A nice, light holiday read with a very festive setting and a surprise that I didn’t see coming.

Lila has spent the past few Christmases with her best friends. Lila’s parents have both passed away and she has no other family. She’s been single for a few years. Her best friends are everything to her. Lila is really worried that this will be the last Christmas they spend together and it’s making her feel so lost and lonely.

Every year they spend a couple weeks together for Christmas. This year, Lila has found a cabin for them to stay at in a town with lots of fun stuff. Seriously, this town sounds adorable. I wish the candy shop was real!
The author has created the perfect setting for a Christmas story.

A few things surprise the girls when they arrive. The cabin is kind of fun down but they can’t bring themselves to leave because of Eleanor. She owns the cabins and is a lonely widow, just trying to hold onto the cabins. She doesn’t have the money to repair them though.

The coffee shop in town has a barista that does not find the girls’ festive moods to be entertaining. He is quite gruff. I didn’t really like Theo at first. He seemed like he was being unnecessarily grumpy. But Lila sees another side to Theo.
(Btw I really pictured Luke from Gilmore Girls when Theo talked sometimes. Grumpy but he grows on you, right?)

I was disappointed there wasn’t more time spent with the girls’ holiday because after a certain point it was more about Lila trying to help both Theo and Eleanor.

I was absolutely surprised by what Theo’s big secret was. I wouldn’t have guessed it in a million years. I appreciate how unique the secret was.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. I loved the setting, liked the characters and enjoyed the ending. They should make this into a Hallmark movie because the author has really creative a town that I’d love to see on screen.

Christmas at Fireside Cabins by Jenny Hale
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Romance | Women's Fiction
Release Date: October 14, 2020

Christmas at Fireside Cabins is a standalone Christmas romance by Jenny Hale.

This book is everything you are looking for in a sweet Christmas romance. It is beautifully written with wonderful characters and a stellar storyline.

This book made me laugh, cry and filled me with joy. It is perfect for curling up in front of the fire with a hot cup of cocoa and getting lost in the Christmas magic!

I'm so grateful to Jenny Hale, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for a book that is straight up Christmas cheer- this is it! This is positively brimming with Christmas magic, perfect to grab a peppermint mocha and curl up with. The characters were all enjoyable and the small town vibe really made the book feel intimate and warm. This was light and fun, and guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Heartwarming with some mystery
This is another of Jenny Hale's "Christmas at..." books, entitled "Christmas at Fireside Cabins" and published by Bookouture. Lila Evans and her three friends Edie James, Charlotte Meade, and Piper Watson always spent Christmas together which is great for Lila since her mother died after her birth and her father passed away when she was twenty. This year they are renting Fireside Cabins outside of Nashville, Tennessee, and are faced with a huge surprise when they turn out to be in a total different shape as they were presented on the website. Eddie, Charlotte, and Piper abandon the joint vacation one by one but Lila cannot ignore Eleanor, the elderly owner of the cabins, and her challenges. Then there is Theo, the mysterious owner of the coffee shop in Pinewood Hill who does not seem to get along with anybody and hides his last name, as well as Rex "a four-foot-nothing young boy about five years old." How will they influence Lila's life? Where will her path lead her? And how will her Christmas be?
This was the second book of Jenny Hale which I read and I am looking forward to more of her books. I highly recommend it because of his great and well developed characters and a heartwarming story that also includes some mystery. It is a sweet, relaxing and heart-warming read for lovers of Christmas romance.
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.
#ChristmasAtFiresideCabins #NetGalley

A very well written and entertaining Christmas romance. Good, plot, believable characters and a beautiful setting. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for trusting me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Escape to the idyllic small town of Pinewood Hills in this enchanting romance, about falling in love under the mistletoe with a sprinkle of Christmas magic. Indulging in this glittering page-turner that might just prove, at this magical time of year, that almost anything is possible.
I absolutely loved this book! Christmas is my favourite time of year and this book was filled with bucketloads of it. This is a story of being brave enough to open yourself to love, but moreover, to actually accept it. The characters were described so well that I felt they were my friends too lol. Eleanor, I would love to have as my Nan; Lila and her girls I want to go have coffee with; and lastly, I would love to hear Theo and Rex play and sing together.
It is harder I feel to give Christmas books without inadvertently putting spoilers in which I have tried not to do. Additionally, I would hate to deprive anyone who is going to get a blanket, hot chocolate and fluffy socks of the magic contained inside these pages.
Unquestionably 5 stars but deserving of so many more.

Lila Evans and her friends book into a cabin in the lead up to Christmas. Lila has no family so her friends are very important. Yet their lives force them to cut short their winter break leaving Lila alone. She has made friends with the lonely owner of the cabin, widow Eleanor and local coffee shop owner Theo. But her friendship with Theo is hindered by his secrecy.
Jenny Hale has put me right in the mood for Christmas (just as she did with Christmas At Silver Falls). The setting and weather descriptions give a warm and wintry feel to the book, and the romantic plot makes it a feelgood story to fall in love with.
Theo is dealing with issues that he is not quite ready to share. His secrecy is intriguing and draws the reader into the plot as we want to discover more. This is in direct contrast to Lila's openness and gentle manner. I found myself torn between wanting Theo to open up and wanting Lila to give him his privacy.
The loneliness of Lila, Theo and Eleanor is quite heartbreaking especially in the lead up to Christmas. There is an important message of thinking of others particularly during the festive season. I hope that the difficulties of 2020 will make us hug our loved ones a little closer and open our homes and hearts to lonely neighbours.

Lila has no family and getting together with her three best friends at Christmas time is especially important to her. This year they have reservations at Fireside Cabins but when they arrive, they are disappointed in the facilities. Since her husband died, Eleanor has not had the time or money to fix things up and the girls want to give her a special Christmas. Lila is intrigued by the barista and owner of the town’s coffee shop. She feels a connection with Theo but for some reason he cuts himself off from her and the townspeople. This is a great book with lots of Christmas spirit, a great community, and proof that finding your place is worth the fight.

This book kind of surprised me - after reading the prologue, I wasn’t quite sure this was going to be the book for me. However, I always like to give each book a chance, so I continued to read and I am glad I did! I loved the way that the characters connected, and I especially liked the bond that Lila developed with Eleanor. This one really spoke to the Christmas spirit for me- the power of forgiveness, bringing the holiday to someone who was completely alone and lonely, and making them a part of your family.

Lila is looking forward to spending the Christmas holidays with her friends, the only “family” she has left. The 4 friends have a tradition of sharing the week leading up to Christmas together, and this year the plan is to spend their holiday at Fireside Cabins. When they get there, their cabin and the grounds aren’t exactly as advertised, but they decide to make a go of it. Lila is also on a mission to get Theo, the owner of the local coffee shop, to lighten up a bit.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny Hale, well-known romance author, has authored another adorable romance novel! In "Christmas at Fireside Cabins," Lila is looking for a place to belong when she happens to vacation in the small Tennessee mountain town of Pinewood Hills. While there, she meets the brooding coffee shop owner, Theo Perry, who has his walls up and many secrets he's trying to hide. This novel does a great job of balancing romance and personal growth. I really enjoyed the relationships between Lila and the town's residents, and the chemistry between Lila and Theo was enjoyable as well. (In fact, I hope this is the beginning of a series so I can learn more about the supporting characters!) If you're looking for a sweet, cozy romance to help you escape the craziness of 2020, this is your book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Christmas at Fireside Cabins is filled with the same cosy charm and Christmas joy as Jenny Hale's other Christmas books.

I have to admit, I had a bit of trouble with Lila’s approach to start off with – I felt like she (and her friends) was barging in and trying to ‘fix’ people she didn’t even know, and it felt a bit judgey. It quickly becomes apparent, however, that really Lila is trying to fix her own life, and I couldn’t help but be charmed by her and her story. I also really enjoyed the fact that there was a friendship at the centre of the book, and that it is kind of about found family more than actual family.

I read this over the space of about a day or two – there is always something about Jenny Hale’s books that draws me in and makes me want to spend time with her characters and settings. I really loved the setting in this one – the small town and lovely community feel is exactly the vibe I love in these books, and the idea of the cabins themselves, and imagining them all done up and Christmassy was just lovely.

I don’t think there is anything in this book that is unexpected from a Jenny Hale novel, but it was a very sweet read and I’d recommend it to fans of Christmas romance, and of Hale in particular. She remains a must read author for me each Christmas season, and I’d also recommend this or any of her books to anyone looking for a lovely cosy snow festive escape.

This is a perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit! I thoroughly enjoy Jenny Hale’s books and I think her Christmas books are always my favorites. I loved the characters in this story, they warmed my heart. I read this book in one day and my only regret is that I’m not in Tennessee celebrating Christmas right now.

Such a cute and fun read! Perfect distraction in life right now. Really enjoyable characters and story and hard to put down! Almost like reading a Hallmark movie in book form!

The queen of Christmas romance does it again. I love every book Jenny Hale has written and this one is no exception. This is a story of love, loss, friendships old and new, taking chances and following your dreams, while gathered around the Christmas tree.

Lila Evans, and her three friends Charlotte, Edie and Piper take what they expect to be one of the last of their Christmas vacations together. After the holidays they are all going in separate directions taking on new opportunities in their lives. So, they decided to vacation at Fireside Cabins in Pinewood Hills in the great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. Of course the Cabins look better online then in person, but the gals make the best of it, because they know it’s all about their time together and the spirit of the season.

The girls, especially Lila have an immediate connection with Eleanor Finley, who owns Fireside Cabins, and Lila, who always sees the best in others, connects with Theo who owns the local coffee shop. As the story progresses, this trip ends up to be the best Christmas vacation they’ve ever had together. Lila decides she doesn’t want to leave Fireside Cabins so she makes it her mission to help Eleanor to get the Cabins back up and running. This laugh out loud novel will have feeling like you’re hanging out with the girls, and singing Christmas carols around the tree.

Jenny Hale has such a gift of pulling you into the story and experiencing everything about each character’s, past, present and futures. She makes you feel as if you are living in the book. You see the snowflakes flying at the same time you are reaching for the hot chocolate and marshmallows. You absolutely can’t go wrong with any novel written by Jenny Hale.

I asked the author “Ok I’m dying to know…which one are you Charlotte, Edie, Piper or Lila?” Her reply “Haha! I’d say there’s a little of me in every one of them!” That reply is a testament to how she personally pours herself into her writing and it makes you feel like she is a close personal friend as well as the characters she is writing about. Thanks Jenny Hale for yet another awesome, phenomenal book.

Every year Lila and her three closest friends go away and spend Christmas together. The photos look idyllic and they are excited for the festive getaway. The four friends are disappointed to find Fireside Cabins is quite run down these days and not what they had in mind at all.

Not to be deterred, they set about in making the cabin as festive as possible but as more obstacles get in the way of their girl’s week, Lila finds herself alone and re-evaluating what is important to her.

Lila is on a mission and determined to try and help cabin owner Eleanor and mysterious new friend Theo to enjoy the festive season also.

This was a gorgeous read, so festive and warm. The descriptions of the lovely festive goodies and treats really gave the Christmas feels.

This was such a beautifully written cosy and romantic Christmas story and one that made your heart melt while reading. This would be the perfect read curled up in front of a roaring fire with a hot chocolate in hand. This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last it had a lovely mixture of warm fuzzy content And Christmas cheer whilst making you think about love and relationships and what the important things in life are and how being kind and seeing the good in others is such an important quality. This was an all round feel good book that is sure to put a smile on the face of anyone who reads it

Initial Thoughts: Halloween may be around the corner but in my book world, Christmas has arrived! This is one of the first Christmas novels I've picked up to start off the season. I’ve read books by Jenny Hale in the past and enjoy her writing. Her books are perfect for Hallmark lovers and one of her books was even made into a Hallmark Channel movie!

Review Notes:

Jenny Hale has such a lovely writing style and dare I say, this new novel could certainly be a contender to be made into another Hallmark movie! Hallmark movies are the epitome of the type of women’s fiction/romance novels I enjoy reading for entertainment. You’ve got romance they weren’t expecting, heart-warming situations, difficult or tragic pasts, and holiday spirit all around, and 'Christmas at fireside cabins' hits all those marks for me.

Reading this book made me yearn to get out and explore a small town. I would love to visit a town like this and experience the things they got to on their trip; Main Street, a small independent bookstore, Christmas confections and so much holiday fun! If it weren’t for the current pandemic, this book would’ve inspired me to book a holiday vacation with my hubby. It reminds me of the holiday spirit we loved when we went on our honeymoon two years ago in Vancouver. I love me good sweater weather vacay filled with holiday spirit and cozy décor!

Themes & Elements: Topics and themes: friendship, friends that feel like family, feeling the loss of a parent(s), losing a spouse and growing old without them, connecting with the community and neighbors, finding purpose in life.

In a Nutshell: Overall enjoyable Christmas filled lovely novel. Perfect for the Hallmark Channel movie lovers!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read the ARC of Jenny Hale's Christmas at Fireside Cabins.
I discovered Jenny Hale through Netgalley last year, reading another of her Christmas themed novels, so I know I was in for a treat when I got to start her latest!
The author has a great sense of detail which allows you to be immediately transported to the scene she describes. Whether it's a sunny beach side or, in this case, an enchanted little village called Pine Woods, Tennessee.
It's the perfect comfort read as well, especially in the trying times we are facing right now. It certainly provided the escapism I longed for!

Waitress Lila Evans lives in Nashville after ending up there following her then boyfriend to the music city. Razz wanted to pursue his dream of becoming an artist there but when the relationship ends Lila decides to stick around in Nashville.
Having lost both her parents, she has no family to return to. Her 3 girlfriends are the closest to any relative she has and the women support each other through thick and thin.
Fearing their strong friendship might unwillingly fall apart now her friend's careers are taking flight, Lila is set to organise a memorable Christmas getaway for them. Each year they spent a week celebrating Christmas together and for this year Lila has made reservations for a snug cottage in the idyllic Holiday resort of Fireside Cabins.
However, when the women arrive, the soon notice that the promising pictures on the website are not up to date. Both the grounds and cabins are pretty dilapidated with maintenance long overdue.
Feeling sorry for the charming owner, widow Eleanor, they decide to stay nevertheless and do all they can to spread some festive cheer. The local coffee place can also do with some more Christmas decor and atmosphere. Although barista Theo is a sight for sore eyes, he's also incredibly cold, distant and rude.
On the odd occasion he does put his guard down, Lila sees an entirely different man and is set to discover his story. But does she really want to know and get involved despite her friends warning her off. Lila has to decide whether to go with her gut or her head...

Must admit that it took me quite a while to warm up to Theo and I didn't really get why Lila kept putting time and energy in getting to know him. He was so closed off and invested in his own problems... In general, I didn't really get Theo's storyline. It was all a bit vague to me and the ease of how his tremendous problems and disturbed family relations were solved in the end felt a bit to quick and rather forced. However, Jenny Hale did manage, once again, to paint a perfect picture of small town, country life with sweet characters, stunning surroundings and cozy atmosphere. The Christmas spirit dripped from each page and in the end that's what counts!

This was a nice change of book to read. I enjoyed finding out about the friends during their holiday in the log cabins. It was easy to pick up and finish. I recommend if you want a light hearted read then read this book

This is a sweet love story but I did find Lila to be a little too “Pollyanna-ish” to be believable. When the story ended at 95% I thought there was either an extended epilogue or an excerpt from another book. What there was were pages of blurbs about the author’s many other books. They all sounded like Hallmark movies and some of the plots I know I have seen on TV. It explains a lot about Lila’s character and the ease of Theo’s melting for her.
I DID enjoy this story. It is uplifting in many ways and has a very nice ending. It helps if you know what you are getting. Would I read more from this author? Absolutely.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own.