May 21st, 2025
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AN AMISH WIDOW'S PROMISE
AN AMISH WIDOW'S PROMISE

New Books This Week

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The books of May are here—fresh, fierce, and full of feels.

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Wedding season includes searching for a missing bride�and a killer . . .


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Sometimes the path forward begins with a step back.


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One island. Three generations. A summer that changes everything.


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A snapshot made them legends. What it didn�t show could tear them apart.


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This life coach will give you a lift!


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A twisty, "addictive," mystery about jealousy and bad intentions


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Trapped by magic, haunted by muses�she must master the cards before they�re lost to darkness.


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Masquerades, secrets, and a forbidden romance stitched into every seam.


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A vanished manuscript. A murdered expert. A castle full of secrets�and one sharp-witted sleuth.


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Two warrior angels. First friends, now lovers. Their future? A WILD UNKNOWN.


The Christmas Countdown

The Christmas Countdown, November 2024
by Holly Cassidy

G.P. Putnam's Sons
Featuring: Callie
352 pages
ISBN: 0593716264
EAN: 9780593716267
Kindle: B0CT2WHMDG
Trade Paperback / e-Book
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"An Advent Calendar Will Change Her Life!"

Fresh Fiction Review

The Christmas Countdown
Holly Cassidy

Reviewed by Susan Dyer
Posted October 23, 2024

Romance Comedy

THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN by Holly Cassidy is the perfect way to spend the day. Holly Cassidy is also known as Hannah Mary McKinnon. McKinnon writes stellar thrillers and has ventured to the lighter side of romance in her holiday rom-com, THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN.  Callie and her long-time boyfriend have recently broken up. All she wants to do is get in her pajamas and disappear over the holidays.  She can't go home because her ex lives next door to her parents.  She now lives with her sister.  Her sister makes her an advent calendar of tasks and treats to do. This is where Callie is going to come out of her comfort zone and I loved every minute of it.
 
THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN feels like a Hallmark movie.  When Callie is out buying a Christmas tree with her sister, she meets Marco, a baker. Their attraction happens fast and it's so much fun to watch them dance around each other. Since Callie's sister agreed to help her with the calendar and now has to leave for her job, Marco agrees to help Callie.  If Callie fails to complete all the tasks she will lose all of the treats Anita has given her.  So off they go, sledding, baking, making hot chocolate, and going caroling!  I wanted to be right there with them doing all of these things!
 
THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN is a beautiful book of family, friendship, and letting go. It is such a fun story, yes a bit predictable, but exactly what I was craving at the time. My emotions were all over the place while reading. Ms. Cassidy has such a talent for bringing the characters to life and making you feel as if they are your friends. You will experience all the feelings and struggles they are going through.  When they were sad, I felt sad. When they were happy I found myself smiling. I love it when an author can do that to me and Holly Cassidy did it perfectly.
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Fresh Fiction. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 

 

Learn more about The Christmas Countdown

SUMMARY

From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.

She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She's still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested. As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?


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