Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber {Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are my own. 

Love can transform even the best-laid plans in this heartfelt Christmas novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author and the queen of Christmas stories, Debbie Macomber.

Trapped in the middle of five siblings, Everly Lancaster always had big dreams. Now a top real-estate executive, Everly finds her work is her life, leaving no space for anything (or anyone) else. Sensing her stress, Everly’s boss insists she take December off. At first, a month away seems crazy—how will the company survive without her? But Everly’s mother convinces her otherwise. She deserves a vacation—plus, when she returns, she’ll have no excuse to skip family Christmas like she did last year.

But after her vengeful assistant books a guided cruise in the Amazon instead of the luxury beach vacation she expected, Everly is horrified to realize that she’s about to spend the next two weeks trapped—with no Wi-Fi!—in the rain forest. Not even Asher Adams, the ship’s charming naturalist, can convince Everly that the trip will be unforgettable. Slowly but surely, she realizes he is right: the sights are spectacular. And with each passing day, Everly’s relationship with Asher deepens, forcing her to take a long, hard look at her priorities.

Everly and Asher begin to see magic in the possibility of a life together. But as the cruise nears its end, and Everly’s family Christmas approaches, both must decide if love is worth the risk. A merry surprise may be in store in Debbie Macomber’s newest holiday delight.

Debbie Macomber, the author of A Walk Along the Beach, Window on the Bay, Cottage by the Sea, Any Dream Will Do, If Not for You, and the Rose Harbor Inn series, is a leading voice in women's fiction. Thirteen of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove, based on Macomber's Cedar Cove books. She is also the author of the cookbook Debbie Macomber's Table. There are more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

Whenever I pick up ANY book by Debbie Macomber, I know that I am going to enjoy it. When I pick up one of her Christmas books, I know that it's going to be even better. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to check out Jingle All the Way... and it was well worth the wait! 

To be honest, for over half the book this really didn't seem like a Christmas novel at all. We meet Everly as she is dealing with a incompetent assistant... who just so happens to be the the niece of her business partner. When said partner suggests that she takes a whole month off and insists she goes on a cruise, it seems that this may be just what the overworked Everly needs. When she boards her cruise, however, she realizes it wasn't quite what she was expecting. That assistant has decided to seek revenge and book her an Amazonian adventure tour. Yikes! What follows is a humorous adventure that is everything a good romantic comedy should be. 

The chemistry between Everly and Asher (the ship's naturalist) flies off the pages... and I must admit, I wasn't quite ready for their story to end. Speaking of ending, I must say that I did feel that perhaps the ending felt just a bit rushed, but then again, that could be just my not wanting it to end. 

The final half of the book did have a more Christmas-y feel to it, which I loved. I think though, even those who aren't overly thrilled with Christmas stories could still get enjoyment out of this one. To me, it felt like a story that takes place at Christmastime, but not one in which Christmas was really the primary focus. 

Overall, it was another great read from Debbie Macomber and one that I would highly recommend!