I love a good Christmas love story & The December Market is just that! This is RaeAnne Thayne’s second book in the Shelter Spring Series & I hope there will be more. A solid 4.5 star Christmas read.
Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing|Canary Street Press for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

RaeAnne never disappoints! Loved returning to Shelter Springs and getting updates on all my old favorites while learning more about Amanda and Rafe. A Christmas love story that will get you in the holiday mood right from the beginning!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Rafe and Amanda have both had heartache in their lives with the deaths of loved ones. Rafe has his son Issac to raise and has stayed away from relationships. Amanda has kept busy helping neighbors, building her store, and overseeing the Christmas Market. But she, has put love on hold because of fear. In this Christmas romance they find security and love with each other. Isaac is adorable.

I enjoyed this book. The author dealt with some hard issues in a thoughtful and compassionate way, issues that have become all too common in today's world--substance abuse, depression, survivor's guilt. I'll be recommending my library purchase this book.

The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne is a perfect Christmas read. Rafe is one of Safe Haven’s finest firemen. He and his son live a few houses down from Amanda. Amanda is in charge of the annual Christmas Market. She is also the caregiver to her Grandmother Birdie. When Amanda notices that Birdie and Rafe’s grandfather are spending a lot of time together, she is concerned. This concern brings Amanda and Rafe closer together for the holidays. I was able to read this from NetGalley. This was such a delightful read. RaeAnne is one of my favorite authors.

A sweet Christmas book set in Shelter Springs. Amanda’s Grandmother starts dating a new resident at her retirement community and Amanda smells trouble. Also the man’s grandson feels the same. They have a common goal to keep them apart but it keeps throwing Amanda and Rafe together. Will love win at Christmas.

This is a very sweet Christmas love story. It is obviously part of a series of books but i had no problem enjoying the story as a stand alone.

I love RaeAnne Thayne but this one was lacking for me. Still read it though. If you haven’t read this author before maybe start with a different book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

I love holiday markets and I often visit around Christmas time. I love this because of that fact and I love that she’s trying to spread cheer thru her town.

I'm not typically a romance reader and I definitely make fun of Hallmark movies, but in 2021 I was in a library for a city-wide festival. They had RaeAnne Thayne's Sleigh Bells Ring and I checked it out on a whim. I loved having an easy palate cleanser read and it's become sort of a tradition to read her Christmas book each year. This year I was lucky enough the receive 2024s book as an ARC. It was a little weird reading it outside of the Christmas season and I found myself reading it very critically. As in, "ugh, she barely noticed this guy last week and now she's in love with him", but I told myself to stop and just enjoy it like I did that first book. I did and I loved it. I loved watching Amanda's journey and seeing her fall in love! Would definitely recommend!!

A wonderful story about families, life and love. Amanda has been through great pain. She survived it but it left her unwilling to love again.
Rafe has also faced trauma and heartbreak. He has a 6 year old son, Isaac. His wife died a few years ago.
When they come together and finally stop fighting love it is like the sun breaking through clouds.
I loved this story, I loved the characters
There are some characters we met in earlier books who return here and it is all lovely.

Amanda Taylor is a busy woman: a shop owner, the organizer for the town's Holiday Giving Market, as well as a nurturer for her grandmother Birdie and for all those in her circle of friends. She keeps busy especially at Christmas as she has had much sadness in her life (explained in this book and in Thayne's previous book Christmas at the Shelter Inn.) Amanda has avoided romance but the delightful smile of kind Isaac (along with that of his very handsome father Rafe Arredondo) have her charmed. Their families have a past history (regarding the sadness her father brought into their lives) and now seem to not only have a connection among Isaac, Rafe and Amanda, but also between with their grandparents, Paolo and Birdie.

The Christmas atmosphere is well presented. Seeing Christmas through a child's eyes with Issac's special Christmas wish helps make this a sweet read for Christmas romance.

Amanda and Rafe had great chemistry. The fact it took place at Christmas made it even better. Even tho she felt anti christmas her heart grew many times over. Happy Christmas

This book was amazing and I devoured this book in just a few sittings! I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne is a holiday romance, set in Shelter Springs and features Amanda Taylor, Rafe, and Isaac. The story's focus is on second chances and recovering from past hurts. Extensive background information on past events and secondary characters distracted somewhat from flow of the story. A heartwarming and festive holiday read.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne is a holiday romance set in the charming town of Shelter Springs. The story revolves around Amanda Taylor, a soap shop owner who isn’t fond of Christmas but goes all out for her customers during the Shelter Springs Holiday Giving Market. Her aversion to the holiday is challenged when her grandmother, Birdie, starts dating a new resident at the local retirement community, raising Amanda's suspicions. This is a touching novel about second chances and healing from past hurts. The engaging storytelling and well developed characters make this novel a perfect holiday escape.

The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne is a sweet romance for the holiday season. Many of the characters from Christmas at the Shelter Inn are part of this novel and it is good to catch up with them. Amanda, the heroine, must overcome past trauma to fully enter into a romance with the hero, Rafe, who has his own past that haunts him. Rafe's charming son, Isaac, is a lovely addition to the mix. There is also a budding romance between Amanda's grandmother, Birdie, and Rafe's grandfather, both residents of the Shelter Inn. This adds another layer of complexity to the Amanda/Rafe relationship. The plot is nicely done and has some surprises and the characters are well-rounded. Strongly recommended for lovers of warm Christmas romance.

This book was really good. It was heartwarming and romantic. I loved the ending and I thought Issac was cute. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Amanda Taylor isn't a fan of Christmas, but as the owner of a local soap shop, she can't ignore the holiday season. To distract herself from painful Christmas memories, Amanda dedicates herself to spreading cheer at the Shelter Springs Holiday Giving Market. However, trouble brews when her beloved grandmother, Birdie, begins dating a charming new resident of the Shelter Inn retirement community. Amanda is suspicious, and fortunately, so is Rafe Arredondo, the grandson of Birdie’s suitor. Unfortunately, Rafe is just as fiery as his grandfather, and Amanda has no interest in getting burned.

Rafe, a single father, paramedic, and assistant fire chief, has plenty to juggle. While he and Amanda share a common goal of keeping their grandparents apart, he struggles with his growing attraction to her. She’s great with his young son and even helps ease the weight of his own painful past. As their paths continue to cross at the holiday market, it begins to feel like fate, making them both wonder if taking a chance on love could give them everything they've been wishing for.