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Christmas from the Heart
USA TODAY bestselling author Sheila Roberts takes readers to the charming, snowbound town of Pine River in this irresistible holiday romance.
Sometimes you need to look beyond the big picture to see what really matters
Olivia Berg’s charity, Christmas from the Heart, has helped generations of families in need in Pine River, Washington, but this year might be the end of the road. Hightower Enterprises, one of their biggest donors since way back when Olivia’s grandmother ran the charity, has been taken over by Ebenezer Scrooge the Second, aka CFO Guy Hightower, and he’s declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart.
Guy is simply being practical. Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, and when you don’t have money to spare, you don’t have money to share. You’d think even the pushy Olivia Berg could understand that.
With charitable donations dwindling, Olivia’s Christmas budget depends on Hightower’s contribution. She’s focused her whole life on helping this small town, even putting her love life on hold to support her mission.
When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he’s relieved to be rescued by a pretty young woman who drives him to the nearby town of Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is none other than Olivia Berg. What’s a Scrooge to do? Plug his nose and eat fruitcake and hope she doesn’t learn his true identity before he can get out of town. What could go wrong?
Sometimes you need to look beyond the big picture to see what really matters
Olivia Berg’s charity, Christmas from the Heart, has helped generations of families in need in Pine River, Washington, but this year might be the end of the road. Hightower Enterprises, one of their biggest donors since way back when Olivia’s grandmother ran the charity, has been taken over by Ebenezer Scrooge the Second, aka CFO Guy Hightower, and he’s declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart.
Guy is simply being practical. Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, and when you don’t have money to spare, you don’t have money to share. You’d think even the pushy Olivia Berg could understand that.
With charitable donations dwindling, Olivia’s Christmas budget depends on Hightower’s contribution. She’s focused her whole life on helping this small town, even putting her love life on hold to support her mission.
When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he’s relieved to be rescued by a pretty young woman who drives him to the nearby town of Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is none other than Olivia Berg. What’s a Scrooge to do? Plug his nose and eat fruitcake and hope she doesn’t learn his true identity before he can get out of town. What could go wrong?
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2019
502 people are currently reading
2915 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Roberts
108 books1,981 followersWith fifty books to her credit, both fiction and non-fiction, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her books have sold over three million copies and have been turned into movies for the Hallmark, Lifetime and Great American Family channels. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, Sheila can be found hanging out with friends, playing tennis, and, of course, writing and reading. Sometimes she even remembers to post books she's read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 339 reviews
December 24, 2021
I went into Christmas from the Heart expecting a fluffy and cheesy romance, kind of like a Hallmark movie, which I confess I enjoy watching from time to time. So there I was, all settled in with my glass of wine and a warm blanket, cozy as can be. But almost immediately, I could tell this story lacked what a compelling Hallmark movie always has: a likable female lead.
Livi runs a charity, and a large part of her job is getting funding for it. But she's so pushy and obnoxious that it sets my teeth on edge. When Guy tells her that his company cannot contribute to her charity this year due to financial issues, she badgers him relentlessly while bad-mouthing him to everyone she knows. He feels bad, so he sends her a check for a few hundred dollars, to which she responds by writing a belittling thank-you note back. When they meet in person, and she doesn't know who he is but can see that he has money, she immediately latches onto him for funding, all the while bad-mouthing Guy to him, not knowing they're the same person. At some point, Livi even acknowledges that she feels entitled to the money.
Honestly, I'm a bit in shock that this is the characterization of the main female character. The author seems to be trying to say that Livi is the kind and generous charity do-gooder while Guy is the Scrooge, but actually wrote it such that Livi comes across as the gold-digging villain while Guy is the reasonable one. It makes no sense to me that Guy falls for Livi when she essentially acts like an entitled princess who must get her way.
Speaking of unlikable characters, there is a local guy Morris who pines for Livi in the story. He hangs around her like a puppy, running errands for her and basically acting like her slave. He badgers her constantly to get back together with him even though she has told him multiple times that she doesn't want to. But then she strings him along, sucking up to him so that he would do favors for her. The two of them deserve each other, so it's sad that they weren't the pairing that got together in the end.
Every year during this time, I try to fit in a few seasonal books to get in the spirit. But inevitably I get distracted, and the holidays seem to fly by in the blink of an eye. When January arrives, I look at my pile of holiday reads and admit defeat. But not this year. This year, I did it! It's just too bad it was a cold-hearted read instead of the heartwarming one I was hoping for.
Livi runs a charity, and a large part of her job is getting funding for it. But she's so pushy and obnoxious that it sets my teeth on edge. When Guy tells her that his company cannot contribute to her charity this year due to financial issues, she badgers him relentlessly while bad-mouthing him to everyone she knows. He feels bad, so he sends her a check for a few hundred dollars, to which she responds by writing a belittling thank-you note back. When they meet in person, and she doesn't know who he is but can see that he has money, she immediately latches onto him for funding, all the while bad-mouthing Guy to him, not knowing they're the same person. At some point, Livi even acknowledges that she feels entitled to the money.
Honestly, I'm a bit in shock that this is the characterization of the main female character. The author seems to be trying to say that Livi is the kind and generous charity do-gooder while Guy is the Scrooge, but actually wrote it such that Livi comes across as the gold-digging villain while Guy is the reasonable one. It makes no sense to me that Guy falls for Livi when she essentially acts like an entitled princess who must get her way.
Speaking of unlikable characters, there is a local guy Morris who pines for Livi in the story. He hangs around her like a puppy, running errands for her and basically acting like her slave. He badgers her constantly to get back together with him even though she has told him multiple times that she doesn't want to. But then she strings him along, sucking up to him so that he would do favors for her. The two of them deserve each other, so it's sad that they weren't the pairing that got together in the end.
Every year during this time, I try to fit in a few seasonal books to get in the spirit. But inevitably I get distracted, and the holidays seem to fly by in the blink of an eye. When January arrives, I look at my pile of holiday reads and admit defeat. But not this year. This year, I did it! It's just too bad it was a cold-hearted read instead of the heartwarming one I was hoping for.
September 12, 2019
Pretty good. Needed more sizzle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed the premise of the story. Holiday time is the perfect time to give to others and that’s what this book is all about.
However, things didn’t quite go so well for me with the story. I really did not connect well with the female lead, Olivia. She was rude and abrupt and acted as if she was owed something just because she ran a nonprofit. While that is a big part of the story, just the way it came off to me was not pleasing.
I also had a little difficulty actually connecting with the romance. While she was being short and abrupt, he was supposedly finding her cute and adorable. It just didn’t work for me and I really felt no connection between the two of them. Plus, Guy let the lie go on way too long.
The story itself has a lot of potential. It offers a unique solid classic romance that gives us a glimpse of a typical small town in the US which I enjoyed. Many of the supporting characters were nicely developed and added a lot of interest.
Christmas From the Heart is a good story but I really wanted more connection in the character and romance department to seal the deal for me.
* Copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/christmas-fr...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed the premise of the story. Holiday time is the perfect time to give to others and that’s what this book is all about.
However, things didn’t quite go so well for me with the story. I really did not connect well with the female lead, Olivia. She was rude and abrupt and acted as if she was owed something just because she ran a nonprofit. While that is a big part of the story, just the way it came off to me was not pleasing.
I also had a little difficulty actually connecting with the romance. While she was being short and abrupt, he was supposedly finding her cute and adorable. It just didn’t work for me and I really felt no connection between the two of them. Plus, Guy let the lie go on way too long.
The story itself has a lot of potential. It offers a unique solid classic romance that gives us a glimpse of a typical small town in the US which I enjoyed. Many of the supporting characters were nicely developed and added a lot of interest.
Christmas From the Heart is a good story but I really wanted more connection in the character and romance department to seal the deal for me.
* Copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/christmas-fr...
December 17, 2020
Such a sweet, cozy Christmas read! The beginning starts out a little show but in my opinion it's worth the read.
This story is about Olivia Berg, a woman who runs a nonprofit organization that has been in her family since her grandmother ran it. Their biggest donor being Hightower Enterprises run by Guy Hightower. But one Christmas Guy decides he can't help and donates very little. But Guys Maserati breaks down on the outskirts of town one day and when his rescuer turns out to be a very beautiful Olivia Berg he must make a choice, tell her his true identity? Or pretend to be someone else till he's able to get his car fixed and get out of town?
This novel is very sweet and heartwarming and I didn’t do nearly a good enough job explaining it. It really shows what good can come out of donating a little money to help those in need and the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from being able to lend a helping hand.
This story is about Olivia Berg, a woman who runs a nonprofit organization that has been in her family since her grandmother ran it. Their biggest donor being Hightower Enterprises run by Guy Hightower. But one Christmas Guy decides he can't help and donates very little. But Guys Maserati breaks down on the outskirts of town one day and when his rescuer turns out to be a very beautiful Olivia Berg he must make a choice, tell her his true identity? Or pretend to be someone else till he's able to get his car fixed and get out of town?
This novel is very sweet and heartwarming and I didn’t do nearly a good enough job explaining it. It really shows what good can come out of donating a little money to help those in need and the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from being able to lend a helping hand.
February 4, 2022
I liked the book but couldn’t stand how Livi wouldn’t leave it alone after Guy said he wasn’t donating to Christmas from the Heart. I know non profits work off donations, but she was very demanding and rude when she didn’t get her way. Then that’s all she could talk about. 🙄
October 12, 2019
About the book • 304 pages • Holiday Romance • Stand-alone • HEA • Skimmed pages • Heroine got my my nerves • Not my kind of book.
This was given to me by NETGALLEY and I’ve given my honest review.
This was given to me by NETGALLEY and I’ve given my honest review.
September 23, 2019
Christmas from he Heart by Sheila Roberts
A contemporary Christmas romance. Sweet and touching.
Altruism (with a deep secret in the past - very minor plot point that I would have liked to see expanded).
Heart: the method of selecting the fruit cake baker was especially lovely and charitable.
Love: to settle for what is comfortable or stretch for more is the question of the hour.
No spoilers but this one went down to the wire. I would have liked to see pieces come together sooner. I really appreciated Morris in the end.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
A contemporary Christmas romance. Sweet and touching.
Altruism (with a deep secret in the past - very minor plot point that I would have liked to see expanded).
Heart: the method of selecting the fruit cake baker was especially lovely and charitable.
Love: to settle for what is comfortable or stretch for more is the question of the hour.
No spoilers but this one went down to the wire. I would have liked to see pieces come together sooner. I really appreciated Morris in the end.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
December 10, 2019
Olivia Berg is excited for another successful year for her charity, Christmas from the Heart. She has always been able to count on their biggest donor, Hightower Enterprises. All she wants for her town's residents, families in need, is for them to have the perfect Christmas. When she makes the call, however, as she speaks to the company's CFO, Guy Hightower, she is pretty much met with a brick wall, and a single answer: a very hard No.
Guy is just trying to save jobs for his company. He doesn't want to have to let anybody go, but they aren't making as much money as they have been, so he has made the executive decision to cut out some of their biggest charities, and this unfortunately includes Olivia Berg's charity. But boy, can a woman just take no for an answer and move on?
So, Olivia is pushy and Guy is a Scrooge. Imagine his shock when he finds himself (and his Maserati) stranded on the side of the road, who else stops and becomes his Good Samaritan? None other than Olivia. He quickly learns who she is, but he makes sure to give a fake name. Maybe he can get his car fixed quickly and get back on the road before she has any idea that he was the one to her charity.
I loved this book! Olivia has a heart of gold, and truly, Guy isn't that far behind. However, there is a comedy of errors along the way as the pair establish a bond rather quickly. However, their conflict, and issues with his company are front and center during most of the story, but, as always for a Christmas romance, readers are given a delightful happy ending.
Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Guy is just trying to save jobs for his company. He doesn't want to have to let anybody go, but they aren't making as much money as they have been, so he has made the executive decision to cut out some of their biggest charities, and this unfortunately includes Olivia Berg's charity. But boy, can a woman just take no for an answer and move on?
So, Olivia is pushy and Guy is a Scrooge. Imagine his shock when he finds himself (and his Maserati) stranded on the side of the road, who else stops and becomes his Good Samaritan? None other than Olivia. He quickly learns who she is, but he makes sure to give a fake name. Maybe he can get his car fixed quickly and get back on the road before she has any idea that he was the one to her charity.
I loved this book! Olivia has a heart of gold, and truly, Guy isn't that far behind. However, there is a comedy of errors along the way as the pair establish a bond rather quickly. However, their conflict, and issues with his company are front and center during most of the story, but, as always for a Christmas romance, readers are given a delightful happy ending.
Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
October 8, 2019
A sweet Christmas read where a non profit organization run by Livi lost a major donation made by the Hightower companies run by Guy and there were words exchanged. Until serendipity played a part, and Guy was stranded in her town a few days before Christmas. False identity, final reveal, and love finding its way made this book complete.
Sheila Roberts has written a fun story where the pages turned fast. Warmth and cheer of Christmas could be felt as sweet as the chocolate fruitcake that the duo tasted. False identity showed Guy what he was missing about Christmas. Grinch having a turn of heart was well depicted.
Livi was too fixated on the donation, it was ironical when she uttered the words admitting that she felt entitled to the donation for her non- profit organization. Small town love and generosity added to the Chrismassy mood. A short fun read over breakfast.
Sheila Roberts has written a fun story where the pages turned fast. Warmth and cheer of Christmas could be felt as sweet as the chocolate fruitcake that the duo tasted. False identity showed Guy what he was missing about Christmas. Grinch having a turn of heart was well depicted.
Livi was too fixated on the donation, it was ironical when she uttered the words admitting that she felt entitled to the donation for her non- profit organization. Small town love and generosity added to the Chrismassy mood. A short fun read over breakfast.
September 19, 2019
Love the cover! So beautiful and cozy looking!
What an AWESOME Story! I highly recommend reading it.
Very well written and amazing characters that intertwine with each other so well. A story that shows you what is really important in life. Loved every minute of it and hated to see it end!
What an AWESOME Story! I highly recommend reading it.
Very well written and amazing characters that intertwine with each other so well. A story that shows you what is really important in life. Loved every minute of it and hated to see it end!
Read
October 18, 2023The female main character killed it.
I liked the premise - a woman working at a non profit goes to her usual donor to see about getting a generous amount. Turns out the company has a new owner and has decided to drop her non profit from their donations list.
She is adamant to get that donation and heckles the owner until he gives just a small amount. The whole thing was kind of funny. Until the story goes on and she can’t get over it. She is personally offended by this guy that he only gave a meager amount to the usual and makes comments to her friends and in her head about how stingy he is. It got old real fast.
Then the company owner dude breaks down on the side of the road at Christmas. Who comes across him? Of course this woman who hates him. Good thing she doesn’t know what he looks like! So he hides his identity from her.
It was fun kind of but also the characters felt one dimensional and I didn’t care for them.
There were some swear words that I always say feel out of place in a Christmas book. There weren’t a ton but enough that I noticed.
It was clean up to what I read. Dnf
I liked the premise - a woman working at a non profit goes to her usual donor to see about getting a generous amount. Turns out the company has a new owner and has decided to drop her non profit from their donations list.
She is adamant to get that donation and heckles the owner until he gives just a small amount. The whole thing was kind of funny. Until the story goes on and she can’t get over it. She is personally offended by this guy that he only gave a meager amount to the usual and makes comments to her friends and in her head about how stingy he is. It got old real fast.
Then the company owner dude breaks down on the side of the road at Christmas. Who comes across him? Of course this woman who hates him. Good thing she doesn’t know what he looks like! So he hides his identity from her.
It was fun kind of but also the characters felt one dimensional and I didn’t care for them.
There were some swear words that I always say feel out of place in a Christmas book. There weren’t a ton but enough that I noticed.
It was clean up to what I read. Dnf
November 27, 2019
Christmas from the Heart by Sheila Roberts is a pleasing Christmas story that will leave you with a happy feeling. Christmas from the Heart is a story with realistic character and a sweet small town. Olivia is a warm character who misses her recently deceased mother. She has taken over running the non-profit her mother started, and it is her sole focus. Olivia is thoughtful, caring, a hard worker, generous and persistent which are all traits needed in her line of work. She loves her father and is worried about him since he has retreated from life since the death of his wife. Guy Hightower is a hardworking man who is smart and caring. He is trying to save Hightower Enterprises, but he keeps butting up against his older brother’s. Christmas from the Heart has Sheila Roberts engaging writing which drew me right in. I like the humor sprinkled throughout the story and the lovely town of Pine River. I wish I lived in such a warm, helpful community. I like how they help each other out. There was more going on in Christmas from the Heart, but you will have to find out the rest for yourself. I enjoyed reading Sheila Roberts latest Christmas story and look forward to her next book. Christmas from the Heart is a charming Christmas tale with a caring community, a needy non-profit, tempting treats, a benign beau, frightful fruitcake and happy holiday happenings.
October 5, 2019
This book was so disappointing! I usually love this author's books, especially the Christmas ones. The characters were SO unlikeable! Olivia was super annoying and entitled. Harpy, and nagging and expected and demanded Guy hand over money. Major guilt trips. Basically, business men and people with money = bad. Bad, terrible people. Never mind the judgy mcjudy. And let's talk about how she led Morris on. If someone so obviously loves you, you can't be friends, and use him to do your bidding and say you're such a great guy! Kiss him on the cheek. That's called LEADING him on. Of course, she rebounds to him. 🙄 I skimmed the ending. This is a Hallmark movie except with cursing and unlikeable characters. Pass.
March 26, 2020
RATING: 2.5 Stars
2019; Mira/Harlequin/HarperCollins
I love the premise of Christmas from the Heart, but Olivia (the heroine) bugged me right from the beginning. Maybe I am a Scrooge too, but I was just turned off from the way she handled Guy Hightower's refusal on donating money. While I totally understood how important that money was to her charity, it just seemed like she could not see beyond obligations. That money they had for donating could be going to employee bonuses, or they didn't have the funds. I persevered as I kind of wanted to hear Guy tell Olivia off about that....but nope, he is painted as the Scrooge and apologizes. This is my first book by Sheila Roberts, and I would try another one as I did like the small town feeling and the secondary characters.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
2019; Mira/Harlequin/HarperCollins
I love the premise of Christmas from the Heart, but Olivia (the heroine) bugged me right from the beginning. Maybe I am a Scrooge too, but I was just turned off from the way she handled Guy Hightower's refusal on donating money. While I totally understood how important that money was to her charity, it just seemed like she could not see beyond obligations. That money they had for donating could be going to employee bonuses, or they didn't have the funds. I persevered as I kind of wanted to hear Guy tell Olivia off about that....but nope, he is painted as the Scrooge and apologizes. This is my first book by Sheila Roberts, and I would try another one as I did like the small town feeling and the secondary characters.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
Want to read
October 8, 2019Christmas From the Heart
By: Sheila Roberts
*REVIEW* 🎄🎄🎄.5
Christmas From the Heart is a charming story. Olivia runs a charity for the poor, but the loss of her biggest donor is a blow. Guy owns the company that normally makes the big donation to Olivia's charity. His company is in trouble, thus no money to give, but no one knows about it. Circumstances bring Olivia and Guy together, and a relationship develops. What happens when they realize the connection between them? It's a sweet holiday story with the message of giving not receiving. Olivia is a bit entitled, but otherwise, she's a good heroine. Guy is a typical hallmark movie hero. I enjoyed most of the story, but it's predictable. It's a solid feel good warm hearted story that is easy to read without stressing your mind.
By: Sheila Roberts
*REVIEW* 🎄🎄🎄.5
Christmas From the Heart is a charming story. Olivia runs a charity for the poor, but the loss of her biggest donor is a blow. Guy owns the company that normally makes the big donation to Olivia's charity. His company is in trouble, thus no money to give, but no one knows about it. Circumstances bring Olivia and Guy together, and a relationship develops. What happens when they realize the connection between them? It's a sweet holiday story with the message of giving not receiving. Olivia is a bit entitled, but otherwise, she's a good heroine. Guy is a typical hallmark movie hero. I enjoyed most of the story, but it's predictable. It's a solid feel good warm hearted story that is easy to read without stressing your mind.
December 3, 2019
Christmas From The Heart by Sheila Roberts is a holiday romance story featuring the joys, rewards, and challenges of helping those in need.
Livi Berg runs a nonprofit that has been in her family for multiple generations. Guy Hightower is a wealthy CEO from Seattle, Washington. When Livi contacts Hightower Enterprises to see if they’ll be donating to Christmas From The Heart for their holiday drive, Guy informs her that they’ve opted to donate to other organizations for the upcoming holiday season. This doesn’t sit very well with Livi and the two end up having a snarky email exchange. Livi ends up raising much less money to support local families in need because she has lost the largest supporter of her nonprofit, and she proceeds to try to stretch her limited resources as far as she can.
In a fun and very unlikely twist of events, Guy’s car ends up breaking down in Livi’s small town just a few days before Christmas, and Livi happens to be the first on the scene to help him. When he finds out who she is, he chooses to introduce himself with a fake name because of their not-so-positive history. Ultimately, however, the two hit it off and actually fall in love while Guy is in town waiting for his car to be repaired.
I had to suspend my disbelief at how these two actually meet and fall in love. This story really does read like a fun Hallmark holiday movie. Livi and her family go out of their way to help Guy (aka “Joe Ford”) while he is in town, even offering their own spare bedroom for him to stay in since the local hotel is full with no vacancies. As the days progress and Guy witnesses all of the good that Livi and her nonprofit do for their community, he realizes that he may have been too hasty in turning down her request for a donation. He begins to see that the families in need are directly impacted by whether or not his large corporation continues supporting Christmas From The Heart with donations. Ultimately, Guy has a major change of heart by the end of the story.
The romance progresses in a fun way and the story is quite charming. There is a third person involved. Morris, Livi’s best friend since childhood who also is in love with her. Morris wants Guy to leave town and get away from Livi, and this results in the expected love-triangle-y interactions between the two men throughout the story, including a fight. To me, the biggest conflicts in the story were the way Guy’s real identity was revealed and how Livi handled the news that he had lied to her. No worries, though-everyone ends up happy.
I feel conflicted about Livi as a character. It doesn’t seem like she learned anything from her encounter with Guy. Yes, she fell in love with him, but before that happened and while she thought Guy was “Joe”, she talked terribly about Guy-Hightower-the-CEO to everyone that would listen. She even worked her ill feelings about him into conversations that had nothing to do with Guy or his business. Her negative attitude made her look like she struggled with entitlement where her nonprofit was concerned, even though her actions showed that she was loving and kind. I don’t feel like her words or actions resolved themselves, and it seemed like everyone chose to overlook how nasty she had been toward Guy. I loved Guy’s transformation into a more giving person, but to be clear: I never really felt like he was selfish at all.
This story was enjoyable to read (and I think it would make a super-fun holiday movie!!). There is a great small-town setting, a lovable cast of characters, and an HEA. I recommend Christmas From The Heart for readers that love winter-y, Christmas-y reads.
I received this book for free from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Harlequin MIRA!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
Livi Berg runs a nonprofit that has been in her family for multiple generations. Guy Hightower is a wealthy CEO from Seattle, Washington. When Livi contacts Hightower Enterprises to see if they’ll be donating to Christmas From The Heart for their holiday drive, Guy informs her that they’ve opted to donate to other organizations for the upcoming holiday season. This doesn’t sit very well with Livi and the two end up having a snarky email exchange. Livi ends up raising much less money to support local families in need because she has lost the largest supporter of her nonprofit, and she proceeds to try to stretch her limited resources as far as she can.
In a fun and very unlikely twist of events, Guy’s car ends up breaking down in Livi’s small town just a few days before Christmas, and Livi happens to be the first on the scene to help him. When he finds out who she is, he chooses to introduce himself with a fake name because of their not-so-positive history. Ultimately, however, the two hit it off and actually fall in love while Guy is in town waiting for his car to be repaired.
I had to suspend my disbelief at how these two actually meet and fall in love. This story really does read like a fun Hallmark holiday movie. Livi and her family go out of their way to help Guy (aka “Joe Ford”) while he is in town, even offering their own spare bedroom for him to stay in since the local hotel is full with no vacancies. As the days progress and Guy witnesses all of the good that Livi and her nonprofit do for their community, he realizes that he may have been too hasty in turning down her request for a donation. He begins to see that the families in need are directly impacted by whether or not his large corporation continues supporting Christmas From The Heart with donations. Ultimately, Guy has a major change of heart by the end of the story.
The romance progresses in a fun way and the story is quite charming. There is a third person involved. Morris, Livi’s best friend since childhood who also is in love with her. Morris wants Guy to leave town and get away from Livi, and this results in the expected love-triangle-y interactions between the two men throughout the story, including a fight. To me, the biggest conflicts in the story were the way Guy’s real identity was revealed and how Livi handled the news that he had lied to her. No worries, though-everyone ends up happy.
I feel conflicted about Livi as a character. It doesn’t seem like she learned anything from her encounter with Guy. Yes, she fell in love with him, but before that happened and while she thought Guy was “Joe”, she talked terribly about Guy-Hightower-the-CEO to everyone that would listen. She even worked her ill feelings about him into conversations that had nothing to do with Guy or his business. Her negative attitude made her look like she struggled with entitlement where her nonprofit was concerned, even though her actions showed that she was loving and kind. I don’t feel like her words or actions resolved themselves, and it seemed like everyone chose to overlook how nasty she had been toward Guy. I loved Guy’s transformation into a more giving person, but to be clear: I never really felt like he was selfish at all.
This story was enjoyable to read (and I think it would make a super-fun holiday movie!!). There is a great small-town setting, a lovable cast of characters, and an HEA. I recommend Christmas From The Heart for readers that love winter-y, Christmas-y reads.
I received this book for free from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Harlequin MIRA!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
December 15, 2020
If you are looking for a book that reads exactly like a Hallmark movie then Christmas from the Heart by Sheila Roberts is the book for you! It is short at under 300 pages, and the audio is less than 7.5 hours, so it makes for a very quick read. Olivia was a great character and I found both her and Guy incredibly endearing. Even when Guy is being a scrooge, I liked him, and I loved how things came together in the end. The book is like a Hallmark movie in the way the story is told, the character's interactions, and the way you have to wait until the very end for things to really come together. I love this type of story and couldn't have been happier with this novel.
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Teri Schnaubelt and I thought she did such a great job. I loved her voice and thought she was the perfect narrator for this story. It was a tiny bit emotional but nothing too crazy, and it really is a quintessential small-town romance. The characters felt realistic and Christmas from the Heart was the perfect December read even though it's not fully focused on Christmas. I thought the end was satisfying, and if you are looking for a light, cozy romance I highly recommend it. If you are looking for that happy ending Christmas from the Heart has you covered on that too!
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Teri Schnaubelt and I thought she did such a great job. I loved her voice and thought she was the perfect narrator for this story. It was a tiny bit emotional but nothing too crazy, and it really is a quintessential small-town romance. The characters felt realistic and Christmas from the Heart was the perfect December read even though it's not fully focused on Christmas. I thought the end was satisfying, and if you are looking for a light, cozy romance I highly recommend it. If you are looking for that happy ending Christmas from the Heart has you covered on that too!
January 20, 2021
I read this because I was just about out of books. The stupidest book I've ever read. Maybe 2 stars is harsh though, considering I was grinning the whole time I was reading.
August 31, 2019
Many thanks to Mira Books and #NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. What follows is my unbiased review.
It's never too early to read a touching Christmas story that has a focus on kindness and building community and Sheila Roberts has done a great job in this novel set in the community of Pine River.
Livi Berg and her father are still grieving the death of their mother and wife and the non-profit group Christmas From the Heart, is Livi's way of honoring her mother and the work she did in making sure that everyone in the community can have a Merry Christmas.
As the story begins, a series of emails goes back and forth between Livi and staff at the Hightower Company. They have a history of supporting the charity, but as months go by and the emails become ever more frantic it seems clear that money is less and less likely to be forthcoming. The new CEO, Guy Hightower has made his budgetary plans and they do not include supporting Christmas from the Heart. Even attempts to speak directly to Hightower fail and leave Livi in shock at being called a "leech"!
In a strange twist of circumstances, Guy Hightower finds himself just outside Pine River with a car in need of repairs. The first person to stop and offer assistance is Livi Berg and realizing how awkward things could get, Guy decides to introduce himself as Joe Ford. This is a decision he will come to quickly regret. When parts need to be ordered for his high end vehicle and the local Inn is full up, he finds himself forced to stay with Livi and her dad. Livi sees him as a possible new source of funds for her charity and as Guy sees her at work he becomes increasingly attracted despite the fact that her high school boyfriend (also the mechanic who must repair his car) is very much around and interested in resuming his romance with Livi.
What follows is a story filled with humour, some sadness and grief and a real opportunity for self examination and a discovery of what is important in life. It was great to read about a community that really worked together and friends who could always be counted on for moral support. The author also included some very interesting recipes including several fruitcake recipes for fruitcakes entered into the Pine River fruitcake contest. Yum!
I'm on vacation this week and this story made for a very nice quick read. It's the kind of book that makes me stop and think of how I can be more like the heroine and experience more of the joy of Christmas and less of the stress that sometimes tends to overwhelm at such a busy time. Maybe it will do that for other readers too.
It's never too early to read a touching Christmas story that has a focus on kindness and building community and Sheila Roberts has done a great job in this novel set in the community of Pine River.
Livi Berg and her father are still grieving the death of their mother and wife and the non-profit group Christmas From the Heart, is Livi's way of honoring her mother and the work she did in making sure that everyone in the community can have a Merry Christmas.
As the story begins, a series of emails goes back and forth between Livi and staff at the Hightower Company. They have a history of supporting the charity, but as months go by and the emails become ever more frantic it seems clear that money is less and less likely to be forthcoming. The new CEO, Guy Hightower has made his budgetary plans and they do not include supporting Christmas from the Heart. Even attempts to speak directly to Hightower fail and leave Livi in shock at being called a "leech"!
In a strange twist of circumstances, Guy Hightower finds himself just outside Pine River with a car in need of repairs. The first person to stop and offer assistance is Livi Berg and realizing how awkward things could get, Guy decides to introduce himself as Joe Ford. This is a decision he will come to quickly regret. When parts need to be ordered for his high end vehicle and the local Inn is full up, he finds himself forced to stay with Livi and her dad. Livi sees him as a possible new source of funds for her charity and as Guy sees her at work he becomes increasingly attracted despite the fact that her high school boyfriend (also the mechanic who must repair his car) is very much around and interested in resuming his romance with Livi.
What follows is a story filled with humour, some sadness and grief and a real opportunity for self examination and a discovery of what is important in life. It was great to read about a community that really worked together and friends who could always be counted on for moral support. The author also included some very interesting recipes including several fruitcake recipes for fruitcakes entered into the Pine River fruitcake contest. Yum!
I'm on vacation this week and this story made for a very nice quick read. It's the kind of book that makes me stop and think of how I can be more like the heroine and experience more of the joy of Christmas and less of the stress that sometimes tends to overwhelm at such a busy time. Maybe it will do that for other readers too.
October 2, 2019
I love reading feel-good, Christmas stories and even though it is only October, I have started enjoying this seasons batch. Christmas From the Heart fits the bill nicely. Olivia Berg runs a non-profit called Christmas From the Heart and is in a fix this year. Their main contributor, Hightower Enterprises, has decided not to donate to the charity this year, leaving them high and dry. When Guy Hightower ends up in Pine River after his fancy, foreign car breaks down, he learns that Olivia is not what he expected and the small town has a heart of gold.
I loved Olivia's character. She was generous, loving, persistent, hard-working and caring, all characteristics that are needed when running a non-profit. She is so busy all year long, that she still lives at home with her dad and has no significant other in her life. There is someone who wants to be in her life, but she sees him as just a friend. When Guy realizes where he is and who Olivia is, he immediately makes up a name so she doesn't know who he is before he can make an escape. He is handsome, caring and smart and only doing what he needs to do in order to save Hightower, of course most people do not know the situation the company is in. He can't resist Olivia's charms, generosity and loving spirit. There are several roadblocks in the way of any kind of relationship, some angst and happily Christmas Magic that bring this story to a satisfying conclusion.
I listened to the audiobook of Christmas From the Heart narrated by Teri Schnaubelt. I enjoyed Teri Schnaubelt’s narration. as she made the story very easy to listen to, reading at a nice pace. As with most audiobooks with only one narrator, the male voices often sounded similar, but were still okay and I was able to recognize Guy's voice when he was the speaker. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook and will listen to others narrated by Teri Schnaubelt. I received this book upon request from the publisher, the rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
I loved Olivia's character. She was generous, loving, persistent, hard-working and caring, all characteristics that are needed when running a non-profit. She is so busy all year long, that she still lives at home with her dad and has no significant other in her life. There is someone who wants to be in her life, but she sees him as just a friend. When Guy realizes where he is and who Olivia is, he immediately makes up a name so she doesn't know who he is before he can make an escape. He is handsome, caring and smart and only doing what he needs to do in order to save Hightower, of course most people do not know the situation the company is in. He can't resist Olivia's charms, generosity and loving spirit. There are several roadblocks in the way of any kind of relationship, some angst and happily Christmas Magic that bring this story to a satisfying conclusion.
I listened to the audiobook of Christmas From the Heart narrated by Teri Schnaubelt. I enjoyed Teri Schnaubelt’s narration. as she made the story very easy to listen to, reading at a nice pace. As with most audiobooks with only one narrator, the male voices often sounded similar, but were still okay and I was able to recognize Guy's voice when he was the speaker. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook and will listen to others narrated by Teri Schnaubelt. I received this book upon request from the publisher, the rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
December 6, 2019
Olivia "Livi" Berg lives in a small town near Seattle, Washington. Her sole purpose is to raise money for her non-profit, Christmas from the Heart and help as many people as she can in her small town. When she goes to one of their benefactors for a donation for the upcoming year, she is met with resistance. How in the world are they going to be able to help everyone that they helped before without this company's help? Guy Hightower is the benefactor who is not giving to Christmas from the Heart this year. His company has not been doing well since the death of this father and he is determined to turn that around, which means having to make some hard decisions. But when his car breaks down outside of Livi Berg's town, he will find out what Christmas from the Heart is all about.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book.
It's the time of year when we all like to cozy up under a warm blanket and watch Hallmark and Lifetime movies. I can see this book being on one of those stations.
Livi Berg despises Guy Hightower even before she has met him. How dare he call her a leech when all she is trying to do is provide for the people of her small community. Guy Hightower doesn't know Livi Berg at all, but can't believe she can't take no for an answer. But when he finally meets her, he can't believe how he was ever able to say no to her in the first place.
I usually do not read a lot of holiday themed books, I also do not watch those movies I talked about earlier, but I'm trying to change things up a bit. So this holiday season, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and reading three holiday novels. I'll let you know which I like the best when it is all said and done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book.
It's the time of year when we all like to cozy up under a warm blanket and watch Hallmark and Lifetime movies. I can see this book being on one of those stations.
Livi Berg despises Guy Hightower even before she has met him. How dare he call her a leech when all she is trying to do is provide for the people of her small community. Guy Hightower doesn't know Livi Berg at all, but can't believe she can't take no for an answer. But when he finally meets her, he can't believe how he was ever able to say no to her in the first place.
I usually do not read a lot of holiday themed books, I also do not watch those movies I talked about earlier, but I'm trying to change things up a bit. So this holiday season, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and reading three holiday novels. I'll let you know which I like the best when it is all said and done.
October 7, 2019
This was a nice Christmas book. Olivia is the head of a non-profit group that serves a small Washington town during the holidays. Guy is the financial officer of a company that has given generously until the current year. They hate each other, then actually meet.
Things I liked: I liked the town and I liked seeing how people of all ages and classes contributed to a good cause. I liked seeing a glimpse of another, simpler world through Guy's eyes. The fruitcake/fundraising night was a special favorite of mine.
Things I didn't like quite as much: I dislike love triangles. I felt like Olivia often came across as feeling entitled to donations, although her dedication and hard work offset that a bit. I get kind of uptight when the main conflict comes from something that could be revealed in a sentence if someone just decided to be honest.
Even with those things, this story was well worth reading and was a great holiday story!
Things I liked: I liked the town and I liked seeing how people of all ages and classes contributed to a good cause. I liked seeing a glimpse of another, simpler world through Guy's eyes. The fruitcake/fundraising night was a special favorite of mine.
Things I didn't like quite as much: I dislike love triangles. I felt like Olivia often came across as feeling entitled to donations, although her dedication and hard work offset that a bit. I get kind of uptight when the main conflict comes from something that could be revealed in a sentence if someone just decided to be honest.
Even with those things, this story was well worth reading and was a great holiday story!
September 19, 2019
Take a small town, Pine River, add a generous hearted girl, a Scrooge like Corporate rich guy, and a lovestruck country boy and what do you have? Another hit by author Sheila Roberts! This story warmed my heart and got me thinking of Christmas even in this 100 degree weather in Alabama. Olivia Berg is head of a non-profit called Christmas from the Heart. She works all year with small pay trying to raise money to make the holidays a little merrier for the folks in Pine River and surrounding areas that are down on their luck. One of the company’s that has always been most generous is Hightower Enterprises. Only this year they have opted not to contribute. This puts a strain on what Livi can do for those in need this year. Guy Hightower becomes an arch enemy. So when his fancy, expensive car breaks down in Pine River, Livi stops to give him a lift not realizing his real identity. He gives her a fake name so as not to ruffle her feathers. And now the fun begins!
This book is full of conflict, jealousy, romance and my favorite—humor. You can’t miss with a novel set in a small town where everyone knows everyone and their business as well. Let the grapevine commence!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise. All opinions are my own.
This book is full of conflict, jealousy, romance and my favorite—humor. You can’t miss with a novel set in a small town where everyone knows everyone and their business as well. Let the grapevine commence!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise. All opinions are my own.
October 12, 2019
Christmas from the Heart is a heartwarming read that gave me Debbie Macomber vibes. Perfect for the holidays. This book is just like a Hallmark movie. So grab a copy of this book as you are in for a real holiday treat.
Olivia is a doll. She really has a kind heart and everyone loves her. She is not a "leech" as Guy so called her when she asked for the annual monetary donation. Guy was kind of like Ebenezor Scrooge in the beginning. However, by the end of the book; Guy turned out to be a nice guy. Not to say that Guy did not pay for it with all of the fruitcakes that he had to eat and judge. As guy would say "I don't like fruitcakes but I would purchase this cake. One of the cakes Guy is referring to is a chocolate one. It just so happens that the recipe is included in the back of this book.
Olivia is a doll. She really has a kind heart and everyone loves her. She is not a "leech" as Guy so called her when she asked for the annual monetary donation. Guy was kind of like Ebenezor Scrooge in the beginning. However, by the end of the book; Guy turned out to be a nice guy. Not to say that Guy did not pay for it with all of the fruitcakes that he had to eat and judge. As guy would say "I don't like fruitcakes but I would purchase this cake. One of the cakes Guy is referring to is a chocolate one. It just so happens that the recipe is included in the back of this book.
November 26, 2023
4.5/5
I honestly really liked this book. I feel like most Christmas books don’t really have the Christmas feel to it, but this one definitely did. Despite being the same basic plot line as all Hallmark movies, I really liked this story (granted I like Hallmark movies so I’m not the best judge).
The characters in this book were all fine. Everyone was just petty enough that they worked well together. Christmas From the Heart was a fun nonprofit but I also understood Guy’s decisions.
Overall it was a bit of a basic book, but was entertaining and enjoyable!
I honestly really liked this book. I feel like most Christmas books don’t really have the Christmas feel to it, but this one definitely did. Despite being the same basic plot line as all Hallmark movies, I really liked this story (granted I like Hallmark movies so I’m not the best judge).
The characters in this book were all fine. Everyone was just petty enough that they worked well together. Christmas From the Heart was a fun nonprofit but I also understood Guy’s decisions.
Overall it was a bit of a basic book, but was entertaining and enjoyable!
November 14, 2019
Olivia has a charity christmas from the heart and this year the biggest donor won’t give any money. Olivia is very upset and contacts the company several times trying to get money from them. Guy doesn’t want to tell her that the company has been in trouble money wise. Guy is driving to see his family when his car breaks down in Olivia’s town and she, not knowing who he is, invites him to stay at her family’s home. A man who wants to be more than her friend is jealous and isn’t happy that Guy has joined into the town’s celebration. Guy is worried about the deception and what Olivia will do when she finds out who he really is.
September 30, 2019
This one was a quick read. When something has the word Christmas in it, I'm immediately drawn to it.
In this one the book revolved around a charity, Christmas From The Heart.
Olivia was trying to ensure what her mother started and keep it going so that everyone had something for Christmas. One of her big donors decides to give a much smaller amount. Olivia does everything she can to try to get them to recommit, but is unsuccessful.
She picks up a guy on the side of the road who is stranded and is hoping that he will be a donor.
In this one the book revolved around a charity, Christmas From The Heart.
Olivia was trying to ensure what her mother started and keep it going so that everyone had something for Christmas. One of her big donors decides to give a much smaller amount. Olivia does everything she can to try to get them to recommit, but is unsuccessful.
She picks up a guy on the side of the road who is stranded and is hoping that he will be a donor.
September 24, 2019
Christmas from the heart was sweet story with the spirit of the festive time of the year, about money issues, trust, hope and righting the wrongs.
Both main characters were sweet but hard on business trying to save their organisations. The one getting corporate family own company back into shape and the other one getting enough funds for non-profit charitable organisation "Christmas from the heart."
When Guy Hightower cut the compensation for Livy Berg's organisation she wasn't happy. She tried to get some funds but they ended with sore words and regretful emails.
After he got stranded because of his broken car, she saved him. She let him stay with her and her father until the broken part arrived in the only garage in town of Pine River while he learned how kind and pure her heart was.
He had to see things differently that not everything and everyone could be bought with money, although money is a necessity to help others. To learn the most and valuable .....to love and being able to help.
The attraction was feelable through the pages, their stubbornness unfortunately in a way but I wouldn't want the story any other way
Both main characters were sweet but hard on business trying to save their organisations. The one getting corporate family own company back into shape and the other one getting enough funds for non-profit charitable organisation "Christmas from the heart."
When Guy Hightower cut the compensation for Livy Berg's organisation she wasn't happy. She tried to get some funds but they ended with sore words and regretful emails.
After he got stranded because of his broken car, she saved him. She let him stay with her and her father until the broken part arrived in the only garage in town of Pine River while he learned how kind and pure her heart was.
He had to see things differently that not everything and everyone could be bought with money, although money is a necessity to help others. To learn the most and valuable .....to love and being able to help.
The attraction was feelable through the pages, their stubbornness unfortunately in a way but I wouldn't want the story any other way
August 31, 2019
If you are a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies than this is the book for you! I can easily see this one as the plot to a movie. Guy turns down a charity donation to Olivia and now her charity can't fulfill their mission to provide Christmas gifts and food to the less fortunate in her small town. And when Guy's flashy car breaks down on the side of the road who should happen to pick him up? This was a clean but predictable holiday romance to get people in the holiday spirit.
January 2, 2024
Charitable fundraiser Olivia is downhearted after Guy, the new CFO of Hightower Enterprises, discontinues their generous, annual donation. Will she be able to convince him to change his mind?
Well wow. What a nice surprise! Since the premise of this story embodies every single cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie I refuse to watch (yes I've watched a few just to be sure), I didn't expect to like it. BUT somehow, I did, and my heart even felt a bit warm and fuzzy! Perhaps it was the witty Christmas similes and metaphors. Or maybe it was Olivia's big heart and her charitable organization. Or it could have been Scrooge-like, Guy, who of course embarked on a journey of self reflection once he was immersed in the quaint town of Pine River and its kind and generous souls. Whatever it was, I enjoyed this quick, cheerful, and romantic story with a whole lot of heart!
Location: Pine River (Seattle suburb), Washington
Well wow. What a nice surprise! Since the premise of this story embodies every single cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie I refuse to watch (yes I've watched a few just to be sure), I didn't expect to like it. BUT somehow, I did, and my heart even felt a bit warm and fuzzy! Perhaps it was the witty Christmas similes and metaphors. Or maybe it was Olivia's big heart and her charitable organization. Or it could have been Scrooge-like, Guy, who of course embarked on a journey of self reflection once he was immersed in the quaint town of Pine River and its kind and generous souls. Whatever it was, I enjoyed this quick, cheerful, and romantic story with a whole lot of heart!
Location: Pine River (Seattle suburb), Washington
December 10, 2019
3.5 Stars. RTC...
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