Home for the Holidays

Rating:
Summary: A Light, Fun Read
Review: Compared to Ms. Lindsey's other works, I can see where this one is receiveing its poor votes. However, I understood that this story is a short story, more like a novella than a novel, perhaps something the other readers might have missed. True, this book is marketed as a novel, and even has a deceptively large page count, however, upon opening the book, you'll notice the large double spaced print and blank Chapter pages. While this might seem like an unfair marketing ploy, I do not fault Ms. Lindsey for this. Otherwise, if this story were printed in the same type face as her other novels, I doubt this one would exceed more than 200 to 250 pages.

Having written and read many short stories myself, I can identify with this story well and understand where the author was going. You don't have "time" to outline an intricate plot and character development must be swift to get to the meat of the story.

The characters are great, however as a writer, I immediately saw one thing I would have done differently in this story. Larissa had a HUGE heart, and always felt tears spring up at the stories of Vincent's hardships as a child and the fact that he never celebrated Christmas. Why, then, would this sensitive woman *not* get him a Christmas present? I realize they had a falling out on Christmas Eve, but I thought that would have been one more great way to show how good she was and how horrible he would have felt at the knowledge that she had made/bought him a gift.

Other than that one little peeve of mine, this book was worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading
Review: I can understand the reviews for Home for the Holidays is either a book you like or you don't. It's somewhat dark, but ends happily so. Reminds me of a scrooge tale.

Rating:
Summary: Sensual and Fascinating
Review: Our hero Vincent and heroine Larissa are very passionate people who find themselves torn between the incredible attraction they feel for each other and the strong reasons why they should rather hate one another. Home For The Holidays is a very sensual and fascinating story of how these well drawn characters learn to look beyond prejudices and into the value of another human being. This is a highly entertaining read which I highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Very Good But Too Short
Review: This is the first book I have read from Johanna Lindsey but it won't be the last I'm sure. I truly enjoyed it from cover to cover. Historical Christmas novels are one of my favorite reads and this fit the bill completely. I bought it as my Christmas treat to myself and planned to tuck it away to read closer to the holiday. However, I lost my willpower and picked it up and couldn't put it down. That's my only complaint! I finished it in two nights with weeks to go till Christmas! I guess I'll just have to read it again! Johanna, perhaps next year you could do a book with several historical Christmas stories in it P.S.-the cover is beautiful.