A review by fandom4ever
Christmas Joy by Nancy Naigle

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.