One Enchanted Noël (Melissa Tagg) – Review

~ About the Book ~

Secrets, Sparks and Second Chances…a Heartwarming Holiday Romance
Seb Pierce isn’t exactly a cowboy, but after fifteen years on a ranch in Texas, he might as well be. And he’d do just about anything to keep the rancher who took him in so many years ago from losing his land…including returning to the wealthy roots he’s long since abandoned. Seb agrees to work for his stern grandfather for one year in return for an early draw on his inheritance. But he never expected the agreement to land him in a quirky small town in Iowa at Christmas-time, renovating a dilapidated theater…and running into a woman he never thought he’d see again. She might not remember him, but he remembers her.

After too many years away from her hometown—and too many failures to count—Leigh Renwycke is finally back in Maple Valley and living the stable life she used to wish for. If only she could shake the old restlessness that used to get her into trouble. When Seb Pierce waltzes into her world and begs for her help planning the theater’s holiday reopening, it could be the solution to her discontent. If she pulls it off, it might be enough to jumpstart a new career…and to prove once and for all that the new-and-improved Leigh is here to stay.

But between old secrets and new sparks, restoring a town treasure in time for Christmas may not be as easy as it seems…especially once Leigh learns the truth about Seb.

Series:  #3 Enchanted Christmas Collection
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Release date:  21 November 2017
Pages:  148
Publisher:  Larkspur Press

Amazon US  //  Amazon AU  //  Goodreads

~ Excerpt ~

All right, so it looked suspicious. He really should’ve waited until tomorrow to explore the theater. But when he’d realized he had no clue where he’d be sleeping tonight, he’d decided he may as well check out his assignment. Grandfather had given him four weeks to complete the task of renovating and reopening this theater. He’d figured he’d see what he was up against.
Hadn’t counted on company, though. “To tell you the truth, I’m almost happy to see you. I was beginning to think Maple Valley was a ghost town. Haven’t seen a single soul since I rolled in.”
“It’s suppertime. Everybody’s at home around a table.”
Families still did that kind of thing? “You’re not at home.”
“No, because for some ridiculous reason I thought I’d nab me a burglar.”
“Not a burglar.” Seb folded his arms. Was he smiling? Felt like it, but who could tell with his teeth near to chattering?
“Fine, a trespasser.”
“Hate to break to you, darlin’, but you’re the one trespassing. Not me.”
She mimicked his crossed arms. Apparently she’d stopped being intimidated by him sometime in the past couple of minutes. “Darlin’? You sound like a cowboy in an old western. Who are you, anyway?”
He held out his hand. “Seb Pierce.”
She ignored his outstretched arm. “Seb?”
“Sebastian Parker Pierce III if you’re itching for the full spiel.”
“Sebastian? Like that lobster on The Little Mermaid? And what do you mean, I’m the one trespassing?”
“You ask a lot of questions, ma’am.” He slipped past her, moving to the spot in the lobby where muted light poured in from a streetlamp outside, affording at least a degree of visibility. Enough to notice stains on the carpet, at least. “And I think you mean crab.”
The woman turned to face him, but remained rooted in her dark corner. “Excuse me?”
“Sebastian on The Little Mermaid. He was a crab, not a lobster. Seeing as how we’re in a movie theater, just seems like the respectful thing to do to get our film trivia correct.”

~ Review ~

Not that I would expect anything less from Melissa Tagg, but this novella is the perfect mix of heartfelt and light-hearted to get you in the Christmas mood. I’ve been waiting for Leigh Renwycke’s story since first meeting her in One Enchanted Christmas. She’s a single mum who’s overcome an addiction to prescription drugs and is determined to maintain the hard-won stability she now has for herself and her teenage daughter, so I really wanted to see her get a happy ending, and Sebastian Parker Pierce III is, without a doubt, the perfect man for the job—provided they can overcome a few obstacles, of course.

After a rather memorable first meeting (in true Melissa Tagg style!), it doesn’t take long for Leigh to work her way into Seb’s heart as they work together on the renovation and reopening of the theatre. But there’s the usual mix of family dynamics, future uncertainties, and—for Leigh in particular—shadows of the past putting any kind of a future together in doubt. And then there’s the fact that they’ve known each other less than a month, and Seb doesn’t know the full weight of Leigh’s past. Or so she thinks…

As always, it’s the way Melissa Tagg brings everyday characters to life that makes me come back to her stories again and again. Her dialogue sparkles and touches the heart in turn, the romance warms you from tip to toe like a drink of hot cocoa by the fire, and she’s a master at fitting authentic character growth into the shorter novella format. This Christmas read is every bit as enchanting as the title implies.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ Previous Books in the Series ~

 

Read my review for One Enchanted Christmas and One Enchanted Eve.

Or buy the whole collection in one volume!

~ About the Author ~

Award-winning author Melissa Tagg is a former reporter, current nonprofit grant-writer and total Iowa girl. The second book in her popular Walker Family series, Like Never Before, was named to one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Spring 2016 Top Ten lists and her fall 2017 release, All This Time, is a Romantic Times 4.5-Star TOP PICK. When she’s not writing she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book.

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