Go to an island, my publisher said. Reclaim your writing mojo, he added. Be inspired, he suggested. Oh, sexy shenanigans, was I inspired. Drew Carolla would do that to a woman. Reclusive and brooding, an ex-pilot-come-sexy-woodcutter-come-luxury-wedding-venue-owner-come…here. Writing romance doesn’t come easy when you don’t have a muse, and I was on a deadline. Four weeks to write my next … next bestseller or face being dropped by my publisher. Thankfully, watching Drew chop wood, sweaty and shirtless, soon had the words flowing like water through Cornish coastline rock pools.
But Drew had his own stories to tell. Why did his luxury wedding venue no longer host weddings? Why did he scoff at the idea of romance? And why, despite that, did he look at me like he wanted to wake up on Christmas morning and find me naked in his bed?
Conundrums. Drew was full of them. Too bad I wasn’t writing psychological thrillers.
Would Drew Carolla, a man who didn’t believe in romance, inspire my greatest love story or leave me with unfinished chapters?
A Novel Christmas is a holiday-themed, friends to lovers, contemporary romance standalone featuring a hot ex-pilot and a sassy romance writer.
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This book is the perfect story for Christmas lovers and lovers of romance novels! It’s funny and sweet and hot!
A Novel Christmas by Lynsey M. Stewart is fun read and a hard read all in one.
Stewart sets the storyline in a beautiful place filled with hopes and dreams.
Cal and Drew are both at turning points with their lives and the futures they have planned.
Cal is facing writers block, and Drew is desperately trying to make his dream resort come to life.
Neither of them expect to find love, and both of them will face huge challenges that boils down to what and how our past shapes our futures.
Stewart did a fine job of bringing these characters and storyline together. This is written with a lot of slang wording, so be prepared to scratch your head a few times, but know it is worth the read.
4 Stars
A Novel Christmas by Lynsey M. Stewart
The perfect holiday romance
Oh how I loved this book! Drew was so swoony and complicated, Cal tenacious and driven! I loved everything about this couple, this story, this setting!
I was looking for a quick read and I’m so glad I found this one. I loved the story line and the characters. I’m a sucker for second chances that end in a HEA…if you are too you need to 1-click this one
This. Book. I need more stars than five. So many more stars.
It starts with the dedication. From just that alone you know you are going into a book that the author put her entire soul into. The story is captivating from the get go. Right out of the gate you will be laughing and swooning. You will fall in love with the characters. Your feelings as you continue to read will grow to a point it’s hard to contain them all. The characters are magic, you feel their emotions pouring off of every page. You will giggle with them, fall with them, and cry with them too. You’re heart will break and mend right along with theirs. It’s so wonderfully scripted and beautifully told. I could use every single positive adjective to describe this book and it wouldn’t be enough. This one is for every romance reader out there. I highly recommend it to EVERYONE. It’s legit the perfect contemporary romance. I loved every single word of every single sentence of every single paragraph on every single page and I never wanted it to end. This is hands down my favorite book from this author. But also, it’s one of my top reads of 2018….and of all time. This story wraps you up in a warm romance loving blanket and delivers what we all love….an epic love story that will live in your heart forever. I can’t wait to read it again. And again. And again.
Kel
Kel and Mel Tell Book Blog
My first book by this author, but definitely will be checking out more. This book had it all. Humor.
Heartbreak. Steamy scenes. Great characters.
Cal is an author struggling to write her next book. She gets sent by her “people” to a cabin for a month hoping she will get “inspired”. And inspired she gets! LOL
She stumbles upon Drew, the owner of the cabin and all surrounding it. He’s lumberjacky (chopping wood, doing manly man things) and smoking hot. But he’s closed off and brooding and their relationship is a bumpy road.
This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you believe in love again!
Oh and THAT COVER! Gorgeous!
A great holiday read and a fantastic love story!
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway, and I’m so glad I did. This was my first time reading anything by this author. Now I have to back up and read all the other words. I love Christmas stories, and this was a great one. It brings out all of the feels right from the first moment they met. I now want to go visit the area the story was set in. I definitely recommend this to other readers.
This one does the heart good. It truly does. Maybe it was the relatability of the characters, maybe it was the deep connection I felt with the heroine…
…likely it was, once again, the ability of the author to grab at my heart, inject humor where you least expect it but need it oh-so-desperately. But, Lynsey M. Stewart has written another amazing story that has stuck with me for days after the final page was flipped.
I fell in love with the Music and Letters series almost two years ago and since then, I have devoured every book Lynsey M. Stewart has written since. I was so excited to read this holiday story and I fell just as hard for Cal and Drew.
From the very beginning, I was drawn into these characters. They reached out and grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. This book has so much emotion that I laughed and cried and felt everything that they felt. My favorite part about this book is that it’s almost like a love letter to romance novels. You feel every bit of passion about this genre that Cal feels and I wanted to scream from the highest mountain that *this* is what romance is. It’s empowerment, it’s emotion, it’s fearlessness when all you feel is fear. I loved the relationship between Cal and Drew but I also loved her friendships and strong family. I loved that two people who weren’t sure the risks were worth the rewards were proven wrong. I loved EVERYTHING about this story.
This book is going to become my new holiday tradition. The book I read to get into the Christmas spirit. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
a beautiful small town (island) holiday read. I love the storyline, Drew and Cal are basically alone and find a connection like no other. I loved the setting, I felt like I was in my own cottage watching their love grow. Great holiday read.
I loved this book! I may have laughed. I may have cried. Since the main character is a novelist, it takes a different view of the story’s events. I definitely appreciated every descriptive, thoughtful word that made this book special.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. This one is my favorite of Lynsey’s so far. I’ve read it three times already and own both the ebook and the paperback. I’ve even bought it for friends. I absolutely adore Drew.
I’ve read all of Lynsey’s books and loved them. So it didn’t surprise me when I fell in love with this story as well. I highly recommend picking up this story, curling up with a blanket, your favorite hot drink and dive right in.
This book is so adorable. It’s funny, it’s intense, it’s so freaking hot! And it’s undeniably romantic… you feel every emotion as the characters do. Oh and I love each of the characters, and the story has left me with an itch to go to Cornwall. I just couldn’t put this down, and I didn’t want it to end. I need to read more by this author!
I loved everything about this book!! I’m such a fan of romance novels and this one was just perfect! It’s for everyone who wants to know why their favorite author isn’t putting out a book daily!! Its real it raw it’s emotional it’s funny it sweet and just fantastic!!
I loved the characters and how love isn’t always quick and easy and perfect. It’s messy and raw and some times hurts not always heals.
This book just gave me the feels I loved the whole thing I wish it was longer I want part 2. It’s the perfect Christmas love story. Everyone needs to read this book it was spectacular
Hope Triumphs Over Fear!
A Novel Christmas by Lynsey M. Stewart is more than a love story between two people. It is a story about love and the power of hope. Ms. Stewart highlights why the genre of romance appeals to so many readers. At is core romance places womens wants, needs, struggles and triumphs front and center. It also showcases the hope that the characters and readers experience through their journey.
The story features the hero, Drew and heroine, Cal. Drew and Cal are at different places in their lives. Cal is a romance author that is experiencing writer’s block for the first time. In an effort to get her creative juices flowing, her publisher sends her to a retreat in hopes that inspiration will strike. Drew is the owner of Karensa, the retreat property that Cal visits. Drew is a bit of a jack of all trades, but he is also a bit of a recluse. He has been burned by love and prefers to keep to himself. When Cal arrives a spark ignites that changes the course of both of their lives.
The banter between Cal and Drew is fun, flirty, and at times emotional. The physical attraction is immediate and intense. The friendship that builds between Cal and Drew is bewitching. The struggle to overcome the past is a constant battle for Drew. His fear clouds his judgement and is almost a paralyzing force. Their journey to happily ever after is filled with laughs, joy, passion, and forgiveness. Overall, A Novel Christmas is a beautiful love story of how hope and love triumph over fear!
2.5 stars. I love Christmas books and I was really looking forward to this one. However, it just didn’t grab or hold my attention. I actually found myself struggling to get through it, which is unfortunate because I love the premise. I didn’t connect with the characters like I wanted to It did have it’s super sweet moments and times that made me smile or laugh. I did like how their friendship was slowly formed before a relationship.
There are some really good elements but ultimately, for me at least, it just fell flat.
I loved Cal and Drew! The first part of this book was slower due to building characters and setting the story but the last 1/2 or 2/3 was wonderful! I loved how their friendship was built before any romance. I adored that Cal was strong and pulled them along when Drew was hesitant. This was an easy read with a happy ending. I would definitely recommend it!
This is such a lovely book. It’s rare to think of scenery as a character – but Cornwall is a character in it’s own right.
Cal is working on her novel, and goes to Drew’s retreat to get past her writer’s block. He’s a man with a past, who doesn’t want a future.
The twists and turns that these two take, and the ancillary characters – BRIAN! – are fun. This may be the best book by this author yet.
Go forth and read this!
*4,5 stars*
I have to say I absolutely enjoyed this novel story about two people that are trying to find their own way again and maybe they can find it with each other! I loved Drew and Cal together. It’s a perfect read for Christmas!
Cal is experiencing a writer block and is going to a retreat to try and find a way to get past it; to try and write a new book again. It’s not going as planned and although the scenery is so beautiful, there’s still something holding her back. But when she meets Drew, it inspires her although he’s not exactly an open book but there’s something about him that makes her want to try and break through his walls…
Drew has been through a lot in the last few years, especially after his bad break up and when he meets Cal, there’s something about her that draws him to her. But he’s not willing to open up anytime soon about what has happened and made him not to believe in love anymore. But Cal is breaking through his walls one step at a time and maybe there can be more than friendship between them. Will Cal succeed and will Drew finally be able to leave the past behind him?…