Quite a pleasant and charming surprise...not having read anything by this author before now, I didn’t know what to expect, but I’ve been blown away by just how enraptured I was by the story and its characters. The town’s Christmas symbolisms were not without notice, they were so effortlessly laced throughout the story that they enhanced the overall feel and sentiment.

The characters were original and had diverse and unique personalities...the dialog was superb, quickly capturing my imagination and leading me effortlessly from page to page. I especially enjoyed the familial banter and interactions between Jake and his family, which was enhanced by the townspeople, each with their own dynamic contribution to the overall success of the story.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Great christmas read, set mainly in the small town of Bethlehem where a plane full of people end up spending christmas following a divesion in bad weather. Ally meets Jake - they don't get off to the best start, but she is engaged so why does it matter. As Ally's life starts to unravel, she has her new friends in Bethlehem to support her - but what will happen when it it is imte to go home?

Rating 5/5

This has Hallmark Christmas Movie written all over it! I can totally see this as a movie on that channel and getting lost in its festive romance every winter! I mean when the plane gets diverted and the townspeople take it upon themselves to host EVERY passenger, its so picturesque! There is no mean villain out there that could destroy the happiness and love in this plot line which makes it a perfect read for the holiday season!

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

4.25⭐
This was a sweet, super festive Christmas story. That I got completely lost in for a couple of hours. And even though it was a little predictable, I still really enjoyed reading it, and can easily see myself rereading it around Christmas time for many years to come.

This was a really nice xmas story, lots of wonderful characters, a beautiful town, budding friendships and new romances. This book would make the perfect hallmark story, slightly unbelievable but charming nonetheless

A nice little Holiday read and I loved the premise of this story! Fantastic!
When a winter storm grounds a plane full of people heading to NY for the holidays it's forced to land in the middle of nowhere, a town called Bethlehem. Yep! It's Christmas. Seat mates Noel, who is very pregnant and next to her Ally, who is flying to NY to get married. Ally's concerned she hasn't heard from her fiancé, now stranded adds to the stress. This little town comes through by housing the entire plane full of people, each home taking as many as they can to make them feel at home. There's no hotel or accommodations to handle that many people. The airport consists of one building.
Noel and Ally end up staying with the same family, Ally now used to Noel's incessant talking, they are warmly welcomed by Jake's family. Jake not so much. Jake runs the diner in town. The holidays are not happy times for him, he's lost a love and frankly self absorbed. Totally. Made him hard to like for me. Ally goes through the ringer while there with her now ex fiancé and the hits for her just keep coming. Jake and Ally dance around each other constantly throughout the story. Meanwhile Noel ever the optimist is doing her best now anxious to get home to her hubby. She's cute as a bug, she grows on you through the story. Good laughs there. Jake's family is great and the people of the town are amazing. They made the book. Totally. While I felt the book ran a little long and Jake wasn't a relatable character, the thrust of the book which brings the meaning of the holidays forward was spectacular. Applause for that. The authors note in the back of the book explains the premise which made it even better and a timely reminder for the upcoming holidays.

arc from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review.

This is such a feel good Christmas story! I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and falling in love with them and the Midwestern town of Bethlehem. This story flows really well and I did not feel that there were any lulls in the story at all. I couldn't put this one down once I started it. I wanted to know how things were going to end for these poor stranded passengers!

Ally boards the plane on her way to her wedding. When Noel sits down next to Ally and immediately starts in talking and "getting to know" Ally a little better, Ally knows that it is going to be a long flight and not a relaxing one like she was hoping. Noel is very pregnant and really should not have been flying in the first place, but she is convinced that she is not going to deliver on her due date because every other woman in her family has delivered their children late. When the plane gets diverted because of a snow storm that was supposed to bypass where they are headed, everyone's plans change. There are still a couple of days before Christmas so hopefully they can still make their destinations before then.

With Bethlehem being such a small town, the only hotel there is under construction. The town residents take it upon themselves to house the stranded passengers and boy do they show them some good old style hospitality! I love when we happen upon small towns like this when traveling. Everyone knows everyone, everyone speaks and it is just a good country feel to the atmosphere. Ally and Noel have asked to be housed together because Noel feel like she knows Ally now and trusts her. Sweet Peggy has offered up her house and got Ally and Noel as her guests. When Peggy's son, Jake has to go and pick the ladies up at the airport, he never dreamed that he might have come upon some Christmas luck with one of them.

Jake now owns and runs the diner in town after his father passed away. Jake did not think that he would be back home running the diner but fate had other plans for him. When Ally gets bad news upon more bad news from her fiance and the man that she is supposed to be marrying in a few days, Jake is there to listen to Ally and be a shoulder for her. Jake and Ally form bonds in more ways than one and eventually sparks begin to ignite between these two.

This story gives you everything you hope for in a good Christmas read. I loved this one and can't wait to read more from Robert Tate Miller in the near future. All the characters were well developed as was the plot and flow of the story. Well done with this one!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy!

THE CHRISTMAS LAYOVER by Robert Tate Miller is a sweet Christmas story. A plane full of people flying home for the holidays is diverted due to bad weather to a small town. The passengers stay in various private homes of the residents. A relationship develops between the passengers, crew and the townspeople. The town itself is totally into Christmas with various Christmas activities. One of the passengers headed to her wedding and the owner of the cafe in town have a connection. There's a lot of ups and downs, you just have to read the book!