Wrapped up in Christmas Joy is the second book in the Wrapped up in Christmas series by author Janice Lynn. These stories are set in Pine Hill, Kentucky and are the heartwarming stories of the affect of Christmas love on the souls of American soldiers who have seen and lived horrible things.

This story centers on Sophie Grace Davis, co-owner of The Threaded Needle quilting and needle craft shop and local director of the Quilts of Valor project, and former Marine, now fire fighter, Cole Aaron.

Cole mistakenly includes the journal he wrote at the direction of his counselor when he returned from a tragic Middle East deployment in a box of donations for the church rummage sale. As the commander of the mission, Cole takes all blame for the ambush that lost some of his men. He feels he has no hope for a future and that the best he can do is to continue doing acts of good to try to make amends for such a black mark on his soul.

Sophie Grace Davis is the one who was helping to sort donations and came upon his journal. She was desperate to find its rightful owner feeling that the journal in this box was a gross mistake. She gave a donation to the church and took the box to try to find the owner. She finally discovers it is Cole Aaron’s, the newest firefighter in their small town. When she tries to return it she is taken aback by his response that he not only never wants to see the journal again, but he also never wants to see the woman that has read his journal, even if reading it started as an effort to discover his identity and ended a connection to her soul.

In a small town, two people who are consummate volunteers are bound to be brought together, which Sophie and Cole are with the annual toy drive to help children in need. When the others in their committee conspire to put Sophie and Cole together, a truce is called for the good of the children. As the story unfolds, as much as Sophie’s sister Isabelle is against her baby sister becoming involved with a veteran, the local group of matriarchs, the Butterflies, seem determined to bring them together.

In a delightful holiday story, the residents of Pine Hill will bring joy to the reader. This is a lovely story that I very much enjoyed. Perfect for a holiday read, I do recommend this book

In 2019, Janice Lynn's book Wrapped Up in Christmas was published. This year, it is Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy. Both books deal with veterans and quilts of valor. I loved them both, with their message of respect, healing, remembrance, sacrifice and moving on. Sophie Davis finds a journal in a box of books donated to the church. She buys it and reads it, feeling the pain that had gone into the words. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that it belongs to the newest firefighter in her community and it was donated by mistake. She tries to return it to former Marine Cole Aaron, but he just wants her to destroy it. She can feel his pain and wants to help him. He does not want her pity, but they seem to get thrown together over and over. Gradually a friendship develops and then the feelings become deeper. Sophie wants to make a Quilt of Valor for Cole, but will he accept it?

This was a sweet and fun story. I enjoyed the characters, and felt that they were well developed, even several of the secondary ones. I enjoy small-town stories and the customs and events that go along with that. The toy drive and fun rivalry between the teams added some humour and fun to the story. There was some serious issues involving PTSD, new beginnings for military personnel, but it was all wrapped up in Christmas cheer and a caring community. I definitely recommend this one.

Let the Christmas Joy Lighten Your Day
USA Today best-selling author Janice Lynn presents "Wrapped up in Christmas Joy", published by Hallmark Publishing. Cole Aaron, a former Marine, currently working as a firefighter at the Pine Hill Fire Department in Kentucky feels getting stuck in the role of Santa is a huge mistake. And there is even more Christmas-related things to do for him. Sophie Grace Davis found Cole's journal that he accidently donated to the church sale and starts to read it in order to find out who the owner is. The suffering of her own father and Cole merge together for her because the struggles and challenges he writes about are not unknown to her. She tries to give Cole his diary back, but he refuses. Can Sophie influence Cole's life? What will come out of their "accidental" meetings? And will Sophie be able to get a Quilt of Valor made for Cole?
This was the first book by Janice Lynn which I read. I really enjoyed it with it's realistic, believable, strong and charming characters. It is a heartwarming story, a clean romance and a relaxing and enjoyable read, but it also touches at the topic of PTSD and the horror of war. I highly recommend it to all readers who love Christmas romances novels. Once again, Hallmark Publishing included one of their special recipes, this time the one for Dilly Duchess Potatoes.
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.
#WrappedUpInChristmasJoy #NetGalley

This was not your typical Hallmark story!

I truly enjoyed Sophie as a character and the cheer and light she brought with her. It paired well with the brooding former marine, Cole.

While I felt the story was a bit repetitive and dragged on in parts, I still enjoyed the overall premise of the book!

Thank you to Hallmark Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review!

Very cute Christmas themed book. I liked Sophie and liked Cole. Just not sure about the quick HEA. I liked the way the author described the town, it sounded really nice. I really liked the Butterflies

What a WONDERFUL and delightful read! I could have read it in one sitting, but I wanted to savor its goodness. The author has develops the characters so well that you feel like you are right there in the midst of Pine Hill. The depth in which she shows veterans struggles and their capacity to be wholly loved for exactly who they are is incredible. Our heroine in the book is SO witty and hilarious on top of it all - loved every moment of this book. This was my first holiday read in life and I am now officially hooked!

Thank you Hallmark Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy!

Sophie Davis is helping to sort through some donated booked when she comes across a soldiers journal. As someone who has seen the struggle her dad went through to deal with the horror of active duty and the struggle to adapt to civilian life, she feels a deep connecting to the man who wrote the entries. Having read through the journal and realising the emotional trauma the writer is dealing with she sets out to return it to them.

Cole Aaron wrote the journal as a way to try and find peace with his past and he is less than impressed when Sophie turns up at the fire house to return it to him. To him, he is damaged and not worthy of having someone care for him. For Sophie he is someone who doesn’t realise his worth and that he deserve to heal.

Despite his hopes of avoiding Sophie they seem to be drawn to each other, and after volunteering for various community events he struggles to keep his guard up, as he doesn’t want anyone’s pity. But Sophie has a persistently caring nature and is determined for Cole to see the brave wonderful person she sees.

On the whole I enjoyed the story and I think the development of Cole and Sophies relationship was well done. However, this is a bit of a slow read, with the most major event being Sophie getting stuck in a tree and it takes a long time for Cole’s walls to start coming down. There are additional characters that help the story along but if you are looking for a fast-paced, high drama read this is not it.

This is a gentle sweet book, very much Hallmark movie-worthy. Sophie is a bit too much of a goody for me, but not in an irritating way, it is more that the genuine niceness of her character seems a bit unrealistic (maybe that says a lot about me more than anything). My heart went out to Cole and I was really hoping that he would find peace and really see he was worthy of someone living him.

Sophie Davis owns a quilt shop, Threaded Needle in Pine Hill.
Her passion is Quilts of Valor, she along with others make quilts in this nonprofit organization for military and veterans.
This book came alive for me as I read about Sophie finding a journal written by a soldier who has returned from war. Being she lives in a small town she believes this journal was mistakenly donated and she sets out to find it's owner.
When she does find him he's convinced she feels sorry for him after she reads how he details the pain he went through during the war. This is not something people can turn off once they return to civilian life, it becomes part of who they are.
Still not convinced Sophie could actually find an attraction in him, Cole a former marine is grumpy towards her thinking it'll scare her off.
What Cole doesn't count on is the determination Sophie has to get through to this firefighter's heart and just maybe things can be set ablaze.
This heartwarming Christmas book shows determination through persistence,strength triumphing over weakness and understanding.
I recommend it.

Published October 27th 2020 by Hallmark Publishing
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I love a Hallmark holiday themed novel so I couldn’t wait to read this.

Reading this book I was transported to the snowy town of Pine Hill, Kentucky and into the lives of Sophie and Cole.

This book was written in a way that you see both the main characters perspectives which makes it an interesting read, although I didn’t find either character very likeable.

All in all this was an enjoyable holiday read filled with quirky side characters that I actually enjoyed more than the main two.

CW - with Cole being an ex Marine this book does touch on some heavy topics like survivors guilt and PTSD

What a delightful Hallmark Christmas romance book! Set in a small town in Kentucky, main characters Sophie and Cole are thrown together in this enjoyable story. As they work together to help Cole discover joy, romance begins to emerge. Follow along as Sophie and Cole discover the joy of Christmas together.

Sophie Davis owns Threaded Needle, a popular quilt shop in Pine Hill. She sells fabric, quilt kits and patterns, but her passion is Quilts of Valor, a non-profit organization that awards handmade quilts to active military and veterans. When she stumbles across the journal that Cole Aaron, fireman and former Marine, accidentally donated to the church sale, she realizes he needs a quilt and a friend and she plans on providing him with both, even though he has made it very clear he doesn’t want either. Particularly not the friendship with a tempting woman like Sophie – he’s not good enough for her.

This is the second book in the Wrapped up in Christmas series and can be read as a stand alone, but reading the first book provides a better understanding of some of the characters. The story is sweet, you know eventually Sophie will overcome Coles objections. The problem for me was Cole’s angst took what seemed an inordinate amount of time to resolve. I found paragraph after paragraph rehashing Cole’s doubts and concerns a bit much. And Sophie took a long time to explain to Cole why the quilt was so important to her. While I loved the idea of the Butterflies, the senior ladies who ran most of the charity activities in town and who adopted all the young people, I got tired of the constant razzing and arguing between the members.

Having pointed out my issues with the story, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it and the previous book in the series as a good Christmas read. The Quilts of Valor Foundation (https://www.qovf.org/) is a worthwhile non-profit organization that the author supports .

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley. This review reflects my honest opinion.

A wonderful return to Pine Hill. I fell in love with the town in the first novel and was thankful for the opportunity to return. I love the honor given to the military and the representation of Quilts for Valor. Sophie is a warm hearted, small town girl who sees the good in former marine Cole and is determined to help him get past his demons and walls. The slow burn romance is drawn out perfectly. I was so happy for the return of the Butterflies and love the entertainment they bring to the story. Pine Hill is a wonderful community that captures the essence of honor, community, loving your neighbor, and Christmas. I highly recommend this sweet, romantic Christmas story. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

Small town holiday and Christmas traditions and their celebrations are the best. The author has done an amazing job making us feel part of them in her story. We are in Pine Hill, Kentucky for this lighthearted, sweet, romance. Cole is a retired Marine, turned firefighter who has inherited his uncles’ farmhouse in Pine Hill. Sophie is the local Quilt Store owner, who is also very involved with Quilts of Valor as a way to honor her father. The two meet as Sophie finds Coles’journal and tries to return it to him. The slow burn begins as they become partners for the annual toy drive. She wants to be friends and he wants to fight the chemistry between them. Add the requisite meddling seniors, who know they should be together. Will he give in and allow Sophie to wrap him in a quilt?

Sophie and her sister run a fabric store. Sophia Tends to stay late making quilts and many other items. Has a very big heart for her town...
Their parents Divorced many years ago.. Leaving a lot of bitter memories..

Cole Is the new firefighter in town former soldier, He
Recently donated a Box of books to the church that Sophie goes to. However Sophie has found the journal not knowing who it belonged to. she read to find out who it belonged to. Belonging to cole she wants to return the journal,
However cole once nothing to do with the journal. or anything to do with his past. Nor does he want to have anything to do with Sophie because she read his journal and knows too much thinks she's pitying him.



Soon community project comes up and coal and Sophie end up on the same team... Holiday events bring this town together.

One of my favorite parts of this book is when Sophie's cat she's trying to get Warmed up to her
Climbs up a tree, Sophie tries to, Rescue the Kitty, But ends up being rescued herself...
This was truly a Christmas Wrapped up in Joy. 🎄 book I really enjoyed it. I was given this book as a gift for my honest review and I truly enjoyed the story thank you.

All thoughts in this review are my own what a wonderful story.

When Sophie Davis sorts through a box of donated books to her church, she’s surprised to discover a soldier’s journal. As the daughter of a veteran who watched her father struggle over the years, she feels a deep connection to the man who wrote the emotional entries.

Former Marine Cole Aaron battled to find peace after returning to civilian life. He’s always needed to protect others. Now, fighting fires in Pine Hill, Kentucky helps him put out the demons within him. When Sophie shows up at the fire hall with his journal from when he’d first returned stateside, Cole can’t believe it was in the box he’d donated. Not wanting to face painful memories, he tells her to trash it.

Sophie and Cole are drawn together as they both volunteer for their community, but it’s hard for Cole to let down his guard, and he doesn’t need anyone’s pity. After all he’s been through in the past, can he find faith in a more hopeful future…one touched by joy?

After reading Wrapped Up in Christmas, I couldn’t imagine enjoying this book as much. But I loved it even more! I was so happy to see the Butterflies back and the sweet, slow burning relationship between Sophie and Cole was swoon-worthy. I also love the small town relationships and appreciation for our military and the unseen sacrifices they make for us. Beautiful book! I can only hope Janice Lynn will take us to Pine Hill once again! ❤️

A cozy, beautiful magical read just in time for Christmas! She’s a tear and take in the magic of the season with this great read.

I loved the first book in this series and I loved this book! You will definitely feel the magic of Christmas and shed a little tear over this heartfelt Christmas story!

This was truly a sweet romance. Sophie meets the new fireman in town and realizes that the journal she found in the church donations must be Cole's. Cole feels too damaged to ever fall in fall, but Sophie makes is difficult to keep his distance.

This is a sweet clean romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great escape and left me with a good feeling. Pine Hill, Kentucky sounds like such a friendly place with plenty of character as well as fun citizens. I would definitely read another book by this author.

I received a copy of Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy is a feel good Christmas romance about Sophie, a quilt shop owner, and Cole, a former Marine and current firefighter. When Sophie finds Cole’s journal, she tries to return it to him and their lives are forever intertwined. Even as Cole pushes Sophie away, she still manages to worm her way into his life and heart.

This Christmas themed romance was a great read. The setting and Christmas toy drive pull you in and make it feel like it is Christmas wherever you are. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Sophie and Cole. As Cole pushes Sophie away, she becomes even more determined to become his friend and I like her determination and compassion for Cole. This was a feel good Christmas romance that I would definitely recommend. It is worth the time, especially with the holidays coming up!