Christmas at the Graff by Kaylie Newell

Series: Holiday at the Graff #2

Title: Christmas at the Graff

Authors: Kaylie Newell

Publisher: Tule Publishing

Published: November 1st, 2017

Pages: 156

Rating: 4/5

This is another lovely Marietta based festive read. Many of the characters and Christmas events described in other stories from this publisher are also featured in this heart-warming story and it is great to revisit them.

The focus in this story is on Joe Banks, who left his wife and two children to start a new life with a new love. Now, more than a decade later, he’s wanting to reconnect with his two girls, but both are reluctant to have anything to do with him. A fall and a broken pelvis give him the excuse to ask for their help and Jemma reluctantly agrees to come to look after him. Get ready for angst and turmoil as problems for the past, the need for open communication and love all play their part in their attempts to rekindle their father/daughter relationship.

Intertwined with this is the relationship with EJ Corpa. He spent most of his childhood in foster care, with little stability in his life. when he moved to Marietta he met Joe and the two have become close, like the family EJ had never had. He’s wary of Joe’s daughter but the chemistry between them is there from the start. Can love help melt the icy walls around their hearts to let love stand a chance?

Get ready for plenty of festive events – from tree decorating to ice-skating on Miracle Lake – this story is a great addition to those based in Marietta. The town, its characters and events are brought vividly to life in the story and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting there again in my imagination. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series in future!

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Synopsis

Jemma Banks is finally ready to celebrate and enjoy the Christmas season in a way she never did as a child. But when her father breaks his pelvis, she returns home to Marietta to care for him. He is desperate to make amends with Jemma, but she is determined to leave Marietta with her heart intact, even if it means being compared to Scrooge.

Physical therapist and snowboarder EJ Corpa can’t ignore the pull when he lays eyes on his patient’s daughter for the first time. Jemma is beautiful, but guarded. Deep down, EJ knows she’s a woman who’s longing for a little fun. When she agrees to help with his clinic’s tree for the Mistletoe and Montana auction, the armor she’s so carefully constructed begins to fall away, and the magic of the holiday season takes hold.

With ice skating, hot cocoa, and Christmas tree decorating for a great cause, EJ and Jemma begin falling for each other. Will EJ begin to see that life’s adventures are more thrilling when there’s someone to share them with?

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