This is a quick and short review of a little holiday story set in a quaint town. Madeline is a writer who is feeling the pressure of getting her next book done when her estranged mother shows up at her door for a visit. The complicated relationship between these two women is slowly unfolds but never seems to go anywhere. The cozy town of Jubilee and the community of friends introduced through the story were much more interesting than the main characters. Then you throw in Frannie who comes back to town prepared to sell her grandmother's home and get back to her life but instead meets up with her high school sweetheart and she considers what a life in Jubilee might feel.
The thing that didn't flow for me was the disconnect between the two stories - they are right there in the same small town but they are separate stories. I felt like it was two different Hallmark movies - both leading to a loving conclusion but not sure why they were in the same story.
The narration was good. Thank you to #netgalley for the advanced copy.

Christmas in Jubilee is a very well written romance. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the well developed characters. I received an advance book from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

What a fun holiday read! The narrator was great. The story was simple, yet very enjoyable. I'd definitely read more by this author!

I listened to this audiobook and found it a little hard to follow at times. The narrator didn’t have any voice/inflection changes between the stories, and the sections (between the 2 different characters) would transition abruptly, so I would be thinking that the story was continuing with what I had been listening to, then realize a little bit in that we had switched main characters.

I also think that the 2 stories were not closely related enough to really meld together into one cohesive story.

If you are going to try this one out, I would recommend reading, as opposed to listening.

In "Christmas in Jubilee," you have two different storylines taking place. One follows Madeline's unexpected visit from the mother she's estranged from. The other follows Frannie and the opening of her bakery.

Both of these women are new to Jubilee. I'm guessing this must be part of a series because there were a lot of references to how Madeline met her boyfriend Brady when she first came to town that seemed like it could have been a recap of an earlier book. So, Madeline is somewhat established, but Frannie is returning home after having grown up there.

However, I found much of the book confusing because I was trying to keep track of who we were talking about and waiting for somehow one thread of the story to intersect with the other. Primarily, that happens through the secondary characters. But that's about it.

While I enjoyed the writing and the setting, I would have enjoyed it more if it focused on one story and told it completely and then saved the other story for a subsequent book. Other than the setting, they were essentially unrelated. The individual stories were enjoyable, but the execution was not. And unfortunately, the audiobook didn't help much since there were none of the expected gaps that let you know you were transitioning to another viewpoint or chapter.

Thank you to Rachel Hanna, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I must admit that I went into this book expecting a Hallmark movie in book form, but that's not at all what I got. There were aspects of this that worked for me: the friendships, the community of Jubilee, a redemption arc between the MC and her mother, and a sweet, chaste romance. However, this book didn't work for me, overall. I don't know whether to attribute that to the audiobook's narrator or it being third in a series, as I have not read any of the others. My biggest issue, narration wise, was the jumps from Madeline to Frannie- they often left me dazed as they happened so quickly, with no audible marking for me to adjust. Also, I felt like some of the relationship resolutions happened unreasonably fast, as in within a very short conversation. Hurts that have built up over a lifetime do not resolve that quickly. I am interested to see how this books fits in the series, as I don't think it works as a stand-alone, but I must admit that I was not reeled in enough to go back to the others.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version.
The narrator did a good job. This was a cute Christmas family drama novel. The story itself was good and I enjoyed it a lot.

Christmas In Jubilee by Rachel Hanna
Narrated by Anne Smith
Publisher: Dreamscape Select, Rachel Hanna
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Romance
Published: December 15, 2023

Christmas In Jubilee is the third book in The Jubilee series by Rachel Hanna. I hadn’t read the previous books and enjoyed this as standalone romance.

The narration by Anne Smith was wonderful! I loved how she brought this book to life!

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the characters were fascinating and the story was so sweet! If you’re looking for a quick, sweet Christmas romance, you should check this one out!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Madeline isn’t anticipating the arrival of her mother just before the holidays, especially since they’ve been estranged for years. Frannie arrives back in Jubilee where she’s inherited her grandmother’s house and a retail space that she’s decided to turn into a bakery. Past and present come together to weave a story of love and possibilities in a small town.

I only gave this novel 4/5 stars. It seemed to take the narrator awhile to find her groove, but even then, it didn’t flow well. In the middle of a chapter, it would switch from the storyline involving Madeline to the one involving Frannie with no warning. Once I realized it had switched from one character to the other, I would have to go back and re-listen to a bit. In a digital or hardcopy version there would usually be some sort of indication or mark on the page but in an audiobook it’s harder to make the distinction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this novel. #NetGalley #ChristmasinJubliee

I've heard good things about Rachel Hanna and decided I would give her book a try. Now, it is the 3rd in the Jubilee series, but it was okay as a standalone. I do want to read the first two though to get the full backstory. Madeline Harper is a romance author who is estranged from her mother. Her mother is sarcastic with her about her career and life choices. She moved to Jubilee to get a new outlook/perspective and change her writing style to small town romance. When her mother, Eloise, shows up at her door, she isn't sure what to do. Meanwhile there is a second storyline, Frannie, a nurse, who just lost her grandmother and has inherited her home in Jubilee. She has taken off from work in order to get her grandma's house in order, but while there she realized how much she loved the small town and maybe, just maybe, she may find happiness in the small town.

The story is told from both women's POV. At times I found it quite disjointed and it never really came together. I enjoyed both women's stories and would like to know more about them and Jubilee, so will go back and read the first two books. There is heartache, grief, hurt, anger, reconciliation, eye opening, developing respect and more in this story. I listened to this one and was sorely disappointed with the audio. I found the narrator, Anne Smith seemed to be reading this for the first time. She paused where it didn't seem pauses should go and rushed through other spots. The chapters seemed to run into one another. I will read the others, not listen, as this one didn't work in audio format for me.

This was such a feel good, cute Christmas audiobook! It had me laughing and almost crying it was just really adorable.

EXCERPT: Madeline couldn't believe what she was seeing. 'Mom, what are you doing here?' she asked, her eyes wide.
'I came here to save you from yourself,' her mother said, walking past her into the house.
She hadn't seen her mother in years. A part of her had felt guilty about that at times, but when someone was so critical of all your life choices, no matter how successful you were, you just couldn't have them in your life.

ABOUT 'CHRISTMAS IN JUBILEE': From the golden hues of October to the twinkling lights of December, Christmas In Jubilee unfolds in a town where the holiday season is a tapestry of love, second chances, and unexpected reunions. Madeline's tranquil mountain life is upended when her estranged mother, Eloise, arrives just as the town prepares for its annual holiday extravaganza. Meanwhile, Frannie comes back to Jubilee, inheriting not just her grandmother's home but also a retail space that could become the bakery of her dreams. Yet, the past has a way of catching up, especially when her high school sweetheart reappears, as unpredictable as an early snowfall. This heartwarming tale takes you on a journey through family complexities and romantic possibilities, all wrapped in the joy and nostalgia of the holiday season.

MY THOUGHTS: I wanted to like this a whole lot more than I did. I really enjoyed the beginning where Madeline is thrown off balance by having her estranged mother turn up on her doorstep, clearly expecting to stay.

The story progresses from there in a stop-start fashion. Madeline's story is interspersed with that of Frannie, and I really don't know why. The two women don't know each other and don't become friends or even acquaintances. They merely have a friend in common. Instead of two unconnected stories taking place, the author would have been better off concentrating on one plot and giving it more depth.

The dialogue is stilted and mostly unrealistic - I don't know anyone who talks like the characters in this novel do.

The other big negative for me was the audiobook narrator. She had a perfectly nice voice, but her timing was off. She paused in the middle of sentences and rushed through the ends of sentences into the next ones with no regard for the full stop. Several times I had to rewind and relisten to passages.

Parts of this book worked really well, and I was more invested in Madeline's relationship difficulties with her mother than in the romantic aspects of either story which tended towards cheesy and sappy a lot of the time.

Perhaps this book would have been better as two novellas, or a connection between Madeline and Frannie could have been forged. There was a lot of unrealised potential in this plot. Rachel Hanna has written a lot better than this.

⭐⭐.8

#ChristmasInJubilee #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Rachel Hanna is a lifelong resident of north Georgia. She writes women’s fiction, clean contemporary small town romance and stories about Southerners. Her quirky characters and emotional storylines are a favorite of readers.

She’s been married for over 24 years and has three kids, all of whom are technically adults but still need money sometimes. 🙂 In addition, she has two rescue doggies and one very snotty outdoor cat who truly believes he owns the place.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Dreamscape Select via NetGalley for providing an audio ARC of Christmas in Jubilee by Rachel Hanna for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

I have read a number of Rachel Hanna's books. I personally found the narrator in this audiobook a huge drag. No enthusiasm or relation to what she was reading. It was hard to get into. I'd recommend reading the book as good storyline.

This book was cute, but very short. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I read the other books in the series first.

Christmas in Jubilee is the third book in the Jubilee series by Rachel Hanna. The story weaves between Madeline, a romance author, and Frannie, an RN who has inherited her grandmother’s home and belongings, including the site her grandmother had in mind for Frannie to open the bakery they had dreamed of.

As Madeline navigates dealing with her critical mother Eloise, enjoying the company of her boyfriend and his sister and niece, and meeting a looming deadline, she moves through her favorite season from Halloween through Christmas. During this same period Frannie makes the decision to leave her hospital position and create her grandmother’s bakery dream while reuniting with her high school sweetheart, Cole, who is also the contractor she is depending upon to help bring her dream to fruition.

This is a sweet story with lovable small town grandmotherly characters helping to guide the younger women along. I did enjoy it and would recommend it.

I didn't understand this story. It had two main plots, but they never intertwined. I kept waiting for them to come together, but it never happened making it an award read, not feeling like a good ending.

A sweet small town story that revolves around some nice people finding their way in their lives. When Madelines estranged, judgmental not very kind mother shows up unexpectedly for what is seemingly a long visit can she trust her intentions or will she once again be disappointed in her? Frannie’s life is in flux after receiving an inheritance. Can she make her new dream bakery a success while protecting her head, heart and wallet? It’s nice story with some wonderful resolutions perfect for the holiday season. Very lovely narration.

Christmas in Jubilee
By: Rachel Hanna
Narrated by: Anne Smith

Book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars
Narration ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

Oh this delightfully sweet and charming Christmas novel. Jubilee Georgia is my kind of town, I would love to go visit the bookstore, bakery and see those Mountain Views. The characters were so relatable and down to earth. This book was full of finding community and healing relationships. The characters were so relatable, I truly enjoyed getting to know each one of them. They seemed like people I would like to be friends with.

The book switched from Madeline to Frannie telling their stories. At times it was a little hard to tell who they were talking about. It may have just been an audiobook thing, but at times it was a bit confusing. It didn’t bother me enough to make me stop listening.
The narrator Anne Smith did a fantastic job!! She has such a sweet and soft voice. It’s very soothing. This was such an upbeat, perky performance that will keep surely keep you engaged. I absolutely loved this Christmas story. I highly recommend this book.

This is the third book in an ongoing series, which I didn’t realize at first, but I was still able to follow along just fine. Although I did get the feeling that I’d be more invested in some of the characters (or the town of Jubilee in general) if I had started from book one. The story is split into two main plots, one following 55-year-old Madeline as she struggles with mending her relationship with her mom, and the other follows Frannie who inherits her grandmother’s house and is dealing with past hurt. Both stories take place in the same town at the same time, but they never connect, and I found that strange. Both stories had beautiful messages that centered on forgiveness, love, and new beginnings, but their complete separation made it hard for me to fully invest in either story. I also was a little thrown off by how little of the timeline takes place at Christmas, as it was mostly autumn until the end. Overall it was still an easy and very quick listen of a small town cozy story with a bit of clean romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I liked this book. It was a quick, lighthearted Christmas read, and I could follow everything w/o reading books one and two. What I found difficult was the narrator. I liked her voice; however, she never paused between Madeline and Frannie's stories, making it hard to follow. She read so fast that most of the book felt like one large run-on sentence. Even in the dialog, it was hard to tell who was talking and who wasn't. I had the setting at 1 1/4, and the next level down would have been .75, way too slow.