Holly & Heartbeats is a warm, wintry contemporary romance that follows Jess, an overworked small-town doctor who impulsively books a Christmas stay at the Holly House Inn, and Graham, the flannel-wrapped single dad who runs it with more grit than charm. The story unfolds with all the cozy beats you’d expect from a holiday romance: quiet mornings, glitter-filled crafts, a looming snowstorm, and a slow, steady pull between two people who aren’t looking for love but clearly need it. It’s sweet, comforting, and full of heart.

Reading it, I felt like I was slipping into a soft blanket after a long day. The writing is simple in the best way, not plain, just clean, and it gives the moments room to unfold. Jess’s loneliness is handled with such gentle honesty that I was rooting for her long before she even reached the inn. And Graham…well, he’s the kind of gruff that’s really just tenderness wrapped in fatigue. The author’s choice to show so much through small gestures, especially Graham’s quiet care for his daughters, made the romance feel grounded. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is forced. Even the big emotional shifts arrive softly, the way snowfall does when you’re not paying attention.

What I enjoyed most was how the story let joy sit right beside grief. The twins’ openness about their mom, the way Graham tries to hold the whole world on his shoulders, Jess learning how to let herself want something again, all felt natural and surprisingly moving. Some scenes are silly and glitter-covered. Others are introspective in a way that catches you off guard. I loved that the book didn’t punish its characters for their history. Instead, it gives them space to grow, to forgive themselves, and to choose something new. The inn itself almost becomes a character, glowing and warm in every chapter.

By the end, I felt that lovely romance-novel ache, the one that says these two people found each other at exactly the right time. The epilogue seals it with a sweetness that doesn’t feel cheap, just earned. I’d recommend Holly & Heartbeats to anyone who loves contemporary romance but wants something gentler, more atmospheric, more about healing than hijinks. If you enjoy found family, snowstorms that nudge hearts together, or stories where love grows in the quiet moments, this one will land beautifully for you.

Pages: 217 | ASIN : B0FW9Y1HZM