Cover Image: One Charmed Christmas

One Charmed Christmas

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I did not enjoy this title as much as I have others. I liked the characters and the story line, but I thought it moved slow. I always try to finish a book, so I did finish this but there were no surprises.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin for my copy of One Charmed Christmas by Sheila Roberts in exchange for an honest review. It published September 29, 2020.
Holy smokes, if you struggle with fat-shaming, or are recovering from an eating disorder, avoid this book. This book screams, "A moment on the lips, forever on the hips." Everyone who indulges is a pig, shouldn't step on a scale, must have gained weight, better go on a walk to counteract their eating, and is going to be fat, because that's apparently the worst thing ever. The characters were annoying, the descriptions sounded like an older author trying to sound hip and cool.
I liked another book by Sheila Roberts before, and that's why I decided to read this one. I probably will refrain from her other works in the future.

Was this review helpful?

This was a light, fun, and quick read. Very enjoyable and perfect for Christmas. I found it to be a little too sappy, but that is ok. Still enjoyed it though.

Was this review helpful?

So this story takes place on a cruise where people from different life paths meet and friends and adventures are to be had. Somehow I forgotten that this book takes place during christmas time it was just a fun ol time that it didn't even feel like christmas. There was plenty of POV's to follow that it took a while for me to get the hang of there was the sisters one of which was having marital problems, then there was the chocolatier and his brother, and then there was the doctor with the over protective daughter. All of which ends up making friends and possible romance prospective. It was interesting seeing what path each one was one and what lead them all to take this trip of a lifetime. To be honest for a good chunk of the time I wished there wasn't soo many people to follow along with it made things confusing at times for me, the good part about it though was there was that I got to konw many people which eventually made it easier to follow who was who. I enjoyed seeing the adventures they were taking. Then there was the bit of romance between characters. It was interesting seeing the family dynamics how they interacted with one another. Overall this was a pretty good book.

Was this review helpful?

This is an incredibly cute, sweet, funny, and just plain charming Christmas book. I really liked it, so much so that this is the second time I’ve read through it. I just seem to have forgotten to leave a review for it when I first read it a year or so ago.
In this standalone Christmas story a bunch of different people from different stages and phases of life are all heading off on a Christmas cruise and their paths will meet where they likely wouldn’t have before.
Catherine Pine had a pretty rotten Christmas last year. That was the first one without her husband and this year her kids and their families will all be away doing other things. She’s worried it’s shaping up to be another just as bad but then a great friend of hers (we should all have such great friends!) invites her to go on a Christmas cruise to lift her spirits. She soon feels like everyday is an adventure and is really loving her life!
While on the cruise she meets a nice lovable hypochondriac named Sophie Miles. Now, when they both meet the older Dr. Rudy Nichols there may be a bit of a clash of character. The doc is definitely into Catherine, who isn’t into a relationship just yet, but there is Sophie who really wants to marry a doctor due to the whole hypochondriac thing. However, the doctor’s daughter is rather protective. On the other hand you have Trevor March, a chocolatier, who falls hard for the beautiful Sophie. He spends a lot of time trying to turn her his way while she is trying to catch the good doctor's attention, all the while he just may be trying to catch Catherine’s attention!
The best thing about this book is that it’s the perfect blend of humor, seriousness, fun, and just about everything else all topped off with Christmas! I really enjoyed it and I definitely recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

I always read Sheila Roberts books so fast and review them on Goodreads and Amazon that I always forget to review them here! Like always an amazing book.

Was this review helpful?

This is a super fun read. I really enjoyed this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

A Christmas cruise should be just the thing to raise Catherine's spirits this holiday season. Adventures await and when she makes many new friends, along with the irrepressible Sophie, anything can happen!

Was this review helpful?

This was such a wonderful and heartwarming Christmas book. Reading it immediately put me in an old-fashioned Christmas mode.

Was this review helpful?

This is another fun holiday read from Sheila Roberts. A cruise story that makes us all yearn for pre-covid times! The characters were laid out nicely and the story flowed well.
It is a signature romance book with all the fluff, love and feel good times you would want.

Was this review helpful?

2 gals of a certain age, both widowed, and one going thru a health crisis. Two younger ladies, Sisters, traveling together because # one’s husband “has other plans”. A widower and his adult daughter spending some fun travel time together. A German teacher bringing his German 201 class on a cruise, who brings his hunky single Brother along too. What do these characters all have in common? They all end up on a cruise ship in Amsterdam at Christmas time… and the results are funny, touching and typical Sheila.
I have to tell you, I always enjoy Sheila Roberts’ books. She writes wonderful characters that seem to walk off the page and could be your bff ( or at least the lady you see at the coffee shop every week), puts those characters in situations that we’ve been in ourselves or can relate to, sprinkles it all with a bit of romance & humor and then gives us that happy ending. I can always escape into one of her stories and come out smiling. One Charmed Christmas, her latest Christmas novel, definitely does all of that. This story is set on a cruise ship leaving Amsterdam and heading for cobblestone streets, German castles and those famous German Christmas markets. The way Sheila describes the cruise makes you feel you are right in the thick of things, from eating all that amazing food at the full spread buffet to getting off at the port o calls for some great holiday shopping! You get to know the characters as they get to know each other. And the setting is perfect.

Fully realized characters and a good enjoyable story. What more can you ask for?

Want to take a Christmas cruise and meet someone tall dark and perfect?! Hop aboard One Charmed Christmas by Sheila Roberts! My Book Club read this for our Holiday read and everyone loved it!

Was this review helpful?

Love a Shelia Roberts' Christmas Novel. Something so nostalgic about reading it every year. They always keep you coming back for more.

Was this review helpful?

One Charmed Christmas is an amazingly fun, heartwarming and entrancing story of friendship, hope, love and family. Sheila Robert is one of my absolute favorite authors and this story was a reminder of just why she is. Ms. Roberts has a way of writing her characters that make the reader able to feel as though they know them, can relate to them and what they are feeling.
This is a story of a woman who feels as though her children have abandoned her, a man whose daughter will do anything to protect her father from heartache, a sister whose marriage may be coming to an end and a best friend who has learned to enjoy life as it comes. This is a story that intertwines these lives together on a cruise ship to a beautiful getaway, as the reader delights in the amazingly vivid scenery and delves first hand into these character's lives.
I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it enough!

Was this review helpful?

In Sheila Roberts's One Charmed Christmas, this beautiful holiday romance is about life, love, and taking a chance on happiness for two different couples. For Catherine Pine, she wasn't looking forward to another Christmas alone since her husband died the year before. Her children was too busy with their own lives, and she dealt with a health crisis of her own--treating her recent cancer diagnosis in the new year. But with her best friend Denise's encouragement, she joins her on a holiday cruise trip to Germany. For Sophie Miles, she's a hypochrondiac and a bit of a germophobe. But when her brother-in-law bails out of their cruise, she joins her sister Sierra on a the cruise of a lifetime. From there, Catherine and Sophie's lives are intersected on a charming cruise trip into Western Europe as they become cruise mates and later friends, while they dealt with obstacles along the way. But on one charming and enchanted cruise, it changed their lives forever when they've both found true love and potential soul mates with the men of their dreams for a happily ever after.

Was this review helpful?

DNF @21%
2020; Mira/Harlequin

I read Robert's holiday themed novel last year, Christmas from the Heart and thought it was okay. As I started this year's Christmas novel, I found that while the story was different than the year before, the writing was the same. There is so much you can do with this genre of books, which is fine, as that is why most of us read them. Yet, I was hoping for more endearing characters with some heart. I kept forgetting which character was which and after 21% in I just had to give up. I have not read Robert's regular contemporary romance, and I do want to try one before I try another Christmas novel.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

Was this review helpful?

Such a sweet story! I love the festive atmosphere and the setting was gorgeous. It made me want to take a holiday trip.

Was this review helpful?

I love Sheila Robert's books and I love this Christmas novel.
She can surely writes books that keeps you hooked and this one was no exception.
Festive atmosphere, great characters, a lovely setting and a tightly knitted plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Was this review helpful?

This was the most charming Christmas book that I have ever read. My favorite part is that there were twists and turns that I just could not see! If you are looking for the perfect holiday read, look no further, This is your book.

Was this review helpful?

Great festive holiday story! A Christmas river cruise sounds like a lot of fun. Nice story. I really like this author's Christmas stories. Definitely recommended!

Was this review helpful?

One Charmed Christmas was a joy to read. It made me want to go and book a holiday river cruise. The characters and plots were interesting and made me miss the joys of making new friends when travelling.

Was this review helpful?