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Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Book Review: A Vineyard Christmas by Jean Stone

Ah, time to review a Christmas story...well, in October I read lots of thrillers and mysteries but in December I have tried to read lots of Christmas and heartfelt books.  So, let's get down to this review:

A Vineyard Christmas by Jean Stone


From GoodReads:

In the midst of a Christmas blizzard: A baby on the doorstep.

It's taken a long time and a little heartache, but Annie Sutton is finally following her dream of living on Martha's Vineyard. She fell in love with the island's singular beauty while using it as a setting for two of her novels. In her cozy rented cottage on Chappaquiddick, she's settling in for her first Vineyard winter--complete with a fierce nor'easter on the way, forecast to bring high winds and deep snow. But the blizzard also brings something unexpected to Annie's front porch: a basket, encircled by a ribbon, containing a baby girl. The note reads: "I named her Bella, after my grandmother. Please help her, because I can't."

Adopted as a child, Annie is grateful for wonderful parents who raised her as their own. Yet she also hopes to spare little Bella the feelings of abandonment that still haunt her. And so, rather than take the baby to the police, Annie decides to keep her and try to find the birth mother, giving her a chance to change her mind.

But it's not easy keeping a secret in a close-knit, island community, especially amid the bustle of Christmas. Before the holiday ends, there will be revelations, rekindled hope, and proof that families--the ones we are born into and the ones we claim for ourselves--are the gifts that truly matter . . .
 
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You get so much from this book, Christmas magic, a baby's love, a mystery, an island community, love and did I say magic?  It's all wrapped in this little Christmas book.  
Once I read that this book was taking place in Martha's Vineyard, I was sold and then it was taking place during Christmas and I mean, come on, what else could I ask for more.  I live in MA, so the Vineyard is magic already during the summer so to read something about it during Christmas, give it to me.

So, Annie Sutton is a writer (bonus points lol) and has always dreamed of living on Martha's Vineyard.  So when she has basically lost everyone and everything in her life she finally makes the final leap and moves to the island.  She has always loved the beauty of the island and now she is ready to spend her first winter there on her cozy rented cottage.  Of course, there is a nor'easter on the way, forecasting high winds and deep snow.  But Annie is prepared for the blizzard, she goes into town to get ready even buying a Christmas tree.  But, with the blizzard she gets the biggest surprise of all, someone drops a basket, encircled by a ribbon and a baby girl inside it.  With a note attached: "I named her Bella, after my grandmother.  Please help her, because I can't."

Because Annie was adopted as a child, she starts to get attached to Bella in a new level of connection.  She decides to keep the baby and find out who left her at her door step instead of handing her over to the police.

 Because of this decision we get to see how a island community gets involved and how this mystery can lead to a lot more than Annie was hoping for.  It's a Christmas that she will never forget.

This book is such a quick and fast paced read, one that you cannot put it down because you want to find out who little Bella's mother is.  And you will try to connect the pieces together, that is until things will take a turn that you never saw it coming.  Ah it was a lovely read, one that I still think about it today.  And I'm so happy that there is more to Annie's story than this.  I'm sure to continue with it.

5 out of 5 stars for sure.


XOXO,

Nelia

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