A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber

A FERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber is a wonderful addition to her collection of gentle romance and holiday stories. In this newly published novel, she introduces Avery and Harrison who meet on a ferry in the middle of Puget Sound. Instead of a quick ride, however, they are stranded for hours due to mechanical issues with the boat. Readers meet other passengers like James, an expectant father anxious to get to his very pregnant wife, and Virginia, an older women estranged from her twin sister. There’s also Beth and Olivia, a mother/young daughter on their way to see Santa Claus. It’s not really a spoiler alert to say that Macomber seems to sprinkle the ferry riders (and even some relatives waiting on land) with romantic pixie dust amidst a delightful holiday spirit. Short (272 pages) and sweet, A FERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS is a perfect holiday read, especially for Macomber’s many fans (over 200 million copies of her books are in print worldwide).

Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne

SNOW KISSED by best-selling author RaeAnne Thayne is a sweet romance filled with the spirit of the Christmas season. Hard-working proprietor of a flower shop, Holly(!) is a single Mom to five-year-old Lydia who has special needs. Shortly before the holidays she meets Ryan, a military helicopter pilot and brother to one of her employees. As they say, “sparks fly” and their mutual attraction grows quickly even though he will have to return to his base in San Diego. There’s drama with an ex-husband and extended family, but the real focus of the story is how Holly and Ryan come to care for and respect each other. This is a terrific holiday tale (set in small town Idaho so plenty of seasonal snow) and will certainly appeal to Thayne’s many fans as well as readers of authors like Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Fern Michaels, Nora Roberts, and Susan Wiggs.

Christmas with the Queen

CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb is a work of historical fiction spanning the years from 1952, when Queen Elizabeth gave her first Christmas speech, to 1957. I had really enjoyed Hazel Gaynor’s The Last Lifeboat, but found this latest collaborative offering to be more predictable, though still entertaining. CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN is told from three points of view: mainly Olive Carter, an unwed mother and young reporter with the BBC, and Jack Devereux, a budding chef who suffers a loss and ends up working for the royal household, although Queen Elizabeth is also quoted and adds some commentary. Olive and Jack have known each other for a long time (flashbacks to 1945) and the spark of attraction never seems to line up in a more permanent way which involves much of the story’s tension. If readers liked The Crown, they will enjoy the behind the scenes glimpses involving the royals, their homes, and yacht. The authors clearly have a great deal of affection for Sandringham, in particular, and make that evident in their final note as well as through the descriptions in the novel itself. Gentle and fun with a festive air.

Calm Christmas and A Happy New Year

CALM CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR is written by Beth Kempton, a best-selling author (Freedom Seeker; We Are All in This Together) who advocates for doing what you love and living well, often times tied to the concept of Hygge. Here, she has divided “A Little Book of Festive Joy” into three sections: anticipation; activity during the holidays themselves and reflection afterwards.  There are numerous references to childhood and a unique introduction to the five stories (faith, magic, connection, abundance, and heritage) of Christmas which she readily acknowledges will resonate differently for each reader. Throughout, Kempton includes a series of questions, providing an almost meditative feel and help in de-stressing from late November through early January.  Eventually, she mentions “another chance for a fresh beginning” and refers to a more seasonal approach, “moving gently into January with grace and hope.”  As we move forward into 2021, it’s worth considering her advice to block out chunks of time on a new calendar for “unknown goodness coming my way …. Schedule[ing] time to open up space for new possibilities [cooking together?] and to work on our dreams.” I look forward to revisiting CALM CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR throughout the year.