Very good, heartwarming book. I laughed and cried and cheered for everyone to have the Christmas that brought them joy. Kris is headed home to Mississippi with several issues snapping at his heels. First is his need to make amends with his Aunt Tansy, who raised him after his parents died when he was ten. They had a falling out when she didn't approve of his desire to go to Nashville and pursue a singing career. He's finally on the road to success, with a bestselling album and the title of Country Music Newcomer of the Year. He worries about his aunt, alone on the farm, especially since she recently broke her leg. He is determined to get her to sell the farm and move to a retirement community near Nashville. Second, he has been having problems trying to write some new songs. Nothing he has tried will make the words come, so as soon as he deals with Aunt Tansy, he's headed for some peace and quiet in Texas to try to get his mojo back. This is a problem because, third, he has a contract for a new album, and the record label has definite ideas of what they want. Unfortunately, those ideas don't mesh well with what Kris sees as his strengths.

The book started with a hilarious scene involving a sweater-wearing hen being chased by a large dog, who is being chased by a young woman. I loved the first encounter between Kris and Tory, who captivated him with her somewhat nerdy self. Tory is the head of the high school science department, a volunteer tutor at the local community center, and a woman who looks at life in a very practical way. She is also avoiding as much Christmas celebration as she can, as a recent breakup with her fiancé has killed her Christmas spirit.

Aunt Tansy is thrilled to have Kris home. She has missed him dreadfully and regrets the argument that they had. Though he only plans to stay a few days, she hopes to convince him to stay through Christmas. When she stumbles on his plan to move her off the farm, Tansy is first heartbroken, then angry. She can see that Kris has lost his connection to his roots and is determined to show him where he has gone wrong. Tansy is a pretty devious old lady, and I loved watching her efforts. When she notices the sparks between Kris and Tory, that gives her more ammunition to break through Kris's defenses. It was great fun to see her find ways to throw Kris and Tory together, while at the same time reminding Kris of the importance of family.

I liked Kris, in spite of his blindness when it came to Tansy. He has a good heart and hasn't let fame go to his head. I liked how he did the work around the house and farm himself instead of paying someone else to do it. I ached for him with the problems he had with his music as it left him feeling somewhat lost. He is so focused on getting to Texas for his self-imposed isolation that he has trouble seeing that what he needs is to remember where his love of music started. He is unexpectedly drawn to Tory, something he tries to resist because he isn't going to be there for long.

Tory is equally attracted to Kris but has her own reasons to resist. She knows he isn't going to stay around, so getting involved is not a good idea. She's still recovering from the end of her engagement, and a new relationship is not in her plans. Plus, why would a good-looking, talented guy like Kris be interested in a nerdy girl like her? It just wouldn't make sense. Besides, she has her hands full with the Christmas fundraiser for the community center.

I loved seeing Kris get more deeply involved with life in Charming every day. He keeps telling himself that he'll be gone in a few days, but can't stop himself from volunteering to help Tory. I especially enjoyed seeing him work with the girl Bria, whose home life is a mess. She has the most beautiful voice, but no confidence in herself. It was sweet to see how both Kris and Tansy worked with her to give her the confidence to perform at the show. There were a couple of exciting twists that had me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how it was going to turn out.

The hardest thing was watching Kris try to force himself into the role he thinks he has to fill, even though he knows it's a bad fit. I disliked his manager and the way that he blew off Kris's concerns over the new album. I was especially disgusted at the way he ignored Kris's wishes for his return to Charming after his television interview. I was pleasantly surprised by the talk show host and his candid conversation with Kris after the interview. It made a big impression on Kris and got him thinking about what was really important. I loved Kris's meeting with the record label people the next day and seeing him finally stand up for himself. I held my breath, hoping that he would make it back in time.

It warmed my heart to see the changes that Kris experienced during his stay in Charming. I liked seeing his eyes opened to the importance of family and roots and having someplace to go when you're hurting. I loved his big moment at the end, especially showing Tory that not everything has to make sense, especially love.

I absolutely loved A Down Home Christmas! Kris, Tory, Tansy and Bria come alive on the pages. From the sweater-wearing chickens to the Tory's loveable pup, from Kris's concerns about his Aunt Tansy to Bria's struggles, this story really touched my heart. I laughed. I cried. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an ARC of A Down Home Christmas. This review is my honest opinion.

A seriously heart-warming story that is exactly what fans of Hallmark movies want in a story. It has the perfect balance of sweetness, heartwarming moments, humor, and drama. Kris and Tory's relationship was so honest and organic that even though this story was substantial, I would have happily read more about them and Aunt Tansy and Bria and all of the people of Charming.

I read this story when I was going through a really difficult time in my life. Even while I spent my days crying and worrying, this story gave me an escape into something happy and feel-good.

I really hope this book is eventually made into a Hallmark movie someday.

A Down Home Christmas by Liz Talley is the perfect book for those looking cold weather vibes to ward off summer heat; or a Christmas in July pick me up. Or anyone just ready for Ornament Premiere at the local Hallmark store. Talley perfectly captures the Christmas spirit and the value of coming home. I can’t wait to read this one again when there is actually snow on the ground.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

Spending Christmas in Charming, MS will bring you a feeling of home & community, plus some good music, too. And ooh...that tie-in Jingle Bell Fruitcake Cookies recipe looks yummy!

This is a sweet, clean Christmas romance that will warm your heart even on the coldest of days (as I write this in July).
It's about a local, small town guy who is on his way to making it big in Country music, but who needs a little reminder of what is really important in life. His Aunt Tansy, who took him in when his parents died is just the one to do that, with the help of the single girl next door, Tory. She has given up on love and on Christmas. In this book, they both have some things to learn in order to return to their true hearts. They have his meddling aunt, a talented little girl,a wayward dog and some sweater wearing chickens to help them out along the way. A very enjoyable tale!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Liz Talley's country really shows in this book. It is heartwarming. This book reminds you. what the holidays are really about, and keeping your family first. I really enjoyed this story. It had laughter, sadness and everything needed to make it a valid Christmas story.


** Received a copy of this book from NrtGalley in exchange for a honest review**

This is a heartwarming Hallmark Christmas story about a young man, Kris, who has just "broken into" the country music business after years of trying. He's planning on moving his elderly Aunt Tansy closer to him in Nashville, and selling the family farm in Charming, Mississippi. His aunt's neighbor, Tory, has gone through a breakup, and is skipping Christmas this year. Aunt Tansy expertly reminds everyone of the importance of roots and home especially at Christmas. It's a sweet, easy, feel-good read.

Country music star Kris Trabeau heads to Charming, Mississippi, to convince his aging aunt to sell her farm and move into a nice retirement community. She’s not having it, and she enlists her neighbor Tory Odom to help her remind Kris why the farm means so much…especially at Christmas.
Liz Talley's books are like warm cobbler with ice cream, pure comfort for the senses. A fun, sweet book with characters one can relate to and a bonus recipe of Jingle Bell Fruitcake Cookies.

This was such a treat to read. Tory and Kris are lost souls at Christmas, but for different reasons. Tory has a broken heart from a recently ended engagement and Kris lives in Nashville but can't seem to find home in his heart. Thrown together for the Christmas fundraiser, they find working together, helping children, and music to be a way to find the joy in Christmas again. And, somewhere in the midst of all the Christmas chaos, they find love.

When Kris is called out of town unexpectedly, and things are looking bleak, Tory fears the worst for the fundraiser, and for her heart. All that's needed is a Christmas song to find one's way home again--if it's not too late?

**Received a review copy on Netgalley**

I love stories about Christmas and this one did not disappoint. It even had a country music singer, which to me is a plus. Most importantly it had a wonderful story line with awesome characters. There was a lot of love going on with family, friends, and children, who are always a special bonus. Tory is one special person who has been dealt a bad hand, but that doesn’t stop her from doing what is so important to her. It’s also fun to watch the dance her and Kris do. I love shy Bria! She is really a mess when she gets comfortable around you. And let’s not forget about Aunt Tansy. How fun would she be to hang out with! I hope I can journey back to Charming, Mississippi in the future and meet up with my friends again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

If you love Christmas Romance at any time of the year (like me) but especially in the lead-up to all the Christmas releases we can be looking forward to from now ’til next January — well, I’ve got a great Christmasy story to steal your heart and make you wish for snowfall with twinkling lights.

I suspect we all have an Aunt Tansy in our family tree, mine is passed now but I certainly had the love and the frustration of a quirky, adorable, means well even if you don’t agree relative.

Aunt Tansy still runs the family farm even though she’s getting on in years, the work is a bit harder, and she recently, most annoyingly broke a bone so she’s somewhat sidelined at the moment. But that does not mean her schemes are going to be laid up with her. Nope. She’s about to convince her nephew Kris that although he might be a rising star in the Country Music world, he’s still a country boy at heart and he needs to remember his roots.

Aunt Tansy isn’t about to be shipped off to a fancy retirement home so she enlists the aid of her neighbor Tory who has recently gone through a rough break-up. One old-fashioned Christmas celebration, just like back in “the old days of her youth” is exactly what Aunt Tansy wants for Christmas this year. And she has two perfect people to help her get ready for the celebration – and if she has her way, do some falling in love this Christmas Season.

A little matchmaking, a quirky aunt, two stubborn people who swear they are not perfect for each other… oh, and a sweater-wearing chicken named Loretta Lynn. If all that doesn’t catch your funny bone, your romantic heart or your Christmas spirit I don’t know what will.

I had such fun with A DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS. I laughed until the tears were streaming, my heart was engaged by Kris and Tory who fell in love in spite of themselves, was totally immersed in Christmas at every turn, and simply had a wonderful time with this Christmas tale. I strongly recommend this one for any reader who loves the Christmas Season with all the trimmings, enjoys a good laugh along the way and loves a really good Romance as well.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Christmas is for family
RITA-award finalist and contemporary romance writer Liz Talley presents "A Down Home Christmas" which was published by Hallmark Publishing. Kris Trabeau, a country music singer, wishes to succeed in his own way. One of his plans is to convince his aunt Tansy to sell the family farm and to move her into a retirement community close to Nashville where he is living, but will this plan succeed? And what will he do with the other challenges thrown in his way? His aunt Tansy, a former singer, is fiercely independent and is the owner of Trabeau family farm in Charming, Mississippi. She raised Kris since he lost his parents at the age of ten through and accident. She is also the owner of sweater wearing hens. Tansy is not at all willing to sell the farm and move anywhere, although she acknowledges that she might need some help. Tansy's neighbor, Tory (Victoria) Odom, is the owner of the dog Edison who sometimes lacks discipline and likes to chase Tansy's hens. She is not only teaching at the high school, but is also the head of the science department. Tory decided, in order to get to know the community, to help "Common Connections", a non-profit community center in Rankin County. She had not planned to do Christmas this year because her fiancé abandoned her, but she is suddenly enrolled into it in various ways. She gets stuck to EMCEE the fund-raiser "Tinsel" for the center and needs creative ideas for the program because the band cancelled. Can she turn the evening into a success in spite of the many challenges and last-minute surprises?
This was the first book by Liz Talley which I read. I highly recommend it with its believable characters. It is funny, emotional, and offers some unexpected surprises. The Christmas romance is clean and wholesome, easy and fast to read. The author underlines the importance of home, family, and friends. Lastly, Hallmark Publishing included the recipe for "Jingle Bell Fruitcake Cookies that are made by Tansy and others in the story.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#ADownHomeChristmas #NetGalley

A Down Home Christmas by Liz Talley. I love Christmas stories and especially Hallmark Christmas stories. I liked this story about a musician who came back to town to help his aunt and finds out he loves his small town.

A Down Home Christmas
Liz Talley
July 2, 2019

It’s Christmas in June for me as I read this novel with the sun shining and the eighty degree temps outside. It was a great book to read at this time of year.
Kris Trabeau is an up and coming musician. His latest album took a Grammy for New Artist. He was thrilled but with all of the parties and celebratory splash he knew he had to start working on the next. That meant writing new songs. He decided to take his holiday time off to check on his Aunt Tansy, then head to Texas where he rented a cabin for time to be alone and spin new music. Tansy was the woman who raised him when his parents died in an auto accident when he was just a boy. Tansy had recently fallen and had to have surgery for her fractured leg. He was concerned for her welfare but also knew that she would not be able to handle the large farm while she was recovering. He knew the hired hand who did much of the work was gone as he had quit not long ago. It was a long drive to the town of Charming, Mississippi. He was in his new Mustang enjoying the drive but his mind continued to fret over the future for the farm and Tansy. He was hoping to find a way that she would sell the farm and move into a retirement home near Nashville, his home base. He pulled onto the road entering Trabeau Farms when chickens in sweaters, a huge dog and a beautiful woman came running down the road. It was then he met Victoria Hudson, a tall, lanky redhead. She was pulling on the leash of her dog, Edison. Standing in front of the house of his Aunt Tansy worrying over the survival of her chickens.
This is a fun book that takes the coming of winter holidays and brings us the love of family and the romance of a down home girl and a country recording star. It didn’t seem possible to either Kris or Tory but in their short time together love happened.
I always enjoy a good Hallmark romance in a book or film. The Down Home Christmas will be published on July 2, 2019 by Hallmark Publishing. It is a good one to pick up and enjoy. I hope this will be made into a movie next year. It’s a great read and would be a heart-warming movie.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is another wonderful book by Liz Talley. As I was reading this story I could picture the scenes taking shape in my mind. I kept thinking that it would make such a wonderful Hallmark movie! After reading it I realized that the book was actually published by Hallmark and it all made sense - mark my words, (if they get some decent actors) this is going to be as good on tv as it is in print!!!

Liz writes good, clean, wholesome stories that warm your heart. Kris is a rising Country Music star and Tory is a teacher living next door to his Aunt Tansy. Kris rediscovers what home is and Tory allows herself to feel again after an abrupt broken engagement.

Take the time to read this, you know the book is always better than the movie!!!

A Down Home Christmas is a sweet, clean romance. The story is heartwarming and charming. The characters are believable and well thought out. The message of "never forget where you come from" is one we all need to hear from time to time. I liked thus nook very much.

It does feel a bit odd reading a Christmas story in June, but the weather is atrocious at the minute, so with a little Christmas background music on I soon felt like it was December and not (supposedly!) summer.

T​his was a very sweet story about an up-and-coming country music star and how his aged aunt, who brought him up, reminded him that success wasn't everything and you should never forget your roots.
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Kris has returned home to Charming to try and persuade his aunt to sell their farm and move to an assisted living facility nearer him where he feels she will be better looked after. He isn't doing it for the money, he honestly does just want her to be looked after. But his Aunt Tansy is having none of it and starts a campaign to show him just how important Trabeau Farm is to their family, and has been over the generations. Kris kind of lost track of that a bit in his quest to become a country music star.

Tansy also involves her teacher neighbour Tory in this. Tory has recently split with her partner and so isn't into the Christmas spirit at all, but soon gets involved in the holiday festivities with being persuaded to help Tansy decorate the farm for the holidays, and is also persuaded to help organise the Tinsel Ball at the centre she volunteers at for youngsters who need a bit of extra help.

A really lovely Christmas-feeling story with feisty characters, this book will definitely get you in the Christmas mood!

It’s interesting when you begin reading a Christmas story on a very warm summer day, but feel like celebrating all things Christmas when you finish the book. That’s what happened with me with this one. Even though I’ve seen this plot as a Hallmark movie, I still very much enjoyed the book, as there’s more opportunity for character development in the book’s storyline. I loved the characters of Bria and Aunt Tansy and felt their stories added so much interest to the book. I enjoyed celebrating Christmas at Trabeau Farms by reading this book. It’s a sweet, clean, heartwarming story.

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

A Down home Christmas is a cozy and sweet read. It is a heartwarming, hearfltfelt romantic Christmas read. Troy and Kris are wonderful characters I truly enjoyed reading about them. The storyline was good and it was well written.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing.