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My thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the DRC of “One Christmas Morning”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
This is a very angsty Christmas story. The blurb gives most of the premise away. This is a match up between A Christmas Carol and Groundhog Day but without the humor. Eva has turned into a workaholic trying to get her new shop up and running. She has ignored her husband and friends for the last three years while trying to move on from personal tragedy. There were some very timely lessons in this story. Sometimes we shut other people out when we are dealing with grief and personal struggles. I can relate to that entirely and this book highlights how essential it is to pull people closer, not push them away. The book I didn't know I needed to read - gorgeous, Christmassy and compelling” - Ella Allbright, The Last Charm The author did a good job in making this story work around that theme, but they also made sure to retain their own voice within the writing and the plot itself. I liked that it was a female protagonist's viewpoint that we got to experience.
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One Christmas Morning is the debut novel by Rachel Greenlaw. It follows the story of overworked, overwrought Eva, who is desperately trying to get her 'baby,' a luxury homewares shop, launched just after Christmas. The only problem is .. well, everything else. Because she's been working all the hours God sends, all her relationships including her marriage, are beginning to deteriorate around her. Her husband James has demanded that she take some time off over Christmas to spend away with their best friends at an old house in Cornwall Eva used to visit as a child with her grandmother. This was a really enjoyable read, almost like Groundhog day set at Christmas but with a huge twist in that instead of living the same day over and over as herself, Eva instead wakes each Christmas morning as a different character!
Eva has spent the past three years burying herself in her work, trying to forget the heartbreaking events of the Christmas that ripped her world apart. And this year, on the eve of her shop launch, the last thing Eva wants is to drive to the wild moors of Cornwall to attend her friends Hallie and Kian’s Christmas party. But at her husband James’ insistence, here they are. Worse still, Hallie announces she is pregnant, bringing Eva’s pain to the surface. With the help of a handsome stranger, Mira will have to travel across the Fortunate Isles in search of a way to buy her father’s freedom. But to survive the journey she will need to learn who to trust – as securing her own future, and that of her island, will come at a high price. In a series of events, Eva is forced to look at Christmas day from the perspectives of the people closest to her.One Christmas Morning is a heartwarming novel of second chances, forgiveness and grace. For three years Eva hasn't dealt with two devasting losses and her entire life is falling apart. She doesn't see her own culpability as she buries herself in expanding her business. Enter her dead grandmother and repeated Christmas Eve scenarios forcing Eva to see herself and her actions through the eyes of those closest to her. If you love Christmas romance books with family drama and a chance at love, Christmas at the Shelter is a novel you don’t want to miss in 2023. Eva's focus is on the opening of her new business, but she promises her husband, James she'll spend Christmas with their close friends, Hallie and Kian at Penhallow, a manor house in Cornwall. She knows she needs to keep her word, but the childhood memories and her family's connection to this manor house haunts her. Furthermore, Greenlaw's writing style effortlessly transports readers into the heart of the story, painting vivid scenes that evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia. The author's attention to detail and ability to capture the essence of the holiday season adds an enchanting layer to the narrative, making it a perfect read for cozy winter nights. Eva is having Christmas, again and again. On the plus side lots of lovely meals and no calories. On the downside she seems to be condemned to waking up as a different guest of the Cornwall house party each Christmas morning until she can work out just what has gone wrong with her life.
Greenlaw's modern take on a classic is enhanced by multidimensional characters and their realistically complex relationships. The result is a heartwarming tale about prioritizing the things that matter most in life.”— Publishers Weekly One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw is a Holiday and Romance Fiction Story with Magical Realism! I really enjoyed this story and the seclusion of the moors meant that you are really focused on Eva’s journey. She is not distracted by technology and is forced to admit that her behaviour has been abysmal. Seeing the different realities made for some uncomfortable truths but, by the end of the novel, I had grown to like the protagonist and was pleased to see her making every effort to alter her obsession over work, to caring more about her friends and family.The strength of One Christmas Morning lies in its well-developed characters, each possessing their own flaws, dreams, and desires. As the story unfolds, their relationships evolve in a refreshingly realistic manner, showcasing the complexities of human connections. Readers will find themselves emotionally invested in the characters' journeys, rooting for their growth and transformation. I really liked this book, the emotional journey of the MC and the wholesome ending were so good to read 😭 Of course, by its very nature, the book is quite predictable. ( Though there was one incident at the end that I did not see coming.) So this book is not about the destination but about the journey. And the journey is handled decently. The story then turns into a kind of modern take on A Christmas Carol, where Eva, guided by the spirit of her beloved (but now dead) Gran, must live Christmas Day in the lives of those around her she has chosen to ignore. Will she see the error of her ways and be able to fix all that is nearing destruction??
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