—a combination Allison finds equal parts ridiculous and inconveniently attractive. It doesn’t help that Rylan seems determined to get past the walls that have convinced everyone else in town to keep their distance.
Then an ice storm traps them together inside the Grand, and suddenly keeping things professional gets a lot harder.
As opening night approaches, Allison’s chance to return to Broadway finally arrives. It’s everything she’s worked for, and everything she thought she wanted. But somewhere between missed coffee dates, a house fire, a Santa suit, and a town that refuses to let her remain an outsider, Hollybend has started to feel less like a temporary stop.
And Rylan is becoming something far more dangerous than a distraction.
Because Allison knows how to build something that can fly.
Learning to trust someone enough to fall is another matter entirely.
Allison Moreno came to Hollybend, Texas, for one fix the Grand’s Christmas spectacular, prove one disastrous Broadway production didn’t end her career, and get back to New York. She has three weeks, one temperamental flying sleigh, and absolutely no room in the schedule for distractions.
Especially not Rylan Miller.
Hollybend’s relentlessly helpful firefighter lieutenant has been voluntold into serving as both safety liaison and Firefighter Santa—a combination Allison finds equal parts ridiculous and inconveniently attractive. It doesn’t help that Rylan seems determined to get past the walls that have convinced everyone else in town to keep their distance.
Then an ice storm traps them together inside the Grand, and suddenly keeping things professional gets a lot harder.
As opening night approaches, Allison’s chance to return to Broadway finally arrives. It’s everything she’s worked for, and everything she thought she wanted. But somewhere between missed coffee dates, a house fire, a Santa suit, and a town that refuses to let her remain an outsider, Hollybend has started to feel less like a temporary stop.
And Rylan is becoming something far more dangerous than a distraction.
Because Allison knows how to build something that can fly.
Learning to trust someone enough to fall is another matter entirely.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
ChristaCarol Jones
6 books18 followersA former educator turned writer, ChristaCarol infuses her work with a deep exploration of human emotions and character arcs, using imagination to push the boundaries of what’s possible, as seen in her debut novel Magicbound (released 2013). She channels her creativity into novels, TV scripts, and screenplays. When she’s not writing, ChristaCarol can be found losing herself in movies or performing on stage, all while being a proud wife to her soulmate and a mother to three amazing humans.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy
The Sleigh to My Heart is a cozy holiday romance set in the small town of Hollybend, Texas. This would be the cutest Hallmark movie featuring a charming firefighter Rylan Miller and NYC set designer Allison Moreno. She is working on a Sleigh for the Christmas spectacular at the Grand and he’s helping her as a safety liaison. Plus he’s the Santa for the show. He’s sweet, protective, and thoughtful. She’s a little more reserved and direct. They have cute banter, with her grumpy to his sunshine attitude. He’s the calm to her stormy nature, especially when they argue. He knows just the right buttons to push and how to make her fall for him. It wasn’t easy and he liked that about her. She has plans to go back to New York, but things start to heat up when they get iced in at the theater!
🎄Holiday romance
🎁Forced proximity
🏘️Small town
❤️ He falls first
🎄Grumpy/Sunshine
🎁Dual POV
❤️ no spice
Thank you to Beyond the Books PR and ChristaCarol Jones for the eARC
🎄Holiday romance
🎁Forced proximity
🏘️Small town
❤️ He falls first
🎄Grumpy/Sunshine
🎁Dual POV
❤️ no spice
Thank you to Beyond the Books PR and ChristaCarol Jones for the eARC
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My first Christmas romcom of the season, and what a fun way to kick things off! I finished this book in 1 day! I’ve read and loved books by this author before, so I was excited to dive into something a little festive! The Sleigh to My Heart was fun, witty, romantic, and full of that small-town Christmas charm. I loved the banter between Allison and Rylan. There’s plenty of chemistry between these two, proving you don’t need spice to create romantic tension. Add in a charming firefighter, a little forced proximity, and some holiday chaos, and you’ve got yourself a delightful Christmas romance! The side characters were absolutely delightful and added so much personality and heart to the story! They really brought the small-town setting to life and made Hollybend feel like the kind of place you’d want to spend Christmas. A sweet, feel-good read with plenty of heart, humor, and Hallmark vibes. Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced reader copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kindly received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
The Sleigh to My Heart by ChristaCarol Jones
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
🎄 Small Town Texan Christmas
🎅🏼 Grumpy x Sunshine
🎄 Banter
🎅🏼 Opposites Attract
🎄 Cozy Firefighter Romance
🎅🏼 He Falls First
🎄 Iced-in Forced Proximity
🎅🏼 Hallmark Vibes
“I'm going to push you into the fountain.”
“Fountain's turned off for winter.”
“I'll improvise.”
Rylan is the firefighter lieutenant who is the Firefighter Santa this year for the Grand's Christmas spectacular when he meets the beautiful Allison. This book had all the Hallmark vibes and romance that one could want in a Christmas story! I wanted to start this book because I had never read a firefighter romance before and The Sleigh to my Heart did not disappoint!
As someone who grew up doing theater productions and being both a performer and stagehand this was the perfect read for me. The dynamic and chemistry between Rylan and Allison was breathtaking. The way ChristaCarol Jones writes is seamless and flows well between chapters.
I admire Allison's strength to keep going after her dreams despite the countless stage malfunctions. Rylan is there to make sure she is okay despite the circumstances and is overall a sweet and loving man. “But if another piece of scenery tries to murder somebody, I'm stepping in.” We cant forget to mention Emma, Ben and Gerald!
I highly recommend this read for the banter and fans of forced proximity! 🎄
Thank you again to author ChristaCarol Jones and Beyond the Books PR for the lovely read!
The Sleigh to My Heart by ChristaCarol Jones
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
🎄 Small Town Texan Christmas
🎅🏼 Grumpy x Sunshine
🎄 Banter
🎅🏼 Opposites Attract
🎄 Cozy Firefighter Romance
🎅🏼 He Falls First
🎄 Iced-in Forced Proximity
🎅🏼 Hallmark Vibes
“I'm going to push you into the fountain.”
“Fountain's turned off for winter.”
“I'll improvise.”
Rylan is the firefighter lieutenant who is the Firefighter Santa this year for the Grand's Christmas spectacular when he meets the beautiful Allison. This book had all the Hallmark vibes and romance that one could want in a Christmas story! I wanted to start this book because I had never read a firefighter romance before and The Sleigh to my Heart did not disappoint!
As someone who grew up doing theater productions and being both a performer and stagehand this was the perfect read for me. The dynamic and chemistry between Rylan and Allison was breathtaking. The way ChristaCarol Jones writes is seamless and flows well between chapters.
I admire Allison's strength to keep going after her dreams despite the countless stage malfunctions. Rylan is there to make sure she is okay despite the circumstances and is overall a sweet and loving man. “But if another piece of scenery tries to murder somebody, I'm stepping in.” We cant forget to mention Emma, Ben and Gerald!
I highly recommend this read for the banter and fans of forced proximity! 🎄
Thank you again to author ChristaCarol Jones and Beyond the Books PR for the lovely read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love a small town romance, and Texas is its own kind of special. Allison, a set designer, is in Hollybend, TX after being blacklisted from Broadway due to a catastrophe with her last show. If it goes off without a hitch, Hollybend’s Christmas show will fund the local theater through the spring. Rylan is the show’s Firefighter Santa and also the show’s safety liaison.
Allison is…a bit prickly, which is understandable based on her history and the fact that she’s a woman who is constantly questioned. She is a bit unsettled when Rylan comes around and helps without being in the way (mostly). Animosity? Peak. Banter? So much fun when it’s “opposing” forces. When they get iced in in the theater one night, they’re forced to get to know one another apart from the show.
I really admired Allison’s grit and tenacity — the stage malfunctions with the Hollybend show could have sent her into a spiral. I think that she would have been fine but it helped that Rylan was always there to lend a hand (he couldn’t help it y’all!), even when he wasn’t actually needed.
Christmas read? YES. Banter? YES. Forced proximity? YES. If you want a low-spice Christmas read that’s a good time, this is one to check out!
Thanks to the author and Beyond the Books PR for an advance copy of this book!
Allison is…a bit prickly, which is understandable based on her history and the fact that she’s a woman who is constantly questioned. She is a bit unsettled when Rylan comes around and helps without being in the way (mostly). Animosity? Peak. Banter? So much fun when it’s “opposing” forces. When they get iced in in the theater one night, they’re forced to get to know one another apart from the show.
I really admired Allison’s grit and tenacity — the stage malfunctions with the Hollybend show could have sent her into a spiral. I think that she would have been fine but it helped that Rylan was always there to lend a hand (he couldn’t help it y’all!), even when he wasn’t actually needed.
Christmas read? YES. Banter? YES. Forced proximity? YES. If you want a low-spice Christmas read that’s a good time, this is one to check out!
Thanks to the author and Beyond the Books PR for an advance copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is such a beautiful, funny christmas love story.
I really enjoyed the way Rylan just kept showing up and being himself, and how Allison was a no nonsense I can do it myself and better kind of woman.
The facetiming through a movie was incredible I really enjoyed that scene.
I really enjoyed the way Rylan just kept showing up and being himself, and how Allison was a no nonsense I can do it myself and better kind of woman.
The facetiming through a movie was incredible I really enjoyed that scene.
Review of advance copy received from Author
*Thank you to the author, ChristaCarol Jones and Beyond The Books PR for letting me be part of ARC Team! *
What a heartwarming holiday romance!
The Sleigh To My Heart was my first holiday read for this year, and I’m so glad that I came across it. Allison and Rylan- what can I say about the two of them? I loved their story, and at one point I found it impossible to put the book down; I kept on turning the pages because I wanted to see how it would end for them. The banter between the two of them had me laughing so much and sometimes shaking my head. It was one of my favorite parts of the story; humor made it so much more interesting to read.
The pacing was perfect for this story; it flowed beautifully. I wasn’t prepared for how much I was going to fall in love with the characters, especially Rylan and Allison. ChristaCarol portrayed them in a way that makes you feel as if they are your friends. The Sleigh To My Heart gives the perfect holiday Hallmark vibes; I could picture it playing in my mind while I was reading.
I admired Allison, and despite a few challenges along the way, she kept on going. The tension between the two of them was hard to miss. You don't need spice for there to be a connection between the characters. That's another favorite aspect of this story. I don't mind spice, but sometimes you just want to read a sweet holiday romance. The Sleigh To My Heart is the type of holiday romance that I adore. This was my first book by ChristaCarol Jones, and now I cannot wait to check out her others. Highly recommend if you're looking for sweet holiday romance.
What a heartwarming holiday romance!
The Sleigh To My Heart was my first holiday read for this year, and I’m so glad that I came across it. Allison and Rylan- what can I say about the two of them? I loved their story, and at one point I found it impossible to put the book down; I kept on turning the pages because I wanted to see how it would end for them. The banter between the two of them had me laughing so much and sometimes shaking my head. It was one of my favorite parts of the story; humor made it so much more interesting to read.
The pacing was perfect for this story; it flowed beautifully. I wasn’t prepared for how much I was going to fall in love with the characters, especially Rylan and Allison. ChristaCarol portrayed them in a way that makes you feel as if they are your friends. The Sleigh To My Heart gives the perfect holiday Hallmark vibes; I could picture it playing in my mind while I was reading.
I admired Allison, and despite a few challenges along the way, she kept on going. The tension between the two of them was hard to miss. You don't need spice for there to be a connection between the characters. That's another favorite aspect of this story. I don't mind spice, but sometimes you just want to read a sweet holiday romance. The Sleigh To My Heart is the type of holiday romance that I adore. This was my first book by ChristaCarol Jones, and now I cannot wait to check out her others. Highly recommend if you're looking for sweet holiday romance.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Delightfully festive! Allison is determined not to bear the brunt of someone else’s mistakes ever. again. In doing so, she finds herself as the tech director for a community Christmas production in Texas 1400 miles away from the familiarity of Broadway. What she can count on is her skill, her ability to plan, diagnose, and fix issues- what she doesn’t count on is a firefighter with a knack for helping people and a 6-time firefighter Santa gig. Is she the one who possibly needs fixing?
This is a sweet, entertaining tale with personality, trusting yourself (and others) and facing some truths they may not have expected to see the Christmas lights of day! An awesome holiday read, I highly recommend adding it to a cozy reading evening and snuggling in with a cast of characters you’re sure to enjoy!
This is a sweet, entertaining tale with personality, trusting yourself (and others) and facing some truths they may not have expected to see the Christmas lights of day! An awesome holiday read, I highly recommend adding it to a cozy reading evening and snuggling in with a cast of characters you’re sure to enjoy!
Review of advance copy
Rylan & Allison
The Sleigh to My Heart is a great enemies to lovers holiday story. Allison is FULLY capable of taking care of the Sleigh but of course Rylan has to make sure it's safe. He just wants to help and Allison is going to make it SO difficult for him until she doesn't. I really enjoyed their dynamic, the story, and the hometown vibes.
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing.
The Sleigh to My Heart is a great enemies to lovers holiday story. Allison is FULLY capable of taking care of the Sleigh but of course Rylan has to make sure it's safe. He just wants to help and Allison is going to make it SO difficult for him until she doesn't. I really enjoyed their dynamic, the story, and the hometown vibes.
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a cute Christmas love story. If I didn’t have the theater background I do as a theater minor and trained stage manager, it might have been too technical, because the jargon and dialogue gets to be a lot. But as someone who /i/ does /-i/ have a theater background, I really liked it. Fun going back and forth between narrators as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you want a meet cute, he falls first fluffy Christmas romance this is the book for you.
Firefighter turned Santa Rylan and Set Designer Allison are stubborn but absolutely adorable.
Firefighter turned Santa Rylan and Set Designer Allison are stubborn but absolutely adorable.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Sleigh to My Heart was a cute story. Very holiday appropriate with good dialogue.
November 6, 2026
This is a cute holiday story set in Hollybend, Texas. There is some good banter and tension. It just didn't quite suck me in the way I was hoping.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews