When Hailey learns her mother invited her ex-fiance to their family’s Christmas celebration, she decides to change her plans. Instead of going home to be with her family, she opts to spend Christmas alone at her friend’s secluded cabin hoping to find inspiration to write some music. In this small town she meets Jay, the mayor’s son and a former musician himself. The two decide to collaborate on music and in the process fall in love.
Debbie Macomber is the queen of the sweet Hallmark-style Christmas romances and I look forward to reading what she comes up with every year. This book gives all of the cozy, small-town vibes and had the perfect secluded setting for Hailey and Jay to create music and magic. I loved Hailey and Jay together and thought they made the sweetest couple. If you are looking for cute heart-warming Christmas vibes, this is a book you’ll want to read.
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the advance copy.

I would like to start by thanking Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Debbie Macomber for a digital copy of A Christmas Duet in return for an honest review. Everything that I write here is completely my own thoughts and opinions. I should start off by saying that I think Debbie Macomber is the Queen of Christmas Stories, and I always run out to get her newest one for each Christmas season. I can not begin to tell you, Reader, how excited I was to be gifted with this book. Debbie Macomber did not disappoint in this year's Christmas story. I absolutely loved it and all the cozy vibes it gave me.

In this story, we follow Hailey Morgan, a high school music teacher who dreams of writing and selling her own music someday. Hailey has loved music since she was a girl and would often make up little songs to sing and perform. Her love of music grew over the years, along with her writing abilities. However, life has gotten in the way of Hailey's dreams and beat down her confidence when it comes to writing music. Needless to say, Hailey is stuck in a rut. She is also dreading spending Christmas with her meddling mom, so when her friend offers her the family cabin over Christmas, Hailey jumps at the chance to go.

It is important to know that Hailey is a city girl, so when she arrives at this little cabin in the middle of nowhere, she is surprised at what she finds. Her nerves get the best of her, and she heads into the small town to find the general store, which is where her friend told her to go if she needs help. The store owner, who also happens to be the Mayor, sends Hailey back to the cabin with the promise of sending her son Jethro along soon to help Hailey. Needless to say, Jethro is not at all what Hailey was expecting when he pulled into her yard. Not only is he swoon-worthy, but he also shares a love of music, and as the story goes on, you learn just how much he loves music. Reader watching these two characters connect over their love of music was just so sweet. Hailey's last-minute decision to head to the cabin over Christmas may have been one of her best decisions yet. Until, of course, unexpected visitors arrive, putting a damper on her time with Jethro. Will Hailey find her way back to her passion for writing music? Does she get the courage to stand up for herself and take back her power?

If you love a good Hallmark-type Christmas story, then I say pick this book up. Debbie Macomber does not disappoint when it comes to cozy Christmas stories set in small towns, with lovable characters and sweet romances. For those of you who love a clean romance, this is the book for you. She also manages to describe the setting perfectly, really transporting you to the scene. The small-town cozy Christmas vibes were strong in this book, and I was there for it. I really enjoyed this story and would love to see it hit the screen. As for trigger warnings, I can not think of any to be aware of, but maybe check it out just in case.

I love reading Debbie Macomber books, and her Christmas ones are especially delightful! The story of Hailey is sweet. She is a music teacher who had dreamed of being a songwriter, but has lost the drive. She decides to spend Christmas alone in a friend's family cabin, where she meets Jay.
There is nothing like a Christmas love story to get you ready for the holidays!

Hailey Morgan’s life is music - she teaches music at the local high school, but really wants to spend time writing songs. When an old boyfriend resurfaces at Christmas and invites himself to the celebration at her parents’ house, a friend offers Hailey her grandparents’ cabin a few hours away in the remote town of Podunk, Oregon. Hailey leaps at the chance, thinking the solitude will be what she needs to focus on her craft and let her creative juices flow.

Once in Podunk, she begins to be charmed by the small town, as well as by Jay, one of the former residents, home for the holidays. Jay was a member of a fairly successful band, and now produces music. Hearing her “Christmas ditty” she wrote, he encourages her to keep reaching for her dreams. And of course, no story is complete without conflict, courtesy of her overbearing mother, who dreams of her and Zach getting back together, even though Hailey has emphatically stated that she has moved on. But even her family showing up unexpectedly can’t dampen Hailey’s Christmas spirit.

Full of Christmas spirit and cheer, this is a cute, albeit predictable, quick read. Overall, I enjoyed it.

"A Christmas Duet" by Debbie Macomber is a Christmas themed rom-com. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

Hailey Morgan is about 27 and a music teacher in Portland, Oregon, but what she really wants to do is write music. When her pushy mother invites Hailey's long past ex-boyfriend to spend Christmas with them, she can't deal with that. She accepts her friend's invitation to stay alone in a family cabin off the beaten track five miles away from the very small town of Podunk, Washington. She intends to rest and write music. She meets Jay, a fellow musician, and they hit it off.

Yes, it's a simple plot, but it's very well written. The dialogue is realistic. The character who is too extreme is the mother. The main characters are likable.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 25/7 = 3 4/7 rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing/ Ballantine, and Debbie Macomber for providing this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book. I loved this book! This author writes the best Christmas stories and this one was fantastic! Highly recommend!

The holiday books by Debbie Macomber are like hot chocolate on a cold day. She gives you what you need but you feel all warm and fuzzy in the end.

I have read a few books by this author and they are always quick, positive reads. She is a fellow Washington resident and she tends to pick familiar places, which makes me feel right at home during her stories.

This was the perfect, feel good holiday read to get in the spirit of the season. A special thank you to NetGalley and the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me access to an advanced digital copy of this book.

This is a heartwarming Christmas story! Hailey is a hard working school teacher who decides she just wants to get away for the Christmas vacation after her mother pulls a fast one on her by inviting Hailey’s ex-boyfriend to dinner thinking she can get them back together. A rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere should give her all the peace and quiet she wants right??? Read this story to find out how that can go so wrong and still end up being the perfect Christmas. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I absolutely love Debbie Macomber and have never read a back book of hers. This one does not disappoint. I wish it was longer because I wanted the story to go on.

What a nice Christmas story. It made me want to visit a town like Podunk.

Debbie Macomber please continue to write great books.

This book started off so good. I really liked the concept of Hailey Morgan deciding to hide away this Christmas season in a cabin far away to let her creative/musical mind be unleashed. Her hippy sister usually doesn't come home for Christmas anyway. Her parents have been hounding her about getting married and having kids. When she found out that her mom invited her ex-boyfriend over for Christmas, Hailey decided to officially run away this Christmas.

Hailey arrived in Podunk, Washington to a friend's cabin which hasn't been used in over a year. She opens the door to find a very unhappy raccoon. She runs into town to find help. Jay arrives to help get rid of the raccoon then the bats from the fireplace. I loved this meet cute. They both find out they love music as Jay helps bring all of Hailey's bags into the cabin which included her guitar case.

They both find reasons to see each other over the next few days. I really liked their chemistry (a little cheesy but still good). I liked the town of Podunk. Where this book derailed for me was halfway through when Hailey's sister arrived. Then her parents arrived. This is where it got to be too much. Hailey's sister is running away from her boyfriend who she believes is too good/smart for her. Hailey's mom is constantly trying to interfere and talk Hailey into seeing her ex-boyfriend again. THEN Hailey's ex-boyfriend shows up. I would have preferred this storyline to be cleaner and simpler with just Hailey and Jay (and the town of Podunk) for the entire Christmas season.

If Hailey was annoyed that her ex-boyfriend just showed up in Podunk, why would she think it was sweet for her sister's ex-boyfriend to just show up? This whole part of the storyline was just weird to me.

Again a simpler storyline would have made this book better in my opinion.

If you are looking for the perfect Christmas story, this is it! Hailey & Jay meet in a little town call Podunk & fall in love over a Christmas song. This story was happy, sweet and adorable wrapped up into one.
Clean, closed-door love story.

A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber is a testament to all the good things the love of music can bring to people. It's also the story of a young woman taking control of her life.

Such a cute Christmas themed story with two people finding their way to a small town and meeting in a funny way. Together they create beautiful music and find love in a quaint little Christmas town.

A happy, fun Christmas read. A sweet holiday read that is filled with the music of the season. While a predictable ending, it’s always pleasant that love conquers all. Her pushy mother was a fun and annoying character

Hailey has always loved music, singing, writing lyrics and just enjoying being with her guitar and creating. She made a few sales but not near enough to live off of so she began working in the school system as a assistant band director. This did not give her time to work on her music and she kind of gave up the dream.
Christmas is around the corner and her mother is talking about what they are all going to do this year when an old boyfriend comes back into Hailey's life. The last thing she has any desire for is to reconnect with this person but her mother loved him and always wanted them to marry. Low and behold and without telling her, Hailey's mom invites her ex. for Christmas with the family. Why would she do this?
Hailey decides that this is just not where she wants to be for her vacation and when a friend offers her a chance to stay in her grandmothers cabin in Podunk, OR she jumps at the change and heads to this out of the way and off the normal grid to spend time finding out who she is again and what she really wants to do with her music. There she meets Jay and sparks fly.
Enjoy finding out what happens with the family, her sister, the ex and most of all if she and Jay will be able to combine their musical interests and become what they both want to be.
Such a great book

I love Debbie Macomber books and this was a perfect addition to add to my collection! It was a quick, cozy read with a HEA ending. I enjoyed the humorous way Hailey and Jay met by evicting a raccoon from the cabin Hailey was staying in for the holidays. They had an instant connection through their interest in music that grew as they spent time together enjoying the festivities around town. There was also a plethora of family drama that almost ruined Hailey’s quiet get away. The plot twists kept things interesting until the very end. This is a great book to curl up with!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I received this for review. I look forward to Debbie’s Christmas books every year. I received this quite a while ago and I held on to it so that I could read it for the start of the holiday season. One thing that Debbie does like no other is write a cozy Christmas setting. Hailey goes to a remote cabin to spend Christmas alone to work on her music. Of course things do not go as planned. Throw in some Christmas music, a hot towns person and a crazy family to make a heck of a good time!

Debbie Macomber does it again! This book gave me all the Christmas feels and I loved the plot. I read this book super quick because I was so engrossed in it and it gave me the exact Christmas spirit that I was looking for.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to honestly review.

It wouldn't be the holidays without a wonderful Christmas story to read and A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber fits that bill so perfectly! This book is everything you could want in a sweet romance novel. From the very first page, we are drawn into the lives of these characters and you just don't want to stop reading until you have read every word and felt every feel!

I truly enjoyed Hailey and Jay's story as well as the small town where they met. The charming town of Podunk, Oregon captures the magic of the holiday season so completely. When we dream of classic holiday traditions and the love of family, friends, and neighbors, this place is where our minds should travel. I highly recommend this title to anyone who is looking to get lost in a beautifully told story this holiday season!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this title and offer my honest opinion.

A Christmas Duet is the newest holiday themed novel by the incredible Debbie Macomber. It revolves around Hailey Morgan, a high school band teacher whose biggest dream is to be a professional songwriter. However, she has not seriously written any music in several years. So, during her holiday break from school, one of her co-workers, Katherine, suggests Hailey spend Christmas at her family's secluded cabin in order to rekindle her passion for songwriting. Hailey accepts, and is soon on her way to Podunk, Oregon, where she meets Jay Cantor, a struggling music producer. Jay is home for Christmas at the insistence of his mother, whom he hasn't seen in several years. Both Hailey and Jay are trying to figure out the next moves in their respective careers while they bond over their mutual love of music.

I loved this book! Both Hailey and Jay are good, family-oriented people whose connection felt genuine and not predictable. I loved how they inspired each other, and strived to support each other through their individual struggles. I also loved the town of Podunk, Oregon. I felt like I was in the book, it felt so real. Debbie Macomber has crafted another wonderful Christmas novel, and I am so happy I was able to read it!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for the opportunity to read and review the eARC of #AChristmasDuet.