Loved this, really gave the Christmas feels. Would recommend to anyone.

Felt like it was so costly written

What a delightful cozy surprise. Perfect for the holiday season. Gorgeous family story, and sweet romance. Definitely don't judge this one by the cover! Inside is a surprise holiday favorite that is hard to put down!

After Riley Sanders loses her job right before Christmas, she returns home to Cape Cod to help her mother run her inn. Upon arrival, Riley is reunited with her high school boyfriend Aiden, a widower who is staying at the inn with his son. She also meets Franny, an older woman who just lost her sister. Together, they hope to find joy in Christmastime at the inn.

This holiday story is best described as the Hallmark Channel meets the Food Network. It was such a sweet, feel-good story, full of Christmas cheer, and perfect to read leading up to the holiday. My one gripe with the book is that I found it to be overly-detailed in terms of what everyone was eating and drinking; if you’re a big foodie you may appreciate the constant food references, but I found it excessive. This book could easily be adapted into a great Hallmark Christmas movie though because the bones of the book are very Hallmark-esque, and I’d be happy with a chunk of the food content trimmed out. Overall, it was a cozy and cute story with plenty of Christmas joy.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my gifted digital copy!

Riley is shocked to lose her job in December, but she realizes the timing may be a blessing in disguise--her mother recently broke her leg and is struggling to run her Cape Cod bed & breakfast. Riley decides to return home and search for a job from there, while assisting her mother. And it's certainly no chore being on Cape Cod at Christmastime. She soon is able to put her content creation background to use to help her mother's business, and she is drawn into the lives of their guests, some of whom she's known for years. For example, her first love, Aidan, recently widowed and staying at the inn with his young son while their house is repaired.

As much as she protests to the contrary, Riley finds herself not missing her Manhattan life or Manhattan boyfriend as much as she claims. And when she is offered a too-good-to-be-true position with her boyfriend's law firm, she ignores her gut and accepts it.

Full of detailed description--down to the beverages character choose with their meals--THE CHRISTMAS INN is escapist reading at its best. Very little conflict or discord--just lovely people leading lovely lives (with occasional heartache to keep it real). An excellent book to get even the worst scrooge into the holiday spirit. #TheChristmasInn #NetGalley

🌲The Christmas Inn is the perfect heartwarming holiday novel set in a charming Cape Cod inn.

🌲The story follows Riley Sanders as she returns home to help her mother run the inn. During her stay she reconnects with her sister/family and her high school sweetheart.

🌲I truly enjoyed the sense of community and warmth that radiates throughout this story. It made me long for life in a small-town setting or at least the chance to spend Christmas in one. It's a beautiful reminder that the holidays are all about coming together and appreciating the people who matter most to us.

🌲Kelley masterfully encapsulates the spirit of the holiday season, weaving together festive cheer, the comfort of family and the hope of second chances at love.

🌲This is a heartwarming, clean, and somewhat predictable Christmas romance. The storytelling style keeps the spotlight on emotional connections and the festive atmosphere, making it a cozy, family-friendly read.

🎧Stephanie Németh-Parker's narration adds an extra layer of charm and makes the listening experience even more enjoyable.

Her nuanced performance captures the warmth and charm of the innkeeper and the various guests, making them feel incredibly real and relatable.

The way she brings to life the festive scenes, like decorating the Christmas tree and the cozy evenings by the fireplace, truly enhances the holiday spirit of the story.

Overall, her expressive narration elevates the entire audiobook, making it a memorable and enjoyable listen.

This book was cute and fun to read. I read it quickly and most parts kept me engaged until the end. A fun Christmas read!

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to honestly review.

Now that I'm on Christmas vacation, I can dig into a few of the Christmas books I saved to feature this month as part of our 25 Days of Christmas Reading. Up first, is The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelley.

I discovered Kelley last summer when I read The Bookshop by the Bay and followed it up this summer with The Seaside Sisters. While these books are billed as part of a series, they are all set in Cape Cod and characters from these books make appearances. It's not necessary to read the previous books, but having these characters appear makes the community Kelley has built feel more real.

Now, if you've read my Christmas reviews over the years, you know I love Nantucket at Christmas. So I was excited to see how Christmas in Cape Cod would compare. If you are a fan of Nancy Thayer or Elin Hilderbrand, then you should try Pamela Kelley.

The plot was pretty predictable, but the characters are great and I enjoyed spending time with them. There is no major relationship drama that you might get with a romantic comedy as this is more women's fiction and, therefore, more about the characters finding their way in life.

At first glance, the story seems centered on Riley who loses her job right before Christmas. Once she arrives in her hometown of Chatham though the story pulls in two other women. One is Riley's mom Beth who has broken her leg and needs help around the inn that she owns. The other woman is a guest at the inn. Franny, who grew up in Cape Cod, returned to spend time with her terminally ill sister. After her sister passes, Franny stays to follow the letters her sister left her.

This book has everything you want in a good Christmas book - a heart-warming plot, plenty of friends and family, a touch of romance, SNOW (I live in the south so it's the only way I get snow at Christmas), and lots of festive moments.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/12/the-chirstmas-inn-by-pamela-kelley.html

I feel like a complete outlier in the fact that I just truly did not enjoy much about this book. I found the writing to be less than stellar, very elementary. The story was quite a bit like a Hallmark movie, which was fine, but if you take out the wine and cheese references alone, you'd lose half the pages. It wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean that you won't like it. The setting was beautiful and I appreciated the development of the Christmas Inn and the improvements that were made. That's where my appreciation stops. It was just not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

"The Christmas Inn" is a sweet story of coming home and second chances at Christmas.

Riley Sanders loses her job right before Christmas and has to do some soul searching about what her future holds. She's been seeing her long-term boyfriend, Jack, for many years now, but it's not really going anywhere. Between his crazy job schedule and her recent job loss, she decides to head home to the Cape for the holidays to get some much-needed rest and relaxation, and to regroup to figure out what to do next with her life.

It turns out, the timing couldn't be more perfect for her mother, who recently fell and broke her leg. An extra set of hands to help out at the Inn is just what she needs.

While there, Riley is reminded how special home is, even if is was a place she once thought she'd never want to return to. Running into her high school boyfriend reminds her of what it's like to feel appreciated, which is more than she can say about Jack! And as an ideal job opportunity slips through her fingers, she is reminded what community is all about.

Riley had expected to find rest and relaxation in Chatham, but what she found was people she loved, a passion for her profession, and a purpose for her life.

Thank you to Pamela Kelley, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

What a great Christmas read! This is light and fluffy like a perfect desert. I settled right in and got cozy reading this novel.

The characters are perfect for a Christmas tale. A few second chance romances and some new adventures make this a great holiday read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this gem!

Riley's life was perfect, until she got laid off right before Christmastime. Needing a change of pace and knowing that her mom needs help at the inn after breaking her leg, she heads home to Cape Cod. Once there, she quickly runs into her high school boyfriend, who's staying at the inn with his son while there's construction going on at his home. Also staying at the inn is Franny, in town to visit her sister who's dying of skin cancer. After Ella passes, Franny gets sent on a journey around town to remind her of the good times they had together.

With nine-year-old Luke at the inn, Riley and her mom Beth are determined to give him a wonderful stay, putting up a tree and getting into the Christmas spirit. Riley and Aiden, Luke's dad, are put together multiple times, growing closer as the days go by. When Riley's boyfriend Jack comes to visit but quickly leaves to go back to New York, Riley starts wondering if she's really happy with the life they have together.

All in all, this is a wonderful holiday romance filled with second chances, family, and found family. A quick read that will definitely get you in the Christmas mood, especially if you enjoy Hallmark movies. The only thing I didn't like was that Luke seemed to be written much younger than he was supposed to be, but it didn't detract from the story.

Riley goes back to her hometown to help at the families Bed and Breakfast, because her mother has broken her leg. She is used to living in New York, so to come back to her small hometown is quite a change, especially after losing her job. While she is searching for a new job, she just might discover that being home is where she really wants to be.

This is a wonderful feel good Christmas story. It has a great plot and wonderful characters.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I was not able to get into the story and did finish it.

This was a sweet reading break from the real world. I enjoyed the innocence of the characters and found myself immersed in their stories. Perfect Christmas escape read, and I’m glad for the chance to have read and reviewed it.,

This book was lovely and the perfect holiday read. The only thing I wish we would have had was a longer epilogue. This is my first book from this author and it won't be my last.

This was a sweet Christmas read, set in the picturesque town of Chatham on Cape Cod. The story will definitely leave you craving cheese and wine! I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded up. It’s a perfect choice if you’re in the mood for a light, festive read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like a Christmas Hallmark Movie Hug and I loved every second of it. It should absolutely come with a warning label for the below though.

1. Do not read this book hunger. The author does a fantastic job describing the food; especially wine and cheese. In fact, that brings me to number 2.
2. Don't even think about reading this book without a glass of your favorite wine or beverage of choice, cheese and crackers available
3. Be prepared to binge this book and feel warm and fuzzy while doing it. Bonus points if you do it while sitting next to your Christmas tree

Pamela Kelley is giving Debbie Macomber Christmas book vibes and I am here for it!

It’s a cozy, novel about second chances and found families.

It takes place in Cape Cod around the Christmas season and send us around the family that owns the inn.

Is a feel good read and I really enjoyed this. It is a great read for the winter weather.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley is a feel good Christmas novel about a young woman who comes home after losing her job to help her mom out for the holidays. The story had a perfect Hallmark movie vibe and the ending, though a bit cheesy and predictable, was perfect. It’s a good reminder about what should be most important in our lives. It’s a perfect read for cozying up by the fire on a cold, snowy night during the holiday season.

The latest from author Pamela M. Kelley, The Christmas Inn, is a contemporary chick-lit/romance which joins her other novels set in the Cape Cod region. It’s a pleasant read with some interesting characters accompanied by multiple references to restaurant meals, Hallmark movies as well as rinsing dishes and loading them into the dishwasher. One of the highlights was the wine and cheese pairings offered at the inn - which would have made for a great addendum.

Although the story was entertaining, the plot ambled along what became familiar patterns without any highs or lows or surprises. Overall, pleasant but bland.