The Christmas House by Victoria James
Publication Date: September 7th 2021
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 50 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 lighthearted Christmas tale draws inspiration from Victoria James’ own historical fixer-upper, offering plenty of warmth and holiday cheer.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and options are my own.
This is the second book I’m reading by this author and it didn’t disappoint. This is a feel good read, with quite a bit of family drama. It’s not your typical Christmas romance read but well worth the read. I really loved when it jumped back and forth between the present with our main character and in the past with her grandmother. It gave great context and a deeper understanding of their family dynamic. Though I thought some parts dragged on a bit, overall, it was a great read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
About the Author:
I always knew I wanted to be a writer and in grade five, I penned my first story, bound it (with staples) and a cardboard cover and did all the illustrations myself (if you’ve ever seen my drawings you’ll know how horrible they must have been. I still draw stick figures). Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.
In high school I fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, I married my own hero, pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened my own business.
After the birth of our first child, I knew it was time to fulfill the dream of writing romantic fiction. I’m a hopeless romantic who is living my dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for my characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but I’m quite content living in suburbia with my husband, our two young children, and very bad cat.
Sara Reads Romance 