As always RaeAnne Thayne never disappoints in her storytelling! I love how Dani is so strong in the way she raises her girls! And the story between Dani and Rueben is well .. wow! I love Christmas stories they are my favorite! Well done!! This is now one of my favorite Christmas books! I can see myself reading it every year!

Season of Wonder is a cute, cozy Christmas romance. I’m a sucker for holiday romances, both in book format and made-for-tv movies, because I love the holidays and have a strict preference for happy endings. That all being said, Christmas is more set dressing in this story rather than an important plot point. It could just have easily been set around some local festival or other event without much else changing in the story. Haven Point, the community Dani has recently relocated herself and her two daughters to, seems like a mostly lovely place to live. A few cantankerous individuals to be sure (avoiding spoilers, but boy do I loathe the Vice-Principal!), but overall it’s a happy, welcoming community. The story is the expected whirlwind of romance, revelations, and small problems that loom large, but that is why I chose to read this novel.

Dani obviously cares for her daughters, and while Silver has all the requisite angst of a teen uprooted from her home, it’s understandable. Dani’s younger daughter, Mia, is adorable and loveable in all her enthusiasm. Ruben Morales, the all around great guy and deputy sheriff is the hero of dreams: he also cares about Dani’s daughters, not just because he’s interested in their mother, and plays the part of the town’s golden boy. His father also happens to be the town vet, a retiring practitioner who wants to leave the practice in Dani’s capable hands at the end of the year. The novel ends up being a family-centric romance.

I may have expected a fast moving plot with a few gaping holes or moments that stretch my ability to suspend disbelief, but there were some moments that were too much for me. The “notorious way” Dani’s ex-husband became her late husband seemed almost anticlimactic, or at least the revelation was. Not that I can imagine a world where the information was something that Dani would tell people as soon as they were introduced, but as a closely guarded secret because you fear ostracism from the community, it didn’t really ring true for me. Nor did Silver’s final predicament and the resolution of the issue. As a reader, I was left asking “why” quite a bit for both episodes, and “why” is not a question I want to be asking in a cute cozy Christmas romance.

Final verdict: While I wouldn’t plan on a purchase, if I was planning a holiday romance marathon with a large mug of hot chocolate, it is a book I would at least consider borrowing from the library.
*Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley.

As is always the case with Ms. Thayne’s books, Season of Wonder is an amazing read, especially for the holidays. It takes place in her Haven Point “world” but it is a standalone – I just love her books and enjoy knowing all the secondary and tertiary characters. What fun it was to get to know Dani Capelli and her daughters…and Ruben Morales and HIS family.

I won’t recap the details of the story because it would be a major spoiler however Dani struck all my feel-good and protective chords. She has had a hard life, fighting for everything she has ever wanted or had…but she has two amazing daughters who mean the world to her. Her teenager is going thru a tough time, having to adjust to a move from Boston and New York to Haven Point…and Silver is dealing with being the “odd” teenager out. Dani’s six-year-old, Mia, is absolutely adorable. Just a sweetie. Besides dealing with this move, Dani is also the new veterinarian in town, eventually taking over for Ol’ Doc Morales, who also happens to be Ruben’s father.

And Ruben. He is just enough of an alpha to know when to temper his interest and help with Dani – I think it comes from being a Deputy Sheriff/a part of law enforcement. He knows how to be there, but keep his interest under control…however the poor dude doesn’t have an easy time! He really likes Dani, doesn’t have a clue what is making her so skittish, and gets along so well with both Silver and Mia, especially Mia. Some of my favorite scenes were with him and Mia. A child often accepts life just the way it is and to have an adult NOT treat a kid like an idiot – but with kindness and humor and love – well, it doesn’t get any better than that.

Dani interacting with Ruben’s family is both hilarious and touching. She is truly lost in a world of ‘happy families’ but they just treat her like she is part of the fold. Ruben is always there for Dani and her girls…but she has to learn to open herself up to life and the kindness of others. Really wonderful story and will be a part of my holiday reading bookshelf for years to come. Loved it!

I really enjoyed "Season of Wonder" by Raeanne Thayne. The setting is a small town, a new veterinary doc with her two daughters and the deputy sheriff next door. I loved Dani Capelli with her two daughters, one a teenager the other a lot younger. There was just enough teenage angst and problems. The characters were so real I could picture them and there was enough plot with a sweet romance to keep me entertained and wanting more.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this book for free.

The 9th book in the Haven Point series is a wonderful holiday story about a vet and her daughter who move to Haven Point. While the girls are trying to fit in, Dani is trying to create a home for her girls and not let her past be found out. When Her daughter , Silver gets in trouble trying to befriend some girls , Dani ends up meeting and falling for Ruben who happens to be her boss’s son.
This book is a heartwarming story and the characters make you feel like you could be a part of their town and lives. Thank you Netgalley and HQN for the chance to read this.

Season of Wonder is a great Christmas story from RaeAnne Thayne. There is lots of drama and conflict around Dani's family fitting into small town culture and learning to trust again, as well as the standard teenage angst. I liked the characters very much, and the story and drama was right on. This is a great addition to the Haven Point series, but can also be read as a stand alone.

<i>Season of Wonder</i> was the nice, light read that I needed after finishing a couple of lengthy titles that I had to kind of plow through.

Single mom Dani has moved to Haven Point to (hopefully) take over the local veterinary practice once the long time doctor fully retires in the next year. Her past is something that she holds close to her chest and is very guarded and reserved with the other members of town. Her oldest daughter, Silver, is thirteen and every inch the angsty teen. Mia, the baby of the family, is precocious and eager to be involved in whatever excitement is happening. The one thing Dani didn't count on was the hunky police officer next door.

SoW was a very typical story in the romance genre, but that didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the story. It was a good, quick read and I found myself rooting for Dani and Ruben.

Fans of romance books along similar lines will really enjoy this story in preparation for the holidays.

This was such a sweet heartwarming story. It follows a single mother Dani who has two girls as they start a new life in the little town of New Haven. Dani heads up the town veterinary hospital after spending a year interning under the mentorship of Dr. Morales who recently retired and had Dani take over. Dani and her daughters struggle to adapt to this small town and she also has a troubled past and finds it hard to connect to people. After some trouble occurs she finds herself in the company of Ruben, who is her next door neighbor, the deputy sheriff, and the son of her mentor. There is instant attraction but Dani resists. She doesn't want to take the risk of falling in love, thinking that it will eventually be taken from her. Plus she is hiding a past that she doesn't want revealed.
This was a really fast read and I loved the way the story unfolded. I loved the characters, especially the children, and thought they were so believable. I adored this sweet swoon worthy story.

Dani has had a rocky life. In fact, that's an understatement. Through hard work and grit, she has made something of herself and is a veterinarian. The two daughters she has (whose father was a murderer) seem bent on making the same mistakes she did, if not worse. Ready for a change, she takes a job in a small Idaho town, where she meets Reuben.

This is a heartwarming story that seemingly is a Christmas story, but in truth is more of a story told about finding happiness at the end of a long, hard road.

SEASON OF WONDER - RaeAnne Thayne
HQN
ISBN-10: 1335947930
ISBN-13: 978-1335947932
September, 2018
Contemporary Romance

Idaho in December – the Present

Three months ago veterinarian Daniela Cappelli moved with her daughters Silver and Mia to New Haven, Idaho, from Boston. Luckily, Doctor Frank Morales, the owner of the Haven Point Veterinary Clinic, gave her the opportunity to intern at his clinic. He wants to retire in a year and Dani will become the owner when he does. Here she can escape her past and improve her daughters’ lives—as long as the local town’s residents don’t learn about her past. It has taken a lot of work and sacrifice on Dani’s part to get to where she is. She did tell her employer about her past, and was surprised he didn’t immediately dismiss her. She trusts he won’t tell anyone else. Only a few things make her doubt her move and her plans. Thirteen-year-old Silver has been sullen and irritable, partly because of her age, but mostly from trying to integrate into her new junior high school and make new friends. The move affected six-year-old Mia, too. She has suffered inordinate shyness. Another reason for Dani's misgivings is Dr. Morales’ son and her next-door neighbor, Ruben, whose visits to the clinic with his two dogs Yukon and Ollie make her feel a long unfamiliar yearning she knows she must ignore. Ruben is Deputy Morales. If he found out the truth about her past, he would never want someone like her.

Ruben is attracted by his father’s new intern. He has had some girlfriends, but things just never seemed to work out, and at thirty-three, he is beginning to believe he will never find the right woman. His curiosity about Dani grows as she keeps a distance not only between her and him, but between everyone in town. Then Silver does something stupid and ends up in big trouble. Yet Ruben is a caring and forgiving man from a good, strong and kind family background, so gives her a chance. Mia charms him and he her, but Silver is as self-contained as her mother until he inveigles her into a Christmas plan.

SEASON OF WONDER is a Christmas story, but there is so much more to it than trying to find love. Although the cautious attraction between Dani and Ruben is convincing, the story is also about how to escape the past to find a new future. It is about making mistakes and making amends, and about separation and inclusion. Moreover, it is about hiding the truth, telling the truth, and ignoring the truth, so the last name containing the word moral says a lot. A very good story for the season.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy. Dani is a veterinarian and a single mom raising two daughters. She is also running away from her troubled past. Dani's oldest daughter is rebelling and caused some minor damage. Being caught by the Deputy Sheriff Ruben, Dani and her girls repair the damage made to the neighbors' property as well as fall in love with Ruben and his family. This allows Dani and her girls to realize what a "real" family is like. A great book from a great author.

Reading a RaeAnne Thayne book is like wrapping yourself in a comfy blanket and sitting in front of a warm fire with a mug of hot chocolate. They're comforting, heartwarming, and generally full of seasonal fluff. It was a little difficult reading this in the sweltering Texas summer heat, but the author has such a gift for transporting you to the setting of her novels that you forget you're not actually in the snowy winter town of Haven Point. In this novel we meet Daniela "Dani" Capelli and her two daughters, sullen teen Silver and adorable Mia. She's the new veterinarian in town and has captured the attention of her boss' son, Deputy Ruben Morales. The two are neighbors and after her daughter pulls a rebellious act and gets caught by the deputy, the two are thrown together to clean up the mess. Sparks fly, but Dani has a secret past she's afraid will ruin her chance at romance and at giving her daughters a safe home to start life over after the death of their father. These characters come to life on the page, especially Silver, who is written well as a typical thirteen year old confused about life. Overall, this is a very sweet romance and Dani and her girls fit in really well in Haven Point.

Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne. Wonderful heartwarming holiday story. . Lovely family. Little Mia is a dream girl, so sweet. And Rueben.... A good addition to the series

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

When you start reading SEASON OF WONDER, the newest addition to RaeAnne Thayne’s Haven Point series, you quickly realize that the holiday season is going to take a back seat to the central story. RaeAnne Thayne’s stories are about some of the most fascinating people and SEASON OF WONDER fits that billing. SEASON OF WONDER is a great example of people’s ability to rise above their circumstances with a little help from trusted friends and loving family. SEASON OF WONDER is simple wonderful.
Dani Capelli’s life has been one of enormous changes starting from when she was really young. Losing her mother at a young age left her in the hands of social services with varying degrees of safety and caring. So as a young woman she was easily captivated by the charms of her now exe husband Tony. Along the way Dani somehow managed to maintain her integrity by the skin of her teeth. Now several years later with two daughters Dani is once again faced with still another move – this time from New York to Haven Point. Hopefully to escape from the notoriety of now deceased Tony DeLuca. Moving to Haven Point was an opportunity for the three Capelli girls to hit that restart button. Dani is filled with hope mixed with equal parts dread. Their slate isn’t exactly clean but Dani has done all she can to put their past behind them.
Haven Point is the destination for the next phase of the Capelli girls. Dani is starting her career as a veterinarian thanks to the support of Dr. Morales. Mia and Silver are getting adjusted to their new schools. Their adjustment hasn’t been an easy one. And now there is another wrench thrown into the path of their new lives in Haven Point.
The Capelli’s next door neighbor is Deputy Reuben Morales – Dr. Morales’ son. Reuben makes Dani nervous on many fronts. First would be the obvious part where a large handsome single guy has not escaped Dani’s eyes. Reuben makes Dani think of things she hasn’t spent any time pondering in a really long time. Second is the fact that he is a lawman. Dani’s experience with the law hasn’t been one of trust. Originally with social services and then followed up with Tony’s crime ridden life. She tried so hard to remain optimistic that Tony would be able to turn his life around.
Reuben finds himself unusually attracted to this single mother. She just isn’t his type. But whoever said that type really counts for matters of the heart is often blindsided by that thing called love and attraction.
Reuben is unfortunately not able to break through that self-imposed fence Dani has erected around her. But the girls are another story. Equally difficult to begin with but becoming more friendly with time. Until the Capelli girls are once again center stage in an event that brings the law – Reuben – to their door.
Mischief is somewhat normal for kids. But unfortunately Silver finds herself thrust into a situation that she is just too young to avoid. Peer pressure is tough enough. But so much more difficult when you are the new kid in town.
So Dani is now forced to work along with Reuben to help get Silver get back on track. Dani had so many hopes of this being a good move for her little family.
It’s the time and season of hope and wonder. Dani and her girls are due for a little of each. Could Haven Point be that place. So kick back with your feet up in a comfy chair and be prepared to be lovingly dazzled by the enchanting and real characters of RaeAnne Thayne in her newest achievement which is suitably entitled SEASON OF WONDER.

He’s giving her children a season of wonder…

Dani Capelli seized a chance to start over in a small town with her daughters. Now, facing her first Christmas in Haven Point, she wonders if leaving New York was a mistake. Dani loves working alongside veterinarian Dr. Morales, but her two children aren’t adjusting to small-town life. And then there’s Dr. Morales’s son, Ruben—Dani’s next-door neighbor. Gorgeous, muscled and dependable, the deputy sheriff is everything she secretly craves and can’t bear to risk loving…and losing.

Ruben never pictured himself falling for a big-city woman like Dani. But beneath her prickly facade, she’s caring and softhearted and she needs all the love and protection he can give. When Dani’s teenage daughter starts acting out, Ruben draws on family traditions to show the girls just how magical a Haven Point Christmas can be. But can he convince Dani that she’s found a home for the holidays—and forever—in his arms?

--My thoughts. Welcome home, err I mean Haven Point! Christmas is always a magical time, and who wouldn't want to be in Haven Point with the boats on the water, and the churros and hot cocoa? Sign me up! I loved Dani and her daughters. Dani has taken an offer to come to Haven Point to help an older vet for a year with his practice, but Dani has a secret. But is it really that big of a secret and is it really her secret to carry and be such a burden?

Ruben is such a sweet man, helping with her daughter after she is caught committing a crime. This is such a feel good story, and we all know what the outcome is probably going to be, but the ride along the way will have you in love with all of them!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is part of the Haven series which I hope has many more books to come. It is now Christmas time and we get to visit with characters both new and old. Each of these books are full of wonderful characters and emotion filled scenes. Highly Recommended

It's Christmas time and we are back in Haven Point. Was the ending ever in doubt? No, but on the other hand, I really enjoyed getting to know Ruben and Dani, especially Dani.

Except for a few years here and there, Dani has always had to carry the load alone. She was in foster care as a child, married a "bad boy" who ended up in prison, and who committed murder when he got out. She's been a single mom for almost all of her girls' lives and has put herself through school. She's afraid to let anyone in because she has always been disappointed.

As Ruben comes into her life she learns that it is ok to lean on others and let them help you. In his family she sees the support that family can be.

I enjoyed this heartwarming Christmas romance. Like Thayne's other books, the characters never get beyond passionate kissing.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B

To be published 9/24/18

Warm holiday love story with a lot of angst. I enjoyed it. The children were so realistic, the dialogue was on point and the hero was swoon worthy.
Christmas stories are so wonderful.