Although this is the ninth book in the Haven Point series, it can be read as a standalone. This story introduces us to Dani Capelli and her two daughters. She has moved to Haven Point for a fresh start and being offered an internship at the local veterinarian clinic, with the possibility of purchasing the practice down the road, she sees it a a new beginning. What she wasn't expecting was to fall for her neighbour, Ruben Morales, a police officer and her boss's son. When Silver, her oldest daughter is caught tagging his boat as well as a couple of other properties, he shows them that police can be your friend, or even more.

I loved all the characters in this story. Dani has overcome so much and yet she could not leave her past hurts and mistakes in the past. She tries to keep separate from her neighbours and other townsfolk, but is having a hard time with that. That past still has a hold on her and she still has secrets. What she has to realize is that it was her past that brought her to where she was now and that was a good thing. Ruben was the perfect hero for Dani. He was honest, strong, had a wonderful family that he wants to share, and had finally found someone he could love. He was also caring and generous. Silver and Mia were realistic and sweet additions to the story. I love stories with kids and these two added a lot to this story. There was some angst, involving the kids and Dani's trust issues, but that just made the ending more wonderful. This romance is sweet but clean. There is some self-searching and forgiveness that opens Dani's heart to Ruben. The storyline of a teenager dealing with a new school, trying to fit in as well as normal teen emotions and how this affects the rest of the family, was well-written and believable. The small town of Haven Point is delightful and a great setting for this Christmas Romance. I recommend this one.

I found myself reading, turning pages, and finishing chapters while putting off all the rest of the chores that I was supposed to be doing. Maybe it helped that it was a rainy gloomy day but I could not stop reading about Dani and Ruben.

Dani’s children were amazing. The attitude of the teenager, the wanting to please of the youngest were so real to how my children were that I could picture myself as a single mom trying to handle the kids, a job, and now a man that I can’t stop thinking about.

Ruben…sigh… he was amazing. He won my heart when he didn’t push the girls to talk to him; he talked to them as adults and didn’t expect more from them than what a child can give. He knew that Dani and the girls were a family and if he wanted to be in any of their lives he had to be in all of their lives. He treated Dani with respect but also as a woman, he showed her he was attracted to her, gave her space when she needed it, and accepted what she was able to give.

RaeAnne Thayne is an author that I always enjoy and Season of Wonder is no exception. I recommend picking up this easy, light, and fun book. It does not have to be read with the rest of the series as it is definitely a stand-alone book.

I am not up to date on this series unfortunately, I wish I had time to get caught up! I love RaeAnne Thayne books and I'm sure this series is amazing.

A feel-good romance novel, author RaeAnne Thayne brings to the reader a story of love, family and acceptance. Season of Wonder is the perfect Christmas time romace, set in a small town and with the right kind of characters. Dani moves to this town with her daughters and she struggles to bring normalcy into their lives and ease them into this new life. She is also trying to adjust to her new job, which is everything she ever wanted and more.

Exposed to the goodness of people and the help provided, Dani is on the path to healing and move forward in life. Ruben, the next-door neighbour, takes to Dani and her daughters, rather unexpectedly for him. What ensues is a nice set of events as he sets out to win the hearts of these women, so as to be able to spend the rest of his life with them. Though the story can be predictable at times, it is heart-warming and light, easy to read and quite an enjoyable book!

Season of Wonder is the 9th installment of Haven Point series, Haven Point is a small town in Idaho. It is a Christmas time story, so it's a great book to get into the holiday spirit. This book can be read as a standalone too.


Dani Capelli is an intern as a veterinarian at Dr. Morales's clinic. She with her two daughters has moved to the small town of Haven Point from Boston. Even though its worlds apart from the city life, Dani is looking forward to this new life she is going to start in this small town. Her oldest daughter, Silver is probably not. Her daughters, Silver and Mia, play very important parts in the story. Silver is going through a rough patch and as mentioned in the synopsis, she starts acting out.


Enter Ruben, Dr. Morales' son and Dani's neighbour. He is a deputy sheriff of the town. He is very intrigued by his next-door neighbour and his father's new intern. I liked his character a lot. He really is a nice guy and a great cop. He soon becomes slowly involved with the Capelli's when he catches Silver trespassing his backyard. I loved his relationship with Dani's daughters as well.


From the start, Dani and Ruben feel a certain connection and Dani is very certain she doesn't want to get involved as she has a very dark past. She is afraid of her past choices ruining her future. Dani had a lot of self-doubt and Ruben was a great help with that to her. As Ruben helps when Silver gets into trouble, Ruben's and Dani's lives get more and more entangled with each other. Ruben makes Capelli females feel at home and enjoy the Christmas time by introducing family traditions. Mia who was the sweetest, I loved her, opens up to Ruben fast and it's only the matter to make the other two like him. Honestly, I didn't like Silver in the beginning but her character brought the most drama in this story and you end up liking her as well.


This story was about Dani's journey with her daughters and adjusting to the small town life and finding a new life. I liked Ruben and Dani and even if the genre says contemporary romance, I felt like the romance wasn't the main part of the story. Having said that, the romance that we do get is really sweet and lovely, hence the four stars. I actually finished reading this one quite fast, even though I was in a slump and I loved it so this one gets a special recommendation from me. If you're looking for a light, small town, holiday story, this is the one to go for!



*Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Dani Capelli grew up as a foster child in Queens. She fell in love with and married the wrong man and is now trying to make a new life for herself and her daughters in the small town of Haven Point.

She tries to distance herself from everyone so that no one learns about their past.

They live next door to Deputy Sheriff Ruben Morales and she becomes a little closer to him after some of her daughter's misdeeds. What will happen if he finds out about her past?

This is another great holiday novel from RaeAnne Thayne. I always look forward to her books because I love the spirit of the season and the great sense of community.


#SeasonOfWonder #NetGalley

You can never go wrong when picking up a book by RaeAnne Thayne! That is something I've told so many people and for this book, my opinion hasn't changed. She writes books that I loved to devour in one sitting and if I have to stop I'm rushing back to pick it back up again. I loved this book so much and the characters.

RayAnne Thayne writes some of the most adorable love stories....stories that make your heart warm, towns that you want to live in and people you want to build relationships with.

Season Of Wonder is a totally lovable book and you'll fall in love with Dani Capelli and Ruban Morales. A great read by the fire, snuggled in a comforter with hot chocolate and Season Of Wonder!

Thank you for the reviewing opportunity - I couldn't connect to the characters and did not finish. As I didn't complete the book I will not be reviewing this title. Many thanks

This was a sweet, easy read. There wasn't a lot of excitement for me. I do wish it had been more Christmassy. I was looking forward to a festive, warm read and this didn't do it for me. I did like the book, though, and will recommend it to others.

Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne is an enchanting Haven Point romance set at Christmas. This is a very special and magical holiday story. It will your capture your imagination and totally enthrall and enchant you. A must read.

Haven Point novels are always a refreshing escape that feels like visiting a familiar friend. However, the Haven Point Christmas books have a special place in my heart. Season of Wonder feels like a heartwarming Hallmark movie, perfect to read by the fire and tree!
One of the things I really like about this series is that all of the books can truly be read as stand alone novels. There are names and places you’ll come across that you know from other books, but there’s not anything that spoils the other books, and there’s not a sense of confusion.

I'm all about a Christmas love story, and I'm definitely a big fan of RaeAnne Thayne. So a mixture of the two is a dream come true. I loved the characters in this novel and I loved the addition of the family theme. I think most of Thane's novels have the romance aspect, but they don't always include children. So that was a really nice addition!

The town of Haven Point is a special place any day of the year, but around Christmas time it just seems so magical and amazing. I loved getting to visualize the town during Christmas and it put me in the perfect Holiday mood. I would highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a good Hallmark Christmas movie. The setting was perfect, the characters were intriguing, and the plot was perfectly entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley, Little Bird Publicity, and HQN Books for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 4/5

This one was wonderful! I love every minute of it! I have enjoyed this whole series, and I think that continuing books in familiar, idealistic towns, really works for me. This one is full of Christmas cheer, and a happily ever after! Dani, a vet, is in town for a fresh start for her two daughters and herself. She is full of life, and so are her sweet little girls. Lawman Ruben lives right next door, and has lived in Haven Point his whole life, he knows what he wants, and he wants Dani and her two little girls. Must read!

This latest installment from the Haven Point series is wonderful. Perfect for the holiday season. I've been wondering about the veterinarian, Dani from the first book I read in the series (I started mid-series I believe). Why she's so stand offish and WOW she has an inner strength that will knock you off your feet. Rueben has a giant heart and I wish their story had been a bit longer so we read more about him. He showed a bit of insecurity in one spot but that was it. The books focus was Danny and her kids and a little about Reuben. His POV was always curiosity and wondering about Dani, her past etc... I'm not knocking it at all this is an amazing book I just get curious about characters.
If you enjoy a great holiday romance with a hit deputy, prickly vet, moody teen and an adorable little girl then I highly recommend checking out Season of Wonder.

This was everything I expect from a RaeAnne Thayne Christmas romance. It's sweet and heartwarming, poignant and hopeful all with the perfect bit of Christmas cheer that never gets over the top. The community of Haven Point is just so kind and open and truly special.

I loved Ruben. His hesitation for getting involved with a woman with children is really for the best of motivations. He wants to settle down, he wants a family, and he wants to be happy. He's close to his family and he's involved with his community. It's hard not to like him - especially when he gets involved with Silver and more importantly - Silver's mother Dani.

Dani is in a tough spot. She's struggling to keep everything together and keep her girls happy. I really felt for her as she tried to do the right thing for Silver and for Mia. I think anyone who has been a teenage girl can relate to Silver's actions even when I felt like she needed a good shaking. Mia was so adorable and sweet and so vulnerable. Her past makes for a lot of baggage and she's incredibly strong. I'm very rarely a fan of really prickly characters but her guardedness and reserve felt very natural to her personality.

I did like how her relationship with Ruben developed. Once again it just fit the characters and I don't really see how it could have happened any other way. It is a slow burn but once again for these characters there really was just no other option. I really loved all the characters and really felt connected to them from page one. There was a bit of a repetitive feel that really kept this from being a standout read. I think you'll come across this kind of story in a number of Christmas romances though of course Thayne's version is one of the most delightful!

Season of Wonder is the ninth novel in RaeAnne Thayne's Haven Point series and the fifth novel in the series I've read. I've grown to love coming back to Haven Point, Idaho, where people are kind, warmhearted, friendly, understanding, and where love abounds and miracles happen in every single novel. Since this novel takes place during the Christmas season, I expected even more of the same, but because it felt like there was a little something missing, it gets a 4-star rating from this reader.

The heroine in this novel is Dani Capelli, mother of two daughters, the utterly adorable 6-year-old, Mia, and Mia's troubled 13-year-old sister, Silver. Dani moved her small family here from Boston, after finishing veterinary school there, which is where she met the aging Haven Point veterinarian, Frank Morales, who offered her a one-year internship with him, a job at his clinic in Haven Point, free rent on a lakeside house he owned, and the opportunity to buy him out when he retires in one year. It was an offer Dani couldn't refuse--a safe place to raise her daughters, and a fresh start, away from the east coast where news of the life of crime and recent death of her ex-husband, Tommy, wasn't common knowledge. The down-side to this arrangement was that their new home was next door to Frank's son, and the hero of this novel, Ruben Morales.

Ruben is a Deputy Sheriff, handsome, 33 years old, charming, honest and kind, and like all small town sheriffs, he wants to know everyone in town, but Dani isn't used to opening up to strangers, especially the local lawman, no matter how handsome, charming, helpful and kind he might be. She has secrets, a rough childhood and an even rougher marriage. She knows all about small-town gossip, and is terrified that if the truth about her past gets out, she'll have to leave town, and she also knows it's unlikely that she'll never get another opportunity like this one again. Ruben has been attracted to Dani since they first met, but she's been actively avoiding him, so he seeks out opportunities to get to know her, and how better to get to know her than to have his two dogs seen by her, rather than his father, who is still working part-time at the clinic.

Ruben is also instantly charmed by little Mia, as was this reader, but when Ruben's dogs alert him to something going on in his back yard after dark, he goes outside, hears several voices and catches one of them, his new neighbor's daughter, Silver, with red paint on her hands, and he soon finds his new cabin cruiser tagged with red graffiti. Silver's refused to name her accomplices, and admits to tagging two other houses as well, and when Ruben returns Silver to her home, Dani is appalled. She knows Silver has not been happy about leaving her Boston friends and life there behind, but Ruben is all about personal responsibility, and expects Silver to clean up his boat and repaint the two other homes she vandalized. He's willing to help her, which gives him more of an opportunity to get to know her mother. As romance heroes go, Ruben is pretty terrific, understanding, kind and downright wonderful, but along with all that, he's curious about Dani and why she's so reticent about opening up to him. As a policeman, I expected him to at least attempt to discover what she's so adamantly hiding, but he doesn't, something that just didn't sit well with this reader.

As the novel progresses, Dani and Ruben share a strong attraction and a few hot kisses, but perhaps because I read so many romantic suspense novels, I kept waiting for Dani to be in danger from one of her late husband's enemies, and for Ruben to come to her rescue, but surprisingly, it just didn't happen. It felt like a lost opportunity to this reader.

What does happen is typical of all the novels in this series that I've read, a sweet, heartwarming story about small town life, Ruben coming to love this small family, Dani coming to terms with her past, and Ruben standing up for Silver, who is accused of a crime she didn't commit, all leading up to the HEA ending you can always expect from a Haven Point novel, along with the magic of the Christmas season. What a lovely, uncomplicated, escapist read!

As someone who was also raised in a big city and moved to a rural New England town, the Haven Point novels have always resonated with me. Because modern life has become ever more complicated with the passage of time, I believe that the very notion of small town life, community spirit, kindness and understanding is something we all secretly, or perhaps not so secretly, long for in our own lives, especially during the holiday season. I think this novel will resonate with you too.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thayne's Haven Point series continues, this time during the holiday season. Dani Capelli has uprooted her two girls to take on what amounts to a vet apprenticeship with the local Haven Point vet who hopes to retire after the year trial with Dani. She is very reserved--her life out East wasn't easy and the underlying worry about the harm her ex husband has done nags at her. Her girls, both Silver and Mia are so well written. Mia, being younger, is happy to try out this new area, while Silver falls in and out of funks like any good teen who didn't want to leave her 'real' home. Neighbor Ruben Morales soon becomes a wonderful influence and the magic of both the holidays and their budding relationship are evident. Another great story by Thayne, I really can't recommend them enough.

Reading a RaeAnne Thayne Christmas story is one of the best things to do to get ready for the holidays. I love her holiday romances! She has a way of invoking sweet memories and traditions of Christmas and how Haven Point celebrate with their own unique style. Surround it with a romance and you have the best combination for any romance reader. Dani Capelli has moved to Idaho from the east coast and is trying to give her daughters a better life than what she ever had. She’s interning with Dr. Morales as the new veterinarian in hopes she will take over the practice when he retires in a year. Things aren’t going as smoothly as she likes when her oldest teenage daughter Silver gets caught vandalizing her neighbor deputy Ruben Morales, her boss’ son, new boat. Silver has agreed to help him with a Secret Santa project but it proves to be dangerous for Dani’s libido and her heart.

Ruben and Dani felt an attraction and both fight it for one reason or another. He doesn’t want to get involved with a woman with children and she’s worried her past is a big obstacle for any man to deal with. Only their sweet kisses keep getting in their way and making it harder for them to stay away from each other. Silver finds herself in more trouble and Ruben comes to the rescue and helps clear her name. In a roundabout way it also showed Dani that trust and love can be found if given half a chance. Ruben found ways to show Dani what a loving family can be like and would welcome her and her two daughters into the fold. She just needed to give people half a chance and let herself be open to the possibility for her and her daughters.

RaeAnne Thayne has done it again and written a delightful story with romance, charm and warmth. There is nothing more wonderful than being in Haven Point at Christmastime!

This is the ninth book in the Haven Point series. This is the story of a city girl turned rural vet and mix in a little holiday magic. Really cute story and a great addition to the series. Highly recommended!