All I Want for Christmas

by Jenny Hale

All I Want for Christmas is a big, cozy Christmas story about the importance of family, the strength of childhood friendships, and learning to trust your heart.

Fans of Carole Matthews, Susan Wiggs and Susan Mallery – and anyone who likes the glow of Christmas lights and the rustle of wrapping paper – will fall in love with this feel-good Christmas treat.

Christmas comes once a year . . . But true love comes once in a lifetime.

Snowflakes are falling, there’s carol singing on every corner, and Leah Evans is preparing for a family Christmas at her grandmother’s majestic plantation house in Virginia. It won’t be the same now that her beloved Nan is gone, but when Leah discovers she has inherited the mansion, she knows she can give her daughter Sadie the childhood of her dreams.

But there’s a catch. Leah must split the house with a man called David Forester. Leah hasn’t heard that name in a long time. Not since they were kids, when Davey was always there to catch her.

Now David is all grown up. He’s gorgeous, successful, and certain of one thing: Leah should sell him her half of the house.

They can’t agree, but as they share memories over wine by the log fire, Leah notices a fluttering in her stomach. And by the look in his eyes, he’s starting to feel it too.

Will it be Leah or David who must give up their dreams? Or, with a little bit of Christmas magic, will they finally understand Nan’s advice to them both about living life without regrets … and take a chance on true love?

What everyone’s saying about Jenny Hale’s books …
‘Captured my heart from the very first page and never let it go … Jenny is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors … One minute I’m giggling and the next there is a huge lump in my throat … My heart melted … I just wanted to reach in the pages and give them all hugs. I can’t wait to read more by this wonderful author.’ Color Me Read

‘Absolutely fantastic, I loved this book and will definitely be remembering and revisiting it in future. Jenny Hale is a supremely accomplished and highly talented author. I can’t wait to read more from her!’ Splashes into Books

‘A perfect romance read. Full of tension and heart-wrenching feelings … Oh I really did enjoy it … One to lift my mood and put a smile on my face and warmth in my heart … Full of charismatic characters, family love and bonds, honesty, small town loveliness and soul mates. Reading perfection!’ 5/5 Pajama Book Girl

‘This book is the epitome of everything I love about reading, about fiction and about romance. It was heart-warming, touching, upsetting, endearing, beautiful and one hundred other adjectives I could reel off… It’s an absolute must-read for any romance fan.’ Paris Baker’s Book Nook

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

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2016

About the author

Jenny Hale is a USA Today, Amazon, and international bestselling author of romantic contemporary fiction. Her books have sold worldwide, have been translated into multiple languages, and adapted for television. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Movie Guide Epiphany Award winner Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses are Hallmark Channel original movies.

She was included in Oprah Magazine’s “19 Dreamy Summer Romances to Whisk You Away” and Southern Living’s “30 Christmas Novels to Start Reading Now.” Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family.

Jenny is at work on her next novel, delighted to be bringing even more heartwarming stories to her readers. When she isn’t writing, or heading up her romantic fiction imprint Harpeth Road, she can be found running around her hometown of Nashville with her husband, two boys, and their labradoodle, taking pictures—her favorite pastime.

Visit www.itsjennyhale.com to get my latest book! You can also chat with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jennyhaleauthor, Twitter: www.twitter.com/jhaleauthor, and IG: www.instagram.com/jhaleauthor

See all my books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jenny-Hale/e/B...

Reviews

[Tina(why is GR limiting comments?!!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the cover art of this book. It was perfect. The title too also grabbed my attention.

It's the first Jenny Hale book I've read. I liked her writing style and the story was nice. I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if there was a little more romance. Overall it was a sweet Christmas time book. Enjoyable to read by the twinkling lights of your Christmas tree.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley.)

“I’d like to buy you out.”

This was an adult contemporary romance story set at Christmas.

Leah was an okay character, and I felt bad for her at the way all her plans were ruined with regards to her grandmother’s house.

The storyline in this was about Leah discovering that her grandmother had left only half of her house to her in her will, and that she had left the other half to a man called David. We then had some issues over what to do with both Leah and David wanting the house for different reasons, and eventually we got a bit of romance. I didn’t feel like there was really enough romance for me though, and the book dragged because of it.

The ending to this was pretty happy, and problems seemed to have been solved.



6 out of 10

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

All I want for Christmas is a story about the importance of family.

Overall, it was a reasonably enjoyable story.

Unfortunately I didn’t manage to connect with the characters fully. Perhaps if I’d connected with the characters more I would have experienced a deeper level of sadness, or taken more comfort in the heart-warming side of the story. Instead, it just made me feel a sort of numb level of sadness, most likely due to me losing one of my grandmas a couple of months ago.

I did like that Leah’s nan’s friend was called Muriel, as that was the name of my grandma’s sister, who I also miss.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leah Evans has been planning on having the usual family Christmas at her grandmother's plantation in Virginia but knows that it's not going to be quite the same this year after the passing of her Nan. While still reeling from the loss Leah receives some more crushing news, Nan had revised her will at the last moment and decided to leave half of the plantation to Leah's old childhood friend, David Forester.

Leah hasn't seen David since they were children and doesn't know why Nan would go against what she'd told her for years. Her plans for continuing the family business and raising her daughter in their family home are quickly in danger when David refuses to compromise and wants to buy Leah out of her share of the plantation.

All I Want for Christmas should have been an easy five star holiday read for me but I was left with a bit of disappointment with this one. Sure we had childhood friends drawn back together over the holiday that eventually turns into something more but the story spent a lot of time building to that.

Leah is a single mother who she and her daughter had been told through the years that they would inherit the property and business. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the young struggling mother who has already lost her grandmother she was close to but is now getting her future possibly taken from her which leads me to David... David on the other hand was not a favorite character of mine being so determined that the inheritance would go his way with no compromise at all, not a very warm feeling for most of the book towards him due to this.

Still this was a well written clean holiday romance, just a bit too slow for my taste to leave the beginning controversy and become the more you expect from the story. In the end I decided to give this one 3.5 stars just due to the slow build.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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

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

Single Mum, Leah Evans, is working hard for the future she’d planned with her beloved Nan. Unfortunately, her Nan died recently and, with Christmas approaching, she has very mixed feelings - especially after the shocking discovery that her Nan (Nina) has left her Virginian plantation home to her and her childhood friend, David Forester. Still, the plans for a family Christmas in the house are going ahead but with David already living in the house and having plans so contrary to her own, will her dreams for the house come true or should she accept David’s offer to buy out her share? As the snow falls, dreams need rethinking and a clever Nan brings together family and friends to help develop relationships and reshape a loving future for them all.

This is a very moving festive story. For most of the people involved, the connecting person is the recently deceased and much loved Nan. There are family histories to be revealed, mysteries to solve and love to help heal all. As usual with this author, the story is emotive, well paced and the characters totally believable. The relationships between them are superbly portrayed and continuously developed through the story. Everyone needs a Nan like Nina in their lives! The plantation house is one I’d love to explore, it is brought so vividly to life in the imagination of the reader, it feels like a true home and one that you could actually visit. This is a tender contemporary festive love story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and have no hesitation in highly recommending to anyone looking for a heartwarming, festive, romance to read.

This is my honest opinion after reading a gifted ecopy via NetGalley.

[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 stars
I was very bored

[Joseph Sciuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Christmas season, I was only able to read three Christmas books. The first two were great, and the last one, "All I Want For Christmas" by Jenny Hale started out a little slow and then picked up beautifully and in the end was just as wonderful and great as the two other books. The characters are endearing, but they are also very believable with everyday problems and as they develop throughout the book we find out more and more interesting things about them, allowing the author to give us a full picture of all her characters which is not an easy thing to achieve.

Christmas is a time where many of us replay old memories, some good and some sad and some intertwined, but it is also a time that we create future memories. In the end, like Hemingway said, "The only thing you take with you when you die, is what you left behind," and hopefully what we leave behind are memories of love and caring. That is a major theme throughout the novel and a perfect example of one of the true meanings of the Christmas season... A time of the year filled with good cheer and a magic, blatantly obvious, for all of us to see and emulate throughout the year.

Happy Holidays!

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die alleinerziehende Mutter Leah erbt von ihrer Großmutter eine Plantage. Der Ort steckt voller schöner Erinnerungen, und Leah freut sich darauf, mit ihrer siebenjährigen Tochter Sadie einzuziehen. Doch dann erfährt sie, dass sie das Haus teilen muss mit David, Leahs Freund aus Kindertagen. Er hat eine Hälfte der Plantage geerbt.

Mein Leseeindruck:

Ich hatte mich auf einen schönen Weihnachtsroman gefreut, aber dieses Buch hat mich leider ein wenig enttäuscht. Zwar ist die Geschichte eigentlich wirklich schön und auch emotional, doch die Emotionen haben mich nicht erreichen können. Vielleicht lag es daran, dass mir vieles nicht wirklich glaubhaft erschien. Als David und Leah als Kinder miteinander gespielt haben, war Leah erst fünf. Dann mussten sie sich trennen, und nun, Jahre später, kann Leah sich noch an unglaublich viel erinnern von damals. Ich kann mir das einfach nicht vorstellen. Auch war vieles etwas langatmig erzählt für mich. Das Ende war dann ein bisschen zu viel "Happy End".

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a feel good story where everything turns out like its suppose to turn out. This was one of my favorites from Hale. I want everyone I know to read her Christmas books.
5 star must read and I recommend it.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great example of what I like to read around the holidays... with emphasis on easy reading and heart-warming:)

In my opinion, when you read most Holiday themed romance/chick-lit you need to suspend belief at least in part. It's a magical time of the year, so I don't have a problem with that and in fact quite enjoy it. Unlike some Christmas books, All I Want for Christmas puts a big emphasis on the holiday and it's festivities. The story centers around Leah, a single mom trying to restructure her life after the death of her beloved Grandma. She had high hopes at living in her Nan's house and making a go of the business Nan once enjoyed there. But it seems that Nan had other ideas as her will is made known to those who inherit. She hopes spending the Holidays there as she and Nan had planned will give her closure and memories to cherish. Lots of focus on family & friendships and what is really important in this life. If you like warm, fuzzy holiday stories that you can feel safe are clean, pick this one up! No doubt you'll have a smile on your face when you finish!

Side note: Absolutely gorgeous cover!! Love love!! <3

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC to review**

[Liina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leah recently lost her grandmother and Christmas this year won't be the same. She's really missing her, but she wants Christmas to be special for her daughter Sadie. Leah has known that she'll inherit her grandmother's plantation, but suddenly finds out that her gran changed the will and she inherits only half of the plantation and her childhood friend David inherits the other half. She hopes to change his mind and buy him out, but things won't always go that easily. Listening to her friends' advice, Leah decides to move in the house, because David is already living there. Will Leah have a Christmas she dreams of? What happens when Leah and David live together at a house filled with wonderful memories?

It's a Christmassy story that is more centered around family and friendship rather than romance, but that makes the story different in a good way. I liked how all the characters came together for the holidays and also how the mystery guest got to part of the family as well. Even though I didn't feel the romance between Leah and David very strongly, I really enjoyed the story overall.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a heartfelt story but it left me feeling uninspired and without the warm cutesy feeling I thought it would.
I want to say it was bad writing or a bad plot but it wasn’t it was good it just wasn’t deep or three dimensional to me it felt a very flat story.

Leah was a single mother struggling with money worries and her daughter and affording things for the life she wanted and that should have been relate-able but it just didn’t seem quite deep enough to make me feel her angst.

The Girls were a group of friends that supported Leah and her daughter and they were almost like family so shared a lot through hard times and good.

Nan was a major character who I actually felt throughout this book, just by the memories of her it was a strong remembrance of her and who she was, she touched many peoples lives even only slightly but it made an impact the feeling whenever she was mentioned was love, empathy, compassion but that wasn’t enough to make over this whole story.

The plot was a good one and it covered a few issues grief and love empathy secret and compassion and fate but to me just wasn’t a major story that had me in laughter or tears more indifference.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect read for Christmas! Loved the story line involving inheritance of an old Virginia plantation. This book has it all. Christmas with friends, both new and old, a sweet romance, memories of Christmas pasts, a bit of sadness, holiday surprises... everything you'd want to read in a Christmas story.

The author brought all the characters to life with her words. I found all to be so endearing. It was easy to fall in love with this book and hate to see it come to an end! It was hard to put down.

All I Want For Christmas is a book that I highly recommend for everyone to read at this time year. It will put you in a magical Christmas mood! Even looking the beautiful cover will make you feel good.

* I was gifted an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

[Steffi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I have been a huge fan of the previous Christmas books by Jenny Hale, so I have been very excited to read her newest book.

At the beginning I had some trouble getting into the story and the pulling over the estate couldn't hold my interest all the time. But the story grew more and more and me and to the end I really liked it. There was such a cosy and homely atmosphere, which I really enjoyed. There were some happy tears several times.

The characters were really sweet. I liked David, Leah and especially Sadie. She was such a cute little girl. The love story was predicatable and came rather too quick for my taste. I wish there would have been a build of chemistry earlier.

All I want for Christmas is a great seasonal read about the importance and the love of family ties.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Christmas read

I have read several of Jenny Hale's Christmas books and they always warm my heart. This feel good romance has the tone of one of my favorite Hallmark movies. A novel about the love of family and friends as well as sweet romance. Highly recommend!

[Gwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly, I found this book slow, too detailed, and very predictable. I was hoping for a feel good Christmas book to pull me in, but it wasn’t to be in this one. 2/10.

[daria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5
Super cute

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have wanted to read Jenny Hale's books for the longest time and it made sense to start with her latest Christmas release now that they are starting to arrive! I am happy to report that the festive rating for this book is high, and that means that it does contain a Christmassy and festive story and that it isn't just your everyday chick lit book packaged with a nice Christmas cover and title just to cash in on this time of year (I do deduct ratings for authors and publishers that do this). It also contains so much more than that but you'll have to read the book to find out just what that is. I finished All I Want for Christmas kicking myself at not having read Jenny Hale's books sooner, this one contained the most heartwarmingly lovely story and I think it'll be hard to find a Christmas book to beat it this year (and this is only my second one of the year so far). I am now hoping to read Jenny's other Christmas books before the big day arrives this year.

All I Want for Christmas tells the story of Leah Evans who is preparing for the countdown to Christmas, and her first without her beloved Nan. She sees her Christmas being spent at her grandmother's plantation house (where I too would now like to spend my Christmas) and whilst it obviously won't be the same without her grandmother, she's determined to make it a good one for her daughter, Sadie. It seems her grandmother had other plans however and has not only left the plantation to Leah, but she has also left half of it to a man named David Forester, whose family owned the home previously. Why would her grandmother do this? And how is Leah going to deal with his demands that she sell her half of the house to him? I think we know where the story is ultimately going to lead but let me tell you it's a brilliant journey getting there.

My grandad sadly passed away in July and not long into this book I felt real and genuine emotion for Leah like I really knew her. Her love for her grandmother shone through as I was reading this book and when she was reliving her precious memories and reading letters from her grandmother, I had actual tears in my eyes. I have been dreading Christmas this year because every single Christmas for my whole life has been spent with my grandparents and my mum, dad and, when he was born, my brother and this year will be our first without my grandad. I really want to thank Jenny for taking me on this journey with Leah. Our stories and situations are wholly different, but what this story did teach me was that perhaps it is possible to enjoy Christmas this year, my grandad wouldn't want us to sit around and not celebrate it as we normally do and his presence will be felt as it is everyday because he was such a huge part of my life. This is a story that I will remember for a long time because of that and the scenes where Leah reflects about her grandmother, what she taught her and the memories they made were just so beautiful and have reminded me of the past few months where, despite a lot of grief and mixed emotions, it is those memories and reflections about my grandad that has helped us get through these past few months.

Leah is an incredibly likeable character and one that every single reader will love. Her relationship with Sadie is just a joy to read, and she has a fabulous circle of friends who all have their own stories to tell. The relationship with David for some might feel a little rushed, but a love story set at Christmas is just the most magical thing to read about and I just couldn't get enough of it. My favourite scenes were those set around Christmas, and were perhaps the ones that really made me believe that I can enjoy Christmas this year. I especially loved reading about Leah's grandmother who, despite her passing, is a massive part of the story and we learn so much about her (as too does Leah as it turns out she had a couple of secrets). There's one quote from her grandmother that will remain with me and it is this: Support one another and spend time together, because at the end, that's all you'll have to take with you - the love. Love each other and everything else will fall into place. At my grandad's funeral a poem he wrote was read out, and reading that quote from Leah's grandmother reminded me of one from my grandad's poem: During my life I've always believed in fate, I never had time for greed or hate, So when I've gone please stick together, And keep me in your heart forever. Jenny Hale has captured the true essence in All I Want for Christmas of not only Christmas itself and what it truly means, but of love and family and friendship too and this to me will be an unforgettable story and one that I will return to year after year. Just a really, really beautiful story with an ending I just loved.

[Shelley Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed All I Want for Christmas by Jenny Hale. I loved the strong family focus, the power of traditions, and the Christmas spirit of hope and dreams coming true.

Leah is struggling to recover from her dear grandmother’s death, but is reassured by the fact that she and her daughter, Sadie, will inherit her home where so many precious memories were created. And it’s just the break she needs financially and emotionally as a single mom. When she unexpectedly discovers that an old friend and neighbor, David Forester, is sharing her inheritance, her dreams seem to be dashed. In her attempt to uncover why her grandmother made this change to her will, an interesting, long-held story unfolds, alongside a slow-burn, sweet romance.

Though this Christmas tale started off a bit slow, and the romance dragged its feet a bit, I found the story on the whole to be endearing and delightfully charming. The conclusion was especially heartwarming with a festive, feel-good message.

[ItaPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sweet holiday story caught my attention from the pretty cover til the last page.

All I Want For Christmas was more focused on family love and love for friends (old and new) than the romantic relationship between the main characters but after all this was a very enjoyable read.

I like how easily I could get into Jenny Hale's books,they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[Maddie butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leah Evans has just Inherited her nan’s estate but only half. The other half was given to a man she hasn’t seen since they were both young. Leah knew she would always inherit the estate, she had plans to move out to the plantation to get a fresh start for her and her daughter Sadie. Only problem is why would nan leave the other half to David. She travels out to the plantation (to where she learns David has been living) to see what can be done about David selling his part to her.

Christmas romance stories are the best. But after read so many back to back you kind of already know what’s going to happen.

When you learn that both Leah and David had inherited the plantation you already knew the ending/ what nan was trying to do. Match maker from the grave is a little creepy.

Maybe if I had started out with this book as my first Christmas read of the month I might have enjoyed it more but it just didn’t grab me like I hoped. The cover of the book is beautiful it caught my eye in the book store. Other then the cover the story was great But the events taking place in the book was a snore fest.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! Exactly what I have come to expect from a Jenny Hale Christmas story. I'll be the first to tell you that they're formulaic (especially when you've read all of her Christmas stories), often predictable, and cheesy in some parts. But honestly, what good Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movie isn't all of those things?! These books put me in the Christmas mood like no others and I am so happy to read them each year. As for the story itself, I LOVED the setup of this one. The books always involve people coming together at Christmas in a mansion of some kind, for some reason. There are usually cute children (usually not my thing), Christmas cheer, working through some kind of problem, and romance. Leah was great, Sadie was adorable, and David was a bit too perfect (but obviously still great). If you're looking for a cheesy Christmas movie in book form, treat yourself to one of these this week while there's still time.

[Terri Wino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this was definitely not my favorite from Jenny Hale, but it was a sweet holiday story. For me, the romantic relationship aspect of this book really wasn't there and I didn't feel much of a connection between the characters.
Still, it was a nice seasonal read to hunker down with on a cold day.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars....Very sweet & predictable Christmas story, but not in a bad way!

I enjoyed this story & the people & it was a very visual setting.

It was perfect for this time of year, wasn't overly sappy.

I think I might look into other books by this author!

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that this is only second book I have read from Jenny Hale despite the fact she publishes two books a year, one in summer and one at Christmas. Last year was my first foray into Jenny's writing as I read Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses and loved every minute of it. This year she is back with All I want for Christmas which has one of the most apt Christmas covers I have seen this year. It has such a wintery setting with a stunning plantation house in the background and it fits the setting and themes of this book so well. It's like something you would see from one of those made for TV American Christmas movies that invariably crop up at this time of year.

All I Want for Christmas is a nice, sweet, cosy story that really isn't too taxing for this time of year, which is exactly what you want. Christmas is here in abundance and the story flows along nicely not requiring too much in-depth thinking from the reader. The ending may be fairly predictable but the book had such lovely messages that didn't matter in the slightest and you enjoy watching the characters development. All I Want for Christmas highlights the importance of family and friendships and how we must learn to trust our instincts and our heart. Childhood memories and relationships form a clear theme throughout the book and our main female protagonist Leah Evans has to battle a myriad of emotions and memories before she can attempt to find true happiness and fulfil her dreams.

Leah is a single mum to daughter Sadie who is seven and who inevitable steals so many scenes through out the book due to her adorable charm. Leah has raised Sadie alone since she was born and although time can be tough her love and strength sees her through. Leah's one wish is to provide Sadie with everything she wants. Sadie has a talent for gymnastics but Leah hasn't the funds to send her to the best coaches for training or provide her with the correct equipment. She'd love to send Sadie to a better school where the teachers focus is less on crowd control and more so the teaching. But Leah has a long term goal in mind, as soon as she finishes her course she is going to take over the reins of her Nan's business which she runs from her plantation home Evergreen Hills.

Evergreen Hills is used for functions and parties and Leah hopes to develop more of the history of the house as well. In the meantime Leah studies and works two jobs just in order to keep her head above water. Leah has a strong support system not really in the form of her parents who have more or less been travelling the world for many years for various jobs but more in the form of her friends Roz and Louise. They too are single mothers and this tight knit trio have been each others backbone for many years. They can laugh and cry with each other and share their numerous problems as well as their highs and lows. Now more than ever is the time when Leah may need their love and support the most as Nan has died and Leah is feeling lost and alone especially when she hears what has happened.

Leah thought her future was all mapped out and that she would take over Evergreen Hills with guidance from Nan. She receives a copy of Nan's will only to discover it has been changed and now shares half of Evergreen Hills with David, a boy whom she has fond memories of from childhood from their time spent playing around the house that now means so much to Leah. She hasn't seen David in years, not since his family left the house, and she is left with numerous questions as to why Nan would have changed everything they had planned? Therefore only leaving her with half the house Leah and Sadie's dreams are in serious doubt. I felt so sorry for Leah that her hopes were quashed with the actions of Nan but did wonder was Nan smarter than she appeared to be and did she really have a bigger plan in store for Leah? As Nan before she passed away could look at things differently maybe she was looking at everything from a different perspective and realised a gentle guiding hand was really what was needed even if certain people couldn't see that initially. I liked how Leah wasn't giving in without a fight and moved into the house as she was determined to have that last family Christmas with her family and friends to savour the memories that special house has given her for so many years.

Nan, even though we never actually see or here from her in this book, was a character who I felt we got to know the most. Her legacy was strong and she had obviously touched both David and Leah in a unique way. She was a clever cookie and she seemed to have had a happy life at Evergreen Hills although her minor storyline with a character who made a reappearance jut seemed to be included for the sake of it and it didn't really hold my interest even though it was meant to melt your heart. It just didn't work for me. What did work was the wonderful descriptions of the lead up to Christmas, all the preparations and the weather deteriorating outside and the snow piling up around the house.

David began to warm up a little bit as I felt when we first met him he had one agenda in mind and he was going to achieve it whatever it took. He seemed willing to quash dreams and no way was he standing down. He didn't do much to endear himself to me and it just all seemed so unjust that Leah's plans were all gone awry in a major way. I felt not much really happened until we got towards the end and even then it was nothing major rather more it seemed just typical of the chick lit genre. There were a few ups and downs to navigate and even though it may be cold outside the temperature in the house started to increase and maybe Sadie would get all she wanted for Christmas or would that just too good to be to true? You'll have to read this book to discover the answers.

All I want for Christmas was a nice, light read but it didn't blow me away. I much preferred last years Christmas book from Jenny, this one won't be one I find the most memorable when I finish reading my Christmas books for this year. It's not that this is a bad book, it did have a great Christmas feeling, it's just I wasn't racing through the pages totally addicted to the story dying to uncover the ending. Fans of Jenny Hale will enjoy it though but maybe new readers would be best to start with a different read. All that said I am glad I gave this book a go and would be willing to read more from this author in the future.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leah Evans and her daughter Sadie are getting ready to have a huge family Christmas at her grandmother's plantation home. Nan has recently passed and Leah is dealing with her grief, but the anticipation of taking over the plantation and continuing on with special events and guests is what is keeping her going. When she discovers that her Nan changed her will recently it is heartbreaking to know that she is a co-owner of the home with David Forester, a boy that lived there when Leah was a child. Davey was her friend, the boy who was always there to help her, teach her and be her first friend. Assuming that she and David would run the business together was her first mistake, he wants to buy her out and use the home as a residence. Can they work things out? Will they be able to become friends again? Why did Nan want to bring them together? This is as sweet a Christmas story as any I have read or watched on the Hallmark channel. There are great characters, a lot of baggage to deal with and personal reflection to have. With Leah sure she knows what she wants, it is not necessarily what she needs. Both she and David have feelings for one another, but both are fighting them. It is Sadie that gets hurt in the fallout, yet is able to bring them together. This is a beautiful Christmas romance with a lot of heart, Christmas customs and activities, friendship and hope. One I am glad I finally read and recommend to others who enjoy a Christmas romance.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was painfully slow and boring. I read it all yesterday just to power through and I can almost guarantee I won't remember it next week. This book is about a woman who inherits her grandma's house but the catch is it was willed to her AND a guy from her childhood. They have different ideas of what to do with the house so they discuss buy out options etc, but then of course they come together and have their HEA. She has a kid that felt really awkward in the story. She was necessary I guess but it felt inauthentic. I just had no feelings for any of this book.

[Readsandeats · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.
The interplay between all the characters was so well written. I loved Sadie.
I alternated between liking, not liking and then liking David.

What do you do when 2 people are given co ownership of a house and both have different ideas as to what they want to do? This is the situation that faces David and Leah. Will spending time in Leah's Grandmother's house give them the answer?

I would recommend this book. Loose yourself in a lovely Christmas book that has all the special ingredients of the season.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart warming Christmas story of growing up on a former plantation with a wedding venue run by her grandmother. Old friends falling in love. A feel good, story. A Christmas story many long for family, big, old house and enjoying all that Christmas means.

[Joan]

great book