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All Together For Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Oct23

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.

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Her Husband’s Return by Suzanne Goldring

Oct20

If Walls Could Speak

Her Husband’s Return by Suzanne Goldring is a powerful dual timeline novel that consumed me from the start.

The action is set in London during World War II and in present day. Chapters alternate between ‘then’ and ‘now.’ The time periods are linked by a large family home that is being renovated in present day.

If walls could speak, the house would reveal the secrets – but until then, they remain hidden.

Life during World War II was fragile. First Londoners faced the Blitz, and then there were the silent but deadly V1 and V2 rockets. Lives could be snuffed out in an instant. The landscape of London changed as many buildings were demolished.

Large family homes were called upon to house the homeless. The house within the tale echoes with warmth, love and laughter. Friendships are formed that will remain.

Opportunities for women opened up with war. The leading lady, Frankie, becomes an ambulance driver. War, surprisingly, brings freedom for her, and for many. Frankie is no longer shackled to the home and a verbally abusive husband. However, so deep-rooted is the abuse, that in her head, she still hears the words spoken over her by her, now MIA, husband. She is forever ruled by him until the day she finds the courage to live for someone else.

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Christmas At The Second Chance Supper Club by Caroline Roberts

Oct18

Love, Care & Community

Christmas At The Second Chance Supper Club by Caroline Roberts is a very charming contemporary Christmas novel that I loved. It is the second book in The Second Chance Supper Club series but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading the books in order for character development and for timeline continuity as book two begins where book one ended.

Once more the reader returns to a small Northumberland village with familiar faces. Romance is still in the air but is complicated by strong, emotional ties to a late spouse. Grief isn’t a linear journey. There are peaks and troughs as a character looks backwards. He gives himself this advice. “Just to learn to be kind to himself. To see that he deserved a life after his loss.” Just as he is beginning to suppress his guilt and dip his toe in the waters of dating, grown up daughters’ step in to muddy the waters. I found a powerful scene that was reminiscent of the movie All That Heaven Allows where the grown-up children buy their mother (played by Jane Wyman) a television to keep her company, after they objected to her dating the handy man (played by Rock Hudson), whilst the children go about their lives. Grown children have the selfish gene, making it all about them, and their feelings, whilst never considering their father’s feelings.

In contrast, the son of a divorcee encourages his mother to have her own life but he still drives a six hour round trip to see his mother so she doesn’t wake alone on Christmas Day.

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The Old Gals’ Bucket List by Karen King

Oct11

Grab Life By The Horns

The Old Gals’ Bucket List by Karen King is a perfectly charming contemporary novel that I read in just one sitting.

This is a light-hearted and fun read about learning to live again. The leading characters are all about seventy and prove that you are never too old to have fun.

The leading lady had been widowed earlier. Life has been on hold until she bumps into an old friend who is a cancer survivor and determined to now make her life count. “I promised myself that if I survived, I’d live life to the full, no fear, no excuses, I want to make every single day count.” This is a turning point as the pair decide to make a bucket list and then work through it.

As the novel progresses, we see that growing older can still be exciting as the pair grab life by the horns.

We see the ladies get their first tattoo, learn to swim and conquer many fears. “Feel the fear but do it anyway.” Life is for living and new experiences can be fun.

A grown-up son tries to limit his mum, believing she is ready for a retirement home! “I’m ready to live again and you need to step back and let me do that.” Her son’s stance comes from the viewpoint of love.

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