No Ordinary Christmas

GIVEAWAY

CALHOUNE, BELLE

NO ORDINARY CHRISTMAS

The quaint New England town of Mistletoe is thrilled to welcome back one of their own, Dante West. Now a famous Hollywood action star, Dante is filming a movie in town to help the local economy, as well as make amends with the people he hurt when he abruptly left Mistletoe all those years ago. 

Librarian Lucy Marshall isn't thrilled to see Dante. He was once her best friend and first love until he left her behind without a word of goodbye. When Dante makes her an offer she can't refuse -- use of the library as a filming venue in exchange for a lucrative donation, Lucy finds herself spending a lot of time in Dante's company. With the magic of Christmas in the air, Dante and Lucy begin to forge a new bond. But can two people leading such different lives find lasting love the second time around?

My Review:

Okay, first off I have to give a shout out to narrators Mela Lee and Tre Hall who did an a-m-a-z-i-n-g job!!!! It was fun to have a different voice for both points of view but, besides that, they just delivered an emotionally captivating performance. Definitely enhanced my 'reading' enjoyment.

And I was already giddy with delight over one of my favourite authors releasing a Christmas romance. This one kinda snuck up on me and I literally did a squealing happy dance when I found it on audible. Lucy and Dante were definitely worth the fuss!

So -- Dante -- gah! I have exactly zero interest in movie star/Hollywood tropes. Totally not into all the glam and glitz. BUT, it's Belle Calhoune!!!! And because I trust her I gave Dante a chance...and fell head over heels. Not just with this hero, but the plot and the town (please let there be more Mistletoe stories in our future, please!)

And dear, sweet, stubborn Lucy -- librarian extraordnaire and epic grudge holder. Dante's abrupt departure at the end of high school gutted her while crushing her hopes for a happily ever after and she's spent eight years nursing those hurt feelings. And then Dante returns, the town embraces him with a hero's welcome and Lucy's forced to finally face both the past and the present.

Cue the stomach-churning angst because this hero and heroine have both made mistakes. Dante's journey takes on a prodigal air as he strives to make amends with both Lucy and his family. He doesn't always go about it in the right way -- sometime's he's endearingly clumsy or achingly vulnerable. Lucy isn't always receptive, quick to judge, hesitant to trust. Happy sigh -- the kind of wary, two steps forward, one step back kind of reunion romance that keeps a reader emotionally engaged right to the breathtaking conclusion.

All set against the idyllic backdrop of a town called Mistletoe that certainly knows how to celebrate Christmas! Throw in some sisterly hijinks (Lucy's little sister is a riot!) and more than a few melt-the-snow-around-your-feet kisses and whooeeee, you get the perfect holiday romance!

Please note: while not a Christian Fiction selection, this book is a clean read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of No Ordinary Christmas, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 9 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!