Member Reviews
A Sweet Christmas story that was on the tearjerker side as well. It had me had me tearing up from the very first page. And I was bawling by the end of it. So I recommend having tissues handy as you read this one.
Loved the premise of this book, a little lacking in places with some storylines not quite fleshed out. I Would have liked to see more of some of the characters mentions. Nevertheless, a short and sweet Christmas read perfect for a cosy night by the fire,
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for my opinion. I love Christmas stories and movies, but I did not love this story. I didn't understand Keith staying away from his hometown because of a failed high school romance? I didn't understand him not having time to "clean up" after he left his last job? He went straight from the boat all the way to his childhood home with no stops? Really? I didn't feel any connection between him and Noelle. Micha, yes sounds like a cool kid. This was not for me
A lovely Christmas story that I really enjoyed from the start to finish. 5 stars
Thanks to Netgally and publisher for this e ARC
Keith and Noelle really bring home having faith at Christmas. He in taking care of her son who has issues, and she for trusting someone again. Not too deep but lifts your heart just the same.
If you are looking for a book that feels like a hug as you are reading it then Christmas Bells of Creekside is exactly what you will want to read.
I am a lover of Christmas book that have everything in them to make me keep turning the pages until the very last word.
Noelle and her son Micha move to Creekside to begin the next chapter in their lives.
Keith comes back after losing his job to visit his mother.
The story is so packed with emotions and the connection Keith makes with Micha is amazing.
The town of Creekside is a place that cares about its own.
Pick up this book and spend a few hours in Creekside. You will be so glad you did .
Thank you NetGalley, Ciara Knight and Author Collective 20 for the copy of this book. This is my personal review.
If you are looking for a sweet Christmas romance that definitely has Hallmark Channel vibes, then look no further. Ciara Knight's new Christmas book ticks all the boxes. Christmas - yes; romance - yes; a struggling hero - yes; a single mum - yes. I really enjoyed the character development in this book even if it was quite a quick change. I love Christmas books and really enjoyed this story.
Noel and her young son, Micha, are working to rebuild their lives in a small town. After a medical diagnosis and an abusive marriage, Noel is determined to keep her and Micha safe, but it's quite a struggle. When Noel's nanny quits, she's stuck in the tough situation of being a single parent and trying to keep a steady job. Plus her ex-husband has made false accusations in the past, leaving her scared to reach out for help.
Keith also finds himself at a crossroads. Coming home to a past he'd rather forget, he soon learns that the job he once had is no longer an option and mending family relationships may be his only chance. But with a pushy mother and an even pusher ex-girlfriend, Keith isn't so sure how long he'll last in this small town.
Christmas Bells at Creekside was my first introduction to this author. Ciara Knight has a way of writing very believable characters. Both the life challenges and inner struggles of Noel and Keith were relatable and genuine, and I couldn't help, but hope for the best in their storylines. The author didn't shy away from or minimize their challenges, but did a good job of balancing the reality of their situations without making the book too depressing. The story was somewhat predicable, but far from cheesy. And it made for an interesting holiday read. My only note on this book would be that I wouldn't put it in the Christian category. Perhaps it was placed there because of how clean it is, but it doesn't touch on any elements of religion or Christianity. Still it was a very clean, enjoyable holiday read.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Perfect little Christmas story, fast read. The story was engaging and was not cheesy like the other Christmas books I have read lately.
Author : Ciara Knight
Christmas Bells of Creekside: A Sweet Small-Town Holiday Romance (A Sweetwater County Holiday Book 1)
Publisher: Defy the Dark Publishing LLC
Publication date: November 5, 2021
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Description:
Can a young boy losing his sight help his mom see love and Christmas in a new light?Christmas isn’t something single mother, Noelle Monroe looks forward to this year. She already struggles to balance life while caring for her son who’s going blind. When her third nanny quits she must find someone or lose her job which would leave her financially drained. Loner, Keith Mitchell agrees to return home for the holidays to appease his estranged mother during a work furlough. Only the temporary situation turns into permanent unemployment, leaving him stuck in a town facing a past mistake that broke apart his family. An error that almost cost his sister her life. When Keith’s mother volunteers him to watch a young boy with visual challenges Keith knows he’s the wrong man for the job, yet the beautiful young neighbor needs help and the boy needs a male in his life. Keith and Noelle agree to a temporary arrangement through the season, but the boy has other plans. He’s on a mission to help his mother smile again, win a new dad, and save Christmas.
🎄⭐MY REVIEW⭐🎄
This was a very emotional story that had my emotions all over the place. It touches on so much more than the growing love between Noelle Monroe and Keith Mitchell. Its a story about fear, forgiveness, love, family, faith and learning to trust. Which often can be the hardest thing to do. I loved watching Noelle and Keith work together on Micha's Christmas Wish list that would be so amazing that even after he lost his sight he would still be able to see it for years to come. But the fact that his wish list was not even for his self but for his mother made my heart swell and the tears flow. This is my first time reading any of the Creekside books. Actually this is my first time reading anything by this author at all. I loved the character of Cathy Michell-West and would love to read her story as well as Keiths sister story. I loved everything about this story. Just wish it was longer and we got to see how things worked out. *******Disclosure*******
I received a free E -ARC copy of this book from netgalley . Many thanks to NetGalley ,the publisher and the author for the chance to read and review a copy of this interesting book in exchange for my honest review.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions I have expressed are my own. As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get !
#ChristmasBellsofCreekside #NetGalley #JoyceStewartReviews
A beautiful story of a Mother Noelle trying to raise her son Micha as he is going blind. Noelle's husband could not deal with this and drank and abused her. Micha struggles to do things and his mother just wants to protect him. After she loses her nanny she then struggles to keep her job. As she looks for a new nanny she meets people who just want to help but Noelle is afraid to let them help. What a beautiful story of learning to trust and also letting her son have some independence. A nice Christmas story.
Christmas Bells of Creekside is a sweet small-town holiday romance by Ciara Knight. While I have read all of this author’s Sugar Maple Series I have read only one or two of the Creekside Series. However, that did not hinder my enjoyment of this Christmas story at all. It stands well on its own. I do want to read more of this series now.
This is a soulful story of a child losing his sight, a mother’s anguish while trying to cope and one man’s regrets. Each of the characters have struggles but it wasn’t long into the story that I was so invested the lives of the characters, hoping that they would be able to overcome these difficulties. So it was with a glad heart that I begin to see this is also a story of forgiveness, encouragement, acceptance, grace, and love. Since it is just a little bit deeper that causes it to be a little bit sweeter in the end than many other Christmas stories.
I would highly recommend Christmas Bells of Creekside. If like me you have enjoyed books by Debbie Macomber or Brenda Novak, then Ciara Knight should be added to your list.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Christmas Bells of Creekside is a heartwarming story about coming home, falling in love and facing life's ups and downs. The characters will enchant you.
Ciara Knight writes sweet books that entertain for a while. Creekside is a small town in the Smoky Mountains, where everyone knows everyone else's business. She has put into this book a few throw-away characters, where the reader sees them once and then not again for the rest of the book. I am not sure how I feel about this, there may have been a better way to set up the situation. But I am not an author, so I don't know.
Keith has been furloughed from his job as a deep-sea fisherman in the South Pacific, so he has come home for the first time in three years. His mother is so happy to see him, but she's a helicopter parent of the highest degree. His first act upon reaching town is to find a little boy whose mother is looking for him. He is disheveled, looking like a wooly bear, and she believes that he is harming her son. Once an understanding is reached between them, they become friends. When the boy's mother, Noelle, loses her nanny for her son, Keith offers to stand in for a short time until she can find a new nanny for her son.
Some kinks that are thrown in for good measure are an old girlfriend, old hurts, and Keith's intrusive mother, but the road to true love is never smooth or easy. Throughout the whole book, Keith insists that he's going back to fishing and wasn't staying around. But, the more he gets to know Noelle and her son, the more inviting it has become for Keith to stay around. The ending of the book leaves some loose ends untied. And that leaves me with an unsatisfied feeling when I finished the book. For that reason alone, I can give this four stars. The book is an enjoyable, sweet read.
Author Collective 20 and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
This book was fantastic, for many reasons how could you not like characters like Noelle and Keith. Two people batteling with hurt and distrust in the past. Who knew about who was losing his eyesight would be smart enough to put them together and figure things out
A cute romance extolling good virtue and how things can come good in the end. A great first half that really looked into the past of Keith and why he ran away. It also explored a mother’s love for her son going blind and the helplessness that that can bring. The second half is a little repetitive with an ex that keeps popping up and a child who keeps somehow being left to run off. A sugar sweet ending.
I received an advance copy of, Christmas Bells of Creekside, by Ciara Knight. What a lovely Christmas story. Starting over, learning new things and people. Love always has its time.
Noelle and her son Micha moved to Creekside after Micha started losing his eyesight and would eventually go blind. His father couldn't handle it and started drinking and abusing Noelle. She was struggling, with trying to take care of everything, Micha, her job, finances, and finding another nanny.
Keith was furloughed from the boat he was a fisherman on, so he decided to go home and visit his mother. His mother said Keith could help her out for a couple of weeks while he was home.
We learn of the baggage they each carried around, blaming themselves for things that happened in their past. When they start to talk about things that happened in the past, they didn't feel like the failure they thought they were. Keith and Micha became buddies, and Micha wanted this last Christmas before he lost his sight to be so fabulous he would see it for years to come.
Small towns have a way of coming together to help someone, and that is what this town did. It is a story that at times will make your heart pound, but it will also bring you joy, hope, and wanting the spirit of a small town and the Christmas season to give that special boy the Christmas he so wants. You will have to read the book to know about the Christmas bells.
I received an ARC from Author Collective 20 through NetGalley.
Christmas Bells at Creekside gives a glimpse into what could be real life in any community. Life is not perfect, nor is it a Hallmark movie. Small towns are known for taking care of each other. They are also known for gossip and knowing all about your business.
Sweet Noelle and her son Micha moved to Creekside to start a new life for herself and her son following a divorce and struggle for custody of Micha. Sweet Micha is losing his eyesight and his dad was unable to handle the diagnosis. Keith left Creekside years ago running from his broken heart caused by his best friend and girlfriend.
Noella, Micha and Keith are all learning to heal. Though not exactly light-hearted, Christmas Bells is a charming romance as we get to see these three heal and grow into a family. We, also, get to see the kind side of Creekside as they come together when needed. This is a short, sweet romance and I look forward to more of Creekside. Ciara Knight is one of my favorite authors with her writing of small towns and their closeness.