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Bethlehem #1
Season for Miracles
A suspenseful romantic tale...with a heavenly touch. Emilie Dalton, fleeing Boston with her nieces and nephew, takes refuge from a bitter snowstorm in an old Victorian house. When the neighbors welcome her, assuming she is the mysterious owner, she goes along with the charade...and melts everyone's hearts, including the handsome police officer, Nathan Bishop. Yet dangerous secrets from her past return to threaten her new life -- and her love for Nathan -- until a little angel intervenes.
416 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
4 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Pappano
190 books126 followersAward-winning and bestselling author, international traveler, feted at a Hollywood premiere . . .
All true . . . but my regular life is a whole lot more routine. Deal with the five big puppers who share our house, babysit our grandson, battle the jungle that is our yard, pray for summer in winter and dream of winter in summer, and hunker down at the computer -- that's my real life.
I grew up in Oklahoma and had the fun of living in Georgia, Alabama, California and the Carolinas, thanks to my husband's Navy career. When he retired, we came home to Oklahoma and have lived in the same house for seventeen years. That's a real "Wow!" for someone used to the nomadic military life.
Writing was the perfect career for all that moving. Have computer, will travel. I've set books, or part of them, in every state we've lived in and been inspired by every place I've ever been. I've now written somewhere around 80 books, and I think I've got only about 8,000 stories left to tell.
My biggest hobby is starting new projects -- starting. Not completing. I'm still not done with the cross-stitched Army seal I started when our son joined out of high school. He did tours in Georgia, Colorado, Korea, Italy, Iraq, Afghanistan and Louisiana, and has been out for a few years. So I'm a little slow.
I like to think about getting organized, painting my living room in cool beachy colors, and turning my entire five-acre yard into a garden. I also dream about having every room in my house clean at exactly the same time, but I live by the motto of the woman who taught me to quilt: A clean house is the sign of a bored woman.
And I've never been bored.
All true . . . but my regular life is a whole lot more routine. Deal with the five big puppers who share our house, babysit our grandson, battle the jungle that is our yard, pray for summer in winter and dream of winter in summer, and hunker down at the computer -- that's my real life.
I grew up in Oklahoma and had the fun of living in Georgia, Alabama, California and the Carolinas, thanks to my husband's Navy career. When he retired, we came home to Oklahoma and have lived in the same house for seventeen years. That's a real "Wow!" for someone used to the nomadic military life.
Writing was the perfect career for all that moving. Have computer, will travel. I've set books, or part of them, in every state we've lived in and been inspired by every place I've ever been. I've now written somewhere around 80 books, and I think I've got only about 8,000 stories left to tell.
My biggest hobby is starting new projects -- starting. Not completing. I'm still not done with the cross-stitched Army seal I started when our son joined out of high school. He did tours in Georgia, Colorado, Korea, Italy, Iraq, Afghanistan and Louisiana, and has been out for a few years. So I'm a little slow.
I like to think about getting organized, painting my living room in cool beachy colors, and turning my entire five-acre yard into a garden. I also dream about having every room in my house clean at exactly the same time, but I live by the motto of the woman who taught me to quilt: A clean house is the sign of a bored woman.
And I've never been bored.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 27, 2008
Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com
"4.5 stars" Season for Miracles is a tender, heartwarming Christmas love story. Sometimes it is nice to read an uncomplicated, character-driven story, and this book definitely fits the bill. It's all about facing the obstacles that life throws in one's path, and making the best decisions you can to overcome them. I thoroughly enjoyed the charming, small-town feel of the Bethlehem, New York setting. I had thought that it was probably a fictional town, and was surprised to discover that such a place actually exists. Marilyn Pappano has created such a warm and inviting atmosphere, it will likely make the reader wish to live there too. The town has a soul-healing quality generated by it's residents and the three guardian angels who watch over and help those in need. I found this story and it's characters to be inspiring and uplifting, giving a true sense of the awe and wonder of the Christmas season and that miracles really do happen. It brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.
The characters are all absolutely wonderful, with not one evil character in the entire book. Emilie was a very sympathetic heroine who has been through a great deal in her life, and yet never truly has let her difficulties get her down. I loved her commitment to her family, and felt that she was making her decisions the best she could under the circumstances, always with them in mind. Nathan also had a less than ideal upbringing, but in spite of that was a kind, loving and sensitive beta hero. Also, after his first wife and best friend's cruel betrayal, Nathan had little cause to trust anyone, yet he freely opened his heart to Emilie and the children and to the love that the residents of Bethlehem showed him. The children, Alanna, Josie, and Brendan, were beautifully rendered secondary characters with each child having his or her own vivid personality, and each personality being consistent with how children might act in the circumstances in which they had been raised to that point. I liked that the children weren't always perfect angels, sometimes fighting with each other just like all brothers and sisters do. This just made them seem more realistic. The residents of Bethlehem, especially elderly neighbors, Agatha and Corinna, were a joy to read and were the true expression of the town's warmth and charm, really bringing it to life. A reader couldn't ask for a more eclectic and endearing cast of characters.
This story is just so lovely there really isn't anything to truly dislike. It would have been nice if the romance between Nathan and Emilie had been explored a little more deeply. There were times that I felt like the children and the rest of the story overshadowed their relationship a bit, but there were still some lovely scenes between them. There were a few passages of dialog where I felt the author wasn't clear as to which characters were speaking, as well as a few passages where the perspective changes from one character's thoughts to another without full clarity as to which character is thinking which thoughts. It wasn't too bad though, and things became more clear after a second reading of the passage. There were also a few places where Ms. Pappano's general wording could have been a little more clear and concise, but again it wasn't particularly difficult to follow. Overall, this was just a wonderful story in almost every respect.
This was the first book I had read by Marilyn Pappano, but it certainly won't be the last. From very early on, I felt like the story had the feel of a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hallmark had indeed made the book into a movie also titled, A Season for Miracles, which I am very eager to watch. Season for Miracles is the first book in Ms. Pappano's Bethlehem series, a group of stories which all take place in the tight-knit community for which the series is named. The remaining titles in the series are Some Enchanted Season, Father to Be, Gabriel's Angel (a novella from the Yours 2 Keep anthology), First Kiss, Getting Lucky, Heaven on Earth, Cabin Fever, and Small Wonders. The first two books in the series both center around the holiday season. Season for Miracles was an enchanting keeper of a book which I hope to make a Christmas tradition. I am also looking forward to reading the other books in the Bethlehem series, as well as exploring the non-Bethlehem books that Ms. Pappano has written.
"4.5 stars" Season for Miracles is a tender, heartwarming Christmas love story. Sometimes it is nice to read an uncomplicated, character-driven story, and this book definitely fits the bill. It's all about facing the obstacles that life throws in one's path, and making the best decisions you can to overcome them. I thoroughly enjoyed the charming, small-town feel of the Bethlehem, New York setting. I had thought that it was probably a fictional town, and was surprised to discover that such a place actually exists. Marilyn Pappano has created such a warm and inviting atmosphere, it will likely make the reader wish to live there too. The town has a soul-healing quality generated by it's residents and the three guardian angels who watch over and help those in need. I found this story and it's characters to be inspiring and uplifting, giving a true sense of the awe and wonder of the Christmas season and that miracles really do happen. It brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.
The characters are all absolutely wonderful, with not one evil character in the entire book. Emilie was a very sympathetic heroine who has been through a great deal in her life, and yet never truly has let her difficulties get her down. I loved her commitment to her family, and felt that she was making her decisions the best she could under the circumstances, always with them in mind. Nathan also had a less than ideal upbringing, but in spite of that was a kind, loving and sensitive beta hero. Also, after his first wife and best friend's cruel betrayal, Nathan had little cause to trust anyone, yet he freely opened his heart to Emilie and the children and to the love that the residents of Bethlehem showed him. The children, Alanna, Josie, and Brendan, were beautifully rendered secondary characters with each child having his or her own vivid personality, and each personality being consistent with how children might act in the circumstances in which they had been raised to that point. I liked that the children weren't always perfect angels, sometimes fighting with each other just like all brothers and sisters do. This just made them seem more realistic. The residents of Bethlehem, especially elderly neighbors, Agatha and Corinna, were a joy to read and were the true expression of the town's warmth and charm, really bringing it to life. A reader couldn't ask for a more eclectic and endearing cast of characters.
This story is just so lovely there really isn't anything to truly dislike. It would have been nice if the romance between Nathan and Emilie had been explored a little more deeply. There were times that I felt like the children and the rest of the story overshadowed their relationship a bit, but there were still some lovely scenes between them. There were a few passages of dialog where I felt the author wasn't clear as to which characters were speaking, as well as a few passages where the perspective changes from one character's thoughts to another without full clarity as to which character is thinking which thoughts. It wasn't too bad though, and things became more clear after a second reading of the passage. There were also a few places where Ms. Pappano's general wording could have been a little more clear and concise, but again it wasn't particularly difficult to follow. Overall, this was just a wonderful story in almost every respect.
This was the first book I had read by Marilyn Pappano, but it certainly won't be the last. From very early on, I felt like the story had the feel of a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hallmark had indeed made the book into a movie also titled, A Season for Miracles, which I am very eager to watch. Season for Miracles is the first book in Ms. Pappano's Bethlehem series, a group of stories which all take place in the tight-knit community for which the series is named. The remaining titles in the series are Some Enchanted Season, Father to Be, Gabriel's Angel (a novella from the Yours 2 Keep anthology), First Kiss, Getting Lucky, Heaven on Earth, Cabin Fever, and Small Wonders. The first two books in the series both center around the holiday season. Season for Miracles was an enchanting keeper of a book which I hope to make a Christmas tradition. I am also looking forward to reading the other books in the Bethlehem series, as well as exploring the non-Bethlehem books that Ms. Pappano has written.
November 22, 2020
The end of the year turned out to be finding books for all my favourite holiday movies. Season for Miracles is a movie from my childhood I liked a lot. It's not that known and it may seem an ordinary Christmas movie to watch once or not to watch at all.
However, sometimes, especially when something is related to warm memories, I can block any criticism I would generously use for these type of movies and books.
This one was special. So, I blocked all my critical thinking, didn't pay attention to the poor and romancey writing and enjoyed the fairytale. The book will be rated partially fairly, though, with a little biased Christmassy mood.
However, sometimes, especially when something is related to warm memories, I can block any criticism I would generously use for these type of movies and books.
This one was special. So, I blocked all my critical thinking, didn't pay attention to the poor and romancey writing and enjoyed the fairytale. The book will be rated partially fairly, though, with a little biased Christmassy mood.
December 29, 2012
I decided to read this book after seeing the Hallmark movie based upon it. I'm surprised how closely the movie followed the book, though there are some definite changes. I felt the movie storyline was a bit clearer, but Pappano has written a heartwarming story of one woman's unconditional love that is pushed to every limit. Emilie doesn't want to lie to everyone, but she has so few choices if she wants to keep the children out of foster care--a system she knows well, and one that practically destroyed her and definitely destroyed her sister, Berry, who has become a drug addict looking for love in all the wrong places.
From the moment I opened the book, I was captivated. Part of that was because I knew the story, but more of it was because I wanted to experience the characters the way the author fully intended. Pappano captured me with this romantic tale of the season. The book contains some sex scenes that weren't part of the Hallmark movie. I didn't find them necessary, since those scenes didn't have a great impact on the overall story. Nathan and Emilie's connection went deeper than their physical relationship, and with talk of God and the presence of the angel so important to how everything is resolved, that aspect of the book threw me off a bit.
If you get a chance to read Season for Miracles it will touch your heart.
From the moment I opened the book, I was captivated. Part of that was because I knew the story, but more of it was because I wanted to experience the characters the way the author fully intended. Pappano captured me with this romantic tale of the season. The book contains some sex scenes that weren't part of the Hallmark movie. I didn't find them necessary, since those scenes didn't have a great impact on the overall story. Nathan and Emilie's connection went deeper than their physical relationship, and with talk of God and the presence of the angel so important to how everything is resolved, that aspect of the book threw me off a bit.
If you get a chance to read Season for Miracles it will touch your heart.
January 14, 2012
Emilie is the only mother Alanna, Josie and Brendan have ever known but after losing her job and being evicted the court order the children be taken into state care. Rather than losing her family Emilie runs.
Caught in a blizzard they stop in the small town of Bethlehem. Her plans are to shelter for the night and then continue running, but the town starts to pull them into their embrace and becomes something they've never known, a home.
Season for Miracles is very much a fairytale for adults. I think some authors these days become a little obsessed with procedural accuracy and their stories can be weighed down by it. This book doesn't have that problem, it's a fantasy and problems disappear with a wave of the wand (or a phone call). It was a really entertaining and unashamedly sentimental book.
Caught in a blizzard they stop in the small town of Bethlehem. Her plans are to shelter for the night and then continue running, but the town starts to pull them into their embrace and becomes something they've never known, a home.
Season for Miracles is very much a fairytale for adults. I think some authors these days become a little obsessed with procedural accuracy and their stories can be weighed down by it. This book doesn't have that problem, it's a fantasy and problems disappear with a wave of the wand (or a phone call). It was a really entertaining and unashamedly sentimental book.
December 30, 2018
A touching and warmhearted story about a woman, the victim of unfortunate circumstances desperately trying to keep her family together during the holidays despite insurmountable odds that could not only result in her imprisonment but would mean foster care for her sister's children whom have been under her guardianship for the last year; until that guardianship was revoked because of loss of employment and eviction.
Despite the court order to return the children to Boston's social services, a fate she and her sister know all too well, our protagonist Emilie flees to her hometown in Atlanta in a car that has seen better days. En route, Emilie is forced to hunker down in the small town of Bethlehem, New York, one snowy evening; a detour that would be filled with deception, romance, mystery and Christmas blessings from a guardian angel who guides our endearing characters during this season for miracles.
Surely to become one of your holiday favorites as it is mine, this story is also a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, seek them out. Happy Holidays!
Despite the court order to return the children to Boston's social services, a fate she and her sister know all too well, our protagonist Emilie flees to her hometown in Atlanta in a car that has seen better days. En route, Emilie is forced to hunker down in the small town of Bethlehem, New York, one snowy evening; a detour that would be filled with deception, romance, mystery and Christmas blessings from a guardian angel who guides our endearing characters during this season for miracles.
Surely to become one of your holiday favorites as it is mine, this story is also a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, seek them out. Happy Holidays!
October 15, 2012
I love this movie. So once I learned that it was a book I had to get my hands on it. I immediately ordered it from Amazon and I've been slowly making my way through it. The speed has nothing to do with the story, but just how busy I've been.
I liked the movie but I liked the book even more. It was so emotional it took my breath away. It was a beautiful story with a beautiful message -- much more than the light holiday movie I watch every year on TV. It was beautiful tale about forgiveness, second chances, miracles, family and faith. A really moving, emotional, beautiful love story that I won't soon forget.
I liked the movie but I liked the book even more. It was so emotional it took my breath away. It was a beautiful story with a beautiful message -- much more than the light holiday movie I watch every year on TV. It was beautiful tale about forgiveness, second chances, miracles, family and faith. A really moving, emotional, beautiful love story that I won't soon forget.
January 31, 2011
This was a very sweet book. Not usually my style, but I have been a fan of Marilyn's since WAY back in the day. Very romantic.
January 8, 2024
I read this book when it first came out and decided to re-read it now in 2024.
This is heartwarming Christmas story, with some magical elements. Emily has recently lost her job, has no money, has been evicted and is taking care of her 2 nieces and 3 year old nephew while her sister Berry is in rehab. Emily has dropped everything, including her job in Atlanta, to move to Boston to help out her sister and take care of her nieces and nephew. Faced with having the kids being taken away by social services, Emily flees on her broken down car with the kids.
She ends up in the town of Bethlehem close to Christmas. With the help of an "angel" she is guided towards and empty home, where she is mistaken as the niece of the previous owner. In Bethlehem with the help of neighbours, and the friendly good looking cop Nathan Bishop, Emily starts to improve her situation. However, as things improve and she starts to fall in love, the lies of who she truly is threatens her situation and her romance.
This is a really sweet, small town love story with a Christmas feel. Above all it has a HEA.
I really, loved this book, so much that I re-read every now and then.
I recently found out that it was made into a Hallmark movie which can be found on youtube. The movie is also called A Season for Miracles and it is played by Laura Dern (Barry), Patty Duke (the mysterious angel),Carla Gugino as Emily and David Conrad as Nathan.
I highly recommend this book if you can find a copy. Too bad I can't find an ebook version.
This is heartwarming Christmas story, with some magical elements. Emily has recently lost her job, has no money, has been evicted and is taking care of her 2 nieces and 3 year old nephew while her sister Berry is in rehab. Emily has dropped everything, including her job in Atlanta, to move to Boston to help out her sister and take care of her nieces and nephew. Faced with having the kids being taken away by social services, Emily flees on her broken down car with the kids.
She ends up in the town of Bethlehem close to Christmas. With the help of an "angel" she is guided towards and empty home, where she is mistaken as the niece of the previous owner. In Bethlehem with the help of neighbours, and the friendly good looking cop Nathan Bishop, Emily starts to improve her situation. However, as things improve and she starts to fall in love, the lies of who she truly is threatens her situation and her romance.
This is a really sweet, small town love story with a Christmas feel. Above all it has a HEA.
I really, loved this book, so much that I re-read every now and then.
I recently found out that it was made into a Hallmark movie which can be found on youtube. The movie is also called A Season for Miracles and it is played by Laura Dern (Barry), Patty Duke (the mysterious angel),Carla Gugino as Emily and David Conrad as Nathan.
I highly recommend this book if you can find a copy. Too bad I can't find an ebook version.
December 13, 2019
I tracked down a used paperback of this novel and paid twice what it had cost years ago when it was published because I love the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, A Season for Miracles, and I hoped the book would be even better. It isn't. The movie changes some aspects of the story, for example, there are three children in the book instead of the two in the movie, but the movie is a great improvement. The book lacks much of the whimsy and magic that the movie expresses so well, and it also includes unnecessary sex scenes--a disappointment. The character of Nathan is given more background in the book, but it's not really needed. Final verdict: Stick to the movie and don't bother with this book even if you can find it; the movie is much better and an absolute delight.
January 22, 2025
I saw the movie based upon this book a few years ago on a cable channel and thought it was a delightful holiday movie with all the wonderful and magical things that can happen when you believe in Santa Clause and magic!
When I saw the book tucked in a corner of our local used book shop, I bought it to see how different the original story varied from the movie. I was pleasantly surprised the original story didn't vary much from the movie and the read was just as good (if not better) had more detailed back story, than the movie which had Patty Duke as the misterious lady (maybe an angel) as one of the actors.
Overall it's a quick read with a sweet love story and an enjoyable break from all of the spy, assassin, action stuff I usually read.
Enjoy!
When I saw the book tucked in a corner of our local used book shop, I bought it to see how different the original story varied from the movie. I was pleasantly surprised the original story didn't vary much from the movie and the read was just as good (if not better) had more detailed back story, than the movie which had Patty Duke as the misterious lady (maybe an angel) as one of the actors.
Overall it's a quick read with a sweet love story and an enjoyable break from all of the spy, assassin, action stuff I usually read.
Enjoy!
December 20, 2019
A Season for Miracles has long been my favorite Hallmark Christmas movie, so I was excited to learn it was based on a book. The book definitely fleshes that characters out a bit more, especially Nathan. It also had another niece who gets left behind in the movie version. The town of Bethlehem is still as warm and welcoming as the movie version, so this made for a great holiday read!
January 5, 2020
My favorite holiday movie was a book?!? Indeed, and everything I felt was missing in the movie was in this book. More about Emilie, about Nathan. A very satisfying read, wonderful pacing. Hopeful, and intense, sexy and characters willing to call each other out on their BS. And our Angel, saving the season and the family. Highly recommend.
February 1, 2021
I loved this movie so I was really excited to read the book. I was a little surprised at some of the content that was in the book considering what the book was about. I did enjoy the book though and despite those elements I found it just as enjoyable as the movie.
July 7, 2020
Everything happens in the last 75 pages. The rest of the book is the setup. It was good but not “sleepless night to finish good.” I will read the next book in the series.
December 29, 2022
Когато правиш добро, винаги е сезон за чудеса.
January 22, 2023
One of my all-time favorite Christmas books. I've re-read it many times. Highly recommend!
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April 20, 2007It seems like we need a reason to be good to each other. We are good to each other because it's the holidays or because it's Christmas or because some disaster struck!!!
What would it be like to live in a world where goodness is acknowledged and celebrated freely!!! A world in which people are good to each just because! A world where going out of my way to do good to another is no longer going out of my way!
Marilyn Pappano's Season for Miracles warm my heart and bring tears of joy and compassion to my eyes. I love that doing good allows us to grow and transcend our ordinariness. Our acts of goodness brings joy and happiness to the recepients, to us and to all the others who are around us.
I recommend this book and the movie to you my friend because I know at heart you are out to make a difference in the world for all of us.
What would it be like to live in a world where goodness is acknowledged and celebrated freely!!! A world in which people are good to each just because! A world where going out of my way to do good to another is no longer going out of my way!
Marilyn Pappano's Season for Miracles warm my heart and bring tears of joy and compassion to my eyes. I love that doing good allows us to grow and transcend our ordinariness. Our acts of goodness brings joy and happiness to the recepients, to us and to all the others who are around us.
I recommend this book and the movie to you my friend because I know at heart you are out to make a difference in the world for all of us.
January 28, 2015
What a wonderful book and a beautiful romance. I was tempted to read this book after seeing the heartwarming Hallmark movie version. The story and characters took me in from the first page. The book was written in 1997, well before computer technology and access to instant information was as available as it is today. To me, this enhanced the believability of the protagonist's situation and the overall charm of the story. The book (as opposed to the movie) delves much deeper into Nathan Bishop's past and character. You understand the reasons behind his deep sense of betrayal when Emilie's cover up is revealed. Emilie and Nathan are two lonely, selfless souls who find each other while Emilie struggles to keep her family together. A great read for anyone who believes in second chances, and a wonderful escape for the hopeless romantic.
May 7, 2010
Appallingly heart-warming. An fluffy affirmation of small-town Christmas goodwill with romance thrown in. The story is of a young woman determined to keep her nieces and nephew a family but through happenstance and bad choices ends up on the run. Ending up in the tiny town of Bethlehem she becomes entrapped by the good intentions of the inhabitants who do everything possible to welcome her, unknowing of their mistaken identification of her. She even ends up falling in love with a local cop, indulging in some rather passionate acts. There are also painful scenes of small children being adorable, making the heartbreak even more painful when her past catches up with her. Luckily, this book is all about Christmas miracles.
January 31, 2011
This is the first book in a series about an almost magical town of Bethlehem, NY. A woman runs away with her 2 neices and 1 nephew since the social worker was going to put them in foster care. The children's mother, her own sister, has a serious drug issue. The situation seems hopeless, but she finds community, acceptance, and love in this wonderful cozy town.
May 5, 2013
I loved the movie shown on the Hallmark Channel at Christmas. When I saw it was from a novel by Marilyn Pappano, one of my favorite authors, I had to find the book. I knew it would be even better than the movie because a book goes so much deeper than a movie can, you can get into the characters minds and get to know them better.
This book is a keeper to read again at Christmas time.
This book is a keeper to read again at Christmas time.
January 5, 2015
Exactly what it was billed as and exactly what I signed up for. Loved every second of because I wanted to read a cheesy romance Hallmark Christmas novel at Christmas. When the protagonist was arrested with fifty pages left, it was hard to be nervous, as Hallmark Hall of Fame movies don't tend to end with the protagonist in jail and her three kids in foster care. Perfect holiday cheese.
September 15, 2007
Young woman assumes the responsibility of her sister's children, moves into a house that isn't hers (without the legal owner's knowledge,) finds love and herself. Cute but I wouldn't read it a second time.
April 14, 2009
When my son was sick I was on a Hallmark Movie Marathon, so I read the book. It was a cute easy read a bit more graphic than the movie but a nice story.
March 18, 2009
I saw the Hallmark movie that was based on this book and I became a reader again.......particularly this author.
February 21, 2014
A beautiful christmas love story. Definitely something i'm going to read over and over again :)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews