I'm really sad to say that I just didn't connect with this one. I couldn't get behind either character. I usually love this author, but this particular one was sadly a miss for me.

A hallmark Christmas movie in novel form. This opposites attract Christmas romance had me feeling all the holiday warm fuzzies. Definitely one I would recommend

This is a fun and fantastic book that I very much enjoyed .
I read this one fairly quickly because I just couldn’t put it down.

Great book. I was able to connect with characters and the plot. I recommend this book……………………………..,,,,.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

Nola comes to town to sell her grandmother's home which is known as The Castle. Selling this house is going to be her ticket to being her own boss. What she doesn't expect is to run into Tanner, fall him and this quaint town and the people in it. Great quick holiday read! I received an ARC from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Definite hints of Hallmark movies in this Christmasy comfort read. You know the guy will get the girl in the end but how that happens is a fun read with a little bit of laughter, small bit of miscommunication and conflict, lots of sugar and definitely a smidge of spice for good measure.
The characters are all likeable, except for the one guy but that’s intentional, and you’ll fall in love with the small town vibe.
My only disappointment… after a big Michigan multi day snowstorm how is it possible to be sitting on blankets on “the grass in the main courtyard of town” drinking wine and eating cheese from a picnic basket. Come on (eye roll)! Anyone who has lived in the states or Ontario (like me) along the Great Lakes know there’s no way you can be sitting on the grass a week later. Even if you plow that snow away it’s still going to be there and your cheese will be frozen! Hopefully that part was changed when the final copy was published.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book!

In Sarah Robinson’s Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas, the first installment in the Heart Lake contemporary romance series, this debut is so moving and heartfelt, it tugs your heartstrings. Magnolia “Nola” Bennett returns home to Heart Lake, Michigan, to take care of her late grandmother’s Gigi’s estate, during the Christmas season. She has plans to sell her home, known as the Castle, before she returns to Chicago. But not everyone’s happy to see her, especially her childhood crush on her best friend’s brother Tanner Dean. He irritated the hell out of her in the past. Tanner wasn’t thrilled to see Nola return home and hear about her plans. He worked so hard in his father’s company, ever since his father hurt his back. When they face each other, they learn about each other more and have fun hanging out with each other during the festivities. Little did they know, they realized they were meant to be each other and have a future together before it might be too late.

This Christmas-themed heartfelt contemporary romance is a tear-jerker and so deeply profound and moving. I instantly cared about Nola and how she would put her consulting talents to good use. I also adored Zander and Becca and Rosie, who are always a hoot. And I also cared for Tanner’s hopes and dreams to build a future for himself. The picturesque winter-time landscape of Heart Lake was lovely for the scenic settings and the Midwest location. The theme of the story is home is where the heart is, to follow your hopes and dreams.

This enchanted contemporary romance is wonderful to read and experience all the feels. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love a contemporary romance that has the best friend’s brother trope, plenty of dramatic action, and lots of romance to make your heart sigh, grab a copy of Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas. This book is recommended for Hallmark Channel fans, and for fans of Robyn Carr, Debbie Mason, Jill Shalvis, and many others.

Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas begins the Heart Lake series with a story of returning home to one’s roots, and the choice to stay or return to what’s comfortable elsewhere… if not as rewarding as the possibilities Nola faces when she inherits a property known around town as “The Castle” and an encounter with a high school love will bring some important questions to the forefront.

The years may have passed but, the spark between Nola and Tanner is still very much alive — or maybe that’s the annoyance at the noise levels since Nola began renovations on The Castle. No matter how their reunion began, it’s certainly clear that this couple could find a happy ever after ending if they’d just get out of their own way. High school crush reunions aside, I absolutely loved the friendships in this story, the way friends have each other’s backs whether it’s a welcoming hug after years apart, or sitting down with some hard truths to be discussed. I think it was the friendships that made this book so special for me.

Facing the past or facing an uncertain future are not easy situations, but they are both handled with care and love in Nola and Tanner’s story. Most of what you’d need to know before picking up this novel can be found in the Cover Description. What you’ll find when you open the pages is a well-written story full of possibilities, friendships, changes, and hope for a loving future between the main romantic couple. I had fun with this one, and the next installment in this series is due out in May of 2023, and that is already on my book radar for I’ve got a feeling there are plenty of good stories to come in the Heart Lake series.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

DREAMING OF A HEART LAKE CHRISTMAS by Sarah Robinson is the first book in the Heart Lake series. It has all the vibes of a Hallmark type of a Christmas story. Nola Bennett returns to her hometown of Heart Lake from Chicago for the holidays. She really wants to sell what she has inherited. The problem is, her best friend, Rosie, thinks Nola should return to Heart Lake for good, keep The Castle, and start her business in town so she can be close to friends and her much loved God children. Then there is the problem of her high school crush, Tanner Dean. Tanner is set in his ways and doesn’t want the small town he grew up in to change at all. Nola already has an offer from a developer to turn the property into high end condominiums. Will Tanner ever find peace and quiet again?

Nola inherits her grandmother’s home, The Castle, and goes back to her hometown to clean it out and get it ready to be sold. The community of Heart Lake in DREAMING OF A HEART LAKE CHRISTMAS is filled with likable characters that you could see yourself becoming friends with. The women are strong and faithful to their families and the men are always trying to help them out. DREAMING OF A HEART LAKE CHRISTMAS is going to put you right in the middle of “the castle” with all of its problems! Sarah Robinson has a way of pulling you in and never letting you go! She will get you emotionally invested in all of her characters to the point that they feel like “real people” you know.

DREAMING OF A HEART LAKE CHRISTMAS is filled with family, new beginnings, getting over the past, love and loss. This story is a very heart tugging tale in Heart Lake and I loved every minute of it. The pages aren’t filled with romance but there is plenty of it. You will be believing in happily ever after and finding yourself wanting to pack you bags and moving to this charming lake town. The positive female relationships that these women share will make you want to go out and make some new friends. I love a good, small hometown, enemies to lovers, romance. A wonderful story from Sarah Robinson. I can’t wait to continue this series!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever Books through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Nola is a successful business woman in Chicago who comes back to heart lake to sell her grandmother's house.
Tanner is Nolas' best friends brother. He runs the family company now that their dad can no longer do so, but it's not his passion.
Both are god parents to Rosie's twins,
Can they learn to get along not only for the kids, but for each other?

This was the Hallmark type Christmas book I needed in my life. It was the perfect amount of warm and fuzzy, tension and Witty banter between the characters. You could feel the sparks from page one, and it definitely left me wanting more from the small town of heartlake.

Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas is the Hallmark movie in book form that everyone needs to read. It is a contemporary romance with a swoony second chance element. The characters were fantastic and my heart was filled with holiday spirit throughout.
If you are in need of a book to put you in the holiday mood this is the one. I love when a book is able to transport me to another place through amazing descriptive writing.
Overall I highly recommend this book if you love second chances, Christmas and happy ever afters.

Heart Lake was such a fun place to spent a little time this holiday season! A face paced, swoony story with characters I could not get enough of. I enjoyed the plot points and overall would recommend to friends and family with rereads in the future.

Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas by Sarah Robinson is a contemporary romance novel that is set during the Christmas holiday season. The story in Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas is a second chance romance that is told by alternating the point of view between the characters.

Bailey Bennett left her hometown of Heart Lake, Michigan for the big city and never planned to return but inheriting her grandmothers historic home has brought her back to the small town. Bailey plans to handle the renovations and head back to the city to open her own business but a snowstorm brings her together again with Tanner Dean who doesn’t want Bailey to sell and leave the town yet again.

Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas is not the first book I’ve read by author Sarah Robinson and it certainly will not be the last. I’m a sucker for small town charm especially at the Christmas season so it didn’t take me long at all to settle into the story and grow to enjoy the characters, including the secondary characters in the charming town. A lovely Hallmark-y type of Christmas read perfect for the holiday season.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Such a cute holiday romance book! If you are looking for a Hallmark Christmas Movie in a book form? This is it! From second chance love to best friends brother also the setting a small town! So many good tropes! Definitely recommend a perfect holiday read

This book definitely gave me Hallmark movie vibes, which I enjoyed! The romance was sweet and the forced proximity from the snowstorm provided a great opportunity for these characters to connect. Great friendships and family support, exactly what I expect to see with a small town romance. 3.5 stars!

Dreaming Of A Heart Lake Christmas by Sarah Robinson


When sparks start flying, these total opposites, Tanner and Nola, discover Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. He wants to stay in Heart Lake, but she wants to pursue her career in Chicago. Which one wins out?

I just loved this book. Very interesting and just kept moving along. Great characters. A special Christmas romance novel. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

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I love Hallmark style Christmas reads so this book was a perfect way to curl up by the fire during the blizzard. Best friend’s brother is so annoying….my sister’s best friend is just a kid turns into a hot romance that is doomed to fail as she gets on with her life in Chicago….. or is it. Quick read with some characters that will make you LOL.

I couldn’t put this book down- I loved it. Romance stories I enjoy most is when the couple has history together. Whether that’s second chance or just always been in love most of their lives and never perused it. This one is about Tanner and Nola who’ve known each other since high school. They’ve both always had feeling for each other but they never knew that. She comes back to town for business and things take off. Tanner is also Nola’s best friends brother. Read this book in just over a day and it’s a great way to end my holiday themed reading.