I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great Christmas read. Brenda Jackson did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

One Christmas Wish was such a fun and delightful story. The characters were vividly brought to life, allowing the reader to feel as though they really got to know them. I really enjoyed the story and plot building. Great story to enjoy any time of the year!

Another installment in the Catalina Cove series and I'm here for it. I really enjoy this series overall, but I had to say this one felt a little forced. The story wasn't bad, but a lot of the drama felt forced especially at the end. I just felt like there were other more logical ways to handle the situation that would have made more sense for these characters.

All in all, this one was ok for me but not great.

Two lost and lonely souls find themselves growing closer and falling headlong into love in Brenda Jackson’s latest contemporary romance, One Christmas Wish.

Vaughn Miller’s Wall Street career had come crashing to a sudden and shocking halt when he had been wrongly convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to two years in prison. Now exonerated, Vaughn feels like he has at long last got his life back. He doesn’t need to skulk in the shadows and keep his head down any longer and can now start living again – starting with mustering up the courage to talk to beautiful café owner Sienna Crane and maybe asking her out on a date.

After her marriage had ended badly, Sienna and her six year old goddaughter had returned back home. Determined to make it on her own terms and using her own skills and talents, Sienna had opened a soup café in town. All of Sienna’s hopes and dreams are wrapped up in her new business and the last thing she wants or needs are further complications putting all of her plans for the future into disarray. However, when she claps eyes on handsome Vaughn Miller, Sienna is immediately intrigued by the good-looking loner.

Giving into the attraction that sizzles between the two of them quickly proves inevitable for Vaughn and Sienna. Both of them soon realize that one night together is nowhere near enough, but Sienna had been burned once before and she is not ready to go through all that pain and heartache again – even if Vaughn is one of the good guys.

With Christmas just around the corner, will true happiness ever be within Vaughn and Sienna’s reach? Or is their love simply not meant to be?

Sweet, sparkling and sensuous, One Christmas Wish is classic Brenda Jackson. A heart-warming and engaging contemporary romance about starting over, second chances and the magic of falling in love, One Christmas Wish is the captivating tale of Vaughn and Sienna, two fabulous characters readers will cheer on and be completely and utterly charmed by.

Master storyteller Brenda Jackson has once again penned a must-read contemporary romance with her latest novel, One Christmas Wish.

3.5 stars

One Christmas Wish is the fifth entry in the Catalina Cove series and my first novel by Brenda Jackson. Sierra Crane was raising her young goddaughter, running a small business, and still trying to heal after her ex-husband’s betrayal ended their seven-year marriage. Vaughn Miller has recently been exonerated for a crime he did not commit, after serving two years in prison. A return to his hometown and a fresh start has helped sooth the bitterness over all that he lost. When Sierra and Vaughn met there was instant chemistry, but Sierra was determined to keep her distance. She was slow to trust and unwilling to give up her independence for any man. But Vaughn knew his feelings were the real thing and was patient enough to wait until Sierra could see that, too. Despite Sierra’s efforts to keep things with Vaughn casual, it was obvious she had feelings for him that ran deeper than she was ready to admit. While her hesitancy was understandable (to a point), I found Vaughn’s approach so refreshing. He was a man who had been burned in the past but was willing to put his heart on the line again for the woman he was quickly coming to love. His patience, his understanding, and his care and concern truly made him the star of the show for me. When some drama with Sierra’s ex happened late in the story, her stubbornness and insistence on “handling her own business” became a real stumbling block and it was frustrating to see her fight against someone who was so clearly on her side and trying to help. Thank goodness Vaughn had the patience of a saint! There were a lot of characters mentioned throughout the story and while it was a bit overwhelming at times, it also helped set the stage and reflect what a tight knit community Catalina Cove was. The story did take place over the holidays, the seasonal elements were fairly mild: talk of the small town’s Christmas on Main Street, a tree decorating party. I found the story’s “twist” concerning the titular Christmas wish to be a bit over the top with the kismet aspect, and truly not necessary to the story, but it also didn’t detract from my enjoyment. One Christmas Wish was a quaint small town romance with a strong focus on the community and those who called Catalina Cove home. Readers looking for a heartwarming comfort read with a bit of spice will surely enjoy Jackson’s One Christmas Wish.

‘One Christmas Wish’ by Brenda Jackson was a cozy, heartwarming read perfect for the season. Definitely recommend!

Sierra is back to Catalina Cove after a nasty incident leading to her divorce from Nathan, her ex-husband together with her god daughter. Focusing on starting a new life with her god daughter, finding new love is far from her mind until she met Vaughn. From the moment he set eyes on Sierra, he was attracted to her but Sierra’s insecurity have make him to slow down and allow Sierra’s to take charge of their relationship. Something that he is trying to get use to.

This is the 5th book under Catalina Cove series and is my 3rd book. Love the setting where all the story take place. with strong focus on the community. This is a story of 2nd chance for both Sierra and Vaughn to find their true love. Both have experience betrayal in their past relationship and it is understandable that both are vary in this new attraction of theirs, I love how Vaughn allow Sierra to take control but at the same time, he know when to be firm. Their romance and passion really make this a very steamy and romance read to me,

Vaughn Miller's Wall Street career came to a screeching halt when he was wrongfully convicted and served two years in prison. Although fully exonerated, Vaughn still has to prove himself. What better place for him to do that than to return to his hometown in Catalina Cove.

Vaughn is not the only one starting over. Sierra Crane is doing the same thing, for altogether different reasons. Her marriage had imploded after she caught her husband cheating. Sadly due to the death of her best friend Rhonda, Sierra Crane is now guardian to her four-year-old goddaughter Teryn. She is running a small restaurant called The Green Fig. Business is going well and Sierra loves her role as a mother.

Seirra and Vaughn soon meet and their lives will soon forever be changed. Although they both grew up in the same town, a few years difference in ages meant that they never had actually met. Furthermore, Vaughn's family was one of wealth and Sierra's was completely opposite. The two are rather immediately drawn to one another and begin to spend time together.

However, Vaughn is still dealing with his past and Sierra's previous broken relationship has left her with a lot of baggage. Will the pair be able to get past their differences and the challenges they face and find their way to a love everlasting?

Although this is the fifth book in the Catalina Cove series, it did very well as a standalone. However, this story, the members of the town and the love story as developed in this book make me want to go back and read the first four books in the series.

Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The Review

The author immediately brought a level of intrigue to the characters with the introduction of Vaughn. His backstory and the trials and tribulations he endured to get to the point he is at in the story was so emotionally driven, and to be able to convey that in a short introduction to the character and bring those emotions to the forefront showed the depth of the author’s writing immediately. Sierra showed such strength and resilience in the face of her own tragic past and highlighted the power and heart that goes into owning our own power and our ability to fight our own battles while still having a support system.

The romance and passion really drove this narrative forward greatly. The story does incorporate a bit of holiday setting and magic into the book, but this is definitely still a very steamy and heated romance, delving into both the emotional depths of their relationship and the more intimate and sexual nature of their bond together, giving romance readers a well-rounded narrative overall.

The Verdict

A brilliant, heartfelt, and truly creative holiday romance, author Brenda Jackson’s “One Christmas Wish” is a must-read story this holiday season. For fans of passionate and heated romances with a heartwarming holiday twist, the narrative takes readers on an emotional journey that tears down two people’s barriers and ends on a fantastically emotional twist of an ending that will keep readers feeling all the feels this holiday.

This is not my first Brenda Jackson, but it is my first book in this series and it is the fifth book. This book can definitely be read as a standalone, but I feel like it would be more robust if you have read the other books in the series as I believe characters from previous books show up and you get an updated look at their lives. This story is great if you're looking for a cozy and heartwarming story about relationships, family and friendships. It has that wonderful Christmas setting and vibe, while also being a great story about Sierra and Vaughn. It was pretty low on the angst, but that doesn't mean it skimped on the roadblocks that they came up against. All in all it was a really enjoyable read and I may just go back and check out the previous books in the series.

One Christmas Wish is the fifth entry in the Catalina Cove series and my first novel by Brenda Jackson. Sierra Crane was raising her young goddaughter, running a small business, and still trying to heal after her ex-husband’s betrayal ended their seven-year marriage. Vaughn Miller has recently been exonerated for a crime he did not commit, after serving two years in prison. A return to his hometown and a fresh start has helped sooth the bitterness over all that he lost. When Sierra and Vaughn met there was instant chemistry, but Sierra was determined to keep her distance. She was slow to trust and unwilling to give up her independence for any man. But Vaughn knew his feelings were the real thing and was patient enough to wait until Sierra could see that, too.

Despite Sierra’s efforts to keep things with Vaughn casual, it was obvious she had feelings for him that ran deeper than she was ready to admit. While her hesitancy was understandable (to a point), I found Vaughn’s approach so refreshing. He was a man who had been burned in the past but was willing to put his heart on the line again for the woman he was quickly coming to love. His patience, his understanding, and his care and concern truly made him the star of the show for me. When some drama with Sierra’s ex happened late in the story, her stubbornness and insistence on “handling her own business” became a real stumbling block and it was frustrating to see her fight against someone who was so clearly on her side and trying to help. Thank goodness Vaughn had the patience of a saint!

There were a lot of characters mentioned throughout the story and while it was a bit overwhelming at times, it also helped set the stage and reflect what a tight knit community Catalina Cove was. The story did take place over the holidays, the seasonal elements were fairly mild: talk of the small town’s Christmas on Main Street, a tree decorating party. I found the story’s “twist” concerning the titular Christmas wish to be a bit over the top with the kismet aspect, and truly not necessary to the story, but it also didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

One Christmas Wish was a quaint small town romance with a strong focus on the community and those who called Catalina Cove home. Readers looking for a heartwarming comfort read with a bit of spice will surely enjoy Jackson’s One Christmas Wish.

This is a cute and spicy small town romance set in Jackson’s Catalina Cove series and I throughly enjoyed the complex world that she has created. There are layers of characters from previous books and series plus she set up two future romances all in this one book. Vaughn and Sierra were great main characters and I have serious craving for some truly delicious soups and sandwiches thanks to Sierra’s restaurant. I especially enjoyed how honest Sierra and Vaughan were with each other when it came to both their feelings and past hurts. And when things start heating up between them they truly heat up so be prepared for some steamy scenes. While I did find the story enjoyable I also think that there was just a tad too much drama. I did really enjoy the ending and thought it was an emotional and fulfilling ending to an entertaining and sexy romance.

As a longtime fan of Brenda Jackson, I eagerly leapt at the chance to read One Christmas Wish. This is the fifth book in the Catalina Cove series, but it works well as a standalone. The story mentioned the couples from the previous books and provided updates on their lives.

 Visiting Catalina Cove, a vibrant coastal Louisiana town steeped in French Creole and southern history, was a delightful experience. A small town ran by a wealthy business owner, who offered low interest business loans to entice former residents to return and help to revitalize the business district. Most of the residents who accepted the offer found love. Vaughn Miller and Sierra Crane are the latest pair to find love in this magical town. However, before they can seize their chance at a happily ever after, they would need to let go of the pain associated with their pasts.

Vaughn Miller is a total hottie with alpha tendencies. One could clearly see why all the single ladies had their eyes on him. However, he was not willing to give love a second chance, but all that changed when he met the beautiful Sierra Crane. The one woman who made him feel things he never thought possible. If only she would give him a chance to prove that love can be wonderful the second time around.

Sierra is not looking for an intimate relationship. Events from her previous marriage left her with a bitter taste. Her focus lies in the raising of her goddaughter and operating her soup and sandwich restaurant. So, giving her heart to a man, even one who made her feel things she never felt before, was not on her agenda.  

One Christmas Wish delivered a heartwarming and cozy holiday romance. The story features a slow burn romance and also gave a peek into the next couple's story. Getting to know the Vaughn and Sierra proved a delightful experience. They made a wonderful couple. Vaughn’s patience and love shined throughout the story. No matter how many roadblocks Sierra erected, he patiently tore them down, one by one. However, she sure did not make it easy for him. Especially near the end, when she didn’t trust him to have her back and almost lost all she held dear. 

One Christmas Wish hit the spot and left me craving another visit to Catalina Cove.

I have enjoyed my visits to Catalina Cove, a small town not far from New Orleans. This is the fifth full length book in the series, but you do not have to read them all to enjoy this story. I will say that there are characters present from previous books, so there may be a couple of spoilers if you want to go back and read the previous books. This book is the story of Vaughn Miller and Sierra Crane. Both of them had left Catalina Cove, but returned. Vaughn had worked on Wall Street, but been wrongly convicted of a crime and spent two years in prison. When he was cleared and released, he headed back to the town he had grown up in. Sierra returned to the Cove after her divorce. Not only had her marriage ended, but her best friend had died and she was now the guardian of her goddaughter. Sierra has opened her own soup café that has become a town favourite. When Vaughn comes into the café, he is attracted to Sierra and begins to pursue her. Sierra has now adopted six-year-old, Teryn, who really likes Vaughn. She is the one that insists on the One Christmas Wish that gives the book it's title. Of course all is not rosy and Sierra's ex shows up wanting her back and threatening to sue for joint custody of Teryn. There is lots happening and you will need to pick this up to learn more.

I enjoy this series and meeting up with characters from previous books. This is a Christmas romance with some angst, strong characters, sense of family, forgiveness and second chances. Sierra is afraid to get involved with another man, but is attracted to Vaughn. She wants to take care of Teryn and herself, without needing a man, so gets very angry when Vaughn wants to "fix" things. She needs to realize that sometimes help from others is a good thing. I loved Teryn's character. She was sweet and trusting even after what she had been through in her own life, losing both her parents. My one complaint is that there were a few open door bedroom scenes that were rather descriptive. In the previous books in this series, they were not as steamy, so I was not expecting this and skimmed those sections. I do enjoy this series, but be prepared for more heat than the previous books. Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend this to those who enjoy a steamy second chance romance.

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

When I first received this book I was excited t find a new author to enjoy. I admit I did not know until after downloading it that it was the fifth book in a series. Though I enjoy it I wish I had read the previous books so I was better acquainted with some of the characters.

With that said this was a beautiful story of healing and love after suffering heartache and betrayal. I valued the way the author allowed the characters to get to know each other and to slowly find their way. It was refreshing to see an author create a story where love can blossom again and how a heart can heal.

this story held me captive as I took the journey with Sierra and Vaughn. Their story was beautiful. It left me in tears at times and sparked joy in my heart.

A small town for the holiday is just the sort of comfy, heartwarming romance setting I crave. Brenda Jackson has brought her readers back to Catalina Cove for a new lovers getting a second chance surrounded by friends, family, and community that makes the magic of the holidays a delicious extra to an already engaging story.

One Christmas Wish is the fifth in a series of standalone romances. There are mentions of previous couples and updates with them, but there is no trouble jumping in with this one like I did.

Catalina Cove is a small hamlet on the gulf coast of Louisiana with a rich history of Creole, southern, and, oh yes, a pirate finding romance founded the town. A wealthy business owner has put up low interest business loans to help draw back former residents and revitalize the town business district. This ends up revitalizing several lonely people who find love and home in Catalina Cove.

The latest pair is to discover an attraction have complicated painful pasts to overcome.
Vaughn Miller went to prison for a crime he didn’t commit and was exonerated, but the damage had been done in some quarters like his fiancé who took off and wouldn’t believe in his innocence. He has been afraid to give love a second chance until he encounters a lovely woman who attracts him on all levels. She is more hesitant than he is, but he decides she’s worth it and settles in for the long game of coaxing Sierra Crane into giving happily ever after with Vaughn a chance.
Sierra once had a marriage that on paper would be the envy of all until she caught her husband cheating and realized that he would make her choose between him and her late best friend’s orphaned child since he wanted no children to gum up his life. Opening a soup and sandwich shop in her hometown and focusing entirely on six year old Teryn and her business is all she wants. Never again will she take a chance with her heart even for a man who makes her feel like she never felt before. She gets one Christmas wish according to her goddaughter so what should she use it on?

For the most part, this was a lovely, gentle low-angst holiday romance against backdrop of a town celebrating the holidays with some bedroom spice and a southern style. Oh sure, there are some exes to contend with and Sierra did hold out a long time and even chose to blow up some drama because she got cold feet after she did open up, but yes, it was a sure heart-warmer. Another favorite part of this fab holiday romance was that it left me craving all sorts of home-made soups, sandwiches, and regional holiday cooking.

So, a small town Gulf Coast holiday romance hit the spot and left me craving more Catalina Cove. Those who enjoy a slightly spicy low angst romance should add this one to the holiday reading pile.

I've enjoyed each book in Brenda Jackson's Catalina Cove series. She brings this small southern Louisiana town to life and populates it with intriguing characters who are easy to root for. While fans of the series will no doubt enjoy catching up with some of those earlier characters, Sierra and Vaughn are new to the series. Readers who are also new to the series can easily begin with One Christmas Wish without any confusion.

Sierra and Vaughn's relationship is not without its challenges, with Sierra throwing up roadblocks with frequency. Her former marriage definitely took a toll on both her own self-worth as well as her willingness to let another man into her life. I wanted to toss her ex off a remote, very high, cliff for what he put her through both during their marriage as well as in the present. She has some growing - and healing - to do in order to be ready to open her heart again.

Vaughn has emotional baggage in his past as well but seems to have reached a point where he's dealing with it better than Sierra. He's such a good guy. I loved his chemistry with Sierra and the deeper feelings he's ready to embrace. I also loved his interactions with Sierra's adopted daughter, Teryn, a six-year-old dynamo who steals every scene she's in.

While reading this book, I spent a lot of time drooling over the soup specials at Sierra's restaurant (I need recipes) as well as immersing myself in the holiday events in Catalina Cove. Jackson depicts the town so vividly.

There are a few secondary stories intersecting with Sierra and Vaughn's relationship which add intrigue, angst, a threat against Sierra, and the introduction of a new couple for a future book. There are also some threads left hanging from the potential resolution of the issue regarding Sierra's ex-husband. I hope that will be addressed in the next book. Only then, will I be certain of the happy ending this book promises.

I can always count on Brenda Jackson for an immersive reading experience that brings all the feels and she delivers once again with this newest Catalina Cove tale. I'm already looking forward to my next visit to this small, friendly town on the bayou where second chances and love await new residents as well as those who find their way back home.

ARC received for fair and unbiased review

So it turns out this is the 5th in a series and I had no idea. It didn't really matter, though anyone who's read the previous books will recognize all the names dropped, I'm sure. I liked that it took place in Lousiana. The culture is so fun (and tasty!) down there.

This romance ain't for the simple romance readers. This is straight-up Mature Audiences only, so don't go lending this one to Auntie Berta or your gramgram. Unless you want some embarrassing moments between ya.

This is a good one, friends. Enjoy!

One Christmas Wish, by Brenda Jackson, book five in her Catalina Cove series, is a return to the amazing and healing bayou town and its fascinating residents.Vaughn Miller was falsely imprisoned, and was finally cleared of all wrong doing; after his release from prison. He had kept to himself but that all changed once he stopped in a restaurant call The Green Fig which served amazing home-made soup. The owner, Sierra Crane was getting over a failed marriage from a deceitful and controlling ex-husband and the proud of Teryn, her adopted goddaughter, daughter of her best friend Rhonda, who had died from cancer. Both Vaughn and Sierra grew up in the Cove, left for greener pastures, but eventually returned. Vaughn recognized Sierra’s broken, betrayed heart which had erected protective walls around her heart and her need to move slowly. Determined to win her over, he made sure that they spent time getting to know each other, becoming friends, including Teryn in their activities, before falling in love with one another. The inclusion of Teryn in this story, especially her “one Christmas wish” notion, plays a major part in the story; one you will understand when you read the story. The story not only sizzles with romantic heat, but it also tugs at your heart strings, and reassures that good things can happen to good people. I highly recommend One Christmas Wish to other readers and look forward to Velvet and Jaye’s story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

One Christmas Wish is book 5 in Brenda Jackson's Catalina Cove series, but it can be read as a standalone. There are some characters that I get the feeling were from earlier books, but I haven't had the pleasure of reading those yet, and I didn't feel like I was really missing anything I needed. It did make me curious to read those earlier books though. Anyway, there are several characters in this book, but the focus is on Sierra and her goddaughter, Teryn, and Vaughn. The many secondary characters serve to give the story that small-town feel.
There is cause for angst from outside sources. Plus Sierra doesn't want a serious relationship - it's a once-bitten, twice shy kind of thing - while Vaughn is determined to change her mind and her heart. I won't lay out the outside sources, but I will add that despite the reasons for angst, Brenda Jackson kept this whole story pretty laid back as far as that goes. It's an easy read, which made for a nice weekend read for me.
The story does take place around the holiday, but the setting is Louisiana, so we get the flavors of the region, including the warmer weather, which was a nice change from my own weather right now.