Published : 24 October 2013
Publisher : Sphere (Little Brown UK)
Pages : 482
Price : RRP £7.99 Amazon Price £3.80
Author : Carole Matthews
Reviewer Rating : 10/10
Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.
Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children, so he enlists Cassie's help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her loving partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients.
When millionaire Carter asks Cassie to join his family on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn't go...Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.
If you are looking for a festive read - look no further. Calling Mrs Christmas has the capacity to become a firm festive favourite. From page one of this festive gripping novel you are drawn into the life of Cassie who very quickly becomes known as Cassie Christmas by Carter who demands an awful lot in a very captivating way. Cassie's love of family and that for her partner Jim is evident from the start where she begins working out a plan to get out the mess she and Jim are in financially and internally. You can't help but feel as though Cassie becomes a friend to you as you are allowed into the deepest depths of her heart and soul throughout all 482 pages. You feel her excitement, her determination, her love, her anguish and her pain as she most definitely captivates you on the romantic and emotional rollercoaster ride that is her life.
Alongside Cassie's gripping and heart-rendering journey, you also get a eye-opening insight into the life of her partner Jim who works as a prison officer. Jim has an emotionally charged job that you are gently eased into throughout the book that causes you to meet two young offenders who certainly have the capacity to warm your heart this Christmas and perhaps even alter your outlook - I know I have certainly felt stirrings of warmth, compassion and understanding for two fictional young boys who happen to be young offenders.
Carole Matthews has weaved Christmas magic full of Christmas spirit in this book that has that festive miracle of change, appreciation, compassion and love that could be likened to Charles Dicken's masterpiece that changed the Spirit of Scrooge in the splendid "A Christmas Carol"
I for one have been warmly touched by this story, so much so that it pulled me out of my own Scrooge and Grinch moments and had me on the edge of my seat eager to bring Christmas to my home - but I just had to keep reading! - I am so glad that I did because the twist in the story and the challenges the characters face had me up until all hours eager to find out what happened next, and the decisions the characters made.
I dearly hope that Carole is re-visited by Cassie at some point because I feel that her story is far from over and I for one am already praying for a Christmas Miracle for 2014 - in the guise of a sequel to Calling Mrs Christmas!
Carole Matthews is the Sunday Times Bestselling author of twenty-four novels, including the Top Ten Bestseller A Cottage by the Sea. She is published in more than thirty countries and her books have even sold to Hollywood. In 2013 Carole was shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan award for fiction about Life and Love.
For all the latest news from Carole, visit www.CaroleMatthews.com and follow her on Twitter and connect with her along with thousands of fans via Facebook.
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