I loved this cute Christmas story! It was my first time reading something by Pamela Kelley but I will keep my eyes on her name for the future. It helped get me into the Christmas spirit for sure!

Jingle-Bell Jam (River’s End Ranch #32)
Pamela M. Kelley
Bryan Baker is a little out of shape but he has trouble resisting sweets, especially raspberry jam cookies. After injuring his back his doctor/brother strongly suggests he starts working out with a personal trainer. Bryan agrees and hires Melanie, the new manager at the fitness center at the Ranch. He met her previously at trivia night. He likes her a lot but didn’t think she could ever be interested in him. He tries to set her up with his brother, but Amy wasn’t interested in Clark. Melanie is attracted to Bryan, he is sweet, kind and very handsome. Bryan’s ex-girlfriend Amy discourages the couple by pointing out that it is against policy for them to date. Melanie is the new manager of the fitness center at the Ranch. Melanie loves the area and a short time after moving there hires Bryan to design and build her new home.
This is a sweet winter romance. Bryan and Melanie are made for each other. Amy is determined to keep them apart. She didn’t want Bryan but doesn’t like that anyone else is interested in him. It was fun watching Bryan and Melanie fall in love. This is a very quick read.

This was a quick, cute romantic read! It had just enough Christmas and romance, not over the top.
Thanks Netgalley for the arc audio.

Jingle Bell Jam is an absolutely wholesome story! This is a lovely quick read/listen. Brian and Melanie have a lovely tale about meeting each other, and how blizzards effect their relationships. I love the winter time setting and the small town vibe. The beginning of the story is a little confusing because all the characters are front loaded. However, you do get to know them better throughout the story. If you need a sweet love story, this one is for you!

When Bryan hurt his back his doctor advises him to join the new fitness center and work with their physical trainer, Melanie. With the "no dating customers" working against them it is a fun read/listen and an enjoyable seeing how the author brings about a happily ever after ending.

The characters and the book were entertaining, the situations were believable. The narrator was excellent. My favorite part was how the author flawlessly brought local food banks/pantries into the plot and encouraged readers to volunteer and help those less fortunate.

#JingleBellJam #PamelaKelley #LeslieHoward #NetGalley #Holiday #Romance #Audiobook #HEA #PipingPloverPress

Yes - listen to it.

I liked this short Christmas audiobook. Above average characters that you could root for. Interesting storyline that kind of kept your brain thinking. Narrators were ok.

If there was a draw back to the audiobook it is that is short. But it would be the perfect length to get into the Christmas spirit on the plane or in the car as you travel home for the holiday.

I received an advance reader copy audiobook from Netgalley to help prepare my honest review.

This novella is a holiday treat for Pamela Kelley fans! After a back injury, contractor Bryan goes to a personal trainer to help lose a few pounds. He and Melanie hit it off right away, and she hires him to build her house. He has a rule about not dating clients, but Melanie is a constant temptation. Will a little mistletoe wear down their defenses?

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Jingle Bell Jam
by Pamela Kelley
Narrated by Leslie Howard

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley and Piping Plover Press in exchange for an honest review.

At just over 3 hours this was a nice short holiday romance that had a somewhat Hallmark feel to it. Mostly in that it was a closed door romance taking place in a relatively small snowy mountain resort town just before Christmas.

While I always appreciate a main character who doesn’t fit the common mold - I.e. our hero is overweight and out of shape and meets the heroine as his physical trainer following a back injury. I feel like an opportunity was missed to deal more fully with this concept though as a novela I can understand we’re on limited time here.

Things I liked -
The hero has 2 cats.
The jam in the title refers to literal strawberry jam etc.
The hero has a loving family - parents/siblings.
The “villain” is somewhat redeemable.

Things I did not love -
The conclusion felt slightly rushed/quick/easy but again - novella.
We open with a cooky old lady side character who talks to fairies. I can get behind cooky old people side characters in small towns but I need a little more back story to support their character development to make it feel less out of left feel.

Narrator and sound quality were good.

Overall a solid sweet closed door Christmas romance novella.
4.5/5

I was so excited to see this short little holiday audiobook. I listened in one cleaning session and enjoyed it a lot. The story flowed nicely, and the characters were loveable. My only complaint is that by the time the romance started, the book was almost over. There was only maybe 25% where they were actually a couple, which went 0 to 100 WAY too fast. I wished it had a few more chapters added to the end. Overall, a very enjoyable light holiday listen. Would recommend.

This is just the cute romance novella you need to get you into the Christmas spirit. With all of the makings of your favorite hallmark movie, Jingle Bell Jam has lots of potential. It was so enjoyable, I wished for a full length book. I felt as though the ending happened too quickly, and like the conflict wasn't quite compelling enough. Both ended with very little fanfare, and it left me wanting more. I listened to this book on audio, and thought the narrator was a great fit.

I’m sorry to say I did not like this one. I had high hopes as it started off good and christmassy, which is just want I wanted. But I have to say it really comes off as the worst cheesy hallmark movie ever. Some things were way too awkward and weird and made me very uncomfortable. I feel like the book can really bad made a lot more mature so things don’t come off as childish.

A sweet seasonal read that is romantic and filled with friendship and loyalty. It speaks of values and being true to oneself.

Bryan is finally going to take control of his health. Taking his doctor brother's advice, Bryan signs on with a personal trainer. She, Melanie, has recently purchased some land is dreams of building her own home. Bryan happens to design buildings.

Fate seems to keep throwing these two together, even though Bryan's jealous ex-girlfriend does her best to keep them apart. The ex is the sort of character you love to hate.

Its fun to take part in the different activities as Bryan and Melanie get to know each other and discover if they can design a future.

LOVED listening to this story! It was the perfect read for this time of year. It had all the cozy, holiday feels while still feeling very relatable. The plot was dynamic and the characters were unique. Highly recommend! Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this audiobook.

So apparently, this is book #32 of 63, but I had no idea. I enjoyed this story and had no problem following it. This is a Christmas romance between Melanie, personal trainer relatively new to the area and Bryan Baker, a kind-hearted builder/architect who has been instructed to lose weight after a back injury. They are instantly attracted to one another, there is policy at the gym to not date clients and as he is going to build a home for Melanie, there is a conflict there as well. Throw in a jealous ex who tries to keep them apart, and there is some angst, but all works out well in the Christmas romance.

I enjoyed getting to know Melanie and Bryan as well as their friends. It was fun to see them get to know one another, attend trivia nights at the local pub and other festive activities. The gym Melanie works at has some issues with their business, but with Melanie on the case, it soon gets sorted. "Jingle Bell Jam" is a clean holiday romance. Because it is a novella, the ending was a bit quick, but that often happens. Overall, a festive and happy story. The audiobook is narrated by Leslie Howard who does a nice job with the story. Using expression, emotion and inflection she gives voice to the characters. At just over 2 hours at 1.5 speed, this was a pleasant story to listen to in an afternoon.

Bryan Baker is a sweet, if slightly overweight, architect. After he hurts his back, his brother doctor tells him to get a personal trainer to lose some weight and strengthen his muscles to keep it from happening again. Bryan is immediately attracted to his personal trainer, Melanie, and contrary to his assumptions, she likes him back! However, the gym has a policy against employees dating clients, and when Melanie hires Bryan to design the house she wants to build, he has the same policy. Can they find happiness despite these obstacles?

This was a cute novella, though the ending seemed a bit rushed, probably in part due to the length of the story. This sweet, clean romance is part of a series but can easily be read as a standalone. I could easily see this story as a Hallmark movie.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

This is a sweet Romcom story set during Christmas time, so grab your hot chocolate and favorite blanket near the fireplace while you read this light fun read.

Bryan is a bit overweight and is advised by his doctor to join a gym. He does and that is where he meets Melanie who is his fitness instructor.  They like each other but neither one really knows it.

This was a very charming read. I will be looking for more of Pamela  Kelley's books to read in the future when I want a fun light read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. 

#JingleBellJam #Netgalley

I really enjoyed this Christmas story by Pamela Kelley. The narrator, Leslie Howard has such a delightful voice.

The setting is lovely in a quaint little town. The characters are also interesting and friendly with just enough jealousy to spice the storyline. It’s the perfect feel-good story to read by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook. Being a huge fan of Pamela Kelley, it really made my day when I received this audiobook! I discovered Pamela Kelley this year and have already read 9 of her books.

I liked this book as a Christmas book. It had a very different premises. The main characters, Bryan and Melanie, meet because Bryan is instructed by his doctor to lose some weight, and he's referred to Melanie as a fitness trainer. Bryan has always thought Melanie was beautiful but out of his league because of his weight (and, to add to it, also because she hires him to build a house). In turn, Melanie is told by Bryan's ex, Amy, that she can't date clients of the gym, an established, yet dated, rule of the gym. Nevertheless, the two end up gravitating towards each other despite their convictions. The book makes Christmas a circumstance of the calendar rather than the main event, which makes it more of a winter read, or just a regular romance. I like that the most about this book, not to mention that the book challenges the stereotypes of overweight individuals.

This was a very sweet Holiday story. It is short so it is definitely a whirlwind romance. It is a quick read that will help get you into the mood for Christmas. There is great chemistry between the main characters, Bryan and Melanie. Bryan is nursing his heartbreak and loneliness by eating when his brother, a doctor tells him he needs to shed a few pounds or else he is going to have some serious health problems in the future. At his brothers suggestion he meets with a personal trainer, Melanie, at the new gym in town, They immediately connect and she decides to hire him for a construction project. Both have rules against dating clients but the chemistry is undeniable. Are they both going to break the rules to find love and happiness? This has all of the makings of a Hallmark Christmas movie, so if that is what you like than you will like this story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley#JingleBellJam#PamelaKelley

Jingle Bell Jam • Pamela Kelley
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I stumbled across this audiobook scrolling NetGalley for a Christmas audiobook I could listen to while I wrapped presents and did some baking.
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This was lighthearted and quick listen that helped get me into the holiday spirit! It definitely gave me Hallmark movie vibes. The ending seemed like it happened abruptly and threw me off a little. If it was a little longer the ending would have fit better
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Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
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This is apart of LONG book series but was able to be read as a stand-alone