This year, Christmas isn’t going to plan … and that might be the best gift of all.
Mabel has no intention of celebrating Christmas. Living alone in her beautiful old house in the woods, she’s happier keeping the world at a distance.
Brooke has planned every detail of a magical family Christmas at her parents’ house. But when a fierce snowstorm forces her, her husband and their two daughters to take shelter in Mabel’s home, all her careful plans are turned upside down.
Also stranded are Izzy and Jason, two colleagues with unfinished business and undeniable chemistry. Izzy is hiding a lonely heart behind a bright smile. And Jason may be the one man capable of breaking through her walls.
Suddenly, Mabel finds herself hosting the last thing she wanted: a full house for Christmas. Then the chaos, laughter and warmth begin to work their quiet magic. As the snow falls and the fire crackles, this snowbound group discover that family can be found in the most surprising places.
Because sometimes the Christmas you never planned is the one that changes everything …
Review: The annual Christmas book from Sarah Morgan is always one of my favourites. Her books always centre on strong female characters coping with whatever challenges they are presented with and are set in a variety of interesting locations, this one in New England. In my opinion, Christmas stories are best with snow, and this one had plenty of that.
This story features three women, Mabel, Brooke and Izzy. Mabel is an elderly widow living alone in a large, impressive, but isolated, house in the woods. She has not celebrated Christmas since her husband died, and does not intend to do so this year. Brooke is travelling with her husband and two young daughters from their home in the UK to spend Christmas at her parents’ house near to Mabel’s. She is stressed about the reception they are going to get, from her mother in particular. Izzy is on the road with colleague Jason heading back to Boston after staging a house their company is selling. Despite the obvious attraction between the pair, she is scared of opening her heart to him for fear of being hurt. They are all brought together by one of the worst storms in years which has brought heavy snow and treacherous driving conditions. When the others become stranded, they all take shelter in Mabel’s house and realise that they may well be spending Christmas there. At first alarmed by this influx of strangers, Mabel begins to warm to them all and to the situation. In fact, all the adults realise that they have the opportunity to turn this from the worst Christmas to the best one ever. As they enjoy decorating the house and cooking some festive treats, they all have time to think about their lives and consider their next steps.
This was a truly heartwarming story of strangers meeting in difficult circumstances and becoming almost a family in a very short time. I loved the characters that the author has created, all of them kind towards each other and all brave enough to confront the difficulties in their lives. I thought Mabel was amazing, inviting these people into her life when she had planned to quietly remember Christmases past, but then she gained such a lot from their visit, almost as if something inside her had woken from a long sleep. It was rewarding also to watch Brooke turn from a stressed mum to someone ready to confront her fears and Izzy take a big step towards opening up to others. The two adorable little girls were instrumental in bringing the adults together, with their endless curiosity and ideas for having fun. It seems that the unexpected Christmas could be much better than one well planned in advance. So immersed was I in the book and the situation the characters found themselves in, that I almost expected to see snow outside when I looked up from reading. I think this cosy and fun festive book would make a perfect addition to a Christmas stocking, for yourself or others.
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