Christmas without Holly by Nicola Yeager: Mini Review

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Title: Christmas without Holly
Author: Nicola Yeager
Publisher: Endeavour Press Ltd.
Publication Date: November 2012
Length: 62 pages
Series: Stand Alone
Reason for Discovery: Kindle Freebie

This book satisfies the COYER requirements because I got it for free and I read it in November! This is my last COYER review! Yea! Get ready for a wrap-up post later today. :)

From GoodReads:

Christmas is a time for pampering yourself. At least, that is what Holly Nightingale thinks. A hard-working nurse, she has given herself an early Christmas gift - three days at Willows, a posh health farm in Surrey. She's looking forward to day after day of skin treatments, dips in the hot tub, and relaxing sessions with the handsome masseurs. But not everything is perfect. Her fiancĂ© Clive is stuck in Hong Kong. It turns out that he won't be home for the festive season - and Holly is expected to spend it with his ghastly family. Who is Clive spending Christmas with anyway? Why does he spend so much time in the Far East? What is he up to? As Holly sits by the spa with the pampered, unfaithful wives of the Home Counties, she starts to wonder what kind of married life she is about to embark on. And maybe Clive will be spending many more Christmases without Holly. 'Christmas Without Holly' is a sparkling seasonal romantic comedy - a warm, moving tale, that manages to be funny, while also reminding the reader that Christmas is a time to reflect on life and where it is going. 

Holly is supposed to spend the holidays with her fiance and her future in-laws. Holly decides to spend three days at a spa in order to get herself primped and a bit relaxed. This holiday get together  is important, because Holly and Clive rarely see each other, because Holly lives in the US and Clive lives in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, in between spa treatments, Holly gets a text message that Clive can't come. How will Holly cope? Maybe James the masseuse can untangle those knotted muscles.

I wanted to like this novella so much. I liked the idea of a character finding love while at a spa. I picked up my Kindle and curled up with a blanket on the futon. I was ready for a cozy romance. This was not the cozy romance that I was hoping for. First, Holly is mean. The book blurb describes her as a Bridget Jones, but I never see the Jones' sparkle. Granted, Holly never says the mean things, she just thinks them. I just wish I didn't have to read her thoughts. Second, the romance is a bit sudden. Okay, from the get-go we know who the guy is going to be, but up until the last moment, I didn't really see the two getting together. I could have just seen the two characters being friends; there was no romantic spark. Third, Holly didn't really grow or learn anything. I would have been fine with this, because this is a novella; however, Holly continues to be a mean until the end. It would have been nice, if she was less mean because she fell in love (yep, I really just wrote that!). If you are looking for a fun and cute holiday novella, look some place else. :(

I give this book a 1 out of 5.



4 comments:

Chanzie said...
December 6, 2013 at 4:03 AM

Oh no, that's terrible that the character was so mean. Usually they have atleast 1 redeeming quality. At least it was only a novella :)

Chanzie @ Mean Who You Are.

Michelle@Because Reading said...
December 6, 2013 at 8:15 AM

:( bumner the last book of COYER wasn't so good but you did great during the challenge!
Can't wait to read your wrap up!!! Berls and I will have one on saturday to announce the winners. Had so much fun and found so many great blogs to follow! Love visiting yours!!!

Have a great day!

Michelle
Because reading is better than real life

Unknown said...
December 10, 2013 at 12:42 AM

I really thought she was going to get nicer with the magic of love. Oh well. At least it was free and short! :)

Unknown said...
December 10, 2013 at 12:44 AM

It is all good. I really enjoyed cleaning out my kindle and reading some of the free books I have gotten over the years. I can't wait to do this again in the spring!

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