A charming story. As a resident of California I am all too familiar with the fires. It was interesting to read about them in a mostly positive light. The hummingbird is one of my favorite critters so that was especially a delight for me. There are some exciting moments. The romance was engaging with the addition of a young boy. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This heart-stirring novel set in Miramar Bay, an idyllic seaside town in California, highlights one of nature’s smallest birds, the hummingbird.

This is my first novel by this author, and I was impressed with his ability to appeal to my emotions while delivering a suspenseful and heartwarming story. While wildfires and the heroes who fight them were a part of this story, Bunn was able to highlight 3 things in his book that parallel lessons I’ve learned from hummingbirds.

Firstly, Bunn drives home the warning to not let perceived limitations hold you back. The hummingbird is so small, yet it can fly backwards, forwards, sideways and upside down. Ryan Eames has a lot on her plate with her career as a police officer and single handedly raising a son who needs extra care and attention. She learns to capitalize on her strengths rather than her limitations. In doing so, she finds love.

Secondly, Bunn shows us the inner strength of his characters as they learn to stand their ground. The hummingbird doesn’t know it’s small so when its territory is invaded it is aggressive. Ryan takes note of this inspiration, and her courageous heart helps her stand up for what she needs for her family and her community. You’ll read about the courage and unconditional acceptance she finds when she surrounds herself with those who understand her. You’ll be rooting for her to find happiness and love. Besides the destruction, Bunn highlights an accompanying negative side of wildfires and evacuations - opportunistic thieves. Like the hummingbird, the police force brought in to protect the vacation homes, stands their ground and serves the community.

Thirdly, Bunn reminds us that staying flexible and ‘going with the flow’ are essential to survival. A hummingbird chooses a variety of food sources and can change their course in an instant. Ethan Lange and his friend Noah are intuitive and are able to adapt to unexpected roadblocks in their journey. You’ll read about how Ethan faces devastation a few weeks before Christmas and admire his flexibility and attitude.

My heart was captured with the sections featuring Liam and Trevor. Sometimes the smallest things take up the biggest room in your heart.

With everyone pulling together, it becomes a wonderful Christmas.

I was gifted this advance copy by Kensington Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I really enjoyed this story and how Ryan's son was really drawn out of his shell by Ethan. All it really took was someone understanding him. A community can always really pull together in the face of tragedy. Humans as a whole are good hearted.

Heartwarming! I love how the characters grow with in themselves and their relationships.

I love the somewhat mystery this book has. It keeps you guessing about the fires, who is setting them and why.

Return to Miramar, now threatened by wild fires that may be started by thieves who ransack evacuated homes. Banker Ethan Lange is roused from sleep by policewoman Ryan Eames. She has a son who rarely speaks. He and Ethan hit it off, and bond over saving a hummingbird from the smoke. Saving hummingbirds becomes a town project and spot of joy in a grim Christmas season.
Davis Bunn has written several novels of heroic wounded men and the wounded women they are drawn to. Much to like here, but it didn’t resonate with me like the others. Ryan is hard to read, or maybe it’s because she has a man’s name.

A book of how a community could unite to fight for something so fragile. How a seemingly mild-mannered banker had so much more depth than anyone thought. Why a young boy with a gift would be so withdrawn and how he was brought out of his shell. How his mother could be so strong one minute and softly loving the next.

There were so many storyline tendrils and sometimes the story seemed quite convoluted. I had to go back in the book to make sure I was remembering what I thought I was remembering!

I was intrigued with how the author would weave a Christmas Story with hummingbirds. This book was kind of a Christmas story and there were hummingbirds in the book. I will say the hummingbirds were the biggest lesson, for the town and for the young boy.

An interesting read.

This is a Women's Fiction book. I do not think this is a Christmas story, but there is a little Christmas in it. I did enjoy the characters in this book. I felt the story in this book was super sweet. I just found this story was slow to get going, and I also felt that there was too much going on at times in this book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

The lovely cover immediately attracted me to this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite its fiery topic, this is a beautiful, heartwarming story of courage, love, and unconditional acceptance.

Artist and banker, Ethan Lange’s home burns completely down twelve days before Christmas and he loses everything. He’s just been approached by a friend, Noah, to help revive a seven-book series, the Elvin Child series into more modern stories, and those books just happens to be Ethan’s favorite childhood books. He’s thrilled to be a part of the team!

Ryan Eames is an over-worked police officer. She has an 11-year old son, Liam, who’s a special child—quiet and artistic—he rarely speaks or makes friends. When Ryan is required to ask Ethan if he will help officers try to trap or outwit the professional thieves who are possibly starting fires deliberately then robbing the wealthy homeowners, he agrees, and is deputized. The hours are harsh, and the work dangerous. Ethan begins to spend a lot of time with Ryan and Liam.

Ethan has a love for hummingbirds, and often dreams of them while sleeping. He finds a small hummingbird and he and Liam take care of the dainty creature, naming it Trevor. Ethan and Liam form an immediate bond over their interest in art, and Ethan is amazed at the eleven year olds incredible talent. Ethan is a gentle, loving man, and he understands Liam.

The suspense in the story is mixed well with the characters lives and the plot is easy to follow. The characters are likable and caring and the story draws you in and moves quickly. I didn’t want to stop reading to do anything else.

An elaborate plan is set up between several law enforcement agencies. The climactic capture of the robbers in action is awesome! Ryan, Liam, and Ethan have the best Christmas ever. I highly recommend this wonderful story.

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend reading it.

THE CHRISTMAS HUMMINGBIRD by DAVIS BUNN tells the story of Ethan Lange who loses everything when fire sweeps through his canyon home, but whose life is restored by his friendship with police detective Ryan Eames and her brilliant but silent eleven year old son Liam.
I like thr hummimgbird theme and the animals that are saved from the fires, which bring a feeling of hope into a desperate situation where criminals are taking advantage of the strong winds to steal valuables from burning homes.
I like to see the relationship between Ethan and Liam and Ryan’s love for her “boys”……
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Kensington Books. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Really enjoyed this book and the characters were real.
Felt it finished a bit abruptly but that was me wanting more.

The Christmas Hummingbird
by Davis Bunn
Pub Date: October 25, 2022
Kensington
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Readers of Debbie Macomber's The Christmas Spirit will like this book too!
Miramar Bay
A lot to like here: likable main characters, a special little boy and his hummingbird and phenomenal talent, good dialogue, a good storyline, good ending. Some elements of Christmas here but not a lot. One big issue though: perhaps I am a bit too sensitive but I am not sure I would let a relative stranger spend so much time alone with my child. It's a good thing Ethan is such a great guy!

Squeaky clean romance and language, as expected from Davis Bunn, which is a big plus for me.

I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more Christmas in the book. 3 stars

This is a feel-good story reminiscent of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early copy.

I love the premise for the book a clean cut romance but I just couldn't get into it. The characters fell flat, there wasn't enough description when it was needed and in other places it went over board when it wasn't needed. I tried really really hard to like the book but I just couldn't get over the writing style. Someone else may love this book but it just wasn't for me.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I was blown away. This is a very sweet and inspiring story about how a simple idea from a child can make a big change in the lives of others.
Ethan thought this would be another Christmas by himself with nothing special in his life but then along comes Ryan and her son to totally turn his world upside down. Ethan is asked to help Ryan, a policewoman, to secure the valuables of absentee homeowners in their coastal town as wildfires threaten the area. Ryan is a single mother to a very special but quiet little boy, Liam. Liam and Ethan bond over their love of drawing. Ryan and Ethan save many animals from the wildfires including a baby hummingbird that they have to hand feed. Liam is taken with the little bird and takes over the care of the bird. Which makes him think what is happening to the other hummingbirds in the area. He comes up with a plan and with the help of neighbors and townspeople put the plan into action for a perfect Christmas. This is just the feel good story we need right now. I would love for there to be another book to follow up on my friends.

A heartwarming story of two hearts in need of redemption, healing, and love. The world is but a stage and all of the people play a lot of roles but for Ryan and Ethan they played significant roles for each other. A fire and many tragedies beset their lives but these broken roads lead them to each other. This is a perfecr read for Christmas!

A thoroughly enjoyable clean romance with some mystery thrown in for good measure. This is a story about good people getting through a difficult time.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The entire book takes place in Miramar in the weeks leading up to Christmas. As in every book by this author, the characters are genuine and authentic with real life problems and hang-ups. In true Davis Bunn fashion, the reader is completely drawn into the story by the magic he spins with words. You are part of the story; you smell the smoke, feel the pain, and see the hummingbird. For several days after finishing the book, I felt like I had visited Miramar. Lovely story about a quiet child, a single mom and a divorced man. I despise books that have the main characters landing in bed on the first night. This book is clean, the relationship develops relatively slowly and the child’s issues take a front seat. It’s about people instead of sex. All of this is set against the backdrop of a small coastal town in central California, battling wildfires and suffering from mysterious crimes. Looking for an enjoyable Christmas read? You’ve found it!

Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for making an ARC available to me, I was not required to leave a positive review.

a quick read, very enjoyable story, I like Davis Bunn books, and this was just as good as his others, highly recommend..

I received an ARC of The Christmas Hummingbird, by Davis Bunn. Such a sort and sweet story. Ryan and Ethan are good characters.