Anita Hughes is a favorite of mine.
I was thrilled at the opportunity to read and review another title by her.
Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes was such a sweet and fun book.
I loved the descriptions that Anita Hughes uses to describe the setting.
This book, with its enthralling story provides depth and context to our characters journey. Hughes' vivid portrayal of the wintry charm of Aspen evoked a desire to experience such a magical setting firsthand.
Anita Hughes is my go to for my dose of Christmas romance.
This is a perfectly written book. The story is sweet and the setting is perfect for Christmas romance. The other supporting characters add depth to the story.
Those who like sweet romances set in small places will want to take a look.

Thank You NetGalley and St.Martin’s Griffin for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes is a sad then happy Christmas tale. Most of us can relate to missing someone at the holidays or being afraid of having our hearts broken. Editor Caroline Holt is feeling both this year. In a roundabout way, she ends us in Aspen. Her plan is to solve a mystery concerning a letter her mother had received. What she finds is so much more.

A lovely story reminding us to that taking responsible chances can be good for us and to remember to experience the magic of the Christmas Season. I loved the idea of Santa’s Little Red mailbox. As adults it is as needed as for children. It wouldn’t seem like the Christmas Season without a new book by Anita Hughes. Be sure to read this season.

The death of a parent is devastating, and Carolyn and Daphne are trying to celebrate their first Christmas without their mother. Heading up to their mother's cottage where they spent every Christmas together, they are planning to meet and reminisce as they always did as a complete family.. Those plans go awry when Caroline finds a letter from Aspen, not signed, but promising to meet with their mother on New Year's Eve in front of the Little Red Mailbox in Aspen where traditionally Santa letters are mailed every year.

Caroline heads to Aspen and Daphne and her Fiancé soon follow. There is romance in the air for Caroline with Max. Daphne and her fiancé face some difficult times, Add in Caroline's job situation and the letters she brings with her that were written to her mother decades before, this book is very busy. It seems there are almost little novellas written between the present day issues.

We are taken through a LOT of different themes in this book! It was really busy. Sometimes I was wondering if we'd ever get to the mystery man reveal! Will Daphne really get married in Aspen? Will Caroline and Max be able to make something of their fledgling relationship? But, my biggest question is...how did Caroline and Daphne score two rooms at a sold-out hotel a couple of days before Christmas in one of the most sought after venues in the West at that time of year???

I've not read this author before and although the book was busy, it was an OK read. Not something for someone looking for a HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY Christmas book, but OK. The mystery man reveal is probably one of the best parts of the book. Too bad it took so long to get there.

3.5 stars

While this was a sweet romance I wanted more of the Hallmark Christmas movie feeling. The small intrigue on the side was a nice detail and the family connections were good attributes to the story. There isn't much to say about it, it was a just an ok sweet holiday book.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin, Netgalley and Anita for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes offers a festive and mysterious setting, full of potential for a heartwarming holiday story. The premise intrigued me right away: Caroline Holt, an editor burdened with burnout and grief over her mother’s death, finds a mysterious love letter from her mother’s past. The letter sets her off on a journey to Aspen to uncover the truth. But what she discovers leads her to not only untangle her mother’s secrets but also face her own fears of love and loss.

The setting of Aspen at Christmas was one of the elements I was most excited about. Hughes creates an interesting backdrop for the story, though I wished it had been explored in more detail. There were hints of the holiday charm Aspen has to offer, but I found myself wanting more—more descriptions of the decorations, festivities, and that quintessential Christmas magic the town could have brought to life.

I also appreciated Caroline’s emotional journey as she worked through the grief of losing her mother while trying to understand who this mysterious man at Santa’s Little Red Mailbox was. It was a compelling enough reason for Caroline to embark on the journey to Aspen, and it hooked me early on. However, while that aspect of the story carried weight, I felt the book struggled with cohesion.

Surprisingly, the synopsis left out two major subplots that I think had a significant impact on the story. One of these involves Caroline’s sister, Daphne, who arrives in Aspen unexpectedly with her fiancé. This subplot added a layer of complexity to Caroline’s life, as she wrestled with her feelings about her sister’s sudden engagement. It also allowed Daphne to push Caroline to reconnect with a part of herself that had been buried. I actually found this storyline quite enjoyable, as it provided some warmth and emotional depth.

The other subplot—centred around a series of letters Caroline finds—felt disconnected from the main narrative. The letters seemed to promise revelations about Caroline’s mother, but their importance was only truly revealed late in the book. By then, they felt like a distraction, pulling me away from what should have been a more focused storyline.

As for the characters, while they were somewhat interesting, I struggled to connect with them on a deeper level. Caroline’s romantic interest had a charming and mysterious vibe, but I felt like both he and Caroline were somewhat emotionally distant, which kept me from fully immersing myself in their connection. Ruby, the romantic interest’s niece, was meant to be precocious, but she leaned a bit too far into being unbelievable for my taste.

Despite these mixed feelings, there were moments I genuinely enjoyed, like the surprise revelation about who Caroline’s mother had planned to meet at Santa’s Little Red Mailbox. That twist caught me off guard and added some emotional weight to the end of the story.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, Christmas in Aspen has its shining moments, especially when it dives into themes of love, loss, and healing. Still, I couldn’t help but wish for more cohesion in the storytelling and a deeper exploration of Aspen’s Christmas charm. For those looking for a light holiday read with a bit of mystery, it might hit the right notes, but I was left wanting a bit more from this festive tale.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Caroline and Daphne are sisters and this is their first Christmas since their mom’s recent passing.
Caroline finds a letter addressed to her mom to meet new years at a red mailbox in Aspen. Caroline wants to meet this mystery man and explain about her mom.
Hmm last minute cancellation and Caroline books a room in the hotel her mother stayed. Then Daphne decides to join her with her very recent fiancé and yes another cancellation and they booked a room. (They get into an argument and he’s able to find a room too from cancellation) 🙄
Story setting is in Aspen, however majority is week between the holidays, not very Christmasy.
Characters were hard to connect with and dragged in chapters. There were not ohh 😱moments or 🥰 moments.
The story revolved around love, relationships, personal growth, and second chances. Max was ridiculously patient with Caroline and his niece Lily was wise beyond her years.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC read in exchange for my review.

Caroline Holt is an editor and needs to find a new book by the first of the year. She's also burnt out, and dealing with the loss of her mother. She decides to spend Christmas in Aspen after reading a letter that was meant for her mother.
Reading a Christmas book in August was a way to cool off from the heat. Snow, skiing, sledding all outside cold weather activities.
I have been to Colorado, but not to Aspen. Aspen felt magical and so festive. A winter wonderland with the holiday season. I wanted a cup of hot cocoa while seeing Aspen through Caroline's eyes.
A story of loss, love and the magic of the holiday season. A sweet holiday romance.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Another wonderful Christmas book by one of my favorite authors. Every year I look forward to the next Christmas romance novel by her. This did not disappoint!

A sweet holiday romance.

This is the first book I have read by Anita, and I found myself wanting to plan Christmas in Aspen.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Caroline Holt, a career woman who has a one-month rule to dating to avoid getting her heart broken. Set at Christmas, it weaves a number of love stories together, from her mother, who has recently passed, letters she discovers from an author popular in the 70's who seemed to vanish from the literary scene, her sister and an author she discovers while in Aspen. Each person's experience helps to break through her walls to take a chance and open her heart to the possibility of love and a relationship.

Christmas in Aspen is a sweet holiday romance. I loved the Aspen setting at Christmas time. Good writing and the description of the scenery makes me want to spend a Christmas in Aspen. A few different storylines woven throughout and blended very well. My favorite were the letters from Nina.

It’s always interesting reading stories about literary agents, editors and their authors as readers get a glimpse into the publishing world. Anita Hughes gives readers special insight into the lengths editors will go to find “that” book that will launch onto the best seller list, and yes, even save an editor’s career.

Caroline is a New York editor who is burnt out and trying to find the next book that will save her job. She’s going through mourning and needs a change. When she finds a letter addressed to her deceased mother to meet him in Aspen on New Year’s by an unknown person, she decides to meet him.

The story fluctuates between two storylines – a series of letters from an author to Caroline’s mother, a literary agent; and Caroline’s present day story. The letters are fascinating, telling a tale about a bestselling author who disappeared for forty years.

Caroline’s story is a slow-burn romance with a slew of characters that add to her adventure. Some characters are likeable, while others are difficult to connect with. The descriptions of Christmas in Aspen are vivid, making it easy enough for readers to immerse themselves in Caroline’s world. And there's a nice twist to the story on New Year's Eve.

Overall, it was a pleasant read, just in time for the holiday season.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Caroline is an editor who has lost her spark, her joie de vivre. Part of her doldrums is the recent passing of her mother. Enter her sister Daphne. Daphne is the epitome of spontaneous, whereas Caroline is 180 degrees in the other direction. Caroline feels a responsibility to her mother, both for her sister and to uncover what secrets her mother did not share about her time at the Aspen Literary Conference. While Caroline wages those battles, she also struggles with what true love could be like without getting her heart broken. Great book that you will thoroughly enjoy!

Caroline finds a letter in her late mother’s effects. A letter from someone who says he never stopped loving her and promises to meet her in Aspen on New Year’s Eve. On a whim Caroline changes her Christmas plans and decides to go to Aspen to meet the stranger who loved her mother. There were several other stories within the main story which made it a slower read for me. However, it does have an happy ending, as Christmas stories should. I encourage you to read this holiday book to find out who the stranger was in Caroline’s mother’s life. That’s what makes this book have a really happy ending. Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin’s Griffin for the early copy. This review is my honest opinion.

Caroline is mourning the loss of her mother and feeling untethered. She heads to her mother’s cabin for Christmas after she changes her plans to travel to London. She needs this time to mend her broken heart, to mourn, to deal with career burnout, figure out what will be her next work project or risk possibly losing her job and just relax. So many emotions are so close to the surface and she is just exhausted. When she gets there it is surprise after surprise that causes her to pack up and head to Aspen to do one last thing for her mother. It was overall a nice read that led to a lot of change, opening of hearts, forgiveness and ultimately a lovely ending. I enjoyed the cast, with the exception of Caroline's sister. She was not immature and tedious. Uprated to 4 stars from what would have been a 3.5 rating if half stars were available.

My first Christmas read of the season, well end of summer anyway. The set up is interesting, Caroline, a successful editor, has hit burn out in her career and is still coping with the loss of her mother. In going through her mother's papers, she finds a letter to santa inviting her mom to meet a mysterious lover for New Year in Aspen.
On impulse, Caroline books a trip and plans to complete the meeting. While there Caroline reaches for that spark that led to her career in the first place and also happens to fall in love.
There was a lot going on here. Caroline's career, exploring Aspen, drama with her sister, a stack of letters addressed to her mom that she brought with her.
The story moved at a decent pace. The sister kinda annoyed me. The letters, while interesting, didn't grab me the way they did Caroline.
Why did Caroline keep referring to her mom by her first name in her thoughts? Little things pulled me out of the story. It was ok overall.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the opportunity to read this egalley

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. Interesting idea for a holiday romance book, not sure how I feel about it all... It's mostly set after Christmas, could be a good read for that slump between the holidays.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Caroline decided to visit Aspen after reading a letter addressed to her mother. Caroline is having a rough time after her mom got sick. She loves her job, but is at a crossroads in her lif. I enjoyed this book.

Anita Hughes is my go to for my dose of Christmas romance. Caroline was a little hard to love. She was not my favorite FMC. The details Anita puts in her books always make me feel like I am there. Which is honestly my favorite part of most christmas books.

The book downloaded properly and was easy to read. I didn't love the book. I thought it was repetitve and Caroline kept saying the same thing again and again. I just didn't feel like the book moved along. And then there interruptions with the letters. It felt disjointed.

Another winner from Anita Hughes. This story brought the family connections, romance, and life struggles to the pages. A delightful holiday read for Christmas in July!