The small Montana town of Timberton tends to bring magic to the holidays, especially for guests of the local hotel. Resident artist and chef Mist has a way of touching people’s lives with exquisite cuisine, imaginative art, and her own ethereal nature.When a nearby theatre burns down just before Christmas, cast members of The Nutcracker arrive at the Timberton Hotel with only a sliver of holiday … of holiday joy. Camaraderie, compassion, and shared inspiration combine to help at least one hidden dream come true. As with every Christmas season in Timberton, this year’s guests will face the New Year with a renewed sense of hope.
*Recipes included!
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While you can read this as a stand alone and enjoy it, especially with the plethora of fantastic recipes included (warning- you may gain weight just by paging through this delicious volume) I hope you will read this entire delightful series. A comfy spot is required for reading; soft, instrumental music as background is suggested.
Picking up a Moonglow book feels like visiting favorite friends.
You will not want to leave.
I did give this book 5 stars, because I loved it, but I found it a bit lacking in story compared to the previous installations of this series. As I said, you can read it as a stand alone but the magic is a continuation of Mist’s residence and creations at the Timberton Hotel. Betty seemed sort of an afterthought this time. Not that having the book Mist centric is a bad thing.
The tension in the story seems to have happened before the book began. A nearby theatre burned down, leaving several of the players stranded. Fortunately they joined the celebrations at Timberton.
A mysterious person is among the guests this year, as well as two young girls. This all serves for an interesting mix as is found each Christmas at this particular hotel.
The book is sweet and warm, definitely clean, a worthy addition to a loved series. It was just lacking in some tension, even as there were unknowns included in the storyline.
If you love small town settings and holiday romance, nothing dangerous and scary , this is an escape read you will enjoy. Come for the desserts, stay for the story. I do recommend you read more than just this one book in the Moonglow Christmas series.
One thing I have come to look forward to at this time of year is the lovely little Moonglow Christmas book that Deborah brings out.
There is something magical about these stories, and I am always left with a warm fuzzy feeling after reading one. Nutcracker Sweets at Moonglow was no exception.
The Timberton Hotel has a few new guest this year in the form of ballet dancers who are stranded after a fire broke out at the theatre and they were unable to make it home. Mist in her usual way manages to make each and every one of the guests feel welcomed and at home, and make dreams come true.
The cast of the Nutcracker, other guests and the ethereal Mist all leave you feeling warmhearted and also mouthwatering from all the delicious cookies (recipes of which can be found at the back of the book) that are described.
This a great little Christmas story read all snuggled up in a comfy spot with a warm cuppa. I can’t wait to see what is in story next for Mist next year and how her romance blossoms with John.
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It’s that magical time of the year again at the Timberton Hotel. There’s new faces as well as old. Mist always weaves her magic to make every aspect of their Christmas stay unforgettable. This one seemed even more special than usual.
I so wish I could stay at the hotel, whether it’s Christmas or not. The stories draw me in every time. They make Christmas feel brighter, more festive and, yes, truly magical. Every time I finish the read, I want to start preparing for the holidays immediately. It is amazing how high my spirits become. If you ever need to get into the spirit of Christmas, this story will certainly do it.
Another sweet holiday story set at the Moonglow Café. I enjoy these stories because they’re feel-good and the food sounds delicious!
This is what I’ve just finished reading and I highly recommend a visit to the Moonglow Cafe this Christmas. Any of the books in this series is a sweet, warm and inviting glimpse into a small town Christmas we might all want to celebrate.
Love the Moonglow series. It is just a good story that feels good. Recipes are awesome as well and a bonus! You will fall in love with the characters!
It was cute. Not something I’d care to read in a series.
I enjoyed this as much as the previous three in the series
Christmas is without a doubt my favorite time of year, and I love to read holiday stories of all kinds. But there was something about the name of this series that just drew me into it, and I plan to read the other 3 books asap so I can put my reviews up for them as well! However, I did start with the book of the day – Nutcracker Sweets at Moonglow. The moment I started reading it I felt that warmth that the holiday season brings – including the baking aromas, the happiness, and the joy that comes along. Since I haven’t read the first 3 books, I didn’t know the characters – but I immediately fell in love with Mist and her beau Michael. And the fact that this story is set in a country inn was much better, it just is one of those perfect settings for a Christmas story 🙂 Mist is one of those people who makes everyone feel good, plus she paints AND can cook! And you can feel her holiday spirit throughout the book – even though things are busy and they are rushed, she is still looking forward to the cookie exchange, the Christmas breakfast and dinner and all of the other parts. And of course since this is a small Montana town, the scenery is straight out of a Hallmark movie – the candy shop, the Timberton Hotel, all the decorations and festivities that go along with a great holiday. One of the things I really liked about this book was the characters – there are a lot of wonderfully diverse characters and names like Luisa and Rafael and Maisie and Clive. And for some reason they all reminded me of the names in the beautiful Nutcracker ballet, even if I can’t remember the real names 🙂 And then there is Maria, just a sweet little girl who had dreamed of becoming a ballerina – until an accident took away that chance and left her in a wheelchair. So the ballet really does impact this book a lot, as we see Maria still happy and dancing with her arms. And while a few people don’t think that is enough, Mist can see that even if she can’t actually dance, she is living her dream in another way. It’s very heartwarming. And then on top of all that, they decide to do a miniature ballet skit for Christmas Eve so that Maria can participate. My heart melted, and I couldn’t put this book down! I did love that there was a LOT of information and facts about the original Nutcracker ballet, such as it being in German and when it was performed – it added that little something extra to the story. And also a lot of information I didn’t know before reading this! But when the reader and Maria learns that in the very first Nutcracker version the lead character was not Clara but Marie, I start bawling. It was just like it was made for little Maria. So when the ballet skit begins, I expected to see that Clara was being played by Maria – but it wasn’t, she was being played by her friend Keira. Until the dream sequence, and then all of a sudden to everyone’s astonishment, Clara is now being played by Maria. And when it’s over everyone is amazed and awed. They brought joy to everyone and being able to be in the ballet brought the 2 girls joy. I can’t help thinking of other children who never get the chance to do anything like this and I would just love for it to happen for all of them. Now I can’t give away any more surprises, but trust me there are a few 🙂 And I think you will be smiling as heartily as I was when you finish this book! Look for surprises at the end too 🙂
**I received a complimentary book to read but no review was required.
I really love this series by Deborah Garner. I so want to go to Timberton and stay at the Timberton Hotel. I really love Mist. She makes Christmas so magical for her guests. I also enjoy the budding romance between her and Michael. This book will get you right into the Christmas spirit. It’s one I highly recommend reading.