Christmas Charms: A small-town Christmas romance from Hallmark Publishing

A very enjoyable Christmas romance, with a slight magical element in the form of a charm bracelet. Ashley left her home town of Owl Lake and is working at a highly prestigious jewellery store in the Charms Department. She loves her job but also loves making her own repurposed vintage jewellery in her spare time. This year was supposed to be her best Christmas as she was off to Paris with her boyfriend and was hoping for a proposal. But after a disastrous dinner when it was clear they were on different pages in their lives, Ashley ends up back home for Christmas instead of Paris, and reconnects with an old boyfriend, Aidan. But on the train trip home she meets and chats to an older lady who looks very much like Mrs Claus and has a wonderful charm bracelet on her and, after falling asleep during the journey, Ashley wakes up with the same charm bracelet on her wrist, and Mrs Claus is nowhere to be seen. Despite trying to get the charm bracelet off nothing works, and the charms keep forecasting things that are happening on her trip home, like the lovely dog with a big red bow she finds on her parents doorstep, and tie in with her younger self and what she wished for a perfect Christmas. This was a lovely Christmassy, romantic read with snow, firemen, a Christmas parade and reconnecting with friends and an old love, with a magical element, very enjoyable.

This was a whimsical, light, and pleasantly amusing holiday second chance romance featuring a magical charm bracelet, small-town rituals, and a chance meeting with a lovely woman who just may have been Mrs. Claus. I enjoyed the sweet Hallmark Christmas flavor, wry humor, and lovable characters. The Santa Skate was brilliant, I don’t know if that is a real thing or not, but it certainly should be if it isn’t, even though I have never strapped on a pair of ice skates in my entire life.