An awkward beginning... Caitlyn's Christmas Wish by Laura L. Walker (Review)

Caitlyn's Christmas Wish
by Laura L. Walker
Christian Contemporary Romance, Christmas
ebook, 123 Pages
November 15th 2016

Summary

Just when former model and single mother Caitlyn Drevier Reel has finally put her life on track after a divorce and six-month stint in rehab, she is surprised to receive an invitation from her ex-in-laws to spend Christmas with the family. After all, she reasons, her ex-husband Grant is constantly on the road with his band and it's only fair to allow them to get to know her young son, Brody. What Caitlyn isn't prepared for, however, is the spark of attraction she feels toward Ridge, Grant's older brother, or the sense of belonging to their wonderful family once again. Ridge, who is recovering from his own personal heartache, seems to feel the same about her. As they work together to ensure the success of the Winter Festival his parents have organized for their small Wyoming town, Caitlyn begins to envision a bright future. But will Grant's unexpected arrival keep her Christmas wish from coming true? This inspirational novella will have you grabbing a cup of hot cocoa as you get in the holiday mood.

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My Review

CAITLYN'S CHRISTMAS WISH was a cute story full of promise and Christmas cheer. There was an interesting premise with some awkwardness between two brothers and an ex-wife. There was also some drama and sweet romance. Overall, a short and light read.

I'm split on my feelings about this book, so I'm going to list out my likes and dislikes. Let's start with...

LIKES:
- I liked the characters. Caitlyn is trying to let her son's paternal grandparents and their family spend Christmas with him. She feels very grateful for the support they gave her during a tough time in her life, so there's an emotional connection there. She's a single mom who adores her son. Ridge is solid. He's Caitlyn's ex-husband's older brother, which complicates things. I felt like Ridge was the most authentic of the characters and I just really liked that he seems to have his life going in the right direction and his priorities where they should be. I also have to mention that I really like Ridge's sister who brings quite a bit to the story.
- The romance was sweet and I love how Ridge loves Brody and just jumps right in with him.
- There were some sweet moments between family members, between Brody and Caitlyn, and between Caitlyn and Ridge.
- I really liked the message from the caroling and nativity part of the book.
- The ending was really sweet.

DISLIKES:
- I had a really tough time buying the almost instant-love between Caitlyn and Ridge. It just felt forced. I think if they had had a strong previous friendship or romance or had been talking again or something before Caitlyn comes, it would have felt more natural, but I just didn't feel a base for their romance, especially to have it move so fast. Or maybe if it was slower moving I could have bought it.
- Because I didn't really buy into the romance, I didn't really feel a whole lot of chemistry between the characters.
- I really didn't like Grant or how Caitlyn somehow believes him or trusts him out of the blue. I also didn't buy Grant's whole spiel or his change of heart.
- I didn't like how much power Caitlyn gives the family when they're her ex-husband's family. It just felt kind of weird since they were married for such a short time period of time. I had to remind myself that they did help her out when she was pregnant, so they had that connection, but it still felt off to me.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This is the third book I've read from this author. I really enjoyed her last one and this one had such promise, but fell a little flat for me.

Content: Clean

Source: Received a complimentary copy from the author, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

Do you like reading Christmas-themed books? Have any favorites?

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