So far, this is my favorite story in the Holiday at the Graff series. Lucas Kendrick's mother passed away, but her dying wish was that he meet his father. Now, banned from spending the holidays with his father's family, he decides to return to Marietta where he was born and thank the people that helped his mother when she arrived: homeless, broke and pregnant. He figured that he would toss in a little business, too, something to prove that he deserved his job at his father's company. What he didn't expect to find was the feeling of home, or a beautiful woman and her little girl that would have such an impact on him.
Ava Moore moved to Marietta after her husband's death to raise her daughter close to her Grandmother, while she finished school and established her career. The weather still isn't her favorite, but the town and its people have embraced her, and she can't think of being anywhere else. Once she gets her business plan put into motion, she can leave her job at the Graff.
A chance meeting with a handsome stranger isn't in the plans...neither is competing with him over the perfect building to execute her plan. Lucas has finally found a family and a place that he fits, but he has also just found a place with his father, so he has to decide where his happiness lies.
Ava's daughter, Sophie, steals the show and hearts, and I adore her mother-in-law, Tilly. Ava is such great character: strong, determined, and loyal. Lucas is a similar character, and I love how he interacts with Sophie.
The added bonus to this story was revisiting Sandra and the Judge, and his crazy cat. This was such a fun visit to Marietta, I recommend it whether it's your first visit or your hundredth!

I grabbed this title because I have enjoyed books by the author in the past. I was a little hesitant because I mainly enjoy her cowboy books, but a New Year’s theme fits the season, and Marin Thomas hasn’t disappointed me yet, so New Year’s at the Graff was invited to occupy some space on my Kindle.

Lucas is a San Diego businessman, and he’s been banned from his newly discovered family’s holiday celebration. After offending his father’s wife, he is invited to take some time off, using his father’s company credit card to pay for his departure. Since he has the time off, Lucas decides to head to Marietta. He was born there, and his single mom lived there briefly when he was a baby. Going through her belongings after her death, he discovered that she had wanted to thank the people who helped her out when she was pregnant, homeless, and penniless.

Ava is a young widow, and she’s struggling to raise her young daughter, Sophie after her husband died in service to the country. Moving to Marietta, her mother-in-law helps her out. Ava works at the Graff, which helped her pay bills while she attended college. Now that she has a degree, she is attempting to start an organization that helps single mothers help themselves earn an education.

When Ava and Lucas first set eyes on each other, they both feel a zing. Later, at the New Year’s Eve fund raiser, Ava and Lucas meet and they can’t deny the connection between them. Lucas, however, makes it clear that he has a job in San Diego that he will have to eventually go back to, because he feels that he has to prove himself to his father. He’s trying to get a real estate deal closed in Marietta, too, which he believes will cement his position at his father’s firm. Too bad it’s the same property that Ava wants to use for her new business.

I really enjoyed this gentle story. Lucas, while tracking down the townspeople who gave his mother a helping hand when she most needed it, learns a lot about both her and himself. Because of his childhood, he has decided that having a family just isn’t for him. He watched his mom struggle to keep a roof over his head, and he doesn’t feel that he needs that kind of pressure in his life.

Watching Ava and her daughter, though, he feels an instant connection with both of them. Ava is wary of allowing Lucas into their lives. She knows that he’s going to leave, and that Sophie will be broken hearted when he does. To protect her daughter, she tries to keep her distance from him.

Lucas’ father makes an appearance, and I really liked the guy. I was not expecting to. He’s a little misguided and didn’t own up to his mistakes and his responsibility, but after getting to know Lucas, he accepts his blame and tries to make it up to his son. While I enjoyed the relationship between Ava and Lucas, it was the one that developed between Lucas and his father that I found most compelling

This is a quick holiday read with a satisfying resolution. I am firmly convinced that both Ava and Lucas have found their HEA.

Grade: 3.75

New Year’s at the Graff (Holiday at the Graff Book 3) by Marin Thomas
This is Lucas Kendrick and Ava Moore’s story.

I loved Lucas and Ava’s characters. There is just something about Lucas and Ava that touches your heart. This is a sweet and heartwarming romance. Sophie, Ava’s daughter, is a great addition to the story. A fun and enjoyable read.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This is one of the sweetest romances I’ve read this year. Considering the circumstances of Lucas’ childhood he is such an adorable and evolved character. Ava is just as impressive because she too had a difficult childhood. But family, connecting with people and the support they provide mean everything to these amazing two individuals. And Sophie is such a cutie pie. She just burrows her way into your heart in a second.

I received an Advanced Review Copy from the publisher through #NetGalley for voluntary review consideration.

New Year’s at the Graffiti is a great romance. The book is well written with a good plot and believable characters. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys reading a good romance.

New Year's at the Graff continues the light paranormal theme that has pervaded this series, with a bit of follow on to the chair that was first introduced in Halloween at the Graff. But the crux of the story - Lucas and Ava's love story just wasn't a huge draw.

Ava is a single mother living close to her mother-in-law in Marietta and raising her daughter. She's interested in running a co-op for single mothers and is working toward that goal when she meets Lucas.

Lucas is in Marietta because he was born there before his mother and he moved back to California. He's gotten in touch with and works for his birth father. New Years is in Marietta because his father's family doesn't like him and wanted him gone and his father said ok.

There is a bit of a contrived difficulty between Ava and Lucas that is quickly and easily dismissed and Dad figures out he's being an idiot and comes to Marietta to beg forgiveness. But overall, there are no real obstacles to this romance and that makes for a bit of a boring book.

This one didn't work for me, but I'll keep reading the Marietta books.

Lucas is on a mission. Revisit the town that took his mother and later him in when things got rough and repay all they did. It was his mother's final wish to go back to Marietta but she never got the chance. Now Lucas wants todo this for her. Never did he think he would meet someone that would make him want small town living. Or keep him away from the father he just reunited with.

Ava is a widowed mother. But she has a plan. And she'll stop at nothing to achieve it. When she meets the sexy stranger in New Year's she never expected a kiss to affect her so much. But after she realises who he is she has to guard her heart. And that of her daughters. But things happen out of their control that seem to keep bringing them together. Its like the magic of the Graff keeps drawing them together. But what happens when he goes back home? Can they overcome distance and be happy together or will the magic of New Years be all they ever have? Love the mystical aspect of the Graff and all that transpires there. Great read!

This book offers so much to the fans of Marietta books. It’s centered not only on the two main characters but also the town’s remodeled hotel – The Graff. The writer captures the charming town of Marietta with its small-town flair and residents, but also weaves in the history of the Graff. One of my favorite parts (and there are many favorites) is the glimpse into the town’s matriarch Mable Bramble past life. She is as feisty, crusty, and proper as ever but we see that years ago she was a caring resident who looked after others in town. Another favorite is the small town feel of residents looking out for each other, even strangers.
The two main characters had a believable immediate connection to each other. Ava stays strong, independent, and true to herself while falling for Lucas. She keeps in mind that he’s here temporarily; that he has a life in another state and tries to avoid heartbreak for her and her daughter.
Lucas is a charming character who has good values and is very caring. Some of my favorite scenes involve Lucas and Ava’s daughter Sophie. He was inserting himself into Ava’s life and Sophie was getting attached. He liked the feeling of being a family yet he has just reconnected with his father and feels the need to prove himself to him. He’s torn because he also knows he has found the perfect women for him in Marietta.
I would put 4-year-old Sophie right up there as a main character. Writing a child in a story is sometimes tricky and many are just side characters or a distraction. The author has Sophie shining through in this story in all her Princess glory and is a big part of the appeal of this story. Ava and Lucas include her and you’re never left wondering where’s the child.
This book of full of well-liked and well-developed secondary characters. I really enjoyed the relationship growth of Lucas and his father. Ava’s eccentric mother- in- law gave us ghostly glimpses into the past and present of some residents. We see more into the relationship of Judge Kingsley & Sandra Reynolds from a prior Marietta read. While there are previous characters from other books, this can be read as a standalone book and you will not be lost.
A love at first sight romance done right! Left me with that happy, content feeling. Definitely will be a reread in future years. Well done!

Ava has worked really hard to get were she is today. She wants to be the best mom she can and raise her daughter to be the strongest ever. She also wants to get this co-op off the ground and help other single moms better themselves. Can that all change when a stranger comes to town and has a different vision for the same building? Lucas has been banished by his step mom so he goes back to the one place his mom has always wanted to go back to. When he gets to Montana he seeks out those who helped and hopes to thank them. Can he find the perfect building for a client and thank the people who helped his mom when things weren't so great for them?

Hands down this book has got to be my favorite book from this series. I loved everything about this book. The story sucks you in a you really don't want to put it down. It pulls on your heart strings and also parts will have you laughing. I love Sophie and Tilly but how could you not those two added a huge element to this wonderful story. I loved how strong Ava and independent she is. I love Marietta if feels like you are catching up with friends instead of reading a book. I really enjoyed that this book was a good clean read and it didn't seem all about sex but about healing and finding hope and love. This book is so worth the read and you really cant go wrong with it.

Can it be love at first sight? Lucas has returned to Marietta to thank everyone for helping his deceased mother thirty years ago as a young single mother when he meets Ava at the New Year Eve celebration at the Graff hotel. Ava is young single mom after her husband dies is the military. As their friendship develops, Lucas finds this is where his heart belongs.

This is a must read this holiday season. Sophie. Ava's daughter stole the story, I just loved her. This is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Love Marietta at the holidays!!

New Year's at the Graff by Marin Thomas was such a delightful read. It was such a surprise that it began on New Years Eve. I had not expected that from the title, but it just took off from there and turned into such a sweet Holiday read. I have not read the other books in this series so to me this is a stand alone type of book.

Another sweet story set in Marietta, Montana. In this story, Lucas travels there during the holidays to thank the people who had helped his mother years ago. When she died she had left a list of people she wanted to thank, and some that she owed money to. When she died, she made Lucas promise to contact his father (who was married with his other family), and so he did. Working for his father's company, but not close to his stepmother or half siblings, he is not welcomed over the holidays, so Montana is a good place to be. Seeing the beautiful Ava at the hotel, he slowly starts to get to know her, and her charming 4 year old Sophie. A sweet story, that was a nice book to read for New Year's eve. Would highly recommend this book and author.

New Years At The Graff brings readers back to the gorgeous Montana town of Marietta and its stately Graff Hotel, where a lovely cinderella story begins to unfold between widowed Ava Moore and Lucas Kendrick, who was born in Marietta and has returned to thank the people that helped his mother thirty years ago. This is the third book in the multi-author Holidays At The Graff series but can be read just fine as a stand-alone novel.
In this tale Lucas, son of an unmarried mother who was left struggling to provide for herself and her child after the child’s father rejected them, finds an instant attraction to Ava, a young widow with a four year old daughter. Their future is fraught with challenges, not the least of which are the fact that she lives in Marietta and he lives in San Diego, but in the way of all the best fairy stories their happy ever after is achieved, albeit not without a bit of heartache along the way.
The characters in this story really do make the story. I particularly loved Ava’s daughter Sophie and her mother in law Tilly. This is a delightfully sweet romance. The story unfolds gently and even though you know how it is going to end it does so in a thoroughly satisfactory way.

I love all the Holiday Books at the Graff... Brilliant way to have us be there in Marietta. This time there is a couple that will need help from our special spirit... and they are able to figure out how to have what both want.
Single parenting is hard... and both of these characters are capable in understanding all the ways it takes a Community to help ... He was a product of all the assistance his mother received... she as a single mom wants to be a resource for other mothers.

Lovely tale.

This is another lovely Marietta based festive read, the third in the series. Each book is set in Marietta, Montana with the recently refurbished Graff Hotel having a significant location role in the story. Some of the characters, events and places appear in the stories but each can be read as a standalone - you don’t have to read any of the others to appreciate this one.

Following the death of his mother and at her request, San Diego business man Lucas Kendrick met his father and his father’s family - including his two half brothers. He now works for his father’s company, much to the chagrin of his step brothers! His stepmother, however, has banned him from their family home for the holiday season so he’s travelled to Marietta to pass on his mother’s thanks to some of the people who helped her when she was a teen, without family support, having him. It is so moving, reading how the community tried to help her!

Whilst there he spots a building which he believes would be of interest to a developer he’d like to get to work with his father’s firm for the kudos it would bring. However, the same building contains the flat where Ava Moore lives with her delightful daughter. When Lucas first spots Ava leaving the hotel, he’s drawn to her. When they exchange a magical kiss as the New Year rings in, their attraction is mutual. However, she has her daughter to consider and her plans to open a co-op to benefit single mothers . . . . in the building Lucas had told the developer about. Both can’t have the building! Will it bring business only or pleasure for this couple? Can love find a way to bring them together?

This is my favourite story in this series so far. The adorable daughter plays a significant role in helping these two come together, as does Lucas’ father! It is a heartwarming story, a lovely festive read and I can’t wait to read more stories in this series!

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This is such a sweet take on the Cinderella story that will simply charm the reader. The scene is Marietta where the New Year’s fund raiser at the luxurious Graff Hotel is happening. Cinderella is not there in a gorgeous ball gown but in regular clothes helping to run the fun game tables. The prince is a San Diego businessman in town to research his mother’s days there and where he was born. Brief eye contact earlier in the day jogged his brain into staring and meeting her later on is brilliant.
What transpires is a lovely tale of falling in love and of really wanting it to work.

I really liked this book. I also like the continuation of this series by different authors. It was also nice to read a happy book thru out. Love at first sight still abounds and I enjoyed this.

New Year's at the Graff is the third book in the Holiday at the Graff series. Lucas finds himself spending New Year's at the Graff Hotel. When he shares a kiss with Ava, the sparks fly. Ava is determined to start a co-op, but she finds out that Lucas is after the same location. Even though their chemistry is amazing, Ava has her daughter, Sophie, to look out for. She sees Lucas getting close to Sophie, and she also worries about her dreams failing. However, she can't help but dream about a future with Lucas as well. Can they possibly achieve all of their dreams? I enjoyed this story, and I definitely recommend it.

A sweet holiday read that wraps up the series of holiday books featuring Marietta's Graff Hotel. This one brings Lucas Kendrick to Marietta as he sets out to find the people who help his mother when she lived in Marietta as a young unwed mother. While there he meets Ava Moore a single mother herself. She brings a joy to Lucas he wasn't expecting and she's making leaving difficult. Will he go back to his step family in San Diego or will leaving Marietta and Ava be too difficult?

A good read I would definitely recommend.

New Year’s at the Graff by Marin Thomas is the third book in the contemporary romance Holiday at the Graff series. Each book in the series features a different couple and can be read as standalone novels. The books center around the hotel, The Graff, in the small enchanting town of Marietta, MT which is featured in numerous different romance series so some of the same characters and events in this town can carry over from book to book.

This story has been my favorite of the series so far. One of my favorite romance tropes is when one of the couple is a parent and it’s shown just how well the newcomer will fit into the single parent’s life with their child and this one did not disappoint at all in that regard.

The story alternates between Lucas and Ava with Lucas having come to Marietta to look into those in the town that had helped his mother as a pregnant teen and in that respect had shown her that she could be a successful single mother herself all those years ago. It was obvious from the start that Lucas’ mother had raised him right just in the fact that after his passing he was looking into making things right from her past.

After Lucas and Ava met we learn that she is also a single mother and from the first moments Ava’s daughter is included in the story it is obvious that Lucas is great with her. Those moments show just how charming and caring he could be in their lives and made it easy to see that this is a couple that should come together.

With also including the small town charm that Marietta is known for and showing that it stretched back thirty years in Lucas’s life this made for a very heartwarming holiday read. Definitely enjoyed Lucas and Ava’s story and will be looking forward to seeing what comes next in the Holiday at the Graff series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.