What an amazing spin on this modern-day Christmas Carol! Kate lives for Christmas and it's annual Christmas Festival. In comes Clark who is the total opposite. He wants to take it all away from the small town of Miller's Point. Kate finds there is much more to Clark than what he shows to everyone. Will Kate find a way to get Clark to open his heart again to Christmas? I have to say I loved the way the author wrote these characters and their story. I fell in love with them and this small town immediately! I couldn't put it down! I read in less than a day! It doesn't need to be Christmas to read this feel good book! I love Hallmark and this was a first read for me from this author and definitely did not disappoint! Made me so happy! Thank you Net Galley and Hallmark Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Not sure what I can about this that hasn't been said. Typical Hallmark fair; but for me always an easy, enjoyable read. Love their Christmas movies & stories. For anyone else that likes the Hallmark Christmas movies---this is a win for you! A sweet romance that gets you in the holiday spirit!

i loved this book! Could not put it down. So grateful to Hallmark and Net Galley for the Advanced Reader Copy and the chance to review. Thank you!!!

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. The Christmas Company by Alys Murray. No spoiler. This book was like you were in a Hallmark film in the town it took place with all its wonderful characters. It was a great Holiday read. I would recommend it to anybody who still feels in the holiday spirit.

Oh Hallmark. How I adore your movies. And now, how I actually adore your books. It's perfect, honestly - a warm (very cheesy - but I mean come on, it's Hallmark, you don't come to them looking for the next intellectual paper), love story that mirrors A Christmas Carol in some ways. What could be better than a tough talking, handsome man who starts out hating Christmas, who comes to love it and a certain special girl...
Overall, the writing was, if I'm honest, better than I was expecting - I didn't particularly dislike any of the characters (which can occasionally happen in not so well written books), and the love story was nice and sweet.
This is the kind of book that is perfect for chilling by the fire with, or by the pool if you live down-under, with a nice hot/iced chocolate with Christmas music playing. Nothing more festive than good ol' Hallmark Christmas movies... and now, you get to enjoy Hallmark Christmas books too!

Note: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

This book left me with all the cozy warm feelings. Hallmark Channel is always playing at our house and now that they are publishing books, the Hallmark obsession never has to end! You can always count on Hallmark for a wholesome feel good story and this one will not let you know. Millers Point reminds me of my hometown at Christmas time; warm sugar cookie and hot cocoa smells wafting down Main Street, Christmas decorations lining the streets, where everyone knows everyone else. It's a feel good story that won't let you down, no matter what time of year you read it!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100 percent mine, and I was not financially compensated in any way.

The most important thing about this book is that it is the first original Hallmark Publishing Christmas book, and I have to tell you, Hallmark and the author have set the bar very high! Overall, I could not have been happier. This book has everything you could ever want (and more) from a Hallmark movie encapsulated in a book! And indeed this book far exceeded my expectations.

In the beginning, I will admit it took me a little bit of time to get into the story. This was not the author's fault nor Hallmark's. I believe the stage had to be set, and sometimes a deliberate pace at the beginning is exactly what is necessary. After all, this book deals with new, uncharted areas for Hallmark, and without the background information and expert scene painting as well as character description (provided by the author), I might have not been as intrigued as I was. Moreover, once the story does begin to accelerate, there is not stopping this story; so all I can say is, fasten your seatbelts and be prepared for the Christmas ride of your life!

Now, this does have the ingredients for which Hallmark is known. There's a small town, an idealistic heroine who adores Christmas, a rich and snobby antagonist who hates Christmas, and the inevitable process of these two dissimilar individuals falling in love complete with an interrupted kiss! In truth, the author weaves these elements seamlessly into the framework of the story, and the warmth of the story enveloped my soul with all the sweet trappings of a Hallmark Christmas tale.

Notwithstanding, I also believe the author created a story with a few elements that surprised me in a particularly beneficial way. There are a few portions of the story that while still within Hallmark guidelines, they do push the boundaries in a pleasing way. I always relish parts of the story that are different and unexpected, and the author placed these few diverse moments in such a way that I found myself smiling and even imagining how that scene might be accomplished in a Hallmark movie based on this book. I applaud Hallmark and Alys for an exceptionally fun and sweet story.

I realize that every original book Hallmark publishes has the chance of being transformed into a Hallmark movie, and I urge the network to consider this one for the 2019 season. The possibilities for the leading couple are practically endless, and the story is entertaining and relatable on a variety of levels. In fact, to be honest, I would love a sequel to this book! There is so much for of the story to tell.

If you are looking for a book that will remind you of why you fell in love with Christmas in the first place, and if you further love "A Christmas Carol," do not hesitate to pick this book up as soon as possible! You will not regret the decision.

This book was just like watching a wonderful Hallmark Christmas movie. It was the classic Christmas Grinch story with a delightful ending. I hope this gets turned into a Hallmark movie.

This book kept me entertained the whole time. I loved it. Finished it all in one sitting. Author wrote this book great pulling on my heart strings. It's a must read!!! Thanks for letting me have the opportunity to read it!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This story was just okay for me. I had a hard time concentrating on it. It really didn't hold my interest. I kept putting it down. I was determined to finish it though and I did. The book did have my favorite dual POV but I really had a hard time connecting with both main characters.

This is a Hallmark story so there is no cursing, no sex, and nothing that would be objectionable to any readers. If you like sweet and clean stories, this book would be perfect for you.

This original Christmas story is a bit of a mash up of A Christmas Carol and The Grinch, and while it's pretty heavy on the Christmas cheesiness, it's really sweet and heartwarming. Believe it or not, I really liked Clark from the start. He was a both Ebenezer and Grinch, but he didn't meant o be cruel or vicious, he just really wanted to be left alone to wallow in his unhappiness – I respected that. While I struggled with Kate's constant victim act (She's a grown woman, but she can't comprehend that the word “men” in the phrase in “goodwill to men” is a generic term because “humans” or “people” doesn't work in the flow of the song? She seriously thinks it's sexism? I practically strained a muscle rolling my eyes! And how how can she be totally surprised when Clark – who has repeatedly said he just wants to be left alone - is upset when she throws a surprise dinner party for the whole town in his house without his permission? Is she really that clueless?) I did like her and I wanted the couple to find their happily ever after.

The writing style in this story was really great. I liked the way that Ms. Murray weaved humor into the story. I found myself laughing out loud more than once as I read – I love a book that can make me do that. Without her writing style being so enjoyable, this book would not have been nearly as good as it was.

If you enjoy a very Christmasy Christmas story, and a really sweet romance, this book is a fun, easy read.

The Christmas Company

by Alys Murray

I really wanted to like The Christmas Company by Alys Murray. I anticipated a spectacular Christmas read. This book is a modern day version of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, the quintessential Christmas tale for many. It is published by Hallmark; how could it be less than a really good Christmas romance?

A whole town’s livelihood is built around Christmas until its benefactor passes away leaving his company in the hands of a Scrooge-like nephew. Kate has volunteered or worked for the Christmas Company since she was seven years old. With no mother and an alcoholic father, the Christmas Company became Kate’s family, and Christmas became part of her being. When Clark Woodward shuts down the festivities the day before Christmas Eve, Kate makes it her mission to get him to change his mind.

Alys Murray has a good setup for her plot. This book never captured my imagination, however. I didn’t find the characters particularly appealing. The timeline of events was confusing, as was the way the decorations were taken down, moved, and put back up by people who had just been told they were fired. Why didn’t anyone appeal to Clark’s business sense? The town had spent a year and a lot of money preparing for the Christmas events. This was their opportunity to make at least some of it back for the company. Why waste the time and money already put into the event when there could be some return on the investment if the festivities could proceed for three more days? What happened to visitors who were surely expected to participate?

Clark and Kate fall in and out of love several times during the three days we observe them. Kate’s best friends, Emily and Michael, make efforts to help her, but they seem half-hearted and not very effective. My favorite scene involves an accident at the river. It is an action scene and helps develop the characters.

The Christmas Company is a satisfactory read if you are a fan of A Christmas Carol and are looking for a Christmasy diversion. If you are expecting a world changing book or the next classic to share around the tree each year, you will be disappointed.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Hallmark Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5

Category: Romance

Notes: Usually the book is better than the movie, but I wonder if a good producer/director might be able to turn this around with a visual production that improves on the characters and has a good timeline.

Publication: October 16, 2018—Hallmark Publishing

Memorable Lines:

It was clear He’d fallen out of love with Christmas—Kate didn’t believe anyone naturally disliked the holiday—because it’d been too long since he’d had a wonderful one.

Christmas was there to celebrate the birth of Christ, of course. The name said as much, but because of that, not in spite of it, Christmas had to also embody all of the goodness of humanity.

“I keep Christmas with me all year long. It’s the one time of year when I find it impossible to think the worst in people. If I pretend every day is Christmas, it makes life so much easier to live. And people so much easier to love.”

This story is a combination of A Christmas Carol and The Grinch with wonderful characters. Kate Buchner loves everything about Christmas as she holds those feelings 365 days of the year but Clark Woodard wants to take that away from her as he stops the town of Miller's Point, Texas from having their annual Christmas Festival. I loved the dialog and the characters in this story by Alys Murray. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review. I hope Hallmark makes this story into a movie.

This is a light fluffy read where love happens in a day, where transformation of the heart occurs over a few hours, and the whole town becomes Dickensian overnight.

Kate is the employee of the Christmas company and the entire town of Miller’s Point celebrates Christmas enacting Charles Dickens story, A Christmas Carol. And enter scrooge Clark who wants to shut the company and save his dollars. Kate then goes about to make him believe in the magic and hope of Christmas and fall in love with it

The book by Alys Murray has all the parts which complete a Christmas book, there was hope, joy, love, falling in river, being saved by the hero, making cookies, dressing the tree, mistletoe, and the town celebrating a 1800s style Christmas.

It was a good story with Christmas causing the main characters to fall in love. But where I fell in love with the story was when the entire town comes together to sing the carols and especially Silent Night. The whole scene was magical to imagine. I had tears coursing down my cheeks. There is something ethereal about that scene which causes my emotions to overflow as tears even now when I think about it.

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!!

A charming Christmas story with all the flare and love found in Hallmarks movies, this story centers around a small town and her love for the holiday season. Filled to the brim with seasonal spirit, The Christmas Company will get you in the mood for the holidays and remind you why we celebrate.

I loved the ending. To be honest, this book took me a long time to read unfortunately. I found it fairly slow moving which is a shame. It wasn't amazing but it was not terrible. I unfortunately just didn't connect to the characters. I did not find that they captured my attention. With that said it was okay. Ending was great and happy though.

My Thoughts:

When I heard about Alys Murray's book, I was excited. Even more so when I found out it was a Christmas book. Yay! Just the kind of book I want to read while snuggling under a blanket and drinking hot chocolate.

As is already mentioned in the synopsis, Clark is trying to throw a wrench in the annual Christmas festival that Kate plays a huge role in. The news comes as a shock, but she's determined to get everything back to the way it was... and possibly change a Scrooge into a lover of a holiday she loves dearly.

The Christmas Company is a heartwarming debut novel that will instantly put you in the Christmas spirit. Kate's passion and commitment to the festival shines throughout the story. I highly recommend this story to anyone who wants a lovely Christmas story to brighten their holidays!

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

//Book Review\\
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Title- The Christmas Company by Alys Murray ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Rating- 4.5⭐
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Synopsis-
Kate Buckner loves everything about Christmas. Living in the quaint little town of Miller's Point, she spends her year in anticipation of the holiday, during which the town is transformed into a Dickensian Winter Wonderland at the hands of The Christmas Company that puts up an annual festival. Things change, however, when one year brings the news of the death of their beloved boss, and the ascension of his young grinch-y nephew Clark Woodward to the post of the CEO. Clark decides to dissolve of the Christmas company and that sends a wave of unrest over Miller's point .Kate decides to save Christmas and her town, but she can only do that by saving the lonely young man. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Review- ✨Okay, okay. That Synopsis was a little cheesy. Sue me. I love drama. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨The premise and setting of this book are perfect for a cozy winter read by the fireplace! Loved it so much! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨The characters are a little cliche but man, SO LOVEABLE! Kate can be unrealistic at times, but it really didn't bother me as much. This was a lovely optimistic book and Kate was perfect for that! Also, little Bradley is my star and I love him! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨The writing in this book so so easy and soft- so perfect for the wintry contemporary feel that it gives off! AAHH SO CUTE! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨My only issue with the book was that it got a little too cheesy for me at times, and the ending was a little...off and rushed. That's why I knocked off half a star, but otherwise, It's just a really cozy Christmas read and I ADORED IT! Would totally recommend. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'd like to thank @netgalley , @writeralys and @hallmark publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Christmas Company is a well written romance. I enjoyed the plot, characters and the author’s writing. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for for my arc. This is my unbiased review.

I love Christmas romance but I had a difficult time reading this book. Not sure what the problem was. Maybe she was too much and he not enough.