From the queen of Christmas romances comes another wonderful story of love during the Christmas season. In this one, Hailey is an aspiring song writer fleeing to a small cabin and from a persistent ex and family that just doesn't get her. And then there is Jethro (thank goodness that's not the name he goes by). He's had a successful music career with a band that has broken apart. He feels pretty broken himself, but supports Hailey and her music whole heartedly. They play and sing together until the hailstorm that is her life comes to the small cabin along with Christmas.

This is a story of heartache, the healing properties of music, learning to give family a little grace to come around, and of course, romance and love. A heartwarming story.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts are my own.

Hailey loves Christmas, but isn't looking forward to spending Christmas with her family and dodging her mother’s meddling questions about her love life. When her mother invites Hailey's ex to the holiday festivities without asking her, Hailey decides it's time to stand up for herself and do what's best for herself. She takes up a friend's invite to a remote cottage in a "podunk" town, and gets away for some time to herself to enjoy the holidays and get creative with her songwriting.

Soon Hailey gets to know the people from town, and especially Jay - who helped her with a raccoon situation at the cabin - and Hailey is starting to feel like she can find herself again. But even in her snow-dusted oasis, family holiday drama still finds Hailey, interrupting and threatening her newfound peace and confidence.

This was a nice book with an easy holiday story that was cozy and relaxing to settle into the winter season. I liked the message of being true to yourself and finding what's right for you in a world that's sending so many messages about what you "should" do. Great booK!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book. All my thoughts and opinions are all my own.

A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber

Sweet, healing, joyful book about realizing and following one’s dreams and finding people who share and respect your goals. Hailey wants to write music, but her parents insisted on a “practical” teaching degree, and her ex insisted she give up her dream. Teaching has rewards, but Hailey hasn’t been able to write music since the breakup. Offered a cabin retreat for writing, and to escape controlling mom and pushy ex, she goes . . . and the fun begins.
This was a lovely reminder to listen to one’s own creative self, not to those who don’t get it.
It was also the perfect escape for me. A book that can take my mind off a broken rib is a good book indeed.

A delightful holiday romance involving two sisters and the men of their dreams. Daisy has dyslexia and faces challenges daily that affect her ability to find a career that fits. She's a nature loving, crafty person who's found a mate on Charles.

Hailey decides to spend her Christmas break from teaching at a friend's remote cabin after her ex invites himself to her parents for Christmas. There she meets Jay a music producer and sparks fly. But can he help her reach her musical peak while he's just starting out as a producer? Her talent is evident and a performance at his small town Christmas festival becomes a media sensation. She's approached by a big time producer but needs to confront Jay before signing. Will they be able to work things out or will she sign with the big Seattle producer? You'll want to read this sweet story to find out.

Although I received a free ARC from net galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Every year bestselling author Debbie Macomber gives her fans a treat: a heartwarming Christmas romance. A Christmas Duet is this year’s sweet Christmas romance featuring two musicians. The story takes place in rural Oregon and includes wild animals and hilarious family drama. It is very different from her Angels stories and has more character development and seriousness than some of her earlier Christmas rom-coms.
Hailey Morgan dreamed of being a professional songwriter but wound up as an assistant high school band teacher in Portland. She decides to spend Christmas break at a friend’s remote cabin to avoid being with her meddling family. After she arrives in Podunk and discovers multiple wild animals in the cabin, a handsome local man comes to her rescue.
Jay is a former musician and is eager to help Hailey while he’s in Podunk re-thinking his life. They spend their days together doing holiday things: chopping down and decorating a Christmas tree, sipping hot cocoa in front of a cozy fire, playing music together. Jay even convinces Hailey that she can make it as a professional songwriter. But as their friendship blossoms into romance, they keep getting interrupted by unwelcome human visitors. Hailey’s mom especially brings the family drama, and the reader hopes that Hailey and Jay can find the happy ending that they deserve.
A Christmas Duet is a well-written holiday romance perfect for fans of Hallmark movies. It involves two characters who are at a crossroads in their lives and discover that the other makes their life better. The side characters definitely add color to the story, but readers may find Hailey’s mom and ex-boyfriend annoying with their antics. This author has written an annual Christmas story for many years and it’s amazing that she comes up with fresh ideas and original characters. While this story contains some humorous scenes, there is a seriousness that gives it a different tone from her earlier Christmas rom-coms. As with all Debbie Macomber stories, there is no profanity or sex, so readers can range from teen-agers to great-grandmothers.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from the NetGalley and Ballantine Books for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Debbie Macomber holiday novels always get me ready for the holiday season, and this one was no different. Loved the story and how it played out. Podunk sounds like the ultimate small town. Hailey & Jay are great as are all of the side characters. Highly recommend this one!!

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

The story opens with Hailey Morgan gearing up for the Christmas holiday. Hailey is an assistant high school band teacher and has always loved music, she had big dreams of becoming a song writer but needed a job to pay the bills. Hailey's best friend decides that she needs a little push and a solo trip is just the trick to get Hailey back into songwriting. A solo trip soon turns into a love story and in comes Jay the son of the town’s main store proprietor and former musician willing to help Hailey write songs. Find out if the two have chemistry romantically and musically in A Christmas Duet.

I love Debbie Macomber's writing and especially adore all of her holiday books. Reading A Christmas Duet is like stepping into a Hallmark movie and wanting to cuddle up with your own loved one.

There is nothing more "cozy" than reading a Debbie Macomber novel. You feel like you are wrapped in a warm blanket reading her novels. Her character descriptions and story settings make you feel like you are catching up with old friends. I absolutely loved this book. I will definitely read again during the holidays.

A Christmas Duet hits an endearing, sweet note just in time for the holidays.

Hailey Morgan is a talented songwriter whose confidence was shattered by an ex-boyfriend. Slowly rebuilding her way back to her dreams, she takes a friend’s offer to spend a quiet and stress-free Christmas at their family’s isolated cabin in a small town called Podunk. There, she meets a handsome and single music producer, Jay, who encourages her in her musical gift. When they get up on stage at the town’s winter festival and she sings the Christmas song she’s just written, a recording of their performance goes viral, leading to Hailey’s family and her ex-boyfriend being able to track her down and crash her quiet, stress-free getaway.

The small-town vibe is on display and has all the hallmarks we would expect of the Christmas season. There are also some fun secondary characters such as Jay’s mayor mother, Thelma, Hailey’s free-spirited sister Daisy, and Daisy’s rocket scientist boyfriend, Charles. I was not fond of Hailey’s mother or the ex-boyfriend, but they both played their parts in the story. Jay is a hunky hero with his own obstacles to overcome, but in the end he and Hailey work through them and find their merry Christmas ending.

This story was a sweet holiday romance, perhaps a little too saccharine at times, but a decent read to help get in a seasonal state of mind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Debbie Macomber can be counted on to provide a fun, hallmark kind of read and she doesn't disappoint with her latest, A Christmas Duet. This one is just in time for the Christmas holiday and curling up with it in front of a cozy fire is something to be anticipated and then enjoyed. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

A Christmas Duet
by: Debbie Macomber
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Ballantine Books
Pub date: Oct. 15, 2024
General Fiction (Adult), Romance, Women's Fiction

As a retired educator, I enjoy stories with teachers as main characters. As a lover of music, I enjoy hearing the stories behind the songs. A Christmas Duet delivers both, with a winter setting of a secluded cabin.

Although female main character Hailey is an assistant high school band teacher, she also has a passion for songwriting. On Christmas break, she retreats to her friend's uninhabited family cabin for a cozy, solitary songwriting getaway in Podunk, Oregon. As she strives to find the perfect words and melodies, Hailey also has a few surprises within herself, her family, and in the small town. This book flows with cozy holiday vibes and interesting characters, pairing nicely for reading wrapped in a warm autumn sweater or a soft winter blanket.

I received an advance reader's copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Ballantine Books. My review is my own.

A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber is a sweet holiday tale. I look forward to reading Debbie Macomber’s new holiday tale each year. I found A Christmas Duet easy to read with steady pacing. I like how a racoon provided an entertaining meet-cute between Hailey and Jay. I understood why Hailey did not want to spend the holidays with her ex-boyfriend with her mother pressuring her to get back together with him. However, I thought the background details were lacking. Had the mother always been this overbearing? I wanted more information to explain why Hailey would abandon her family for the holidays. There was plenty of Christmas spirit in the story as well as romance. I did feel the romance was a little rushed (instant attraction). There were a couple of items that were mentioned that were out of place. I did not know how the townspeople could love Hailey if they did not know her. The story could have used more depth. It felt more like a novella than a novel. That does not mean that I did not enjoy A Christmas Duet. It is a cute story with some feel-good moments. A Christmas Duet, though, is not on par with Debbie Macomber’s previous Christmas stories. A Christmas Duet is a happy holiday tale with a domineering mother, a brash ex-boyfriend, a helpful friend, a marauding racoon, domestic drama, singing songs, cutting down a tree, and unforeseen blessings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Debbie Macomber has done it again! Debbie continues to be one of my favorite and most tried and true Christmas romance book authors. I have not "met" a Debbie Macomber book that I didn't like. I love how this book had heart and charm to it.

I also got to listen to the audiobook narrated by Andi Arndt thanks to PRH Audio and Andi continues to be one of my favorite female audiobook narrators.

If you are looking for a cozy Christmas romance this holiday season, I highly recommend that you don't miss out on this book!


Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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This book gave me all the heartwarming holiday vibes! If you're in the mood for a charming, cozy small-town romance that feels like a Hallmark movie, I'd definitely recommend grabbing this one for the holiday season. It's a short and sweet read - I finished it in just a few hours.

Perfect for fans of:

Quick Christmas Reads
Cabin-in-the-Woods Settings
Insta-Love Stories
Musicians
Meddling Moms & Ex-Boyfriends
Small-Town Festivals

Fingers crossed we get Daisy and Charles' story next Christmas! What do you think, Debbie Macomber?

A quintessential, Hallmarkish, Christmas romance!! I adored Jay! What a cinnamon roll. He is the kind of man we all want in a husband! I love that Debbie writes men, as masculine and protectors!

The small town vibes are perfect, the struggles Hailey deals with are, relatable. The Christmas touches are *chefs kiss* We need more Christmas books like this!

This a great story. Hailey doesn't always stand up to her overbearing mother. She doesn't want to hurt her mother's feelings, but sometimes she just wants to avoid her mother. It will soon be Christmas and Hailey is dreading going to her parent's house. Her mother has invited Hailey's ex and expects Hailey to patch things up with him. It has been 3 years, why now? Her ex is as persistent as her mother. Hailey ends up in a remote cabin in Podunk and she is going to have a quiet 10 days all to herself to write music. Maybe. When she opens the door to the cabin, it is inhabited by some wildlife. When she asks for help, Jay shows up and they are both immediately smitten. Jay has his troubles, but he would really like to help Hailey with her music. They have music in common and he wants to help her connect to others who can help her, but he also wants to connect with her personally. When Hailey's family descends on her, is it going to ruin what Hailey and Jay have going?

A sweet romance between two people trying to pick up the pieces after their life takes a turn. Hailey is getting away during the holidays when she learns that her mom invited her ex to Christmas. He has been asking for a second chance, but she is over him and quickly realizes that he didn’t support her dreams. Especially after she meets Jay. Jay is trying to bide his time until he finds out what is going to happen with the dissolution of his band. When he meets Hailey they click right away.

I liked how they both supported each other and helped the other learn important things. When they realize that they can help each other, he is a producer and she is a song writer, they start creating together. Everything is going great for them, until her sister and parents show up (and her ex) and he has to leave to talk to his lawyer.

Even though their relationship was fast, it was believable because they spent a lot of time together and they didn’t go from strangers to being in bed within minutes. Her relationship with her sister was nice to see, as well as the closure of her relationship with her ex. Whether Jay pushes her away or pulls her closer when he needs her remains to be seen. So does whether she will fight for him or let him run away.

I really enjoyed this book. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

Hailey is a music teacher who hopes to become a recording artist and songwriter, but she's played things safe for years. Always a good daughter, because her sister is the free spirit, she doesn't push the boundaries. But this Christmas is different. She's going on vacation by herself, staying in a friend's cabin, as her own personal retreat away from her family.
The small town where she's staying is a close-knit community, and when she runs into critters in the cabin, the neighbor's son comes to the rescue. Jay is a musician who steps in to help her with getting rid of the wildlife, helping her with other things in the cabin, doing things around town, and playing music together. There's definitely a spark between them.  
A viral video of them singing a duet brings her family to the cabin, causing drama, an ex boyfriend, and contract offers. Suddenly, her peaceful holiday has become a three-ring circus.
Hailey has a  lot of decisions to make regarding her future, her family, and whether or not there could be a future with Jay.
A wonderful Christmas story full of heart, charm, and holiday spirit.

Nobody does Christmas romance like Debbie Macomber! Hailey decides to get away and spend time by herself to try and live her dream and connects with Jay who is trying to move on from his past. Throw in some drama which will have you shaking your head in disbelief and mix well. If you're looking for a quick read, clean, small town romance look no further. This book is the perfect warm and cozy romance to read on a cold winter day.

Thanks to Debbie Macomber, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A cozy, quick Christmas novel from one of the best. Curl up with your favorite beverage and give it a read!