Oooh, Christmas books! For the longest time I couldn't get into holiday books, but then the pandemic hit and suddenly I was in love with Hallmark movies, feel good content and Christmas romance novels! I couldn't get enough of them, but they were always hard to find on sale (or at any price other than full price... student problems...). I managed to pick up Christmas Camp at a local used book store and I was OVER THE MOON. I stared at this book for so long, and finally decided in the middle of a hot, August day I would pick this book up and binge it. I needed some feel good, sappy, lovey dovey content to make my day brighter. And man did it deliver!

This is basically a Hallmark movie turned into a book, which is exactly what I wanted it to be. Workaholic Haley is a marketing wizard who wants to score a big client at her firm. But, of course, she's a giant Grinch. She doesn't celebrate Christmas - and not because she doesn't want to. It's a lot of work, her family isn't in the best of shape, and it's easier to go on vacation somewhere hot and deal with clients to ensure she can live as comfortably as she is now. Then we have Jeff - his parents created Christmas Camp, a week getaway that allows families, lovers and friends get into the Christmas spirit. When his Mother passed away, he stayed on to help his Dad (all the while being a successful architect on the side). Now money is getting tighter, and he doesn't think it's worth keeping the Christmas Camp holiday extravaganza open anymore... Why not just sell it?

Haley proves to be quite the handful for Jeff, despite feeling the Christmas spirit growing inside of her. The angel room, cookie decorating, tree cutting and decorating, sledding and fun of the holidays gives her fantastic ideas. Oh, did I mention her boss sent her away to this Christmas Camp since she was such a Grinch? As time passes, Jeff and Haley become friends (if not more) but are constantly miscommunication. Is Haley actually finding the Christmas spirit? Or is she stirring up trouble to score the client of her dreams. Why not make a little cash on the side?...

This book is a feel good, happily ever after kind of book that will make you smile and feel nostalgic for the holiday season. It's cheesy, romantic and just great! Most of the romance happens within the last 25 pages, so it's not a full romance book. It's mostly a holiday novel. I wish there was more romance and love in it, but it is what it is. Friendships are formed, Christmas traditions are shared and all around it's a smiley kind of book.

I highly recommend it for people who just want to feel good and smile at the end. It's a G rated romance, so anyone can easily enjoy it.

Five out of five stars. ( )

Haley gets passed over for a promotion and a big project at work because she doesn’t get the Christmas spirit, which the project requires. When she begs for another chance, her boss sends her to “Christmas Camp” at Holly Peak Inn to get her in the right mode. Jeff is the owner’s son and trying to save the inn during hard financial times. This was a Christmas explosion of Christmas tropes. Hot cocoa with whipped cream and candy cane stir sticks. Ugly Christmas sweater competitions. Reindeer on the lawn. Christmas decorated rooms. Cookies and wishes in stockings. Lots of cheery activities with new friends and a sweet romance developing as the resident grinch finds her ho ho ho. This was super cute and had some wonderful warm Christmas messages.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. ( )

Sugary-sweet, but not in a horrible way... It could improve with some tighter editing and a little less predictability... Still a heartwarming read for the Christmas season. ( )

If you enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies, you'll enjoy this novel and may have viewed it. It's the typical workaholic female learning to achieve a life-work balance scenario. Haley wants to become a partner in her firm, but her boss tells her she must first attend a Christmas camp he attended the prior year. The camp, held at an inn somewhere within driving distance of Boston, allows visitors to experience a traditional Christmas and possibly form new traditions of their own. Haley finds herself drawn to Jeff, the inn owner's son. Jeff views this as his father's last Christmas camp because the inn is losing money. He plans to move his father to a corner apartment in a development he oversees. Can Haley let go enough to enjoy the season? Will her plan to save the inn drive an irreparable wedge between her and Jeff? I really enjoyed this one. I'd expected it to arrive via Overdrive before Christmas. When it arrived in the closing days of the year, I debated whether or not to return it unread or read it. I'm glad I chose to read it. It's probably my favorite Christmas story of those read for the 2019 season (even if it was read entirely in 2020). ( )

This was a cute story line, but it drove me crazy. Almost every single page either has the word "laugh" or "chuckle". I realize the author is trying to give the whole happy-go-lucky Hallmark movie Christmas experience, but it was overkill. ( )