Holly & Heartbeats by Amber W. Lynne
A Holiday Romance Novel published by Carnelian & Quills Publishing on (11/11/25)
I received an Advanced Review Copy (or ARC) on Reedsy Discovery
Set in the cozy, snow-filled area of Cedar Glen at the Holly House Inn holiday retreat, this story begins with Jess. She is steadfast and has always put her career first, but that’s come at the cost of companionship and starting a family. Graham is the single father of two eight-year-old twin girls, holding down the inn and keeping up with Christmas traditions on his own for years. The heart of the story lies in how Jess and Graham must decide to make space for something more in their lives—a matter of love, joy, and a potential future that doesn’t fit within the plans they’ve been clinging to for years.
Keywords:
Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Holidays, Small Town, Grumpy-Sunshine, Family, Single-Dad, Career-Driven, Holiday Retreat, Inn, Holiday Magic, Widower
My Review:
Jess is steadfast, but she’s starting to feel like she wants something more. She’s trying to outrun loneliness by exhausting herself at the clinic, leaving no room for anything else. She helps everyone but herself. She doesn’t know how to make space for others in her life without feeling she has to be who she is: driven, focused, and useful. She worries that she’s built more for purpose than partnership. This book is more than a simple holiday romance; it dives headfirst into being single around the holidays, the loneliness of the season, and choosing career over family. It explores what a partnership truly is and how to make a relationship work between two people. Partnership should feel like purpose.
Told in dual POV, the book switches seamlessly between Jess and Graham at exactly the right moments.
Graham has no backup. No buffer. No plus one. Just himself, his two impressionable daughters who are determined to play hostess without adult supervision, an impending snowstorm, and six rooms at the holiday inn retreat full of guests expecting candy-cane cheer with an extra helping of holiday magic. Graham is the epitome of a stereotypical small-town romance single dad armed with all the duct tape and grit needed to make things work. His twin girls don’t just need a dad; they need more joy.
Jess inhabits Holly House Inn like she’d always belonged. She fills a room with movement. For the girls, she doesn’t try to distract them so she can do something else. It’s nice to see a character who isn’t afraid to jump right in with someone else’s kids. The girls are uniquely different from each other, and the author gives them so much life and sparkle. Noelle is wild and unfiltered, while Clara is serious-eyed and cautious.
At times, it almost feels as though Jess is falling in love with the twins more than with Graham himself. The early spark between them is subtle, and Graham sometimes comes across as someone who fits the role the story needs rather than standing out on his own right away. I found myself hoping for a little more depth from his POV. Even so, the foundation of their relationship is sweet and very Hallmark-esque.
Grief does appear in the story, but doesn’t weigh down the narrative. The author takes a light approach to grief, allowing it to weave into the backstory rather than cling to Graham or overshadow the warmth of the current action. The overall tone is full of joy and hope. As Jess says, “Grief makes you hold your breath too long. And then life sneaks in when you aren’t watching.”
This book is for romance readers who love holiday-themed, heartwarming, family-friendly, found-family, small-town, slow-burn, or single-father romances.
This novel was published on 11/11/2025 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 4.00
Links for more information
Rachel Author Barnard 