Snowflakes and Mistletoe at the Inglenook Inn

New York Ever After #2

by Helen J. Rolfe

It's the most wonderful time of the year...but is it the time to fall in love?

As the flames on the log fire flicker and the snowflakes swirl above the New York streets, maybe this Christmas could be the one that changes everything...

When Darcy returns to Manhattan, she’s put in charge of the Inglenook Inn, a cosy boutique hotel in the heart of Greenwich Village. The Inn needs a boost in bookings if it’s to survive the competition, so Darcy is convinced that hosting Christmas this year is the answer. What she doesn’t expect is to meet a face from the past, which can only spell trouble.

Myles left England behind and took a job in New York. It’s a step forwards in his career, and has the added bonus of being nowhere near his family. He’s also hoping to avoid Christmas, the worst time of the year. But when his company puts him up at the Inglenook Inn and he recognises Darcy, it isn’t long before they clash.

When disaster strikes, can Myles and Darcy put their differences aside to make Christmas at the Inglenook Inn a success?

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

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 12, 2017

About the author

Helen J. Rolfe writes romantic fiction and contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community.

Never miss a release date! Sign up for the newsletter to get new book alerts: www.helenjrolfe.com/newsletter

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books, and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries where she thinks her readers might like to escape to.

Helen J. Rolfe also writes for Orion Books under the name Helen Rolfe.

Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia and it was there that she finally turned to what she loved and studied writing and journalism. She spent a while freelancing for women's health and fitness magazines, volunteered with the PR department of a children's hospital where she wrote articles and media releases, and eventually began writing fiction in 2011. And now, she thinks she may just have found her dream job.

Helen currently lives in Hertfordshire, UK, with her husband and their children.

Helen loves to hear from readers so please don't hesitate to get in touch. She can be found at:

www.helenjrolfe.com
https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfew...
https://twitter.com/hjrolfe
www.instagram.com/helen_j_rolfe

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
TW alcoholism

This book started off cute enough. Darcy is living in New York and helping out at an inn that her childhood friend's mother runs. Darcy is passionate about being in the hospitality industry and wants start more innovative things to help the inn succeed. There is a new man staying in their largest room on business. When Darcy runs into him, she realizes they know each other when she was working in Europe and he was part of the reason she was fired. Myles is all business and doesn't give himself a lot of time to just enjoy life. He also is doing everything in his power to ignore all things Christmas, but Darcy doesn't make that easy.

This one started off cute enough, but I quickly lost interest and by the end, I honestly didn't care about the story at all. This turned into Myles confronting why he doesn't like Christmas and dealing with family trauma and I just didn't find myself caring. Not a lot actually happens either. There are maybe two or three actual things they do, but then it's a lot of them just sitting around and hanging out at the inn talking, and it really didn't keep my interest. So unfortunately this was a miss for me!

[Ula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet another romcom where red flags were totally ignored.

Apologies and being helpful shouldn’t be enough when the man is a grumpy mean jerk who loves to shove people around and behave like a total Karen.

I loved the Christmas setting though!

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #2 in the New York Ever After series.

Another captivating Christmas romance focusing on two endearing characters at the Inglenook Inn. A cute little inn run by Darcy while the owner is away visiting her daughter in Switzerland, and Myles has moved to New York from England for work and staying at the inn.

New York is an enchanting winter wonderland at Christmas time and even more magical at the Inglenook Inn. The cosy fireplace, the dazzling Christmas tree, sparkling decorations and delectable food makes you want to live at the Inn.

I enjoyed this book a lot and can’t wait to read the next instalment.

[Marloes | Subtlebookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely adored the first book in this companion series, but this instalment lacked the fluffy feelings I was looking for.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just so stinking cute right now. Or maybe it's because I'm getting a little bit closer to the holidays! Who knows, I just adore everything within these books and I'm only at the second one!

In it, you will meet Darcy and Myles. Both are in New York and trying to get into the groove of their new jobs. She works at the Inglenook Inn and he is happy to be starting on a new adventure. One that is far away from his own family. He thought things were going to go smooth until the day he walks in to the Inglenook Inn and runs into Darcy.

I wouldn't necessarily say this was an enemies to lovers kind of romance but they did clash in the beginning. Which obviously made me so intrigued to see where things were going to go between them. Eventually they acknowledged that they had feelings for one another and they developed into something more.

All I can say is that I'm currently in book 3 and LOVING it so far. I'm basically addicted to these two.

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the owner is away, Darcy is running the inn. When a man shows up for a visit, a man that caused her distress in her past, she wonders if he will cause problems now. He does, but not in any way she could have predicted. This book is more than just a romance. Myles is dealing with disappointments from his childhood caused by his mum’s problems, ones that she is still trying to overcome. Darcy tries to make his experience at the inn merry, but he resents her efforts. There are some disputes, misunderstandings, and hurt feelings, but it is Christmas, so there is the hope things will turn out for the best. This series is a delightful one. The characters are quite real, the writing is very good, and the plots are engrossing. The two narrators, Andi Ackerman and Andy Ingalls, just add to the enjoyment with their excellent performance.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. There were a few too many info-dumps in places and the whole thing with Myles and his parents seemed to drag at times, but the actual story was delightful and I read it in one go.

Little sentences such as: He had the feeling he'd missed his opportunity with Darcy Spencer, or perhaps there'd never really been one in the first place.
That had a real sense of realism to it. There was no insta-lust, no bullying or 'sassyness', no one who was obnoxious or rude. Just everyday people.

Myles was delightful, as was Darcy. This had a 'Christmassy' feel to it without being overly sappy, and the background to Myles's dislike of Christmas was handled without being saccharinely sweet. - You know the sort of thing ... all sweetness and forgiveness but somehow it leaves a nasty aftertaste. No. This was, at times, pretty brutal and honest and realistic.

The dialogue was believable, and the foreshadowing deft and effective.

I would have liked a smoother recount of Myles's history but this is a book with rich details and engaging characters and enough conflict to keep me reading.

Four and a half stars rounded up to 5 because this is in third person pov. :)

[Lauren K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute Christmas story! Darcy and Miles are lovely characters with a great story that unfolds. I had a lot of laughs with this book, and loved that some of the characters from the first book make guest appearances. Definitely put me in the holiday spirit.

[my.bookshelf.87 · Rating 1 out of 5]

My 5 year old could have written a better story than this. I am impressed though that the author managed to drag out this 'story' for over 300 pages.. Nothing much actually happened!! The one star is for it being set in New York.

Ps How many times does she have to light that bloody fire..

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. Enjoyed the storyline and the brewing romance between Myles and Darcy. Fun characters and loved the Christmastime setting and the Inglenook Inn. I want to stay there!

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this during 2022 Christmas Holidays. It was a clean read. I think it could be a Hallmark Movie for Christmas. The two main character are both set on making a success of their chosen careers. Darcy is working at her friends mothers Inn in Manhatten during the Christmas holiday season. She is determined to increase bookings and focuses on that. Myles Templeton is working on Wall Street as a investent banker. He works long hours and hates Christmas. Darcy and he have met before when she worked in a hotel in England. Myles was making a complaint about being pranked and Darcy ended up getting fired as a result. Now Myles is at her Inn in New York until the New Year when his NY accommodations will be ready. They see each other thinking the other looks familiary but cant quite make the connection and then suddenly they both remember. Darcy is determined not to let this ruin her time at her friends Inn. Myles doesnt want her to feel bad either. He makes an effort to be friendly. They share a drink together late one evening. Myles want to invite her to be his plus one at his office Christmas party at the Plaza. Later that week Darcy decorates and puts a Christmas tree in his room with a note from her. He sees it and gets angry calling her Cinderella ( she is always lighting fires and cleaning the grate). He emails a friend from work ranting. Later when she goes on a date to the Plaza for Myles Christmas office party Darcy overhears Myless colleagues friends wife share her email with Holly who is writing an article about the Inn. Darcy tells Myles and is angry leaving the party early walking home to the Inn. Myles apologizes umpteen times saying he will talk to Holly and set things straight. She tells him she wants to keep their relationship professional. His father shows up before Christmas and is staying at the Inn too. Myles has bad memories of Christmas because of his mother and her bad aloholic years. One year she almost burnt their house down. Myles is afraid to have a relationship and get married because of his parents bad years. Next thing Myles mother shows up to try to win back her son. They talk and share their feelings and memories. Eventually Myles and his mom make up. Darcy and her cook have a big Christmas dinner planned with turkey and all the trimmings for guests at the Inn. The cook calls in sick with the flu so Darcy who have never cooked a turkey dinner before panics. Myles comes to her aid and helps her do the dinner as he and his brother had to cook Christmas dinner before when their mom was too drunk to do any of it. Luckily for Darcy the dinner went off without a hitch. Myles and she kiss under the mistletoe. They realize they care for each other. The next book is their weddding. Once they are together they are so in love they cant keep their hands off one another.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looking for a cute&fluffy Christmas romance? You may enjoy this! I liked the inn setting, and a lot of the scenes, but this had all the features I hate about romances. My main gripe was gender expectations. For example: a discussion about how you get boys legos but all girls like makeup; the narrator reflecting on how she gave up being goth to be feminine for a boy, and again to be feminine for adulthood; the narrator constantly reflecting on not wanting a relationship because she doesn’t want to depend on a man (implying that a woman must depend on a man if she enters into a relationship with one). I also thought that the forgiveness that Myles extends to someone who wronged him was too fast and didn’t quite feel earned.

Content warnings for home invasion, alcoholism, alcoholic parent, infidelity

[Anita Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book just as much as I loved the first one. I cannot wait to read all the other books that take place surroundings characters in this area. Darcy is a strong, independent, caring, supportive, loving woman and Miles is a hard-working son and brother that needs someone to lighten him up, soften him up, and let him experience a wonderful Christmas again. I enjoyed all the characters we got to meet that stayed at the Inn, the other characters from the other book and I thought the storyline with Miles and his mother was a really interesting storyline. It showed how it affected Miles and why he reacted to things and he had to finally face those demons and let it go so they all could be happy again. The ending was sweet and perfect. I loved the narrators.

[Smitha Vasudevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darcy's hard won career in hospitality was cut short when she reacted against misbehavior against one of her staff. Her new stint in the Inglenook Inn is all the more important for it, one she is managing it for her friend's mom, and secondly, as a validation to herself that she was competent enough.

The Inn is open for Christmas this year, and Darcy believes there is nothing more magical than New York at Christmas. It gets interesting when Myles, the man responsible for her downfall, comes to stay at the Inn.

What will win? Darcy's fervent wish to make it a memorable Christmas or Myles who wants nothing more than to be left alone.

The characters are believable and endearing, and with the magic of snow over Christmas fire, anything is possible.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another adorable story from Helen J. Rolfe! This one is about Darcy who is currently running the inn during Christmas while the owner (Sophie) is overseas. When Miles comes back into her life, she has a hard time forgiving them and giving him a second chance. Cleo and Dylan make a brief appearance in this book but I really enjoyed learning about Darcy and getting to know Miles as well. Definitely an adorable Christmas book! Also, can I please have Holly as my BFF??

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just couldn’t really get into this. Maybe it’s the audiobook, as I enjoyed Myles’s narrator, but could not really get into Darcy’s. Although I will say it’s still pretty slow— not much particularly happens, and I didn’t find myself connecting with the characters all that much. Some points knocked off also for the weird gender stuff throughout— pushing femininity on females and the like. Those parts were weird. Anyways, 2.5⭐️ rounded up.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this Inn was real, I’d love to go here. It feels like you get made to feel part of the family when you check in! I love the chemistry between Darcy and Myles, the way they both recognise each other but don’t know how until it suddenly hits them both, one of those out of context you don’t recognise someone. Have already started the next book and can’t wait to read what happens next!
X

[Rayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was plenty of tension fuelling the fire of this holiday romance! I really appreciate the build up in this relationship, but was hoping for more substance to the making up phase after the conflict. The family challenges were handled really well, just like in the first book. The setting definitely made me want to spend a winter holiday at a cozy inn!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for this time of year. It takes place in NYC. Follows several members of the cast of “The Little Knitting Box”. A nice story, enough drama, well described characters. Also, interesting interactions of them as well. Several side stories, mingled with hints from the first book. A sweet, easy tale, great for those of us who like “Happy Endings”.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I am not a fan of books set in NYC, this one was tolerable. Nice story w/ a realistic story line and ending (well, you know, comparatively speaking to others in this genre). The situation w/ the main character’s mother was an interesting twist, and I did not mind it, although, I admit, it was sad, so I skimmed/skipped parts of that section.

[Latrice Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas romance at a small inn in New York City. An Innkeeper who has attention for detail and knows how to make everyone fill welcome except for the one individual who she would love to forget about, family drama, kids having fun adventures, and an amazing chef. Cozy romance with a holiday setting.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good book

I loved this book. The description makes you feel you are right there in the Inglenook Inn. Great characters and a situation dealt with in an understanding manner. I want to go there for Christmas.

[Ashley Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Darcy and Miles were so sweet together! Both were in needs of what the other had! I loved how Darcy was able to open Miles up and heal from the past! I really enjoyed all the guests at the end. I was excited Cleo and Dylan made an appearance! I can't wait for the next installment in this series!

[Wintermote · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: alcoholism

A book that doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities and ongoing pain/cost of addiction not only on the addict but their family as well. A fun Christmas romance that involves a more serious issue and heaviness that makes the resolution all the sweeter.

[Kasey Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the series, though you wouldn't be lost if you haven't had the pleasure of reading "Christmas at the Little Knitting Box." A fun, light, heartwarming story that is a great feel good/ happy ending.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to decide I liked this book. It takes a while to get behind some of her stilted writing in the introductory parts. Again, I did not realize I was picking up a book that wasn’t the first in a series. In the end, I did enjoy the characters, and went on to read the next book.

[Vickie Richens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, this is the second in the series and will definitely seek out more of the authors work

[MRS C.A.Shulkind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Enjoyed this very much. book 2 in the series. believable characters and story line. Had to read it straight through.

[Fulya Celebi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very very Good

One of the best Christmas stories I have read and believe me I am a great fan of Christmas stories

[Ms A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really nice December read. It was an enjoyable happy ever after!