Christmas Joy Book Review

USA Today bestselling author, Nancy Naigle, comes bearing gifts this season with her heartwarming novel Christmas Joy – a story about family, friendship and finding love in unexpected places.

About Christmas Joy

Joy might be all work and no play but all of that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes an unexpected fall that lands her in a rehabilitation centre just before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the leave may hinder her chances of a promotion.

Ben isn’t your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in all of Crystal Falls! He has helped his elderly neighbour, Ruby, decorate for the annual Christmas Home tour and win for the last several years. He is not about to let some drop in niece ruin their winning streak!

Ruby seems overly concerned that Joy will not be able to handle Molly. Under the impressions, she is referring to Molly the bunny, one of many animals, Joy is not too worried until the next morning when Molly the child shows up. For the sake of her Aunt, Joy is forced to team up with Ben while Ruby is on the mend to help with the preparation of the Christmas tour and in turn finds her career focused heart dreaming of her own family.

My Thoughts

Christmas can be a very difficult time of the year for many people. For some, they feel alone while others may have lost a significant person in their life around the holidays. This has turned the holidays into a negative experience for them, one from which they want to hide from. This is very true for Joy who lost her Mother around the holidays. This has changed the person who she is and her relationship with the only family she has left and the holiday season.

Joy is your typical young individual who is trying hard to make it in their career. They give and give, almost until there is not enough of them to give. At most times she feels like it is worth it. She doesn’t have anymore family, except for her Aunt Ruby so she doesn’t feel the loss as harshly as others might. What she doesn’t realize she is missing out on family, love and the feelings that go along with it. When she is forced to come ‘home’ to care for her Aunt’s home and animals, she begins to realize her life hasn’t been all that she thought it was. She is forced to look at her past, her emotions that she has hidden so well and she is scared of what she finds.

Ben is a good friend and help to Aunt Ruby. He has also felt his own fair share of pain when his wife left him to pursue the bright lights of the city. He is also just the person that Joy needs to open her eyes. They get off on quite a rocky foot and you are not sure throughout the book whether or not they can get over their differences but you know in your heart Ben is just the person that Joy needs.

Christmas Joy is a heart warming story of forgiveness, letting go of our past and moving forward, family and love. It was a beautiful story that I just couldn’t put down as it touched my heart. I  know so many people like Joy who have been hurt around the holidays and who find it hard to let go. I felt so connected to her and wanted to reach out and hug her throughout the story. This is definitely a truly special holiday book that you will treasure year round.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Nancy Naigle whips up small town love with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing and the occasional spa day! A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls North Carolina home.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.