With this being the 10 book in the series it may affect my review with not having read
the previous books.
This book was heartbreaking, heartwarming but I could not get into the story. I felt like the
book was lacking something. With this being a second chance romance, I thought
that this one was going to be good because I love books that are about second chance
romances. This one just wasn’t for me an I hate to say that. I didn’t initially
know anything about the book other then the synopsis. Just from reading that it
felt like it could be turned into a Christmas movie. Does it still after I have
read the book and didn’t like it? Yes, why? Because I think that more people would
be more interested in watching the book than reading it. One of the things that
I did like was that they talked about post-partum depression. The way that the author
dealt with it was both serious and helpful. This is a serious topic and imo I think
it was done well in portraying what its line to have Post-partum depression.
I would recommend
this book to people that would like to have a better understanding of
depression

RaeAnne Thayne is a master storyteller and Coming Home for Christmas is a great reminder of that fact. Beautifully written with smoothly crafted characters, this romance delivers all the elements of a holiday story and leaves the reader feeling blissfully satisfied. If you're in the mood for a heartwarming romance, put Coming Home for Christmas by Raeann Thayne at the top of your list!

Elizabeth suffered from post-partum depression and left home to spare her children. She is involved in a car accident and loses her memory. Seven years later, Luke, her husband is being accused of murder and discovering where Elizabeth is living, brings her back to town to prove his innocence. A heartwarming story of loss and rebuilding trust.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s been waiting for this story since reading The Cottages on Silver Beach, book #8 in this series. The story of Luke and his missing wife is intriguing, especially once the reader is let in on the fact that she’s actually still alive.

I’m also pretty confident that I’m not the only reader of this series that couldn’t fathom how Elizabeth would be redeemed. A mom of two disappears with no word as to where she has gone or if she’s even alive and I’m supposed to end up sympathizing with her? Well, I did. At least for the most part. Elizabeth’s story is tragic and, as she even admits, unbelievable.

Luke and Elizabeth have a sweet and tentative chemistry that I found perfect for the Christmas setting in this story. While Luke wasn’t sure if he could truly trust his feelings, Elizabeth didn’t feel she deserved any sort of forgiveness or sympathy. This, of course, made it more difficult than it had to be for the two of them to admit their feelings.

The progression of the children’s feelings toward their estranged mother was done very well. Of course things weren’t going to be smooth and easy. Elizabeth had abandoned Cassie and Bridger, no matter her reasons. While an adult can better understand the nuances of what happened 7 years ago when Elizabeth left, children cannot be expected to emotionally understand those reasons.

This story is the perfect Christmas romance. Redemption, second chances, love, family, and even something resembling a miracle when it comes to Elizabeth being found.

Christmas reads are supposed to be sweet and heartwarming and this one doesn't miss on either count. Coming Home for Christmas continues the saga of Luke and Elizabeth that was begun in Cottages on Silver Beach. It makes you think about what would happen to the lives of your loved ones if you just vanished one day.

If you are looking for a heartwarming Christmas read that focuses on the love of family, this should be right up your alley. Grade: B.

RaeAnne Thayne is an amazing Storyteller! Every single book I read of hers is great! Can't wait for her next book!!

A beautiful story of love and forgiveness set at Christmas. It could be a quick read but I found myself wanting to savor the emotional punch it seemed to give you at the turn of every page. I found myself tearing up several times throughout the book.

This is book 10 of the Haven Point series but is easily read as a stand-alone. This was my first RaeAnne Thayne book. A clean read (no sex scenes) and no foul language. I would have no problems letting older teenage girls read this romance.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Harlequin, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Luke's wife has been missing for seven years. The new DA has decided to charge him with her death. Luke has know for awhile where his wife has been, and now has to bring her back to clear his name. He doesn't know what happened to Elizabeth or why she has been living under a different name, and he doesn't care. He wants his named cleared and divorce finalized. Elizabeth agrees to return to help hoping she can begin to repair her relationship with her kids. What happened to Elizabeth was awful, but it was a bit over the top, and hard to understand once she got help why she didn't reach out. Luke's anger was understandable, but he did make an effort to understand once he learned what happened. Just okay for me.

Four stars: A heartwarming second chance romance with some holiday cheer.

After seven years, Elizabeth opens her door to find her long lost husband standing on her porch. He is angry, insisting that she return to Haven Point with him immediately to prevent his arrest for her disappearance. Elizabeth knew this day would come, but she is still terrified. At least she can go home and see her children, but Luke adamantly refuses letting her see the kids. Seven years ago, Elizabeth weighed down by postpartum depression, guilt and grief left her home. Then a terrible accident prevented her from returning. If she tried to explain what really happened would Luke understand?
What I Liked:
*Coming Home for Christmas is a second chance romance all about family and forgiveness. Even though the book starts out angry, things take a gentle turn, and soon the reader is enveloped in forgiveness, compassion and cozy holiday cheer.
*I liked the complexity of Elizabeth. In the opening chapters, I wasn’t sure what to make of her character. She ran away from home seven years ago, leaving behind her husband and two young children. As the story progresses, her layers peel back, and the reader understands her tragedy. At that point, my heart went out to her. She was a fighter, and she had so much loss in her life. I wanted desperately for her to be able to forgive herself, and to find a new path forward.
*Luke also takes some time to get know. At first, he is angry, bitter and closed off. After seven years of accusatory fingers pointed at him blaming him for Elizabeth’s disappearance, he wants some answers. He can’t believe that Elizabeth is living in another state, and not once has she contacted him or their children. However when it matters the most, Luke listens and opens his heart. He is then able to forgive and move forward. I liked that he chose forgiveness. Luke is a good guy, and a kind and caring father.
*The two children are well written. I liked that the author took time to explore the children's tangled emotions when it came to the reappearance of their long lost mother. I liked the honesty from the kids.
*I liked the holiday vibe. The author doesn’t overdo it with the holiday theme. Instead there is a subtle sense of the upcoming holidays. I especially enjoyed the kind gesture of holiday giving at the end.
*I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series, but I had no trouble jumping in with book ten. I was never lost.
*The book ends one year into the future. I liked seeing how everyone fared. It ends in a good happy spot.
And The Not So Much:
*With a novel like this, you know how it is going to end. Everything was predictable other than the reason for Elizabeth’s disappearance.
*This is a small point, but I grew up in Idaho. The town of Haven Point is supposedly a fictional small town set outside Boise. I didn’t feel like the author captured Idaho at all. There was no details that indicated the author had even been to Idaho.
*Coming Home for Christmas is a nice second chance romance that is all about family and forgiveness. I liked that this one explored some deeper issues while maintaining a feel good vibe. I also appreciated the subtle holiday touch. This is nice book for those who want a pleasant holiday read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

This is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I haven't read the prior books, and I had no problem following this. I've never read anything by Thayne, but she's obviously a gifted storyteller. I'm likely to pick up her future books.



The author handled depression in a sensitive manner. This emotional tale is a great read for the holiday season, as themes of love and hope are key. I loved the characters, particularly Luke's son. They're so well drawn and realistic. It's a sweet, quick read that would make a wonderful Hallmark Channel movie.



Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a review.

Well if you are like me I have been binging all of the Hallmark movies lately. So this title was right up my alley!! This was such a cute little story with a great ending. Its one of those titles that you don't need to really read the first books in the series to read this one. However, I really want to go back and read them. This is your normal holiday story that you curl up on the couch with a drink and read all day long. This story is all about community, mystery, and second chances.

Elizabeth Hamilton left her family years ago and through an interesting turn of events has stayed away. With rumors swirling her husband Luke must find her and get her to clear the air, so him and the kids can continue the life they built.

I am enjoying this series, each book builds on the previous and the characters are just spot on. I love that each book in the series has a connection to the previous with characters waltzing in and out of the storylines, but each book has a different main character.

For me this book felt a little too dramatic and made me roll my eyes once or twice at the storyline. The plot just seemed a little too soap operay in parts and of course it is fiction, but a few moments just seemed a little extra! I tend to like my romance to have a bit of drama, but not to the soap opera level.

I would say this is a good read if you have been reading the series and it is nice to see there character's journey, but you may have to suspend disbelief just a bit in this one.

I'm a recent fan of RaeAnne Thayne's Haven Point series, and generally love every one of them, but this 10th novel in the series, a second chance at love story set at Christmas time, may just be my favorite so far, and it gets 5 stars from this reader. If you're looking for a heartwarming, heart-wrenching, and heartfelt romance novel, this is it--and please make sure you have a box of tissues on standby, if this novel doesn't tug at your heartstrings I'll be amazed.

Seven years earlier, Elizabeth Hamilton, suffering from deep, dark, post-partum as well as general depression, late one night came very close to taking her baby son, Bridger, with her into the mountains, planning to kill herself and her baby son by climbing into a snowbank a falling asleep. Realizing how insane that thought was, she left her baby, her 3-year-old daughter, and her husband behind, and in the dark of night, with nothing but the clothes on her back, walked 5 miles to the highway and fled Haven Point. She was picked up by a trucker, but soon, realizing that she shouldn't have left the way she did, decided to return home, hitched a ride with another trucker, and that's when disaster struck. The truck hit a patch of icy road, rolled several times and ended up down in an embankment. The driver was dead, and the accident nearly killed Elizabeth. Eighteen hours later they and the truck were finally spotted, and Elizabeth, who broke every bone in her face, hurt her legs, and suffered a serious brain injury, was brought to a hospital in a coma. When she awoke, she didn't know her own name, so the hospital personnel, assuming she was the trucker's Russian wife, Sonia, told her that's who she was, and then she spent years healing, having so much plastic surgery done to her face that she didn't recognize herself in a mirror. She had to re-learn how to walk, talk, hold a pencil, everything, and it took years before she realized who she really was and what she had nearly done to her baby and family, and the fact that she was still not healthy and still suffered from seizures, considered herself broken, and so she found a room at Brambleberry House, a familiar site in this series, and became friends with its owner and one of its tenants, and decided that her family was better off without her, as 7 years passed by.

During those seven years, her husband, Luke, had no idea what had happened to his wife, grieved her loss, and raised their children alone, eventually believing that Elizabeth's fragile mental state had caused her to leave home and commit suicide--but her body was never found. People in town began to believe that Luke had murdered his wife and hidden her body away somewhere. His children were taunted about it by the kids at their school, and Bridger even got into a fist fight over the wild accusations and teasing. When his children were old enough to ask, he told them that their mother was deeply depressed, had left him and them, and was dead. Elliott, Luke's FBI friend, who'd met married Luke's sister, Megan, in a previous novel, finally located Elizabeth alive and well, and living on the Oregon coast. He also let Luke know that he was about to be arrested and charged with her murder in short order, prompting him to go find her, drag her back to town to prove that she was still alive, and then he planned divorce her. To say his anger was off the charts is putting it mildly, but his relief that she was alive meant he wouldn't be prosecuted, and left him wondering why she chose to stay away and start a new life somewhere else under an assumed name, abandoning both him and their two children without a word.

What follows is a seriously moving attempt for these two characters, who were once deeply in love, to forgive each other, for Elizabeth to explain her long absence to their children--especially her angry and bitter daughter, now 10 years old, as well as her husband and everyone in town, to clear her husband's name and restore his reputation, to make amends to all of them, and eventually to find a way back to each other, although Elizabeth has deep reservations about that, considering herself broken, scarred and damaged. Setting this story in the Christmas season made it even more poignant, and if you can get through this book without crying your eyes out, it would impress the heck out of this reader.

Coming Home for Christmas was, quite simply, as touching a Christmas story as I've ever read, I absolutely loved it, and wholeheartedly recommend it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion.

Wow, what a powerful book! This book is about love and loss and being able to recover from it all. I love Elizabeth and Luke together.

Navigating motherhood, marriage and clinical depression, Elizabeth is a young mother who desperately tries to run away from hurt demons in order to keep her family safe. But her rash decision takes an unbelievable turn and tge consequences echo across seven years. In this story, with well developed characters, a fantastic storyline and a definite hopeful underlining feeling, the auhtor brings a passionate painful tale to a soothing satisfying conclusion. Reading this as a standalone, having never read any of the others in this series, I can't imagine loving this story more. Readers can definitely start with this wonderful tale without feeling they've missed out.

For the last seven years Elizabeth Hamilton has been living a lie, living her life as another woman in a new town, hiding from the family she walked away from. When she left she thought she was doing right by them, she wasn't well and able to care for her young children, and her marriage was a disaster. There is not a day that has went by in those seven years though that she hasn't miss them and life she left behind.

She has plans to return to them eventually, explain where she has been and why she left, when she is ready of course. But that chance might be coming a little sooner than planned when her estranged husband shows up on her doorstep and demands she return home to help clear his name...

Coming Home for Christmas was an emotionally charged tale of loss, second chances, healing, rediscovery, forgiveness, and making amends. I was immediately wrapped up into the lives of these characters and their heartbreaking story, once my eyes hit the first page I was taken hostage, and taken on an unforgettable journey! They had so much healing to do and I often wondered if they would ever truly find the peace they needed. Page after page they pulled me deeper into their world, had me drowning in feels, and praying a little happiness would find it's way into their hearts. I loved meeting these characters and watching them find their way back to one another, their reunion had many highs and lows that tortured my heart, but the end result made is so worth the pain... it turned out to be such a touching and sweet story. I highly recommend you get your hands on this beautifully crafted tale, it is certain to leave an impression on your heart, and have you swimming in feels!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased opinion.

Another lovely Christmas story just in time for the holidays. Elizabeth Hamilton, while suffering from extreme postpartum depression, runs away from home in a snowstorm. She is picked up while hitchhiking and soon after, their car runs off the road and rolls down a steep bank. He dies and she is left undiscovered for days.suffering head injuries and in a coma. When she is found she is mistaken for the dead man's wife. I would recommend this book for my library and December book club because it has a nice twist to the story and it isn't too heavy for the month of December. Charming!

3.5 Review goes live 12/3/2019

WHAT DID I THINK OF COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS BY RAEANNE THAYNE?
On the whole, Coming Home For Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne is not my favorite entry of the Haven Point series, but I still really enjoyed my time with this book. I liked seeing what characters from the previous books are up to as well — I noticed that MacKenzie from the second book now has a toddler and baby, so that was nice to read. But yeah, I did have a bit of a tough time connecting to Elizabeth Sinclair Hamilton.

Coming Home For Christmas follows up with a side character from The Cottages On Silver Beach, Luke Hamilton who is Megan Hamilton’s brother. Basically his wife Elizabeth was nowhere to be found for about seven years. Now he’s about to be charged from her murder, when it turns out that Elliot, the love interest from Cottages has found her. And so, Luke goes to get her to clear his name. What follows is Elizabeth wanting her old life and we, the readers, finding out exactly what happened to her and why she stayed away.

Basically, Elizabeth ran away after a bout of severe post partum depression, got into a very bad car accident, had a brain injury as well as other injuries. From there, it was assumed she was the wife of the man who was driving. She was not. And so, Elizabeth assumes another name and doesn’t immediately realize that she’s Elizabeth. When she does, she thinks it is too late to go back and so settles for secretly watching her kids and family from the audience and sidelines of plays and games.

I liked that this book did not shy away from talking about a serious issue like postpartum depression and psychosis. It seemed like that was sensitively written without blame or judgement of the mother in question. I did feel as though Elizabeth’s reasoning for staying away was kind of BS and didn’t really seem like a solid reason to completely cut contact with children and husband. However, it does provide opportunity for an excellent redemption arc.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
Vanessa Johansson narrates Coming Home For Christmas and does an adequate job. I liked her narration of Elizabeth – how it was thoughtful and occasionally halting which is much in line with her character. The narration of Megan, the sister in law, is kind of annoying – reminding me of Karen from Will And Grace. Otherwise, this is a pretty easy listen. It’s 8 hours and 15 minutes long and available on different audiobook platforms.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO BUDDY THE ELF, HOW MUCH CHRISTMAS SPIRIT DOES THIS BOOK HAVE?
On the whole, I would say that Coming Home For Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne has a pretty solid amount of Christmas spirit. There’s decorating for the holidays, putting up a Christmas tree late in the season, wrapping gifts. However, we do miss out on attending the annual Haven Point Lights On The Lake event which features in pretty much every other Haven Point Christmas setting book. It definitely does help to get you right in the holiday spirit and was a good early listen.

Coming Home for Christmas by Raeanne Thayne is the tenth book in the series called Haven Point. This book can definitely be read as a stand alone, as that is just what I did. The story was poignant with emotion and hope, especially for the season of hope and peace. I found myself being very hopeful for Elizabeth and Luke.

Elizabeth and Luke were happily married when a series of life events knocked Elizabeth into a deep depression. Luke was trying to work his business, take care of the two babies and his wife. Elizabeth recognized she was in danger of hurting her babies, so she left. Years passed and Luke needed to find her. Angry at the situation and Elizabeth’s betrayal, Luke brings her back to Idaho to clear his name.

You never know what life is going to give you and how you are going to handle it! Elizabeth and Luke really need to think through what comes next… I loved the strength of Elizabeth and the forgiveness of Luke. Coming Home for Christmas by Raeanne Thayne is a wonderful romance and a good read.

Yes you saw that right, it’s one of my first Christmas reviews! I can’t believe I am already seeing a ton of holiday books hitting shelves everywhere.

While I would normally reserve October for mystery or horror novels, I have a soft spot for RaeAnne Thayne. I love her Haven Point books—especially the Christmas ones! This is my fourth book by Thayne and I couldn’t miss another chance to dip back into her cheery holiday filled world!

I have recently been reaching out for more of her books, the non Christmas ones, and look forward to picking them up more often. She is a prolific writer and her books are usually quick fun, feel good reads and sometimes you just need some fun fluff in your life and Thayne fills that fluffy spot in my heart!

Summary

Elizabeth Hamilton has been lost. Trapped in a tangle of postpartum depression and grief after the death of her beloved parents, she couldn’t quite see the way back to her husband and their two beautiful kids…until a car accident stole away her memories and changed her life. And when she finally remembered the sound of little Cassie’s laugh, the baby powder smell of Bridger and the feel of her husband’s hand in hers, Elizabeth worried that they’d moved on without her. That she’d missed too much. That perhaps she wasn’t the right mother for her kids or wife for Luke, no matter how much she loved them.

But now, seven years later, Luke finds her in a nearby town and brings Elizabeth back home to the family she loves, just in time for Christmas. And being reunited with Luke and her children is better than anything Elizabeth could have imagined. As they all trim the tree and bake cookies, making new holiday memories, Elizabeth and Luke are drawn ever closer. Can the hurt of the past seven years be healed over the course of one Christmas season and bring the Hamiltons the gift of a new beginning? (summary from Goodreads)

Review

One of the best things about Thayne’s books is that you can pick them up mid series and still find something to enjoy. Sure there are other characters from previous books that cross paths in other books but for the most part her books are easy to pick up and enjoy no matter where things fall in the series.


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This book reads like a Hallmark movie, with all the drama and heart warming cheer that you would expect from a Hallmark movie. This book has a ton of drama to absorb and digest but at the same time, it’s a feel good book. This book deals with a lot of big issues—mainly depression—and for me it read a little differently than her other holiday novels. It was still enjoyable and well done, it was just a bit heavier than I was expecting.

While I think it’s easy to dismiss some of these holiday romances that line the supermarket checkout line, and admittedly, I would see a book like this in the checkout lane and think that it lacked substance. But now that I have read a few from some prolific writers, I no longer see them and dismiss them was frivolous or fluffy books. There are fluffy elements in this book sure, but the content and the development of the characters was surprising and packed quite a punch. There is nothing frivolous about this book, it was an absolute pleasure to read.

I can’t wait to pick up more books by Thayne in the future. She’s a great writer who knows how to tell a fantastic story with just the right amount of fluff to let readers relax and breeze through her book, but with the right amount of drama to show the reader they are reading something more than just a light holiday read. Well done and I can’t wait to start my next book by her, this was a wonderful way to kick off my Christmas romance reading!

Book Info and Rating

ebook, 384 pages
Published September 24th 2019 by HQN Books
ISBN 1488085862 (ISBN13: 9781488085864)
Free review copy provided by publisher, HQN Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: holiday romance, romance, contemporary lit