Title: White Christmas
Author: Emma Lee-Potter
Publisher: Endeavour Press Ltd.
Publication Date: November 2012
Length: 60 pages
Series: Stand Alone
Reason for Discovery: Kindle Freebie
This book meets the COYER requirements, because I got it for free and I read it in November. :)
From GoodReads:
Everyone dreams of a White Christmas. But nobody dreams of one quite as much as Hal Benson. An
out-of-work actor, Hal has been hired as a stand-in weather forecaster
by a ratings-chasing news channel. Hal couldn't care less whether it
rains or not. It is just a job. But then he meets Lizzie Foster.
A rival weather forecaster, on a far more serious channel, Lizzie is
bright, determined, fascinated by meteorology - and very, very
beautiful. She is the complete opposite of Hal. And yet sometimes opposites attract. After meeting at a conference - and after a spark develops between them - Lizze and Hal make a bet live on air. Will it snow on Christmas Day? But as the big day approaches, their relationship turns out to be as unpredictable as the weather. And sometimes as stormy. Whilst
everyone else is unwrapping presents, Hal and Lizzie are looking to the
clouds for signs of snow. Will Hal and Lizzie overcome their
meteorological differences - and find true love?
'White Christmas' is a sparkling romantic comedy that will delight anyone who believes the festive season is the perfect time for romance. It will enthrall fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jane Green and Jilly Cooper.
The book blurb does a great job of summarizing the story. Please see above for a summary.
I wanted to love this novella so much! The first two-thirds of the book were great. Lee-Potter does a nice job of introducing the reader to Hal and Lizzie (the book's love interests) and slowly developing their love. It was refreshing to have a novella that didn't have a heavy insta-love feel to it. I thought Hal and Lizzie had a fairly natural-feeling relationship. I felt that the reason they met (Hal had to go to Lizzie's class on meteorology) and why they continued to spend time together (talk weather and other stuff) made sense. Hal and Lizzie were cute, and I could have read an entire book about them.
Although the part of the book that focused on Hal and Lizzie meeting was cute, I didn't like where the plot went in the last third or so of the novella. I may have been okay with the twists and turns of the plot, if it didn't have to get wrapped up just a few pages later. It really is a shame, because the first 30-40 pages were great and the last 20 pages were so rushed and felt so different that the first two-thirds. The tale doesn't take a wildly weird turn or anything, just not a great one, in my opinion. I apologize for the vagueness, but I want the review to be spoiler free! :) I really wished that Lee-Potter could have expanded this book to make the plot feel a little less rushed and run more smoothly. This novella had a lot of promise.
'White Christmas' is a sparkling romantic comedy that will delight anyone who believes the festive season is the perfect time for romance. It will enthrall fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jane Green and Jilly Cooper.
The book blurb does a great job of summarizing the story. Please see above for a summary.
I wanted to love this novella so much! The first two-thirds of the book were great. Lee-Potter does a nice job of introducing the reader to Hal and Lizzie (the book's love interests) and slowly developing their love. It was refreshing to have a novella that didn't have a heavy insta-love feel to it. I thought Hal and Lizzie had a fairly natural-feeling relationship. I felt that the reason they met (Hal had to go to Lizzie's class on meteorology) and why they continued to spend time together (talk weather and other stuff) made sense. Hal and Lizzie were cute, and I could have read an entire book about them.
Although the part of the book that focused on Hal and Lizzie meeting was cute, I didn't like where the plot went in the last third or so of the novella. I may have been okay with the twists and turns of the plot, if it didn't have to get wrapped up just a few pages later. It really is a shame, because the first 30-40 pages were great and the last 20 pages were so rushed and felt so different that the first two-thirds. The tale doesn't take a wildly weird turn or anything, just not a great one, in my opinion. I apologize for the vagueness, but I want the review to be spoiler free! :) I really wished that Lee-Potter could have expanded this book to make the plot feel a little less rushed and run more smoothly. This novella had a lot of promise.
I give this book a 2 out of 5.
8 comments:
Awe! Sorry this one didn't turn out so great. it sucks when you can see a book has so much potential!
Chanzie @ Mean Who You Are.
Thank you for the heads-up! The premise sounds fun, but I hate rushed endings.
bummer, I hate when novellas fizzle, Hal and Lizzie sound cute though. Wonderful review Pamela :)
It was so disappointing, but I was pleasantly surprised for the first chunk of this novella.
The beginning was so nice and slow and then the reader just ran out of time (and pages), I guess.
I typically stay away from novellas, because I find that they tend to fizzle in the end. However, I feel guilty about it, because I like the idea of a novella and telling a good story in a few pages.
It's too bad it didn't live up to it's potential, Pamela! I agree with you about often staying away from novellas for this very reason. Sometimes, thought, a novella can hit the right spot :)
I hope your next read will be more enjoyable overall.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
I have definitely read some better books since this novella. Although I would like to read some better novellas. I think I need to delve into the world of book awards and see which novellas are winning.
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