Is it even Christmas without a RaeAnne Thayne book? The answer is NO IT IS NOT! I adore Thayne’s Christmas books so obviously this book was an easy yes to reviewing. In all honesty, I had this one on pre-order months ago because I didn’t want to miss one of her Christmas books. Thayne is such a great romance writer without being overly steamy and I never want to miss one of her books!
This book is a standalone but there are mentions of other characters from previous books that she has written. But I want to be clear this is absolutely a standalone book! But if you are a long time fan of Thayne then you will recognize familiar characters in this book. I read this one in one sitting and found it really enjoyable and exactly what I was expecting from Thayne.
Thayne is a prolific writer and has written a number of novels (series and standalones) but for me her Christmas books are where it’s at! I have read her other novels which are great but she captures small town romance and Christmas so so so well and I often recommend her Christmas books to friends, family and of course people all over my social media! If you are looking for a quick, feel good holiday romance this is an excellent choice!
Summary
Celebrate the season with this sparkling holiday romance, perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber, Dorthea Benton Frank, and Nancy Thayer!
Ranch manager Annie McCade thought her twin niece and nephew could join her at the Angel View Ranch for Christmas with her absent employer being none the wiser. But when the ranch’s owner, Tate Sheridan, shows up out of the blue, Annie’s plans are upended. Soon she finds herself helping Tate make a Christmas to remember for his grieving and fractured extended family.
Sleigh Bells Ring is the latest heartwarming, festive Christmas story by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
Hello Hallmark Holiday movie in book form! This book made me want to move to Wyoming and live on a ranch and have a giant family Christmas! While the main story was about Annie and Tate, I was actually more invested in Bri and Levi’s romance and want a whole other book about them! Tate and Annie were the focus in this one though and they were exactly what I was expecting—honest, hardworking, thoughtful people. Tate was romantic and caring and Annie was so hardworking and dedicated to her brother and his children that there was no way readers could NOT fall in love with both of them. I enjoyed their romance and of course all the holiday magic packed into these pages but there was a part of me that was wanting more from Bri and Levi.
Typically in Thayne’s stories there is a secondary romance that isn’t really the main focus of the story and most of the time that love story stays in the background while readers focus on the main romance. However in this one, Bri and Levi jumped off the page for me and I found myself wanting more about them than Annie and Tate. There was clearly a story behind Levi’s brooding cowboy exterior and Bri had a host of experiences to draw readers in. For me this was the downfall of this book. Without Bri and Levi in this book, the story would have easily been 5 stars for me. But Bri and Levi were in this story and for me, I wanted to read about them more than the other two which became problematic in some ways. That’s why I went with 4 stars for this one. I hope we get a Levi and Bri story in the future—even if they are already an item in this book, I think there is a larger story waiting to be told here.
I adore a sweet holiday romance as much as the next person and Thayne delivered on the holiday charm and love just as expected. Though I will say that while I liked this one, I still think that Christmas at Holiday House is still my favorite Christmas novel by Thayne. This one was a good solid holiday romance with all the things that I love about Hallmark movies but there was still part of me that felt like it wasn’t as good as some of the others that I have read by her. I don’t want to dissuade others from reading this one as it’s a great book but for long time fans of Thayne, this one was good but not as good as some of her others in my opinion.
Book Info and Rating
Format: 352 pages, paperback
Published: October 26 2021 by Harlequin Books
ISBN 9781335522443
Free review copy provided by publisher, Harlequin Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: holiday romance
The Lit Bitch 