Review: Yes, Carol...It's Christmas!

Yes, Carol… It’s Christmas!

by Cindy Vincent

About the Book

As the top salesperson for Pfunn Party Supplies, Carol Frost doesn’t exactly know how to have fun herself these days. Though she wasn’t always such a humbug. Once upon a time, she was famous for hosting Christmas parties that were filled with everything from laughing guests and luscious hors d’oeuvres, to artfully iced sugar cookies and creatively decorated Christmas trees. To top it off, she even wrote a bestselling book that became the authoritative tome on Christmas party entertaining at the time—The Complete, Total, Ultimate, Everything-You-Might-Possibly-Want-to-Know Guide to Hosting the Best Christmas Parties Ever.

Yet that was long ago, before her life changed and she stashed her tinsel and twinkle lights away once and for all. And while Carol soon learned to settle for her boring but comfortable existence, an old friend knows that Carol isn’t really living up to her potential. An old friend who . . . well . . . now enjoys her eggnog in the afterlife, you might say. To goad Carol into going back to her former party-hosting ways, said friend sends three of her specter pals to pester Carol. Then, much to Carol’s annoyance, she is visited by the Ghost Hosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future on a plane filled with plenty of holiday revelers. And though Carol only wants to be left alone, the Ghost Hosts have other plans. Instead, they take her on an adventure that wasn’t exactly on her itinerary . . . or printed on her ticket stub. From that moment on, Carol’s life will never be the same. Provided, of course, she survives the jingle-bell rollercoaster of a ride and makes it home in time for Christmas . . .

My Thoughts

I found this novella to be a snappy, slightly quirky holiday read. I loved the nods to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Full of sass and heartwarming moments, this novella moves at a swift pace. While at times Carol was a little hard to like, I found her to be a mostly relatable character. I think that most people in her situation would feel like a Scrooge around the holidays. Yet as the tale moves along and Carol is transported to Christmases past, present, and future, she learns to leave her Grinchiness behind and gets back to the heart of Christmas. The message of spending the holidays with friends and families is something I think most readers can appreciate.

All in all, if you’re a fan of contemporary chick-lit and love Christmas stories, this book is for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.