I liked the book. It as light holiday read. The leading man left me bewildered though. He left the woman he loved. Married because he got his new girlfriend pregnant. Got engaged to gold digger. Plus took his daughter with him and his girl friend for Christmas getaway. Felt sorry for his daughter.

I wanted to enjoy this more but the story flashbacks bothered me. I liked the premise but they execution left a lot to be desired. I'd still recommend to other Christmas romance lovers even though it wasn't my cup of tea.

Reads just like a fluffy Hallmark Christmas movie, but could have moved along a bit more quickly. Emma's best friend has booked her a week at a Vermont inn after she's broken up with her boyfriend. Coincidentally, Emma's long lost college love is vacationing there, too, with his fiance and his daughter Lola. I liked the characters, though Lola was a bit cloying at times. The innkeeper and the owner of the playhouse are added for local color.

The NetGalley copy I received was an uncorrected galley and I really hope some edits have been made in the meantime. The timing continually flipped back and forth stating it was X days before Christmas Eve and X days before New Year's Eve, although all the story continued in the same timeline and it was clearly post Christmas.

Things that I worry won't be cleared up in editing for the final copy are silly inaccuracies. A mention that Norman Rockwell was born in VT? (Nope, New Yorker Emma should have known Rockwell was born in NYC, even if she didn't know he spent most of his adult life in Massachusetts.) An inkeeper employing a random, last minute guest as her "kids club" leader? (Even in the backwoods of VT, business owners believe in background checks.) A maple syrup tour guide explaining how many POUNDS of syrup are produced in VT? (Sorry, we measure liquids in gallons.)

I guess I felt like the story line was so easy, the author could have done more to get details right. That said, I enjoyed the read and would have loved the scenery if this were one of my beloved holiday films.

Great book about. Christmas in Vermont. First time reading this author but definitely not the last. Emma’s story starts in a pawn shop ready to trade her lost love in...but decides on another purchase instead, why? she doesn’t know why. She decides to visit a B&B in snowy Vermont. They she learns all the whys she needs. A sweet story.
Thank you to Ms. Hughes and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read this sweet story.

This read was just what I needed. I love Christmas novels and this one was no exception. Anita Hughes did a fine job with this one and it reminded me of the Hallmark movies that leave me with that good feeling on the inside and longing for Christmas to get here again.

Emma has a problem with making a relationship work for more than 364 days. She always runs away from them when they are so close to a year! On Christmas Eve, Emma is looking for somewhere to pawn the beautiful bracelet her ex-boyfriend has given her. Emma was supposed to be on the beach with him this Christmas but when she called it off she just couldn't let herself go with him just to be going. So Emma is all alone once again on Christmas.

When Emma is lucky enough to find a pawn shop open, she wanders in to see what she can get as an offer on the bracelet. Emma is looking around while the man is getting her $200 he offered her when she spots a watch that is very familiar. It can't be though! What is her college boyfriend Fletcher's watch she gave him doing in this pawn shop? Emma asks to see it and sure enough, the engraving is what she had put on it. She asks the man if they can just call it even if she takes the watch and he agrees to it.

Emma can't believe that she has found her old college boyfriends watch. That means that he has to be close by or someone he knows has to be close by. When Emma tells her friend, Bronwyn about it, she insists that it is synchronicity and not just a coincidence. Bronwyn does some research of her own and finds out that Fletcher is apparently staying at a little inn not too far away in Vermont for the week. Bronwyn takes it upon herself to sign Emma up to be the children's activity coordinator. Emma is so hesitant to go away for the week, but finally Bronwyn talks her into it.

When Emma finds out that Fletcher, his daughter and fiance are at the inn for the week, she knows that it is going to be a crazy week. Fletcher's daughter, Lola, immediately takes up with Emma and they continue to run into each other and do things together before Fletcher even knows she is there. Turns out, Lola is the only kid signed up for the activities that Emma is in charge of for that week. They are going to be seeing each other a lot. Fletcher's fiance, Megan, is a hand full and has a hidden agenda for why she wants to marry Fletcher.

This book will keep you on your toes with Lola and Megan. I fell in love with the characters and the small town in Vermont. Christmas in Vermont is a good cozy read that will leave you longing for some snowy weather and Christmas cheer!

All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy of this book.

Christmas in Vermont is like a hallmark movie. You just have to read until the end. The characters are wonderful and sometimes funny. You'll want to rush off to Vermont for the Christmas holidays. Sometimes love can withstand distance and time.

Great Christmas read. I love Holiday stories any time and this one did not disappoint. An old flame, reconnecting at a beautiful vacation spot, a child and a fiancé standing between them, all works out in this beautiful story. I love the author’s writing style.

Heartwarming, lovely second chance Christmas romance. Highly recommend.


Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

What’s not to love about a holiday book taking place in the Green Mountains of Vermont? Set in the fictional town of Snowberry, Christmas in Vermont is a sweet holiday romance that leaves the reader ready to pack her bags to spend a week at Smuggler’s Inn.

The idea of synchronicity (the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection) propels the story, and tends to rear its ugly head until the very end. The mere mention of the word after the mid-point of the story could be tamed, but I could see how it had its place in the moments where it was mentioned.

Emma, a contented copyrighter in New York, has a habitual tendency to end relationships before they hit the one year mark. At the start of the story, the reader finds Emma questioning the recent break up and if she should have waited until after the planned trip to Hawaii with her boyfriend to end things. When she enters a pawn shop in Manhattan, she discovers a watch she’d given to “the one that got away” and wonders what would have become of them if she hadn’t kept the truth from Fletcher. And this is where synchronicity has its heyday.

Bronwyn, Emma’s best friend and advocate of synchronicity, sends Emma on a trip to a quaint inn in Snowberry, VT where she had discovered Fletcher is staying for the holidays. What follows is interesting to say the least.

The author captured the spirit of Christmas through descriptions of the town, activities, and spirit of the characters. The town came alive as Emma explored shops and participated in a variety of things while on vacation. This was the one thing I enjoyed the most about my reading experience.

As far as the characters are concerned, they were quirky and a bit unbelievable but provided some entertaining moments. I didn’t fall in love with Emma or Fletcher, or any of the characters but watching them fuddle through things was amusing.

The writing style is light, fun and easy to read, although at the beginning it felt more “british” in style and I thought the story was taking place in London, rather than New York. It wasn’t until I saw the words, Manhattan or New York that I finally clued in (yes, the title alone should help, but people from Europe vacation in the States…).

All in all, Christmas in Vermont was a fun Christmas read.

I received an ecopy from the Publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Christmas in Vermont is an adorable tale of lost love set in picturesque Vermont at Christmastime.
Emma is a copywriter, who ends her relationships like clockwork. 364 days into a relationship and suddenly she can't picture herself with them longterm and she ends it. Having just gotten out of her most recent relationship, and missing out on a trip to Hawaii, she decides to spend her Christmas moping in her apartment. Until she is at a secondhand jewelry shop and stumbles upon the watch of her college boyfriend, Fletcher. Emma's best friend Bronwyn is convinced it's synchronicity at work. Emma isn't so convinced, until Bronwyn surprises her with a six night stay at the Smugglers Inn in Vermont. And surprises her with a tidbit of additional information - Fletcher is back in the United States and visiting the Smugglers Inn for the holiday.
Fletcher is a broadway director, freshly returned to the United States after almost a decade in England. Divorced, he's visiting the Smugglers Inn with his daughter and new fiancee in an attempt for them to get to know each other better before the wedding later this summer. His nine year old daughter, Lola, quickly latches herself to Emma without realising the tensions between the old flames.
As children often are, Lola is somewhat of a busybody, and discovers that the Smugglers Inn is in financial trouble. She concocts a plan to help save the Inn, while unknowingly pushing Emma and Fletcher back together. Despite them fighting it, synchronicity is an unstoppable force, and the magic of Christmas will have you in a festive mood no matter when you read Christmas in Vermont!
I really quite enjoyed this story, even though I'm reading it in the middle of summer. The characters are cute, and Anita Hughes really captured the magic of Christmas in a small northern town well. Growing up in a town like Snowberry was extremely relatable. There comes an air of magic in the town, and the beauty of it when a fresh snowfall blankets the town is indescribable. Hughes captured that magic on the page and it really added to the charm of the story. I liked the characters, although they were a little stereotypical (meddling daughter, evil step-mother-to-be, lovestruck woman, slightly oblivious albeit equally as smitten male), and I thought the friendship between Emma and Bronwyn was comical and endearing.
I did have a few issues that will (hopefully) be sorted before the final edited copies hit stores. A few times, Bronwyn's husband, Carlton, is named as Carter, and there were a few mistakes with the dates (sometimes it would countdown to New Years Eve, and sometimes to Christmas - despite Emma not arriving to the Smugglers Inn until Christmas Day). Everything else about this story I really enjoyed. I'd definitely recommend this as a lighthearted read during the holidays. It will most certainly get you into the spirit of Christmas!

This was my first book by Anita and I really enjoyed it. I read this as an unedited ARC so there were a few errors but I could over look that because I knew it was unedited. I’m sure they will be fixed by print time. This was a sweet story and though about love wasn’t overly sexual. It is a cute holiday read and I will be looking into more of Anita’s books.

Christmas in Vermont is a sweet second chance at first love romance. I loved the Vermont setting at Christmas time. Unfortunately, I found it a bit slow and didn’t really connect with the characters. Good writing and the description of the scenery makes me want to spend a Christmas in a Vermont Inn. I could definitely see this as a movie on the Hallmark channel!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of the novel. This was a modern romance with a one-that-got- away Christmas theme. I enjoyed reading this and it made me want to curl up with a mug of cocoa and blanket in June!

A little cheesy but aren't all good summer romances that way? I fell in love with the character's even knowing how it ends. I loved the descriptions of a small town in Vermont in the winter. I want to go back and see how things go in the summer when they go back to Vermont for summer stock.

Fate? Synchronicity? What is it? A contemporary romance story to put you in the Christmas spirit during the holidays. Take a trip from Manhattan to beautiful snowy Vermont.
Heartwarming story of losing love and finding it again.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Christmas in Vermont is a book I would add to my holiday collection of books. During the holidays, I love to read books that are similar to the Hallmark Channel movies, and this one fits that bill perfectly.

Emma is a 30 something copywriter for a large advertising firm in New York City. She replaces her boyfriends on an annual basis, usually right before the holidays. This year’s ex is Scott, with whom she was supposed to be spending Christmas in Hawaii. Scott had not only gifted Emma with an amazing vacation to Hawaii, he had also given her a beautiful bracelet. Emma is going to pawn this bracelet and donate the money to charity, but she sees a watch in the display case that looks very similar to the one she gifted her first love, Fletcher, back in college. The watch is what sets off a series of events that her friend Bronwyn calls “synchronicity.”

I got so wrapped up in this story that I simply couldn’t put it down. Emma’s habit of giving boyfriends 364 days before sending them on their way makes you wonder if she will ever find true love. Bronwyn’s intervention sends Emma on a holiday adventure that is predictable, but still thoroughly enjoyable.

If you enjoy those endless Hallmark movies at the holidays, this is the book for you. Cute, fun, romantic, seasonal… all those adjectives sum up perfectly what this book is about. Because I love those movies for transporting me into romantic holiday wonderland, I loved this book. Quick and sweet read.

Review will be posted to BookwormishMe.com closer to publication date.

ANITA HUGHES has been a favorite author of mine for many years. I felt strange reading a Christmas novel at the beginning of summer but this one was well worth it. Great story.

Such a merry read for the holidays. Grab a cup of coffee and curl up. I couldn’t stop reading this book.

Oh, I really wanted to love this book.
It's got Vermont at Christmas. Unfortunately that's all it had.

My biggest issue is with the timeline. The author keeps putting all these pre-Christmas festivities into the week AFTER Christmas week and it is annoying. No town has Santa appearances and caroling during December 26-30. Santa also wouldn't show up at a New Year's Eve party and "hand out gifts" to make patrons donate more money.

It's evident that the author wanted this book to take place the week before Christmas because about 6 times in the book the timeline is labeled XX Days/Nights before Christmas instead of New Year's Eve.

Also, why is everyone taking a taxi to get around Snowberry? They all drove in cars to get to Vermont. This makes no sense. I get taking a sleigh ride to go down the street to be all festive but a taxi? The one time Emma drives her car, she gets stuck in the snow and whatever the guy's name is convinces her to just leave the car instead of waiting for AAA to get there. Um, ok.

I also didn't enjoy the character at all. The two main characters are 10 years out of college but this rekindled romance plot is written for two middle-aged characters. The dialogue would be more believable if it was. Because this is not how 30 year olds talk or act. Emma and her friend only FaceTime when she is on her laptop. Why aren't they using their phones?

Speaking of the best friend, she is such a Manhattanite caricature. She reschedules her dermatology practice at the last minute to go to Palm Beach and drops boat loads of money at the drop of a hat in ways that don't advance the plot, their friendship, or her character development.
The most ridiculous part is that she makes cookies with her daughters but since one gets bored while waiting for the cookies to finish baking, they "give up" and order cinnamon rolls instead. What?!?! The cookies are IN. THE. OVEN. How exactly does one give up? Do you pull out the almost baked cookies and throw them away? WHY???????????

Finally, the inn owner miscalculated the hotel tax rate when she did her business plan to open the inn and will have to shut down on January 1. This is not a good reason for a fundraiser.

So this was not the magical, romantic, sweet, Christmas book I was hoping to enjoy. There were too many plot holes, too much awful dialogue, and too many unlikable characters for me.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.*

This was an excellent heartwarming story of second chances. Set at Christmas time, it was full of nostalgia & sweet memories. The characters were well defined & easily relatable. The scenery was perfectly described & easily pictured in the mind. Saving the Inn was the best charity for the time frame & pulled your sympathies into the story. This was a very entertaining read & I think will be perfect for the Christmas season.