Sugarplum Way by Debbie Mason

Debbie Mason really knows how to deliver the most magical Christmas love stories. I'll start off saying that I think it's important to read the first three books in this series before this one. While it can stand on its own, you'll have a more enriching experience if you have all the background of the people and this town first. The people have their drama and their secrets, and it's really best to just get to know them all first.

Ok, on to the review! As always, I love the way Debbie Mason writes a cute small town with people you fall in love with. And the Christmas decoration and cozy atmosphere in this town in this book were top notch. I wanted to jump into the pages and live there. I really liked Julia, and was very intrigued by her storyline. I loved how she wrote her crush into her novel, and it was fun watching her fictional relationship play out with her real life one. I loved Aidan so much, and rooted for him and Julia the entire time. The side characters, Colleen in particular, were so great. I didn't love the third act drama because I felt like it wasn't Aidan's job to fix things when he was the one who was lied to, but oh well. The ending itself is the kind of ending that can only be believed in a Christmas book. It felt about as rushed as a Hallmark movie, but I felt the swoons and came away with a smile on my face. So it's a win for me!

So this is my favorite time of the year and I love reading all types of holiday books. When I saw this book on NetGalley I couldn't help but request as it had the potential makings of a sweet, magical holiday read. Sadly this book was a bust for me as I had a very hard time connecting with any of the characters. I tried hard to keep pushing through and keep reading but I had to tap out at page 173. I’m all for a slow burn but Adian and Julia moved slow as molasses and honestly I didn’t feel the connection. The plot was a little boring as well and I found myself wishing it would pick up. Also we had a few side stories that were going on as well and it became a little bit overwhelming at times. Even though this book didn’t work out for me please don’t let my review stop you from reading.

Really liked this book. Interesting characters and good story flow. Hard to put down. Like the intrigue and the way it makes you wonder what is going to happen. Good read. Would recommend.

Now that the Christmas season is upon us, why not sit back and relax with some a few great books to get you in the holiday spirit? Debbie Mason’s Sugarplum Way definitely had me mentally gearing up for the upcoming holidays, and even looking forward to some snow whenever it chooses to hit our area. This is book four in the Harmony Harbor series, but there is plenty of backstory sprinkled throughout so I had no problems figuring out who everyone was and the main points of what had happened in previous books–all while maintaining several mysteries and without bogging down the book along the way.

Julia Landon is a book store owner by day and a romance novelist during all of the other times, and this sweet, caring, loving woman looks out for those around her in town that are both friends and less fortunate. She’s taken up the role of a glorified fairy godmother and matchmaker for the Gallagher family, and she’s been pretty successful too. The only Gallagher man that seems to resist her unassuming and innocent charms is Aiden, a former DEA agent who’s moved back to Harmony Harbor after his divorce to seemingly brood, be a bit angry all the time, and take good care of his daughter who still lives in the expensive Boston house that he’s still paying for with his ex-wife who refuses to return to her job as a psychiatrist. But the more time that Aiden spends with good-natured yet plotting Julia, the surer he’s becoming that she’s hiding a dark secret–and he can’t help but be drawn to her even though he doesn’t want to become involved with anyone at the moment.

I really enjoyed the characters that Debbie Mason has created in this series, and there’s a wide variety that reside in Harmony Harbor. There’s a meddling, match-making ghost who recorded people’s secrets in a book before she died, and people are practically dying to get their hands on it. The Gallagher family is quite big and varied, from the grandmother and her friend fighting over the same man, down to the cute and realistic grandchildren that a milling about and attending Julia’s reading hours at the bookstore. It seems like everyone has their secrets, and only a few were revealed from that book in Sugarplum Way. A few of the more trouble-causing characters are a bit one-dimensional, but they serve their purpose. It would nice to see them fleshed out more in future books.

I give Sugarplum Way a five out of five. Aiden and Julia’s romance was a slow build of butting heads and conflict, but it was full of laughter as well. The small town of Harmony Harbor was quaint and picturesque, and it really sprang to life under the glow of Christmas lights twinkling off a dusting of snow. Family conflicts, secrets, lies, and romance all came into play here–and Debbie Mason’s deft writing kept me entertained and engaged throughout. I really enjoyed all of the stories within, as well as the sprinklings of humor and lightness. While this can be read as a standalone as I did, full enjoyment would be had by starting at book one. Once I finished reading Sugarplum Way, I really want to know what’s happened between all of these characters in the first three books. I need to search out the audiobooks and give those a try!

I honestly don’t know where to start. Up to this point, every book by Debbie Mason I’ve really enjoyed. I enjoy the small town setting, the life-like characters and their banter, and the romance. Each of her couples are unique, playing off each other’s strengths and the chemistry is usually off the charts. However I felt like all of that was lacking in Sugarplum Way.

Julia is one of my favorite female characters in Harmony Harbor so I was really excited to see her story. I mean she’s a bookaholic, how could I not love and identify with her?! Introverted, quirky, and shy, Julia is me on the pages. She’s great with kids, get her around adults and she clams up….yep that pretty much sounds like a description of me. She also happens to be a romance writer who uses a pseudonym. I loved this twist with Julia’s character. It added layers to her. Guilt from her fiancé’s death haunts her, and while she may be ready to move on with her life, she isn’t ready to leave him behind yet either.

Aiden Gallagher is my favorite brother. I’ve been looking forward to his story as much as I was looking forward to Julia’s. To pair them together, I thought would be gold. Not quite the case. Aiden is really struggling. His ex is keeping his daughter from him and trying to manipulate him into another marriage. He resists but is miserable without his daughter. On top of that he has a temper and as a police officer this keeps him in hot water. I felt really bad for Aiden but also I couldn’t understand how blind he was to what was right in front of him.

Now onto the plot/romance of the book. As I said earlier, pairing Aiden and Julia should have been perfect. However it didn’t play out that way. In the previous books of the series, you could feel the tension and chemistry between the characters. There was none of that between Aiden and Julia. Also it felt overdone. The plot, the twists, the romance….it was like deja vu. I’ve read this story before. In fact a similar situation happens in one of Mason’s Christmas, Colorado books. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, it’s just it was much better the first time.

Overall, Sugarplum Way was just okay for me. While I enjoyed some aspects, specifically Aiden reading some of Julia’s work, I didn’t enjoy the romance or the weird plot twist at the end. That just wasn’t necessary…just saying. Would I recommend it? Yeah, just because I didn’t love it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy some parts of it. Will I read more of the series? Absolutely. I still love the small town setting and the quirky characters that come with it.

I am convinced that Debbie Mason's books are actually little vessels of magic. Lovely portals that transport you to a world where love, friends, and family rule. A world where everything fades away while you are so captivated by the characters and Debbie's words that you can't bear to put the book down for longer than a few minutes.

That is what happens to me every time I start one of Debbie Mason's romances. I get swept away from the moment I step into Harmony Harbor and I refuse to leave. If I could move there, I would. Especially if I could snag my own Gallagher. As always I found myself giggling and swooning non-stop. I adored Julia and Aidan. I would love to be Julia's friend just so I could be around her and absorb her wonderful spirit. After years of writing HEA's for her characters, Julia is finally about to discover her very own happily-ever-after. If she can get through one compromising position after another, that is. The situations Julia found herself in were quite interesting... *grins* Aidan is a bit of a Grumpy Gus. He's trying to make the best of the situation. With his new job and a boss that doesn't trust him, things aren't going quite his way. Then add Julia and his new found feelings towards her. Mix that all with an ex-wife and a young daughter... You get a sexy hero pulled in all different directions. When it finally acts on his attraction to Julia, things go even more awry.

I adore Debbie Mason's writing. I always want to be friends with her characters just so I can hug them and celebrate with them. Reading one of her books is always like reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones. The vivid writing and description is smooth and so lovely. It feels like you're actually visiting Harmony Harbor in person. Plus she makes you laugh out loud... What's not to love?

Another cute installment to the Harmony Harbor series! This was another one where the nicknames kind of irritated me at times, but not sufficiently to really detract from my enjoyment of the book. I definitely enjoyed getting to know Julia better!

A whimsical holiday romance! The characters are fun and easy to like and the adorable children in the book bring lots of smiles and laughs to the pages. 

Romance writer Julia Landon thought she felt some major sparks last year when Aidan Gallagher laid a kiss on her under the mistletoe, but it turns out the sexy cop is once bitten twice shy after a painful divorce. She might be crushing hot and heavy on him, but he's perfectly happy being single and loving it. Well, if she can't have him in real life, she can certainly have her wicked way with him on the pages of her work in progress!

Aidan is trying hard to pick up the pieces of life as a single guy again and the most important thing to him is getting a relationship with his daughter back on track now that his unreliable work record is over and he's settled down in Harmony Harbor. When he discovers he just might be the sexy hero in Julia's latest book, he sets out to show her a thing or two about what he might be capable of between those steamy pages!

I love Debbie Mason books ! and Sugar Plum Way was another fantastic book from her I cant wait to see what she writes next !!

I am absolutely loving this series of books. Debbie Mason has made each book and the characters in them uniquely different. Each of the brothers, while close and alike in some ways (sharing the same family tragedy) they are also completely different in many aspects of their personality. They are also attracted to many different types of people. I love the ghost and laugh out loud at her attempts to "solve" problems. Keep the books in this series coming, they are heart wrenching yet many times have laugh out loud moments!

Julia was optimistic and meddling (in a good way), and Aidan was more of the strong, silent-ish types. Watching them interact and turn from clashing over little things to sneaking off for kisses under the mistletoe was fun. I enjoyed this entry in the series.

I have read the earlier books in the series. So it was easier for me to remember the characters. But sometimes I did get lost, here and there. It definitely can't be read as a standalone if you want to enjoy it. This is one negative aspect of reading the author's books!

When I started the book, I was sure I was going to enjoy it as much as the others. In a way, I did. But there was a slight pace problem. Actually this is the only problem I could find with the story. The romantic aspect of the story seemed to go so slow. There was attraction between the protagonists but they weren't quick to act on it. They took it slow and steady which had me frustrated. But this point actually built up for a good ending. I believe if it was any other way, the ending wouldn't have packed quite the punch!

The characters, as usual, were memorable. Some were familiar and some were new but all of them added to the charm of the small town romance. Speaking of the heroine, Julie had me falling for her from the starting. But the one who really stole my was the grumbly hero, Aidan. They make the perfect pair!!

The ghost's antics and the secrets involved in the characters' lives added to the intrigue involved in the story and Julie's secret was a tiny bit easy to guess. But it didn't detract from my eagerness to know how it all ended.

The author's writing has everything in it to make an enjoyable read - intrigue, romance and family sentiment. I am now waiting to see what will follow this book.

I received a copy for reviewing purposes which doesn't impact my musings in any way.

My one line review : A mix of family sentiment, romance and intrigue.

My rating : 4.5/5

My reread factor : 4/5

“Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary?”

I want to live in the small town of Harmony Harbor! Sugarplum Way is the entertaining fourth installment in Debbie Mason’s Harmony Harbor series. I’ve not read all the previous books …yet, but I still thoroughly enjoyed Sugarplum Way, so it works well as a standalone if that is your preference. Sugarplum Way is the HEA story of Aidan Gallagher and bookstore owner and romance writer Julia Landon. The two share a history. They aren’t exactly enemies, but, as the story opens, they are far from being friends.

In Harmony Harbor, there’s mistletoe everywhere as Christmas draws near. Julia loves Christmas. Aiden does not. Aiden is struggling both career-wise and financially as he and his wife have split. His conniving ex hopes to get back with Aiden and is holding their little girl’s visits as hostage. Meanwhile, Julie has dark secrets and is close to completing her hush-hush mission.

There’s a lot going on in this book besides Aiden’s and Julia’s relationship. The romance between Aidan’s father and his neighbor across the street is on-again, off-again. A ghostly Colleen is celebrating her first anniversary as a specter adding a bit of paranormal to this tale. The frantic search for Colleen’s still-missing tell-all Secret Keeper of Harmony Harbor book continues as residents worry about what it will disclose when found. In addition, there are small-town bitter rivalries and politics.

The characters are fun and likeable. Julia is one-of-a-kind, generous and a hoot. Aiden’s cynical detective instincts don’t trust Julia one whit. He’s still grieving and harboring anger over the tragic deaths of his mother and baby sister years ago. But, when Julia is sick, he’s there for her. The chemistry between them positively sizzles. But, when Julia’s deep, dark secret is exposed, will Aiden be able to forgive and forget?

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Sugarplum Way:

“I just wish they’d remember I’m thirty-two and not fifteen.” Colin looked down at her feet, and his lips twitched.

She followed his gaze. She had on a cozy red plaid onesie with fake fur lining the hood and reindeer slippers on her feet. She shrugged, smiling up at him. “What can I say? I love Christmas.”
---

…her fluorescent pink vibrator sailed through the air to land with a splash in the goldfish bowl sitting on the bench at the end of her bed.

She slapped her hands over her mouth, releasing a muffled “I’ve killed Eric and Ariel! … It’s not funny! My fish are drowning. Save them!”

I enjoy reading festive reads year-round. Sugarplum Way is a sweet and fun story about two stubborn people and a lovely little girl. If you relish charming, cozy small-town Christmas romances that make you feel like you’re participating in the festivities, I’d encourage you to check out Debbie Mason’s Harmony Harbor series. Just set aside a block of time to read it, as it’s a page-turner infused with laughter, tears and dreams come true that you won’t want to put it down!



Suggested Reading Order:
Mistletoe Cottage
Christmas with an Angel (short story)
Starlight Bridge
Primrose Lane
Sugarplum Way
Driftwood Cove
Sandpiper Shore

I haven't felt so lost when I began a book in a long time. I had the feeling that I should have read the books that came before Sugarplum Way because for me the description of everything that went on was like a very short summarization of what happened in the previous book, just enough to help the readers remember what happened. I had a rough time reading the book and it;s one of the cases where I finished the book only because I had to. I wouldn't have read the book otherwise. It had a funny moment or two, but I just didn't buy the story the author was trying to sell. I wasn't invested in the characters and even the children weren't able to win me over. There were a couple of subplots and none of them was resolved. Harper is a very bad woman and she wasn't punished for basically taking Aidan's money and not working all the time. As it was mentioned Aidan had many expenses and she didn't contribute much. Also what happened to Maggie? The change between the Aidan that was sure Julia was hiding something and he disliked her and the Aidan that started falling for Julian was a little abrupt. This book wasn't for me and I wouldn't recommend it.

Julie Landon runs a small bookstore in the Boston suburb of Harmony Harbor. She is in her early thirties and loves to collect town gossip. Her customers embrace her sage advice and also seek her assistance as a matchmaker . In her free time, Julie also writes novels using material based on true stories from the locals. She is forced to write under a pseudonym to protect the “real” identities of her characters. She has also woven into her novels some private matters about herself that would be embarrassing if revealed. It seems that Julie can write books with happy endings, but her real life is less successful.

Aidan Gallagher grew up in Harmony Harbor and recently moved back to re-establish a relationship with his daughter. He previously left the town to lessen his grief after losing his mother and sister from a car accident. Initially, he finds Julie annoying and wishes she would mind her own business. He is irritated by her persistent meddling in his father's love life. Despite his standoffishness, he finds himself in need of her advice and an unlikely friendship is formed.

This is the fourth book written in the Harmony Harbor series and it can read as a stand alone book. Debbie Mason writes a perfect book for the holiday season.

Reviewed by Robin

Review: Sometimes all it takes is one kiss to fall in love or never forget the person that gave you that kiss. And because of that one kiss you start to daydream…

I simply loved Julia, who was full of love and compassion. A little bit unorganized and just downright likable. Full of life and magic. Aidan is divorced with a little girl named Ella Rose.

Julia needed somewhere to be out from under the watchful eye of her brothers and dad. She moved her with her fiancé, his mother is the mayor. Life was good but things changed…spoiler so I won’t give any more info. But, you may know if you have read the other books in this series.

Things change Julia has been playing fairy god mother and Aidan and his father are the last two that she has to help. She falls for Aidan… The plot twist the secret comes to life…

Ms. Mason gave us characters that are easy to like, easy to feel their plight and emotions. The story was filled with hope and dreams…magical; a perfect combination for a Christmas story.

I loved the ghostly antics of Aidan’s great grandma and the cat. She was adorable and funny. She really did mean well.

There was a lot going on in the story and if I were to give any part away I feel it would spoil the magic.
Just know that the characters are warm and real, the story is full of everything that makes a story special. You won’t be disappointed. This book can stand alone, but you might just want to read the others in the series. You might find a new author to follow. I know I did.

I really enjoyed this story…it had a lot of elements that put together made for a Christmas where dreams really do come true.

Looking for a bit of romance as you head into the Christmas season? Sugarplum Way may be the book for you.

Julia Landon lives in the small town of Harmony Harbor. Besides running a bookstore, she is also secretly a romance novelist. It just so happens that the hero of her novels seems to be a lot like the real life Aidan Gallagher. He is a dark and brooding cop that has newly arrived back in Harmony Harbor. Divorced and trying to figure out how to be a good dad, Aidan is also still secretly depressed about the death of his mother and young sister in a car accident years before. Back in his home town, Aidan is also suspicious of Julia. Why does she like Christmas so much and why is she always around his family trying to find them their happily ever after? Julia does not want Aidan to find out her secret, but she can’t deny the attraction she has for him.

I enjoyed the story. I found Aidan to be mysterious and I did want to find out the truth behind Julia’s secret. I had not read the previous three books in the series. This mostly did not affect me, but maybe the secret was out in the other books? For me it was an interesting build up to the revelation and fall out that then occurred.
I felt the book had just the right mix of humor, Christmas, and light romance.

I really liked the characters. I liked that there was an entire town involved and I loved Julia’s spunk and Christmas cheer. Aidan was appropriately dark and brooding, with a sensitive side underneath. I would have loved to learn more about Julia’s romance novel – I really wanted to read an excerpt!

This quote made me laugh out loud when I was reading this novel:

“A lie by any other name is still a lie.” “How about an alternative fact??

Overall, Sugarplum Way is an enjoyable Christmas novel that will be sure to delight you with its charm this Christmas season!

Book Source: Review Copy for being a part of the TLC Book Tour

Sugarplum Way is the fourth book in the Harmony Harbor series. This one is Aidan's story. I have enjoyed this series from the beginning. While this wasn't my favorite, it was still a sweet story. I will caution, this doesn't hold up too well as a stand alone book. I would urge readers to start form the beginning to understand the dynamic of the Gallagher family as well as the town.

For the most part, I enjoyed Aidan and Julia's story. The book did start off really slow for me and I wasn't feeling the connection between the couple until about halfway through the book. It was like too many other things kept getting in the way of their story. I was rooting for them however and I liked their HEA. I did like that the reason behind Julia acting as a "fairy godmother" for the family was finally cleared up. Such a heartbreaking reason! I do recommend this one as well as the series. I'm interested to see what is next for the town of Harmony Harbor.

This book had a great mix of holiday cheerfulness, warm family gathering, mystery and sweet romance. Julia Landon is the sweetheart of Harmony Harbor. She has accepted the role of the Gallaghers’ fairy godmother and has helped Aidan Gallagher’s three brothers, Finn, Griffin and Liam, find their soulmate. With Aidan, things are more complicated because she is emotionally involved. Under his grumpy, bossy façade, Aidan is a real softy. They shared a kiss under the mistletoe and she was bedazzled by his charm. He is her secret, forbidden crush.

Aidan’s priority is his daughter, Ella Rose. His relationship with his ex-wife is conflictual, but he is ready to fight for custody of his daughter. Although he isn’t immune to Julia, Aidan doesn’t trust her. Julia has her fair share of secrets, she has learned the hard way that when you keep secrets from the past, they always come back to haunt you. It’s time for her to move on with her own future. Of course, I was rooting for her to find love and feel worthy of it.

I would have liked to see a bit more passion, I thought that the romantic progress between Julia and Aidan was slightly pushed in the background at times. But the storyline and character development were strong.

Lots of secrets, a matchmaking ghost, friendship, romance and a bit of Holiday whimsy all made of “Sugarplum Way” an entertaining story. This book is the fourth installment in the Harmony Harbor series. Although it can be read as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the series in order. 3.5 stars