This was an endearing Christmas read. I really liked that the story was so true to life at the moment, it was great that the author did bring the pandemic into the story because I think it’s definitely something we can all relate to when reading. I liked that the story featured a more mature female lead to, it was nice to read something a little different. The author did a great job with the characters and the storyline. I really liked Carina and I did truly feel sorry for her, I think there may well be readers out there who can totally relate to what has happened to her over the past few years. The author definitely planned and thought her characters out well. Overall a nice read and one that I enjoyed. I have to say and this is something that I don’t normally take any notice of but I absolutely adored the front cover!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Katie Matthewshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKatie Matthews2022-11-11 12:35:352022-11-18 09:15:39A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Katie Matthews
You are not going to get a more relatable heartwarming cozy Christmas read. The characters are so personable and relatable. After living through a pandemic, this was such a relatable read. This is truly such the perfect read to get in the Christmas Spirit. This book touched upon a pandemic, loneliness, heartache, forgiveness and filled my bucket.
This is a must read entering the Christmas Season.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Erin DeRomahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngErin DeRoma2022-11-10 21:26:522022-11-18 08:59:50A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Erin DeRoma
Carina is not feeling the Christmas Spirit this year after caring for both of her ill parents and then her own battle with Covid. Carina is unhappy that only one of her children and a member of her online support group are planning to celebrate Christmas with her. She would really love to have all her kids, grandkids and husband together for an old fashioned Christmas. This story touched the heart. I laughed and cried. Such a good book!!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Paula Sayershttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngPaula Sayers2022-11-07 18:57:412022-11-09 08:45:26A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Paula R Sayers
Carina has had her fill of tragedy and heartbreak over the past year. Covid hit the world and in her small world was even worst, with losing her mother, Sister and father in the space of the year and contracting COVID which left her near deaths door her whole world has been drape with darkness.
Carina feels lost and wandering the path of life with no purpose anymore not quite understanding were she fits in; her husband has just carried on with life. Her children have grown and flown the nest a while ago and she is no come to a point where she feels she is does not fit in.
The only thing she looks forward to is her chats with Max a young man who knows the heartbreak of losing someone close to them as his young wife passed away from cancer which has left him lost as well. So, when a conversation occurs, and Max offers his cabin to Carina is she brave enough to take him up and start building her world back up.
I have to admit this book at the start was “Where is this going?” but I have to say the more I read the more I related to Carina in a way I have not thought about. We all struggled through the pandemic no matter where you were in the world and if you lost someone close it must have been a horrendous time. I live in the UK and my father passed away through cancer not COVID but the restrictions around his funeral were more heart-breaking than the funeral itself.
I also related to the fact of trying to “get back to normal” whatever that is in this time now, this book highlighted the struggle some people are having with the life in general. It was a great thought provoking but which I would recommend people to read just to say you’re not alone in this.
Thank you for writing a book with the characters so personable and a story which was well written and flowed beautifully through the thoughts and actions of these characters.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Shirleyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Shirley2022-11-06 02:59:272022-11-09 08:30:03A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Angela Shirley
It was a cute story but very hard for me to get into. I was waiting for that AH HA moment that would hook me in and make the book unable to put down. I usually read to escape real life and this book was very much the here and now! The characters were nice but I really wanted to feel more with this one!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kay Striteskyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKay Stritesky2022-11-05 21:13:582022-11-08 09:51:40A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Kay Stritesky
I LOVE a good wholesome Christmas story and this one did not disappoint! The pandemic was a tough time for Carina. She faced many challenges and is working on learning to overcome and live her new normal. When a friend offers his cabin to her for a Christmas family getaway, she dreams of what that may be like. When her grown kids sound like they won’t make it for the holiday, Carina finds herself wondering if she could make the trip alone and what that may look like.
I was glad to see a post-pandemic world reflected in a story. Humanity as a whole experienced a big shift in everyday life. We experienced, love and loss and we are still recovering. This was a wonderful story of self-discovery, self-growth, and reflection as Carina’s story progressed. No matter what you experienced during the pandemic, you can relate. I found myself fully enveloped by the winter wonderland and it was magical. Carina is surrounded by a melting pot of supporting characters that perfectly shape her world. This was a beautiful journey that I was pleased to take alongside Carina.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Nakyshia Legerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngNakyshia Leger2022-11-05 18:47:412023-08-05 14:07:40A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Nakyshia Leger
I enjoyed reading this holiday story. This is a new author for me which I look forward to seeing what is next for her. This is a well written story about Carina. She has just spent a month in the hospital and is now looking forward to having a family holiday. What will happen when she is left to her own and is offered a cabin? What kind of Christmas will she have? I enjoyed her character and what she brought to the story. There is some emotional roller coaster in parts but that just makes her a stronger character. There is great growth to this story. It is fast paced and hard to put down. This is a story you don’t want to miss. I highly recommend this book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Bobbi Wagnerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBobbi Wagner2022-11-05 08:49:042022-11-08 09:49:29A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Bobbi Wagner
A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann is a women’s fiction story- a family drama of sorts set around Christmas in the aftermath of the pandemic- makes for an interesting read with a bit of an emotional quality. Carina, the mc, is such a relatable character, contemplating her life- feeling lonely, and a little melancholy. Her life reflection comes at the stage where her children have all left the nest, her husband and her have been married for so long that she feels they take things for granted. She has always been the one caring for others, but who takes care of her? Who is she if she’s not the caregiver? She’s lost herself in it all along the way and doesn’t know quite how to turn things around. After feeling overlooked and unappreciated, and with those life reflections weighing heavy on her mind- an opportunity to spend Christmas in a mountain cabin in Colorado presents itself- but she really isn’t the adventurous sort and going alone feels very daunting. Will she take a leap and go? What happens when she gets there? Will she ‘discover’ herself again and find new purpose in her life? What of her family? Will she get the Christmas she hopes for? Emotional and relatable. Happy reading…
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2022-11-04 23:03:062022-11-08 09:25:47A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Angela Hayes
I really enjoyed reading about Carina and her Christmas adventure. It was nice to experience life in a world that has been affected by covid not because covid has been idealistic but because it is our new norm and this story shows how that has affected life in big and small ways. I love Christmas time and have always wanted a white Christmas. It was nice to be able to be transported to a place where life seems ideal and Christmases are white. I was happily surprised by the stories twists and would definitely recommend this story.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Deborah Whitehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDeborah White2022-11-04 15:32:592022-11-08 15:26:15A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Deborah White
I liked this book a lot. It touched upon real life issues that people go through. From sickness to loss to loneliness. It taught about forgiveness, taking care of yourself and being selfless. It was a great read just in time for the holidays. The majority of the book is about grief and at first I thought hmmm this isn’t going to be a feel good story but I was completely wrong. By the end of the book my heart was so full. Definitely a good read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amber Howardhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmber Howard2022-11-03 22:57:482022-11-08 09:22:21A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Amber Howard
This book takes place in a pandemic world. I love books that tackle the “new normal” that we are all facing right now. So that is major points already for me. Carina was definitely affected by the pandemic. Haven’t we all. She was in the hospital for several months, working to recover. Now that she’s home all she wants to do is celebrate Christmas with her family. However, everyone’s lives got busier while she was in the hospital. Her husband is too busy working to show that he wants a family Christmas of times past. Her kids are grown, with families of their own. They have all moved away and are too busy to stop and have the Christmas their mother desires. A friend offers her his cabin for Christmas. If she goes she will definitely have a white Christmas. In her journal, she writes about her desire to go to the cabin. However, she also writes about her worries about going to the cabin alone. Through her journaling, we see that she doesn’t think it is possible to go by herself. How can she? She’s been so busy taking care of everyone else she doesn’t know how to take care of herself. Really, she doesn’t know how she can have a vacation all by herself. Carina is possibly one of the most relatable characters I have read in a long time. Every mother, wife, woman can relate to her struggles. We may not be able to relate to her struggle of wanting a big Christmas, but we can relate to her struggle to do something nice for ourselves. I don’t know any woman who would willingly take a trip by themselves without second guessing themselves. I think that Ann Swann did a great job encapsulating womens feelings in this story. She captured a women’s grief in the changing seasons of her family. I think everyone about to go through the empty nest process can also relate to those feelings. I can say I felt the otherside of this as well. I am not a mother or a grandmother. But I am a daughter and I see the change that parents feel when I am torn about who to spend time with on the holidays. This is such a great book! I definitely recommend it to anyone wanting relatable characters as well as a holiday theme!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christinehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristine2022-11-03 18:36:412022-11-08 09:20:38A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Christine Baranek
A Crossbow Christmas tells the story of a woman who is lonely and sad and was ill and somewhere along the way lost who she really is. She contemplates her life and how she got to where she is.
It is a tale that I think a lot of people will relate to. Who are when the kids are grown? Who are you when you have been married for so long? Who are you when you have always been the care giver? Who are you when you feel lost and don’t know who you are anymore? Who are you when you feel like others are moving on, but you are standing still?
Carina ponders those same questions and sometimes the road to finding the answers to those questions is a frightening place to look. Some time away, some time to herself, some time in a different place may just be what she needs to find herself and her Christmas miracle.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jenni Bishophttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJenni Bishop2022-11-03 15:51:512022-11-08 09:45:14A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Jenni Bishop
Carina is just trying to get back on her feet after the pandemic threw her life a curve ball. Max offers her the opportunity. This book is the best “feel good” that I have read this year. The writing is heartfelt. You can truly feel the emotions in the writing. She tries to get her husband and family together for a holiday. Who can’t relate to that? I never read the back because I always like to judge a book by my opinion. I went in wondering if this was an “age-gap” romance. I was so glad to see it was “second-chance” and a friendship one. The characters are all so special in this book. They each had their own role in the story. The storyline is exquisite and interesting. You can’t put the story down. You are pulled right in. Get a cup of cocoa and join everyone in town. That ending…..I love this book. Another I will be gifting to friends. A definite holiday must read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shelly Kittellhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShelly Kittell2022-11-03 07:48:352022-11-08 09:17:10A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Shelly Kittell
This was such a perfect book, to bring forth the feeling associated with the holidays! The book was touching, strong and connecting characters, and a strong sense of the beautiful holiday spirit!
Carina was such a wonderful character, was very easily to connect to her. I think especially on how she endured the pandemic, and wanted nothing more than family time. It’s true though, with the pandemic we lost so many chances to be with loved ones, we need to embrace it now. I felt for Carina truly, trying to make plans and she was so full of festive spirit in her heart, and no one would budge for her. I found what she goes through, and comes out on top of, very sweet and touching. She grew her wings for sure, it was a beautiful read, touching, and perfect holiday read. Definitely a must read in my books Very much enjoyed it!
Such a sweet holiday story. Wonderful story and cast of characters. I think everyone grew in some shape or form, and established the meaning of the holidays. Highly recommend this must read book and author!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Lorrene Huismanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLorrene Huisman2022-11-03 07:47:092022-11-08 09:17:05A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann – Review by Lorrene Huisman
The pandemic knocked Carina flat. Now that she is home from a months-long hospital stay, she hopes to have a big family Christmas. But no one seems to care. Her husband is working out of town and her grown children are scattered all around the country. The only one who seems to understand is a young man in her grief group. He offers her his family cabin in the mountains of Colorado. There, she is guaranteed to have a white Christmas, something she hasn’t had in a long time. She writes about it in her journal, trying to convince herself she can do it alone. But it still doesn’t seem possible. She isn’t adventurous, she’s always been everyone else’s caregiver. Could she really do something so extravagant just for herself? Could she really write herself a Christmas?
Ann has been a writer since junior high school, but to pay the bills she’s waited tables, delivered newspapers, cleaned other people’s houses, taught school, and even had a short stint as a secretary in a rock-n-roll radio station. She also worked as a 911 operator and a police dispatcher.
Ann’s stories began to win awards in her college days. Since then she’s published novels, novellas, and short stories. But even if no one ever bought another book, Ann wouldn’t stop writing. For her it’s the cathartic pause in a sometimes-crazy world. Most of the time, it even keeps her sane.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACrossbowChristmasEbookCoverUse.jpg1200800itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2022-11-03 00:02:402022-12-06 20:20:51A Crossbow Christmas by Ann Swann
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