Tag: christmas

Book Review: A Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores #3.5) by Julie Klassen

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Holiday Romance Novella
Length: 238 pages
Author: Julie Klassen
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: September 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The holiday stirs up excitement as fondly remembered guests come to stay and acquaintances grow into more. . . .

With a promise to her youngest sister, Sarah Summers declares that this year’s Christmas at Sea View will exceed all expectations. But an upcoming trip to Scotland–and the prospect of becoming reacquainted with dashing widower Callum Henshall–blows a flurry of doubts into her mind. Sarah had discouraged his attentions before yet soon finds herself once again torn between attraction and duty as alluring thoughts of a second chance at love weave their way into her practical heart.

Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Georgiana eagerly anticipates the exciting Christmas of her dreams after last year’s dull, disappointing holiday filled with endless chores. She enjoys all the promised parties, music, and dancing, but is taken by surprise when young love comes knocking. Does the festive romance of a Sea View Christmas hold the key to a happily-ever-after for both sisters?

Spend the holiday season with the Summers sisters on the charming Devonshire coast, where family bonds are strengthened, love is rekindled, and Christmas joy abounds.

Julie Klassen’s heartwarming Christmas companion to the On Devonshire Shores series holds themes of friends to more, sisterhood bonds, and matchmaking that will fill you with holiday spirit. This novella can be read separately or along with the series and will appeal to fans of Jane Austen, English Regency romance, and Downtown Abbey.

Thank you to Bethany House for the gifted copy.

IT WAS SWEET.

I’ve really enjoyed this series from Julie Klassen. And this little novella was just as sweet as the rest. It touched on a lot of good themes and topics that brought about moments for growth and realizing that you’ve got to adapt to move forward.

I adore all of the sisters and how close they have become over each book. Getting to see them all together celebrating the holidays was tender and made for an easy read. I love reading close relationships between family members.

There’s a little bit of romance too!! I liked the slow burn and swoony moments too. Callum was such a great love interest and I adored Effie and Cora too. Truly this whole cast was a delight. It’s a heartwarming story perfect for the holiday season.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Holiday Romance Novella
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content warnings: mentions of suicide, loss of a loved one

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: December 2024

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

How is it the end of the year again? I wrapped it up with a few less books (reading Rhythm of War and Wind and Truth will do that to you). But a good month to end 2024.

Favorites of the month:

  • Rhythm of War (reread)
  • A Monsoon Rising
  • Beg, Borrow, or Steal
  • O Goalie Night
  • Wind and Truth
  • Exes Don’t
  • Holiday Hostilities
  • Is She Really Going Out with Him?
  • All the Missing Pieces
  • In the Wake of the Wicked

Least favorites:

  • The Island House
  • Merry Little Match by Celine Rachelle
  • [Reread] Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archives #4) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Stranger Skies (Drowned Gods #2) by Pascale Lacelle
  • [ARC/ALC] A Monsoon Rising (The Hurricane Wars #2) by Thea Guanzon
  • Since We’ve No Place to Go
  • Servant of the Earth (The Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley
  • [ARC] Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome #3) by Sarah Adams
  • Have Yourself a Married Little Christmas by Claire Cain
  • The Serpent and the Wolf (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #1) by Rebecca Robinson
  • [ARC] Lady Anna’s Favor by Karen Tuft
  • O Goalie Night by K.M. Gillis
  • My December Darling by Lauren Asher
  • One Night Two Holidays by Ali Brady
  • [ARC] A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya
  • [ARC] Dating and Dragons (Dungeons and Drama #1) by Kristy Boyce
  • 12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson
  • That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe (Abieville Love Stories #4) by Julie Christianson
  • Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive #5) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Games Untold (The Inheritance Games #4.5) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • [ALC] Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
  • A Kingdom of Shadows (A City of Flames #2) by Rina Vasquez
  • An Honorable Deception (The Imposters #3) by Roseanna M. White
  • We Could Be Villains (The Vigil & Ante Files #1) by Megan McCullough
  • Twenty-Four Seconds from Now… by Jason Reynolds
  • [ALC] Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked #1) by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee
  • Exes Don’t (Fall in Love #3) by Leah Dobrinska
  • Holiday Hostilities (Cyclones Christmas #2) by Katie Bailey
  • The Island House (Getaway Bay Romances #1) by Elana Johnson
  • Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens
  • [ARC] All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles
  • In the Wake of the Wicked by V.B. Lacey
  • The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Mistle Text (An Accidentally in Love Story #5) by Whitney Dineen and Melanie Summers

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 302 pages
Author: Whitney Dineen and Melanie Summers
Publisher: 33 Partners & Indigo Group
Release Date: September 19th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Twas the text before Christmas…

Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.

Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.

Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? Find out in the fifth installment of the Accidentally in Love Series.

HOLIDAY CHEER.

We have found another win for the holiday romance books column.

I do admit you do have to let go of some drama aspects for this one (as you do with holiday books), but I thought it was overall really charming!! The romance got off to a nice meet-cute and I liked the banter between Holly and Archie. They had some sweet moments that built the relationship well.

The plot had those billionaire romance aspects that I know many will love and worked for me most of the time too. I loved the personal shopper side of it too. The combination just worked so well for me.

Faith was a cute addition that only increased the charm on this book. I loved the new family they were creating together and it had me showcasing a huge smile. Faith was cheeky and landed the anecdotes at the right moment.

It’s a lighthearted and quick holiday read that I think will bring the best kind of feels for the season.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: orphaned child (death of parents mentioned; off-page), a mother with dementia

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: November 2022

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

BIRTHDAY MONTH & HOLIDAY BOOKS. It was a good November.

FAVORITES

LEAST FAVORITES

  • Holiday Romance
  • Fake Santa Apology Tour
  • Spells for Lost Things
  • The Eradic
  • The Belle of Belgrave Square
  • Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD
  • Heart of the Sun Warrior
  • Bloodmarked
  • The Holiduel
  • The Lost Metal
  • The Two Bells of Christmas
  • Cabin Mate
  • Morrighan
  • My Knight Before Christmas
  • Built to Last
  • The Cloisters
  • A Billionaire Inventor for Christmas
  • Talk Santa to Me
  • House of Eclipses
  • [Novella] My Knight Before Christmas (Christmas in Connecticut #1) by Amanda P. Jones
  • Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
  • [ARC] Scrooge and the Girls Next Door (Creekville Kisses) by Melanie Jacobson
  • Dance of a Burning Sea (Moussai #2) by E.J. Mellow
  • [Novella] The Fake Santa Apology Tour by Julie Olivia
  • The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof
  • [ARC] Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song o the Last Kingdom #1) by Amelie Wen Zhao
  • [Novella] Mishaps & Mistletoe (When in West Virginia #1.5) by Lindsey Jesionowski
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
  • Built to Last by Erin Hahn
  • Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch
  • [ARC] The Eradic (The Eradic #1) by S. Goodey
  • A Newport Christmess (Christmas Escapes #4) by Jess Heileman
  • [Novella] Holly Jolly Christmas Derailed by Emily Bradford
  • Cursed (Gilded #2) by Marissa Meyer
  • A Memory of Light (Until the Stars Are Dead #1) by Allyson S. Barkley
  • The Belle of Belgrave Square (Belles of London #2) by Mimi Matthrews
  • [Novella] Christmas Crasher by Ash Keller
  • [Non-Fiction] Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD by Eli R. Lebowitz, PhD
  • Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom Duology #2) by Sue Lynn Tan
  • [Non-Fiction] Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
  • [ARC] Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano
  • [ARC] Saint (The Narrows #0) by Adrienne Young
  • A Not-So Holiday Paradise (Christmas Escapes #5) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
  • Bloodmarked (Legendborn #2) by Tracey Deonn
  • [Novella] The Holiduel (Falling for Franklin #0.5) by Hailey Gardiner
  • The Cloisters by Katy Hays
  • Prince of Song & Sea (Princes #1) by Linsey Miller
  • How the Grump Saved Christmas by Claire Kingsley
  • Later On We’ll Conspire (Christmas Escapes #6) by Kourtney Keisel
  • The Lost Metal (Mistborn Era 2 #7) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [ARC/Novella] The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
  • [ARC] Cabin Mate (Under Kansas Skies #4) by Leah Brunner
  • Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater
  • A Billionaire Inventor for Christmas (Dexington Christmas Billionaires #1) by Dobi Daniels
  • [Novella] Christmas at Engine 17 by Ash Keller
  • [ARC] Morrighan (The Remnant Chronicles #0.5) by Mary E. Pearson
  • Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban
  • [Novella] Holiday Hang-Ups by Elle Anne Brown
  • House of Eclipses (House of Eclipses #2) by Casey L. Bond
  • [Novella] The Naughty, the Nice, and the Nanny (Holiday Brothers #1) by Willa Nash
  • Christmas After All by Cece Louise
  • Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unlocked (KOTLC #8.5) by Shannon Messenger

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph