You Make It Feel like Christmas

by Toni Shiloh

Overview

It's the most wonderful time of the year—for everyone except Starr Lewis.

As if going home for the holidays jobless and single wasn't bad enough, she's dragged into a holiday season full of activities leading up to her sister's uber-romantic Christmas Eve wedding—to Starr's ex-boyfriend. But when her brother's best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, she starts to wonder if maybe coming home for Christmas isn't so bad after all.

As Starr finds the perfect distraction in helping Waylon make over his late mother's Christmas shop, the most wonderful time of the year works its magic and the spark between them grows. But with the holidays fast approaching, Starr must decide what she wants out of life after the gifts are unwrapped and the ornaments are put away—to go back to New York City or to open her heart to a love that will last beyond Christmas Day?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780764242069
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/05/2023
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	139,704
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Toni Shiloh is an avid watcher of Hallmark Christmas movies and a holiday cookie-eating enthusiast. Her novel In Search of a Prince won the first ever Christy Amplify Award. It has also been praised by Oprah Daily, POPSUGAR, Library Journal, and Booklist, and is a Parable Group bestseller. Learn more at tonishiloh.com.

Editorial Reviews

08/28/2023

A woman falls fast for her brother’s best friend in this flimsy inspirational holiday romance from Shiloh (In Search of a Prince). The youngest of five successful siblings, Starr Lewis is ashamed to tell her family she’s been laid off from her job as a PR rep. To make matters worse, she’s expected to play loving maid of honor at her sister Angel’s Christmas wedding to Starr’s ex-boyfriend, who dumped her the day he met her sister. Starr’s fake joy becomes genuine, however, when the wedding allows her to reconnect with Waylon Emmerson. Six years her senior, Waylon always thought of Starr as his best friend’s little sister; but there’s nothing familial about his feelings when he sees her all grown up. After Starr volunteers to help Waylon market the financially struggling Christmas store he inherited from his mother, their time together goes from logos and displays to dinners and shared dreams. But when Starr is offered a new job in New York City, she must choose between love and career. The story sacrifices depth for brevity, speeding through both the romance that arises between Starr and Waylon and the shifting relationship between Starr and Angel. With no room for the characters to develop, they come across as unbelievably perfect, lacking flaws or even nuance. This is likely to please only those looking for pure fluff. Agent: Rachel McMillan, William K. Jensen Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Jasmin Walker narrates the story of a woman who returns home for the holidays and unexpectedly finds love. Starr is surprised to see her brother's friend Waylon at her family's Thanksgiving celebration. Neither is the type to have a fling, but their attraction is undeniable. As the year's end approaches, so does Starr's time in DC. Both characters rely on their deep faith to make weighty decisions about their future together. Walker is skilled with the dialogue. She captures each of the characters' feelings, chiefly Starr's uncertainty about her future, her sister's sense of entitlement, and Waylon's worry about continuing his mother's legacy. With a pleasant voice and an emotive delivery, Walker entices listeners to enjoy the couple's journey to their happily-ever-after in this holiday story. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2023 - AudioFile