Navy SEAL widow Holly McGuire returns to small town, Marietta, Montana, at Christmas time to close a chapter of her life and begin again. She’s not looking for a second chance at love or romance at this reunion of the ex-SEAL team’s Band of Brothers. There’s only one thing she wants for Christmas—a child of her own. She has a secret plan to make that happen, no strings attached. But she knows not … not everyone will be on board with her decision. Especially the very handsome Trey Reyes, her late husband’s commander and best friend.
Buttoning up the past isn’t what Trey has in mind when he welcomes Holly to town. Secretly in love with her since day one, Trey’s old vow to his friend to watch over her, come what may, doesn’t include enabling a terrible idea. Trey must take one last stand to win her heart and prove to Holly he’s exactly what she needs. And an unexpected bit of Marietta Christmas magic might be just the ticket to make that happen.
*Previously titled A Little Christmas Magic
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This was a real tear jerker starting with the first page. Great character development and it had a great ending with a fantastic happy ever after. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for a great read. Enjoyed Trey’s character although I wanted to kick him for the lie….
Loved the book!! Hope to see more books in the series.
Enjoyed the whole gang of navy vets(including one’s widow), Good depth of character and story line. Thanks.
The Band of Brothers is reuniting. It’s Christmastime and everyone is heading for Marietta, Montana, to Trey’s new home. It’s been almost a year since they’ve seen one another and while this is a happy reunion, there is a very serious purpose to meeting in Marietta. This will be a final goodbye.
It also may be a final chance for a future for Trey and Holly. He finds out (ok, he’s told) about a plan that Holly has hatched and he has exactly one week to convince her that plan is all wrong. Can he do it? Trey and Holly are about to find out secrets that each of them has been holding onto and deciding how to move forward.
Once a Hero is the second in the Band of Brothers series and it’s the HEA for the younger Reyes brother. It’s a story with a lot of heart, a lot of fun, and a lot of soul searching. I’m not sure I liked it better than Unsung Hero, but I certainly liked it just as much!
Although the characters are the typical “loved each other from afar but kept it a secret,” the plot is original. The story of their relationship draws the reading into the story.
Seemed to drag on-did not keep my interest
A Little Christmas Magic is about more than just Christmas. It shows the recovery and rediscovery after losing a loved one. Holly made sure that she followed all of her late husband’s wishes and now is going to meet up with his ‘brothers’ to honor his life. Then she is going to put her wants first; she wants to be a mother. Trey has opened his home for the gathering and has a plan to try to win the heart of the woman he has loved since day one, his best friend’s girl. But now since he is no longer around and he made a promise to take care of her, that is what he hopes to be able to do. What will happen with Holly and Trey’s plans? Will either get what they want? I enjoyed reading this story, and I definitely recommend it.
I truly enjoyed A Little Christmas Magic by Barbara Ankrum. After the death of her husband, Tommy, and a year of scattering his ashes around the world, Holly McGuire returns to his home town of Marietta, Montana hoping to find closure and a new start to her life. The tight group of guys who served with her husband, the Band of Brothers, agreed to meet in Marietta, staying at the Marietta home of Trey Reyes as they honor Tommy. Trey promised Tommy to watch over Holly if anything happened to him. Trey and Holly have had a secret attraction for each other, which neither would act on while Holly was married. Now that Tommy is gone, can these two allow themselves a chance at happiness together, acting on their spark of attraction? Hopefully, the magic of Marietta along with it being Christmas time will help these two find the answers they need.
I really loved enjoyed this book and had trouble putting this book down, reading this book in one day. Ms. Ankrum drew me in and did not let go until I read the last page. I loved these two characters as they worked to find happiness in their lives. I recommend this book to other readers and cannot wait for Ms. Ankrum’s next book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
A Little Christmas Magic by Barbara Ankrum
Marietta, Montana is a place that one can expect the unexpected…ghosts, magic, true love and more. In this holiday story Holly McGuire and Trey Reyes star and do find their way to a HEA.
Holly loved her husband Tommy and stayed with him through thick and thin giving up some of her dreams along the way. Having fulfilled her husband’s last request as mentioned in his will she is finally ready to move on and fulfill her biggest dream of all – to be a mother. Tommy’s compatriots from the military are a “band of brothers” and come together to send him off with Holly – in Marietta – where anything can happen.
Trey Reyes, one of the “brothers” has loved Holly since the first time he set eyes on her BUT he kept his longings to himself for nearly a decade. Knowing she was coming to town his agenda had more to do with wooing and winning Holly than saying goodbye to Tommy. With a bit of help from Mick (another brother) and some magical happenings there is hope for him and Holly in spite of a bit of a glitch.
Heartwarming, perhaps a bit predictable and definitely logic defying this is a fun holiday story that makes me want to read more about Marietta and all that can happen there. I wonder if more of the “brothers” will have stories of their own?
Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars