Book Review (and a Giveaway!): The Christmas Promise by Janice Carter

Posted January 21, 2021 by meezcarrie in contemporary, giveaway, Janice Carter, romance / 12 Comments

The Christmas Promise, On Tour with Prism Book Tours

THE CHRISTMAS PROMISE
GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Clean Read)
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Heartwarming
RELEASE DATE: January 1, 2021
PAGES: 216

The Christmas season…
Is perfect for new beginnings
After a tragedy seventeen years ago, author Ella Jacobs never wanted to come back to Lighthouse Cove. Not to the whispered rumors, the judgment or even to Ben Winters, the boy she loved. Now she’s returned in time for Christmas—and some much-needed closure. But old flames burn bright.
Can Ella find her way back to Ben…or will the secrets of their past extinguish their love for good?

We all have those moments from our adolescence that we wish never happened, the kind of memories we try not to think about but they linger around the edges of our minds anyway. Maybe it was unkind words that we said to someone we cared about – or unkind words said to us from someone we considered a friend. Maybe it was being bullied – or being the bully. Maybe it was experimenting with activities that could bring harm to ourselves or someone else. Maybe, like in the case of Grace & Ella & Ben, it’s a long-ago prank that still haunts you. The Christmas Promise takes a look at how one night 17 years ago changed so many lives in one small town, upending friendships, trust, young love, and even causing the tragic loss of one young friend.

Fast forward to today and Grace & Ben Winters (siblings) and Ella Jacobs all find themselves back in Lighthouse Cove. I think the author also did a great job of portraying a small town that can hold grudges for many years. The peek inside a harbor town in winter, through Ben’s eyes (who grew up there full-time) and Ella’s eyes (who only stayed there in the summer) was intriguing to me as well.

Apparently the events in The Christmas Promise follow His Saving Grace which is Grace’s return (and Ben’s too, i think) but this can absolutely be read as a stand alone too. I didn’t feel lost – just aware that other things happened before I joined them. I liked all three of these main characters, and I was rooting for Ben & Ella to rekindle their romance – even if I did want to shake both of them at certain decisions they made throughout the story lol. Their great kisses made up for any times I was frustrated with them, though 🙂

Bottom Line: The Christmas Promise by Janice Carter is well-written with a writing style that pulls you immediately into the story & the characters. Ella and Ben are layered and relatable & their shared past makes certain of a bumpy ride to the happily ever after they were cheated out of in the past seventeen years. I enjoyed getting to know the town & these characters, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / love it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion

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Writing has been a passion for Janice Carter since elementary school but her second career after teaching began with the publication of a Harlequin Intrigue, many years ago. Since then, she’s been very lucky to be able to do what she enjoys most – writing about the connections between people, their families and the places where they live. And of course, love is always at the heart of those connections.

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