It is never too early for a Christmas book! And I am always up for a good SWAP book! Peter, a small town pastor, and Hank, a bartender, decide to switch jobs during the Christmas season. They are surprised to find there are quite a few things their jobs have in common!

I enjoyed this book from the beginning. I love anything that gives the Hallmark vibe and I think this book does. I don't often read book with 2 male main characters but this one worked for me. It was a sweet escape - just as i suspected it would be.

Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. So much so that I also like to do a little celebrating for Christmas in July! Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group gave me the gift of allowing me to read an ARC of Debbie Macomber's new Christmas story "The Christmas Spirit", due to be released October 18, 2022. This beautiful and wholesome story left me feeling all fuzzy inside and joyously awaiting the holidays.

Hank and Peter have been best friends since high school, when they were both on the track team. Their lives have gone in separate directions since then, but they still meet up regularly to fill each other in on their lives. Hank is overly worked and constantly stressed, running the bar he inherited from his father. Peter is equally stressed out as pastor of a local church, focused on the upcoming Christmas service and live nativity, and a roof that is in badly need of repairs but with no funds to fix it. Each thinks the other has much easier job, that is until they decide to swap for a week. Hank and Pete soon discover that their jobs aren't as different as they initially thought. Over the course of the week, both make new friends, find a new appreciation for the other's difficult job, and even discover love along the way.

This was such a sweet story that reminds you that everyone has their own struggles and that you should never judge people without getting to know them. It is the perfect christmas story to get you in the mood for giving and helping others.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC.

Two friends, whose lives could not be more different, decide to trade places the week before Christmas. Hank, a bartender, becomes a pastor for a week while his best friend Peter takes charge of the bar. They both discover how hard each other's lives are, while learning about the meaning of Christmas and spreading Christmas cheer. There's also some newfound love in there.

The Christmas Spirit was short and cute. It's an easy Christmas read to get you in the spirit. The overall message was pretty simple. It was just okay for me. If you're a fan of Debbie Macomber you'll enjoy it.

Hank, a local bar owner, and his friend Pete the local pastor decide to switch occupations for one week prior to Christmas.. Pete is able to minister the crowd at the bar without them knowing his true occupation. Hank, who has always been in love with Pete’s sister, Grace Ann, is able to warm her broken heart. Together the two men are able to change the perspective of those who they normally would not come in contact with and show them the meaning of Christmas. This story is truly a Hallmark movie to be made.

A truly remarkable and heartfelt Christmas story! I adore Debbie Macomber's books, and this one may be my new favorite. Christmas is a hard thing to write about since book themes tend to be all the same but with different character names. I want to enjoy a real Christmas story, and this one certainly hits the mark.

I found the premise hilarious and original. Who would ever want to trade places between a pastor and a bar owner? Just reading about it made me laugh.

The characters are fully fleshed out and authentic; you can imagine the places in your head and see everything making the story complete. I enjoyed the story, making my heart ready for Christmas.

Debbie Macomber is the Queen of Christmas books, and I hope that never changes. I love all of her books and definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and to Debbie Macomber for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I read this as a part of my themed “Christmas in July” & it did not disappoint! I absolutely love past & present timelines, and I loved the wholesome family aspect of this book. It was such a quick read for me as I could hardly put it down. I could have kept reading about the family for another 200 pages! Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.🎄 Would definitely recommend for anyone needing to get into the Christmas Spirit!

Goodreads - July 30, 2022

All the feels with this sweet Christmas book. It just isn’t Christmas until you read the new Debbie Macomber book and this one didn’t disappoint. It was different than others but only in the best ways! Pre order this one and get in the Christmas spirit!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is such a great fast read that is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit! Debbie Macomber is one of the best authors for Christmas fiction and this book is no exception. Highly recommend!

A truly wonderful and heartfelt Christmas story! I absolutely adore any of Debbie Macomber's books, but I must say, this one might be my very favorite. In my opinion, Christmas is a hard thing to write about anyone because it's either been overly commercialized or it's of the same sickly sweet story quality that a lot of writers use. Not to say that there is anything wrong with that. If you're into that. However, sometimes I just want a Christmas story that reads and feels real. And this one certainly hits the mark.

I found the premise hilarious and original. I mean who would ever want to trade places between a pastor and a barkeep? Just reading about it made me laugh. Then you get into the story and realize how similar both professions are in the scheme of things and so it's really not that far-fetched at all. Both serve people and cater to their needs. And as Debbie points out in her book, 'both deal with spirits.' That is an absolutely wonderful quote.

The characters as always are fully fleshed out and real, you can imagine the places in your head and see everything clearly, and the story is fully formed. What a charming book. I enjoyed this so very much. It made me laugh out loud and my heart got so full that at one point I wanted to cry some happy tears. Yes, I am reading this in July but right now my heart is ready for the Christmas spirit.

Debbie Macomber is the absolute Queen of Christmas stories and I hope that never changes. I absolutely love all of her books and you just cannot go wrong with any of her amazing stories. Yes, I absolutely recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Debbie Macomber for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are honest and are completely my own.

The Christmas Spirit, Debbie Macomber’s latest Christmas themed book is exactly what one would expect from a Debbie Macomber Christmas novel: a clean, heartwarming story that has lessons to teach the reader in a gentle fashion. Hank Colfax, a hardworking tavern owner, and Pete Armstrong, an equally hardworking pastor, frequently meet for lunch. Each is stressed and believes the other has an easier life with the end result being that they decide to trade lives for the few days leading up to Christmas. Neither is prepared for what those few days will bring, but each gains a new perspective and new friends by the end of the week. Hank immediately locks horns with Grace Ann Armstrong, Pete’s sister, who serves as his secretary and works several jobs with the church. Pete has a rough encounter with a group of Hell’s Outlaws, which leaves him shaken but undeterred. He is rescued by Millie, a young woman working two jobs: one has a waitress and the other as a bartender in a strip club. She is struggling but Pete only sees her for the good young woman she truly is and wants to help her. Grace is brittle and judgmental. She has disliked Hank since high school and is horrified at the prospect of him filling any of Peter’s jobs, sure he will destroy Pete’s career. From here there are ups and downs as Hank doles out home truths to not only Grace but the embittered old woman that has promised Pete a new roof for the church. I will avoid giving out more details for fear of saying too much, but suffice it to say that the story progresses in a predictable but entertaining fashion. That is not a bad thing as the reader of this book will be looking for just this sort of warm story. It is a perfect Christmas season read. Four Stars.

You might think that a bartender and a pastor would have little in common, but these lifelong best friends have a lot to learn from each other! Hank and Peter have known one another forever, and each thinks the other has an easier job. So, they decide to switch places for a week just before Christmas. That's when the hilarity sets in!

By the end of the story, Hank and Peter's lives will never be the same, but they've also gained a whole new appreciation for each other, their own lives, and the communities they live in.

I truly enjoyed this story. However, there was a wrapper to this story because the tale of Hank and Peter was being told by a grandmother to her two young grandchildren. There was some great dialogue in this part, and I enjoyed the children's personalities. But while I liked the concept, since Hank and Peter's stories deal with strippers, bikers, drugs and alcohol and the kids are portrayed as being very young, I did cringe quite a few times at what was being shared with them. Based on the dialogue, my guess is that the grandkids were maybe four and seven or so, and that's a bit too young, in my opinion, to get into the reasons why strippers become strippers and what being a stripper really is all about.

Otherwise, a truly enjoyable story with a nice little twist at the end!

Lovely Christmas story, that I just couldn't put down! The characters were well written and believable. I loved how the story was told to the children and what the story represented. 5 stars!!

The Christmas Spirit is laugh out loud funny. The cast of characters are absolutely hilarious and kept me in stitches from beginning to end. What an ingenious way to send an important message!

I read an early copy of "The Christmas Spirit" by Debbie Macomber on NetGalley. I have been a fan of Debbie Macomber's books since discovering her Blossom Street books. Once again, this one was a delight to read. I love Christmas books. And reading it in July gives the promise of all the wonderful Christmas things to come. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance story.

Thank you netGalley for this advanced copy. As always, Debbie has written a winner Christmas story. I didn't know if I wanted to read this right away because I don't want to wish away summer! This story is about two friends that switch places for a few days. While I think the relationships that were created were predictable, it was a cute love story. Easy read. If she is not on your Christmas book list, she needs to be!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before it releases!

Let me start off by saying I LOVE Debbie Macomber. I have read so many of her Christmas novels and have loved every single one of them. When I seen this book on NetGalley; I just had to request to read it and I was not disappointed. Peter and Millie…LOVE, Gracie and Hank DOUBLE LOVE. This book really teaches you a lot about not judging others/ thinking you are better than others and also about Christmas love and spirit.

The only complaint I have is that it isn’t longer. I want more info on them and Hell’s Outlaws. I will definitely be buying an actual copy of this book for my Debbie Macomber Christmas collection!

5 flippin stars!!!!

This is a Christmas story that involves to friends that think the grass is greener for the other, so they switch roles and in doing so find out that it's not only how harder then they thought but through the experience they find the love they been looking for and bring Christmas to all. So adorable.

One friend owns a bar and the other is a preacher, One is in love with an closed off woman and the other loves someone who has to dance in a bar to make a living. One friend's world includes choirs and leaky roof and the other includes motorcycle gang's and lonely men that haven't seen family members for years, but because of the change and a different point of view both of the friends help others see a different way of looking at life and doing things differently and that helps everyone feel the Christmas spirit. For some reason this part of the story reminded me of, "The Gift of Magi." because both friends gave up something they wanted for the other.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this Christmas novel.

I was anxious to read this book. I've heard a lot about it and it wasn't disappointing. A sweet and entertaining story. It was totally different than what I envisioned but that didn't make a difference. I still liked it and in Debbie Macomber's fashion was expertly written. When a bar owner/tender and a Pastor switch places each of them encounter challenges they couldn't imagine. There are humorous and thought-provoking issues. It's a cute story with a good message about life, love, and respect. You can't go wrong with any Debbie Macomber books. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC this is my honest opinion. You will love it

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, I was provided an ARC of The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*****Publishing October 18, 2022****


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This story begins with Lilly and Lance visiting their Nana, which they love doing as she bakes cookies with them and tell them stories. This time around, Nana begins with a story. What they love most is being able to name the characters in the story. This time Lance choses the name Hank in honor of their grandpa and Lily chose Pete in honor of their uncle. So the story unfolds with Nana telling them the story of Pete and Hank who have been best friends since high school. Pete a minister and Hank a bartender decides to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. What will they discover about themselves and each other? How will the community react? Will they both finally meet the love of their lives?

This heartwarming story dives into what it means to be best friends, what it means to look at another person from their perspective and situation, taking chances, finding love, etc. This book has a great story line, likable characters, and has enough love and drama that it will keep you entertained from the first page to the last!

I really enjoyed this story and felt it was a heartfelt, fun and entertaining story! A great book to kick off your holiday season with! A great book club pick as it will lead to many great discussions!

Debbie Macomber can not write a bad story :) She is such an amazing author that draws you into her stories and makes you feel like you know her characters.

Can you imagine (or maybe you have done it!) switching places with a friend for a day? Lifelong friends, Pete and Hank did just that. One a pastor and the other a tavern/bar owner; they couldn't have been from more different worlds.

However both had a significant impact in the switch on those they met. They even grew a bit themselves and found love.

If you are looking for the perfect, cozy Christmas story, look no further! Pete, Hank and their small towns will draw you in, make you feel welcome and cheer them on every step of the way!