Title: Christmas at Holiday House by RaeAnne Thayne
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 285 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
In the town of Silver Bells, there’s always a feeling of Christmas in the air… Let love—and RaeAnne Thayne—melt your heart this holiday season!
This New Year will bring widowed nurse Abigail Powell a fresh start in a different city. Excited about the chance to create an unforgettable Christmas for her young son in picturesque Silver Bells, Colorado, Abby has been hired to take care of her dear friend’s recuperating grandmother. But sprightly senior Winnie insists she doesn’t need looking after. What she does need is help decorating her historic mansion, Holiday House, for a seasonal town fundraiser. Abby warms to the festive task, but she’ll have to contend with her own personal Grinch: Winnie’s prickly grandson, Ethan Lancaster.
Ethan Lancaster is good at a lot of things. Relationships surely aren’t one of them. His ex-fiancée convinced Ethan he was incapable of love, and he believes her…up until the moment he impulsively kisses Abby. What is it about this vibrant woman and her sweet son that knocks his world off-kilter? He knows they’re leaving town after Christmas. He just didn’t expect they’d be taking a little of his heart with them. But as he and Abby work together on the magical Holiday House through the record cold weather, visions of a different future dance in his head…one filled with warmth, love and a new beginning for them both.
Review:
Christmas at Holiday House by RaeAnne Thayne is a delightfully charming holiday romance.
Abby Powell is in the process of relocating to Texas in order to start fresh as she finally feels ready to move on from the tragic loss of her husband. With free time on her hands, she and her adorable five year old son Christopher travel to Silver Bells, CO to help longtime friend Lucy Lancaster’s grandmother Winnie who recently injured herself in a fall.
Abby is adept at taking care of the spirited older woman but she is out of her depth as she helps decorate Winnie’s mansion for upcoming tours. She also tamps down her fears as Lucy’s brother Ethan offers to help Christopher experience winter sports for the first time. Although Abby never loses sight of her upcoming plans, she delights in the new friendships she is making as she helps Winnie with a charity event. She also fights her unexpected attraction to Ethan, who believes love is just not in the cards for him considering his failed engagement and turbulent childhood. Will the upcoming holidays work a little magic for this well-matched but cautious couple?
Abby is a wonderful mom who is a little tentative but determined not hold her son back due to her own concerns. Although sometimes a little reluctant, she is surprised at how much she is enjoying helping Winnie. Despite her contentment with everything Silver Bells has to offer, Abby does not seriously entertain thoughts about altering the plans she has already set in motion. But will she change her mind as her feelings for Ethan deepen?
After his grandmother’s fall, Ethan returns home determined to convince Winnie to move into assisted living. He relents after Abby agrees to stay but he tries to spend more time with his grandmother. Ethan is surprised that he is so drawn to Abby and Christopher. He cannot forget his ex-fiancée’s harsh assessment of him when she ended their engagement. But as he realizes the depth of his emotions, will Ethan risk his heart again?
A secondary story arc involves Lucy and her strained relationship with longtime friend José Navarro. After witnessing her parents’ volatile relationships throughout her childhood, Lucy moves frequently and refuses to enter into a committed relationship. She and José spend time together every year but a few months ago, their relationship changed. Due to her fears, Lucy pushes him away, but is she making a mistake by not giving him a chance?
Christmas at Holiday House is a light-hearted holiday romance with a lovely cast of characters and marvelous setting. The storyline is well-written with realistic issues that will resonate with readers. The town Silver Springs is warmly inviting with kind-hearted residents. Old and new fans of RaeAnne Thayne are sure to enjoy this heartwarming and uplifting story of friendship, healing and love.
