Book Review: No Ordinary Christmas by Belle Calhoune

About the Book:

Title: No Ordinary Christmas

Author: Belle Calhoune

Series: Mistletoe, Maine #1

Page Length: 318

Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021

Publisher: Forever

Synopsis: The quaint New England town of Mistletoe is thrilled to welcome back one of their own, Dante West. Now a famous Hollywood action star, Dante is filming a movie in town to help the local economy, as well as make amends with the people he hurt when he abruptly left Mistletoe all those years ago.

Librarian Lucy Marshall isn’t thrilled to see Dante. He was once her best friend and first love until he left her behind without a word of goodbye. When Dante makes her an offer she can’t refuse — use of the library as a filming venue in exchange for a lucrative donation, Lucy finds herself spending a lot of time in Dante’s company. With the magic of Christmas in the air, Dante and Lucy begin to forge a new bond. But can two people leading such different lives find lasting love the second time around?

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.

My Review:

Most of Mistletoe, Maine is excited to welcome back local Dante West. Now a famous movie star, Dante’s back to film an upcoming movie that is dear to his heart. Dante has a lot of fences to mend, including Lucy, the girl he left behind. However, Lucy isn’t exactly happy to see her childhood friend and first love after he left without a word of goodbye all those years ago. When Dante proposes using the library where Lucy works as head librarian, Lucy can’t reject the generous offer. As filming starts and the holiday nearing, Lucy and Dante begin to reconnect. Can they put the past behind them and give their love a second chance?

I’ve been loving the holiday romances this year, and No Ordinary Christmas ticked so many of my favorite boxes. A small town, second chance romance with great characters and a lot of charm, this is a sweet and heartwarming read. The story has great messages and highlights the power of friendship, community, family, and love.

Lucy and Dante are well-developed and interesting protagonists. I love that Lucy is the town’s librarian – best job ever!! Lucy has strong ties to Mistletoe, and her relationships, especially the one she has with her sister, are fantastic. She’s the type of person who does what’s best for others even if it’s not what she wants, and this is definitely the case when she agrees to work with Dante.

Dante has a lot to make up for when it comes to Lucy. He wounded her deeply when he left without a word, and I don’t think he realizes how much that affected her and the others he left behind. I enjoyed how they slowly begin to reconnect and deal with the complicated past they have, and I like that Dante realizes the mistakes he made and tries to make amends. He shows how sincere and regretful he is in many touching ways, and Lucy finds him difficult to resist. They share a long history, and even though their paths are very different, they still connect on a deep level. Their chemistry is so swoon-worthy, and it’s palpable from their very first encounter!

Mistletoe, Maine is a charming town and is brimming with the holiday spirit. It sounds like such a special place, and I love all of the community events and gatherings they have. It reminds me of the type of town you’d see in a Hallmark Christmas movie, and it’s a romantic and festive setting for Lucy and Dante’s love story. If you like Hallmark movies or books that have wonderful characters, small-town charm, and a second-chance romance, then you should check this book out.