An Ivy Hill Christmas

I wanted a Christmas book to read and more or less picked this one at random off of my digital library service.

The book had many elements I hoped to like, but it ultimately it fell flat. My biggest critique is that the author did a lot more telling than showing, particularly with the feelings of the characters. No surprise, it then seemed cheesy and forced. I couldn't count how many times I rolled my eyes. Plus, it turned out to be a “Christian book.” I am Christian, so it wasn't that I disagreed with the sentiments on the whole, but it added to the cheese-factor.

On the (merry and) bright side, I enjoyed reading about English Christmas traditions of the time. Not much of the book felt strictly historically accurate, particularly the dialogue, but you could tell she had researched those traditions.

Plus, it was short, as a novella, so I still finished it in two days.

What a delightful story about a young man coming home to his family and his faith...this one has all the Christmas-story fuzzies I look for in this sort of story. We get to catch up with the characters from the three previous books and meet some enjoyable new ones, especially young Jamie, an apprentice. The setting is richly portrayed and even a little dog is part of the tale.

If you're looking for a cozy Christmas story, look no farther!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. I bought a paperback and have based the review on the finished version. A favorable review was not required.