The entire Montgomery family comes together for the holidays in the NC mountains and it serves as kinda an epilogue for the previous books. This story showcases all the siblings and their respective families. The grandparents are known for their meddling and matchmaking and their oldest grandchild is the chosen one on this trip when one of their employees gets stuck in the mountains with them. I loved all the children running around getting into trouble and the adults trying to keep up. I come from a big family of cousins and love thinking back to the times when we would all be together at my grandparents house for Christmas. This is book 11 in the Montgomery Brothers Series. I have read a few, but not all of the series so it took some catching up to learn everyone. It can’t really be read as a standalone.

Samantha Chase is one of my very top favourite authors - but this is a series of hers that I haven’t read… and this is book 10! I have some serious catching up to do… I know I’ve intended for a long time to go back to her full back catalogue but this single book is essentially a crash-course on the whole thing.

It’s an epilogue on 9 previous storylines to wrap them all up and now I have some serious spoilers after feeling extremely lost initially - so don’t be like me and read this as a nice Christmas story unless you’re familiar with the earlier books in the series. It is not at all a standalone!

Each of the Montgomery Brothers has their stories told further in this huge family Christmas gathering with some very interesting twists, plus one grandchild is infringed upon by the grandparents matchmaking when a Montgomery Family business employee is convinced to join the extended family for the holidays… and a preview for her next book shows it is for this couple, not long after this holiday! I’m looking forward now to reading the first Wylder Love book about their story, in Irresistible Love! (*this preview was only in the ebook and not the audiobook version)

Audio was narrated entirely by Ken T. Collins - he voiced a huge cast of characters since there was something like 54 Montgomerys and a Wylder present. While he did a decent job, it would have been a great place to have a diverse cast (I know it’s an expensive venture to do this!), like some authors have done with a large number of characters such as this story has… it tended to get really confusing as to which characters we were focused on at any particular point when the inflection didn’t change very much. It only cleared up any confusion I had because I also had the ebook to read along, but anyone who only has the audio will probably find the same thing and that they will need to backtrack to figure out which characters it’s about at a given moment.

I received an advance read and listen copy from NetGalley, Valentine PR and Dreamscape Media, and this is my honest opinion and feedback.

This was my first Samantha Chase novel. It's book 10 in the Montgomery Brothers series, but I had no problem following along. If you are already a fan of this series, you'll love seeing all the Montgomery's together to celebrate Christmas. I really enjoyed this book, it filled with fun family Christmas moments. I will definitely be reading more Samantha Chase books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for the advanced listener copy. I enjoyed the narration by Kevin T Collins.

3.5 stars rounded up because it had the Christmas cozies I came for.

Premise - a large family with adult children gathers together for the holidays.

I was a little surprised by how light this was on plot. I haven't read a Montgomery story before, so I think I mispegged my expectations based on the blurb promising various reasons why this "has the makings for a blue Christmas." I was thinking family drama along the lines of The Family Stone, Christmas with the Franks, and This Christmas and I was *SO* here for it. Ultimately, however, A Merry Montgomery Christmas stays solidly in the sweet and wholesome at the expense of stakes.

There are plenty of things that could have lent drama - a couple with almost-adult children adopts a newborn baby (unexpectedly), work creeps into the holidays for some of the men (*groan* that it's mostly just the men), and one of the women wants to join a trash reality TV show against her husband's wishes. But ultimately everyone is just so super sweet to each other all the time, and all the married couples are so busy having very unsexy, but enthusiastic, sex with each other CONSTANTLY (we get it, your relationships are healthy, congrats) that the drama just never gets there.

Honestly, kudos for sex positivity (within the context of marriages only in the case of this book) that turns marital sex into something about as taboo and thrilling as doing the laundry. The sex here is not dirty, raunchy, spicy, etc. - it's the definition of milquetoast and that is valid. Maybe making sex unsexy will make it easier for people to discuss sex openly, promote safe sex practices, underline the importance of intimate connection in a marriage, etc. The tepidness of the sex, paired with the way it saturates this novel, was actually the thing that'll stick with me - it's making me think. I think Chase may be onto something here for destigmatization: just make it bland. Huh. Novel.

The rest of the story was entirely forgettable, but it was sweet and easy reading. Sometimes that's all you want from a Christmas story, so I don't mind rounding this up to four stars. I'll recommend it and read more from this author!

Thanks, NetGally, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So many characters to keep track of in this story! I'm going to have to go back and read all the prior books and then reread this story! Even though it was a lot of people to keep track of, I really enjoyed this story of family love and togetherness.

I really enjoy the Montgomery characters. This was a fun follow up on previous characters. I liked that the story continued.

The entire Montgomery family comes together at a massive retreat to celebrate Christmas…and with this many people under one roof, there is bound to be some family drama!

I enjoyed the family dynamics and Christmas vibes of this book. Multiple POV’s were included in this book which was really interesting for exploring different perspectives. That said, there were way too many characters to keep track of and although there were different POVs included in the book, it didn’t feel like each character really had their own distinct voice or personality. It may have been easier if I had read previous books in the Montgomery Brothers series first.

I listened to this on audio and the flow and pacing of the narration were great. The narrator was able to bring emotion into the book at just the right spots. It would have been nice to have different voices for different characters, but there were honestly so many characters that I understand why that wouldn’t be possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC.

This audio book provided an enjoyable experience, even for a newcomer like me. The family dynamics and Christmas theme added depth to the story, creating a rich tapestry of emotions and interactions. Despite my initial unfamiliarity with the characters, I quickly became invested in their lives and found their experiences to be relatable and heartfelt.

What stood out the most was the seamless blending of intricate family relationships with the festive atmosphere of the holiday season. The narration skillfully brought the characters to life, making their joys and struggles all the more vivid. Exploring the various family members' perspectives gave the story a multi-dimensional quality, allowing me to fully immerse myself in their world.

This audio book offers a captivating journey into the complexities of family bonds, coupled with the warmth of Christmas spirit. Whether you're a dedicated fan of the series or a newcomer like me, this audio adventure promises an engaging and heartfelt experience that resonates long after the last chapter.

When I saw that the ebook and audiobook for this story was available, I had to get them both .
What a lovely way to bring all of the Montgomery characters we have come to love through the years of reading the Montgomery Brothers series.
Now older with the kids growing up, a new phase of their lives begins. Each family having had it’s challenges and heights now all meeting up to a Christmas get together. One with over 50 family members!
Conflicts arise, the patriarch and the matriarch still having a “behind the scenes” handle on the group and loving them all.
A perfect way to give the readers a feel good start to the holiday season.
In the audiobook , the narrator, Kevin T Collins ,brought the story to life.
I was entrusted a copy of the ebook and the audiobook by Netgalley and Dreamscape Media. Thank you them both .

The whole Montgomery clan are gathered together to celebrate Christmas and New Years. It takes some planning, some sweat, and some tears to get everyone together but we are the winners because we get to see what is happening in everyone's lives (and I do mean everyone). Is it all smooth sailing? Of course not but this family does what it does best, they come together! It was such a pleasure to have a Montgomery overload and even grandpa is up to his matchmaking ways (even if it wasn't planned). Does that mean there are more Montgomery books in the future? I sure hope so!