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.

Thank you publishers and Netgalley for this audiobook.

I tried listening to it but I couldn't get into it for some reason. So right now it's a DNF but maybe I'll pick it up later.

Beautiful and Inspiring story, perfect for the holidays . A second chance friends to lovers story , Fate bringing Christmas to two souls who are meant to be together.

I really liked this sweet Christmas story. I have never listened to or read a Miranda Liasson book, and Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland really brought the characters to life. I look forward to reading more of Miranda's books, including the next book in the Doctors of Oak Bluff series.

Mia D’Angelo hasn’t quite got over Dr Braxton Hughes. Their brief fling ended once they became colleagues, but the chemistry still sizzles between them. When her mum was diagnosed with cancer, Mia couldn’t bear to tell her how her heart had been broken, again. So one little white lie led to another and now the D’Angelos are expecting a fantasy ‘Brax’ boyfriend for Christmas. Mia asked a friend to be her festive date, but when he backed out, the unthinkable happened… Braxton stepped in. Could he be ‘the one’ after all?

This is a super sweet romance, without too much of the raunchy stuff. It contains some tough subject matter against a realistic backdrop of work in a hospital, dealing with illness in the family, and heartbreaking loss and grief. Despite all of that, it is a very heartwarming and optimistic story. The first of a series too! Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.

Miranda Liasson is a new author for me. Thanks to NetGalley I received an advanced copy of the audiobook versus of this story. I love to read holiday books during the seasons. This story was a super cute Hallmark like story. Mia and Brax are both doctors at a hospital, they dated previously and Mia needed a boyfriend to take home for the holidays. So Brax volunteered for "the job". The two go back to a very cozy Christmas town in Wisconsin. The background characters added a lot to the story. I will definitely be looking for other books by Miranda Liasson. The narrators for this story were great!

This was my first book by Miranda Liasson, but it will definitely won't be my last. Take Me Home for Christmas was such a well-written, heartfelt and entertaining story. It is a second chance/ fake dating/ workplace romance full of wit, lovable characters and small town charm.
If you love a feel-good romance with a happily ever after- this is the perfect addition to your holiday reading! I couldn't put this one down and highly recommend it.

I listened to the audiobook of Take Me Home for Christmas and the narrators, Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland, were amazing story-tellers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hawthorne House Press

This book was sweet, heartwarming and gave me all the Christmas feels. The narrators did an amazing job bringing this book to life. This book was well written and held my attention from start to finish. It’s a second chance, fake dating story about two doctors that had two many hang ups the first time around. The heroine, Mia, just couldn’t tell her family that she wasn’t dating the guy she told them about. Between her mom’s health scare and losing her sister, she just didn’t think they could take the heartbreak. She brings Brad home for Christmas and this is where the fun begins. With humor and heart, this story will steal heart this holiday season. Huge thanks to the audiobook publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this romance.

This was just the most heartwarming audiobook to listen to in preparation for the holidays! Mia and Brax are residents in a pediatric hospital who've had a fling, but he's said he doesn't want to get serious and just to be friends. Mia is heartbroken because Brax seems like the perfect guy! In fact, she didn't tell her mom, a cancer patient, that they broke up. Now it's Christmas and Mia's trying to figure out how not to disappoint her mom. Her friend Gabe had agreed to pose as her boyfriend for the holidays, but now he has a conflict. When Brax hears about it, he volunteers to go instead (thus the book title) and pretend to be her boyfriend. It's gonna be hard, because he still is very attracted to her.

The first thing I loved about this book was the narrators, particularly the voice of Brax, which could make anyone fall in love with him! But, I also really liked the story, which also incorporates the struggles of childhood cancer, the demands of a medical career, and all the family drama that comes with the holidays. The supporting characters are interesting and add lots of depth to the story (and provide foundations for a sequel, too!) I'd highly recommend this holiday read/listen!

Thanks to Hawthorne House Press and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

I was hooked from the beginning with this book! It's a heartwarming story of second chance romance, with some fake dating thrown in. Mia and Braxton make the perfect couple. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, along with other books from this author. This is a definitely a fast read so grab your favorite warm beverage, cozy blanket, and enjoy!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Take Me Home For Christmas is the first in a series from Miranda Liasson called The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff.
If you love a Christmas romance then you'll love this book. I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. The main characters are two doctors, Mia and Brax that work with children with cancer. They had at one point been in a relationship but it was ended by Brax and he ends up doing Mia a favour by going home for Christmas with her to pretend to be her boyfriend in front of her family. The story unfolds from there but it's not all plain sailing.
This was a really easy book to listen to with a good narrator and I am looking forward to reading or listening to book two when it comes out.

This is the perfect Christmas read. Two doctors who work together travel to her home for Christmas. She had told her parents that she was in a relationship - and they had been until he broke up with her months before. While she grew up in a loving household that has suffered a tremendous loss, he had a lonely childhood and he only has a sister. Except for his sister, his longest real relationship was 8 weeks long.

As they share their pasts, their hurts, and their dreams, they allow themselves to renew their relationship. It is touching, heartwarming, and just what you want to read for the holidays.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audio version of the book and the narrators were wonderful. I love the accents, particularly the midwestern accents.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hawthorne House Press for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. This is a sweet Christmas romance that I enjoyed listening to as it had two excellent narrators. The premise of this romcom is a little over the top in the fashion of Hallmark movies, but if you are in the mood for a (mostly) light and sweet holiday read this might be just the one for you.

TW: this book's MC lost her sister to childhood leukemia and then as an adult saw her mom battle (and beat!!!) breast cancer. Additionally, the MC is a children's doctor in a hospital where children are battling cancer.

This is the first book in Miranda Liasson’s The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff series of contemporary romance. If you enjoy Hallmark movies, you’ll probably enjoy this clean contemporary holiday romance. There was a bit of a fake relationship aspect, but coworkers Mia and Brax had previously dated and were already smitten with each other, though neither wanted to admit it.

I had mixed feelings about pediatric resident Mia D'Angelo. She was very emotional, tended to jump to conclusions, and was often her own worst enemy. I really liked pediatrician Braxton Hughes. He was understandably afraid of commitment given his childhood trauma, attachment wounds, and lack of relationship experience. However, he was a sweet guy who genuinely cared for and wanted to protect Mia and make her happy, so he agreed to sacrifice his own holiday plans to go home with Mia and pretend to be her boyfriend to please her family. Fortunately, Mia’s family is wonderful, and with a little help from them, Mia and Brax just might muddle their way into a happy ending.

Overall, this was an enjoyable romance with some very sweet scenes between the main characters as well as with their family members, pets, and friends. I enjoyed most of the book, despite occasional annoyances with Mia, although I was frustrated with the completely unnecessary blowup in the third act. But this is a romance, so of course everything works out in the end, and the book includes a very sweet epilogue with happy endings all around.

The language is pretty clean, there is no violence, and sexual activity takes place off the page. Potential trigger warnings include children and parents with cancer, sibling death, and mention of drug addiction and child abandonment.

The audiobook production was excellent, and the story works well in audio. I really enjoyed the duel narration by Marni Penning for Mia’s point of view and Noah Cumberland for Brax’s point of view. Both narrators have good enunciation and pacing, distinct voices that suit the characters, and the ability to convey the tone and emotions of the story effectively.

Thanks to Hawthorne House Press and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Take Me Home for Christmas by Miranda Liasson is an absolutely charming holiday romance that hooked me from start to finish. The story follows Mia D’Angelo, a devoted third-year paediatric resident, who spins a tiny white lie to comfort her mother in a time of need. Claiming to have found the perfect man, Mia finds herself in a twist when her so-called Mr Right vanishes. When her family insists on meeting this dream man over Christmas, Mia’s desperate search for a stand-in leads her to Braxton Hughes, her capable but commitment-shy colleague and the last man she’d have chosen for the role.

Liasson cleverly uses alternating points of view, allowing readers to experience both Mia’s and Braxton’s perspectives and understand their pasts. This dual narrative gives insight into Mia’s choice of paediatric oncology, which, as someone familiar with healthcare, I found particularly compelling. Mia’s dedication to family and patients alike is beautifully rendered, revealing just how deeply her life and choices are intertwined with her personal values.

Braxton, meanwhile, has a guarded heart and is hyper-focused on his career, with no real experience in meaningful relationships. Through his journey, Liasson sensitively touches on gender discrimination in medicine, adding depth to his interactions with Mia and shedding light on a real issue in the field.

As the “fake dating” trope unfolds with warmth and humour, Brax’s reluctant holiday visit grows into something far more significant. There’s even a moment that brought tears to my eyes – always a telltale sign of a well-crafted emotional story.

The Narration:

I enjoyed this novel as an audiobook, performed by Marni Penning and Noah Cumberland, who brought the characters and setting to life through their distinct voices. Penning especially excelled, creating unique voices for each character, adding to the immersion. I highly recommend this format to readers who enjoy audiobooks.

Final Thoughts:

For those who love a friends-to-lovers story, rich with family warmth and holiday magic, Take Me Home for Christmas is a perfect winter read. Highly recommended for fans of holiday romance – especially if you’re listening along!

I received an ARC of this audiobook from the publisher but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Thank you to author @mirandaliasson publishers Hawthorne House Press and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to an arc of this audiobook.

This is a sweet clean romance about 2 trainee doctors who have a few dates and like each other but decide against continuing their relationship due to their working environment. Of course, love prevails after Mia takes Brax home for Christmas with her family.

This is a real pleasant book to listen to, with great narrators, I just feel its lacking any wow factor.

#TakeMeHomeForChristmas #mirandaliasson #theamazingdoctorsofoakbluff #bookreview #audiobook #marnipenning #noahcumberland

Mia and Brax are both doctors at the same hospital. They are dating and then they are not. Brax feels he can’t give her what she deserves. She thinks he can. He is perfect for her. She doesn’t want to tell her mom and disappoint her, especially when she is supposed to spend the holidays with her family. She has to get creative and pretend he is still her boyfriend.

☃️Things get complicated during the holidays as a new position opens up at work; only one of them can have the position. They reconnect on a personal level, but can they separate work and their personal lives?

❄️I really like Mia’s family. I like her parents and siblings a lot. However, Mia was a bit whiney. She was unsure of herself and sometimes a bit of a sniveler. Brax was a strong character and brought joy to the story. He had a rough childhood and went above and beyond to become something in life. He was wonderful in every way. I like them together! He helps erase her grumbling, which is what a soulmate should be able to do.

❤️This was such a great story to listen to for Christmas. This is the first book I have read/listened to by Miranda Liasson and I am now a fan! I will read Book 2 as soon as it’s available. We get to experience two narrators; one for Mia and the other for Brax. The narrators had a great voices. Brax’s voice sounded exactly like someone with his dominant characteristics should have. Fabulous!

Thank you to NetGalley and Miranda Liasson for this audiobook.