Merry and Bright
A Novel
By Debbie Macomber 
Definitely a four star buy buy buy book! 
Always a buy buy buy book from this author. She is one of the most talented authors I have read. This was no exception. While there were a few quirks , hence the four instead of five stars.... I loved the book. I like the characters, the plots the timing. I enjoyed the way it is written. I like the feeling of warmth and love it brings to my heart and the smile to my face. So if you need a good warming or smile.... buy the book you will not be disappointed. I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her—minus her photo—and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects—or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

This is a typical Debbie Macomber book. A lot of the book takes place via a dating web site.  I can see this becoming a Hallmark movie.  Of course it has a happy ending. 

I recommend this to all who like a light romantic read.

New book by Debbie Macomber...I'm in!!  I look forward to every one of her books and I have never been disappointed.  Her Christmas theme books are delightful and this one delivered.  

How could you not love a character whose name is Merry and be based at Christmas time?  Then you add a character whose last name is Bright... match made in heaven, right?  Well, maybe, not.

I recommend this book for an enjoyable adventure of love and discovery.  Merry and Jay learn the true meaning of the holiday season and the gift of giving to not only each other but to others.

5.0 out of 5 starsWarm and loving
ByNan on October 3, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Debbie Macomber has done it again. All her books are really great. But, her Christmas books
touch the heart with warmth and smiles. Her heroine comes from a caring, loving family which impresses the hero, whose life is very different. It 's fun to to watch them get together.
I received a copy free from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review. Loved this book.

If you’ve read Debbie Macomber before, consider MERRY AND BRIGHT a typical Macomber Christmas read: sweet, clean, family oriented, and pretty predictable. I happen to like predictable stories, and this one had all the comforts you’d expect from a loving family at Christmastime. 

Merry is a kind, compassionate, maybe overly sensitive homebody who would help a stranger in a New York minute — and more than once, she did. 

Jay is a good guy overwhelmed with work, and taking out his frustrations on his fellow man (and woman). When Jay starts spending more time with Merry and his friend Cooper, his eyes are opened to how his values don’t match up to his behavior. 

So, in between the parts where the characters are getting to know each other and themselves, there’s a little bit of morality teaching – mostly about being compassionate. Sometimes it took me out of the story a little, but it was a nice reminder that kindness doesn’t cost me anything, and that it might mean the world to sometime on the receiving end.

I am a huge fan of Debbie Macomb's books especially her Christmas books. Merry and Bright didn't disappoint. In this book Merry is taking a year off of college to earn enough money to finish school. Her boss is an angry man and seems to be in a constant bad mood, combined with all of the overtime Merry is being left stretched thin. Merry's mom and brother sign her up for a dating website as a birthday present. Find out if Merry finds love in this quick read!

I received this book from NetGalley

I love Debbie Macomber's books and Merry and Bright was no exception.  As always it was well written and has a fabulous plot.  I loved the characters in this book.  Looking forward to many more great books by this author.

Ballantine Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Merry and Bright.  I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Merry Knight has been working extra hours, in order to make enough money to finish college.  Because this schedule does not leave any room for a social life, her mother and younger brother take matters into their own hands.  Creating a profile on an online dating website for her, the pair uses a picture of the family dog instead of Merry.  When chats with a potential suitor prompt a face-to-face meeting, will Merry be able to open her mind and her heart to the possibilities?

Merry and Bright is a clean romance with very little plot and character development.  The story was transparent, which left me wanting something unexpected to happen.  This feel-good book is a quick read, ideal for readers wanting a little diversion from their daily lives.  I just did not find this book to be remarkable, but others might enjoy this clean romance by Debbie Macomber.

Debbie Macomber's Christmas stories always embody everything we come to associate with the season.....the importance of family, giving, and pure joy.  She makes us care about her characters and reminds us with this particular story what really matters as we navigate through our own daily lives. With all going on in our world today her stories bring us such comfort and peace. Love her books.

Does she ever disappoint? No. I could read her books all day. Lovely.

A Merry Mix Up

Loved this book. It kept me engaged from the get-go. These characters fairly sprang off the page. The author unabashedly rips off a bit of You’ve Got Mail and even makes a reference to the movie at one point. I love that about it actually. Although this is meant to be a light hearted story, these are living breathing characters, and you really get to know them as the book progresses.

I enjoyed Patrick’s character as well. His relationship with his sister and the handling of their family dynamics made for a good read, although I’d have liked to know more about their father.

There was a good chemistry between the H and h and their characters were fully developed. Some of my favorite parts of the story were the messaging conversations which included some fun laughable moments.

A great start to the upcoming holiday season and fully recommended.

As always Debbie Macomber is a wonderful writer. This is a very heartfelt story that shows that knowing who a person is in side is the most important part of a relationship. Also people from very different backgrounds can meet and fall in love.

As usual, another holiday read from Debbie Macomber that hits just the right spot.  I almost gave up early on, figuring this one just was not going to cut it for me, but kept on (I figure she deserves it.). Then, the book got exciting, I got totally involved in it and was glad I gave it a good shot.

Merry is a temp working at a consulting firm for a man who comes across as the world’s biggest curmudgeon, who hates everything that people do that makes them and those around them happier and be better people.  This boss, Jayson, is quick to cite the chapter, line and verse of the employee handbook, when Merry tries to brighten things up, pointing out her infraction.  Merry beginning to dislike him more and more as time goes on.  Jayson, for his part, fells lost, even though he doesn’t realize is and certainly won’t admit it.  He has worked all his life to succeed.  Unlike Merry, who has a loving close family and who had a love-filled, good-memory childhood, Jayson’s childhood had a lonely, empty childhood, and his life thus far has not been much better.  Jayson has gone to work for his bachelor uncle and hopes to succeed at the company’s current project, so his uncle will like him enough to let his run the company. Both Jayson and Merry end up on an on-line meet and greet, dating site, texting each other for long periods each night.  Merry thinks she knows Jayson, who thinks he knows Merry. When they finally agree to meet, Merry cannot believe that her “chat mate” is her curmudgeon boss and chickens out of the meeting before it occurs, not telling Jayson why. After this, things between the couple go from good to bad to good again. Can Merry ever accept the fact that her “chat mate”, Jay, is really the boss she detests so much?  Can Jay ever figure out what to do about his “chat mate” Merry and the “Mary” (whose name was misspelled on the nameplate by the company HR) at his office, to whom he is attracted for reasons he cannot understand?

This is a charming holiday story that will delight the reader.  It definitely will get anyone in the holiday spirit. The story is well written, as is generally the case with Debbie Macomber.  The characters are also well done and perfectly suited for their respective roles. As usual, I loved this one.  Debbie has been filling my holidays with cheer and good stories for years and years, and, if you enjoy her books or want this, you will find her doing the same for you with this one. I highly recommend it.  If you read nothing else this holiday season, read this one.  I am sure you will not regret it. I only hope the story of Merry and Jay will continue in other books Debbie Macomber writes. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

This is a sweet Christmas novel. It's a quick read but we get to know the characters well enough to have a warm feeling toward their dilemmas and resolution at the end. You're rooting for everything to turn out right, which it always does in the end.

This was short, sweet, and full of Christmas cheer. Merry struggled with reconciling what she knew of Jayson versus what she adored about Jay. Jayson had no clue that Mary and Merry were in fact the same person. Putting their confusion and their hearts out front allowed them both to see that what's inside is what matters and that we can all change for the better. They each brought the best in one another and I liked them as a pair. Merry's family was absolutely wonderful and it's no wonder Merry turned out as loving and kind as she did. It's also no wonder that Jayson was drawn to that innate goodness. I didn't really like how Jayson reacted to finally learning the truth and I felt that there should have been more groveling, but overall the conclusion was very sweet and added to the warmth that was replete throughout the entire story.

I love reading all the Christmas books that come out this time of year. And then to read a Christmas story by Debbie Macomber—that has got to be the ultimate! 

Merry and Bright is a wonderful glimpse into Merry's life—a busy life with family and work. She loves the holiday season and all that goes with it. But she has a curmudgeon of a boss—a bah-humbug kind of guy. In her personal life though, as she gets to know the mysterious Jay on an online dating service, she starts to think that maybe there is something to the whole 'romance' thing. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, like I have enjoyed all of Debbie's books. It is such a wonderful, feel-good story full of the Christmas spirit and lots of love.

A sweet Christmas tale filled with romance, compassion and beauty.

Merry (Mary) has spent the last year working as a temp entering data for a local Boeing contractor and has not focused on her love life. For her birthday, her mom and brother decide to sign up her up on a dating website using the family dog as her picture. During the get to know you process she falls for a fellow dog lover, Jay. They agree to meet at a local coffee shop and when she shows up she realizes Jay is her rude, grouchy boss Jayson. She leaves without him seeing her. Will they continue to talk on Mix and Mingle or will Merry shut it down before giving it a chance?

I liked that Merry's brother was "special" with Downs Syndrome. Macomber treated his character with respect. His character was a perfect fit for this romantic Christmas story.

Merry and Bright is the perfect book that can be read over a cold, snowy weekend with the Christmas tree lights twinkling as you read. It is a clean romance book suitably for teenagers and above. 

Fans of Debbie Macomber looking for a sweet, romantic Christmas story will not be disappointed.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for an advance copy for a review based on my own honest opinion.

Wow I always Love Debbie's books but the Holiday book always manage to get a reader in the holiday spirit even if Christmas is a couple of months away. And this book doesn't disappoint. And these characters are so very realistic they could be your neighbors and this also adds to how realistic a book feels. Loved it and can't wait to continue reading future releases.

Book Talk…10/6/17
Traci Kenworth

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber. Random House Publishing-Ballantine. Copy from Netgalley. Available Oct. 3, 2017. 

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her—minus her photo—and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects—or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

Merry has a temp job for a company trying to bring in a Boeing report by Christmas. Overtime is mandatory and the boss seems to be a scrooge. When she has one too many run-ins with him, she decides she dislikes him. Meanwhile, at home, her mother and brother sign her up for a dating website, Mix and Mingle. They don’t put a picture of her, but of their dog. She doubts anyone will be interested. However, after hearing about his cousin’s recent engagement, Jayson Bright decides to look up the dating site he met his fiancé on. He sees Merry’s profile and responds. They strike up a friendship immediately that turns to something more despite their not seeing a picture of each other. 
Merry or as the HR department has misspelled her name, Mary, continues to collide with her boss not realizing he is the Jaye she talks to online. When they are supposed to meet for their first date, Merry realizes what a mistake it is and doesn’t show. Can these two find it in themselves to give love and each other a shot?

I LOVED this book! It is everything a Debbie Macomber novel should be! Funny, charming, and a big dash of Christmas spirit. The characters are interesting. At first, you think Mary’s online dating name is just what her mom and brother chose for her. As the boss, Jayson Bright is the strict boss you hate to butt heads with but as you get to know him, you see there is something more. Neither suspects the other is something more until the first time their supposed to meet. You can almost feel the trepidation when Mary learns the boss waiting for her is the heartwarming man she’s been trading conversation with for weeks. The plot is simple: mistaken identity but Debbie Macomber weaves it so well, she makes the whole story new.

Merry Knight is trying to balance her job and home life. As things get busier at the office, her commitments at home helping her mom and brother pick up as well. The story could have veered into the sappy, but it is an uplifting holiday story with a sweet romance in which Merry and "Jay" find love in the most unexpected place.

This is an easy, quick read that is a perfect read to start getting into the holiday spirit. Merry is a likeable main character and she and her mom and brother are all devoted to each other and will do what it takes to make the others happy. The love story is entertaining, even when the reader is able to guess the outcome. I really enjoyed Debbie Macomber's latest standalone Christmas story.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Ballantine books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.