Review: Perfect Christmassy Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 11, 2013
THE SANTA NEXT DOOR starts with the whimsical image of the hero carving a "snow devil" in his front yard, an oddity that requires scrutiny by the heroine's curious daughter. The author has a smooth, flowing style that draws the reader right in and whisks them along for a wintertime romance. Her descriptions are wonderfully vivid, creating mental movies for the imagination. Emotions in particular were intense and powerful, hitting right on target at the heart.I really liked the heroine, Sue Edmonds, and her daughter, Trudi, who is a sweet and charming child. Initially, the heroine is rather reserved, reasonably so, but her actions show her to be a dedicated and loving mother. Despite her attempts to maintain a safe distance, her daughter is a driving force in bringing the hero and heroine together. Sue does warm up quickly to the hero, sensing his unspoken pain, and shows him some much needed compassion.Bryn Thomas is a famous composer of children's music that has his own television show. He's suffered a personal loss and betrayal of trust that has left him gun shy and wary of becoming involved with anyone romantically. Despite his misgivings, he is unable to resist the charms of Sue and Trudi. He joins them for caroling and volunteers to play Santa even though it is very difficult for him.  His willingness to make a personal sacrifice for the sake of others' happiness is truly admirable and establishes him firmly in the white knight camp.The hero and heroine share wonderful charisma. Love scenes were sweet and never progress beyond kissing.  Their emotions for one another develop rather rapidly, which caught me by surprise, especially since there was a young child to consider.  I'd have liked the story to be a little longer so all aspects of trust and commitment could be thoroughly explored.The story is the essence of sweet and light, although it does contain melancholy tones, it is primarily an upbeat love story about two people falling in love during the holiday season. The concept of love granting second chances at happiness is a perfect theme for a Christmassy romance.  Readers will be delighted with the cheery Happily Ever After ending.