The Christmas Plan (Silver Bell Falls #6) by Samantha Chase-a review

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Release Date: November 17, 2020

If only life was a cheesy holiday movie…
Unfortunately for Aspen Harris, her life doesn’t even come close.

Finding herself unemployed just before the holidays, she has no choice but to move back home and in her parents’ house. And that means leaving behind her best friend Gabriel and all her dreams of someday owning her own chocolate shop. So when Gabe suggests she come to Silver Bell Falls to spend the holidays with his family, it seems like the perfect distraction.

What’s so great about holiday movies?
Don’t people realize that living in an actual Christmas town is anything but magical?

Every year, Gabriel Andrews goes home to Silver Bell Falls to help his father run the family Christmas tree lot. When Aspen tells him she has to move to the other side of the country after losing her job, he suggests she come home with him for the holidays. It’s the perfect way to spend as much time together as possible before a whole country separates them.

But this is Silver Bell Falls at Christmas time…between a mother with matchmaking tendencies, tight living quarters and far too much chocolate, it doesn’t take very long for life to start imitating art.

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REVIEW:THE CHRISTMAS PLAN is the sixth instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult SILVER BELL FALLS romance series. This is videographer Gabriel Andrews, and chocolatier Aspen Harris’ story line. THE CHRISTMAS PLAN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. All of the story lines in this series take place around the Christmas holidays.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Gabriel and Aspen) THE CHRISTMAS PLAN follows in the aftermath of chocolatier Aspen Harris quitting her job, just weeks before Christmas, having finally had enough of the sexual harassment from the man in charge. With her best friend Gabriel Andrews heading home to Silver Bell Falls to help with his family Christmas tree farm, Aspen jumps at the chance to spend the holidays in a ‘real-life’ Hallmark™ movie but Gabriel is reluctant knowing not everything is as it seems especially when it comes to his well-intentioned but meddling family. Having never spent the Christmas holidays in a wonderland of snow, Aspen is drawn to the small town and its’ people, who have taken to Aspen, and her chocolate fancies. What ensues is the building romance between Gabriel and Aspen, and the potential fall-out as Aspen’s time in Silver Bell Falls comes to a close.

Aspen Harris’ welcome to Silver Bell Falls is punctuated with orders and requests for her delectable chocolates, and with it an idea is about to form as Aspen considers a different path for her future, a path in which Gabriel struggles to understand or accept. Gabriel wants his best friend Aspen Harris to remain to Atlanta but there is currently no work or opportunity for Aspen to follow. While Gabriel insists that his ‘best friend’ should remain in Atlanta, an new opportunity reveals in Silver Bell Falls.

The relationship between Gabe and Aspen is a best friends to lovers romance, a romance in which Gabriel battles between head and heart fearing the loss of his best friend should their romance go sour. Forever reminding Aspen that she is his best friend, Gabriel continues to break a little bit of Aspen’s heart with every reminder. All of the $ex scenes are implied.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, meddling and familiar secondary and supporting characters including most of the previous story line couples, as well as Gabriel’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Andrews.

THE CHRISTMAS PLAN is a sweet, charming and chocolatey story of love and romance, friendships and relationships, family and fun. The premise is delightful and captivating; the characters are energetic and lively.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Christmas in Silver Bell Falls
Christmas on Point
A Very Married Christmas
A Christmas Rescue
Christmas Inn Love

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in NorthCarolina.

CHRISTMAS INN LOVE (Silver Bell Falls #5) by Samantha Chase-Review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK Release Date November 5, 2019

Running the family B&B has always been Cassidy Ryan’s dream. But first, she has to save it from neglect.

Closing the doors to the Silver Bell Inn for the holiday seasons seems like the perfect plan to give the B&B some much needed love and care. Or at least it would be if the inn didn’t need a lot more work than Cassidy can handle on her own. She needs help. But asking it is the last thing she wants to do.

Getting stuck in Silver Bell Falls was not part of Beckham Allen’s plans. Neither was this cross-country road trip, for that matter. He was supposed to be focusing on himself and on healing after the loss of his father. But nothing, not even his rescue dog Mazie, seems to be able to break him out of his funk.

Or so he thought until he met the sweet innkeeper who takes him in.

After an awkward start, Cassidy and Beckham discover the perks of being snowed in together. And with Christmas drawing closer, they find they may have just been given the greatest gift of all.

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REVIEW: CHRISTMAS INN LOVE is the fifth instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult SILVER BELL FALLS romance series focusing on the town and people of Silver Bell Falls, New York. This is B&B owner Cassidy Ryan, and former professional football player Beckham Allen’s story line. CHRISTMAS INN LOVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Cassidy and Beckham) CHRISTMAS INN LOVE follows the building relationship between B&B owner Cassidy Ryan, and former professional football player Beckham Allen. Days before Christmas Beckham Allen found himself snowbound in the small town of Silver Bell Falls, New York when his vehicle spun out of control injuring himself and his dog Mazie. With no available lodging Beckham is forced to take a room at the Silver Bell Inn B&B, where the proprietor struggles to accept Beckham at face value. Enter Cassidy Ryan, owner and manager of the B&B, and the woman with whom Beckham will fall in love. What ensues is the building but forbidden relationship between Beckham and Cassidy, and the potential fall-out as Beckham’s time in Silver Bell Falls comes to an end.

Cassidy Ryan is struggling to complete the renovations to the Silver Bell Inn. With no plans for the Christmas holidays, Cassidy sets her sights on Valentine’s Day hoping the Inn will be refurbished on time. Beckham Allen is bored out of his mind in Silver Bell Falls, and battles between head and heart when it comes to ‘aiding’ our heroine with her ongoing renovations but a call from a friend finds Beckham leaving town sooner than he had anticipated.

The relationship between Beckham and Cassidy is one of immediate attraction but Cassidy struggles in the face of renovation h*ll, and caught with the interruption of unexpected guests. Having bought the Inn from her newly retired parents, Cassidy found the upkeep and renovations to be more then she could afford especially for our heroine who struggles to be independent and on her own. The slow building romance is passionate but mostly implied.

There is a large ensemble case of colorful secondary and supporting characters with the small town mentality of in-your-face gossip and business including Bailey Walsh and Gavin Maguire (A Christmas Rescue #4).

CHRISTMAS INN LOVE is a story of friendship, family, romance and love. The premise is entertaining and engaging; the romance is sweet; the characters are strong willed and energetic.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Christmas in Silver Bell Falls
Christmas on Point
A Very Married Christmas
A Christmas Rescue

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy