What a marvelous holiday treat! I really enjoyed Pamela M. Kelley's charming novel The Christmas Inn. Filled with warm family moments, this one will make you smile.

Kelley does a marevlous job incorporating several different stories into the plotline. There's enough romance for everyone!

The audio version of The Christmas Inn is beautifully performed by Stephanie Németh-Parker.

If you’re looking for a feel-good Christmas romance, this is it! It’s cute and basically the book version of a Hallmark Christmas movie- only better. It felt more realistic than the movies, to be fair. I love that Riley had to really figure out what she wanted and she had to take some big chances to do it. It felt so relatable to have to pick a path and not be sure you’re making the right choice. Always a happy ending though, when she finally did figure it out and get it right.

The Christmas Inn is a lovely standalone story by Pamela M. Kelley, although it does have significant ties in location and secondary characters as her earlier novels The Bookshop by the Bay and The Seaside Sisters.

Marketing content writer Riley Sanders has just been laid off from her dream job as her entire department is being replaced by AI. If such things are possible, the timing is perfect as her mother, Beth, has just fallen off a ladder resulting in a broken leg. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Christmas is near and her mother is in need of help in her daily life as well as in running her Inn in Chatham, MA.

While Riley’s sister Amy has been doing her best to help, she has four year old twin girls that need her attention the most. With nothing tying her to Manhattan, Riley packs up her cat, Lily, rents a car, and heads for the cape. Her boyfriend of two years, Jack, is a driven lawyer trying to make partner and Riley is lucky to see him once or twice a week so he won’t really miss her. Upon arrival, Riley dives into what she can do to help, but other than everyday tasks it seems like the biggest thing she can do is to help her mother once again sell out the Inn using her marketing skills.

With a cast of lovely characters, the widow Franny who has just also lost her sister, Riley’s high school boyfriend, now a widower with a young son, and her mother’s friends, old and new, this book touches the heart and is everything a holiday tale should be! I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Over the past several years, I have come to depend on Pamela M. Kelley as being an author that is capable of delivering feel good books. Her books have managed to touch many of my emotions. The Christmas Inn: A Novel was another such book for me. It was the fourth book that I have read by her. I always enjoy the way Pamela M. Kelley includes characters from previous books into her newest novel. She had previously introduced the owner of the bookstore and the person who ran the coffee shop and managed to give them cameo appearances in The Christmas Inn. The setting for The Christmas Inn was Chatham on Cape Cod right before the Christmas holiday and during it as well. It takes place mostly at the Chatham Coastal Inn, a local B&B.

Riley Saunders grew up in Chatham. She always dreamed of leaving Chatham to go to college and then moving to New York where she would live and work. Her dreams came true! She left behind her high school boyfriend, Aiden, who had always hoped he and Riley would marry and settle in Chatham. That was not what Riley had been prepared to do, though. Riley loved living in New York City. She loved her apartment, and her job at a big marketing firm. She had a long term relationship with her boyfriend, Jack, who was on the track of becoming a partner in the prestigious law firm that he worked for. Riley lived in her apartment with her loyal little dog. This was the life Riley dreamed about when she was younger and she was living it now.

On an ordinary work day, Riley and her whole team were called together to find out that they were being replaced by AI. What a terrible time to be let go! It was just weeks before Christmas. Riley took her disappointment in stride, though, especially when she found out from her sister, Amy, that her mother had recently broken her leg. Riley planned to drive to Chatham to help her mother with the Chatham Coastal Inn that her mom owned. When Riley’s mom and dad divorced, Riley’s mom, Beth, acted on her dream of always wanting to own and run a B&B. She bought and restored the building and made it into the Chatham Coastal Inn. Beth was having difficulty performing all of her responsibilities at the Inn with her broken leg. Riley’s sister, Amy, who lived locally, was helping but she had a family of her own to take care of. Riley was more than happy to return to Chatham for a couple of weeks to help her mom out. According to her mom, bookings had been dropping recently. Beth hoped that Riley might also be able to help generate more reservations at the Inn by using her marketing experience.

When Riley arrived in Chatham, she was glad to be back. She did not get home that often so she was looking forward to seeing her sister and her nieces and spending time at the Inn. Riley soon learned that her high school boyfriend, Aiden, was a guest at the Inn. Aiden had been married but his wife had died about three years ago. A pipe had burst at his home, so while the repairs were being performed, Aiden and his young son, Luke, were staying at the Inn. How would Riley feel about seeing Aiden again? There would be no way to avoid running into him. In addition to Aiden and his son, Luke, an older woman named Franny was also a guest at the Inn. Franny’s beloved sister had just recently died. The two sisters had grown up in Chatham but when Franny got married she had moved to Albany and had lived there all her adult life, even after her husband had passed. She had made a life in Albany and only returned to Chatham for occasional visits. Franny’s sister had left her home to Franny and several envelopes with instructions to open one at a time in the order they were numbered. What will the content of the envelopes reveal? How will it affect Franny? How will Riley react seeing Aiden again after all this time apart? Will Riley be able to help Beth boost the reservations at the Inn?

The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley was such a feel good story. I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. It was about family, home, second chances, loss, grief, making decisions, friendships, pleasing others and making crucial choices. I am a big fan of the books that Pamela M. Kelley has written. I look forward to reading many more books by her. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Christmas Inn by Pamela M. Kelley through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to Negalley and the publisher for this ALC. I didn't not get to listen to it in time before it expired. Once I actually read this I'll update my review.

Wonderful holiday read involving multigenerational women going through occupational and personal relationship changes. I listened to the audiobook version of this story and couldn’t stop listening! What I enjoyed most was that this author focuses on more than one individual who seems to find that they need a change in their life to obtain true happiness. It also includes a happy ending for a widow who is lost without her husband who passed away a few years ago. It is very engaging, empowering, and entertaining. Definitely recommend!

The Christmas Inn is such a charming, beautiful, romantic, enchanting holiday romance. I absolutely fell under its charm. The vibes were immaculate. I love the Inn, the fact it was set in Cape Cod, it truly brought magic to the story. All the wonderful guests at the Inn just made for a beautiful and cozy read.

I loved getting all the guests' stories, I truly felt so invested in all of their stories. I wanted to know how it would all unravel. They all felt so real and believable. I got so attached to them. I loved the romances blooming, the coziness of the read, the feel of it, I just wanted to wrap myself up in a blanket with hot cocoa.

I love Hallmark movies, romance and this one delivered. I'd love to see it made in a movie ! This was a great reading escape in a beautiful setting and just left me with a heart warming feeling. Add this to your holiday TBR 🎄

🎧 The narration by Stephanie Nemeth Parker was perfect, she did a fantastic job and it was a true jot to listen to her !

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & @stephanienemethparker for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. It was a delightful Christmas story that could easily be in the Hallmark lineup.

This is my third book by the author and I have enjoyed every single one of them. She writes such a heartwarming family/ friendship stories. Her characters are relatable and likable. The narrator did a great job.

While I was eating my coffee and apple cider donut Sunday morning, I finished The Christmas Inn. I did a mix of the ebook and audio - thanks to St Martin’s Griffin and Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for access to both copies in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Christmas Inn starts out in NYC, where main character Riley has just been laid off before the holidays. She decides to spend some time at home on Cape Cod, where her mother runs a bed and breakfast. Her mother has a broken leg, so the timing is perfect. The B&B’s location is in Chatham, joining the world that Pamela Kelley started with The Bookshop by the Bay and added to with The Seaside Sisters. You do not need to have read those books, but it is fun to see overlapping characters and locations if you have read them. The plot is realistic, as Riley helps her mom and reconnects with former friends, and I really enjoyed it. The ending felt a little rushed, but I prefer that to it feeling too drawn out! I don’t usually love reading holiday books in September, but this book was terrific! It came out last week, and I recommend both the audio and print/ereader formats. I look forward to reading more from the author.

Sweet and charming holiday story. Very feel good. Ultimately more bland than I like my novels with a lot of characters and stories to juggle. The narrator did a great job.

The Christmas Inn is a cozy, feel-good, clean, holiday romance told through multiple POVs of women who have been connected through the inn. Set in Cape Cod, during the Christmas season, the Christmas Inn is a place for healing, refuge, found family, and second chances.

The characters were well developed and easy to connect with and the setting was cozy and realistic. The plot was a pretty typical Hallmark movie plot, it was very predictable but I still enjoyed it.

I enjoyed all the references of books, authors, and Christmas movies scattered throughout the book. I also loved that many of the characters loved to read, from the youngest to the oldest, and could feel their excitement on their trips to the local bookstore.

I really appreciated the mental health rep, seasonal depression/grief, showing that the holidays aren’t always the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ for everyone.

There is a lot of heavily descriptive talk about food throughout the book, including all kinds of types of cheese and wine. I get that the story is set at an Inn/B&B at Christmas time, and food tends to play a huge part in the celebrations around the holidays, but I felt like it was a little too much. I didn’t need a full description of the leftovers they were going to heat up and eat for dinner. 🤪 I would have loved more vivid descriptions of the Christmas decor at the inn and around town, particularly more about the Christmas Stroll.

The audiobook was clear, precise and easy to follow. The narrator’s voice was calm and soothing, which helped in setting the overall peaceful and relaxing tone of the story.

Thank you @NetGalley, @stmartinspress, @macmillanaudio and @PamelaMKelley for the gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars! This is my third book by Pamela Kelley, and I have learned that I can count on her easy, feel-good reads to lift me up. Her characters are always down to earth, and there is always a sweet romance (or four!) in her books. I especially appreciate that they are smut-free!

As I have barely been able to process fall’s arrival, I hate to admit that The Christmas Inn really got me in the mood for the Christmas season (don’t tell my friends!) I finished this in a day and a half and am ready to put up my Christmas tree!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book will be the perfect addition to anyone's holiday reading list. The story is of so many second chances and new friendships. I love how the book bounced around POVs and gave a full story of the lives of the 3 women. This book would make an adorable Hallmark movie. There is so much love and self-discovery.

The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelly was another delightful, Christmas story. Riley Sanders loses her job when her company restructures but it turns out to be a good thing for her family. Her mother runs an inn and has just broken her ankle. Her sister asks her to come home and help, which she does. She arrives and loves that she is home and can help her mother, giving her sister a break. What she finds out is that the inn is losing business each year and there are much needed improvements that have been put off. Being a social media expert, she sets up accounts for her mother, and puts some changes in place. With an interesting group of guests, including her high school boyfriend and his 9 YO son, she begins to realize that maybe the big city isn't what she really wants anymore.

As the blurb says, The Christmas Inn is A feel-good novel as delightful and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night This is definitely a book that needs to be made into a movie. I loved all the characters, even the workaholic boyfriend back in the city. Franny seems to be everyone's favourite. She is a widow who recently lost her sister and is there to remember and relive their youth. Through letters, she visits all their old haunts and I loved seeing her move through her grief. There is romance in this one, not just once, and it is gentle and sweet. The found family aspect that blossoms at the inn, as well as seeing how Rachel and her mom make the guests feel welcome and like family makes me want to visit there. A lovely, uplifting, hope filled Christmas story that I really enjoyed. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker. This is a narrator that I have listened to before and I enjoyed her performance.

Disclaimer: this review may be bias when complied with the fact that this book was like a hallmark movie and I’m not into those.

Everything had a weird glimmer of happy glitter on it and it just felt … fake. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me and I had a feeling it wouldn’t when the main character gets laid off in the first few pages and isn’t even upset by it (especially the week before christmas!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Escape to The Christmas Inn in Cape Cod, New England for comfort food, delicious cookies, a crackling fire, sides of slow-burn romance, and multi-generational friendship.

In this cozy story, Riley has just lost her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. She decides to go help her mom at the inn who has just broken her leg. The help she offers and the Christmas rush is just the distraction she needs. And yes,…her (recently widowed) high school sweetheart is also a distraction! Christmas truly is the most magical time of the year!

With Hallmark Movie vibes, a collection of delightful themes makes this the perfect cozy winter read! If you enjoy sweet, second-chance romance, found family, women supporting women, and multi-generational friendships, and Hallmark HEAs, you will appreciate this warm-hearted story! The minimal drama in the story is resolved quickly and I’m happy to report “no content warnings.”

I adore a multi-generational story! We have Riley, a thirty-something career girl; Beth, a fifty-something owner of the inn and Riley’s mom; and Franny, a seventy-something guest who is grieving the loss of her sister.

Gather your cookies and hot chocolate, and your cheese and wine… an abundance of delicious, comfort food is mentioned throughout the story. You will be tempted to snack while reading.

In addition to the business endeavors of each woman, there is a small side of sweet romance for each. Because romance is not the main focus of the story, I’m not categorizing The Christmas Inn as a “romance.” Each side of romance is sweet, slow-burn, and firmly closed door.

The Christmas Inn is perfect for readers looking for Hallmark movie vibes in book form. A lovely book to “read by the fire on a cold afternoon” or “cozy up with in bed on a blustery winter night.” I’m recommending this heartwarming story for fans of women supporting women, multigenerational friendship, and second-chance romance.

Thanks #NetGalley @MacmillanAudio for a complimentary e ARC of #TheChristmasInn upon my request. All opinions are my own.

This is a Hallmark movie in book form. Beautiful setting of Cape Cod at Christmas. Snow on the ground. Riley is hoping for a promotion at work but what happened instead was she was fired from her job and at Christmas. She's not sure what to do. She then learns that her mother has fallen and has a broken leg. So she packs her bags and heads home to help her mother run the Christmas Inn. The Inn has had a rough patch and marketing is Riley's speciality so she goes to work and makes some small changes that helps the Inn become more profitable. Oh and did I forget to mention that Riley has a boyfriend in the city and she thought she might be getting engaged? Now for the Hallmark part. At home her old boyfriend still lives there with his son. Does she still have feelings for him? Does he for her? We also meet some interesting people that come and stay at the Inn including Franny. Franny's sister has recently passed away and left her some letters with instructions of things for her to do. I think there might be a mystery there. Go spend a snowy Christmas in Cape Cod at the Christmas Inn.

This is a sweet holiday story about family, relationships, and discovering what really matters in life. The characters are well developed and you will find yourself enjoying getting to know them better as you delve further into the story. Having visited Chatham at the Cape in the past, I know how delightful the town is and the lovely sense of community it offers. Luke just absolutely stole my heart! He was such a sweet and cute boy and I loved how his father was committed to teaching him proper manners in a positive way. While I’m not a big romance genre fan, this one was very entertaining and would be the perfect read for a cool winter night during the Christmas season. I know it had me wishing for a flake or two of snow and the time to spend with family and friends around a roaring fire with the Christmas tree lights flickering in the window.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Cute story, remind me of a Debbie Macomber Christmas story. The little details, can be annoying at times, really put you in the character moments. Riley described a situation as “It’s like coming home” and that is what this book is like, a coming home Christmas story. While somewhat predictable the journey there was a little different than I would have guessed.

Like all good Christmas stories it’s the community, the Inn characters that make the story. A sweet Christmas story in a small town with a place for everyone.

Even in September this book has me ready for wine, cheese and Christmas cheer with good friends!

There is discussion on if Santa is real, be careful to listen when little ears aren’t around.

This has been posted to Goodreads.