A Christmas to Remember

by Jenny Hale

A beautiful story about the magic of childhood Christmas memories, the strength of family and falling in love when you least expect it.

Fans of Carole Matthews, Susan Wiggs and Scarlett Bailey – and anyone who loves the sound of Christmas songs and the sparkle of decorations on the tree – will adore this festive holiday treat!

Everyone loves Christmas – don’t they?

Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new career and fix her love life.

As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going out on a high – the house is amazing , the kids are adorable, and she’s in charge of decorating the tree!

The only problem could be her boss… single-dad, Adam Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s always working. Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on precious moments with his son and daughter?

As Adam’s family arrive for Christmas including his sensitive sister, Sharon, and his fun-loving elderly Grandpa, Walter, Carrie realises that she might just have found the perfect allies in her quest to persuade Adam to loosen up. There’s still time for Carrie to make this the best Christmas ever… after all, Christmas is the time for miracles, isn’t it? Let the festivities begin!

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

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2014

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

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas to Remember by Jenny Hale is a standalone contemporary romance novel. This one of course is set during the Christmas season and the days leading up to the holiday as the title indicates.

Carrie Blake loves children and she loves her job as a nanny but as time has gone by Carrie has realized that her job is holding her back from a family of her own. Vowing to finish this one last nanny job Carrie is planning a change in her life.

Carrie finds herself working for single dad Adam Fletcher during this Christmas season and what Carrie notices is Adam needs a refresher on family time. Sure his children are being well cared for but they need daddy time but the more time Carrie spends with Adam’s family the more she finds herself falling for him.

I have read several books by author Jenny Hale in the past so I already suspected going into this one that I would enjoy it. Of course the author was the main attraction for me but I immediately enjoyed Carrie and thought well that makes sense we share the same name! But of course the best part of the novel was showing the family togetherness and bringing the season to life. Definitely a nice tale for the season.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

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

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I already read and really enjoyed Love Me For Me by Jenny Hale and so I was excited to read this one, but unfortunately I really did not like it at all.

Carrie is a top nanny and has taken on a temporary job over Christmas looking after four year old twins Olivia and David, for their father Adam Fletcher. Adam is a workaholic, he is devoted to his job and sadly it leaves him with virtually no free time to spend with his family. Carrie picks up on this immediately and decides to do her best to ensure that he eases up on work and enjoys Christmas with his children and starts to build up a better relationship with them. The story is cosily predictable, as we watch Carrie also fighting the attraction she feels for Adam. We know exactly how the story is going to end from the first chapter, which sometimes is no bad thing because that is exactly the sort of read we want at times.

My problem with the book was Carrie herself – I hated her! She seemed to change from sickly sweet simpering to sanctimonious at the drop of a hat. When I worked as a childminder I was taught never to be judgemental about other people’s lifestyles, yet Carrie, as a top nanny, totally disregarded this. We hear all Carrie’s innermost thoughts and there was something decidedly creepy about her especially when she thought about her special “moments” with Adam and the times when she was furious (in her own mind) with him for taking phone calls from his office when they are having a “moment”. It is his job, he is her boss, and if he wants to answer a phone call, then he jolly well can – he doesn’t have to answer to her! I half expected the story to take a U turn into a “creepy nanny from hell” story. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy, but sadly this one just didn’t work for me.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 words: family, love, christmas, making time.

Damn, that was sweet! So sweet. I think my teeth hurt.

This book takes a very well used story line of a super-rich work-obsessed single dad who hires a nanny/au pair/party planner and all sorts of warm fuzzies ensue. And this book does it so well.

I actually loved every single character. Every one of them. I couldn't help it! Carrie tugged at my heart strings with all of the love she had to give, Olivia was just freaking adorable, David was seriously cute and Adam sounded delicious.

This story really got me in the mood for Christmas, and I loved the underlying message. You should always make time for your loved ones, and it's something you can very easily forget to do.

I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rezension kommt bald auf meinem Kanal!<3<3

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Christmas story I will never forget. The Family, the memories it was all so perfect. A real fairy tale that you will never forget.
5 stars and I highly recommend it.

[Lynn Dubinsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute holiday read. Too bad it took more than half of the book for it to get to the cute parts.

[Kimber · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie is a nanny, and while she loves her job, she's trying to plan for a future that allows her the time to make her own family. She falls for her new boss and his family and thinks that maybe they could be the future she's looking for. This novel is set against the backdrop of Christmas, which should inspire a certain amount of romance. However, this romance about a nanny who falls for her boss falls completely and utterly flat. The magic of Christmas was not present or alive in the book at all and the romance was both uninspired and uninspiring.

This book bored me. It was flat, with no emotional highs or lows, and was very repetitive making the whole read sort of monotonous. The characters were boring and bland, with almost no real characterization just adding to the monotony again. I found the romance was basically non-present and mostly seemed like the hallucinations of a woman obsessed rather than an actual romance. The pacing of the book was really strange as well, which made reading the book something or a chore. Obviously, I was less than impressed.

Carrie, the female lead, in this book is a boring character to follow. She has no depth except for some rather shallow anxiety which is used to create introductions in each chapter. I didn't feel like Carrie was anxious so much as highly annoying, which really just speaks to the writing quality because there was basically no emotional depth present in this book. Furthermore, Carrie's "love" for Adam, which develops very quickly, seems rather more like a stalker than a real relationship.

Adam is probably the least romantic lead I've ever read. He is very boring and kind of...not a great guy. I was confused because Carrie would go on for pages about how infuriating Adam was because he was a bad dad, but then would sum it all up with "but he's really something, so sweet, so perfect". There was no evidence to suggest he was sweet or perfect anywhere in the book.

As I've said the romance, which is meant to be the central thing here, is really lacking. With two bad leads there's already a lot working against it. Add to this the complete lack of emotion in the book and it really just falls flat. There's no romance in this book to me. There are moments where there could have been romance, maybe there was supposed to be some, but it just fizzles and falls away. Part of this is due to the weird pacing issues in this book. The book is so slow, constantly dragging out these weird moments in the book, but then the romantic bits (sleigh rides, the first kiss) are just sped past and fizzle away. These acing problems make the few moments of light in the book just fall apart completely and mean that the romance just never really surfaces.

The plot itself is pretty standard stuff, and is the kind of stuff that makes a good romance novel. Nanny falls in love with boss and his kids during Christmas. It's got all the right pieces to make a good romance, but the pieces are all bad and make the whole things just fall flat. The whole thing to me was just flat and boring. There was no momentum, no climax, nothing to keep me interested. The characterization was poorly done which made the romance bad too. I do not recommend this book at all.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with A Christmas to Remember. I thought it would be light and sweet and get me into the holiday mood. Unfortunately, I was just annoyed by it. I hated the main character, Carrie. She seemed completely unprofessional and I thought she was probably in need of some mental help. She’s a nervous wreck through most of the book, second guessing herself constantly. She falls for the father, Adam, pretty much at the very beginning, even though he’s done nothing to deserve any kind of affection. In fact, he seems pretty self-absorbed. However, she is somehow sure he’s a wonderful guy despite her frequent anger with him for working all the time and not spending more time with his children.

She takes it upon herself to change him and fix the relationship between him and his kids. That could be endearing I guess if she didn’t take it so personal every time he chooses work over family time. Her feelings about Adam gave me whiplash as she went from saying he was a wonderful guy and soooo nice and caring, to feeling like he was a jerk who was selfish and didn’t care about his family. On top of that was her incredibly low self-esteem. She mooned over Adam, and fantasized about the two of them having a relationship. However, when he did start making advances toward her, she was so insecure that she would dismiss them no matter how forward they were. It drove me crazy! No matter what he did, she was convinced he didn’t like her.

I should have had some clue that this chick was crazy from the beginning of the first chapter, as it begins with a quote from a self-help book. She says at multiple points in the book that she only reads self-help books and has a ton of them piled up in her car. I’ve got a little advice for her…give up on the self-help books, honey, and get a therapist already! I was so glad to finish this book and get out of her head that I actually cheered, startling my husband. So I guess the book did cheer me up after all, but only after the weight of reading it was lifted.

Wow. My advice on A Christmas to Remember is to avoid it at all costs, it will suck the happiness right out of you and leave you frustrated and annoyed.

You can read more of my book reviews at my blog, Bookworm Book Reviews.

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 - 3 "I really wanted to like this more stars :("

So much potential, but the h annoyed me terribly. She constantly had these long inner monologues that drove me insane; and she was so insecure for no real reason at all. She kind of ruined the story.

What I liked was the premise of the story. Workaholic single father falls for the nanny that opens his eyes to what he is missing out on with his children and family by putting work before family. At Chrisrmas time at that! This would seem a no brainer for me, but with the h, it just fell way short. I did like Adam, the H. As well as the children(they were adorable) and Adam's extended family. They were all great. Especially his mother and grandfather.

Overall, I have to say it was a bit of a strugle to finish this one :( but it was a sweet story.

Happy reading.

[Shelley Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored A Christmas to Remember by Jenny Hale. It was rather simplistic, but also quintessentially Christmas and I adored every moment of it!

The story is charmingly descriptive, the setting cozy and atmospheric, and the many fun-filled activities, festive. It feels like all the goodness of Christmas wrapped up into one novel.

This is a love story between Adam, a single dad and workaholic, and Carrie, the nanny who wants more from her life, she’s just not sure what. It is sweet and heart-warming and includes two adorable children and a loving and supportive extended family. It is clearly fiction, as things in life rarely work out so easily and perfectly, but I don’t even care. It is Christmasy and delightful and a joy to read.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you very much to Bookoutre and Net Galley for the advance review copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Carrie is a nanny, and before accepting the job with the Fletcher family, had already decided that this would be her last nannying job.

Adam Fletcher is a divorced dad to 4 year old twins Oliver and David, and runs a sucessful company. He at first appearances, appears to put his job ahead of all of his family, especially his children.

Carrie accepts a short term position over Christmas, while the twins are staying with Adam. After a few days his whole family comes to stay as well. Everyone is determined to persuade Adam to spend more time with his children and family.

I found this to have all the elements of a fantastic Christmas read, including children, a character open to change and some romance, add in some Christmassy crafts, decorations and activities.

This was a sweet and touching book about family life at Christmas, which I enjoyed thoroughly. I will definitely be reading Jenny Hale's other books in due course.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted originally http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2014...

A Christmas to Remember is another charmingly gorgeous novel by Jenny Hale, who has fast become one of my favourite authors. I love festive books which focus on what I consider the most important aspect of Christmas, the family aspect, and this book includes that in abundance. In it we meet Carrie, who’s spending the festive season working as a nanny with single dad Adam and his two lovely children, Olivia and David. Adam throws himself into his work and is seemingly oblivious to the fact he is surrounded by family and missing out on so many moments with his children. It’s left for Carrie to try and make him understand the importance of making memories and this was such a touching theme to the novel. Christmas for me is always about spending time with family and each year, we look back at moments from Christmases gone by and laugh and smile about them. When you’ve got little kids, surely you need to embrace the magical feel of Christmas, just for them, and I was desperate for that to happen here. A Christmas to Remember had a lovely warm, cosy feel to it and was so beautiful – the first book I’d choose to recommend for anyone looking for a heart-warming, Christmas read.

Carrie was a main character I liked instantly. Frustrated with the lack of direction in her own life, Carrie is approaching her last job as a nanny. She loves spending time with other people’s kids but more than that, she wants her own. She wants to settle down in her own perfect little family and make her own life better, instead of helping everyone else. But you know, she does a pretty wonderful job at helping other families. Carrie’s so caring and considerate – I couldn’t help but love her character. But what made me connect with Carrie the most is that I could relate to her so well. She’s a worrier, she battles with anxiety, she’s insecure and has a lack of confidence and the only time she feels okay is when she’s trying to help other people. I completely understood all of her issues and so, I warmed to her. I wanted to see a beautiful transition for Carrie throughout this novel, not only because I adored her character but because maybe it would give me hope too. I loved Carrie’s strength though and how she always wanted to help everybody else, without fail. Maybe her concern over everything might irritate some people but if you live with anxiety dominating your thought processes, you can see that really she has beautiful spirit and just want the best for her.

The format and writing in A Christmas to Remember, as I’ve come to expect from Jenny, was stunning. Each chapter starts with a quote from one of the self-help books Carrie feels the need to use. Not that they do her any good, since they always bring up more problems than she started with. Bless her, I’ve never used self-help books but you know that feeling when you google a problem that needs fixing and end up with about ten more issues you didn’t know were there to begin with. I loved that the quote for each chapter hinted at the sense of direction the novel was about to take. It was cleverly written and this book had everything I wanted to see, from a lovely slow-building romance to a great mixture of family to building trust, caring for each other and the attempts to make the best Christmas possible. I loved the way Carrie approached Adam, how she carefully worked at him to make him see what he was missing. Though she always had his kids’ best interests at heart, there was also the progression of a little something between her and Adam. I loved how meaningfully this was built up, without it being forced upon us too soon or too late, even, to believe in it. But I was of course wholeheartedly behind the hope of a happy ending – a magical, memorable Christmas for Adam and his family and maybe a new sense of positivity and direction for Carrie too.

I could really discuss A Christmas to Remember all day long, but I don’t think anybody would last reading this review for much longer. So my last mention will go to how wonderfully well Jenny developed every single character in this book, and we are introduced to quite a few of them in Adam’s family. There was Adam’s grandpa, Walter, who was warm and wise and always came in at the right moment. I adored him. Another character that particularly struck me was Adam’s sister, Sharon, who had her own little story to tell. This was, again, written beautifully and sensitively and it worked its way into the main story perfectly, because we really get to see it enhance Carrie’s character too. The focus on the dialogue and interaction between family members in A Christmas to Remember was great to read. Each character had their own individual voice and I could feel for them all – each just wanting the family to step up as one and make this Christmas special. My favourite moments came from the time Adam and Carrie spent with Olivia and David, but actually there wasn’t a moment in this novel I didn’t love. I could read Jenny Hale’s beautiful writing for months on end and never tire of it. After two months of reading Christmas novels so far, A Christmas to Remember is the best standalone and more than that, one of my favourite novels of the whole year too. Truly beautiful.


*Received via Netgalley for an honest review.

[Janet C-B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the time of year that I read several Christmas theme books. My rating is based strictly on whether I enjoyed reading the story. This is a predictable story that I enjoyed. In the spirit of the season, I rate it 4*

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5✨️

[Jo Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Bookouture, especially Kim Nash for sending me a copy of this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First off I would like to comment on the very lovely festive cover, really does make you imagine snow at Christmas.

When we first meet Carrie she is sat outside of Adam Fletchers house waiting to go in and start her new job. What Carrie finds is a man who has thrown himself into his work after his marriage fell apart. Adams children don't know him anymore and it breaks Carrie's heart.

Carrie sets out to build bridges between not only Adam and his children but with his family as well. Little does she know she will lose her heart to him. Having out her own dreams on hold, she is now restless for her own family and wonders if she is doing things for the right reasons.

Carrie is really lovely she knows how to work with children ensuring they have a fab time even though she is crushed under her own anxiety issues. She also speaks her mind to Adam and makes him see things his family have been trying to see.

Adam is hot! What more can I say? He's my idea of Sean Bean when he was in Sharpe, I little rugged looking. Adam is lost, has never failed at anything before so when his marriage failed he hid in his work, I was hoping Carrie would help Adam find his way back. Don't we all want to mend a sexy guys broken heart?

Jenny asked me would I like to share a beer with him, my reply was I'd like to drink a beer off him but drinking a beer with him would be great too (read the book to understand the relevance).

This is for me is a wonderful Christmas story, romantic and totally enthralling read that's set around everything Chrismas is about, children, family and some friends, add in beers, what more can you want? This is a page turner from the very first page and I wonder if Jenny will write about a couple from the brewery, just an idea!?!? x

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful Christmas story- it envelops you in a warm wintry embrace right from the first scene. It keeps you turning the pages to be lost in the next magical event. The perfect Christmas read.

Carrie takes on a Nanny job over the festive season with really cute children and a wonderful house. Her employer is worth daydreaming over aswell. The trouble is that he is a workaholic and she is dismayed to see that he doesn't know how to interact with his adorable children. She pushes the boundaries getting him to give up precious work minutes- in the hope that he will provide those special moments we all remember from our own childhood. Doesn't he realise that this window of wonderment passes in a flash- and NOW is the perfect time to enjoy the reason for the season.

His family come to stay and she loves being around them aswell. They are pleased to see the efforts she is making and you are willing them along!

Make sure to add this one to your Christmas list - it will definately get you into the festive spirit and leave you with a really warm feeling.

With many thanks to Bookoture, the publisher, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one. One of my favourite reads this year.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second book from Jenny Hale and I liked it as much as my first read of one of her stories.
Frankly always during this time of year I read a lot of Christmas books,just because if I catch some good one,it really brings me into season and I immediately start feeling christmassy. Well if I picked a good one is the base line. With Hale it definitely was the case.
Her characters are lovely,you get into them and can feel with them right after a few pages. She is able to write and create a nice,little story and in no situation she exaggerate the characters or the story, even at the end ( because thats often a flaw in those kind of books,there's too much , especially in the end,were as reader you roll your eyes and think " come on, that really absolutely only happens in a fairy tale").
Not so with her stories. Further more,I have read lately a few books were the female main character got on my nerves,sometime so much that I had to push me through the book!
I felt with Cassie here,liked her behaviour,her acting, how she played along.
Adam was just a cuty which I enjoyed as a character as well.
A good,easy book, just for some relaxed afternoon reading :)

[Suzanne Zulauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite out of Jenny Hale's three novels! I didn't want to like Carrie, as she really shouldn't have had any reason to judge her boss. And actually, I loved that she had the children's interests at heart from the get go and she didn't let it bother her that she would have to stand up to their father. I knew I could count on Hale to turn this into a love story that I would find believable and one that I would root for. As the reader, I knew Carrie needed to ditch her self-help books, but I knew if I was patient, Hale would find just the right moment to change Carrie's life! And she did! I literally could not put this book down all day and loved falling in love with Adam's family as Carrie did. I thoroughly enjoyed the Richmond setting and could vividly picture the adorable town and cozy atmosphere. I actually finished the book and couldn't wait for the holiday season to get here! I wanted to grab a holiday ale, sit by the fire, and decorate! Not many books can take me to that place, but this one did. Congrats, Jenny Hale, on a fantastic seasonal love story!

[Susan Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as Coming Home for Christmas which I absolutely loved. I liked the fact Carrie was a nanny, but had her own life wishlist which wasn't currently being met, given the lack of opportunity due to the nature of her job. I loved the children's father - from the beginning. I really enjoyed the fact that children were such a big part of this book. Adam's family were lovely, especially his mum, and the side plot of his sister and her problems was very well done. The only thing I didn't like was Carrie's constant uncertainty. I know you can be uncertain around a potential partner, but I think it was too much. I realise that she was the help and he was the employer, but I still felt she was too slow to cotton on in matters of the heart. Carrie's obvious love of children was apparent and the way she didn't give up with the father in trying to make him spend time with his children showed she was a strong personality. A good read.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas To Remember was straight up joyful. Nanny Carrie shows up for her newest gig to find a sterile, cold, struggling home. She embarks on a mission to make the home warm and imbibe it with Christmas cheer. Single dad Adam pushes back along the way but pretty soon he can’t fight her infectious joy and his heart begins to thaw.
🎄 🎅🏼
This book was absolutely joyful and cheery. It’s positively brimming with Christmas spirit! I loved it and found myself grinning like a fool. This is one sure to get you in the Christmas spirit! My thanks to @readforeverpub for sending this review copy my way!
🎄🎅🏼

[Mandy Baggot · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Carrie Blake arrives at Adam Fletcher's house, as nanny to his children, she doesn't expect the Christmas she has in store.

Adam is a workaholic who has become estranged from his own children. Can Carrie put this right and make Adam want to give up a little of the career that got him through his marriage break up?

A lovely Christmas story filled with tear-jerking moments as both Carrie and Adam find their way.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jenny Hales books, but her Christmas books are always lovely.
Her characters are always so nice and everyone is always to lovely . I would love to dive into her books and live there for a while. They are the perfect escape from real life, and great to lift your spirits and renew your faith in humanity for a little while.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really festive, feel good story :) For a full review see my blog : candysbookcase.wordpress.com

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Recommended.

[Bookishadrianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Carrie started off this book reading self-help books I was immediately concerned. I instantly perceived that this book would be about a main character that is hopelessly lost and cannot even begin to find themselves. I am pleased that is not how the story actually went. Although Carrie struggles with knowing what to do with her life, it's relatable. She loves nannying but also working Monday-Friday has its perks.

Carrie notices Adam is attractive but I don't feel like it crosses a weird he's my employer line. Adam's hard shell that slowly diminished over this book had my heart so happy. The moment when Adam realized his kids moments matter while he was forced to paint his hands for a craft project, completely had me tearing up.

It was sweet, closed door romance. That also not only showed the magic of Christmas but also how important family is and being present with your kids. I think the biggest take home lesson that Carrie teaches the readers is that kids do notice when you choose work over them constantly and it does effect them. Overall, I loved this book that gave complete Hallmark vibes.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy for review.

[Rosie Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

By page 17 I was laughing inbetween my spouts of gagging. So soon after seeing the main "guy" does the female "lead" react ridiculously to his charms (her legs "were becoming jelly-like...").
I'm giving this book a very generous four stars. because otherwise I can picture the disappointment on David and Olivia's faces. The development between the career-driven father and his two children was so sweet to read.
However, true to Hallmark nature, if not already dating someone or engaged, then one of the two is a single parent.
Sighs. Curiosity assuaged, I now know how this author became a Hallmark movie inspiration.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

100% A Christmas To Remember put me in a wonderful holiday spirit mood. There’s the traditional cutting of the Christmas tree. There’s decorating. Let’s not forget shopping, Santa, and a holiday party. Plus, on a less superficial level, we see the true spirit of Christmas. There’s an appreciation of family and love. I think this book is so sweet and sincere. And well, I am finding that I am a truly converted Jenny Hale fan and plan to read ALL her books at some point.

Read my full review here

[Edgar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good Christmas book after reading a horrible horrible book. This is exactly what I needed for a good winter read. I wish Adam and Carrie’s relationship had been shown more as it was only touched in a couple of pages at the end but still a good read nevertheless. I’m looking forward to reading more of the author’s books.

[Rachel Maneloveg · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5/5 😬 Not my fave, but still very sweet and cute

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ecopy of this book by Kim at Bookouture in exchange for an honest review which I'm more than happy to give. Kim really knows what books I like and I always trust her choices. Who could say no to a Christmas book, it has to be the best time of year for me.

The main character Carrie is a hugely successful nanny who has reached the point in her career where she has decided she needs to take control of her own life and plan for a family of her own and a fresh career. This was to be her last nannying post intending to get a grip with a fresh start in the new year.

Christmas brings its own memories to each of us but for most I'd say warmth, smells, home, family and friends would evoke quite a strong image. Carrie is introduced to The Fletcher household and finds none of the above, despite the fact that it's only a couple of weeks to christmas. Adam, the father is a work-a-holic with only very part time care for his children since his divorce from their mother, hence the need for a nanny and has made no plans at all for Christmas.

I took an instant liking to Carrie who despite her experience and confidence knowing how to interact with children wasn't so confident asserting herself with other adults. She has serious confidence and anxiety issues - relying on self help books to get her through each day, yet when the need arose she managed to go in guns blazing, then worried about the consequences afterwards.

Carrie used to helping children with different problems and situations seems to confidently know how to get Adam's children Olivia and David on side. Their father was a different matter. She was troubled from the outset by the lack of interaction between the children and Adam. Carrie has confidence issues when moved out of her comfort zone, yet despite this goes back time and time again to confront Adam to try and get him to understand what he's missing by not spending time with his children.

Support unexpectedly comes in the form of Adams family who come to stay for the holidays, quickly enveloping Carrie into their fold but unbeknown to her bring their own set of issues and opinions too. Each and every character was someone I wanted to know more about - from Joyce, Adam's mother who draws her family around her with home cooking, to Walter, Adam's grandfather, who sees everything and dispenses wise words when needed.

This is a truly magical book and was so beautifully written, bringing together trust, confidence, love and family to iron out the creases. Many situations were made worse by the various characters being backed into a corner but time and honest talk - not always welcomed though, resulted in eyes being opened and obstacles eventually flattened.

There is some romance thrown in for good measure but not when you expect it. Like most readers I like to second guess what is going to happen but Jenny threw a few curve balls to throw me off course. This is a book of discovery and growth for more than a couple of the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed taking their journey with them. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a happy ending but in a book that isn't all predictable. I so wish Adam's mother Joyce would have added a few of her recipes to the end of the book - I was left planning for Christmas and wishing we had a little more snow in England.

Thank you Jenny for such a beautiful read which had me hooked from the very first page.