The spirit of Christmas is revealed in "The Christmas Spirit". Christmas is a time of welcoming others into our lives and hearts and this book shows us how to live this.

The book begins with a grandmother telling her grandchildren a story and as the reader quickly realizes, the story is a true one. The story follows two men who think the other has life easier. Agreeing to switch jobs for a week, they quickly realize things aren't what they seem. The reversal of roles also opens them to new friends, friends who might have not found a way into their circle. The story reminds us that we're called to love, care and respect those might not think, act or believe as we do. Such an important message in our conflicted world.

If you're looking for a quick read to get you in the holiday spirit, 'The Christmas Spirit" fits the bill. I read it during a three-hour flight.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. #TheChristmasSpirit

I really enjoyed this delightful story. Loved the story and the characters. When a Nana is telling her grandkids a story, they don't realize they already know the characters in the story. Peter and Hank have been friends most of their lives. They meet regularly to have lunch and one day, they started talking about how their lives are busy and that they each have hard jobs. Peter is a pastor and Hank owns a bar. They came up with the idea to switch jobs for a few days because they each think the other has an easy life. They could not have been more wrong. As they switch jobs, they both learn so much and realize they have to make some changes. And the added bonus is they, along with a few others, find the true meaning of Christmas.

The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber is another of her wonderful delightful novels that take place during the Christmas holidays. The story centers on two men, who have been best friends since their elementary school days, which each choosing a different path in life. Hank Colfax runs a popular family-owned tavern; Peter Armstrong is a local pastor, dedicated to his faith and community. They meet weekly at a restaurant (Mom’s Place), and both discuss who has the harder job. Peter claims that Hank has it easier compared to him, and the two best friends decide to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. To both of their surprise, they discover that things are more difficult than they expected.

Peter has to deal at the tavern with regulars, who insist he knows nothing about pouring beer, causing long delays; he also meets the local bikers, who spend lots of time at the bar; not to mention the young women who work at a strip club. This was a fun story how they learn about Peter being a pastor, and help him along the way.

Hank takes over Peter’s job, and has to deal with Peter’s sister, who is very difficult. Hank knows that Grace has changed over the years, but he finds that he still has a crush on her; he will slowly get her to open up and relax more. Hank also must deal with a mean old lady, who after meeting Hank, decides she will no longer donate to the church or pay for the new roof. When Grace learns about this, she is beside herself, but Hank convinces her that the old lady is cruel and has no faith, especially not helping her family. When Hank meets the board, he makes some suggestions to make more money (bingo, etc), with Grace beginning to realize how Hank was making things better.While Hank begins to win Grace over, Peter meets Millie, who works at the restaurant.

Millie needs a job to pay the bills, and Peter offers her a job to help at the Bar; with Hank’s approval. Slowly, both men find love during the course of the week. This really was a wonderful feel-good story. It was also wonderful how everyone joined together (at the bar and church) to plan a wonderful Christmas Party, with many from the bar and church going out of their way to brings things together.

I really loved most of the characters, and totally enjoyed this story. The Christmas Spirit was a quick and wonderful story, centered on the holidays and community spirit. The Christmas Spirit was so very well written by Debbie Macomber. I suggest you read this sweet wonderful story.

This a really feel good read, and it really shows the true meaning of Christmas.
A grandmother telling a real story to her grandchildren, and a true one, not a Once Upon A Time, and she has to tell her Grandson when there is kissing! Love it!
The story is so heart warming, and kind of unbelieveable, a pastor and a bar tender trade jobs! Ok, can you imagine the surprises of the patrons and parishioners! Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall at both places!
We have changes of hearts and many surprises, who would have thought that the bartender would give bible lessons?
You don't want to miss this sweet read, I really enjoyed it, in fact once the first page was turned I kept reading to the end!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House Group - Ballantine, and was not required to give a positive review.

There is nothing better than reading a Macomber to enter in the holidays and The Christmas Spirit is the very best of them all.

This is not a lengthy book and yet it tells the story of two men and their adventure of stepping into the other man’s shoes prior to the Christmas holiday. I loved the way this was set up with the Grandmother giving the children a story. Their reactions, cheers and jeers were fun and had me smiling.

Each of the heroes had an interesting way of going about doing their new job as well as building a new or renewed relationship with the heroines. I was totally in love with Hank and Pete and giggled myself silly through some of their misadventures. Through it all, there was the sweetest feeling of unity, love and charity that was soothing to my own soul.

The romance is sweet and fast, the characters entertaining and the book worth reading just to get to the most perfect feel good ending ever!

This is a sweet, sweet story. It's amazing that the children can't connect the dots about their relatives. But when they realize who Nana was talking about, it is truly sweet. If you need a good, clean book to cleanse your brain from the more serious books, this is one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for honest review.

When I think of Debbie Macomber, I think Christmas! I really adored her new Christmas novel- it is a super quick read, one that you will not be able to put down. I love the premise of the book and how kind/loving all of the characters were. (I also loved the ending- it is my favorite when authors let us know how everything ends up). I highly recommend!

This book is aptly named because it made my spirit soar too! I just love the way the author crafted this story. It is a unique and delightful blend of Christian romance and women’s fiction. A feel-good Christmas story that makes us a bit humble and lets us have a few laughs too.

I don’t know how many Macomber stories I have read, but so many of them have struck a chord with me. She knows how to get to the heart of the story and strike a cord right in your soul. This one is the perfect example.

Fun and heartwarming, The Christmas Spirit is a wonderful way to kick off your holiday romance reads this year!

Macomber is quickly becoming one of my most favorite Romance | Women's Fiction Authors!

The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber is yet another heartfelt, remarkable Christmas read from the queen of Christmas stories.

Peter and Hank have Ben friends forever. Living completely different lives.
Peter, who is a local pastor and dedicated to his community, and with the holiday season quickly approaching he is preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity.
Hank who serves as a bartender at his family-owned tavern serves a much different crowd.
Peter and Hank decide to trade places the week before Christmas and end up finding love along the way and discovering each other in a whole new light in this surprising novel from a favorite of mine!

Debbie Macomber weaves a sweet tale of love and the true meaning of Christmas.
I love reading Debbie's books, they always leave me feeling warm and fuzzy.
This is a wonderful tale about two friends helping each other, kindness, love and the true meaning of friendship.
The way this story is told to us is brilliant, yet remarkable! I couldn't get enough of it.
I loved the charming characters, the life lessons that were learned and the sense of community.
She gives us memorable characters.
Her stories are heartfelt yet realistic.
The settings are so descriptive they make you feel as though you are there.
A perfect Christmas story that I highly recommend.

I can't wait to read more books from this one of a kind writer. Her stories are tender, genuine, and uplifting.

In The Christmas Spirit, Debbie Macomber celebrates the true meaning of the holidays and the inclusive community spirit that binds us all.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Random House & Ballantine,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

Once again, Debbie Macomber has given us a heartwarming book for Christmas. It’s truly a story that shares with the reader what Christmas is all about and that it’s for everyone. I wholeheartedly recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this early copy to enjoy in exchange for my honest review.

There’s just something about a Debbie Macomber Christmas story. They are generally short, easy reads that leaves you feeling wonderful. I adored that the story is told by a Grandmother telling her grandchildren the story. I loved the varied characters. The true meaning of Christmas comes across in the story. The Christmas Spirit is a wonderful way to kick off your holiday romance reads this year! Highly recommend.
Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (October 3, 2022)
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley AND purchase copy via the Brenda Novak Monthly Book Club Box (December)

#TheChristmasSpirit #HolidayRomanceBook #DebbieMacomber @debbiemacomber #BallantineBooks #BrendaNovakBookBoxes #BookClubMonthlyRead #BrendaNovakBookClub #BookReview #ComfyChairBooks #womensfiction

Thank you to @randomhouse (Ballantine) and #netgalley for an early release copy of The Christmas Spirit.

What is the Christmas Spirit? 🎄🎅🎁🙏

Peter is a penny-pinching pastor, who sees the good in everyone and has a good head on his shoulders. Hank, his best friend, owns a tavern and although they seem polar opposites, they keep their friendship up by eating lunch at a diner at least once a month. Grace Ann, Peter's sister, is a perfectionist who has come to believe that she's only worthy of love if she's perfect. Throw in some humorous, sweet, and romantic scenes and this is the recipe for the Christmas book. Each of them finds the Christmas Spirit by reaching out of their comfort zones.

The plot is very predictable when Macomber sets up the switch between these two friends; however, the growth of the characters is the best part of Macomber's writing. 💯

The story line is set in the '70s and present day. It's easy to follow along even though there are more than a few characters we meet during the story. The message is pure and exactly what we need to read right now. 🌟♥️🎶
4 stars for a Christmas novel to kick off the season with!

Peter Armstrong and Hank Colfax are best friends with totally different lives. Peter is a pastor and Hank a bartender. They decide to switch lives for the week before Christmas and are surprised how similar their jobs yet more difficult than they imagined. A beautiful story about finding love and how the magic of Christmas can unite people of all walks of life together.



Thanks to Debbie Macomber and Ballantine Books for the book!

I absolutely loved this book. 10 stars. Have you ever wanted to slow a book down so it will last longer. That was this book for me. This book is about a story that is told to 2 grandchildren from the grandmother. The grandson wants nothing to do with the kissing parts. He wants to hear more about the motorcycle gang. The granddaughter loves the romantic and kissing parts. (So do I). This is a story that truly happened one chrismas about how the romance began for the grandparents., but the children do not realize it until the very end. I loved every minute I read. I think my favorite book this year.

A wonderful way of telling a story of learning and sharing the Christmas spirit. Love how Nana is telling her grandkids a story of two best friends that are really the opposite of one another. Pete is a pastor and Hank is a bartender. So the week before Christmas they decided to trade places to discover who has the harder life. They both have eye opening experiences, finding love and realizing that life is not what one always believes in. There is a wonderful sense of humor throughout that had me laughing out loud. Well done! Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #TheChristmasSpirit

This is a sweet, wholesome story about the true meaning of Christmas and what it means to live in community with one another. It's written as a story within a story, flip-flopping between the narrator telling her grandchildren a story and then the reader experiencing the events she's describing depicted on the page. The transitions are seamless and quite clever.
The Christmas Spirit will appeal to readers who enjoy Macomber's straightforward writing style, books featuring a close-knit community with flawed yet loveable characters, and an uplifting story that revolves around the traditional themes of Christmas. I appreciated that the author used this hope-filled story to remind us all that we are called to love and care for one another, even if we don't all look a certain way or share the exact same worldview. Macomber has a gentle and kind author voice, but didn't shy away from depicting the negative impact of legalism in our church families.
I thought this was a lovely book and a great way to kick off the holiday reading season.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

Two lifelong friends decide to trade places the week before Christmas and end up finding love along the way in this delightful novel from the queen of holiday stories.
This is a sweet romance story full of mistakes and guilty feelings.
Although I have heard of her I have seldom read books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

The Christmas Spirit
Debbie Macomber
October 18, 2022

This holiday treat from Ms Macomber is a true delight. She begins her tale with a visit from her grandchildren Lance and Lily. They’ve come to spend the day with Nana. Lance hopes to bake cookies with her while Lily would prefer to sit down and listen to another one of her stories. In this instance Nana sides with Lily as she is tired from morning activities. She makes hot chocolate and snuggles down with the children on the couch to begin the tale.
Readers begin this book thinking that it will be another of her famous books that take us on a celestial romp with family and friends. It is of sorts but as I refuse to open up Pandora’s box I will only say it is not a book to be missed. I realize Macomber’s fans will not pass it up. If you are wavering on the selection, pick this one up, such an enjoyable read!
The Christmas Spirit will be published by Ballantine Books of New York on October 18, 2022. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Debbie Macomber’s latest publication via NetGalley. Her books are always a pleasure. The Christmas Spirit was a surprise. It was unexpectedly funny although it gives the reader thoughts to view people from a new perspective of the life they seem to lead. Please read this one and relish its holiday charm.

Oh how I love Debbie Macomber's Christmas books. They always fill me with such warmth and happy feelings.
I love how deep the characters are. They feel so real and they are the kind of people I wish I knew in real life.
The story is so well written and the perfect addition to a cup of hot chocolate and a cozy blanket.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own *

This was my very first Debbie Macomber read and I have to say I’ll be coming back for more, this was a beautiful holiday romance, Debbie’s words captured my heart as I read them, it was adorable! I also really liked the page details on each chapter.