Jaded Army medic Ryan Malone never expected his next mission would bring him back from Afghanistan to tiny Wishful, Mississippi. His great uncle’s health is failing and the cantankerous old coot has pushed everyone in the family away. Ryan is their last resort to get Uncle Percy to move into assisted living before he breaks a hip—or something worse. He’s looking to get in, get it done, and get … back out. That definitely doesn’t include taking time out for a sweet-faced waitress with a heart bigger than the Atlantic.
Interior designer Hannah Wheeler is a long way from the high-powered clients of her old Atlanta firm. Despite the fact that she’s currently spending her days waiting tables, she’s discovered she really enjoys the small-town life she found with her sister. This Christmas season, she’s finally ready to introduce Wishful to her true capabilities by using her skills to spread some holiday spirit. But with Ryan and Percy, she’s definitely got her work cut out for her.
Will Hannah’s evergreen cheer thaw their frosty hearts and remind these two that the most important part of the holidays is family?
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Slow burn, small town, Christmastime, romance novella
When Hannah first meets Ryan, she assumes he is a homeless veteran because of his military fatigues, his long, unkempt hair and mountain-man beard, and his dirty, beat-up jacket. She invites him into the coffee shop where she is working as a waitress and, using her own money to pay for it, offers him coffee and soup.
Hannah has a particular affinity for homeless veterans, having developed a relationship with a coterie of such veterans in her home city, Atlanta, where she had lived her whole life until recently. To her surprise, before the stranger exits the restaurant, he leaves a huge tip for Hannah, which contradicts her theory that he’s broke and homeless.
Weary, cynical Ryan feels decades older than the beautiful, cheery waitress at the coffee shop, even though he estimates that she is very likely about his same age of 27. He is a medic with Delta Force, and he has been on a mission for some time in Afghanistan. He is on temporary leave for a week in order to use his medical training to determine if his 80-year-old Uncle Percy needs to move to a residential facility due to inadequately caring for himself since his wife died the previous year. Ryan had not expected to become involved with someone like Hannah, a Christmas loving elf of a woman, who is determined to bring Christmas cheer to people all over Wishful. She is using her training as an interior decorator to beautifully create holiday themed decorations for many different shops and private homes, including offering to decorate packrat Uncle Percy’s extremely messy house.
This is a delightful romance novella. It is part of the extensive series of books by this author set in the quaint, small, Mississippi town of Wishful. I have personally read every single book in this series, and this novella is one of my favorites. The beginning is especially intriguing. I was rapidly drawn into the romance of these two attractive, honorable and lovable protagonists. Given that it is Christmas themed, this novella is also a lovely story to read during the holiday season. Though this is not a long story, it has a completely satisfying HEA, including a wonderful epilogue.
I have experienced this book in both Kindle and audiobook format. The narrator of the audiobook is excellent.
Kait Nolan made me cry!
Okay, to back up a bit… this novella stands on it’s own and if you’re just in the mood for some Christmas cheer or to get a taste of what Kait Nolan’s small town sexy writing is all about – this would be perfect! Be warned – you’ll get a little intro to other folks in Wishful and you’ll want to hear them all.
Kait Nolan made me cry! Other stories in the series have definitely made me mist up a bit – but I seriously had ALL. THE. FEELS. with this one. For such a short story – I truly felt like I knew Ryan and Hannah, got majorly invested in their relationship, and hurt for both of them when it seemed things wouldn’t work out. No worries – Nolan always delivers an HEA and the epilogue here was perfection.
Up next is the last book for the Wishful series, Dancing Away With My Heart.
Narration:
Look, I adore Amy McFadden and her narrations. After listening to almost 20 books she’s performed for Nolan – I think they’re the perfect duo of awesomeness. ‘nough said.
Finding
New Beginnings. Hannah was working as a waitress in Wishful even though she was a trained interior designer, but after her seizure and accident a little over a year ago she needed the slowness. Ryan came into on leave to check on his uncle, but he first met Hannah he looked like a down & out vet. But her idea to help decorate the town brings them together from a lady in the casserole patrol.gifts his uncle decorating for Christmas.
In my opinion, this holiday romance was filled with the all the warmth and love of the Christmas holidays! It grabbed my heart from the first chapter and didn’t let go until the last page of this HEA story. If this doesn’t help you find your holiday spirit nothing will!
The stories and characters in Kait Nolan’s books are so well written that I feel as if I am part of the story, not just reading it. Ryan Malone and Hannah Wheeler’s lives and outlooks for the future are as different as possible but the love for an elderly man and his rescue dog pulls them together. Many old friends from previous Wishful stories pop up to help Ryan, Hannah and Percy. I recommend the whole Wishful series to take you away on a reading holiday.
A Lot Like Christmas
A sweet, romantic holiday story. Three people, each carrying their own baggage, come together at Christmas. Everyone brings something special into the relationships and help to heal one another in the process. Ryan and Hannah find love, and both help Percy to get past his loss..
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book received from the author.
Loved this story!
Great read I couldn’t put the book down had to keep reading a 5 star for sure.
I have been provided with a copy of A Lot Like Christmas by the author via Booksprout for an impartial review. This novella is a part of the Wishful Romance series and I just absolutely loved coming back to this world and meeting some new characters as well as seeing some beloved characters from the past books. This novella was just such a quick and easy read and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I just fell in love with Ryan Malone and Hannah Wheeler and their journey together was just beautiful. I was just crying at the end of this beautiful story. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.
Hannah and Ryan are more soul-damaged than they know. But Christmas’s magic will help heal each other hearts and find happiness together. A sweet story.
What’s not to love about this story, Ryan and Hannah make the perfect couple and made me laugh many times while they figured that out for themselves. A lovely and well written story, as always making me wish I could move to their town.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A wonderful Christmas story in the small town of Wishful. The story line will get you in the Christmas spirit and give you a warm and comfortable feeling. The characters are loveable and interesting. They fit so well into the Wishful community. If you haven’t read any of the prior stories from this small town you will want to after this intriguing story of small town friendship and giving. I recommend for a captivating story to make you look forward to the holidays anytime of year.
I couldn’t decide who to fall in love with more – Percy or Ryan? Hannah seems to be able to tame the men in her life but can’t manage to deal with her own past or stand up for her future. Once Percy, Duke, and Miss Betty get sorted, maybe she and Ryan can, too. I love the fact that the Casserole Patrol get some action in this story. Kait has simply done it again. Read on!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another well written wonderful and touching story in this Wishful Romance series. It is a standalone but you also get cameo appearances of previous characters within the series. These characters are complex in this engaging plot as the joy of christmas and family is brought into their lives, while finding the true spirit of Christmas. I really enjoyed this heartwarming story that has romance, sometimes heartbreaking, lots of joy, some remembered demons, its amusing and sweet and a little steamy as they help each other to conquer their fears.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love all of Kait Nolan’s books.
I am in love with all of Kait’s books and I have long waited for this particular book in the series and it was everything I was hoping for. You have a sexy military man and a sweet and charming woman for him to fall in love with and thrown in for good measure a grumpy but equally charming senior gentleman. The story line is funny and hits all of the heart feels. It is impossible to be in a bad mood while reading this book. You will want to move to Wishful when all is said and done.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Lot Like Christmas is a wonderful book in the delightful Wishful series as well as a perfect stand-alone. Hannah and Ryan both have their own reasons for being in Wishful at Christmas and the Wishful fountain works its magic once again. Hannah, Ryan and Percy are wonderful, genuine characters with real, normal issues that everyone will identify with and I loved them from the start. This is not only a fabulous romance it is a book that deals with everyday problems and issues in such a real, normal way without drama or sensation. Kait Nolan is a wonderful author who never disappoints and this is an incredible heartfelt story with a great HEA. I definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this story! I have already read it twice and will definitely be reading it again. The characters were great – from Hannah’s wonderfully positive outlook on life to Ryan’s quiet struggles between job and self to Percy’s finding a reason to get up each day. These are everyday people with real struggles and watching them win their battles brought me so much happiness. I also hope we get to see more of Percy because I just adore him. I can imagine sitting around listening to him tell stories and being entertained for hours. Ms. Nolan has a real gift for bringing characters to life and I look forward to reading her stories for a long time to come.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I want to live in Wishful!
I love all the characters and plots.
This story was so good.
Kait Nolan has a special knack for writing books with great characters, I feel like I do live in Wishful when I read her books.
Oh my goodness, did I need to read this today! This lovely little quick read is a great entry into the Wishful “universe” if you haven’t read any of Kait Nolan’s other wonderful Wishful books (although if you haven’t, I highly recommend you get started!)–but if you have read some of the Wishful books before, you’ll feel right at home with some old friends while you get to know some pretty terrific new ones.
Hannah might be one of my favorite Wishful characters yet…especially at Christmas. She’s just so darn…open and hopeful and giving…pretty much everything we probably all should aspire to be, especially this time of year. Ryan, our hero, is a soldier back from Afghanistan on leave, checking on his Uncle Percy in Wishful on behalf of his worried Mom….Percy lost his beloved wife a couple of years ago, and he’s been declining ever since. Ryan keeps his heart locked away; he’s a soldier and doesn’t have time to get attached; Percy is angry at the world, and doesn’t have much interest in anyone or anything anymore…and Hannah? Well, Hannah is just firmly fixed in the present and is all about trying live with as much joy as she can muster, and if she can find a way to spread it around? Well, that’s pretty cool too! She’s not perfect, she has her issues too, but two men have never needed a little joy and sunshine and Christmas spirit as these two stubborn men needed Hannah.
She wreaked a little havoc and worked a little magic…and I was genuinely surprised at how much emotion was packed into this short little parcel. It brought me to tears a couple of times, and just made me so happy at others. Lots of joy and Christmas in Wishful this year…I highly suggest you pick up this little gem right away–it will help you get through the next few weeks a little happier, I suspect.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.