NOW A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIEFrom the screenwriter of the Netflix Original viral hit, A Christmas Prince, comes another heartwarming holiday story about a beautiful Grinch who’s determined to get her dream job even if it means spending a week at a Christmas Camp where she discovers an unexpected love.Haley Hanson’s idea of the perfect Christmas is escaping to the Caribbean to work so she … is escaping to the Caribbean to work so she can avoid all the traditional Christmas distractions. Over the years, she’s sacrificed her personal life to climb the corporate ladder at a prestigious Boston advertising agency. Now she just needs to land a coveted Christmas toy company account to make partner. But first her boss thinks she needs a holiday attitude adjustment and ships her off to a Christmas Camp at Holly Peak Inn to help her find her Christmas spirit.
Arriving at the charming mountainside inn, Haley meets the owner’s handsome son, Jeff, and feels an instant spark, but resists the attraction, refusing to be distracted from her goal of doing all the required Christmas tasks as fast as possible so she can get back to work.
At first Haley struggles with all the traditional Christmas Camp activities. It’s not until she finally allows herself to slow down, live in the moment, and let Christmas back into her heart, that she begins to grow closer to Jeff. But when he finds out Haley’s come up with a plan to help his dad save the struggling inn while he’s been trying to convince his dad to sell it, their relationship takes a serious holiday hit. Now it will take the magic of the season to bring these two hearts together.
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This books has such a fun, original premise. And Christmas Camp sounds like something I would love! Guess I’ll have to stick to visiting it within the pages of a book. 😉
Camp Christmas
Karen Schaler
5 Stars
Synopsis:
From the screenwriter of the Netflix Original viral hit, A Christmas Prince, comes another heartwarming holiday story about a beautiful Grinch who’s determined to get her dream job even if it means spending a week at a Christmas Camp where she discovers an unexpected love.
Haley Hanson’s idea of the perfect Christmas is escaping to the Caribbean to work so she can avoid all the traditional Christmas distractions. Over the years, she’s sacrificed her personal life to climb the corporate ladder at a prestigious Boston advertising agency. Now she just needs to land a coveted Christmas toy company account to make partner. But first, her boss, Larry, thinks she needs a holiday attitude adjustment, so he ships her off to a Christmas Camp at Holly Peak Inn to help her find her Christmas spirit.
Arriving at the charming mountainside inn, Haley meets the owner’s handsome son, Jeff, and feels an instant spark, but resists the attraction, refusing to be distracted from her goal of doing all the required Christmas tasks as fast as possible so she can get back to work.
At first Haley struggles with all the traditional Christmas Camp activities. It’s not until she finally allows herself to slow down, live in the moment, and let Christmas back into her heart, that she begins to grow closer to Jeff. But when he finds out Haley’s come up with a plan to help his dad save the struggling inn while he’s been trying to convince his dad to sell it, their relationship takes a serious holiday hit. Now it will take the magic of the season to bring these two hearts together. (Goodreads)
Review:
When I read this book, I thought I was watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. It had everything you need to get in the Christmas spirit: humor, family, tradition, good food, snow and love.
Haley is a woman who knows her mind and has her priorities set. And work is her number one priority. She wants to make partner at the advertising agency where she works. When she is at Christmas Camp, all she can think about is getting all of the activities done and heading back to her job. But somewhere along the way, her priorities change and she realizes that there is more to life than work. The characters are well rounded and well developed. I thought they all added to the story in a positive way, just as they all added a positivity to Haley’s life.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted women’s contemporary. I felt like I was reading a cozy mystery without a mystery. This was a clean read and I really enjoyed it a lot. Be sure to pick up this book for a great holiday reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Publishers and Edelweiss, which I greatly appreciate.
I listened to the audio book and got into an early Christmas mood. Since this year wasn’t an easy one it seems like a good idea.
It was a very cute romance with a big load of joyful Christmas spirit. I very much enjoyed listening to it. Now I am ready to decorate the house 🙂
Every Christmas I like to read a feel good Christmas book and this one is a jewel. Haley is forced to attend Christmas Camp in order to land a big account at work and prove to she deserves to be partner. Jeff is at Holly Peak Inn helping his dad run what might be the last Christmas Camp. Haley needs to find her Christmas spirit and land the big campaign- can Jeff help her as he helps his Dad run Christmas Camp? A delightful read!
Delightful Holiday romance. The blurb gives a great preview of what to expect in this story. Yet, once you start reading you’ll see Haley start to discover that getting to the top in the corporate world leave her without so many facets to her life. Jeff is the owners son whose trying to get his dad to slow down and sell the Inn. Unfortunately, Haley’s knowledge in her field gives her the know how and now the desire to help save the Inn. Sadly Jeff and Haley butt heads and their sparks dim. Very enjoyable story reminding people life goes by fast so slow down, partake & enjoy. I won a copy a complementary copy of this book via Goodreads and chose to write a review.
A sweet read!
First, I’d like to thank author Karen Schaler for being chosen as one of five winners out of 10,000 entrants to receive a paperback copy of CHRISTMAS CAMP which was part of Christmas in July. I’m deeply honored.
CHRISTMAS CAMP is an uplifting and heartwarming Christmas romance story. It’s also a Hallmark Christmas movie, which I watched a week or two before I actually won the book. I enjoyed the movie, but the book has more detail, which made it more interesting.
Haley Hanson is a workaholic who’s trying to climb the corporate ladder. While trying to advance her career to partner in the advertising firm she works in, her boss makes the decision that she needs an attitude adjustment and needs to learn about Christmas spirit, what the holiday means, as well as its traditions. He sends her to “Christmas Camp”, and the one thing she needs to return with is the certificate showing that she attended and fulfilled the week’s activities. At the Holly Peak Inn she meets owner and proprietor, Ben Jacoby, and his son, Jeff. Instantly, there’s a connection between her and Jeff, but both are afraid of it. However, the magic of the Christmas season opens up new possibilities and a blossoming romance for these two.
Schaler creates a unique story line between the characters as well creating a beautiful setting with vivid scenes. Even the food descriptions make your mouth water. Just imagine sipping on delicious Christmas Camp hot chocolate and eating Christmas Camp sugar cookies! Well, you don’t have to imagine as you can make these holiday treats using the recipes in the back of the book. You can also play Christmas Camp charades! This is a delightful holiday read, and I look forward to more of Karen Schaler’s work.
I want to visit Christmas Camp!! Loved this holiday read.
4.5/5
Song/s the book brought to mind: Happy Holiday by Bing Crosby
Christmas Camp by Karen Schaler was so freaking adorable and I never wanted it to end. There are so many characters to love and I can definitely tell why it got turned into a Hallmark movie since it is basically one in book form. This is my absolute favorite type of book to read around the holidays and this one didn’t disappoint. I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narration by Ann Marie Gideon. She did such a wonderful job voicing this book and she really brought Haley and the other characters to life for me. A lot of the times the men are the grinches, but in this book it is good ole Haley and that is why she ends up being sent to Christmas Camp. I loved seeing her progress as the book goes on and how she lets the holidays and Jeff into her heart.
Clearly there aren’t going to be any major surprises in this book, but it really is the perfect heartwarming holiday read. I can’t wait to watch the movie and see how the setting is brought to life because I was picturing the inn in my head and if it’s what I’m thinking it will be hilarious to see Haley’s reaction to it onscreen. Christmas Camp has a super sweet storyline and plenty of emotional moments so I would be sure to keep those tissues handy! This was my first read by Schaler, but it certainly won’t be my last, and I loved her writing style so much.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed this book. I cant believe that it took me two years to read this book. I am glad that I finally bought this book and read. This is definitely going to be every Christmas read for me. I will be reading The Christmas Camp Wedding. I loved all the characters in this book. The author did amazing job with making you feel like you were there. Watching all the fun Christmas activists. Wanting to try some delicious hot chocolate. I love reading Christmas book around this time of year. Now I didn’t know what this book was only that it had something to with Christmas. Highly recommend this book.
About Book-
A young woman named Haley works a lot trying to make partner at a adverting agency. Haley is also helping her parents with renovations with their old family home. Between work and helping her parents Haley never celebrates Christmas. When a big account comes up, Haley wants it and will do anything to get this account. But when her boss has other plans for her. And sends her to Christmas Camp to get into the Spirit of Christmas. Haley must do all the activities to make sure she lands this account. Again I highly recommend this book. This book was not disappointing at all.
A perfect feel good Christmas read. The gang of guests at Christmas Camp will have you finding the inspiration for new traditions this holiday season.
A very easy-to-read Christmas story.
Boring
pretty predictable so far.
I would highly recommend this book I enjoyed it very much and I would like to see the movie (& compare). I also want to read the next book (novella).
This is a feel good story. It is sweet and is a fun read for Christmas time. Haley is a workaholic. She doesn’t do Christmas. Haley wants the Tyler Toys account. This company caters to Christmas. That doesn’t mean much to Haley. She wants the account and thinks it is her way to a promotion. Her boss sends her to Christmas Camp. She is frantic. She doesn’t have the time, nor does she see the necessity of going. Once there, she tries not to be distracted by the Jeff, the owner’s cute son.
I thought this story was entertaining and sweet. I liked all the characters, and they all seemed to grow or become “better” through their Christmas Camp experiences. It is easy-to-read and shows different ways to enjoy Christmas and to bring the spirit of Christmas into our lives.
Christmas Camp #1, This is a quintessential lighthearted Christmas romance where someone learns to appreciate the spirit of Christmas. Haley Hanson isn’t really a Grinch, she really just indifferent to Christmas. She grew up poor and never really celebrated it, as an adult now she’d rather take her parents to the Bahamas then stick around all the Holiday craziness. Haley is in marketing and her next promotion depends on her next big client. Unfortunately the big client Haley brought in was given to a co-worker why, because it was a Christmas campaign for a Big old fashioned toy manufacturer. Haley’s boss is willing to let her present her idea but she has to go to Christmas Camp.
Christmas Camp was founded by Ben Jacoby and his wife. They hold it every year at their inn the Holly Peak Inn and even now after the her death Ben continues to do it in her honor. What they wanted was a way to rejuvenate someone’s holiday spirit, remind the of the magic of Christmas and that the most important thing during the season is family and friends, and a way of learning some new traditions. Haley goes figuring she came breeze through the week work on her presentation at the same time get her certificate land the client and get her promotion. What really happens is that Haley finds her Christmas spirit and discovers what she really wants to do and falls in love with the innkeeper’s son.
Jeff Jacoby loves Christmas, he loves his job as an architect, and he loves his father but after the death of his mother Jeff has put his personal life on hold to take care of Ben. Jeff wants Ben to sell the inn and move to Boston closer to him. Ben’s getting older Christmas Camp is getting harder to do with only the housekeeper, Laura, to help and he’s not making as much money as he needs to keep the place going. Jeff thinks his way is the best thing to do but Ben loves Christmas Camp to much to stop doing it but doesn’t see another option that is until Haley discovers the problem and comes up with a brilliant idea. As Jeff helps Haley discover Christmas magic they start to fall in love but Jeff is an idiot and gets mad at her for wanting to help his father save Christmas Camp.
Overall, this was a good read. I really think it would be better as a movie. I watched The Christmas Prince and this year’s sequel and wasn’t that impressed with either and compared to Christmas Camp I preferred Christmas Camp and of course like with The Christmas Prince this book is getting a sequel, Christmas Camp Wedding. It was easy to read, heartfelt and funny; it has an adorable dog, and has side characters that really bring it all together. This is a good Holiday read and when NetFlix makes it into a movie I will watch it.
I enjoyed reading this book. Predictable, of course, but the author takes the reader on a believable journey to the happy end. My own children actually have friends that fit in the life of the main characters.
Christmas Camp is a book to put you straight into the Christmas spirit. I wish there was really a Christmas camp run by Ben, it gave me such a warm and cozy feeling that I did not want the book to end. Haley and Jeff are the total opposites of what Christmas is about but along the way they find out they are more alike then they think, John and his kids, Gail and Ian and Susie all find there way to compromise and building on what will become there own Christmas traditions. All I will say about Max is your going to love him.
Favorite Quote:
Since she traveled a lot to visit her clients, she took pride in the fact that she never checked any bags, going with the philosophy that there were two kinds of luggage, carry-on and lost.
My Review:
I enjoyed this mild and sweet holiday storyline of a female workaholic named Haley. The writing was insightful and finely tweaked with those humorous and thoughtful touches that kicked the narrative up from good to cleverly exceptional. The main character of Haley wasn’t exactly a grinch but a mild female version of Scrooge. She was exceptionally driven and prone to be selfish and thoughtless in what she said and did in her eagerness to get accounts and make partner. She worked all the time and didn’t make time to relax, date, or socialize outside of work. She wasn’t vile, just obnoxiously ambitious and work-obsessed. Her boss staged a covet intervention as “a holiday attitude adjustment,” by sending her to “Christmas Camp,” an inn with traditional activities geared to bring families together during the holidays. This is one of those rare books that is chaste enough for my elderly mother’s Sunday School book club and Hallmark Channel wholesome, yet still entertaining to me. My favorite character in the story was the exceptionally clever Max – the Wonder Dog, whom I believe was largely responsible for Haley’s transformation.