REVIEW:

I knew when I settled into reading Christmas Ever After by Karen Schaler that it would be delightful and full of holiday feelings. I’ve enjoyed every one of her holiday stories so far, and this one was just as enjoyable! 

This is one of those stories where a person that doesn’t enjoy Christmas at all is thrust into something very Christmas-y and eventually opens her heart to the holiday season. I always, always love this type of story! In this case, famous author Riley Reynolds is told by her publisher that she needs to write a Christmas romance story, but she really doesn’t want to. She swore off Christmas when she was just eight years old and she hasn’t celebrated it since then. Her publisher arranges for her to host a Christmas Camp event with some of her loyal readers in an effort to promote her upcoming story, and just before she is to go to the event, she has an embarrassing television interview. During the interview, she was taken off-guard by an unapproved question and her response gave three ex-boyfriends the idea that she may still hold flames for them. So they all show up at her Christmas Camp event with hopes of rekindling their relationships. 

The synopsis compares Christmas Ever After to Mamma Mia and The Bachelorette, and I have to agree that this story does give off those vibes. The three ex-boyfriends that show up at Riley’s Christmas Camp are a nod to the amazing Mamma Mia, and their interactions with Riley are a little bit like The Bachelorette. Even more (and better!) than those comparisons, this book feels like a Hallmark movie, like snuggling up with hot chocolate and a warm blanket on a cold day. It’s scrumptious and really made me feel Christmas while I was reading it. 

The first book that I read by Ms. Schaler was Christmas Camp, and it was awesome to see that this story nods back to the earlier one so well. The camp that Riley hosts is one much like the camp in the earlier book, complete with Christmas-themed rooms in the resort and Christmas-themed events for the guests to enjoy. And the supporting cast of characters is wonderful and lovable-this is something that I have grown to love about Ms. Schaler’s stories. 

There is indeed a sweet romance in these pages, but I won’t spoil who it is with, and how. Just know that I loved it, and I may just end up rereading this one again this year since we have a few months until Christmas. Fans of Christmas stories and Hallmark movies will love this one!