My thoughts






Narrative and Plot







Christmas at Fireside Cabins starts off strong with Lila Evans wanting to have one final Christmas hurrah with her besties. That is until she reaches Fireside Cabins. Lilaongs for home and love and she finds her solace with the Christmas celebrations along with her friends – Edie, Charlotte and Piper. At times Lila feels like quite unrealistic but one can see where her heart is coming from. In an ideal world, one might be able to relate to Lila

The plot starts strong and is full of festivities and holiday cheers. The food and the atmosphere makes it a perfect cozy read. But keep in mind, that this is a cheesy holiday romance read and expect no more. The main character did have a compelling voice that kept me going till the end.




Characters and Conflicts







When it comes to characters, I enjoyed Eleanor and Lila’s friendship. It was two kindred souls meeting and sharing their warmth. However, Lila’s lifelong friends were not given much of that space to shine through. The story quickly shifted to a romance between Theo and Lila.

Now I am all in for a cozy holiday romance and I enjoyed quite a few romantic moments between Lila and Theo. But as I get older, I feel like romanticizing the emotionally closed off hero is a bit problematic. However, the Theo sort of made up for his mishaps in the end. But it just made my brain think – that happens only in fiction.

Another thing that bothered me was a lack of hero’s journey for Lila. Everything just fell into her lap in the end. You do not need your main character to just sit and whine when everyone around is working to solve her issues.

While, what I pointed out are only minor setbacks, it doesn’t not prevent me from enjoying the story as a whole. There is warmth and Christmas spirit filled in every turn of the page. And I loved all those elements.






Conclusion







Christmas at Fireside Cabins is a cozy holiday romance that you can escape right away to get some holiday cheer. It might be cheesy but if you’re looking for the seasonal festivities and food, the book wraps it all up in a great package.

I’m trying to read more romance books. Especially at Christmas time. And this one fit in just perfectly. It was such a cozy novel to snuggle up with.

If you are into romance or if not I still recommend you pick this one up and give it a read.

Well this has been absolutely wonderful story from start to finish. I am a huge fan of Jenny Hale’s books and so I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would love this, as I have done with all her previous books.

The story was full on entertainment and drama, loved getting to know all of the characters and seething how each of them development and for some, how new chapter in ones life can start just from meeting one person, or from just visiting/staying somewhere. This story really did keep me captivated throughout and I was fully routing for Lila, that all would work out for her, what with her feeling a little lost, not sure where her life is going, unlike that of her three best friends.

Speaking of her three best friends, I loved seeing the interaction between them all, how they are always there for one another and will help out in any way they can.

The other thing I loved about this story, was all the mention of food and wow was there some lovely sounding foods/drinks, it sure made me hungry a lot whilst reading this book lol. I would have loved to have tasted Theo’s Breakfast Pizza (might have to attempt to make one myself) and the massive Christmas Sugar Plum Bomb, which just sounded full on yummy.

So last words, if you haven’t discovered Jenny Haley’s books yet, then go on and give this one a try, you’ll not regret it.

Great read!!! I love Jenny's books and this one did not disappoint me. First off I would like to say that the authors descriptions were fantastic. I could visualize all of the Christmas decorations like I was in the book. The characters were awesome even though I got mad at Theo from time to time. There was a great storyline. I knew once the character Theo was introduced that he probably had a secret. I did have fear that he was a bad guy. It is just so hard to describe how great this book is without giving away spoilers so I will leave it at its a fantastic read. I would highly recommend this book to romance lovers.

I’ve read and enjoyed other festive novels by this author so I was delighted when I was approved to read this one on NetGalley a few weeks ago. This novel follows Lila who struggles with Christmas ever since her Dad died but she has made a new family in her group of friends and every year they celebrate the festive season together. This year might be the last time as they’re all moving on with careers or relationships so it needs to be a good one. They end up at Fireside Cabins which is more dilapidated than advertised but they decide to stay as the owner is such a lovely lady. Lila finds herself attracted to the sullen coffee shop owner but he’s clearly troubled. I loved seeing how this group of friends got on and seeing how things developed. I really cared about Eleanor, the owner of the Cabins and was rooting for her to be okay. I recommend it!

I enjoyed this book. Set in a small town outside nashville, 4 friends rent a cabin for christmas, but nothing turns out the way they planned. 3 of them have to leave and the last one falls in love with a coffee shop owner who turns out to be quite the secret keeper.

It was fun, a bit silly in places but i really liked it.

I feel like Jenny Hale is an author I can get behind when it comes to Christmas books! She is new to me and I've found myself really enjoying the stories that she writes!

In this one we meet Lila. Having lost her parents, she spends her Christmas holidays with her three girlfriends on annual girls trips. But lately, her friends lives have taken off and they find themselves busier. Their trip to a quiet part of Tennessee quickly gets cut short and Lila finds herself alone. The cabin they were staying at needs a lot of work and Eleanor, the owner, is so sweet that Lila quickly befriends her and finds herself wanting to help. Throw in mysterious coffee shop owner, Theo and you've got the ingredients for a good holiday story! It had a lot of traditional Christmas book elements, such as a cozy wintery atmosphere, decorating, baking and other Christmassy activities and a small love interest.

My only complaint is that the back story with Theo had a bit of unnecessary drama. I liked the way the story came together but because of the drama, the ending felt just a tad rushed. But overall, I really enjoyed this one!

This was such a fun, yet different Christmas story. A lot of them are kind of meh, but this one grabbed my attention and my heart. I can only hope there will be a sequel featuring the same characters. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Talk about Christmas cheer! If you're in the mood for a heartwarming holiday story about family, community, friends and love...this is for you!

We meet Lila and her three friends as they travel to the idyllic Tennessee countryside for their annual Christmas trip. They are sold on the small town charm and numerous holiday offerings the town seems to provide. When they arrive they notice the cozy cabin they've rented is not exactly what they expected, but the charming owner, Eleanor, is so very excited to see them that they decide to stick it out. Along the way, they stop at a coffee shop, smartly named "Coffee" where a less than friendly owner, Theo, makes quite the impression on Lila. Will there be a romance there? Can Lila warm up the cold hearted Theo? What secrets is he hiding?

This was a cozy holiday romance in every sense. There is such a strong sense of community and friendship that was really refreshing. You get all the small town feels in this one. I really enjoyed this, and I think anyone who is looking for a cozy Christmas story should definitely check this one out.

This book was adorable and just what I needed to read during the holiday season. It was quirky, funny, and filled with Christmas vibes. I really loved Lila and Theo's relationship. A perfect, warm, forget-the-world Christmas story! 4 stars!

A wonderful story of love, loss and happiness. Much needed in the current climate. Perfect to escape everything I often found myself drifting off to Fireside Cabins and snuggled up on the sofa next to the Christmas tree

I've always enjoyed Jenny Hale's books and this one was great as well. I can always enjoy a Christmas story and this one was just right! It was very heart wrenching, charming, festive and I enjoyed reading about the characters involved. It was the perfect time to read at this time of the year since Christmas is only a few days away.

She’s in search of a home away from home––and the countryside retreat of Fireside Cabins sounds like the perfect place.

Romantic, witty and full of what I love about Jenny Hales writing style. I loved the mystery tossed in and couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with the town and all of the families and their stories. Such a great book and the perfect read for this holiday season.

This was the perfect Christmas cozy romance. Lila and her friends are headed to Tennessee to spend the holidays in a cottage. However when they arrive, it is not at all what they expect. After they meet the owner, they decide they’re going to stay.

This book was so much fun, I loved all the activities Lila and her friends did. I felt like I was there with them. I loved Lila’s character as well as Theo. Once Theo got warmed up, he was so sweet. I thought they had such great chemistry, and I was excited to see what would happen with them. There were a few twists along the way, but it made the book so much better. If you’re looking for the perfect book to cozy up with, look no further! I would highly recommend this one.

That cover... Oh how one can fall in love with a cover. But let's be honest here! That cover has everything you want it to have. Snow, a nice cabin, small fairy-lights, what more can a girl want...

Well Romance, friendship and a whole lot of holiday cheer I would say! And allthough romance is of course very important in this book, what really did it for me was the wonderful female friendship between the 3 ladies. Add the community spirit of the little village in the mix and you get an ideal holiday read to curl up with by the fire.

Another big plus was the fact that this isn't just a cutesy romance. The main characters Theo and Lila both have turbulent pasts and need to face their issues. Which they do.

Absolutly recommend for the christmas season.

The perfect festive romance! This was exactly what I look for at Christmas - amazing setting & cute romance!

The writing style made it a really quick read, the characters were all lovely. I loved Lila & Eleanor’s friendship, it felt really wholesome.

I do wish we had seen more of the other friends but I understand it was essential to the storyline.

This is my first book by this author & it definitely won’t be the last!

While I enjoyed this one and wasn't really sure how it would end and it ended way better then I could hope for. The only thing that really bugged me was not knowing what day it was.....

We know the girls took the trip at the beginning of the month but then every time it's seemed like it was Christmas but it wasn't. Just got confusing after a while. Dates under the chapter would be nice.

But I would love to visit this town!!!! And it would be amazing to own a cabin business like this

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this

Christmas at the Fireside Cabins was the perfect book to put you into the Christmas spirit! It was such a cute read! Romance and Holiday cheer what more could you want from a book? I loved how all the characters interacted with each other, it was such a fun read.

I adore this book! How I wish I was staying in a quaint Christmas Cabin in Tennessee. The entire book makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and full of Christmas Spirit.
.
Lila is all alone at Christmas time, except for her best friends. Every year they take a vacation together at Christmas time but that era is coming to an end and Lila knows it. She’s feeling untethered and sad about these changes in their lives.
.
She organizes one last vacation with her girlfriends at the fireside cabins. The women were not thrilled when they arrived at the disheveled cabins but seeing the elderly woman so happy to have customers they just couldn’t leave. They decide to stay and liven the place up with Christmas decorations and invite Eleanor to spend some time with them.
.
The first days of vacation sounds like a dream come true and reminds me so much of my girls getaways pre-Covid! However, life gets in the way and the women are called back to their busy lives leaving Lila behind. She decides to stay and help Eleanor fix up the places and then there’s also Theo, the mysterious coffee shop owner.
.
The question always remains do you risk getting hurt in the name of love or do you live life with your heart protected? This book is full or second chances, risking it all for love and taking a chance to make a big change in your life and let me tell you, it was magical.
.
With a completely satisfying epilogue I highly recommend reading this one to get you in the holiday spirit!
.
Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This was incredibly boring. It took me a week to plod through this under 300 page book. The characters were boring. The story line was boring. All of it was boring. I was planning on giving it three stars until the author put her foot on the accelerator and sped us to a completely unbelievable and ridiculously thrown together ending during the last 20 pages. I am crazy disappointed with this one which sucks cause I have at least 4 other books by this author on my tbr. Are they all as bad as this one?
Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC. I wish I had enjoyed it more.