The small town of Miller’s Point is known across the country for their annual Dickensian Christmas festival. When the celebration is threatened by Clark Woodward, a miserly, big-city businessman, Kate Buckner steps up to save her hometown, their traditions, and her favorite holiday. But, along the way, she realizes that the man she’s trying to protect her town from might need some rescuing of his own.

The Christmas Company by Alys Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100 percent mine, and I was not financially compensated in any way.

The most important thing about this book is that it is the first original Hallmark Publishing Christmas book, and I have to tell you, Hallmark and the author have set the bar very high! Overall, I could not have been happier. This book has everything you could ever want (and more) from a Hallmark movie encapsulated in a book! And indeed this book far exceeded my expectations.

In the beginning, I will admit it took me a little bit of time to get into the story. This was not the author’s fault nor Hallmark’s. I believe the stage had to be set, and sometimes a deliberate pace at the beginning is exactly what is necessary. After all, this book deals with new, uncharted areas for Hallmark, and without the background information and expert scene painting as well as character description (provided by the author), I might have not been as intrigued as I was. Moreover, once the story does begin to accelerate, there is not stopping this story; so all I can say is, fasten your seatbelts and be prepared for the Christmas ride of your life!

Now, this does have the ingredients for which Hallmark is known. There’s a small town, an idealistic heroine who adores Christmas, a rich and snobby antagonist who hates Christmas, and the inevitable process of these two dissimilar individuals falling in love complete with an interrupted kiss! In truth, the author weaves these elements seamlessly into the framework of the story, and the warmth of the story enveloped my soul with all the sweet trappings of a Hallmark Christmas tale.

Notwithstanding, I also believe the author created a story with a few elements that surprised me in a particularly beneficial way. There are a few portions of the story that while still within Hallmark guidelines, they do push the boundaries in a pleasing way. I always relish parts of the story that are different and unexpected, and the author placed these few diverse moments in such a way that I found myself smiling and even imagining how that scene might be accomplished in a Hallmark movie based on this book. I applaud Hallmark and Alys for an exceptionally fun and sweet story.

I realize that every original book Hallmark publishes has the chance of being transformed into a Hallmark movie, and I urge the network to consider this one for the 2019 season. The possibilities for the leading couple are practically endless, and the story is entertaining and relatable on a variety of levels. In fact, to be honest, I would love a sequel to this book! There is so much for of the story to tell.

If you are looking for a book that will remind you of why you fell in love with Christmas in the first place, and if you further love “A Christmas Carol,” do not hesitate to pick this book up as soon as possible! You will not regret the decision.

View all my reviews

About the Author, Alys Murray:

Alys Murray was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and will always be a southern girl at heart. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, she travels with her fiancé as much as she can and writes as many love stories as she can.

Also, if you are interested, be sure to read my interview with Alys here.

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