Disclosure: These books were provided to me at no cost in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I know, it's only October! But I had the chance to review some new Christian Christmas fiction books, and now I'm sharing that with you. Keep these titles in mind as we get closer to the holiday season.
First is All's Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon.
Mackenzie works as a graphic designer at a small firm. She is shy and has a lot of anxiety, but she loves Christmas. Well, she loves celebrating it with her mom, who has recently been moved into a nursing home due to early Alzheimers. One day, Mackenzie's boss asks her and another coworker, Jeremy, to come to her office for a meeting. She tells the duo there is a promotion available, and she will decide who gets it closer to Christmas. Both of them are under the impression that whoever shows the most Christmas spirit will actually be awarded the promotion, so they set off to out-holiday cheer each other. Decorating the office, baking, setting up fun activities, and more! But secretly, Mackenzie has a huge crush on Jeremy! Speaking of him, he really wants that promotion to help him with his career goals but also to help support his niece and nephew, whom he raises. Jeremy never really paid much attention to Mackenzie until now, but he realizes he might have feelings for her. This really complicates the promotion situation!
What I liked about the book:
It is a fun and easy read for the holidays. Lots of Christmas cheer, but also recognition of the birth of Jesus. Mackenzie seems like a very real person, with a lot of complexities. She loves her job and her friends, but she also has anxiety about social situations. She can talk to coworkers but her crush is a different story. The author did a really good job of explaining how anxiety can feel. I like how Mackenzie sought out therapy because this is something not a lot of Christians talk about. Unlike a lot of other Christian fiction I read, this one actually had Bible verses!
What I disliked:
The main characters are very physical to each other, which seemed to border on inappropriate to me (it's okay, you can call me a prude). I personally don't want to read about any physical intimacy besides hand holding or maybe a cheek kiss,but this is definitely more tame than other books. I won't spoil the book, but I felt like there was a lot of miscommunication that caused problems, and if the people involved asked for clarity, none of it would have happened. But I understand it was for the plot of the story.
Final thoughts:
Overall, this is an enjoyable book to read. I'd recommend it if you like Christmas fiction with a Christian spin.
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Next, I'll review You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh. This book was originally published in 2019 as I'll Be Home.
Starr Lewis comes from a big and successful family (weirdly, all her siblings have Christmas related names!). She had already planned to visit them for Thanksgiving, but it looks like her vacation might be longer than expected, because she was recently let go from her job. But of course, she can't tell her family that! To add insult to injury, Starr is roped into helping her sister Angel with wedding prep...and Angel is marrying Starr's ex boyfriend! Starr lies to her family, saying she is taking an extended vacation from work, until the new year. While at Thanksgiving dinner, her brother's best friend Waylon shows up. Starr remembers him from childhood but he is now an attractive, and single, man. The two team up to help Waylon make his late mom's store a success (Starr worked in PR!). As the holiday season drags on, Starr is faced with a big decision: return home to a promising new job offer or stay put and see what could happen romantically with Waylon.
What I liked:
This is another easy read perfect for Christmas time. I like that the family has real struggles and don't always get along; it makes them seem more believable. Starr seems like a genuinely nice woman, and it is easy to root for her while reading the book. Even though she has a rough relationship with Angel, she still tries to support her. Waylon is likeable as well. The Lewis family are Christians and attend church.
What I disliked:
I don't like the dishonesty Angel has with her family about her job but I understand it. I REALLY don't like Angel, but she is kind of portrayed as the villain. Starr's family is annoying but that actually adds to how real they seem. I found more romantic physical contact than I'd prefer, and there were no Bible verses at all.
Final thoughts:
This is a still a nice read, not too long, but interesting enough to keep readers engaged. It features predominantly non white characters, which is something we don't often have in Christian fiction.
"Books have been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."
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