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lyndsmarie321's review
3.0
2 5 stars** Basically a Hallmark movie in book form. Predictable plot and less than ideal character development. A festive read for the Christmas season and a happy ending at least!
jbarr5's review
5.0
Home for Christmas by Holly Chamberlin
Have read other works by this author and have found the books enjoyable as I know this one will be.
Nell is decorating for the holidays-love hearing everything that is involved as we would do that at our family house every year as well.
Loved hearing of all the memories of the ornaments.
She thinks this could be the last Christmas holiday she and the girls spend together in Yorktide, Maine. Molly is about to be married and Felicity will be traveling with her father and step mother to England countries.
Her ex Joel had younger female interests. She had once was going to be a poet and marry Eric but she broke it off in college.
She wants to make this year the best the girls ever experienced in Maine and might go to Eric's reading at the store...
Lots of twists and turns for all. Liked all the baking as that's what I do starting in Nov so I can mail them out in time.
Loved hearing of Nell's knitting and other hand made crafts and ornaments for the girls. Love that she will give them each something of importance. I do similar when we visit my daughter and granddaughter. They get a piece of jewelry I am wearing as it will then belong to them. Why hold it til you die and then others may fight over it.
After extensive talks with one another about the important things, doorbell ringing all day, outcome is phenomenal.
Received this review copy via Kensington Books via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
Have read other works by this author and have found the books enjoyable as I know this one will be.
Nell is decorating for the holidays-love hearing everything that is involved as we would do that at our family house every year as well.
Loved hearing of all the memories of the ornaments.
She thinks this could be the last Christmas holiday she and the girls spend together in Yorktide, Maine. Molly is about to be married and Felicity will be traveling with her father and step mother to England countries.
Her ex Joel had younger female interests. She had once was going to be a poet and marry Eric but she broke it off in college.
She wants to make this year the best the girls ever experienced in Maine and might go to Eric's reading at the store...
Lots of twists and turns for all. Liked all the baking as that's what I do starting in Nov so I can mail them out in time.
Loved hearing of Nell's knitting and other hand made crafts and ornaments for the girls. Love that she will give them each something of importance. I do similar when we visit my daughter and granddaughter. They get a piece of jewelry I am wearing as it will then belong to them. Why hold it til you die and then others may fight over it.
After extensive talks with one another about the important things, doorbell ringing all day, outcome is phenomenal.
Received this review copy via Kensington Books via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
kdurham2's review
4.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Another series where I hopped in the middle as this is book seven in a series. After researching I knew I could hop in as each book centers around a different character in this small town in Maine. Nell King moved to Yorktide in a transitional time in her life as her husband had left to pursue a relationship with a different woman and she wanted a new home for her and her girls. Now her girls are older and are on the cusp of leaving home and Nell is seeing this Christmas as one of the last and must make it more than perfect if it is the final one.
I am not a parent, so the empty nest syndrome isn't something I will experience, but while reading this book it made me think of my parents and the feelings they felt as my sister prepared to leave the house and then as we had spouses and had to juggle having more than one commitment around the holidays. I think this book would be a great read for someone who is cherishing a holiday season that could look like the last of the current normal and a new normal is on the horizon.
Another series where I hopped in the middle as this is book seven in a series. After researching I knew I could hop in as each book centers around a different character in this small town in Maine. Nell King moved to Yorktide in a transitional time in her life as her husband had left to pursue a relationship with a different woman and she wanted a new home for her and her girls. Now her girls are older and are on the cusp of leaving home and Nell is seeing this Christmas as one of the last and must make it more than perfect if it is the final one.
I am not a parent, so the empty nest syndrome isn't something I will experience, but while reading this book it made me think of my parents and the feelings they felt as my sister prepared to leave the house and then as we had spouses and had to juggle having more than one commitment around the holidays. I think this book would be a great read for someone who is cherishing a holiday season that could look like the last of the current normal and a new normal is on the horizon.
lydiaclaire's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
There were some parts of this book that I simply adored (in a cute Hallmark movie type of way) but I couldn’t get over the writing and the extremely fast plot line.
Firstly - I could never be that cordial to an ex husband so Chris go to Nell for that.
Secondly - the love story between Eric and Nell was sweet but also felt like it came out of nowhere and was on hyper speed
Finally - the girls (Fliss and Molly) were written decently but their story lines got lost and jumbled together.
Even for a Christmas book, this one is not really up to par. It was cute but I don’t know that I’d recommend it.
There were some parts of this book that I simply adored (in a cute Hallmark movie type of way) but I couldn’t get over the writing and the extremely fast plot line.
Firstly - I could never be that cordial to an ex husband so Chris go to Nell for that.
Secondly - the love story between Eric and Nell was sweet but also felt like it came out of nowhere and was on hyper speed
Finally - the girls (Fliss and Molly) were written decently but their story lines got lost and jumbled together.
Even for a Christmas book, this one is not really up to par. It was cute but I don’t know that I’d recommend it.
liatrek's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely loved this audio book! I found myself relating to the MC Nell a divorced mom of two dealing with pre empty nest syndrome. She is desperate to make this a Christmas one to remember before they go off into the world. She is also struggling with finding herself again and recovering what she lost years ago. There is plenty of holiday baking and decorating to make this a warm heartfelt Christmas read❤️
bryanfarmer's review against another edition
5.0
Enjoyed Nell as a main character. Really enjoyed this Christmas read.
shrayirene_fourhousesreview's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
attytheresa's review against another edition
4.0
This is a lovely read for Christmas time! A contemporary story about a woman coping with the imminence of an empty nest as her daughters reach adulthood and start making their own plans for Christmas. Divorced mom Nell has gone overboard with Christmas this year, seeing it as the last one she will have with her daughters before Molly sets up her own home with her longtime boyfriend and Felicity opts to spend the next one with her dad and his glamorous famous wife skiing in Switzerland. Underlying feelings of panic and fear are driving Nell to bake enough Christmas cookies to feed the whole town and buying out the local craft store. All is in service to Nell's goal of creating the most perfect Christmas ever for her daughters.
Of course there is family drama to be resolved, tears to be dried, but also the renewing of an important past relationship. Through it all, Nell gradually comes to terms with the changes that are inevitable and takes the first steps to becoming an individual again, not just a mom. By Christmas Day, the prospect of an empty nest isn't quite so daunting given the promise clearly evident in her family's future.
This is marketed as a romance novel but there really is only tangential romance. This is in truth a contemporary novel addressing family traditions as the transition is made from a family with young children to one of adults. I enjoyed this a whole lot.
Of course there is family drama to be resolved, tears to be dried, but also the renewing of an important past relationship. Through it all, Nell gradually comes to terms with the changes that are inevitable and takes the first steps to becoming an individual again, not just a mom. By Christmas Day, the prospect of an empty nest isn't quite so daunting given the promise clearly evident in her family's future.
This is marketed as a romance novel but there really is only tangential romance. This is in truth a contemporary novel addressing family traditions as the transition is made from a family with young children to one of adults. I enjoyed this a whole lot.
krisbist's review against another edition
1.0
DNF for this one. I got about 3/4 in and I just hated Nell. I was looking for a cute Christmas romance and this just missed the mark for me.