Coming Home for Christmas (Haven Point, #10)

by Raeanne Thayne

[Stephanie]

This review was originally posted on Once Upon a ChapterI received this book for free from HQN in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.





I was hesitant about picking up a Christmas book in September. I really like to save my Christmas indulgences until after Thanksgiving......but I've really been wondering about this story's couple for too long to put it off. I picked up Coming Home for Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne greedy for Elizabeth and Luke's story.

I have to be completely honest. I did not want to be empathetic towards Elizabeth. She'd left her family and stayed away and Luke had endured so much more than a typical single parent deals with. Not only is he the sole caregiver for his two children but he has to deal with outright animosity from people in Haven Point. These people believe he harmed his wife and made her disappear.

Basically from the getgo I had issues with the heroine. I was 100% Team Luke. Thayne is a great author and I should have known that she'd make this work. Long before the mid point I was cheering on the couple, hoping for their happily ever after.

Thayne focuses primarily on the values of family and being kind to others even when it may cost you personally to do so. Luke wants his children to grow up to be good people and so he demonstrates by example. His desire to be a good man also extends to how he treats his estranged wife.

Elizabeth has her own story to tell. I had to keep a few things in and when it came to her story. 1) Truth is stranger than fiction 2) We often judge ourselves far more harshly than others and 3) Guilt is a strong motivator.

The characters of Haven Point are really the kind of people that I aspire to be. The small town vibe is always strong in the Haven Point series but I feel like it was more strongly on display in Coming Home for Christmas with the theme of Christmas and good will running in the background.

I definitely think that Coming Home for Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne is one of those books that you'll love to read on a fall day with the leaves changing colors or on a cold winter afternoon with a warm beverage by your side!