Just Finished:



Why I Read It: Because it was marketed as a Debbie Macomber Christmas story ~ I’m usually a sucker for them. Christmas Wishes includes two of Macomber's previously released stories: Christmas Letters and Rainy Day Kisses. I read Christmas Letters last year. You can see my post on it here.

Synopsis: Seventeen years ago Susannah Simmons was a career girl who knew nothing about babies. But after babysitting her infant niece, Michelle, Susannah learned that one determined— and screaming—baby can make the corporate world look like…child's play. Thank goodness for her charming neighbor Nate Townsend. Now he's her charming husband, and Susannah's a mother as well as an aunt. And every Christmas Eve, Michelle tells her cousins how their mom met their dad— a story in which she plays a starring role!

My Thoughts: Well, when I started reading this, I felt like it was dated. I had thought this was a new story, but that it takes place 17 years ago, so I was pretty forgiving for a short amount of time….until I realized that this is a reprint and is not a new book at all.

Also, it was marketed as a Christmas book ~ and it’s not. I was very disappointed. The whole Christmas Eve thing was just thrown in there and it didn't even belong! The romance didn't even happen at Christmas time.

What I Liked: I really liked the character of Nate Townsend. He’s mischievous and always seemed to have something up his sleeve. He was a great contrast to the character of Susannah Simmons ~ who was completely uptight and needed someone like Nate to compliment her character.

What I Didn’t Like: Well, I didn’t really like Susannah. She was uptight, buttoned-up, and had no sense of humor.

I also found myself rolling my eyes a lot and saying, “Oh, please!” Too much, actually. There was just something off on this one.

Verdict: This was Okay (but only because it gave me a few laugh-out-loud moments). I used to love, love, love everything that Debbie Macomber wrote. Now, her stuff is hit or miss with me. This one was a miss. But, because it was included with a story of hers that I liked (Christmas Letters) I’m keeping it anyway.

Labels: Contemporary Romance, Debbie Macomber, Okay

Just Finished:



Why I Read It: Because it’s Debbie Macomber and Christmas.

From the Back Cover: That summer -- more than ten years ago, while they were still in high school -- Noelle McDowell and Thomas Sutton fell secretly in love. Secretly because their mothers had been locked in a bitter feud for decades. But despite the animosity between Sarah McDowell and Mary Sutton, Noelle planned to elope with Thom. Until he jilted her.

This Christmas Noelle McDowell is home to celebrate the holidays with her family. (After all, December 25 is also her birthday.) Unfortunately, Noelle's feelings about home -- or rather, her hometown of Rose, Oregon -- were changed forever the day Thomas Sutton broke her heart.

This Christmas the feuding mothers find themselves working together to fill Christmas baskets for charity. What irony! And what an opportunity for reconciliation . . . if only they could see it.

This Christmas Noelle and Thom discover they're still in love. Regardless of their mothers' reactions, they want to be together. Is that possible? Can old rivalries be set aside? Will Sarah's Christmas daughter have a second chance with Mary's charming son?

Maybe she will . . . this Christmas!

My Thoughts: Well, if you haven’t read a Debbie Macomber Christmas story, don’t start with this one. I was disappointed with this story. There are two conflicts to the story ~ essentially Thom and Noelle were supposed to elope. She thinks he stood her up. He thinks she stood her up. He thought the time they were supposed to meet was 3pm. She thought it was 8pm. Guess what ~ it was a misunderstanding. So, they haven’t spoken in 10 years. They figure out it’s a misunderstanding and the 10 years are erased with a snap of the finger. Suddenly, it’s “I’ve always loved you.” And “I’ve always loved you.” “Marry me.” “I want your babies.”………Um ~ where’s the conflict? Where’s the story? Seemed to be taken care of and wrapped in a pretty red bow way too soon.

Then there’s their mothers. They used to be best friends. Sarah (Noelle’s mother) borrowed a tea set from Mary (Thom’s mother). The tea set was stolen. So, they haven’t spoken in over 10 years. They get thrown together to make Christmas baskets for the Salvation Army. Yes, a few funny things happened when these two got together. But, one night Mary’s car breaks down ~ Sarah goes to help her. Sarah’s car breaks down. Conveniently, there is a flask of scotch in the trunk. They drink, they get drunk, they confess they miss each other and “Let’s be best friends again”. Okay …….. huh? Again, conflict solved way too soon and wrapped up in a pretty red bow.

This story was somewhere between Okay and Disappointing. Debbie Macomber writes much better stories than this one ~ although the idea of the story was cute, the story fell flat. The conclusion was rushed and the conflict solved way too quickly.

Labels: Debbie Macomber, Holiday Romance, Okay

Just Finished:



Recommended by: I found it in my TBR closet.

From the Back Cover (courtesy of bn.com): Debbie Macomber tells the story of a remarkable friendship -- and tells it in a remarkable way. Between Friends is a story in which every woman will recognize herself . . . and her best friend.

The friendship between Jillian Lawton and Lesley Adamski begins in the postwar era of the 1950s. As they grow up, their circumstances, their choices -- and their mistakes -- take them in virtually opposite directions. Lesley gets pregnant and marries young, living a cramped life defined by the demands of small children, not enough money, an unfaithful husband. Jillian lives those years on a college campus shaken by the Vietnam War and then as an idealistic young lawyer in New York City.

Over the years and across the miles, through marriage, children, divorce and widowhood, Jillian and Lesley remain close, sharing every grief and every joy. There are no secrets between friends . . .

What I Liked:I liked the style of this book. The story is told through journal entries, newspaper clippings, letters, memos, and emails through the course of 50 years. I’ve never read a Macomber story written in this style before, and it was a nice change.

I love the emotions of this story. It’s been a time since I’ve cried over a book. But, this book is just so emotionally charged ~ there were quite a few times, I just couldn’t help it. Macomber’s stories are usually pretty heart-felt, but wow.

I also liked the inclusion of major historical events in the book. Everything from Civil Rights, JFK, presidential elections, etc., etc., were included. It made me connect with the main characters even more.

What I Didn’t Like: Ok, I know I’m from a different era than the main characters in this book ~ but I completely did not like the relationship between Lesley and her husband, Buck. If someone treated me the way he treated her ~ I’d be gone. And I’d damned sure would have never married him. So I have to wonder, in this particular situation, is she strong…or is she spineless?

Another small thing, is I would have liked to have seen the relationships that the women built in the 90's explored more. It seemed like the last 50 pages or so, Ms. Macomber was in a rush to finish the book. Journal entries, etc., skipped large amounts of time, so I almost felt like I was cheated out of knowing something.

Verdict: Despite the small things I didn't like, I loved this book and would rate it as Excellent.

Question: Romances play a back burner to the friendship that was shared between these two women. So, that got me to wondering. Do you have a best friend, and if so how did you meet him or her? Is your best friend also your longest friendship, or have you been blessed enough to meet others who’ve touched your life along the way?

Up Next:

Labels: Debbie Macomber, Excellent, Fiction