Another fabulous holiday read by Pamela M. Kelley! I love the cozy. warm, holiday feel of her books; it's like wrapping myself in a big blanket in front of the Christmas tree. I loved the little glimpse into the recurring characters; it felt like I was coming home.

So far, really enjoying my holiday reading binge and definitely filling up on some holiday fun, romance and some family craziness. The book summary pretty much lays out the start of the story. For Riley, there’s nothing like going back home to Cape Cod after getting laid off from her NYC job because she was replaced by AI. As luck would have it, Riley’s mom, Beth, broke her leg while tending to her Cape Cod B&B and is struggling with keeping the Inn full lately. Alas, super marketing whiz, Riley, home for the holidays to help out while Beth is on the mend. Riley does her marketing magic and voilà, reservations start coming in.

Can’t have a holiday romance story without a hunky widower or any other male who is single as a pringle. This hunk happens to be, Aiden, Riley’s high school sweetheart, who she dumped after graduation, before going off to college, because she had no intention of coming back to Cape Cod after college. Aiden, who did come back after college, so that he could take over his father’s accounting firm, so his parents could retire – to AZ, where millions of other east coast retirees flock to. Aiden married a townie and they had a son, Luke. His wife died three years earlier. Aiden and Luke are staying at the Inn through Christmas because of some unexpected home repairs. Aiden has decided that he and Luke are going to skip Christmas this year, unbeknownst to Luke.

Most of the story revolves around updating the promotion, branding and marketing of the Inn to get reservations back up to what they used to be. There are also the issues Riley is having with long-time boyfriend, Jack, who is a workaholic, much to Riley’s concern and displeasure. Riley and Beth have also decided to make this Christmas a special one for Luke, in spite of Aiden’s resistance. The guests at the Inn are a wonderful addition to the story, especially, Franny, an elderly woman who just lost her beloved sister and is mired in grief. Her sister left her some letters, messages about how to move on.

This story, including the romance sections, was kind of slow and a little bland; very G-rated for those that like to know that kind of stuff. There wasn’t even much drama until deep into the second half. The ending was nice and wrapped up the story in a big, pretty bow. The second half was better than the first half, which saved this story from a disappointing rating.

The character development of most of the characters was fairly good. The pacing was really slow, with the second half being a little better than the first half. The storyline was ok, once again, the second half was a little better than the first. The writing was fine, but one of the most surprising and funny things about the story were the recipes that Beth and Riley made for the Inn guests. I actually wrote a few of them down to try out. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.25 that I will be rounding down to a 3star review. I want to thank NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio #TheChristmasInn

If you’re craving a heartwarming, feel-good story set against the backdrop of a Cape Cod Christmas, The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelley is the perfect choice. As comforting as a cozy blanket and hot cocoa on a cold day, this book is a delightful blend of personal growth, second-chance romance, and the magic of the holidays.

The story follows Riley Sanders, who unexpectedly finds herself without a job just before Christmas. When she learns that her mom has broken her leg, she decides to head home to Cape Cod to help out with the family inn. The inn is charmingly set along the shores, and Riley hopes the change of scenery—and her family—will provide a much-needed distraction from her troubles.

Little does she know, her mother’s inn isn’t faring as well as expected, especially with the holiday rush approaching. The guest list is shorter than anticipated, but among the handful staying at the inn are some key characters—Aidan, Riley’s high school sweetheart, and his son Luke, who are temporarily living at the inn while their home undergoes renovations. There’s also Franny, who is grieving the loss of her sister and carrying four unopened letters meant to help guide her through a new chapter in life.

Kelley does a fantastic job of capturing all the cozy, festive vibes of Christmas on Cape Cod. From the crackling fires to the festive cookies, the setting alone makes you want to book a holiday escape. While the storyline is predictable in the best kind of way, I found myself enjoying every moment of it.

I particularly loved how Franny’s journey paralleled Riley’s in its own quiet way. Franny’s inner conflict between returning to her life in Manhattan or staying in Cape Cod felt authentic and meaningful. It’s a story of growth, love, and finding what matters most. The romantic subplots, especially between Riley and Aidan, are sweet and believable—they add to the holiday magic without feeling forced.

I also enjoyed all the holiday activities described at the inn and in the community. The festivities added to the cozy, nostalgic feeling and gave me all the holiday feels, even though I was reading this in September!

Final Thoughts:

The Christmas Inn is a heartwarming read that’s sure to lift your spirits, whether you’re in the mood for holiday cheer or just looking for a feel-good escape.

Heartwarming and merry! I enjoyed this lovely mother/daughter tale, which is imbued with the Christmas spirit and depicts Christmas in Cape Cod’s Chatham in a beautiful and appealing manner. The story made me want to search real estate ads for my own cottage in Chatham, and I felt the characters were relatable and authentically depicted. The plot lines also feel tailor-made for a Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas movie.

For my taste, I did find various aspects of the book - such as descriptions of meal preparation - to be excruciatingly over-descriptive. I do not need to read about boiling water for pasta and salting the water, for example, and eventually found myself skimming such descriptions, which I felt bogged down the story. Also, given the attention to details of so many foods, I thought it odd the book does not include recipes. Perhaps those would be a fine addition to an Afterword or at least a website/social media offering by Pamela Kelley once the book is published.

All that said, I also found this romance novel to be cozy and Christmassy. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

A heartwarming holiday story that left me feeling joyful. It was the salve that my heart needed to ward off the stressors that bombard my days!!

I appreciate NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of The Christmas Inn, by Pamela Kelley, in exchange for an honest review. This was such a sweet story - think Hallmark Movie in book form. Riley, a marketing manager in New York City, unexpectedly loses a job she enjoys right before Christmas. She returns to her childhood home of Cape Cod to help her mother, who has broken her leg, run the cute bed and breakfast she owns. While there she gets to know the other people staying at the Inn and builds relationships with them. Mainly her high school love, Aidan - who is now a widower with a young son and Franny - a widow who has just lost her sister and learns to love Cape Cod again. Riley realizes there's more to life than the life in the big city she's been living. This precious story is sure to be one of your holiday favorites.

What a heartwarming holiday story! Set on the shores of Cape Cod this bed and breakfast is one I would love to stay in!!! Breakfast, wine & cheese party’s and chocolate turndown service makes this a home away from home. Through no fault of her own Riley ends up leaving Manhattan to go home to Cape Cod to help her mom run the bed and breakfast while recovering from a broken leg. Riley realizes how much she has missed home and the people she loves. The holidays are so special and there is a lot of love in the air, Riley, her mother and the people they have come to love have a lot of decisions to make! This was such a heart warming Christmas Story!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love this time of year to read Christmas books! I absolutely adore them and this one will forever be on my top list of Christmas romance!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this. Riley returns home to help her mom. She brings new ideas to her moms inn to generate more visitors. She meets an old love she still has feelings for. An enjoyable holiday book.

I loved this book it made me feel like I was in a hallmark movie! It had all the cozy good feels to it! It was such a good vibe to just to get up in the holiday spirit! This was definitely a 4 star for me!

Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall. When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.

I am familiar with the author's name, but I think this is the first novel that I have read by her, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Her characters are well developed and her message of the importance of family and friends is evident. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for introducing me to this author.

There're parts of this story which I absolutely love, and then there were bits which bored me till I zoned out. We have 3 FMCs, all of them at pivotal times in their life and undergo a decent character arc over the course of the book. The setting and its descriptions were quite pleasant to say the least. I love that all of the characters get their happy ending in the end, but the process of getting there was pretty tedious. The writing was off at times, with way too much filler to unnecessarily lengthen the book and the character voices were at times hard to distinguish. The occasional scenes with lovely banter kept me going and that was the only thing that made the listen worthwhile.

What a sweet little book! It put me right in the Christmas spirit! 🎄 I'll be reading it again at Christmas time!

A sweet Christmas romance that covers three generations. First love, old love and new love. All center around a typical small town Christmas. Riley lost her job in New York and returns home to help her mom who broke her leg with the inn she owns. Things are slow at the inn and Riley using her business experience revamps the marketing. A surprise for her was that her old boyfriend and is son were staying at the inn. With the new marketing ideas the inn is sold out and Riley and Aidan along with his son Luke and fellow guest Franny and of course her mom bond together during happy hour.
As life takes them different ways they always return and strengthen the friendship that develops over a glass of wine. I did enjoy the audiobook and also read it. The narrator was very good, I felt like I could smell the meals being cooked. Thank you for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own. #TheChristmasInn

This is a charming Christmas read. Riley Sanders heads home for Christmas after unexpectedly losing her job in Manhattan. Her mom has recently broken her leg and welcomes her home to help run her bed and breakfast. After a fun-filled, family-centered holiday, Riley is reminded of what she’s missing by living and working in Manhattan.

If you like Hallmark romances, this is the book for you. This book is cozy and a quick read, and it’s very enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Griffin for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick read. It was pretty predictable. But it would be a perfect holiday read. Sometimes there was a little too much detail. But I enjoyed the characters.

My first holiday read of the year and it's a great one! Christmas doesn't really play a big role in the story. Even though I felt like some of the circumstances weren't true to life, I liked the book. Some days you just need something sweet and happy.

This is a feel good Christmas story reminiscent of a Hallmark movie. It has three different couples that find love at different stages in their lives. The central piece of the story is a beautiful inn in the small town on the Cape. Riley gets a second chance at love with her high school boyfriend Aiden, while Franny and Beth find someone to love for a second time. The plot follows each character as they discover the good that is coming their way. It is an easy to read book and will give readers a good feeling for the holidays.

Christmas stories are my absolute favorites and this one sure hit the mark. I also have a soft spot for books involving inns. It always brings characters into the book that have their own different backgrounds and stories.

Riley has come back home to help her mother run the inn while she recovers from a broken leg. Staying at the Christmas Inn is an older woman living out quests from letters left her by her deceased sister. There is Aiden (Riley's old boyfriend) and his young son. Could there still be something there between them? Other character help round out the entertaining cast.

I alternated between the digital and the audio version of this book narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. The narration was excellent and just what I hope for in a Christmas book. The voices were easily distinguishable and pleasant to listen to.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies. All thoughts are my own.

Sometimes you just find a book that totally fits your lifestyle, your thoughts and your likes, and you find it at just the right time! The Christmas Inn did that for me, and I loved it from start to finish! Thanks, NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

This is about family helping family, finding love a second time around, and realizing that small town life can be much more rewarding than the hustle and bustle and demands of the big city! The author incorporated so many wonderful extras into her story - when she wrote about a cheese shop that Franny went in, she actually mentioned and described specific cheeses. She had her characters talk about wines the same way, and mentioned authors and books when she wrote about going into the bookstore, to browse and buy books and my favorite paragraph described how sometimes the first sentence of a book just lets you know that you were meant to find that book at that time and that you were meant to buy it and read it!

So now I want to go back and write down all the cheeses, wines, books and authors she mentioned so I can try them as well. I think that says a lot about how I felt about this book! Great job!