Holly has spent the past year traveling the world honoring her late husband's final instructions and rediscovering the person she lost in nine lonely years of marriage to a man more interested in chasing the next adventure than being a husband and father. Her last stop is her husband's hometown of Marietta where the plan is to meet up with his best friends and say their final good-byes. It's also the place she will put into motion her plan to be a mother, and she has chosen the friend least likely to want to interfere. She just needs to keep Trey from finding out what she plans.
Trey Reyes has found his home in Marietta, and he hardly dares to hope that he may have a chance for a future with his best friend's widow. There has always been a simmering attraction that both ignored, and now, if he needs to chance to probe that she should take a chance on the whole package, with him.
I really loved this story. Both these characters have been through so much and deserve their own HEA. Trey has popped up in other Marietta stories, and it was great to find out more about him. Holly was loyal to her husband, to the end, despite having to give up so many of her dreams.
The supporting characters added to the story, full of love and loyalty, with a hint of magic. I really hope to see the Band of Brothers, as well as Holly's sister-in-law, in future stories.
This was a wonderful holiday story to read curled up with a warm drink and a fuzzy blanket.

This was quite a unique story.

Holly goes back to her husband’s hometown in the hopes of getting pregnant. But it was such a strange situation. Women don’t usually choose their husband’s former friend to have a baby with. And even if they do, it’s done through IVF, not sex. I found that part of the story really odd and hard to believe.

Another part that was hard to believe was the angel/ghost who visited. Even when the identity of the woman was revealed, it was still unbelievable. It was also a little creepy since the woman knew so much about Holly.

However, the Christmas spirit was alive in this story. It’s a time for coming together. All the people from Holly’s husband’s life were brought together for the holiday season in this holiday story.

A Little Christmas Magic is a sweet, sentimental holiday story.

After a year of traveling per her late husband's last wishes, Holly has come to Marietta to perform her final goodbye to her husband, along with his SEAL teammates. But, her main agenda is to meet up with Mick, one of her husband's teammates, and hopefully they'll start in on her plan to have him knock her up. She doesn't figure on her plan going awry, thanks to Mick and Trey (another teammate) having other ideas of who should be the one to spend time with her. Trey has been in love with Holly ever since his best friend married her, and now that she's been single for a year, he's hoping he'll have his chance to make his move. Her little plan with Mick might put a crimp in his plan, but he's not one to shy away now that Holly's single.

Throw in some slightly fantastical elements like seeing Trey's abuelita's spirit/ghost, with her giving them a nudge along the right relationship path, and A Little Christmas Magic is a sweet piece of holiday goodness. The reason I didn't rate it higher? I never connected with Holly for some reason, and I wanted more relationship development between Holly and Trey, something with a bit more substance. Also, a slight niggle here, but an important one - Trey, Tommy (Holly's husband), Mick, Paul and Jase are all Navy SEALs but in A Little Christmas Magic, SEAL(s) was never written in the correct all capitalization. The way the author spells it denotes them as being marine mammals, and I know that wasn't her intention. SEAL stands for SEa, Air, Land, so when it's spelled as "seal" or "Seal" it's incorrect and a little jarring. Considering that the men were all SEAL teammates, I would have thought that the author would have made sure to spell this title correctly. Aside from these few reasons, though, I enjoyed A Little Christmas Magic for what it is - sweet, if a little dull, but a nice holiday story.

Another Christmas story to love. A Little Christmas Magic features, among other things, an angel who kisses babies into the world, which I thought was a lovely idea. Mind you, the angel is not the star of this show.
Widow Holly McGuire has wanted a baby for years, something her deceased husband Tommy was unwilling to give her. She’s also harboured a crush on Tommy’s close friend Trey Reyes, though she’s always been faithful and has never considered acting on her feelings. Trey has been secretly in love wth Holly for years but like her he’s remained faithful to his friend Tommy and hidden his feelings.
Respect, loyalty and faith are central themes in this story. Author Barbara Ankrum has addressed these issues well, examining when it might be OK to betray a confidence or to lie by omission, and how that might affect a relationship.
Ultimately though, this is a lovely light small town Christmas romance which was a joy to read. I love the setting - Marietta Montana would have to be one of my favourite ever story locations. I loved the pacing, which kept me involved throughout, and I loved the way the story unfolded.

"A Little Christmas Magic" by Barbara Ankrum was a delightful Christmas surprise.. It was such a heartwarming story that you most definitely will be decorating for Christmas before you have read the last page of this book. It´s just such a joy to read, but it also has so much heart that you will end with a nice warm Christmas feel all over.

Title: A Little Christmas Magic
Series: n/a
Stand Alone Title: yes
Author: Barbara Ankrum
Genre: Romance, Holiday
Blurb: After nine, lonely years as a military wife, Holly McGuire has returned to her late husband’s home town of Marietta, Montana, to finally close that chapter of her life and begin again. She’s spent the last year rediscovering herself and she’s sworn off military men. All she wants is a child of on her own—no strings attached. But her plans are threatened when old, unwanted sparks ignite between her and her husband’s one-time best friend.

Buttoning up the past isn’t what Trey Reyes has in mind when he welcomes Holly to town. Secretly in love with her since day one, his old vow to his friend to watch over her, come what may, doesn’t include enabling a terrible idea. As the men of their old unit—the Band of Brothers—gather to honor her husband, Trey must take one last stand to win her heart and prove Holly wrong about him. Christmas in Marietta, with all the trimmings, may be just the ticket.
Favorite quote(s)/excerpt(s): “Really?” she said to the sky. “Really? That’s your message? Bird poop?”
“See, she’s a widow now. And suddenly free. Something I never expected would happen.”
Holly blinked. Then blanched. What?
“Never in a thousand years would I have made a move on he, because her husband was my best friend. For years.”
“Trey-“
“I don’t even think she knew how I felt about her. All those years. All the times I thought about her, wondered about if things had been different. If her husband weren’t so careless with her heart. If she ever would have considered falling for another ex-soldier after the one she married.”
She sat her wineglass down. Oh my God.
“I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’,” he went on. “Even though I knew she loved him, she had a rough time. She may even be off relationships entirely.”
Holly swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Okay, before I jump to any stupid conclusion here about who ‘she’ is-“
He turned towards her, making her feel small with his size. “Go ahead. Jump. It’s you.”
Thoughts: I love the raw emotion and angst of a forbidden romance – particularly when one of the characters has been eating their heart out over the other for years. Even better if the other character was completely clueless to that fact. Holly was also loyal to a fault, which made her an amazingly likeable character. The author managed to thrown in a unique situation to complicate things a little further and to throw these two lovebirds together – Holly wants a baby. After trying to convince her husband for years to have a baby – and finally resigning herself to a life of not having one and spending a year fulfilling her husband’s last dying wishes – she decides to take matters into her own hands. She picks one of the men her husband trusted with his life – and the kicker is that it’s not Trey. Rather she picks the one most likely to leave her to the role of single mother without becoming invested himself. Trey’s not about to let that happen – not when he’s been in love with Holly for years. Will a Christmas miracle bring them together?
The book was a little dry in the beginning, but the emotions slowly started seeping in and before you know it your caught up in their story.
The perfect read for this holiday season!
Rating: A-/B+

This is a cute story with a lot of “buts, what ifs, and darn its” throughout.
Holly McGuire arrived in the small town of Marietta, Montana to meet up with friends of her deceased husband in order to spread his ashes on the Montana soil he loved. She also has a plan for one of the guys to fulfill her desire to finally become a mother. Trey Reyes, one of the friends, has long loved Holly and is hoping this will be his opportunity to open Holly’s eyes and heart to him. There is a full blown desire in each of then but her plans are set and she cannot see Trey as the one to fulfill them and walk away. With the help of a mysterious older woman, though, I might just happen anyway.

I truly enjoyed A Little Christmas Magic by Barbara Ankrum. After the death of her husband, Tommy, and a year of scattering his ashes around the world, Holly McGuire returns to his home town of Marietta, Montana hoping to find closure and a new start to her life. The tight group of guys who served with her husband, the Band of Brothers, agreed to meet in Marietta, staying at the Marietta home of Trey Reyes as they honor Tommy. Trey promised Tommy to watch over Holly if anything happened to him. Trey and Holly have had a secret attraction for each other, which neither would act on while Holly was married. Now that Tommy is gone, can these two allow themselves a chance at happiness together, acting on their spark of attraction? Hopefully, the magic of Marietta along with it being Christmas time will help these two find the answers they need.

I really loved enjoyed this book and had trouble putting this book down, reading this book in one day. Ms. Ankrum drew me in and did not let go until I read the last page. I loved these two characters as they worked to find happiness in their lives. I recommend this book to other readers and cannot wait for Ms. Ankrum’s next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Loved this Christmas story of starting over. Holly was married for nine years to the military and now she is ready to lay her husband to rest and start over. The one thing she has always wanted is a baby, no strings attached. She has returned to Marietta for her last journey, when she runs into her husband's best friend, Trey and sparks fly. Trey has always had feelings for Holly. Now with the little magic of Christmas make their dreams come true.

Great characters that show so much emotion. Great to catch up with Canadays. Love Christmas in Marietta!!

A Little Christmas Magic by Barbara Ankrum is as much a story of recovery, defining one’s self and eagerly looking to the future as it is a Christmas story. The opening airport scene drew me into the story though I knew that this was not really a suspense book. It still gave me lots of questions that I wanted answered by the end of the book. By the time Trey and Holly meet up in Marietta, I could see where this story was going. From then on, it was how would Trey win Holly over before it was too late. The town of Marietta does it magic once again.

A Little Christmas Magic is a different sort of Christmas book but not without the Christmas spirit and magic eluded to in the title. It kept me reading with the strong cast of characters, and its smooth pacing, never dull but not action-packed but just right. Hopefully more from the “Band of Brothers” will have their own stories.

Everyone has dreams, not everyone’s dreams come true exactly as they envisioned. Holly had dreams realized in her marriage to a wonderful man. The reality was that they weren’t often in the same place at the same time. She’d married a military man, a man who in many ways answered to his own drum. So one of Holly’s biggest dreams never was realized before her husband’s death. Now after mourning the loss of a very special man from her life Holly is heading to Marietta, Montana. She has a plan, not one that everyone would agree with but she’s determined to get that one dream fully realized. It just might be that her dreams come true in a way she wasn’t expecting or considering. And maybe, with a little unseen help, Holly will get exactly what she desires this Christmas season.

A Little Christmas Magic is an emotional, touching story that really could be told during any season of the year. It has depth, understanding and possibilities that many couples would do just about anything to see come true. That it is based around Christmas time simply opens up possibilities to step back from what one perceives as fact and simply believe in those possibilities.

If you’ve followed The Canadays of Montana series then you’ve met Trey as a secondary character often. Seeing him get his own well deserved happy future was a special treat for me. It’s a strong and honorable man who loves a woman, and steps aside for her own happiness. Now with the chance for something more between Holly and Trey, he’s not going to give up so easily this time.

Love comes in so many shapes, sizes and personalities of people. One little girl is about to play a part in Trey and Holly’s happiness. You’ll fall in love, and perhaps believe in unseen forces at work. Never give up on second chances, they’re all around us. I loved this “band of brothers” and I cannot wait to revisit them again – soon.

I loved this story and would happily recommend it to any reader who loves a deep, rich story with characters who soon feel like old friends.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

A Little Christmas Magic by Barbara Ankrum

Marietta, Montana is a place that one can expect the unexpected…ghosts, magic, true love and more. In this holiday story Holly McGuire and Trey Reyes star and do find their way to a HEA.

Holly loved her husband Tommy and stayed with him through thick and thin giving up some of her dreams along the way. Having fulfilled her husband’s last request as mentioned in his will she is finally ready to move on and fulfill her biggest dream of all – to be a mother. Tommy’s compatriots from the military are a “band of brothers” and come together to send him off with Holly – in Marietta – where anything can happen.

Trey Reyes, one of the “brothers” has loved Holly since the first time he set eyes on her BUT he kept his longings to himself for nearly a decade. Knowing she was coming to town his agenda had more to do with wooing and winning Holly than saying goodbye to Tommy. With a bit of help from Mick (another brother) and some magical happenings there is hope for him and Holly in spite of a bit of a glitch.

Heartwarming, perhaps a bit predictable and definitely logic defying this is a fun holiday story that makes me want to read more about Marietta and all that can happen there. I wonder if more of the “brothers” will have stories of their own?

Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

An excellent and very enjoyable story. Loved these characters and their story made for a very relaxing afternoon read.

Holly McGuire spent many years alone and lonely as her husband first served in the military then spent most of his time off on one adventure after another. He'd always promise to settle down and start a family but that time never came. After one of his adventures became deadly, Holly has spent the last year on an adventure of her own. Now she's ready to settle down and start that family. All on her own. Well except for that one little thing she needs a man for but she has a plan for that. All she has to do is get through the visit to Marietta without Trey Reyes finding out her plan. While she would love to have Trey involved she knows Trey is not a man that would walk away and let her raise the child on her own. Can she pull this miracle off??

Definitely a recommended read.

Barbara Ankrum is one of my favorite Marietta authors and she delivers yet again with A Little Christmas Magic. Trey Reyes played a huge role for the Canaday family and now we get his HEA with this lovely Christmas themed story.

Trey has been in love with his best friend's wife forever, but she's off-limits. At least, she was off-limits. He's dead now and she has faithfully followed his last request of her and now she wants what her husband never gave her - a child. To that end, she's enlisted one of her husband's mates to help her with that. Except, the one she's enlisted is not Trey!

With a little help from the "Band of Brothers", a child with Down syndrome, and a Christmas spirit, Trey and Holly find their way to each other. This is a truly heartwarming story with so much love just spilling off the pages. Trey and Holly are wonderful characters just coming into their own and struggling with secrets and feelings. The holidays are so much better with loved ones and that's only part of the beauty of this story.

The "Band of Brothers" minus one (the reclusive one whose story I want pronto) and Holly manage to make it a Christmas to remember despite the pain of loss and the uncertainty of new love. The magic of the season and a spirit filled with love only add to this story.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading about the rest of the guys and Ankrum has once again done it!

A perfect way to begin the Christmas season celebration, a truly wonderful feel good story. As far as second chance at love stories go, this one hits the mark on joy, love, romance, miracles, and the magic that continues in the town of Marietta, Montana.

Trey and Holly's story is filled with genuine longing and healing for loves lost and the loves that come next to be brighter and better in so many ways. There are "pull at your heartstrings" moments, but also humor, wit and banter, and the joy of families...both of blood and not, bringing the joy into the Christmas season.

The messages in the story are many, foremost is our gratitude to those who have served in the military and what possibilities are afforded after they come home. There is a lot packed into this story, all leaving a lasting impression long after the story is over.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading this book but found a flaw in it where in chapter 4 Holly visited her mother in Zimbabwe (her father was dead), but in chapter 11 she talked about going to visit her father in Maine (her mother was dead).
Not sure that I liked the parts about seeing angels and doves and Serafina making unexpected appearances to Holly, Maddie and Trey.

As a Special Education teacher, I do give extra points for the author including a child with Down Syndrome into the story.

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this feel-good story about two people who’ve known each other for a long time and are now faced with important decisions about their lives and future.
I liked how both main characters take a long, hard look at themselves, learn with their pasts and their mistakes, acknowledge their feelings for one another and imagine themselves in a better place and as better people if they were to be together.
Trey is such an awesome hero, honorable, a steady person but with a bit of pain and some flaws.
On the other hand, Holly is dealing with a rather crucial decision.
Through both their eyes, Tommy, the late husband and friend, becomes a flesh-and-bone character too.
There’s a cast of great secondary characters too, some of which are demanding their own story.

Finally, a Christmas love story that has depth and characters that I managed to fall in love with. So often these Christmas books, although wonderful, just aren't full of flavor like other novels seem to better develop. That was not the case here. I definitely recommend this one to everyone who finds Christmas love stories make their hearts swoon.