There is a lot of Carolyn Brown wisdom in her newest book. Many genuine characters to meet, as you find in any Carolyn Brown work of literary art. And if you are already a fan, like me, then you will recognize the effortless way these characters have with dialogue. There is a sense of familiarity with each other. That is the family atmosphere that this writer truly adores and features in so many of her stories. Her characters seem to quote directly from the author's own mind. One line immediately caught my attention and made me realize how much of Carolyn Brown is invested in all her works.
“If the character isn’t real to Ursula, then she won’t be real to the reader.“
There is an undeniable feeling that while reading PARADISE FOR CHRISTMAS you are getting a look inside the author's mind. The lead characters are published authors. Mary Jane, the mom of seven daughters, became well known for books that were a departure from her original genre and became big hits in their own right and ultimately morphed into a series. Her daughter Ursula is also published but is still in that almost-popular, famous phase of her writing career. Ursula also wants to move into writing historical romance after a recently discovered diary has caught her attention.
While nurturing the possibility of a relationship with her neighbor Remy, Ursula finds herself totally absorbed in the story of one of his ancestors. Carolyn Brown is at her best when creating two characters with enormous selflessness and yet aware of the at times inability to focus on their budding relationship. Here is where I feel as though life was truly imitating life, or actually the reverse.
Carolyn Brown so often thanks her husband and family for their unbridled support for her writing career. In PARADISE FOR CHRISTMAS you get the innate sense that this story is inspired by this aspect of her life. Joyous and revealing. Full of dialogue that could be remembrances from this very loved and prolific writer herself. Perhaps I am guilty of overanalyzing the scope of PARADISE FOR CHRISTMAS but I definitely had a vision of Carolyn Brown while reading her latest novel. Mix that with visions of the season and you wind up with a lovely heartwarming story of memorable characters past and present. Big thanks to Mr. B.
Southern sass and spirit make every Christmas bright!
The oldest of seven sisters, Ursula Simmons has followed in her mother's footsteps as a novelist. With a bad case of writer's block, she brings her notebooks and computer home to the old brothel called Paradise where they all grew up, in the hope that being home for the holidays will inspire her—and since it's Christmas, all her sisters will be there too.
The sisters take the holidays very seriously, and as soon as they've celebrated Thanksgiving, it's on to decorating for Christmas. As all pitch in to make the spirits bright, younger sister Endora is dismayed to find some of the handsome men who've come to help doing more flirting than anything else. She's determined to show her sisters that no relationship is worth the heartbreak. But it might be Ursula who reminds the family that Christmas is a magical time, and finding new love is always a gift.
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