Bring Out the Holly!

Starr is returning home to her family in Washington, D.C., for the holidays. She isn't telling them she doesn't have a job.

While there, she must face the wedding of her sister to her former boyfriend. Her ex dropped her as soon as she introduced him to her sister. The two of them went out on their first date on the same day he broke up with Starr. Now they are getting married on Christmas Eve, and her sister expects Starr to be in it!

After Starr gets home, she starts spending time with Waylon, the long-time friend of her brother. Earlier that year, Waylon's mother passed away, and he is running the shop she left him. Starr volunteers to give him some pointers about his store, and since implementing them, his shop is back in the black money-wise.

During their time together, Starr and Waylon discover they want to be more than friends. However, Starr is planning to return to New York City, hopefully, with a new job. A long-distance relationship is not something either one of them wants.

But things might change after Waylon has a chance to sell his mom's business. Would he take a chance on the two of them, and move where Starr lives? Does Starr want to change careers and focus on the one thing she has wanted to do for years?

This book has lots of twists that make the tale exciting, and keep the pages turning. The characters make you really like some and detest others. It is a fun story, made even better since it is set during Christmas, and includes festive things to do in the capital. Faith is important in the character's lives, and adds another dimension to this clean story. This five-star book will appeal to fans of romances, Christmastime stories, or well-written tales.

Thank you, Bethany House & Net Galley, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

In this Christmas novella by Christian author Toni Shiloh, Starr is going home for the holiday - jobless and single, and just in time to celebrate her sister’s Christmas wedding . . . to Starr’s ex-boyfriend. Let the drama ensue!!

This was my second attempt at a Toni Shiloh book, and I think this author may just not be a good fit for me. There was nothing inherently wrong with this book, it just didn’t hold my attention, and I was glad it was less than 200 pages.

Coming home for Christmas is the last thing that Starr wants to do, especially since it is for her sister's wedding to her ex-boyfriend.

A quick fun read for Christmas, great for fans of the classic holiday romances, with some slightly over the top characters. Sometimes the drama felt like a little too much for me.

Waylon is such a nice guy, and I liked getting to know him and see the relationship with Starr grow. Their banter was cute and enjoyable. I also liked the integration of faith, into the story as well.

Overall, a fun read with plenty of Hallmark charm.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you’re looking for a short Christmas novella with great holiday vibes, a brother’s best friend romance, a heaping dose of family drama, and fantastic faith elements, then DEFINITELY check out “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” by the lovely Toni Shiloh!!

What I love so much about Toni’s writing is the way she expertly interweaves faith elements through her characters’ inner dialogue. I love how each of her characters have strong connections to the Lord and are in constant communication with Him. As a woman of faith, this is so inspiring and encouraging in my walk with the Lord❤️🙏🏻

Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the DRAMA!! The central conflict in this story revolves around Starr’s sister marrying her EX-BOYFRIEND!! Talk about TEAAAA!! 😱😤 This was a fascinating dynamic to see play out and kept me very entertained!!

Overall, I enjoyed this Christian Christmas novella & would recommend it to others🥰🌲

This is a fun Christian romance for the holiday season. At around 200 pages, it is a quick but entertaining read. Shiloh does a good job of describing the Christmas events and scenes. Her descriptions of the characters were not as clear but their lives are presented in an engaging way. While this is a light romantic novel, Shiloh does explores meaningful issues. There was a particularly good discussion about finding God's will for an important decision. There was also an interesting amount of drama over sibling relationships.

I liked this short novel as a good one to read during the Christmas season. While it is a light one, there are some serious sections in it too.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Fans of the Hallmark Christmas movies will enjoy You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh as Starr and Waylon fall for each other.

Despite Starr and Waylon already knowing each other, the romance felt a bit rushed for me. We didn’t get very much of how much they knew each other/what they really thought of each other in their younger years. But I see how some of those developmental things had to get cut in a novella as opposed to a book.

I also got a little annoyed both with how Starr kept herself from her family and how her family (specifically her sister) treated her. It was satisfying that they all saw the true character of the person you might classify as the villain in this story. Yes, I know that’s a bit vague but I’m not giving the plot away. That would be like me telling you what your Christmas presents are two days before Christmas!

Overall, this is a quick read centered around faith and family that you can escape into for an hour or two.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own.

DNF - unfortunately the writing felt simultaneously tedious and simplistic? It just did not grab my attention as anything that would be above a 3 star.

This cover is gorgeous! I loved the characters. It's well-written, I loved the premise. Such a sweet and fun read. Clever lines. Lovable characters. Yes, yes, yes!

You Make It Feel Like Christmas was a quick, hallmark-ish read. It took me one evening to read through this sweet story. It was a fun, festive read with romance, faith content, and family drama. In classic hallmark fashion, it was a relatively uncomplicated love story with some cheesy love at first sight vibes. It moved pretty quickly, as it is a novella, but didn’t feel too rushed.
I liked the writing themes throughout and how the main character found the courage to pursue her dreams.
.
.
.
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts expressed are strictly my own.*

If you're looking for a light Christmas read with lots of holiday references (even a heroine named Starr!), You Make It Feel Like Christmas will be just the thing for your December TBR.

This one title felt a lot more fluffy (and yes, a bit cheesy) compared to Toni Shiloh's full-length novels. But perhaps that's to be expected from a Christmas novella.

A super quick, sweet Christmas read with heart. This novella features siblings with Christmas-adjacent names (Gabe, Noel, Eve, Angel, and Starr) who have all gathered for the holidays to celebrate Angel’s wedding to the man who dumped Starr not so long ago. Cue the family drama! But with themes of grace and forgiveness running through the story, Starr is determined to be there for her sister. And, oh by the way, her brother’s best friend just might be able to help her take her mind of her own problems.

Thank you Bethany House for the digital ARC through NetGalley.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
Faith-based Christmas novellas
Family drama
Brother’s best friend trope

Starr Lewis is not excited to be going home to DC for the holidays. After being layed off from her job, she is reluctant to be around her successful family (especially her sister Angel, who is marrying her ex boyfriend). Wanting to keep a low profile for all of the holiday and wedding celebrations, Starr reconnects with an old childhood friend, Waylon. The two form an instant connection and help each other survive the chaos.

Toni Shiloh, is an award-winning contemporary Christian romance author. I have been wanting to read one of her books for quite some time. So when I saw she was releasing You Make It Feel Like Christmas (previously published as I’ll Be Home), I knew I had to get my hands on it.

I am so thankful that I did! This was a sweet romance that featured the perfect amount of faith. I loved that the story was infused with both Starr and Waylon’s personal relationship with the Lord. Witnessing these characters pray throughout the story allowed for the Lord’s Truth to be woven in without coming across as overly preachy.

Needless to say I am a new fan of Toni Shiloh’s writing and will be acquiring more of her work. If you are looking for Christmas Romance that keeps Christ at the center, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Toni Shiloh, and Bethany House Publishers for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh.

Cute story with likeable characters (except for a couple). A quick and easy read for the holiday season.

This was my first read by this author and I would like to read more of her books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

I loved this! It was fun and felt a little different than all of the holiday romances coming out around this time. I loved the representation and the banter was really on point. A great couple to root for! I will definitely be checking out more books by Toni Shiloh.

This was such a wholesome read. The relationship between Waylon and Starr was so heartwarming and beautiful. I loved how Shiloh really incorporated faith and family as the foundation of this book. It was my first book by Shiloh and I’d be happy to read more!

Going home for the holidays for the first time in years isn't the cozy, joyful situation for Starr Lewis that it might have been. For one thing, Starr has just lost her job and doesn't want to be seen as the only unsuccessful Lewis. On top of that, her older sister is getting married to Starr's ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve and doesn't realize how uncomfortable Starr is being dragged into the pre-wedding festivities. Fortunately, Starr finds some comfort with Waylon Emmerson, her brother's best friend, who is sympathetic to her discomfort and is also quite charming.

I had no idea going into this book that it would have so much overlap with my own life and current circumstances. 1) Waylon's mom died 6 months previous, and he's facing his first Christmas without her. My mom died this past February. 2) Starr's family drama with her sister and ex-boyfriend is different than, yet brings up the same feelings as, a major family drama brewing with my sisters and our dad this holiday season. 3) Starr is the youngest of 5 siblings, whom she never really felt like a part of and whom she never really thought cared about her as much as they cared about each other. My youngest sister (of 4 total) has expressed the same basic feelings in the past, so while it is not me in that position, I am sympathetic. 4) Starr writes as a hobby but dreams of turning it into something more. Though I'm at a vastly different place in my writing journey, and the outcome of this arc was fairly predictable, there were definitely some feelings in there that I connected with. (And I really need to get myself some "first draft" and "editing" candles like Starr.)

I really appreciate the way these different themes play out, both individually and together, in the story. I also like that, though the romance is a major focus of the book, the author didn't feel the need to throw in random obstacles just for the sake of adding drama and drawing out the happily ever after. I also highlighted several lines of dialog or inner monologue that I appreciated as wise advice for following God's will, even when there doesn't seem to be an obvious "yes" or "no," or for honoring a deceased loved one while still remaining true to yourself. Though there were some common romance tropes that I didn't love and a much quicker jump to kissing than I prefer, overall, I was quite happy with this story. It contains a lot of Christmas charm, and I think that anyone looking for a feel-good, faith-based read this Christmas that isn’t too over-the-top sappy should pick up this book.

This was a sweet story. I appreciated how Shiloh weaved faith into it and that it was a central part of the main characters' lives. The messages of God's provision and how it helped things work out for them were both sweet and profound. I will recommend this and other books by Shiloh to my friends.

Sadly, this holiday novella didn't work for me. The main characters were both very unlikable. I stopped reading at around 50%

Starr is the baby of the overachieving Lewis family. She has always felt on the outside and not quite good enough. Coming home for Thanksgiving without a job just adds to her feelings of inadequacy. In You Make It Feel Like Christmas, Toni Shiloh sets the stage for personal growth, new perspectives, and reconciliation. It definitely will check all the holiday romance boxes and includes a firm faith foundation and family dynamic insights. I loved the Lewis family, warts and all, and was pleased with how the relationships evolved. Starr and Waylon are the perfect romantic duo — I cheered them on as they faced obstacles and doubts with prayer and consideration for each other. As it was a novella length book, YMIFLC was a quick read for me — perfect for the busy season. The light style, serious Christmas-y vibes, and a sweet story make this one a recommended read.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.