One Christmas Wish is book 5 in Brenda Jackson's Catalina Cove series, but it can be read as a standalone. There are some characters that I get the feeling were from earlier books, but I haven't had the pleasure of reading those yet, and I didn't feel like I was really missing anything I needed. It did make me curious to read those earlier books though. Anyway, there are several characters in this book, but the focus is on Sierra and her goddaughter, Teryn, and Vaughn. The many secondary characters serve to give the story that small-town feel.
There is cause for angst from outside sources. Plus Sierra doesn't want a serious relationship - it's a once-bitten, twice shy kind of thing - while Vaughn is determined to change her mind and her heart. I won't lay out the outside sources, but I will add that despite the reasons for angst, Brenda Jackson kept this whole story pretty laid back as far as that goes. It's an easy read, which made for a nice weekend read for me.
The story does take place around the holiday, but the setting is Louisiana, so we get the flavors of the region, including the warmer weather, which was a nice change from my own weather right now.

I think I enjoyed this one more than Ms Jacksons last few titles save the Catalina Cove books- I like all of those. Some of her books hit just right but a lot of them are just off to me. This one must have got me on a good day in a good light. Good pacing, characters I could root for or against and a romance that I hoped would work out in the end.

Sierra is now separated from her cheating ex and is doing the best she can as a single mother and soup café owner during this holiday season. Vaughn is still reeling from the fact that he recently came out jail after being wrongly accused and his ex leaving him, now he's back to his hometown to the people who actually believed his innocence. Rather then isolating himself he decided to eat inside his favorite soup café and there meets Sierra and can't stop thinking about her.

This was such a heartwarming book and I really enjoyed it. I mean when it comes to both sides of Sierra and Vaughn's past life there was drama all around and it was unclear if something would try to pop back into their lives and mess things up. It was either that or the towns richgirl thinking she's entitles to whatever she wants that I was curious to see if anything would mess with that was brewing between the two couple. I loved seeing how persistent and supportive Vaughn was, he had his eyes on Sierra and it was cute seeing her warm up to him. Sierra had every right to be wry of Vaughn after what she dealt with in the past and it was nice seeing that romance between the two. Overall great book I really enjoyed it

What an amazing holiday story here! 5 stars for this one!
Follow a cast of characters in this quaint hometown story, but it centers around Sierra & Vaughn. The storyline will warm your heart as each of them learns to trust each other with their hearts, which is no easy task for either one of them. You will get all the feels in this one, and the story will pull you in and not let you go till the end! Grab this one and enjoy!

Oh, I really loved this one! The town, the characters, and it brings the heat! Can't wait to read more in this series!

Once again Brenda Jackson writes a story in Catalina Cove this time during the holiday season where wishes are made, promises are hoped for, and second chances are possible.

Vaughn Miller was wrongfully convicted and served two years in prison. His sentence was overturned and he is exonerated. Now that he has been exonerated he returns to his hometown of Catalina Cove where he forges ahead and begins to rebuild his life. He normally keeps to himself until he sees the beautiful cafe owner who stirs his blood.

Sierra Crane escapes a disastrous marriage. She takes her six-year-old goddaughter to the only place that ever felt like home to her -- Catalina Cove. There she is determined to make it on her own where she opens a soup cafe. After her farce of a marriage the last thing she is interested in is getting involved in any type of relationship.
But when Vaughn Miller walks into her cafe some smoldering feelings are awakened.

Giving in to their mutual attraction will lead to some very smoldering moments. Sierra insists that this is a onetime thing. But Vaughn knows that Sierra is the "one". He just has to convince Sierra that true happiness is in their future.

Typical HEA romance. The story was entertaining and steamy. Quick read, plenty of angst, drama, sweetness and a small amount of nasty evilness with a holiday theme. Excellent addition to your TBR list.

A redemption song with a haunting melody that touches the deepest depths of the heart. Jackson brings emotion to every story that she writes. One Christmas Wish is a temptation that doesn't fit into a specific genre. Sierra and Vaughn seduce with romance, drown with heart and take a dance with danger. There is a great deal to enjoy in their unpredictable tango into love.

This was my first Jackson, and I think she really has a knack for writing immersive small-town romance in a way that feels accessible as well as cozy. I may have been better suited for this series coming into it with book one rather than jumping in here, but it was still easy to follow along with the story overall. My biggest quibble was that this didn’t seem very much like a Christmas romance in theme; the holiday really only got passing mentions and didn’t come into play until the very end of the book. There were also moments where it felt like there was more telling than showing happening in terms of the narrative and character interactions. It was a low-stakes read which might suit some people well if they’re looking for a soothing holiday read, but overall it wasn’t really for me.

One Christmas Wish is another wonderful book in the Catalina Cove series of books. Sierra and Vaughn's story is great . I enjoyed watching Sierra and Vaughn learn to love and trust again after some they loved abused their trust. Their story is one of learning to get to know each other and how their possible relationship will impact Teryn, Sierra's godchild who she has adopted. As you read this wonderful book you learn how Teryn has come to be a major part of every decision Sierra makes. There are many unexpected twists and turns in the book and the subplot of Velvet and Jaye's story as well as the other characters will make you keep reading to see what happens next. I highly recommend this latest book in the Catalina Cove series.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. This one took by surprise! Brenda Jackson is one of the best around.

His betrayal had done more than hurt, it had nearly destroyed her.

One Christmas Wish, is fifth in the Catalina Cove series but is the first book I've read in the series. The first half, especially the beginning is full of names and relationships that I'm assuming are characters that have appeared in the series and while it could have easily felt overwhelming, there's maybe a smidgen of that there, I felt it more brought the feelings of closeness of everyone in the town. As the title hints at, this takes place around the winter holidays, although Catalina Cove is in Louisiana, so you won't be getting hot chocolate and snowmen but blueberry muffins and gumbo. I normally complain about having a lot of characters thrown at me right in the beginning, but here, it just worked because the friendships and relationships provided those feelings of love and support you want to wrap yourself in during the holiday season.

However, tonight, while she sat across from Vaughn Miller, he had been able to do what all those other guys hadn’t. He had reminded her that she was not only a woman, but she was a woman with needs.

Our heroine Sierra, has moved back to town after getting a divorce, she found her husband in bed with the neighbors, and now owns a soup cafe, The Green Fig. She also has an adopted goddaughter from her bestfriend who died two years ago. She's decided to devote herself to raising her goddaughter, Sierra doesn't think she can trust again after her ex-husband. He's also been starting to call her nonstop trying to get her back. When her goddaughter tells her she gets one Christmas wish, she wishes for happiness.

Vaughn had kissed her in a way that even made her toes tingle, and she had liked it.

Enter our hero Vaughn, a former Wall Street man who was sent to jail for a crime he didn't commit. He ended up serving two years of the five year sentence and gives a lot of the success to a prison pen pal that sent moving words of encouragement while he was incarcerated. He ends up moving back to his hometown Catalina Cove and given a job by Lacroix Industries on their executive team. He also gets exonerated and found innocent of his original chargers. When he's having supper at the Green Fig, he takes a good look at Sierra and finds himself drawn.

Sierra closed her eyes for a second as she drew in a deep breath. How could she fight this? How could she fight a man who was so charming, so charismatic, so full of sex appeal and who had more magnetism than any man she knew?

This was a very low angst story that had Sierra not wanting to get involved with Vaughn in a serious capacity and Vaughn sweetly but surely wearing her down. By the 50% percent mark, they are hitting the sheets and steaming up the pages. There's some outside elements trying to distract them, Vaughn's ex-fiancee and a divorced woman in town trying to catch his eye, Sierra has her ex-husband trying to win her back so he can get a promotion and then her being scared to trust again. It's mellowed tone but as a holiday book it works because it provides that snuggle in, looking for human closeness.

“I would do just about anything for you, cherie,” he said softly.

There was a towards the end, brief, moment of Sierra's ex-husband trying to take her adopted daughter away that had Vaughn taking charge in a way that Sierra did not like and gave us that romance black moment that felt a tiny forced in Sierra's swing of emotion but that is the most angst you'll get here. There is also the set-up for, I'm guessing, the next in the series with a second chance romance that will have the man fighting and working to get back in the woman's good graces and I'm ready to see the guy work for it. There was also a thread of the town's founder Lafitte and his Princess Zara, Vaughn is their descendant, that has me very much wanting the author to take some artistic license and write a prequel starring them.

I would have liked to delve deeper into Vaughn's feelings of being sent to jail and the ending had one of those improbable but sweet reveals that you just have to go along with in a holiday book. Overall, this was a low angst story of family, friendships, and loving, perfect for snuggling in with and warming you from the inside out in the holiday season.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Sierra and Vaughn. They have each had problems in their life. Together they work thru their issues. They find true love.