Good Christmas Reads

Are you still looking for a good Christmas read or two?  Well, look no further because I have a couple of very good ones for you! 😀

I read One Enchanted Christmas last year and thoroughly enjoyed it!  So when the next book, One Enchanted Eve, came out this year, I decided to re-read the first one before diving into the second one.  I have no regrets. 😉  These books are both on my favorites list.

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– One Enchanted Christmas –

 Wow. What a pleasant surprise!
I mean, I did expect an enjoyable read — this is one of Melissa Tagg’s books, after all! 😉 — but I was still taken by surprise by how much I really enjoyed this book! If you know me well, you know that I’m not real big on Christmas books. I like them, sure, but I don’t often truly love them. Well, I think I may have to officially name this as my favorite Christmas book.
And can I just go ahead and call it quirky? Because it was. And I really like that!

I loved the writing style! I think the narrator was just what this book needed to make it better than simply “a really good read”.  I loved the characters! They were fun and likable. And quite believable, too, I think.  I loved the storyline! Like the characters, it was quite fun and even rather believable– more than I expected it to be.

I enjoyed this story and the way Melissa told it. I hope she writes more novellas like this one– I’m excited to read more! And I’m also excited to read more about the Renwycke family! (Also, did I mention I love that surname? Just a little bonus, I guess. 😉 )

UPDATE: Re-read this in 2016 and it’s just as good the second time around!

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– One Enchanted Eve –

Before I say anything else– if you haven’t read One Enchanted Christmas yet… read it first!

I have yet to read a book of Melissa’s that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. In fact, I have yet to rate one of her books lower than 5 stars. And there’s a good reason for that: her books are fabulous!! And this one is no exception. Even though it’s “only” a 134-page novella, it doesn’t feel like it. Somehow, Melissa has managed to make her novellas feel like full-length novels, and that just makes me love it even more!

I really enjoyed the ride this book took me on back to the beloved town of Maple Valley for another cold December. I enjoyed getting to hang out with the Renwycke family and their friends, getting to know Colin better… and growing to love him, as I knew I would. The fact that he dragged his rather reluctant culinary school instructor along for the adventure that turned out so different than either of them expected, of course, just made the story even better! 😉

Colin has a lot to work out with his family. I loved seeing the struggles of his relationship with Drew as both brothers wanted to be close again, but just couldn’t seem to find a way to make it happen. And when their parents came… I’ll go ahead and admit that I did tear up a few times. But I was so happy to see relationships repaired!

And Rylan… I love her too. She’s really struggling with some things regarding her family as well as some stuff from her past. And her future? Yeah, she’s struggling with that too. And don’t forget Colin! Because having him in her class is definitely not making her life any easier! 😛 The development of their relationship was something special and will definitely have you cheering for them to get together.

Overall, this is a great read that I have plans to read again (when the third book comes out next year? Please tell me there will be another one next year!). Kudos to Melissa Tagg for making her novellas just as wonderfully enjoyable as any full length novel! 🙂

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~ SOME FAVORITE QUOTES ~

 

– One Enchanted Christmas –

I know what you’re thinking: “Open invitation? What’s Colin talking about? Why didn’t you let us see that part of their date? Or, for that matter, any part of their date other than that first adorable moment?” But this is a novella, dear reader. There’s simply not time to show you everything. And thus, we skip ahead to present day…

[Narrator] Again, I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, what? Drew Renwycke? What about Colin?” No worries, reader friend. You’ll get to see Book Cover Colin again. But for now, try to settle in and give Drew a chance. I have a feeling you might like him. Now back to the story…

He’d really thought that first night when Maren showed up that maybe if his family wasn’t enough to get Colin home, she might be. Maybe that’s why he’d made such an impulsive invitation for her to stay. [Narrator] Um, no, guys. He liked her. That’s why he said she could stay. But go ahead, Drew. Tell yourself whatever you want.

– One Enchanted Eve –

“You weren’t lying. It really did snow.” Colin let out a laugh at Rylan’s gasped words. “No, I wasn’t lying. Generally if I’m going to tell a lie, I try to pick a juicier topic than the weather.”

“If I die, Colin Renwycke—” “Then I promise to give a great eulogy at your funeral.” And with that, he reached one arm behind her and gave her a solid push.