⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. This Christmas family drama was riveting and poignant, evoking a whole range of feelings from anger and heartbreak to forgiveness, happiness, and love.

Julie Parker’s kids are her greatest gift. Still, she’s not exactly heartbroken when they ask to skip a big Christmas. But her plans go from cozy to chaotic when Nick and Dana plead for Christmas at the family cabin in memory of their late father, Julie’s ex. She can’t refuse, even though she dreads their reactions to her new man when they realize she’s been hiding him for months. As the guest list grows in surprising ways, from Blair’s estranged mom to Heath’s precocious children, Julie’s secret is one of many to be unwrapped. Over this delightfully complicated and very funny Christmas, she’ll discover that more really is merrier, and that a big, happy family can become bigger and happier, if they let go of old hurts and open their hearts to love.

MY THOUGTHS

There were parts that I loved and others not so much. Dana and her relationship woes felt a bit neglected. I was happy that she found her own happy ending, but between all the other things going on there wasn’t enough time to explore this plotline properly. And there certainly was a lot of drama.

Nick came across as very charmed. Everything seemed to fall in line just right for him. Even with the conflict with his mother, you just knew it would work out for him because Julie would never begrudge him any of it.

As for Julie and Heath, Susan Mallery has done this before and she does it really well – create conflict and consequently strengthen bonds in an existing relationship. Julie represented a generosity of spirit that should be everyone’s goal. She held no real resentment, even with Nick’s revelations and Gwen’s unpleasantness. Heath embodied the image of an ideal partner. One who sees all your faults and still loves you unconditionally. Yet, these two characters showed enough flaws to be realistic at the same time.

I was captivated by this family dynamic. The ending may have been predictable, but it was a pleasure getting there. I can highly recommend this if you like big family drama and romance. See what other readers are saying on Goodreads.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 1, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Subtle