Thank you for the ARC.

My first book by this author. Honestly the main character Liv drove me crazy. She was very pushy and a push over at the same time. I really didn’t like her.
I liked the small town , everyone knows everyone ,type community. The story line was good. I wish it had more romance. The ending was very rushed.

Feel-good women’s fiction does not get any better than Sheila Roberts’ uplifting, emotional and irresistible Christmas novel that will make you laugh and cry, Christmas from the Heart.

Olivia Berg’s charity, Christmas from the Heart, has been a godsend for the community of Pine River, Washington. Generations of families have been helped out by this charity and Christmas from the Heart has helped to shed some much needed light during many a dark time. Olivia has always relied on charitable donations and donors with deep pockets who are as passionate about philanthropy as she is. Hightower Enterprises is one of the charity’s biggest donors and Olivia does not know where she would be without their contributions – so she is absolutely incandescent with rage when their new CFO Guy Hightower decides to tighten his belt and not donate any money to the charity! Olivia has been relying on the Hightower Enterprises to keep things going during these tough economic times and their decision could seriously impact the foundation and maybe even be the cause of its closure. Olivia has sacrificed a lot for the charity and for the people of Pine River and she will not give up so easily – even if all the odds seem to be stacked against her…

After looking at the books, Guy had realized that there is simply no spare cash for large substantial donations. Despite of the fact that he has tried to tell Olivia this time and time again, all of his explanations seem to be falling on deaf ears. When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he is absolutely relieved when a young woman comes to his rescue. Only his rescuer is not the perfect stranger he originally envisaged but Olivia Berg herself! What is Guy going to do now? Keeping schtum and his identity under wraps seems to be the most sensitive and practical of solutions…or is it?

As Guy gets to experience the magic of Christmas at Pine River, he soon begins to realize that he might have found a place where he belongs. A place he simply cannot imagine leaving. But what will happen when his true identity is revealed? Will the town – and Olivia – forgive him for his lies? Or will he end up spending yet another lonely Christmas?

Christmas from the Heart is such a lovely read that it is sure to bring a tear to the eye and touch the heart of even the most jaded and cynical of readers. Sheila Roberts has got such a warm and engaging writing style that I was sucked in from the very first page and I was so engrossed that before I knew it, I had read the whole book in one fell swoop.

Emotional, funny, romantic, uplifting and a joy from beginning to end, Christmas from the Heart is a magical tale of hope, redemption and second chances that readers will want to read again and again.

Christmas from the Heart by Shelia Roberts was such a fun, charming read!

Olivia and Guy start their relationship off on snarky terms, and it basically comedically train-wrecks from there.

I really enjoyed watching these two fall in love, slowly realizing that their first impressions of each other were totally off-the-mark. Guy initially thinks Ellie is pushy and money-hungry, and Ellie thinks Guy is a selfish Scrooge. Their voyage of discovery was utterly delightful. I was all smiles.

Christmas from the Heart is a funny, uplifting, and entertaining read made for snuggling under fluffy, soft blankets on snowy days. Roberts’ writing style is heartwarming and cheerful, and she had me laughing out loud a few times. This book is a Hallmark movie waiting to happen! It left me in such a blissful, Christmas-is-magical state.

Christmas From the Heart is officially one of my favorite Christmas releases of 2019. If you love heartfelt, romantic romps with hot, Scroogey love interests, this is the book for you. Prepared to be utterly enchanted.

* I was provided an eARC copy of this book by Harlequin and Netgalley (thank-you!). All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own.*

Thank you for the opportunity to read Christmas From the Heart by Shelia Roberts. Overall, it was a cute story that definitely reminded me of Hallmark movies. However, I do like a little more depth in novels and I was left wanting more. But I think if a reader wants a quick, cute Holiday-themed read - they would enjoy this one.

This was a great Scrooge story. Livi Berg runs a local charity, Christmas from the Heart, who makes it their goal to provide a great holiday to those who may struggle to make ends meet. When the evil Guy Hightower of Hightower Enterprises cancels the company's annual donation, she doesn't know what to do.

Luckily, she's distracted when a hot guy's fancy car breaks down just outside of town. Livi and the mystery man (who says his name is Joe Ford) soon find themselves thrown together and enjoying a chemistry they don't expect. But what if Joe Ford isn't who he says is?? Uh-oh! Hijinks!

Actually, my favorite part of this was the great description of their big annual fundraiser night, which includes a fun barter table where the local business trade their services for things like home-cooked meals by old ladies. Doesn't that sound so fun?!? While the story seems a bit improbable (the dude broke down with a wallet full of hundred-dollar bills so he never needed to pull out ID or a credit card), I enjoyed the read and gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Press and Mira Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Oh dear.

Am I slowly turning into a holiday rom-com fan? I mean I haven’t had a major issue with any of them that I’ve had to try, and this was definitely no exception. I have noticed that I haven’t really been in much of a Christmas mood outside of the books I’ve gotten the opportunity to read lately, so maybe that’s why I’ve been living vicariously through these books and finding some little romances to enjoy.

This one was pretty interesting though, because it deals with the financial side of Christmas that I feel like a lot of people don’t think about. Olivia’s nonprofit helps those in need within the Pine River, WA area. It’s a pretty admirable non-profit to start and run, and I’m honestly curious to know how something like that would work since it seems like they would use the majority of their money at the end of the calendar year. Unless they try to spread out the money they use to help the families. Not what they did in the book but I mean in general. Who knows? I’m kind of going off topic a little bit.

It also sucked because I also understand having to cut down on donating monies when the economy is going to hell and the profits for the company just aren’t the same. Or because things have gotten more expensive because of inflation and then you have to adjust your budget accordingly in order to make sure you can pay for all of the necessary expenses that come with running a business. I mean, I don’t really know, I’m not a business-owner or anything but that’s just what I think about.

But anyway, this was super curious to see how this kind of topic would translate into a holiday themed story, but then again I think about the comparisons that the synopsis made to Scrooge and then it makes more sense, am I right? So, yeah. Think about that in a very abstract way and don’t try to compare the two word for word, you know? Just enjoy this for what it is, and happy holidays, fam. It definitely was worth enjoying.

Olivia Berg has devoted her life to a non-profit charity, Christmas from the Heart. Generations of her family have done the same thing. In order to keep the charity going, she depends on donations from big companies. In the past, her biggest supporter has been Hightower Enterprises. However, their new CFO, Guy Hightower, has taken over and has decided there is no more funds for this charity. This leaves Olivia scrounging around for more money and hating Hightower with a passion.

Guy feels bad for turning Olivia down, but his company isn’t doing well and simply doesn’t have any extra money to donate. Olivia isn’t believing that, but there’s nothing she can do about it.

Guy drives his Maserati to visit his mother for Christmas when his car breaks down. He’s rescued by a beautiful woman and he’s shocked to discover it’s none other than Olivia Berg herself. There’s no way he can let her know his true identity. While his car is being repaired, Olivia and Guy draw closer and closer, but what will happen if she discovers the truth?

This is a sweet Christmas romance. I admit, there were times I wanted to shake the heroine. She couldn’t seem to grasp the concept that some companies make decisions you aren’t going to like. Instead of obsessing about something you have no power to change, you need to find an alternative. Of course the hero’s deception went on way too long, but then we wouldn’t have a story if it didn't. LOL

The supporting characters were well developed and fit the small town atmosphere perfectly. I always enjoy small towns and they make the perfect back drop for holiday reads. Pine River fit the bill.

Once Olivia and Guy met, their chemistry couldn’t be denied. Everyone around them could see the sparks flying, even though Olivia’s childhood sweetheart was lurking around the corner. Overall, a nice way to spend a few hours around the holidays. I do enjoy a good Christmas book and this is a good one.

⭐⭐⭐
A cute, small town Christmas romance. This felt like a Hallmark movie, at some points all over the place. Some moments I liked it, others I just wanted it to be over. Somehow despite this weird mix, I finished the book. Neither the hero or the heroine were very compelling to me and were often annoying with their whining and entitlement. Some parts felt too quick and others felt like they would never end.

Overall, I'd recommend this to someone who is looking for a cute, Christmas romance with little to no steam and a "giving back to the community" aspect.

Thanks to Harlequin - MIRA and Netgalley

Olivia Berg is excited for another successful year for her charity, Christmas from the Heart. She has always been able to count on their biggest donor, Hightower Enterprises. All she wants for her town's residents, families in need, is for them to have the perfect Christmas. When she makes the call, however, as she speaks to the company's CFO, Guy Hightower, she is pretty much met with a brick wall, and a single answer: a very hard No.

Guy is just trying to save jobs for his company. He doesn't want to have to let anybody go, but they aren't making as much money as they have been, so he has made the executive decision to cut out some of their biggest charities, and this unfortunately includes Olivia Berg's charity. But boy, can a woman just take no for an answer and move on?

So, Olivia is pushy and Guy is a Scrooge. Imagine his shock when he finds himself (and his Maserati) stranded on the side of the road, who else stops and becomes his Good Samaritan? None other than Olivia. He quickly learns who she is, but he makes sure to give a fake name. Maybe he can get his car fixed quickly and get back on the road before she has any idea that he was the one to her charity.

I loved this book! Olivia has a heart of gold, and truly, Guy isn't that far behind. However, there is a comedy of errors along the way as the pair establish a bond rather quickly. However, their conflict, and issues with his company are front and center during most of the story, but, as always for a Christmas romance, readers are given a delightful happy ending.

Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book was so cheesy and do-gooder-y, but I couldn’t stop reading. It’s a little bit of a scrooge story, combine with a light romance, and a secret identity (though that sounds far more dramatic than it actually is). I wouldn’t suggest this book to everyone, but if you want a light book that will make you super happy, remind you to donate to charity, and will be a quick read, this is a great option.

Are you looking for a fantastic Christmas novel to read this festive season? Well, look no further because this is it! What a lovely and exciting book this was and a perfect and refreshing change from my usual, favourite genres. I love a fun and wonderful Yuletide story to put me in a festive mood, and Sheila Roberts new book, 'Christmas from the Heart' does just that.

Olivia (Livi) Berg is head of a not-for-profit organisation called Christmas from the Heart. She works all year with only a token salary, trying to raise money to make the holidays a little merrier for the community of Pine River that are in dire straits. Livi counts on the large corporate donations, and one of the more generous companies is Hightower Enterprises, but this year they have opted not offer a contribution to Livi, as they have already given to other charities and nonprofits. Furthermore, Guy Hightower, the new CFO of his family's business, has declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart as Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt. After all, Guy is simply being practical. But this creates limitations on what Livi is able do for those in need this year, so Guy becomes something of an enemy.

When Guy finds himself stranded in Pine River after his flashy Maserati breaks down, a cute young woman stops to help him—Livi—not realising it is Guy. For his part, Guy gives her a false name— Joe Ford, so as to not get under her skin. And then the fun begins!

This was a well-paced and very touching romance that had me hooked, even before I had reached the second page. I adored Sheila Roberts' luscious blend of a small-town community - Pine River, a generous-hearted young woman, a Scrooge-like Corporate rich fella, and a besotted country lad. Brimming with romance, conflict, jealousy, and my favourite—humour, and set in a small town where everyone has their noses in each other's business, I couldn't fail to enjoy this book!

Another hit by author Sheila Roberts, I thoroughly enjoyed Christmas from the Heart, and I know you will too. I eagerly wait to see what Sheila Roberts is going to be releasing next.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin - MIRA and the author, Sheila Roberts for the complimentary copy. This is my honest and totally voluntary review.

A nice easy Christmas read. Very light read which myself found a bit shallow and predictable.
.The characters where easy to relate to but wished that Guy had a bit more bottle and felt sorry for Morris.

Christmas Means Giving

Olivia Berg has dedicated her life to the charity founded by her grandmother. The charity has been helping Pine River families in need for generations at Christmas, but now there’s a shortage of funds. It’s worse because Hightower Enterprizes, usually a major donor, is cutting back this year. Guy Hightower thinks this is an appropriate move. Hightower is having financial problems. He doesn’t see why Olivia can’t understand this.

Olivia can’t understand because to her giving is the most important part of Christmas. Then fate throws them together. Guy’s car breaks down near Pine River, he’s delighted to be rescued by a pretty young woman until he finds out it’s Olivia. He can’t let her find out who he is.

When Guy can’t get a room at the inn, Olivia offers him a place to stay. Getting to know Olivia and her father, Guy finds he quite likes her, but he’s keeping a secret of who he is.

This book has a good story line, but I found the characters lacking. Olivia is overbearing and curt. Guy seems to find her attractive, but the relationship didn’t ring true to me. Plus he keeps letting the secret of his identity go on for what seems too long.

I did like the focus on the importance of giving, but I thought Olivia’s character could have done a better job of making the point if she had been less abrasive.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

Cute, but not exactly my cup of tea. I did wish for more development of the characters and their relationship, there just wasn't that spark that I wanted in the romance. It did feel really Christmassy, though!

Christmas from the Heart by Sheila Roberts is a pleasing Christmas story that will leave you with a happy feeling. Christmas from the Heart is a story with realistic character and a sweet small town. Olivia is a warm character who misses her recently deceased mother. She has taken over running the non-profit her mother started, and it is her sole focus. Olivia is thoughtful, caring, a hard worker, generous and persistent which are all traits needed in her line of work. She loves her father and is worried about him since he has retreated from life since the death of his wife. Guy Hightower is a hardworking man who is smart and caring. He is trying to save Hightower Enterprises, but he keeps butting up against his older brother’s. Christmas from the Heart has Sheila Roberts engaging writing which drew me right in. I like the humor sprinkled throughout the story and the lovely town of Pine River. I wish I lived in such a warm, helpful community. I like how they help each other out. There was more going on in Christmas from the Heart, but you will have to find out the rest for yourself. I enjoyed reading Sheila Roberts latest Christmas story and look forward to her next book. Christmas from the Heart is a charming Christmas tale with a caring community, a needy non-profit, tempting treats, a benign beau, frightful fruitcake and happy holiday happenings.

Christmas from the Heart is a modern tale of Scrooge. Heartfelt, charming, and funny, I could not stop reading it. Each protagonist has a stake worth pursuing. However, one needs the other one and circumstances aren't lining up. Guilt and anger build up until they both burst. A man deemed as a scrooge but for reasons that the lady can't understand. A woman who desperately needs the help of one man. And he's in no place to help the woman despite her ongoing pleas. It hurts to read her words. They cut quick to the heart and make every character plus, myself cheer for the lady, at first.

As the plot picked up, it made less sense as to why the heroine couldn't see sense. She was ignorant all the way to the end. I couldn't believe how strong headed she was when the hero tried to explain. His explanations fell on deaf ears it appeared. There's an attraction that pulls each of them closer together. I was not sure if I wanted the couple together. Seeing as how she did not know when to stop bugging the hero on supporting her organization. Despite that, this story was uplifting. People trying to help others in need.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was adorable. When Livi's major donor backs out of this year's Christmas drive, she dubs him a Scrooge and does her best to make up the difference. Guy doesn't think he'll ever have to see Livi again until his car breaks down outside of her town and she offers him a ride. Watching Guy battle his feelings for Livi and deal with the idea that there might actually be good people in the world was fun. I took a star off for the Morris line. I get it, I do, but it felt almost cruel at times.

A sweet read that really got me thinking about Christmas and what it means to give back.

Christmas From The Heart by Sheila Roberts is a holiday romance story featuring the joys, rewards, and challenges of helping those in need.

Livi Berg runs a nonprofit that has been in her family for multiple generations. Guy Hightower is a wealthy CEO from Seattle, Washington. When Livi contacts Hightower Enterprises to see if they’ll be donating to Christmas From The Heart for their holiday drive, Guy informs her that they’ve opted to donate to other organizations for the upcoming holiday season. This doesn’t sit very well with Livi and the two end up having a snarky email exchange. Livi ends up raising much less money to support local families in need because she has lost the largest supporter of her nonprofit, and she proceeds to try to stretch her limited resources as far as she can.

In a fun and very unlikely twist of events, Guy’s car ends up breaking down in Livi’s small town just a few days before Christmas, and Livi happens to be the first on the scene to help him. When he finds out who she is, he chooses to introduce himself with a fake name because of their not-so-positive history. Ultimately, however, the two hit it off and actually fall in love while Guy is in town waiting for his car to be repaired.

I had to suspend my disbelief at how these two actually meet and fall in love. This story really does read like a fun Hallmark holiday movie. Livi and her family go out of their way to help Guy (aka “Joe Ford”) while he is in town, even offering their own spare bedroom for him to stay in since the local hotel is full with no vacancies. As the days progress and Guy witnesses all of the good that Livi and her nonprofit do for their community, he realizes that he may have been too hasty in turning down her request for a donation. He begins to see that the families in need are directly impacted by whether or not his large corporation continues supporting Christmas From The Heart with donations. Ultimately, Guy has a major change of heart by the end of the story.

The romance progresses in a fun way and the story is quite charming. There is a third person involved. Morris, Livi’s best friend since childhood who also is in love with her. Morris wants Guy to leave town and get away from Livi, and this results in the expected love-triangle-y interactions between the two men throughout the story, including a fight. To me, the biggest conflicts in the story were the way Guy’s real identity was revealed and how Livi handled the news that he had lied to her. No worries, though-everyone ends up happy.

I feel conflicted about Livi as a character. It doesn’t seem like she learned anything from her encounter with Guy. Yes, she fell in love with him, but before that happened and while she thought Guy was “Joe”, she talked terribly about Guy-Hightower-the-CEO to everyone that would listen. She even worked her ill feelings about him into conversations that had nothing to do with Guy or his business. Her negative attitude made her look like she struggled with entitlement where her nonprofit was concerned, even though her actions showed that she was loving and kind. I don’t feel like her words or actions resolved themselves, and it seemed like everyone chose to overlook how nasty she had been toward Guy. I loved Guy’s transformation into a more giving person, but to be clear: I never really felt like he was selfish at all.

This story was enjoyable to read (and I think it would make a super-fun holiday movie!!). There is a great small-town setting, a lovable cast of characters, and an HEA. I recommend Christmas From The Heart for readers that love winter-y, Christmas-y reads.

Olivia Berg’s charity, Christmas from the Heart, has helped generations of families in need in Pine River, Washington, but this year might be the end of the road. Hightower Enterprises, one of their biggest donors since way back when Olivia’s grandmother ran the charity, has been taken over by Ebenezer Scrooge the Second, aka CFO Guy Hightower, and he’s declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart. Guy is simply being practical. Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, and when you don’t have money to spare, you don’t have money to share. You’d think even the pushy Olivia Berg could understand that. With charitable donations dwindling, Olivia’s Christmas budget depends on Hightower’s contribution. She’s focused her whole life on helping this small town, even putting her love life on hold to support her mission. When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he’s relieved to be rescued by a pretty young woman who drives him to the nearby town of Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is none other than Olivia Berg. What’s a Scrooge to do? Plug his nose and eat fruitcake and hope she doesn’t learn his true identity before he can get out of town. What could go wrong?
This was a decent read. The story itself was really cute and it moved along at a good pace. My only problem was that I didn’t really like Olivia that much. I look forward to trying more books from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

If you're looking for some feel-good festive cheer then this is definitely a book to bump up your Christmas reading list. There were some predictable elements but there's rarely a festive romance that doesn't these days. Christmas traditions, heart-warming community spirit - what more do you need?


I initially started off diskliking both of the main characters and when they met I felt that they sort of morphed into completely different people. The build up therefore was a bit furstrating. Both seemed to feel they were entitled in their own way. However it was completely different  as the book progressed.