Christmas at the Nantucket Restaurant
- Judith D Collins
- Oct 5
- 4 min read
By: Pamela Kelley
The Nantucket Restaurant #2
Narrator: Leslie Howard
ISBN: 9781464246210
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 10/07/2025
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller Pamela Kelley invites readers to experience the warm glow of family, friends, and festivities this Christmas. Come spend the holidays on Nantucket.
Nantucket's famous Christmas Stroll is always the first week of December and this year Mimi's Place co-owners want to do something extra special for the restaurant. It will be Emma and Paul's first Christmas together as a couple and Mandy's first holiday as a newly divorced mother of two. Although Mandy does have a promising new relationship, she wants to take things very slow, and the holidays are for sure not the time to dive in too deep.
Their sister Jill and her new husband, Billy, are planning to spend the whole month of December on Nantucket too, juggling remote work for the executive search firm they own together in Manhattan with relaxing, spending time with family, and helping out at the restaurant too.
Gina Caruso, the awesome bar manager, is spending her first winter on Nantucket after having lived for years in Boston. It's a bit of an adjustment—winters on Nantucket are so much quieter than the city life she was used to. She's even more confused when someone she had a major crush on back in the city moves to Nantucket, while Jared Hawthorne, the new sous chef at Mimi's Place makes it his mission to introduce Gina to all of Nantucket's holiday festivities. Suddenly her boring winter is starting to look a lot more interesting.
My Review
Pamela M. Kelley returns with her beloved Nantucket Restaurant Series, unveiling the enchanting sequel, CHRISTMAS AT THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT.
This delightful holiday tale follows the lives of three spirited sisters—Emma, Mandy, and Jill—as they embark on their first Christmas managing Mimi's Place, the cherished family restaurant they have inherited on the picturesque island of Nantucket.
Set against the backdrop of the charming Nantucket Christmas Stroll, the story weaves a tapestry of warmth, joy, and the magic of the holiday season, capturing the essence of family, love, and the spirit of togetherness.
About...
A Sisters' First Christmas:
The story centers on the sisters Emma, Mandy, and Jill, who are co-owners of Mimi's Place, a Nantucket restaurant inherited from their grandmother.
New Relationships:
Emma and Paul: The restaurant's executive chef and co-owner, Paul, and Emma are celebrating their first Christmas together as a couple.
Mandy's New Beginning:
Mandy, newly divorced, is navigating single motherhood and cautiously starting a new romantic relationship during the holidays.
Jill and Billy's Nantucket Stay:
Jill and her new husband, Billy, return to the island for the entire month of December, juggling their New York-based careers with their Nantucket holiday.
Gina's Unexpected Winter:
Gina, the bar manager, is experiencing her first quiet winter on Nantucket. Her experience takes a turn when someone from her past arrives, and she also receives the attention of the charming new sous chef, Jared Hawthorne.
My thoughts...
CHRISTMAS AT THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT sparkles like freshly fallen snow, perfectly set against the enchanting winter landscape of the island's beloved Christmas Stroll. This vibrant annual event transforms the streets into a festive wonderland, brimming with twinkling lights and joyous laughter that envelops the air with a warm holiday spirit.
The novel artfully intertwines themes of family, romance, sisterhood, nostalgia, and the beauty of second chances, all wrapped in the snug embrace of the holiday season. Each page is infused with the intoxicating aroma of mouth-watering delicacies and the clinking of cocktails, capturing the essence of cozy gatherings and the magic that the holidays bring.
Recs...
For enthusiasts of the series and admirers of the author, as well as those who revel in heartwarming holiday tales reminiscent of the festive spirit found in Debbie Macomber's charming narratives, Elin Hilderbrand's evocative storytelling, Jenny Colgan's delightful romances, Mary Kay Andrews' enchanting plots, Kristy Woodson Harvey's cozy vibes, and Viola Shipman's sentimental journeys, this collection is a perfect fit. It's ideal for anyone who finds joy in the uplifting atmosphere of cozy Hallmark movies, where love and laughter fill the air during the most wonderful time of the year.
Special thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing the beautiful paperback copy, swag, and digital advanced review copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 7, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Praise
"Heartwarming...a delightful holiday read. A perfect pick for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Debbie Macomber, and Hallmark Christmas movies." ―Library Journal
About the Author
Pamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women’s fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you’d want as friends.
She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women’s fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There’s also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. WEBSITE
