Montana Secret Santa

Love at the Chocolate Shop #3

by Debra Salonen

Ad exec Krista Martin, while feeling more Grinch than elf, still jumps at the chance to co-chair Marietta’s Secret Santa Society. Why not? Especially since brilliant, attractive, and innovative tech wunderkind Jonah Andrews has agreed to help. He’s well connected and Krista’s hoping for some advice on rebooting her career.

Jonah knows Krista has a not-so-hidden agenda, but sparring with her over cocoa at their Secret Santa meetings is the most fun he’s had since returning to his old hometown. Krista may come across as all business, but Jonah’s positive he’s glimpsed a little girl inside her who wants to believe in Santa… and in love.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Holiday, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Amazon

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2016

About the author

- Born and raised in Brookings, South Dakota. Youngest of five (much youngest). A Baby Boomer who married her high school sweetheart (our lockers were side-by-side). Mother of two, grandmother of three darling princesses, dog mother of 2.5 mutts.

- Graduate of South Dakota State University with a Master’s degree in Geography and History.

- Job history: taxi driver, flax seed counter, cartographer, rural mail carrier, substitute teacher, secretary/community liaison for Merced College’s Child Development Center, bookkeeper, journalist, author.

- First sale story: June, 1999, to Harlequin Superromance. Total number of books sold to Harlequin =27.

- Honors and awards: Romantic Times BOOKreviews, 2006 Series Storyteller of the Year. Winner: Best Superromance of 2010: Until He Met Rachel. Nominated for Desert Quill in 2008.

- First book published by Tule Press, summer 2014: Cowgirl Come Home. The Big Sky Mavericks series opens Aug. 2014 with: Nobody's Cowboy.

Reviews

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Santa Delivers! Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free It's Free Right Now!
Every time I see Debra Salonen is involved in a group series about Marietta, Montana....I smile a little bit bigger. It is the understanding...the knowing I will get a little bit more than the usual love story. There will be details which will flesh out the characters...It will have a sense of community and how things feel in this Mystical town of Marietta....and I also know Ms. Salonen will give me more...more feelings of things I can relate to...things which could be true if I wish to swap the fantasy part and insert a real life.

For we all may have had experiences of difficult parents and whether they get along during the holidays...and many of the hunky men we wish were ours WERE the Nerds no one wanted to hang with. So even though in this particular story... the parents are famous movie folk...and the man of the hour is a Nerd/Genius who just sold one of his companies for more money then the Government could print...Those basic feelings are relatable.

In this third entry to the Love at the Chocolate Shop Series , we have the new resident Krista Martin, a transplant from NYC. She was happy to leave the East Coast for Marietta when her bestie, Amanda wooed her into joining Blue Sky Advertising. She left all her bad memories behind and dove in full throttle to make their advertising company a success. They had a couple of strong quarters... but lately, Amanda has not been focused on the business; she got engaged.... then married and now Krista needs to figure out how to approach her partner about the slump.

This is what she is thinking about when she collides with Jonah Andrews in front of the chocolate shop.

Jonah is back at home to take care of his parents' dogs while they go to Florida to look after his sister. There has been a difficult situation with her family and girls... and the parents want to convince them to move back to Marietta. This means it would be perfect for Jonah to take over the homestead and look after the shaggy brood. After all, he just sold his latest computer/engineering company for a gazillion or so dollars and needs to figure out what is next.

It is Jonah's juggling the zip leash of a small Beagle which catches between Krista's legs which causes a chain of events landing them on the sidewalk. Luckily for Krista, Jonah moved fast enough to block her from landing on the cement...Unlucky for both, he blocked her fall by having his body hit the ground and hers landing on his...Both felt the ease of how nicely they fit...he, having his arm wrapped around her waist to cushion the fall, enjoyed her soft curves...She, liking the feeling of certainty and strength he gave from just his being there...

This is how these two meet and Marietta being Marietta...we know there will be a reason for them to be thrown together. It is the Secret Santa Society and it needs both of their expertise. It has been declining and these two are the last hope to make it thrive again. It is their working together for this common goal which allows us to see their unplanned romance grow.

This series is very easy reading. There is warmth, heart and a little focus on real issues...we get to see how our couple handles their fear of relationships...We see how each person is a whole being all on their own... and by being in this relationship, it only enhances what each person brings to the table.

We also have the joy of the season. This is a Christmas series so all of the heart and happiness the holiday brings is front and center. This was a delightful addition and there were plenty of hints for us to be interested in all the other books to come.

Melt My Heart, Cowboy (Love at the Chocolate Shop, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Thankful Heart (Love at the Chocolate Shop, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Montana Secret Santa (Love at the Chocolate Shop, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Chocolate Cure (Love at the Chocolate Shop, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Valentine Quest (Love at the Chocolate Shop, #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Charmed by Chocolate (Love at the Chocolate Shop #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Chocolate Comeback (Love at the Chocolate Shop #7) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Chocolate Touch (Love at the Chocolate Shop #8)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sweet Home Cowboy (Love at the Chocolate Shop #9)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sweet Summer's Kiss (Love at the Chocolate Shop #10)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A gifted copy was provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krista Martin had just not been getting into the Christmas spirit yet this holiday season but when she has a a run in with tech genius Jonah Andrews then finds the pair signed up to co-chair Marietta’s Secret Santa Society Krista finds herself slowly finding the holiday spirit.

Montana Secret Santa is the third book in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series. Each book can be read as a standalone since they all feature different couples. But the setting in this series is one that carries over many different series as it takes place in the lovely small town of Marietta, Montana so you do get a glimpse of the holiday events and some previous characters from this and other series set in this town.

Marietta is such a charming place that I would find it very hard to dislike any book taking place there especially during the holiday season with all the events going on. But with this particular couple I found myself taking a bit of time warming up to Krista and Jonah. Perhaps it was both of them being so business orientated or some other delay but this one started off a bit slow to me.

In the end I decided to give it 3.5 stars, still a nice little holiday read in a lovely town but it just took me a bit longer to fall in love with this couple than it normally does for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars. It tolerable but not great. One of those books that are sweet enough to entertain you in the airport lounge but not good enough to actually pick one up when you have choice.
Characters a bit flat, not much of a story there either, all going in circles around same thing. He looked, she blushed... oh, will he be in the café... oh, he is a millionaire (of course! There's no ordinary decent men left, only millionaires!), executive PR job... really? Why not a sales manager or a junior college lecturer?... huh
Got bored after first few chapters and finished the book just for the sake of it.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great addition to the Montana festive reads by a variety of authors that Tule are publishing this year. It involves the characters attending many of the events that are common to all the books - like the Christmas Stroll and the Christmas Ball - but it is also a great standalone story in its own right.

In this tale, Krista Martin is about to spend her second festive season in the town after starting up in a publicity business with a locally born friend. However, that same friend recently married and is now pregnant, so asks Krista to take over her role on the committee fir the secret Santa charity which tries to bring some festive joy into the lives of people who might otherwise miss out through no fault of their own.

Meanwhile, local nerd, genius and millionaire, Jonah Andrews has retuned home to look after the tree dogs belonging to his parents whilst they travel to help out his recently widowed sister and her children. He wasn't anticipating being involved with any charity committee but, after his dog walking almost injured Krista, he's quite happy to have an excuse to meet up with her again!

As the two work together to help fulfill the dreams of others, maybe Santa can work a little of his magic and her these two also find the miracle of love at Christmas!

I was gifted an ARC of this novel via NetGalley with no obligation or requirement to review it. This is my honest review after reading the ARC.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Krista and Jonah are interesting characters and I loved the small-town setting of Marietta. Small-town stories are fun because of the "everybody knows your business" vibe versus the main characters' desires to maintain some semblance of privacy in their relationship.

Krista moved to Marietta from NYC eighteen months earlier to join her friend Amanda's ad agency. She works long and hard to make their business successful, driven by the need to prove herself to her family. It's an odd juxtaposition because she also maintains as much distance as possible to avoid their drama. The Martins are big in the entertainment industry and drama around them is inevitable. The book opens as Krista prepares to talk to Amanda about the latter's lack of focus in their work. That goes out the window when the recently married Amanda reveals she's pregnant and having complications. With a need to cut back on outside activities, Amanda convinces Krista to take over her position on the Marietta Secret Santa Society.

Jonah returned to his hometown of Marietta to house-and-dog-sit for his parents while they help his newly widowed sister. He recently sold his high-tech Silicon Valley business for a lot of money and is now at loose ends as he tries to decide what is next for him. With a non-compete clause in the sales contract, Jonah figured it was safer to remove himself from the temptations of his lab. Before they leave, they tell Jonah that he's expected to take their place with the Society while they are gone. Jonah is a self-declared introvert who claims to have no people skills and feels unsuited for the job.

Krista and Jonah meet when one of the dogs he's walking tangles herself up in Krista's legs and knocks her over, and Jonah tries to break her fall with his body. The attraction between them is immediate and Jonah is happy to use the Secret Santa meetings to get to know Krista better. The older committee members think that Krista, with her marketing skills, and Jonah, with his proven business savvy, are the perfect people to fix the Society's financial woes.

I loved seeing the relationship between Krista and Jonah develop. Both have been burned by previous relationships gone bad, with partners more interested in what they could get than what they could give. Krista and Jonah start out intending to ignore the sparks and concentrate on being friends and partners. I loved how well they worked together, each one's strengths making a good balance of creativity and practicality. The more time they spent together, the stronger their attraction grew and so did their connection. But Krista is rooted in Marietta and Jonah will return to California when his parents return, so neither can see a future for them.

There are some sweet scenes between Jonah and Krista, from hot chocolate at the chocolate shop to time spent with the dogs or wandering the holiday-ready streets of Marietta. I also loved Jonah's support of Krista when the stresses of her family's upcoming visit got to her. There's a bump in the road to them finding their happy ever after and I had to laugh when Krista took action to overcome it. The ending was terrific and left me wanting to make more visits to the chocolate shop.

[Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multimillionaire tech genius Jonah Andrews didn’t expect to find love in the cold Marietta, Montana but the warm people here made him think otherwise. A little introverted and socially awkward dog sitter, Jonah soon found himself presiding over Montana Secret Santa event, being assisted by the beautiful advertising expert Krista Martin.

Krista had been burned and scalded by love before she moved to Copper Mountain. She also had issues with her estranged parents, which made her dislike Christmas. She found it hard to trust men, especially those with so much time in their hands but never had aspirations in life. When she was felled by a beagle and a dog sitter, it was only a matter of time before she’d make secret wishes with Santa Claus.

It’s nice to meet new people and old ones again in my favorite fictional town of Marietta. A cup of Sage’s delectable chocolate and a kennel of adorable dogs always make me feel at home in Montana. Krista may not be the easiest person to work with, given her distrust of men and familial issues with her parents. Jonah Andrews, as awkward and uncomfortable he may be of possibly opportunistic women, have somehow warmed my heart and delighted me with his passion for rescue dogs.

Montana Secret Santa is a sweet Christmas story that’s sure to win your hearts and make you believe that love can conquer mountains and awaken sleeping hearts. A story of love and devotion, not only to the significant other, but also to the family and animals. Loved that this wasn’t comprised of steamy scenes, but rather intriguing and sweet romances. A perfect holiday read from the talented Debra Salonen!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Montana Secret Santa

Debra Salonen


Received from Netgalley


MONTANA SECRET SANTA is the third book in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series. This is a wonderful series, all by different authors. Each story can be read as a stand alone but if you are like me, you have to read a series in order no matter what. This story is all about Krista Martin and Jonah Andrews. I just love this series and MONTANA SECRET SANTA is a wonderful addition to a great idea from Tule Publishing.



Krista is not from Marietta but she recently moved there from New York City. She moved there for her best friend Amanda with the offer of a job at Blue Sky Advertising. Amanda is newly married and when she gets pregnant, Krista has to take on most of the responsibilities as Amanda's doctor has ordered her to take it easy. This is how Krista finds herself taking over Amanda's spot on the Secret Santa committee and working with the very handsome and sexy Jonah. Jonah is a tech superstar and is loaded. He finds himself taking care of his parents dogs while they are away. They are both instantly attracted to each other and wonder how they can be together when Jonah lives in California and Krista lives in Montana. Hold on to your seats, it's going to be a crazy ride!!



MONTANA SECRET SANTA is filled with laugh out loud funny moments and lots of chocolate of course. There is plenty of romance and some very serious situations that effect both Krista and Jonah. The characters in this heart warming story are very real and relatable. Will Krista and Jonah just stay friends or will they be able to figure out how to take it to the next level? You have to read this awesome holiday tale to find out. I love learning more and more about all the people in Marietta Montana and can't wait to catch up with them again.

[Cozy_GiGi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great heartwarming holiday read!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review written: February 15, 2017
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Heat Rating: ☀☀☼☼☼

An Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book was received free via Netgalley for an honest review.

So far this has been my favorite of the Love at the Chocolate Shop books. Krista and Jonah have just the right blend of quirky, fun, struggling, and angst. Krista is the only one of her large family that is not in the entertainment industry and feels it keenly. Jonah is a nerd, a geek, and a very smart man unless we're talking about women. Then he's not very smart. And something not smart at all? Falling in love over the holidays.

When Krista and Jonah are roped into co-chairing the Secret Santa Society, some serious hijinks occur. But the fun starts with their meeting: Krista getting upended by Bindi (one of the adopted dogs from A Thankful Heart.

The three dogs - Bindi, River Jack, and Bear - are just full of energy and love and Jonah must dogsit all three for his parents over the holidays. They get into all sorts of stunts, especially Bindi, and enliven the story a great deal. They always provide a laugh or ten, followed by an "aaawwww" or five.

With the impending disaster of Krista's family visit and the sad disaster of Jonah's family's loss, plus the struggle to fund and grant the wishes for the Secret Santa Society, there was plenty of action, plenty of angst, and plenty of ways to get things wrong. But it was a fun trip to getting things right.

This review is ©February 2017 by Monique N. and has been posted to Netgalley.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like diving into my stash of free holiday Kindle books. This was cute, clever and well-written. Perfect, light holiday read.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debra Salone has written a great holiday novella in Montana Secret Santa. Krista Martin is spending her second Christmas in Marietta, Montana. She is part owner in Blue Sky Advertizing along with her best friend Amanda. However, Amanda has recently married and is now expecting her first child and is being forced to rest due to complications, leaving Krista to worry about their bottom line.

Jonah Andrews, a young inventor and entrepreneur, has recently returned to Marietta to house sit and take care of his parents’ dogs. He has sold his last business and made quite a profit. Returning home has given Jonah time to think about what his next project will be. Jonah meets Krista outside the chocolate shop when one of the dogs tangles her leash with Krista’s legs causing her to fall. What starts out with a tangled leash leads to more tangles between Krista and Jonah.

Both Krista and Jonah are enlisted to be the co-chairs of the Secret Santa Society, a local group that fills Christmas wishes that are sent to the group. Krista sees this Secret Santa group as an opportunity to expand the contacts for her business and a chance to help expand her friend’s chocolate business if she can find a way to package them well enough. To add to the stress of the season, Krista’s difficult family has decided to come to Marietta for Christmas, an idea that has Krista dreading the holidays. Will she be able to make it through the family affair? Krista and Jonah find they can work very well together but where will all this lead? Krista loves Marietta but Jonah lives in California. What will the Holidays bring them?

This is a Holiday novella that can bring the reader some Holiday joy with all the warm characters of Marietta. Filled with love of family, friends, and neighbors, forgiveness and understanding, Debra has created characters that are well developed. The story line is creative and entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Tule Publishing with no obligation to review it. This is my honest review after reading.

[Maritza · Rating 4 out of 5]

For December I want to read Christmas related books. This is a really good first pick and it is filled with the spirit of the season. The two characters are cute together and I really loved the dogs.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Montana Secret Santa by Debra Salone was a very enjoyable read that really brought small town Marietta, Montana to life!

Krista has found a home in Marietta, starting her own business with her friend and being away from the drama of her family. Jonah is brilliant and rich. A Montana born boy who has moved on, he is only back for a brief time. Neither of them has the time or energy for a relationship, and neither of them actually wants one. From their first meeting an attraction is palpable, and soon they find themselves immersed in working for Marietta's Secret Santa Society. As they spend more time together, the season of giving, happiness, and hope starts to become so much more...but it can't possibly be a forever thing, or can it?

Montana Secret Santa is the story of Krista and Jonah. It is about them, with strong secondary characters and plots that enhance the main plot instead of distracting from it. Krista and Jonah may come from different worlds from each other and the reader, but I found them to be relatable, realistic and believable. For me they were like the people I might meet in a cafe or just down the street. I liked them, and I liked that real life feeling of the unexpected and the challenges they faced. I felt like I got to know them. As the story progresses, they both experience a lot of growth. I liked that they were mature characters, and there is a distinct lack of angst which resonates with their maturity.

Debra Salone writes an emotional, touching story in Montana Secret Santa, and I liked that all parts of their present day life pull together and bring these characters to life. Montana Secret Santa was a story that gave me not only a holiday feeling, but a variety of other emotions from hope, sadness, courage, caring and love.

I'd recommend Montana Secret Santa to any romance reader!

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Star review of Montana Secret Santa (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 3) by Debra Salonen
My favourite holiday of the year is Christmas; and I love stories about Christmas, throw in a small town and a love that is meant to be and you have A Wedding for Christmas.
Debra Salonen is a new author to me and I enjoyed my first taste of her writing in Montana Secret Santa, book 3 in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series. I have not read any of the other books in the series but that did not deter me from jumping at the chance to read this one. I was able to read and follow this book without difficulty or confusion.
The story was well written and captured my attention and although not a particularly long read, I enjoyed this story and I am going to go and get the other books in the series.
What’s a guy to do? When ad executive Krista Martin, literally falls at his feet, Jonah Andrews is instantly attracted. When fate plays into his hands and they both find themselves working together on the Marietta’s Secret Santa Society. Jonah is at a crossroads in his life and needs to make some decisions; he is also determined to get to know Krista. Krista on the other hand wants to focus on the belief that Jonah could be the one to help her put life back into her compay.
I liked getting to know the people of Marietta; the story had a feel good feeling about it, perhaps it’s because it is a small town, but it gave me a feeling of warmth, friendship and family. Maybe it is the idea of the Secret Santa that got to me but the fact that Krista and Jonah are working to make Christmas wishes come true was a great deal of fun.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through the publisher and Netgalley.

[Debbie Oxier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice addition to series!

Krista owned Blue Sky Productions with her partner, Amanda. It was what brought her to Montana to begin with. Now Amanda was married and pregnant which left most of the responsibilities to Krista since Amanda has been ordered by her doctor to take it easy. Krista is also resigned to taking over Amanda's spot on the board of the town's Secret Santa charitable organization. This is where she sees Jonah every day at their morning meetings. Jonah is in town to dog sit his parents animals while they are in Florida helping Jonah's sister after the death of her husband.

Jonah is a technical genius. He just sold his very profitable business for a boatload of money. He's never been good with relationships, his last two were disasters, but he's still interested in Krista. He wants to know everything about her, including the fact her mother is a famous actress and her siblings tend to drive her crazy most of the time. In spite of his misgivings, however, Jonah gets involved.

Do the two of them have what it takes to make a relationship succeed or is it just wishful thinking on both their parts? Jonah's lab is in Silicon Valley while Krista is tied to her life in Montana. Will Jonah's obsession with work drive yet another woman away? If Krista isn't put off by Jonah's job does she seriously believe a long distance relationship is possible? Is she willing to take the risk!

Good love story, interesting characters, a nice addition to the series itself. Both Krista and Jonah appear to be doing well in spite of the fact he's trying not to read too much into this relationship. Because once the holiday is over, it's back to his regular routine, working to come up with his next money making project.

[Ash P Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all of Debra Salonen's characters, Jonah and Krista both have pasts that affect a lot that happens in their present. But the obvious chemistry between them draws them closer even though they try very hard not to get involved. Plus misguided family members are not always so helpful which causes Jonah to panic make a decision that he soon regrets. Stressed out by an unexpected family reunion Krista ends up doing pretty much the same thing but when she get some tragic news from her family, it causes her to reconsider the hesitation and doubt that rules her decisions about forming close relationships. A lovely Christmas story about finding love and yes CHOCOLATE plays a big role.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley for voluntary review consideration

[ItaPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Montana Secret Santa really much I was so sad to finish it.
I'll try to read the other books in this series as soon as possible.

I fell in love with the little village of Marietta,its Christmas atmosphere and its kind and merry villagers.

I liked Jonah and Krista's story.
After a fortuitous encounter,caused by an eclectic group of dogs you cannot ignore and not love,they find each other again and get to know better at the Secret Santa Society meetings.
They both are scared to get involved in a love relationship due to their catastrophic past experiences but maybe with a little magic and a wish fulfilled by Santa this is the right time.

Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

[Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to read more, but I could not get into this book. I rarely not finish a book, but I found it difficult to get past statements like, "The last thing she needed was frostbite on her privates. Bad enough a former romantic interest had accused her of 'freezing him out of the pleasure zone.' and the like. Not for me, no thank you.

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It fits in perfectly with Melissa McClone's books. That is high praise. I loved that he loved the dogs and they loved him.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Montana Secret Santa" Love At The Chocolate Shop #3 by Debra Salonen.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!!!

"Montana Secret Santa" is book three in the Love At The Chocolate Shop series. Each novel in the series is written by a different author.

I love reading any and all books written about that picturesque, romantic town of Marietta, Montana. If you are a fan of Tule authors than you are well acquainted with this town and the dozens of novel broken up into different series. I have read 92 of them and still haven't gotten to them all yet! I admit I constantly stalk Tule's website for a list of their new releases.

So if you like steady paced romances featuring sexy heroes and the woman who win their hearts, a feel good story with light suspense/angst and always an HEA, I recommend these novels.

This series takes place in and around Marietta with the focal setting being Sage O'dell's chocolate shop.

Jonah Andrews is back in town for a while staying at his parents' home. He is going to be their dog sitter while they visit his sister in Florida. While out walking them in town one day (or should I say while they were walking him), he knocks over a beautiful woman. One he wants to get to know better even though his stay in Marietta is temporary.

Krista Martin is only interested in establishing her marketing business that she co-owns. Her goal is for her business to thrive and be successful. She doesn't have time for a romance. Especially with the holidays approaching. And she definitely doesn't have time to co-chair the town's Secret Santa charity organization with the gorgeous, sexy, successful Jonah Andrews. Or does she?

Jonah and Krista learn how to put pleasure before business. They learn how to trust in love and together with some bumps in the road their find their way to happily ever after. I truly loved the way these two showed their for each other in the end. I can't wait to read the next in the series. This was another sigh happy novel for me.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel given to me via Net Galley.*

[Katie O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of a 12-book series set in Marietta, Montana and centered on a local chocolate shop. Six different authors must have divvied up the months of the year and come up with these full-length stand-alone stories of love and sweet romance set around the chocolate shop. It's a cool concept in general - and after reading this sweet holiday story, I'm really tempted to grab up a few of the others in the series. But right now I'm all about the Christmas romances. This one fit right in with my reading agenda.

The blurb doesn't give the story justice, although it's a well written and intriguing back-of-book grabber. Krista isn't as self-serving as the blurb leads us to believe, nor does she jump at the chance to be part of the Secret Santa society. As the child of two actors who are still married but live on opposite coasts, her holidays have always meant a bitter family tug-of-war. As a grown woman, her last holiday in NYC included a breakup with a boyfriend who was trying to use her to further his own acting career.

Jonah is jaded when it comes to relationships, but not to Christmas. He grew up in a warm, loving family right there in Marietta. As a tech genius he's made billions with his inventions, but hasn't been as lucky at love. His last two relationships ended in lawsuits and big payouts, so he sees women as always wanting his money instead of his heart. He's in town for the holidays to take care of his parents home and their rescue dogs, as well as taking his parents spot on the local charity board, the Secret Santa Society. While walking the dogs, he runs into Krista - literally - on the sidewalk in front of the chocolate shop and the chemistry between them is palpable.

The author keeps the story firmly in "sweet" territory, not showing us what happens in the bedroom (or anywhere else) but the story has enough drama (little d) to keep a reader invested and turning pages.

If you're looking for a sweet Christmas romance, or a new series in a beautiful semi-rural setting, give this book and this series a shot.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been enjoying the Love at the Chocolate Shop series, and hope to finish it soon. There are 12 books in this series, written by 7 different authors. I have been reading them out of order, and although there have been minor spoilers for books I missed, it does not spoil my enjoyment of the stories. They are set in the small town of Marietta, Montana and are all set in part in the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Shop. This book brings together tech wizard and wunderkind Jonah Andrews, and ad executive, Krista Martin. Jonah is in town to house and dog sit for his parents who are heading to Florida to be with his sister who is spending the family's first Christmas since the death of her husband. His mother has volunteered him to take her place on the Secret Santa committee. Krista's partner is pregnant and her doctor has told her to avoid all stress in her life, so she has asked Krista to replace her on the same committee. Can these two relationship averse people come together as a couple?

This was another cute romance with some drama and roadblocks along the way. I really liked the theme of Secret Santa in Marietta. People, families, or organizations are nominated by community members. The committee goes through them and decides who will receive a gift, as well as determine what form that gift will take. Krista is extremely creative, but cynical, Jonah very practical and generous, so they compliment one another. It feels like the whole town is trying to push them together, especially after their initial meet cute. The various characters add colour to the story and town. Krista has baggage from her past, causing her to feel like she is not good enough, as well as struggling to have a relationship after seeing her parents dysfunctional one, but Jonah is able to pull her out of that. Jonah has had 2 disastrous relationships that ended up costing him a lot, but he can't ignore his attraction to Krista. I enjoyed this romance and look forward to the rest of this series.

[Soulfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Krista is a confusing protagonist. She starts off prepared to tell her partner that she needs to step up because she’s not carrying her weight and their business is going to fail if she doesn’t pick up the slack. She ends up doing a complete one eighty when she finds out her partner is pregnant. All of a sudden none of that matters and an intern will solve everything. An intern that doesn’t start until the next year.
Jonah is a tech genius and says he’s socially inept but doesn’t seem to be at all. He takes over Secret Santa with no issues. He does have some issues with Krista, but that’s mainly because they don’t communicate.
One of my least favorite tropes, lack of communication leading to misunderstandings and in this case a flight from Montana to LA. It’s lazy writing and there were lots of bits like that, characters were inconsistent in things that weren’t romance related. One minute Krista was concerned about her business, the next it wasn’t a big deal and they were going to be alright. Jonah is supposed to be humble, but he talks about his staff and drops around the fact that he’s a millionaire and gives people hundred dollar bills for Christmas. It’s weird.
It was an alright Christmas book and I��m giving it an extra Christmas star, but I’m not a huge fan.
3/5

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story fits in well with the Love at the Chocolate Shop series and the wider Marietta, Montana, community. It's always great to see familiar characters and meet new ones in this cozy Montana town. Marietta at Christmas time is the stuff of Hallmark movies!

I liked the fact that while Jonah and Krista were both successful, busy people, they found time to help out their family and friends and the community. They each had their insecurities about joining the Secret Santa project, but they found a way to make it work using their unique talents.

The only thing I didn't like was that we didn't get to experience Krista's family when they visited over Christmas. All we got was a recap of the major events after the fact. I'm sure it was due to the book having to be short, but I think we missed out on a lot by not getting to experience that "firsthand."

But the dogs were cute and the cocoa and romance were sweet, so I'd recommend this book for anybody who loves a Christmas romance.

[Tracey Cramer-Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am partial to Montana (I spend time there every year, not far from Bozeman in fact) and if you like dogs, this story had that going for it as well. A cute story. Both characters are transformed by their involvement, Jonah perhaps more than Krista, as he learns there’s more to life than spending his days in a lab. There were some disconnects for me, however. One was her friend Amanda, supposedly such a close friend but didn’t act like they were. The other was the family aspect, which was the biggest contributor to Krista’s insecurities. The family finally shows up in MT – and we see none of it. Just a reference to a major announcement that happened at the family gathering, which, since it’s the impetus for Krista’s realizations about what’s important in life, was a pretty big deal. Kind of put a damper on what had been a good story by having a rushed ending.

[Jo-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both Krista and Jonah were roped into co-chairing the Secret Santa Society in Marietta. Krista was taking her business partner's place who was told to take it easy due to her pregnancy. And Jonah was taking his parent's place when they had to go out of town. Krista didn't think much of Christmas or men, for that matter, so she wasn't looking forward to this job. Even if Jonah was handsome and intelligent. Jonah had his own reservations for not wanting to be part of this committee. He wasn't very good with people but put him in his lab with something to be invented and watch him shine.

This story lets us see that we are often too hard on ourselves. But other people can show us that we are better than we ever thought.

This sweet Christmas story will make you appreciate the season. It's a feel-good story that will leave you smiling.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Montana Secret Santa (Love at the Chocolate Shop #3) by Debra Salonen

This is the 3rd in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series. You can read these books as stand alones as they are all written by different authors & you will find characters from other books making an appearance in each one.

This story is all about Krista Martin and Jonah Andrews. One is the co-owner of Blue Sky Advertising and from a family of showbiz stars and the other is a Tech genius who's family live in the local area. They are roped in to help with the local Secret Santa charity, which has been in trouble for the last few years.

Krista's crazy family are due to visit, Jonah's family have recently had tragedy, they work well together but where will this lead? Will they pull off secret santa this year?

Another enjoyable read in this series.

[SOMDReigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is community, heart, and the magic of Christmas in Marietta, Montana throughout the reading of Montana Secret Santa. I love all books written around the small town of Marietta Montana especially the Christmas ones. The two main characters have been roped into helping out the town’s struggling Secret Santa group. The author sets the pace for the blooming friendship to take hold while resisting their feelings. This is a good addition and is a perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit.
This is book 3 of 12 in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series. The series is centered around the town’s Chocolate Shop but if you haven’t the first two (which are very good reads) it will not take away from this story.
I was provided a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley.

[Shelagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Montana Secret Santa comes with all the trademark warmth lovers of Debra Salonen's stories have come to expect. Third in the Love At The Chocolate Shop series, this story is just as enjoyable to read as a stand-alone novel as it is when read in sequence. If you've been reading the various Montana Born books set in and around the quaint little town of Marietta you'll find plenty of familiar names and places, all of which add extra depth and richness. I also love the theme of giving which features strongly in all the Love At The Chocolate Shop stories. That and a little Christmas magic combined with a heartwarming romance between two characters I couldn't help but like have made this story a joy to read.

[Cindy Adair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hallmark movie in a book

What better type of book to read during the holidays than a “sweet” romance? This is a story of a girl who moved to Montana to build an advertising agency and a boy genius who comes home to help out his family. Both get recruited to head up and save the town’s Secret Santa charity. Of course in the midst of working closely together, sparks fly and love ignites. This book reads like a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, and it was happily satisfying. Even though I enjoyed reading it, I can’t give it more than 3 stars because it is pretty formulaic and predictable with characters too good to be true. But it is good escapism. So, if you enjoy a love story with “good”characters and a happy ending, then this is a book for you!