A rising star, a down-to-earth teacher, and a Christmas touched by wonder… Country music star Kris Trabeau heads to Charming, Mississippi, to convince his aging aunt to sell her farm and move into a nice retirement community. She’s not having it, and she enlists her neighbor Tory Odom to help her remind Kris why the farm means so much…especially at Christmas. After being dumped by her … means so much…especially at Christmas.
After being dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Tory’s not feeling the holiday spirit. Still, she agrees to co-chair a children’s concert and silent auction to benefit the after-school center where she volunteers. As Kris helps her with the concert and spends time with the kids, the attraction between them becomes harder and harder to ignore. Can he trade spotlights and city lights for the place where the music began?
This funny, emotional romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Jingle Bell Fruitcake Cookies.
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Small Town Charmer…
This Christmas story was a true delight to read. It is uplifting and inspiring. Kris Trabeau returns to his home town of Charming in Mississippi after achieving his dream of becoming a country music star. His Aunt Tansy who cared and mentored him when he lost almost everything he loved in the world, took a nasty fall at the farm. Kris dropped everything to be by her side to help her. His Aunt Tansy is thrilled that Kris has come back home and she devices a plan to have him stay for good. Kris has no intention of sticking around. That is until he meets his Aunt’s neighbor Tory. Tory has also found herself returning home after a heartbreaking split with her fiancé.
In this story, we experience laughter, sorrow, romance and a personal journey by both Kris and Tory as they both discover what is important and meaningful in their lives. I found myself laughing out loud with the antics of Aunt Tansy and a big bear of a dog named Edison. This was a heartfelt story about discovery and the true meaning of home and family.
A science teacher who is skipping Christmas because her heart has been broken, a rising country western star returning home after a long absence, and small town charm comprise this endearing Christmas novel. This is a very sweet story about taking chances and finding a place to call home. The characters in this book are lovely and lovable, the story is full of heart, and Charming, Mississippi lives up to its name! This is an uplifting story that will fill your heart with the loving spirit of the holidays.
Good Evening my Fellow Book Dragons! Are you ready for a bit of whimsy? Something fun and lively and bit of holiday cheer? Our Gem this evening is quite beautiful and fun and lighthearted. See how pretty it is.. prism like in appearance, it gleams red one way and green the other, absorbing the light around it and then releasing it back into the room. One could spend hours watching it twist and turn and flash and sparkle.
This is “A Down Home Christmas” by Gem Maker Liz Talley. It is the story of Kris Trabeau, up and coming country music singer and Tory Odom, Science teacher. Kris has a lot going on. His new recording company is pushing him around on his new album, he now has a therapist, and he’s tired. He has a nice two week vacation worked out for himself, he just has one tiny task to care for before he goes. He needs to go home just before Christmas, to his elderly Aunt Tansy’s house, the woman who raised him, with the very definite idea of having her move into the city with him. He sees her as too old to live by herself anymore. Everything he sees only reinforces his idea: she has a broken leg, the house needs repairs, she’s knitting sweaters for chickens…meanwhile..
Tory isn’t crazy about Christmas this year. She’s single after breaking up with..okay after being DUMPED by her boyfriend. What an awful way to describe the ending of love..ah these modern times. She’d rather sit the holiday out. But she’s agreed to co-chair the local children’s concert and auction to benefit the after-school program where she volunteers. Concert, music, she doesn’t know any musician or singer whose recorded anything since 1975, but she’s willing to give it a go for her kids.
So how do these two end up meeting? Tory is Kris’s Aunt Tansy’s next door neighbor (in the country,for those of you who are city folk, yes, a half mile away counts as next door) and helps her when she needs a hand. She and her dog Edison, happen to be on hand the day Kris shows up.
This was a sweet, tender, at times funny and light read. The magic of Christmas is in this book. There are truths here, but nothing extremely heavy or over done. This book was meant to bring a little holiday spirit into our lives and Liz Talley has put the star on the top of the tree with this one! If you are looking for a book to put you in the holiday mood, need a secret Santa gift or if you or someone you know who loves Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movies, look no more. This is available on Amazon in four different mediums: print, audio CD, kindle and audiobook. Grab one today, curl up with a cuppa, a throw and your favorite pet, turn on the music and let the fun begin.
Until tomorrow, I remain your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I don’t usually read holiday books, but I love Liz Talley’s stories and a DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS was the perfect pick-me-up good for anytime of the year.
Liz Talley hit all the sweet spots that make a Hallmark holiday movie (even though this is a book) a tale that fills us with love and happiness reminding us of better days and that family, friends and home are the most important things in life. However, the author didn’t stop there, she kicked it up a notch or two by bringing us a fabulous cast from the main characters right down to the fur and feathered side-kicks.
I think a lot of readers could relate to Kris and his desire to succeed, while wanting to take care of his aging aunt. My heart went out to Tory with her kind and giving heart. The sweet romance between these two was fun, flirty, and just so perfect. Then there was Aunt Tansy…what a hoot! Not to mention tough but sweet Bria and the rest of the cast including Edison and Loretta Lynn the sweater sporting hen.
If you’re looking for a feel good read then look no further because this book will make you laugh and smile and leave you feeling like Santa just left you everything on your wish list no matter what time of the year it is.
A fun, entertaining Christmas read filled with love and the importance of family. Be prepared to laugh within the first five minutes of reading. Hint: Chickens and sweaters. I love Christmas books that feel real and A Down Home Christmas gives you that feeling right from the first page.
For fans of fruitcake, you will love the recipe for Jingle Bell Fruitcake Cookies included at the end.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Hallmark Publishing, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Kris who has become a successful country singer has finally come home at Christmas time for the first time in many years. He has plans to try to talk his aunt into selling her beloved home and move to Nashville to be closer to him so he can care for her. She has no plans to do that but instead tries to remind him of what Christmas at home, in the house he grew up in with all the trimmings and traditions really mean. Tory who is a neighbor of his aunt’s doesn’t plan on celebrating this year because she’s had a rough year romantically and it’s just a bad memory of what she thought this Christmas would be like. He’s had a writer’s block while working on the second album, his agent is really pushing him toward making changes he doesn’t want. When he agrees to help Tory with a fundraiser, he agent books him to do an interview on a late night show causing him to leave town and risk not making the program for the fundraiser. He begins to wonder if he really wants to go back to Nashville when he finds he has a hard time resisting Tory. This is such a fun story with great characters! A easy enjoyable read! I received an ARC from Netgalley.
A Down Home Christmas by Liz Talley is the perfect book for those looking cold weather vibes to ward off summer heat; or a Christmas in July pick me up. Or anyone just ready for Ornament Premiere at the local Hallmark store. Talley perfectly captures the Christmas spirit and the value of coming home. I can’t wait to read this one again when there is actually snow on the ground.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
Very good, heartwarming book. I laughed and cried and cheered for everyone to have the Christmas that brought them joy. Kris is headed home to Mississippi with several issues snapping at his heels. First is his need to make amends with his Aunt Tansy, who raised him after his parents died when he was ten. They had a falling out when she didn’t approve of his desire to go to Nashville and pursue a singing career. He’s finally on the road to success, with a bestselling album and the title of Country Music Newcomer of the Year. He worries about his aunt, alone on the farm, especially since she recently broke her leg. He is determined to get her to sell the farm and move to a retirement community near Nashville. Second, he has been having problems trying to write some new songs. Nothing he has tried will make the words come, so as soon as he deals with Aunt Tansy, he’s headed for some peace and quiet in Texas to try to get his mojo back. This is a problem because, third, he has a contract for a new album, and the record label has definite ideas of what they want. Unfortunately, those ideas don’t mesh well with what Kris sees as his strengths.
The book started with a hilarious scene involving a sweater-wearing hen being chased by a large dog, who is being chased by a young woman. I loved the first encounter between Kris and Tory, who captivated him with her somewhat nerdy self. Tory is the head of the high school science department, a volunteer tutor at the local community center, and a woman who looks at life in a very practical way. She is also avoiding as much Christmas celebration as she can, as a recent breakup with her fiancé has killed her Christmas spirit.
Aunt Tansy is thrilled to have Kris home. She has missed him dreadfully and regrets the argument that they had. Though he only plans to stay a few days, she hopes to convince him to stay through Christmas. When she stumbles on his plan to move her off the farm, Tansy is first heartbroken, then angry. She can see that Kris has lost his connection to his roots and is determined to show him where he has gone wrong. Tansy is a pretty devious old lady, and I loved watching her efforts. When she notices the sparks between Kris and Tory, that gives her more ammunition to break through Kris’s defenses. It was great fun to see her find ways to throw Kris and Tory together, while at the same time reminding Kris of the importance of family.
I liked Kris, in spite of his blindness when it came to Tansy. He has a good heart and hasn’t let fame go to his head. I liked how he did the work around the house and farm himself instead of paying someone else to do it. I ached for him with the problems he had with his music as it left him feeling somewhat lost. He is so focused on getting to Texas for his self-imposed isolation that he has trouble seeing that what he needs is to remember where his love of music started. He is unexpectedly drawn to Tory, something he tries to resist because he isn’t going to be there for long.
Tory is equally attracted to Kris but has her own reasons to resist. She knows he isn’t going to stay around, so getting involved is not a good idea. She’s still recovering from the end of her engagement, and a new relationship is not in her plans. Plus, why would a good-looking, talented guy like Kris be interested in a nerdy girl like her? It just wouldn’t make sense. Besides, she has her hands full with the Christmas fundraiser for the community center.
I loved seeing Kris get more deeply involved with life in Charming every day. He keeps telling himself that he’ll be gone in a few days, but can’t stop himself from volunteering to help Tory. I especially enjoyed seeing him work with the girl Bria, whose home life is a mess. She has the most beautiful voice, but no confidence in herself. It was sweet to see how both Kris and Tansy worked with her to give her the confidence to perform at the show. There were a couple of exciting twists that had me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how it was going to turn out.
The hardest thing was watching Kris try to force himself into the role he thinks he has to fill, even though he knows it’s a bad fit. I disliked his manager and the way that he blew off Kris’s concerns over the new album. I was especially disgusted at the way he ignored Kris’s wishes for his return to Charming after his television interview. I was pleasantly surprised by the talk show host and his candid conversation with Kris after the interview. It made a big impression on Kris and got him thinking about what was really important. I loved Kris’s meeting with the record label people the next day and seeing him finally stand up for himself. I held my breath, hoping that he would make it back in time.
It warmed my heart to see the changes that Kris experienced during his stay in Charming. I liked seeing his eyes opened to the importance of family and roots and having someplace to go when you’re hurting. I loved his big moment at the end, especially showing Tory that not everything has to make sense, especially love.
This is a sweet, clean Christmas romance that will warm your heart even on the coldest of days (as I write this in July).
It’s about a local, small town guy who is on his way to making it big in Country music, but who needs a little reminder of what is really important in life. His Aunt Tansy, who took him in when his parents died is just the one to do that, with the help of the single girl next door, Tory. She has given up on love and on Christmas. In this book, they both have some things to learn in order to return to their true hearts. They have his meddling aunt, a talented little girl,a wayward dog and some sweater wearing chickens to help them out along the way. A very enjoyable tale!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
I loved this book! It’s a sweet romance with a big fluffy dog and happens at Christmas. And it has a great sounding recipe at the end. Another Hallmark winner. Thank you Hallmark Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion and I can’t wait to see the movie.
This was such a treat to read. Tory and Kris are lost souls at Christmas, but for different reasons. Tory has a broken heart from a recently ended engagement and Kris lives in Nashville but can’t seem to find home in his heart. Thrown together for the Christmas fundraiser, they find working together, helping children, and music to be a way to find the joy in Christmas again. And, somewhere in the midst of all the Christmas chaos, they find love.
When Kris is called out of town unexpectedly, and things are looking bleak, Tory fears the worst for the fundraiser, and for her heart. All that’s needed is a Christmas song to find one’s way home again–if it’s not too late?
**Received a review copy on Netgalley**
If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, you’ll really enjoy A Down Home Christmas! The author did a great job describing the characters and the scenes so perfectly that I could easily picture them in my mind. I mean, who could not love an elderly aunt that knits “clothes” for her chickens and names them after country music stars, ie: Loretta Lynn. Add a young attractive neighbor, Tory, and an up and coming Country Music Star, Kris, the nephew and these are all the ingredients you need for a fun time down on the old farm home place.
Kris is only there for a short time to convince his aunt to sell the generations old farm and move to Nashville to be closer to him (and safer, in his mind). The sparks begin to fly! Tory is a high school science teacher and afternoon community volunteer to a group of kids that have many needs. She was such an awesome character with lots of love for these kids and of course for her faithful companion Edison.
Aunt Tansy tries her best to convince Kris he belongs on the farm by preparing an old fashioned down home country Christmas with the help of Tory. Will she succeed or will Kris continue to follow his career dreams? Is there a fine line between what’s your dreams for yourself or are they simply to show another person you were right?
I do hope this is seriously considered for a Hallmark Christmas movie. It would be a delightful and touching movie to prepare for the holiday season.
I received a complimentary copy ebook from Hallmark Publishing but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.
Kris Trabeau hasn’t been home to Charming, Mississippi and the aunt who raised him after his parents’ death for a number of years. Kris and Aunt Tansy had a nasty argument over Kris leaving to pursue a country music career in Nashville. Now he is returning to Charming after being named CMA’s New Artist of the Year and proud of it after years of hard work pursuing his dream. Right now though his goal is to convince his aunt to sell Trabeau Farm and move into The Hermitage Retirement community outside Nashville. As he is driving down the long potholed drive leading to Trabeau Farm he has to slam on his breaks to avoid hitting a chicken wearing a sweater being chased by a dog whose owner is running behind trying to catch her dog. A chicken wearing a sweater! What’s going on here? Kris helps the dog’s owner, Tory Odom catch the dog and rescue the chicken. Thus begins the Christmas fun.
It’s Christmastime and Aunt Tansy has been looking forward to Kris spending Christmas with her on the farm for years. Every other year he always had an excuse to not be there. When she finds out Kris’ plans for her she decides to remind him how important home and roots are by throwing together a Christmas like all the wonderful family Christmas gatherings from the past. Even though Tory, who is getting over being dumped by her long time boyfriend, is not celebrating Christmas due to her breakup, she agrees to help Tansy with her down home Christmas. After all this gives her the opportunity to spend more time with Kris who she is attracted to.
A Down Home Christmas by Liz Talley is the “real deal,” a Christmas story with all the elements to give the reader a warm Christmas glow. There’s decorating, Christmas tree shopping, Christmas cookie baking, lots of Christmas music and a Christmas show and auction to rise money for the children’s progams at the community center, Common Connection. This story brings a cozy warmth as the love and true meaning of Christmas as well as discovering roots and love of home and family blaze off the pages. I loved all the characters but especially enjoyed the antics of Tory’s dog, Edison and how Tory, Kris and Aunt Tansy give Bria, a young girl at the community center a boost in self-confidence and a sense of being loved. Reading this story will leave the reader with a warm glow of happiness and Christmas cheer.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is another wonderful book by Liz Talley. As I was reading this story I could picture the scenes taking shape in my mind. I kept thinking that it would make such a wonderful Hallmark movie! After reading it I realized that the book was actually published by Hallmark and it all made sense – mark my words, (if they get some decent actors) this is going to be as good on tv as it is in print!!!
Liz writes good, clean, wholesome stories that warm your heart. Kris is a rising Country Music star and Tory is a teacher living next door to his Aunt Tansy. Kris rediscovers what home is and Tory allows herself to feel again after an abrupt broken engagement.
Take the time to read this, you know the book is always better than the movie!!!
I enjoyed reading this delightful Christmas book!
It’s a down home, feel good & moving story. You can leave home, but home never leaves your heart.
Kris’s dreams are finally coming true.
He’s on his way to being a successful country music star. He is exhausted
& in desperate need of a break.
Kris, is in Mississippi, to spend time
with Aunt Tansy. When he arrives,
he is surprised to find was a chicken
with a sweater on, being chased after
by a big fluffy puppy, with his beautiful owner, not far behind.
Tory, is new to living in Charming. She thought she had her whole life figured out, until her fiance had other ideas.
She’s a science teacher & loves teaching the kids.
Kris, has made plans for his Aunt
& the farm. Tory, is not ready for a new relationship & would prefer to forget about Christmas, this year. Will Kris change his mind, with his growing attraction for Tory? Little do they know, Aunt Tansy, has her own plan in mind.
A MUST READ CHRISTMAS STORY!!
A Down home Christmas is a cozy and sweet read. It is a heartwarming, hearfltfelt romantic Christmas read. Troy and Kris are wonderful characters I truly enjoyed reading about them. The storyline was good and it was well written.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing.
This is a sweet romance story about a young man, Kris, that is finally achieving his life’s goal of becoming a country music star and Victoria (Tory) who was recently put aside by her fiance, since he thought pursuing a better job was more important than she was.
Tory is neighbors to Kris’ Aunt Tansy and that is how their lives become connected. Kris has come home to visit his Aunt, who raised him when his parents died and try to persuade her to move to a safe community since she is obviously too old to live alone any longer. (not so) Aunt Tansy is not happy about that and is set to straighten Kris on that idea and also show him how important the family’s farm roots are to his life. Tory happens upon the farm when Kris arrives chasing her loveable and energetic dog Edison (I love him) and that begins the book.
I enjoyed this wonderful story with the message of family, healing, community, mentoring young people and hope of a happy future.
I recommend this story for a nice, uplifting message for the Christmas season, or any time actually.
I loved this book from the first scene, that had me laughing, to the last, that had me swooning. Sweet Christmas stories are my favorite, but this one by Liz Talley has something special. Not only because of the chicken wearing a sweater, or the cookie recipe in the end, but because the characters are warm and loveable yet imperfect and working through their issues. I love quirky Aunt Tansy, and hearing her point of view as an older, wiser character, and Kris, of course, is perfectly imperfect. Tory is smart and independent, and has the best dog ever. Heartwarming, easy read that will grab you from the first page!