REVIEW: FALLING FOR CHRISTMAS BY KATE HEWITT

My Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

Hannah and Sam's story appeals to the wanderer in every lost soul. Falling for Christmas is the story of two people seeking a place to belong. I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review and found it to be a romance that is relevant, easy to relate to and gives the reader a look into the hearts of two broken people on an expedition of help, hope and self examination. Falling for Christmas is a story that speaks to everyone dealing with a broken heart.

They were just two strangers spending Christmas together under unusual circumstances.

Stranded in the tiny town and staying in a stranger's house was not how Hannah Ford saw her Christmas escape. She left a Christmas party after her ex-fiancé showed up with his new girlfriend. Hannah had to get away. She didn’t want to spend Christmas in New York City. She just got in her car and drove. A few hours later, she loses control of her car close to the town of Creighton Falls.

Sam Taylor was on his way home when he came across Hannah on the side of the road. With the blizzard, there was no way to get Hannah's car towed and there was no place for her to stay with the B&B closed. So Sam offered Hannah a room at his house. Hannah didn't expect to spend Christmas with a stranger. She didn't plan on having a fling with him either. But it happened and it changed both of their lives. Will Hannah and Sam find a way to be together once the snow clears and she is on her way back to the city?

I found the chemistry between Hannah and Sam to be very strong. They were total opposites, but they brought out the best in each other. I did find the fact that someone would get in their car in December in New York and just drive without checking a weather report a little hard to believe. But, in books anything goes and it made a good story.

**I received this book as an ARC from Tule Publishing via NetGalley. In return I will give my honest review**
Such a well written good little story. Fast paced and just a nice read.

Short, sweet and satisfying...

Hannah Ford, NYC still-life photographer, left a party right before Christmas Eve that evoked too many bad memories and drove to the Thousand Islands region of upstate New York. She ends up stranded in a blizzard outside of Creighton Falls and is rescued by Sam Taylor, moody carpenter and sometimes accountant.

Both Hannah and Sam are in need of some Christmas cheer and realize that they might fill in some missing pieces in each other as they spend the holiday snowed in.

This is a short, fun book. I wish it had been longer. I WAS glad there was an epilogue to the story.

This story is the prologue of a new trilogy "Falling for the Freemans" and the first book in the trilogy FALLING HARD is due out in early 2016.

NOTE: I received this book from Tule Publishing through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

I was doubtful after reading the first page. I was thinking I am not going to like this character or this story, but by the fifth page I had changed my mind. What an enjoyable short story. Both Hannah and Sam are such likable characters. They both have experienced pain and heartache, so you can understand the emotional walls that they have built up to protect themselves. But sometimes the right person comes along at just the right moment. The story unfolded at a nice natural pace. A truly enjoyable read! And the author did a great job of making you wonder about the town and its other residents. I am hoping there will be more stories of Creighton Falls to follow.

To get into the the holiday spirit and Christmas, a sweet romantic story.

Falling For Christmas is the introductory story ( a 0.5 if you will) for the new series Falling For The Freemans which debuts in 2016. We are introduced to a truly tiny town of Creighton Falls, New York, that has been on the downswing over the last years. The main and largest building in town is the hotel which the Freeman family owns and have basically abandoned. There are a very few business still operating, barely… and some are on their very last legs. It is in this tiny, dying town that our heroine finds herself in a blinding blizzard.

Hannah had gotten into her car and simply drove. She was escaping a fancy Christmas weekend house party full of her colleagues and one ex-boyfriend. The ex with his new girlfriend on his arm … and the snide and hurtful comments, glances and knowing cuts from the people she worked with. She escaped from an estate full of plastic, mean hearted, nasty people straight into a raging snowstorm. Driving almost 300 miles from New York City might not have been the best idea Hannah had ever thought up – but she could not stay there and the drive on the highway had left her mind open to just reliving the past. Now with the snow falling faster than her windshield wipers could keep up with she decided to turn off at the next exit and look for shelter.

Creighton Falls – home to… nothing. No hotel, no motel, no B & B, just wide open spaces. When she finally saw headlights through the snow she flagged down the driver. That act would change her future.

Sam never expected to find this city beauty on the side of the road, obviously stranded by the snowstorm. The very last thing he wanted was company but he couldn’t leave her out here to freeze. So he offered to take her to the only place he knew that had an extra room… his home. He understood her reluctance, but preservation will almost always win over caution.

Falling For Christmas is a wonderful story of two hurting people who on the surface are globally different – but at the core, they get each other and compliment each other. Sam is suffering and believing that nothing good will ever come his way again. Hannah believes the critical lies of her ex, that she’s not good enough. Together they discover that good can come into your life and that you are more than good enough to love, you are perfect. What more could we possibly want in a romance than the affirmation of what love is supposed to be at the base – love, respect and liking the one who rocks your world? This one deserves to be on your Christmas reading list.

*I received an e-ARC of Falling For Christmas from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

She has a good sense of Stranger Danger.

Well someone's gotta take those pictures.

Does she have any family?

He's being very annoying.

Huh, I'd eat breakfast if I was awake.

I hate her mother already.

He kinda had a point about the candles.

Blake and Laney sound horrible.

Eww, I will never look at a magazine the same way again.

Yep, I hate her mother.

Let the man cut the tree down, feminism be damned.

Geez, the poor man hasn't caught a break since he was ten!

I like that she didn't make him suffer.

Hope her mother is not invited.

Hannah ends up just driving north from New York City after leaving a Christmas party at which her ex-fiance showed up with his new girlfriend. She finds herself stranded after driving into a snowstorm. Enter Sam........he comes across Hannah on the side of the road and offers to take her to the B&B in the small town of Creighton Falls. Upon arrival, they realize the B&B is closed so Sam offers to let her stay at his place for the night. Hannah accepts his offer. Hannah and Sam are drawn to each other but both are a bit broken inside. This novella is an introduction to a new series due out next year. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next one in the series.

Sweet romantic story which is perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. Really enjoyed it.

A sweet holiday romance. I liked the main characters and the small town setting.

I’m definitely in the festive mood after reading this lovely Christmas story!

Hannah Ford is New York city born and bred but she’s just walked out of a Christmas party and driven over three hundred miles into a blizzard just to escape. Unfortunately, other than a signpost indicating the Creighton Falls is the next time, she really doesn’t know where she is, where she’s going, what she’s going to do - and it is nearly Christmas! Not only that but now her car’s going nowhere, stuck in the snow. She needs rescuing and quick! She’s fed up of artificial and is really looking for something real in her life.

Sam Taylor is a local carpenter and accountant, country born and bred. He’s returning home, intending to spend Christmas with a bottle for company when he finds Hannah and rescues her. As more snow falls, they’re going to be stuck together for Christmas . . . . and when you read it you’ll find it is the best one they’ve ever had! However, can one night turn into something much longer lasting and real for them both?

This is a chance romance, The two seem such opposites but they’re exactly what each other needs to break down the barriers they’ve erected around their hearts and help them find their HEA together. It isn’t a straight forward rush towards love, there are plenty of obstacles, misunderstandings, emotions and distance to get in the way but it is a delightful journey to accompany them on and a brilliant festive read that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a Christmas romance to escape into. This is the first book in a new series based around Creighton Falls and I hope to have the opportunity to read other stories in this series and reconnecting with some of the brilliant characters in this story once more.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley, too, for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for this, an honest review.

I really enjoyed this Christmas story, two opposites whom find themselves together celebrating Christmas. Hannah,glamour girl left a Christmas Eve party upset and started driving, ok 300 miles and becomes stranded in a snow storm. Sam,a carpenter is planning on spending a Christmas alone with a bottle of booze when he comes upon Hannah. He invites her to his place. Can a one night fling turn into so much more.

I so enjoyed these two characters, how they helped each other see the best in each other.

I highly recommend this quick Christmas story. I received this book from netgalley for an honest review.

Hannah flees a Christmas party in New York City and drives 300 miles until a blizzard forces her off the highway in Creighton Falls. Sam rescues her and takes her to his home. This steamy Christmas novella is the beginning of a new series that is nicely set up with characters and a wonderful home town that I'll enjoy going back to visit. Can't wait to see what Kate Hewitt comes up with for book 2.

Sweet holiday story that will be sure to melt your heart! Definitely recommend!

Although not a long book, and to be honest I wasn't expecting much more than a typical holiday romance, but found much more. The story kept my interest throughout, and I really liked the characters. Would love to read more about the town, and hope the writer is planning on expanding on this as a series. A good story of two people, with insecurity issues, that find each other. Would highly recommend, and a good Christmas story too.

A sweet holiday story of two lonely people finding each other and finding a way to make things work. Lost and stranded in a snowstorm, Hannah Ford can't believe what a poor decision she made when she ran from the party and just started driving. Luckily she is found by a tall, handsome, kind man named Sam Taylor. Since there is no where else to stay in the very small town, Hannah finds herself in Sam's home. Neither realizes it but both their lives are about to change!

Loved this one. It's a quick read and perfect for the season. I definitely recommend it.

This was a cute story, but felt a little fast to me. I would have loved to see a bit more story development, but overall I loved the story.

This was a short, fun romance to get you into the Christmas spirit. Hannah and Sam were both having a sad, lonely Christmas until Hannah's car got stuck in a snowstorm and she was rescued by Sam. Because of the bad weather they are forced to spend Christmas together, two strangers in an akward situation. They begin spending time together though, and talking and end up making it an unforgettable Christmas.

I liked both Hannah and Sam and even though the book was fairly short I still feel like I got to know both of them really well. I liked them together and I really enjoyed Hewitt's story. It was filled with sorrow and pain, but also with kindness and hope. This is a great book to read during the holiday season.

I love the scenario where you get stuck in the snow, being rescued by a handsome, kind stranger, and end up spending Christmas together... It has been one of my favorite plots in Christmas stories for a long time. And this didn't disappoint either.
Sam and Hannah has chemistry, but they both have learned some tough lessons with relationships, and carefully proceed here.
Sam is not very talkative, but they have all the winter fun they can, in the small town. There is snowmobile driving, snowshoe walking, a giant snowman, an even bigger Christmas tree, and cozy conversations in front of the fire. The conversations get deep, and emotional, rather fast, and they are sharing details of their lives, they never talked about before.
There's a deep hurt, pain that taught lessons in life, but there's also healing, and hope, attraction, and caring. With the romance comes a share of life's realities, and the epilogue really binds the story together, giving it another, realistic and romantic, dimension all together. I really enjoy a story that makes me sigh at the end, and leaves me smiling
~ Four Spoons

When Hannah Ford got upset at a holiday party when her ex-boyfriend showed up with his new girlfriend she wasn’t thinking straight when she hopped in a car and decided to just drive to get away and clear her head. Right before Christmas she heads north until she ends up near the Canadian border in a small town with a blizzard steadily coming down. Pulling off the highway her small car immediately gets stuck in the unplowed roads.

Sam Taylor is out on the roads that night having come from plowing a driveway when he pulls over to offer Hannah help. With only one place to rent a room in the small town and it being closed for the holidays Sam offers to let Hannah stay with him which she reluctantly agrees to. With the blizzard dropping nearly three feet of snow and the snow plows no where in sight Hannah ends up having to spend the holiday with Sam who is very much used to being alone on the holidays.

Another lovely holiday read that has the characters bringing out the best in each other during a tough situation and dealing with their own ghosts haunting their holidays. Sam and Hannah couldn’t be more opposite of each other but when together they just seem to work.

At novella length this is another great quick read romance I’d recommend to curl up with during the holiday season.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this story - great tension, interesting characters and romance! Fantastic introduction to the town and new series, and really looking forward to reading more!

Falling for Christmas is touching and gentle and just a lovely story. It's short and so perfect for an afternoon curled hp with a hot chocolate in front of the fire.
I liked both Sam and Hannah. Both are believable characters packed with flaws and self doubt. The sort of people you'd meet in any office or country town, both Sam and Hannah are hiding past hurts that very much impact on how they interact with each other. Hannah is carrying a huge burden of self doubt thanks to a controlling ex-boyfriend. The setting in the Thousand Islands district near Lake Ontario makes the likelihood of their being snowed in over Christmas very believable, and gives author Kate Hewitt a chance to show readers the magic of snowy landscapes, the challenges of snow shoeing and the fun of cutting down your own Christmas tree.
Despite the improbability of two people falling in love in the space of a few days, the story of Sam and Hannah is believable. I loved the way they healed each other's past hurts and how Hannah's bringing Christmas into Sam's very unChristmassy house also brought them together. This really was a lovely book!

Two strangers connecting for Christmas. Is this magical time enough to build a lasting relationship on or is it just a memorable moment in time? Falling for Christmas by Kate Hewitt explores this very scenario.

This fun little story has a quick pace, and an opposites attraction trope going on. I like Hannah and Sam thinking that spending Christmas together in the blizzard would be a better choice for them than what each had previously planned.
Perfect story of one man who finds a beautiful woman in a blizzard then has a mother capable of talking some sense into him. Love his Mama. Short and sweet with a wonderful epilogue of a year later.

Hannah Ford leaves her Christmas party.. She was just driving away from the party and ended up near Creighton Falls without any plans. Due to weather, she gets stuck in the road and Sam Taylor rescues her. However, there were no B&B open for her so he offers his cabin for her to stay. She doesn't want to be a burden on him after stay with him for couple days.. But he insist Hannah to stay over at his place until road clears. Both was not so lucky in love. Both were abandoned by their previous relationships and Sam's mom left when he was ten years old.. They finally spent time together but she was heading back to town.. Will Sam go after her?? Make this relationship work for both of them even if it was long distance.. it was nice holiday story but I felt story was missing something..

Fairly standard storyline - a few leaps of faith in the plot but entertaining for a couple of hours.

Short, but oh so sweet! Typical Kate Hewitt in that it tugs at your heartstrings and makes you wish it wasn't over when you finish it. Loved it!

A really enjoyable Christmas romance with likable characters and a cosy Christmassy setting. City career girl leaves a horrible Christmas party and just drives. She breaks down in a snowstorm in a country backwater and is rescued by carpenter Sam, a quiet but interesting man. Stuck together for a couple of days at Sam's house the two embark on an unexpected Christmas romance which has both of them wondering what comes next.

I really liked the internal thoughts of the two characters and their tentative steps towards each other, especially Sam's. For a short story it really engaged me and I will definitely read more in this series. Would recommend.

Falling for Christmas was a cute, lighthearted read, perfect for this time of year. Hannah and Sam are two likable characters whom I wanted to see end up falling in love.

While Hannah and Sam are total opposites on the outside - Hannah's a sophisticated city girl and Sam is a country boy - they actually share a lot in common. Both have had their hearts broken by relationships that didn't work out, both have moms who weren't there when they needed them, and both are lonely. Overwhelmingly lonely.

When Hannah feels cautious about accepting Sam's offer to stay with him, her feelings made the story so believable because I'd feel the same way. But she realizes she doesn't have another choice - her car is stuck with no hope of getting it out of the snow that night, there are no hotels, and the snow isn't stopping anytime soon. She even has second thoughts when they pull up to his house, and I felt that moment of panic along with her.

Sam is sort of gruff at times, and you can understand why when you learn about what happened during his childhood. I could see Hannah's liveliness slowly melt away Sam's tough exterior. It was a joy to watch them grow fond of one another, and I was pulling for them to find a way to make a relationship work!

I flew through Falling for Christmas and didn't want it to be over. I love stories where a couple ends up snowed in together over Christmas. Love it! I'm not sure what the next book in the series will entail, but I'm definitely going to read it when it comes out!

Hannah gets stuck in a snowstorm in the middle of no where two days before Christmas. Hannah doesn't know what she will do because she isn't really dressed to go any where in the snow and that's when Sam comes to the rescue. Without a hotel to stay at, Sam invites Hannah to stay at his house and the two of them are snowed in for a few days. After spending time with each other they develop feelings. This was a good book, but somewhat short. Would have liked it more if there was more of the actual relationship part. Perhaps Sam trying to fit into city life instead of Hannah making a life in the country.

Rosalie's review:
Hannah Ford, leaving a party with her socialite friends and colleagues, finds herself in the middle of nowhere, in a snowstorm, not even close to properly clothed. Luckily, she is rescued by the ever rugged, Sam Taylor, but both realize that in the snow storm, the small town of Creighton Falls will be holding Hannah “hostage”, with nowhere to go, except Sam’s house.
The two quickly realize that they are polar opposites. New York vs small town living. High end clothes, flannel and jeans, snowmobiles vs taxis. But the chemistry is undeniable and watching these two (finally!) realize this, and the roller coaster that follows, leaves the reader with a warm heart! Great read to get you in the Christmas spirit!

sweet short story. Holidays truly do bring out the warmth in us.

I loved this sweet story and want to read another novel by this author!

Thank you for sharing this title on NetGalley. NetGalley has become an important tool for helping me find new materials for our library.

The magic resides in SIMPLICITY.
Falling for Christmas has two main characters, Hannah and Sam. There are of course some others present in the story but they barely appear and we can say that all the actions are done by those two. However, the book is far from boring.
It starts with Hannah running away from New York and actually we feel that we are running away with her. So not only, you picked this book for a moment of escape from reality, the heroine is doing so too.
As I usually said when it was a good read, the book was smooth and easy going. I finished it in no time and I wanted more. I liked how the characters are built. Sam is who he is, a man of a few words whose life did not spare; Hannah is a woman who despite her failure was aiming at a new beginning.
Not at any moment in the book you feel the characters are dwelling on themselves. They are on the contrary, dealing with the facts of their lives and dealing with each other at the same time. It is a book about the discovery of the other by a few steps, but a few steps that count.
This book will add some sprinkles to your life and heart.

This is such a sweet romance by Kate Hewitt. It takes place in upstate New York and the characters are well developed for such a short story. I'd like to see more of Hannah and Sam in a future book!

I received this book from NetGalley and Tule Publishing for an honest review.

Cute and fluffy romance novel that is perfect for everyone that needs a little cuteness and I started-love in life. The story doesn't have any overly deep moments and is honestly a clique from start to finish, but what else can you expect from this type of book and story line? And honestly a very sugar cute book all about finding love on Christmas in the snowy wonderland? Who doesnt like that at least a little over th Christmas holidays?

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for more by this author. I would recommend this book

I enjoyed this book. I have always loved reading books centered around Christmas and Christmas miracles. This book involved Hannah Ford, a New York City girl, who after enduring and introduction to her ex's new girlfriend, decides to take off in her car with no real destination in mind. She gets as far as Creighton Falls, New York before getting stuck in the snow. Luckily Sam Taylor comes along at just the right time to save her. Sam is a very private man who doesn't give much away. Hannah ends up having to stay with him until the snow is cleared. Is it possible to fall for someone in just a few days?
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Falling for Christmas" by Kate Hewitt is book one in the "Falling For The Freemans" series. This is the story of Hannah Ford and Sam Taylor.

Hannah is a city girl that escapes a Christmas party where her ex and his new girlfriend are attending. She drives 300 miles to escape and ends up stuck in the snow in this tiny town of Creighton Falls, New York. Hannah is dressed for a Christmas party, not for a snowstorm, but thankfully she is rescued by Sam the local carpenter and jack of all trades.

There is only one place for folks to stay, but it is closed up. Sam invites Hannah to stay at his house. She ends up staying with Sam through the holidays due to snowstorm. Both Sam and Hannah have been through some hard emotional times in their life. Will Sam and Hannah take a chance on love?

This is a sweet and steamy romance between two very different people whose relationship brought them both healing. The scenery descriptions in the book were amazing. The reader could feel the cold and the wind and visualize the snow that had fallen.

A great story to curl up with for the holidays and wintertime. I look forward to the other books in this series. I also look forward to reading other books by Kate Hewitt.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Tule Publishing for an honest review.
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This was a second chance at love and life romance story.

Hannah Ford and Sam Taylor are about as opposite as two people can possibly be and they both have some issues.

But a blizzard, a car crash and a chance meeting lead to a sweet love story.

Rating 4 out of 5 Read@Book

Hewitt offers another brilliant read with plenty of angst, strong emotions and loveable characters. Definitely recommended as a feel-good festive read!

I love Kate Hewitt books she is a delightful author and keeps you guessing wondering and falling in love with her characters.

Two strangers Meet and connect just in time for Christmas. Is this magical season enough for them to build a relationship on or is this just a memorable moment of time too be cherished?

This is a fun story it is a quick read, and an opposites attraction type of story.

I enjoyed how Hannah and Sam have the belief that spending there Christmas together in the blizzard raging on will be a much better choice than what they had each previously planned.

A great story and my fave character being his Mum. Short and sweet and packed full of a romance too melt your hearts, and i adored the brilliant epilogue of a year later it made book just tad more perfect.

A fun Christmas romance with well-developed characters. When city girl Hannah ends up stuck in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, Sam comes to the rescue. In a small town with nowhere open to stay, he grudgingly opens his home. Christmas is not Sam's favorite time of year, and he planned to spend it drunk and alone. Instead, he has company and finds himself enjoying it. The big question is whether a city girl can be happy in the small town of Crieghton Falls that is slowly dying.
Kate Hewitt creates believable characters and a strong story. This is a sweet holiday romance that will bring the reader holiday spirit any time of the year.

Touching holiday read about two damaged and lonely people who end up together inadvertently over the holidays and spend Christmas together. I liked the characters of Hannah and Sam and enjoyed seeing them fall for one another. The storyline kept me interested, and I liked the way it all turned out!