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flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition
3.0
This reads exactly like a Hallmark Christmas movie, which is precisely what I wanted. A little bit cheesy, a little bit predictable, a whole lot Christmasy, and quite an adorable romance. It was the perfect way to while away a sick day spent in bed. It made me smile through the misery! :)
beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
This is a sweet, holiday read. It does provide a nice morsel of the holiday spirit. The location and the people made me want to hang out with them. Joy and Ben were good but not great. Yes, I enjoyed their company. Joy lives up to her name and is a "joy" to be around. Ben is the type of guy that you can bring home to your mom. So whether separately or together, these two were enjoyable company. There just was a barrier that I personally experienced where the characters were concerned. I felt like I never could connection 100% of the way. Therefore, in turn I struggled some with the story as a whole as well. Yet, as I stated previously, this is a sweet, holiday read.
brannanana's review against another edition
4.0
This is a Hallmark movie in book form. So cozy and sweet.
imworthyandenough's review against another edition
4.0
First one of the season! I do love a good quick Christmas read!
kmynhier's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jbrooks1976's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a great read. If you love to read Christmas stories it will leave you with a good feeling.
fandom4ever's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“You may never have children of your own, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference in someone else’s life.”
Christmas Joy is the novelization of the movie of the same name starring Danielle Panabaker. I saw the movie a few years ago and adored it so I was looking forward to reading the novel. There are differences between the two but the main storyline is there and I think both book and movie have strong moments and would recommend them both equally.
Unlike what you’d think when you hear ‘Hallmark’, the romance isn’t the focus of this book, not really coming to the front until about halfway through, which is nice. Instead, it’s more focused on Joy and her moving past sad events from her childhood that are connected to her hometown of Crystal Falls, where she once more finds herself. Part of what helps her is a young seven-year-old girl named Molly who is also going through some rough times. Their interactions were absolutely adorable, I loved that despite Joy’s reservations on her ability to deal with kids she put forth her best effort. Her relationship with her Aunt Ruby is also wonderful (the reason she must return). Joy hadn’t really made time for her aunt since she moved out of Crystal Falls, but it never stopped her aunt from trying to reach her.
When the romance first begins, some of the romance-y inner-thoughts that Joy and Ben have are kind of awkward, more tell than show. But once they get to know each other better it greatly improves and is very sweet. It also fit nicely into the story, the reason they meet and have to work together.
As the story went on, it was nice seeing Joy learn to slow down and start to appreciate the smaller things in life. The ending was wonderful with the Christmas decorations and the cookie bake, though the reveal, which I was waiting for thanks to the movie, felt a bit rushed and tacked on. It came across better in the movie. Overall, I’d recommend this book for anyone looking for a sweet Christmas tale of moving on, realizing the important things in life, and finding special people to share it with.
ericacann61's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
moonprismbooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
Cute Christmas story! Kept my interest for sure! I did like how there is the romance between Joy & Ben, but it wasn’t the entire main focus. I like the story focusing also on Joy’s relationship with Aunt Ruby and Molly! Crystal Falls sounded so cute and I loved their holiday traditions!