I make it a habit to read at least one Melody Carlson Christmas novella every holiday season. This year is no exception. I picked up Carlson’s newest book Once Upon a Christmas Carol and quickly devoured it. Carlson is not called the Queen of Christmas novellas for nothing! I loved the emphasis on the importance of family. While there is definitely a romance involved in the story, main character Carol discovered family ties that filled a hole in her life and heart. Carol made plans for a Bahama Christmas getaway, but God had other plans. A snowstorm and a long lost aunt help to point Carol in the direction of the wonder and joy of Christmas. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a quick read with a wonderfully snowy setting, great characters, a sweet and hunky hero, and a message of the real reason for the season.
Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
What will happen when a tropical escape from holiday blues turns into a snowy wonderland filled with joy and cheer?
Carol Langstrom hates Christmas. Growing up in a dysfunctional home, with a birthday on December 25 and too many dashed childhood expectations, she would rather avoid the holiday season. And working in the design industry where she manages seasonal decor for wealthy, entitled clients certainly hasn’t helped!
So, this year her goal is to flee to the Bahamas—by herself—bah humbug! But bad weather and God’s radically different plan redirect her flight to blustery Michigan, where she gets stuck on her aunt’s farm and discovers a different kind of Christmas—one wrapped in love, family, and holiday spirit.
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/.
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