The Christmas Project

Christi Barth

Nov 2021 · Tule Publishing

About this eBook

Can they forgive the past and pull off a Christmas miracle?

Mariana Vasquez has always adored the historic waterfront Brampton Mansion, but the beloved building has succumbed to years of neglect. When Baltimore City inherits it, there's only one chance to keep it from being demolished. Mariana plans to earn the mansion a second chance and the money to pay for its upkeep with a designer Christmas showcase.

A mix-up on Scott Ashford’s last renovation job has shaken his confidence and harmed his business. He needs a fresh project and great publicity to caulk over his disgrace. Donating his expertise to save a historic property sounds perfect…except the opportunity is dangled by an old friend. Well, ex-friend, since he abandoned her ten years ago…

Mariana has too much pride to ask Scott to return to Baltimore for her, but she’s desperate enough to ask him to come back to save the mansion. There’s barely time to finish all the restorations, so Mariana’s sure she won’t have any time to fall for Scott again. But maybe the mansion isn’t the only thing that deserves a second chance this Christmas…

Ratings and reviews

Mariana's holiday showcase house/ historical reno project has just run into a major obstacle. With a do or die deadline looming, there's only one person who can fix it, but she hasn't spoken to him in ten years... Scott left Maryland, and Mariana, behind for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in NY after graduation. When Mariana contacts him, he says yes. His firm could use the good PR, plus he needs to make amends to the one person he hurt. Finding the project is doable, but it will take every second Scott has till the deadline, and he digs in. Scott thinks he's in control, but it's obvious Mariana is the one actually holding things together.. and micromanaging. In addition to the project, they're hitting every Baltimore event to get good press for the fundraiser to save the historic mansion post-showcase. Spending time together is like old times when they were besties in grad school. Old sparks ignite, and the feelings are there, but Scott's headed back to NY, and Mariana doesn't have time for complications. It will take a grand gesture from Scott to prove he's worth the effort while Mariana learns it's okay to delegate work to others. If they could only sort out the feelings between them and take a risk... on what may be love... they might find a way to be together. A friends-to-love, second chance romance peppered with scenes from Baltimore at Christmas makes a wonderful holiday romance. **Received an ARC from Netgalley**

This is basically a story about redemption and correcting wrongs and giving yourself a second chance at something you should never have walked away from Mariana Vasquez and Scott Ashford have history they should have been partners both privately and professionally but Scott walked away breaking Mariana's heart. Now they both have dilemmas and could be the answer to one another's problems Marianna has a historic home and only three weeks to finish it but her partner has fallen through the floor and broken his leg and she neds help Scot's last job had been a disaster and he needs redemption. Working together can they save Baltimore House and can the reestablish a friendship that is so much more You will have to read to see

Right at the very start we see the conflict Mariana and Scott have due to their shared past. Yet due to circumstances, Mariana seeks Scott’s help on restoring an historic architectural mansion, and he is in dire need of doing a good deed for the sake of his firm. It is difficult, but Mariana tries to put the past behind her for the sake of getting the restoration done in a record-setting pace. Plus it’s her reputation and job on the line. Scott keeps trying to prove he is a better man than when they went to grad school together. But everyone has their noses to the grindstone and do not have time for breaks. Unless it’s a PR event for the mansion. There are still minute opportunities to get in a friendly word or two but not much. Each of them think about all the “what if” scenarios. A huge emergency erupts just before a bunch of dignitaries arrive at the mansion but teamwork saves the day. At this point, both Scott and Mariana realize they cannot let things go back the way they were. For me, the ending was incomplete. What I mean is they get together, proclaim their love, and then that’s it. Maybe an epilogue about how their future joint business works, or if they marry. Just more details about their joint lives after we had an entire book about their single lives. I received an advanced reader copy for free from Tule Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.