We Need A Little Christmas by Sierra Donovan

While We Need A Little Christmas sounds like it it a Christmas-themed story, it's really more wintry and can be read at any time of the year. I appreciate it when this happens, but only if it's made clear in the synopsis so I don't jump in hoping for a Hallmark movie in book form and end up with something different. This book is actually relatively sad and somber. Most of the story is taken up by Liv cleaning out her grandmother's house after her recent passing. Maybe I'm just tender from the loss of my grandparents, but this was hard for me to read and definitely not what I signed up for when I cracked open a book that promised Christmas romance. The romance itself felt like an afterthought. It wasn't very developed, the characters had no chemistry, and I didn't feel the swoons and the sighs I tend to feel while reading romance novels. Falling in love while mourning a very fresh death of a loved one just doesn't seem possible or real to me. This just isn't what I wanted or expected it to be.

Love this little town, this series. Donovan is becoming an annual Christmas tradition! Thank you NetGalley

WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS is not a Christian Romance, but it does start with a funeral and has a few mentions of a Christian song (Leaning on the Everlasting Arms) and a pastor who makes a mention or two of God.



Liv is a very take charge individual, organized, and in control. She hates falling apart at her grandma's funeral and is crushed she hasn't taken time to visit her family in four years. Her sister is pregnant, but feeling insecure and unneeded since Liv is taking charge and bossing her, and her mom is healing from a fall where she broke her ankle. With the funeral and cleaning out of grandma's house, there's a lot of taking charge to do and organizational skills needed.



Scott is a handyman and seems to be a daily call for Liv's family as the house seems to think it needs to keep Liv and Scott thrown together. A new furnace that won't work...when you want it to, but will come on when it's off, a trap door that closes without warning, and more.



I like Ms. Donovan's books usually, but this one felt a bit slow and draggy. The usual sparks are missing, and characters I liked in her previous book act a bit like jerks in this one.



I did hurt for Liv. Scott seems like a fun type guy but he didn't move beyond that for me.



If you like Christmas books that are not Christian, then WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS might be a good one to consider.



I received a copy from netgalley and all opinions are my own. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Liv is back in her hometown since leaving for college. The only reason she’s back now is because her grandmother passed away and she needs to help her mum and sister to clean out her grandmother’s house. When she arrives she doesn’t see her sister coming to pick her up instead in her sister’s place is Scott Leroux the class clown but now the town handyman.

I got a hold of this book just before Christmas. So I was completely in the Christmas Spirit of things whether it was with my reading or watching. This was a light-hearted read and it was full of Christmas Spirit. I liked both Liz and Scott but I felt that it was a stretch to them. Scott didn’t really have much to do with Liz’s family aside from doing the odd jobs with Liz’s grandmother. The love interest between them wasn’t hot and heavy it was sweet. But I felt for most of the book that their story actually dragged on a little bit longer than I thought should have been. I wasn’t mind blown with the characters or their chemistry but it was a fun easy read for the holiday season.

Although there is a bit of a love story, this is really about Liv finding herself again. She moved away to another state and is now back for her grandmother’s funeral. It’s unfortunate that such a horrible event brought her home but she’s felt guilty about being so far away and now is her chance to reevaluate her life. And it doesn’t hurt to have Scott around as she does :)

I love good ol’ boy Scott. He’s hard-working, caring, friendly and giving. He helps so many people around town. And that include Liv. She’s at a cross-roads and he’s there to give her support but also a little push here & there to stay so that they can explore their feelings. She’s a little prickly and confused and can be difficult but she is also dealing with a lot with the funeral & her future. It can put anyone on edge :) While she’s not the softest person she does love her family and she wants what is best for them. And she may struggle a little but she finds it really hard to resist Scott’s charms … because he wouldn’t!

While this is set at Christmas time it isn’t one of those that is steeped in the holidays. This can easily be enjoyed at pretty much any time of year.

(This is the first in this series that I’ve read but I really enjoyed it and not having that history didn’t seem to bother me.)