Hope at Christmas by Nancy Naigle

Sydney Ragsdale is divorced, but her husband is still calling the shots. In an attempt to shake free from his hold, she and her daughter, Ray Anne, head for tiny Hopewell, NC to the only asset her ex has no control over – a decaying farmhouse that once belonged to her grandparents. She finds solace at The Book Bea, the bookstore she’d loved as a child during her summer stays.

Kevin MacAlea, Mac to his friends, is the local high school history teacher and baseball coach. Father of a twelve-year-old son, he’s Hopewell, North Carolina’s most sought after bachelor. His young bride abandoned him and his son just before Christmas and has never come back. It has left his son bitter about Christmas which is hard for Mac who loves the magic of the season. He’s been the Santa here in Hopewell since the year Seth was born.

But when a catastrophe forces The Book Bea to close before the end of the year, everyone in the small town is feeling the loss. While Sydney is already off-balance by the bad news, her ex-husband breaks a promise to their daughter that sends Ray Anne running away. As Sydney tries to figure out what her next steps are she discovers all of the answers are right here in Hopewell.

 

Series: | Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin | Genre:  Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher| Rating: 3.5 Cups 

Love, laughter, and Christmas spirit abound in Hope at Christmas.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Recently divorced, Sydney is trying to find her footing in her grandparent’s hometown. It’s not been easy, especially knowing that her young daughter isn’t happy, but she’s making it work. When she reconnects with the owner of the Book Bea, she soon discovers it’s the residents that make this small town special. And one resident. Mac, has caught her eye.

 

Mac’s a single father with a secret. He’s the town Santa. The only problem is, he can’t seem to get his son into the Christmas spirit. Although when Sydney and her daughter enter into their life, both father and son seem to find themselves spreading Christmas cheer.

 

Mac and Sydney have both been hurt. His wife left him and his son several Christmas’s before and Sydney’s husband decided to trade her in for a younger model. They’ve both hurt, they’re both dealing with their children who have been hurt, and they all need a bit of healing.

 

So, the romance was rather slow-burn and I was okay with that. They both were cautious and had some things work through and they both had their children to consider.

 

What I really enjoyed about this one was the small town charm. It was heartwarming to see how Bea welcomed Sydney and her daughter into her store and her life.

 

I did struggle with a few things. Some of the drama felt like it was just added in to cause a bit of action on the page and a few of the actions of the characters felt like they were out of place yet the novel worked as a whole.

 

Overall, this one gave me all the warm and fuzzies that Christmas romances should. I’m eager to read more from Nancy Naigle.