FROM AMAZON: Christmas is a time for remembering loved ones past and present. In this new novel by New York Times best-selling author Fern Michaels, the holidays are also the time to discover a future that, like the perfect gift, is as satisfying as it is surprising....

Joy Preston misses her beloved late grandmother dearly. But when she learns the terms of Nana's will, she's shocked - and more than a little irked. Joy moved to Colorado years ago and is now CEO of a successful nail polish company. Her life and career are in Denver. How can Nana have expected her to give that up, even temporarily, to take over a bed and breakfast in North Carolina for six months?

Yet there's no denying Heart and Soul's charm, especially at holiday time. The B&B is always elaborately decorated for the season, with themed guest rooms and dazzling lawn displays created for the annual Parade of Homes competition. The entire town takes part in the festivities, and soon Joy, too, is joining in the gingerbread house contest and letting her reservations melt away.

There's another special reason for Heart and Soul's popularity. Rumor has it that, during holiday season, guests can be reunited with the spirit of a loved one who's passed on. Joy's skeptical, yet she feels her beloved Nana's influence all around her...perhaps even indulging in a little matchmaking between Joy and handsome estate attorney Will Drake. A special homecoming and the glow of new beginnings will combine to make the holiday magical....

Author Fern Michaels is a queen of spinning good yarns and this one is as delightful as they come. It's a perfect holiday read as it focuses on the time of All Saints' Day through Christmas Eve and incorporates the frenetic energy as well as the wonder and magic of the season. It's a charming and relaxing read as you put your feet up after a long day of holiday preparations. Grab a cup of cocoa, a soft blanket and settle in for a cozy evening of reading.

Although the book opens with a sorrowful loss it quickly eases into a story of hope. Anna Rose Huntley, the matriarch of the family and owner of the Heart & Soul Bed & Breakfast, is excited and busily making the holiday preparations for her beloved guests. But seeing her way to Christmas was not meant to be. In her will, she leaves the running of the B&B to her granddaughter, Joy - the strong, highly driven business owner of Simply Joy nail polish company. How is Joy supposed to run a North Carolina B&B while she's operating her international business back in Denver? Why didn't Nana leave it to her own daughter who already lives there? What was she thinking?

With the help of Anna's faithful employees and Joy's mother, somehow all the holiday preparations fall into place but not without their drama. Joy is on a steep learning curve for this B&B business. But her "Nana's" attractive and young attorney, Will, provides Joy with simple diversions which help Joy keep her balance. There's a spark between these two which is obvious to others yet which Joy denies. Will all the charms of Spruce City, NC be enough for Joy to keep Heart & Soul B&B in the family? Only time will tell...

Fern Michaels does a superb job of world building in her books. We feel the charm of small town Spruce City as its residents make evening strolls through its historic district eyeing the Christmas light wonderland. We also sense the small town claustrophobia as everyone appears to know everybody else's business. The character development is excellent and realistic. My only criticism is that the ending felt rather rushed. None the less, I certainly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading many more by this wonderful storyteller.

I am grateful to author Fern Michaels and Kensington Publishing Corp. for having provided a free e-copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone. ( )