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Holiday Lights
Curl up with three heartwarming stories and let the spark of romance brighten the holiday season
THE FORGETFUL BRIDE
Caitlin Marshall is stuck spending the holidays with Joe Rockwell. Her childhood friend is still a terrible tease, claiming that he and Cait are married. Oh, sure, they had a pretend ceremony when she was eight—but now it would seem that Joe wants to make their relationship into something real.
SUGAR AND SPICE
Librarian Jayne Gilbert needs a man she can bring to her high school reunion. So, naturally, Jayne turns to a How to Pick Up a Man . And it works, even if she attracts the attention of good-looking Riley Chambers only because she’s carrying that book, not because she followed its advice!
FRIENDS—AND THEN SOME
Lily Morrissey decides it’s time to find a husband, preferably one who can look after her. It’s a strictly practical decision, so she enlists the help of her best friend, Jake Carson, in the Great Husband Search. But then Lily’s feelings for Jake start to change… Could they become more than friends?
THE FORGETFUL BRIDE
Caitlin Marshall is stuck spending the holidays with Joe Rockwell. Her childhood friend is still a terrible tease, claiming that he and Cait are married. Oh, sure, they had a pretend ceremony when she was eight—but now it would seem that Joe wants to make their relationship into something real.
SUGAR AND SPICE
Librarian Jayne Gilbert needs a man she can bring to her high school reunion. So, naturally, Jayne turns to a How to Pick Up a Man . And it works, even if she attracts the attention of good-looking Riley Chambers only because she’s carrying that book, not because she followed its advice!
FRIENDS—AND THEN SOME
Lily Morrissey decides it’s time to find a husband, preferably one who can look after her. It’s a strictly practical decision, so she enlists the help of her best friend, Jake Carson, in the Great Husband Search. But then Lily’s feelings for Jake start to change… Could they become more than friends?
480 pages, Paperback
Published September 29, 2020
14 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Macomber
899 books20.7k followersDebbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 50 reviews
December 10, 2020
This is the first time I’ve read Macomber stories. I like the Hallmark movies based off of her books, so I thought I’d give her a shot. I really want to like these stories with all their Hallmarky cliches, but two of the three the couples spend so much time fighting and the men keep pushing the women away while the women cry and can’t figure out why the men are being so awful to them, it gets hard to read, three stories in a row. The first one, The Forgetful Bride with Cait and Joe, was easily the best story. At least their constant fighting was more of a flirtatious banter. Although her convincing herself that she was in love with Paul, who barely even looked at her, made her a little pathetic. The other two stories, especially right in a row, got to be WAY too much. The men were constantly angry, mean, and abrupt. No self respecting woman would keep going back for more, yet both Jayne and Lily did, over and over and over again. Jayne was so weak and needy that I find myself wishing the poor woman would grow a pair of balls, already. Lily was so incredibly shallow most of the way through “Friends - And then Some”, that it was pathetic. I really hope Macomber doesn’t ALWAYS portray her women this way? Please tell me the stories get better?
I was also disappointed because I bought this expecting three CHRISTMAS stories and only the first one, The Forgetful Bride, is even a Christmas story. So it being titled “Holiday Lights” is very misleading if one is looking for some cozy Christmassy romances.
I was also disappointed because I bought this expecting three CHRISTMAS stories and only the first one, The Forgetful Bride, is even a Christmas story. So it being titled “Holiday Lights” is very misleading if one is looking for some cozy Christmassy romances.
December 12, 2023
Holiday Lights is a collection of three stories, all of which had been published independently. I read all three of them in succession, starting with The Forgetful Bride, which first came out in 1991. Caitlin Marshall is infatuated with her boss, who does her head in because he barely notices her. One day during office renovations she runs across a construction worker who seems very familiar. Joe Rockwell, however, recognizes Cait before she can make the connection.
Twenty years earlier, when Cait was eight and Joe was ten, they took part in a play marriage ceremony. Joe then was allowed to kiss Cait. This supposed marital bond was a running joke throughout the novel, with Joe lording it over Cait. Any couple who remembered this act of child’s play decades later would have laughed it off and not returned constantly to any presumed significance of the act. Joe kept embarrassing Cait in public situations by claiming her to be his wife. This is typical Macomber modus operandi, where the male love interests are always immature, brutish bullies. Read these descriptions of Joe from the beginning of the novel:
“‘That depends,’ Joe responded with a chuckle Cait could only describe as sadistic. She gritted her teeth. He might have found the situation amusing, but she derived little enjoyment from being the office laughingstock.”
and:
“Cait looked up, about to tell him, when she realized exactly what she was doing–conversing with her antagonist. This was the very man who’d gone out of his way to embarrass and humiliate her in front of the entire office staff. Not to mention assorted clients and carpenters.”
Cait agrees to go out with Joe to catch up on old times, but ends up falling for him. She is conflicted over her one-sided love affair with her boss, but she soon discovers that he is in love with her best friend and coworker. This was not a surprise and I guessed it the moment when Macomber wrote that Cait suspected her friend, Lindy, of having man trouble.
Macomber readers know, of course, that Cait would get over her infatuation with her boss and end up falling for the guy who is sadistic, embarrassing and humiliating towards her. They would even have a Christmas wedding.
The second story was Sugar and Spice, originally written in 1987, and after reading both this and The Forgetful Bride I fully appreciate how much cellular telephony has had an impact in the development of fiction. It’s not that this realization whenever I read an “old” novel is a new revelation; but after reading over a dozen twenty-first-century Macomber Christmas stories only to be presented now with two, where cellphones are not part of the picture, it is natural to wonder why the characters seem to be living in the dark ages. In these past two stories they are waiting by their phones, unable to send a text or E-mail. Think of how much the plot could be advanced if only smartphones had been around in the 1980’s.
Jayne Gilbert is a children’s librarian who is intrigued by a mysterious trench coat-wearing man she frequently sees lurking outside her building. It turns out that this man, Riley Chambers, lives on her floor just a few doors away. They develop a growing, yet suppressed, mutual attraction, where Riley’s job as an undercover FBI agent means that he frequently has to lie to Jayne about his whereabouts. His obligation for secrecy torments Jayne, who takes his deceptions personally.
Macomber saddles Jayne with self-esteem issues, where she believes her goody-goody reputation and physical appearance are not attractive to men. Riley enters the picture to profess his undying love for her. Classic Macomber style is to portray her female protagonists as insecure submissives, ready to welcome a man into their lives to whisk them away to the happily ever after. Riley does not disappoint, and manages to convince Jayne to marry him, all within 151 pages.
Christmas does not figure in this novel at all. Macomber could at least have given this story some nominal Christmas context by scheduling another yuletide wedding, but no.
The final story was Friends–and Then Some, first published in 1986. Of the three, this one was the greatest eye-roller, where nothing seemed plausible and I caught myself several times wondering aloud why I still bother reading this author. Lily Morrissey is looking for a husband, but only one who is super-rich. Apparently no one around her has the courage to call her a gold digger, and she is too blind to her own greed to recognize this herself. She enlists the help of her best friend, Jake Carson, to help her look for Mr. Moneybags.
She meets two wealthy men who take her to fancy restaurants and give her tickets to the opera, and one even proposes with a gigantic engagement ring, yet she is not impressed by these showerings of wealth after all. You can figure out who Lily eventually picks as husband material: the taxi-driving, houseboat-resident Jake. Anyone could see this coming. That they try to deny this desire throughout the whole novel is unreal. They are kissing each other passionately early on then try to fight against it for the rest of the story.
These three stories were presented, by the cover art and collective title, as a Christmas collection. I would consider it a reasonable assumption to make, considering the reputation of the author for her Christmas romances. Yet the first story had only a fleeting mention of Christmas at the end, and in the next two stories Christmas wasn’t mentioned at all. This collection seemed to be a Christmas cash grab, and has made me rethink whether or not I should read the one remaining Macomber “Christmas collection” I still have waiting. If I peruse the contents of each story and find that they don’t have anything to do with the holiday, I will not read it.
Only after I finished reading these stories was I able to reinterpret the collection’s title in a different context: instead of the immediate meaning which is synonymous with Christmas illuminations, I have reimagined the cash grab context as “holiday lights”, meaning “light stories to read over the holidays” (stories which, by the way, have nothing to do with Christmas).
December 31, 2020
A short holiday read during Christmas week! 💚❤️
December 31, 2020
Holiday Lights is 3 short stories: The Forgetful Bride, Sugar and Spice and Friends--and Then Some. I enjoyed Sugar and Spice, of course I'm always cheering for a story about a librarian. I laughed at how she was really one of "those" people who learns skills by reading - everything from cooking to self-protection to finding a man.
My least favorite of these three stories has to be Friends -- and Then Some. I probably would have given the book 4 stars for the other two stories but this one actually made me want to give it two stars. The characters are annoying and the story's premise of a girl who wants to marry someone rich but whose best friend is not, come on - you know where this is going. And there was no dramatic suprise, it all was pretty pat - definitely 0% holiday feeling coming from this story.
None of the stories were very Christmasy so if you are looking for a romance collection that gives you Holiday feels this probably isn't for you.
My least favorite of these three stories has to be Friends -- and Then Some. I probably would have given the book 4 stars for the other two stories but this one actually made me want to give it two stars. The characters are annoying and the story's premise of a girl who wants to marry someone rich but whose best friend is not, come on - you know where this is going. And there was no dramatic suprise, it all was pretty pat - definitely 0% holiday feeling coming from this story.
None of the stories were very Christmasy so if you are looking for a romance collection that gives you Holiday feels this probably isn't for you.
December 21, 2024
1.5 stars - dnf 40% - page 194
The first one was so boring I nearly feel asleep. While I appreciated the sleep help it wasn’t anything I enjoyed reading😭✋🏻 I honestly forgot the whole book already and it’s only been a few days… the second book! Oh my gosh is the female protagonist ANNOYING! I couldn’t with the prim and proper librarian. As if librarians have no life. And the glasses killed me. She took them off to be “more attractive” TWICE IN 2 or 3 CHAPTERS (I didn’t get any farther). The things her best friend and she said…please😭 “I can’t even catch a cold, let alone a man.” WHY. Who ACTIVELY wants to catch a cold or compares it to “catching” a man😭✋🏻
The first one was so boring I nearly feel asleep. While I appreciated the sleep help it wasn’t anything I enjoyed reading😭✋🏻 I honestly forgot the whole book already and it’s only been a few days… the second book! Oh my gosh is the female protagonist ANNOYING! I couldn’t with the prim and proper librarian. As if librarians have no life. And the glasses killed me. She took them off to be “more attractive” TWICE IN 2 or 3 CHAPTERS (I didn’t get any farther). The things her best friend and she said…please😭 “I can’t even catch a cold, let alone a man.” WHY. Who ACTIVELY wants to catch a cold or compares it to “catching” a man😭✋🏻
December 27, 2020
Was kinda let down on this one. I figured out the first story very early on, and didn't really think all the angst was worth it. I really didn't care about the characters in the other 2 story's. Ended up almost forcing myself to finish.
January 8, 2026
Just finished the first story. Gonna put this book away until next Christmas.
It was an okay story. ⭐️⭐️/5 stars
I felt Joe was a little immature not letting up on the whole “we’re married” thing and Cait was very stuck up. Her infatuation with Paul faded really fast and without much persuasion.
Had some nice Christmas season cheer, though. Enjoyed them at the mall shopping for presents. Going to the movies was sweet too.
It was an okay story. ⭐️⭐️/5 stars
I felt Joe was a little immature not letting up on the whole “we’re married” thing and Cait was very stuck up. Her infatuation with Paul faded really fast and without much persuasion.
Had some nice Christmas season cheer, though. Enjoyed them at the mall shopping for presents. Going to the movies was sweet too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2020
I would give the first story 5 🌟, the middle story 4 🌟 and the final story 3 🌟. I feel like as the years have progressed, Debbie Macomber has really become a better writer.
January 4, 2021
2.5 stars!
I hate to go out on a sour note with my final book review of the year, but there’s nothing sweet about Holiday Lights by Debbie Macomber. My mom picked this book up for me because she knows I love a few good holiday reads in December. When I received it in the mail I immediately fell in love with that absolutely perfect cover. However, when I went to check out the synopsis I realized that this was actually a compilation of 3 short stories. Now short stories aren’t usually my thing, but it was a gift and I figured 3 bite-sized holiday tales would be just what I needed to round out my Christmas reading.
But unfortunately, it turns out that complimenting the cover art is about the only nice thing I can say in reference to this book. I’ve read other Macomber books here and there and have always enjoyed them, but getting through these close to 500 pages was a bit of a slog. The first issue that I have is branding – this was very clearly marketed as a holiday book and only the first of the three stories had any sort of tie-in to the holidays whatsoever, and it was a pretty weak tie-in at that. The second issue that I have is how unlikeable I found each of the leading ladies to be. They all personified different negative feminine stereotypes and at times came across as needy, helpless, annoying, daft, pathetic, and shallow. Sadly the guys weren’t any better - across the 3 stories the leading men repeatedly used the following language in referring to their female love interests - little girl, country mouse, little filly. Um…seriously?!?! And to top it all off the stories were pretty repetitive and the dialogue was largely uninspired.
With so many great holiday books out in 2020, do yourself a favor and leave this one on the shelf.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bookcoffeecozy
I hate to go out on a sour note with my final book review of the year, but there’s nothing sweet about Holiday Lights by Debbie Macomber. My mom picked this book up for me because she knows I love a few good holiday reads in December. When I received it in the mail I immediately fell in love with that absolutely perfect cover. However, when I went to check out the synopsis I realized that this was actually a compilation of 3 short stories. Now short stories aren’t usually my thing, but it was a gift and I figured 3 bite-sized holiday tales would be just what I needed to round out my Christmas reading.
But unfortunately, it turns out that complimenting the cover art is about the only nice thing I can say in reference to this book. I’ve read other Macomber books here and there and have always enjoyed them, but getting through these close to 500 pages was a bit of a slog. The first issue that I have is branding – this was very clearly marketed as a holiday book and only the first of the three stories had any sort of tie-in to the holidays whatsoever, and it was a pretty weak tie-in at that. The second issue that I have is how unlikeable I found each of the leading ladies to be. They all personified different negative feminine stereotypes and at times came across as needy, helpless, annoying, daft, pathetic, and shallow. Sadly the guys weren’t any better - across the 3 stories the leading men repeatedly used the following language in referring to their female love interests - little girl, country mouse, little filly. Um…seriously?!?! And to top it all off the stories were pretty repetitive and the dialogue was largely uninspired.
With so many great holiday books out in 2020, do yourself a favor and leave this one on the shelf.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bookcoffeecozy
December 14, 2020
I think that finding an author whose books you enjoy is like receiving a gift! I get so excited when I read a book and love it so much- and it gets even better when a quick search reveals multiple other titles by this person that you will be able to read!
I have heard of Debbie Macomber before but have never picked up on of her books. I love a good Christmas story and couldn’t resist trying Holiday Lights. I am so glad that I did! I devoured the book in a day! And then, of course, promptly found another of her books to read 😊
Holiday Lights is comprised of three shorter stories which are all delightful and light reading. The first story, The Forgetful Bride, is hilarious! It is a story about Cait and Joe, two people who spent time together in childhood and then let separate lives only to meet again. They were actually “married” when they were kids. As adults, Cait tries to forget about that event and Joe spends a lot of time reminding her.
The second story, Sugar and Spice, is about a sweet, innocent, somewhat naïve librarian named Jayne who needs a date for her high school reunion. She refers to her books to figure out how to snag one. Jayne is able to find a couple of dates including her neighbor, Riley, who is complex and brings the drama.
The final story is Friends- And Then Some. Lily is searching for a husband and has a very specific type that she is searching for. Her very close friend, Jake, doesn’t meet her criteria but he is a good guy. Jake tries to help Lily find her dream guy but things get complicated between them.
I normally like longer books with stories that I can “fall” into; stories that make me sad when they are over because I know I will miss the characters and places in them when I finish the book. I was surprised that I really enjoyed the shorter stories by Macomber. All of the characters were written so well that they felt real, and their stories were so developed and detailed that I could sink into them despite the shorter length. I am looking forward to reading more books written by Debbie Macomber.
I have heard of Debbie Macomber before but have never picked up on of her books. I love a good Christmas story and couldn’t resist trying Holiday Lights. I am so glad that I did! I devoured the book in a day! And then, of course, promptly found another of her books to read 😊
Holiday Lights is comprised of three shorter stories which are all delightful and light reading. The first story, The Forgetful Bride, is hilarious! It is a story about Cait and Joe, two people who spent time together in childhood and then let separate lives only to meet again. They were actually “married” when they were kids. As adults, Cait tries to forget about that event and Joe spends a lot of time reminding her.
The second story, Sugar and Spice, is about a sweet, innocent, somewhat naïve librarian named Jayne who needs a date for her high school reunion. She refers to her books to figure out how to snag one. Jayne is able to find a couple of dates including her neighbor, Riley, who is complex and brings the drama.
The final story is Friends- And Then Some. Lily is searching for a husband and has a very specific type that she is searching for. Her very close friend, Jake, doesn’t meet her criteria but he is a good guy. Jake tries to help Lily find her dream guy but things get complicated between them.
I normally like longer books with stories that I can “fall” into; stories that make me sad when they are over because I know I will miss the characters and places in them when I finish the book. I was surprised that I really enjoyed the shorter stories by Macomber. All of the characters were written so well that they felt real, and their stories were so developed and detailed that I could sink into them despite the shorter length. I am looking forward to reading more books written by Debbie Macomber.
November 18, 2025
The Forgetful Bride ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a cute one. The MC was rather annoying, but I thought her love interest was very sweet, charming and romantic. That said, I did find the hero very sweet and funny and perfect for her. I’m glad she finally realized it too!
Sugar and Spice ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ahhh. Great story! I’d love to see more in this couple’s future. They are so perfect for each other and just getting know each other. I’d love to revisit them a year or two into their marriage and see how they’re doing.
Friends and Then Some ⭐️⭐️
Super shallow and irritating main character but I adored the love interest.
One cute aspect I liked is that our hero is a writer and one of his stories is about a grumpy old man who adopts a cute fluffy dog. 🥰 Honestly though, I kinda think that story would’ve been better than the one we got. 🤣
These Debbie Macombers that I’ve been reading are all older stories and kinda read that way at times, but in general they were sweet and fun and hit the spot for a romance story.
This was a cute one. The MC was rather annoying, but I thought her love interest was very sweet, charming and romantic. That said, I did find the hero very sweet and funny and perfect for her. I’m glad she finally realized it too!
Sugar and Spice ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ahhh. Great story! I’d love to see more in this couple’s future. They are so perfect for each other and just getting know each other. I’d love to revisit them a year or two into their marriage and see how they’re doing.
Friends and Then Some ⭐️⭐️
Super shallow and irritating main character but I adored the love interest.
One cute aspect I liked is that our hero is a writer and one of his stories is about a grumpy old man who adopts a cute fluffy dog. 🥰 Honestly though, I kinda think that story would’ve been better than the one we got. 🤣
These Debbie Macombers that I’ve been reading are all older stories and kinda read that way at times, but in general they were sweet and fun and hit the spot for a romance story.
November 22, 2022
DNFF!!! I made it 195 pages and gave up. It was AWFUL! The book is made up of 3 stories, all written in the late 80s/early 90s, which explains a lot.
The first two, and can only assume the last, are about these PATHETIC, so desperate for love, leading ladies. I have no patience for women like this, in real life and fiction. The first woman Cait was in love with her boss, who didn't reciprocate the feelings. All the while, a childhood friend, one she married when she was eight, is a contractor in her office. He tells her coworkers the story, and she is mortified. Honey, you were eight! Lighten the F up!!! She only gets worse from there. He starts to like her, kisses her, takes her on dates, and she doesn't know, "If he likes me." I picture a whiny shrilly voice. Ugh, I can't. Then they get married and live happily ever after.
I guess the Hallmark channel has made a bunch of movies out of Macomber's novels. I also loathe those movies.
Oh! I would not qualify this as a holiday book, either.
The first two, and can only assume the last, are about these PATHETIC, so desperate for love, leading ladies. I have no patience for women like this, in real life and fiction. The first woman Cait was in love with her boss, who didn't reciprocate the feelings. All the while, a childhood friend, one she married when she was eight, is a contractor in her office. He tells her coworkers the story, and she is mortified. Honey, you were eight! Lighten the F up!!! She only gets worse from there. He starts to like her, kisses her, takes her on dates, and she doesn't know, "If he likes me." I picture a whiny shrilly voice. Ugh, I can't. Then they get married and live happily ever after.
I guess the Hallmark channel has made a bunch of movies out of Macomber's novels. I also loathe those movies.
Oh! I would not qualify this as a holiday book, either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2022
I should start off my saying that this is not my typical book and I did not pick it myself. My sweet son (who is 6) knows how much I love to read and picked this one out of a free library at a local playground for me, which means I had to read it for Christmastime. I can appreciate these stories for what they are: simple, fluffy, trope-y romance novels. I enjoyed them the way I enjoy things that can bring momentary joy but no deep feelings or thoughts. This is my first Debbie Macomber book and I was very sad about the absolute lack of steam in stories that had the potential to be scorchers. That being said, if you like cliche, squeaky clean love stories with a large helping of suspension of disbelief, it’s a cute read.
December 14, 2024
"Forgetful Bride": A little boy and girl go through a marriage ceremony. Twenty years later, they meet again. She is a stockbroker in love at her boss. He is the head of a construction company and a terrible tease. He keeps saying she is his wife.
"Sugar and Spice": A prim and proper librarian who has lived in books needs a date for an upcoming high school class reunion. So, of course, she turns to books to find a man.
"Friends--and Then Some": Lily is the piano player at a fancy hotel living with her grandmother and looking for a rich husband. Jake, her best friend, is an aspiring writer and taxi driver who lives on his boat. He does his best to support her goals.
"Sugar and Spice": A prim and proper librarian who has lived in books needs a date for an upcoming high school class reunion. So, of course, she turns to books to find a man.
"Friends--and Then Some": Lily is the piano player at a fancy hotel living with her grandmother and looking for a rich husband. Jake, her best friend, is an aspiring writer and taxi driver who lives on his boat. He does his best to support her goals.
August 24, 2021
Cute short stories, three in total. I was a little bummed that only one was around Christmas time.
The Forgetful Bride- Caitlin bothered me! But Joe made up for it.
Sugar and Spice- my favorite of the three stories. Jayne is a librarian and total relatable for a book worm. Riley is an attractive character full of mystery.
Friends —and then some- as all the stories were predictable, this was the most. Lily is so materialistic and vapid but does a 180 at the end. Meh. Jake was cute though.
The Forgetful Bride- Caitlin bothered me! But Joe made up for it.
Sugar and Spice- my favorite of the three stories. Jayne is a librarian and total relatable for a book worm. Riley is an attractive character full of mystery.
Friends —and then some- as all the stories were predictable, this was the most. Lily is so materialistic and vapid but does a 180 at the end. Meh. Jake was cute though.
January 7, 2021
You can tell these are older stories, because the quality is no where near what she is producing now. The first story was ok, but the other two were stupid and insulting. The cliche librarian, who can't do anything unless she reads about it, was just dumb. And the girl whose goal in life is to marry a rich man, was insulting to women. She did not deserve the happy ending she hot.
December 15, 2021
My favorite story out of this collection was Sugar and Spice. My only thing is that this was supposed to be a holiday collection and it didn’t feel very Christmasy. But overall I enjoyed it. I enjoyed The Forgetful bride and I thought Friends and Then Some was just okay. I could totally see the first two made into movies though!
April 15, 2024
I would rate this book 2.5 stars. Out of the 3 stories,I liked the third one the best, but none of them were that great. They had no substance to them, although some of the characters were likeable. Only one of the 3 stories had to do with the holiday season, so the title does not make sense either. For a Debbie Macomber book, this was a disappoint.
December 23, 2021
I ended up skimming thru the rest of the first of three stories and I'm calling it quits. The story went around in circles and I felt more like I was pushing myself to read rather than enjoying it. I know I've read other books by this author but this wasn't even a good Hallmark movie plot line.
May 3, 2024
Three stories, two about women who are confused about men and what they want out of life. The third one is the opposite the guy doesn't know he has a good woman in front of him and she only wants to be rich.
January 5, 2025
These three stories were published early in her career and yes they are good but can see how much she has matured as a writer since then. The first one is a holiday romance, the other two were not in holiday themed like I expected but the stories were still good. Good cozy read.
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October 2, 2020Categories
Holiday, Wholesome Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romance Collections & Anthologies
Holiday, Wholesome Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romance Collections & Anthologies
November 29, 2020
I’m usually not a fan of short stories, but I really enjoyed all three of these! ❤️
December 24, 2020
Only the first story was Christmas themed 😩
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December 24, 2020Not for me.
December 25, 2020
This book of three short stories is exactly what I needed for my Christmas Day reading. Only one took place during the holidays but that didn't dampen the joy of each story.
January 4, 2021
Like reading the Hallmark movies.
February 28, 2021
This is a 3 in 1 Debbie Macomber book. Had not read any of these stories before. Enjoyed them all, but a little confused about why they are in a Christmas book, as only one was set at Christmas.
April 26, 2021
Three previously published books with some updating in the texts. "The Forgetful Bride" and "Sugar and Spice" & "Friends and then Some". Comforting reads during tense times. Romantic and reliable.
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