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The Gingerbread House In Mistletoe Gardens by Jaimie Admans

Sep22

Believe In Me

The Gingerbread House In Mistletoe Gardens by Jaimie Admans is a perfectly charming contemporary festive offering that left me feeling warm and fuzzy.

The novel is very community minded as the residents band together to save Mistletoe Gardens.

This is the essence of Christmas in a book – from gingerbread houses to mulled wine to mistletoe – the festive season comes alive under the artistic pen of Jaimie Admans.

Some characters are hiding from life. Some have erected walls around their hearts as past pain still hurts. Others are hiding physical scars.

We see characters getting to know each other. “Eyes don’t make someone attractive, personality does.” Kindness is always a very attractive feature.

We witness the cruelty of dementia. How hurtful it is when our loved ones do not remember us. “She might not know you, but she can sense love.” Our loved ones may forget us but they will not forget how we make them feel. Love shines through.

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In From The Cold by Sarah Bennett

Sep21

A Warm Welcome

In From The Cold by Sarah Bennett is a most charming contemporary novel. It is the second book in the Juniper Meadows series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I thoroughly enjoyed my return visit and meeting up with familiar faces. The love and care shine through the novel.

We see that we are not destined to repeat the sins of the fathers. We can break free from their stronghold. It is never too late to have a fresh start.

It is important to follow our dreams and not live out the life that others thrust upon us.

Everyone has natural talents. We need to develop our talents and nurture our giftings.

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The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar

Sep8

Nostalgic

The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar is an absolutely charming contemporary Christmas book that makes you feel festive in September.

It is a nostalgic look back on Christmas gone by as well as creating new memories in present day, and also projecting forward to future Christmases’.

This is the essence of Christmas captured in a book. Christmas is not always perfectly presented. There may be unforeseen mishaps but Christmas is a time for love, miracles and people pulling together.

The idea of a gingerbread Christmas village has passed down through a family. Traditionally it is a village activity but seems to be dying off in the modern age until… Read the book and find out what happens.

Love is not just for the young. The lead character is sixty five years young but can still experience weak knees and a heart that flutters.

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One Christmas Eve by Shari Low

Sep3

Joining The Dots

One Christmas Eve by Shari Low is a delightful novel set over twenty four hours in three different time periods – 1968, 1993, 2023.

The years are linked by the female line in a family going down through the grandmother, mother and granddaughter. We follow them alternately in two hour blocks as we drop in on one Christmas Eve.

There is a beautiful bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter, partly created by the mother being a workaholic, even on Christmas Eve. “Her mum was making it clear that her other option was work, yet she was still choosing that instead of spending time with them.” We only have one life and we need to choose wisely. No-one ever said on their deathbed ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’ We need to get our priorities right.

We witness the love to last a lifetime. There may be other loves but that one big love will never die. Love has the ability to send us back to feeling like teenagers – no matter how old we are.

We see the special place in hearts for over fifty years. It is a place that one will return to again and again in order to relive a moment.

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