In Christmas in Peachtree Bluff (Peachtree Bluff #4) by Kristy Woodson Harvey, With 
Thanksgiving barreling towards them and Christmas following right behind, Ansley knows she’s in for a chaotic holiday season. But she wouldn’t want it any other way. Having her three grown daughters and their families close means everything to her. Although, Ansley isn’t too proud to admit that knowing she and her husband Jack will set sail on the cruise of their dreams just after Thanksgiving is what’s keeping her going. And even though weather reports are saying a strong hurricane will hit the island, Ansley refuses to believe it until she sees it.
‘The storm of the century was, in fact, coming. And Peachtree Bluff as we knew it might never be the same.’
When Caroline asks if her angsty fifteen-year-old can tag along on Ansley and Jack’s voyage, not knowing where else to turn, Ansley agrees. But when it’s time for them to leave on their trip, it’s a toss up what creates the most havoc: teenager Vivi or Hurricane Pearl. Stuck on Peachtree Island and ill prepared for the storm, Ansley, Jack, and a bunch of locals hunker down for the duration. Little do they know that Caroline and her sisters, Emerson and Sloane, have a plan to use Caroline’s yacht to rescue their family and bring provisions to those who are in need. With some luck–maybe even a Christmas miracle or two–the Murphy family might just be able to salvage their holiday after all.
‘There, in that Christmas-movie moment, we were all bound as one, united together in the spirit of a season that could still, even after all these years, leave me awestruck.’
A family saga filled with Kristy Woodson Harvey’s charming writing voice, some chuckles and even a few tears, Christmas in Peachtree Bluff will be sure to make readers appreciate family holidays in a whole new way.
‘Amidst the chaos and the destruction, maybe it had been a little harder for us to find Christmas this year. But Christmas, it seemed, had most certainly found us.’
First, can I just say how gorgeous that book cover is? I would have been sold on this story by that alone–but knowing this was a continuation of the Murphy women’s journeys? That made it even better. I will caution that there was *a lot* going on and this was told from multiple POVs so it would be better to have read prior books to understand all the changes this family has gone through. Because each person has had to overcome some major challenges along the way. KWH made sure that each HEA (or HFN, really) was hard won. But with the amazing, almost magical ending to this story, it was well worth it for them all.
What a whirlwind the poor Murphy women found themselves in with this fourth installment. (Possibly the final one??) Between the impending hurricane, the normal chaos of the holidays, Ansley & Jack’s cruise, Caroline’s divorce and her angsty teen daughter, Emerson’s career and personal life at odds, and Sloane’s busy family…whew! It was interesting to see how each of them stood on their own feet but of course had the support of their family through it all. And I really loved that Ansley, Caroline, Emerson, Sloane, and even bratty (lol) Vivi each came into their own by the end. They all found their place in their ever-changing family–no easy feat–and I think it made them a much closer, much more aware, group. One that I adore.
I fall in love with the people in Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Peachtree Bluff series every time I pick up one of these novels. Completely heartfelt with wonderful dialogue and realistic personal conflicts, it’s women’s fiction that I think even romance fans will enjoy
QOTD: There were some lovely local Christmas traditions celebrated in this book. Does your family or even your town/city have any annual holiday traditions? (My town and others around it each create “lobster trap trees”!)
Book Info:
Publication: Published October 26th 2021 | Gallery Books | Peachtree Bluff #4
In the newest installment of New York Times bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Peachtree Bluff series, three generations of the Murphy women must come together when a hurricane threatens to destroy their hometown—and the holiday season in the process.
When the Murphy women are in trouble, they always know they can turn to their mother, Ansley. So when eldest daughter Caroline and her husband, James, announce they are divorcing—and fifteen-year-old daughter Vivi acts out in response—Caroline, at her wits end, can’t think of anything to do besides leave her with Ansley in Peachtree Bluff for the holidays. After all, how much trouble can one teenager get into on a tiny island?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
As the “storm of the century” heads toward Peachtree Bluff, Ansley and her husband, Jack, with Vivi in tow, are grateful they’re planning to leave for the trip of a lifetime. But Vivi’s recklessness forces the trio to shelter in place during the worst hurricane Peachtree has ever seen. With no power, no provisions, and the water rising, the circumstances become dire very quickly…and the Murphy sisters, who evacuated to New York, soon realize it’s up to them to conduct a rescue mission. With the bridges closed and no way to access Peachtree Bluff by land or air, they set sail on Caroline’s boat, The Starlite Sisters, determined to rebuild their beloved town—as well as their family.
In “pitch perfect tones” (Publishers Weekly) and written with her signature Southern charm, New York Times bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey explores the magic of Christmas, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of family in a tale that reminds us that, no matter the circumstances, home is always where we belong—especially during the holidays.
