If you’re looking for a holiday story with heart and soul, The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne is for you. Set in the small Idaho town of Shelter Springs, the story provides a realistic romance between Amanda Taylor, small business owner and all-around involved townsperson, and Rafe Arredondo, assistant fire chief and local hero. When I think of Christmas books, I typically reach for a cozy, heartwarming story. I want to block out hardships and real life and focus on a fantasy. The December Market provided the sweet, heartwarming story but it did not offer a fantasy. Instead, in the first two chapters, it mentioned the tragedies and losses numerous people in the town had suffered. By the time another trauma was mentioned for yet another character, I put the book aside. I could not deal with all of the sadness. A few days and a couple of other happier Christmas novels later, I returned to the book, determined to see where it would lead me, and I am glad I did.

Amanda and Rafe have both experienced unbelievable tragedy relating to the substance abuse of others around them. As a result, their baggage keeps them from fully moving forward or getting involved in relationships. How will these two move past the obstacles and end up together in this Christmas-centered romance? The path they take is beautiful and real. As Amanda fought her feelings and hid behind the pain of her past, I found myself engaged in her struggle. There are many funny and true-to-life moments provided courtesy of colorful characters such as Isaac, Rafe’s young son, and Birdie, Amanda’s grandmother.

Lovers of Hallmark movies will enjoy this story, which spans Thanksgiving through Christmas. This is book 2 in a series, but I had not read the previous book and had no trouble with it as a stand-alone read. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.