A. W. Slack

The following is my book review for Thankful in Thistle County by Christine Miles. I was an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) Team Member for this book.

Secrets, truths, and modern-day mass media meet under one roof for Thanksgiving in this contemporary twist on the holiday film, Christmas in Connecticut.

According to her popular vlog, millennial influencer Eliza Merritt has it all — a fulfilling career, a beautiful family, a Pinterest-inspired home. Unfortunately, her entire public life is a lie. And it is on the verge of unraveling.

Eliza escapes reality on a spontaneous trip and meets Richard Jones. Richard is an airline pilot, widower, and charming silver fox. Richard and Eliza are immediately smitten with one another.

Through a crazy twist of fate, Richard’s sister turns out to be Eliza’s boss. A boss who invites herself to Eliza’s “family Thanksgiving” to live stream the holiday happenings and increase followership for Eliza’s vlog. As the week progresses, Eliza grows more anxious over the lies of her make-believe life, especially as feelings between her and Richard grow.

I am relatively new to reading romance, but I do know my way around the Hallmark Channel. Thankful in Thistle County was a refreshing, cute read for the holiday that sometimes feels forgotten. The meet cute of our main characters, Eliza and Richard, had me grinning like a high school gossip. I quickly fell into the story and thoroughly enjoyed the warm feelings it elicited.

As a millennial myself, Eliza Merritt was a relatable character. Social media sets a lot of pressure on women to “have it all.” And like Eliza, I absolutely loathe that saying. Thankful in Thistle County does a good job of instilling the fact that this is defined so differently for individuals. Though she carries some baggage with her, Eliza cares deeply about her found family and is doing her best in life.

Richard was quite charming as well. Though I question his intentions — he knew Eliza as a married mother after all — his willingness to put himself into uncomfortable situations was admirable. And his discomfort was tangible many times, which only better developed his character for me. Also, my heart missed a beat each time he thought of his late wife. I would have loved to learn more about their love story.

The attraction between Eliza and Richard is electric. Everyone (minus Iris, but she can’t get over herself so…) feels the tension between them. I appreciated the humor thrown into this light-hearted romance. The “shrewd stares” from Julian, the not-so-subtle quips from Felix, the constant blushing from both Richard and Eliza — all made me feel as if I were a guest at Thanksgiving as well.

The plot of this story was simply cute. What started as a small spark in a random meeting ignited into a series of events that forced our main characters to make some serious changes within their lives. Those changes were coming one way or another for Eliza. However, that little spark did big things for Richard. And that made my heart happy.

My biggest complaint with this book is Eliza’s “big secret.” I understand her initial intent. Survival is real, girl, and she did what she had to do. However, a year’s worth of lies and deceit no longer qualifies as “temporary.” Even the concept of falling into the hype of likes and follows doesn’t provide a great explanation as to why the lying continued.

Given her success, I feel like Eliza could have gone to Iris and had a heart-to-heart talk, revealed the truth, and figured out how to continue the charade. I mean, what influencer is giving 100% accuracy in the portrayal of their lives? I believe Eliza’s anxiety was self-inflicted and could have been rectified far sooner.

Overall, Thankful in Thistle County is a fun, sweet read. I absolutely loved the Thanksgiving theme as well! (I don’t know if there are other “Thanksgiving-based Hallmark books” out there, but I’m gonna look!) At 276 pages, this is a book that you can grab a knitted blanket, sip a cup of hot tea, and read quickly before its inspired holiday is here.

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO A FRIEND?

Absolutely! Thankful in Thistle County was the perfect light-hearted read I needed between some darker, heavier books I’m tackling this month. (Looking at you, Alchemised.) Anyone who likes slow-burning romance, this is a great choice! This book will wrap around you like a soft sweater. It’s clean and cute, and highly recommended for the majority of romance-loving readers.

Have you read this book? Find me on Instagram @wordsandash and comment on my post there so we can discuss more! (Please do not reveal any spoilers in the comment section here in case other readers still have this book on their #TBR.)

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