Another Christmas story from one of my favorite authors. Debbie Macomber's Merry and Bright was a fun romantic read that gives you the feels of Christmas magic.

This book was fine. It was very predictable. The characters kind of got on my nerves. Maybe it was just too cheerful for me.

Heartwarming story about finding love online. Easy to get caught up in the story and blaze through.

This review is based on a galley copy from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Exactly what you would expect of Debbie Macomber! I absolutely loved this book! A sweet Christmas read that I hope Hallmark will turn into a movie *wink wink* soon!

Merry is super busy this holiday season finishing out her year-long temp job requiring recent mandatory overtime and helping her family get ready for Christmas. For Merry's birthday, her mother and brother, Patrick (I think he may be my favorite character in the book), sign her up for a dating site where she meets A nice guy. After many many nights of chatting, the two decide to meet... only for Merry to find out he's someone she's not so fond of.

Jayson is Merry's hard-nosed and by-the-book young boss. He doesn't care much for Christmas due to his upbringing. Jayson and Merry often butt heads over mundane things such as eating lunch at your desk and decorating your work area for Christmas.

Can these two get along? Has love been right under their noses all along?

MERRY AND BRIGHT had me laughing out loud and swooning all at the same time... something Debbie Macomber is a genius at!

I love all of Debbie's books and always look forward to the newest ones at Christmas time. Such a great book and fast read

Debbie Macomber delivers again in this warm Christmas novel about the blooming relationship between Merry Knight & Jayson Bright in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Cute Christmas Romance book. Always reminds me of Hallmark movies. Merry works for a boss who is very stiff and set in his ways. She takes care of her family, bakes cookies and decorating for the holidays. She doesn't have time for a social life so her mom and brother set up an online dating profile for her. She isn't happy at first but then ends up chatting with a man that she really likes. When they decide to meet face to face he isn't what she is expecting and flees. What these 2 go through is funny and infuriating at the same time.

Christmas cozies are sooooooo perfect. Totally over cheesy (I've yet to read one that wasn't) but you don't even care because they always give you all the feelies. Debbie Macomber (how does she pronounce her last name? I always said May-comb(like the comb)-er. But I hear people saying it differently, and now I'm curious) is amazing at spinning sweet tales of romance. Anyhow, this story is set in the Pacific Northwest, like all of Debbie's books are and revolves around 24 year old Merry Knight whose mother and brother set her up with an online dating profile, without using her picture. She ends up chatting and beginning to fall for Jay, without knowing what he looks like either. Fast forward and she finds out that it's her boss, her boss that she doesn't particularly care for so she cools things off....before he's had a chance to realize who SHE really was.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It's absolutely sweet as can be and I dare you to finish it and not feel all warm and fuzzy when it's done.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2168875325

Merry Knight is a young woman who's almost finished working a temp position at a consulting firm. There's only a few days before Christmas, and she has a deadline at work, along with helping her disabled mother Robin and Down Syndrome brother Patrick decorate for the holidays. Her father, a pharmaceutical salesman, is away quite a bit, and they've only the one car, she depends on public transportation to get anywhere. She thinks her boss is mean-spirited and has it in for her, and she's just trying to stay employed until her contract is finished. Her life is definitely complicated right now.

Jayson Bright, a young executive working for his uncle Matthew at Matt's company, has a potential contract with the Boeing Company, if he can make the deadline. So he's pushing his employees to get the data finished before Christmas Eve, even if it means working mandatory overtime. He has no time for nonsense, and believes in following everything by the book. He's a hard worker and serious about his life.

But Merry's best friend is happily married and now pregnant. She found her spouse on a dating website called Mix & Mingle, and Robin wants Merry to sign up, but Merry insists she's too busy. Since her birthday is coming up close - December 26 - Robin and Patrick sign her up as an early birthday gift, and rather than use a photo of her, use one of their Golden Retriever, Bogie. Merry, while surprised and not too happy about it, decides to see what just might be out there for her...

Jayson, receiving a surprise visit from his cousin and best friend Cooper, is stunned to hear that Cooper is getting married. Both of them had lousy childhoods with multiple-married parents, and they decided early on that neither one would even start looking for a spouse until they were in their forties. But it turns out that Cooper, on a fluke, met his soon-to-be wife on Mix & Mingle, and better yet, it's someone from his past. After Cooper leaves, Jayson, realizing his life is empty, decides to take a look and see what might be just around the corner. He sees Bogie, fills out an online form, and uses a photo of his own late retriever in return...

Soon Jayson and Merry are communicating without either knowing who the other is. The more they talk, the more they like about each other. But will deciding to meet face-to-face change their budding relationship? Will they be able to survive the knowledge of knowing how they feel about each other? Will they each decide to go their separate ways or will Christmas light its magic and bring two lonely people together?

Debbie Macomber has a lovely tradition of writing an annual Christmas story that touches your heart and brings warmth to the season. This one is no different. We read the story, chapter to chapter, from both Merry and Jayson's points of view. Each one shows us their lives and the changes they are going through. We watch their relationship begin warily, and then, as they start to trust each other, change slowly. But it isn't an easy change. Anyone who's seen the film The Shop Around the Corner will notice the similarity, but I don't think it matters if you enjoy anything of that nature.

It's a lovely book for the holidays, and I enjoyed reading it. I have no doubt that everyone who has read it - or is going to - knows that the magic of Christmas will bring a happy ending. But then again, isn't that what we want to see anyway? A warm, inviting book that will have you longing for snow and a glowing fire to read by. Highly recommended.

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber is set in Seattle, Washington. Merry Knight is a temp at Matterson Consulting. Her contract will be up on December 23 and Merry will be glad for the break. Her by-the-book boss has been pushing the workers and the mandatory overtime has put a kink in her social life. Merry’s mother (Robin) and brother (Patrick) set up a profile for her on Mix and Mingle with a photo of their dog. They want to find someone for Merry who will be interested in her as a person (not her outward appearance). Merry is stunned, but, to her surprise, one man stands out to her. He did use a photo of himself either (his childhood dog). The pair start chatting online at night while Merry deals with her difficult boss during the day. After getting to know each other, they agree to meet in person and Merry is astonished by the man’s identity. It is the last person she expected to see or wanted to. To find out what happens between Merry and her online suitor, pick up a copy of Merry and Bright.

Merry and Bright is a fun, entertaining story (Debbie Macomber never disappoints). It has good characters, a lovely city (I want to live there), a cute premise, and a set during a magical time of year--Christmas. I liked the themes presented in the story—Christmas is a condition of the heart (isn’t that just beautiful), kindness, generosity, openness, showing love to those we cherish, bad things about assumptions, misconceptions and judgements can be harmful/detrimental. I found Merry and Bright to be well-written with a nice ease to the writing (it flowed nicely). My rating for Merry and Bright is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). My one critique is the story is predictable. Once I started reading, I accurately predicted the rest of the story. Merry and Bright is a lovely, heartwarming Christmas tale that will delight fans of Debbie Macomber.

I have read several Debbie Macomber Christmas books and have loved them all. This one did not disappoint! Merry and Bright is a modern twist on a Christmas romance that will leave you with a smile on your face. This is the perfect book to cuddle up on the couch on a snowy day.

Another great Christmas read by Debbie Macomber. Inspirational and heartwarming story!

Debbie Macombervis Always dependable, I enjoyed this book . Thanks Netgalley!!

Merry Knight is home from college and working as a temp at a consulting firm. She lives with her family, a Mom with MS, a father who is a pharmaceutical salesman and a brother with Downs Syndrome. Between work and her family Merry has no social life. For her birthday her mother and brother sign her up for an online dating service. Merry does not want to hurt anyone’s feelings so she sets up her account, she meets Jay online and they get along great. At work Merry’s boss Jayson was a very difficult person to deal with. Predictably Jayson who also has no social life decides to join the same online dating service. He meets someone and for a couple of weeks they talk online. Not realizing that they know each other at work they decide to meet, Merry sees who it is and leaves trying to figure out who this sweet caring person is that she has been talking to since Jayson is nothing like that person. Do Mary and Jay ever accept the fact that Mary from online is actually Merry from work? Where do they go from here? You must read to find out. I received this advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Merry has been at her temp job for nearly a year and it is coming to an end. It can't come soon enough since she keeps having run-ins with her boss, Jayson. One night after a long day she comes home to find out that her mom and brother have signed her up for online dating, but instead of posting her photo they have uploaded a photo of their Golden Retriever, Bogie. She is shocked when she gets a return message from a fellow dog lover, Jay who has also posted a picture of his dog. They begin an online relationship and she begins to fall for this mystery man until she discovers he is her horrible boss. Can she reconcile the man she loves from the internet with the man she has worked with for the past year.

Debbie Macomber has released another great holiday novel. Cozy up by the fire to enjoy this romantic comedy.

Christmas is my favorite time of year! In fact, as I’m writing this review, I’m listening to Christmas music. Yes, I know it is October. Reading Christmas books puts me in the mood for Christmas, and Debbie Macomber’s Christmas books are always some of the most Christmas-y.

In Merry and Bright, Merry, or as her nameplate says “Mary,” has been working as a temp, and Jayson Bright is her somewhat grouchy boss. She is way too busy to date, so when her mom and brother sign her up for a dating site online, she’s surprised when she finds someone she likes talking to. She and Jay hit it off right away and after several conversations, agree to meet for coffee.

From that point on, it is a roller coaster of emotions for both Merry and Jay. But things aren’t always as they appear, and sometimes Christmas miracles bring people together.

This book is an easy read. It is very sweet, and I love the characters in it. Merry’s brother is my favorite. I recommend this for all you Debbie Macomber fans.

Merry and Bright is Debbie Macomber’s 2017 Christmas novel. Macomber is a master at writing successful books for the genres she targets: women’s fiction, romance, contemporary fiction. Merry and Bright is no exception. If you are interested in an easy read that will make your heart feel happy and help you escape from the hectic pace of the holiday season this is the book for you. Yes, it is predictable, but it is also full of beautifully drawn characters that you quickly care about and the joy of the season. If you are seeking a book about angst and unhappiness and darkness, this is not the book for you. That is one reason I enjoyed it! Sometimes you want to read a book with a happy ending that is full of honorable well-meaning people! One of the protagonists, Merry Knight, is a busy young lady. It is the holiday season, and she is busy helping her family get ready for the holidays and winding down a temp job that she took for a year to finance her senior year in college. Her family is loving, but not affluent: a hardworking father, a well-meaning mother with MS, and an 18 year old brother, Patrick, who has Down syndrome. (Patrick steals your heart by the way!). Merry loves Christmas and is stressed with dealing with a Scrooge-like boss at work—Jayson Bright—who is under a lot of pressure to meet a pre-Christmas deadline. This book delivers well what it sets out to be—a predictable, but well written Christmas novel that has a happy story about well drawn characters you care about. Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book and for allowing me to review it.

I can always depend on Debbie Macomber's books to be an easy and enjoyable read and this book was no exception. The characters were interesting - a nice touch having the Mother with MS and the 'special' brother (who was obviously very well loved by his family). Of course it was easy to see how the story would end right from the first page - but how the characters get to the ending is the enjoyable part. Yes, it was a bit sappy in places, but so what. It's nice escapism!

I could not put it down! Loved the movie You've Got Mail?, then you will absolutely love this book! I see a Hallmark movie from this one.

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber is delightful Christmas tale that is perfect as a holiday break read. Merry Knight is kept busy working as a temp, providing for her parents and her brother. When her sweet mother and brother sign her up for an online dating service, Merry reluctantly begins to correspond with a man and they quickly form a connection. But is it ill-fated once they meet? Fans of Debbie Macomber’s Christmas romances will not be disappointed with this book. It is a lovely Christmas romance that is definitely worth reading and adding to a holiday book collection. I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.