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Spirit of the Season
A New York Times Bestseller
A literary legend, internationally bestselling author Fern Michaels has been cherished for over forty years for her poignant tales of love, family and resilient women. Now she gifts readers with a special holiday standalone novel that encapsulates the best of the holiday season: a heartwarming homecoming, a bucolic setting, the remembrance of loved ones past and present and the discovery of a future that, like the perfect gift, is as satisfying as it is surprising...
In #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels' heartwarming holiday novel, Christmas is a time for remembering loved ones--past and present . . .
Joy Preston misses her beloved late grandmother dearly. But when she learns the terms of Nana's will, she's shocked--and more than a little irked. Joy's life is in Denver. How can Nana have expected her to give that up, even temporarily, to take over a bed and breakfast in North Carolina for six months? Still, there's no denying Heart and Soul's charm, especially at holiday time . . .
The B&B is always elaborately decorated for the season, with themed guest rooms and dazzling lawn displays created for the annual Parade of Homes competition. The entire town takes part in the festivities, and soon, Joy is too, letting her reservations melt away. Yet there's another reason for Heart and Soul's popularity . . .
Rumor has it that, during the holidays, guests can be reunited with the spirit of a loved one who's passed on. Joy is skeptical, yet she feels her Nana's influence all around her--perhaps even indulging in a little matchmaking between Joy and a handsome estate attorney who just might inspire a magical new beginning . . .
Praise for Holly and Ivy
Bestselling Michaels' bittersweet Christmas story offers the promise of a better tomorrow.
-- Booklist
The storyline is an emotional rollercoaster, so keep a tissue box nearby . . . A great read.
-- RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
A literary legend, internationally bestselling author Fern Michaels has been cherished for over forty years for her poignant tales of love, family and resilient women. Now she gifts readers with a special holiday standalone novel that encapsulates the best of the holiday season: a heartwarming homecoming, a bucolic setting, the remembrance of loved ones past and present and the discovery of a future that, like the perfect gift, is as satisfying as it is surprising...
In #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels' heartwarming holiday novel, Christmas is a time for remembering loved ones--past and present . . .
Joy Preston misses her beloved late grandmother dearly. But when she learns the terms of Nana's will, she's shocked--and more than a little irked. Joy's life is in Denver. How can Nana have expected her to give that up, even temporarily, to take over a bed and breakfast in North Carolina for six months? Still, there's no denying Heart and Soul's charm, especially at holiday time . . .
The B&B is always elaborately decorated for the season, with themed guest rooms and dazzling lawn displays created for the annual Parade of Homes competition. The entire town takes part in the festivities, and soon, Joy is too, letting her reservations melt away. Yet there's another reason for Heart and Soul's popularity . . .
Rumor has it that, during the holidays, guests can be reunited with the spirit of a loved one who's passed on. Joy is skeptical, yet she feels her Nana's influence all around her--perhaps even indulging in a little matchmaking between Joy and a handsome estate attorney who just might inspire a magical new beginning . . .
Praise for Holly and Ivy
Bestselling Michaels' bittersweet Christmas story offers the promise of a better tomorrow.
-- Booklist
The storyline is an emotional rollercoaster, so keep a tissue box nearby . . . A great read.
-- RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 24, 2019
2049 people are currently reading
11112 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
424 books6,514 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
May 15, 2022
Whew! I just don't know where to begin with this holiday train wreck, Spirit of the Season.
Do I start simply with the spelling errors and glaring editing misses? Do I begin with being introduced to the lovely Granny Anna, only to see her family laugh inappropriately, exhibit no real grief and constantly behave and speak sourly unappreciative?
Spirit of the Season is almost schizophrenic in the way moods, emotions and conversations jump all over the place. One minute there are fond memories the next moment that which evoked the memories are a selfish inconvenience.
It's hard to like a book when I dislike the main character and I took an instant dislike to Joy. For a successful business woman she vacillates between the tantrums and babbling of a 3 yr old, acting like a 14 yr old and sounding like an immature petulant, over-entitled brat even when talking to herself:
I had to laugh because Fern Michaels seems to want to give a nod to just about every social justice cause she could think of, women's shelters, adopted dog, one little afterthought mention of faith,
Train wreck, indeed. The writing is awful, the conversations are unnatural and the main character is superficial and vacuous. 1 star for inadvertently making me laugh with head shaking incredulity.
Do I start simply with the spelling errors and glaring editing misses? Do I begin with being introduced to the lovely Granny Anna, only to see her family laugh inappropriately, exhibit no real grief and constantly behave and speak sourly unappreciative?
Spirit of the Season is almost schizophrenic in the way moods, emotions and conversations jump all over the place. One minute there are fond memories the next moment that which evoked the memories are a selfish inconvenience.
It's hard to like a book when I dislike the main character and I took an instant dislike to Joy. For a successful business woman she vacillates between the tantrums and babbling of a 3 yr old, acting like a 14 yr old and sounding like an immature petulant, over-entitled brat even when talking to herself:
"And I'm getting a dog or cat as soon as possible. So there."The dialog between most of the characters is forced and unnatural, even/especially between mother and daughter, and certainly between the love interests. Gag.
I had to laugh because Fern Michaels seems to want to give a nod to just about every social justice cause she could think of, women's shelters, adopted dog, one little afterthought mention of faith,
"I'm a believer too. I know many people are not too hip on faith these days, but I just say a little prayer and hope they'll understand."and my favorite [end sarcasm], the one that had me rolling with laughter, the environment, with this gem:
"She sneezed. "Okay, if you all don't mind, I think I deserve a five minute break to go outside and shake the flour from my clothes." . . . "She went to the end of the lawn, walking toward the edge of the property that led to the river. She leaned into the bag and brushed the flour from her shirt into it. Same with her apron, though she brushed her jeans off with her hand. She didn't want to give anyone the impression she wasn't hypervigilant when it came to caring for the environment."I've read some Fern Michaels stories that I've really enjoyed. Spirit of the Season is not one of them unless the intent was for incredulous laughter of disbelief. I also wonder if Ms. Michaels is being paid royalties for her blatant and far too many snooty brand name mentions. . .
Train wreck, indeed. The writing is awful, the conversations are unnatural and the main character is superficial and vacuous. 1 star for inadvertently making me laugh with head shaking incredulity.
December 7, 2019
Look, I need something to latch onto with a book. Maybe the writing isn't the best but there's a character you can't help but love, or maybe the characters are all dicks but the writing is wonderful. Or there's a wacky friend, or a really interesting set-up. Something. ANYTHING.
Spirit of the Season could have worked as the premise is workable. Workaholic is called home to a smalltown when a family member dies and now has to put down roots in order to keep something important in the family. Been done loads of times. I liked Joy having a nail polish business. In theory. Nothing we ever see from Joy supports the theory later thrown about by the dude with the ~sexy~ voice we're supposed to swoon over because Joy does (after freaking out about the thought that maybe her mother is interested in this guy and the whiplash I got from that switch never went away) that Joy has a hand in naming any of the colors anything even remotely interesting.
Seriously, Joy is terribly named because she sucks the joy from all things. She grumbles about just about everything, which is fine at the start of the story, but when she blows up at someone she considers to be like an aunt (though never actually put that way, always her Nana's other daughter or like a sister to Joy's mother) for asking a reasonable question... it's fine because Izzie deserved it? Somehow? Joy's rude to Izzie a LOT (she snaps or "jokes" about being the boss even though Izzie and Elizabeth, Joy's mother, clearly run the place and Joy has no interest in actually learning a blessed thing in regards to running the B&B) annnnnnnd it's always handwaved away. She snaps at the smallest things and I think we're supposed to sympathize with her but she doesn't actually appear to be grieving (and I've gotta say that taking your frustrations out on people who are probably having an even harder time with a death than you are is pretty awful) and we're never actually given a reason to feel much of anything for her.
The dialog is basically people talking at one another and the conversations never feel real- they always feel very forced and unnatural. There's a LOT of repetition in this book to the point that I seriously wondered if someone forgot what was already written and just never bothered to re-read anything. It was painful.
We were told things were funny or witty or all sorts of things, but never actually shown proof of any of it. Usually if we're meant to fall in love with a small town, there's something about it that makes it special. Joy didn't seem to care at all for the actual people in her hometown. She made no friends and the one person she ran into that she went to school with was mocked and judged and why, oh why, was this important enough to include?
Not even the dog had enough personality to earn a pity extra star, that's what kind of book this is. Throw in the fact that Joy's a gazillionaire due to her nail polish business, and she's 29 to boot and I just lost the ability to even pretend it was possible. How? How on god's green earth can she make that much that she's giving away $5,000, in CASH, from a nail polish empire that she's probably had running maaaaaaaaaaybe 4 full years. Maybe. I could overlook this complete lack of realism if there'd been something entertaining going on, but no. No.
Just no.
Spirit of the Season could have worked as the premise is workable. Workaholic is called home to a smalltown when a family member dies and now has to put down roots in order to keep something important in the family. Been done loads of times. I liked Joy having a nail polish business. In theory. Nothing we ever see from Joy supports the theory later thrown about by the dude with the ~sexy~ voice we're supposed to swoon over because Joy does (after freaking out about the thought that maybe her mother is interested in this guy and the whiplash I got from that switch never went away) that Joy has a hand in naming any of the colors anything even remotely interesting.
Seriously, Joy is terribly named because she sucks the joy from all things. She grumbles about just about everything, which is fine at the start of the story, but when she blows up at someone she considers to be like an aunt (though never actually put that way, always her Nana's other daughter or like a sister to Joy's mother) for asking a reasonable question... it's fine because Izzie deserved it? Somehow? Joy's rude to Izzie a LOT (she snaps or "jokes" about being the boss even though Izzie and Elizabeth, Joy's mother, clearly run the place and Joy has no interest in actually learning a blessed thing in regards to running the B&B) annnnnnnd it's always handwaved away. She snaps at the smallest things and I think we're supposed to sympathize with her but she doesn't actually appear to be grieving (and I've gotta say that taking your frustrations out on people who are probably having an even harder time with a death than you are is pretty awful) and we're never actually given a reason to feel much of anything for her.
The dialog is basically people talking at one another and the conversations never feel real- they always feel very forced and unnatural. There's a LOT of repetition in this book to the point that I seriously wondered if someone forgot what was already written and just never bothered to re-read anything. It was painful.
We were told things were funny or witty or all sorts of things, but never actually shown proof of any of it. Usually if we're meant to fall in love with a small town, there's something about it that makes it special. Joy didn't seem to care at all for the actual people in her hometown. She made no friends and the one person she ran into that she went to school with was mocked and judged and why, oh why, was this important enough to include?
Not even the dog had enough personality to earn a pity extra star, that's what kind of book this is. Throw in the fact that Joy's a gazillionaire due to her nail polish business, and she's 29 to boot and I just lost the ability to even pretend it was possible. How? How on god's green earth can she make that much that she's giving away $5,000, in CASH, from a nail polish empire that she's probably had running maaaaaaaaaaybe 4 full years. Maybe. I could overlook this complete lack of realism if there'd been something entertaining going on, but no. No.
Just no.
October 12, 2019
3.5 / 5 stars
Author Fern Michaels is a queen of spinning good yarns and this one is as delightful as they come. It's a perfect holiday read as it focuses on the time of All Saints' Day through Christmas Eve and incorporates the frenetic energy as well as the wonder and magic of the season. It's a charming and relaxing read as you put your feet up after a long day of holiday preparations. Grab a cup of cocoa, a soft blanket and settle in for a cozy evening of reading.
Although the book opens with a sorrowful loss it quickly eases into a story of hope. Anna Rose Huntley, the matriarch of the family and owner of the Heart & Soul Bed & Breakfast, is excited and busily making the holiday preparations for her beloved guests. But seeing her way to Christmas was not meant to be. In her will, she leaves the running of the B&B to her granddaughter, Joy - the strong, highly driven business owner of Simply Joy nail polish company. How is Joy supposed to run a North Carolina B&B while she's operating her international business back in Denver? Why didn't Nana leave it to her own daughter who already lives there? What was she thinking?
With the help of Anna's faithful employees and Joy's mother, somehow all the holiday preparations fall into place but not without their drama. Joy is on a steep learning curve for this B&B business. But her "Nana's" attractive and young attorney, Will, provides Joy with simple diversions which help Joy keep her balance. There's a spark between these two which is obvious to others yet which Joy denies. Will all the charms of Spruce City, NC be enough for Joy to keep Heart & Soul B&B in the family? Only time will tell...
Fern Michaels does a superb job of world building in her books. We feel the charm of small town Spruce City as its residents make evening strolls through its historic district eyeing the Christmas light wonderland. We also sense the small town claustrophobia as everyone appears to know everybody else's business. The character development is excellent and realistic. My only criticism is that the ending felt rather rushed. None the less, I certainly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading many more by this wonderful storyteller.
I am grateful to author Fern Michaels and Kensington Publishing Corp. for having provided a free e-copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Author Fern Michaels is a queen of spinning good yarns and this one is as delightful as they come. It's a perfect holiday read as it focuses on the time of All Saints' Day through Christmas Eve and incorporates the frenetic energy as well as the wonder and magic of the season. It's a charming and relaxing read as you put your feet up after a long day of holiday preparations. Grab a cup of cocoa, a soft blanket and settle in for a cozy evening of reading.
Although the book opens with a sorrowful loss it quickly eases into a story of hope. Anna Rose Huntley, the matriarch of the family and owner of the Heart & Soul Bed & Breakfast, is excited and busily making the holiday preparations for her beloved guests. But seeing her way to Christmas was not meant to be. In her will, she leaves the running of the B&B to her granddaughter, Joy - the strong, highly driven business owner of Simply Joy nail polish company. How is Joy supposed to run a North Carolina B&B while she's operating her international business back in Denver? Why didn't Nana leave it to her own daughter who already lives there? What was she thinking?
With the help of Anna's faithful employees and Joy's mother, somehow all the holiday preparations fall into place but not without their drama. Joy is on a steep learning curve for this B&B business. But her "Nana's" attractive and young attorney, Will, provides Joy with simple diversions which help Joy keep her balance. There's a spark between these two which is obvious to others yet which Joy denies. Will all the charms of Spruce City, NC be enough for Joy to keep Heart & Soul B&B in the family? Only time will tell...
Fern Michaels does a superb job of world building in her books. We feel the charm of small town Spruce City as its residents make evening strolls through its historic district eyeing the Christmas light wonderland. We also sense the small town claustrophobia as everyone appears to know everybody else's business. The character development is excellent and realistic. My only criticism is that the ending felt rather rushed. None the less, I certainly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading many more by this wonderful storyteller.
I am grateful to author Fern Michaels and Kensington Publishing Corp. for having provided a free e-copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
July 8, 2019
Thank you Goodreads and Fern Michaels for the advanced copy of Spirit Of The Season. So ill start with the things I loved about this book- I really enjoyed hearing about the Bed And Breakfast house decor, and the small parts about spirits. Liked reading about the strong relationship between three generations and the woman who those three thought of as family. Believable characters, and cute romantic storyline. Was happy that the romance part didn’t immediately end up in the bedroom like so many romantic storylines. It was fun hearing about the Holiday contests and the B&B’s different guests too. I’m wasn’t crazy about the sudden ending, I mean it ended nice but what happened to Christmas Day?! Being a Christmas book I guess I felt like Christmas Day would be included! Also, it seemed to hit the high point of the storyline and then...nothing lol I needed more of what happened after the high point- maybe Fern Michaels is planning a sequel? Would have loved to hear more descriptions of the B&B house, not just its holiday decorations. Otherwise, all in all this was an enjoyable read, especially for the holiday season.
December 5, 2019
I haven’t read any other books by Fern Michaels and this one was a struggle to finish. I don’t normally give books poor ratings or bad reviews because I don’t finish them if I truly dislike them. This book is one that I stuck with because I kept hoping the story would get better or that there would be some kind of big plot twist, but that never happened. By the time I realized the problem was in the writing style, I figured I may as well finish. I can appreciate “feel good, Hallmark movie style” novels, but I personally didn’t feel that Spirit of the Season fit into that category.
Joy, the main character, was not likable or relatable, which was one of the reasons why I struggled with the story so much. There was a lot of focus on the brand names of objects, wealth, and success although Joy supposedly has a charitable spirit. There was a lot of detail about the day-to-day operations of the bed & breakfast along with comparisons to the Biltmore Estate that felt unnecessary and didn’t add to the story. The dialogues between the characters seemed awkward and unnatural. The beginning was predictable, which would be fine if it was at least written in a satisfying manner. Instead, it just contributed to my overall disappointment in the book.
Joy, the main character, was not likable or relatable, which was one of the reasons why I struggled with the story so much. There was a lot of focus on the brand names of objects, wealth, and success although Joy supposedly has a charitable spirit. There was a lot of detail about the day-to-day operations of the bed & breakfast along with comparisons to the Biltmore Estate that felt unnecessary and didn’t add to the story. The dialogues between the characters seemed awkward and unnatural. The beginning was predictable, which would be fine if it was at least written in a satisfying manner. Instead, it just contributed to my overall disappointment in the book.
October 17, 2019
An average Christmas cozy with a predictable ending, which is fine because it was what I was expecting. However, my rating is actually 1.5 stars due to the annoying main character, Joy Preston. I found her to be totally unlikable. Although she has some redeeming qualities, such as her generosity and love of animals, she was basically a tool who was a bit too full of herself and I found myself not caring for her at all. I am surprised the author would make her main character, in a Christmas book of all things, so annoying, but in my opinion, she did.
December 26, 2019
I loved this book! Great story and characters! I loved the story line!
December 15, 2022
Not sure where to begin so will simply say don’t waste your time 👎
December 9, 2020
Wow....that was a disaster. I’ve never read any of her other books, so hard to gage, but how did this book get published? It was lazy, very lazy and perhaps the writer was in a rush so didn’t even try. The whole this was one big snooze fest, literally nothing happened. There was no story whatsoever. Flat characters, unrealistic events (he proposed after 2 mediocre described dates??). The dialogue, so bad. Like a cheesy commercial...people don’t talk like that in real life! Does this writer even know what makes a story and story? I think maybe by the books she published, just another case of a burnt out writer. Now a matter of quantity over quality.
December 27, 2022
1.5 ⭐️. The plot..predictable. The dialogue…cringy. The redundancy…irritating. The brand name mentions..unnecessary. The only good thing about this was that I got to buddy read it with Christine. 🤭
December 6, 2021
I really really enjoyed this! Listened to it while putting up my Christmas tree😍 although I do feel this author is either a huge hit or a huge miss for me🙃
December 30, 2020
3.5 as cheesy as a Christmas novel can get, yet still really enjoyable.
December 15, 2019
21/2 stars I usually love Fern Michaels novels and was disappointed in Spirit of the season. This was my Christmas selection for the Sisters Book club and I chose it over another book. I think I made a mistake. I didn’t like Joy at all. The book starts around Thanksgiving which lasts most of the book; another disappointment. Joy comes home when her Grandmother passes away and leaves her B&B to her on the proviso that she lives there for 6 months. She isn’t happy as she has her own life and business elsewhere. Will, the lawyer is interested in Joy, and asks her out. The romance was disappointing. There really was no chemistry between Joy and Will, and only the dog Rex, made this novel somewhat bearable.
December 4, 2020
While I disagree with one Audible reviewer calling this the "worst book ever written," it was a disappointing read. It stretched credibility beyond what I'm willing to concede. The story read like a stream of consciousness, with a seemingly unending parade of silly questions floating in Joy's head.
Other than a bit of research on nail polish marketing, the author didn't have to stretch at all to write this story.
Other than a bit of research on nail polish marketing, the author didn't have to stretch at all to write this story.
January 16, 2022
I wish I wasn't the type of person that feels the need to finish every book I start. This was my first Fern Michaels book. And sadly will probably be my last. I struggled to get through this one. It was hard to connect with the main character. As someone who has lost quite a few loved ones in my life the way grief was portrayed in this book was very unbelievable.
January 21, 2025
This is truly the definition of 'go girl give us nothing'. I found this to be so weird and boring.
We start with a firsthand account of Grandma’s death, which was a choice. I felt like that was such a weird way to set the tone for what is marketed as a lighthearted holiday story, but whatever.
This is a plot that has been done a million times before: successful business person moves to small town and falls in love. I expect certain things from a story like this—like some semblance of charm and a fun cast of characters. This had neither. There was literally no small town charm—anything that could have been fun (like the widow rivalry) happened off page, and instead we are forced to sit through the most boring drivel I could imagine. There’s a part where Joy is wondering where everyone went, so she looks for them for a while before giving up and we literally sit with her as she reads spam emails!!
We’re told the B&B is a place where some guests come to commune with the spirits of their dead loved ones, we get brief mentions that grandma’s ghost is flitting about, and there is a point where Joy is acting so deranged that I literally thought she was possessed. That could have been a fun story motif and set it somewhat apart from other books like this, but it was so half assed and amounted to nothing.
I expected Joy to build some community, but literally the only person we meet from her past is a woman who Joy and the main guy immediately start making fun of while she’s in earshot (I can’t remember his name despite Joy saying the full thing a million times, if that says anything). She makes no friends other than the main guy, and she is SO rude to Izzy at every turn.
I know this is a short, hallmark-esque book but I still expected some relationship building. I got NO chemistry from the main couple. They barely know anything about each other, and it seems like the only thing they have in common is that they both act like old ladies. The proposal was also so sudden, weird, and underwhelming.
Also, Joy has owned a nail polish business for less than ten years (probably more like 4), and it’s somehow successful enough to generate tons and tons of money, but she doesn’t even have a social media presence?? It seems like the only responsibility Joy has for the company is to come up with nail polish names which got old so fast.
Anyway, overall, this was so beyond boring. The novel equivalent to stale saltine crackers.
We start with a firsthand account of Grandma’s death, which was a choice. I felt like that was such a weird way to set the tone for what is marketed as a lighthearted holiday story, but whatever.
This is a plot that has been done a million times before: successful business person moves to small town and falls in love. I expect certain things from a story like this—like some semblance of charm and a fun cast of characters. This had neither. There was literally no small town charm—anything that could have been fun (like the widow rivalry) happened off page, and instead we are forced to sit through the most boring drivel I could imagine. There’s a part where Joy is wondering where everyone went, so she looks for them for a while before giving up and we literally sit with her as she reads spam emails!!
We’re told the B&B is a place where some guests come to commune with the spirits of their dead loved ones, we get brief mentions that grandma’s ghost is flitting about, and there is a point where Joy is acting so deranged that I literally thought she was possessed. That could have been a fun story motif and set it somewhat apart from other books like this, but it was so half assed and amounted to nothing.
I expected Joy to build some community, but literally the only person we meet from her past is a woman who Joy and the main guy immediately start making fun of while she’s in earshot (I can’t remember his name despite Joy saying the full thing a million times, if that says anything). She makes no friends other than the main guy, and she is SO rude to Izzy at every turn.
I know this is a short, hallmark-esque book but I still expected some relationship building. I got NO chemistry from the main couple. They barely know anything about each other, and it seems like the only thing they have in common is that they both act like old ladies. The proposal was also so sudden, weird, and underwhelming.
Also, Joy has owned a nail polish business for less than ten years (probably more like 4), and it’s somehow successful enough to generate tons and tons of money, but she doesn’t even have a social media presence?? It seems like the only responsibility Joy has for the company is to come up with nail polish names which got old so fast.
Anyway, overall, this was so beyond boring. The novel equivalent to stale saltine crackers.
December 6, 2022
3.5 stars for this pleasant, if a bit predictable Christmas tale. Joy has to come home and run her grandmother's b&b for six months, according to the stipulations of Nana's will. Otherwise, the family will lose the property. Not wanting to let down her family, Joy begrudgingly accepts and finds herself actually enjoying running the inn. There's also a tiny bit of paranormal in which Nana may be playing matchmaker from beyond. An easy holiday read.
November 27, 2022
3.5 stars. Cute sweet little holiday romance
December 20, 2023
Honestly surprised I finished this book. I thought it would get better, but it just got more ridiculous. If this were written more recently I would believe chatGPT was used. I'm all for a cheesy Christmas book, but this is on another level.
December 21, 2023
Pretty horrible book
May 31, 2020
Info Dumps and More Unpleasantness.
As an avid romance reader, I had heard of this author, but I had never read her work. When I read the description of the book at a book review site last year (yes, I am a little behind in my reading!), the paranormal aspect intrigued me. Unfortunately, however, I ultimately felt disappointed by the paranormal aspect as well as the book in general.
As I write this, we are having a delightfully cool and rainy late spring day after a week of hot temperatures, so digging into Christmas books that needed reviewing seemed perfect. But every one I have read today has had the same major fault. Each book has had a prodigious information dump or multiple dumps. I hate this in stories in general, but literally reading three in a row today as I cozied up under a blanket with a lovely cup of hot tea is frankly a bit much. It seems particularly egregious in this book, as the entire first 6% is what I would consider an information dump. An author of this standing should know how to integrate the backstory into the main plot itself without having to resort to information dumps. I thought the first section with the grandmother was bad enough, but once we met Joy, the same thing happened again. Ugh.
Other than that, this is a relatively straight-up romance with a few small-town quirks, like the cutthroat holiday competitions (which got to be a little much. Sadly, I thought that the paranormal aspect—where people come to the inn at Christmas hoping to get in touch with departed loved ones—became a relatively minor plot point, even though it would seem that it should be well-integrated as the title appears to come from and it is described as an integral part of the story in the book's description. For what should be a pleasant small-town Christmas romance, I thought there was too much profanity. I am never a fan of that in books. All in all, I found myself disappointed with this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
As an avid romance reader, I had heard of this author, but I had never read her work. When I read the description of the book at a book review site last year (yes, I am a little behind in my reading!), the paranormal aspect intrigued me. Unfortunately, however, I ultimately felt disappointed by the paranormal aspect as well as the book in general.
As I write this, we are having a delightfully cool and rainy late spring day after a week of hot temperatures, so digging into Christmas books that needed reviewing seemed perfect. But every one I have read today has had the same major fault. Each book has had a prodigious information dump or multiple dumps. I hate this in stories in general, but literally reading three in a row today as I cozied up under a blanket with a lovely cup of hot tea is frankly a bit much. It seems particularly egregious in this book, as the entire first 6% is what I would consider an information dump. An author of this standing should know how to integrate the backstory into the main plot itself without having to resort to information dumps. I thought the first section with the grandmother was bad enough, but once we met Joy, the same thing happened again. Ugh.
Other than that, this is a relatively straight-up romance with a few small-town quirks, like the cutthroat holiday competitions (which got to be a little much. Sadly, I thought that the paranormal aspect—where people come to the inn at Christmas hoping to get in touch with departed loved ones—became a relatively minor plot point, even though it would seem that it should be well-integrated as the title appears to come from and it is described as an integral part of the story in the book's description. For what should be a pleasant small-town Christmas romance, I thought there was too much profanity. I am never a fan of that in books. All in all, I found myself disappointed with this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
December 17, 2021
Rating a book like this is hard. I wanted to read a bad Christmas book – don’t ask why. I don’t know why. I just wanted to! This book gave me what I wanted. So while the writing is cheap and the characters are weak, it delivered pretty well on the desired outcome. I will continue reading bad Christmas books, and no one can stop me.
Read
December 3, 2022DNF at 30%. Couldn’t tolerate the vain, indulgent main character and overall, even after taking multiple breaks, I just couldn’t get into the story.
December 12, 2022
Very predictable. Dialogue was stilted and repetitive. Key characters were poorly developed.
November 27, 2019
“Spirit of the Season”. Joy Preston just moved to Colorado a year ago and is now CEO of a successful nail polish company. Her life and career are in Denver when in the middle of the night she receives a phone call that her grandmother and owner of a successful B&B died and she is needed to come home and help straighten things out for at least 6 months. It is the height of the busiest holiday season. It just so happens ‘The Heart and Soul B&B’ is in a very small town in North Carolina where there are many B&B’s that are very competitive with their holiday decorations, and their annual parade of homes, and best of all judging the gingerbread houses. Joy thinks she is in over her head but there are so many great characters and family relationships that can’t wait to help her. Throw in a great romance too. The food they talked about throughout the book was outstanding. I think I might have gained a few pounds. Thank you Kensington Publishing Company for the chance to read it.
September 29, 2019
Not going to lie, this had me crying in the beginning. However, as we moved forward and reached North Carolina, I was good. This book was warm, cozy, well written. I mean, come now, it’s a Christmas Tale about family, starting over, loss, disappointment and changes in one’s attitude. The characters are relatable. The atmosphere was cozy and I could envision myself living there. I personally could see this as a Hallmark Movie. Loved it, appreciate the opportunity to have read it in advance and it made my heart happy.
It was released this week, 9/24/19 and I suggest you not only buy a copy for yourself, but add it as a stocking stuffer for your book lovers. Can’t go wrong!
It was released this week, 9/24/19 and I suggest you not only buy a copy for yourself, but add it as a stocking stuffer for your book lovers. Can’t go wrong!
January 7, 2023
I can see this as a Netflix holiday movie or possibly uptv, lifetime.
Joy annoyed me and seemed pompous. A couple paragraphs I was left scratching my head and just didn't make sense or fit. Repetitive at times.
Joy annoyed me and seemed pompous. A couple paragraphs I was left scratching my head and just didn't make sense or fit. Repetitive at times.
December 23, 2023
shocked that this was written by a real person and not a robot - sad bc this was a lovely blind date with a book but it was so bad lol- didn’t hate reading it though bc it was kinda funny how bad it was- 1.5 ⭐️ for the laughs
December 15, 2024
This was my first Fern Michaels book, and I was very disappointed. I'm not sure how anyone rated this more than 2 stars. The plot, characters(especially the FMC), and writing were terrible. I really wanted a nice Christmas romance, but nope.
February 3, 2020
Perfect script for a Hallmark movie!
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