It’s the season for giving…and starting over?
A reindeer farm without Santa wouldn’t be Christmas in Marissa Gray’s Alaskan hometown. Luckily Chris Allen’s there to pinch-hit, although for Marissa, seeing her ex-fiancé again brings back memories of what might have been.
Ten years after their breakup, the feelings between the wildlife biologist and blue-eyed fisherman are stronger than ever.
Only now there’s a foster kid in the mix, as well as the shocking crime that cost Marissa her job and her family’s security. She and Chris need to find their way to a meeting of minds and hearts to make this truly a season for second chances…
SERIES: Northern Lights #2
GENRE: Contemporary Clean Romance
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Heartwarming
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2017
PAGES: 384
“Sometimes you’ve just got to throw out the plan and follow your heart.”
A Gift for Santa has all the elements that make a terrific & cozy Christmas story! Reindeer farm. Adorable little boy. Family. Romance. Small town. Snow. And, of course, Santa.
Marissa is in a unique situation, thanks to her ex-boyfriend/ex-boss who stole the money from their foundation and escaped to who knows where. The general public – including any potential employers – think she had to be in on it, and the cops thinks she knows where the conman is hiding. While she tries to figure out how to clear her name, she heads home to her aunt & uncle’s reindeer farm … to find that things are in worse shape there than she imagined. The guy who can save the day? Her former fiance Chris.
I really liked these intriguing elements to Marissa’s character. It gave her type-A personality some softer edges and gave her a lot of layers to explore. Her Aunt Becky and Uncle Oliver are people I want in my own family – what sweeties and still so in love!
For his own part, Chris is a great guy who had a rotten childhood. And while he maintains that he would be a horrible father, thanks to his own abysmal example, he can’t help but take a neighborhood foster kid under his wing. And y’all this is what makes the book unputdownable. The romance is swoony and sweet, but Ryan adds a whole other level of sweet and precocious and endearing. The babysitting scene will leave you laughing for sure. Poor Chris
Bottom Line: A Gift for Santa by Beth Carpenter really must be read with a plate of yummy Christmas goodies and a steaming mug of hot cocoa. It is a Hallmark Channel worthy story of love and family and Christmas. The characters quickly feel like old friends, and the setting is vivid and intriguing. There’s a bit of suspense thrown in to round out the mix, and overall this is just a perfect story for the holiday season!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4.5 stars / Love it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion
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