Dec 26 2006
REVIEW: Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
Dear Ms. Andrews,
Whenever I read that a book is set in the American South, I get excited and tense at the same time. Will the author make it feel right for this Southern girl or go with stereotyped characters, complete with double first names, who make me cringe? You got it right, girlfriend and I breezed right through this Christmas themed novella in no time.
Wezzie Foley was born and raised to be a lady in Savannah, GA but right now she’s muttering a few curse words as she tries to finish the Christmas decorations for her antiques store. She’s determined to beat the trendy shop across the square owned by the gay couple but when she’s finished glue-gunning the Williamsburg-esque fruit and foliage, it just doesn’t do it. Inspiration stikes in the form of a blue Christmas tree pin and some old Elvis records. With her first place win Weezie is definitely in the holiday mood. Too bad her long term beau tends to get depressed over old family heartaches this time of year. She hopes a bottle of fine wine bought at an auction with her best friend Bebe plus an old timey family Christmas dinner will get him in the mood to pop the question but when the dust settles and the blood is mopped up it takes someone from Daniel’s Christmas past and Weezie’s Christmas present to set them on a course for their Christmas future.
I thoroughly enjoyed this gently funny, very Southern, lighthearted story. It packs enough poignant moments to ground it but manages to keep from being too sappy. I have to admit that even though I admire Weezie’s open hearted treatment of a certain character, I thought she was a bit nuts to leave her truck unlocked in the historic district. And I had to laugh that the first thing she checks is the family silver when she thinks her house has been broken into. Very Southern. I’ll have to check out all the other books you’ve got set in Savannah and see what else Weezie and her friends will get up to. B for “Blue Christmas.” Oh, and I almost forgot — Wezzie’s present wrapping? — I have a friend who does the same thing. All the gifts I get from her are little works of art. I almost hate to open the suckers and ruin the wrapping except that I know she’ll have given me the perfect gift.
~Jayne
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Dec 29, 2006 @ 09:02:24
I liked Savannah Blues (the first book featuring Weezie) but didn’t like Savannah Breeze (a book devoted to Bebe). Weezie is my kind of Southern gal — the modern-day Scarlett without all that bitchiness. Weezie rises above the troubles that plague her in Savannah Blues, and she’s a very likeable character. Bebe, in my opinion, should have known better (in Savannah Breeze). She might be TSTL as a main character.
Jan 02, 2007 @ 09:56:11
Ohhh. That is so sweet, Miss Jayne! And a wonderful comment from a Southern Belle whose house is filled to the brim with wonderful, tasteful “stuff”.
To the author: Weezie needs to use wire to put the fruit on the garlands and wreaths. Hot glue won’t really work here. You buy the fruit at clearance sales during the year and when it’s time to hang it, twist together two or three “fake” garlands (a single one isn’t full enough) and stick those “U” shaped wreath pins into the fruit and wire the fruit to the garland. If you do it tight enough, you can store it and it’s already done for next year.
After this, I’ll just have to read the book! I’ve never bought an e-book before, so maybe this is a good introduction—a character who likes my kind of stuff!
Book Club Party Ideas and Recipes for Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews | ButteryBooks.com
Mar 31, 2011 @ 21:42:07
[...] “I thoroughly enjoyed this gently funny, very Southern, lighthearted story. It packs enough poignant moments to ground it but manages to keep from being too sappy.” –Â Dearauthor.com [...]