The third book in the Bells Pass series, Jam and Jingle Bells: A Small Town Diner Christmas Romance, starts with cosmetologist Addie Collop giving a haircut to the town’s newly arrived yoga instructor, Ellis David. Twenty-five-years-old yet white-haired, Ellis is mysterious yet charming, and Addie resolves to get to know him better.

Flash forward six months to November and the Addie and Ellis start seeing each other on a more regular basis. As with the first two books in the series, the narrative focuses not only on Ellis and Addie’s budding romance but other subplots of the people who live in Bells Pass. First and foremost, Jam and Jingle Bells is a romance, but the book also includes elements of small town living. Much of the time is focused on the Christmas season, providing a joyous and upbeat tone, but sections of the novel contain serious events within Bells Pass’s borders. This small town isn’t the utopia it seems to be on the surface.

Kudos to author Katie Mettner for introducing a character with a medical condition. This builds gravitas into what could have been a lightweight novel. True, many scenes depict people enjoying the season and a light-hearted atmosphere, but the book contrasts these segments with acts of violence, a medical emergency, and multiple characters struggling with a significant loss in their lives. Despite the highs and lows in the plot, the novel keeps a steady tone.

The highlight of the book comes in the middle with a Santa Claus character discussing a difficult topic with a child character. The imagery Santa uses to explain what is happening to the child is wonderful—not too sappy but sweet enough to be charming. This enchanting analogy continues through the rest of the book becoming an anchor point for the novel.

With so much going on, some elements are stronger than others. The sequence detailing with outsiders plaguing Bells Pass is perhaps the weakest and is resolved rather suddenly. Other subplots are more solid. They depict how love and loss intersect at times, surfacing much deeper themes.

Jam and Jingle Bells is a delicious helping of Christmas, romance, and bonhomie. This enjoyable novel will get the reader into the spirit of the season any time of year.