An Imperfectly Perfect Christmas
All Together For Christmas by Sarah Morgan is her perfectly wonderful festive offering that I adored.
This is a book about family. Family can be messy. Family can be complicated. And it is also love that is the glue that holds the family together. The family in the book, meet together at the parent’s house for Christmas. It is a multi-generational household as there are elderly parents and grown-up siblings, and a dog. Everyone is battling problems, and everyone receives love.
Newly married Jamie’s wife, Hayley, has never had a family Christmas, and therefore his mum is determined to give her a Hallmark Christmas to remember. Hayley fears being an outsider but nothing is further from the truth.
Love has never been in short supply. “He’d never been without love in his life. And he’d never had to earn that love.” Love has been given unconditionally. This is strengthened by his sister’s thoughts on family. “Her family home. She felt a sense of security. It was nothing to do with the building… but the people. Her wonderful parents… Whatever had gone wrong in her life they’d been there to cushion the blow.” The parents provided a firm foundation of love for their children.
It is hard being a parent to adult children. “As a parent your job to let go, even when your instinct is to hold on.” Our children need to be given wigs to fly.
With big life changes come adjustments. Newly retired doctor, Martin, fears he has lost his purpose. “That was your job… not who you were.” He has to re-discover who he is again – a father, husband, son-in-law.
Sarah Morgan has written a wonderful festive tale which has some highly amusing moments, as seen by the grandmother whose mouth has no filter! “Since when have you been on social media?” “How else am I going to stalk my grandchildren?” There were other hilarious moments too.
The tale is written in the third person from various points of view.
I absolutely adored All Together For Christmas. It really was Christmas in a book. It showed us what a an imperfectly perfect Christmas and family is. I will leave you with a powerful quote:
“This is what family is… a group of individuals knitted together by shared moments and memories.”
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON