Review by Darcie Czajkowski
Christmas is a time for the family to gather around a decorated
tree, sing festive carols, and savor the magic of the season. But in the Quinn
family, this year’s festivities don’t seem quite so idyllic.
Kelley Quinn, the leader of the clan and owner of Nantucket’s
Winter Street Inn, learns that his wife, Mitzi, has been having a
Christmas-time affair with the Inn’s Santa Claus. Stunned and confused, Kelley
is counting on his children’s presence to get him through not only the Inn’s
annual Christmas party but also through the holiday itself. The only problem is
that each of his children can’t deliver for his or her own reason.
Kelley’s firstborn, Patrick, is the golden child. Everything in Patrick’s
life has always gone according to plan and he has secured himself a lucrative
position as a hedge fund manager. But crushing news that he’s being investigated
by the SEC on suspicion of insider trader uproots his Christmas plans. Consequently,
his wife, Jennifer, can’t stand the sight of him and takes their sons to visit
her family for Christmas, leaving Patrick alone to think about his wayward
choices.
Kevin is Kelley’s second son. Kevin has worked at a Nantucket bar
ever since his good-for-nothing wife, Norah, took all of his money and left him
with nothing but a divorce. Kevin swore off women after her, but that promise might
be hard to uphold after learning that his secret girlfriend and the housekeeper
at the Inn, Isabelle, is pregnant with his child. Sure, he’s in love with Isabelle,
but should he propose even though the thought of a Norah-repeat terrifies him?
Kelley’s only girl is Ava. She loves her job teaching music at
Nantucket’s elementary school and has found the perfect man in Nathanial Oscar.
Well, maybe he’s not the perfect man because if he were, wouldn’t he have
proposed a while ago? And why is he going home for Christmas where his
recently-divorced ex-girlfriend will be front and center in his holiday plans? Should
she instead be looking at the assistant principal, Scott, who has made his
crush on Ava perfectly well-know?
Finally, there is Bart. Bart is Kelley’s youngest child, the only
child Kelley has with Mitzi. Bart was a notorious screw-up with a proclivity
for shirking responsibility and crashing cars without much remorse. This is
Mitzi’s fault; she never did like rules. But Bart’s decision to join the
Marines leaves the entire family in a constant state of worry, wondering when they will hear from Bart, because not hearing from him is not an option.
Then there is Margaret Quinn, nationally-known TV anchor and
Kelley’s first wife. When they divorced, the kids moved to Nantucket with
Kelley so they would grow up with at least one parent instead of a nanny. There
is no doubt that Margaret loves her children, but her responsibilities at the
station and her single-minded focus on her job meant that she hasn’t had a
memorable Christmas with her family since Ava was a young girl.
All of these issues collide on December 25, bringing everyone
together for the holidays.
Fans of Elin
Hilderbrand will love this story as her trademark straightforward writing and
realistic plotlines draw readers in. The characters are well-developed for the
short length of this holiday read and present with relatable problems. The
story reminds the reader that no matter what happens in one’s life, one can
always go home. Problems don’t magically disappear around the holidays, but binding
together with one’s loved ones can help to get through it. Hilderbrand delivers
an enjoyable read, sure to warm your heart and remind you that family is
forever in this upcoming holiday season.
Purchase the
book at:
About the Author:
Elin
Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children.
She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before
settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels.
Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction
workshop at the University of Iowa.
Connect
with the author at:
