RaeAnne Thayne always gives you a good romance and this Christmas romance is no exception. The Sheridan family has avoided their Montana Ranch since the death of their patriarch several years ago. Annie McCabe, the ranch manager doesn't see any problems having her young niece and nephew staying with her over the holidays since her brother, single parent is spending 30 days in jail for fighting. When Tate Sheridan shows up a few days before Christmas he's surprised that the staff isn't expecting them but discovers he forgot to email. The children a a fun surprise for the entire family. A few glitches over the stay but it's Christmas so a happy ending is ensured. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sleigh Bells Ring is a beautifully told story full of family complexities and sweet romance.

While this definitely has the feel-good tone of a Christmas story, the content isn’t all sunshine and light. The plot tackles grief from multiple viewpoints. We don’t wallow in loss, but instead come in during the aftermath, when people are putting themselves back together.

The characters are well developed and memorable. They do have that Hallmark, too-good-to-be-true vibe, which is the point of a holiday read. I thought the drama over food and this wealthy family not being able to manage without a personal chef cooking every single meal for them was excessive. But they redeemed themselves after the annoying display of entitlement.

While I wasn’t surprised by anything, I did enjoy the journey.

Annelise McCade is back at Angel’s View Ranch after a decade away, hired in as caretaker. She’s moved back to Wyoming to help her widowed brother after a series of bad choices lands him in jail with no one to care for his six-year-old twins. It doesn’t seem like a problem to have the twins stay with her at the sprawling ranch since the Sheridan’s rarely visit. However, with the passing of Wallace, the Sheridan’s patriarch, and they all descend with plans to scatter his ashes at the place he loved most.

Without advance warning of the family’s visit there’s no time to hire in more help and so Annelise and Tate Sheridan, her childhood crush and new Sheridan leader, band together to accommodate and care for his extended family. Tate, Annelise and the twins scramble to turn Angel’s View Ranch into a welcoming Christmas getaway to ease some of the grief they all feel with Wallace’s death. Annelise as a young girl crushed on Tate when he’d come visit over the Summers while growing up, and those feelings come back stronger than ever as they work together.

Tate and his family endured the loss of his father in a horseback riding accident on the Ranch years back. Visiting brought back all the grief, so Tate, his sister and mother just stopped visiting. Coming back for his grandfather’s service gives his family a chance to face the past, heal wounds and overcome the guilt they’ve felt. Having Annelise’s help and support is everything and Tate’s finds himself falling for her a little more with every moment they spend together.

Sleigh Bells Ring was a heartwarming story with not one, but two romances! Annelise’s twin niece and nephew were adorable, and there were plenty of winter wonderland activities that filled me with joy! While there is romance, I feel like there was a lot more going on. I enjoyed the imperfect journey of all the characters. Healing after guilt and grief with the support of family and friends was a central focus making for an uplifting, lovely holiday story! Definite Hallmark Movie vibes here!

I’ve been reading RaeAnne Thayne’s books for years now and was excited to sign up for this tour! She always writes fun and cheery holiday stories with adorable small town settings. This book was no exception for the most part – instead of a small town with an adorable main street, this takes place on a sprawling ranch in Wyoming. It was very festive with lots of decorating and Christmas cheer, especially through the eyes of a couple of children.

SLEIGH BELLS RING centers around Annie, the caretaker of the ranch, and her brother’s children. The owners of the ranch, including her childhood crush Tate, come in for Christmas and she is working as the de facto chef and host to all of them for one final Christmas before they sell it.

I was expecting to only read their two POVs but Tate’s sister, Brie, ends up as a main character after the first 20% of the book or so. I immediately knew where her perspective was heading and I was intrigued to see what would happen for her. She wasn’t spoken about very favorably in the beginning of the story so I was curious to see what her reasons would be, or where her head was at during the story.

I enjoyed the setting and the family feels in this one. However, I think the writing was a bit repetitive. The characters had the same thoughts over and over about feeling sorry for Annie’s niece and nephew, explaining why they were there, etc. It just got to be too much at times. The same thing can be said for some of the main characters’ backstories. There were a lot of tragic deaths and sad circumstances for the characters, so the holiday feels were kind of minimized in some areas.

Overall, I enjoyed this book – you’ll still see me picking up the newest novel by Thayne each holiday season!

Sleigh Bells Ring by RaeAnne Thayne was a marvellous Christmas read. It warmed my heart, made me tear up a little with a mix of sadness and joy.

It has a cast of characters who all crept in turn into my heart. Those six year old twins Alice and Henry. Oh my. They have so much to deal with, yet their Auntie - Annaliese or Annie for short, may not have had children of her own, but she is just wonderful with them.

Then enter the Sheridan family. Returning to the ranch for one last time before Irene the grandmother intends to sell it now her dear Wallace has died, they fill the house and bring both joy and heartbreak with them. Wallace was someone who wasn't there, but was! What a big heart and great foresight.

The ranch and town and sleigh rides all embodied the Christmas spirit. I loved seeing how they reached out and supported.

There is a facing up to tragedies of the past, and facing into the challenges of the now. And of course relationships develop in the romance way, but in all kinds of ways.

This is a Christmas book you won't regret reading. Although you might regret having to close the book after the last page.

Annie McCade grew up at the Angel View Ranch and has come home again to help her brother raise his twins. The ranch was in their family until it was sold to the Sheridan family years ago. Annie has such fond memories of the Sheridan family and her time spent on the ranch growing up. She has not seen the family in years and is quite surprised when the Sheridan family shows up for one last Christmas after losing their grandfather. The biggest surprise though is how Annie reacts to seeing her childhood crush Tate Sheridan. Can Annie help to make their last Christmas at the ranch the most memorable one at all? Can a Christmas miracle save Annie’s job and her family?

I loved this novel by RaeAnne Thayne. The story is written so beautifully and the way the ranch is described, just makes you want to join Annie and Tate for Christmas. The characters were wonderful, and I loved the addition of the whole Sheridan family being in the book. As readers we also get not one but two love stories along with fun antics from the twins which was a huge bonus. I would love to see this turned into a movie! Many thanks to Harlequin Publishing for an advanced readers copy that I received.

RaeAnne Thayne is one of my go-to, feel-good authors and her newest book, Sleigh Bells Ring, is one of my favorite holiday stories this year. This book checks all of my Christmas story boxes. There's a childhood friend/reunion (closed door) romance, multi-layered family dynamics, adorable kids, complex characters, humor, emotional depth, and a heart-tugging happy ending. I mean, really, what more could I want?

One of the facets of Thayne's writing I most enjoy is her characters. She takes the time to fully develop them, adding layers and depth, giving them flaws that make them both relatable and realistic. I like that they aren't perfect, that they sometimes make bad choices. And I appreciate that she holds them accountable for those choices, giving them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and grow into people who make better decisions.

I very much enjoyed the sense of community in this book, both within the town and within family. Several characters' stories are interwoven throughout the book, adding richness to both the reading experience and the journey of the main couple. The family "community" isn't always smooth sailing but Thayne guides them to a better place with kindness, forgiveness, and love. By the end of the book, I was firmly in each of their corners, cheering them on and happily confident in their futures.

I highly recommend adding this one to your holiday reading list.

ARC received for fair and unbiased review

3.5 stars

Such a sweet and touching Christmas tale. All of the characters are lovely and kind, even while they are each going through their own private pain.

While Annelise and Tate are the central romance to this story, there are side stories that are just as interesting going on with Tate’s sister and others. They all have their own journey and, while there is heartache, they all find their way to happiness in the end.

I found the chemistry in this book to be a low simmer. It seems right to be at that level, though. There’s attraction and comfort with these characters, and that works for a cozy holiday story. There were times I felt the story was a bit stagnant, but for the most part it had a decent flow and kept me engaged.

A heartwarming and beautiful story of new beginnings, family, and love, SLEIGH BELLS RING by RaeAnne Thayne is a must-read this festive season.

​Annie McCade has a lot on her plate what with caring for her niece and nephew for the next month now that her heartbroken brother has landed himself in jail. Having moved back to help her brother after the tragic death of his wife, Annie has watched her brother spiral but she is determined to be there for her family no matter what. But what she didn't expect or need is the ranch owner and their extended family to arrive suddenly for Christmas and with only a few days and the help of one of the family, Tate Sheridan, to get organised, this Christmas is going to be hectic. And when they both need a significant other, what harm could it do to pretend to be in love for Christmas? But will their feelings become more real than either of them are prepared for?

A stunning setting, loveable characters who feel real and relatable, and with sensitive topics like grief dealt with eloquently, SLEIGH BELLS RING by RaeAnne Thayne is a lovely story from beginning to end. Annie and Tate both have to learn to deal with their own baggage but as they became reacquainted, I wanted them to take a chance at happiness for themselves.

SLEIGH BELLS RING by RaeAnne Thayne is a festive romance that is sure to get you into the holiday spirit and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I always love RaeAnne Thayne's books, especially holiday ones, and Sleigh Bells Ring is just holiday perfection. Annie and Tate are awesome characters, and I love that they don't really have a past romantic history - sometimes the whole "we broke up badly years ago but never got over each other" thing gets old, so I was very pleased that the history they shared, while unfortunate, was not that. The interwoven stories of the various Sheridan family members also made this a stand out book - I loved it!

What an amazing holiday read! RaeAnne Thayne captured my heart early on in this story and made her characters ones I was rooting for their happiness.

In this holiday book you actually got two love stories in one. Both were slow going as I like them. They all get their happy endings, as all holiday romances should be!

Disclaimer: I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

I have had the pleasure of reading several of RaeAnne books and she is fast becoming a favorite author of mine.

She has a way of capturing the heart of the characters she writes about.

This story wasn't any different. She had me cheering for them, crying with them, and just completely invested in them. I love how all of RaeAnne's characters are flawed in some way and it's what makes them so relatable. I saw myself in many of the people in this story.

This book is all about friendship, loss, heartbreak, and how at Christmas coming together as a family be it blood or one you choose can help to heal you.

Another wonderful read by RaeAnne Thayne

I love this book. <3

Annie works as a ranch manager on a ranch she grew up on. She is currently taking care of her twin niece and nephew. Their father got in trouble and si spending time in jail. That means that the kind won't see him for Christmas. Having lost their mother not long ago, it's especially heartbreaking.

And then the absent owner appears, informing her that his whole family is coming for Christmas. They rush to decorate the place together and sparks fly. :)

It's a very heartwarming story, of people coming together, family, of finding love and magic of Christmas.

Sleigh Bells Ring
RaeAnne Thayne

RaeAnne’s latest Christmas novel is a feel-good tale about life, regrets, love and moving on, set in the wilds of Wyoming on a ranch that just screams Holiday.
Readers will fall in love with all the characters, Annie, Tate, and the entire Sheridan family, larger than life but also down to earth and they will definitely fall in love with the precocious, precious 6-year-old twins, Henry and Alice. Plus there’s newborn puppies, snow, sleigh rides and a romping good time at the First-Grade Christmas Program and a bonus secondary romance too. The storyline is warm-hearted focusing on family and just what readers expect from this bestseller. If you want that magical Christmas feel all you have to do is open up this book and read.
Merry Christmas!
Anneliese (Annie) McCade has a lot on her plate. Being the live-in caretaker to Angel’s View Ranch in Holly Creek Wyoming and temporary custodian of her rambunctious 6 year-old twin niece and nephew when their father was thrown in jail after his year-long drunk and bad choice a-thon following the sudden and tragic death of his wife and the twin’s mother. She’s also mourning the death of ranch owner and friend Wallace Sheridan and wondering about the future of ranch and her job when she learns the entire Sheridan family are coming home for Christmas as a tribute to Wallace. Including Tate, the boy who she always idolized as a girl.
The best and worse memories for Tate Sheridan have occurred on Angel’s View Ranch and now his family has chosen to spend one last Christmas there because his grandfather loved it beyond measure and it’s the only place to celebrate and memorialize his beloved grandfather’s life. He gets a big surprise when he gets there to help get the ranch ready for his family’s arrival in the form of a snowball to the face thrown by not so little Annie McCade, a person from his past he never thought he’d see again, but one he’s becoming much too enamored with.
Can mutual admiration and respect become love ever after for two lonely hearts?

This was my first time reading this author but I will definitly be trying some more  because I really thought this was very heartwarming and cute!

Annelise (Annie) has been working at Angel's View as the caretaker for a year, after she had to make a move back home to help her brother and his two kids. Annie and her brother grew up on Angel's View as her father had been the ranch maneger, but after divorce, she had to move with her mother. Now her brother has gotten himself in a spot of trouble and landed in jail for the holidays, and Annie is taking care of her niece and nephew who are six year old twins. She only hopes that nobody will mind that she has to have them live with her at the ranch. Since it's just her and the two other ranch manegers she figures it will be fine.

Tate Sheridan is not looking forward to Christmas at the ranch, none of his family is because it's a place of pain for most of them. His grandfather Wallace was the only one who seemed to find peace at Angel's View, for everyone else it is the place where Cole Sheridan died, Tate's father. Wallace has past on and his wife wants to have one more Christmas at the ranch before they decide to sell it. Irene knew how much the place meant to Wallace and wants to spread his ashes there. Tate has come a few days early to get the place reading, and he had no clue Annie was there till he got a snowball to the face. She was playing with her neice and nephew.

Nobody told Annie that anyone was coming for Christmas and now she is a bit panicked because she never asked them if it was okay to have the twins there. She also wasn't prepared for when Tate told her the whole family would becoming for Christmas. After Wallace died, the cook and housekeeper left since there was really no need for them. This is not good news for Tate because he has to have the whole house decorated for Christmas and find a personal chef when it's almost Christmas.

Annie doesn't mind helping and it seems that Tate doesn't mind the kids being there and they must work together to pull of a Christmas for his family and maybe a few sparks will fly in the process.

I really liked all the characters in this one from the main characters to the secondary ones. I am not always a huge fan of kids in my romances but the twins were so cute and added a lot to the story and not just there. They really helped liven up the family. Annie and Tate made such a cute couple and they were not the only two coupling up which was also cute.

This story had a lot going for it not only for Annie who has to deal with her brother and the kids and how it affects Christmas, but she also helps Tate's family heal from the tragic loss they suffered when they were teens. It was just super sweet and heartwarming with all the good Christmas feels.

This was not a steamy romance, so no bedroom scenes and only a few kissing scenes so if you want steamy you might not like it but if you just want a nice feel good romance I recommend it as it was great!

RaeAnne Thayne has a beautiful new Christmas romance out and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it! If you enjoy holiday reads with a dash of second chance love then make sure to grab a copy of this one! RaeAnne never ceases to amaze me with her rich and vibrant stories and the characters she writes come to life! I always end up loving them and rooting for them no matter what issues they may be facing and in the end I always have a huge smile on my face. That is true and so much more for Sleigh Bells Ring. Dare I say this may even my favorite book from her thus far? I think I should! All in all, I very much recommend this one to readers who enjoy a whole, feel good, and comforting read.

Such a good story that kept me reading. I really like this second chance romance. It is a sweet one. It's was a great one to read on a snowy day while drinking a nice hot cup of cocoa.

Sleigh Bells Ring by RaeAnne Thayne is a wonderful standalone Christmas story. Anne McCade, our heroine, moved back to Angel’s View Ranch to help her brother, with two young children, after the death of his wife. Unable to get past his grief, Wes (brother) continues to struggle, and with his disorderly conduct drinking and fighting at the bar, the local judge sentences him to jail until after Christmas. Annie is the caretaker at Angel’s View, which has been quiet since the death of Wallace Sheridan, the patriarch; and brings her twin 6-year-old niece/nephew (Alice & Henry) to stay in her apartment at the ranch.

Annie is surprised when a face from the past, Tate Sheridan shows up at the ranch, as he was also surprised that she was running the ranch. She learns that with Christmas on the horizon, the entire Sheridan family wants to spend Christmas at the ranch for a memorial service to honor their father/grandfather.

Tate, our hero, has taken over the family business, and soon they will sell the ranch, since the family has no need for it. Tate realizes that Annie and two ranch hands are the only one there, and so much work needs to be done, especially putting up Christmas decorations, not to mention the need for a chef.

Annie convinces Tate that she can step in and help, and together they form a friendship to work hard in bringing the Christmas spirit to the ranch. Tate hires a chef, but when things go wrong, it is Annie to steps up to help with the cooking. In a short time, Tate becomes attracted to Annie, as she to him; but neither feel that any relationship is possible, so they avoid their feelings for each other.

I really enjoyed when the Sheridan family all started arriving, with many remembering Annie from years before; especially Brie, who was her best friend when they were kids. With Annie running ragged, Tate and the family offer their help to do some of the cooking, to free her to create blankets for a charity. It was nice to see Alice and Henry spend time with the family, and everyone opening their hearts to them; and Tate was wonderful with the twins. I also loved how Annie and Brie rekindled their friendship; especially with Annie’s feelings for Tate, and Brie’s attraction to the ranch foreman.

Annie was a fantastic heroine, as she always sacrificed herself to ensure everything gets done. The romance between her and Tate had sizzling chemistry, with both fighting their feelings, but Christmas is a magical time.

What follows was a heartwarming, poignant story that was very well written by RaeAnne Thayne. Sleigh Bells Ring was an uplifting Christmas story, with two great couples, wonderful family, cute kids and animals. The storyline covers more then the holiday and romance, with issues that are faced along the way (grief, recovery, family, moving on, forgiveness, etc). I loved the epilogue at the end, which was very nicely done. I really enjoyed this story, and suggest you read Sleigh Bells Ring. If you have not read RaeAnne Thayne, you need to start.

Is it even Christmas without a RaeAnne Thayne book? The answer is NO IT IS NOT! I adore Thayne’s Christmas books so obviously this book was an easy yes to reviewing. In all honesty, I had this one on pre-order months ago because I didn’t want to miss one of her Christmas books. Thayne is such a great romance writer without being overly steamy and I never want to miss one of her books!

This book is a standalone but there are mentions of other characters from previous books that she has written. But I want to be clear this is absolutely a standalone book! But if you are a long time fan of Thayne then you will recognize familiar characters in this book. I read this one in one sitting and found it really enjoyable and exactly what I was expecting from Thayne.

Thayne is a prolific writer and has written a number of novels (series and standalones) but for me her Christmas books are where it’s at! I have read her other novels which are great but she captures small town romance and Christmas so so so well and I often recommend her Christmas books to friends, family and of course people all over my social media! If you are looking for a quick, feel good holiday romance this is an excellent choice!

Summary
Celebrate the season with this sparkling holiday romance, perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber, Dorthea Benton Frank, and Nancy Thayer!

Ranch manager Annie McCade thought her twin niece and nephew could join her at the Angel View Ranch for Christmas with her absent employer being none the wiser. But when the ranch’s owner, Tate Sheridan, shows up out of the blue, Annie’s plans are upended. Soon she finds herself helping Tate make a Christmas to remember for his grieving and fractured extended family.

Sleigh Bells Ring is the latest heartwarming, festive Christmas story by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
Hello Hallmark Holiday movie in book form! This book made me want to move to Wyoming and live on a ranch and have a giant family Christmas! While the main story was about Annie and Tate, I was actually more invested in Bri and Levi’s romance and want a whole other book about them! Tate and Annie were the focus in this one though and they were exactly what I was expecting—honest, hardworking, thoughtful people. Tate was romantic and caring and Annie was so hardworking and dedicated to her brother and his children that there was no way readers could NOT fall in love with both of them. I enjoyed their romance and of course all the holiday magic packed into these pages but there was a part of me that was wanting more from Bri and Levi.

Typically in Thayne’s stories there is a secondary romance that isn’t really the main focus of the story and most of the time that love story stays in the background while readers focus on the main romance. However in this one, Bri and Levi jumped off the page for me and I found myself wanting more about them than Annie and Tate. There was clearly a story behind Levi’s brooding cowboy exterior and Bri had a host of experiences to draw readers in. For me this was the downfall of this book. Without Bri and Levi in this book, the story would have easily been 5 stars for me. But Bri and Levi were in this story and for me, I wanted to read about them more than the other two which became problematic in some ways. That’s why I went with 4 stars for this one. I hope we get a Levi and Bri story in the future—even if they are already an item in this book, I think there is a larger story waiting to be told here.

I adore a sweet holiday romance as much as the next person and Thayne delivered on the holiday charm and love just as expected. Though I will say that while I liked this one, I still think that Christmas at Holiday House is still my favorite Christmas novel by Thayne. This one was a good solid holiday romance with all the things that I love about Hallmark movies but there was still part of me that felt like it wasn’t as good as some of the others that I have read by her. I don’t want to dissuade others from reading this one as it’s a great book but for long time fans of Thayne, this one was good but not as good as some of her others in my opinion.

Book Info and Rating
Format: 352 pages, paperback

Published: October 26 2021 by Harlequin Books

ISBN 9781335522443

Free review copy provided by publisher, Harlequin Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: holiday romance

RaeAnne Thayne’s Sleigh Bells Ring is charming right from its first few paragraphs, where a snowball fight is compared to a full-on battle scene.  The characters are likable, the prose fun and engaging and the story enjoyable, and a really good way to pass an afternoon.  It’s a bit cheesy, but so goes the genre.

Annelis – Annie - McCade’s life has been managing the Angel View Ranch in Holly Creek, Wyoming since she gave up city living.  Annie’s father ran the place and she grew up on the property, but now he’s gone, and even the ranch - which once belonged to her family – is theirs no longer; Annie’s grandfather sold the property out from underneath them to a billionaire, who hired her to caretake the place during his final months.

Annie was fine with being alone, but now her life revolves around other people – the charities she’s knitting a blanket for, and her brother Wes’ six-year-old twins Alice and Henry, who she’s caring for following her sister-in-law’s sudden passing and after Wes’ grief-fueled drunken spree through their hometown landed him in jail. Annie is the only family they have now.

She finds herself retrofitting her life around the two emotionally-scarred children, which means plotting a dream Christmas for them.  She hopes to hold it at the Angel View, even though all of the other employees are supposed to be long gone for the holidays.

Unfortunately, Tate Sheridan, who owns Angel View, decides to come home and spend the holidays there. Following his grandfather’s death, Tate is next in line to run the family business, something he desperately doesn’t want to do.  Annie’s had a crush on Tate since she was eleven, but she’s got a lot on her plate.  Can Annie, Tate and the kids form a family that includes Wes?  And will the children acclimate to their mother’s death and get on with the business of living?

You likely know the answers to these questions, but Thayne wrings something fun and sweet and touching out of the romance anyway.  Interestingly, this romance is very faith-based, which the publisher isn’t trumpeting and which isn’t mentioned in the book blurb; Wes uses his faith in God to get him through his imprisonment.

My biggest caveat is how plot-moppety the twins are – they are so wholly unaffected by their mother’s death I was concerned about their psychological welfare. But they’re really secondary to Annie and Tate’s growth – emotional, spiritual and physical.  The banter between them is good and funny, and reflects how long they’re supposed to have known one another.  They’re a nice couple to follow, and I truly enjoyed Annie as a heroine.  There are also nice messages about addiction, recovery, forgiveness, and how to grieve in a healthy manner.

There’s a fun secondary romance featuring Annie’s best friend, Bree, who also mends fences with Annie after their friendship fell apart years ago.

Perhaps Sleigh Bells Ring leans a little too heavily on women’s fiction tropes, but if you like Christmas romances by Debbie Macomber and similar authors, then you’ll like this one.

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