Carrie Blake, from North Carolina, feels it's time to move
on from caring for other people's children to having a
family
of her own. This short-term job in Virginia over Christmas
and New Year will be the last. Already looking ahead, she
doesn't realise that this will be A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER.
Having lost touch with her friends every time she moved
jobs, Carrie has come to depend on self-help books - but
none of them covers working for a handsome, well-off
single
dad. The two kids seem polite and well-behaved - more than
is natural. Is Adam Fletcher a strict father, or is it
just that they would rather be with their mother, who is
abroad? They're not used to being with their father for
Christmas. Carrie will be on call twenty-four hours, so
yet again she'll have no social life. Except with Adam,
who makes her feel nervous. He's a businessman, who owns a
local brewery.
I could empathise with Carrie who seems a really genuine
person; over thirty, she's devoted herself to the job she
loves but to the exclusion of social clubs, dances and
boyfriends. Now realising that she's missing out, and has
no home of her own, she lacks confidence around successful
people while college courses don't seem to offer a better
choice of job. Watching her teaching the small kids to
play
as they help her make pancakes is fun, even for readers
who
don't like soppy bits. Adam is a self-made workaholic who
assumes that the children are better off with their
mother,
providing for them but not spending time with them. He
puts
his life on hold too. The nanny has no right to interfere,
especially when she is a very temporary employee. We know
that won't stop Carrie from trying; in the interests of
the
children, of course.
There is a lot to like in this well-written but, by turns
tense
and touching account of becoming braver and wanting
improvement. Carrie is not a conventional heroine, but she
is every woman, and she deserves more out of life just as
we all do. A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER is the first book I've
read by Jenny Hale, but it will not be the last.
A beautiful story about the magic of childhood Christmas
memories, the strength of family and falling in love when
you least expect it.
Fans of Carole Matthews, Susan Wiggs and Scarlett Bailey –
and anyone who loves the sound of Christmas songs and the
sparkle of decorations on the tree – will adore this
festive holiday treat!
Everyone loves Christmas – don’t they?
Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her
friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is
spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her
heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new
career and fix her love life.
As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going
out on a high – the house is amazing, the kids are
adorable, and she’s in charge of decorating the tree!
The only problem could be her boss… single-dad, Adam
Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s
always working. Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on
precious moments with his son and daughter?
As Adam’s family arrive for Christmas including his
sensitive sister, Sharon, and his fun-loving elderly
Grandpa, Walter, Carrie realises that she might just have
found the perfect allies in her quest to persuade Adam to
loosen up. There’s still time for Carrie to make this the
best Christmas ever… after all, Christmas is the time for
miracles, isn’t it? Let the festivities begin!