Celebration at Christmas Cove

Carrie Jansen

Oct 2021 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Emily Lawrence

About this audiobook

In this humorous and heartwarming romance, sparks fly between a woman who can't wait to leave a wintry New England island, and a widower who would do anything to stay.
 
Travel magazine writer Celeste Bell is in a terrible mood. Not only was her flight to the Caribbean diverted to a Massachusetts island, now it looks like she'll have to spend Christmas there. Single and still mourning the loss of her mother a year earlier, Celeste is desperate to avoid any emotional entanglements and all holiday festivities. She just doesn't feel like celebrating.
 
But that's exactly what community center director Nathan White and his young daughter Abigail want to do. Nathan is entirely focused on making sure that his daughter has a happy Christmas, especially with the knowledge that if he can't raise money for the community center soon, it will close and they'll have to leave the island. When he meets Celeste, Nathan begins to feel a connection and wonders if he's brave enough to risk his heart once more.

Thawing their frozen hearts, and saving the community center will require a Christmas miracle. But tis' the season...

Ratings and reviews

Celebration at Christmas Cove by Carrie Jansen is a sweet, holiday romance that has everything a holiday romance should have. A heroine who hates Christmas (check), small-town that goes overboard for Christmas (check), single dad with an adorable child who still believes in the magic of Christmas (check), a town full of quirky characters who are trying to set up the two main characters (check). Celeste Bell is a travel writer for a prestigious travel magazine and is headed to the Caribbean to cover the festival over Christmas. She volunteered for the assignment because after losing her mother over a year ago, she doesn’t want to spend Christmas at home, as she doesn’t have any other family. But, when her flight is diverted to a small island off the coast of Massachusetts, she can’t wait until she can get off the island and finish her assignment in the Caribbean. But, as mishap after mishap occurs, her stay on the island is extended until after Christmas. Nathan White, a single dad to Abigale, manages the community center on Sea Spray Island, but funding for the center is running out, and it’s up to Nathan to find funding, or he’ll have to move himself and Abigale off the island to find work. He can’t imagine leaving Sea Spray Island, as it’s the home of his sister and brother-in-law and the perfect place to raise his daughter. Also, he doesn’t want to let down the residents of the island by having the community center close. This is a sweet romance with everything I wanted in a holiday romance book. I was initially not fond of Celeste but warmed up to her later in the book. The rest of the characters were fun, engaging and a delight to read about. This is certainly a slow burn, clean romance, perhaps it took a bit longer for Celeste and Nathan to get together, but it was worth the wait. The book is easy to read with good pacing and an enjoyable story. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a sweet, holiday romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the author

Carrie Jansen earned an MFA in creative writing and published many poems and short stories before becoming a novelist. An avid bodyboarder and beach walker, she spends as much of the year as she can on Cape Cod, where she draws inspiration for her contemporary romances. She also writes Amish romance novels under her pseudonym, Carrie Lighte.