Festive Book Review: It Must Have Been The Mistletoe by Judy Astley

My Synopsis

Imagine this: You are looking up to Christmas this year with your amazing boyfriend. Until he ditches you, then you are not so sure you are in a festive mood to celebrate. But at least, you do have your family, and there’s reason to be thankful?

But not until your mum and dad, after years of marriage, decide to finalize their separation. Christmas would be a major screw up this year, you think to yourself. Then your parents decide there could be one last holiday taken as a family before the year ends. Now something to look up to.

But the family vacation doesn’t go as planned. You are being pursued by someone who you assume is gay. Your sister is really losing her nerve to hold it together amongst her aloof husband and boisterous kids. Your mum might have mistakenly invited her younger lover over. And your dad’s girlfriend hops into the picture to further complicate the sleeping arrangements.

Is everyone in need of a Christmas miracle or what?

Because whatever happens, chip in a snowstorm and extreme weather conditions and you are foreseeing a disaster.

Thea’s life summed up for your delight.

My Review

I liked this book.

Great storyline. I was a sucker for the whole plot. Who knew Christmas could get this disastrous? Girl thinks she’s crazy for not warding off the advances of a gay man. Girl struggles to keep herself in a celebratory spirit after being dumped by her boyfriend. Girl wishes her family would just suck it up and not fall apart this Christmas season because they might be the only cause for her to be happy. A star to the storyline.── ★

Thea is much like your everyday self or friend or sister who has no kids and always get snubbed off by mums who tell her she has no idea what being a mother entails when she’s a teacher whose job is to control hyperactive six-year olds. Very relatable when you consider that very moment you are dumped by a guy who you thought could be that happily-ever-after one so you cut your hair, dye up some strands pink, (record heart-breaking solos with your guitar), and not bother whether you care not. A star to her.── ★★

Other supporting characters––like Anna, the (grand) mum in constant thought of whether her family would approve of her boyfriend; Mike, the (grand) dad battling with keeping her over the top girlfriend under control; Emily, the sister who wouldn’t just suck it up and enjoy the holidays because she’s in constant fear of what her husband’s ignorance might get her kids into; Mr. Over The Road who can’t keep his tongue out of throats that aren’t his wife’s when given a little drink. A star to these characters.── ★★★

I liked this book. But I really, really wish I could have loved, loved it. It had such a funky blurb I was expecting so much more. The humour could have been revved up, the pace could have been quicker, the suspense could have been more engaging.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Judy Astley’s latest is available on amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a festive title this holiday season. Anyone who could do with a little miracle could also pick this title.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.

FESTIVE BOOK REVIEW: Coming Home For Christmas by Julia Williams

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: There’s an imminent construction of a hotel complex in your homely small town about to ruin everything your community stands for: love, neighbourliness and giving a helping hand to the mentally disturbed.

Of course, you would do anything to halt these construction works, call up town meetings, gather feisty senior citizens to line up for a protest, use unconventional methods that come to mind. Because, your farm is going down, and these planners want to rip you off your family land for their giant hotel complex. Never mind the idea of a spa is really far-removed from the mind of a farmer’s wife whose cuticles are constantly trapped with grit and bits of cow teats (for when they are getting uncooperative).

Except you are no more a farmer’s wife.

You and your husband are on the verge of a finalized divorce if only you can ever get around to mailing the untouched papers to his solicitor. At a time where you need him most, he just wants out and you are left with no option but to champion your protests, save the bankruptcy your farm is at the brink of lest you sell to the Hotel Complex Sharks, look for support from your boyfriend who thinks you’d be better off in London as a fundraiser ball organizer wife, deal with your daughter who has cerebral palsy and is against your current love interest.

At least, you have you have your friends to help. But not when they have problems of their own.

Cat’s been dropped off local television because she’s incapable of losing baby weight and is getting too old for camera retouching (on a cookery programme?!). Marianne’s husband’s ex is back in the picture with her mental disease that drives away her husband’s attention from her, Marianne, and just when things are looking up, there enters Marianne’s fiancée who jilted her on the day of their wedding. (Too many exes her life could qualify as extreme porn with a parental guidance notice).

Someone help save your town before the Yummy Mummies, who are just a different breed of farmer’s wives the sight of whom are so surprising, sell up the town just so they could have that much-needed massage and manicure they’d have to drive all the way to the cities to have. And really what about your personal problems? Oh, this Christmas…

Pippa Soon-To-Be-Not-Holliday’s dilemma summed for your entertainment.

MY REVIEW

I loved this book. So you know in my review, I’d be telling you to shove that Christmas Cake out the window and go get it! (Really, haven’t you had enough of calories already?)

The storyline is amazing. Three friends trying to stabilize their family, their love lives and prevent their town from being transformed into one of those places where filming of Real Housewives of You-Never-Mind-Naming-There takes place. Lovely. A star to the story-line.── ★

I adored the three main leads in this title. All strong women except for when they are worrying too much about ageing quickly, dealing with a divorce and being suspicious of a doting husband. You see now they are much like you? Beautiful characters! Marriane, Pippa and Cat. With different story-lines that appeal to readers immensely. No way you’d read the point-of-view of a character and doze off (... unless your family has driven you nuts on Christmas Day). I felt this book should have been titled Farmers’ Wives, because isn’t it a nice change to read about women very much settled in their country environs and helping out their husbands with cattle? Anyway, these are fab characters you can’t help but keep rooting for. A star to them.── ★★

You would find out this is a marvellous festive read. I did find out after this title, not all books you enjoy should put you at the edge of your (toilet) seat. Like this, they should be filled with warmth that helps you relax during these hectic Christmas preparations you’d be braving through. (If you are looking for a novel that would make you skid off your toilet seat… really, beware your head doesn’t crash against your tiled floor) Marvellous plot!

Other characters in this book made it special too. Miss Woods, a senior citizen with her guerrilla methods towards protesting. Batty Jack and his very commendable unconventional methods of driving away the hotel constructors. The (ex) husbands, Dan, Noel, Gabriel who were the rocks of our main characters. Luke Nicholas, Marriane’s ex, and his penchant to head every program that calls for the ruin of Hope Christmas. The children, Mel (Cat’s daughter juggling motherhood with education and a successful blog and book), Paige (Cat’s teenage daughter who’s more into snap-chatting that she’d snap at anyone who tries to make a degrading comment about her habit), Lou Lou (Cat’s year-old granddaughter who’s so adorable any reader would be tempted to stay off contraceptives), James (Cat’s son whose motto in life is to live like you are never writing any exams the following day), Lucy (Pippa’s cerebral palsy daughter who has so much attitude it’s a good thing she cannot talk. Ouch, bad thing to say, I know) Harry and Daisy (Marriane’s toddler twins who visit the loo so much you’d not be wise not to think they might end up with jobs that would make their visits more permanent). Oh, and Ralph Nicholas and Michael who are always at the right place at the right time to offer a helping hand. Angela, Cat’s mother-in-law], the Yummy-Mummies… oh, I could go on and on!── ★★★

I loved the presentation of this piece. From January to December and years in between that had a significant incident happening during one Christmas, Julia Williams wows readers with a portrait that isn’t too unfamiliar with their normal lives.── ★★★★

There were moments I guffawed so much. Especially during the final protest that led to senior citizens, and lots of mummies being apprehended by the cops.── ★★★★★

Did I love, love, this book? Yes, I did. But it had a bit of a shaky start. Though getting into the book so I could only push this thought to the back of my mind, I still have to slash one of its stars.

So my rating: 4.5 stars/five.

Julia Williams’ latest, Coming Home For Christmas (which I really wished it was titled Coming Hope For Christmas because the characters did need lots of hope to pull through) is available on amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a festive read that champions a good cause, speaks on dense themes of loss, marital problems, mental illness you could relate to, and anyone who needs a miracle this Christmas (for Hope Christmas is the centre for all things miraculous). (Oh, plus if you are considering getting off that contraceptive, pick this title. Way too many adorable children).

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.

Festive Book Review: Merry Chicklit-an anthology: Carol of The Belles By Francine LaSala

Another post inspired by the festive season.

Blurb: In the spirit of giving, six chick-lit authors "present" a charming collection of seasonal shorts sure to inspire holiday cheer-plus love and hope throughout the year, with all proceeds donated to Rocking the Road for a Cure! Featured authors & stories include:

Francine LaSala Pretty Izzy knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: hunky sales manager Jake Harrington wrapped up with a shiny silver bow--and nothing else. Except Santa may have other plans in "Carol of the Belles."

It's another LaSala story that would elevate your festive mood and add some Parisian sparkle to your—mundane—Christmas.

So Isabelle, like all other single ladies in the city, wants her dream guy to be Jake P. Harrington, her boss. To her Jake could be the perfect Christmas gift she'd cuddle close to her bosom never mind her cat's jealousy issues. Would she ever get her one cherished gift? And even if she does would she still consider him a gift or more like a drift from her gift? But what with the annoying Ollie who wouldn't stop being a buttinsky in her affairs?

Beautiful tale about our perceptions of "the one". I love that Francine touches on this subject. Are we being shadowed from the actual one by the big giant block who's the presumed one? Opening every Christmas gift leads us to surprises that are beyond our expectation. Is it necessary to have a picture of what's beneath all the glittery wrapper before we can cherish it as "the one" special gift? —★★

I loved that this book seemed predictable during the start but still gave me the mouth-gaping moment. —★

Get your romance on by reading this sassy short by LaSala. You can't actually go to the City of Love in order to have a Parisian Christmas, you know? Yeah, you will coo a lot and shed a little tear and kick your cat off the couch by your fidgety movements giving it the shriek of its life. —★

I loved, loved this book. But it would have won a five star from me if I hadn't found the starting a bit shaky.

My rating: 4.5 stars.

Merry Chicklit—an anthology of six sassy shorts including Francine LaSala's Carol of The Belles is available on Amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants something romantically adequate and warm to snuggle up with this Christmas. Anyone having to spend Christmas single on the couch should rather get this than staying glued to FOX's Walking Dead Season 1-4 marathon (which I am free to do now that I'm done reading).

Anyway, Merry Chicklit is for a good cause. All proceeds from sales are going to be donated to help kick breast cancer to the curb. Now that's some boob job, I'd love to spend bucks on!

Happy Holidays everyone.

Another post inspired by the festive season.