Lucy is trying to survive her first Christmas alone and save her family home but nothing is easy or working out. She considers renting out the small apartment to help pay the bills but when her ex is the one that shows up and asks about renting, she decides it's a really bad idea. When she finally relents and rents it to him because they can help each other, the feelings start all over again and so does the town gossip. Miles helps her decorate for the village contest because the prize money will help erase her all the debt and give her some breathing room but nothing seems to go as planned...is the season doomed? I received an ARC an am voluntarily leaving my review.

I have mixed feelings about the story. Lucy is trying to pay off all of her diseased mom’s debts. She keeps finding stuff around the house and wondering why her mom decided to upgrade the rooms on the second floor, and buy a bunch of other things that don’t make sense to her. But she’s too busy with her clients to give much thought to whatever it is that her mom was up to before she passed.

Then there’s Miles. He’s always loved Lucy but has always been afraid of letting people down just like his dad did to his family. Suddenly, he finds himself renting Lucy’s garage apartment and sparks fly all over again.

I didn’t care much for the characters but I was an entertaining story up to 75% of it, the. It just dragged. Lucy was hard to like, she was too into her head and her needs, that she came across almost like a selfish spoiled brat—which makes sense as she was the only daughter and at one point in her life, her parents were kinda wealthy. Lucy seemed to cry for every little thing that happened, it kind of got on my nerves. She was too indecisive, one minute she loved Mikes the next she was picking a fight with him and thinking of moving counties. If she had, she would’ve probably done Miles a favor.

And Miles… he was a good guy, but too much of a beta. If Lucy wanted something, he’d do it. If she changed her mind, he’d accept it. I didn’t feel like he had any backbone. It almost seemed as though he was traumatized from his dad walking out on them, and he was too afraid to fight for what he wanted. And I didn’t feel the sparks in his “we’re a team” statements. Maybe he would’ve been a better hero if Lucy hadn’t been such a “poor me, cry baby” gal.

Despite all this, somehow it all came together at the end. Last, I don’t think the epilogue was needed.

The Christmas Village byAnnie Rains

Once upon a Christmas, she gave him her heart. This year, he will have to win it back again.

I loved this book. What a great romance novel. From heartbreak to a wedding. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

This was such a sweet book!

Read this book if you enjoy:

- Books in a series
- holiday reads
- second chance trope
- clean romances
- sweet characters

The Christmas Village by Annie Rains was the perfect small town romance for the holiday season. After moving back into her childhood home following the death of her mother, Lucy is scrambling to come up with ways to pay off her mother's debt before the new year. When Officer Miles, Lucy's first love, moves into her garage apartment, they decide to team up to win the best decorated lawn contest to pay off some of the bills. Can the two work to together to pull of a Christmas miracle in more ways than one? This was definitely a fun, seasonal read and I loved all the characters! I especially can't wait to read Tess's story (hopefully next!) I couldn't put this one down and would definitely recommend adding it to your tbr.

I really enjoy this series by Rains. The characters are well-developed and the friendships genuine. Grief is a tricky thing and Rains weaves it into the story perfectly. Lucy and Miles checked all the second chance boxes and kept me reading long into the night. Perfect for a cup of hot cocoa and a warm fire.

The Christmas Village is the second novel in author Annie Rains Somerset Lake series. Trisha Langly returned to Somerset over a year ago to care for her ailing mother before her death. She has opened her own midwife practice and has had some success. Even though she is doing okay financially it is not nearly enough to make the many repairs needed to the huge family home. Trisha does not understand why her mother spent so much money on some things and left others undone and no funds to make the repairs. She decides to rent out the small apartment over the garage to help maintain the large house with little success.

When Trisha thinks she hears someone trying to break in one night she immediately calls 911 and the police officer to respond to her call is her former high school love, Miles Bruno. It turns out to be a marauding animal and a good laugh is shared although Trisha is feeling foolish. When Miles learns about the apartment he is very interested since he has been given short notice where he is renting, but Trisha cannot fathom renting to an ex.

However, Miles does move in, Trisha’s rules are short lived, and Miles takes on the Christmas decorating challenge for The Village with gusto. But there is a Grinch loose in Somerset, someone who wants everyone to be as miserable as they are.

This is a well written book with endearing characters, a lovely setting, and a plot that offers many surprises. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

A fun, lighthearted Christmas read! The Christmas Village is perfect for lovers of small town romances. This book has a great cast of side characters, a sweet romance, and of course a loads of fun Christmas contest. I loved the Merriest Lawn decorating contest. Add this one to your Christmas TBR!

When Lucy Hannigan returned to her childhood home in Somerset Lake, one of the first things she did was join the local book club. And thank goodness, because now that Lucy’s first Christmas without her mother is bearing down upon her, she can use all the help and support she can get. Especially when she has to take in a tenant and the only person interested is Miles Bruno, her ex-fiance.

Lucy’s friends keep teasing her about the way Miles is trying to make up for his mistakes but forgiving and forgetting isn’t coming easily to Lucy. With bills piling up and her mother’s finances in disarray, however, Lucy isn’t in any position to say no.

As the small town prepares for the holidays and competition heats up in the Merriest Lawn decorating contest, Lucy can’t help feeling like a Scrooge. Her mom loved the holidays and won the contest each year, but as much as Lucy would like to carry on the tradition, she isn’t sure she has it in her to deck the halls this holiday.

Yet when Miles shows up with tons of tinsel, dozens of decorations, and lots and lots of lights, Lucy begins to wonder if maybe the spirit of the season will finally mend her broken heart.

The Christmas Village is a nice easy Christmas read. It’s full of community, festivity, and forgiveness.

Lucy is a midwife, meaning she is always taking care of other people. She is independent, responsible, compassionate, smart. You name it. She is a good character, but she is a little too perfect for a main character. Until about 80% through, I didn’t see any flaws in her. The only depth I saw with her character is that she is lonely and wants a family, and being a midwife is a constant reminder of what she doesn’t have. This isn’t necessarily a flaw though. There was one situation that I don’t think she handled correctly, but that’s just one. I still think, as a main character, she should have had more imperfections.

This goes for Miles, too. Miles is probably my favorite character in this book, but that’s probably because he is basically flawless. A perfect man who always listens, is always understanding, and gives you space when you need it? Heck yeah! But that’s not realistic, is it? Miles is great, but there should have been at least one thing he did wrong.

Overall, I did like these main characters. They had good chemistry that had me rooting for their relationship from the first chapter.

As for the side characters, I actually thought that their issues were more interesting than the main conflict, mostly because there wasn’t much of a main conflict. I could have had a full book on Charlie and possibly liked it better. In the sections of the book Charlie wasn’t in, I found myself wandering from the main storyline and thinking “Where is Charlie?” or “Has anything changed with Charlie?”. Lucy and Miles’ plot just wasn’t as interesting and there wasn’t as much development to their characters.

Most of the rest of the characters were simply annoying and nosy. It bothers me when a person can never have a private moment to themselves without it being held up on a pedestal for the whole town to poke fun and judge. That was a big problem in this book (Yes, I am talking to you, Reva Dawson). I get asking a question or two but pushing a person until they give in is never acceptable. Then, sometimes, the character gives in like it’s nothing and gives away every detail of their life, relationship, etc. without keeping any details close to them. It’s a little unrealistic to give away SO much detail. Most people keep parts of their lives to themselves.

Here is my biggest praise for this book. Short chapters. SHORT CHAPTERS. The author even breaks down each short chapter into shorter sections, and that’s so nice when I don’t have the time to read a full forty-page chapter. I can fit in a quick read on work break or the drive to the grocery store. It makes it so much easier to remember what I read and come back to the book in full confidence that I don’t need to re-read the last few pages to remember where I need to start off. I wish all books were this easy.

Overall, The Christmas Village is a pleasant Christmas read. It was just good enough to enjoy my first experience but maybe not enough to re-read next year.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this advanced copy. All opinions expressed are exclusively my own.

Lucy Hannigan inherited her mother's house in Somerset Lake at the holidays. Little did Lucy know the debt her mother left her in. Thank goodness for the guest house she can rent out to give her time to repay her debts. Miles needed a place to stay who is the cop in town, but just so happens to be the one who left her at the altar. Then Lucy finds out she owes more than she thought, and Miles comes up with the idea to win The Merriest Lawn Decorating contest that happens every year. The money is just about what she needs to pay the balance, and the competition begins. There is a little mystery and mayhem that ensues that puts things in doubt, but everything comes together.
Annie Rains knows how to make you love the characters and the heartwarming relationships here bring the holiday romance all that much sweeter. I enjoyed the book so much for the romance, friendships, and the Christmas magic.
I have read several of this author's stories and they make you want to keep reading more. A wonderful holiday story that gives you all the spirit of the season. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a great written romance.

#NetGalley
#TheChristmasVillage
#Forever(GrandCentralPublishing)

If you are looking to get into contemporary adult romance that is somewhat closed door, you can’t go wrong with Annie Rains. The Christmas Village is the second in the Somerset Lake series. It features second chance romance, which is a trope I find I really enjoy for the most part. Also — I haven’t read the first book in the Somerset Lake series but found the story easy enough to follow along with. I actually look forward to going back and reading the first book. Love that for me.

In The Christmas Village, Lucy is mourning the death of her mother. She has no family left at this point. However, Lucy does have a pile of bills that her mother left behind. She had thought she paid them all, but turns out she’s missed a year of home owner’s association payments. This means that Lucy may lose the huge house she had inherited from her mother. In order to obtain extra income she rents out the apartment over her garage. Who should the renter be other than her ex, Miles Bruno, a sheriff’s deputy. The past is in the past and the two are mature enough to be friends now. Only, is it so unreasonable for old feelings to come surfacing back?


I thought that The Christmas Village was a sweet romance and lived up to expectations. There is absolutely set up for additional characters to get together and have their own love stories to follow. Also, I found that I wanted to know what happens in the first book for further context. The financial issues Lucy inherited did stress me out a little – but at the same time – knowing she’s a nurse practitioner and knowing what nurses get paid here, nevermind NPs, I was a little surprised she was struggling so much. Granted, her specialty is midwifery, but that conflict felt a little manufactured. Oh, and I did feel like it took overlong to get to the bottom of what had happened between Miles and Lucy.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO BUDDY THE ELF, HOW MUCH CHRISTMAS SPIRIT DOES THE CHRISTMAS VILLAGE BY ANNIE RAINS HAVE?
So, there are a few things about this book that might put you in the spirit. First, there’s a vandal trying to ruin aspects of Christmas nicknamed the Christmas Crank, but you understand why that is. Also, there are charity holiday baskets which is sweet. And one of the main plot points revolves around a lawn decorating contest. This book was a lovely way to pass a few evenings while warming up for the holiday season to begin.

I love a second chance romance and The Christmas Village mixes that with my favorite time of year for a story about finding home and finding love. Lucy and Miles were in love once, engaged too, but Miles unexpectedly broke up with her. Years later, Lucy is back in their small, gossip-fueled town after her mom passes with a garage apartment she needs to rent out to cover her mom’s debt and Miles is in need of a place to live. I like the kind of forced proximity go this. It wasn’t as intense as a one-bed situation, but it added an intensity to their attraction, and while this isn’t a steamy read, it’s very sweet. I love seeing their love resurface as they both come to terms with things they want. I love Lucy’s book club with their HEA-based romances and gossiping (and true support between these women). The side characters add a real small-town feel necessary to make this story work. They’re quirky and charming! I also love there’s a ton of When Harry Met Sally references—that’s my favorite movie and I just loved the comparisons and callouts to it. There are bits where the writing felt a touch stiff, and I definitely wanted more out of Lucy. The story felt really driven by Miles’ perspective and since it did switch between the two, even written in third person, I think Lucky wasn’t as fleshed out. I wanted to know more about their past and her feelings when they came to hash that out. But Miles I thought was so well-rounded. I loved him as a deputy in the town, giving second chances to youth in the area that he related too, and I loved his moments with his family. They were brief, but those moments felt like the holidays. I thought the banter between Lucy and him was also very well written, I liked they weren’t resentful exes and really had a friendship that restarted their romance. They were both very dependable characters and I loved how they were able to lean on one another. Also, I loved the idea of the Merriest Lawn Contest! Every element of this book felt like the holidays and it got me so in the Christmas spirit. This is such a a sweet, adorable romance!
3.5/5

Story

I love Annie Rains' books - that's no secret around here. I've read them all so far under the Forever Romance umbrella, and can't wait to dive into the novella that occurs right after this book! I can always count on her to deliver an enjoyable Christmas story each year and THE CHRISTMAS VILLAGE was no exception. This is the second book in the Somerset Lake companion series, a setting we've only seen so far during summertime.

Lucy and Miles were high school sweethearts who were once engaged before Miles unceremoniously called it off. Neither of them truly moved on from it though. Now they're back under "one roof" (more like "one yard" as Miles is renting Lucy's garage apartment temporarily) and sparks are flying again. I do love a second chance romance and this couple was totally worth rooting for! I don't love reading books about cops but the "Christmas Crankster" mystery that Miles worked on throughout the book was entertaining and he's really a great guy.

Wintery Setting & Holiday Feels

Somerset Lake's residents love Christmas and that was clear in this book! They spoke about the holiday season in its debut novel so I was really looking forward to seeing how they celebrated. There were a lot of decor references and holiday events that made me feel Christmassy, especially decorating Lucy's big pink house for the neighborhood competition.

Overall

This series continues to impress! I was sad that Sweetwater Springs was no longer the setting for Rains' books but Somerset Lake is proving to be just as cute and homey. I love that the lake setting is great for summertime and the small "Main Street" vibes are perfect for winter as well. I think this is one of Annie's best books so far. I can't wait to keep reading about this friend group (book one started with Trisha, who moved to town from Sweetwater Springs, and this book was about Lucy) so Tess and Moira can get their happily-ever-afters. I have a sneaking suspicion I already know who they'll be paired off with and I can't wait.

The Christmas Village is a sweet, second chance romance by Annie Rains. It takes place in an adorable small town but actually does a good job of showing not just the idyllic areas but also the not so scenic parts and the issues with finding work. It was a nice Christmas story as well, and the cast of characters were funny and lovable. It seemed like part of a series so I will have to go back and check out the others. Read this if you are looking for sweet and sentimental, similar to a Debbie Macomber,

What do you get when you combine sweet small-town vibes with second chance romance and Christmas cheer? You get The Christmas Village!

I had the privilege to read The Summar Cottage (Somerset Lake #1) over the summer and I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere and characters. There's a certain charm to these books that I just can't get enough of and I was thrilled to find out that the next story would be set during the holiday season!

Call it intuition, but I just had an inkling that this book would be about Lucy. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she lives on Christmas Lane. Okay, that's exactly what it had to do with! Lucy was an instant favorite when I read the previous book, so I was thrilled to find out if she would get her happily-ever-after in this festive tale.

These characters are so dang likable it's ridiculous! I can't help but root for them as they stumble awkwardly through romantic encounters and deal with daily hardships. The book starts out with an intrusion in Lucy's home (that winds up more humorous than anything else) but sets off a chain of events that would be tough for anyone to handle. From debt collectors to property vandalization to questioning the choices made by deceased family members. Thankfully, Lucy has Miles to lean on - or does she?

Miles is another likable character, but liking him comes with a few hiccups. I held a bit of a grudge against him from the get-go, knowing how he once treated Lucy. I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop with his character the entire time I was reading. Sometimes he seemed a little too good to be true (and I think Lucy felt the same way) and sometimes he wound up saying the wrong thing (that made my distrust extend even further). But his good intentions are appreciated - and I love that he's not afraid to have Christmas spirit!

This book would make an excellent movie, I think! It felt like a cheezy Christmas flick but had just enough depth and heart to it to make it stand out in the crowd. Sometimes holiday romances fall really flat for me, but this one didn't at all! In fact, I can definitely see myself reading it again next year.

If you're looking for something lighthearted and jovial with great emotional balance for this holiday season, you will definitely want to pick up The Christmas Village.

[CW: (major) grief, (moderate) death of a parent]

Yup, I'm going to go ahead and give this one five stars because it had everything that I wanted in a Christmas book! It was a sweet story with a lot of heart and had tons of Christmas nostalgia.

There was Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating (including a lawn decorating competition), delivering of Christmas care packages to members of the town and even a town Scrooge. There was also a healthy dose of Christmas romance between Lucy and Miles - a once engaged couple who ended things years earlier and were brought together once again when Lucy moved back to town after the unfortunate passing of her mother.

I love a good second chance romance and this story was great! Loved the characters. Miles was such a good guy! The story dealt with grief in a very tasteful way and focused a lot on relationships, both romantic and those with family/friends.

This was such a great read that needs to be added to your holiday reading! I've read a few books from Annie Rains now and I've really liked them. She puts her heart into her writing!

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy.

Here is the thing. I love Annie Raines. If I don’t have an Annie Raines title in my hand for Christmas…I will be deeply disappointed.

I loved this particular title in the new series. I’m still getting to know the sweet little town and it’s characters….bringing us back to Somerset Lake for Christmas was genius. I loved strolling this delightful little North Carolina town. Finding the new places to have coffee…grab sweets….and buy a new home. I’m not gonna lie, I wanna live on Christmas Lane…just to be able to say I live on Christmas Lane.

Knowing that Annie has her own Christmas Village she sets out every year (thank you social media!) made Lucy’s village very special.

The relationship with Lucy and Miles was very PG. I personally liked it. Their second chance romance really was a throwback to their high school romance, in the sweetest way. I also really liked the lil mystery we needed to solve. It added a lot to the story.

Overall, this was a fun Christmas title. Predictably so, but with Annie’s touch I felt right at home in Somerset Lake.

This is my first Annie Rains but it won't be my last. I really loved the forced proximity, the town, and how they came together. I love the Christmas completion. I am definitely going to go back and read Annie's backlist.

The Christmas Village was a sweet small town romance.

The main characters, Miles and Lucy, had a significant relationship in the past and in present time that attraction was still there. Their romantic relationship didn't developed instantly, as they faced challenges and had to put in the work to rekindle the romance. The pacing worked for me, and I was invested in the outcome of their journey.

The secondary characters added entertainment to the story, and the town was full of charm.
Set at Christmas time, this story had all the right elements that would make for a fun and enchanting, warm your heart Hallmark-style movie. I know I've said this about other novels by the same author, but it's true! The holiday TV movie vibe is there ❤️.

If you're interested in a romance set during the Holiday season, check it out.

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*Complimentary copy for review provided by Forever Romance. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

As a huge fan of Christmas and the holiday season, The Christmas Village was like a cozy hug. It was a simple story that had a lot of heart, and it gave me all the holiday feels as I read it. I was cheering for Lucy and Miles the whole time! This is a sweet book fans of romance are sure to love. Also, as a side note, if Somerset Lake was a real place, I'd move there in a minute! Thank you to Forever Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.