A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @tnzfiction for the review copy of A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck.

Have you ever attended a Christmas wedding?  I’ve been to a couple of weddings right after Christmas, but not on or before Christmas.  It’s a beautiful time of year to get married, but we did have to drive through a snowstorm to get to one.

Avery Truitt was a college volleyball star and has dreams of coaching college volleyball.  She is traveling with her mother to the (fictional) Kingdom of Brighton for the holidays as her sister, Susanna, is pregnant.  She will see her former love, Prince Colin, for the first time since he stood her up at prom five years ago.  Will Avery be able to find out the truth on why Colin ghosted her?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the prologue.  It was a very exiting story set in the 19^th century where a man must ring the Pembroke chapel to signal that there will be a royal wedding on Christmas day.  This last time the bell was run, it resulted in death.  I admit that I did want more resolution on this flashback and wish the story would have flash backed to it again.

·       This is book number four of a series, but it was okay reading it as a standalone.  I would like to read the rest of the series.

·       This book is definitely for fans of the Christmas Prince series on Netflix.  This book would make a good Hallmark Christmas movie.

·       This was a slow read for me and I’m not sure why, maybe the business of the season?

·       This was a clean read and inspirational contemporary romance.

·       It was a modern-day fairy tale.

·       Brighton royalty all seems to marry girls from the American south for some reason.

·       The trope was second chance romance which is one of my favorites. 

·       This story had echoes of Persuasion by Jane Austen although this time it’s the man, Colin, who is persuaded that he shouldn’t pursue a relationship with a foreign non-royal.

Overall, A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck is a sweet inspirational contemporary romance that is for lovers of Hallmark Christmas movies and the Christmas Prince series on Netflix.

A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan

 

Do you travel during the holiday season?  We travel at either Thanksgiving or Christmas to Michigan each year to visit my family.  It’s by car, but the drive through Chicago keeps things exciting.

A Merry Little Lie is a family drama that is told through many point of views.  Becky is trying to get home for Christmas but is stranded at the airport.  She runs into her brother’s best friend Will, and he offers her a ride home.  Will experienced her very embarrassing moment at her twin sister Rosie’s wedding.  Will she be able to face down this embarrassment? 

Rosie married Declan after a very quick relationship.  They are having problems – will they be able to hide them from Rosie’s family?

Hayley is being introduced to Jamie’s family as his significant other and they have some exciting news to share.  Jamie is Rosie and Becky’s older brother.  Hayley is meeting the family for the first time.  Will she find the family she has always wanted?

Jenny is happy her kids are coming home and is trying to put together the perfect Christmas experience.  Will she be able to hold everything together?

My thoughts on this book:

·       A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan is the Brenda Novak Book Club read for December.  I finished it up at the end of the month and still need to watch the book club meeting on Facebook.

·       There were a few different romance tropes in this book including forced proximity, friends to lovers, and second chance romance.

·       I would rate this as some spice.  There were a couple of steamy scenes.

·       It made me laugh when the elders were very excited about the romance between the young people.  Grandma in particular was very forthright in her thoughts.

·       Jenny and her husband, Martin, are having problems as he has just retired as a doctor and doesn’t know what to do with himself.

·       I liked all the relationships in this book including the romantic, sibling, parent, etc.  It was a good family drama.  I liked how the book focused on family in all different stages of life.

·       I loved how Hayley was accepted and able to experience a family Christmas she never had before.

·       This book did move rather slowly for me with all the characters to keep track of.

Overall, A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan is an enjoyable family drama perfect for the holidays and all year round.

Book Source:  Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

 

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie

 

What was your last read of 2025?  A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie was my last read of 2025.

Miss Marple’s nephew, Raymond, has paid for her to vacation in the Caribbean for her health.  She arrives alone but gets to know the people at the resort she is staying at.  She is intrigued by an old soldier’s story.  When he is found murdered, will she be able to connect the story with the crime?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       A Caribbean Mystery is my December pick for the Read Christie 2025 Challenge.  This challenge explored Christie’s stories through her canon of characters and their careers.  December was novels featuring military characters.  A Caribbean Mystery featured “the old major whose habit of storytelling puts him in grave danger.”

·       It cracked me up that just like Poirot, there really is no vacation for Miss Marple. Murder finds her wherever she goes.

·       Fellow guest, Mr. Rafiel and Miss Marple team up to solve the murder.  I liked their partnership.

·       This was a perfect read for Christmas break.

·       There were a lot of shenanigans going on with couples at the resort. 

·       The poor couple that owned the resort know that murder is bad for business and want the case resolved quickly.

·       Nemesis is apparently a sequel to this novel. I hope to get to it this year!

·       Miss Marple has great powers of observation.  When she knits or putters around, people tend to ignore her and say incriminating things in front of her.

·       This novel kept me guessing.

A Caribbean Mystery is a perfect cozy mystery to keep one dreaming of sunny days in the midst of a snowy winter.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Spirit of Christmas: 101 Joyful Holiday Stories by Amy Newmark

 

Title:  Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Spirit of Christmas: 101 Joyful Holiday Stories

Author:  Amy Newmark

Narrated by:  Kirby Heyborne, Emily Norman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 29 minutes

Source: Review copy from Simon Audio.  Thank-you!

What types of books do you like to read when you are super busy?  Chicken Soup for the Soul:  The Spirit of Christmas was perfect for a busy time.  The stories are all short, seasonal, and uplifting.

Chicken Soup for the Soul:  The Spirit of Christmas is a collection of 101 true stories that are set anywhere from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, with most being set at Christmas.  My thoughts on this collection:

·       This was great on audiobook.  I listened to this collection to start off my day for the last couple of weeks and it started off my day with a very bright spot.

·       Purchase of this book supports Toys for Tots which is a very worthy organization.

·       I liked that some stories gave me a good laugh while others brought a tear to my eye and really made me think about the true meaning of Christmas.

·       This was a cozy read.

·       There were a lot of stories related to Christian faith throughout, but mixed faith families such as a blended Hanukkah/Christmas celebration were also discussed.

·       I haven’t read a Chicken Soup for the soul book for quite a while and Imthink I need to listen to more of these on audiobook moving forward.

Overall, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Spirit of Christmas: 101 Joyful Holiday Stories by Amy Newmark was a great cozy read and audiobook that really brought me into the spirit of the season.

Golden Age Christmas Mysteries Edited by Otto Penzler

 

Title:  Golden Age Christmas Mysteries

Author:  Otto Penzler

Narrated by:  Jonathan Sleep

Publisher: Highbridge Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 4 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

What is your favorite holiday decoration?  My favorites are the ceramic decorations my Grandma made me through the years.

Golden Age Christmas Mysteries is a collection of Christmas stories.  My thoughts on these stories:

·       I loved the little biographies about each author before the stories.  I felt like I was learning more about classic mystery authors. 

·       These were all new Christmas stories to me.

·       There were 14 stories with a mix of authors and styles.  Some more famous classic mystery authors such as Mary Roberts Rinehart, and John Dickson Carr, etc. were included.

·       I was surprised watching the new Knives Out movies that the author John Dickson Carr was prominently featured, and I had just read his Christmas story in this collection.

·       I really enjoyed this collection, especially as I got more into the book.  I’ve since downloaded eBooks/audiobooks of a few of the authors.

·       The narrator was great and did excellent voices.  His voice sounded like a Golden Age mystery narrator.

·       My favorite story in the collection was The Reversible Santa Claus by Meredith Nicholson.  It was a delightful and fun story.  The Hopper is a reformed thief who is trying to live an honest life when he feels the call to steal an automobile with a large purse inside.  He soon finds himself in a pickle as he as inadvertently kidnapped a child.  Hilarity ensues as he tries to figure out how to return the child without getting into trouble.  I want to read more of this Indiana author’s works.

Overall, Golden Age Christmas Mysteries Edited by Otto Penzler was a delightful collection of all new to me Christmas mystery stories.  I greatly enjoyed it and recommend it.

The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol

 

Do you have a favorite book that you like to reread at the holidays?  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is just such a book for me.

The Night Before Christmas by Nikolia Gogol is the story of Vakula, a blacksmith and his fight against the devil who has stolen the moon and is causing all sorts of trouble in his village to win the most beautiful maiden.  This story was the December pick for the Classic Buddy Read hosted by @Dees.Reads.  This story was written in 1831 and is a traditional story read on Christmas Eve to children in Ukraine and Russia.  It is a short novella and I spent most of the time thinking – what the heck am I reading?  It was a strange tale and pretty much the opposite of The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore.  I guess I was expecting more of the Moore version, and this really threw me off.  It will not be a classic I reread at the holidays of the future.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

Under the Netherfield Mistletoe by Abigail Reynolds

 

Do you hang up a mistletoe in your home?  My kids make sure ours is up over our staircase every Christmas.

Elizabeth Bennet is searching for mistletoe at Netherfield when she meets Georgiana Darcy who has come with her brother to Netherfield to escape from the Christmas season and mend her broken heart.  As Elizabeth and Georgiana’s friendship grows, Darcy and Elizabeth find that their feelings and chemistry does as well.  Will these two end up together for Christmas?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I love Regency Christmas stories and must enjoy at least one every year!

·       This is a cute Pride and Prejudice variation.

·       It’s a short novella length which is perfect for the holidays.

·       I loved the Gardiners and their children in London.  It was a fun family and wonderful to see the Darcys get to know them.  I also enjoyed that Darcy had been childhood friends with Mrs. Gardiner’s brother.

·       Georgiana’s growth throughout the story was a joy to read about.  I was happy that she was able to finally stand up for herself.

·       I loved the sparks and chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth – especially under the mistletoe!

·       This was a clean romance.

Overall, Under the Netherfield Mistletoe by Abigail Reynolds was a sweet Pride and Prejudice Christmas variation and romance.  It was a fun read for the holidays!

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace

 

Title:  Holiday Ever After

Author:  Hannah Grace

Narrated by:  Teddy Hamilton, Christine Lakin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 22 minutes

Source: Review copy from Simon Audio.  Thank-you!

What is your favorite holiday romance movie?  I really like the movie The Holiday and also Love Actually.

Clara Davenport has dreams of climbing the corporate ladder at her family’s toy company.  When the company is accused of stealing a doll design, Clara travels to the small town of Fraser Falls to help solve the problem.  Once there, she meets Jack Kelly.  Initially sparks fly until Jack finds out she is a Davenport of the family that stole his doll design.  Will Clara be able to solve this problem in order to get her promotion?  Will Jack learn to trust again after having his design stolen in the past?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       I loved the town of Fraser Falls and all the people in it.  There were a lot of great characters, and I enjoyed Clara getting to know them and to help them out.

·       This novel would make a great series.  I would love to see each character in Fraser Falls get their own story.  It would also make a good Hallmark Christmas movie.

·       This was a steamy romance and a sweet story.  Romantic tropes include enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and City Girl / Small Town Boy.

·       The audiobook had dual narrators for the dual point of view of the novel of Clara and Jack.  It was very enjoyable.

·       I really enjoyed the chemistry between the characters, in particular before they knew who each other were.

·       Jack had a dog named Elf which was very cute.  I always enjoy animals in stories.

·       My one complaint about this book is that it went on for too long.  I felt like it was over about halfway through. 

Overall, Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace is a sweet holiday romance with a bit of steam to keep your holidays warm.

Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier

 

Title:  Frenchman’s Creek

Author:  Daphne Du Maurier

Narrated by:  John Castle

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 47 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

What is your favorite pirate novel/movie/TV show?

Lady Dona de Columb leaves London with her children for her remote estate in Cornwall.  The excesses of the restoration court have worn on her.  While there, she discovers that her butler has been working with a mysterious pirate who has been using her estate as a place to hide.  Dona soon finds herself in love with pirate Jean Benoit Aubery and loving the adventures they have together.  Will she sail off into the sunset with him or stay with her family?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read this as part of the Classics Buddy Read with @dees.reads in November.

·       My former high school English teacher, Mrs. Smith, recommended this book to me in high school as I enjoyed Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.  While this is a very different type of book than Rebecca, I loved it.  This is my first time rereading it since high school.

·       I also enjoyed the 1944 feature film and 1998 TV movie.  I am going to watch them again now that my Christmas movie viewing is winding down.

·       This historical fiction novel is set during the reign of Charles II.

·       The novel was published in 1941. 

·       This novel is more of a historical romance with adventure and is a different genre than Du Maurier’s most famous novel, Rebecca.

·       William the devoted butler was my favorite character.  I loved the banter between him and Dona.

·       Dona’s husband, Harry, shows up with his friend Rockingham.  Harry is not the smartest and is easily fooled by Dona.  Rockingham on the other hand, knows that something is up.  He is a scary individual – it seemed like part of Dona’ s flight was to get away from Rockingham and his pursuit of her.

·       Dona has a free spirit and loves adventure.  There are some tense moments in the story, but she makes it through.

·       I think every busy mother of young children would like to run off with a handsome, well-educated pirate, but also knows that you are a mother and have to settle down. Dona ultimately understands this.  This book seemed to really make one ponder what it is to have dreams and be free, and what ultimately must be sacrificed to be a mother.

·       I liked the somewhat open ending and hope that Dona finds her pirate in the future after her kids are grown.

·       The writing in this novel is beautiful and it has a lovely opening.  It worked very well as an audiobook.

Favorite Quotes: 

“And perhaps one day, in after years, someone would wander there and listen to the silence, as she had done, and catch the whisper of the dreams that she had dreamt there, in midsummer, under the hot sun and the white sky.”

“All this, is only momentary, is only a fragment in time that will never come again, for yesterday already belongs to the past and is ours no longer, and tomorrow is an unknown thing that may be hostile. This is our day, our moment, the sun belongs to us, and the wind, and the sea, and the men forward there singing on the deck. This day is forever a day to be held and cherished, because in it we shall have lived and loved, and nothing else matters but that in this world of our own making to which we have escaped.”

Overall, Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier is a beautifully written historical romance novel.

The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai Edited by Taylor Cole Miller

 

Title: The Golden Girls:  Tales from the Lanai

Edited by: Taylor Cole Miller 

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer, Tanya Eby, Diontae Black

Publisher: Highbridge Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 56 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

What is your favorite nostalgic show?  I have several including The Golden Girls, Magnum PI, Murder She Wrote, and Little House on the Prairie.  Can you tell I was a child of the 1980s?

The Golden Girls:  Tales from the Lanai is a collection of essays that explore the “cultural, industrial, and historical impact of the beloved American sitcom.”  Why does the Golden Girls still resonate forty years after it first aired?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       The Golden Girls:  Tales from the Lanai is a nonfiction book on the show, actors, scenes, and episodes, and the impacts they made on society and culture.

·       I listened to the audiobook, and it was fascinating.  I enjoyed the different narrators.

·       I enjoyed the details on how the show was produced, and its narrative structure (flashbacks, lines, etc.)

·       2025 is the fortieth anniversary of the premiere of The Golden Girls television show.  It’s a perfect time to analyze and think about what makes this show so good.

·       There has been a resurgence in popularity in The Golden Girls over the last five years.  It’s one of my own comfort shows that I like to watch.  I didn’t realize it had had a resurgence in popularity as it’s always been popular to me.

·       What is “nostalgic” viewing and why is The Golden Girls a part of it?  Nostalgic viewing includes episodic shows with storylines that are wrapped up in one episode.  Familiarity also fuels nostalgic viewing.

·       The Golden Girls gained a new following and resurgence when it started appearing on Hulu during the 2020 lockdown.  As a family we started watching Magnum PI during this time for similar reasons.

·       I loved recognizing the episodes and scenes in various essays included in this book.

·       It is interesting how this comedy was one of Disney’s biggest successes in the 1980s.

·       It is also interesting how progressive the show was for the 1980s with gay characters, older women having sex lives, Rose having an Aids scare, etc.

·       It was interesting that The Golden Girls premiered on Saturday nights during a block of black programming that included Gimme a Break and 227.  I loved these shows as a kid.   The Golden Girls appealed to black viewers in the 1980s and was one of the top shows in that demographic.

·       There was a warning at the beginning of the book that this is an academic book, not just for casual fans.  I am not a Golden Girls academic, but I understood it and enjoyed the details.

Overall, The Golden Girls:  Tales from the Lanai Edited by Taylor Cole Miller was a fascinating nonfiction audiobook on the details of one of my favorite nostalgic shows and its place in history.  I recommend this for fans of The Golden Girls.