Christmas Comes to Main Street

The holidays are upon the inhabitants of Briar Creek, and Kara Hastings and her cookies and gingerbread houses are in big demand. Kara barely has time to do anything besides make all of the cookies, but her bakery is a labor of love, and she's determined to make a go of it. Nate Griffin, in town to spend the holiday with his elderly aunt, knows a thing or two about business and life in the big city, but spending time relaxing, not so much. Life in Briar Creek is very far away from his normal, and getting in touch with small-town life and into the Christmas spirit will be good for him. And maybe, just maybe, spending time with Kara will be good for him, too... I'm not going to lie, Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. So while people are still getting excited about all things pumpkin, I'm looking forward to decking the halls and settling down with a nice cup of tea and a big pile of holiday books. Not that I want to speed by the rest of the autumn season, mind you, but there's just something about Christmas that has always been extra-special to me. CHRISTMAS COMES TO MAIN STREET by author Olivia Miles is a perfect match for me right now, because it has all of the elements that make the idea of the holidays in a small, closely-knit community such the standard. Think IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, but moved forward to current day, with less of the angst and all of the feel-good moments. I like Kara very much. Having lost her father at a young age, she's spent much of her life trying to find her way. Opening her bakery is a way for her to honor her dad, and to feel his presence, and she is determined to prove the town nay-sayers wrong and make a real success of her new business. With Christmas just weeks away, Kara feels a little bit overwhelmed, so when Nate arrives, his head for business at the forefront even while on vacation, she's happy to incorporate some of his ideas. Nate is an interesting guy. For someone that has been judged so often over the course of his early life, he's quick to form an opinion of Kara that could not be further from the truth. It doesn't take much time for Briar Creek to work its magic on him, and, soon enough, Nate is finding that things are not necessarily as he thought. And when a friendly competition gets thrown into the mix, Nate and Kara will both be changed in more ways than they could have imagined. CHRISTMAS COMES TO MAIN STREET is my first visit to Briar Creek, but it will not be my last. The characters, the small-town charm, the sense of family that is present throughout, makes this a series that I would like to see more of. 4 heartwarming, feel-good stars for this read. It's time to start getting in the spirit, so add it to your TBR, grab your hot beverage of choice, and enjoy.