'Tis the season to celebrate the joys of life, love, family and pets. No author does it better than Nancy Thayer in her two-books-in-one; A VERY NANTUCKET CHRISTMAS and AN ISLAND CHRISTMAS. She works her special magic, describing the beautiful winter setting of Nantucket Island with colorful characters you fall in love with.

Nicole is a retired nurse and widow. A friend invites her to Nantucket to celebrate the Christmas Stroll. The Stroll is a custom started to welcome visitors to their island. It offers holiday bedecked shops serving hot cider and good cheer, and the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Claus on a Coast Guard boat. At a party, Nicole meets Sebastian Somerset. Dashing, divorced with a grown daughter, Kennedy, Seb is a retired lawyer who lives year round in a beautiful home on the island. His first wife, Katya, left him to live with her tennis coach, Alonzo. In the divorce that follows, Seb feels relief and is content alone, until he meets and falls in love with Nicole. They marry. He knows his daughter will be upset but he tells her his happy news.

Kennedy is not pleased with his news and refuses to accept her family breaking up. She blames everything on Nicole and won't rest until she gets her parents back together again. Married to James, who adores her, they have a son Maddox. Pregnant again, she is very unhappy. She hates the way she feels and looks and wants her father back and "that woman" he married, gone. When they are invited by her father and Nicole to spend a week at Christmas with them, she begins to plan how she is going to sabotage that marriage. Watch out Nicole.

Nicole suffers through a long and hard week trying to keep the Yuletide merry with no help from Kennedy. A spoiled brat, Kennedy does devious and hurtful things at every chance and Nicole is barely holding on. It helps that Maddox has bonded with her. They make a fort together in the backyard and discover a sweet abandoned dog, Pooh, that creeps into their hearts. On Christmas Eve, an event happens to forge the family close and together forever. This read is a delicious treat for the holidays (or any time) that you will absolutely devour. I did!

AN ISLAND CHRISTMAS tells the story about Felicia and Archie who travel to Nantucket to marry on Christmas Day to please her parents. Her mother is not in favor of Archie and is sure that Steven Hardy is the right one. Steven, a childhood friend has just moved next door and he is single. What could be easier? Time to send that Huge man back where he belongs. Mom Jilly thinks she can get them together and will just have to be creative and a lot sneaky. Felicia will be happier.

This is a funny, loving tale of family life and how it actually turns out in the end. I loved Archie who kept his cool even after breaking Jilly's beloved antique dining room chair and suffering an injury at the first meal. He is a big man in many ways especially his heart. Delightful finale that weaves and interweaves all the subplots, where Rex, a cat, steals the show in this sparkling holiday tale. A VERY NANTUCKET CHRISTMAS is another winner for Nancy Thayer with the gorgeous backdrop of Nantucket to inspire you to put this spot high on your bucket list!