The Christmas House by Victoria James Book Review

 

Title: The Christmas House
Author: Victoria James
Publish Date: September 7th, 2021
Publisher: Alcove Press
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Victoria James is back with a heartwarming story about three generations of women trying to reconcile for the holidays.

It's Christmas in the small town of Silver Springs which is bursting with holiday spirit. The downtown shops boast twinkling lights, and the town square features an enormous Christmas tree. Every Christmas Eve for the past fifty years, Ruby Harris, the owner of the historic B&B, The Christmas House, has opened her doors to strangers in need, showing them the compassion once denied to her.

When Ruby invites her family home for the holidays, including her two adult grandchildren, Charlotte and Olivia, she hopes they will be able to put the past behind them. However, her plans for reconciliation implode as the women unravel secrets from the past that force them to confront the impact they've had on their dysfunctional family. As Charlotte grows closer to Wyatt, the neighbor next door and a friend from the past, old memories resurface that the women would rather forget. they're reminded of a man they want to forget.

As the clock inches closer to the New Year, can the magic of the season bring the family closer? Or will a surprise guest threaten their tentative truce and test newly formed bonds?

This light-hearted Christmas tale draws inspiration from Victoria James's own historical fixer-upper, offering plenty of warmth and holiday cheer.

Penelope's Review

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year and I am ALWAYS down for a Christmas book regardless of the time of year! So when I saw this up for grabs, I could not have been more excited! The Christmas House ended up being just as sweet and warm and full of holiday cheer as I was expecting, so I'm very happy! It's also the first book I've read by this author, and I definitely liked her writing style. I look forward to reading more of her books!

The Christmas House is a dual timeline book - we have present time focused on our main characters, Charlotte and Wyatt, and the past focused on Charlotte's grandmother Ruby. I find that dual timeline books can be hit or miss in my opinion, but I am happy to report that this one was definitely a hit! I loved learning more about Ruby and her early life, and all the obstacles she had to overcome in getting to where she is now. I also enjoyed reading about Charlotte in the present and learning about how her past shaped her into the person she is. The connection between her and Wyatt from past to present was heartwarming and made for a great storyline!

All supporting characters were written really well, and I felt like I got to know each and every one of them in their own unique way. I loved the family drama, and having everyone get together for the holidays while working through their past was such an emotional journey. 

Overall, this is a great option for a quick, fell-good read full of holiday cheer and baked goods lol :) Great pick for getting into the holiday mood!

Rating: 4/5 Devils