To Santa With Love by Janet Dailey
Contemporary
October 1, 2011
Paperback
Zebra

Reviewed by May

This is a story about a young woman (just over 21) named Jacquie. She is very beautiful and she knows it, just like she knows she needs to quit going to college even if her father is very upset that she’s quitting on the education he’s paying for. Although she has no idea what she wants from life she takes off armed with a debit card (thanks daddy!) and heads west to experience life in Los Angeles. Only problem is, she causes an accident in Tombstone, AZ and has to wait for her car to be repaired.

The man she ran into is Choya Barnett – a 33 year old with eyes like a mountain lion who is a rancher and widowed father. He warns her away from his son who takes an instant liking to the girl and is known to form strong attachments. Ah but Jacquie looses her wallet and can’t pay her bills – not only that but when she calls home her father refuses her collect call leaving her well and truly stranded. Choya  feels it’s up to him to help her and so he hires her as a live-in housekeeper.

While I don’t like to spoil books, I feel the need to tell you potential readers that not only is there a total lack of holiday spirit in this book, but the romance was completely lacking as well. This couple (on page or off) never seems to consummate their relationship, nor are we given a great courtship. Their entire relationship seems to be Choya seeing if Jacquie will stick around and be his ranch wife, or if she’s going to run off (like she should) to find what she really wants from life. That’s right – not only are these two circling each other chastity belts firmly in place, but they are also not kind to each other, have nothing in common, and do nothing together.  I really dislike books where I’m told that characters love each other but I see no proof, there is no warm or fuzzies. If these were real people I would bet that they break up within the year.

For the entire book this heroine acts like a little girl. Spoiled, having never held a job, money coming from either her daddy or now her sort-of boyfriend/boss Choya, she has never been on her own. Not just that, but she has no life experience nor does she have any clue what she wants from life. Let’s not even get into the fact that going to live with a total stranger is something she doesn’t hesitate to do. After all – she needs a man to take care of her! Her sense of entitlement is baffling, gross, and I was truly horrified. Here she’s talking to Choya about her college plans:

     “I told him I intend to keep up on the course reading and switch majors,” she huffed. “I’m surprised he didn’t take me aside when he was done with you to give me the usual lecture on my grade-point average and career potential. He doesn’t know when to let up.”

Choya answered in a level voice. “He paid every penny of your tuition and expenses for, what, two years? Two and a half? Give him credit for that.”

“It doesn’t give him the right to control my life,” she said heatedly. “Anyway, I’m going to apply for financial aid and scholarships when I transfer.” She didn’t want to be dependent on Choya either.

This made me laugh. She becomes dependent financially and emotionally on Choya immediately! Who does this character think she’s fooling? I can handle a weak heroine if she grows, learns, or otherwise redeems herself in a book. However in this case the girl firmly remaind just that, a GIRL. With no real idea what she wants from life or how to take care of herself I was horrified repeatedly that this would be a character featured in a romance book written recently.

When faced with potential of having to work for her tuition money she immediately dismisses it in favor of financial aid. Really? She can’t possibly work? Not just that, but at one point when thinking about living with Choya again (She’d run home to her parents for a bit…) she demands he get her a car of her own that can handle the terrain.

“She didn’t feel in the least bit guilty about asking for her own wheels”

I’m sorry, what?! Jacquie is so over the top I’ve really not spent time on the male lead. Well it’s short: Choya is a completely boring male lead in this book. He’s got no personality, he’s cranky and demanding, and honestly I felt like if he loves this girl it’s because she’s weak, young, hot, and easily manipulated. That sounds healthy, doesn’t it? He hires Jacquie because it’s the right thing but immediately reveals that he just wants her and wants to see if she’ll last doing housework stuff around his house. I felt like he was auditioning a housewife, and I believe Jacquie sees herself as more of a trophy wife type. Just see how she was reacting on her first day on the job:

If my friends could see me now, she thought, shaking her head. Jacquie was rather glad they couldn’t. Armed with a few rags and other cleaning supplies she tossed into a plastic bucket, she headed for the main rooms of the house.

Yes, apparently her friends would look down on her for actually working for a living? Although, she really did very little for Choya’s family. I burst out laughing when she went to shop for him for Christmas and she had to check and see if her daddy had put more money in her account so that she could buy him an expensive gift.

The grandpa and the son, not to mention some of the characters from the town were pretty likeable though – I wish we’d had more with them. The few scenes I did like featured the supporting characters, and with such a unique setting out in the desert mountains this really could have been something. Sadly there were far too many holes in this plot, too much that was beyond unlikeable, and just nothing I can say about this book to recommend it unless you are looking for a young weak girl with older man relationship. I have enjoyed this author in the past for a sweet holiday romance, unfortunately this book did not deliver on any level.

Grade: D-

*Edited to add: We just discovered this book is a reissue of, The Master Fiddler from 1977.

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