This was a moving Christmas story full of loss, love & moving on. The characters were well developed & easy to relate to. I loved the relationship between Holly & her grandmother. She gave up so much to be there & support her in her grief. Getting back to where her grandparents love was established actually helped them both move on with life. Joseph was a surprise in the cabin but quickly became a big part of the story. The journey Joseph & Holly follow to their relationship is tough & bumpy but was enjoyable to witness.

Oh my gods, Jenny has done it again, another amazing delightful and heartfelt story that I just fell in love with and completely got lost in. The fact that it was based around Christmas time was an absolute bonus, all that festive cheer and families coming together.

The story itself was a delight to read from start to finish, loved seeing the interaction and chemistry between Holly and Joe, and seeing how they overcome their own obstacles happening in their personal lives and how they come together to help each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the close relationship that Holly had with her Nana, just beautiful, we should all be so lucky to have that sort of relationship with our Nans, yep I'm jealous lol.

Everything about this book has been a joy, there were a few moments that were heartfelt and emotional to read but then there were plenty of scenes that had me laughing out loud.  So it had a bit of everything, which makes it the perfect read for any time of the year, not just Christmas.

Oh and I absolutely loved little Hattie, so cute and adorable. I only wished she had a bigger part to play in this story. Who or what is Hattie  you ask, well you'll just have to read the book to find out for yourself.

Jenny has such a way with words that her style of writing is truly magical which draws you in from the very first page. So if you haven't lost yourself in one of Jenny's book yet, then all I can say is don't delay any further, as I can highly recommend her books as truly fun and delightful reads.

I really enjoyed this read, it was the perfect cosy festive read that I had been looking for! I loved the characters in the book, although Rhett did get on my nerves a little. This book has a few emotional moments that had me tearing up and other moments that made me smile ear to ear.

This is a first for me by this author... but it won't be my last.

Holly McAdams loves spending the Christmas holidays at her family’s cozy cabin, with its little red door and twinkling lights, tucked in the snowy hills outside Nashville. But this year will be different. Someone unexpected is joining them…

After Holly and her beloved Nana struggle through a snow storm to reach the cabin, they discover gorgeous and wealthy Joseph Barnes, who has been renting the cabin for the last few weeks, is now snowed in. And it looks like he’ll be staying for the holidays.

Determined to make the best of the surprise situation, Holly tries to bring everyone together by baking delicious treats and decorating the cabin with plenty of festive sparkle. She finds herself growing close to handsome Joseph, who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before, even if Nana isn’t so keen on the dashing stranger with the mysterious past.

But charming and irresistible musician Rhett Burton is also back in town. Thrown into close proximity with the person who used to be her best friend and the man who broke her heart, Holly realizes it’s time to face her feelings and figure out what she really wants from her life. But to complicate things, both Joseph and Rhett have secrets to reveal…

Will Holly be able to find herself and the love she’s always dreamed of this Christmas?

A fabulous festive read that is full of Christmas and about moving forward after loss... it's both heart-breaking and heart-warming... a great book to snuggle down with on a chilly winter's eve.

Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC>

Holly plans to spend Christmas with her Nana in their cabin in the mountains, but is shocked to find Joe, a short-term tenant, snowed in there when she and Nana arrive. Holly finds Joe to be incredibly kind and is immediately attracted to him; however, she soon finds out that he is engaged to another woman. Somehow, she even finds herself in the position of wedding planner, when Joe and Katharine’s wedding planner quits. About the same time, a man from the past reenters her life. This is a truly heartwarming tale of love and sacrifice that somehow ends exactly the way it should.

3.5
Cute and festive story. Holly and her grandmother head to their cottage to find joe, the last renter, has been snowbound in. As no flights are leaving anytime soon they prepare to spend the holidays together. Joe and Holly have an instant connection but it’s not going to be that easy of course. Joe is engaged and if that’s not bad enough a friend (and possible past love interest) of Holly’s will be added to the mix. During all these shenanigans Nana starts to slowly heal from the grief of losing her husband. She was the true heart of this book for me. This was a good one. Nice characters, setting and plot. Not all that sexy but sweet.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

It's my second book by this author and it does not matter if the setting is a bitter cold or scalding hot one, she always makes you feel warm inside.

If you are a fan of feel good books, you know from the beginning that the author will take you on a trip towards a happy ending, but often it's a bumpy one and sometimes it even feels like the happy ever after is not on the horizon.

That adds to the reading pleasure, because you feel a slight panic, but then there is the relief. It's almost like there is a little supsense thrown in for extra fun. I could call it mildly sadistic (lol), but it's  so rewarding in the end.

This story is about family, friendship and love and romance, of course.

You might think you lost the love of your life, but then life happens ... You might think you have found the love of you life, but then life happens ...

It's never to late to start your life ...

A really nice book to snuggle under a blanket with, a cup of hot cocoa in your hand, a fire blazing and let Holly take you on her journey.  Fluently written, lovely, romantic, with some laughter and some tears : a winning combination. 5 stars.

Thank you, Jenny Hale, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Lovely holiday story set in a delightful small town - and a snowed in cabin. Holly and her Nana are hoping for a good old fashioned Christmas. They didn't expect to find someone staying in their cabin. This is the setup for Holly and Joe to meet cute. But wait.....is there a second chance romance out there with Rhett? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is sentimental and positive.

Great festive read. It is christmas and Holly agrees to take her Nana to the family cabin to celebrate christmas. But when they get there, the previous tenant is still there, snowed in and unable to leave. They end up stiuck together for Christmas, but the more time she spends with Jo, she can't help falling for him, even when she agrees to help plan his wedding to someone else.

This book had a good feel about it
It was about good times,bad times and the times in between
I was a very improbable storyline but a real love and romance story
Set in the midst of heavy snowfall at Christmastime in America it is a real fairy tale
Loveable characters thrown together in circumstances way beyond their control.
It’s one of those feel good books that you will want to read on a cold and miserable day in winter that will bring a smile to your lips and lift your spirits. Some of you may wish you were the main female character! I know I did!

Holly McAdams has recently lost her grandfather and the grief she feels is all encompassing. Her parents and sister live abroad and she is determined her lovely Nana will not be alone and will have a traditional Christmas with all the festive joy that had always been a part of Christmas with her husband and their family. Holly has been to their holiday cabin high up in the mountains of Nashville and remodelled it completely, removing items that may upset Nana and storing them. It’s snowing as they make their way to the cosy cabin which Nana usually rents out but has been vacated by the last guest.

Joseph Barnes was due to fly out of Nashville airport to return home for Christmas and his impending marriage. He had been forced to stay on when the airport closed due to heavy snowfall. He intends to cover the cost of his extended vacation, unaware that Holly is taking Nana to her cabin to cheer her up with the company of much loved old friends. So when they walk in and discover a man fast asleep in the master bedroom everyone is shocked. However big-hearted Holly and Nana extend their hospitality and the three adults make the most of Joseph’s bad luck. Holly and Joe get along well although Nana is wary of this unknown stranger.

Also back in town is Rhett Burton, Holly’s best friend. They both felt let down following Rhett’s attempted kiss of Holly the last time they were together. She had no idea Rhett had feelings for her and reacted badly, only to discover that he had left the area first thing the next morning in his quest to be a famous musician and heartthrob. Holly feels awful about what happened and very cross with Rhett while also missing his cheerful company. What hurts her most is that he has never got in contact at all. It’s not the actions of a lifelong best friend and she dreads meeting him, not knowing how she can possibly handle the situation.

What Holly doesn’t know is really the very heart of this novel about family, friendship and romance. With fluid storytelling and a host of cleverly crafted and carefully developed local friends, this is a heart warming novel. There are surprises, some tensions and eventually closely kept secrets are revealed. You will laugh and maybe cry a bit, but you almost definitely won’t be able to foretell the details of how this story will end. I particularly loved the Epilogue which rounded off the story particularly well. It’s because of such a strong finale that I have upgraded my review to 4*

I received this very festive novel through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Bookouture in return for an honest review. Thank you most sincerely for my copy. I love to read festive romance novels on these cold dark nights and this was a lovely addition to my ‘to be read’ pile.

Holly has spent the time since her grandfather’s death looking out for her grandmother. Nana is still grieving from her husband’s death, and looking for a way to make her smile, Holly thinks it’s the perfect time to head to the cabin north of Nashville for the holiday. While the cabin has been rented out since she redecorated, her grandmother had cleared the reservations, and the cabin is empty: Holly is hoping to recapture some of the magic from the family Christmases of past and off they go. Being worried for her grandmother and being at a bit of loose ends herself, Holly has hopes that a change of scene and place will help her find a new direction for her life, one where waitressing isn’t the be and end all. She planned to go to school for interior design but her grandfather’s death threw all of those plans into chaos, and she’s mired in self-doubt and questions.

With the storm, added complications in the form of Joseph, the most recent guest stuck in the cabin with the weather, and his own wedding coming soon, the connection between he and Holly is instant: and something her grandmother doesn’t seem happy with. It’s difficult being in the place where her grandfather’s memory is so present, and with the return of her best friend from his career in music on the road after leaving without a word, and his belief that he’s in love with Holly and they are meant to be together adds yet another complication. Constantly revisiting memories of her grandfather, torn between her feelings for Joseph and the shock at being asked to finalize the wedding plans, and helping Joseph find his own family connections, the story has plenty of sidetracks into emotionally fraught and tearful, all with a touch of joy and happiness attached.

When push comes to shove, and a box of presents left by her grandfather all bring tears and smiles to everyone, and the holiday arrives with choices for Holly to make for her future, an opportunity from her best friend turned singer Rhett becomes the chance she needs to move forward and find what she wants, without expectations, without influence and without worry. A story about being grounded in your past, reaching for your future, and finding out what is most important in this life.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-a7F/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Full of Christmas charm and magic, this is such a heartwarming story that had me enchanted from the first few pages.

I've no idea why but I always seem to be really attracted to books with a Nashville connection, so one set in a cozy cabin just outside Nashville was always going to be of interest, especially when the book is written by an author that I know write a fabulous Christmas book.

I loved everything about this book, from the small town community where the cabin is, to seeing Nana really start enjoying life again, to Holly slowing realising what it is she wants to do with her life, and who she may want to be with. Then there is Joe the man who shouldn't have been in the cabin had it not been for the snow, and wow is he hot, I loved the clear chemistry that there was between him and Holly no matter how much they deny it.

In addition there is Rhett, who used to be her best friend and who is now declaring his undying love for her, all manner of southern foods that were made to sound very tasty, and just a lovely small town community feel.

There are a couple of key themes explored, some in more depth than others, but all in a way that kept me reading as I needed to see how the storylines would progress.

From the moment I started reading, I felt as though I was being hugged by polar bear - well it was a huge bear hug feeling, while also feeling as thought it wouldn't let me go. Definitely a story that kept me smiling and has once again secured in my mind, that I tend to prefer Jenny Hale's Christmas books to her summer ones - although they are all great.

With just a sprinkling of Christmas magic, this is a gorgeous story that I suspect you may enjoy as much as I did.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

The story is cute, and it's probably more like 3.5 stars.

The writing seemed very calculated. At least when I was reading it, I didn't find myself getting lost in the story or the emotions. I felt like I was always thinking of the details, the happenings, and etc. It was one event after another, and for me, right now, I wanted swoon, feelings, emotions.

I did enjoy the characters, their journeys, their stories. I loved the small-town feel. I did enjoy the events that catapulted the story from 0-50.

Overall, a good read.

Started off just perfect. The setting for every festive read. Snowed in for Xmas. And to top it off Holly isn’t alone with her nana like they had planned. Joe the last visitor to the cabin is still snowed in too. Instant attraction for Holly and on there 1st night in the cabin they fall asleep together m on the couch and caught by nana in the morning.

The book was lovely. Perfect for the festive season

I thought this was super sweet, although I have to admit Holly and Joseph nearly drove me crazy with their refusal to see how perfect they were for each other! It Started with Christmas had a fantastic cast of background characters with great big personalities - I find they are a bit less quirky in the US stories than the UK ones. The setting for this book was a cabin in a small town outside of Nashville, and I loved the hints of music and heapings of southern hospitality throughout the story.

I gave this one three cups Christmassy hot chocolate - complete with whipped cream, candy canes and a sprinkle of Christmas magic!

This lovely book by Jenny Hale really touched my heart. Holly has cared for her increasingly remote grandmother since the death of her beloved grandpa and the circumstances of trying to cheer her 'Nana' introduce charming characters and delightful relationships. I just couldn't put it down or figure out how it could turn out without breaking many hearts. 'It Started With Christmas' is a keeper, and I highly recommend it!

My first time reading Jenny Hale and what a great romance author. The story and characters were great and it was not all predictable like some romances. Great read!

IT STARTED WITH CHRISTMAS is an amazing small town Christmas story. I read this book in one evening, it had me laughing and crying. The story is so emotional, I feel exhausted. I was so happy at the ending! It's a really great story!

Loved the first 90% of the book....had mixed feelings about the ending. Without giving anything away, I would probably have felt odd about the opposite ending, too. It's not your classic love triangle book.