Brandy Bruce

Growing up, I always dreamed of one day being a wife and mother, but the thing about dreams is that they are never the realities that we find ourselves in. It's so easy as adults to slip into the ho-hum of every day life, taking for granted that which is most important to us, and getting burned out. This is exactly where we find Mandy.

Mandy Romano is a wife and mom that finds that she's lost her joy at the beginning of the Christmas season, finding the traditions that she normally finds show more happiness in doing are meaningless and hollow. She wants to blame depression, but knows that it goes deeper than that. Mandy is such a believable and relatable character that I found myself struggling to read her negativity because it is almost a mirror image to my own struggles during this 2020 holiday season.

In saying that, reading A Merry Little Christmas reminded me that I need to focus on what is right in front of me, ask for help when I need it, be vocal in my struggles, and reach out to my family and spouse. We all need to know, this year especially, that it is ok to let go of things that do not bring us joy (those things that come out of obligation alone) and put our energy instead into the things that do.

I honestly felt like I got more out of this novella than I would a self-help book! I am so thankful to Brandy Bruce and her wonderful writing, and for creating a character that has my voice.

This is a short read that packs a powerful, self-reflective punch (for me, anyway) and one that I feel blessed to have read.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own. show less

"Maybe the magic of Christmas was people helping each other. Mandy Romano would show up for that kind of Christmas. The kind that looked like being there for each other when life felt like too much."

I loved getting a glimpse into Mandy and Leo's married life seven years after I first met them. Though this is a continuation of the author's Table for Two where Mandy and Leo first meet, it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. This novella reflects every woman's journey as Mandy suddenly show more realizes that she has no joy or sparkle as Christmas season approaches. She is weighed down and overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for two young children and their home, feeling discouraged by not being able to pursue what used to be her passion, and feeling slightly neglected by Leo's busy work schedule and commitment to the restaurants and his father. Leo is also in a tough spot where work is more demanding than ever, his father's health is declining, and he feels like he's failing his family. We've all been here - the place where life is so busy with other people and things that absolutely must get done that we lose our focus, our sense of who we are. The author describes this place in such a heartfelt way that I felt every fear, uncertainty, disappointment, anxiety, and ache. She accurately portrays how two people who love each other can get bogged down with the mundane details and busyness that comes with approaching mid-life. Leo's care of Mandy's heart, his thoughtfulness, and his romantic gestures are swoony. Through the efforts of Leo and the rest of her family, Mandy grasp hold of the true meaning of Christmas and joy once again. Anyone who enjoys a heart-warming Christmas story that is real and down-to-earth would really enjoy this novella.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via JustRead Publicity Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own. show less

If you read Brandy Bruce’s The Last Summer, you know there was one person whose story ended with pain and heartbreak. I am so glad we get to read Debra’s continuing story. And Bruce once again pulls out all of Deb’s emotional upheaval.

In After the Rain, Deb is struggling to let go of the anger and hurt from not only losing the man she fell in love with but also her closest friends—her family in a sense. She sees herself as a shadow of the woman she was before.

In spite of some show more bitterness toward the two people who shattered her dreams and drove her away from Texas and everything she once knew, Debra is brave and courageous. While she doesn’t see it, God has something beautiful on the other side of her pain.

For everyone who has nursed a broken heart, had their entire world pulled out from under them, wondered if God cares, or felt alone, Debra’s story is one you must read. Going through the fire is painful, you will get burned, but the beauty that comes after the refining? That’s a symphony of life not to be missed.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. show less

A Merry Little Christmas is a sweet novella, peeking at the holiday season for Mandy and Leo Romano. As 2020 has taught so well, life is full of problems and complications that make it hard to feel “in the Christmas spirit.” Yet, as Mandy shortly learns, there is always the potential for hope and joy.

I enjoyed A Merry Little Christmas—for so many reasons: I love everything I read from Brandy Bruce; I love Christmas stories (especially with romance); I love stories that make my heart show more feel full. There is a lot of love about this little read, and I definitely recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. show less