A lighthearted romance that plays on everyones natural fear, the fear of being rejected. The main characters have been in a relationship and obviously care about each other. Everyone can see it but themselves. The situation is one which is very relatable. To what lengths are you willing to go for a "friend". And what will it take to make them brave enough to take that next step.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version.

Perfect Hallmark Christmas plot. I would said the female voice I didn't mind but the male voice sounded completely AI. I would suggest reading the acute book than listen too. His voice in particular just sounded so fake and AI how it was read out and sounded. His voice was way too weird...very distracting.
Besides that it was all and all a cute novel. If you are looking for a fast read rom com that takes place during Christmas time!

I've read several books by Miranda Liasson, so it was great seeing a new series starting off with a Christmas book. Mia D’Angelo, is a third-year pediatric resident. She shared with her mom how she finally met the perfect guy and how happy she was. Then, they found out that they would be working together, and were competing for the same position. He broke it off, and there she was, dumped again. Her mom had been so happy for her that she couldn't tell her yet. Her mom was undergoing treatment for cancer and Mia was worried stress would cause her to have a set back. Now it's Christmas and her family is expecting her to bring her boyfriend home. Mom's health crisis is over, but she still hadn't told her the truth. She asked every eligible guy she knew if they would go with her and pretend, but with no luck. When Dr. Braxton Hughes gets wind of what is going on, he says he will go with her. The problem is, Braxton is the ex. She has to keep it professional while they are there, but it is harder than she thought, especially when she sees a totally different side of the hard working doctor.

This was a fun forced proximity/fake dating story. Mia is so insecure about a lot of things. Her twin sister died when she was young and the guilt that she didn't save her was buried deep inside. That was why she wanted to become a doctor in the first place. Brax is a wonderful, swoon-worthy character. He was kind, charming, handsome her whole family loved him, even her dog. Brax has a painful past and lots of secrets that kept him from commitment, but as he gets to see Mia with her family and learn more about her past, he begins to thaw. Can the fact that they are still both after that coveted job in the pediatric practice in town keep them apart? This was a fun story, full of festive moments, family times and sweet growing care and affection. It had lots of warm, fuzzy moments and I highly recommend this one if you enjoy Christmas romance. I enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland. Having two narrators when a book is told from dual POVs is perfect and this was a great story to listen to.

A life canvas that speaks volumes. From over the top to sentimental, Liasson takes emotions on a tempting rollercoaster that the heart won't soon forget. Take Me Home For Christmas reads like a holiday card. A reminder of humor, heart and hope that captivates the senses and touches the soul.

Take Me Home for Christmas: A Heartwarming Small-Town Holiday Romance (The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff #1) by Miranda Liasson
Narrated by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland
Publisher: Hawthorne House Press
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Romance, Women's Fiction
Published: October 4, 2024

Take Me Home for Christmas is the first book in the The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff series by Miranda Liasson and I am here for it!!!!

I don't even know where to start, I loved all of this book! I thought the characters were fantastic and I loved them! They had so much depth and felt so real! I thought the story was beautiful and magical!

I loved the narration by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland! I thought they brought this story to life in such an incredible way!!!

I highly recommend this book!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

🎄 Audiobook Review 🎄

Title : Take me home for Christmas
Author : Miranda Liasson
Genre : Christmas Romance
Rate : 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to @netgalley for an ARC copy of this audiobook. This was published 4th Oct 2024.

When one small white lie gets you tangled up in a web you can’t see a way out of.
Mia D’Angelo a third year paediatric resident was telling her mam how she has meet the man of her dreams. Until she finds out he is her coworker and competitor for a spot in the best practice in town and finds herself dumped.
She couldn’t pluck up the courage to tell her mam the truth as she was going through a health crisis and just kept the story going of having the perfect boyfriend.
Once her mam is better the whole family wants her to bring him home for Christmas, oh dear.

Brax Huges is the one person she doesn’t want to bring home, as he is the guy who started it all.
They work well together and she can rely on him in a crisis but outside of work, he is a commitment phobe.

However once he hears Mia needs a fake boyfriend to take home with her, he volunteers. However Mia doesn’t think her heart would survive falling for him again. But with the car packed and with no other options available to her, she takes Brax up on his offer.

I loved listening to this book so much. Such a heartwarming story of family, misunderstanding and realising what people show the world doesn’t always mean that is who they are.

I adore both Brax & Mia, they both have reasons for minding their hearts but maybe loving each other might be worth the risk.

I don’t want to say anymore as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But I do highly recommend.

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A heartwarming fake dating second chance romance centered around colleagues who find their way back together when he accompanies her home for Christmas to appease her sick mother. Mia told her mother about Brax when they first started getting close, but when he pulled away she couldn't bring herself to break the news to her mother. She convinces him to come home with her for the holidays and they find themselves rekindling the flames of the past. I loved that they both worked through trauma to find their way together again.

This a cute Christmas romance with fake dating with a unique twist that they were previously a FLING! Until they realized that they would be co-workers and broke things off. Only problem? The FMC fell hard and fast and told her Mother about him and could not bring herself to tell her Mom that they were not longer together in the midst of her cancer battle.

"Take Me Home for Christmas" by Miranda Liasson is a rom-com. It's a friends to lovers trope and fake boyfriend trope.

Mia D'Angelo is a third year pediatric resident, and she is going home for the holidays. The problem is that she told her mother she had a boyfriend and then never told her when that relationship ended. She needs to bring him with her.

My biggest issue with this book is how unrealistically perfect Mia's family and family home are. Trigger warnings for childhood cancer and adult cancer.

The audiobook is narrated by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland. They did a nice job with it.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 4/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 27/8 = 3 3/8
Rounded to 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hawthorne House and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, and Miranda Liasson for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my heart, I loved this book so so much. This is a second chance novel about Mia who needs a fake boyfriend for the Christmas holidays at home. Brax will come home to visit her family. I loved the protagonists so much. Also the dynamics with friends, family, Mias's parents and brothers. It was also quite funny. I listened to the book on audio and simply loved the narrators.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC.

First a big thanks to NetGalley, the Author and the Publisher for this ARC.

This was a sweet and cozy Christmas read. Very loving and cute.
I got the audiobook Narrated by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland and their voices where just perfect. Calm, steady and a blessing to listen to.

This is a second chance romance with a likable, intelligent female protagonist, an engaging, kind and caring male protagonist, wit, a touch of humor, small town charm, a loving family, supportive friends, some first and a lot of snow.

I enjoyed the growth both characters went through and loved how they learned about their self's, their loved ones and their significant other.

For me personally the time skip wasn't completely necessary although I did enjoy it and understand why she gave Gracie her name, I had expected something different I guess...

I loved the preview of the next book though and would love to be able to listen to that audiobook as well.

Audio Book Review - when story telling is all about atmosphere and positive and lighthearted the narrators can make or break the atmosphere. This time around Marney Pennington carried the cause beautifully. Her soft and light tones indulges the listener to immerse oneself in the story. I found Noah Cumberland (male hero) to be a little too deep and less appealing. Would have preferred just the one narrator.
The story itself was charming, easy going and nonthreatening making it an easy listen especially whilst wrapping Christmas presents!

If you only read one holiday-themed book this year, let it be this one!

This book had everything I have been looking for in a Christmas book this holiday season - a heartwarming family, a picture perfect home for the holidays, great chemistry between the two MCs, and just enough holiday cheer.

Take Me Home for Christmas was my first Miranda Liasson book, but it won't be my last! Thrilled to be getting another book in this series in 2025.

As a nurse, this book is an auto-recommend from me for coworkers and fellow festive book lovers!

This book has so much humor and sweet, clean romance. Told from a dual POV (Mia and Brax,) this book moves quickly and and keeps the readers engaged. With just enough spice but not too much, this book can be shared with all your girlfriends, mothers, aunties and grandmas without having to worry about blushing. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more by Miranda Liasson!

Thank you, NetGalley for this fantastic ARC!!!

What a wonderful holiday read. A closed door hallmark type book. The narrators for the audiobook were wonderful and engaging.

What a wonderful story! There is no way you don't root for Mia and Brax right from the start. As an oncology nurse, this book hits all the feels. It had me yelling, crying and laughing! I really did not want it to end. It was such a well-rounded book that even the supporting characters had an important role to play. I will definately be continuing this series!

the setup…
Mia D’Angelo is a third-year pediatric resident vying for a spot in a coveted practice. Her top competition is Braxton (Brax) Hughes, the chief over the interns. They dated briefly but long enough for her to share that information with her mother. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the heart to tell her about their breakup during Mom’s health crisis and embellished the so-called relationship even more. Now that the crisis has ended, her family wants to meet the wonderful man in her life and has invited him home for Christmas. Mia’s attempts to find a friend to be her fake boyfriend fail but Brax steps up and agrees to be…her boyfriend?

the heart of the story…
On the surface, this feels quite lighthearted but both Mia and Brax have some serious histories. She was dumped by her previous boyfriend, her home town love, right before he eloped with someone else. It’s why she hasn’t returned home to face the town. Brax may look like the all-American dream but his childhood was anything but. Both are letting this baggage get in the way but the charm of the season and her family goes a long way to bridging those gaps.

the narration…
Marni Penning was delighful as Mia, capturing all of her angst nicely. Noah Cumberland’s baritone made me swoon. Both were great storytellers, too.

the bottom line…
While so much of this may feel like the traditional Hallmark movie, there are some serious issues underlying the lightness. Mia’s residency is in the pediatric oncology unit and she brings her own personal experience. I loved how they added authenticity and weight, providing layers that made this substantive and more interesting. I’m thrilled this is the beginning of a new series as there’s some unfinished business and I’m all in.

This book was so cute and I loved it. I read it super quickly and have already told a few friends that they should check it out

“Take Me Home for Christmas” is a delightful holiday romance that captures the spirit of the season. The story follows Mia, a hardworking pediatrician, who finds herself in a predicament: she needs a fake boyfriend to impress her family during the holidays. Enter Brax, her charming and brooding colleague, who agrees to step in and play the part.

What follows is a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and second chances. The author skillfully balances the romantic elements with the challenges of medical careers and family dynamics. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their chemistry is undeniable. The supporting cast, including Mia's endearing family and friends, adds depth and humor to the story.

While the plot may be predictable at times, the charming writing style and the cozy Christmas setting make it a delightful read. The audiobook narration is well-done, enhancing the listening experience thanks to the dual narration provided by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland.

Overall, Take Me Home for Christmas is a perfect holiday read for those seeking a heartwarming and feel-good story. It's a cozy and comforting escape that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Hawthorne House Press - Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#TakeMeHomeforChristmas #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

This is a cute, cozy Christmas read that’s very Hallmark-esq. Mia, the FMC, needs to bring a fake boyfriend home for Christmas after lying to her mom to get her through her cancer treatments. It’s honestly not my favorite trope because lies just get too big and stressful, but once the MCs were together it was actually pretty cute. The story itself gets 3.5 stars from me, but it’s one book that I would have preferred to read instead of listen to the audiobook, because the female narrator was extremely hard to listen to, her dramatization was just too over-the-top and became annoying. The male narrator was good though, but his parts are less frequent. Thank
You to Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.