Another Debbie Macomber winner! This book was great and I didn't want to put it down. Merry was a wonderful character to watch blossom. Merry watched out for everyone in her family except herself, and was only selfish with her own time. She always had time for family and her special needs brother. Merry didn't realize how empty her life was until she started the online dating. I guess you could say she didn't know what she was missing. It was heartwarming to see Jayson blossom as well. He really was stuck in a rut with his work life and didn't realize how much he wanted a real family.

I like reading Debbie Macomber's books, and this one was no exception. It was a pretty light/quick read, but definitely a book that will help get you in the holiday spirit. The main character, Merry, is working as a temp at a busy office, with a tight deadline. She doesn't have much of a social life, due to work, and she is very close with her family. Her well-meaning mother and brother set her up with a profile and a subscription on an online dating website.

Of course, she meets a man, and that makes up the bulk of this book. What I really enjoyed is the focus on family that Merry has, as well as the way she celebrates and enjoys the holiday season - it is very descriptive, and I felt like I was there several times. Are you looking for a little holiday cheer? It is a good read, with a lot of heart - if you enjoy her other books, this one won't let you down!

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Merry and Bright’ by Debbie Macomber in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Merry Smith is working as a temp to save enough money to go to college and has no time for romance. Her mother and brother decide to buy her an early birthday present and enrol her on the dating site ‘Mix & Mingle’. Unknown to Merry, her boss Jayson Bright who she’s always found to be bad-tempered, also enrols. They start emailing each other and although Merry becomes aware of who the ‘Jay’ is she’s getting to know, Jayson doesn’t know he’s emailing the young lady in his office as the HR department put ‘Mary’ on her desk rather than ‘Merry’. Will true love blossom? And what will happen when Jayson realises that ‘Merry’ and ‘Mary’ are the same person?
Debbie Macomber has once again written a warm and romantic novel, perfect for reading over the Christmas season. She brought the ‘feel good’ factor into it and made me want to visit Seattle and meet all the characters who I found charming and likeable. This novel was a pleasure to read and one I would definitely recommend.

Merry and Bright
by Debbie Macomber (Goodreads Author)
10507807
Cynde Gilmore's review
Aug 22, 2017 · edit

it was amazing

Debbie Macomber always publishes a Christmas book and this one is a quick lovely read.

Merry and Jayson are our main characters, and without giving away too much of the book, they meet in an online dating site (although they already know each other at work.)

In this day and age of entitlement, it was nice to see Merry so dedicated to her family and working to pay her way through school. But the thing I liked best about the book, was the overwhelming message Merry was trying to convey to Jayson about the true meaning of Christmas!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for the early preview!

Debbie Macomber did it again with a heart warming holiday story. I am of an age that we met people face to face. So it was interesting to read a story about internet dating. I like the Mary/Merry mix up of the main female character. And Jay was certainly friendlier than Jayson. The loving outgoing personality of Merry was heart warming. The relationship she has with her family just makes me feel good. The message that money isn't everything was loud and clear. I totally loved this story.

Y-E-S ! ! Ms. Debbie M. has penned another winner. This was a FUN, CLEAN, SWEET, Romance read. Everything we have come to expect from a Debbie M. novel. The story kept me engaged... and, watch for Mr. Patrick, he is special too. If you like wholesome stories, you will love this one. I am sure.

My review is also on Goodreads, published August 20, 2017. (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2097953616)

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance copy of this book.

Another cute and enjoyable Christmas story from Debbie Macomber. Merry Knight is working for a year to save up money to finish her schooling. As a birthday surprise, her mother and brother sign her up for an on-line dating service. Merry is skeptical at first, but meets someone she enjoys talking too. The story tells Merry's progression in her on-line relationship along with what is going on at work. In separate chapters we read the story of Jayson, Merry's boss, and a guy who is also just starting an on-line relationship. The story is predictable, but enjoyable, and a great Christmas read.

My only complaint is that once again, the male in the story is successful, rich, doing well, and the boss, while the female is struggling and doing the menial office work. Merry is supposedly going to be finishing up school, but in the story she is doing data entry. It would be nice if in just one of these Debbie Macomber Christmas stories, it was the female who was the success and the male who was struggling; or if both characters were successful.

I would have bought this book because I like the author. However, the book is trite and predictable and the characters border on smarmy.

This book was so cute and tugged at my heartstrings. From the beginning it reminded me of You've Got Mail the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movie only in reverse, which ends up being Merry's favorite movie. Merry/Mary Knight is an industrious young woman with many responsibilities and does an excellent job of trying to handle it all. With help from her mother and brother Patrick who sign her up on a dating website with an unusual picture. VP Jayson/Jay Bright is career oriented man with family issues and is worrying about a big contract for his Uncle's company. When his cousin/best friend comes to ask him to be best man at his wedding to a childhood friend gets him to thinking about checking out Mix & Mingle where he finds Merry's profile and the romance starts. As it progresses there are a few bumps in the road that with the help of Patrick the couple work through. Merry and Bright is Debbie Macomber at her Holiday best .

A merry and bright Christmas tale centered around an online dating service with a fairy tale ending.
However, I was left with an unsatisfied ending for both Merry and Jayson will still have many conflicts to overcome. Merry is not always happy and resilient to problems encountered with Jay and Jayson. Jayson still has to overcome his sarcasm of people and of people's feelings of Christmas.
For a Christmas tale, the book had an excellent title, plot, and ending but it still left me with a feeling of how will Merry and Jayson cope with their future bad days for all days will not be good Christmas days.

Merry and Bright is a short, sweet take on online dating. Merry grew up with a close, loving family, while Jayson grew up with distant parents. Their childhoods have colored their adult perspective on life. As expected, they have a happily ever after!

This is a wonderful Christmas short read. The take on the names is a cute additional.

Merry's family concerned that she isn't dating signs her up for a dating website. She quickly starts chatting with J and falling in love with this man with similar characteristics. When he asks to meet everything changes as she realizes he is not all those things.

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy for an honest review. Debbie Macomber always comes out with a holiday book, this one stands out above the rest. I feel in love with Merry dedication to her family and how slowly the author peeled away the walls Jayson has built. What a great read. This book goes on my keeper shelf.

'Merry and Bright' by Debbie Macomber is absolutely perfect. I was immediately engaged and literally couldn't put it down until the sparkling finish. This story of co-workers Merry Smith and Jayson Bright finding love in an entirely current yet familiar 'Little Shop Around the Corner-You've Got Mail' way was heartwarming and uplifting. I can't enthuse enough about it, and would give it 10 stars if I could!

A sweet holiday story from Macomber that is perfect for curling up for a night of reading and losing yourself in a light holiday romance story. This story touches on an experience with online dating, and the perception others may have of us in person versus through an online persona. A quick and light read.

This was a well written, fun book by Debbie Macomber. You will turn pages from the 1st page through the last page - It is a clean story that I would recommend to all. The characters were well defined, you can see the story come to life right before your minds eyes.

I really enjoyed the up to date world of online dating in Ms. Macomber's newest book. I have always enjoyed this type of story "unknown penpal" type of story. I like when one of the people find out who the other one is and deals with that info in a unique way. I loved the way the unknown partner found out who the other one was and was still as clueless for a bit. This was a lovely story that I think readers will enjoy to kick off the holiday season!

Debbie Macomber's Christmas stories are always a treat and "Merry and Bright" does not disappoint. Merry is nearing the end of her temp job in a firm where Jayson Bright is her boss. She does not hold a high opinion of him with his being a stickler for the rules and uncaring attitude. Merry's mother and brother sign her up for an online dating service and to appease them she goes through the profiles and starts chatting with someone. Her online relationship grows and she begins to hope that she has met someone who likes her for her. In the meantime she's starting to see under the surface of her boss Jayson and is thinking there is more to him than she has seen. The Christmas season and family time play a role in what happens to Merry and Jayson and how they grow both together and in themselves as they go over bumps and in the end knowing the risk is worth the rewards.

Recently I've been reading dark thrillers and mysteries. Merry and Bright by the very popular author Debbie Macomber was just the antidote I needed to lift my spirits. The book is full of family, friends, holiday spirit and unexpected romance. Merry's brother and mother sign her up for an on-line dating service and everything takes an complicated twist from there. If you want to come out of a dark funk this is just the book for you. You'll be glad you did.

Every year Debbie Macomber gives us a beautiful Christmas story.
This year I was more than delighted with Merry and Bright.
The story conveys an emotion as I had not felt for a long time.

Merry, who was born on December 26, has an envious inner positive energy.
She works as a temporary employee at a company while saving money to pay for her senior year of college. She wants to be a teacher.
She comes from a solid and loving family.
Her mother suffers from multiple sclerosis and her 18-year-old brother, Patrick, has down syndrome. The family is beautiful.

The Christmas party is a long-awaited tradition. It is at this time that they take the time to thank all the people for their help and support throughout the year by giving them time to cook for these people.

With such a love-filled life story, Merry has clashes with her boss, Jayson Bright.
A handsome man, but always serious, he never smiles.

Jayson carries the responsibility of the VP of his uncle's company on his shoulders. With deadlines and all reports to do, he has no time for social life or smiling.

So when he knows that his cousin, Cooper, was in love and marrying soon, Jayson is astonished. More so to know that the meeting of Cooper and his fiancée was through a dating website.

Determined to risk his luck, Jayson signs up, but doesn't put his picture on the profile, but a dog he had in his teens.
Jayson is interested in the profile of a woman whose photo was also a dog.

They exchange messages for some time until they decide to meet each other.
From there everything changes because the woman didn't appear. But, she did. She saw him. She freaked out.

Merry is surprised to discover that the man she had been talking to online was her boss.
Company policy didn't allow for loving relationships between employees.
In a few days she would not work there anymore.
And she and Jayson had had several clashes in the office.

How could she forget his pedantic and serious way?
How would Jayson be after having his heart broken by a woman he didn't even know?

The end of the story has a lot the magic of Christmas, with human mistakes and success, full of merry and bright
5 stars