Merry and Bright

A Novel

By: Debbie Macomber

Narrated by: Em Eldridge

Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Christmas is the season of the heart, and number one New York Times best-selling author Debbie Macomber is here to warm yours with a delightful holiday novel of first impressions and second chances.

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She's taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry's well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her - minus her photo - and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon, Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects - or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

©2017 Debbie Macomber (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Warm and sweet as Christmas cookies, this new Debbie Macomber romance is sure to be a hit this holiday season." (Bookreporter)

"Heartfelt, cheerful... Readers looking for a light and sweet holiday treat will find it here." (Publishers Weekly)

"No one tugs at readers’ heartstrings quite as effectively as Macomber." (Chicago Tribune)

Lift Your Spirits!

A great listen. The narrator did a super job bringing Debbie Macomber's excellent story to life. The heroine, Merry, is very sympathetic. Her mom has serious health problems, her father is on the road a lot for his job, and she has a younger brother with a disability. Merry has taken a break from her studies and she is working temporarily at a large company. She's doing a great job but with her generous spirit and kind ways, and her need to be frugal, Merry frequently runs into issues with her boss.

This contemporary romance left me feeling very upbeat, uplifted by the positive story. It's a lot like a Hallmark movie and would make an excellent one.

This is a clean read with some mild faith elements. If you're put off by the online dating premise, don't be--the hero and heroine end up there by a few twists and Macomber has her characters realistically deal with the potential pitfalls of going that route for romance. You'll be caught up in the story before you can even say, "Merry and Bright!"

Predictable but entertaining holiday story

I did not enjoy the narrator's tone and speed of reading. It seemed hurried and abrasive. The story itself is charming but predictable. It's a quick holiday themed boy meets girl story. Typical holiday romance theme that you'd see on the Hallmark channel.

Sadly predictable

I love so many Debbie Macomber books, but to my disappointment, this one was predictable from almost the beginning. It provided a level of entertainment, but it isn’t as fun or capturing when it is SO predictable.

Annoying male voices

The male voices sound like 12 yr lads. They talk too fast. The story line is weak. I struggled to get to the end. Not my variety of book

Nope

c.h.e.e.s.e.y!!
Story ok but the narrator trying to do the mans voice was ridiculous, made me hate the character.
Definitely not one of her best books!

A Bit Predictable But Fun

Listened to Merry and Bright with my mother while driving her to medical appointments. The synopsis provided when we chose the book is a total spoiler. We both enjoyed the story although we agreed it was a predictable ending but still fun. It was an easy listen and we both found many of the same passages humorous. I've read a lot of reviews that complain about the narrators. Neither of us had an issue with the narrator and that is often the case for my mother as she is hearing impaired with hearing aids. We have listened to other books and I have had to rewind for her to understand. The two protagonists are believable only to a point as real people as the reactions each had when learning the truth were not realistic. But this is a feel good Christmas story so that is to be expected. It was nice listening to a book with my 88 year old mother and not worrying about gratuitous sex scenes the would be overly descriptive and possibly upsetting or embarrassing for her. She enjoys reading Debbie Macomber and this was an excellent choice for our trip.

If Hallmark wrote a novel

I'd read it every Christmas when I watch my Hallmark Christmas movies. it was adorable and wholesome.

a sweet book not as good as the rest

a sweet book but not as good as the rest. a quick read. happy

A sweet tale of love at Christmas

This book is so sweet. The characters really captured my heart. It addressed true love and how love can open your eyes and change how you see the things right in front of you.

Surprise twists and turns

Enjoyed the surprise twists and turns in this story. You will too. Give it a try.