I enjoyed Miracle Creek Christmas. It is a wonderful holiday season read. The characters are relatable and strong and the reader finds oneself rooting for them. I especially enjoyed Riley and her strength and desire to be self sufficient and to find her way.

Miracle Creek Christmas
by Krista Jensen

Riley has returned to Miracle Creek after her break up from her famous actor husband. Mark is recovering from his injuries in a fire that killed his friend. Riley is the art teacher of Marks niece when they meet they have a connection. Mark is unsure if she just feels sorry for him because of the severity of his facial scars which she appears to be oblivious of. The story follows their journey nd developing friendship whilst we learn that not all scars are visible or skin deep.


A beautifully written And very sensitive book in parts. Very beautifully set story and characters. 4.5/5

The second longest book in this batch of holiday romance reviews, the additional page count didn’t make it slower to read, but it definitely gave the author more time to develop the characters and their relationship. Once again, both characters bear scars—hers emotional, his physical—that prevent them from wanting connection. Nonetheless, they click, and the connection develops at a pretty good pace. There are the usual side trips, misunderstandings, drawing back, and obstacles, but we are led to the expected conclusion without it feeling forced. This is another one that has time for secondary characters to be well-drawn and have lives and personalities of their own, all to the benefit of the book.

Bonus points for being set in Washington east of the Cascades. Everyone forgets there’s an eastern side of Washington. While Miracle Creek seems to be fictional, many other towns are mentioned that are just a couple of hours away from where I live.

File under “clean reads”. There’s no cussing and no sex.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2021/11/cuddle-up-with-holiday-romances.html

I had a really hard time getting into this book and finishing it. It is written well, would be a good read at the holidays, but I felt like the overall plot took a long time to pick up. I enjoyed Mark & Riley's friendship and growth. The last chapter felt rushed and was disappointing that it focused on Mark's reaction and not his father's. Especially since the whole book is working on a secret project for Cal.

This is a book that got me feeling all the feels! I love when I'm able to be emotionally connected to the characters with all their highs and lows and everything in between. Mark and Riley are genuine and sincere with each other from the beginning (which was oh-so-awkward!), and their slow but steady developing friendship and romance was all the more special. They both have some serious issues they are struggling with and I loved how they accepted that about each other and felt like they could just be themselves. The small town setting is great, and the author brought it to life with an interestingly quirky cast of family and community members. A perfect read for the holidays that brings depth and themes of healing and miracles.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Christmas is coming to small town Miracle Creek and it's going to take a miracle to heal Mark Rivers who is a recovering firefighter . Riley is the new Art teacher at the local high school and when they meet it seems like fate. The locals are always ready to assist in the romance department and lend a helping hand. A nice seasonal romance. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Such a fun and sweet Christmas story. I enjoyed the hometown feel, and the building romance and character arcs. A lovely read for a wintery afternoon.

Thank you Shadow Mountain for the ARC.

‘Tis the season for all the books worthy of their own Hallmark movies! I have loved reading some fantastic Christmas books the past few weeks. Miracle Creek Christmas was one of the top picks! I loved the setting and characters, I couldn't put it down. I don’t think I could pick a favorite from the group because I loved them all for different reasons....Swipe to see! Do you love Christmas stories? What’s your favorite!?

This book has moved to the top of my Christmas books! I loved it! The storyline was beautiful and very well laid out! Ms Jensen always does a wonderful job helping to follow what she wants you to take from her work! I truly enjoyed this book! I love the Proper Romance line! Can’t wait for another from this author! Enjoy!

This is a sweet romance set during the Christmas season that features genuine struggles and emotions. Mark river is seen as a hero after rescuing 6 boys from a fire. After being injured and burned he is struggling with many things, the least of which are his burn scars. Riley has moved to town to be the new art teacher. She has her own issues and isn’t a fan of Christmas. This book digs a little deeper with some profound insights resulting in a sweet romance. This book is beautifully written and was hard to put down.

I enjoyed reading this holiday title very much!!!!!! It is comparable to a feel-good Hallmark movie!

This is the perfect story to read during the Christmas season. The storyline is compelling, and the wonderful characters will go straight to your heart. Reading this book seemed in any ways like watching a Hallmark movie, but the reader gets to know the characters on a deeper level. This author knows how to write heart-touching fiction and I’m hoping to read more from here.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for my copy of Miracle Creek Christmas by Krista Jensen. It published September 8, 2020.
I have to say, I really loved this book! It was one of my first holiday reads of the 2020 holiday season, and it put me in the mood for season! I absolutely adore that it took place in the Wenatchee valley in Washington, as I have family that lives there, so it was easy to imagine, All the talking about Leavenworth was magical as always, and gave me a little Leavenworth fix since I couldn't visit this year.
I also really liked the multiple points of view so I could see what both people were thinking. There wasn't a mystery, you knew why they did/said/reacted the way they did.
Another topic I was drawn to, due to the relevance, is the forest fires, and how that was treated. Living the PNW, we have seen more than our fair share of fires, and the devastating aftermath is rarely represented in the media.
If you're looking for a G-rated holiday romance, with lots of healing, forgiving, and growing, that's more real than a made-for-TV Christmas movie, you would really enjoy this!

There's nothing sweeter than a Hallmark-y Christmas romance that embraces the lives of two scarred characters. While Mark's scars are both physical and emotional, Riley's are inner and they each have issues to overcome and work through. Their journey in helping each other finalize their individual healing is heartwarming.

Jensen does a great job of drawing the reader into this small town. It was easy to visualize the setting and the quirky residents, and I especially enjoyed the simplicity of life in Miracle Creek. Most of the characters are loyal, watching out for each other, which can make them seem nosy at times, but the camaraderie felt make me want to have something like this in my own life. For me, this place is reminiscent of times gone by, and while there are complex issues to deal with, Miracle Creek felt removed from modern concerns.

Mark and Riley are solid and likable characters and I adored how gradual even their friendship was. There are many journeys to be taken within these pages and I hope to see more of Miracle Creek in the future.

Content: mild romance; mild moments of danger (burns)

I love reading seasonal books and this one is great. It really does help you get into the holiday mood. This book did touch on some hard issues. How to live life after a appearance changing accident and how to love again after having a broken heart. This puts a great spin on your typical holiday books.

I loved this cute story to kick off the Christmas season. Sweet character interaction. Christmas miracles are possible-this story was set so realistically. I really enjoyed it.

Riley Madigan has moved to this small town to escape some things and she just wants a quiet year to push her reset button. Mark Rivers lives in this small town and is the local hero after a tragic accident that he is still physically and emotionally healing from. They both have reasons to retreat, but maybe they will find something in each other!

I loved this book for one big reason and that was there were secrets that each character was keeping from the other, but the reader knows all and early on. The hype for the reader is wondering when the characters will reveal their secrets to each other and how. As a reader, I don't tend to enjoy being kept in the dark, so I loved that I was an informed reader and could instead anticipate the discoveries.

I may say this a few times this holiday season, but this book could be a Hallmark or Lifetime movie and I would love it! This was the right amount of holiday spirit with a dash of love and heart and it was the perfect recipe for a holiday weekend of reading!

Absolutely adore this story! Christmas & contemporary romance, my two favourite things...

These two characters pull at your heart strings, no annoying personality traits to drive the reader crazy. Complex and perfectly constructed, I felt the tension and chemistry right down to my toes.

If anything, I would have liked to see some kisses a lot sooner than we did. It felt later along than we usually get, so that was my only gripe. Otherwise, I loved it and will be a new favourite for the season.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

Riley has escaped from a very public break-up to the small town of Miracle Creek. Mark is being hailed as the home town hero, when all he wants to do is hide. A firefighter that survived a fire that his best friend did not. He is still mourning the loss of his Mother and wants to do something special for his Dad for Christmas. Riley is the new art teacher in town who catches Mark's eye. Can he ask Riley to help him with his project for his Dad and maybe start a new friendship? This is a fun story about overcoming heartache and moving on. Would make a great Hallmark movie!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return of my honest review.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this early. I have never read anything by this author so i was excited when I was granted access. This totally put me in the holiday spirit & had all the Hallmark vibes I look for in a book :)