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.

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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Amazon

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.

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.

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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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.