by: Belle Calhoune
Series: Mistletoe, Maine
Genre: Contemporary Small Town Clean Romance
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Publisher: Forever
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The quaint New England town of Mistletoe is thrilled to welcome back one of their own, Dante West. Now a famous Hollywood action star, Dante is filming a movie in town to help the local economy, as well as make amends with the people he hurt when he abruptly left Mistletoe all those years ago.
Librarian Lucy Marshall isn't thrilled to see Dante. He was once her best friend and first love until he left her behind without a word of goodbye. When Dante makes her an offer she can't refuse -- use of the library as a filming venue in exchange for a lucrative donation, Lucy finds herself spending a lot of time in Dante's company. With the magic of Christmas in the air, Dante and Lucy begin to forge a new bond. But can two people leading such different lives find lasting love the second time around?
Lucy Marshall and Dante West were best friends before they started dating in high school. They made plans and dreams together. Dante wanted to be a Hollywood star, and Lucy wanted to company him to Los Angeles and attend UCLA. Lucy’s dreams and heart were shattered when Dante abruptly left Mistletoe for Hollywood, without asking her to come with him, leaving her only a brief note with no explanation. It’s now been eight and a half years. Dante is a huge action movie star, Lucy is the head librarian for Misteltoe’s Free Library. This Christmas, Dante returns to Mistletoe for an extended stay, while he films his latest movie in and around town.
I became a fan of Belle's after reading Alaskan Christmas Redemption, the third book in her Home to Owl Creek series. I loved the way she made me invested in the characters and the way she transported me to the Alaskan town. I'm happy to say the same can be said for No Ordinary Christmas. I could picture vividly the town of Mistletoe, Maine.
I immediately loved the characters of Lucy and Dante. My heart really went out to both of them, for what they endured and the time they lost. Fans of Belle's faith-based stories will also love this story. While there's no mention of faith, the story is still clean and wholesome. I loved that there wasn’t this overabundance of small-town nosiness and gossip. Oh, it's there, but it's done in a caring way, and not an overly pushy way. The secondary characters are all good, and deserving of their own stories and happily ever afters. Lucy’s younger sister, Tess, steals any and every scene she’s in. No Ordinary Christmas embodies what I love about Christmas romances; friends, family, second chances, and the belief that anything and everything is possible, especially at Christmastime.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“We all make mistakes. It’s what we do next that matters most.”
“You can’t undo the past.”
“Don’t play the fool twice.”
“Anything’s possible at Christmas. Don’t stop believing.”
“I believe in goodness, especially during Christmas.”
“I believe that this time of year we see the beauty in people’s hearts more than any other time.”
“Part of loving someone is lifting them up when they can’t do it themselves.”
“Forgiveness is part of loving.”
**Received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
Rating: 4
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Summer on Blackberry Beach releasees June 28, 2022
Belle hopes her books will provide readers with inspiration, entertainment and an escape from day to day life.
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I like those quote. The cover is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYes. This book had some great quotes.
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