Coming Home for Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne
Well, it’s been a minute since I had a chance to sit down and read anything. Over the holidays, I had to stop myself from working to take some time to spend time with the kiddos and otherwise unwind from the daily grind.
What prompted me to finally do so was my kids. On my Christmas wish list, I asked for a romance novel, and like the dear-hearted pumpkins they are, they actually bought me one.
My expectations were low, of course.
Picking out a book for someone you know, even if you think you know their tastes, is difficult for an adult—but a kid for their mom?
Yeah, I didn’t know what I’d be unwrapping. As suspected, they had no idea what they were picking out lol. They just saw a Christmas book and thought that would work fine.
But I have to say how surprised and impressed I was by what they picked out. This novel was a refreshing deviation from the traditional romance novels I’m used to reading—generic characters, predictable endings. Not to say that I didn’t see the end coming, but boy, did the journey from the beginning to the end take me on some emotional detours.
The characters in this book had depth. I started off judging the ingenue and her situation, but as the layers of story unraveled, I found myself more compassionate and empathetic towards her plight. Her husband was an extraordinary man—one that I wouldn’t mind meeting in this life. Not some playboy or hardnose transformed into a committed partner; no, he was an open-hearted, dedicated man from day one. And the kids? They had developed personalities, as did the people around them.
Really well developed from a technical standpoint, and engaging from a reader’s.
Then there was the plotline itself, which kept you trying to figure out the real story, but I didn’t expect the twists and turns. It was pleasantly, yet lightly, suspenseful in that aspect, and the reveal was rewarding and heart-wrenching.
This novel had so much more than a typical romance did; I absolutely loved the added layer of mystery and the challenges endured by an already established couple and not one who just met and fell in love. It was a different kind of journey to read, and I loved every minute of it.
For anyone looking for that sweet story but with more depth, I’d highly recommend checking this book out. I should have my kids pick out my books more often!
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