Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber Review
January 25th, 2007 by admin
Christmas Letters is the third Debbie Macomber book I have read. What I like best about her books is the close knit communities she builds in her books. It makes me feel a little removed from today’s hustle and bustle world where people don’t know and don’t care to know their neighbors; where some people only shop at malls and big box stores instead of at their neighborhood and hometown stores; and where holidays are so commercialized that many people don’t ever take the time to think about the real reason those holidays are being celebrated. This books centers around the Christmas holiday. Christmas is no longer just a Christian holiday. People from many faiths and some that don’t believe in a higher being celebrate Christmas as a time of family and friends, celebrating life, and giving to others.
Katherine O’Connor, or K.O as she is referred to in the book, is single woman who has put herself through school and is currently supporting herself by doing transcription out of her apartment and with a little sideline business of writing Christmas letters until she can find a public relations job.
The Christmas letter business started by accident when someone read one of K.O’s letters and wanted her to make their Christmas letter as witty and interesting as hers were. One example in the book is when K.O. is asked to write a letter by a man whose family highlights include his son being in a detention home and his daughter moving in with her bum of a boyfriend and announcing she’s pregnant. K.O. puts her own spin on events and writes a letter that talks about how the son “had an opportunity he couldn’t turn down and is currently away at school,” and how his daughter and her boyfriend have decided to “deepen their relationship” nothing that “who knows, there might be wedding bells – and perhaps even a baby – in our daughter’s future.” She definitely makes lemonade out of lemons!
The Christmas letters are only a subplot of the book. The main storyline involves K.O. meeting Dr. Wynn Jeffries, a child psychologist who has written a book about how children should be free to make their own choices because they will naturally choose to do the right thing. K.O.’s younger sister Zelda has read the book and is now using it as a bible in raising her young twin daughters. Since Zelda has started using the “free child” philosophies, her daughters have gone from being well behaved and well adjusted children to demanding little monsters who aren’t much of a joy to be around. K.O. thinks the philosophy of the entire book is a bunch of garbage and that it’s ruining her nieces.
K.O. and Wynn discover they have chemistry with each other, but will their completely different views get in the way of their having a relationship? If you read the book, you’ll find out.
The book was enjoyable and easy to read. I liked it even though the storyline was predictable. If you’re looking for a fun lighthearted book to read, especially at Christmastime, read this one.
My rating (0-10 smilies): 8 ☻☻☻☻☻☻☻☻☺☺