Christmas at the Candied Apple Café

Oh what a wonderful Christmas love story.

First time I've read anything by Katherine Garbera but I will be looking for more.

I love the Candied Apple Store and all the characters. The two main characters, Iona and Mads, are both workaholics that are hiding their loss and loneliness behind work. The addition of Sofia adds to the whole Christmas family feeling. This was a sweet quick read that even had me shedding a few tears!

This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. A wonderful, light-hearted Christmas story taking place in New York City.

Iona Summerlin, part-owner of the Candied Apple Café has not had luck at love. She is “married” to her work, and intends to stay that way, believing she will never find true love.

Mads Eriksson, hotel boss of a chain of hotels, is a widower with a daughter. This is their first Christmas without their loved one and it takes everything they have within them to be able to get through the season. The sweet daughter has lost her belief in “Santa”, since he did not let her mom live, like she had asked, and Mads has lost belief in everything at this point.

We see these characters meet, go through trying time and wonder if they will ever be able to heal from their hurts. Will Santa bring them new and interesting times in their lives and perhaps even love?

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christmas stories. This was a sweet start to holiday reading.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins UK, HarperImpulse in exchange for my fair review of the book.

5 Stars to Christmas At The Candied Apple Cafe by Katherine Garbera.

What a sweet book this was. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love Christmas romances. I devour as many as I can during the short holiday season. This particular book is my first Christmas read of the season. And I loved it!

The blurb gives you a good idea of the trope. But I can tell you that this book is so much more emotional than you'd think. The heart and soul of this book is fear. Fear of loss, fear of never finding healing or love. Iona And Mads were so perfect for each other. There was no instalove. Although they clearly were attracted to each other, they each were hesitant for different reasons. But their chemistry was impossible to ignore. While I can tell you more, I won't. I found this book emotional, endearing, engaging, and refreshing. This one you will appreciate more if you experience all the feels on your own.

Mads little girl, in my opinion, is the glue to this story. Sofia was adorable. She was a smart girl for her age of six; tragedy having matured her too soon. There were moments in her scenes that broke my heart. That said, Mads, Sofia and Iona not only found love with each other, they found Christmas magic. Truly, if your looking for a sweet, loving story to put you in the holiday mood, I totally recommend this amazing book!

One more thing I'd like to add is how much I was immersed in the Christmas events going on around Mads, Sofia, and Iona. The Christmas spirit is truly alive in this book! Hence why I've already started listening to Christmas music, lol. :)

This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it.