REVIEW: Holly’s Christmas Kiss by Alison May
B- ReviewsChristmas / Contemporary / holiday novella / novella / Scotland5 Comments
Holly Michelle Jolly hates Christmas and she has a good reason to. Apart from her ridiculously festive name which made her the brunt of jokes at school, tragic and unfortunate events have a habit of happening to her around the holiday season. And this year is no different.
After the flight to her once-in-a-lifetime holiday destination is cancelled, Michelle faces the prospect of a cold and lonely Christmas. That is, until she meets Sean Munro. Sean loves Christmas, and he wants to share the magic with Michelle.
With Sean’s help, can Michelle experience her first happy Christmas, or will their meeting just result in another year of memories that she’d rather forget?
Dear Ms. May,
While waiting for your newest holiday novella to be released this year, I thought I’d go back and check out last years. I used to have a friend who hated Christmas too so I know kind of what Sean is up against in his effort to get Holly, or Michelle as she prefers to be called, back in the festive spirit.
From the start, it’s easy to see that Sean is an easy going guy, ready to party if that’s possible but also the kind of man who likes to take care of people. He’s the decent sort who will wait out a snowed in airport with you before offering a bed and meal once it’s obvious no flights are going out.
That scene made me think of a grocery shopping trip last December. There I was in the frozen food section when the store Muzak system starts playing a song about being stuck in an airport over Christmas. As I debated which kind of ice cream to buy I wondered, what’s next? a holiday song about regifting?
Michelle takes care of people too but she’s more the prickly sort who’s all about control. Given her – eventually revealed – past it’s understandable that she dislikes the Christmas season but Sean’s a sweetheart to keep digging to get past her thorns and sharp bits. More than once he wonders why he’s continuing to pursue this woman and I have to say I agreed with him.
The Munro family clan are a blast and the piles of people on top of each other – Sean’s non-stop talking mother and taciturn father are my favorites – remind me of my own holiday massive family get togethers.
I was sorry to see a slight misunderstanding rear its head in the end but Sean, who is the bomb, soon gets it sorted and finally he and Michelle – maybe she’ll agree to go by Holly for future holidays – are set to enjoy Hogmanay. Now I just need to find out what gluhwein is. B-
~Jayne
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My sister has always been the queen of gluhwein and she is quite excited this year to have found the perfect red wine blend! Yeah, it’s the little things that make us happy.
maybe she’ll agree to go by Holly for future holidays
uggh. I dearly hope this isn’t even hinted at in the actual book.
I ditched my first name to go by my middle name as soon as I could, and that was just simple dislike; I can’t imagine being stuck with anything as sadistic as “Holly Jolly” as a moniker.
I get really fed up with people who insist on ferreting out what they call my “real” name. No, my REAL name is the identity I chose for myself, not the twee nomenclature that was foisted upon me.
Sorry, hot button issue there.
Nothing much to do with the book, but I do actually know someone named Holly Jolley. She acquired the last name through marriage so at least it wasn’t her parents naming her that.
Thanks for the review Jayne. Gluhwein is awesome – imagine red wine, mixed with cough syrup and heated up :) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/gluhwein_2495
As for Michelle/Holly’s name, it’s a tricky one. One of my best friends is called Holly (not Holly Jolly fortunately) and she very kindly shared some of the more memorable seasonal Holly-teasing from her youth… Prickly Holly, All the boys like a bit of Holly at Christmas etc. etc.
I think everyone has the right to change their name if they choose, but equally to change it back if their circumstances or view of themselves changes too… Whether that happens to Michelle, I’m not going to give away!
Sold!