Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Review ~ THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE SHOP by Ginny Baird


The Christmas Cookie Shop (Christmas Town, #1)
by: Ginny Baird
Series: Christmas Town
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Publisher: Winter Wedding Press

Come home this Christmas to…

CHRISTMAS TOWN, TENNESSEE

Where everyday dreams come true!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird brings you the start of a brand new holiday series…

Hannah Winchester is down on her luck and disillusioned with love, but her fortunes are about to change. When Hannah inherits a defunct bakery in East Tennessee, her first thought is to sell it and settle her substantial debt. Then the townsfolk welcome her warmly and she’s taken with the joyful spirit of the place, where stores employ holiday themes and residents have surnames like Christmas and Claus. After a handsome lawman comes to her aid dressed as Santa, Hannah learns he’s more than a hot guy in a red suit and shiny black boots. Sheriff Carter Livingston has joined in the cause of rejuvenating the town, and he’s encouraging her to do her part. Hannah’s great-grandmother, Lena, sold special holiday cookies that brought hope and renewal to the people of Christmas Town. Yet Hannah has plans elsewhere and isn’t looking to stay. Can she possibly reopen the shop known for kindling romance—without sacrificing her heart?

REVIEW

Ginny Baird has been on my author reading wish list for awhile now.  I finally got the chance to read one of her books with The Christmas Cookie Shop.  I really have to say that I was not disappointed.

I started reading The Christmas Cookie Shop and immediately a smile broke out on my face.  The story definitely invoked a feeling of Christmas, even though I read the book in October, when it was 90 degrees outside.  I even started craving Christmas sugar cookies. Ginny goes into lovely details explaining what the town looks like so that the reader can visualize everything.  The shops even have lovely holiday themed names.  I so want to visit!

Christmas Town, Tennessee is a small town.  Everyone is friendly and welcoming.  There’s something about it that seems magical, but I just can’t put my finger on it.

Hannah Winchester is a 27-year-old trying to get her life in order.  She arrives in Christmas Town two days after Thanksgiving from just outside of DC.  She’s there to check up on a bakery she inherited from her grandparents, fix it up, and sell it.  She has plans to go to grad school and the income from selling the bakery will help pay off her student loans.  Her plans do not include meeting a hot and sexy sheriff, making friends so quickly, and falling in love with this small town she knows nothing about.

Carter Livingston is a man living with demons.  He has traded in his life as a big city cop to be a small town sheriff.  He’s been in Christmas Town for almost nine months and is pretty content with his life.  He’s managed to ward off all matchmaking attempts by his Godmother, the lovely Mayor Louise “Lou” Christmas and his friends.  He isn’t looking for love but two days after Thanksgiving, he loses his heart.

Hannah and Carter first meet when he helps her into Christmas Town during white out conditions.  They both immediately feel an attraction to each other, but with Hannah only planning on being in town temporarily, they try to fight their attraction.  This fight is one neither can win.  They are both what the other is looking for.  Hannah is thoughtful, caring, and doesn’t want to change Carter at all.  Carter is laid back, thoughtful, caring and believes in Hannah, even when she doesn’t believe in herself.

The whole premise of this book revolves around Hannah’s great-grandmother Lena’s bakery and the Virginia cookies she made.  There’s talk that they’re special and have the ability to bring people together and inspire love.  When Hannah shows up, everyone just assumes she’s there to reopen the bakery and bring back Lena’s Virginia cookies.  As I mentioned before, Hannah doesn’t plan on staying or reopening the bakery.  For goodness sakes, she doesn’t even know how to cook or bake.  Stirring hot chocolate and microwaving popcorn is too much for her.  But Christmas time and Christmas Town itself are magical. Anything can happen, if you just believe.

There is so much to like/love about this book.  For me, it’s everything I look for in a Christmas romance.  The Christmas Cookie Shop is the first book in the Christmas Town series of eight books.  The hero and heroine for the next book, A Mommy for Christmas are mentioned throughout this one.  I can’t wait for their story.

**I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed.**

Rating: 5

Purchase The Christmas Cookie Shop from:

The Christmas Town Series:
(Clicking on the book covers will take you to Amazon.)

You can read an excerpt of The Christmas Cookie Shop here.

Click here for my interview with Ginny.

Romance writer Ginny Baird has published novels in print and online and received screenplay options from Hollywood for her family and romantic comedy scripts. Whether writing light hearted romantic comedy or spine-tingling romantic suspense, she delights in delivering heartwarming stories.

She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a Top 10 Best Seller on Kindle, NOOK and iBooks, and a #1 Best Seller in several Romance and Women's Fiction categories. When she's not writing, Ginny enjoys cooking, biking and spending time with her family in Virginia. Ginny loves hearing from her readers! She invites you to visit her website and connect with her on social media. http://www.ginnybairdromance.com/


Places to find Ginny Baird:



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