When Fifi Gallagher returns to McKenzie Ridge to settle her grandmother’s estate, she finds herself toe-to-toe with…a buffalo. A toothless opossum.An emotional llama. And…a handsome silver fox. Fifi’s inherited more than just property — and apparently the jackass who lives there — and we aren’t talking about the hammock loving donkey.Right on the heels of sparklers and the Star Spangled … sparklers and the Star Spangled Banner, Fifi’s knee deep in twinkle lights and Jingle Bells when she takes her grandmother’s place as head of the town Christmas Festival…in smoking hot July.
Doctor Jensen Bain — aka silver fox — finds himself standing toe-to-toe with the infamous Fiona “Fifi” Gallagher straight out of Hollywood – threatening eviction. Accidentally sleeping with her certainly wasn’t part of the plan or worth declaring a Christmas in July miracle, despite the fireworks — due to the stick up her pompous…BEEP
From big city girl to small town animal whisperer, Fifi’s heart is suddenly torn between Hollywood and Holly-weird. When mysterious letters from a secret admirer, known only as Santa, make her question if she’s meant for the spotlight and couture or wildlife and red checkered flannel.
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First of all, I love being back in Mackenzie Ridge ! The whole series is great. This is a shorter story, but LOL funny from the first chapter ! Doc and Fifi are an opposites attract couple that are really perfect for each other. Throw in some familiar Mackenzie Ridge faces and a bunch of unusual animals and strange circumstances, and you have sweet and funny story ! (with a little love and a little steam !!) Loved it
Bain is a small-town vet who takes care of most of the animals in McKenzie Ridge. Fifi/Fiona is a Hollywood set designer, who spent several summers at her grandmother’s home in McKinzie Ridge when she was growing up. Some of her best memories were made in McKenzie Ridge. Bain has taken FiFi’s grandmother’s barn, and turned it into the perfect location for his veterinary practice. It has large enough rooms to accommodate a variety of animals, and he has set it up so that he can stay there for extended periods of time when needed with the animals.
With Fifi first arrives, her mission is to clean out the house and sell it. She doesn’t realize that Bain has his entire practice located in the barn. As she spends time in the town, and gets to know the residents, she starts to remember a lot of the important things in life that she’s been missing. Her life in Hollywood has some good things going for it, but it’s missing a lot of the human connections that give life meaning. Fifi discovers that she’s been living for work rather than working to live. By slowing down in McKenzie Ridge, so finds her passion again and finally finishes a manuscript that she’s been working on for quite a while. She discovers quirky friends and neighbors, many who remember her visits as a child. There’s a sense of community in McKenzie Ridge that just doesn’t exist in Hollywood.
This is a quick read, but a delightful one. There are some laugh-out-loud moments mixed together with some thought-provoking ideas about the ‘real’ versus the ‘for show’ life. The animals become both the co-stars in this novella and one of the mechanisms used to show Fifi what really matters. This is a delightful story that will bring a smile to your face and to your heart.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First off, I LOVE being in McKenzie Ridge! These people are some of my favorites, not to mention there is never a dull moment. When Fifi arrives, she is definitely NOT used to small town living, and appears almost snobbish at the beginning. I felt like this was totally how someone would act coming from the “big city,” though. After a while, and some interesting encounters, she begins to realize this may not be all that she thought it would be. Meeting a vet from a small town, Fifi has no idea what she’s in for!
This story has all the small town feeling I love, some true Christmas spirit (even in July), loads of animals, hilarity, and all the feelings I love in a romance. Not only that, we get an appearance by Granny Lou! This book has chemistry, love, laughter, and is entertaining all the way through.
I loved this little spin off from the McKenzie ridge series and the theme was wonderful.
Going back to sell her grandmother’s home ended up changing fifi’s life completely. With a few of the characters from the main series popping in to say hello it made for a great read.
Full of laughs and hilarious characters!
This book had me cracking up from the get go. Fifi and Doc Bain have a chemistry that can’t be denied. When Fifi goes back to take care of her grandmothers affairs she quickly finds herself surrounded by rescue animals, a Fourth of July and Christmas in July chaos all while
Trying to finish her pet project. She finds more than she bargained for.
Leaving Hollywood and her career to settle her grandmother’s McKenzie Ridge estate, Fiona ‘Fifi’ Gallagher is presented with a myriad of issues. Her teen self remembers the love she had for the town and the townspeople. Her adult self just wants to get the house and surrounding property ready to sell. Her emotional self finds tossing out her grandmother’s effects is not as easy as she thought it would be. Her practical self just wants to get it done! Add in a H.O.T. veterinarian who lives on the property and takes in animals that would have no chance of surviving in the wild with their health issues and wacky personalities, and you’ve got a dilemma to say the least!
Fiona and Doc Bain dance around, and act on, their attraction to each other, and their relationship comes to a head when anonymous Santa letters begin to arrive for Fiona as the town is getting ready for their annual, Christmas in July celebration. Fiona must decide. Stay or go?
A charming story! It was wonderful to see some of the characters we’ve grown to know and love in McKenzie Ridge, show up in this novella. Doc Bain has been a favorite through the whole McKenzie Ridge series, and I was so hoping he’d find someone who could love him, his quirky animal friends, and his dedication to his profession. Fiona is perfect for him.
Christmas in July by Stephanie St Klaire was a very fun and quick read and addition to the McKenzie Ridge stories!
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Fifi and Bain are total opposites, at least at first.
I loved watching their relationship and friendship develop, and ADORED reading about all of the different animals and people coming in and out of the house/barn to visit.
The book was a ton of fun to read, and progressed really well from start to finish.
I found myself cheering these two characters on, and hoping for Fifi to get out of her own way to get her HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What do you get when you mix Mackenzie Ridge’s meddling icon – Granny Lou, a handsome vet – Doc Bain- who “works for chickens”, a group of misfit animals, and an uptight Diva from LA? Why you get a hilarious rom-com from the new MacKenzie Ridge spin-off series that will have you laughing out loud and enjoying Christmas in July! This was a great, funny read and a great start to the new MacKenzie Ridge spin-off series! Kudos to the author SSK for doing an amazing job!
St. Klaire never fails to impress me with her stories no matter what type of book she writes. She has an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what will get your funny bone or work it’s way into your heart. Her characters are someone you’d love to know in your own life and her plots are always different and fast paced.
Christmas in July was hilarious from the first page (oh my gosh, the car scene!) and kept me flipping pages to see what misadventure was going to befall Fifi next.
Bain was a sexy hero, but his love for animals (especially those with issues) is what endeared him to me the most. However, the sexy didn’t hurt any! His “saving” Fifi from the different animals was adorable and swoon worthy.
Fifi was a very interesting character, from her choice of pet to her handling of the people on the Christmas committee. She really did have a tendency to get herself in awkward situations with the different animals that Bain had. I really couldn’t tell you which encounter struck me as the funniest. Ms. St. Klaire, thank you for the laughs on what was a difficult weekend!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Cute story about Fiona coming ba k after her grandmother passes away and meet Dic Bain. He has some really weird animals and she ends up helping him out. She doesnt know who her secret Santa is but is waiting for the sign to find out if she should stay or go back to LA
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*potential spoilers*
Christmas in July was the perfect summer read. It combined all the things I love from Stephanie St Klaire. Humor, romance, McKenzie Ridge, a little mystery, and a super steamy session.
Fiona and Doc Bain had a connection that was so obvious to others, but not Fiona. I adored seeing Doc Bain in more of a leading role. Seeing how he worked with the animals was so enjoyable.
Mystery love notes from “Santa” left Fiona torn between her hurried life in LA or a relaxed life in McKenzie.
Definitely recommend to all lovers of the people of McKenzie Ridge. Even new readers will be able to enjoy this quick, cute read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love quick novella reads that I can’t put down and it’s Christmas in July!! This is a spin off of the McKenzie ridge series.
The story of Fifi and Doc Bain is one hilarious one. With Fifi being from Hollywood coming back to McKenzie Ridge definitely had its ups and downs. Doc Bain and his menagerie of animals are quite unique. Only thing I could think that would make this book better is for it to be longer because I couldn’t get enough. It is a definite must read
No spoliers… I loved that Christmas in July was back in McKenzie Ridge and got to see glimpses of previous characters. Stephanie wrote a fun light hearted romantic comedy. Fifi is coming back after years to take care of her late Grandmas house not knowing that there is a vet Doc Bain that lives on the property with a whole host of animals that cause Fifi to rethink a lot of things in her life along with her grandma making sure she finished up her Christmas in July responsibilities..will she stay to find out her secret Santa?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I can never resist another visit to one of my favorite towns, McKenzie Ridge, Author Stephanie St. Klaire’s fictitious town! This spinoff novella features Fifi (Fiona) Gallagher and veterinarian Doctor Jensen Bain, (who Fifi’s grandmother never told her about), as well as a gaggle of unique animals. From the very beginning the two butt heads, especially once she says she is selling Grandma Dee’s house…where Doc’s recovery barn is housed.
“You left L.A. for this? How? Why? I just don’t get it.”
“Because here I’m actually living, Fiona. In California, I was just working, trying to make the next buck, and I didn’t even know what I was working for. Here…I do.”
This is a fun, hilarious, enjoyable read! The animals and their personalities make Christmas in July a totally different lineup of characters. Grandma Dee’s best friend, Lou, had me cracking up! Fifi’s dilemma of trying to step into her grandmother’s shoes and create Christmas in July, a secret Santa admirer, as well as Fifi’s “Hollyweird” personality and pet sloth (Dallas), all mesh together to create this humorous McKenzie Ridge addition!
I loved this story!!! I didn’t realize how much I missed McKenzie Ridge!! Doc Bain and Fifi were awesome!! Of course Mama Lou made an appearance, love her!!! I hope there is more to come!!
Fifi and her pet sloth really fit into the McKenzie Ridge community. I loved them from the moment we first found them. They kept it real and entertaining.
I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read that I didn’t want to put down.
Wow great to be back at Mackenzie Ridge. This short rom-com was filled with amazing chemistry between the main characters and many unusual quirky animals added in to make things exciting. I really enjoyed reading this novella and recommend it to any one looking to read a rom-com.
Who doesn’t love celebrating Christmas in July? Doc and FiFi, what a pair! Sparks fly between the pair and then the fun begins. With all of the animals at the farm, there are laughs and cuteness to keep you smiling. But, will Fifi realize she has a chance at a new life with a sexy doctor and her own special zoo before it’s too late?? I could not put this book down and can’t wait for more from Stephanie St. Klaire.
I was so glad to be back in McKenzie Ridge! This was a cute, fun read! I didn’t want it to end! I’m never ready to leave the ridge.
I want more of this couple, and don’t forget the rambunctious animals. The town wouldn’t be the same without them!