Lauren Montgomery doesn't want to run her fmily's store, Razzle Dazzle, but when her mother calls her and asks her to come home and help when her father falls ill, she heads home. Lauren is an author, one who writes biogaphies for business figures. She has also invested well, so can take time off to help her family. When she takes over, she learns that the store is in trouble. Her father is old fashioned and has not embraced online sales or advertising on social media. Lauren uses some of her funds to help the bottom line, but sales are weak. She gets an offer from her publisher to write a new book about John Gerald Giompalo, the founder of Globalgoods.com, the online retailer that has put many small busiesses out of business. With what she is being offered for the book, she agrees to travel to Seattle and meet him before making a decision. When she arrives at the meeting, she is taken off guard when his son, John Jr., attends the meeting too. Handsome, intelligent, and deeply kind, he’s perfect—apart from the fact that he’s part of the company threatening everything Lauren loves. With her parents on her back, the deadline to make a decision coming and her feelings for John, will she find romance and Christmas magic?

The Brightest Star is another sweet, enjoyable Christmas romance. I enjoyed the family aspect, even if Laurne's dad was frustrating most of the time. Lauren was a great character, loyal, smart, tough, but backing down where her parents were concerned. John Jr. is a great swoon worthy character and I enjoyed the relationship between him and Lauren. This was a bit predictable, but with a differend storyline using the author angle. This is another of those stories that would make a great Hallmark movie.

Holidays always added unexpected twist and this story is no exception. Great characters to follow along on this journey of romance. There are a few twists in the story that will keep you hanging on until the end to find out what happens. Good read.

Fern Michaels is one of my favorite authors, I have read for years!! This book was not a disappointment. I would highly recommend this book! Grab it you will enjoy it,

A cute read, but it didn't grab me.
You have Lauren who get's an emergency call from her mom about her dad's sudden illness. So she heads home to help out the family owned shop Razzle Dazzle Décor. The thing at the shop is it's up in style, but old fashion on technology and her dad is firm it's going to stay that way!
Lauren is a writer of biographies and is being offered the biggest opportunity and would be dumb if she turned it away! The catch that's eating her is it's going to be about John Gerald Giompalo, the owner of the biggest chain out there, Globalgoods.com, and it's places like this that destroy places like her fathers.
She tries to explain to her parents that they need to advertise, update the technology, but they are not going to budge.

So it sounded like a pretty great read, but it was so scattered, in my opinion, that it had a couple times of eye rolling, and it kept falling flat in places.

I thank NetGalley and Kinsington books for the opportunity to read and I've left my honest review.

Fabulous book, love everything that Fern Michael's reads and this is no exception. Highly recommend!

God, this book was awful! Tedious, cliched, lacking in romance, far-fetched scenarios (like the richest man in the world being just a regular guy). Lauren is a Pollyanna who loves to give $ away to help everyone including her Luddite father, an animal shelter & a single mom she barely knows, all with very little forethought. The idea that a 35-yo bestselling author would give up a beachfront condo & successful writing career to run her parents’ store and move back home is ludicrous. She’s there for 3 years, and never bothers moving into the cottage on their property for some privacy. She also continues to string along a guy who’s in love with her in the name of friendship. Her parents’ disdain for modern technology is a contrived idea that drives the narrative, but it’s made worse when her father will only consider modernization when a successful mogul suggests it. Real toxic masculinity. The romance is an afterthought that begins 2/3rds of the way & goes from zero to sixty within a couple of hours. There are a few tepid kisses and love declarations, but no chemistry and barely any dialogue.

This is basically a made-for-Hallmark holiday movie with bad actors. It only gets 2 stars because I finished it.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

Great book for the holiday season. It was a quick read. Can definitely see this being a small screen hit as well. I would say this was a nice read.

I have mixed feelings about this Fern Michaels book. Usually her holiday books are some of my favorites. This was just ok for me.

Once again Fern Micheals creates a warm Christmas read. I quickly became engrossed in the characters and plot. Lauren and the relationship she had with her parents was endearing. Of course mixed in is a little bit of love. As well as everyday life. A short but warm holiday book. #TheBrightestStar #Netgalley

The Brightest Star mixes today’s shopping/selling technology with those small independent shops that, for one reason or another, have not hopped onto the online purchase bandwagon and are paying the price for that decision in lowered sales and an uncertain business future.

Lauren writes biographies, and she’s quite good at it. She’s been offered the chance to write a very famous businessman’s story, yet that man and his online shopping dynasty are the very reason she left Florida to return home to help her parents in their small specialty shop when her father became unable to run the shop. It’s hard to turn down the offer for several reasons, yet Lauren eventually goes to the meeting and discovers that love strikes unexpectedly when she meets the man’s son, and an almost instant attraction sparks between them.

The Brightest Star is a good book. There were parts where I had some serious (for me) issues – yet to go into those issues would definitely involve spoilers so I’m simply going to leave it alone. It’s one of those times when I enjoyed most of a story but those sticky issues often took me so far out of the story that it became annoying. Yet what one person simply likes another person would love, so the final decision should be up to you. I’ve read Fern Michaels’ work for years, so I’ll look forward to the next book.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books 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.*

Christmas has been Lauren Montgomery's family's livelihood. Their Christmas shop, Razzle Dazzle Décor, is being swallowed by Online superstores, and this Christmas season will need to be strong if the store is to stay in business. Lauren's main job is writing biographies for business figures. She’s excited when her literary agent contacts her with a new job— writing the biography of John Gerald Giompalo, the titan behind Globalgoods.com, the online retailer that has spelled doom for hundreds of small businesses. Lauren travels to Seattle to confer with the Mr. G, and is caught off guard when his son, John Jr., attends the meeting too. Lauren and John fall in love and, of course, happy ever after occurs. Fern Michaels writes a great love story and The Brightest Star is just another in a long line of wonderful ones.

This is a sweet story with a Christmas theme that revolves around making sacrifices to help family and friends. I liked Lauren’s dedication to her parents and their welfare. She showed her generosity to others in her community, and tried to make a difference in the lives of others. I enjoyed the settings of North Carolina and Seattle, and the contrast between the two locations. I liked the storyline, although I felt that the romance between Lauren and John developed much too quickly and that the timing was off in their part of the story. However, I was interested to see how everything turned out for Lauren’s parents and that held my interest in the book. All in all, it’s another good story by Fern Michaels.

This is a clean story, but does have two or three mild curse words in the book. It’s a nice, light story to read during a busy holiday season.

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

Is Razzle Dazzle Décor the only thing worth fighting for?
Fern Michaels starts her book "The Brightest Star", published by Kensington Books, on Santa Maria Island, Florida where Lauren Montgomery receives an urgent call from her mother to come home because of her dad's serious health issues. Subsequently Lauren takes charge of Razzle Dazzle Décor, the store that was founded by her great-grandfather, although she has another job as author of biographies. She is aware that the store can only survive if the seriously change things, but her dad is in the way of progress. Getting an lucrative offer to write another biography, the one for John Gerald Giompalo, gets here out of town and in touch with John Jr. Will John Jr. be a hindrance or a help - with the biography and with the store? What will happen to the store? And what has the star to do with the story?
This was my first novel by Fern Michaels and I really appreciated this Christmas-themed novel with its clean and realistic characters. It is a nice and relaxing read for readers who are looking for romance that takes place in Christmas time.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#TheBrightestStar #NetGalley

Lauren is a successful writer of biographies, but after her father’s severe rheumatoid arthritis, she goes to her parent’s home to help at the store, Razzle Dazzle Décor. Her dad does not believe in using technology to promote or sell items in the store. Lauren is not sure she can keep the store going beyond Christmas. When Lauren is asked to write the biography of a and she is to be paid a few million dollars. That amount my help save the store and a woman’s life. Great book with characters I would love to meet.

I'll be honest, this Fern Michaels book fell flat for me. It was ok, but not great. There were several plot holes, some unrealistic situations, and the ending was very rushed. Not her finest work in my opinion. If you're looking for a holiday romance, it will fit the bill, but there just isn't a lot of substance in this one.

First book I have read by Fern Michaels but I thoroughly enjoyed it!!! Would love to read more by the author. Lauren is trying to help her parents keep their family store called the Razzle Dazzle Decor open and hoping to help it make a profit. Her dad tries to keep her from using the Internet to help keep it going so she feels like she is running it in the dark ages. When she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to write a book for a famous entrepreneur, things start to change for her and her parents. She also is able to help a sick friend whose daughter she has become somewhat close to. Watching her help her dad and mom bring the store into the modern era was fun to watch evolve also. even with her dad's resistance. The storyline kept me wanting to know more and I loved how the author helped each character evolved.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I have read several Fern Michael's books in the past, and I've always enjoyed them. This book was no exception. It was cozy and heartwarming and put me in a Christmas-mood!

I received an ARC from the author through NetGalley for an honest review. This book offers readers different things written in one book. I love reading Christmas themed books any time because they are uplifting, caring, and there is always a little magic.
Lauren moves back home after hearing her father's illness is serious to help out in the family store. One of my favorite things about the book is stepping back in time because the Razzle Dazzle Décor hadn't modernized. In one way it was like two worlds colliding, the way things were and the way things are. But in both worlds, we have the love of family, the spirit of the community, neighbors helping neighbors, and miracles happen. This is what I got out of reading the book but as I read the book, I could see where others would take other things going on in the book and get them excited. I love to read a book that different people will take away different things from one book and this is one of those books.

It was definitely a nice Christmas feel good book, the overall plot of the book was good, but the unfolding of the story was very inconsistent. The male love interest didn't show up until late in the book and the relationship seemed hurried, slightly contrived, and generally of no interest to me. I just didn't feel anything for them as a couple. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy..