This book opens with Liam, Arden and their adopted daughter Lake getting ready to go to the elder Mongomery’s home to celebrate Christmas. There was one more gift for Lake to open and it was hysterical the way Liam couldn’t get to the point.

Next up are Holland and Ethan as they are trying to get ready. With Kingston being a colicky baby, sleep is but a memory and they really don’t get a reprieve from the crying until Lincoln finally arrives. Oh the memories…Lincoln has the magic touch on this particular day although Kingston seems to alternate favorite soother. Of course things are forgotten with regards to a side dish they were going to bring. The joys of parenthood.

A very pregnant and overdue Bristol, and her husband Marcus have already arrived at the Montgomery home. Other friends that are now considered family have arrived as well Zia and Meredith, and Julia and her husbands Ronin and Kincaid.

The new grandparents Francine and Timothy, are ready and waiting for everyone to arrive. It’s Francine, Aaron’s mom who answers the door when he arrives with his wife Madison.

This is a favorite scene.

The door opened, and my mother stood there, clapping her hands. She had on her Christmas best, the pearls around her neck shining under the light, and a wide smile on her face. The pearls had been a gift from Dad for their twenty-fifth anniversary, and she only broke them out for special occasions. “You’re here. You’re here.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked. “I’m not late, am I?” I leaned in, kissed my mother on the cheek, and moved back so Madison could hug her. I was still holding two casserole dishes, as well as presents on one arm, and Madison had two sets of gifts in her arms, but we were good at juggling.

“Come in, and you’re not late. You’re always on time. Bristol and Marcus are here, as are Zia and Meredith, and Julia, Ronin, and Kincaid are here as well.”

I blinked, trying to put names to faces even though Bristol was my sister, and the rest were practically family, even if they weren’t Montgomerys.

“Wait, so there are only two sets of siblings here?” My mother waved off my words as she took the casserole from my hands. She immediately handed them over to my dad, who rolled his eyes and smiled.

Dad leaned forward. “Arden, Liam, Lake, and Jasper will be here any minute. They had a slow start because they had a couple more presents to open. And the new parents will be here soon. They had an even later start. But things tend to get that way when you have a new bundle of joy demanding all of your time.”

I looked at Madison, who blushed and shook her head.

Okay, soon then.

“But you know you would think with three of them that they’d be able to handle the timing better,” I joked, and my mom narrowed her eyes at me.

“Be nice, or I’m going to have to slap you upside the head. And don’t think I won’t. Because I will, young man.”

My dad just laughed. “You know she will.”

“Yes, but I didn’t think she’d be so blatant about it,” I laughed.

“Of course I will, Aaron. Be kind. You never know when it will be your turn to be the new parents that are never sleeping.”

“You never know,” I agreed causally. I handed Mom one set of presents and then took the rest from Madison to empty her hands. “Okay, I think we got everything that we needed for everyone.”

Mom looked at us, her eyes wide. “I thought we said we were only doing presents for the family. As in, Secret Santa.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know that this is the first year that we have grandkids and nieces and nephews in the family. Of course we’re going to splurge.”

Madison laughed. “And, we got something for everyone, but it’s the same thing, so I hope that’s okay.”

My mom’s eyes filled with tears, and I knew today was going to be a long day of happiness and crying. But I didn’t mind. It was what we wanted.

“Oh, that’s so sweet. So this is all for us?”

“Yes, at least for each household, and we do not expect presents from everyone. We just saw something and knew it would fit perfectly even though it was going against the rules.”

“My little rule-breaker.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not that bad, Mom.”

“You are, but it’s why I love you—at least one of the many reasons.”
Ryan, Carrie Ann. A Very Montgomery Christmas: A Montgomery Ink: Boulder Novella. Kindle Locations (327-355). Carrie Ann Ryan. Kindle Edition.

I got a real kick out of Bristol’s grumbling and wanting the baby to born, being overdue is no fun at all. There’s a big surprise from Aaron and Madison and not just the gift they brought for everyone. Some discussion of no privacy in the Montgomery family brought me to giggles.

A fun and emotional Christmas story!

I really have to catch up on this series before the next book comes out in January.

5 Contented Purrs for Carrie Ann!

Carrie Ann Ryan

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Talon Pack, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over seventy-five novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.