He insulted her. She slammed the door in his face. Only their mutual dislike of Christmas will bring them together.
Billionaire Ethan Wilder has a lot of reasons to hate Christmas, but being dumped by his cheating fiancée and ending up in Holly Wreath, Wyoming to hide out is currently the biggest. The next person on the receiving end of his bad attitude is the waitress serving him cold diner … waitress serving him cold diner food.
Olivia Campbell hates waitressing but has to do something to pay the bills when customers at her bed and breakfast are slow. She puts on a happy face for her daughter, but after her husband walked out on them right before Christmas five years earlier, the season holds painful memories. To make matters worse, she opens her front door to discover her new houseguest is the cantankerous man from the diner with the gorgeous hazel eyes.
Living in close quarters should be unbearable, but as they share some of the simple pleasures of the holidays together, Olivia and Ethan find themselves enjoying Christmas for the first time in a long time—but when Olivia discovers just who Ethan is, they’re reminded they come from two very different worlds.
Will this Christmas produce a miracle that will keep them together?
★★★ Includes Olivia’s secret hot chocolate recipe at the end of Ethan and Olivia’s happily ever after★★★
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This is a sweet romance that starts out anything but sweet. Olivia and Ethan are two hurting people. Both are needy and both are at their wits end. Well, maybe that’s exaggerating a little, but not really… not when you know both of their stories. They may be from different worlds, but hurt, pain and loss affect the wealthy as well as the struggling.
Ethan needed to get away. He just wanted to escape. Public humiliation is never easy, but when it’s caused by the one that suppose to be your one and only, it’s much, much harder.
Olivia’s world is upended when her husband decides he can’t handle the pressures that married life brings. He takes off leaving her with a young daughter and a run down B&B to get up and running.
So, as you can see, they both have personal hurdles to jump. Dealing with abandonment, cheating, financial struggles and public humiliation wouldn’t be easy for anyone. And Olivia and Ethan deal in their own way. But that is a minor part of this story. The real story is how both learn how to give the gift of love and forgiveness. They find that helping each other heal from painful memories brings healing to themselves. They learn to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
The journey to happy-ever-after may not be the easiest road to travel but arriving there will be worth it all … Just ask Olivia and Ethan.
This story is about overcoming misperceptions and deciding what is most important in life.
Ethan was a billionaire and CEO of a tech company in Seattle. When his fiancé’ cheated on him with an old college buddy, he decided to take a road trip across the country to get away from his life for a bit. He ended in the small town of Holly Wreath just a few days before Christmas. After stopping at the local diner, he went checked in at the local bed & breakfast in town, only to discover the waitress at the diner that he had been rude to was the owner of the inn. She had been kind to him even though he had been a jerk. Before long, he began to change and see the importance of love, forgiveness and understanding.
Olivia was the owner of the Holly Wreath Inn. She and her husband had bought the B&B as newlyweds but when times got tough, her husband took off so she was left to raise their daughter and fix up the inn and try to make a living for she and her daughter. When the handsome jerk from the diner shown up on her doorstep, she wasn’t sure that was a good thing. But, she began to see a side of him that was very different and maybe worth getting to know better.
This story was a lovely clean Christmas romance with wonderful secondary characters. I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I love the Christmas season and so reading about Holly Wreath was awesome. This story is about Ethan and Olivia. Their first encounter is not the greatest Ethan had been dumped by his fiancee and was not very nice to Olivia who was working at the cafe. Ethan goes to the Holly Wreath Inn only to ring Olivia owns and runs the inn with her daughter Heather. This is a really well written story with second chances and wonderful characters. Definitely worth the read.
I’ve read Rachael Eliker’s Pop star series and thought they were fun and liked the writing. I was hoping the same for this title even though I have a knee jerk reaction of nope to billionaire trope. This was a sweet Christmas love story and the billionaire status while present is not at all in your face. The story more focused on the Ethan and Olivia’s relationship developing and the hurdles they have. I liked the H’s sister and the h’s neighbor and child. It was a sweet and light read. I always think her books would translate great to a movie. I need more non cheesy Christmas romances on Netlfix! The h and H are likeable and realistic with good dialogue.
*I received an arc copy but opinions are my own
Do you believe in the miracle of Christmas? Can a struggling single mother who works as a waitress help her daughter find happiness? Can she help a scrooge? What about magic hot chocolate? Find out in this wonderful Christmas Romance. There is an abundance of service, good will toward all mankind, Christmas miracles, love, forgiveness, second chances, and more. I loved Ethan and Olivia. Sweet Heather is an 8 year old who has had to grow up fast, to help her single mother. I love the sweet secrets at Christmastime and the Christmas spirit as a town rallies together to help bring joy to all. I highly recommend this book! Happy Reading!
Can two Scrooge’s make a right?
Ethan just got dumped and takes his irritation out on single mom, Olivia. Neither one is feeling the Christmas spirit. Things get interesting when Ethan and Olivia have to spend time together.
Sweet and clean.
Voluntarily reviewed
Stellar cast for this Christmas romance. Olivia and Ethan are poles apart financially but match up completely on an emotional scale regarding Christmas. Their compatibility and occasional lack thereof makes for an unusual situation that sometimes includes too many secrets. The supporting characters were very entertaining. Loved the Secret Santa event. The story overall was a sweet reminder that love is the primary ingredient in the best relationships and that the celebration of Christ is the most gratifying when we practice giving without expectation of return.
Christmas at Holly Wreath Inn would make an excellent Hallmark movie! It is such a sweet, heartwarming Christmas tale. I love all the characters. They make such an interesting, blended family. Heather really steals the story. She is an amazing girl. The plot, the banter and more ensured I kept reading. I want some of Olivia’s hot chocolate! If you want to get lost in a great Christmas story, this is the book to ensure that you do!
Rachael has written a wonderful feel good Christmas romance. The title set the scene before I even began to read the story.
Each character was unique, and memorable. I loved how both Olivia and Ethan helped each other overcome hurtful Christmas memories, and build new ones full of hope. Heather and Twila both made me smile. What better matchmakers could there be than an elderly widow, a twin sister, and a precocious little girl.
Christmas at Holly Wreath Inn is as satisfying as Olivia’s special cocoa enjoyed in front of a cozy fire. I recommend for lovers of Christmas romances.
Ethan is a billionaire who doesn’t like Christmas for understandable reason, but still Scrooge much? But, a visit to Holly Wreath provides him with a second-chance love story with Christmas.
Olivia has been struggling to run an inn in a small-town while being a good single mother. She doesn’t need to deal with a rude customer while working on her “second” job.
A sweet town and some light-hearted humor can bring the love of the season and romance to even the most humbug of characters and remind us that Love conquers all.
Christmas at Holly Wreath Inn by Rachael Eliker is a sweet romance, second chance for both Ethan and Olivia, their first chances having gone bust. After using her college savings to invest in an old house fulfilling Jeff’s dream of owning a bed and breakfast, it turns out it was too much work for him so he took off, leaving Olivia and their daughter Heather to deal with it on their own. Millionaire Ethan Wilder has just been very publicly dumped by his fiancée and has come to town to get away from it all. After a very bad dinner at a local diner, Ethan knocks on the door of the bed and breakfast where he will be staying for the next little while, he is surprised to see his waitress from the diner. Turns out, she owns the place. As they get to know each other, things heat up between them. Do they have a future?
This is a very sweet little romance. Of course, there is a Happily-ever-after. It’s a requirement. There are a few twists and turns along the way. The characters are all sweet and giving, even the fiancée when she shows up. The plot is simple, but good. This is the perfect Christmas romance. It could be on Hallmark. It was an easy read and is certainly worth a couple hours of your time. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of Christmas at Holly Wreath Inn from the author. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own.
I loved this story. Talk about a lesson in how we are sometimes our own worse enemy. Both Olivia and Ethan let their past experiences, not just at Christmas, influence how they relate to each other. This book was fun, you might find yourself yelling at them, and kept me reading to find out how they finally solve their issues. I don’t believe I’ve read another book by Rachel Eliker but this won’t be my last.
This wonderful novel reminds me so much of The Grinch who hated Christmas until the Spirit of Christmas entered into his heart.
Ethan has just been dumped by his fiancee, leaving him bitter and unhappy. It is never fully explained how he ended up in the town of Holly Wreath, where he is decidedly underwhelmed. He, however, makes a terrible impression on Olivia, the waitress who served him at a mediocre diner.
A door slammed in his face at the B&B where he has reservations is not the welcome he expected. Olivia (yes, the same Olivia who waited on him at the diner) owns and operates the B&B. She and her daughter are living on a shoestring budget trying to pay bills while simultaneously making repairs to the Inn. Being poor, she can’t afford to turn Ethan away. But just like the Grinch, the town and the inhabitants of Holly Wreath Inn begin to thaw his heart and show Ethan the true meaning of Christmas.
Without divulging in spoilers, let me just say this is a book that reminds the reader that happiness is not about having money, but rather the Joy that comes when one shares the true meaning of Christmas to others.