A Cold Creek Christmas Story - Review

A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: NetGalley
Description:  Celeste Nichols has always preferred to keep to herself in her hometown of Pine Gulch, Idaho...until she becomes an instant celebrity!  When one of her children's stories becomes a major success she's suddenly the talk of the town.  Celeste should be gloriously happy but something, someone special is still missing from her life.  Could the return of her childhood crush be the answer?  Flynn Delaney has moved back home for his daughter's sake.  Yet all the millionare's resources can't help the little girl heal from the tragic loss of her mother.  Shy librarian Celeste and her stories do hold some indefinable magic, though.  Flynn came home looking for support - can he find that, and true love, in the one who got away? (from Goodreads)

Genre: Romance - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  Because I have loved every book by RaeAnne Thayne that I've read so far and can't wait to read more!

My Impression:  RaeAnne Thayne is pretty much the queen of Christmas themed romances and A Cold Creek Christmas Story confirms that!  Thayne creates characters that are so wonderfully nice yet so wonderfully different that it's always a joy to read.  Celeste loves books, her family, children, and her job as a librarian yet is uncomfortable with her new found celebrity and new people.  In romances it frequently drives me crazy when characters beat themselves up about doing something stupid or not feeling good enough or taking something too seriously but with Celeste it felt real.  This was a shy person who really read like an actual shy person.  The bond she formed with Olivia was so sweet and natural and it was really lovely to see Olivia start to come out of her shell a little bit.  Flynn too has his damage and his hangups and they come off as authentic and not just plot devices.  Seriously, I could go on and on about how much I loved these characters!
The story itself is sweet without being too sappy.  As is usually the case with Thayne's stories, the focus is on the emotional connection between the characters and there is very low heat.  The character development as well as the development in the relationship between the characters was unusual for a shorter book (at 240 pages it's kind of between a novella and a full length romance).  These were characters I really wanted to find happiness, not just with each other but within themselves as well.  The ending did come together a little quicker than I would've liked but sacrifices have to be made for the length and it did work.  I just wanted more!
This was a lovely Christmas-y read about love, healing, forgiveness and family.  It was the book equivalent of sitting in front of the tree in front of a fire after a long day in the cold.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes definitely!  I see lots of Pine Gulch books in my future!

Would I Recommend this Book?: Absolutely!  If you're looking for a Christmas-y read this is a fantastic choice!