Christmas in July and Book Review - Christmas in Chestnut Ridge

There is a very good reason why Christmas in July is a thing. By now, all the strategies to stay near the air conditioner and limit heat sources inside the house have settled into daily routine. The thrill of summer has tamped down to a state of perpetual exhaustion from all the excitement with which we burst into the season and my mind is starting to drift from how much I love sundresses to how much I miss my sweaters and boots. Thankfully, Great American Family and Hallmark have come through with Christmas in July to pick me up out of my funk and give me a cup of cheer to get me through! Part of my CiJ routine also includes checking out all the exciting upcoming Christmas novels from those authors who are synonymous with the season. You know I can’t wait to get my hands on the latest tome of the most wonderful time of the year from Melody Carlson and Nancy Naigle. That’s why I am so excited to present to you my review of Christmas in Chestnut Ridge, Nancy’s upcoming release!

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge picks up where Naigle left off the story of friends Natalie and Sheila from Chestnut Ridge series book 1, And Then There Was You. There is enough backstory built in to avoid feeling redundant, but to allow the reader to pick right up with Christmas in Chestnut Ridge. Sheila is off kilter with the approach of the holiday season; her best friend has moved to a small mountain town several hours away, and her mother has been moved to a memory care facility. When Natalie invites Sheila to join her in Chestnut Ridge, it takes just a little bit of effort to pull her into the joy of the season. But it’s more than wrapping paper and bows when a little bit of flirting with the handsome fire chief becomes more than it was supposed to. The people of the small town work their way into Sheila’s life over the course of her stay, none more than Tucker, and she finds herself genuinely wondering if what she has sought for years is what will truly bring her joy.

Nancy Naigle writes small town charm like nobody’s business, and her books are written for the screen. Reading Christmas in Chestnut Ridge took me right to the cozy mountain town; I cast the movie in my mind as the characters were introduced and their relationships developed. I could smell the pine and taste the hot chocolate, the pecan snowball cookies, the chamomile tea. Naigle’s descriptions, character development, and relationships are on point. She writes complex relationships with authenticity, which allows the reader to relax into the story and simply enjoy. Christmas in Chestnut Ridge is an easy addition to your seasonal reading list… even when you’re only dreaming of the season!

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge by Nancy Naigle is scheduled to release October 8, 2024, and is available for preorder from your favorite local bookseller or online:

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Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - What Remains True

Merry Anna’s quick stop in Antler Creek was not supposed to last months. But after living her life all planned according to her family’s wishes and married to the high school sweetheart who lived off Merry Anna’s success and broke their marriage vows, she has decided to start embracing new opportunities. First with a new job at an adorable little boutique and renting an old cowboy bunkhouse as her new home, then by making friends and learning new and valuable lessons on friendship, she embraces new opportunities. The handsome cowboy neighbor was not supposed to be one of those things, but the way he looks at her and the way she feels when she is around him make her want embrace Adam Locklear.

If only this was not the year he decided to focus on winning the professional bull riding championship to set up his future outside the arena. If only Merry Anna was sure her future is in Antler Creek. If only complications from the past would stay in the past and not complicate their future. Nancy Naigle writes a romance with just the perfect balance between sweetness and strife, proving her prowess once again in her new release, What Remains True.

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Christian Book            Barnes & Noble                Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Shell Collector

I would like to preface this review by saying that I want to grow up to be just like Maeve, the wise and caring surrogate grandmother figure and the shell collector of Nancy Naigle's latest tale of the intersection between grief and survival. Amanda and her young children are still struggling through the grief of their heartbreaking loss when they move into the fixer-upper bungalow on Whelk's Island. And although her children are the first to meet their shell collecting neighbor, they are hardly the only ones to benefit from the way Maeve rolls in like the tide to bring new joy to those around her. Maeve's own learning experiences with heartache and her gentle pull allow Amanda to open up and begin the process of learning to be who she is in this life after loss. Her experience in life and razor sharp intuition are a bountiful source of insight. Her care for the people around her is great, and I absolutely adore the way Naigle uses these relationships to express the precious treasure our elderly neighbors have to offer, if we will only open ourselves to the gifts that surround us.

Romance, restoration, and a fair amount of serendipity enter the story through Paul. Another Whelk's Island newcomer. A man who knows his own grief and struggle. And another beneficiary of Maeve's interest. The relationship between Amanda and Paul is a tenderly crafted element that shines beautifully to further illustrate our shell collector's ability to know true beauty when she sees it.

The Shell Collector by Nancy Naigle is available for pre-order now and releases May 11, 2021. Order now from your favorite local bookseller or online to get your sweet hands on this homey little tome as soon as it releases!

Christian Book        Barnes & Noble        Amazon

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.