Christmas in Smithville (Hometown #4)
Published December 1st 2017 by Augustine Press, Kindle Edition 217 pages
Gloria hasn’t had an easy life, she’s learned her lessons the hard way. She may have dressed flashy and dated a lot, but that’s in the past. Now she’s determined to change her reputation, and working along side the women in town as they prepare for the Christmas Pageant will give her a chance to prove she’s not a flirt. Small towns never forget, but will Smithville give her a second chance?
Ned, the county Deputy, has his own secrets to keep. He’s heard the gossip about Gloria, but he sees all the kind things she does for the folks of Smithville. The upcoming Christmas Pageant will give him the opportunity to finally spend time with her, especially with his friends throwing them together, but can he overcome his frustrating stutter and talk to her, face to face?
Fall in love with Ned and Gloria as all your favorite Smithville characters prepare for the Christmas Pageant, and get swept up into the most romantic Christmas Eve celebration ever!
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Gloria is a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, she is also unlucky in love. She lives in the small town of Smithville, where everyone knows everyone and your social life is ripe gossip.
Gloria has dated most of the men in town and the local women have started to resent her. She has dated most of their husbands before they committed. Now she feels she shouldn’t dress nicely or go on any more dates. She feels her chance to find love has passed. She has low self-esteem and doesn’t want people to notice her.
Ned is the local Deputy Sheriff. He finds Gloria in a state of sadness. Luckily it’s dark and he feels free to speak but his words don’t go down the way he hoped. Ned has a stutter and doesn’t feel he is good enough for someone as beautiful as Gloria. Ned is the local good boy and most people look up to him.
These two form a sweet friendship in a time when they both need somebody. Christmas in Smithville is part of the Hometown series. It can easily be read as a standalone, however, these books are available in Kindle Unlimited. The town is small and the people love to medal. This is a sweet traditional Christmas tale.
4 stars out of 5. I received an ARC as part of the blog tour, however, I read this book on Kindle Unlimited.
Rating: really liked it
“A kiss is a secret which takes the lips for the ear.” Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac
I would like to thank the publisher for this ARC [advanced reader copy] provided via Netgalley.
Book 1: Hometown Girl at Heart: Tara and Justin
Book 2: Hometown Girl After All: Julia and Chad
Book 3: Hometown Girl Forever: Lizzie and Elliot
After I started reading this… I discovered it was part 4 of the Hometown Series. That explained my feelings of “what the heck is going on” and solved my question of ‘did I miss a book somewhere?’ Yeah, I did, three in fact. Having said that, in all fairness, it held fairly strong as a stand-a-lone. I just didn’t have the foundation and backstory to the many characters and friends of our main couple. However, the author did an excellent job in providing enough clues that I could enjoy the story and not worry about how these people became friends or how their relationships came about.
I enjoyed the story; I liked the supporting characters and I was instantly drawn into the budding friendship and romance between our main couple. It had the feel of Cyrano de Bergerac in that our hero [Ned Knight] hid his identity so he could communicate with his lady interest. He spoke to her from the shadows, and sent her poetry… unsigned. The poor man was self-conscious about the defect in his speech… he stuttered when nervous. He felt that his speech imperfection disgusted women and he would not woo her because of it. Little did he know that women were drawn to his physical appearance and that negated any notice of his speech patterns. Poor man.
Gloria, on the other hand, was dealing with her own set of problems. She felt the distrust and jealously from some of the women in the community as she tried to overcome the gossip regarding her shady past. She had determined to prove she had changed and declared that ‘she could do things without attracting male attention.’ Well, that may be a bit harder than she anticipated, short of no contact with men.
Will our couple overcome their reluctance to step out and conquer their fears? Or will fear prevent their finding a lasting love?
Rating: Clean. This story had so many references to other popular stories. It had the feel of ‘You’ve Got Mail,’ ‘Cinderella’ and her fairy godmother, Cyrano, and any of the miracle stories where good triumphs over evil or a pack of snarky women. Yeah, this was a feel-good Christmas story with a surprise ending that you will not believe. There were subtle clues, but I missed them completely. I had sort of an idea but this author took it to the extreme. Wow!! Just wow!!
Rating: really liked it
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Rating: really liked it
Small town and so very heartfelt.
So the memory isn't the greatest, but this book was my favorite - which is saying something because there were spots in each of the four books that brought me to tears. I love how the people in this little town take care of each other. I did feel like this ending was a little abrupt - would love to find out more about what happens to those in the town. I suppose if I can't read it, I can imagine it. Totally recommend this book and the others.
Rating: really liked it
This enchanting narrative was filled with friends, family,and plenty of Christmas joy. Both Gloria and Ned felt like they could become a better version of themselves and therefore, feel more comfortable with the folks in their community. How great was it that they should both become interested in each other? This charming story will give the warm fuzzies and touch your heart. Good Read!!!!
Rating: really liked it
An Excellent Christmas Love Story This is a very enjoyable read with great relatable chatacters. Well written and the story itself just puts you in the Holiday mood. Highly recommend this book for your Holiday reading....A MUST READ 😀😀👍👍
Rating: really liked it
LovelyI enjoy reading uplifting, romantic novels. This fit the bill and made me think about it even when I wasn't actually reading it.😀
Rating: really liked it
InterestingThis book was a good book & interesting. The storyline was different & interestin The characters kept you interested & it had a surprised ending.The story shows we can misjudge someone & make their life so miserable..
Rating: really liked it
Once again this author has out done herself!Loved each of this series, once you start reading one, you can't put it down! It was so awesome to see Gloria win with Ned! What a cute ending!
Rating: really liked it
Sweet clean romance with a lesson on being nice to others.
Rating: really liked it
There was something about this book, characters or setting, maybe both, that drew me quickly into it. Set in a small town where everyone knows everyone else---think Gilmore Girls---and everyone's business. This is part of a series and I had not read the earlier books but that did not seem to matter.
Centered around Gloria, a young-ish woman who has returned to Smithville to live with her grandfather. Previously, Gloria had earned a bad reputation as she dated anyone and everyone. Some of the women in town cannot seem to forgive her, which is something seen all the time. How hard it can be to allow someone to be accepted as they mature and learn how to do things better. What is the saying: As you know better, you do better. The same goes for learning to accept people for what they have become.
Gloria works hard to be accepted and her true self shows as she uses her many talents to assist with the town's Christmas Eve pageant. The people who truly know her work to protect her as she is able to show her true personality as a loving, caring, talented person.
We also get to know the shy young deputy with the stutter who is convinced people in the town cannot like him because of his speech problem. Gloria befriends him after he finds her crying on a porch one evening...not a spoiler as it happens in the first couple pages.
So, a sweet little story of how sticking to your guns and doing what you know is right will help you get through life. Also, it is a Christmas story so perfect for this time of the year.
Rating: really liked it
Small town America with characters that have real struggles makes this an interesting, albeit light read.
Smithville is set in somewhat rural Pennsylvania, less than an hour from the big city. Gloria is the gal who struggles to be accepted by the members of the community. Her boss and a few women have welcomed her with open arms while others are downright nasty to her.
She's volunteered to help with the upcoming Christmas pageant. Mutual friends notice a 'connection' or chemistry between her and Ned, the Sherrif's Deputy. So, they do their best to push them together.
In typical holiday romance style, Gloria and Ned become completely smitten with each other. However, can they move past their hang-ups and actually have a real relationship?
Overall, this is a cute holiday time romance which makes for a great winter night read.
Note ~ I received an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Gloria and NedGloria just wants to fit in, only the women of Smithville won't let her forget her past and move on. Especially Nadine! It's not like Gloria has done anything to the women! The only problem is she thinks she has to prove herself. So she makes a pact with herself and she promises she won't flirt or even talk to a man while working on the annual Christmas pageant with her friends. However, she keeps being thrown together with the deputy Ned. He's really nice and everything, but,she can't allow anyone (Nadine) to see her talking to him even if it is about the pageant. Then she starts getting notes and they make her feel better. What happens next? Who keeps sending her the notes? What happens with Nadine? To find out the answers to these questions and more, read this great story by Kristen Fullmer.
Rating: really liked it
Wonderful Christmas StoryFirst, I have to say that I was delighted to learn that this story takes place in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where I am from. And it's a small town romance--my favorite type of story. Gloria, who really has done nothing wrong, and has contributed to the community, is the victim of ugly gossip. But she has good friends who believe in her and stand by her, including deputy sheriff Ned. She has worked hard to prepare costumes for the Christmas pageant and avoid anything that could be considered flirting, to keep the gossipers at bay. It's Christmas eve before she realizes it. Feeling lonely and lost, all she wants to do is go home and go to bed. But here comes her Christmas surprise. Loved the story.
Rating: really liked it
This was a really fun cute holiday read.I really liked Gloria she had not had it easy and has a reputation for being a bit easy but is convinced to prove to the small town she has changed, but they just won't see past her past reputation.Ned is the Deputy of her small town and has seen the change in Gloria and is looking forward to getting to know the new her better.A really cute read just perfect for a lazy afternoon
