A Seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods (Chesapeake Shores #10)
Women’s Fiction
Septempber 24, 2013
Harlequin
Reviewed by May
As the only child of a single mom, Jenny Collins wanted nothing more than to be part of a large, rambunctious family like the O’Briens. Ironically, though, when her mother married into that family, Jenny found herself feeling more like an outsider than ever.
Now, after years in Nashville as an established songwriter, Jenny’s drawn back to Chesapeake Shores to collaborate on a Christmas production, and to make peace with the past. As if that’s not challenging enough, Caleb Green, the singer who broke her heart, has followed her to town, determined to win her back.
With the help of a little O’Brien holiday magic, will Jenny and Caleb find a way to make sweet music forever?
This is only my second Sherryl Woods book, the other I read years ago and recall enjoying and so I wanted to take a chance on this novel as I love holiday books so much – and the set-up sounded unique. Though I’ve not kept up with this series, it was not difficult to jump right in and enjoy the big close-knit family. The writing swept me right into the story and I found myself drawn to these characters and this place.
The problem was, I didn’t like Jenny. While I can understand Jenny’s jealousy and (immature) feelings about her mother re-marrying, and while I felt like the author portrayed her pride and resistance to reconciliation in a realistic way, it annoyed me. Her mother loves her, always has, but because she re-married and had a child with this man Jenny runs away and doesn’t return or speak to her mother for years. In fact, she’s never met her little brother Sean because of it.
“Don’t take all your misguided, conflicted feelings out on Sean,” Bree pleaded quietly. “It’s not fair.”
“I know that,” Jenny acknowledged, flushing under the intense scrutiny. “It’s jut that I don’t know how to act around him. I don’t feel like his big sister.”
“Only because you’ve chosen to stay away,” Bree said. “You are a part of this family, Jenny. And he is your little brother. Those are facts. You need to come to terms with them.”
There is an immaturity to Jenny that annoyed me constantly, and I couldn’t ever quite get past it. Meanwhile, there is Jenny’s no good cheating and drinking star of an ex-boyfriend Caleb, who was caught cheating on Jenny and who now wants something from her. Two somethings actually, her newest song and for her to give him another chance.
I really liked that Caleb has to work for Jenny’s forgiveness, trust, and that he gets to know her family and history as well. He recognizes that he made mistakes, let alcohol ruin his life, and that he has a chance to start over again.
While I enjoyed the writing and the plot in general I felt like nothing got deep enough, interesting enough, or personal enough to really work. I felt like we were stuck in a place where we were told things, but I didn’t see or feel them for myself. From the holiday spirit to the second chance at love to the woman who is finally accepting her expanded and wonderful family – none of it came together or had a satisfying richness to it that I expected from the tone of the writing in this book. For example, we are told repeatedly that they are working on a holiday show and songs – but we don’t see the lyrics. We aren’t shown scenes from the show. We can’t feel the holiday magic from this special production we’re simply told it is special.
Overall, I would probably recommend to those who enjoy light women’s fiction (there is zero heat in this novel) or those who enjoy this series in general.
Grade: C
Recent Reviews:
This and That – C+
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