During the holiday season, the reviews I post on The Self-Rescue Princess will have a different focus as my reading habits change. From Thanksgiving until the New Year, I only read novels set during the holiday season or have a seasonal theme. The Holiday Edition reviews will focus on the holiday spirit in the stories, and I plan to review more than one book in each post. I decided to go with more than one because I find I read more at this time and I want to share as many holiday short stories, novellas, books, and movies that I can during this time frame.
Between traveling during November and December and editing a book, I didn’t get as much reading done this holiday season as I like. I’m hoping next–or rather this–holiday season year I’m able to indulge more in my passion of reading Christmas/holiday themed stories. Here are the last three books I read this year:
A Very Meryton Christmas by Olivia Kane. This Christmas tale features Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth isn’t happy to find out that Mr. Darcy, who hasn’t been kind to her, will be in Netherfield Park during the holiday season, she is despondent, fearing his presence will ruin Christmas for her. At first, she vows not to spend any time where she might run into and later allows the Christmas spirit dictate her treatment of Mr. Darcy. This was a lovely story set during the Christmas season and also filled with the spirit of the holiday.
A Family for Christmas by Mona Ingram. With the holiday season about to start, Maddie finds herself without a job. Instead of her being let go putting a damper on her life, she uses it as a springboard to start a gift-wrapping and shopping helper business. This book had plenty of Christmas spirit and I enjoyed getting to know both couples (dual romance story) and the niece of the heroes in the story. There was plenty of angst Christmas angst, meaning not anything traumatic…unless you count the fact the niece is an orphan but her parents death happen off-screen and not during the story.
I love both of the couples in the book, though I do wish that each had their own book as I’d have loved to have more time to spend with each couple. The story was heartwarming and very reminiscent of a Hallmark Christmas movie…so if you enjoy those movies, you’d like this story.
All I Want For Christmas by Sheila Roberts. Susan Carpenter, aka Suzi Christmas delights her town with the over-the-top Christmas display she erects in her front yard every year–except for one of her neighbors and the new landlord of the house next-door. Suzi’s love of Christmas starts to lose it sparkles when she finds her light display threatened by those that wish Christmas wasn’t so bright.
When Luke Potter, the landlord, loses his renters because of an obnoxious Christmas display, he teams up with his godfather who also happens to be a neighbor who dislikes the lights as much as him. It isn’t long before Luke, aka Scrooge, regrets his decision but finds himself unable to veer from his bah humbug path.
This was my favorite book this Christmas season. I loved how Susan fought for what she believed in and kept her Christmas spirit alive even though at times it dimmed a little, nothing kept Susan down, especially when it came to sharing the joy of the holiday with her family and town. I’m off to see if there’s a story featuring Luke’s brother as I grew to like all the characters in the story…well except for the grinchy neighbor.
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