I usually enjoy Melody Carlson's novels however I found this book did not live up to her past works. The characters were very hard to sympathize with and the plot seemed very poorly developed.

A Christmas in the Alps is a lovely story of family, reflection, and holiday joy. Melody Carlson has created the perfect story to sweep the reader away to the Swiss Alps for a beautiful holiday experience. I enjoyed the family history Simone discovered when she arrived in their little hometown, snuggled into the Alps. The setting is perfect for a holiday tale. As Simone searches for her family treasure, she finds much more than she ever expected. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've made it a tradition every year to read Melody Carlson's annual Christmas novella. This year was one of her best ones yet with this enchanting holiday tale set mostly in The French Alps. Carlson is a gifted writer who never fails to draw this reader in from the first chapter. In this book I was so wrapped up in the story it was as though I was on that plane with Simone on my way to Paris. And the anticipation of spending Christmas in Paris and then in the French Alps! How wonderful to make this trip while sitting in my recliner. The story was filled with old world charm, romance and the spirit of Christmas. The book is a fast and engaging read that I didn't want to put down. It deserves more than five stars.
While packing up and preparing her late Grandmothers house to be listed for sale, Simone and her friend Andrea find a letter that had never been opened. It was from Simone's Great Grandmother and her namesake and it was addressed to her. The letter had been sent about three years ago and her great grandmother had since died. In the letter the 95 year old French lady had asked Simone to go to Avre in the French Alps to find a treasure the Great Grandmother had left hidden there during the war years. Was her Great Grandmother of sound mind and if so would the treasure still be there?
Simone is terrified of flying. Just the thought of it sends her into a panic attack. Her friend Andrea talks her into going against her better judgement. The trip is planned and the day arrives for her departure. The trip isn't going well until Simone meets a nice young man who talks to her and calms her down. Later after a lay over in Iceland the man takes another plane to Norway. Simone is able to go on with her flight to Paris thanks to the kindness of a stranger. The story doesn't stop here and readers are left to wonder if the two will meet up again and Simone hopes to be able to find her Great Grandmother's treasure and maybe some French cousins she never knew she had.
I recommend this book to readers of contemporary romance and fans of Melody Carlson. It's a very good Christmas book that you will want to make a part of your holiday reading. This book is scheduled to be released on September the seventh of this year.
I received an Arc of this book from the Author and Publisher through Netgalley. A favorable review was not requested. All opinions expressed here in this review are my own.
#A Christmas in the Alps#Netgalley

** “I’ll tell you what helps me most when I’m anxious or afraid. … It’s prayer. I find that when I hand these troubles over to God, I start to relax. I trust him for the outcome, and I’ve never been let down.” **

Melody Carlson once again delivers a delightful holiday-themed novella with “A Christmas in the Alps,” a story about forgiveness, love and finding one’s true treasure.

When Simone Winthrop stumbles across a letter from her great-grandmother, also named Simone, encouraging her to return to the family’s home in the French Alps to find a treasure the elder Simone left there, she hesitantly agrees to travel to France in search of her heritage and family roots.

Deathly afraid of flying, Simone is relieved when she finds herself next to a friendly seat companion — a man named Kyle who’s on a quest of his own to learn about clockmaking and find his own journey in life.

But when Simone finds herself not so warmly welcomed by her French family’s matriarch, she begins to question herself, all while wondering if her path will ever cross again with Kyle’s.

What follows is a sweet, romantic story filled with holiday cheer. Carlson always does a great job of creating a world that feels warm and comfy, filling it with lovable characters who still are flawed and relatable. “A Christmas in the Alps” also contains a few good themes, like evaluating one’s true treasures; finding forgiveness; overcoming secrets; and giving our troubles to God.

One disclaimer: there is alcohol use in this story.

Five stars out of five.

Revell provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

"A Christmas in the Alps" is a romance novella. Simone had a safe, dull life until the last of her family died. Her best friend pushed her to go look for her French extended family (and a vague "treasure"). She ended up with two men interested in her (both were extremely kind), the treasure of family, and a new home and job. My two problems: who would tell someone to go to a city to find a physical object which is their inheritance without telling them what it is and where to find it? The story would have worked even if she had this information. Also, Simone was initially a play-it-safe person who had trouble even spending money on a new wardrobe, then suddenly she's making impulsive decisions that involve spending a lot of money and huge changes in her life.

If those points don't bother you, then it's a fast, sweet romance were difficulties melt away faster than the snow and everyone has a happy ending. Simone had to forgive someone for a wrong done to her. There was no sex or bad language.

Melody Carlson is one of my favorites, and I always look forward to her new Christmas stories. A Christmas in the Alps is a heartwarming and whimsical story about a young woman on the quest to find answers about her family's history. Finding answers will mean stepping way outside of her comfort zone; and journeying to the French alps with not many clues to go on. However, Simone will soon discover that sometimes an adventure is worth all the twists and turns, and I predict this beautiful story is going to be a new favorite for readers everywhere.

Melody's writing is always fun and quick paced, while still being atmospheric and making the reader feel they are right there experiencing everything along with the characters. The French Alps setting truly comes alive on the page, and I loved following Simone along on her journey, and the many interesting and entertaining characters she meets along the way.

Simone's story wraps up in ways the reader may have never have expected, and it left me with a big smile on my face and a big case of the Christmas fuzzies. Melody Carlson always knows how to write Christmas stories that speak right to the heart, and I'm happy to say that A Christmas in the Alps is no exception.

This lovely holiday tale is a shorter length novella, but there's absolutely no compromise on the quality of the story despite the shorter word count, and I adored my quick Christmas visit to France.

Final Rating: 4/5.

I definitely recommend picking this one up, and I look forward to seeing what other Christmas themed stories Melody Carlson has in store for her readers in the future!

Thanks so much to Revell for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Treasures are not always what one might expect. In this sweet Christmas story, Simone searches for answers about her family after finding an old letter written by her great grandmama. Readers will enjoy the beautiful French setting and Simone's excitement of discovering answers. The story is predictable but enjoyable. Recommended.

A Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson is a sweet Christmas novella, that takes the reader to a gorgeous town in the snowy French Alps. It’s a quick read, with enough depth of characters to make this a very satisfying holiday read.

Simone Winthrop has just lost her grandmother and is cleaning out her grandmother’s home when she discovers a letter from her Great Grandmother, also named Simone. Her great grandmother’s letter tells her to go to her hometown in the french alps to collect the treasure that she left behind after leaving hastily. Simone’s great-grandmother had rescued an American navigator who had bailed out of a plane and landed near their home in France, and after he received from his injuries, they fell in love and he brought her back to America to make a life together.

Simone doesn’t really believe there is a treasure left for her. But, her friend convinces her to sell her Grandmother’s home and go to France to check out the claim of the treasure. Simone reluctantly agrees, even though she is very afraid of flying. On the plane, she meets Kyle Larsson, who is traveling to Europe also. Kyle helps Simone deal with her anxiety about flying and they hit it off on the long flight.

I enjoyed the setting and the description of the small alpine town, and the watchmaking factory. I think this could have been a good dual timeline book, as the action in the past is just as emotional and exciting as the action in the present. Simone and Kyle were both sympathetic characters and their romance seemed real and not too rushed. I did wish for a longer, more detailed ending, but, it’s a novella, and there was not enough room for that. There are subtle references to Christianity and the characters’ beliefs, but it’s not overwhelming.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of sweet romance and Christian romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Christmas in The Alps by Melody Carlson

I loved this sweet and light read which was perfect for Christmas. I liked it so much, I read it in one sitting and was so sad that it I finished it. I wanted it to not end. It was so enjoyable. For me, the genealogist, always going to Europe to find more about my own family's past as well as to find relatives, it was right up my alley. The perfect book for me.
I loved it. What more can I say. Is there a book 2??? If not, please consider it! This was such a relaxing, fun Christmas novella. That's it, I recommend this story. It will make you happy. It did me!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Simone finds a letter from her great grandmother. Simone with her friends urging decided to fly to Paris. She later met family in a small town in France. This was a fast read.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

A Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson turned out to be quite the delightful read. At first I thought the book was slow going and kind of boring, but after several chapters it begin coming more to life. Especially after Simone arrived in France, there was much more interest there. I enjoyed getting to know the characters as well as Paris and France. And especially during the Christmas season. I could just imagine the beautiful decorations and lights, and especially during the night time Christmas lights Tour Simone was on. What fun that would be.

I was especially glad for Simone in the end, and Kyle as well. The ending was nicely woven together to make the story more enjoyable and pleasant. This is a nice novella to be read during the Christmas Holiday season. It is pretty short and a quick read so it won’t take much of your time. Unless you are more like me and like to savor each page instead of zooming through it. Check it out. I think you will enjoy it. This one deserves a Four Star from me. Simply because it was so slow during the beginning.

A special thanks to the author/publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Christmas in the Alps takes you on a Christmas triip to France. A girl overcomes her fear of flying to travel to France in search of family and a treasure left by her great grandmother. You'll enjoy following her on this adventure.

3.5
I always look forward to Melody Carlson’s Christmas books. It’s sort of a tradition for me and I really enjoy them so much. This one fit the bill nicely. Recommended.

My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley.

Melody Carlson always tugs on the heartstrings with her Christmas novels. If you're looking for sweet, romantic, spiritual books, she is definitely a must read.

Melody Carlson Christmas novellas are books I look forward to reading, because it brings the spirit of Christmas to your heart, through likable characters that are usually facing a fascinating Christmas adventure. She also has a fun way of bringing families together. This story starts with Simone Winthrop cleaning her grandmother’s house. Her friend helps and soon discovers a letter addressed to Simone that was addressed to Simone that had never been opened. It was postmarked three years earlier. It was from her French great-grandmother. The letter had high hopes that Simone would find a treasure in her home in France.

At the strong urging and encouragement of her friend, Simone sets off on an adventure. One thing her friend didn’t know was Simone’s phobia of flying. How could she get to Paris? Could she take a boat? Her friend has thought of everything. Things get better when she meets a kind, handsome man named Kyle Larsson, who is an apprentice clockmaker. Simone meets her family and is introduced to the family business. That’s when the fun begins. Fill your heart with the Christmas Spirit and go on a great escape as this author whisks readers into the Alps with Simone. It’s delightful and refreshing!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

According to your great-grandmother and namesake, you have a treasure in France. You are jobless, and after selling your grandmother's home where you've lived for the past three years, you are homeless. All you have is a letter telling you about this treasure and some furniture in storage--but you do have money in the bank from the sale of your home.

Your best friend coerces you into taking a trip to France to collect the treasure, but in order to get there, you have to fly--something you are afraid of and something you've never done before. But, your friend will not be put off. You have to go.

Getting from southern California to Paris is going to be a bit of a challenge. There is a non-stop flight, or there is an option that goes through Seattle which is actually cheaper. So Seattle and connections beyond is the choice you make. From LAX to Seattle, you try reading the book your friend got you on getting through the flight without fear overtaking you. Once you board in Seattle, you find you have a really nice looking and equally nice seatmate. He helps you past your initial fears (again) and keeps your mind occupied until you land in Iceland for the last leg of your flight. He's going to Oslo, Norway, but will be coming to France later to study clock-making.

While you felt you made a connection with this nice man, you think you will probably never see him again. To your surprise and delight, the clockworks he is wanting to apprentice to is the very clockworks owned by your extended family.

You have much to overcome in France--a great-great-aunt who holds animosity towards you because you look like the sister who stole her beau, a language barrier--but that is getting better, and no idea where to look for this treasure your great-grandmother spoke of.

Melody Carlson has written a delightful book that takes the reader through the ups and downs of life and family. She makes her characters real and her settings are over the top enchanting. The plot lines move at a pace to keep the reader involved, but not overwhelmed. This was such a fun book and I love the way she ended it with a short story that brings healing to the characters.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs up, and a croissant with a delectable French cheese and a 100 year old wine.

Revell Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions are solely my own.

A Christmas in the Alps is the story of Simone finding out about her great-grandma's 'treasure' and finding new to her family members. Simone was all alone in the world family-wise after her grandma who she had been taking care of had passed away. With some encouragement from her best friend, she goes to France to enjoy the French Alp's while also maybe finding out about her great-grandma's lost treasure that she had recently found out about.
This leads her to France, and to a nice fellow American who was also looking for something in France. The two ended up making a good team and helped not only each other find happiness in what they wanted to do, but also brought a family closer together.

Overall I surprisingly really enjoyed this book. Recently Melody Carlson's books have been very hit and miss for me. Some go overly religious, but this one did not have that which helped me enjoy the story more as it was more subtle and less in your face constantly. I liked Simone as a character and I was fascinated by her finding out about her long-lost family and finding out what makes her happy instead of just choosing the safe option like she had always been told to do. Simone and Kyle made a good team when it came time to figure out what exactly her great-grandma's treasure was. We also got to see Kyle find some happiness as well which I enjoyed. I loved getting to learn about Simone's long-lost family and getting to hear some about the war and the times after the war briefly. This is a very short book so not a lot of detail went into the time of the war and right after just little bits and pieces.

For me, this is the type of romance I can enjoy, because it has enough of the other parts of mystery and history to keep me entertained. I appreciated as well that it wasn't super-insta love and instead we got to see Simone and Kyle learn more about each other and actually wait a while before moving onto the next step. I really appreciated the time jump as well in the epilogue to see what they were all up to over a year later.

Review being published on my blog closer to December.
readingwithwrin.wordpress.com

You can take a virtual trip to the Alps through this story -- the author has done her homework and builds up the setting as its own character! Not only that, but she incorporates fantastic historic detail into the novel, bringing us a history-mystery that the protagonists must solve to move forward. The ending was both predictable and surprising, and I found myself wanting to continue the journey alongside the pair....

A Christmas In The Alps by Melody Carlson is a most delightful contemporary Christian festive read. Every year Melody Carlson releases a new Christmas book which I eagerly look forward to and greedily devour.
The setting of Paris followed by the snow-covered Alps warms the reader’s soul. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and perfectly complemented by the crisp cold air outside. Melody Carlson has captured the essence of Christmas in a book.
A character is searching for her inheritance and her history. She discovers that riches turn up in the most unexpected places. As she relentlessly searches, the reader is reminded that God passionately pursues us as He longs to bring us home.
Family rifts and feuds need putting to bed. Life is too short to live with self-erected barriers between us.
Once again Melody Carlson has produced a wonderful festive offering. I love her annual book release that is full of warmth and love.
I will leave you with my favourite quote:
“What helps me most when I am anxious… It’s prayer. I find that when I hand these troubles over to God, I start to relax. I trust Him for the outcome.”
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Melody Carlson has such a gift for taking you on a wonderful journey to another place and time. Her latest novel A Christmas in the Alps takes us obviously, to the French Alps to a little town of Arve. After taking care of her grandma when her health started to fail and then losing her to illness, she is needing a change in her life. A letter is found addressed to her while going through grandma's things. The letter was written three years previously by her great grandmother. With the help of her best friend she is encouraged to take a trip and look to see if she may still have relatives in this small town her grandmother grew up in. This was a delightful, cozy, heartwarming book that once I started I could not put down.
I would like to thank Revell through NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions in this review are my own.