Book Review: Christmas Charms
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Teri Wilson
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Hallmark Publishing
Publish Date: October 6, 2020
Format: eBook
★★★★★
This book is perfect for those that like: Second Chance Romances, Firefighters Who Wear Cable Knit Sweaters, and Christmas Magic.
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Unexplainable Events, Bosses Who Don’t Understand How Blizzards Work, or Ex-Boyfriends With Terrible Timing.
Purchase: Bookshop / Barnes & Noble / Amazon
From Goodreads: She never dreamed her holiday would include her hometown, a dog, or a firefighter.
But a mysterious charm bracelet predicted it all…
Ashley’s supposed to be having the Christmas of her dreams. After four years of working at an upscale jewelry store in Manhattan, she’s finally going to get a little velvet box of her own―from her boyfriend Jeremy, who’s taking her on a romantic trip to Paris. What could go wrong?
Well, everything.
Ashley heads home to Owl Lake instead, falling asleep on the train ride there…and waking up with a beautiful antique charm bracelet on her wrist. Soon, she realizes that each silver charm predicts an event that happens in real life. What does this mean for her and Jeremy…or her and Aidan, her former high school boyfriend, who’s now a local firefighter? Is there still a chance that she could have the perfect Christmas?
As I sat down to write this review, I kinda went blank. This shouldn’t be hard because I truly loved it, soooo...what was the deal? I made my usual lists of what I loved, liked, and what didn’t work for me and still...nothing. And then I realized it’s because I can’t talk about this story like I normally do, you know, in terms of pacing (even though it was terrific) or the character arcs (even though I identified with Ashley on such a personal level), or all of the other typical ways we break down these books we read.
I didn’t want to talk about it that way because it felt like I was dissecting it and I just wanted to hold on to the feelings that reading this book brought to me. So, let me tell you about that...
Let me tell you about how much I smiled and nodded my head along with the introductory descriptions of being in New York City during the holidays. How I side-eyed along with the woman who judged Ashley’s boyfriend at the pizza place when he revealed his feelings on marriage. The DELIGHT I felt when I realized that there was going to be a bit of Christmas Magic involved. How I laughed the moment Fruitcake was named. The GASP I let out at Aiden’s whispered confession in the movie theater. The times I wanted to throw my iPad when Ashley and Aiden were JUST ABOUT TO KISS AND DIDN’T. How I legit LOL’d when Ashley’s Dad said, “Look, honey….it’s Jeremy.” And let me tell you about the time I straight up cried when Ashley realizes how empty her life has been while searching for the Perfect Life because it was such a parallel to my own.
Y’all, I just LOVED this story. It was a delight from beginning to end. I even ignored that this was another Second Chance Romance, which for someone that claims NOT to prefer Second Chance Romances, I sure do read a lot of them, lol. Maybe I’m becoming a fan?I mean, if anyone could turn me into a fan of this trope it would be Teri Wilson. She’s a master at creating tension beyond the typical awkwardness of running into an old flame. She layers their newfound attraction with their unresolved past and gives it just the right amount of angst. ::DREAMY SIGH::
So, if you’re looking for a way to kick off your holiday reading season, this is a perfect choice. Read it with fuzzy socks on, wrapped in something cozy, and with a cup of something warm. And with a pillow nearby in case you want to throw your book when they ALMOST kiss, lol.