Merry and Bright: A Novel

It has been years since I’ve read a Debbie Macomber and to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy her work as much as I once had. I am very happy to say that I was still heart struck by her talent. She has a way of bringing so many emotions into the story in as few words as possible all while building tension between the characters. Merry’s family signs her up on a dating site and she is pressured into checking it out. At the same time Jayson Bright decides to check out the same site after his best friend found his fiancé there. Neither post a picture, but both feel an immediate connection to the other. What results is much like the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and the comparison is even made at one point in the book. However, don’t expect this to be an exact retelling of that cinematic feature. Instead, Ms. Macomber puts a fresh spin on it with a few twists that were pleasantly surprising. This is a fast pace read with plenty of wit and charm and although low to non-existent in the steam factor, I never really missed it. Watching Jayson change from a “glass half empty” kind of guy into one who saw the world in a better light is the true gem of this story. There was one moment when I wanted to thunk him on the back of the head for being an idiot, but other than that he’s a hero that can outshine so many of those in today’s contemporary novels. Merry shines when her love for all things Christmas as well as her good will toward mankind is allowed free expression. Don’t mistake that childlike enthusiasm for a weak heroine. She is anything but and she proves it repeatedly to Mr. Bright. This is an excellent read for the holidays and I highly recommend it if you’d like something sweet with a touch of angst and something clean. This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and Ballantine Books. Dual POV Safe No Triggers

Merry Knight is so busy doing for others, she doesn't take time for herself. Her mom and brother decided to help her and sign her up on a dating site, but they use the picture of a dog for her profile in an attempt to screen out trolls. It works, and there's a profile of a guy who has done the same thing. Intrigued, they're chatting back and forth and hope to meet. By day Merry is a temp working on a big project for a grumpy boss. Jayson Bright, with no Christmas spirit and a stickler for the company rules. Working side-by-side with a deadline, she finds he might not be so bad in spite of the scrooge-like behavior. Jayson comes from a dysfunctional family and tends to be a cynic, living in a cold sterile world with no attachments.. As fate would have it, Merry discovers her potential date is none other than Mr. Bright and stands him up on their first meet. It's hard for her to reconcile the two sides of the man she's come to care about. Time is not on her side with the deadline looming. Apologizing for missing their date, she promises him they will meet--they know each other. He's determined to solve the mystery of this woman who makes him long for a family he's never experienced. These star-crossed lovers will need to decide how much to give of themselves, forgiveness, and overcome a few obstacles to find love and their HEA. This is a Christmas story with all the feels! **received this book on NetGalley from the publisher**

A sweet holiday read that kept me smiling! Merry Knight has enough on her plate without her mother and brother meddling in her life. Not only does she have both of them to think about and take care of, she temporarily has a boss that could make a grown woman cry. When her family signs her up on a dating website she can't believe it. Yet she finds herself looking forward to her daily chats with one of the guys who was interested in getting to know her. It will definitely be a huge surprise when she finds out who is really on the other side of the computer! Not to be missed! I highly recommend