Never underestimate the power of gourmet chocolate… selling their business and home, and this year they’ve left her in charge of holiday preparations with Hollybrook’s distractingly-handsome new lawyer.
Attorney Dominick Rowe left the hustle of the city and never looked back. Growing up with workaholic parents, he longed for the slow pace of a small town like Hollybrook. He’s happy to step up when his favorite clients ask him to work their beloved Christmas event. He’s less comfortable with Operation Mistletoe—their covert attempt to remind their granddaughter of how much she loves The Candy Manor and persuade her to move home. But when he meets Kayla and falls hard, his loyalties become divided.
Will their opposing hearts melt with holiday magic, or have Kayla’s grandparents stirred up too much trouble?
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If you’re in the mood for a fun Christmas Romance that is high on the emotional scale and low on the true drama side (for the most part), then you’ll love Home Sweet Christmas.
Kayla is a pastry chef for a large hotel. While on one hand, she loves what she does, she isn’t so sure that she loves where she’s doing it anymore. But that decision can be set aside as it’s time to return home to her grandparents’ Victorian home/shop where they create the most delicious chocolates full of Christmas cheer and then some for the annual festivities. It’s time to go back home to Candy Manor. And if Santa isn’t mistaken her future is right back home as well.
On the other hand, Dominick has been where Kayla is now. The law has little to do with pastry or chocolates for that matter, yet they may have different professions but he also knew that feeling of the career no longer being what he’d first chased after. Dominick is quite happy now, practicing law in a small town where people actually know you by name and not a distracted nod. He’d made the choice for change and did not regret it one bit – Kayla still has to get to that point… but that decision is coming up fast.
Kayla’s grandparents are ready to retire, and they might just have something in mind to help her slow down and return home for good. Dominick agreed to help his friends out but he didn’t expect to be charmed by their granddaughter to the point of wanting her to stay for his sake and their future as well.
Home Sweet Christmas is exactly the type of romance to curl up in front of a fireplace on a snowy afternoon – or anywhere, really. I had such fun with Kayla’s and Dominick’s story. There are just enough background job-related tensions to be the perfect balance for Kayla to see the differences between what is now and what could be in the future. She hesitates but for the right reasons, to be certain she’s being fair to everyone involved, and to be sure that the love she’s willing to risk so much on is also just as important to Dominick.
There were bumps along the road to their happy ending – one of them being that Dominick was involved as her grandparents’ lawyer and couldn’t share certain things with her. It was resolved, but I could certainly understand Kayla’s reaction. I liked them as a couple, adored Kayla’s grandparents, and fell in love with this small town. I hope we get to return again, soon.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Tule Publishing. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
This is one of those books, as I read it was, was just picturing it in my mind like a movie. Oh yes, it would be the perfect made for tv holiday movie! What is not to like about candy, Christmas, snow, and romance? Pastry chef Kayla Hunter comes home to visit her grandparents for 2 weeks at Christmas only to discover they are selling up their Candy Manor (candy business and home) and moving to the sunny shores of Florida. Kayla meets their lawyer and friend Dominick Rowe, who has moved into the small town since she has been gone and her grandparents are hoping he will show her how she loves the Manor and might just want to stay. On the other hand, Kayla knows they gave up a great deal to raise her when her parents were off around the country doing “their thing” and this is Hunter’s nest egg. This book had me searching out my old chocolate molds and putting up my tree early. It was a wonderful read and one that I will go back to year after year.
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This sweet romance takes place in Hollybrook in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The town has many festive events the townspeople participate in. Kayla Hunter returns every year to help her grandparents with their event at the Candy Manor. Kayla is a pastry chef in a hotel in a large city several hours away. She doesn’t get back very often and she is feeling guilty about this. This year, Kayla meets the new lawyer who has become close to her grandparents and experiences some chemistry. She is also quite distracted as her hotel staff continues to call with all sorts of crises.
Kayla’s grandparents tell her they are wanting to retire, sell the Candy Manor and retire to Florida. She is quite devastated as she feels she will lose a piece of her childhood as well as not being able to re-experience all the fun she has had working on the Christmas Eve event over the years. The grandparents have enlisted the help of their lawyer, Dominick to help her see what she would be missing and help convince her to move back home. They learn of a condo that’s available in Florida and they leave to go see it. Dominick and Kayla are left to make all the treats for the Christmas Eve event and run the store. Kayla and Dominick share stories of their past, their wishes and regrets. Kayla wants to buy the Manor but thinks her grandparents won’t sell it for a fair amount. She wants them to get the full value to use towards their retirement expenses.
The reader wonders what will happen; will Kayla give up her job in the city to move home and what will happen between Kayla and Dominick and their growing feelings? The characters were very likable and the plot was entertaining. It was a nice holiday romance that could be a Hallmark movie. I would definitely recommend this book.
This is a superb Christmas love story where a woman who thought she needed to leave her small town if she wanted to achieve has to face that maybe that is where her heart and her future lie
Kayla Hunter grew up at her grandparents charming Victorian mansion that housed their chocolate business but she knew if she wanted a future she would have to leave town So she headed to the city and became a pastry chef Now she has returned to her hometown of Hollybrook to discover her grandparents are selling both their business and home and that they want her to plan the holiday celebrations They are also doing a bit of matchmaking as they have asked Dominick Rowe the town new attorney to help her He is a transplant from the city and loves his new quieter life. As the attraction grows between them will they find a way to be together when they both want things the other has left behind
Home Sweet Christmas is a sweet contemporary romance by Charlee James. I have read romantic suspense written by Ms. James with suspense building the tension in the story. However, in Home Sweet Home it is more of an emotional tension with the main female characters unsure of life changing decisions that she could made. From the beginning it is obvious that pastry chef Kayla Hunter is unhappy with where she works. In contrast is attorney Dominick Rowe who felt much the same as Kayla but made the big changes that he needed for his own happiness and peace of mind.
The problem of what to do about the Candy Manor is center to this plot with lack of communication and miscommunication fueling it. In spite of the setting being lovely and the characters likable, Dominick’s involvement in the daily events at the shop seemed contrived to me. I live in a small town with an attorney’s office but they don’t have time to do this. It was a way to keep Kayla and Dominick in contact so romance could blossom. Of course, all’s well that ends well.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Home Sweet Christmas by Charlee James
Never underestimate the power of gourmet chocolate…
Pastry chef Kayla Hunter spent her childhood in The Candy Manor, a charming Victorian mansion that housed her grandparents’ chocolate business. After moving to the city to make her culinary mark, Kayla returns home to help with Hollybrook’s Christmas Eve Spectacular. But everything has changed. Her grandparents are retiring and selling their business and home, and this year they’ve left her in charge of holiday preparations with Hollybrook’s distractingly-handsome new lawyer.
Attorney Dominick Rowe left the hustle of the city and never looked back. Growing up with workaholic parents, he longed for the slow pace of a small town like Hollybrook. He’s happy to step up when his favorite clients ask him to work their beloved Christmas event. He’s less comfortable with Operation Mistletoe—their covert attempt to remind their granddaughter of how much she loves The Candy Manor and persuade her to move home. But when he meets Kayla and falls hard, his loyalties become divided.
Will their opposing hearts melt with holiday magic, or have Kayla’s grandparents stirred up too much trouble?
This is Kayla Hunter and Dominick Rowe’s story.
A smile tugged at Kayla Hunter’s lips as she glanced down at her cell phone screen. She accepted the call. “Hi, Gram.” Holding the device between her ear and shoulder, she unlocked the door to her apartment, walked inside, and dropped the keys into the wicker basket on the entryway table.
“It’s good to hear your voice. We’re counting down the days until you come home.”
Paper crinkled on the other line, and Kayla’s smile widened. “Wrapping presents already?” Of course, she knew the answer. The moment the Thanksgiving decorations were packed away at The Candy Manor, her grandparents were in full-on Christmas mode. Kayla kicked off the slip-resistant shoes she wore at work and headed straight for the couch. There was no better feeling than sinking into the cushions after ten hours on her feet as the pastry chef at the Winston Hotel.
“That’s an idea the owners might be interested to hear. Name’s Dominick Rowe. Let me know if you need any help.”
“Of course.” Kayla strode over to the register and held out her hand.
“You were here the other night when I was talking to Gram. I’m her granddaughter, Kayla.”
Home Sweet Christmas by Charlee James is a 4 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Charlee James.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Chocolate and love combine forces in a battle of wills for a big city pastry chef as the loveliness of her home town surrounds her once more. You will be delighted by this dilemma driven, engaging story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.