Wonderful and heartwarming Romance with the usual bumps and twists and turns that every good romance goes through. Interestingly characters that fight the urge to fall in love but do anyway. Hard to put it down.

Nana's will requires Joy to spend 6 months- 6 months!- in North Carolina. She's not happy about it at first but it turns out to the best thing ever, especially once she meets Will. That relationship might have some rocky spots but readers know that there will be a happy ending. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

The story was sweet and enjoyable but predictable, and parts of the writing style really annoyed me/threw me out of the story. It was good enough that I finished but not awesome.

This is one of those happily ever after, new beginnings Christmas romances, that would make a perfect Hallmark movie. Joy Preston rushes home to North Carolina when her beloved Nana has a heart attack. Unfortunately she doesn't make it, so Joy remains to help her mother at the B&B for a time. What she doesn't expect is that her Nana has left her the B&B in her will, with the proviso that if she doesn't stay for six months, it reverts to the state. Joy is not sure why she did this as she is the CEO of a successful nail polish company based in Colorado. She agrees to stay so that her mother will be able to keep the B&B in the family. Spending time in the town where she grew up brings back pleasant memories that begin to sway her future plans. Throw in a handsome, young lawyer and Joy is on her way to an unexpected happily ever after.

I really enjoyed this story, not only for the romance and family relationships, but how a company can help others. The issue of domestic abuse is a central part of this story, with a local shelter opening Joy's eyes to what others go through. She not only helps the local shelter, but her company steps up to organize others to help shelters around the country. While this is going on, we see how her mother and staff are running the B&B while entering the Parade of Homes of which they have won for several years. There are other small town Christmas traditions that play out to make this a wonderful Christmas story. The characters are well developed with wonderful values and traits that make them people I would love to know. I definitely recommend this one.

Info Dumps and More Unpleasantness.

As an avid romance reader, I had heard of this author, but I had never read her work. When I read the description of the book at a book review site last year (yes, I am a little behind in my reading!), the paranormal aspect intrigued me. Unfortunately, however, I ultimately felt disappointed by the paranormal aspect as well as the book in general.

As I write this, we are having a delightfully cool and rainy late spring day after a week of hot temperatures, so digging into Christmas books that needed reviewing seemed perfect. But every one I have read today has had the same major fault. Each book has had a prodigious information dump or multiple dumps. I hate this in stories in general, but literally reading three in a row today as I cozied up under a blanket with a lovely cup of hot tea is frankly a bit much. It seems particularly egregious in this book, as the entire first 6% is what I would consider an information dump. An author of this standing should know how to integrate the backstory into the main plot itself without having to resort to information dumps. I thought the first section with the grandmother was bad enough, but once we met Joy, the same thing happened again. Ugh.

Other than that, this is a relatively straight-up romance with a few small-town quirks, like the cutthroat holiday competitions (which got to be a little much. Sadly, I thought that the paranormal aspect—where people come to the inn at Christmas hoping to get in touch with departed loved ones—became a relatively minor plot point, even though it would seem that it should be well-integrated as the title appears to come from and it is described as an integral part of the story in the book's description. For what should be a pleasant small-town Christmas romance, I thought there was too much profanity. I am never a fan of that in books. All in all, I found myself disappointed with this book.

A Fern Michaels holiday book is a must read for me. Its just something that screams holidays to me. Spirit of the Season hits all the feels I was looking for. Pick this book up and start your holiday love affair with Fern Michaels and her beloved books

Spirit of the Season by Fern Michaels is a wonderful holiday read. What says Christmas more than a bed and breakfast? I loved this sweet story and highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Another homerun holiday feel good hit. I'm a big fan who loves reading Micheals characters who always feel like friends. Finished this on a rainy evening with a hot drink and my heating pad.

Spirit of the Season by Fern Michaels is a feel good Christmas story. The main character, Joy Preston, has a successful business in Colorado. But suddenly she is confronted with the death of her beloved grandmother and having to run her grandmother's successful bed and breakfast in North Carolina for at least 6 months as part of her inheritance. Joy does not want to do this but as time goes by, she is drawn to the B & B because of the wonderful memories that she had there as a child and the interesting lawyer, Will Drake. Through decorating the inn for Christmas, a Parade of Homes competition, and a gingerbread house competition, Joy is drawn more and more into life in North Carolina and Will. I truly enjoyed the story and it reminds the reader of a wonderful good old-fashioned Christmas with all of the magic the season brings.

When Joy’s grandma dies she leaves a note in her will that Joy has to come back and run the family B&B for 6 months. This includes during the thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and all the competitions that go with it. With the help of her mom, the staff and her grandma’s lawyer Will, she finds all she needs to have a reason to stay. A fun and easy holiday story, and would recommend.

Complementary copy given for honest review

Sweet book of love and remember our heritage. Grandma’s hold a special place in our hearts and this book honors that.

I loved this beautiful and heartwaring read by one of my favorte auhtors! This beautifully written chritmas book has me felling all the magic of christmas!! Its now my favorite vhristmas book yet! Ill be buying this for christmas gifts !! Fern truly knows how to grab heartstings!!! A must read!!!

Fern Michaels does it again! She brings a cute thoughtful story with a bit of sass to us for the holidays. Definitely a great book to put on your holiday reading list!

I enjoyed this Christmas novel. I loved all of the strong women characters in the book. I particularly liked Izzie. She had such a wonderful personality. She was loving, full of mischief, and nosey!! The love story between Joy and Drake was predictable but lovely. The side stories were also interesting. The competition between the widows, the elderly people talking to their loved ones and then finding each other. These all made for a very enjoyable story. Plus in the background the whole time you felt like "Nana" was watching over everyone. This was a very enjoyable Christmas read!!!

Joy Preston is a successful businesswoman, who owns her own company, Simply Joy, that makes and sells nail polish. When her beloved grandmother dies suddenly of a hear attack, Joy discovers that she must stay in her grandmother’s pride and joy, the Heart and Soul B&B, for six months, running it, or it will be sold to the state. With her life and career in Denver, Joy hesitates to move to North Carolina, even for six short months. Joy’s mother still lives close to the B&B, so can help Joy out during this time, so the family ride and joy will not go away. In addition, there is Joy’s grandmother’s best friend and worker, Izzy, and a few other employees who will stay on to help out. Heart and Soul is well-known for its hospitality, and especially for the way Christmas is treated at the inn and in the town. In fact, the town is known for its holiday traditions and contests. When Joy arrives in town, she and her mother proceed to the lawyer who managed her grandmother’s affairs, where they learn that, per the will, Joy must stay on for six months. At that time, Joy is taken by the young lawyer, Will, who gives them the news and conditions. Thus, Joy settles into life running the B&B, as well as into the town holiday traditions, to include open house for the town B&B’s and a gingerbread contest also for the B&B’s. As she learns the job, Joy is constantly amazed at how much work it takes to keep the inn going, and, at this time of the year, just how cut-throat competitive the contests have become. Still, she survives, and even starts a budding relationship with the lawyer Will. However, ever present is the proverbial elephant in the room: will Joy relocate her company and stay or will she return to Denver, not to mention what will happen with her budding romance with Will.

This a holiday romance, pure and simple. It was interesting to watch the relationship between Will and Joy develop amid all the comings and goings of the busy season. I liked both Joy and Will and found them to be well-developed characters. I also enjoyed her mother and Izzy, not to mention the other employees, who had passing roles in the story. The ending was obvious from the start, but how the pair got there was a fascinating watch. I also enjoyed what I saw of the town, though the cut-throat contests were a bit much. I am also disappointed in the way the paranormal aspect (i.e. people coming to the inn to reconnect with the ghosts of dead significant others) fell to the back burner, as I think it would have made the story more interesting if this aspect had played a larger role. As it was, this was just another holiday romance, and it could have been so much more. I felt as if the author added this paranormal aspect because she needed something more for the story and paranormal is big today. I a not sure she liked or wanted to add it. Finally, this is a good holiday romance, as I said, but nothing outstanding or different. Fans of Fern Michaels will probably enjoy it, and others might find it interesting and helpful to get into the holiday spirit. I received this form NetGalley to read and review.

I enjoyed Spirit of the Season. It is a great way to start off a reader's Christmas reading. Four stars.

I love Christmas stories...throw in some romance and you have the perfect good read novel. Fern Michaels you did it again! Just right for the upcoming season.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. As always, Fern Michaels can make you laugh but she can also make you cry. This is a fabulous book about love, family, and Christmas. Enjoy! 📚

I have had the please of reading Fern Michaels before this book to which I have really enjoyed. Unfortunately, this one did not hit the same level for me. In the beginning, there was too much repeat information given that was not necessary to the plot it felt like just a word count filler. But as I read further along the flow of the story was much better. I was like reading a Hallmark Christmas movie with all the fairy lights and Christmas drama.

The story was more about family than romance as the main focus was on the B&B. I didn't like how the story skipped from Joy arriving in Spruce City to sitting in the attornies office with the reading of the Will. The grief aspect of the death of her Grandmother was to overlooked in the beginning. Also, the end was way too abrupt for my liking, I hope there is a further book about their characters as we are left with any questions.

I still liked and did enjoy the story and characters of this boo but can't say it will be one of my favourite Christmas reads of this holiday season.

Joy Preston is a very successful businesswoman with her own company called Simply Joy that makes and sells nail polishes. She gets the sad news that her beloved grandmother has passed away, Joy returns home to Spruce City to wait for the return of her mother from her cruise to greave the loss to the whole family. Joy soon learns her Grandmother has put a clause in her Will that will have Joy staying in town for the next six months to keep the B&B "Heart and Soul" in the family.

How can Joy stay in town with her business and friends in Colorado?

But how can she not stay to fulfil her Grandmother beloved Christmas festivities?

What will happen when her Grandmother very handsome estate attorney Will Drake asks Joy out to dinner?

I have enjoyed Fern Michaels’ books for years now, but I absolutely adore her Christmas tales as they add that special magic of the holiday season along with her stellar storytelling skills into a book I will re-read each Christmas – and SPIRIT OF THE SEASON is going toward the top of that re-read shelf for me.

Joy’s story starts out with sadness that soon turns into confusion, determination, and a different look at life as she comes to Spruce City, North Carolina to tend to her Nana’s Bed & Breakfast and help her mother along with loyal employees, who are more like family, keep the B & B running smoothly through the holiday season. Most of what you’d need to know before picking up SPIRIT OF THE SEASON is in the Cover Description. Yet that doesn’t prepare you for the emotional, comforting and completely enjoyable world you’re about to enter into.

I loved this story so much. Small town, Christmas celebrations and festivities at every turn, generations of the family interacting with love and respect, perhaps a new love, definitely new respect for what her Nana has created – and a sweet little ghost connection that will make you smile throughout this tale. I don’t need to tell you more and take the chance of spoiling the discovery of this beautiful love story – this is one you should experience firsthand, tissues and all. If you love a really good story that includes romance, Christmas magic, a bit of a ghost story, and a family that has gone through so much and remained so strong and supportive then you’ll love SPIRIT OF THE SEASON. I could not walk away from this story and read far beyond my bedtime – but lack of sleep was so worth it.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*