Hope for the Holidays by Daryl Wood Gerber

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Hope for the Holidays

by Daryl Wood Gerber

on November 14, 2023
Setting: Oregon
Genres: Holiday Romance
Pages: 254
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Nook

Hope Lyon’s husband ran through all their money and split Portland, Oregon, forcing Hope to sell her beloved Pie in the Sky bakery and move with her two children back to charming Hope Valley, her hometown. She has been working as a waitress and pinching pennies to get their lives on track; however, when her children win KPRL’s Spirit of Christmas vacation contest, Hope worries about the extra expenses she will incur on such a trip and turns it down.

Steve Waldren, the handsome KPRL sports anchor, is now of an age where he can’t afford to have a gap on his resume. His confidence is already shaky, ever since his fiancée dumped him, claiming Steve would never reach his potential. When Steve’s boss dubs Steve to be Giveaway Santa, he’s forced to accept. Steve, as Santa, readily travels to Hope Valley to award the prize. But when Hope refuses it, he’s at a loss. His boss threatens to fire him if he doesn’t convince Hope to take it, and Steve does all he can to change her mind. But Hope can be stubborn, life can be a challenge, and Hope’s children can be unpredictable. Not to mention, the truth isn’t always what it seems.

Will Hope and Steve find their happily ever after? It might take a holiday miracle.

Hope for the Holidays by Daryl Wood Gerber gives two people a chance at happiness around the season of being jolly.

Can Steve change Hope’s mind and give her kids the best holiday ever?

Hope Lyons

Hope Lyons returned to her small hometown to raise her kids, as it was her only choice since she couldn’t afford anything in Portland. She has been doing fine by herself for the last year and trying to save money by being frugal to keep everything working fine. Hope is a great mother, and I feel sorry for what her ex did to her. He is a pathetic excuse for a man, and this family deserves better than that.

Hope tries her best to keep a smile on her face and keep it cheery for her kids. Her work at the cafe brings her joy again. The cafe is her stepping stone to a better life—at least a better life than it is right now and until Steve shows up. I like how she evolved from the beginning to where she ended since it’s great to see that in these books.

Steve Waldren

Steve Waldren is a great guy, but he has been stuck in a loop for years and not even realizing it until something changes that has him trying to convince Hope Lyons to accept the prize that her kids win. I, at first, liked Steve until he just wasn’t likable, but then that all changed throughout the book, and I loved seeing that change.

Steve is a sports anchor for television and is excellent at his job. It doesn’t help that he lives only two hours away from his family so that he can see his younger brother whenever he can. Steve tries his best to see his family and manage his career, but maybe there is more to life than just what he has been doing since he graduated from college to go straight to where he has been. Steve’s relationship with his family is excellent, and I especially like how he treats his brother Lincoln.

The Romance

Steve Waldren and Hope Lyons saw each other regularly when Hope ran her pie shop in Portland until she couldn’t anymore when she moved back home. Then by chance, they met again in their small town at the cafe there and after that Steve fell in love at first even if he didn’t realize it. Hope might have had a crush on him in high school and might still have had one now. These two honestly are cute, and I loved their interactions together, even if some of them got a little heated. I think they have something that could keep them going for a while, especially if they communicate with each other, including the kids and possibly Steve’s brother.

Five Stars

Hope for the Holidays by Daryl Wood Gerber is a great romance story set around Christmastime, and I loved every minute of it. I’m giving five stars to Hope for the Holidays by Daryl Wood Gerber and recommending it. Being invited into the citizens’ lives of Hope Valley was such a treat, and I adored their whole spirit of bringing Christmas to life in this community. A lot of good happens around Christmastime after a bit, or a lot, of heartache for some people when they give it time.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Hope for the Holidays by Daryl Wood Gerber.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2023 Goodreads RC

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