Have You or Would You Leave A Tree Up All Year Long?

 

My sisters and I took a weekend trip and were pleasantly surprised to see the Christmas trees still up at our hotel. As I am methodically packing away our holiday decorations, I've been toying with the idea of leaving the balcony tree up and simply changing out its decorations throughout the seasons. 

Pros: it's pretty, and it adds extra light during a season when we can have many dark days. 

Cons: I will need to purchase more decorations and possibly lights, and the cats will continue to disturb the tree if it's up. 

I have a friend who would put up her tree for Valentine's Day, Easter, and Halloween. I'm not sure anyone has left a tree up for twelve months... except in the novel The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts, which I highly recommend. 

Have you or would you leave a tree up all year long? 

Christmas Women's Fiction Review: The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts

 Come along with Frankie Lane as she meddles in everyone's lives in the town of Carol with a mix of interesting, and sometimes hilarious, results. 

The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. In this fun and romantic novel, widow Frankie Lane enjoys matchmaking and meddling in the lives of the residents in Carol. Owner of the Holiday Happiness gift shop, Frankie thinks she knows just what everyone needs: her mother, her daughter, her friend Viola, even the young woman who works at her shop, Elinor. Seemingly unaware of the disastrous turns some of her meddling creates, Frankie never seems to run out of ideas. That's okay, because she is certain no one can get along without her help. 

Her idea of the Santa Walk has been a huge success for the town of Carol. She and Mitch have played Santa and Mrs. Claus since Frankie came up with the idea, and it just gets better every year. Mitch was her strong shoulder when Frankie lost her husband in a freak accident, and she is determined to repay the favor by finding him someone special, whether Mitch is interested or not. 

The Merry Matchmaker is equal parts funny, romantic, and heartwarming. This charming cast of characters living in the small town of Carol will capture your heart and tickle your funny bone. As Frankie maneuvers to "help" her friends and loved ones, the unanticipated consequences bring about mixed results, especially as far as Elinor is concerned.

Roberts has that knack for knowing what works. She is the queen of women's fiction, and her style and wit make for a fantastic story that keeps you turning page after page. I polished this one off sooner than planned because I couldn't put it down. 

If you love romantic tales of the season, women's fiction, or stories sprinkled with a dose of humor set in memorable places, you will want to grab a copy of The Merry Matchmaker. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIRA; Original edition (October 1, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0778369609
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0778369608

I received a paperback copy from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas Women's Fiction Review: The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

 

Would you ever celebrate Christmas every month? In The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts, a group of friends is looking for a restart after their Christmas holidays bombed. So they decide to coordinate a Christmas do-over in January, then February, then March, then... 

As these three determined women seek out the perfect holiday to sweep away the blues, through their laughter and tears, they discover perfection is highly overrated.

Every time I read a Christmas novel by Sheila Roberts, I say it is my favorite. Then she comes out with a new one, and that quickly becomes my favorite. The Twelve Months of Christmas blends the author's trademark formula of love, humor, and dramatic moments to come up with a winner that her fans, new and old, will enjoy.

Sunny is settling into life with Travis and her two stepchildren who want nothing to do with her. Arianna is recently divorced and living with her young daughter at her mother's house until she gets back on her feet. There's nothing new and exciting in Molly's world. She trudges back and forth to her post office job where she gets beat up by grumpy customers. 

When Sunny and Arianna come up with the idea of "Twelve Months of Christmas," they have no idea how much it will change their lives and attract attention. As they each navigate their worlds, while embracing the Christmas spirit month after month, they learn a lot about themselves and those around them, while having a positive impact on their neighbors and sometimes strangers. 

If you enjoy an engaging seasonal tale, then The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts is an excellent choice.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIRA; Original edition (October 3, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0778334279
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0778334279

I received a copy of this novel from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas Romance Book Review: Christmas from the Heart by Sheila Roberts

If you like funny seasonal romances, Christmas from the Heart will fit the bill.

Olivia Berg has taken the helm at Christmas from the Heart, a local charity helping families in need in the town of Pine River, Washington. When they lose one of their major donors, Hightower Enterprises, she begs CFO Guy Hightower to reconsider. She is promptly shot down, and Hightower has made it clear there will be no more money coming for Christmas from the Heart.

Guy Hightower knows Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, but pushy Olivia Berg could never understand such a thing. When Guy's car breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he's thrilled to be rescued by a pretty young woman who brings him to Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is Olivia Berg. Just his luck to be stuck with the woman who thinks he's Ebenezer Scrooge.

I've enjoyed the writing of Sheila Roberts since On Strike for Christmas first came out. She blends humor and drama and always comes up with a winner. Christmas from the Heart is another fabulous story I enjoyed from beginning to end. There's the drama: Olivia feeling a huge responsibility to carry on the work of her grandmother and mother before her and Guy Hightower needing to find a way to keep Hightower Enterprises afloat in precarious times. Then there's the humor: the ridiculous emails Olivia sends off to Guy, their first in person meeting, the antics of a small town Christmas with two people who are both attracted to and despise each other.

Christmas from the Heart is another wonderful seasonal story that proves Roberts knows how to weave an engaging and light tale that entertains fans new and old. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.


Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (September 24, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778309614
ISBN-13: 978-0778309611

This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I received a free copy of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in anyway.

Book Review: The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

Sheila Roberts is back with another seasonal story that tickles your funny bone and touches your heart.

The Nine Lives of Christmas opens with Ambrose the cat making a deal with his Creator, begging him to save his ninth and final life from the scary, mangy dog threatening to tear him limb from limb as he dangles from a tree.

A kind stranger saves him, and it soon becomes apparent to Ambrose that the Creator wants the furry little beast to save his benefactor, firefighter Zachary Stone, who is deeply in need of some romantic help. Ambrose figures that Merilee, the nice, pretty woman who works at the Pet Palace would make a good match for Zach. And the silly cat is fairly certain if he can get Zach and Merilee together, his happy, long ninth life is secure.

I love seasonal titles. Nothing gets me in the Christmas mood quicker than a great story set during my favorite holiday. I fell in love with the work of Sheila Roberts when I read On Strike for Christmas. With The Nine Lives of Christmas, Roberts continues her tradition of unique stories that blend humor with heartwarming moments. There are times when you feel for Zach and understand why he isn't quick to get involved with a woman. There are times when you want to encourage Merilee to step out of her comfort zone and follow her heart. Through all of it, there is this quick-witted furry little beast working as hard as he can to guarantee his last life is a long one.

If you're looking for a delightful seasonal love story with tons of laughs, look no further than The Nine Lives of Christmas.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1250058880
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Paperbacks; Reprint edition (September 30, 2014)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781250058881
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250058881

This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I was not compensated in any way for this review.