Set against the backdrop of iconic New York City landmarks, The Gift of a Lifetime by Melissa Hill is a sweet, mostly light-hearted holiday romance with a few serious undertones for a couple in a long term relationship.

A longtime fan of romantic movies, Beth Harper is gearing up for another Christmas season when she begins to realize her seven year relationship with her soul mate Danny Bishop might be in trouble. As he grows increasingly distracted and busy with work, she cannot help but wonder if there is more to the sudden disconnect between them than the upcoming holidays and a hectic work schedule. But with a desire to avoid conflict, Beth continues to ignore her suspicions as she indulges in a friendship with her new co-worker Ryan Buchanan. When she suddenly begins receiving mysterious clues based on some of her favorite romance movies filmed in New York, she cannot help but wonder which man in her life is responsible for the scavenger hunt. Has Danny suddenly decided to try to put the spark back in their relationship? Or is Ryan trying to take their light flirtation to a new level?

Beth is a bit starry eyed as she views life filtered the lenses of her favorite movies. Not one to face conflict head on, she ignores the growing problems between her and Danny as she gets to know Ryan and follows the intriguing clues she is receiving. While Beth's unfailingly upbeat and positive outlook is refreshing, it becomes somewhat irritating once she begins to realize her relationship with Danny is in trouble. Luckily her close friend, Jodi Cartwright, refuses to let her continue to bury her head in the sand, but Beth is hard-pressed to take her friend's advice to find out what is happening with both Danny and their relationship. Growingly increasingly confused by Danny's emotional and physical distance, Beth is conflicted as she tries to decide whether he or Ryan is behind the trail of clues she is following.

Danny is a bit of an enigmatic figure since readers do not know what is going on with him anymore than Beth does. Some of the information revealed about him does not dispel any of the mystery and like Beth, it is easy to become suspicious of him. Danny is keeping a huge secret from Beth but what that might be is anyone's guess since his actions are a direct contradiction to his obvious love for her. This push/pull drives the plot but the uncertainty becomes a little tedious since neither he nor Beth are willing to discuss what is occurring in their relationship.

The romance movies and iconic New York landmarks are a fun aspect to their storyline and help make it stand out from other holiday themed romances. Movie buffs are going to enjoy trying to figure out the perplexing clues and their significance to Beth. The setting springs vibrantly to life as Beth, with a little assistance from Jodi, deciphers each message then follows them to their destination.

The Gift of a Lifetime by Melissa Hill is a heartwarming holiday romance. The novel is well-written with a refreshingly unique storyline. Despite a few annoyances with Beth and Danny's refusal to discuss their problems, they are likable characters that readers will find easy to root for. Readers will need to exercise patience since none of the storylines are wrapped up until the novel's surprising conclusion. All in all, an engrossing story that movie lovers and fans of contemporary romances are sure to enjoy. ( )

I just tore through this book. I love how the author's books always emphasize the beauty of New York especially during the holidays. She writes books that just make you feel good.

In this story, Beth is a romantic, an optimist and a huge movie lover. She moved to NYC in large part because it felt like home because of all the movies she's seen based there.

Beth has been with her boyfriend Danny for 7 years. Lately he has been acting very strangely and distant and this confuses Beth to no end because she's always seen Danny as her true love.

During this time, a new coworker named Ryan starts perusing Beth. She makes it 100% clear that she is not available.

One day she receives a coffee cup with a mysterious message straight from Breakfast at Tiffany's. When she goes to Tiffany's she finds that it is the first clue of a treasure hunt.

She's extremely excited by the idea. But she's confused, could it possibly be Danny? Could it be Ryan?

After awhile, she's starting to question everything she knows and everything she thinks she wants.

Darn good story. I will give this author all the credit for never having the ending be totally predictable. Sure, you might get an inkling and I did have a feeling of the way it might lead. But I did not know for sure.

I was in tears before it was over but yet again this was a totally enjoyable read by this author. I couldn't put the book down at a certain point. She's definitely on my must read list at this point. ( )

You may like this book more if you are a movie aficionado. Beth’s relationship with her boyfriend has become a bit lackluster. She finds herself attracted to a new coworker at the store where she sells shoes. Meanwhile, she has reason to suspect that her boyfriend may have a new friend of his own. Then, a series of cryptic clues sends Beth on a treasure hunt. These clues all involve Hollywood movies and the chase sends Beth into a near tailspin as she tries to ascertain who is behind the hunt. Not much else happens in this tale, but a few red herring along the way may lead you to an erroneous conclusion. A quick read, this book may entice you to watch some of the many movies mentioned instead of reading another novel. ( )

Beth has always loved movies; especially movies set in New York. She believes she has found her perfect leading man in Danny and has spent seven years with him but wonders why the spark has gone out of their relationship recently. Working in the shoe section of a department store allows her to decorate using her love of movies but also introduces her to Ryan – a man who shows interest in her and makes her question her relationship with Danny. Suddenly a scavenger hunt with clues based on her favorite movies starts and it leads her to some interesting places in New York. Her desire is to find out who and what she will find once she solves all the clues.

I have to say this is a heartwarming story that would make a wonderful Hallmark movie even though I was a bit skeptical at the beginning thinking that Beth was a fool for investing seven years in a dead end relationship. The ending was a surprise and one that I applaud the author for because I am not often surprised.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. ( )