Michele Paige Holmes

The Heart of Holiday is the third novel in the Holiday Harbor series and it starts out quite differently than the others in the series so far. There is some heavy subject matter tackled quite quickly that culminates in Caroline, the heroine of the story, having to quickly leave everything she knows and going into the Witness Protection Program. Caroline goes from being a specialized surgeon in a major city to a librarian in small town Holiday.

The story has such a strong start but when Caroline gets to Holiday, just like most small towns, the pace of the novel slowed way down, and I found it a struggle to stay interested. It was nice to get reacquainted with the inhabitants of Holiday, as well as get to know Caroline and Charlie better, but I felt like there was so much that both Caroline and Charlie are dealing with internally that it bogged things down quite a bit.

In saying that, it’s hard not to be charmed by Holiday. The Southern small town vibe and quirky inhabitants is always a treat, and Caroline’s more seriousness nature pairs well with this array of characters, making her the perfect addition. She definitely keeps the story grounded as she adjusts to a new world while also grieving the loss of her past life and family. Caroline’s strength is shown time and time again, and that alone is inspiring, but when you see how astute Charlie is, and how much he wants to know more about the incredibly secretive librarian, the more you find yourself falling deeper in love.

One of my favorite aspects was the theme of the sunflower. The symbolism and what the sunflower represents spoke to me on a spiritual level, whispering to my own soul, reminding me to “simply follow the light” in my own current spiritual darkness, something that was desperately needed in my life right now. For that I am truly grateful to the author for having this seemingly inconsequential piece be part of the narrative as it awakened something within me that it hard to put into words.

Though the middle section of the novel was rough for me to get through, the pace did pick back up in the last quarter of the book and I seriously couldn’t put it down until I reached the end. I finished reading with a goofy, contented grin on my face, something I always love to do. I did feel like it was a little too good to be true, but at the same time, it felt perfect and right.

Overall, The Heart of Holiday a good story and is very character driven with quite a bit of suspense and malice that pairs perfect with the sweet small town of Holiday and all its inhabitants. This was not a quick read for me but touched me in ways I would’ve never imagined, and I am grateful that I had an opportunity to read it.… (plus d'informations)

I love Michelle Paige Holmes' books and was so excited when I heard that she was coming out with another book, Yesterday's Promise, this being the first story in the Hearthfire Scottish Romance series.

Katherine Mercer is a nineteen-year-old English girl who has a passion for painting and a heart to help out her family financially. With her father passing away and her stepsister off on her honeymoon it leaves Katherine and her stepmother to fend for themselves. Katherine hopes to ease the financial burden by selling her paintings and can think of nothing else.

She soon discovers that her father, before his passing, has promised her to a Scottish lord that she has never met. Before the poor girl can wrap her head around the idea of marrying a stranger, she is a wife to a man who seems to be indifferent to her and being taken to Scotland, an unknown land, or so she thinks.

During the journey to Scotland Katherine soon realizes is that her life and family are not what she thought. She is connected to Scotland and her new husband, Collin, in ways that were unimaginable only days before and a whole new world is open to her.

Each chapter starts out with events that have happened in the past to both Katherine and Collin that you find as you read the chapter, parallel their current situations. At first this was a little confusing to me but as the story went along I found it really beautiful how the author intertwined the past with the present.

This being the first book in the series the end does leave quite a bit open, but that's to be expected when you're reading a book from a series. There are not so many questions that you couldn't read this as a stand-alone book. For me personally, I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out just so I can see what happens next. Great story with wonderful characters. Highly recommend!… (plus d'informations)

I have always had issues with stories of cheating, and the first book of this series was hard for me to read, but I also wanted to hear Anna's side of the story, and I finally got my chance! What Anna went through was inconceivable, so where we find her four years after being left at the altar, isn't really a surprise, but heartbreaking nonetheless.

Bitterness and unforgiveness has left her frozen in life, simply going through the motions, and sadly has kept her estranged from her family and life in Holiday, Alabama for four long years. An illness and a death brings Anna back home and face to face with the past she has fought so hard to distance herself from. She is forced to take a hard look at herself, fight for herself again, let go of the bitterness that has been her cocoon for so long, and forgive the unforgivable.

I was instantly hooked and vested in Anna's incredibly difficult predicament and the horrible wrong that was done to her. The incredible writing of Michele Paige Holmes puts you in the heart of each character and in the picturesque town of Holiday, bringing this world alive.

Finding truth, faith, and incredible forgiveness within these pages is stunning. Anna is a character that I can easily identify with, one that shows true strength, and one I wholeheartedly admire. She's the girl you know deserves the greatest happy ending. I found myself struggling along with Anna with her feelings against Carson and Bree, and still have my reservations about them, even though there is a resolution in this book with that whole situation. It's really made me ponder if I am as forgiving as I have always assumed, but that's a chat for another time.

I feel privileged to have read this wonderful book and cannot recommend Home Sweet Holiday enough!

*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.… (plus d'informations)

Due to personal matters that I've had to endure in my life, I have a hard time reading stories where someone cheats or has an affair. It is these experiences that soured A Holiday Affair for me, not to mention how "perfect" Carson is, and how grating Bree's character was to me. The entire time I'm reading I am bothered by something about Carson and Bree. Certain trails that they have to endure are incredibly heartbreaking, and are actually what kept me reading to the end.

The redeeming quality in this novel is the fact that the author is such a great writer, pulling you into this world, and giving you a heart for the residents of this sweet, small town. The ending is charming, and left me with just enough questions to make me impatiently wait for the next book in the series.

As far as A Holiday Affair, I am left with mixed feelings, but as I ponder the novel as a whole I realize that it has more to do with my personal issues with the main topic and not with the novel itself. It's a great start to what I'm sure is going to be a wonderful new series.… (plus d'informations)