4.5 stars!

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I loved "The Christmas You Found Me" by Sarah Morgenthaler. It thawed my cold, dead heart! Honestly, if this wasn't a Christmas book, I might feel differently, but I just loved this book. Technically, it's a bit bonkers in terms of its plot, but I don't care. It tickled and tingled my soul. It's such an emotional roller coaster...you will NEED tissues close by when you read this one because it is NOT a lighthearted holiday romp. There are some jokes in this story, but it is a drama through and through. I loved the characters all around. Sienna is a strong woman from a line of strong women. She is recently divorced, and her relationship with her ex was not good. Guy is a single father to a daughter named Emma, who is four years old and needs a new kidney. When Sienna's friends take out a joke ad in their small town's local newspaper, Guy earnestly answers the ad because he is looking for someone who can get him better health insurance for Emma's potential kidney transplant. Sienna agrees, and the two of them are married to help Emma. Sienna never expected to slowly, surely, fall in love with both Guy AND Emma. Each chapter of this book is teeming with sweetness, emotion, discovery, and heart. I couldn't stop reading this book and devoured it quickly. I liked the audiobook narration by Haley Taylor, too. She brings these characters to life! I cannot wait for what Sarah Morgenthaler writes next! You're going to want to pick this one up ASAP!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Morgenthaler, and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I've been eagerly awaiting a new novel from Sarah Morgenthaler for ages it seems and this was a cozy, emotional roller coaster ride of a holiday marriage of convenience Christmas miracle type love story sure to delight Hallmark holiday movie lovers!!

Recently divorced and lonely Sienna Naples is the sole owner of her family ranch and isn't feeling very festive this Christmas season. When single father Guy Maple answers her joke of an ad, Sienna impulsively agrees to marry him in order for Guy to be able to prove he can afford the anti-rejection meds his daughter needs if she is able to get the kidney transplant she desperately needs to keep living.

Sienna can't falling in love with Guy's 4 year old daughter Emma and the feelings go both ways as these three quickly form a family over the holidays. While this story takes place over a few short weeks, which feels rather FAST, if you can suspend your belief on the odds of this ever actually happening in real life, the story is sure to make you swoon, cry and sigh in contentment!

Great on audio and my new favorite 2024 holiday read so far. Highly recommended for fans of high drama, closed door romance with tons of emotional depth. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Dreamscape Media
🎧🎧 Book Review 🎧🎧 I know it’s only September but a part of me was a little bit worried about what I was going to do this December without a new Sarah Morgenthaler book but alas The Christmas You Found Me has arrived and all seems right in the world again. Single dad arrives in a small town determined to do everything he can to help his daughter in kidney failure, including a marriage of convenience to newly divorced Sienna. This book was everything I wanted and more and I promise not to wish away time but I cannot wait to put on my christmas blanket with some hot chocolate and listen to this by the fire with snow falling!

Review is on Goodreads and will be on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

WOW! What an amazing crazy story. It started thinking where is this going? Your heart will be warmed, you’ll laugh and cry. Emma, Sierra and Guy will remind you of the beauty in people. Don’t wait to read this one. It is not a typical feel good Christmas story. Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy of this audio book

This was such a heart warming read. This was a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day.

Did I cry? Oh, absolutely.

It was so sweet. It was heart wrenching. I wanted to tear out my own kidney and give it to Emma. 😭❤️

Sienna and Guy have such a sweet, sizzly energy. They make such a great husband and wife couple.

I absolutely love the relationship between Sienna and Emma. Sienna immediately connected with her new step daughter and it was adorable.

Btw, I really loved the calming sweet voice of the narrator. 😊

You'll absolutely love the Naples-Maple family. Prepare for the waterworks ❤️

This is definitely not the average lighthearted rom com and when you read the acknowledgments, you understand why. It’s beautifully written from the heart and full of emotion. The author deftly balances the difficult issues of loss, illness and divorce with moments of whimsy and fun. It’s a slow burn romance, focusing on how Sienna and Guy support each other and Guy’s seriously ill daughter Emma whilst also dealing with the death of a parent. There is something so raw and poignant about this story, that I just know it’s going to stay with me a while.

The narration was wonderful and sensitively brought the story to life.

My only question when I finished this book was why have I not read any other books by Sarah Morgenthaler? I have been missing out.
The heroine, Sienna, is kind and generous and still a little broken from her divorce when she meets single dad, Guy, and his four-year-old daughter Emma. He answers an add that Sienna's friends put in the paper to get back at her jerk-face ex husband. Sienna is so taken by him and his sick daughter that she offers a marriage of convenience. Of course, spending time together allows this marriage of convenience to grow into something more.

This book had me in a choke hold the entire time. It was so well written with emotion and conflict on every single page. The characters in this small town were real and pretty much stepped off the page. I was rooting for these characters from start to finish. The narrator did an amazing job of bringing each character to life. She did such a great job of capturing the emotional journey that Sienna went through in this book. I can't wait to devour all of this author's book back list. My only complaint is not being able to hear Guy's POV.

Huge thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book.

Cute Christmas book!! Sienna's friend placed a funny ad after her divorce looking for a new husband! A single dad replies and needs healthcare for his daughter and her kidney disease. Without giving too much away, we all know it ends up happy. Cute love story of someone trying to do something nice for a little girl and finding happiness.

Oh my gosh this needs to be added to everyone’s TBR lists because this book is the perfect holiday story! So incredibly sweet and wonderful. We just loved it

this was a deeply emotional, heartwarming, endlessly lovely story. Guy & Sienna are both deeply loving people who will do anything for the people they love. we see them both make leaps & bounds for the people in their life. it is so special to special and tear-enduring to see them both love Emma with their everything, doing anything necessary to keep her happy & healthy.

the nuanced, deeply personal ways grief is woven throughout the story was so authentic & essential to the story. the loss of people we love, their lives & their minds, as well as loss of experiences, memories, relationships, etc. are all worthy of grief. this story so eloquently & beautifully shows how grief stays with us in all aspects of our lives, and how it so necessarily coexists with joy. I felt both so abundantly while reading. the elements of faith & how deeply personal & ever-changing it is to each person make these themes even more abundant & heartfelt.

this is truly a beautiful story in every single way. Guy & Sienna have a unique and oh so loving story & Emma is such a joy as the three of them become such a loving, patient, accepting family. and all the family & friendships make this story all the much more special & beautiful.

thank you so much for this alc ❤️

This was deeply emotional and sweet and lovable all in one. Never has a marriage of convenience been so good as this one. A great read to start the holiday season.

I'd like to thank Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the arc of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

I requested the arc of this book because I love a Christmas-themed romance, and based Ion the cover and title, that's what I was getting. But what I wasn't expecting, and it's on me for not fully reading the description (I usually assume synopses give away too much and just skim to make sure I like the premise), was the amount of tears I'd be shedding over this fictional marriage of convenience couple and their 4-year old.

It was absolutely perfection. I couldn't put it down, I even orchestrated a meal with lots of prep time so I could listen and work. This book was lots of laughter, sadness, and most of all, love. It's a fine example of a romance with depth and heart. I'm hard pressed to give 5 stars but this is one I'd give it to gladly. It also made me excited for my upcoming trip to Idaho and Wyoming.

If you're a fan of romances that will both have you in a puddle of tears and with a warm heart, look no further. I'll be getting a copy for my forever shelf! I will definitely be adding Sarah Morgenthaler to my list of authors I want to hear more from. And the narrator, Haley Taylor, also did an impeccable job.

Tropes You'll Love:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Small Town Holidays
- Slow burn
- Single dad
- Only one bed

The Christmas You Found Me was as sweet and cosy as the delightful cover suggests, but was deceptively moving as well.

Whilst sometimes heartbreaking, and navigating some really confronting issues, the story never felt over wrought. The themes of chronic illness and loss heightened the sense of found family, and I just loved the respect and love Sienna, Guy and Emma had for each other. The small town setting was such a quaint location, and the banter between Sienna and Jess was top notch. I can’t wait for the next in the series.

The characterisations in the audio production were so distinct that it was so easy to get lost book. The narrator did such a beautiful job of capturing the emotional experiences of the characters, really adding to the authenticity of Sienna and Guy’s relationship.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audiobook. Opinions expressed are my own.

This book really got me! With that adorable cover, I had no idea I would be crying so hard. The story was so beautiful, a truly heartfelt romance. I found myself invested in these characters immediately.

The love Guy had for his daughter was so sweet. He would do anything for her and it made me love their relationship! The pain of having a sick child is unimaginable. Sienna was so good for both Guy and Emma. The way she took them in really pulled at my heart strings. This slow burn, found family romance was just what I needed!

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook! The narrater did a beautiful job bringing the story to life. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Read If You Like:
💕 Marriage of Convenience
💕 Single Dad
💕 Emotional Reads
💕 Farm Animals
💕 Small Town Holidays
💕 Slow Burn Romance

A breathtaking story of life, love and hope that tugs heavily on the heart. Morgenthaler speaks to the soul with deep emotion and hints of humor that balance out the heartache. From heartbreaking to heartwarming, you feel everything.

Yes, another great holiday listen. The Christmas You Found Me was well worth my time. I greatly enjoyed it.

This book was everything and I couldn’t put it down. It was absolutely heart wrenching but every part of me was glued to rooting for this beautiful little family. I was expecting something more Christmassy, but this was a story that could really fit any season. My only complaint was that the narrator’s voice for the daughter was a bit grating, but that’s a problem with most audiobooks that have a child character.

5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley sourcebooks casa and dreamscape media for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. Wowww i have missed reading Sarah morgenthaler booka and wowww this one knocked me on my butt. I aobbed. What a perfext Christmas miracle. I love hwr books are aer in wintwr and not 100% for Christmas.

I will absolutely need a copy for my forever shelf

5/5☆

Quick Summary: A heartbreakingly tender story about love and family

My Review: The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler is book one in the Heart of the Wilderness series.

About the Book: A single father who is raising his medically fragile daughter becomes a husband-for-hire to a recently divorced woman. The new found family face hardships and struggles, only to realize a new state of being.

About the Narration: Haley Taylor did a magnificent job. Her smooth, tender tones were perfectly suited for this deeply emotional story.

My Final Say: I was practically a breath away from tears and an ugly cry the entire time I listened to this audiobook. Every lead character's emotional arc was so real and personal. I genuinely cared about Guy, Emma, and Sienna.

Other: Readers will fall in love with this found family novel.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Besties Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 💖💎💎💎💎💎💖
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. It was an absolute pleasure to review this title. Thank you for granting access to an ALC in exchange for an honest critique. I very much look forward to following this series.

Thank you thank you thank you to Dreamscape Media for the free audiobook.

I went into this expecting a sweet and sappy Christmas rom com and boy was a wrong, in the best possible way. I laughed and I cried and I absolutely loved it. Is it too early to say this is the best Christmas book of 2024? Probably but I’ll say it anyway — this is a must read.

TCYFM is joy affirming and heart mending, packing a huge emotional punch. Almost everyone in this story is broken in some way or another. Sienna just got divorced, Guy is struggling as a single dad to a very sick little girl, Emma is said sick little girl in desperate need of a kidney transplant. As a recently divorced woman, I connected so deeply with the main character and what she was dealing with. I loved seeing her get her life back in the most unexpected way. Watching Sienna, Guy, and Emma slowly heal together will tug (not so gently) on your heartstrings, but the sweet HEA will put you back to rights.

As expected for Christmas rom coms, the author creates an amazing atmosphere that makes it feel like Christmas no matter where (or when) you are. She sets the scene so vividly that I could picture the cabin, the land, and the small Idahoan town as if I was there. Unlike many Christmas rom coms, however, this book also features strong character development, excellent writing with authentic dialogue, and a plot is not singularly focused on romance and/or putting a small town holiday festival together. If you want holiday romance with substance, this one is for you. (I’M NOT COMING FOR CHRISTMAS ROM COMS. I LOVE THE SWEET SAPPY ONES AS MUCH AS THE NEXT READER!).

Trope
Marriage of purpose (convenience)
Single dad
Small town

Comps
Sarah Adams
Katherine Center

CWs
Kidney failure in a child (major plotline)
Dementia in parent (minor part of story)

Audio: Like, not love. The narrator, Haley Taylor, is easy enough to listen to, but she didn’t bring the depth of emotion to the majorly emo moments that I’d expect. It wasn’t distracting, not even during the emotionally charged scenes, so I’d call it more of a missed opportunity than an actual issue.

Overall ratings
Exact star rating: 4.81
10-pt star rating: 5
5-pt star rating: 5

Attribute ratings
Characters: 5
Atmosphere/Setting: 5
Writing Style: 4.5
Plot/Pacing: 5
Intrigue: 5
Logic: 4
Enjoyment: 5