Ivy at one point in her life had everything, a great husband, and twins, a boy, and a girl. Until on the way home from visiting relatives, there was a plane crash and Ivy lost her family. Ivy's father owned the airline company and his companion Margaret's son was the pilot.

It has been eight years since the crash, but for Ivy, it seems like it just happened. Ivy spends her days not doing anything but drinking and watching TV. Ivy doesn't even go out of the house as nowadays you can order anything online.

Daniel is raising his young daughter Holly as he also lost his wife in the same plane crash. Holly likes nothing better than to sing, but Daniel will not allow music in the house. You see his wife was on the way back from an audition for being the lead singer in a play and Daniel always felt that maybe his wife loved music more than she loved him.

Things change for both of them when Holly who had sneaked off to practice for the play gets lost and ends up at Ivy's house. It seems that this young girl is having a rough time of it. Daniel refusing to let her be in the Christmas play. Ivy and Holly form a bound and Ivy knows that she must do something for her. After giving herself a pep talk, she pours out all the booze in the house. There is an attraction that builds between Ivy and Daniel but neither one knows that the other's spouse was in the same plane crash that destroyed their lives. Along with this Ivy's father tells her that he is selling the airline along his house as he is hoping that this will get Ivy out of her funk. The question is, can these three can come together as one family and start new lives?

Fern Michaels writes the greatest books and I adore them all. A lot of them have hidden meanings that may not seem obvious. In HOLLY AND IVY Michaels' message is that time does heal but the memories are always going to be there. I really liked how Michaels tells both of the back stories of Ivy, Daniel, and Holly.

This time of the year it is great to have a story that will put a smile on your face. I know it did for me. So as the weather gets colder and Christmas is nearer, HOLLY AND IVY could be the book for you.