A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is the next heartwarming and inspirational Christmas story by USA Today bestselling author, Nancy Naigle.Vanessa Larkin just agreed to an out-of-town job assignment over the holidays. With the promise of a hefty bonus if she can get things done by the new year she heads for tiny Fraser Hills. Determined to succeed, she’s not worried about whipping the shutdown … about whipping the shutdown process into overdrive to meet the challenge. Only when she gets there she realizes her bosses haven’t been upfront with the town about the plans to shut down the plant.
Mike Marshall, a widower raising a teenaged daughter, is a big believer in tradition and doing things the old-fashioned way. When Mike finds out his grandfather has sold the family business to some big corporation, he’s angry. Not that he wanted the business, but selling it makes no sense to him. As much as Mike and Vanessa butt heads about doing things the old vs the new way, when his teenage daughter requires some motherly advice he gives in to Vanessa’s offer to help.
As much as she despises having to do it, Vanessa has to announce the shut-down plans and get things moving–and it’s not going to make her popular with the town, or with Mike who she’s completely taken by. Now this has become a corporate vs heart decision, and she’s not sure she can make both sides happy. She’s hoping for a Christmas miracle that might land her with the very best Christmas gift of all…
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A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is a heartwarming holiday tale by author Nancy Naigle. Vanessa Larkin is in position for a new project to manage as Thanksgiving approaches. She and her older cousin Anna have planned to spend the holidays together this year. While Vanessa is in hopes of a fancy assignment such as the Paris or Leavenworth, Washington, projects, Anna is good with anywhere they can be together again,
Although Vanessa has the position to earn either of those assignments, she is given the project to close down Porter’s fruitcake factory and turn the warehouses into usable space for a sporting goods company. Porter’s, set in the scenic small town of Fraser Hills, NC, is not the assignment Vanessa sought, but when offered double bonuses to get the job done on schedule, she sees the extra money as a way she can purchase a suburban home still close enough to her Chicago office and offer a retirement destination for Anna, who has recently retired and lives outside of Atlanta.
When Vanessa arrives in Fraser Hills and becomes acquainted with the charming residents, she begins looking for ways to spin off the warehouses and protect Porter’s and its staff, as they are the backbone of this lovely community. When corporate doesn’t agree, Vanessa employs unexpected strategies to protect this new found ‘family’.
This is such a delightful story with wonderfully developed characters and a Christmas card setting. With several twists, the reader will be surprised and delighted at the climax. Once again Ms. Naigle has provided her followers with a lovely holiday story which I very much enjoyed. I do recommend this book!
What a wonderful sweet and clean romance. It’s fun and entertaining. I love all the characters and the town. Vanessa and Mike are perfect for each other. An excellent book for the holiday season.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
This is a light and quick read that will give you all the warm fuzzies of the holiday season. The characters were great and I love the feeling of family and a small town, especially during the holidays.
This is one of those books that I will read over and over again with characters that jump right out of the book and into your heart and a beautifully written story that immediately captivated me and kept me totally involved in all that was happening from beginning to end. I loved the small-town southern charm of Fraser Hills, North Carolina and felt like I was right there in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, enjoying the festivities, chicken stew and delicious fruitcake! I enjoyed the attraction and undeniable chemistry between Vanessa Larkin and Mike Marshall with the engaging secondary characters adding to my reading pleasure. This is a must-read for anyone who needs to escape everyday stress and will leave a smile on your face, joy in your heart and ready for the Holidays! I received an advance reader copy of “A Heartfelt Christmas Promise” from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Vanessa is a high powered executive in an acquisition company. She is an expert in looking at a company and figuring out how to get the most money out of its sale.
When she expects to spend Christmas in Paris, she is shocked to find out she will be in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. Fraser Hills is no Paris.
Porters is a fruitcake company which is to be dismantled and sold. It should all be easily done before the first of the year.
Things do not always go in the direction we expect.
Vanessa is a city girl. She does not like fruitcake. And she resents the fact that she will not be spending Christmas in Paris. A small mountain town is not going to be her ideal place to spend a holiday.
In spite of herself, she is charmed by the picturesque town, the welcoming people and the fact that life goes in a completely different direction in a small town.
Vanessa’s cousin Anna joins her and Anna has an idea that life is not a competition and one should not devote an entire life to business. Anna also believes that giving others kindness and the benefit of the doubt is always a good thing.
Mike is a man who owns a farm and raises Percheron horses. His horses are prize winners, and his teams appear all over the country. He is a widower raising a teenage daughter, Misty. His entire life has been in this small town of Fraser Hills. When he finds out that Vanessa is in town to sell Porters and she has fired his mother, he is not a happy man.
This is a wonderful Christmas story. It is a story about people who care for one another, who will go out of their way to help one another and want the best for their town.
Vanessa learns by observation that not everyone has an ulterior motive. She begins to believe that people tell the truth because it is the right thing to do. She also learns that a small puppy can bring a great deal of joy. She has an epiphany. Eventually, she realizes that she would be wise to re-evaluate her priorities. Since she was very young she has focused her entire life on work and moving up in the world of business. But, in doing so, she has lost her connection to humanity and life.
Ms Naigle has created a small town filled with people who would make good neighbors for anyone. The secondary characters add a great deal of depth to the story. Her character development is well rounded and complete.
Vanessa and Mike are characters who are wonderful people. Both of them are pushed out of their comfort zones. Both of them find that it can be a wonderful and fulfilling trip
This story has a side of romance. But, the basic idea here is about the love of a group of people for one another and the town where they live. Family is important. Having a connection to nature and the beauty of a place are gifts which everyone can appreciate. If someone can take the time and effort, their life can get new meaning.
In short, the theme is about the miracle of change in a life which can resonate with many people.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.
A Heartfelt Christmas Promise was a beautiful, heartfelt story of Vanessa, who was sent to Frasier Hills, North Carolina to shut down Porters fruitcake factory before Christmas. Nancy Naigle made Fraser Hills seem like a picturesque Christmas postcard full of hope, dreams, romance, and love.
The small town had wonderful characters that often gave their two cents to Vanessa. Mike and his daughter, Misty and Grandpa Buck and Anna, Vanessa’s cousin were some of the characters I really liked. Buck was so full of wisdom and often made Vanessa think.
Mike’s beautiful Percheron horses and the cute puppy, Scooter added beautifully to this story. I felt like I was watching a wonderful, snowy movie as I read the book. It made me happy and hopeful too. It also made me want a cup of hot chocolate. It is truly the perfect Christmas story! I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
What a great heartwarming holiday story! Nancy Naigle is great at holiday stories. This one has a large cast of memorable characters. Vanessa and Mike are fun and have chemistry from their first meeting. I loved all of it. It gave me all the feels! Nancy Naigle’s writing makes me feel like I’m in Fraser Hills as experiencing the activities. I really enjoyed this story. It just makes me feel good. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
A Heartfelt Christmas Promise will warm you from the inside out and bring a smile to your face. Vanessa is good at what she does and is completely shocked when her boss sends her to Fraser Hills, North Carolina, instead of Paris, to close a deal. What seems to be a disaster, turns out to be a blessing. Vanessa gets to spend the holiday with her cousin and finds herself becoming personally involved with the locals. Despite the lack of transparency, Vanessa begins to find herself in the process of saving a family legacy and finds Mike right there in the middle of it all. I love the aspect of Vanessa mentoring Misty and standing for what is right, no matter the cost. Restoration is realized, in more than one way, and true love abounds. A delightfully sweet Christmas tale. I dare you not to fall in love with Scooter, I mean Porter, and all the other small-town locals as well!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own and freely given.
If you need a book to put you in the mood for Christmas grab this one. This is not necessarily about love but about finding family, finding where you belong and finding yourself all while helping a small town grow. Vanessa was ready to tackle her dreams and be able to buy the house of her dreams but having a wrench thrown in she tackles that head on too. I loved her fighting spirit and how she did not have a hard heart after all she faced. Mike was one person that he seemed quick to judge with out knowing all the facts which sometimes was annoying, but the more you get to know him the more you understand him, I loved the animals in the story and how the author had a way of making their personality’s shine off the pages. I loved Misty and her heart of Gold she truly was such a huge wonderful part of this story. Anna was also a big favorite of mine she too was just a breath of fresh air while reading this book. Over all this book was a clean read and will totally put you in the mood for the upcoming holidays. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
If you like Hallmark Christmas movies, you will like this book. Vanessa is a high powered executive who is sent to a small town in North Carolina to find warehouse space and to shut down the towns main employer, Porters fruitcake, by Christmas. Of course, she falls in love with the town and local horse breeder Mike. Mike is a widower with a sixteen year old daughter and wants to protect his town’s legacy. Overall, an enjoyable read that you can tell will be made into a Hallmark Christmas movie. I did have a few issues with the book, however. This is supposed to be a romance, but Mike and Vanessa barely interact with each other. It’s almost as if the author worked so hard on the business side of the story, the romance became an afterthought. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.
I’ve already read several Christmas books this year and always read a bunch every year, but this has to be one of my favorite! The story has so much depth to it that I was totally involved in the story and loved every minute of it. The Christmas aspect was definitely there and it was just the icing on the cake (fruit cake in this case)!
The characters were very realistic and loveable. Vanessa was a hardworking business woman thrown into a small town that is suspicious of her intent in working with the local business that employs many of the town. Mike is a single dad of a teenager. The local fruitcake business was owned by his family and the loss of it has given him quite a bit of anger and pain. The attraction between the two is complicated by the business dealings. Throw in an adorable puppy and you have the makings of a story that will warm your heart and leave you very satisfied.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Sweet Christmas treat…Vanessa Larkin is dedicated to her work at the company. Her next business trip is not the Paris trip that she hopes for but to small town Fraser Hills, North Carolina. Vanessa is there to close down the low profit fruit cake company Porter’s and turn it into warehouse space. Widower and single father Mike Marshall is still angry that his grandfather sold their family fruitcake business, which is the life blood of the town. Mike successfully breeds his Percheron horses as well as raise his teenage daughter. Vanessa is the first woman that Mike is attracted to since his wife died, but he knows that she will be leaving soon. Vanessa soon realizes that Porter’s is in better shape than the corporation thinks. Between Mike and the people of the town, Vanessa starts to enjoy her time in town. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This is a sweet Christmas treat, which I enjoyed very much. I love the relationship between Vanessa and Misty. I also like how sweet Mike was even though he was cautious with Vanessa. I also liked that Vanessa was able to see the good in the town and the people. I would love to visit Fraser Hills.
In true Nancy Naigle fashion this is a sweet heartfelt adorable feel good happily ever after Christmas romp. Sweet characters all fighting for what they believe in and think what is best. It is a sweet easy read. Vanessa is terrific at her job and none too thrilled that being a city girl she is sent to a small town in North Carolina rather getting the Paris assignment she felt she deserved. She believes her way is the right and only way and that even though the business she is shutting down is the heart of the town it is her hubris that makes her believe people will be grateful to her for securing their future with buyouts and the possibility of new kind of menial and minimum wage jobs working in a distribution center for her company. She figures she will be in and out and be on to the next more exciting job that she feels is worthy of her talent. Not so fast if Mike has anything to do with it..and he does. And so begins the struggle to stay emotionally distanced, shut down the business that has been the heart of the town forever, convince everyone she is doing what is best for them even though it clearly isn’t and get out with no entanglements. Good luck with that!! It all rolls out exactly as we expect, but is written so sweetly you cannot help, but get sucked in. It will make a sweet Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movie. The only small issue I have is that I feel as if I have read this book and seen this movie before. Again and again and again. Worth reading as long as you don’t expect any surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley, Nancy Naigle and St. Martin Press for the ARC of the book A Heartfelt Christmas Promise. This is my personal review in exchange for this ARC.
Vanessa had her eye on going to Paris for work for Christmas, but things did not work out they way she has envisioned them going. She finds herself heading to Fraser Hills, North Carolina—home of the Best Fruitcake in the USA.
Her job is to convert her company’s space into a warehouse and to shut down the Fruitcake factory.
She is in for a shock when arriving she discovers that Porters Fruitcake factory is the heart and soul of their town.
The entire town makes you want to visit there and get to know everyone.
This is a feel-good fun read and you will snuggle in and enjoy it from the first page to the last word!
Thank you Nancy Naigle for another fantastic read.
A sweet holiday romance. Vanessa is a smart savvy business woman who has never been in love. She loves working and staying busy. Going to a small town at Christmas brings unexpected pleasures. Mike is a widower and dad who is pretty comfortable with his small town life. It takes a village to create a Christmas miracle and help these two see how perfectly they fit together.
This is my first book by Nancy but I have watched some of her stories on Hallmark. This one would make a great Christmas movie. If you love Christmas romance, great stories, horses, puppies and small town living this is the book for you. Anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows everyone knows everything about everyone.
Vanessa Larkin is a work alcoholic and as she puts so much into her company AGC a corporation.
She is sure she is going to be sent to Paris, France for Christmas. It will be a working vacation. Best laid plans
go really wrong when instead she finds herself in Fraser Hills, North Carolina the home of the world’s Best Fruit Cake!!
Really, who eats fruitcake. She is so disappointed but with her help from her cousin Anna. Anna meets her there and they plan on making the best of it. Vanessa has shut down companies before and plans to get this one done quickly.
Then her and Anna can have some fun for Christmas.
Mike Marshall is a man who has lost a lot, his beloved wife and ties with his grandfather.
Mike is raising his daughter alone with the help of friends in town. His life is her and his famous horses. He raises Champion Percheron team pullers. They have won ribbons at many fairs.
He is settled in his life till word gets out someone is coming from AGC to check on the factory.
Porter’s was founded by his family. His wife worked there so does his mother. Now his daughter is also working there. The whole town is involved in one way or other with the factory.
Vanessa is shocked by how friendly the people of Fraser Hills are. Going out of their way to greet her. She never lets herself get involved with the town or people as it’s just a job. She has not counted on Fraser Hills treating her as one of them.
Fraser Hill is a very special town with some of the nicest people every.
She is about to learn what is really important in life, what she has been missing. Anna has told her for years she needs to find a life and work balance.
Mike is attracted to Vanessa before he knows who she is. Can he learn to trust again, give into the growing attraction between or will both be hurt. This is a wonderful funny and warm story. This is a slow burn story; it is a clean story for all ages.
All the characters are great and make the story. Including one very unforgettable puppy.
You don’t want to miss this Christmas story–Its one you will be rereading every year.
If for no other reason read it just to forget our world right now and smile.
I received and ARC from the author and want to thank her, this is my honest opinion and am voluntarily giving it.
A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is a story of career driven woman gaining a new perspective on life once she spends some time in a small town. I enjoyed the small-town setting, the townspeople who were deeply rooted in the community, a hint of Christmas magic, and the descriptive writing. A good story to start off your holiday reading.
This was such a heartwarming Christmas story and I enjoyed it so much. I adore the small town ways and how people get together to help each other out. I also love the atmosphere of a small town Christmas and all the traditions.
This is a very clean romance story and although I found the “romance” part a bit lacking, it doesn’t detract from the story. Vanessa certainly didn’t know how much her life would change when she got to Fraser Hills, North Carolina and how much the people living there would come to mean to her, even a pup called Scooter/Porter. She ends up doing everything she can to save the town’s fruitcake factory and the people working there.
Mike and his daughter Misty are such a delight and I just loved the relationship they had, he’s such a loving and supporting dad and she is such a sweetheart. Mike still seems to be mourning the death of his wife and doesn’t know how to handle his feelings when he meets Vanessa. With Christmas in the air, magical things can happen:)
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Nancy Naigle writes entertaining, enjoyable books. A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is no exception. Vanessa Larkin is anxiously waiting her new assignment but to her surprise it isn’t in Paris or her second choice either. Vanessa is sent instead to Fraser Hills, North Carolina. In addition to that she is given the task to shut down the fruit cake business and get the property ready for a new business by the New Year. Vanessa is usually very detached about her assignments and how they may affect others. In Fraser Hills this is not the case. She becomes emotionally entangled with the small town citizens and find it is hard to do what is required of her. So how can she make everyone happy? I would definitely recommend this book.
A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is a fabulous sweet clean romance perfect for getting you in the mood for the holidays. I loved this one so much and all the small town feels. Mike is a sweetheart and once you get to know him you understand why he is a grump at times. His daughter Misty is such a delight. Scotter the escape artist will put a smile on your face for bringing everyone together. Then there is Vanessa, she is a workaholic just trying to get the job location she wants. Vanessa sees the bigger picture when it comes to what her boss wants and what will work. For this small town she has a lot of work to do to get things right. There is this pull between Mike and Vanessa that is so sweet. You see such wonderful changes in Vanessa by the end of this one that you wonder what magic is in this small town to make a city lover fall in love with it. I couldn’t get enough of A Heartfelt Christmas Promise.