Book Review: Engaging Father Christmas

Gunn, Robin Jones. 2008. Engaging Father Christmas.

Engaging Father Christmas is the sequel to Finding Father Christmas. Both are holiday novellas set in England. I've not read the first one; however, my mother has read it and adored it. Can the second one stand alone? Yes and no. I think it could stand alone. I read it without having read the first one in the series. And I was able to get enjoyment from the reading of it. But there were just a few teeny tiny things that I got confused about. Questions that would have been answered--I suppose technically questions that would never have been asked--if I'd read the first book.

Engaging Father Christmas is a romance. Miranda Carson is in love (with Ian) and visiting her family (and his family) for the Christmas season. Their relationship is strong, and she knows that he is going to proposing...it's just a matter of when and how. Miranda's life hasn't been easy--she never knew who her father was, her mother was an actress. This holiday season could be a lonely one for her--both her parents being dead-but she has sought refuge with her father's family. (In Finding Father Christmas, she set out to discover just WHO her father was. She learned who he was--a married man, a rather famous man too--but she discovered it too late to have met him. He was already dead. She did find her father's wife and her half-brother and his family.)

The novella was cute enough I suppose. And I imagine I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the first book before reading this one.

Also, I think it comes down to a matter of taste. My mom just loves, loves, loves to read holiday novellas--little short books with pretty covers. In fact, she'll read them in July. She was SO excited that I was getting a chance to review this one. So for the right person in your live--this one will be a great addition.