There was honestly nothing groundbreaking about this storyline. But it was wonderful! It was a great holiday read! I've really been enjoying Pamela M. Kelley's stories. They are like a hallmark movie in book form and they all so heartwarming and lovely!

This truly was a Hallmark movie format into a book.. All the elements would have made a great cheesy movie. I really enjoyed it, other than the romance. I say romance, but really these people spent about 10 hours together before deciding they were going to be together forever. I could have done without that and still been fine.

Explore this delightfully cozy and joyful novel of second chances at the most wonderful time of the year, from USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley. It is cheerful and warming to read this in the Christmas time.

Pamela Kelley’s THE CHRISTMAS INN is a heartwarming Christmas novel full of second chances, both at romance and coming home. There is a beautifully decorated Bed & Breakfast in Cape Cod and a small-town Christmas celebration, and, combined with a host of fun characters, it is a great read to curl up with a cup of cocoa and a soft blanket, and read yourself into a holiday mood… or escape from the stresses of reality for a while. It was the perfect read at the perfect time for me.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

A great Christmas book by Pamela Kelley. The story centers around Riley, a young woman living and working in New York City who loses her job unexpectedly. She heads home to her hometown of Chatham which is on Cape Cod to spend time with family. Her mom recently broke her leg so the timing couldn’t be more perfect for Riley to go home and help her mom who owns and runs the Inn. I loved reading how the town celebrates the holidays and enjoyed reading about the foods and spirits that are enjoyed at this festive time. The characters are all very likable and it was pleasant to read about all the little romances that evolved over time.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

There's just something magical about a small town Inn at Christmas and this book captured that perfectly. As well as making the Inn its own character in the book.

An easy, feel good, quick read perfect for the holidays or any time. I really enjoyed this one but if you played a drinking game over how many times the word cheese was said, I would be drunk until next Christmas!

Great read!

Quiet Christmas story with small town vibes. There was a lot of descriptions about the most minor things that did not further the plot, almost like the author was getting paid by word count.

The Christmas Inn

by Pamela M. Kelley

Riley Sanders left the Cape Cod area after high school graduation for the big city. After college she settled into life as a website content creator and manager in Manhattan. Her boyfriend works an obscene number of hours for a law firm. She thinks she has it all until life circumstances return her to the town of Chatham—at least temporarily. There she finds the family, friends, and community that she hadn’t realized she missed.

Her mother Beth is trying to manage a gradually failing inn with a broken leg. Riley is needed to help run the inn physically but also to expand the inn’s presence on the web to increase exposure and entice new visitors. There are lots of interesting characters in the story with several people reuniting with old flames.

The Christmas Inn is a clean, sweet romance with all the Christmas vibes. Between divorces and deaths, several people have difficult memories associated with Christmas, but they put on a happy face each year and muddle through. Riley’s former boyfriend has a sweet little boy who is excited about Christmas. He and his dad are staying at the inn while extensive repairs are being done on their house. His presence adds youthful enthusiasm to the extensive festivities in the community.

The book is replete with descriptions of the food and drink the characters consume. Everyone likes hot chocolate, and it goes well with the many cold, snowy events. The adults also enjoy a variety of wines and cheeses chosen from a local shop which is located near a bookshop in the friendly town. Riley has some big personal and professional decisions to make in this relaxing Christmas story, so grab a cup of cocoa and enjoy the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Romance, Fiction, Women’s Fiction

Notes: clean

Publication: September 24, 2024—St. Martin’s Press

Memorable Lines:

“We do use some AI here, but not at the expense of anyone’s jobs. We use it to enhance what we are already doing. I don’t believe in replacing people with machines.”

It was a mix of attorneys and financial types. The traders had a certain air about them, a cockiness that swarmed around them. They were incredibly impressed with themselves and expected everyone else to be equally impressed. Riley found it tiresome.

She’d thought they were on the same page. But maybe they were reading a very different book.

The Christmas Inn is a wonderfully cozy romance set on Cape Cod. Filled with holiday feels and second-chance romances, it was a great way title to spend a few evenings reading before Christmas arrived. It had me longing to go visit Chatham, Massachusetts to visit the beaches and experience the small town feel described in the novel.

I'd gladly watch a screen adaptation of this holiday romance title as it is like many of the Hallmark holiday movies.

I'd never read a title by Pamela M. Kelley, but hope to read more in the future.

This is my first time reading a book by this author. I enjoyed the story but I must say it read like a Hallmark movie. We meet Riley Sanders just as she finds out she has been let go from her job in NYC and her mother on Cape Cod has broken her leg. Riley goes home to help her mother run her Inn. During this time, Riley meets new people, rekindles old relationships and takes a hard look at her own relationship with Jack, a NYC workaholic lawyer. The ending is all tied up very neatly.

This book is pure Christmas comfort! It’s like sitting by a fire, under a blanket drinking hot cocoa. I simply loved this one!

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A hallmark movie in book form, I loved the characters and all of their heartwarming stories. All the Christmas vibes! 4 stars!!

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