Review: A Wonderful Chrismas Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 14, 2014
This is a wonderful, feel good romance with a Christmas theme, but it is also much more.  This story delves into the issues of bullying and how bullying in school can also follow you an individual into their adult life.  The focus is two people who have experienced much heartbreak and are still struggling to overcome the obstacles in their path.Serena Novak is a beautiful, young woman who is back in town for the holidays.  Last year, she had a job she loved and was engaged to be married, but had lost both.  The first was entirely her own fault, and the second she is still trying to come to terms with.With the humiliation of her broken engagement, she went to California in the hopes of gaining a much needed perspective on the entire situation.  She has come to the realization that Jay was the one who had committed the ultimate act of betrayal so it stands that he must be the biggest scum ever.  Emily had been one of the "mean girls" in school, so her role didn't come as much of a surprise. Serena had been gone for a year now and hoped that coming home would help her face old fears and lay them to rest, but reality is usually harder than anything imagined.  Point in fact, seeing Jay and Emily with their baby strolling down the street just hours after arriving in town.  She wasn't certain she would have the courage or strength to see this through.Serena loved everything about Christmas; all the food, decorations, movies, songs, but most of all it was a season of hope.  She had lost that somewhere along the way, but was in hopes of finding it again.  She started with a customer in, her cousin, Natalie's restaurant. When he asked her to drop all the Christmas drivel she launched into a heated lecture and ended up calling him a Scrooge.  The customer is fascinated by this beautiful, energetic young woman who was very "Pollyanna" like in her ideas.  Of course, their second meeting at the library construction site only intrigued him further.Serena's former boss, Roberta Peel, wanted her back at the library to run the new programs in the recently constructed library wing.  She promised to consider the offer, but didn't see any way she could possibly accept with Emily and Claudette, her high school bullies, on the board of directors.  Dealing with those two in high school was horrible and neither appears to have changed, so she has no desire to go up against either of them again.Damien Madsen, a handsome, young man who owns and runs Madsen Viking Construction, is known as the most eligible bachelor in the area.  He has the appearance of having everything, but his heart's desire remains elusive.  Growing up in a series of boarding schools and traveling abroad as a child causes him to limit most relationships to superficial at best, except for Frank, his best friend from their years spent in the military.Everything about Serena fascinates him and he wants to spend more time with her.  When she opens up about her broken engagement and the reasons for her return, Damien issues a challenge of sorts.  He will help her face her fears and she will help him find a liking, if not love for the Christmas season.  Neither anticipates the problems that will arise from this challenge.I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone, esp. young adults and teen readers who would benefit from reading this.