I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great Christmas read. Sheila Roberts did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

A sweet Christmas story perfect to get you into that holiday spirit. Lexie Bell is new in town, a teacher with her young son who is trying to put the pieces back together after life has sent her over some speedbumps. She is trying to do it all herself and it is not going well, and sometimes life sends you help and just the right help right when you need it. The other main character is her neighbor, Stanley, who is mourning the loss of his wife and not excited about another holiday season, but maybe this one will be different.

There are so many Christmas romance books and while this one may have some romance in it, the main focus was on Lexie and Stanley and how they entered each other's lives and gave what they could and it was exactly what the other needed. I adored watching their relationship grow and how much they really complimented each other in the most platonic of ways.

If you have read too many and watched too many Hallmark books and movies, then go for this one and you will still feel that Christmas glow, but less of the romance!

Because this has been on my NetGalley TBR soooo long I decided to listen to the audiobook on my commute. It was fine. Not my favourite, but I didn't hate it. I felt like it needed some fluffing in spots to round it out a bit better... and maybe a tad more of the romance to make the epilogue a little more relative to the story as a whole.

I enjoyed this holiday story very much. The characters in this book were delightful. I particularly liked Stanley and enjoyed reading about his transformation. This holiday read envelops all of the emotions that run through a lot of peoples holiday seasons but most of all it brings to attention the importance of living a full life even after loss and how you can still enjoy your life especially if you have people in your life to share with. A great holiday read!!

Another great Christmas read by Sheila Roberts! Her stories really help you embrace the spirit and meaning of Christmas. I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my copy of A Little Christmas Spirit by Sheila Roberts in exchange for an honest review. It published September 28, 2021.
Oh my goodness, this was such a breath of fresh air amongst so many Christmas romances I've been steeped in. Yes, there is some romance in this book, but not as the main theme. I just loved it! I can already think of a few people I want to buy this for!
Well-written, sweet, and different. Totally worth the read!

This book is super cozy and full of everything Christmas. You get to meet a grouchy widow who for the Christmas holiday learns or relearns to love and be loved. The story will melt your heart and make you believe in the magic of Christmas again.

Sheila Roberts’ latest novel, A Little Christmas Spirit, is a charming heart-warmer sure to enchant readers everywhere.

Lexie Bell is a single mom determined to pull out all the stops for her son this Christmas. Lexie wants to give her gorgeous son Brock a holiday season he will always remember and, having just moved into their new home, she wants to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect for her adorable little boy. With her house looking like Santa’s grotto and with plenty of twinkling lights and homemade fudge, the stage is set for Lexie and Brock to have the best Christmas ever. However, the single mom hadn’t counted on her grouchy next door neighbor Stanley Mann who makes Scrooge look positively festive in comparison. It breaks Lexie’s heart to see somebody so unhappy during the holidays and she plans to spread some Christmas cheer her neighbor’s way.

Christmas lost all meaning for Stanley when his wife died. January 1st cannot come soon enough for him and he wants to hide in his house in December and not be bothered by anyone or anything until New Year’s Day. Of course, nobody seems to have told his new neighbor Lexie who doesn’t know the meaning of the word no when it comes to Christmas. Having barged into his house and forced him to make snowmen and decorate Christmas trees, for the first time in a very long while, Stanley has a reason to get out of bed in the morning and a spring in his step – all thanks to Lexie and her son.

As Stanley rediscovers the joys of the season and begins to heal from the past, will a Christmas miracle help him to forge forward and stop living in the shadows? Or will he continue to let his grief and sorrow condemn him to a lifetime of loneliness and despair?

Sheila Roberts’ A Little Christmas Spirit is an adorable, emotional and feel-good tale that is absolutely impossible to resist. Sheila Roberts creates a world readers would love to live in full of kind-hearted people who are brilliantly drawn and wonderfully layered. In A Little Christmas Spirit, Sheila Roberts once again blends wit, warmth and pathos in a first-rate contemporary tale that is absolutely perfect for snuggling up with during the holidays.

Single mother Lexi and her son Brock just moved in next door to Stanley Mann, an older widower. Brock immediately decides that Stanley is going to be his grandpa. (Imagine Mr.Frederickson from UP #iykyk.) While Stanley just wants to be left alone, his wife Carol appears to him in dreams, nudging him to get back out and live his life.
I adored this book and all of these lovely characters, especially Stanley. It was a sweet, heartwarming story about working through grief and enjoying the people around you. Found family is a trope I always enjoy and this was a perfect week of Thanksgiving book for me.

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

Sheila Roberts' Christmas books are a must-read for me. A Little Christmas Spirit is a true Christmas story, sort of a play on A Christmas Carol meets The Grinch. The plot follows a single mother, Lexie and her son, Brock. They have just moved to a new neighborhood in Washington state and have a grouchy neighbor, Stanley (Manley Stanley, Grandpa Stanley) who recently lost his wife, Carol. Stanley experiences ghostly visits from his dead wife and becomes more and more involved in Lexie and Brocks lives. Then, a handsome new single father moves in across the street... and romance blossoms. Overall, I enjoyed this book, though to me, it did start out a little slow, and the ghost thing was annoying after a while- as was Lexie constantly telling her son to say "may I" instead of "can I," like 20 throughout the book. I'd say the themes of this novel include grieving, healing, family, and love. I definitely recommend this book to Hallmark movie lovers. A Little Christmas Spirit should be added to your holiday reading list!

‘A Little Christmas Spirit’ by Shelia Roberts was sweet and heartwarming, a perfect read to get into you into the, well, Christmas spirit, lol.

This had a super slow start. I very nearly quit reading it, but decided to stick it out. I'm glad I did. While the characters took a bit to fall for, this book as a whole didn't disappoint. All-in-all it was a lovely, heartwarming holiday tale, with just a smidge of magic.

Favorite Quotes:

She’d taken over some cookies once when she’d thought she caught sight of someone in their dining-room window, but the only welcome she’d gotten had been from a couple of garden gnomes sitting on the front porch. It was like living next door to Boo Radley.

Oh, good grief. Just what every woman dreamed about: a proposal in a parking lot with a dead rose.

Her cousin, who fancied herself a singer, sang Paul Stookey’s “Wedding Song.” She didn’t murder it, only maimed it severely.

No single dads had come across her path, though several rom-coms had convinced her they would.

Getting to know him was like befriending a feral animal. There was a lot of coaxing involved.


My Review:


This was a sweet and delightfully heartfelt holiday women's fiction story that gently touched the feels while warming the heart and frequently pulled my lips into an amused smile with wry humor and witty observations. This was my first taste of the clever craft of Sheila Roberts and I am kicking myself for not noticing her works sooner. Her engaging storylines were easy to follow, relatable, and enjoyably entertaining. The characters were original, realistic, knowable, and highly likable people, even the old curmudgeon who was happy being haunted by his late wife. I was pulling for him even when he pushed back.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

4.25 Hearts I am not sure why but Sheila Roberts books should be watched by Lifetime or Hallmark and her books should be THE holiday movie of the year. And this book is no exception.

Stanley has become a recluse after the death of his wife, Carol. But after three years Carol feels it is time for Stanley to get back into the world. And she is going to haunt him until he does exactly that. And first thing Carol wants him to do is take care of the single mom next door.

Lexie just moved into her home with her son Brock and she is determined to make this Christmas one to remember. When Stanley starts to become part of the family she is appreciative and relieved but when things take a turn it is Brock who shows the true meaning of Christmas.

Another great book by Roberts who brings the Christmas spirit straight from her pages to your heart.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Lexi is a single mother who moved to a new place and trying to enjoy the christmas holiday with her son. Stanley is the grumpy old man that lives nearby and he's still grieving the loss of his wife. He's fine with his solitary life and doesn't appreciate this neighbors son pop up from time to time. Then theres his late wife coming around like a christmas ghost convincing him to do a bit more and more getting him out of this life he's settled for.

I had to try this book twice before really getting into it. I wasn't into the back flashes to Stanley's old life with his wife seeing their life together but once I got the audiobook and really listen it was pretty sweet. Then theres the meddling child who keeps popping into Stanley's life it was pretty cute seeing their reactions, he only wanted to be left alone and this child made a friend out of Stanly and it was pretty heartwarming. From day one he was a grumpy man and I loved seeing him warm up to this family and interact more instead of being a shut in. Overall I really enjoyed this book and recommend you lovely readers to check it out.

Absolutely loved this story! I am a huge fan of this authors work and this Christmas Tale did not fail!

Cozy, fast paced and all the warm holiday vibes I needed in a book this year!

Começou a temporada de livros de natal! Eu amo leituras temáticas e já corri para pegar livros com espírito natalino.



Stanley perdeu sua esposa, Carol, há três anos e desde então vive recluso em sua casa. Até que o espírito de Carol começa a assombrá-lo para que ele mude de atitude, afinal a vida precisa continuar. Lexie acabou de se mudar para a pequena cidade, comprou uma casa e começou em seu novo emprego como professora de jardim de infância. Ela está determinada a tornar o primeiro natal na nova casa especial para seu filho de seis anos, Brock. Isso vai levar ela a encher a casa de cookies e enfeites de natal. Quando Brock vê um vovô pendurando luzes de natal uma estranha amizade começa entre a criança e o vizinho ranzinza, Stanley. Brock e Lexie vão ensinar ao solitário Stanley a importância do natal.



Eu estava esperando algo diferente desse livro, mas ele traz um estilo Grinch de ser. Eu confesso que gostaria que a narrativa trouxesse um pouco mais de romance e desenvolvesse de maneira melhor a relação entre Stanley e Lexie, mas a autora optou por nos mostrar muito mais da vida de Stanley e sua esposa morta do que propriamente investir nessa relação.



Stanley é um homem que desistiu de viver depois da morte da esposa e afastou a tudo e todos de sua vida. Ele vive recluso, ouvindo apenas a voz da esposa que o incentiva a voltar a viver. As cenas dele com Brock são muito fofas e eu confesso que a mudança dele é muito legal de acompanhar.



Lexie, por sua vez, é mãe solteira. Ela descobriu que o noivo a traía e logo depois que estava grávida. O ex não quis ter nada a ver com a criança e desde então ela cuida do filho sozinha. Recentemente ela perdeu seu pai, que era o pilar da família, e naquele ano ela está determinada a tornar o natal uma experiência mágica para o filho. Meu único problema com Lexie é que ela guarda muito rancor e isso acaba levando a uma situação que poderia ser evitada com uma conversa e um pedido de desculpas.



O romance só acontece na parte final do livro e eu tenho certeza que se ele tivesse acontecido antes, poderia ter elevado essa narrativa em muitos níveis.



Enfim, abrimos a temporada de natal e vamos com tudo!!!!

Is it Scrooge? Perhaps the grinch? No, it’s Stanley Mann, the next-door neighbour who comes across as a grumpy old man, but underneath it all he is anything but. His hear has been broken, and he is just struggling with life. Stanley lost his wife and does not know what to do now. That is until single mom Lexie and her six-year-old son Brock move in next door. With a little help from Carol, Stanley’s deceased wife, and a stray dog, Stanley, Lexie and Brock’s lives are about to change.

What a wonderful holiday story by Sheila Roberts. I was drawn into the lives of such well written characters, that my heart went out to them. I walked through grief, sadness, joy and happiness all in this one little Christmas story. My thanks to Harlequin for the advanced readers copy that I voluntarily read and reviewed.

Lexie Bell wants to make Christmas special for her six-year-old son Brock now that they have a new home. She has all of the trappings in place, but her neighbor is a grinch. Stanley Mann saw no point in Christmas after losing his wife, but now he sees her in his dreams. Now she's haunting him and trying to get him to revel in the season again, especially with the single mom next door.

The novel starts from Stanley's POV, as an older widower coasting through life without seeing the point in really living. We see how they met and the kind of relationship they had, which really brings home his sense of loss and grief now that she's dead. He's such a grouch to begin with, that without her infectious joy and happiness, it's gone untempered and has worsened. She begins appearing as dreams, sending messages urging him to live again and not remain holed up in the house feeling sorry for himself. This is also where Lexie comes in, as a single mother and kindergarten teacher, new in town and seeking a place to belong. Her son Brock is a shiny kind of six-year-old, a happy boy that's eager to play, meet people and make friends. His insistence in calling Stanley Grandpa and seeing the best in him gradually draws the older man out of his shell.

The thread of Stanley and Carol's life together is beautiful and bittersweet; all of their happy moments are tempered by the fact we know it ends with her death, and their promises of forever don't last quite that long. In the present, Lexie needs help when she is in an air cast after getting a chip fracture in a fall. Stanley grudgingly hangs lights, drives her to school and physical therapy, and goes to their home for dinners. This draws him out of his hermit-like existence, and he gradually becomes the father and grandfather figure that Lexie and Brock need. I enjoyed seeing how they grew closer, becoming a found family and helping bring out the best in each other.

A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Sheila Roberts is a wonderful Christmas holiday standalone fiction story with romance elements. A grumpy old neighbor who lost his Christmas spirit when his wife died, a single mother and her young son who are new in the neighborhood are all brought together by a Christmas ghost.

Stanley Mann lost the love of his life, Carol, three years ago in a terrible car crash and he has never recovered. He continues on by himself and wants nothing to do with anyone or anything outside of his home and he especially hates the holidays. Then Carol’s spirit returns during several nights to remind Stanley of their time together and to encourage him to start living life again and not just existing and he can start by helping his new neighbors.

Kindergarten teacher Lexi Bell and her young son, Brock, have moved from California to the Pacific Northwest and are excited about spending their first Christmas in their new home. Their next-door neighbor at first is more grumpy hermit than neighbor, but Lexi and Brock have a way of squirming into his heart during the day even as Carol nudges him into being the man she remembers during the nights.

This story is absolutely perfect for a holiday read! It is full of love, family, forgiveness, and holiday spirit. Brock is endearing and you can understand how he was able to worm his way into Stanley’s closed-off heart. Lexi’s trial of looking for the perfect man is all too familiar for many of us. When Stanley sits down with The Grinch and Scrooge in one of his dreams it was very entertaining. The secondary characters all make their appearances at just the right time and give this story a realistic feel even with its ghostly apparition. Keep the tissues close for a few of the scenes. This is the first time I have read a book by this author, and it will not be the last.

I highly recommend this Christmas tale of love!