Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the way the season makes me feel….what?? Yes I know it’s January. I am well aware that the holiday season is over with but I’m still in the holiday spirit so I’ve been reading Christmas themed books. *grins*
I have not had the pleasure of reading Debbie Macomber’s books before. My mother gave me many of her Christmas themed books when she was done reading them. With the busy holiday season and taking a break between semesters, I didn’t read as much as I had wanted. But before classes started back I read both The Perfect Christmas and Trading Spaces.
I have to say I really enjoyed both books. Contemporary romances aren’t usually my forte as I tend to enjoy some paranormal of some sort in my romance if not fully paranormal romance. Oh and I try my best not to give any spoilers here………………………..
The Perfect Christmas sounded interesting to me as I read the back cover…
For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.
What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.
Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all --- and she's finally ready to meet her match.
But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!
What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.
Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all --- and she's finally ready to meet her match.
But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!
What got my attention was “professional matchmaker” and “assigns her three tasks”. Oh yeah it had my attention because all I could think was “there’s going to be disaster”. One, I laughed so hard through her ‘tasks”, poor woman I felt so bad but laughed so hard at her. Two, I adored her main characters. Their attitude and tension toward each other when they first meet to how they become caring and considerate even though they are off limits to each other.
BTW, I also love the tenant who listens to the loud rap music. Ha!!
Now on to Trading Christmas.
Emily Springer, widowed mother of one, decides to leave Leavenworth, Washington, to spend Christmas with her daughter in Boston. Charles Brewster, history professor, curmudgeon and resident of Boston, wants to avoid Christmas altogether. He figures a prison town should be nice and quiet over the holidays ? except he's thinking of the wrong Leavenworth! Through an internet site, Charles and Emily arrange to swap houses for the holiday. So Emily goes to Boston and discovers that her daughter has gone to Florida. And Charles arrives in Leavenworth to discover that it's not the prison town ? it's Santa's village! The place is full of Christmas trees, Christmas music and...elves. Meanwhile, Emily's friend Faith Kerrigan travels to Leavenworth to visit her and instead finds Charles the grinch. Then Charles's brother, Ray, shows up at his home in Boston to discover that he isn't there ? but Emily is. Through all the mix-ups and misunderstandings, amid the chaos and confusion, romance begins to emerge in unexpected ways. Because everything changes at Christmas!
No I have not had the opportunity to watch the Hallmark adaptation of this book. I’m intrigued now. This is truly a comedy of errors. Love every minute it. I have to say my favorite thing about this book is how each of the “couples” open each other up. Not just to the holiday season but cause them to venture out of their comfort zone or their shell if you will and become whole again when they didn’t realize that they weren’t.
In a way this reminded me of The Holiday, you know the movie with Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black and Kate Winslet. But no worries Trading Christmas was originally published in 2004 as When Christmas Comes and The Holiday was released in 2006, so no copycatting there. I just reminded me with the whole “trading homes” thing. Darn…..rambling again.
So even though the holiday season is over I’m sticking with it for a bit longer. I have a few more, ok a dozen or so, Christmas themed books that I have stacked up and plan on reading to keep me in that holiday mood. Now I feel the need to bake some sugar cookies, put a turkey in the oven or heck even drag the tree back out!! And you think I’m joking…..*laughs*
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