Title: A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson

Genre: Inspirational Christmas novella

My rating: 4/5

From the back cover: When Wendy Harper inherits her family’s beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. Her twelve-year-old son Jackson sees it as an exciting new start in a life that has grown rather gray without his father.

Before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. Wendy and Jackson move in–temporarily, she reminds him–in order to fix the place up before Christmas. But the charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on Wendy. She knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea–and a fresh start–is hard to resist.

It might seem a little too early to be reading Christmas books, but since this one is set in my home state of Maine, I couldn’t resist! From the small-town setting to the delightful characters, this story reminds me of a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form 🙂

While I did enjoy the relationship between Wendy and Caleb – including their first meeting, which was pretty funny! – Wendy’s son Jackson was one of my favorite characters in the book. He’s dealing with growing up without his dad while trying to help his mom however he can (including setting her up with Caleb!). However, I did think the communication issues between Wendy and Jackson seemed a little unrealistic. The ending felt rushed, but that tends to be common in novellas and short stories. The story was a little predictable, but that’s part of the charm of cute Christmas stories.

Overall, this book is a sweet, feel-good story that would be perfect to curl up with on a snowy day, or this fall as you look forward to Christmas!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you, Revell Books and Baker Publishing Group!

When she receives the news in late 1944 that her baby’s father was shot down in the South Pacific, Amelia Richards loses hope. Jobless and broke, she has nowhere to turn for help but her infant’s paternal grandparents. The only problem is, they don’t know that she–or their grandson–exists. When Amelia discovers that the family is wealthy and influential, dare she disclose the truth of her relationship with their son? Or could the celebration of the arrival of another unexpected baby nearly two thousand years ago be the answer to her dilemma?

Beloved author Melody Carlson pens a story of love, hardship, and reconciliation that will leave readers filled with Christmas joy.

I have been loving WWII books lately, so I was excited to read The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson! At the beginning of the story, Amelia has to make the hard choice to leave her home to try to make a better life for her baby, but her determination is tested and she is faced with an even harder choice. Ultimately, she has to decide to do whatever it takes to provide for her baby, even when it’s the hardest thing she’s ever done…but the story doesn’t end there! You’ll have to read the book to see how it all works out 😉 But you can rest assured that it has a happy Christmas ending!

The book is pretty short and is probably considered a novella; usually I’m not crazy about novellas, since it doesn’t give as much time for the characters and plot to develop, but I think Melody Carlson really struck a good balance with this one. Christmas is the perfect time to read about faith, family, second chances, and happy endings, and this book doesn’t disappoint! If you’re looking for a good story to read curled up by the fire this Christmastime, this one is a great choice!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to give a positive review.