Take Me Home for Christmas by Miranda Liasson @mirandaliasson @theladyhamlet #TakeMeHomeForChristmas

the setup…
Mia D’Angelo is a third-year pediatric resident vying for a spot in a coveted practice. Her top competition is Braxton (Brax) Hughes, the chief over the interns. They dated briefly but long enough for her to share that information with her mother. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the heart to tell her about their breakup during Mom’s health crisis and embellished the so-called relationship even more. Now that the crisis has ended, her family wants to meet the wonderful man in her life and has invited him home for Christmas. Mia’s attempts to find a friend to be her fake boyfriend fail but Brax steps up and agrees to be…her boyfriend?

the heart of the story…
On the surface, this feels quite lighthearted but both Mia and Brax have some serious histories. She was dumped by her previous boyfriend, her home town love, right before he eloped with someone else. It’s why she hasn’t returned home to face the town. Brax may look like the all-American dream but his childhood was anything but. Both are letting this baggage get in the way but the charm of the season and her family goes a long way to bridging those gaps.

the narration…
Marni Penning was delighful as Mia, capturing all of her angst nicely. Noah Cumberland’s baritone made me swoon. Both were great storytellers, too.

the bottom line…
While so much of this may feel like the traditional Hallmark movie, there are some serious issues underlying the lightness. Mia’s residency is in the pediatric oncology unit and she brings her own personal experience. I loved how they added authenticity and weight, providing layers that made this substantive and more interesting. I’m thrilled this is the beginning of a new series as there’s some unfinished business and I’m all in.

Book Info

• Release Date: September 30, 2024
• Series: The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff #1
• Narrators: Marni Penning & Noah Cumberland
• Audio Length: 8 hours, 34 minutes
• Publisher: Hawthorn House Press

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(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)