Dilllon Farrow has been dealt a bad blow to his lift and finances and returns to his hometown of Miramar. He finds himself without a place to stay because of a bad flood. He meets up with Olivia Greer who has also found life problems and come home to find a new way to find herself. Her mothers cottage is still empty and maybe she can start over there. A good solid romance with a twist. A good read!

It's a story of hope, love & family in the middle of devastation. A storm recks havoc on the town of Miramar just before Christmas. Dillon and Olivia both arrive in town and help with organizing clean-up & funding for rebuilding. In all of it, they both deal with their past with each other & see hope for the future in friendships & in the town. There's also the beginnings of love.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I read a previous book in the this series a couple of years ago and have the same feeling for this book. It's nice. It's a good easy read. Once again there is an issue for the town and the people who can help are all on board. There just doesn't seem to be any 'a ha' moment. Although it's the Christmas season, the book isn't really about Christmas.

I like the interactions of the characters in this book and I'm sure if I'd read this series from the beginning I would understand a bit more about the dynamics of the story. Essentially this book is about two former high school sweethearts coming back to a town they abandoned right after High School. Now, they've returned in the middle of a natural disaster and are learning how to confront their lives after personal disasters,, in an attempt to move on. Both learn that their former roles were somehow place holders until their real lives could begin.

If you have a few hours you want to just veg out and read, this might be the book for you, but NOT if you're looking for a happy Christmas book.

This story takes place near Miramar, California. The coast has been bombarded with storms. Many are without a home they can safely stay in. Two people come back to the town they grew up in, Olivia and Dillion. They were a couple at one time and Dillion left his hometown. But now he is back and they run into one another. Olivia has no home to go to, as it is unsafe, a home she has inherited. She has gone through a divorce and has lost her mother. She is offered a warm dry place to stay, although it would sound unideal to many people. She finds Dillion is staying in the same place.

They find they can get along as friends. Olivia and Dillion meet people that knew them as they were growing up. The town needs help with getting things back in order for many locations. The mayor of Miramar learns that Olivia has talents with photography. Plus learns Dillion has a talent with doing finances, as they must file for help with government for building repairs. In the end, they have a Christmas celebration that all the towns people can join into.

I want to thank Kensington books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this novel before publication. A Christmas story that I did not expect and is so different.

Dillon and Oliva come back to Miramar Bay after being away for a long time. A bad storm comes and brings the towns people and Dillon and Oliva together. lovely story.

Such a lovely story of which I read it in 2days ! New author for me and really enjoyed the book, characters were lovely and found it easy to follow. Will keep an eye on more books from Davis Bunn.
My thanks as always to NetGalley and Publisher Kensington Publishing | Kensington for the early read.

This is all about second chances, not only for Olivia and Dillon but also for the the town of Miramar. Natural disasters may have battered the town and its people but not its heart. Similarly, Olivia and Dillon have both had seismic disappointments and changes in circumstance but a soft spark flies when they're thrown back together after years apart. This is set at Christmas which adds to the winsome atmospherics. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Disaster at Christmas time sets this small town of Miramar Bay into motion. Dillion and Olivia, both come back home after life’s disappointments to an almost an unrecognizable town midst a torrential storm. I found this book hard to get into, slow and a little depressing. Needs more Christmas and less government red tape.

A bittersweet tale of coming home and second chances, set against a holiday backdrop. I enjoyed learning about the Central Coast area of California, and getting to know the denizens of this small town.

I did find the romance angle a bit rushed, but overall, I would recommend it.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Although this novel is set during Christmas time, it doesn't include an expected Christmas atmosphere. It can be linked to the Christmas spirit: life in a small-town, close family community, overcoming tragedy, working together to recover from a natural disaster, and the act of giving, but this book is not your typical Christmassy fiction.. If you know this going in and it still sounds like what you're in the mood for, give it a try. The two MCs didn't connect well for me as far as romance, but the supporting characters make up for it. Beautiful cover.

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Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Olivia is coming home after being away for years. While home,, she catches up with a lot of friends she has missed over the years. This was a nice read

This is a sweet story about finding your way home. Olivia and Dillon were high school sweethearts. They went their separate ways and both fell apart. As each heads home to Miramar Bay, they don’t expect to find a town in ruins from storms and fire. Or hope. But they do. And as each finds their way forward, they discover promises for tomorrow. I thought this would be a love story. There was a tad bit, but mostly it is a story about redemption and hope. I enjoyed it.

Dillon and Olivia find themselves back home in Miramar years after their days of being high school sweethearts. They must forge their way through a new friendship while helping the town recover from recent mudslides.

I’ve read a few other books by David Bunn and find that they’re either a hit or a miss. Unfortunately I think this one was a “miss” for me. The relationship between Dillon and Olivia’s childhood best friend Bailey didn’t seem real. Dillon wasn’t back in town for long and all of a sudden they were in love. It almost seemed like he had more of a connection with Bailey’s daughter than he did with Bailey. There were other subplots that I just don’t think were developed enough.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This story is about losing everything, and the choices that Dillon, Olivia, and the town makes, as they rebuild their lives and the town. I loved the book because they looked at the past, to learn from it. As they moved forward, living what life is showing them now, they begin to see hope, and their journeys take them in new directions. Life is a journey, and sometimes life takes things away, changes things, so that they can see the new things life is bringing to them.
This is a story of devastation, and choosing to be open to what is to come, change, and going through the storms in their lives and the town, to see where they end up. Everyone's journey is different, so it was nice to read their journeys, some of it I have experienced, some of it, I learned some things, and I was happy when they moved forward to the unknown to see how it all was at the end of this part of the journeys.
I received an ARC from Kensington through NetGalley.

Descriptive writing flows throughout this story set in a small coastal California town, reeling from a recent disaster. Readers who enjoy character driven tales with people who have been knocked down by life, and who are looking for a way forward, will probably enjoy this quick read.

Friends are reunited, helping each other, using their unique gifts to bless others in their hometown, and find healing for themselves along the way. There are sparks of romance, but clean and surprising. I really liked the couple who ran the diner, giving everyone food and friendship, with a touch of humor. There are side characters who were in other books, I believe, but this was easy to read as a standalone.

The lovely descriptions of the ocean and coastline brought back memories of times spent there. It is set at Christmas time, so a town pulling together after suffering so much, giving each other hope and cheer, looking for a new start, seemed to fit well with the characters' own stories of redemption and healing; they mirrored each other in ways. It was more about people moving on and less about a complicated plot. Best to just let this one wash over you and enjoy the experience, like a day at the beach. 3.5 stars

I have been a long time fan of Davis Bunn. Although I enjoy the Miramar series, it’s not the quality that I’ve seen of him in the past. He continues to be an excellent writer, but the aspects that attract me to his books such as a foreign country angle, a mystery, a dangerous adventure or historical objects, are missing in this one. Initially, the book is rather depressing with everyone moping around. The word “fractured” is used nine times. That’s a bit much. The atmosphere starts to lift about halfway through the book. Elena is precocious to the extent that I started to wonder if a ten year old could really be like that. Not sure what type of a person Bailey is. Dillon and Olivia are the more sympathetic ones, maybe because they are more fleshed out. What carries the story is Dillon and Olivia’s past and present relationship. I find that quite realistic, you do look back and realize what you thought you wanted most wasn’t what was best. It isn’t a bad story, and if you’re not familiar with the writer’s earlier works, you might really enjoy it. I have come to expect much more intricate stories from this author than what he produced here and from that standpoint, if you are a Davis Bunn fan, I’d recommend giving it a pass.

Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for making an ARC available to me, I was not required to leave a positive review and am sorry I wasn’t able to.

The Christmas Cottage by Davis Bunn
Starts out with Olivia and she's taking her time along the highway to make it to Miramar. There is a storm that is keeping her from going faster. She's got everything she owns in the back of her car, mostly camera equipment as that's how she earned her living before the writer’s’ strike in Hollywood. She's returning to the place where she grew up.
Story also follow Dillon and he's a local guy now as he returned after his company failed. He needs to just keep busy and helps out with town FEMA reports so they can get money to help rebuild the devastated town. It's Christmas and even the local restaurant feeds everyone for free. There is no electric, some have generators. Everybody helps out with donations to impress the politicians that are coming to access the damage for themselves. They stay in a safe location due to all the damage to their houses.
Love what Dillon does to help others and how he finds he true love. Dillon and Olivia do spend time together as friends. Love how she is able to give gifts to others at such a dismal time. Love how they combine their resources and propose a sale to the builder who's been hounding them to sell for years. They have stipulations.
First time reading this author and love the details, very descriptive. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Twists and turns and others have secrets also that help the story along. Comes out a lot different than how I expected it to end.
Received this review copy from Kensington Publishing Kensington via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

#TheChristmasCottage #NetGalley

Have you heard the Bon Jovi song "Who Says You Can't Go Home"? That is exactly what I thought of reading "The Christmas Cottage" by Davis Bunn. The main characters Olivia and Dillon, once high school sweethearts who went separate ways, both suffer losses and go back home. Helping their hometown during the midst of a natural disaster, they hope to 'lick their wounds' and bounce back from life's disappointments. Will they be able to move forward? Will the hometown they were so desperate to leave behind be willing to welcome them back?

Unexpected twists in the plot, but what a great story.

Releases Sept 24th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Christmas Cottage is a well written and entertaining book. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the character dynamics. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book. This is my unbiased review.