Title: A Christmas by the Sea



Author: Melody Carlson



Chapters: 14



Pages: 169



Genre: Christmas



Rating: 3.5 stars



A Christmas by the Sea is the new Christmas Story by Melody Carlson. Widowed single mom Wendy Harper finds out that she has inherited a beach cottage in Maine. Her plan is to move to Maine temporarily with her son Jackson in order to get the house ready to be sold. Jackson has other plans he wants to make Maine their new home. He starts by in rolling himself in the local school. And in some ways he gets help from Caleb Colton in trying to get his mom to stay.

What's a single mom and a local craftsman supposed to do when you’re dealing with a 12-year-old matchmaker? Well what follows is a sweet Christmas story about finding where you belong and that sometimes the plans you made aren't the ones that end up following. That sometimes you go looking for something, but end up finding something so much better.

Melody Carlson's Christmas stories tend to be lite on the romance, but heavy on the sweet. And more often than not there's always some kind of pet. And in this book it was a loveable stray dog.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I have a Christmas tradition of reading a Melody Carlson book each holiday season. Her 2018 offering is a sweet story about family and faith. There's a nice touch of romance too. I love that the setting is my state of Maine and an idyllic town on the coast. We all need a dose of hope and this story gives it to us. It's a reminder that God can and does shower miracles on us.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this heartwarming book. It was a pleasure to read it.

Fun Christmas read about a woman that inherits a family beach home. It has all the markers of a good Christmas book-family drama, romance, and a troublemaker. Recommended

Melody interweaves a great story line and characters with the joy of Christmas season into this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who love Christmas and finding joy in the season.

When Wendy Harper inherits her family's beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. But before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. She and her 12-year-old son Jackson move in--temporarily, she reminds him--in order to do the work themselves, even though Christmas is coming. The charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on both Wendy and Jackson, who even registers himself for school in a bid to get his mom to move them there permanently. Wendy knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea is hard to resist.

This is a very heartwarming story about a single mother, Wendy, trying to survive the aftermath of her husbands death. All she wants to do is whats best for her son. She thinks its fixing up the cottage and selling it. Jackson, her son, has other ideas. He wants to stay and does everything in his power to make it happen. Then there's Caleb. He also wants Wendy to stay.

I could see this as a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's a feel good book with a happy ending.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Having recently finished “A Christmas by the Sea” by Melody Carlson, I am happy to have had the chance for the preview; thank you NetGalley and Revell Books!

The setting was definitely charming; a cottage by the sea in need of repair and a mother and son in need of a new direction in life. I loved all the craft and creativity in the story; from the driftwood to the seashells to the paint selections for the cottage. While the romance throughout "A Christmas by the Sea" followed the obvious path, the ending for me was extremely sudden and completely far-fetched. This would make a great movie in the holiday rotation as there’s the appearance of a furry four-legged friend and no doubt about a happy ending here!

I look forward each Christmas season to reading a new Christmas novella from Melody Carlson. This story is one of her best. I loved the characters of Wendy and Jackson. They have suffered great loss, and Wendy is struggling to find a way to provide for Jackson’s future. Returning to live permanently in Seaside. Maine, in her grandparents’ cottage seems an impossibility. But as Jackson reminds his mom, she needs to fully place her trust in God to provide for them. As events unfold, Wendy realizes she has much to learn from twelve year old Jackson. This story has so much heart and hope. It’s a perfect story for the holiday season.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Another great Christmas story from Melody Carlson. I look forward to them every year. My only complaint was that the ending felt rushed and ended too quickly, but the storyline was very good and kept my interest. I like this author so much that I am rereading some of her previous Christmas titles.

What a sweet Christmas romance! I loved the characters and the writing style. I will be giving several copies of this book for gifts. Thank you netgalley for the gift of the ebook edition of this story. The review is my opinion

A light, quick, feel-good read – especially if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by circumstances ( yes : our bathroom floor is in exactly the same state as the one in the cottage!) No matter how negative things can seem, it is possible to live through it - & even have a happy ending... A very encouraging book, & just what I needed right now – thanks, Melody.

Wow! I absolutely loved this sweet Christian romance!

In A Christmas by the Sea we meet a lonely Widow and her precocious son who definitely need a miracle to continue. It’s so sweet to watch how God works in their lives through the good and difficult choices they make and the amazing people they meet. Plus there’s a couple of nasty normal people to keep this real.

You won’t want to miss this amazing dear Christmas Romance! Grab a hot cup of tea sit by the fire and enjoy!

I was completely charmed by this short, sweet Christmas novella. Melody weaves wonderful Christmas stories and this is without a doubt my favorite of all of them! Sweet characters(I adored Jackson!), a lovely setting and a great story line make this a great read. Definitely one for my keeper shelf!

I really enjoyed this book. I was worried that Wendy would sell the home she inherited but in the end everything worked out for her. Her son is such a neat kid because he is determined to stay in the beach house and you can just tell he needs a new start. And widowed Wendy found love with a very capable handy man. This book was hard to put down once I started and I can see reading it again soon.

I found this book had a remarkable beginning and middle, but the end seemed too hurried. I would like to have seen some of that fast development take place over the previous chapters. The characters were compelling--the author just needed a few more chapters to get to a plausible ending.

Always enjoy Melody Carlson books, and especially her Christmas books. A woman and her son inherit a beach house from her grandfather. After many troubles this feels like the answer to her prayers.

I absolutely love the yearly Christmas Romance Books released every October. Reading clean romance stories set in the Christmas season is one of my favorite ways to Reading new releases and my old favorites is one of my favorite ways to start getting into the Christmas Spirit!

I'm sure you've heard the saying "good things come in small packages". Well, that's how I feel about A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson. While it is a novella, this story packs a wallop! It's about love, faith, family and home, romance, and of course set in the the beauty and joy of the Christmas Season!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Carlson, Revell publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wendy is raising her son, Jackson, alone in Ohio, after the death of her husband to cancer. Then, she learns she has inherited her grandparents cottage on on the beach in Maine. She has such fond memories of spending summers there as a kid. She and her son travel to Maine. Her hope is to get the cottage into shape and hope for a quick sale so they can return to their home in Ohio and pay off her late husbands medical bills. Her son desperately needs a new beginning and hopes they will move permanently to the cottage.
Wendy meets Caleb in town and begins to feel a bit of something she wasn't sure she'd ever feel again for another man.
As she and her son paint and do repairs to the cottage, she only hints to Jackson that they cannot stay. Hints he chooses to ignore. To add to the mix, a stray dog shows up and Jackson convinces his mom to allow the dog to stay. How will she ever tell him they have to go back home to Ohio where she has a full-time job with benefits and dogs aren't allowed where they live? Jackson reminds his mom to 'trust in God.' Wendy does try. It's just so hard to be solely responsible for her son.
Sweet story and perfect timing for it to come out this time of year.
It didn't seem too realistic for things to go where they did so quickly between her and Caleb. But, hey, it's Christmas and the season for miracles, right?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson takes us to Seaside, Maine. Wendy Harper is traveling with her son, Jackson from Ohio to Seaside just before Thanksgiving. Wendy inherited a beach cottage from her grandfather. It is an answer to her prayers since she has a slew of debts incurred from her deceased husband’s battle with cancer along with student loans. Wendy has managed to get a month off to renovate the cottage and get it listed for sale. Jackson is excited about the trip and wants to relocate to Seaside permanently. The cottage is in better condition than Wendy expected, but it still needs some work. She hires Gordon, the local handyman, to help with the repairs. Jackson is thriving in the new environment. He makes a friend, finds a dog and enrolls himself in school. One day Wendy is at the hardware store and meets Caleb Colton, a furniture craftsman. She is surprised by what she feels when near Caleb. Wendy admires his beautiful furniture (works of art) and his Christian values. Wendy knows she should do the responsible thing and sell the cottage. However, she is drawn to the town, the cottage and a certain woodworker. To stay in Seaside, though, she needs a steady income stream. Christmas is rapidly approaching, and miracles have been known to happen.

A Christmas by the Sea is a charming Christmas story. I thought it was well-written with steady pacing. It is a wholesome story with a light Christian element. The Christian themes include the importance of having a strong faith in God, prayer, reading the Bible, trust in God, and know that He will answer your prayers but not always in the way you expect. I liked the characters with Jackson being my favorite. He is delightful with his infectious joy. I like how he learned to complete certain repairs courtesy of online videos (they are helpful). I enjoyed the descriptions of Seaside and the ocean. There is a wonderful scene where Jackson and Wendy are finding sand dollars on the beach (they are not easy to find). Colton’s furniture sounded beautiful along with the seashell creations made by Wendy. My one complaint is the ending was rushed along with the romance between Wendy and Caleb. An epilogue would have been appreciated (a year or two later). A Christmas by the Sea is a short book at only 167 pages. One of my favorite sentences is “God takes care of us and He will provide what we need.” My rating for A Christmas by the Sea is 4 out of 5 stars. Melody Carlson has given us another lovely Christmas story filled with love, hope, faith, family and joy.

While I love Melody Carlson's ability to create fresh plots with believable yet quirky characters, this particular novella required me to suspend my disbelief just a little too much.
Christmas in Maine is cozy - and it was fun to see Wendy and her son set up their little home and become part of the town. But the romance seemed contrived and totally out of character for a worrier like Wendy. And it happened way too fast! A couple of weeks might be enough time for a young single person to let their guard down and fall in love with someone they're spending 24/7 with... but Wendy didn't spend all that much time getting to know Caleb, and I thought she'd be a little less trusting due to her nature and just the fact that she's a mom.
I've enjoyed other Carlson books in the past - Christmassy ones too. Find the link to those in my blog post.
https://randombookmuses.com/2018/09/30/review-a-christmas-by-the-sea-by-melody-carlson/

My thoughts:
I love Melody Carlson Christmas books! A Christmas by the Sea is no exception. I consider reading Melody's Christmas books a tradition. They are just plain good!

This is my favorite Melody Carlson Christmas novella yet!
Melody paints the mood in color as the Harpers drive along towards Seaside. The tension in Wendy is high as fears and doubts fill her mind about how to provide for her son. Excitement fills Jackson as he thinks about the town and the new home and adventure that await.
Melody paints the setting in color as she describes the town, the cottage, the beach, the sights, and the smell of the sea.
Melody paints the characters vividly with words and emotion. New characters are introduced in some unusual ways.
This is a light, relaxing holiday novella that will help you unwind after a day of fall or Christmas preparations.
Read this book. You won't be sorry. ~smile~