I always enjoy any books written by Debbie Macomber, but her holiday reads tend to be among my favorite... and The Christmas Spirit certainly was no exception.

The story starts out with a grandmother sitting down to tell her grandchildren a story--- that story being the main one in the book: a story of two very different best friends- one a bar owner and one a pastor- making the decision to trade roles for the week. What a week that turns out to be! Now, in many ways I thought part of the story seemed perhaps a bit unrealistic... but you know, that's the magic of storytelling, isn't it? Would a group of church goers readily accept and welcome a group of bikers and strippers as easily as they did here? Perhaps not, if we're being honest... but it was a beautiful example of how the church should be, isn't it? With lots of humor and Christmas cheer, I couldn't help but enjoy this uplifting story.

I thought the story-telling aspect really worked so wonderfully in this book. I loved the banter between the grandchildren, and it really gave it more of that warm, family feeling that is so great in a holiday tale!

Overall, I really enjoyed this quick read. Fans of holiday romances are sure to want to check it out this season!

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Did not finish @ 32%. I really tried to get through this one because my mom has mentioned Debbie Macomber's works in the past. "The Christmas Spirit" might as well have been called "Look at How Much Jesus We Can Shove Down Your Throat in 300 Pages." Yikes. This book was definitely not for me. I don't love Debbie Macomber's writing style all that much, it leaves next to nothing to the imagination. I feel like she's way too retro for me, like she's one step away from telling me to "get back in the kitchen." This type of story is definitely for people who have a "good 'ol boys" mentality. It's predictable and almost entirely devoid of charm, and sickeningly sweet in a "if I eat one more bite of this cotton candy, I'm gonna hurl" sort of way. But still, thanks to Netgalley for the ARC copy!

Every Christmas Debbie Macomber writes a holiday story.  This story centers on 2 friends who change places right before Christmas.  Hank and Pete have totally different occupations.  Hank is a bartender and Pete is a pastor.  Both men have important roles to play in sharing God's love and wisdom.

I read this in October but this story is great for anytime of the year. Christmas love and spirit can be year round.

It has been a minute since I have read a Debbie Macomber book and this one does not disappoint! The Christmas Spirit features an insta-romance as well as a best friend's sister romance. It is a quick read with a lot of holiday cheer!

This book starts out with Nana telling her grandchildren (Lance & Lily) a different kind of story…not a “Once Upon a Time” story but a “In the Beginning” real life story about two best friends Hank & Peter.

Hank & Peter have been best friends since elementary school and still make time to catch up every month. These two are SO different - Hank tends the bar at this family’s tavern and is more of the “bad guy” type whereas, Peter is a pastor and is the “good guy” type. They both think their work is harder than the other so Hank comes up with the idea to swap jobs for a week (until Christmas Eve). While they both have challenges, they come to realize that both of their jobs are quite similar but with different types of customers.

I really enjoyed this story…although I am not entirely certain that a 6 & 8 year old really needed to be told a story about drug dealers and strippers. I love all of the secondary characters as much as the primary characters! There is a lot of emotion in this story - loss, love, happiness and laughter! My favorite books are ones where I can feel all of these emotions from the author's words. This story just shows how important it is to treat all people with kindness and not to judge someone based on their profession or their past.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, NetGalley and Debbie Macomber for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book for my honest review!

I loved reading this book and what a great start to the holiday reading. This is an author that I have been reading for years and she never lets me down. This is a well written story that will put you in the spirt of Christmas for sure. It is a story that is full of Christmas spirt and characters that are full of heart and soul. I enjoyed how the characters were able to pull me into the story from the start. Find out what happens when to friends trade places for a week. They just might find more than they were expecting. This is a great story that has great growth and chemistry with the characters. This is a story that is hard to put down and easy to read. I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it.

This was so cute and I really loved it. It was such a good read and I really enjoyed my time with it. Definitely put me in the Christmas spirit.

The Christmas Spirit, written by Debbie Macomber, is another feel-good, Christmas story and exactly what we expect to get from this author! I’m a sucker for a good Christmas story and this one didn’t disappoint. This book was wholesome, sweet, and reminds the reader of a time when things were simpler, given that the story was told from Grandma’s point of view, set in a time when things seemed easier and more carefree.

A love story is what we expect to receive from Debbie Macomber, and she certainly delivered! The switching of jobs for both Peter and Hank was a nice twist, especially given their very different jobs! The pastor manning the bar and the bartender taking over the delivery of Christmas baskets and the live manger scene had moments of fun and laughter, while also allowing each of them to find their own “person”. As usual, this was a great book by this author!

“The Christmas Spirit” by Debbie Macomber
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Release Date: 10/18
Genre: Christian romance

This was a cute and quick read. It was kind of cheesy. Not my favorite of hers. If you are looking for a Christian Romance this is for you. I enjoyed her Christmas book last year a little more.

Hank and Peter have been best friends since grade school. Peter is a pastor of his church and Hank owns the local bar. They both think there job is way harder than their friend. They come up with the idea to switch places the week before Christmas. While they switch places they both learn new life lessons and find romance.

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The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber will do just what it says- put you in a Christmas spirit. It is a typical Macomber offering, full of normal people living life and finding unexpected joy.
While the story is simple and even predictable, the message is the point here. At Christmas we look for miracles. We look for love. And we find that in The Christmas Spirit.
Fans of Macomber will be delighted. Enjoy the holiday.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for this sweet ARC of The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber.

The Christmas Spirit, by Debbie Macomber, is a festively sweet Christmas romance, with a bunch of originally unlikeable, ridiculous characters who are filled to bursting with stereotypes and bad Christian rep. It’s the classic tale of a holiday swap, but this time it’s a pastor and a bartender, long time friends, who each consider their life more difficult than the others. Both are exhausted by their daily duties and in need of a respite. So, for a week leading up to Christmas, the two decide to trade places and roles with ultimately surprising consequences. This is a story told within a story, as a grandmother tells a nighttime tale to her two rather precocious grandchildren, hot cocoa in hand. However this time, it’s not a “Once upon a time”, but something a little different.

This plot contains two strong cases of insta-love and a lot of predictability, however, it’s still charmingly sweet, with a very important message and all of the feel-good vibes by the time you reach the conclusion. It’s short, light-hearted, easy-to-read and rather delightful, despite its simplicity.

#FirstLine - "Nana, Nana, "we're here, " eight-year-old Lance shouted, as he raced into the house ahead of his six-year-old sister.

I loved this books so much. Dare I say that Macomber is the queen of Christmas?!?!?! I think she really gets to the heart of the holiday season through her beautiful stories. It does not feel like Christmas until I read one of her amazingly sweet and heartwarming stories of the season. This year I needed a dose of Christmas in October!!! Who can blames me??? Christmas is the best and Macomber's books are sheer joy!!! The Christmas Spirit is a book about remembering what it is like to fall in love and what the Christmas holiday is all about. This story captures what it means to have faith and to truly believe in something greater than ourselves. A must read holiday story!!!

Another wonderful Christmas story by the queen of such stories, Debbie Macomber. Told by a grandmother to her grandchildren while babysitting one day, this is the story of 2 men trading work places for several days before Christmas. Best friends, one is a preacher, and one is a bartender, each one learns lessons about life and both find their loves. Interesting characters for all the subplots, the story weaves sublimely into both men trying to work the other’s job, and bringing the Christmas spirit to all. Loved this story

The Christmas Spirit was a fun Christmas story to read. While I enjoyed the main story, the part about it being told to two young children was not very believable. It should be made into a Hallmark special if it isn’t already. Enjoyable read, and the first Christmas book of the season.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a Christmas Women's Fiction/Romance. I love the way this book was told because this is told by a Grandmother telling this story to her Grandchild. I felt that was a cute way to do this book. The story itself is great and it is a fun story. I think this book shows the real meaning behind Christmas. I really loved the characters, and there were so many different types of characters. The ending was so great. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Ballantine Books) or author (Debbie Macomber) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Set your worries aside, grab a warm beverage, a cozy blanket, put away your bookmark (you won't need it) and settle in.

Debbie Macomber just gets better and better, truly a magical story teller. In The Christmas Spirit she manages to put the true meaning of Christmas into your hands. A doting grandmother decided to tell her two grandchild a story, not a fairy tale this time -per the request of her grandson. As the story starts we are transported to 1977 to Pete and Hank, best friends, but perhaps an unlikely duo. One owns a bar and the other is a pastor and they decide to switch places for the week. As you can imagine, they each discover that the other doesn't have it as easy as they originally thought. Their friendship grows, their community grows, and some unlikely friendships/alliances form.

This story is truly nostalgic and reminds me that no matter where you come from and no matter where you're headed -God will always welcome you with open arms.

My Christmas heart is truly happy -one giant hot chocolate cheers to you, Ms. Debbie Macomber. 🥹🎄❤️

Hank , a bar owner and his best friend Pete,a pastor have decided to change places for the week before Christmas. They both thought they would have no problem doing the others job. Of course ,they could not imagine the people and problems that would show up. One thing that caught them by surprise was the prospect of love.
Debbie Macomber has given us another heart warming Christmas story! This one you will really enjoy.

This is another sweet and light Christmas story by Debbie Macomber. It is full of the Christmas spirit. The thought of a pastor changing jobs with a bartender is intriguing. In both professions, they get a chance to meet people with problems who might need some help.

I don't think the premise of a grandmother reading the story to her grandkids is really needed, and it's a bit predictable. However, that doesn't matter in the long run because this book has everything you would want in a feel-good Christmas story, and more that you didn't expect.

Fans of holiday romance and cheer should pick this one up.

I received a free copy of this from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber is a wonderful holiday read. What could be better than a Debbie Macomber Christmas story? Nothing. Ms. Macomber is an amazing story teller. This story, like so many of her other ones is heartfelt and beautiful. I was hooked from the very first page. So pick a cozy spot, grab a cuppa and enjoy this wonderful story from the Queen of fiction.
The short and long of it (no spoilers here) is that two life long friends decide to trade places the week before Christmas. One is a Bar Owner and one is a Pastor. Neither gentleman have any idea what is entailed in the others career. So they double dog dare each other so they can walk a mile in their friends shoes.
The story is told by a Grandmother who is retelling the story to her grandchildren. I think this is the only part of the book that I was surprised about. These two children are relatively young. I personally would not be discussing bikers, ladies of the evening, manipulative parishioners and other eye opening events that I feel were not age appropriate.
The point of the story is that we are reminded to love everyone as Christ does. The story shows how love can change people for the better. Yes there are several parallels to be drawn. Christ associated with sinners and he loved everyone despite their background.
Ms. Macomber’s settings were wonderful. You can picture the Church, the Tavern, and all the other places the author takes us to. They are very vivid in my mind. Her characters always have some sort of lesson to learn and as they do, their character becomes richer and deeper. A joyful book. I will anxiously await her next novel.
I would like to thank Debbie Macomber, Random House Publishing Group, Ballentine Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is another delightful Christmas story by Debbie Macomber. The basis of the story is that two best friends--a preacher and a bar owner--trade places for a week to show the other just how hard each of their lives are. Lessons are learned, friends are made and romances are started. I loved the biker gang and the strippers!

Macomber lays the story out for us in the form of a grandmother telling a story to two of her grandchildren. That little tweek was really cute and refreshing. This book is an easy one day read.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Balantine and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

As I have loved all of Debbie Macomber's books this newest one is no exception. It is a darling story of swapping lives to see is the grass greener on the other side. If you are a Debbie Macomber fan you will love this book as well