Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy

This is a clean, christian romance story about a woman who owns a quilting shop, Sophie, and Cole, a firefighter that has a violent past in the military. Cole suffers from PTSD and extreme guilt over whatever actions he had to take while in the military - this guilt makes him feel he is not worthy of anyone as sweet as Sophie.

However, the part of the book that totally got on my nerves was Sophie ALWAYS throwing herself at Cole. He told her repeatedly that he didn't want to be her friend; he didn't want to see her; etc. He NEVER led her on, but she ignored him and still baked cookies for him, invited him to dinner, invited him to church, basically stalked him, etc. I felt like she chased him way too much without him giving any indication that he wanted her. For that reason, I believe I started not liking this book as much - I didn't feel any chemistry between Sophie and Cole - only Cole's frustration that he didn't feel worthy of a significant other and Sophie constantly calling him, visiting him, inviting him to things, etc.

Don't get me wrong - the book is not bad, but I feel it could have been better.

I was provided a copy in exchange for an honest review. The opinions above are mine without biases.

3.5 stars
I enjoyed this audiobook.
It’s a sweet love story.
The narrators are terrific!
The story was just a little slow moving for me. But I loved the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn
Narrated by: Arielle DeLisle
Publication Date: 27 Oct 2020  
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Description from NetGalley...
“Sarah Smith in Pine Hill, Kentucky has had her heart broken in the past. She pours herself into her work at church and into special projects—like making a quilt for a wounded warrior.

Bodie Lewis is lost. All he’s ever wanted was his career as an Army Ranger, but he was injured in an explosion that killed his brothers in arms. In the hospital, he receives a handmade quilt. Later, he sets out on his final mission: to find and thank its maker.

Bodie expected Sarah to be an elderly lady, not a lovely young woman. When she mistakes him for a handyman, he doesn’t immediately set her straight. Instead, he sets about repairing the home she’s turning into a bed and breakfast. Sarah’s presence and the spirit of the small town bring Bodie something he thought he’d left far behind on the battlefield: hope.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @dreamescape_media @hallmarkpublish for the audiobook ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
If you’re a big romance, romcom and/or Hallmark movies fan, then you’ll probably enjoy this book. I had a tough time enjoying the audiobook. The story was sweet and I was entertained by those “Butterflies,” very apt name for the match-making old biddies. I think I would have enjoyed reading the book better than listening to the audiobook. I was distracted by the southern accent the narrator used for the characters, it didn’t sound realistic, and Sarah sounded really young (almost teenage-like) as opposed to a mature young woman. Overall, this was a cute Christmas story and the Quilts of Valor Foundation is heartwarming.

This is a delightful and captivating Christmas story. The characters are charming and witty and the plot was engaging to the end. The narrator has done a remarkable job. I highly recommend this fun and quick read. Many thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

A Christmas romance with a Patriotic twist. This story is based in the town I daydream about living in. All the characters feel realistic and well written. I sincerely hope these characters (& town) pop up in another book one day.

Sarah is a twenty something small town girl from Kentucky. Bodie is a recovering soldier not looking to settle. When his team is hit and only he survives, he has trouble figuring out how to carry on. A nurse in the Army hospital gives him a quilt made by Sarah. It turns his life around and let’s him see purpose again. When he goes to Kentucky to thank her, Bodie’s heart learns to love.
Opinion
This is a sweet, slow building romance with a HEA. Having served in the military myself, I can see his point of view on many things. I enjoyed this book and it gave me a chance to slow down. Great book.
I listened to the audiobook. The narrators did an exemplary job on reading this. The voices of the characters were fitting to their personalities.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. This slow burn romance was such a heartwarming story. I realized after listening to this story that this was book two in the wrapped up in Christmas series, but I hadn’t read book one and don’t think it’s super necessary to read this book. While I enjoyed the two narrators, most of the time, I didn’t like when the female narrator would do the voice of the male character and vice versa. Since there were already two narrators, I wish they equally split the roles.

I loved this book. The story was good and yes I was hooked from the very beginning.

I do recommend this one.

I love Christmas stories and it is my tradition to try to ONLY read them through the holidays. I received this one from NetGalley as one of their first audiobooks to review. It was everything you would expect. A pretty setting, a sweet family, and a town with holiday traditions and of course that extra magic that seems to happen to people who meet during the season. It was a great story. As a side note...and because NetGalley asks for an honest review, in the audio the man's voice is dreamy but the female threw me off each time she spoke. It was fine when she was reading but when she spoke she sounded like a grade-schooler and even seemed to lack intelligence that was not true if you went by who she was the rest of the time. That's why I gave the story 4 stars, but it wasn't really the story it was the female reader.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for my copy of the Audiobook for Wrapped Up In Christmas Joy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was adorable! It was clean and wholesome, and had a very sweet romance. I do enjoy a small town romance that you can see unfolding in your head as you read. And this one had the perfect small-town feel to it with all the local shops and townspeople coming together for the Toy Drive and the parade. Sophie was such a positive character that had the biggest heart with pure intentions. Cole is an ex-marine turned Firefighter that suffers from guilt and PTSD. Their instant connection was believable and not over-done. I enjoyed how the story played out and they found their HEA.

The meddling Butterflys were a sweet touch, too. They were behind the scenes, gently nudging Sophie and Cole together, sometimes subtly and sometimes not so much.

I also loved the underlying patriotic theme of the book! The whole town was supportive of Sophie's cause, The Quilts of Valor. The storyline touched on the hardships of veterans in such a respectful way.

The narration was well done, I did feel that Cole's character was a little stiff at times though.

This book is a Hallmark Publishing book so you know the storyline will be good. Not sure if it is being made into a Christmas movie or not but it should be. This story includes two of my favorite things, Christmas and quilting. A former Marine comes to a tiny town in Kentucky to thank the older lady that sent him a quilt of valor when he was recovering from injuries. What he finds is not an old lady but a very young Sophie. Sophie is trying to update her aunt's house to open it as a B&B. She would like the updates and repairs to be finished by Christmas Eve for an open house. Well Cole can't tell her the real reason he is in town, the quilt. So he sells himself as a handyman there to work on the repairs. Well like all good Hallmark movies they fall in love but can't tell the other and one leaves without saying goodbye. Now does Cole come back to declare his undying love for Sophie? Does he tell her he wants to help her run the B&B? You will have to read to find out.

Sophie, a cheery local quilt shop owner, finds the military journal of Cole, a fireman and ex-Marine who suffers from PTSD. She reads the journal to find out who the owner is, and ends up reading the entire thing. After reading the journal, she feels like she knows him and wants to break in through his tough exterior.

This is a Christian romance so religion and God are mentioned quite a bit, which I enjoyed. I did feel the writing was a bit simplistic Although their relationship is a slow burn, it still felt like insta love on her part. I feel like Sophie should have been stronger and was unbelievably cheerful. The story was sweet and did touch on an important and difficult topic.

I really enjoyed this sweet story about Cole, a man who doesn’t believe he deserves good things in life because of things that happened during his service to his country and Sophie, a woman who brings joy and light to everyone around her. Try as he did, Cole couldn’t stay away from Sophie. As drawn as he was to her, he believed that she pitied him because she read his journal, which he had written shortly after leaving the military.
Sophie is an optimist, but every time Cole pushes her away and rejects her it becomes harder to try the next time. Little by little she succeeds in bringing him into the light. Unfortunately, every small step forward creates a new obstacle. The quilts of valor that she is a part of is a great addition to the story and I loved how that portion of the book played out.
The narrators did a fantastic job bringing all of the characters to life. There were a lot of times when I couldn’t tell if she was doing the female voices in all chapters (even his POV chapters) or if he was doing all parts and vice versa. I can’t wait to see Cole and Sophie brought to life when and if Hallmark makes this into a movie.
I received an ARC audio copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this listen. It was just what I needed. It had a sweet and patriotic premise, albeit a bit cheesy. I thought main characters’ roles were a bit too defined and rigid for the magical evolution in the end. Ultimately, this was a Hallmark special and it delivered as such.

I didn’t read the first book but didn’t feel lost at all in the story. I really enjoyed the christmas feel from listening to this story. A hallmark movie brought to life. The only issue I had with the narration was when Cole was narrating and the male narrator was talking for Sophie, he made her sound less strong of a person like she was ditzy or something. At first I thought I imagined it but then I would listen to the female narrator and was like nope that’s how she should sound. And when the female narrator did his voice it sounded more in tune with how he did his character voice

A Christmas story about a woman whose virtue is joy. She meets a veteran who copes with PTSD and at first, he doesn’t want anything to do with her. But they work together on a toy drive and get to know each other better.

I don’t necessarily mind cliches in books. They’re comforting and cozy, which is definitely something I like in a Christmas story. But I do need a little more.

I had trouble getting into the book. I liked the parts with the main female character and the cat. They were humorous.

What I didn’t love was how PTSD was portrayed. I understand they could not delve into it deeply, because that wouldn’t be very cozy, but it didn’t feel very real. I struggled with how pushy Sophie was. I cringed when she would talk to Cole. All I could think was how, if I were him, my baggage would cause me to turn tail and run. He waffled a bit, but I didn’t find his turnaround, while expected, to be believable.

A word on the narrators -- there were two, a male and a female. I didn’t care for the switching between the two.

Star rating: 2.5, rounded up to three

3.5 stars

Wrapped up in Christmas Joy is the first Christmas book I've read in a long time and I'm excited to read a few Christmas-y books after this one. I'm curious to see what there is out there as I was never really interested in them before.

In this book, you'll follow Sophie and Cole. One loves Christmas, the other don't. To him, it's just another day. When Cole forgets his journal in the donation pile, Sophie ends up reading it because she couldn't find a name to give it back until the end. Upset, Cole hates that Sophie knows what he did in his military days. Especially since he likes her.

Overall, a nice read. There were some pretty fun moments and I had a smile on my face listening to those. This book also had a few Christmas activities and it was cute but I found the "wrapping up" a little old-fashioned but it was alright. I almost forgot to mention the sides characters, they were funny & interesting.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

Sophie is Christmas joy! She loves life, spreads cheer, and always thinks positively about everyone. She is at church digging through a box and finds Cole's journal. Cole is an ex marine who is exactly the opposite. Life doesn't have much meaning for him, and he can't find happiness in anything he does. Sophie brings the journal to return it to Cole only to discover he doesn't want it, or anything to do with her. Slowly, she is able to help Cole find joy in life, and feel valued and complete. This Hallmarkish book is just lovely!

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. The narrator's did a fantastic job reading this book.  When listening to this book you feel like you are in a movie and that you are the characters. The pacing of this story is good. The romance is sweet and slow. It is well read and definitely well written. This audiobook is in stores now for $24.99 (USD). I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I can't wait to listen to more books narrated by Alexander Candese and Rachel L. Jacobs.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. The cozy romance evokes the spirit of a smalltown Christmas in Kentucky. Sophie Davis owns a quilt shop and finds joy in sewing. But her real passion involves sewing quilts for the Quilts of Valor project. When she discovers a former Marine's personal journal in a box of church donations, she can't stop herself from reading it.

What she reads breaks her heart. And in many ways, it heals her heart as well as answers questions about her father's experiences. Sophie wants to befriend the Marine and takes the journal to the firehouse where he works. Where she discovers he never wants to see the journal or her ever again.

Cole Aaron can't believe he accidentally donated his journal to the church rummage sale. Even worse, Sophie Davis shows up on the firehouse doorstep to return it to him. His mortification is complete. He never wants to see her again, because he hates pity.

But she keeps showing up in his life, and the meddling old biddies of town keep throwing them together. Cole and Sophie call a truce when they end up partners for the annual Christmas toy drive. Despite Cole's resistance to all things Sophie, she starts to get under his skin with her joyful approach to life.

This is the second book in a series about Pine Hill and Quilts of Valor. told from both Sophie and Cole's perspectives by a male and a female narrator, makes the perfect companion to baking Christmas cookies or stringing lights.

I liked the concept of a firefighter dealing with PTSD from his time in the Marines wrapped in a Christmas story.

I wish the love interest was more equipped to help him thrive and heal instead of just survive. Instead, Sophie comes off as stalkery, obsessed and very naive. She's relentless in her pursuit of both Cole and the stray cat in her neighborhood. I felt bad for Cole as Sophie kept inserting herself into his path all doe eyed and sappy. She needs some girlfriends to tell her that this isn't junior high.

If she mentioned that her father had similar struggles when she returned his journal, maybe Cole would be compelled to open up to her as an empathetic friend. Instead he rightly assumes that he is a pity project to Sophie. She clings to the notion that just "wrapping Cole in a quilt of love" will make everything all better.

I did enjoy The Butterflies, the septuagenarian ladies who know all the scoop in town, and the charm of the quilting shop that coordinates the Quilts of Valor project and other sewing classes in town.

Is this book part of a series? Because I liked the supporting characters a lot better than Sophie and Cole. It seemed like they had detailed back stories that could have come from previous books.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.*

This is such a cute book! I listened to the audio version of the book, and I enjoyed that the story is told from Sophie and Cole's perspectives- plus there are different narrator voices.

I read this novel on Veteran's Day, by chance, and it was perfect timing because Cole is a military veteran. He is a firefighter who has a past that isn't without mystery, intrigue, and sadness.

Sophie is such a kind hearted character. She cares about her entire community, her sister (and their quilting store- how quaint is that!?) and of course, Cole.

This was an adorable story of Cole pushing Sophie away, and her continued kindness through it all. Perfect holiday heart warming read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the early reader copy of Wrapped Up in Christmas joy. by Janice Lynn

This is a very sweet romance. This is a small town romance between Bodie and Sarah. Bodie is a veteran (which was perfect to read on November 11). The romance is so sweet and they only have eyes for each other. If you are looking for a romantic comedy that is set around Christmas, this may be the book for you.

This was Christian fiction that was set in the United States. It was smacking you over the head with both the Christian aspects of this story. It was also hitting you over the head with the love for the United States. These were both a little bit much for me. So just be aware.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy is a delightful story of how believing in others can help heal past hurts. Sophie is a quilt shop owner in Pine Hill who finds an accidental donation by the town’s new fireman and former Marine, Cole. She feels an instant connection and tries her hardest to show Cole he is better than what he thinks. Though Cole is attracted to Sophie, he just can’t shake his past, and the feeling of not being good enough for her. Sophie’s compassion and determination fight for Cole’s change of heart, and shows the reader that even the hardest of hearts needs to be wrapped with love. Hope this becomes a Hallmark Christmas movie!
#DreamscapeMediaHallmarkpublishing
#netgalley

Genre - Christmas, Romance
Format Audiobook
Narrated by Alexander Cendese and Rachel L. Jacobs
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
Narration 4 out of 5

I loved this book. It combined two of my favorite things Firefighters and Quilt Shops with a bit of romance and one of my favorite charities Quilts of Valor. This book is published by Hallmark corporation which is also a plus because I love Hallmark during the holidays.

The book is about Sophie and Cole. Sophie has found a diary that Cole has written and wants to return it to him. He does not want any part of that. It is based at Christmas time and it is the perfect back drop for the story.

I really liked the audio version because Cole is narrated by a man and Sophie by a woman. This is one of the problems that I have with traditional audiobooks because sometimes it is hard to tell the characters are hard to tell apart.

I would definitely recommend this audiobook to listen to while running around picking up those last few Christmas presents or just while sitting at home drinking a hot cup of cocoa!

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In 2019, Janice Lynn's book Wrapped Up in Christmas was published. This year, it is Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy. Both books deal with veterans and quilts of valor. I loved them both, with their message of respect, healing, remembrance, sacrifice and moving on. Sophie Davis finds a journal in a box of books donated to the church. She buys it and reads it, feeling the pain that had gone into the words. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that it belongs to the newest firefighter in her community and it was donated by mistake. She tries to return it to former Marine Cole Aaron, but he just wants her to destroy it. She can feel his pain and wants to help him. He does not want her pity, but they seem to get thrown together over and over. Gradually a friendship develops and then the feelings become deeper. Sophie wants to make a Quilt of Valor for Cole, but will he accept it?

This was a sweet and fun story. I enjoyed the characters, and felt that they were well developed, even several of the secondary ones. I enjoy small-town stories and the customs and events that go along with that. The toy drive and fun rivalry between the teams added some humour and fun to the story. There was some serious issues involving PTSD, new beginnings for military personnel, but it was all wrapped up in Christmas cheer and a caring community. I definitely recommend this one. The narration by Alexander Cendese and Rachel L. Jacobs was well done. As always, with male and female narrators, I enjoyed identifying the voices of the main characters. It made this story enjoyable to read and listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark publishing for allowing me to read and review this eARC.
This is a grumpy/sunshine Christmas romance about an ex-military fireman named Cole and a quilt shop owner named Sophie. One day Sophie finds Cole's journal from his days in the military in a box of books. She doesn't know who he is so she reads it, but awhile later runs into him and instantly feels like she knows him. However, he is not receptive or eager to start a relationship with this Christmas loving sunshine. He has a lot of unresolved trauma and PTSD and he doesn't want to be in a relationship and doesn't want to talk about any of the stuff in his journal. He feels like she pities him so he's a jerk in response for 90% of the book. They have to work together on a toy drive for the community, and eventually he lets down his guard.
My complaints about this book were that Cole was just such a jerk. I wanted Sophie to stand up for herself and just forget about him or put him in his place! I also thought the commentary and generalizations about the military that her family has were gross and although she did speak out against that I just didn't like it. I also thought the pacing got a little slow for such a short book. Overall, I have read better Christmas books and probably won't watch the movie, but maybe read this if you love any of the aforementioned tropes.

I had a hard time getting into the book. The narrators were ok but doable. The story line is definitely what you would want to see in hallmark movie and feel good Christmas romance. It was a good story and worth finishing.

Sweet story to cuddle up with for the holidays! When I saw this was affiliated with Hallmark publishing, I was hooked! Nothing says Christmas like a Hallmark Movie. Sophie finds a journal in a box of donated books and is drawn to the person who wrote it. The journal was written by a a soldier who was struggling with the effects of war and she was determined to find the owner to return it. It's a heartwarming tale of hope and love for those who enjoy lighter romances. It was a cute story, but I personally struggled with all the references to the Quilts of Valor program. It felt a bit like an advertisement. It was especially difficult to repeatedly read the exact same phrasing of how Sophie was going to wrap Cole in a quilt of love. I feel like it would be better to change the wording to something else periodically or perhaps remove the phrase entirely. It was overkill.

It was an endearing story though and it did bring light to a nice program, Quilts of Valor.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy is a heartfelt Christmas romance about Cole, a veteran, and Sophie, a young woman with a heart of gold. He is a firefighter who also fights his war memories. When Sophie discovers (and then reads) his journal in a box of donated things at her church’s sale she decides to involve him in holiday related activities. He’s reluctant but has a hard time saying no to Sophie. Saying yes could make all the difference. This is a sweet story for the season that fans of Hallmark movies are sure to enjoy!

Narration:  I thought, overall, Rachel Jacobs and Alexander Cendese did a good job. However, there was one thing that struck me. When Jacobs voiced Sophie and Cole I was totally invested in the story. When Cendese did both I was distracted by Sophie's voice. I've found I usually feel the same when any male narrator voices a female character. I guess it's personal preference.

What a delightful holiday romance - but not an 'easy' or corny one.

This book was such a delight to listen to. It felt like a warm hug and joy to my ears, all of which I enjoyed while taking long endorphin-releasing walks. It was everything I needed in the difficult time we're in! It was sweet, heartwarming and packed full with love - but not devoid of real-world struggles and serious emotional damage.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy is a small town romance between Cole, an ex-marine with PTSD, and Sophie, a girl who finds Cole's diary from his time as a soldier and decides to track him down. They both struggle with what they are feeling, especially with the heavy emotional baggage involved from both sides, but especially Cole's. He often treats Sophie with slight cruelty while trying to cope with his emotions.

In the end, of course, it's a very Christmassy romance well worth a listen for a true escape during the holidays.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Think of this audiobook as a Hallmark movie on the go! It's the perfect audio for those times you don't have time to cuddle up and enjoy a Holiday Hallmark movie. You can listen to this as you head out to shop, work, clean, work out or whatever you need to get done, but still want the Christmas joy of enjoying a heart touching Hallmark movie! Sophie and Cole's story will reach out and touch your heart while helping you get the Christmas spirit. If you like a good Hallmark story, this checks the box. You like a good Christian story, this checks the box! Not a fan of Christian stories or Hallmark Christmas movies, but like a sweet romance story then this still checks the box! It's a fun diversion just when you need it! Great dual narration to help bring the characters to life too!

An adorable Hallmark Christmas Romance. It’s just what I thought I would be. Broken man who doesn’t believe he deserves. Joyful Christmas loving woman who believes in him. Very cute! Like watching a hallmark movie in my head!

This was a heartwarming Christmas romance and a follow up to this author's last Christmas book. Sophie comes across Cole's journal from his time in the military and he is horrified when she tries to return it to him after reading it to find out who it belongs to. As the two main characters come into contact with each other more and more during the Christmas season, Sophie develops feelings for Cole that Cole interprets as pity but are romantic in nature. Sophie decides that Cole is worthy of a Quilt of Valor and sets to making one for him. A perfect Christmas romance. The cast of characters is the same as her previous book and are funny and endearing.

This was the cutest Christmas story!!! Sarah is a sweet girl in a small town. She works with her sister at their quilt shop, even making quilts for soldiers. Brodie comes to the town to be a firefighter. When Sarah finds his war journal and tries to give it back to him, you don't know what will happen. When Brodie and Sarah are put together to help get xmas toys for the children of the town, will she break down Brodies feelings that he will never be good?
Every other chapter was Sarahs and then Brodie talking. I did not like when it was the man narrator's turn to speak. The way that he spoke like a woman did not sound like one at all!

When I got approved for this I didn't realize that it was an audiobook, but was excited none the less.

The cover (and title) grabbed my attention and I had high hopes, which it lived up to! This is a small town romance that has the Christmas spirit right from the beginning. Cole is a Veteran, who even though hasn't been in the service for a little while, is still reeling from the effects. He just wants to live life as he knows it and not change anything. Cue Sophie. She loves life, spreads happiness and joy. She and Cole have chemistry and are unable to keep from running into each other. The feelings build and they worm their way into each other's hearts. Happy endings all around.

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy is an emotional and heart-felt second story in a series by Janice Lynn. This story features Sophie Davis, a quilt shop owner, who finds the journal of former Marine, Cole Aaron, a veteran who has struggled to get his life back in order and deal with his traumatic experiences as a soldier. He is now rebuilding his life as a firefighter when Sophie tracks him down in order to return his very personal and provocative journal.

Their romance is a sweet one...eventually, once Cole finally gets over the idea that Sophie is not interested in him only out of pity. This point is a rather frustrating element of the story, not only because it is repetitive,, but also because Cole seems truly unable to let go of this unfounded idea. I did really enjoy Sophie’s character, though I would have loved to see a bit more gumption on her part in standing up for herself. I appreciated the Christian perspective scattered throughout the plot and the touching conclusion. I also appreciated that there were both male and female narrators for the two main characters in this story, which made it much more believable and easy to envision the story. All-in-all, Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy was a unique, moving, but festive story.

Sophie is a small town girl and local seamstress. She keeps herself busy volunteering, spending time with elderly friends - the butterflies, running a sewing shop in town, and hand quilting quilts for veterans. Making these quilts is something that truly resonates with her as she feels it brings her closer to her late father who was a veteran who suffered severe ptsd.
Cole is a veteran with a dark history who ended up in this town as a firefighter after his late uncle left a farm to him on the outskirts of town. Cole, while good in heart, volunteering for everything that comes his way, is determined that he is broken beyond repair. A relationship with Sophie is practically shoved in his face and he flat out refuses to even be her friend. Yet somehow he keeps ending up working along side her, and wanting to talk to her and think about her. But he can't allow feelings to come, no matter what. He is too broken to be loved.
Sophia and Cole continue to grow closer and closer through happenstance and pushing from some friends and Sophie is convinced that she can make him feel loved and welcome. After an accidental reading of a journal he abandoned full of his whole history, Sophie is now set on making sure Cole knows just how important and special he is- she decides to make him a military quilt in his honor so he can be wrapped in love and know how grateful she is for his service.
And maybe, she can wrap him in her love too.

Wrapped up in Christmas is a quintessential hallmark movie in word form. It is corny and eye roll worthy and if you love hallmark movies, you will love every minute of it. It has patriotism, small towns in the south, quilting, batty old ladies, quilting, sledding, a Christmas wedding and everything in between. Definitely not anything note worthy but a great read for a holiday pick me up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the advance audio in exchange for an honest review.

Great holiday novel.
The characters were great, the plot was adorable, and it all just throws you into the Christmas Season and the Joy of Giving whether you want to be in it or not.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommend to anyone looking for a feel good holiday story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for the advance audio. What a fun, clean feel good Christmas romance. Narrators did a great job with each character. Can't go wrong with this story.

This fills you with so much Christmas joy and love that it’s sure to be a hit this holiday season! Perfect for anyone who loves Hallmark movies!

Wrapped Up in Christmas by Janice Lynn & Hallmark Publishing
Narrated by Arielle DeLisle
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Romance
Release Date: October 27, 2020

Wrapped Up in Christmas is a sweet, small town, Christmas story by Janice Lynn & Hallmark Publishing.

I absolutely loved this sweet tale of a young girl who donates her time and self to the service of others and a Wounded Warrior, who was saved by the kindness of a stranger.

This was a beautiful, heartwarming story. The narration by Arielle DeLisle was wonderful and added to the beauty of the story.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a sweet tale that will warm your heart this Christmas season.

I'm so grateful to Janice Lynn & Hallmark Publishing, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

A wonderful return to Pine Hill. I fell in love with the town in the first novel and was thankful for the opportunity to return. I love the honor given to the military and the representation of Quilts for Valor. Sophie is a warm hearted, small town girl who sees the good in former marine Cole and is determined to help him get past his demons and walls. The slow burn romance is drawn out perfectly. I was so happy for the return of the Butterflies and love the entertainment they bring to the story. Pine Hill is a wonderful community that captures the essence of honor, community, loving your neighbor, and Christmas. I highly recommend this sweet, romantic Christmas story. The narrators did a great job of capturing the characters, experiences and emotions involved. I enjoyed having a man and a woman to capture the dynamic points of view. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

WRAPPED IN CHRISTMAS JOY was sent to me by Net Galley, free of charge, in exchange for my honest review.
Published by Hallmark Publishing, WRAPPED IN CHRISTMAS JOY, is a Christian fiction romance novel, written by Janice Lynn. I chose to listen to it as an audiobook. The narrators were terrific! They were Alexander Cendese and Rachel L. Jacobs. They really brought the characters to life! I always enjoy audiobooks more when they have different narrators for the male and female parts.
In this novel, Sophie Davis, the owner of The Threaded Needle, a quilt shop in Pine Hill, Kentucky finds and reads a journal that was left in a box of donated items she came upon. The story in the journal was so like her own that she felt compelled to know the person behind it. She determined to return it to him. She found out that he worked at the local fire department, and took it there. Cole Aaron, a former soldier, wanted nothing to do with his journal, or the memories it represented. He told her to throw it away. Well, they got thrown together as partners in a toy drive. Sophie was determined to make Cole her friend. But, though Cole thought she was very nice, he thought she was just pitying him because of his story. He didn’t think he deserved a friend like her. And, because of his PTSD, he didn’t want to subject anyone to his life, he just as staunchly resisted her. Sophie had a foundation where she made QUILTS OF VALOR that she presented to heroes. She wanted to make one for Cole, but he strongly refused…WHAT A PAIR!!
Did Sophie ever get through to Cole? Did they become friends or even more? Or did Cole turn into himself, too depressed to ever see the truth, that he was worthy? That he was a hero? Or did Sophie become bitter because she couldn’t get through to this soldier, who she found to be a hero? Would Cole turn out to be like her dad, after all? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I enjoyed this Christmas tale and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy Christmas read.

My Review: As I am sure you know, I am all about the cozy holiday books and jumped at the chance to read this one. My interest was definitely piqued with the combination of a quilter (my mom has her own quilting business) and a Marine (many of my family members are members of our armed forces). This was exactly what I was looking for in a holiday book, a character with an internal struggle and one who just wants to love and bring comfort and joy to those around them, you add in a stray cat needing love and I am all for it. I do have to say that while Cole is struggling with some pretty big demons, we never get to fully see what all he is fighting internally, we get bits and pieces but not the full story, which I am okay with because it might make this book a bit too heavy. I loved Sophie, she just has so much love to give and while her upbeat personality would drive me nuts in person, it is just what this book needed. This does seem to be a second book in a series but you really don't notice, I do think I will be going back and reading the previous book though as I love the Quilts of Valor are the main theme in the series. This is definitely a book to pick up if you are looking for a book with comfort and hope in them to give you the warm fuzzies.

Thank you for NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for my copy

This story is about Sophie, a quilt shop owner who finds a former Marin’s journal in a box of donated books, after reading the journal she is drawn to the man who has written these words and can’t help but want to heal his heart. Former Marine Cole, is battling to find peace in civilian life as a fire fighter after returning from war and does not want anyone’s pity, especially Sophie’s. But as Sophie and Cole find themselves parked together for the annual Christmas toy drive, they can’t help but be drawn to each other. A heart-warming but predictable romance, this book had me smiling the whole time. Especially when the meddling older women who call themselves “the butterflies” become involved in trying to set Sophie and Cole up. Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit.
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#dreamscapemediahallmarkpublishing #netgalley #wrappedupinchristmasjoy #christmasiscoming #romancebooks #bookstagram #books #holidayreads #reads #booknerd #giftedreading

What a sweet audiobook! This story put me in the holiday spirit with a cute love story woven together with a community coming together for the children of their community. It was a great story about the power of love, healing, service, and community. I highly recommend this audiobook!

When a quilt shop owner Sophie finds a box of personal items at her local church rummage sale she couldn’t have known the contents would change her life. Former Marine Cole is just settling into his new life as a firefighter in a small town. His past never far away, he enjoys his new profession but knows that he can’t let anyone get too close. The two are thrown together to serve the town and make both of them question what they know about love, being loved and sacrifice. This chaste romance is a feel good read that I recommend completely!

I'm so glad to have tried out books from Hallmark Publishing. This one was a really fun read for me. Definitely recommend for anyone partial to sweet romances -- especially during the most magical time of year.

After a soldier's journal is accidentally put in the hands of Sophie Davis, she reads it to find out who the mystery soldier is and to return it to him if possible. Cole Aaron is now a firefighter in Pine Hill, Kentucky, and rejects his journal when a woman shows up with it on the firehouse's doorstep. But then, with a friendly little Christmas competition for charity, and these two hearts start unlocking each other... Who knows what the future might hold?

The audio book version was recorded well. It has two alternating voices, male and female, for when the story switches the POV back and forth, for each of the main characters.

With the way this year has been going, I've just wanted to read fun books to escape into. And now that its's November I figured it was time for some Christmas magic! I knew I couldn't go wrong with Hallmark publishing so I requested an advance copy of the audiobook from netgalley.
First I have to say that the male narrator was not great, his voice sounded like one of those movie trailer voice overs, super deep and super dramatic. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to. But the worse part was when he had to say female dialogue, he would get super high pitched and sound like he was mocking the women. I feel this could have just had the female narrator, she did a great job of changing her voice for different characters.
The story was what you would expect from a slow burn Christmas romance book, fun but predictable. I still enjoyed it, it was just the amount of fluffy sappyness I needed.
I didn't realize this was the second book in a series, but I didn't feel lost, it fully introduced the town and had a fully contained story.
Pick this up if you need so holiday happiness!

This is the type of feel-good holiday romance that everyone needs right now.

Sophie finds a journal in a box of donated items for a church. She reads it and wants to get it back to its owner. She hunts down firefighter Cole and tries to give it back. As they get to know each other, they find what they need in their lives.

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I adored both Sophie and Cole. I loved that they really connected with each other. I loved seeing all the other characters in the town and getting to know all of them. I loved all of the parts of this book. I loved how much they just worked to understand each other but not try to change each other. I really want to go back and read the first book in this series! And you better bet I'm looking to see if this one got made into a Hallmark movie, too!

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy, by Janice Lynn.
This is a wonderful Christian romance that brings all the joy and warmth of the Christmas season straight into your home. I enjoyed this book so much!
Small town quilt shop owner, Sophie, comes across a journal written by an active duty soldier. She is deeply affected by what she reads. He is a former Marine struggling with PTSD, now a fireman. The story is about Sophie's conviction to reach through the hard protective shell to find the man beneath. The relationship is a slow build for him-- but she is connected to him from the start. I liked the values portrayed and will read more by this author.
The audio version brought this story to life!
Thank you to #HallmarkPublishing#Dreamscape for allowing me to listen to and ARC of this lovely book. The opinions expressed are my own---I always review books I enjoy so my friends can enjoy them ,too.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook for this novel compliments of the publisher and NetGalley. It is fitting that this is published by Hallmark Publishing -- several times as I listened, I felt like the book is ripe for the plot of a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, and would be perfect as one! I know its one I would enjoy watching. The story is very wholesome. Former marine with demons in his past, and the small town girl who learns his history, and is also thrown together with him as they work on the annual toy drive for needy kids. Our heroine is a quilter, and I was actually working on a quilt myself while I listened into the book, which made it all the more relatable to me! Quilters will appreciate some of the fabric and sewing related details that are included (but its not so much that someone who doesn't quilt would mind). At times I felt like the story dragged a bit too far into the self-loathing territory, but on the whole this was a very nice story.

Wrapped Up In Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn Review

This is a predictably sweet and romantic Christmas novel.

It's the perfect audio for when you don't have time to sit and read or watch a movie. Instead you can listen and enjoy a Holiday Hallmark movie.  I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between Sophie and Cole.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Sophie Davis finds a veterans journal and is on a mission to find out whose it is and help him heal from the pain he wrote about. Being the daughter of a veteran, Sophie knows how hard that life can be. The owner of the journal, Cole Aaron realizes she’s found it, but is afraid to let his guard down.

This one had it all: Parmesan, Asiago, Brie, feta, Gouda...and by that I mean it was CHEESY. I mean, it was so cheesy that I was just inspired to write that awful joke. And you know what? I still enjoyed it because I wanted some mistletoe kissing, snowball throwing, gingerbread house making scenes this Xmas and I got ‘em! This one is perfect for someone interested in reading a romance revolving around the military and dealing with the skeletons in your closet, while still being very light and fluffy. I listened to this on audio but it really felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie. The male narrator was great, until he tried to do the dialogue for female characters haha. And I enjoyed the female narrator too. Not my fav this month, but still enjoyable and festive!

This book was OK. I enjoyed the audio aspect of it, but it felt a little repetitive in story and slow for my liking!

The story revolves around Cole and Sophie. The attraction is there but Cole does not want to be friends or anything more with Sophie once he learns she not only found his journal in a box of donated books but read it as well. Cole is a vet who suffered a lot during war and wrote all his darkest moments down. He doesn't want anyone to know that side of him. Sophie has a father who was a vet, wants to help Cole. Their paths are constantly crossing some accidental and some on purpose by The Butterflies, a group of older women who love to be involved. I enjoyed listening to Cole and Sophie's relationship develop and I enjoyed learning about The Quilts of Valor. A group Sophie is involved with who make quilts for veterans.

This book was my kick-off for the Holiday season and I do not regret choosing this one. Always a fan of Hallmark movies, this was my first read (well listen) by Hallmark Publishing and will not be the last.

When the story was from Cole's POV the actor voiced all parts. If the chapter was from Sophie's POV, she voiced all parts. It was a little distracting at first instead of the actors sticking to certain characters. For this reason alone I give it 4 stars.

I didn’t know that Hallmark had a book division until I started this book. And yeah it feels like a Hallmark movie. That’s not a bad thing. It was exactly what you want a Hallmark movie to be, light, fluffy, and romance. That being said it was not what i wanted a book to be. It had some extremely cheesy parts, and I think they went way beyond overkill with the “veteran” things. That the main man is a veteran with a messy past, and the main girl is a military brat whose dad left when she was young become the main issue. And it would make a fine issue, but it was just done in overkill. I’m sure in a movie, it would play fine because they would find other ways to show strife, but to keep saying it over and over again. Ugh. Overall, I enjoyed the listed, even if I did roll my eyes quite a lot. Will I listen to it next year, no. Will I watch it if made into a movie, yes.
#WinterGames2020 #TeamReadNosedReindeer +26

Sophie discovers a soldier’s journal and after reading it learns it belongs to Cole, a local firefighter. He is mortified that she has read his painful accounts. She sees a wounded sole and understands what he went through. But he doesn’t want to let his guard down or get too close. That doesn’t stop Sophie from trying. Can Sophie get through to him and can Cole ever feel deserving of love?

The audiobook narration was well done and really complimented the characters. The story was sweet and I liked the military inclusion mixed with a Christmas themed book. If you like Hallmark movies, you will like this book.

Wrapped Up In Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn. This is a sweet romance that would be perfect for curling up with after the hub bub of Christmas. The characters are interesting and enjoyable, this is the perfect Hallmark movie book. The author wraps the story around the Quilts of Valor Foundation. ( The Mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. ) This is a story of a vet that needs to feel lovable and a quilter that seeks to do that.
If you want a book that leaves you feeling happy, this is a must read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #Hallmark publishing for allowing me to read and review this ARC.
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1613004510813069032/2462915562312152090

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy is a sweet Hallmark Christmas Romance. The characters are well developed. The storyline is heartwarming. Alexander Cendese and Rachel L. Jacobs did a good job with the narration. This is a good Christmas read.

“Real heroes never think they are.”

When Sophie Davis stumbles across a soldiers journal in a box of donated books, she finds herself feeling a deep connection to the writer, partially due to her war veteran fathers own struggles with PTSD. When Sophie returns the journal to former marine Cole Aaron at the firehouse where he now works, he is mortified to realize that he had mistakingly donated it. Cole’s guard is up and he refuses to let Sophie pity him or revere him as a hero, as she seems intent to do. Will the quilt shop owner be able to break down his walls?

This was the cutest story! Every holiday season I put on The Hallmark Channel and spend the better part of 6 weeks with the movies playing constantly in the background. Now with this audio book, I can listen to a Hallmark story on my way to and from work every day as well! This book focused quite a bit on veterans, their sacrifices in service of our country, and the struggles they face upon their return. I have the highest respect for our veterans and I loved the acknowledgment. This was such a feel good romance. If you like Hallmark movies, cute fireman rescuing cats and distressed women from trees, and sweet love stories, you’ll love it!

Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscapemedia for the complimentary copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good Christmas story to listen to as I wrap presents and bake cookies! This was the perfect addition to my audiobooks! My only issue is I didn’t love the narrator, but that isn’t a deal breaker for me. Hallmark publishing has yet to disappoint me!

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my opinion.

There are two types of Christmas books - the first one being the traditional Hallmark Christmas movie and the second one is the Netflix style. Netflix is a little more trendy, a little more current.
This book was definitely a Hallmark style book. It was set in such a cute town, reminded me of Stars Hallow on Gilmore Girls. Definitely cute small town vibes.
The story was very predictable, but I totally feel like is normal with books in this genre. Essentially, a solider who has PTSD and a lot of remorse of his tour because of choices he made, does not feel like he is worthy of love.
He meets the small town quilter who has a heart of gold. I am fairly certain you know the rest :)
It was a cute, easy read and definitely will be enjoyed by Hallmark movie lovers.

3 stars ⭐️ Minor Spoilers Ahead

This book is everything you would expect from a Hallmark movie! It’s a sweet, clean, small-town romance featuring nosey neighbors and a quirky heroine.

This book featured a veteran as our male lead who had experienced trauma during his time serving. Though I found it sweet that the female lead is in encouraging him to love himself and see himself as a hero, as a veteran, I couldn’t help but feel like his trauma was a little romanticized. The heroine is so fixated on his trauma. It wasn’t my favorite plot point in this book.

I did not realize how much Christianity would be in this book. It would probably not be overwhelming to someone who is religious but as someone who is not, there was quite a bit.

Audiobook Performance: 3 stars
I felt that the female narrator did well but the male narrator did not do it for me. His voice for the female lead made her sound like she was a small child. He was also a tad overdramatic. But overall it was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley & the Publisher for the audiobook.

I enjoyed the book for the most part but felt for me personally, there were too many religious references. I enjoyed the character development of both Cole and Sophie. The one thing I did not like was how it was literally the very end for the happy ending. As prior military and military spouse, I appreciate and enjoy reading books that include a military aspect. Overall, four stars, a cutesy Christmas Hallmark story.

This is a delightful Christmas romance!

I love both of the main characters. Cole and Sophie and incredibly well developed and easy to connect with. I love the fact that they were connected by veterans. Cole is a veteran with huge emotional wounds from his time in the military. Sophie on the other hand has many memories of her father, who was a veteran with huge emotional wounds.

I loved seeing how their friendship developed. Sophie was doing all she could to befriend Cole while he was doing everything to prevent becoming her friend. There were many moments that had me laughing out loud while I was listening to this audiobook.

I had never heard of the Quilts of Love Foundation before reading this wonderful story. It is a marvelous organization and Sophie is deeply involved in it. I learned a lot about it and the work that they do.

The book is written from alternating viewpoints. It goes back and forth from Sophie to Cole. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that this audiobook has two narrators. They both did a wonderful job making the story come to life.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

Wrapped up in Christmas is a cute holiday romance about a former soldier and a small town girl who makes blankets for wounded soldiers.

This book is very sweet and cozy. It will give you all of the Christmas joy that you are looking for during the holiday season.

However, this book is nothing new. If you are looking for a different sort of holiday romance, this book is not for you. Everything is very predictable and the secondary characters aren’t very fleshed out.

I gave this book 4 stars because it was exactly what I was expecting and I really enjoyed my time listening to the audiobook.

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely fits the Hallmark style! I did not particularly like the narrators but its a typical, sweet holiday romance. If you love those stories, you'll love this one too!

Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn ticks all the boxes when it comes to finding a Christmas romance and feel good story in one. This is the perfect Hallmark Christmas movie in audiobook form. It is sweet and romantic, with an edge of tension to build the story while peppered with all kinds of goodies related to holiday cheer, charity, and church.

The brooding hero, Cole and naive bell, Sophie are an adorable pair in that opposites attract. The author creates a sweet dynamic between Cole and Sophie. It starts off pretty tense and a little icy but slowly thaws to a warm and unassuming fondness for one another that the other is resisting.

This story is sweet and charming with a hint of conflict to move the narrative forward. You’ll have all the Christmas feels and innocent romance in this story!

Thank you Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Hallmark Publishing for a copy of this audiobook for review!

It was a typical romance but it was annoying that girl would pursue the guy even when he wanted space. I did enjoy the humor from the firefighters as well as the older matchmaking women. The male narrator was excellent and is probably what kept me going. The female voice was ok.

I received a copy of "Wrapped up in Christmas Joy" from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I quite enjoyed the book. This book was an audio and the narration was completed by both a male and female as the two main characters of the story were male and female - Cole and Sophie. I really enjoyed the narration and felt that it added to the overall warmth of the story.

"Wrapped up in Christmas Joy" focuses on Sophie, Cole, and their growing friendship with each other as they both navigate their pasts. Cole is fairly new to town and struggling to leave his past behind him. Sophie finds Cole's journal detailing his war experiences, and she attempts to return it to him and strike up a new friendship. Cole is not interested, or at least believes that to be true. They are then forced into working together to make the annual Christmas toy drive a success.

The book offers readers Christmas magic, cheer, inspiration, and an adorable little holiday romance as the relationship between Cole and Sophie begins to blossom. "Wrapped up in Christmas Joy" is the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit while enjoying a winter hot chocolate.

I'm a huge fan of Hallmark Christmas movies and this is going to be an excellent one! It contains all of the feel good moments one hopes to feel from a Christmas story.

Sophie is an upbeat, small town girl just bursting at the seams to make everyone around her not only a little bit happier, but their lives a little better. She meets new Pine Hills, Kentucky resident and firefighter Cole Aaron. Cole moved to the small town in hopes of getting through the trauma he endured in the Marines.
Due to the trauma, Cole has his walls up, keeping himself detached from others, afraid of not being good for them. Sophie sees all the good in him and feels his actions speaks volumes.

I absolutely adored this story. The struggle between the two as they slowly allow themselves to be vulnerable is quite realistic.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator for Sophie was wonderful. I had a more difficult time when listening to the male narrator as he was doing just that, narrating. I prefer when the narrators get into the role of the characters and are more voice acting rather than narrating. So while listening to Cole's perspectives, it wasn't as immersive, I didn't feel as much. It felt more like a sportscaster announcing what was happening.

Overall, a super cute story that I really hope makes it to the Hallmark channel!

Thank you Netgalley and Hallmark Publishing for e-galley in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I enjoyed this sweet Christmas romance.

Sophie Davis recognizes the struggle of a veteran with PTSD because she lived with a father who suffered. When Sophia finds and reads a soldier’s journal she feels deeply for the man. She makes the effort to return the journal to former Marine Cole Aaron who now serves her community as a firefighter. Cole doesn’t want the journal back because it his past haunts him. He also wants nothing to do with Sophie and what he perceives as her pity. Even though Cole wants to avoid Sophie, he keeps finding himself working alongside her for the Christmas toy drive and helping in other volunteer events, even participating in winter sports with Sophie.

Sophie is part owner of a Threaded Needle and she has a passion for making Quilts of Valor to award to Veterans in recognition of their service. Sophie persists on making a special patriotic quilt that she wants to wrap Cole in, even while Cole continues to push her away. But Cole can’t help but see the joy Sophie continually shares with others in all circumstances. Can Sophie’s joy bring a smile to Cole’s face and, more importantly, maybe bring peace to his troubled mind?

This is a sweet romance told from the rotating views of a bright heroine and an emotionally torn hero. The story focuses on the characters and how our self-view can be influenced by how others see us. The author uses the supporting characters to add to the fullness of the story. I like how the author shows how joy might heal a troubled soul. She apparently has other books in the same small town and I would enjoy reading/listening to others. This story reads easily, and I recommend it to readers who like heartwarming, sweet romance. I do think it would make a nice Hallmark movie.

Audio Notes: Alexander Cendese and Rachel L. Jacobs do an appropriate job narrating. I wasn’t enthralled by the audio but it did help me listen quickly. I am glad that I had the opportunity to listen to this.

Source: 2020 NetGalley.

Wrap yourself up and relax with this inspiring Christmas romance

The Christmas season is not complete, in my opinion, until I read at least one Christmas novel. And though Wrapped in Christmas Joy, by Janice Lynn is my first Christmas novel for this season, it isn't the last.

Like all holiday fiction, Wrapped in Christmas Joy offers readers the eternal gift of love, joy, and a warm inspired heart, and, as a bonus, this lovely story is wrapped up with a pretty Christmas bow at the end.

Awww. So sweet. True love in its purest form. Couldn't we all use a little love in our life. I know in mine, this is about as close and I am going to get.

The plot of Wrapped in Christmas Joy, is an old standard; boy meets girl … yada yada yada … and everything turns out wonderful. This story, however, has a deep military-service undertone that addresses their heroic and often difficult-to-overcome service to the United States, and the too-common consequences that arrive home within the hearts of military members who see conflict during their service.

Our protagonist, Sophie,Davis, is a sweet young adult who owns a quilt shop with her sister and is living life with a loving heart and empty arms. Sophie and her sister have a connection to the struggle former combat members suffer because their father, an Iraq veteran, abandoned them as children.

Our hero, Cole Aaron, is a recently released military veteran whose name describes him well;: He is cold, and burning hot.

Left alone, Sophie and Cole would never hook up, even though the couple's private thoughts are irresistibly drawn to one another. But, just like Cinderella's Fairy God Mother, the "Butterflies" quilting group intervenes to help true love and healing blossom in the young couple's hearts.

Wrapped in Christmas Joy is the epitome of a Christmastime chick flick. And it's worth every minute that screams past as you read or listen to this book on audio.

My suggestion is this, reader: Put down the cookies - or maybe serve yourself another plate of cookies - grab this book, wrap yourself up in your favorite quilt, climb into your soft, comfy bed next to your purring cat, and enjoy this inspiring read. It won't take you long to realize that each stage of Wrapped in Christmas Joy is yet another stitch in another Hallmark Publishing classic love story.

I'm such a sap … I love this stuff.

This is going to be an excellent Hallmark Christmas movie and I can't wait to watch it! It contains all of the typical feel good moments one hopes to feel from a Christmas story.
Sophie is a typical small town girl just bursting at the seams to make everyone around her a little bit happier. She loves God, her family and friends, and everything Christmas. She also has a sweet spot for Cole, the firefighter who was just selected to [play Santa in the annual Christmas parade.
Cole is a veteran struggling with the after effects of war. He wants to be a good person but feels he doesn't deserve it. Add a little bit of Sophie and his life could be great, if only he will let her in!
This was a really cute story!

This is very much a Hallmark movie story! And let’s be real, I live for Hallmark Christmas movie season!
Sophie finds a soldiers journal in the donation pile of their small town charity and she believes it was mistakingly dropped and is determined to find the owner and return the journal. Once she discovers the journal belongs to a former marine and current firefighter Cole, she befriends him even though he’s closed off and cold. Sophie slowly chips away at that cold exterior and their connection is sweet and heartwarming.
Great holiday story about friendship, forgiveness, strength and love; I recommend it!

Such an uplifting small town romance. Reads like a Hallmark movie. Packed full of love and festive cheer. I just loved it.

I loved the readers of this book. There were 2 readers - one male and one female. Especially liked that when the story was told from the male point of view, the male was reading and the female read for the female points of view. This was a light Christmas read that I really enjoyed. The story was about a woman that owns a quilting store and a firefighter who is a former soldier. He continually views everything she does as being done out of sympathy for him and doesn't believe that he is deserving of anyone's love. The story is well developed and of course like any romance, you can predict the ending but getting there was still enjoyable.

A great christmas book to read when I couldn't be with family this year, It brought the spirit of christmas to me in another way. The perfect heartfelt book for the holidays.

Janice Lynn coins the term heartwhisperer. Wrapped in Christmas Joy aims for emotion and the rest just falls into place. From brokenly beautiful to willfully inspiring, Cole and Sophie cast a spell that refuses to be broken. Falling in love has never seemed so easy, even as your heart is falling apart.

I enjoyed the overall story, but the narration was not great with this audio version. Great topics covered, but a little longer than necessary.

I'd like to start by acknowledging some confusion. The book I listened to, and downloaded to the NetGalley app was not what was described on the page. This seems to be the case for others as well. Overall, the story was nice and pretty much on par with what I expect from Hallmark, and this comes from a girl who plants herself in front of the tv to watch holiday movies starting November 1 and doesn't move for two months. In other words, I love all things holiday and watch a lot of great and terrible movies / read a lot of great and terrible books. This book falls squarely between the categories. If you are a huge fan of the rural, country Christmas movies, this book is for you. I enjoyed "the butterflies" and their meddling ways and found the meet-cute pretty believable. The only holdback was just how repetitive the descriptions were. I don't know how many times I heard how innocent she was, but it was far too many times. At the end of the day, I probably won't add it to my rotation, but it's far from the worst I've ever heard.

Wrong Book, But Showcases Story Well

When I saw this audiobook at one of my favorite book review sites, I wanted to check it out because I love Christmas romances, and this one sounded intriguing from the book description. I had read the author's Christmas book last year and had mixed feelings about it but wanted to experience her writing through an audiobook to see if I liked it more. Unfortunately, when I downloaded the audiobook, it was not for the one described on the book review site. Rather, it was for the previous year’s book, the one that I had read and wasn't particularly wild about. I informed the reviewing site but decided to listen to the book anyway. I'm glad I did. I actually had a better experience of this story—Wrapped Up in Christmas, not Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy—as an audiobook compared to as a “reading” book. I liked the different voices the narrator used for the characters. It really set the book up as southern, something I hadn't heard in my own mind as I read the book. Because I was able to listen to this book rather quickly, I felt like I got a better sense of Bodie’s personal growth arc and the romantic arc as he became close to the heroine as he helped her out. In the audiobook, they both come across as so kind and decent, even if neither has a strong sense of self (especially our poor hero!). It sounds silly to say, but I certainly enjoyed this as an audiobook more than I did as a digital “reading” book. I still do wish, however, that I got the book I signed up for!

UPDATE: I was able to get a review copy of the actual book that the audiobook was supposed to be. Here's my review of the real book:

Lovely Christmas Romance

As a romance reader, I'm a total sucker for the wounded hero trope, so this series is right up my alley. In this book, both the hero and heroine are decent, relatable characters. I am a nurse who has seen some suffering from PTSD, and I think the author did an excellent job showing the inner thoughts and personal demons the man had to slay. The interaction between the couple was so awkward for so long, but completely understandable, and I could feel the pull between them—even when they were denying it. I love the idea of the Quilts of Valor. A lovely Christmas story that delivers the feels you want a holiday story to have.

Title: Wrapped up in Christmas Joy
Author: Janice Lynn
Read by: Alexander Cendese; Rachel L. Jacobs
Publisher: Hallmark Publishing / Dreamscape Media
Length: Approximately 8 hours and 17 minutes
Source: Review Copy from Hallmark Publishing / Dreamscape Media through Net Galley. Thank-you!

Sarah Smith has inherited her aunt’s beautiful home, and she dreams of making it into a bed and breakfast by Christmas. Her aunt was like a mother to her, and her friends, fondly called the Butterflies, are still around keeping tabs on Sarah. Sarah lives in the small town of Pinehill Kentucky. As part of her aunt’s group of friends, she loves to make quilts, especially quilts of honor for soldiers overseas. Bodie Lewis has returned from military service and is looking for the woman who made the quilt that helped to keep him together after a tragedy. He is surprised to not find an old lady, but a beautiful young lady who mistakes him for a handyman answering her ad. He decides to stay and help Sarah out as she helped him. Will Bodie tell Sarah the truth? Will Sarah get her bed and breakfast open in time? Will the two find Christmas spirit and love?

If this sounds like a good Hallmark movie, it is because it is from Hallmark Publishing. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The narrators were good with a slight southern accent and the story was a nice clean romance, with a lot of Christmas joy. I really loved the Butterflies. They provided great comic relief and I loved their care for Sarah. I also always love a good story where an old home is getting fixed up.

I am slightly confused though. As I went to post this review, I keep seeing descriptions of a different story. I checked and this is the book title and author that I downloaded from Net Galley, so I think it is correct.

Overall, Wrapped up in Christmas Joy is a delightful Christmas audiobook which is perfect for fans of Hallmark type movies.

Sophie Davis finds a soldier’s journal in a box of items that were donated to her church. She feels a connection to the soldier because her father was a veteran and struggled with his own memories.

Cole Aaron was a Marine and has traumatic memories from his time in the armed forces. He wants to protect others, so he becomes a firefighter in Pine Hill, Kentucky. He accidentally left his journal in a box of things he donated to a local church – the one that Sophie found. When she tries to return it to him, he tells her to “trash it.”

The two are drawn together by various things: volunteering for their community, work, common friends. Sophie wants to help him with his troubles; Cole doesn’t want anyone to pity him. Sophie also makes quilts to honor veterans and wishes Cole would let her make a quilt for him.

This book included two of my favorite things: quilting and stories about firefighters. It was inspiring, but not too religious. It was also sweet and had a satisfying ending. I gave it 5 stars!

Sharen (Allylu)

3.5 stars

The story I would give 4 stars to but the narrators I would give 3 stars to, so I’m averaging it out at 3.5 stars.

This is clearly a Hallmark book - I could visualize scenes in my head as though it were a movie on the Hallmark channel. This is a sweet Christmas story of a former military man with a past he doesn’t want to think about (making him feel he doesn’t deserve love or happiness) and the quilt shop owner who sees the good in everyone. Cole let’s Sophie know in no uncertain terms he doesn’t even want a friendship with her. But when they are forced to work on a toy drive together to collect donations for children who wouldn’t otherwise have a Christmas, sparks start to fly - no matter how much they both try to resist them.

The problem I had with the narrators was that I didn’t like either of their voices. Then, instead of having the male only narrate Cole’s part and the female narrate Sophie’s, they would each narrate both characters. The guy especially grated on my nerves when he tried speaking in a female voice.

Overall I liked the book, I just would have preferred to read it instead of listening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishers for the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Janice Lynn gave me a beautifully crafted romance that for me was very predictable. The holidays made is special and sweet. the romance was what one would expect. I loved the characters but it followed a receipe of how to make a romance. Sophie and Cole find their way to each other via his personal journey. This was touching and it felt private at the same time.

I enjoyed this feel good novel. The male narrator was my favorite and I think his viewpoint was more fun to read and listen to. Told in alternating viewpoints, each narrator did a great job at differentiating voices.
The book focuses on two people who seem made for each other but neither is looking for a relationship commitment at this moment.
Sophie is a young woman dedicating her loyalties to community service and giving back to military veterans. One of her main projects is quilt making.
The focused upon male protagonist is recently separated from service and doesn't want to relive those memories or retell them to anyone. He still wants to be of service, so joins the fire department. Being the new guy, they volunteer him to play the Santa role. This role leads to other opportunities and crossed paths with Sophie.
The secondary characters are also a hoot.

Some sections may have been a bit repetitious but not annoyingly so.
Now I need to read Sarah and Bodies story!