Cover Image: A Christmas in the Alps

A Christmas in the Alps

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Member Reviews

imone has spent the last few years taking care of her family and now that her family is gone, she can concentrate on herself and when she finds a mysterious note amongst her great-grandmother's things, she is sent on a mission! Her great-grandmother has left a treasure, but it is across the Atlantic ocean and Simone has a great fear of flying that she must first conquer before she can find the treasure, but it is a great excuse to go to the French Alps and find where her family comes from and reconnect with them.

I may have been a little nervous in the beginning with Simone's intense vibes regarding her seatmate on the plane but those soon went away when she got to France and the book got underway. I loved all the characters and that there was some realism with not all the French characters speaking English and there needing some translation help throughout the book. I know this plotline is used often, where someone must go track down relatives without the aid of anyone, but for me it is one I enjoy to read!

This was a sweet novella of sorts that I would suggest for a weekend during this holiday season with the snow on the French Alps and taking place just before Christmas, this is a great book to curl up with during this season.

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and Revell for my copy of A Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson in exchange for an honest review. It published September 7, 2021.
I thought this was a sweet story, definitely a fun read for Christmastime. I loved the family dynamics, and I adored the setting! Overall, I think anyone who wants a sweet Christmas romance will really enjoy A Christmas in the Alps!

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Simone Winthrop recently lost her grandmother and is heartbroken. While going through her grandmother's things, she finds a letter encouraging her to go to her family home and retrieve the treasure that she left behind. Simone knows nothing about her grandmother's family except for the name of the village in the French Alps. Her BFF convinces her to go and spend Christmas in the alps as there is no family for her where she lives. Although she is afraid to fly, she allows her friend to book her flights and off she goes to the small village her grandmother grew up in, hoping to find family who can give her clues to find the treasure. Meeting a kind man, Kyle, on the plane, who helps her deal with her fear, she is hoping to hear from him when he heads to France. Meanwhile, Simone finds her great aunts and uncles, as well as the clock factory they run. Will Simone find the treasure she is looking for? Will she be welcomed by the family her grandmother was estranged from?

A Christmas in the Alps is a relatively short Christmas story at just under 200 pages. Simone was an interesting character. For someone afraid of flying, she was pretty quick to get on a plane and fly to France. Luckily for her, the small village was thrilled to have her there, and they all had pretty much forgiven her grandmother. All but one of her relatives welcomed her with open arms and were kind to her, but weren't much help with the treasure. The mystery held my attention and I kept waiting for her to find out what it was. I enjoyed the descriptions of Christmas in the Alps, the celebrations and family. This was a pretty predictable story with a few too many coincidences, but if you suspend belief and just go with the story, it is an enjoyable story full of Christmas magic.

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I have read several of Melody Carlson's books and found them to be very enjoyable. My favorites, though, are always her Christmas tales. Every year, I eagerly anticipate and can't wait to read them. A Christmas in the Alps did not let me down!

Every component—from the mysterious letter to the hasty choice to fly to France, from the enigmatic Kyle to the clockmaker factory—built upon the others and helped to create a beautiful, suspenseful story that had me fascinated and hooked from the start.

The French Alps provided the ideal backdrop for Christmas. I could almost physically feel the cold, see the icy landscapes, and imagine the breathtaking views.

The faith component was understated and subtle. However, it complemented the story well.

A Christmas in the Alps is a novella which makes it the ideal book for a quick read when you are feeling nostalgic for Christmas, or during the holiday season.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

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Typical heartwarming holiday tale that anyone familiar with this author knows to expect from her. Despite the shorter length, the characters are still three-dimensional with their flaws, quirks, and understandable hopes and motives.

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I really enjoyed this book! It was sweet and hart warming story. I enjoyed the history that the book talked about! I would definitely recommend this book!

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Melody Carlson's Christmas novellas are an established tradition in their own right and this time she crosses the Atlantic - or rather, Simone Winthrop does, when she discovers a letter from her French great grandmother, and sets off to France to see if it's hints of treasure are true. This is a big deal in many ways, not least that she's afraid of flying. On the long flight to Paris Simone meets Kyle Larsson, and their paths will cross again in the story.

I'm a bit of a sucker for a Christmas novella, and this is a great Christmas read. There's a nice level of mystery/curiosity, the French settings are lovely, and the family relationships are really well described and developed.

We all know that Simone and Kyle will connect - but the beauty of a good Christmas story is the way they do it, with lots of Christmassy sparkle and magic.

An easy read, perfect for a little 'chill out' time in the busy run up to Christmas. Recommended.

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3 stars. I'm afraid the plot, while enjoyable if you're in the mood for "Not Serious" reading, was quite predictable and rushed. The romance was telegraphed from a continent away and the family issues/jealousies were predictable. That being said, I finished it in one sitting and 3 mugs of tea.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This book was such a magical read for me. I find myself longing for more about Christmas in Paris and the Swiss Alps. This was a sweet story about stepping out in faith to follow clues found in a mysterious letter left behind by the main character’s namesake. The rewards were huge and it definitely made me think about my own life - as the themes of regret and starting over took center stage.

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This is a sweet charming romance that travels from the US to France. Simone finds a letter from her great grandmother while cleaning out her Grandmothers home. At the urging of a friend she travels to France to find the treasure her great grandmother has written about. On the plane she meets Kyle and to their surprise they meet again at her family's clock factory. A nice story of finding family. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was a fun, quick, enjoyable read that takes place in a small French town tucked away in the snowy French Alpes!

Simone is the MC, after her great grandmother passes away she finds a letter left from her. In the letter her great grandmother mentions a treasure that she left behind in the small town of France where she is from-and she wants Simone to go and find it. Simone does not believe of a treasure left behind by her great grandmother, but her friend Andrea does. With a bit of convincing the pair sets off to the French Alps at Christmastime in search of the missing treasure, and to learn more about her great grandmothers past.

What follows is a story filled with romance and the spirit of Christmas. I love the author's descriptions of the small French town, it made me wish I was there. This is the perfect holiday read mixed with a bit of romance. Perfect to cozy up with in front of a fire, with a warm blanket and hot cup of coffee.

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A Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson.

After finding a letter from her great grandmother, Simone Winthrop heads to Paris.

A fast read with a beautiful winter setting.
I recommend you add this to your winter TBR.

I enjoy reading Melody Carlson's holiday reads and look forward to the next one I pick up!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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My favorite romances are those which include a bit of destiny. Stories where the hero and heroine might meet once, but are not yet meant to be together, despite the attraction they may initially feel. They go on their merry way, not realizing that fate will bring them together again, and often in a magical way with an almost mystical connection.

That's what happens in "A Christmas in the Alps."

A letter from her deceased great-grandmother sends our heroine, Simone, on a trip to the town of Saint-Avre in the Rhone-Alps area of southeast France. During her flight to France, she sits next to Kyle, a kind (and handsome) man who helps her overcome her fear of flying. But they part ways in the Paris airport, since he's heading off to Oslo and she to Avre. She's immediately enchanted by the beauty of this Alpine town and the coziness of the chalet-style guesthouse where she is staying. She discovers more about her great-grandmother and why she left France to come to the US, and in the process also discovers the 'treasure' that's waiting for her. And, as it turns out, Kyle has a connection to that treasure. Small world, right?

This story is more than a romance. It delves into the interesting culture and history of the area. We learn how one person's actions -- in this case, Simone's great-grandmother's actions -- affected her French family up until the present day.

If you're yearning to explore the French Alps but travel restrictions make it impossible, I urge you to check out this gentle romance!

This is the first Melody Carlson book that I've read, but I enjoyed it so much that I'll be searching for more titles written by this talented author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Baker Publishing Group for providing a copy of this book in return for a fair, unbiased review.

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I look forward to Melody Carlson's Christmas novellas each year. I was very excited for this years, A Christmas in the Alps! The story was okay, but maybe I just had set my hopes too high for this one. It wasn't as amazing as I had wanted it to be. I did love the concept of this book. It was didn't grab my attention the way I hoped!

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Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson is a sweet Christmas novella. The story is short and fun. It involves looking into your family history. The story is not as involved as you might expect and would probably be great as a work for young adults. I received a digital copy of this novella from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely by own.

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🎄A Christmas in the Alps 🎄

Here’s another Christmas novella to add to your holiday reads! I’m deep into the Christmas spirit here and loving all of the books that have been released this year! Between this and Hallmark, my Christmas loving heart is singing 🥳

A Christmas in the Alps was a sweet and heartwarming Christmas novella that made me want to jump on a plane and join the characters in the French Alps. This was a quick and lovely read that will bring a smile to your face and put Melody Carlson on your yearly Christmas to-read list.

Thank you so much to @tlcbooktours and @revellbooks for this gifted digital copy!

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The perfect Christmas book for cosy nights abd frosty mornings. The ideal mic of. Likeable characters and storyline. Perfect.

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I enjoy reading Melody Carlson’s books, they’re always so inviting and warm!
This book isn’t just about the main characters, there’s a bit of mystery and travel, a wonderful journey to be involved in!
Readers won’t be disappointed with this enjoyable Christmas story!

Thanks to Revell and Melody Carlson for the opportunity to review this wonderful book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Revill for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
This was a lovely little Christmas story that hit the right note for me. I very much appreciated that the focus of the story wasn’t just on the romance of our lead characters. There was an engaging historical mystery to be solved and a lot of family conflicts to resolve. I found the setting of a French clock making factory especially interesting and different. Highly recommend this delightful novella for a quick slice of Christmas escapism.

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I appreciate a sweet holiday story so this one was perfect! It was a quick read with rich descriptions. I love this author and publisher so I was excited for the opportunity to read this!

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