No Ordinary Christmas

No Ordinary Christmas by Belle Calhoune is a great contemporary festive romance that is the first book in the new Mistletoe, Maine series. This is so sweet, fun, and really put me in the holiday spirit.

I loved being introduced to the wonderful, quaint New England town of Mistletoe in Maine. The author did a great job in creating, laying out, and describing the town, its structures, history, and inhabitants. The character cast that was introduced was great and there are plenty of people and material to build upon for future books.

I liked the romance, interaction, and chemistry between the two main characters: Dante and Lucy. Where one was outgoing, one was more reserved. They seemed to be opposites, yet had more in common than one might think and played off one another. The complicated and complex history between the two with mixed messages and things unsaid really add to the complexity of the current interactions and development of the present relationship. I liked the plot of being "forced" into a professional relationship, having those feelings resurface, and for them to be able to work through said problems. I loved how it all worked out and also the fabulous Christmas theme and backdrop that made it all feel so warm, fuzzy, cozy, and magical.

A great read for anyone that loves a good holiday romance. I look forward to the next book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

I'm a huge fan of Christmas stories (aka the type you'd likely find on Lifetime or Hallmark), and this book doesn't disappoint. The town where this story is set sounds so magical, the characters loveable and endearing, and there was an interesting story arch that kept my attention. I didn't want to put this book down. And I absolutely loved that the main character was a librarian who loves books!!

I am so thankful I chose to read this wonderful book by the new to me author, Belle Calhoune. I love finding new authors with a talent for writing and that can bring characters to life. This is a second chance romance and my romantic heart enjoyed every word of it. There is a car accident #trigger, and I am a horrific, near-fatal car crash survivor that suffers from PTSD and this book did not bring out any stress, or emotions, or triggers for me at all -- and I'm so happy about that. It was such an enjoyable read. Christmas and love, a cozy, perfect setting in a small town -- what a lovely combination. The theme was wonderful and engaging, along with the characters. I will be searching out more from Belle Calhoune!

No Ordinary Christmas is Belle Calhoune’s first in her Mistletoe, Maine series. Mistletoe is a quaint New England town, the kind of place where people stop and chat awhile when passing each other on the sidewalk, where every wonderful Christmas tradition is celebrated (town tree lighting, ice skating, and more), and where the characters have hearts as rich and warm as a cup of cocoa.
Lucy Marshall is the town librarian, fighting to save her library. She’s a sweet woman who set a few dreams aside when her best friend and true love Dante West, fled town a decade earlier for the call of Hollywood, leaving her behind in a state of hurt and confusion. They had plans. He abandoned them…and her.
He’s back in town, now a huge movie star, to direct his first movie. He’s hoping to make amends with Lucy. She hopes she won’t run into him, but has to spend time together in order to save her beloved library. Can the magic of Christmas heal the hurts both Dante and Lucy are holding onto, and can she forgive him so they can have a future together? You won’t regret reading to find out!

This is an adorable small-town, second-chance romance!

Set in Mistletoe, Maine (adorable!) their hometown hero returns from Hollywood to film a movie and mend a few relationships with those he left behind, including his high school sweetheart, turned town librarian Lucy.

This book absolutely delivers everything you could want in a holiday romance. The festivities, decorations and charm definitely put me in the holiday spirit! It is a little predictable but will warm your heart better than any cup of cocoa. I look forward to seeing what author Belle Calhoune has in store for future books in this series, I see so many potential love stories in Mistletoe!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The saying that you can never go home, is not what this book is about. Dante West is trying to buck the system. He left on bad terms and now he needs to mend the bridges that he burned. No better place to be than Mistletoe Maine. The movie that he wrote, produced and directed is the way back. Not only to his family but to the love of his life, Lucy Marshall. Now Lucy Marshall is the town librarian and the person who loves everything Christmas. She is still bitter after 8 1/2 years later. Does time heal all wounds? Who can tell. The one thing is that trust has been lost and that can't be swept away. In order to earn her trust, he needs to lay his soul bare. I just love the ending!. .

This book gave me all those awesome holiday romance vibes!! I love so much here from the second chance romance element to the big shot action star come back to his small town to reclaim his old life. There was a lot to unpack in this one and Belle Calhoune did an excellent job of pacing and giving the reader time to feel their way through the story. Lucy's character was the epitome of resilience. She was left behind by her high school sweetheart and moved on with her life with a vengeance and is now the running her hometown library. I had so much respect for her character and how put together she was. Dante on the other hand was the one who left. Ack. it was a painful ordeal to read and yet he came back of his own volition and I love him for that. Theirs was a love story meant for the screen and I was all about the grand gesture.

Definitely find a cozy spot with a warm cup of tea for this lovely small town holiday romance.