Title: The Christmas Storm
Author: Madeleine James
Genre: Holiday Beach Read
Book Blurb:
They said it would be a quiet Christmas at the beach.
When a Nor’easter sweeps into the coastal town of Tuckaway Bay on Christmas Eve, the residents and guests of Sea Glass Inn prepare to hunker down and weather the storm. But which is worse—the storm raging outside, or the one brewing inside the inn?
****
Having survived their first year of running Sea Glass Inn—and a year of marriage—Zach and Lia Allen decide to celebrate the holidays by inviting their friends back to Tuckaway Bay for the Christmas holiday weekend.
Wait. Correction.
Zach reluctantly agrees. He really wants a quiet Christmas alone with Lia.
Of course, there is plenty of room at the inn for Lia’s girlfriends—even though half of the rooms are closed down for deep cleaning and painting—but what about the children and significant others? Not to mention Zach’s friends from New Hampshire who crash the inn after the Nor’easter cancels their winter fishing expedition.
As if space is the only issue…
Is the resort large enough to handle fluctuating family dynamics, teenage angst, pregnancy hormones, and perimenopausal women? Can Sea Glass Inn, and its guests, survive the mood swings and hot flashes?
Fa-la-la-la-la. Let the reindeer games begin!
My Review:
Zach and Lia Allen have invited all their friends to spend Christmas at Tuckaway Bay. When a fierce storm batters the coast, it triggers a tsunami of emotions. Can they all weather the Christmas storm?
The Christmas Storm is a beach read set at Christmas, full of angst, emotions, tension, and family drama. Madeleine James poignantly depicts what happens at Christmas when a big storm hits New England. Once I started, I couldn’t stop reading. This is a gem of a holiday read.
Let’s talk about these characters. This is the epitome of an ensemble cast of characters. I’ve followed these women and their families since book one and they’ve become a part of me. They are fiercely loyal to their friends, sometimes even more than their own significant others and children. This is what makes these characters shine. They’re written realistically and with so much emotion, you’ll swear they’re real.
The setting is Christmastime and everyone is hunkered down due to the storm. So, chaos reigns in this forced proximity environment. This pressure explodes which makes for a compelling read.
A different sort of holiday story you’ll want to read.
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Madeleine Jaimes is the women’s fiction pen name for bestselling romance author Maddie James.
While Maddie dabbles with cowboys and small town happily-ever-afters, Madeleine explores the real-life, complicated relationships of women, their friends, and their families. Maddie also writes mainstream romantic suspense as M.L. Jameson.
Maddie James and pen names have published over 70 romance titles worldwide, and in a variety of formats (ebook, print, audiobook, and more). Affaire de Coeur says, “James shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claims, “James deftly combines romance and suspense, so hop on for an exhilarating ride.”
Learn more at www.maddiejamesbooks.com
Social Media Links:
Website http://www.maddiejames.org
Bookstore http://www.maddiejamesbooks.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MJNovelist
Reviewed by: Nancy