Skip to main content

Review: Love, Laughter, and Luminarias

Love, Laughter, and Luminarias book cover on blue background

I love that I had a bit of time last month to enjoy some Christmas novellas I had been waiting to dive into all year, including Love, Laughter, and Luminarias by Jaycee Weaver. Not only was this a fun book, but it helped make the Christmas season—and likely any season—even brighter with its fun story.

Book Synopsis

He has his books. She has her fandoms. They've always had their friendship. Could this be the season that sparks feelings neither knew were there?

Surprisingly successful action-suspense author Garrett Wilson is struggling to write a summer novel in December. That is, until he witnesses his best friend, Nina, chase down a shoplifter and realizes that maybe his tough, attractive heroine might not be based solely in fiction.

Geeky-chic Nina Trujillo finds herself contemplating a God she’s never believed in after her brush with danger taking down a thief. That one decision could change the whole course of her life, and quite possibly, her feelings for the one guy she’s never considered more than a friend.

When Nina dives head-first into Christmas projects, community service, and new traditions, she drags Garrett along for the ride. Will her newfound courage and all the extra time together bring their feelings out into the open, or will Nina escape back into the comfort of her fandoms and lose him forever?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I really enjoyed this Christmas novella filled with equal parts pop culture, helping those in need at Christmas, and New Mexican Christmas traditions. Garrett and Nina are such fun characters, and it certainly helps that Garrett is an author, providing us with an extra plot line to follow. The faith scenes in this book are exquisitely written with much truth and meaning where it's clear that the characters are seeking Christ above all. I loved the scenes at church, and the conversations that arose as Christian fellowship took place.

All of the characters felt authentic, especially Nina and Michele. In addition, the chemistry between Garrett and Nina had a slow-burn feel packed with bright intensity, creating just the right amount of Christmas sparks between them. Seeing best friends become more is always a delightful premise, and these two had just that, filled with lots of spiritual content to move their relationship to the next level. Readers looking for a charming Christmas story that speaks to belonging and family will light up after encountering Love, Laughter, and Luminarias.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

Labels

Labels:

Comments

  1. JayceeJanuary 16, 2025 at 4:14 PM

    Thank you for this beautiful review. I'm so glad you enjoyed Garrett and Nina, and especially the natural faith elements in their story. I too love a good friends-to-more story! 😆

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christian ShelvesJanuary 22, 2025 at 8:59 PM

      Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I really enjoyed their fun friends-to-more antics and loved meeting them :)

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...
11 comments
Read more

Fallen

This is a post that I wish I didn't have to write. Please understand that I recognize that we are all fallen; therefore, everything that we create is marred, imperfect, and tainted due to sin. What I'm exploring is what happens when there are authors or other creators who have acted in a way that harms others and there is little-to-no news of repentance or reparations being made. I'm not writing anything investigative as many skilled and brilliant Christians are already doing so. I'm more writing as a bystander who is grieved at some of the news that has come up and attempting to process it all. The first news that really impacted me was learning about the passing of Jennifer Lyell, former Lifeway Vice President, whom headlines have also called a Southern Baptist Convention abuse survivor . This hit close to home for a multitude of reasons even though prior to yesterday, I hadn't heard of her story. One of the reasons it affected me was because the professor who was...
Post a Comment
Read more

Diverse Stories

One of the things I've been challenging myself to do this year has been to read more Christian books written by authors from other countries. I love that the body of Christ spans the four corners of the world and that we get to benefit from hearing so many different perspectives. I've also appreciated getting to know some amazing authors and readers online from other nations and continents as it's enriched my understanding of how Christians experience life. It helps me realize that the views I take for granted may only be limited to where I am situated, geographically and culturally. I haven't read all of the authors below yet, but here are a few Christian fiction authors who write from outside of North America if you're interested in reading more: Africa Ivy Emerson Enewerome Anna Jensen Tope Omotosho Asia Joanna Alonzo Joy Crain Australasia Narelle Atkins Liz Chapman Iola Goulton Jessica Kate Bessie Le Couteur Carolyn Miller Jennifer Mistmorgan Honey Stone Jessica...
Post a Comment
Read more