What a glorious place to spend Christmas and New Year’s! Christmas in Aspen sounds like the most romantic and cozy place to have a perfect holiday. At least the way that Anita Hughes writes it.

Caroline is a book editor in New York City. She recently lost her mom to cancer and hasn’t really been able to move forward since her death. Her boss is giving her grief, as Caroline hasn’t had a successful book for a while. Caroline knows she’s unhappy, and feels stuck in the mud, but she simply cannot seem to move forward.

When Caroline heads up to the family cabin for Christmas, she finds a surprising letter in the mail. Unsigned, it is from a man that Anne, her mother, spent time with the summer before Anne passed away. The letter says that he will be waiting for her in Aspen on New Year’s Day. On a whim, Caroline books a flight to Aspen to meet the mystery man.

Once in Aspen, Caroline meets a very good looking man at the hotel bar. He’s a local and convinces Caroline to share dinner. While she’s in no mood for romance, he is good looking and fun to be with.

Caroline’s sister Daphne and her fiancé Luke show up in Aspen, deciding that they couldn’t be apart for the holidays so soon after the death of their mother. It all seems like a perfect week to be. But perfect doesn’t always happen. Luke & Daphne start arguing. Caroline finds herself falling for Max, which is definitely not in the plans.

How will this happy little romance story end up? Of course, it is Christmas. Magical things happen during the holidays.

Great holiday read as always from Anita Hughes. An amazing setting on the streets of Aspen, with a fabulous little story about moving forward and taking chances. Must read for the holidays.

Although the book title is Christmas in Aspen, the bulk of the story takes place after Christmas. It was also not the type of Christmas book that I was expecting with lots of magical moments and Christmas spirit. This is not to say the book is not good. It was just different than what I expected.

After Caroline finds a mysterious letter addressed to her mother asking her to meet someone in Aspen, her curiosity gets the best of her. She gets a little sidetracked on her quest to find out who the mystery writer for her mother will be.

Caroline needs a reset button for her life, and this mysterious letter may just give her the spark she has been missing. If you are looking for a sweet Christmas book, this book will not be the one for you. It has a lot more meaning than a Christmas romance, and has a lot more depth.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love me a Christmas romance but this one fell a bit flat for me. It was more of a chick lit than a romance. With multiple sub plots happening. And while set over the Christmas holidays the majority of the book happens between Christmas and New Years, losing some of that Christmas feel I was looking for. As well, I struggled to connect to either of the main female characters Caroline and Daphne. I did enjoy Lily's ( Max's niece) character. She was an old soul and her scenes were a delight to read. Max himself had more patience than anyone would have with Caroline and her antics.

While there was some romance, I found the book centered more around self growth, second chances and family dynamics. There was a cute little twist with the red Santa box plot. But overall just too much going on for what one would expect to be a cozy, light hearted holiday read.

Carolyn Holt is a book editor. This year has been difficult since she lost her mother who had been a successful literary agent. This has carried over into her job meaning she has fallen behind. Her boss has witnessed her lack of enthusiasm and warns her that she may lose her job unless her performance improves.

She decides to join her younger sister, Daphne, for the week of Christmas at their mother’s cabin. Surprisingly, Daphne introduces her to her fiancé who she has known only for a short while. Carolyn does not favor short engagements and as a matter of fact, only dates someone for a month and then moves on.

At the cabin, Carolyn sees some mail for her mother and one is an unsigned letter from Santa’s Little Red Mailbox in Aspen asking her mother to meet him there on New Year’s Eve. Carolyn wants to know who sent the letter and hates for the person to think her mother’s not showing up means she doesn’t care. So, Carolyn heads to Aspen to try and find who this man is. While there, she has a number of letters to her mother from a best-selling author who quit writing many years ago.

Carolyn meets a man named Max Carpenter who owns a distillery in Aspen and he invites her to his family’s holiday dinner. His family and friends are very kind to her. While Max hopes to further their relationship, she tells him about her one-month dating rule and he is taken aback.

I have read quite a few of this author’s books and have found most of them to be delightful and uplifting. However, this book is unhappy in tone and the characters are not well-defined. The constant discourse on Anna’s breast cancer death was very depressing and as a breast cancer survivor, I cringed every time it was overly repeated in the story. So sorry, but this book is not for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read a Christmas book in September and it was 80+ degrees outside. Yet, I fell into this book and read it in one day. I enjoyed the setting of Aspen, Colorado. I could picture the cute town with the quaint stores. I love that a bookstore was mentioned throughout the story. The author did a great job of bringing the town and all that surrounds the town to life with her descriptions.

The characters… I did not love any of them. They all seemed hard to relate to and immature. They couldn’t talk to each other when they had disagreements or just life issues. There was a lot of running away from each other. They would run from each other and deal with the fallout later. I wanted them to act like grown ups and talk about what was happening. The secrets that they had from each other were big secrets. Secrets that had to be talked about.

I enjoyed the book but it is not one that will stick with me or one that I will rave about. If you are looking for a quick and easy book to read, this book is exactly that.

I was so excited to jump into this novel. Both because I love Christmas and because I was so excited to revisit Aspen.

While the location is fun, the storyline did not capture my attention. There is simply too much conflict between the characters. They are always arguing then running off somewhere. Conflict between our main character Caroline and her sister Daphne. Conflict between Caroline and her potential fling Max. Conflict between Daphne and her betrothed Luke. Just stop fighting people and go live in the beautiful snowglobe land of Aspen.

In the beginning, I couldn’t figure out the purpose of the letters from Nina to Caroline’s mother Anne. The I found myself looking forward to those parts the most, a working girl in the 60s, whose editor gets her into a pickle with her recent ex boyfriend. It had all the makings of an old time sitcom…til the end! Then spoiler: it turns out exactly how it shouldn’t? She marries a man who is rude and controlling and the lesson is that you can give your career up for love?!

Ugh, not for me.

I absolutely love all her Christmas books and I would have to say this one is my new favorite! It’s just so cute and puts you in the holiday spirit!

I really enjoyed Christmas in London, so I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of Christmas in Aspen. I've never had much interest in visiting Colorado, but I have to say, after reading this book I'm intrigued! Hughes does a wonderful job of setting the scene and selling you on the coziness and romance of Colorado. While the relationships in the story felt a little rushed, I rooted for the characters and wanted them to get their Christmas miracles... If you're a fan of holiday romances, you'll want to add this to your to-read list!

i wanted to love this book.. like really love this book because christmas is my favorite and i love me a good romance novel but.. this one just didn’t hit the way i would have like it to. it seems a bit scattered, so many subplots going on, the characters didn’t seem to connect with me because i don’t feel like i got to know them on a deep enough level, for being a christmas book it wasn’t fully set on christmas which bothered me a little bit. i did end up dnf’ing towards the end because the writing style and how i connected with the book, just werent sitting right with me.
thank you netgalley for this opportunity

Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes
Contemporary chic lit with romance. HFN.
With the death of her mother, Caroline Holt is feeling a bit lost. She feels burned out at work and hasn’t found her usual joy in reading and working with authors. Her boss tells her she needs to step up or could lose the only job she’s ever wanted. Caroline heads up to the family cabin and finds an unsigned letter addressed to her mother from Santa’s Little Red Mailbox in Aspen, Colorado. The writer says they will meet her mother on New Year’s Eve at the mailbox. Caroline knew her mother was at a conference in Aspen but not that there had been anyone special. Not wanting the person to think her mother just didn’t show up at the designated time, Caroline decides to go to Aspen for the holiday and meet this person. But first she has to trace her mother’s steps to find out who and what may have had an impact on her mother in the last year of her life.

Caroline is feeling the loss of her mother deeply. Especially now that her younger sister is engaged. Caroline doesn’t do long term relationships. She’ll have short term flings but doesn’t ever give them too much personal information. She keeps her emotions to herself. She’s always thought that was the best way to keep from getting hurt or left to stay and take care of the home. But she’s feeling alone now and looking, questioning her decisions.
Caroline immerses herself in Aspen and tracing her mother’s footsteps. She’s also found and is reading a series of letters that her mother kept from a famous female author that disappeared after only two books. Caroline’s sister thinks it is time for that Caroline to have a “real” relationship.

Self assessment, and mourning. Caroline has been on autopilot until now and the death has rattled her. She’s loved her life but is it going to fulfill her through the end?
She makes a bet with her sister to take her currently flirting in Aspen with one man to the next level. To see if it can be real. I didn’t like the whole betting concept. It made it seem unimportant. But it does have Caroline changing some of her behaviors.

This book is categorized as romance and while that is included in this story, it’s a very small percentage of the whole. As cliche as it is, it’s a mid life crisis story brought on by loss. Caroline has lost her mother and her role model and she needs to decide if she’s content as is.

Contemplative and hopeful.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 - Anita Hughes writes amazing settings for her stories. They are cozy and wintry, with beautiful hotels, inns and lodges that have gorgeous suites with every amenity imaginable. Every time, I come away ready to travel to whatever the location is and stay in the luxury accommodations. This book had a lot going on in it - multiple dramas in the present day storyline, as well as another set in the past. I think having so much happening detracted from the depth of the characters, but it was still an enoyable journey. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy!

CHRISTMAS IN ASPEN – Anita Hughes
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-1250908155
October 8, 2024
Contemporary Romance

Aspen, Colorado – Present Day

It’s the first Christmas without her mother who died recently of breast cancer, so it’s understandable that Caroline Holt is feeling a bit depressed. Add in that her only sister, Daphne, announced that she is marrying a man she barely knows, it’s no wonder that Caroline feels out of place. While staying at the family cabin in upstate New York, she reads a letter sent to her mother from Aspen. It is a love letter that mentions them meeting again on New Year’s Eve. There is no name or return address, and curiosity gets the best of her because her mother never mentioned having a lover while she visited Aspen for a writer’s conference. On the spur of the moment, Caroline books a flight and hotel for Aspen. She plans to meet the mysterious lover at the appointed time on New Year's Eve.

After arriving in Aspen, Caroline asks around if anyone remembers her mother. While she gets a couple of bites, it’s mostly a miss. She does meet Max, a local brewery owner. They begin to click, though Caroline tells herself she can’t get involved with him because she is leaving after the holidays. Caroline is a book editor, and her job is currently on the line, so she is looking for a potential manuscript. She happens to run into a local author whose locally printed book is so good, that she wants to help him submit it to her publisher. Daphne arrives in Aspen with her fiancé and announces that they will get married on New Year’s Day right here. Meanwhile, Caroline spends her downtime reading some letters she found in her mother’s possession. They are letters written over time by a woman named Nina and speaks about her growing relationship with Teddy. With so much going on in CHRISTMAS IN ASPEN, there is rarely a dull moment. Will Caroline find out who is her mother’s mysterious lover? And why was it a secret?

There are a lot of mixed emotions for Caroline in CHRISTMAS IN ASPEN and readers will hope she finds closure. She admits that she hasn’t been up to par at work while grieving for her mother and her boss gives her a chance to regroup after the holidays. Running into the local author, Nick is an opportunity to find a diamond in the rough. She is helping him edit the book and then she will hand it over to her publisher. Nick has his own story to tell about a woman he once loved. That is what goes on a lot in this tale. Most everyone has a tale to tell, and readers get to hear about them. Meanwhile, Caroline’s relationship with Max slowly develops. She is hesitant to dive right in since she is only here temporarily. That issue doesn’t seem to bother him. We get to read about the sights and sounds of a bustling Aspen at Christmas with its luxurious resorts and restaurants. Caroline isn’t afraid to try things as Max shows her the best of the town.

By the end of CHRISTMAS IN ASPEN, Caroline will have mixed feelings, especially as it grows closer to when she meets the mysterious lover. She fights with Daphne because she doesn’t think the fiancé is right for her. Is she right? Will there be a happily ever after for everyone by the end? Along the way, there are a few surprises. If you love a book that keeps you entertained and wants to find out what happens to everyone, then you will love CHRISTMAS IN ASPEN.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

While it felt strange to be reading a Christmas book in the summer, I always enjoyed Anita Hughs "Christmas in..." books. They each capture the spirit of the holiday and she has managed to make each one unique to its location. While there are themes of loss and finding oneself which can be heavy, Anita does a beautiful job of bringing it back to a feel-good holiday read- a little mystery but plenty of romance. If you are ready to get into the holiday spirit grab this one! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Really loved this story about Caroline who went home to Hudson to the family cabin to spend Christmas with her sister. When she got their she found her sister to be engaged to Luke, a restaurant owner there. They had lost their mother to cancer in November. she found some old mail and found letters from an elderly author, Nina Buckley, telling about what she was doing after having written several books when she was younger.. She then found a letter from Santa's mailbox in Aspen to her mom with someone asking her to meet them at 5pm on New Year's Day. Carolina felt she should spend Christmas in Aspen so she could meet the person and let them know what had happened. Daphne and Luke end up there too and decide to get married there on New Year's Day. Follow them on their journey and see who the person is that she meets. A GREAT READ..

A great Christmas read with a fabulous sub-plot, you will enjoy everything about this book from the location to the characters to all of the holiday touches. I would have given it 5 stars but another well known novel is referenced in by a main characters and the information is completely incorrect.

It's a fun romantic story that's more holiday story than Christmas story as most of the story is set between Christmas & New Years. Carolyn, Daphne, & fiancee Luke end up in Aspen for the holiday season because Carolyn wants to meet her dead mother's lover at New Year's. There's the usual ups & downs of love while wanting to save one's career. It's definitely a Hallmarkish type story, while there's elements that made me think of the movie Christmas in Connecticut. It's a fun read.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Loved this. I’ve really enjoyed everything by this author. She’s an autobuy author for me. I love how every one of her stories is completely different from the others but you can still feel she’s the author. A very strong voice - one I really enjoy.

Anita Hughes’ *Christmas in Aspen* is a charming and heartwarming tale that blends holiday magic, self-discovery, and a dash of romance. Set against the snow-covered backdrop of Aspen, Colorado, the novel takes readers on an emotional journey as editor Caroline Holt unearths family secrets and confronts her own fears of love and loss. It's the perfect festive read for anyone who enjoys a story where love scales new emotional heights.

At the beginning of the novel, Caroline is at a crossroads. A successful editor, she’s been struggling with burnout, both from her job and from the emotional toll of losing her mother. The holiday season, which should be filled with warmth and cheer, instead feels cold and isolating for Caroline. Instead of spending Christmas in London, as originally planned, she heads to her late mother’s cabin in Hudson, New York, seeking solace and a quiet retreat. However, the discovery of a mysterious red envelope in the cabin—addressed to her mother from a man professing his love—sets her off on an unexpected adventure to Aspen, Colorado.

The intrigue surrounding this letter is one of the key plot points that drives the narrative. The letter, sent from "Santa’s Little Red Mailbox," is filled with promises of a reunion on New Year’s Eve, and Caroline’s curiosity gets the best of her. Hughes masterfully uses this mystery to not only propel Caroline’s journey to Aspen but also to lead her into a deeper exploration of her own heart. As she sets out to discover the identity of her mother’s mysterious lover, she begins to question the path she’s on, both personally and professionally.

Once in Aspen, Caroline is thrust into a picturesque winter wonderland, and Hughes’ vivid descriptions of the town bring it to life as a place brimming with holiday spirit and romance. The town is almost a character itself, full of snow-dusted streets, cozy cabins, and holiday cheer. It’s the perfect setting for Caroline to rediscover the magic of the season—and perhaps her own capacity for love.

But Aspen holds more than just answers about her mother’s past. Caroline soon meets a man who sparks something in her that she thought was long extinguished. Their encounters are serendipitous and charming, and as they continue to bump into each other, the attraction between them grows. Hughes writes their budding romance with a light, tender touch, and while their chemistry is evident, it’s the emotional connection Caroline feels with him that truly stands out. He becomes not only a romantic interest but also a mirror for Caroline’s own insecurities about love and the future.

As the story unfolds, Hughes weaves together Caroline’s search for answers about her mother’s secret romance with her own internal journey. The letter leads her not just to revelations about her mother’s past, but also to a deeper understanding of herself. The truth Caroline uncovers is surprising, yet it fits perfectly with the story’s themes of love, loss, and second chances. These revelations force her to confront her own fears—of loving again, of moving forward, and of letting go of the “perfect life” she had envisioned for herself.

What makes *Christmas in Aspen* particularly special is how Hughes balances the romance with Caroline’s personal growth. While there’s no shortage of romantic moments, from impromptu ice-skating to festive dinners by the fire, the real heart of the novel lies in Caroline’s emotional transformation. The narrative doesn’t rush her journey, instead allowing her the space to grieve, to question, and ultimately to choose what kind of life she wants to live.

By the end of the Christmas week, Caroline is not just facing the possibility of new love, but also a chance to rewrite her own story. Hughes offers a satisfying conclusion that feels both realistic and hopeful. Caroline’s decision to confront her fears and embrace the unknown is a fitting end to a novel that celebrates the power of love, family, and the magic of the holiday season.

Overall, *Christmas in Aspen* is a delightful, feel-good holiday read. Anita Hughes expertly captures the magic of Christmas while also exploring deeper themes of loss, self-discovery, and the courage it takes to open your heart to love again. For anyone looking to be swept away by a festive romance with emotional depth, this novel is a perfect choice to curl up with by the fire.

I’m a hard sell for a super cheesy holiday book (give me a hallmark movie all day, but a book is just hard for me to really get behind) and this one didn’t sweep me away at all. The lonnnnnnng letters were weird and the storylines kept repeating- we get it, Caroline doesn’t do commitment and thinks her sister is loving too fast in her relationship. She’d resolve to better then start over on her BS the next chapter. I just felt annoyed and it wasn’t giving holiday magic at all. It was giving bratty sisters and disjointed plot-points. I’ll give it 3 stars cause for the right audience I’m sure it’s cuter, but for someone who’s go-to genre is NOT cutesy romance, the only good things about this were the location descriptions and maybe some sweet date moments.

I admit to being a fan of Hughes' Christmas novels-novels in which the holiday is the backdrop to a woman's story. In this installment, Caroline discovers things she didn't know about her mother, or herself, when she goes to Aspen to meet a man who wrote to her mother to set a date. She also learns more about her sister Daphne, with whom she has a fractious relationship. Daphne's about to get married, which Caroline isn't happy about. The focus, though, is on Caroline, who finds romance quickly. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. There's a lot going on, nothing is dark, everyone is quite privileged, but it's the sort of read that is good for a rainy day.