This book was awesome.  I loved how everyone took Muriel's book to heart and tried to make themselves and the people around them better people.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you net galley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

I have enjoyed returning to Icicle Falls again and again but I am disappointed that this is the last book in the series.  There seems to be more stories to tell and an epilogue could have tied up all the loose ends but alas it wasn’t to be.  I did enjoy the recipes at the back of the book and may give a couple of them a try.

It was nice to be reunited with many of the characters I’ve come to know but Muriel was not at her best in this story and that was disappointing.  She was definitely putting a damper on the holiday season except for the ugly tree scenario she spun that seemed to help others out by putting a more positive spin on their thoughts and actions.  I enjoyed that each chapter started out with a quote from her newest book, A Guide to Happy Holidays, and some of them really gave me pause.  Sienna and her son were a nice addition to the town and I liked her and her son’s interactions with Tim but also with his daughters which I didn’t expect.  The ex-wife left a lot to be desired though and his uncle and Sienna’s neighbor definitely did a one-eighty in his outlook on life.  Olivia and her family had their trial and tribulations with Meadow joining their family but I liked that Olivia really tried to get to know her and be there for her.

There was a lot of holiday spirit – both Thanksgiving and Christmas, but also sadness, hurt, frustration, anger, upset, fear, tears, happiness, laughter, family and friends, friendship, kindness and in some cases love. Chocolate and food as always played a major role as did many of the small businesses in town.  The story flowed smoothly for the most part but their wasn’t the usual depth to the characters.  There were a few happily-ever-afters or potential ones in the offing.

I’ve always enjoyed reading this author’s books.  I look forward to reading what she pens next!

Favorite Quote:  Leo was in no hurry to settle down, and Sienna understood why.  They had enjoyed a Hallmark-movie kind of day, a veritable ice-cream sundae of fun, their two families blending perfectly.  The cherry on top had been seeing Leo’s archenemy get a dose of the humiliation he’d been doling out.  Ah, yes, a very satisfying day.

Icicle Falls is a dream town, love every book in the series. Roberts is a master at the small town feel book. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

This is one of those books that's in a series, but you don't have to read the whole series to enjoy. 

Christmas in Icicle Falls by Sheila Roberts is a nice, uplifting, quick read that really gets you in the mood for Christmas.

I didn’t expect to need to read 10 previous books before I picked this up for the holidays, and when I started the Icicle Falls series, I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.  This is an excellent romance series capped off with a great finale in Christmas in Icicle Falls.  This was definitely one of my favorite installments in the series, the characters were great, the romance on point, and the holiday cheer infectious.  This is a great series and a great book.  Highly recommend for fans of fun romance!

I really liked the multi-generational aspect of this story as well as the return to Icicle Falls. The three main storylines meld very well and I didn't feel it jumped around between viewpoints too much. Muriel Sterling, matriarch of the Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company family and local author, deals with the loneliness and jealousies that can arise at holiday time. Newcomer and single mother Sienna Moreno, along with son Leo, look for kindness among their neighbors and new friends. And the return visit to the family running a local german themed inn was heartwarming as well, with Olivia learning how to open her heart to another new daughter-in-law. There is truly something for everyone in this solid holiday read.

A charming Christmas story filled with wonderful characters.  I loved the way the author wove the story of the scrawny Christmas tree in a stories about all of the townsfolk.  What a wonderful small town.  Icicle Falls is a character itself in this story.  I have not read any of the other book in this series and I did feel that it would have been an advantage to have read the earlier books.

Christmas In Icicle Falls

Sheila Roberts



CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS by Sheila Roberts is the eleventh book in the Life in Icicle Falls series and it also happens to be the last one. Even though I'm sad that it is ending I have loved this series and the wonderful characters in Icicle Falls. I craved chocolate the whole time I was reading this book! CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS is a sweet read that I devoured in just two days. Sheila has a way of just pulling you into the story and getting you all involved in everyone's business. I love how romance was found along the way with their troubles but it did not overpower the story. I hope you will be like I was, cheering for these heart warming characters as you keep flipping the pages until you reach the very last one.

Sienna Moreno and her son Leo have just relocated to Icicle Falls to start over. Leo has special needs and Sienna needed to get away from her deadbeat ex-husband. CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS is filled with love and community and everyone in Icicle Falls reaches out to Sienna and Leo. Sienna loves everything about this quaint little German town, except for her next door neighbor Bob Cratchett. Mr. Cratchett is a grumpy old man who complains about everyone and everything and is always yelling at Sienna or about Leo or their dog, which they don't have. 



Olivia Claussen owns a bed and breakfast in Icicle Falls. She finally has all of her family back under her roof. Her son Brandon has returned home with his new bride Meadow. Meadow is a bit rough around the edges with her attitude and language, and Olivia is having a hard time getting past the tattoos and piercings and warming up to her. Once Olivia learns why Meadow is the way she is, she tries to embrace her and make her feel welcome. CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS had me reaching for the tissues over and over again.



CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS is filled to the brim with family, new beginnings, love, and hope. It is a wonderful Christmas story. There are a lot of wishes and prayers fulfilled this Christmas season at CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS. This is such a charming place any time of the year, but especially at Christmas. Sheila Roberts brings this picturesque Bavarian town to life with her description of the countryside as well as the quaint shops in town. Her characters are genuine, sincere and original, if not a little eccentric. There are several subplots woven throughout the storyline that lend depth to the novel. You'll fall in love with both the town and the characters. Put this one on your reading list for good Christmas-themed novels this year. Sit back with some hot chocolate brimming with whipped cream and another wonderful story from Sheila Roberts! This tale should become a delightful Christmas movie very soon!

4.5 Stars at The Romance Dish

Sheila Roberts takes her readers back to Icicle Falls, Washington, for the eleventh and final novel in this popular series.

Muriel Sterling-Whitman, author of several successful self-help books, has just published a new one, A Guide to Happy Holidays, and she is set to begin her own holiday celebrations. Since her artificial tree is old and tired—and looks it, she decides to order a new one online. To her disappointment, the tree that looked as full and beautiful as a real tree in photographs turns out to be a skimpy, bald tree. Even her three-year-old granddaughter Rose recognizes that it is an “ugly tree.” When Muriel’s efforts to replace the pitiful tree fall through, she decides to turn the ugly tree into an object of beauty with the right decorations: “Maybe she could fix up her ugly little tree and make it into something pretty. Maybe it was salvageable.” The tree transformation is so effective that Muriel’s guests at her annual Christmas tea declare that the tree is gorgeous. One of the guests, Pat York, owner of Mountain Escape Books, suggests that the transformation of the ugly tree could serve as a metaphor for the human “ugly trees” in their lives who might be transformed by kindness and a determination to see the good in them. Muriel agrees that this is a “lovely idea.”

Many of the women find it quite easy to identify their “ugly tree.” Pat has had difficulties with a grouchy landlord who is reluctant to make necessary repairs at her bookshop. Sierra Moreno, a divorcee who moved to Icicle Falls hoping to find a place where her special needs son could be happy, loves the small town—except for her curmudgeonly neighbor, Mr. Cratchett, the Scrooge of the community and the bane of her life. Olivia Clausen, whose family owns Icicle Creek Lodge, is delighted that her younger son Brandon is back in town and involved in the family business, but she finds her new daughter-in-law Meadow crass, crude, and hard to tolerate.

Even Muriel, the perennial optimist, discovers that she may have a human “ugly tree” in her life. She is experiencing negative feelings toward one of her oldest friends. She has known Arnie Amundsen since they were children, and he has been her rock through the loss of two husbands. She loves him dearly, but she has never reciprocated Arnie’s romantic feelings. There is just no spark between them. Thus, when Arnie books a cruise to Germany as her Christmas gift, Muriel turns down the gift but suggests Dot Morrison accompany Arnie instead.  But Muriel grows jealous of the friendship that develops between Arnie and Dot. Is Muriel being a dog in the manger, or have her feelings for Arnie changed?

Christmas is the perfect time to visit Icicle Falls, and Roberts makes sure to give her readers the traditional sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday as well as visits with many of the Bavarian town’s favorite citizens. This book has the charm and the humor that have characterized the series throughout its five-year run. The “ugly tree” moral is not subtle, but it is credibly applied to the lives of these characters. And readers may find themselves asking if seasonal goodwill applied to their own “ugly trees” might produce changes as welcome as those that occur in Icicle Falls. The recipes at the end might add some extra cheer too. I’m considering the eggnog muffins myself.

Life in Icicle Falls debuted in September 2012 with Better Than Chocolate. Readers who have followed the series will certainly want to include Christmas in Icicle Falls in their 2017 Christmas reading. Readers who love a good Christmas story with a full cast of characters and a message with the merriment can appreciate this story even if they are unfamiliar with the series. Some may find the moral a trifle heavy-handed, but I found the reminder to try a little kindness appropriate for our times as well as the holiday season.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

4.5 Hearts Sheila Roberts is well known for her romance novels but even more so for her Christmas romances. And this book is why. The emotions in this book are just all over the place. And the Christmas spirit is on every page. 

The “Ugly Tree” project is really a different spin and makes a person think. The characters are well written and the town is a great fictional location. 

This is a don’t miss for the Christmas season. It will get you in the spirit but will also bring some perspective to what the season is all about. 

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Murial recently released her A Guide to Happy Holiday books and when she receives a tree she been looking forward to turns out to be a dud but she works with what she goes and turns this ugly tree into something better. Using this lesson seems to inspire her and others. 

Ok so here's the thing this book had me confused for a large portion of it. Turns out there's the perspective of 3 characters and their own unique set of situations and stories and for a while I kept confusing people and mixing up the stories. This book would've been better as three separate stories  even as a novella that way its easy to follow. Besides that I really liked each different story that came in this book and how they tied and the friendships that were made in this book. It was such a heart warming book that features second chances at love. It was an overall sweet holiday read that had clean romances and I think its perfect for those of you who are looking to get into the holiday spirit.

My review of this title has been posted on the Fresh Fiction website. It can be read in its entirety at:
http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=63985
Thank you for the opportunity to view this ARC.

This is the final book in the series, Life in Icicle Falls.  There are several romances playing out in this story. Murial finally admits to herself that she would like to have more with Arnie and Sienna is trying to follow Murial's book, the Ugly tree. The Ugly tree guides you through the holidays with advice about entertaining and making someone in your life happy.  Sienna decides to help Mr. Cratchet her grumpy next door neighbor.  Olivia is also trying to do the Ugly tree book by accepting her new daughter in law who is the opposite of what she had hoped for.  A nice Christmas tale with some very yummy recipes.

I apologize but I did not have time to read this book before the publication date as it has been 90 degrees or more lately and I could not bring myself to read a Christmas book.  No review.

This is the last book in the Icicle Falls series, I will miss Icicle Falls. A wonderful story line, great characters. A place that will make you happy. Grab this book, sit back and enjoy one last trip to Icicle Falls.

It's the holiday season ... Thanksgiving to New Years.  Muriel is an author and twice widowed.  Her friend, Arnie, has made it clear that he's always loved her since they were teenagers but she has always seen him as a friend.  When he invites her on a European cruise, she declines and he takes their friend, Dot, instead.  Right away Muriel is sorry she said no and is jealous of the relationship that is now developing between Arnie and Dot.

Sienna has recently moved to town and feels it's the right place to raise her son, Leo.  She loves the town, her house and her job ... the only thing wrong is that she lives next door to a cranky man who yells at her for everything.  Sienna must learn patience.

Olivia and James own an inn.  When her son, Brandon, brings home his new bride, Meadow, Olivia can't see what he sees in her trashy new daughter-in-law.  She too must learn patience.

I've read many books by this author and like them.  It is the eleventh and last in the Icicle Falls series and I've read them all.  Though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone as each book in the series focuses on a specific character or characters and you get enough information about the others to know the background.

It is written in third person perspective, with the focus shifting among the characters and you get to know what they are thinking.  These books always end with happy endings so it's great if you are looking for a nice "feel good" story.  I like the writing style.  As a head's up, there is some mild swearing.

As a bonus, there are some recipes at the end.

This is the first Sheila Roberts book I have read and it will not be my last. What an enjoyable Christmas read. This book took you through the highs and lows of Christmas holidays proving that even the happiest people or the closest families can have issues and still enjoy and make the most of the holidays. It encompasses the "magic" of Christmas!

Everything you want a Christmas novel to be. Funny, romantic, heartwarming, charming, etc. Fans of Debbie Macomber will delight in Christmas in Icicle Falls.

Love coming back to Icicle Falls. It's like visiting with an old friend.

A good holiday read!  Quick and sweet, this would be a great book to read while sitting next to the fire!